F1 links: Renault test pics

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Renault Testing in the UK Today

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a 2009 specification car up close, and I can’t say the Renault looks any better in the flesh than it did during the launch.” More pics here.

FIA clarifies engine regulations

“Following enquiries made by autosport.com, the FIA has now confirmed that the penalty applied for using an extra engine would only be levied at the first event it was used. […] The FIA has also confirmed that teams will be allowed to make engine changes between qualifying and the race without penalty this year – but only if they can prove that there is a problem with their power unit.”

Hey F1, looky here y’all

“Montoya – and this is something even Donohue might concede – was the only truly world-class mega-driver in the field, despite the presence of guys like Dario Franchitti, Jimmie Johnson and Scott Dixon, and his skill made a big difference. Montoya was majestic – precise, combative, brilliant, aggressive but unerringly fair, technically perfect, wrestling a car that shouldn’t have been anywhere near the lead into a fight to the finish. I had the feeling I was watching the greatest racing driver on earth on this day – what a loss to F1 the Colombian is.”

Renault unconcerned by poor first test

Pat Symonds on the Renault R29’s first test: “I was disappointed,. It wasn’t a great test. We didn’t really have everything quite the way we wanted it on the little bit of dry running we did. But we did come away with a lot of data to study and saw some things that we need to attend to. The aerodynamic maps of these cars are really very different and maybe we hadn’t taken enough notice of that in the set-up. We can do better, which will make the car easier to drive and therefore better. But I really think this year more than ever it will be those last couple of tests that are the indicator.”

Hermann Tilke (video)

An interesting (but not new) video interview with Hermann Tilke.

A life less ordinary

“But perhaps [Niki Lauda’s] greatest achievement was returning to Formula 1 over two years after retiring, and making his mark on the turbo era with a third title. Staggering, when you think about it. Within Alan’s interview, on page 45, we’ve run a big photograph of Lauda in the 1974 312B3, and the contrast to the 1985 McLaren MP4/3 pictured below it speaks volumes. The sport had changed dramatically in his time, and Niki had adapted brilliantly.”

No real setback for the Yvelines

“There have been stories in the last 24 hours about the French Assemblee Nationale voting against the idea of a French Grand Prix in the Yvelines. This appears to be a misinterpretation of the amendment in question which is a technical step designed to save time and make the project easier, but does not cast any doubt at all on the project itself.”

Exclusive Ron Dennis interview – the F1 love affair continues

“I’ll attend most if not all Grands Prix this coming season, for two reasons. The first reason is that I’ll have work to do at Grands Prix as an influential member and proponent of FOTA, and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Group. After all, it’s via Formula One that we’ve built the platform on which we now intend to grow the McLaren Group further in years to come. The second reason is that I continue to love the sport of Formula One with every fibre of my being. That’ll never change. So, yes, I’ll be in Melbourne for the 2009 Australian Grand Prix.”

Formula one has brought honour and prestige to Britain, but it squanders huge amounts of money. Honda should not be bailed out

“The nature of modern formula one, the ultimate expression of a free-enterprise world, is the reason why Peter Mandelson should decline to add the Honda team to the list of companies satisfying the criteria for state guarantees in the current emergency.”

BBC refuse to show Honda appeal (Parody)

‘"It’s a disgrace," said Reginald Scrotum, Conservative MP for the Cotswold constituency of Bigotry & Shouting.’

Farewell, Friend: Honda announces S2000 Ultimate Edition for Europe

‘”Grand Prix White” coats the exterior, while a red leather interior, color-matched stitching and numbered doorsill plaques sets it apart from the standard model.’ Honda plays up its F1 pedigree. Wait a minute…

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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8 comments on “F1 links: Renault test pics”

  1. Montoya’s drive at Daytona has shown how good a driver he is! What a drive by him, world class!

  2. Montoya was great for F1 – i truly miss his presence

  3. I’ve only been following F1 for about 11 years now, and Montoya was my favourite to date. The only other drivers that came close to him was Irvine and Villenueve. These guys were real racers, no nonesense in your face types. Of the current crop, Alonso and Vettel come closest.

    I hope Montoya returns to the grid sometime, I think he’s still got the pace!

  4. Hey F1, looky here y’all
    How exciting the race description ! very well written also. US racing has a unique appeal and character that no other country has. How I wish that F1 and American racing can get together in the near future. The Daytona race with Montoya sounds like so much fun … I wish we had some of that vibe in the existing F1 world.

  5. Renault unconcerned by poor first test

    I´ll bet that this year Renault will have a good car and Fast Fred will be right up there, but they will barely get it done for Australia, and will make it more competitive as the year goes on. They will have a roaring second half of the season, I believe.
    The Renault team has a lot of talent

  6. Great drive by Montoya, but once again he needs to complain after the race instead of ending on a positive note. He actually complained about the Lexus V8 having less power than the Porsche V6, when the power between the two is very even. He was dominating the corner exits and could of had the win if he navigated thorugh traffic better.

    JP is a great driver, and I love how he doesn’t take any crap from anyone. He just needs to stop complaining about things that aren’t even a problem and are out of his control. It’s not that he’s wrong or right, it just makes his image look awful sometimes.

  7. With respect, will somebody please mothball Tilke…

    1. It´s strange that they show Tilke in the video saying he is very influenced by the old Nurburgring. I dont see any of that historic venue feel in any of his tracks : they all look the same – generic layouts in the middle of nowhere. Probably he follows orders from Bernie, in that case it all makes sense : Bernie runs F1 like a funeral parlor, with no fun or sense of history.

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