Vettel votes against Bahrain rescheduling

If Sebastian Vettel was in charge of formula one, he would not reschedule the 2011 Bahrain grand prix.

With political protests still ongoing in the island Kingdom, it has been suggested that either an August or November date is likely if Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA do reinstate the postponed race later this season.

The problem with August is that temperatures in Bahrain are likely to be pushing 40 degrees, while the date would also interfere with F1’s summer break.

A pairing with Abu Dhabi in November, meanwhile, would create a strenuous triple back-to-back ’flyaway’ race scheduling at the tail-end of an already busy calendar.

"The end of a season is already stressful enough, and we seem to have enough races anyway," reigning world champion Vettel reportedly told Finland’s Turun Sanomat at the Geneva motor show.

Source: Nextgen

F1 tests confirmed for March 8 to 11

Circuit de Catalunya will host a second series of Formula One Test from 8 to 11 March, following the cancellation of the Bahrain tests and Grand Prix due to the civil disturbances in the country.

The Formula 1 Teams have decided to return to the Circuit de Catalunya facilities for their final tests, the only racetrack included in the World Championship that has hosted Formula 1 tests this preseason, and will be hosting the Spanish Grand Prix on 22 May.

The teams will be staying 4 days at the facilities in order to carry out their final tests of the preseason. The single-seaters that will be lapping from 8 to 11 March on the Circuit de Catalunya racetrack, will already include a large part of the novelties prepared for the 2011 season, which will be starting in Melbourne, Australia with the first F1 Grand Prix of the season on March 27.

Source: Nextgen

Bahrain not to be charged for cancellation

Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that he will not be charging the Bahrain government for its postponed 2011 season opener.

It was reported in recent days that, because it was the island Kingdom’s crown prince who actually called off the event, the more than $40 million race sanctioning fee was technically still payable to the sport.

But the Times quotes the F1 chief executive as saying: “Nobody wants to gain from this. I want to be loyal to the king because he is doing everything he can to put things right with his people. He doesn’t need people like me stabbing him in the back.”

Also to the Telegraph, 80-year-old Ecclestone played down claims he is so ruthless he will be collecting the fee even though the 2011 race may not take place.

“The fee that is normally being paid for the event is not being paid,” he insisted. “I am not charging them for a race they are not getting. Whether they are covered by their insurers for loss of revenues, ticket sales etc, I am not sure. But if anything is force majeure then that is. It is similar to if an earthquake had struck — no one could have foreseen that a month ago,” added Ecclestone.

The Briton clarified that F1 is “not insured for this sort of thing”.

“If and when it is rescheduled they will pay their usual fee,” explained Ecclestone, who denied that Bahrain pays more for the privilege of having the first race.

“There has never been an extra fee to stage the first race — or the last race for that matter. We put the calendar together to suit the sport,” he insisted.

Source: YallaF1

Bahrain axe benefits problematic McLaren

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is not too disappointed that the 2011 season will begin two weeks later than originally scheduled.

The early life of McLaren’s radical 2011 car, the MP4-26, has been troubled, after it debuted one test late and has so far made little impression in the reliability and performance stakes.

“We are trying to understand how the car, the tyres and all the systems work together,” 2008 world champion Hamilton is quoted by Turun Sanomat.

“We are not yet in the position to do 140 laps a day, like Webber did,” he added.

On Monday, it was finally confirmed officially that the Bahrain grand prix has been postponed until later this season due to the political situation in the island Kingdom.

“I am not too unhappy about the world championship only starting in Australia, because it gives us more time,” said Briton Hamilton.

“We have some catching up to do and not a lot of time until the season starts,” he added.

A major shareholding of Woking based McLaren is held by the Bahrain government’s Mumtalakat company.

Source: YallaF1

Barcelona to replace Bahrain for final test

In the wake of the postponement of the season opening Bahrain Garnd Prix, Formula 1 teams have agreed to return to Barcelona for the final test sessions on 8 to11 March.

Bahrain was set to host the final F1 test a week before the Grand Prix in the country but political unrest has put an end to these plans.

In a statement released by AT&T Williams the British team supported the Bahrain crown prince’s decision to postpone the race and also mentioned, “the team will now undertake the final winter test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya between 8 and 11 March 2011.”

Earlier it was reported that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was adamant that the teams had agreed to return to Circuit de Catalunya for the final test.

The Australian Grand Prix weekend, staring on March 25 in Melbourne, will mark the de facto start to the 2011 F1 season.

Source: YallaF1

Mark Webber voices Bahrain Grand Prix doubts

Red Bull's Mark Webber has expressed doubts about whether the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix should go ahead as unrest in the country continues

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone told BBC Sport that the decision whether to hold the race on 13 March would be down to the Gulf state's crown prince.

Webber said: "When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy.

"It's probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities."

Protestors have re-occupied a square in the centre of Bahrain's capital Manama following the decision of the crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah, to withdraw security forces.

In the early hours of Thursday, six people were killed as police cleared Pearl Square, firing live rounds at protestors.

The crown prince, who established the grand prix, has been charged with holding talks with opposition groups over reform in the country.

Opposition figures have said they want political reforms that will lead to a constitutional monarchy.

Some protesters have also called on King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah, the crown prince's father, to step down.

Webber, who finished third in the drivers' championship in 2010 after leading it for much of the season, is the first major F1 figure to voice concerns about whether it would be right to race in Bahrain in the circumstances.

The Australian, 35, added: "In the end the right decisions will be made. Maybe it is still the first race, maybe Melbourne is the first race, we don't know.

"It's not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than Formula 1 in Bahrain.

"They have bigger things, bigger priorities and that is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.

"That's the most important thing for them to sort out and not to worry about Formula 1."

Earlier on Sunday, Ecclestone told BBC Sport he felt the crown prince was the right man to make the decision about whether to hold the race.

"He will decide whether it's safe for us to be there," Ecclestone said.

"I've no idea. I'm not there, so I don't know.

"We won't advise people to go unless it's safe."

The 80-year-old said a decision about the event would be made on Tuesday.

Complicating the issue is that the final pre-season test is scheduled to be held at Bahrain's Sakhir track a week before the first race, from 3-6 March.

That would mean many F1 team members being in the country for more than two weeks at a time when the situation is changing by the day.

Teams have already discussed contingency plans amid widespread expectation that the Bahrain test will be cancelled and moved to either Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, Jerez in south-west Spain or the Portimao track on the Portuguese Algarve.

Source: BBC Sports

F1 teams want Bahrain opener cancelled

It is believed most formula one teams would like next month’s season opener in troubled Bahrain to be cancelled.

Western countries are advising against travel to the island Kingdom, where mainly peaceful protesters have been clashing violently with the government in past days.

"The F1 community has agreed privately that it would be both irresponsible and indefensible to arrive in Bahrain at a time when the country is counting its dead after a week of bloodshed," read a report in the Daily Mail, one day after a FOTA meeting in Barcelona.

However, the official line is that the teams are waiting on Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA - which has been strangely silent amid the saga - to make the call.

But the Sunday Times reports that "at least one leading team" will boycott the race if authorities decide to go ahead, and it emerges that new world champion Sebastian Vettel’s father Norbert has cancelled his flight.

Ecclestone told BBC radio that a final decision about the race will probably be made on Tuesday, curiously explaining that it will be Bahrain’s Crown Prince who will decide.

"If anybody’s going to sort it out he’s the guy to do it," said the 80-year-old.

"He would decide whether or not it’s safe for us to be there. Let’s hope it will be all right as it’s already scheduled."

Countries’ advice not to travel to Bahrain, however, could void insurance policies, and teams face ramifications if they decide unilaterally not to race unless ’force majeure’ is declared.

Source: Nextgen

F1 eyes Barcelona to replace Bahrain test

F1 might simply stay in Barcelona if the final pre-season test scheduled to take place in troubled Bahrain early next month is called off.

After testing between Friday and Monday at the Circuit de Catalunya in the coming days, formula one had intended to conclude its pre-season programme in Bahrain a week before the championship opener in the island Kingdom.

But with cancellation of 2011’s first of 20 scheduled rounds now looking likely, the teams will not want to forgo the four days of testing scheduled in Bahrain for March 3-6.

"FOTA has asked us what dates we have available at the prospect of being unable to go to the last test, but there is no formal request yet," Vicenc Aguilera, the new president of the Circuit de Catalunya consortium, is quoted by El Pais newspaper.

Aguilera said the Montmelo venue is booked on some of the days between the end of this week’s test and early March.

"But if F1 asks us something, we will do our best to please," he insisted.

The F1 teams association FOTA will meet in Barcelona on Friday, as the four days of scheduled pre-season testing begins.

Source: Nextgen

Heidfeld confirmed at Lotus Renault

"I’m proud to have been given this chance"

Lotus Renault GP announced that Nick Heidfeld has joined the team, taking over driving duties from the injured Robert Kubica, starting at this week’s test session in Barcelona.

The 33-year-old German is one of the most experienced drivers in Formula 1 having started 172 races over the last 11 seasons. He will race alongside Vitaly Petrov when the season gets underway in Bahrain on 13 March.

Nick Heidfeld: “I would have liked to come back to Formula 1 in different circumstances, but I’m proud to have been given this chance. Everything has happened so quickly, but I’ve been very impressed by what I have seen so far in terms of the facilities and the dedication of the people at Enstone. I really enjoyed the test last week in Jerez and I’ve already settled in well with the guys at the track. I have a good feeling for the car, which is quite innovative. I’m extremely motivated and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

Eric Boullier: “The team has been through a very difficult couple of weeks and we had to react quickly. We gave Nick a chance in Jerez last week and he really impressed us. He’s quick, experienced and is very strong technically with his feedback and understanding of the car. We always said the priority was to have an experienced driver in the car and we feel he is the ideal man for the job. We are pleased to welcome Nick to the team and look forward to a strong start to the season with him and Vitaly in Bahrain.”

Barcelona test session

The driving schedule for the upcoming Barcelona test (18-21 February) is as follows:

Friday morning: Nick and Vitaly for pit-stop practice
Friday afternoon: Vitaly
Saturday: Nick
Sunday: Vitaly
Monday: Nick

Source: Nextgen Auto

Lewis Hamilton insists he'll find a new manager by opening race of the 2011 season in Bahrain

Lewis is confident he'll have a manager in place by Bahrain

Lewis Hamilton is confident he will have a new manager by the opening Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain in five weeks' time.

The 2008 champion, 26, has been without a manager since parting company with his father, Anthony, last March. But Hamilton expects to have new representatives in place within a fortnight.

Simon Fuller's XIX Management, who have David Beckham on their books, sports management giants IMG and Creative Artists Agency are all in the frame.

Speaking after his first testing session in Valencia, McLaren driver Hamilton, who earns around £25million a year from wages and endorsements, said: 'I'm working on getting it sorted. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll be able to let you know what's going on.

'But it's positive, certain things will be taken care of a lot better than when I was looking after myself! I've a couple of candidates and I'm just trying to decide which one.'

Hamilton Jr will be happy to see his dad back on the scene very soon - as he will do after Hamilton Sr got Scot Paul di Resta into the Force India Team.

'Clearly he is very gifted at getting drivers into Formula One, which is fantastic. It means he is obviously going to be coming to work and support Paul, but he is my dad so he will naturally be up and down (the paddock), but things are going really well with him.'

The thawing in relations has had an effect as Hamilton admits he is far more content with his life right now, affirming his father's recent assertion he is extra motivated this year.

'I just feel things in my life are much better now, and I feel in a much better place, that I'm able to focus even more energy on to winning than I've done in the past,' added Hamilton.

'But every year I've always approached it the same. Sometimes your training doesn't go as well, sometimes you're more drained by appearances or certain things you do.

'Whereas this year things have been a lot clearer and the training has been a lot more productive, and I'm feeling a lot better about the car. Of course, I always want it more. I can never want it enough."

Source: Dailymail
Courtesy: Ana Ritha

McLaren releases its testing programme

It doesn’t matter how busy you are over the winter, finishing off the new car – without the scream of race engines in the distance it can feel like you’re standing still.

Like all the other Formula 1 teams, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been working flat out since returning from Abu Dhabi back in November. The team has a wealth of new challenges to think about for 2011: new technical regulations, a new tyre supplier and even a new circuit on the calendar.

On track, the silence is about to be broken.

It’s time to validate all the research and planning as McLaren is getting ready to go racing. The four test sessions ahead are vital to the preparations for the 2011 F1 season. The first task is to learn as much as it can about the new Pirelli tyre family using a car McLaren already know plenty about: last year’s MP4-25.

Armed with that knowledge, after the launch of the MP4-26 on February 4, McLaren will start testing the new car at Jerez.

McLaren’s 2011 test programme (with relevant drivers) in full:

VALENCIA (tyre test using MP4-25 chassis)
Feb 1 Gary Paffett
Feb 2 Lewis Hamilton
Feb 3 Jenson Button

JEREZ (first scheduled run for MP4-26)
Feb 10 Lewis Hamilton
Feb 11 Jenson Button
Feb 12 Lewis Hamilton
Feb 13 Jenson Button

BARCELONA
Feb 18-19 Jenson Button
Feb 20-21 Lewis Hamilton

BAHRAIN
Mar 3 Jenson Button
Mar 4 Lewis Hamilton
Mar 5 Jenson Button
Mar 6 Lewis Hamilton

Source: Nextgen

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

FIA's 'big brother' project a success

The FIA has decided that its new in-garage system, which was introduced at the Bahrain Grand Prix, will be used for the remainder of the season. In order to ensure its parc ferme regulations the FIA installed a motion-sensitive camera in the garages of all 12 teams.

Until last year the Formula 1 teams had to bring its cars to parc ferme, a closed area in the paddock where cars are stored overnight between qualifying and race. But as there are now 24 cars in the paddock it became more difficult for the FIA to secure an area big enough to host each and every car.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix the FIA introduced with the co-operation of all 12 teams motion-sensitive cameras in the garages of all 12 teams. Once qualifying was finished the cars were returned to the pitboxes, rather than parc ferme, then covered and sealed and placed under camera surveillance. A security guard kept an eye on the camera feeds from all garages and would alert the FIA's technical team when any activity is seen.

F1 teams are not allowed to work on its cars after qualifying until five hours before the race.

Source: GP Update

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

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

Lewis Hamilton: Red Bull Ridiculously Fast

Lewis Hamilton believes Red Bull should be further ahead of the rest of the pack as they the fastest car on the grid "by quite a big step".

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel claimed the first pole of the season in Bahrain and then led the race for a long period before an engine problem relegated him to fourth place. His team-mate Mark Webber was less impressive, qualifying sixth and finishing eighth in the season opener.

McLaren driver Hamilton says Vettel and Webber have had the best equipment in the field for quite some time now.

"The Red Bull is ridiculously faster than anyone else's car," the 25-year-old told reporters. "It's insane. The downforce they had on their car last year was at some points just about double what we had.

"Even at the end of the year they had so much more than us, even though we had won a couple of grands prix.

"They (Vettel and Webber) have both got the fastest car by quite a big step. They should be quite a lot further ahead in general."

McLaren's arch-rivals Ferrari were the big winners in Bahrain with Fernando Alonso leading home a 1-2 for the Italian marque.

Hamilton concedes that his team are probably on Mercedes level with Ferrari a little closer to Red Bull.

"Fernando (Alonso) I think was very quick in the race and they are obviously a little bit closer, but it's a good half second," he added.

"We are kind of on the same level as Mercedes I would say.

"We just did maybe a better job at the weekend but... it's a battle between us and Mercedes to see who can step up and improve faster and do a better job. Red Bull might have the fastest car, but if we can beat them on reliability..."

Source: Planet-F1

Schumacher says he was faster than Rosberg in opener

Although some were underwhelmed with Michael Schumacher's performance on his F1 comeback last Sunday, the seven time world champion is taking small comfort.

Although the German is struggling with the Mercedes car's tendency to understeer, and the narrower front Bridgestone tyres, he is expecting to get up to speed in the forthcoming races.

After trailing his teammate Nico Rosberg's pace by a few tenths all weekend in Bahrain, Schumacher finished less than four seconds behind the 24-year-old at the chequered flag.

And he said during an interview with France's Auto Hebdo: "I take a little personal satisfaction at being at the same pace as Nico in the race.

"And I was significantly faster than him in the fastest laps -- three hundredths!" he joked.
However, Schumacher's fastest lap was just the eleventh best in the field.

But former triple world champion Niki Lauda expects the winner of a record 91 grands prix to be setting the pace before long.

"I know what I'm talking about," said the 60-year-old Austrian, who came back from retirement and won his third title.

"The old feelings need some time before they're automatic again, but you don't forget how to drive. Especially not when you've been at such a high level before," added Lauda.

Source: Motorsport

Fernando Alonso celebrates with Ferrari later in the night

Source: YouTube @ Alonso-Planet

Ferrari engineer working on diffuser for 'B' car

Rumours that Ferrari is working on a 'B' version of its new F10 car have resurfaced.

We reported Italian media speculation in late January that a significant overhaul of the single seater, which finished second and third on its debut in Bahrain last weekend, is taking place.

Italy's weekly Autosprint magazine has now revealed more details, including that Giuseppe Azzollini - a CFD expert - was employed by the Maranello based team late last year following Toyota's withdrawal from the sport.

It is suggested he is now working on a considerable development of the F10's double diffuser that cannot be accommodated in the current layout of the chassis.

It is believed that Azzollini's diffuser concept would have featured on Toyota's TF110 design, which although taken over by Stefan GP is not destined to race this season.

A more immediate change to the 2010 Ferrari is better cooling, after both Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa's engines had to be changed prior to the Bahrain race.

Massa, meanwhile, said in the post-race press conference that he was asked to conserve fuel for 30 laps, where in fact the reason for his tempered pace was overheating.

"The temperature of the engine is the result of the aerodynamics of the car, so we have to work on that in order to make sure that we don't have any more of these kinds of issues for the next hot races," said team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Source: Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button interview each other - Bahrain 2010

Source: YouTube