Hamilton: I am committed to McLaren

Lewis Hamilton took the bold step of seeking out team principal Martin Whitmarsh to underline his commitment to McLaren

With the start of the new season looming large with Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, recent speculation has focused on Hamilton's future with the team.

The suggestion has been that a third successive year without the World title, following his initial success in 2008, could prompt Hamilton to seek pastures new.

That would be despite the fact he has another season remaining on his £10million-per-year contract with McLaren.

Hamilton, though, insists he has no intention of going anywhere, nor is he attempting to engineer a move away from McLaren, a team that has overseen his career since he was 13.

"I've spoken to Martin today because I wanted to reassure him that I am here at McLaren, that I am committed to the team, committed to winning," said Hamilton.

"This is where my heart and mind are. I'm not thinking about going elsewhere, I don't have my people (his new management team) going elsewhere and doing any other talking.

"I try and put myself in other people's positions, to understand how they would feel. I think that's important.

"I can imagine how I would feel if I heard stories that they were looking for another driver to replace me, it would be upsetting and distracting, and I kind of assume that may have been the case.

"So I wanted to make sure I put that right, and why I spoke with Martin."

Hamilton, though, has not ruled out the possibility of one day in the distant future changing teams, but not before he has played his part in helping McLaren rediscover the winning Championship habit.

"Of course, I'm going to be in Formula One for some time, and you never know which way the wind will take you," added Hamilton.

"As I said, for now, I'm committed to trying to make this team the most successful it can be, and I feel we can do that."

Whitmarsh was naturally grateful to Hamilton for being upfront and honest, although felt the 26-year-old had no need to do so.

Whitmarsh said: "Lewis did come to see me today, not that it was necessary.

"It wasn't something I was going to raise with him, but it was nonetheless still nice for him to want to clarify his passion and restate his commitment to being in the team."

Dismissing the stories, Whitmarsh is convinced McLaren will again present Hamilton with the kind of opportunities that will ensure his head will not be turned.

"You glance through the headlines and you see lots of things, but you don't spend too much time dwelling on them," added Whitmarsh.

"He knows we will have highs and lows in any season, but he also knows this team is committed to winning.

"We're a great team, we enjoy working together. There are always plenty of challenges in this sport, and that's what we are here for.

"Obviously he has grown up with this team, we have had some great times together, and I'm sure we're going to have some great times together in the future as well.

"Lewis has grown and developed in self-assurance and his manner in the years I've known him, and has a genuine affection for the team and the people in it.

"It's great he is comfortable, enjoys the environment and working with the people in this organisation."

Source: Planet-F1

Australian GP Chief says 5pm race "no dangerous"

Australian grand prix organiser Ron Walker has slammed reports that drivers successfully pushed for an earlier start-time for next year's Melbourne race.

In the wake of the 5pm race a week ago, with the 'twilight' concept providing a better live TV slot for F1's bulk European audience, some drivers repeated their criticisms that the race ended in dangerously low light.

On Saturday, Michael Schumacher - backed by some of his on-track rivals - revealed that the FIA did lighting tests at Albert Park that should now lead to an earlier race in 2011.

But in response, Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Walker said on Sunday that the whinging F1 drivers are "prima donnas".

"It (the 5pm start) is clearly not dangerous," he told the Herald Sun newspaper."You can't please these drivers, they are a bunch of lazy people who won't do anything to help the sport, except for two or three.

"A lot of drivers are prima donnas. They are never happy," added Walker.Australia's motor racing sanctioning body CAMS insists that the official debrief of the 2010 GP has not yet taken place.

And Walker said he is anticipating the FIA's apparent lighting test findings, because he thinks 5pm is a good start time.

The saga comes at a bad time for the Melbourne event, because the rival New South Wales government is pushing to snatch the Australian GP and host it under floodlights in Sydney.

The Victorian government, on the other hand, has ruled out lighting the Albert Park track, despite strong pressure from F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Source: F1 Complete

Lewis Hamilton Q&A: McLaren have taken a step forward

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton ruled the roost in Malaysia on Friday, setting the pace in both the morning and afternoon practice sessions. But while he’s confident his MP4-25 is performing well around the Sepang circuit, Hamilton believes there’s more work to do if he wants to clinch pole position on Saturday afternoon…

Q: Lewis, you were quite frustrated about the team’s strategy decision during the Australian Grand Prix…
Lewis Hamilton: I think the situation is understood. We sat down together afterwards. I went back to the garage and was happy for the guys. To see them all in the red (victory) t-shirts was a great feeling. Whether I win or my team mate wins, it’s a great feeling, because that is what we work so hard to get. It is the one special thing the team gets to experience during a race weekend. We make split-second decisions and we are also still trying to understand how long these tyres will last within the non-refuelling regulation. I don't think we thought the tyres would last that long.

Q: Was it particularly frustrating that you were in the process of working your way back up the field when you were called in?
LH: The most frustrating part naturally was being taken out. It is like climbing a ladder and then slipping down a couple of steps, after you have worked so hard to get to that point. That is all. That was the feeling. But it is motor racing and that is why motor racing is so exciting.

Q: Coming back to this weekend’s race, it was a pretty successful day for you on Friday…
LH: Yeah, it wasn’t bad! I have a good feeling in the car here, probably the best feeling for years. Every time you come to a track this year it always feels light years better than it was last year.

Q: Do you think you can claim pole position on Saturday?
LH: Our qualifying pace hasn’t been great at the last two races, so hopefully tomorrow will be a little bit better for us. It appears that we are quite competitive but we have to wait and see.

Q: Do you feel you have closed the gap to Red Bull and Ferrari?
LH: I don’t really know if we are closer to them but we definitely took a step forward, which is our aim at every race. We are trying to learn and to improve.

Q: Your team mate Jenson Button was quite unhappy with the balance of his car. Was everything all right for you?
LH: There are some changes that I need to make, but nothing too serious. I will sit down with the engineers to discuss the changes.

Q: What are your thoughts on the threat of rain for qualifying and the race in Malaysia? How are you preparing?
LH: Hopefully the weather will be okay on Saturday and on Sunday. What can you do? In regards to preparations, as I said we will go through the data, as we don’t know where everybody really is after FP1 and FP2. The important thing obviously is not to get too excited and do a similar job tomorrow.

Q: What do you think is the key to doing well at this track?
LH: This is a quite special circuit. It is very, very high speed. It is also a flowing circuit, not like at many other tracks where you start and stop, start and stop. You have to keep the car flowing and use all of the road, even the kerbs. You need to have a lot of rear-end support in the car, have good balance, and also a good front end. That’s hard to have, but on top of that it is very hot, which is hard on the tyres, so you have to have a car that is not too hard on the tyres. You have to drive a little bit differently than at other circuits and probably my experience is helping me a little bit.

Q: You just mentioned the tyres. How hard is it to look after them?
LH: The option tyres are always the hard ones to look after but each time you go out you learn more and more about the degradation and techniques to look after them. It is never easy when you have to look after them whilst putting the car on the limit and doing quick times.

Source: Formula1.com

Vettel: I'd struggle to say no to a Ferrari offer

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel admits it would be 'special' to drive for the Scuderia, as 'the Ferrari legend speaks for itself'.

Sebastian Vettel has conceded that he would love to drive for Ferrari one day - and that it would be difficult to reject the Maranello-based outfit, if they came knocking.

Vettel is currently one of F1's hottest properties, and looked set to win both the F1 2010 opener in Bahrain and the Australian Grand Prix last weekend, until mechanical gremlins intervened on both occasions.

Although the German is under contract with Red Bull Racing - having inked a new deal at the end of August last year that will see him stay with the Milton Keynes-based outfit until at least the end of 2011, he added that the allure of racing for the Prancing Horse was something few drivers could resist.

"Right now I feel super-comfortable with Red Bull," he told German news agency, SID. "[But] the Ferrari legend speaks for itself.

"I think for every driver, it would be something special to go there, but for me I still have a few years in front of me."

Vettel meanwhile was extremely frustrated at the end of Sunday's race at Albert Park: "It is massively infuriating and in my mind I'm using the 's' word," he continued in an interview with the official F1 website.

"To be honest, at this very moment I would like nothing more but to go home - but life goes on. It gives a certain satisfaction to know that from my side I couldn't have made anything different or better and I think until the moment when the trouble started we'd done a great job.

"We have a very fast car - that is a fact. We just have to make sure that we see the chequered flag [in Malaysia next weekend]. It is only the second race so there is no need to get too nervous. We just have to see that we have a good car at hand for the second half of the season."

Source: Crash.net

Australian GP - Interview with Stefano Domenicali

"We can be satisfied with this result. At the end of an incident packed race we managed to get one driver onto the podium and the other who had been last after the first corner into fourth spot"

Source: ferrariworld

Sebastian Vettel Q&A: Car failure ‘massively infuriating’

It would seem Sebastian Vettel is jinxed. As in Bahrain, Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix saw him dominate the race only to be eliminated by a mechanical problem. He may head to Malaysia safe in the knowledge that he has the fastest car on the grid, but he also knows that missing out on valuable points at this stage of the season could ultimately cost him the title...

Q: Sebastian, somehow it’s a bit like deja vu: as in Bahrain you’ve dominated qualifying and the race only to be taken out by a mechanical failure…
Sebastian Vettel: Well, yes, we had a problem with the brakes of the left front tyre. As I understand it the tyre was not fixed properly and therefore had too much play and damaged the brake disc. It started two laps before - I wanted to pit but the next lap it was improving again so the decision was made to keep me out, and then it was too late…

Q: How did the problem show?
SV: I was sort of flying sparks on the left front wheel - probably this was visible on TV - then I tried to brake cautiously. At one point the tyre locked and that was the end of it.

Q: How frustrating is this when you’re in the lead in already difficult circumstances?
SV: It is massively infuriating and in my mind I’m using the ‘s’ word.

Q: Is it some sort of relief that the next race is already this coming weekend - that the next try for the podium is just around the corner?
SV: To be honest, at this very moment I would like nothing more but to go home - but life goes on. It gives a certain satisfaction to know that from my side I couldn’t have made anything different or better and I think until the moment when the trouble started we’d done a great job.

Q: Doesn’t being the dominant force on the grid make it easier to swallow another setback?
SV: That’s a cold comfort. I would have rather left Melbourne with 50 points on my side instead of 12.

Q: How confident are you heading to Malaysia that there all the bad luck will have disappeared?SV: We have a very fast car - that is a fact. We just have to make sure that we see the chequered flag. But it is only the second race so there is no need to get nervous. We just have to see that we have a good car at hand for the second half of the season.

Source: Formula1.com

Australian GP - Alonso pleased, Felipe less so

Third and fifth places: that was the end result for Scuderia Ferrari in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso will start from third spot on the starting grid, just ahead of his team-mate, Felipe Massa, who posted the fifth fastest time. “We are satisfied with this result,” said Stefano Domenicali. “We knew the Red Bulls were very quick, but we are not far off them. Fernando really drove a great qualifying, getting the most out of the car. Felipe struggled a bit to get the tyres working properly, but all the same he managed to get a good place. Tomorrow’s race looks like being very unpredictable. Traditionally at this track, the safety-car very often plays its part and I don’t think tomorrow’s race will be an exception to this rule. We will therefore need to be ready to deal with any eventuality. Furthermore, there is a question mark over the weather. For our part, we will try and bring home the best result we can: in a long and closely contested championship like this one, the key is to always score points.”

Fernando Alonso: “I am pleased with the way qualifying went. You always want to be on pole, but third place is still a good result. We knew the Red Bulls were very strong, but we are close to them and can count on having a good race pace. Our aim is to get to the finish, not making any mistakes and getting a good result, maybe making it to the podium. Of course I want to fight for the win but it is not worth taking risks as it is too important to bring home points. After yesterday’s free practice, we were not worried because we knew our work had only focussed on being ready for Sunday’s race. Anything can happen here and we must be ready for any eventuality. A new engine? Yes, it brings luck to change it…But joking apart, it was part of our engine management plan to have a new unit for this race.”

Felipe Massa: “Not the qualifying I was expecting, going into this Grand Prix. Ever since the temperature dropped, I have always struggled to find the best way of getting the tyres up to temperature, while yesterday morning for example, when it was hotter, the situation was much better. With today’s temperatures, I had no grip, which is not particularly encouraging. Let’s hope it’s a bit warmer tomorrow. In FP3 I really found it difficult, but come the end of qualifying I still managed to get a reasonable result. It’s definitely not ideal in terms of looking for a win, but all the same, I will try and bring home a good number of points. This race is very tough, partly because, as we have often seen in the past, anything can happen here.”

Chris Dyer: “We are quite pleased with this result, given that we came pretty close to getting the most out of the potential of our package. We still lack a little bit of performance to be ahead of the two Red Bulls, but nevertheless, we are in a good position for tomorrow’s race. After the difficulty in the last free practice session, Felipe did a good job in qualifying, managing to get a good position on the grid. Both cars will be starting from the clean side of the track, which could be an advantage. At the moment, the weather forecast for tomorrow is dry for the race, but we saw both yesterday and today that there is real chance of short showers. We must therefore be ready to deal with this eventuality, as well as making the most of any opportunities that might arise during a race that traditionally seems plenty of action.”

Source: Ferrari.com

Alonso: Podium is a realistic goal

After watching the Red Bulls blitz the competition in qualifying, Fernando Alonso admits that victory in the Australian GP may be out of Ferrari's reach.

Red Bull dominated qualifying at the Albert Park circuit as Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber locked out the front row of the grid. Alonso, though, wasn't too far off, finishing in third place, 0.192s behind pole-sitter Vettel.

Yet Red Bull's qualifying performance, coupled with the pace they displayed in Bahrain, has Alonso admitting that perhaps a podium finish is the best Ferrari can hope for come Sunday evening.

"Qualifying has been good for us," said the Spaniard. "We knew that to beat the Red Bulls was a difficult thing to do here, so we concentrated to maximise our potential, and third was a very good result.

"Tomorrow the race is long, so we'll try to finish the race on the podium like Bahrain, and we want to keep scoring points. There will be a long race, with safety cars, accidents, problems and it will be very tough.

"First we need to finish the race and then see if we are quick to win the race or not."

The double World Champ, who won the season-opening Bahrain GP after Vettel's Red Bull suffered reliability issues, wasn't at all surprised to find Red Bull and Ferrari at the front of the grid.

"It's not a surprise because I was not expecting a clear order," he said. "Yesterday's times mean really nothing because with a different fuel load that we have this year everyone can have different preparation for this weekend.

"Yesterday I was P15, so we were preparing the race compared to our competitors a little bit more. For tomorrow I am confident but as all three said tomorrow's race is a very long race with many things that normally happen here.

"I'm extremely happy with a place in the top three, but this is start of the weekend and tomorrow is the real job."

Source: Planet-F1

Inside Track - Lewis, Jenson and the Australian Grand Prix

Source: YouTube - VODAFONEUK

Prac Two: Hamilton leads Button

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button made the most of a brief dry spell to top the timesheets in Friday's second practice for the Aussie GP.

With light rain falling at intermittent periods throughout the 90-minute session, Hamilton clocked a 1:25.801 during an early dry spell, putting him 0.275s up on his team-mate.

And with more rain coming down later it appeared as if the McLaren drivers would easily walk the session before a drying track near the end of practice saw Mark Webber and Michael Schumacher both put in a charge.

The duo, though, were unable to match the pace of the MP4-25, finishing third and fourth respectively.

Unlike the first session, Practice Two began under gathering clouds with a few drops of rain starting to fall on the track, dropping the temperature of the asphalt to just 26'C. A few drivers ventured out for their installation laps on a track that was quickly becoming rather slippery. Most, though, opted to stay in the pits.

With the rain abating, Rubens Barrichello set the first time of the session, a 1:31.006, with his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg taking second place. Hulkenberg went on to overhaul Barrichello while Mark Webber took third place.
Nico Rosberg was the next in the P1 slot while Practice One pace-setter Robert Kubica moved into third place behind Barrichello and ahead of Hulkenberg.

With more drivers venturing out, the timesheets continued to change as Lewis Hamilton took third place before being dropped by Robert Kubica. Tonio Luizzi went seventh, Pedro de la Rosa fifth and Jenson Button tenth. Kamui Kobayashi, back on track after his earlier incidents, moved up to ninth place while Jarno Trulli went 12th.

Button was the next to lead the way, overhauling Rosberg as he clocked a 1:26.735. However, seconds later he was beaten by Hamilton as the 2008 Champ shaved 0.087s off his team-mate's time.

Vitaly Petrov, who was earlier caught speeding in the pit lane, run wide at Turn 13 while Adrian Sutil put his Force India up into third place before he was dropped by Petrov. Hamilton lowered the benchmark time to a 1:25.801.

Problems for Karun Chandhok meant he had to park his Hispania car on the side of the track, bringing out the yellow flags as the marshals push the car to safety.

With the rain coming down again, the drivers headed back into the pits, taking the break to evaluate the data gathered during the first half of the session.

They were soon back out again as the light rain continued to fall with Jaime Alguersuari, Rosberg, Petrov, Kubica and de la Rosa trying their hand at the slippery conditions. Alguersuari's lap time, though, was an indication of how much the rain altered the circuit as he was 25s off the pace.

Michael Schumacher, one of five drivers without a time to their name, made his way out, clocking a 1:39.944, 14s off Hamilton's P1 time, which was set on a dry track. The German only completed a handful of laps before heading back into the pits with graining tyres.

Sutil had a tricky moment over the exit of the Turn Four kerbs but manages to keep it together as the drivers continued to put in the laps but without any impact on the timesheets due to the now wet track.

Alguersuari joined the list of those running wide and onto the grass at Turn 15. A few minutes later Buemi followed his team-mate onto the grass.

With the track finally drying out, both Ferraris, Red Bulls and Schumacher ventured out. Webber improved his time but stayed P13, Schumacher moved up to 14th place, 11th and then lept to third before he was dropped by Webber, who moved up from 14th to third.

Schumacher, though, should be satisfied with his efforts - his position of P4 in the timesheets represents the first time that he has finished above his Mercedes team-mate in a timed session this season .

Times:

1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.801 13 laps
2. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.076 + 0.275 16 laps
3. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:26.248 + 0.447 22 laps
4. Schumacher Mercedes 1:26.511 + 0.710 16 laps
5. Petrov Renault 1:26.732 + 0.931 26 laps
6. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.832 + 1.031 29 laps
7. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:26.834 + 1.033 22 laps
8. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:26.835 + 1.034 17 laps
9. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:26.904 + 1.103 25 laps
10. Rosberg Mercedes 1:26.956 + 1.155 22 laps
11. Kubica Renault 1:27.108 + 1.307 28 laps
12. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.108 + 1.307 25 laps
13. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.455 + 1.654 23 laps
14. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:27.545 + 1.744 25 laps
15. Alonso Ferrari 1:29.025 + 3.224 20 laps
16. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:29.134 + 3.333 19 laps
17. Massa Ferrari 1:29.591 + 3.790 21 laps
18. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:29.860 + 4.059 15 laps
19. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:30.510 + 4.709 43 laps
20. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:30.695 + 4.894 17 laps
21. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:32.117 + 6.316 9 laps
22. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 2 laps
23. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1 laps
24. Senna HRT-Cosworth

Source: Planet-F1

Prac One: Kubica quickest for Renault

Robert Kubica pulled off a surprise in Friday's Australian GP practice as the Renault racer put his R30 into the P1 slot ahead of Nico Rosberg.

With the sun baking down on the circuit, Kubica was the only driver to break into the 1:26s as he outpaced Rosberg by 0.199s.

Jenson Button and Felipe Massa were next in line while Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton all finished within a second of the Polish driver's P1 time.

However, it was Kamui Kobayashi who livened up the show as the Sauber driver brought out the red flags on two occasions.

Report: With practice starting at 12:30pm local time, the sun over Melbourne was out in full force with a track temperature of 39'C awaiting the drivers, who were quick to put in their installation laps and get their weekend underway.

Bruno Senna set the first time of the day, a 1:37.989 for the Hispania driver. He was soon overhauled by his team-mate Karun Chandhok, who went 0.011s quicker while Virgin's Lucas di Grassi took third place. Heikki Kovalainen went quickest of all, up by more than a second over his fellow new team drivers.

However, he was dropped when Lewis Hamilton put in his first lap time, a full five seconds up on Kovalainen's best, and the first indication of what the big boys will be doing around the Albert Park circuit. With more drivers venturing out Kamui Kobayashi went second ahead of Pedro de la Rosa, Force India test driver Paul di Resta, Vitaly Petrov and Nico Hulkenberg.

Problems for Kobayashi, who lost his front nose at Turn 12 after hitting a bollard before sliding across the gravel and heading back to the pits.

Michael Schumacher took second place, 2.054s behind Hamilton. However, while on a hot lap that included a fastest first sector time, the session was then red flagged, sending Schumacher into the pits and allowing the marshals time to clear up the damage caused by Kobayashi's incident.

Four minutes later the session was re-started with some talk that Schumacher could face a penalty of some sort for setting the fastest lap time of the session, a 1:28.629 under red flags conditions. His time was disallowed almost immediately while Red Bull boss Christian Horner joked that the German should face a ten-grid slot penalty for the next two races for his antics under red.

Nico Rosberg moved up to first place before he was dropped by Jenson Button. Robert Kubica took third ahead of Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Rubens Barrichello and Schumacher.

Button improved to a 1:27.482 while Kubica climbed to second, Schumacher sixth and Felipe Massa eighth.

The session then came to an halt as Kobayashi crashed his Sauber C29 when his front wing, who had just been put back on following his earlier incident, collapsed under the car as he came into the run down to Turn 3, sending the Japanese rookie across the gravel and into the barriers.

Kobayashi managed to avoid doing serious damage to his car and climbed out unaided while once again the marshals were entrusted with the task of cleaning up the debris as he hit a polystyrene braking board on his way to the gravel.

Six minutes later the session re-started with Jarno Trulli putting in his first time of the day, a 1:33.799, over six seconds off Button's pace, however, it was di Grassi who was still the quickest of the new team drivers in 19th place. Kovalainen added his name to the list of spinnners.

Rosberg moved up to first place before losing out to Kubica, who posted a 1:26.927, while his team-mate Petrov spun his Renault. Pedro de la Rosa returned to the track after the Sauber team checked over his car to ensure he wouldn't suffer a similar wing failure to his team-mate, however, seconds later his car stopped on the side of the track.

Another incident for Petrov saw him damage the under side of his car as he rode the kerbs before spinning while Senna took the grass as he went off track.

Massa improved up to fourth place, Alonso to seventh and di Resta to 14th. Petrov moved up to ninth place after the chequered flag had fallen while Kovalainen parked his Lotus on the side of the track.

Times

1. Kubica Renault 1:26.927 22 laps
2. Rosberg Mercedes 1:27.126 + 0.199 18 laps
3. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.482 + 0.555 22 laps
4. Massa Ferrari 1:27.511 + 0.584 18 laps
5. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:27.686 + 0.759 23 laps
6. Alonso Ferrari 1:27.747 + 0.820 21 laps
7. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.793 + 0.866 22 laps
8. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:28.014 + 1.087 21 laps
9. Petrov Renault 1:28.114 + 1.187 25 laps
10. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:28.192 + 1.265 18 laps
11. di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1:28.537 + 1.610 25 laps
12. Schumacher Mercedes 1:28.850 + 1.623 19 laps
13. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:28.572 + 1.645 21 laps
14. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:28.683 + 1.756 22 laps
15. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:29.465 + 2.538 13 laps
16. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:29.712 + 2.785 18 laps
17. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:30.249 + 3.322 26 laps
18. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:31.654 + 4.661 5 laps
19. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:31.652 + 4.725 13 laps
20. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:31.654 + 4.727 26 laps
21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:32.831 + 5.904 25 laps
22. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1:33.401 + 6.474 24 laps
23. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:34.251 + 7.324 19 laps
24. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:34.924 + 7.998 8 laps

Source: Planet-F1

In conversation - Bernie Ecclestone & Lewis Hamilton

Reams have been written about both Formula One Group CEO Bernie Ecclestone and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, usually separately. Interviewed together for the first time at the recent Bahrain Grand Prix, the duo set out to make joint headlines, as they discussed the return of Michael Schumacher, the three new teams joining the grid this year, and each other…

Q: For a 41 year-old the performance of Michael Schumacher wasn’t too bad…
Bernie Ecclestone: It has nothing to do with age. I’m already 79, so be careful what you’re saying!
Lewis Hamilton: Obviously some people don’t age. Like Bernie and Michael. Don’t forget, he’s still a seven-time world champion, even if he wasn’t at the very top in Bahrain. Though I’m sure that it did not go unnoticed that Nico (Rosberg) was faster than him all weekend.

Q: And what do you draw from that?
LH: That Nico was the faster one. You could see that most clearly in qualifying, where there are no differences in fuel load and it is all about pure speed. Nico was clearly faster.

Q: Did you expect that would be the case?
LH: You can never bank on anything, but Nico is a very fast guy. I already knew that from the days when we were racing karts. We really fought it out on the track.
BE: How much was Michael slower than Nico? Three-tenths?
LH: That’s nothing.BE: That’s what I’m saying, because a lap in Bahrain is pretty long.

Q: How big was the gap between you and your new team mate Jenson Button?
LH: Four-tenths.

Q: Lewis, how important is it for you to be faster than Jenson?
LH: It doesn’t make a difference for me. I want to win and that means that I have to beat my team mate. But I knew that Jenson would be fast. He’s a great driver.

Q: How many phone calls from prospective managers did you get after you announced that your father is to concentrate on his own business affairs?
LH: Bernie, may I tell them about your call?
BE: Sure. I tried to call him saying that I was in search of a job, but he didn’t pick up the phone.
LH: When I checked my voicemail, there he was - Bernie telling me that he was looking for a job!

Q: And what was your reply?
LH: That I will eventually call back…
BE: So obviously I wasn’t good enough!
LH: Honestly, I have received a lot of applications but I’m not in a hurry to decide. I am with a fantastic team, with many competent people, so at the moment I have no need for a manager.
BE: A driver doesn’t need a manager. Gerhard Berger is the prime example of that. He managed himself and was making more money than anybody else at the time he was racing. I am sure he made better deals for himself than he would have done with a manager at his side.
LH: Well, it’s good to know that at the moment I’m not in any contractual negotiations.

Q: Bernie, if you compare Lewis and Michael, what’s your conclusion?
BE: Michael’s comeback is fantastic for Formula One. But Lewis’s first season in Formula One - the year after Michael retired - was equally fantastic. What he delivered in his rookie year and the spectacular battles with Fernando Alonso made fans forget about the void left by Schumacher.
LH: Thanks for the compliment.

Q: Lewis, how satisfied are you with the first race weekend of the season?
LH: Well, after the February tests I hadn’t expected to be that far behind the Red Bulls and Ferraris, but we will fight to bridge the gap.

Q: Your former team boss Ron Dennis was in Bahrain. Is his presence a support?
LH: In terms of the racing it doesn’t make any difference, but I am always happy when he’s present, because I have a very close relationship with him. I admire what he has achieved in his career and what he has done for the team. Without him I wouldn’t be here.
BE: I think that he should attend more races too. He belongs in Formula One.

Q: Bernie, have you ever seen a better driver line-up than this season’s?
BE: Do you mean at McLaren or Mercedes? Honestly, I cannot remember having ever seen a better line-up than this year’s. Eight drivers eligible to win the championship. It definitely won’t boil down to a two-horse race.

Q: If you were still a team principal, which drivers would you sign?
BE: Probably the cheapest.

Q: So you wouldn’t sign Lewis?
LH: I don’t believe Bernie.
BE: Well, Lewis and Sebastian (Vettel) wouldn’t be too bad, if I negotiated cleverly enough.

Q: Before the season started you said that Hamilton and Vettel would fight it out for the title. Do you still stand by that prediction?
BE: After one race you cannot say who will win - except that it probably will not be Virgin.
LH: Never say never!
BE: In this case I can. I don’t think that the new teams will raise their performance significantly over the season.
LH: Well, I also have to admit that the gap between the new teams and the established ones is
quite significant. But on the other hand, it’s good to see new teams enter Formula One. It’s good for our sport.

Q: Lewis, is here anything you have always wanted to know from Bernie but were too afraid to ask?
LH: No. I can always turn to Bernie if I need advice. He has always made compliments and has always supported me, so why should I be afraid? I admire what he has achieved. Formula One is the best sport in the world.

Source: Formula1.com

Kovalainen more confident over hydraulics

Heikki Kovalainen is cautiously optimistic about the Lotus hydraulics system as the second Grand Prix of the season approaches. The Finn was the only finisher for any of Formula 1's three new teams in Bahrain and is sure that his car's reliability is continuing to improve, despite a selection of niggles.

With Lotus and fellow debutants Virgin Racing having suffered a number of hydraulics-related glitches throughout winter testing, the former was delighted as both cars were officially classified at the end of the season-opening race, despite Trulli stopping on his final lap.

"I am quite satisfied with how our team has solved these problems," Kovalainen explained to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. "Of course, it's still 'touch wood' - Jarno came to a halt just at the end of the first race but he got through it pretty much without any problems.

"It's just such a complex hydraulics system. It has a lot of bending in it and parts linked up to others; they are a bit weak and starting to leak in some points - once that happens, you lose power steering."

Despite the natural teething troubles of any new team in the sport, the former Renault and McLaren driver understands the differences between a brand-new team and his former workplaces.

"There should always be some pressure on, so that the system works," he continued. "It's a bit old-fashioned but I don't think that this is a beastly system; when it works, everything is okay, but it's just too uncertain and not quite up to date."

Source: GPUPDATE

Webber could quit at end of season

Red Bull's Mark Webber could be planning to retire from Formula One at the end of 2010, according to Lewis Hamilton.

After taking the helm of a racing yacht for a sponsor event on famous Sydney Harbour, Hamilton hinted to reporters that Australian driver Webber's ninth home race this weekend might be his last.

"I don't know how long he plans to stay in F1 but I get the sense that it's one of the years he wants to finish on top and perhaps call it a day," Hamilton said. "He has the best chance to end on that high this year and I wouldn't be surprised if he is considering it."

It has been rumoured that Red Bull, already with the 2007 world champion under contract in world rallying, could install Kimi Raikkonen as Sebastian Vettel's team-mate in 2011. Webber's contract runs out at the end of this season.

In an interview carried on ESPNF1 yesterday, Webber said: ""I have generally taken each year as it comes. At the start of this year I feel better and more motivated to keep going. Once you get great results you want the races to come every weekend. You have to earn your stripes, they don't hand these drives out for free."

Source: ESPNF1

Calm and concentrated: in Melbourne we're starting from square one

I've been in Australia for a couple of days already. I came directly here from Bahrain to relax a bit before the two consecutive races in Melbourne and Malaysia and now I'm ready for the season's second race. I stayed in contact with the team these days and I know that they worked hard in Maranello to get ready for the race. The one-two win in Sakhir gave us confidence and was a great result for the hard work during the winter on the track and at the works, but we can't take anything for granted. We have to stay with our feet on the ground, keeping calm and staying concentrated: in Melbourne we're starting from square one. Nothing has changed for me: there are four teams and eight drivers who can fight for victory and we have to give it our all to stay ahead of everybody else.

I like the Albert Park track. It's quite a technical circuit with some pretty interesting corners. Overtaking has never been easy and what is even more important now, like on all city circuits, is the result in the qualifying. We have to see how the tyres behave with different fuel loads and temperatures, which will be different from the ones we had during testing and in Bahrain. I think that many of us have given some hot headed comments immediately after the race in Bahrain. It's true that the race in Sakhir wasn't especially spectacular – although for us Ferraristi it was great and exciting – but it's too early to talk about changing the rules. We have to wait and see different races and check the situation, without being emotional. Something that confuses the fans is changing the rules all the time.

The weekend in Melbourne is one of my preferred ones for the atmosphere at the paddock and in the city. It's really special and it seems that everybody is following the event. There's lots of action on the track and it's good to see so many people on the grandstands. Let's hope we can provide a good show to our fans, for more great satisfaction.

Source: Alonso's Blog - Ferrari.com

Domenicali: “Annoying races? Let's not react emotionally” – The team is already at work at the paddock in Melbourne

Melbourne, 23 March

For only the second time since it first hosted the Australian Grand Prix in 1996, Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit is not staging the opening round of the championship. In 2006, the race was number three on the calendar, to avoid a clash with the Commonwealth Games being held in the city, and this year, the street circuit is Round 2. Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro comes to the Antipodes on the back of a solid one-two finish in the opening round in Bahrain, which will be good for morale, given that for the past two years, the team failed to score a single point in Melbourne. The Australian Grand Prix was first staged in 1985 at the popular Adelaide street track and the Prancing Horse recorded just one victory there, courtesy of Gerhard Berger in 1987. Melbourne brought more success, with a string of four consecutive wins from 1999, when Eddie Irvine took his maiden F1 victory, followed by a trio of Michael Schumacher wins. The German won again in 2004 and Kimi Raikkonen stood on the top step of the Australian podium on his debut for Ferrari in 2007.

Ferrari starts work in the temporary track facilities on Tuesday, all the team having flown back to Italy after Bahrain. Much of the car preparation work was carried out at the Sakhir circuit, which is the usual procedure for races outside Europe and particularly pertinent in this case, given that space is at a premium in the Albert Park paddock. Work space will be even more limited this year, with the arrival of two new teams on the entry list. Nevertheless, the area inside the swipe gates is popular with the teams, making up for what it lacks in facilities, with the charm and atmosphere of what is the only paddock left on the calendar that features grass lawns outside the team’s offices and hospitality areas.

Even though the cars have spent the past ten days in their packing cases, the engineers in Maranello have been working hard on all aspects of car performance, including analysing and resolving the concerns over high engine temperatures seen in Bahrain. The engine situation will have to be managed, taking into account there have already been two changes. However, the engines taken out during the Bahrain weekend were not actually broken in any way and can therefore be used again during the season, even though only in free practices.

Apart from this, the Scuderia has already stated that it aims to move car development forward at every grand prix and the two F10s here in Australia will indeed sport a few minor updates, because, with the top end of the field so closely matched, one or two tenths of a second per lap can have a significant impact on the finishing order on Sunday afternoons. After the season opener, many pundits and fans complained the race was boring, but as Gestione Sportiva Team Principal Stefano Domenicali pointed out, “I would be perfectly happy with that if it means the Scuderia will finish first and second in every race!” However, on a more serious note, he added, “it is much too early to jump to conclusions and we should not react in an emotional way. We must wait and see how the races evolve throughout the season and then, the subject can be studied calmly, based on sufficient evidence.”

Relief was probably the strongest feeling among the team on the flight home from Bahrain, because although the car and drivers seemed competitive in winter testing, there are no guarantees that testing form carries through to the racing. All the same, the final result was not as straightforward as it seemed on paper and, in performance terms, the Red Bull might have had the edge, while it is clear that McLaren and Mercedes are close to the top. For Ferrari, racing in Melbourne is always a pleasure, as the team can rely on plenty of support from the crowd, partly because there is a large Italian community in the city. For real race fans, the weekend probably offers more track action than any other Grand Prix, with a whole host of support races which give the fans real value for money, creating a real buzz over the four days. As was the case last year, the weekend timetable is shifted a few hours later than usual, with qualifying and the race taking place in the early evening. This presents no specific problems, although it means Sunday’s post-race preparation and packing has to be even more hurried than usual to meet the freight deadline, as the Malaysian Grand Prix will be only a matter of days away. However, with the race having slipped from first to second the calendar, Melbourne will be slipping gently into fall, so it should be cooler than last year and with an higher chance or rain. If that happens, it should at least address the perceived notion of boring racing!

Source: Ferrari.com

Australian GP: McLaren preview

Jenson Button

"I have some extremely pleasant memories of racing in Australia. As with most drivers on the grid, Albert Park was my first introduction to Formula 1, and I really enjoyed my debut, running as high as fourth before retiring. I was on pole in 2006, although I had another non-finish. Of course, last year was a fairytale race for me -- I took pole and victory, which was one of the most satisfying and emotional moments of my career.

"Looking ahead to this year, I think we head to the Albert Park circuit feeling more confident of our overall pace. It's quite a contrast to Bahrain: no tight, low-speed sections and plenty of faster corners. We think the track configuration should suit our package.

"We learnt some very useful lessons about MP4-25 in the opening race, and the whole team is keen to put them into practice this weekend."

Lewis Hamilton

"I've always enjoyed Albert Park. I had a great race here on my Formula 1 debut in 2007, won the race a year later and made full use of KERS to drive through the field there last year. But, for me, the best things about the Australian Grand Prix are the people and the atmosphere. The fans in the grandstands, the people in the city and the organisation at the track are all fantastic, and it is one of the most welcoming and relaxing events of the year. I really love it.

"I had a great race in Bahrain: despite losing time in the opening stint, I pushed like crazy for the whole race and I'm pleased that we've got some decent points on the board.

"I'm looking forward to Melbourne. I like the circuit, I think we'll go well there and I don't think we'll have the same problems that slowed our progress in Bahrain."

Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

"Coming just a fortnight after the opening race in Bahrain, there's been only minimal time to add developments to the MP4-25. But we've got a number of smaller components that we expect to add to the car ahead of the race.

"We've had the chance to reflect upon it, and I believe that our start to the season has been mostly encouraging. Our race pace in Bahrain looked respectable -- we had the fastest car for much of the second half of the race -- and I think we now have a clearer idea of how to set the car up over a grand prix weekend.

"Of course, we're under no illusions that the opposition will be tough -- and we expect a fantastic battle in Melbourne this weekend.

"The Australian Grand Prix organisers put on a fantastic event and it's an event I always look forward to with huge enthusiasm. I hope that we can put on a great show for everyone."

Source: Motorsport