In today’s round-up, Christian Klien still thinks he’s in with a chance of landing the second seat at HRT and the only remaining race seat for the 2011 season.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Chasing the last seat (Christian Klien Official Website)
"My manager Roman Rummenigge is in permanent contact with the team’s management. Needless to say I would love to drive for HRT"
STR duo say Ricciardo not a threat (Autosport)
"Toro Rosso race drivers Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari are adamant that they do not feel any extra pressure from the presence of third driver Daniel Ricciardo in the team this year."
Aerodynamic testing at Vairano, as Rigon makes his debut with Ferrari (Ferrari)
"This coming week is a very important one and for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro it even had a prologue today. The straight at Vairano was actually the scene of an aerodynamic test with the newly-rechristened Ferrari 150?é?? Italia entrusted to Davide Rigon."
Sergio Perez drives Sauber in front of fans in Mexico – update
"Ferrari call their #F1 car by all 3 names in 1 page on their site: http://is.gd/54v3TA (see http://yfrog.com/h6adurwj)"
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Comment of the day
It’s less than three weeks until the Australian Grand Prix – will you be there?
I’m in section C of the Brabham stand for all 4 days
JarZ
Read more: 2011 Australian Grand Prix discussion
From the forum
Congratulations to damonsmedley who has just been crowned Champion of the inaugural Official F1Fanatic PS3 World Championship!
After eight rounds, damonsmedley ends the year with 141, ahead of second place Magnificent Geoffrey with 126 and AUS_Steve with 101 for third.
Congratulations also to shyguy1992 who won today’s race in Brazil.
Thanks to Magnificent Geoffrey for taking the time to organise the championship, too!
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailing me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Eddie Irvine scored his first F1 win in the Australian Grand Prix on this day in 1999.
;379
7th March 2011, 0:05
i think he deserves it, but there are others more deserving
RIISE (@riise)
7th March 2011, 0:20
Like who? Klien is a very competent driver who will definitely direct HRT in the right direction. I can’t think of a better available driver for the job.
RIISE (@riise)
7th March 2011, 0:21
Oh and if someone mentions Liuzzi you are condemned to hell.
Hare
7th March 2011, 10:00
I’m going to mention Joe Saward….
cyanide (@cyanide)
7th March 2011, 12:25
HAHAHAHAHA. Gold :D
Fixy (@)
7th March 2011, 13:37
Liuzzi. :P
;379
7th March 2011, 0:38
actually yeah you’re probably right. I was going to suggest the likes of Hulkenburg and, and maybe Di Grassi and Chandhok (mainly because i like him), but i think on reflection Klien has the experience that would be invaluable to a fledgling team like HRT as well as being like you said a very competent driver. Personally i think a line-up of Klien and Hulkenburg would be best- Karthikeyan’s just such an unambitious choice (£)
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th March 2011, 6:26
Didn’t Willi Weber state in no uncertain terms that they had no interest in getting Hülkenberg a drive with HRT?
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 7:04
He was pretty defenit about it. No chance of that.
I like the way Kliens puts it, when asked weather it is a handicap he did not test with the team now:
He has a point there. Setting up the car properly really helped them not to lose any time relative to Lotus and Virgin. Liuzzi would be good for the team as well, but I suspect he is still dealing with FI.
jsw11984 (@jarred-walmsley)
7th March 2011, 0:12
Congrats on the win Damon
Magnificent Geoffrey (@magnificent-geoffrey)
7th March 2011, 8:53
Yes, well done for beating me at my own Championship! How embarassing…
jsw11984 (@jarred-walmsley)
7th March 2011, 9:45
Ever so slightly
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
7th March 2011, 10:52
It was never in doubt…
Icthyes (@icthyes)
7th March 2011, 12:05
Smedley: “Geoff, Damon is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?”
Ollie (@olz21)
7th March 2011, 0:14
Great video of Perez. The Sauber livery is definitely growing on me especially with more sponsors on it.
Klien drove pretty well last season when given the chance, I think they would be best off with Liuzzi though. As discussed previously though it is all about the $$$$.
mfDB
7th March 2011, 2:47
Yes, cool video and I like the livery! I’m excited about Sauber, I’ve always been a fan of Peter Sauber and their past teams. Now they have a Mexican, which is awesome!! If that’s as close as F1 comes to the states this year, well I’ll take. Go Sauber, go Perez, Go Kobyashi!!! I say Perez for the win in Austin 2012!!!
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
7th March 2011, 10:46
I love the video! And I don’t understand why people don’t like the Sauber. I think they’ve had probably the best livery and shape for the last two years. When Kobayashi is driving, it looks like some sort of missile! :P
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th March 2011, 0:15
I guess it’s just a case of who’s cheque clears first. I would like to think that Chandhok would have a chance, given the first GP in India later this year. Surprised there’s no money coming his way. Perhaps Karthikeyan has it all!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th March 2011, 6:30
If Karthikeyan has a wide enough stance, maybe he can just drive both cars straddling between the two…
Mach1
7th March 2011, 1:13
haha it looks like Sergio is driving the Sauber on cobbles by the way he is bouncing around in the car. Hope his spine is ok!
Actually….a cobbled section for an F1 circuit may spice things up a bit….no one tell Bernie
DeadManWoking
7th March 2011, 4:51
That’s already been done:
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0g1sdRC9MycQM/610x.jpg
Ian
7th March 2011, 19:16
I thought you were going to show me a picture of the hairpin in Canada then for a minute!
Macca25
7th March 2011, 1:17
I beg to differ. If he is beating them in Friday practice on a regular basis then I would say they have lots to worry about.
Julian (@julian)
7th March 2011, 4:56
My thoughts exactly. When i read that article I thought either (a) Buemi and Alguersuari are really nice guys or (b) the team told them to say that.
Im inclined to think (b), but it would be nice if it was really (a).
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th March 2011, 6:31
Especially with Dr. Marko making the decisions on drivers…
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 6:56
It sounds a bit like these guys talking themselves up. No worry, great to have him there with experience of last years Red Bull … they are not going to say, they know full well that one of them will not be here by the end of the year.
Both expect that to be the other guy, but the pressure is on.
Andy C
7th March 2011, 13:25
Indeed. I wonder if Luizzi also thought that at the start of last year.
Toro Stevo
7th March 2011, 13:47
Ricciardo isn’t at this upcoming test session, so that’s got to give them some confidence. Still I hope he does get into the seat this year, although with the rumoured pace of the STR6 he might not get a look in.
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
7th March 2011, 1:19
No offence to JarZ, but I don’t think that was the most inspiring of CotD choices…
jsw11984 (@jarred-walmsley)
7th March 2011, 1:51
Certainly I think that there were other comments better suited to CotD
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
7th March 2011, 2:05
True. But anyway, I’m in section E of the Brabham stand for all four days. (I’m not after a COTD – I am actually going to be sitting there! :P)
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 6:58
LOL, congratulations on winning the Championship!
Maybe JarZ will be sitting there day and night? Anyway I hope all of you really enjoy it, have a nice meet and send pictures and a full report with video and pictures!
Or is that to much to ask for?
Solo (@solo)
7th March 2011, 11:31
Anyone who mentions anything about going to a race seems to be getting a comment of the day.
Especially if the comment is asking for some information.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
7th March 2011, 14:12
I’m saying nothing ;-)
The New Pope
7th March 2011, 1:22
Mr. Clean is probably available, and has more money.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ymecPMaym1k/TPAJ48RT6mI/AAAAAAAADB4/148XPGEBnFw/s1600/mrclean.JPG
GeeMac (@geemac)
7th March 2011, 5:05
He’s aged over the winter!
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
7th March 2011, 1:43
Putting Christian Klien in the HRT is not a bad idea but the question is whether the car will be any faster then last year.
That is fake from the Torro Rosso pair as they know Ricciardo is a quick driver & if any of the two fail to perform well then the other I see Ricciardo replacing that guy mid season.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
7th March 2011, 7:01
I wouldn’t be so quick to write them off. They’re both in Formula 1 – Ricciardo isn’t. It’s much easier to retain a seat than to get one in the first place. The STR6 is looking to be the surprise of the season; several drivers including Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have both commented that it looks very quick. Both Alguersuari and Buemi will have every opportunity to shine this year.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
8th March 2011, 1:52
Ricciardo may not be in F1 but he raced in other category similarly the other two current drivers of Torro Rosso but Ricciardo will be breathing on their neck & let them know every inches of the way that “you make mistake I get your seat”.
That’s one thing that the car is quick but it’s another that the drivers can bring it to the points & in one pieces at the end of the race.
Mike
8th March 2011, 10:07
I’d put my money on Jaime, I think he got something going last year.
Hamish
7th March 2011, 3:44
Anyone else notice the similarities between Klien and Andretti on the home page?
DeadManWoking
7th March 2011, 5:04
Hmmm, Mario was in Europe for Le Mans 1982…
DavidS (@davids)
7th March 2011, 6:36
I’m not sure if Klien will get a drive.
Sure, he has history with Colin Kolles, having driven many times for him in Colin’s mysteriously defunct teams. Sure, he’s a competent driver.
My only question is, how much money will he be bringing?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
7th March 2011, 6:38
I heard a rumour the other day that Marko Asmer might be in line for the second Hispania seat. Of course, I’m not paying too much attention to it – he retired from motorsports because he couldn’t get a budget together for 2010. But then, Hispania need sponsors and if there is a chance of getting into Formula 1, Estonian companies might be interested. It’s far easier to get a budget together for Formula 1 than it is for GP2 simply because of the exposure.
And Asmer would represent one more nationality on the grid, which is always nice.
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 7:06
I wonder, how many more names we might hear about possibly driving and weather one of them will get that drive.
Kolles might just as well pull another rabbit out of his hat and suprise us, as he did on numerous occasions.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th March 2011, 6:48
Lol! Keith, nice job spotting the confusion on Ferrari’s website. They’ve changed the name so many times now, it would appear they’ve confused themselves at this point. They should’ve taken their cue from Top Gear’s electric car challenge and named the renamed the new racecar Geoff. Imagine the commentary during a race: “…and here comes Alonso through Eau Rouge at incredible speed in his Ferrari Geoff…” Maybe they’ll use that the next time it gets renamed, which should be in another two weeks by my estimate, just before Melbourne.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th March 2011, 6:50
Whoops, got an extra “renamed the” in there.
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 7:38
They got u confused as well!
Funny to see they even changed the original article about the car launch. Pretty sad actually.
Red Andy
7th March 2011, 10:56
I think they should have named it the Mondeo, just to really show Ford who’s boss. :P
Zamorano
7th March 2011, 16:46
A Ferrari name should start with an F. Ferrari Fiesta has a nice ring to it.
SennaNmbr1 (@)
7th March 2011, 7:32
Anyone see a similarity between these demonstration runs and the old style F1 with spectators at the edge of the track? All it takes is a stone to be flicked up into someone’s eye or a loose wheel and F1 is set back 40 years.
bosyber (@bosyber)
7th March 2011, 8:34
Good thing they don’t go racing, or very fast usually in these demonstrations, I guess :)
Does help explain the draw of such events though, being able to see them up close, and have time to see them too!
RandomChimp (@randomchimp)
7th March 2011, 12:28
That’s a good point, all that wheel spinning and the road didn’t look all that clear of debris.
Oliver Queisser
7th March 2011, 9:32
Ferrari are doing some “filming” testing again today. How much filin do they need? Surely they’re going to be able to get some data from it. The FIA need to do something about this
BasCB (@bascb)
7th March 2011, 10:19
Ah, but you don’t understand. Before they were filming the Ferrari F 150 Italia.
Now they made so many changes they need to film their actual 2011 car, the Ferrari 150° Italia on track (sure, it has different wings, it’s a totally different car ;) )
Maciek
7th March 2011, 11:46
All the teams do it. Only Ferrari get any flak for it.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
7th March 2011, 12:13
They changed the rules after last year, everyone can do it now.
Cacarella
7th March 2011, 13:49
I would guess that the teams that have more sponsors will need more filming days as most of it is done for sponsors.
If the rules are the same for everyone, why get so upset when a team uses a day?
RandomChimp (@randomchimp)
7th March 2011, 12:31
Do the engine and gearbox quotas apply to demo runs like this? Sounds as if he thrashed the car quite vigorously.
Andy C
7th March 2011, 13:27
I believe it was an old car, 2009? Not sure where I read it.
RandomChimp (@randomchimp)
7th March 2011, 15:07
Oh yes sorry, it has that square shaped nose of last year’s car.