It’s all change at Barcelona today as most of the teams swap their drivers around for the last two days of official testing before the 2009 season gets started. Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica are among those joining the test today.
Month: March 2009 articles archive
F1 links: Mosley attacks press over privacy
Posted onMax Mosley attacks Paul Dacre and Press Complaints Commission to MPs [Mosley] accused the journalists responsible for the NoW story against him of a "semi-criminal act" and said his victorious privacy action against the NoW ended up costing him £30,000, because the amount of money he was awarded was less than his legal costs. JA … Continue reading F1 links: Mosley attacks press over privacy
Hamilton remote control McLaren video
Posted onI’ve had loads of emails and Tweets about this, so if you haven’t seen it yet, here it is: Brilliant! Thanks to everyone who sent in the tip. It’s worth remembering Hamilton actually cut his teeth on radio controlled cars before he even got started in karting. I wonder how many other racing drivers got … Continue reading Hamilton remote control McLaren video
Brendon Hartley gets dual F1 test role
Posted onNew Zealand teenager Brendon Hartley has been confirmed as the official test driver for both Red Bull and Toro Rosso, following Sebastien Buemi’s promotion to the latter’s race team. I met Hartley at Oulton Park last year during a Formula Three race. He was not in a fantastic mood having just been beaten to pole … Continue reading Brendon Hartley gets dual F1 test role
Webber cancels 2009 Tasmania challenge
Posted onMark Webber will not be running the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge in 2009. He has been running the event since 2003 but broke his leg during last year’s race. A statement on his website reads: The 2008 Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge saw the conclusion of some major sponsorship contracts, making it a logical … Continue reading Webber cancels 2009 Tasmania challenge
2009 F1 drivers helmets (Pictures)
Posted onFernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Nick Heidfeld have all changed their helmet designs for the 2009 seasons. Several others have made minor changes to their designs. Here’s a look at each of the helmets this year’s F1 drivers will be using. Among the design details I like are the world championship playing cards on Alonso’s … Continue reading 2009 F1 drivers helmets (Pictures)
2009 F1 testing: March 10th (Updated: pictures added)
Posted onBMW flexed their muscles in testing yesterday with Nick Heidfeld half a second faster around the Circuit de Catalunya than anyone else. They almost certainly don’t have that great an advantage over their rivals – and nor should McLaren be quite as slow as Heikki Kovalainen’s time yesterday suggests. But an impression is growing that … Continue reading 2009 F1 testing: March 10th (Updated: pictures added)
F1 links: BWin tipped for Brawn deal
Posted onInteresting Stuff 2009-03-09 "F1Fanatic.co.uk seems fairly impressed" Quote from Mark S about the BBC's F1 site made it onto the BBC Internet Blog. Nice one Mark! Brawn to get backing from bwin? "The new Brawn GP team is reported to have landed funding from the Austrian online betting company Bwin Interactive Entertainment." Bullish Trulli predicts … Continue reading F1 links: BWin tipped for Brawn deal
McLaren struggling or sandbagging?
Posted onHeikki Kovalainen’s McLaren was at the bottom of the testing times today, 2.6s slower than Nick Heidfeld’s BMW. McLaren haven’t shown much pace in the pre-season build-up so far, and speculation abounds as to whether the MP4-24 is a dud, or whether they’re ‘sandbagging’ to fool the opposition. Let’s put the theories to the test.
F1 links: Sepang tries to drum up interest
Posted onNew Approach To Promote F1 Event 'Sepang International Circuit spokesman Azhar Ghazali said SIC target for spectators for the F1 race remains at 120,000 people for Race Day. "The current sales figures are a little short than the previous years in view of the current economic situation but we are confident that there will be … Continue reading F1 links: Sepang tries to drum up interest
2009 F1 cars: which looks best? (Poll)
Posted onIt’s beauty contest time. The 2009 F1 cars are a strange looking bunch but there’s no mistaking some are better looking than others. Which is the fairest of them all? Vote and check out pictures of each of the cars below.
Toro Rosso STR4 launched – first pictures
2009 F1 season
Posted onThe Toro Rosso STR4 has been revealed, meaning the 2009 F1 grid is now complete.
2009 F1 testing: March 9th (Update: pictures and video added)
Posted onAs the start of the 2009 F1 season draws tantalisingly close, today sees the beginning of the final major test before the Australian Grand Prix. Scuderia Toro Rosso will reveal their STR4 which we expect to be very similar to the Red Bull RB5, but with a Ferrari engine. And we’ll have our first chance … Continue reading 2009 F1 testing: March 9th (Update: pictures and video added)
Seat rout the opposition in Curitiba (WTCC)
Posted onThe motor sport fan looking for early season action would have found little reason to come out of hibernation in today’s two WTCC races from Curitiba in Brazil. If Seat’s domination today continues throughout 2009 it’ll be another season to sleep through. The Leon turbo diesels filled the top four places in both races. Reigning … Continue reading Seat rout the opposition in Curitiba (WTCC)
Michael Schumacher vs Adrian Newey, 1991-2008 (F1 in numbers)
Posted onMichael Schumacher’s biggest rival was not a driver but a designer: Adrian Newey. So said K last week in the comments on an article about which driver won the most races. Journeyer suggested a graph showing how the seven-times world champion compared with the man who designed title-winners for McLaren and Williams.
F1 links: Sutil expects close field
Posted onAdrian Sutil Q&A: ‘It’s one of the most important seasons in my career’ "I just know the field is very close together, even closer than last year. If in Melbourne all the cars are close together then the chances are higher to get off the back row. Last year it was not easy because the … Continue reading F1 links: Sutil expects close field
F1 links: Jerez testing analysis
Posted onMark Hughes analyses the testing form "In the cooler conditions of Jerez, the Ferrari seemed to take a while to get its tyres up to temperature – repeating a pattern that’s been seen for some years now." Q & A with Renault's Bob Bell Bob Bell: "Moveable aerodynamics is completely new territory for all the … Continue reading F1 links: Jerez testing analysis
Brawn GP’s BGP 001 breaks cover at Silverstone
2009 F1 season
Posted onThe new Brawn GP team tested its 2009 Formula 1 car at Silverstone today. Jenson Button was at the wheel of the BGP 001.
FOTA’s F1 fans survey results in full
Posted onThe F1 teams’ association’s plans for the future of Formula 1 attracted a huge amount of interest yesterday. Much of the teams’ recommendations were based on a survey of 8,500 F1 fans conducted by FOTA. F1 Fanatic can now reveal the results of that survey in full for the first time.
What was the F1 news on your birthday?
Posted onYesterday F1 Fanatic celebrated its fourth brithday. By sheer coincidence a couple of days ago I came across the issue of Autosport that was printed on my own birthday: November 5th, 1981 (see picture). This got me thinking – can we find out what the big F1 news was on the day (or week) of … Continue reading What was the F1 news on your birthday?