Formula One 2010

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THEY REMEMBER THAT TO THE SPANISH IT DOES NOT LIKE TO BE SURPASSED BY ITS COMPANIONS

Technicians of the F1 think that Hamilton "will employ" to Alonso



Ex- companions of Fernando Alonso are convinced that the Spanish pilot will offer one immediate answer to the challenge that to him his companion in McLaren raised in the Great Prize of Australia, Lewis Hamilton, who during many returns was in front of him. The work of the British novice in the next test, that it will dispute the 8 of April in the Malayan circuit of Sepang, will be much more difficult, consider the same sources in autosport.com

Mike Gascoyne, technical director of the Spyker equipment and that worked with Alonso in Renault, commented that Hamilton "was impressive in Australia, knew to handle the pressure and ran very well", but it anticipated that "Fernando is not going away to be left unemployed". "the happened thing is going to serve as incentive to Alonso and it seems to me that Lewis is going to have one more season harder from now on", he added.


Pat Symonds self-esteem speech

The director of engineering of Renault, Pat Symonds, is convinced that the world-wide champion will have felt annoying by not to have been able to settle down clearly his hierarchy on Hamilton in Australia. "Great part of the entereza of character of Alonso comes from its self-esteem, and the only times that I have seen him feel really badly during the years that I worked with him were the days in which he was surpassed by a teammate", it revealed.

"Alonso is able to in front of accept quickly a defeat another car or another pilot, but it is to him much more difficult when that happens in front of a teammate", it added. Symonds considers Fernando very intelligent and thinks that, although the Spanish finished in Australia surpassing to Hamilton, will watch a little further on to see the reality. "Of course that is going to react, but I am sure that it has found the situation a little different from which it had anticipated", it assures.


Bell: "Lewis is endiabladamente fast"

The technical director of Renault, Bob Bell, understands that the experience of Fernando Alonso will begin to notice as the pressure increases on the pilots in the course of the season. "If McLaren allows them to run to both exactly in the same conditions, Lewis will employ to him to Fernando. When one will notice the inexperience of Hamilton will be when it is under pressure, when it has a problem in the car or when the tires do not work suitably ", explained Bell. "In those situations", it indicated, "Fernando has capacity and experience to know what must do and I am sure that it will return to be above, but in absence of problems Lewis is endiabladamente fast".

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The SPANISH PILOT TRUSTS REPEATING The SUCCESSES OF 2005 And 2006

Alonso: "My memories of Sepang are good"Fernando Alonso, second in the World-wide one of Formula 1, confronts with confidence the Great Prize of Malaysia, second appointment of the season, which the week is disputed that comes in the circuit of Sepang, a layout in which siempreha obtained good results. "one has always occurred me well. There I won in 2005 and I was second the last year, so my memories of this layout are good. I hope that this year is added to the list of good moments ", both said to the world-wide champion last years in declarations facilitated by its equipment.

"The one of Sepang in a circuit enough technician. The car needs to be very strong in all the areas of the layout. All the curved keys tend to be of high speed, so a balanced car and with a good aerodynamics is needed perfectly ", commented Alonso. The Great Prize of Malaysia is, in opinion of Alonso, a race "physically lasts, for all the equipment and the cars". "But we are prepared", added.

When remembering the Great Prize of Australia, first test of the championship, in which Alonso was second behind the Finn Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), said: "We had a solid beginning of season in Australia. We knew that we were not as fast as the Ferrari, and for that reason the result that we obtained was good ".

"In the first compasses of the season it is important to score and to finish in podio. After the great differences that were seen in Australia all we are I retrace steps to return to run ", added the Spanish. "From the Great Prize of Australia all the members of the equipment we have worked it last to try to reduce the differences (with respect to the Ferrari)", said.

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He escaped serious injury by just a few centimetres in Melbourne, but Alex Wurz says he does not support moves to put a roof over the heads of grand prix drivers in the name of improved safety.

Wurz's hands and head nearly bore the brunt of David Coulthard's flying Red Bull in the 2007 season opener, sparking an investigation into how to better protect the occupants of F1's open cars.

The Austrian, though, told the press agency APA in Malaysia that he wants F1 to keep its open cockpits because it is just one of the ways that F1 differentiates itself from other premier categories like sports cars.

But Coulthard said this weekend that the issue of driver vulnerability should be "talked about" and "looked at" in the near future.

Wurz's team boss Sir Frank Williams, too, confirmed that he has already spoken to FIA president Max Mosley about the Coulthard incident.

Williams told Reuters: "Max has got (the FIA's) Charlie (Whiting) involved with our guys to learn about it.

"There will be a close look at that to see what we can do," he added.

Veteran Coulthard, no longer a director but still an active member of the safety-oriented Grand Prix Drivers' Association, suggests that the most likely solution is not a cockpit roof or roll-cage but simply better head protection.

He said: "That is something to be discussed and agreed and we, as the GPDA, can only encourage them to do that and see what the result is."

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Felipe Massa said he felt it was vital he made his mark on this year's F1 championship after claiming a brilliant pole position for today's race at Sepang.

The Brazilian outgunned rivals Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in the final seconds of qualifying.

A gearbox problem meant the 25-year-old Ferrari driver started the opening race in Melbourne at the back of the field, but he went on to produce a brilliant drive to eventually finish sixth and claim three unexpected championship points.

But he was forced to watch team-mate Raikkonen coast to victory three weeks ago and was ultimately left to lament his mechanical misfortune.

"In Australia I think I could have been fighting for pole," Massa said.




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"Kimi did a great job there but so did I.


"But to get pole here, at the start of the championship, is important so I can score as many points as possible for the fight at the end of the season."


That fight is expected by many to be between the two Ferrari drivers, though undoubtedly the McLarens of Alonso and rookie Lewis Hamilton will have a say in the final outcome of this year's championship.


"You know Kimi wants to be in front of me and I want to be in front of him but I think we need to use our brains and not create any problems for the team. That is the most important thing," said Massa.


Defending champion Alonso lines up alongside Massa on the front row of the grid, with Raikkonen in third and Hamilton starting fourth.


Meanwhile, Jenson Button said he intends to enjoy today's race despite ongoing technical problems surrounding his Honda.


The British star had predicted a tough weekend and, although hopes were briefly raised after a reasonably competitive time of 1:35:913 in the first qualifying session, a slower second run meant he will start the 56-lap race from a lowly 15th position.

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Unwavering support for Renault F1 in Sepang

The Executive Director of Maju Motors, Mr Chan Key Hong, was among the thousands of supporters who went to watch the Formula One race live last Sunday in Sepang, Malaysia. Mr Chan Key Hong has shown unwavering support for the Renault F1 team and has travelled to Sepang every year since 2003.
During his trip, Mr Chan Key Hong had an opportunity to visit the Renault F1 pit at Sepang Grand Prix, as well as to speak with the drivers.

Year 2007 could be a rocky year for the Renault F1 team, as Fernando Alonso left for Mclaren Mercedez this season, so Giancarlo Fisichella and new driver Heiki Kovalainen have to step up.

In addition, the Renault F1 team is also currently experiencing major changes in its new technical structures and Bridgestone tyres.

But, at Renault, adapting to changes has been one of its major strengths in recent years and this may continue in 2007. The team has also changed its main sponsor to The ING Group - the world's top financial institution.

However, at the Sepang F1 Grand Prix, Giancarlo Fisichella only managed to finish in sixth place, while Heiki Kovalainen finished in eighth position.

After the race, Renault F1 team's Managing Director Flavio Briatore said, "This is our level at the moment and we got everything possible from the race this afternoon.

"I think our result was the one we deserved, and there is no other answer for us than to carry on, working hard to climb back to the top."

Pat Symonds, the Executive Director of Engineering, said, "This was the best result we could achieve with the car we have at the moment. Giancarlo drove a very impressive race, moving up to the sixth position, which included four places gained with some incisive, aggressive driving at the start and in the first corners.

"Heikki was very unfortunate to get boxed in at the start but after that, he drove a good race and came home with a well-deserved first point in his F1 career. It goes without saying that we cannot be satisfied with our level of performance, but I believe we raced well with what we had today."

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Felipe Massa survived a late challenge from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to record his first win of the season in Bahrain.

The Ferrari driver led by as much as 10 seconds midway through the race before Hamilton closed the gap to earn his third podium in his first three races.

No previous driver in Formula One history has made such a successful start to their career.

Massa's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen came third ahead of BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld, with Fernando Alonso fifth.

The result leaves Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen in a three-way tie on points at the top of the world standings on 22 points, with Massa on 17.

Massa and Hamilton shared the front row of the grid and in the opening laps of the race, the Briton rarely let Massa out of his sight.

After 10 laps, the gap between the front two was still only one second, and the gaps remained fairly constant until the first round of pit stops.

Hamilton was the first of the leaders to go in on lap 19, and after Massa went in two laps later, his new tyres allowed him to streak clear of the McLaren driver on his return to the track.

606: DEBATE
Hamilton is showing every sign of being just that bit more special

KC

Raikkonen, who had been battling Alonso for third, pitted quickly to find his way past the Spaniard, and Alonso's afternoon grew worse when Heidfeld timed his outside overtake to perfection on lap 31, to push the Spaniard into fifth.

Having stretched his lead to over 10 seconds, Massa pitted for the second time on lap 40 and then underlined his dominance of the day by clocking the fastest lap of the day.


With Hamilton unlikely to capture the leader, he had to time his second pit stop to perfection to hold off Raikkonen in third, and managed to, returning to the track still in second place.

In the closing stages, with Raikkonen having dropped off his heel, Hamilton ate further into Massa's lead, but thd Brazilian was just out of reach and claimed his first win of the season, with a second consecutive runner's-up spot for the British rookie.

Afterwards, Hamilton was happy with his performance and already thinking about how he could continue his progress at the next Grand Prix in Spain on 13 May.

The goal is always to be on the podium, today I did not achieve that. I have no confidence in the car

Fernando Alonso

"I think this weekend we have definitely closed the gap on Ferrari and I couldn't ask for more," he said.

"It is one more step for me and in Barcelona we will push again.

"Unfortunately I didn't get as good as start as Felipe, he did very well on the first corner and I just had to make sure I stayed as close to him as possible."

Massa too was thrilled with his result.

"The results in the first two races were not what I expected," said the Brazilian.

"Something was missing. But this time we put everything together. I'm really pleased."

Alonso, on the other hand, was far from satisfied with his day's work.

"I was not competitive, I was not able to be in the right pace," said the world champion.

"The goal is to always be in the podium and today I did not achieve that.

"I had no confidence in the car. Overall grip was quite poor - I was having understeer and oversteer in the same time."

The other British drivers did not enjoy such good fortune as Hamilton.

Jenson Button's race ended on the first lap when he spun on turn four after being clipped by Scott Speed, who had been hit by one of the Spykers.

Red Bull's David Coulthard had a much better day, battling up from 21st place to seventh before unfortunately being forced out by a driveshaft failure.

Fellow Briton Anthony Davidson lasted until lap 53, before he was forced off trailing smoke.






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Bahrain Grand Prix result:

1 F Massa (Br) Ferrari 1:33.27.515
2 L Hamilton (GB) McLaren 2.360sec behind
3 K Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari @ 10.839sec
4 N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber @ 13.831sec
5 F Alonso (Sp) McLaren @ 14.426sec
6 R Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber @ 45.529sec
7 J Trulli (Ita) Toyota @ 1min 21.371sec
8 G Fisichella (Ita) Renault @ 1:21.701
9 H Kovalainen (Fin) Renault @ 1:29.411
10 N Rosberg (Ger) Williams @ 1:29.916
11 A Wurz (Aut) Williams @ 1 Lap
12 R Schumacher (Ger) Toyota @ 1 Lap
13 R Barrichello (Brz) Honda @ 1 Lap
14 C Albers (Ned) Spyker @ 2 Laps
15 A Sutil (Ger) Spyker @ 4 Laps
16 A Davidson (GB) Super Aguri R 53 Laps


M Webber (Aus) Red Bull R 37 laps
D Coulthard (GB) Red Bull R 32 laps
T Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri R 34 laps
V Liuzzi (Ita) Scuderia Toro Rosso R 23 Laps
J Button (GB) Honda R no laps
S Speed (USA) Scuderia Toro Rosso R no laps

R = retired, number of laps completed

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Valencia will host a Grand Prix from 2008 after agreeing a deal with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
The race, to be called the European Grand Prix, is scheduled for late in the season on a newly-designed circuit around the Spanish port's streets.

The seven-year agreement is conditional on the People's Party holding power in local elections to be held this month.

The new deal means Spain will have two Grands Prix next year, with Barcelona staging the other.

Ecclestone has previously said that no European country should have more than one race.

The Valencia circuit will be between 4.1-4.3km (2.5-2.7 miles) long and its harbourside location is bound to draw comparisons with the Monaco Grand Prix.

According to Spanish media, Ecclestone insisted the race must be on a street circuit rather than the nearby Ricardo Tormo track in Cheste which hosts a round of the MotoGP and is also used for F1 testing.

Valencia's willingness to pay an estimated 26m euros (£17.5m) to stage each race as well as the boom in popularity of F1 in Spain, sparked by the emergence of double world champion Fernando Alonso, are seen as major factors behind the decision.

Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, where the Spanish Grand Prix will be held this Sunday, has an agreement to stage a race until 2011.

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Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has taken the outright championship lead just four races into his Formula One career by finishing second in the Spanish Grand Prix.

But the McLaren driver could do nothing about Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who dominated at the Circuit de Catalunya to take his second win in succession.

Hamilton kept team-mate Fernando Alonso behind him to go two points clear of the world champion in the title chase.

The Spaniard survived an off-track moment on lap one to take third place.

Alonso's hopes of winning his home race were over almost before it began when he made an ambitous attempt to overtake Massa around the outside of the first corner.

After a good start from second place on the grid, the McLaren was marginally in front as they went into the turn but not far enough to claim the lead and the two cars touched, pitching Alonso sideways into the gravel trap.
"I thought I was very much in front of him in the first corner - and he didn't think so - and we touched each other," Alonso said.

"It was dangerous. We were very lucky because 99% of the time in incidents like that you would finish the race in the first corner."

Massa countered: "It was a little bit tight for both of us, but I went inside and went for it.

"The first corner is important. You don't want to lose like I did in Malaysia. I wanted to stay there.

"There was contact. He tried to push me inside - it was only small contact - but fortunately nothing happened with the car."

Alonso lost only two places as he rejoined the track, slotting into fourth place behind Hamilton and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who was passed by the Englishman on the run down to the third corner.

The world champion moved up to third when Raikkonen retired with a rare Ferrari failure on lap 10, but he could not close on Hamilton, who was equally helpless in the face of the charging Massa.

The Brazilian edged steadily ahead in the lead and was nearly 10 seconds clear at the front by the time he made his first pit stop on lap 19, the same time as Alonso.

Hamilton stayed out for another three laps but was no closer to the Ferrari when he rejoined the track after his own stop.

The first stops were the end of Alonso's already slim hopes of winning his home race for the second year in a row.

McLaren fitted the harder of the two tyre options to his car for his middle stint, while everyone else stayed on the softer tyres and saved the harder ones until the final push.

The plan was presumably for Alonso to limit the damage in the middle of the race and make a charge in the closing laps.
But he slipped back to more than 10 seconds behind Hamilton in the first few laps after the stops as the tyres took their time to come up to speed.

Alonso continued to lose ground to his team-mate throughout the second stint and was more than 16 seconds adrift by the time Hamilton made his second stop on lap 47.

Alonso followed him in a lap later and began to close on Hamilton after they rejoined, but in the final 10 laps the gap stabilised.

The eight points for second place put Hamilton two points clear of Alonso at the head of the drivers' championship, with Massa a further point behind.

"I keep saying I'm living my dream, and it's really true," Hamilton said.

"I've been working so hard for this and to come out of my fourth Grand Prix leading the world championship when I'm driving against two of the best drivers in the world is incredible."

BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica was fourth after a strong, steady race, with David Coulthard fifth following an impressive race in the much-improved Red Bull-Renault.

The Scot lost a gear in the closing stages and had to fight hard to hold off Nico Rosberg's Williams-Toyota.

Renault's Heikki Kovalainen, who was hampered by having to make an extra pit stop because of a faulty fuel rig, finished seventh.

Kovalainen's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella, similarly hampered, lost the final points place to Super Aguri's Takuma Sato when he had to make a final splash-and-dash pit stop with seven laps to go.

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Spanish Grand Prix result 2007:

1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari one hour 31 minutes 36.230 seconds

2. Lewis Hamilton (GB) (McLaren-Mercedes) at 6.790sec

3. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes at 17.456

4. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 31.615
5. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Renault 58.331
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 59.538
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 1:02.128
8. Takuma Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri-Honda) one lap behind
9. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 1 lap
10. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 1 lap
11. Anthony Davidson (GB) Super Aguri-Honda 1 lap
12. Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1 lap
13. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Spyker-Ferrari 2 laps
14. Christijan Albers (Ned) Spyker-Ferrari) 2 laps
R Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 50 laps completed
R Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 48 laps
R Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 18 laps
18 Scott Speed (USA) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 11 laps
19 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 10 laps
20 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 9 laps
21 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault 8 laps
22 Alexander Wurz (Aut) Williams-Toyota 0 laps

Key: R = retired

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F1: Hamilton wins respect

Lewis Hamilton has earned the respect of the man trying to stop him winning the Formula One world title.

Hamilton is a major threat to Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen becoming champions, and for many that is a major surprise.

The consensus was that Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso would be the thorn in the side of the Ferrari duo, but ahead of tomorrow's Monaco Grand Prix, all three trail the young pretender.

Third place on his debut in Australia has been followed by three successive runner-up finishes, guaranteeing Hamilton a place in the history books as the youngest driver to lead the standings.

The 22-year-old heads Alonso by two points, Massa by three and is eight clear of Raikkonen, and that has made Ferrari boss Jean Todt sit up and take notice.




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"He had a good school last year," commented Todt on Hamilton's GP2 success, and the fact he has been groomed by McLaren over the last decade.


"He's a very skilled, talented driver, who has been fortunate enough to drive one of the best cars this year.


"But we know that in racing you need to have the car, you need to have the team and you need to have the drivers. If you miss one of those components it cannot work.


"He has a good car, he has a good team and he's a great driver, so I would say that I'm not really surprised.


"But I'm full of respect for this young guy."


The Frenchman's concern for the young Briton is that he has found himself thrust into the spotlight too soon.


The glare can often be a harsh, unforgiving one at this level of motor sport, and while Hamilton appears to be unfazed, these are early days.


"I simply hope Formula One won't damage him too quickly," added Todt.


"It is among the sports that attracts a lot of media, and if you want to stay at the highest level for a long time, whatever your position, I think you have to remain with your feet on the ground.


"You have to remain focused on the important things, rather than consider things which are not important but which could distract you."


Hamilton certainly gives off the air of being his own man, someone unwilling to be turned by praise or criticism.


Neither have been in short supply since he arrived on the scene, and now he leads the way in the championship, anyone who is anyone is passing judgment.


Eddie Jordan and Keke Rosberg did that last week when they claimed they had yet to see the kind of win-at-all-costs attitude that sets apart champions from also-rans.


As far as Hamilton is concerned, that is not a route he wishes to explore, insisting: "I don't know if I particularly believe that `win at all costs' is the way forward.


"For sure, we're here to win, so you prepare yourself and work as hard as you can.


"But I don't particularly agree with `win at all costs', but then every driver has a different way to look at it." It is a philosophy applauded by McLaren boss Ron Dennis as he believes Hamilton's comments underline his maturity and set the right example.


"We have one of the best role models around in Lewis Hamilton," remarked Dennis.


"What we are seeing with him is a wonderful story from beginning to end, and people relate to that, that good guys can win.


"One armchair expert passed comment Lewis would not be ruthless enough, committed enough or be prepared to do what you have to do to win.


"Lewis has said he won't do that, and that's the difference because there are drivers who will do anything to win.


"They've been in Formula One, and left Formula One, but he is not one of them.


"That is the sort of focus and approach he has to his motor racing and I think people relate very positively to that.


"For us, he is not just a great racing driver snapping at the heels of a double world champion, but he is also - along with Fernando - a great human being.


"These guys are fun to have in the team, with the popularity of Lewis very much about living the dream."