F1 links: F1 Fanatic P7

Best Sports Blog – The 2008 Weblog Awards

Congratulations to Kissing Suzy Kolber who win the award once again. F1 Fanatic finished seventh.

The four S’s of Formula One’s future

Some wise words from Luca di Montezemolo at Ferrari’s Wrooom event: “I think that this sport has four S’s: stability, seriousness, spectacle and sustainability,” Montezemolo said. “Stability means not changing the rules every six months or every year. We need to plan ahead and the spectators remain puzzled by too many changes. Seriousness, because you need a lot to be able to deal with difficult moments: we need to stay united and humble, without ever giving the impression that we’re divided. Spectacle means attention to the circuits’ layouts, to enable overtaking, to the sporting rules, but also to the use of new technologies such as the internet, high definition and much more that you can introduce in this field. Sustainability, because no company can stay alive if costs and earnings don’t balance.”‘

Hamilton vows to avoid complacency

Lewis Hamilton: “I analysed the mistakes I made last year and, for example Montreal last year, with the pit lane light – every time I go down the pit lane now I am always looking out for the light.”

Haug: No deadline for Honda deal

Norbert Haug on a Honda-Mercedes engines deal: “I think the people there did a good job, we have a good relationship with Ross (Brawn), we have known him for a long time, and it would be great if the team could be on grid in Melbourne and if we could contribute with engines. This is not a sponsorship deal, it is a financial deal and we need to get the finances right, and then we can help.”

Fry: No conflict over team sale

‘Fry claims that suggestions of an investigation could be part of a plot to scupper talks to save the team. Furthermore, he said the final say over who buys the team would be decided by his parent company Honda and not by him alone. “I would like to make clear that Honda Motor Company, as the owners of the Honda Racing F1 Team, will decide on the future of our team following their decision to withdraw from Formula One… It is evident that attempts are being made by external parties to frustrate this process. However, we will not be deterred from our focus of securing a positive future for the team and its 700 employees and achieving our target of lining up on the grid in Melbourne for the start of the 2009 season.”

What is going on at Honda?

“The Mail reports said that Daventry MP Tim Boswell, whose constituency includes the team’s base in Northamptonshire, has reacted to requests from Honda staff concerned over their futures by contacting the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) asking for an investigation. This is odd as the DTI was dismantled in June 2007 and replaced by a new Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), which does some of the jobs that were previously covered by the DTI, notably dealing with company regulation in the UK.”

Kimi Raikkonen faces make-or-break season at Ferrari

“Raikkonen is one of F1’s great enigmas. Supremely quick behind a steering wheel, he is positively ponderous when a dictaphone is thrust under his nose. But although he may be determinedly monosyllabic in interview, he can also let his hair down spectacularly when away from the circuit.”

Raikkonen to test despite tonsil issue

“Kimi Raikkonen is still scheduled to get his first taste of Ferrari’s new F60 in Portugal next week despite leaving this week’s Madonna di Campiglio ski event early with tonsil problems.”

Toyota’s Livery Development: 2002 – 2009

Being a graphic designer at Toyota must be a cushy job.

Montreal 2008 1.00 by The Lonely

F1 drivers might not be allowed to race on it this year but you can: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for rFactor gets Hall of Fame award.

F1: more driving required?

Has the governing body actually been thinking about spectators for a change? Whatever next.

Of wings, sponsors, new cars and Ron Dennis

“Yesterday’s new Toyota, and now today’s McLaren, have suddenly made me aware of just how lucky we are to have lost all those small aerodynamic appendages – even if we’ve gained two apparently badly sized – or proportioned – front and rear wings. The rest of the new car looks absolutely fabulous.” The 2009 F1 cars get a positive review on the International Herald Tribune’s F1 blog.

So Where Are the Ugly Ducklings?

“I think our fears for the look of the cars can be put to rest.” Clive’s happy too, but I’m not convinced about the looks of the 2009 cars yet.

James Allen on McLaren’s launch

“I know better than most what it’s like to take over from a legend, even if you have understudied him for many years. It’s not easy. Whitmarsh has big shoes to fill.”

Why it was time for Ron Dennis to stop

“It’s no great surprise in one sense; he is 61 years old and has been discussing stepping down for some time. He was under pressure from the authorities to quit in 2007 during the Stepney spy scandal, but he toughed it out, determined to stay in charge until Lewis Hamilton had clinched the world title, which he regarded as the culmination of a project he put in place over 10 years ago.”

Toyota to review NASCAR spending

“White doesn’t expect that either Toyota or any other manufacturer will go so far as to withdraw their cars from NASCAR, but does predict that overall investments will be scaled back.”

Patronise F1

“Patronising F1 since 2007”