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FORCE INDIA AND AEROLAB THE GLOVES ARE OFF

Friday, August 20, 2010

The dispute between Formula One team Force India and wind tunnel operator Aerolab is getting even more ugly after a result in the High Court in London. The Queen’s Bench Division in the High Court of Justice has issued an order compelling Force India to pay 1,074,730 euros, plus damages and interest at the rate of 8%, to Aerolab. The order is the first firm result in the dispute between the two companies over unpaid fees for services rendered by Aerolab to Force India. But the main controversy over the dispute could come at the Italian GP at Monza. It is expected that Aerolab’s Director, Mr Jean Claude Migeot, could be charged pursuant to a criminal complaint filed in Bologna by Force India. In a media release issued this morning Aerolab said that "It appears that Force India’s strategy will be to try and force Aerolab into a settlement that the company has no intention of accepting.

YOUTH, EXPERIENCE AND THE UNMENTIONABLES

Saturday, July 17, 2010

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It’s a great thing to see a F1 team manager finally recognising that youth is not the simple answer or solution to hiring an F1 driver. The announcement of former Super Aguri & Spyker driver Sakon Yamamoto being given a second chance to race this year in the German Grand Prix for HRT comes after his drive the British GP a fortnight ago. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of the popular Karun Chandhok being cast aside. This age long debate of balancing youth or experience in professional employment continues to be a raging argument in motor racing. As the current F1 season has turned out, Michael Schumacher’s return to full time racing has not produced results and the seven time World Champion is lagging well behind his much younger team mate Nico Rosberg. (A situation not helped by yet another Brackley dud). On the other hand, an experienced drivers such as Sakon has been recognised and rewarded for his persistence, qualities and experience directly related to the job at hand.

MARKO: MORE RED BULLSHIT ?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

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Red Bull Racing team advisor, and President elect of the Sebastien Vettel Appreciation Society, Dr.Helmut Marko has launched another stinging attack on Mark Webber. Speaking to the magazine Auto Motor und Sport, Marko said Webber should be more grateful to the team. "Where was he two years ago?" said Marko. "Then he could not even dream of grand prix victories. Today, we have given him a car that he can win on his own." he said. Marko who is Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz's chief Formula One advisor, has made no secret of his support of Vettel over Webber. It was Marko who was the most vocal supporter of the German after the coming together in Turkey.

WEBBER RE-SIGNS WITH RED BULL

Monday, June 7, 2010

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Red Bull Racing has announced that Mark Webber’s contract has been extended, meaning the Australian will continue to drive for the team in 2011. With Sebastian Vettel already contracted to the team for next year, this announcement confirms Red Bull Racing’s 2011 driver line-up. In a media release from the team Webber said that it was an easy decision to remain with Red Bull Racing. "We began talking very early this year and were in a position to sign by the Barcelona Grand Prix." he said. "The decision to extend for a further year was a mutual one; it’s widely know that I’m not interested in hanging around in Formula One just for the sake of it and at this stage of my career, I’m happy to take one year at a time... I have a fantastic relationship with the whole team and the factory at Milton Keynes feels like home. It’s been incredible to be part of the team as it’s moved forward from a mid-field competitor to one that is challenging for the Championship. I hope we experience more success together in the future and achieve our ultimate goal of winning the World Championship.”

TEAM BOSS HITS OUT AT WEBBER & VETTEL AFTER F1 TURKEY SLAP

Monday, May 31, 2010

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An unhappy Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has criticised both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber after their mid race crash in Turkey. Speaking to the BBC after the race Horner said the two drivers should have given each other more room. Vettel has denied that he was responsible for the incident despite in car footage that appeared to show him suddenly flick right and into Webber. "Obviously, I think if you look at the pictures it was clear I had the inside," said Vettel. "I went on the inside, I was ahead and just going down to focus on the braking point and honestly, you can see we touched and he touched my right rear wheel and I went off."

WEBBER REIGNS IN SPAIN

Monday, May 10, 2010

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Australian driver Mark Webber has won his third Formula One Grand Prix with an all the way win in the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Webber started from pole and held off Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton into the first corner and from there was never really in any trouble. Hamilton looked set for second place after a forceful pass after leaving the pits that snookered Vettel, But a left hand front tyre failure with only a lap to go put the silver and red McLaren into the wall. This put Ferrari's Fernando Alonso into second much to the delight of the home town crowd. Vettel hung on for third despite failing brakes which had his worried team on the radio urging the German to slow down.

TURBOS BACK IN FORMULA ONE ?

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

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On a night when a 30 year old TV show made it's return to Australian television screens, now comes a report that Formula One may soon return to the days of the 1.5 litre turbocharged engine. According to the popular motorsport website Pitpass, serious consideration is being given to introducing a four cylinder 1.5 turbo engine for F1 from 2013. The 1.5 litre turbo era saw some of the most powerful and fastest F1 cars ever built with some engines claimed to be putting out well in excess of 1000 BHP. The cars were however often unreliable and very expensive to build and maintain. What do you think? Would you like to see a return to the turbo era of F1? That, and many other issues will be just one of the subjects we'll be talking about in our In Pit Lane Live Forum Thursday April 15 at 8.30 pm Australian EST here on the In Pit Lane website. To join just check out the chat box on the right hand side of the page and enter your email to register. It's free, and we hope it'll be fun.

POLICE TO CHARGE “HOON” HAMILTON

Saturday, March 27, 2010

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2008 World Champion Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has become a victim of the Victorian Government's Anti-Hoon laws after he was pulled over by Victorian Police last night. Hamilton was leaving the Albert Park circuit when he allegedly did a burnout in his road going Mercedes. In a statement issued by McLaren late last night Hamilton said: "This evening, I was driving in an over-exuberant manner and, as a result, was stopped by the police. "What I did was silly, and I want to apologise for it."

F1: PINNACLE OR RIDICULE ?

Thursday, March 25, 2010

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The Formula 1 circus has once again returned to Melbourne for the annual Australian Grand. Amidst the controversy of the processional previous race of Bahrain as well as the poor organization and lack of performance of the new teams, I’m thankful that I am no longer a fan to what is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor racing. Unlike previous years when I was living and breathing Formula 1, where I would be literally stalking drivers and know first hand when and where they will make appearances. I no longer have any feelings for any of this; and given how poorly Formula 1 at large continues to treat its fans, I would not at all be surprised if a queue of dissatisfied former Formula 1 fans forms behind me from all over the world. I am at a loss to understand a sport which requires a “working group” to encourage and manufacture an on track action called “overtaking”. It is beyond ridiculous that such a basic action of the sport has to be encouraged or manufactured by a committee for it to actually happen in the arena. Matters are not helped either by today’s Formula 1 drivers.

BRISCOE TOPS WEBBER IN WORLD DRIVER “RANKINGS”

Thursday, January 14, 2010

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BRISCOE TOPS WEBBER IN WORLD DRIVER “RANKINGS”

Indy Racing League driver Ryan Briscoe has topped Formula One star Mark Webber and 2009 Le Mans and ALMS winner David Brabham to be the top ranked Australian driver in a new world driver ranking system. The Castrol Driver Ranking System claims to fairly compare drivers across a number of different race series and styles. The rankings analyse performances over 50 major National and International racing series, points are awarded based on a bewildering formula based on results from qualifying, racing and fastest laps. Events and series are also given a rating based on the number of rounds and the "importance" of the event or series. The rankings were revealed at the Autosport International Show in Great Britain by former F1 driver David Coulthard.