In the round-up: Reports claim HRT are about to be sold.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
HRT sold to Japanese bank? (Joe Saward)
“The HRT Formula 1 team is reported to have been sold to Japan’s merchant bank Nomura by the Banco Popular, which controls the shares of the operation, which were pledged by Jose Ramon Carabante when he borrowed the money to run the team.”
All I care about is winning says Lewis Hamilton (Daily Telegraph)
“People say it is all about participating and competing. That’s rubbish. I want to win. I’m here to win. All I really care about is winning. It’s what I live for. Second place feels less devastating but third, fourth?óÔé¼?ª that is not a good feeling.”
Button sure of British GP fitness (Autosport)
“Just got a little niggly pain and it’s not worth pushing it, I want to relax it for the [British] Grand Prix.”
“Traditionally, our team always deal well with new technical changes because we’re good at reacting, thanks to the clever guys we have. When you’re losing, teams are under pressure to find any glimmer of hope that things will change. The idea that Red Bull will suffer is more in hope than factual.”
Silverstone trusts big Wing has all the angles covered (The Guardian)
“The layout is much the same as we had last year. But there will be a different spectator experience, with some places offering a view of two thirds of the track.”
European Grand Prix race video (F1)
Official race video edit.
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
BasCB speaks for many people unimpressed at seeing Mercedes re-paint the 2009 Brawn in their colours:
Seriously Mercedes should be proud of having this customer team go for the title with their engines, as their supply saved the team and helped Brawn gain the champinoships. Please give it back its original paint Mercedes!
BasCB
From the forum
WelshF1 asks if Daniel Ricciardo should get to do some F1 testing before the British Grand Prix,
Site updates
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
The first F1 race at the Paul Ricard circuit was held 40 years ago today. The circuit has been tipped to return to the F1 calendar in future as the French government investigates the possibility of getting its F1 race back.
The 1971 French Grand Prix was won by Jackie Stewart.
It was his third win of the season and, with rival Jacky Ickx failing to score for Ferrari, it gave him a commanding lead in the world championship.
timi
4th July 2011, 0:44
$35million was the deal? I’d like to see all these different sources that have confirmed the deal.
Anyhow, HRT will no longer be spanish. I just hope they’ll now be able to significantly invest in experienced personnel and equipment in order to aid their quest of reaching the mid-field. I wish the new owners the best.
Speaking of HRT.. this, from Hamilton’s interview;
haha.
But apart from that, pretty standard Lewis interview about hating to lose, wanting to win more WDC’s blah blah.
Speaking of the 1971 French GP, I’d love them to bring Magny-Cours back. Bests the likes of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, and the “European” GP. How one country is still allowed to have two GP’s is beyond me! Especially one of which that is so boring. I guess Money talks
Calum
4th July 2011, 1:06
HRT Japanese buyout can only mean one thing:
Takumo’s coming back!!!!! :O
Calum
4th July 2011, 1:07
HRT Japanese buyout can only mean one thing:
Sakon’s coming back!!!!! :O
Felipe Bomeny (@portugoose)
4th July 2011, 1:14
HRT Japanese buyout can only mean one thing:
Kazuki’s coming back!!!!! :O
DVC
4th July 2011, 2:03
HRT Japanese buyout can mean only one thing:
Super Aguri is coming back!!!!! :O
Scary Terry (@hatebreeder)
4th July 2011, 8:46
HRT Japanese buyout can only mean one thing:
Japanese pit babes coming back!!!! :O
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 8:57
Unless Nomura are only holding onto the team until they can find a buyer.
topdowntoedown (@topdowntoedown)
4th July 2011, 10:20
:D
Jenson Button was this morning said to be “very happy.”
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:29
Yeah, i fear that is the more likely candidate now!
Calum
4th July 2011, 1:07
Fail.
Shomir
4th July 2011, 2:16
Yuji Ide anyone???
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
4th July 2011, 3:34
I don’t want him,but which bank want to sink in the Tsunami which HRT team will give over them? Why would you invest in such a poor team? I guess instead Sauber or even Lotus will be good.
infy (@infy)
4th July 2011, 6:48
They are not a bad team. They are just coming last.
Some one always comes last.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:31
I think its a Japanese bank that bought the team from a spanish bank who got hold of it on account of Carabante putting up the team as security for a lot of loans.
But it might be only the first step towards seeing completely new owners. I like that Super Aguri idea, maybe Honda looking at a return then after all? Or JV having a try with some US buddies?
Douglas 62500
4th July 2011, 9:20
Oh dear…… I guess he might not actually be that bad, judging from his form in other series. Probably he just couldn’t get used to the terrible Arrows-based chassis in which he debuted in.
JCost (@jcost)
4th July 2011, 7:48
Nomura is a listed company, if there’s deal they must inform Securities Exchange authority.
JimN (@jimn)
4th July 2011, 12:31
Yes but only if it’s significant. Nomura is so big that $35m is just small change to them. I doubt if that is significant enough to need notification.
Coefficient
4th July 2011, 9:18
Both Spanish races are boring!! I wouldn’t miss either of them! Processional is being kind! Barcelona was marginally better this year but it was still rubbish compared to every other race this year and Valencia was a snorefest!! More like Dullencia!!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 11:08
Sir, I am a certified representative of the Grammar Police. It has been brought to our attention that you have been abusing the exclamation mark through excessive and unnecessary use.
Trust me when I say this: there’s no need to shout. We can hear you.
Hewis Lamilton
5th July 2011, 16:30
+1 !!!
I totally Agree!!!!!!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 11:15
The 1971 French Grand Prix was held at Paul Ricard, not Magny-Cours. Speaking of, Magny-Cours is a horrible circuit.
Although I did have one crazy idea for reviving the French Grand Prix: rebuild the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry. It was first built in 1924, it is nice and close to Paris, and you probably know it best from Ken Block’s Gymkhana_THREE video. However, it’s not just an oval – there’s a road course as well. So if you could upgrade the road course, it could work.
AdrianMorse
4th July 2011, 11:47
I like the idea, and the road course looks interestingly different, too.
Calum
4th July 2011, 1:03
Anyone see Topgear yesterday?
The trio took 3 Superminis round Monaco ciruit on race weekend so the barriers and sponsors were up, make sure you cathc that on iPlayer, it was a surprisingly good show – for modern day Topgear!
Guest appearances at Monaco from DC, Mark Webber, Ruebens, Flavio, Bernie and Christian Horner.
Alex White (@alex-white)
4th July 2011, 1:20
You forgot Tim’O Glock
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
4th July 2011, 9:03
Well those cars must have been quicker than the HRT’s
topdowntoedown (@topdowntoedown)
4th July 2011, 10:21
Clips of that were actually in the GP coverage too. Quite funny I thought.
Felipe Bomeny (@portugoose)
4th July 2011, 1:20
Keith, I should’ve mentioned this for yesterday’s roundup, but did you see the scuttle between Pippa Mann and McLaren (TheFifthDriver) on Twitter yesterday?
McLaren posted a comment that read something like, “What a surprise! We hired a female driver!” (in reference to Goodwood)
(I agree with Pippa that that was out of bad taste).
Pippa, being British, took great offense to this and said that’s why female drivers only race in America.
Thought it’d be worth a mention on the round-up, with all the great F1Fanatic Goodwood coverage!
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:33
Thanks, I sadly missed that conversation. Good one for Pippa to stand up to that!
hohum
4th July 2011, 16:00
Sounds like a well planned spontaneous response.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 1:38
HRT are always linked to one buy-out or another.
I’ll believe it when it actually happens.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
4th July 2011, 8:12
Yea. Same with STR.
Shomir
4th July 2011, 1:58
Bad Race Edit… No mentions about Alguersuari’s or Sutil’s race… 99% of it was about the front battling and they even tried to give us the feeling that Alonso was battling for the win when he was really just fighting webber for 2nd :(
But at least the rest of the Edits were good :)
infy (@infy)
4th July 2011, 6:51
Sort of like when Button was apparently gunning for the win in Monaco when he was only realistic fighting for second.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 8:02
Well, just watched the race edit. It showed just about all action in Valencia in under 2 minutes (missed Glock on the Lotus and Alguersuari in lap 1). Good job, actually, considering there was not much more to show.
Fixy (@)
4th July 2011, 9:57
No surprise it took them 3 weeks to do the Canada edit and 1 week to do this.
Mike
4th July 2011, 2:05
I really hope this is a good thing for HRT, I like the team.
Saward is usually a very reliable source, and I don’t think he’d put his name to it if he didn’t know it to be true.
On the other hand… Is anyone else worried that if Hamilton’s head gets any bigger it might not fit into his helmet?
I read his comment about HRT in 20th I had two thoughts, first, Lewis, you may be good, but there is no way you could put the HRT in 20th. Secondly, how petty does one have to be to talk like that.
I’ve just lost a huge amount of respect for him, what rubbish. He would be absolutely no where without the support Mclaren has given him, let alone his dad. I hope he starts growing up soon because he sure hasn’t done it yet. His loyalty seems to very close to nil.
His last few races have been scrappy at best. I really think he needs to sort himself out before he starts criticizing others.
Mike
4th July 2011, 2:19
And is it just me or does he seem to lurch from one personal disaster to another? We don’t get this kinda stuff with Alonso or Rosberg.
nate
4th July 2011, 3:04
saward is about as reliable as wikipedia
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 8:35
Hey, go check out the Wikipedia pages on Formula 1 some time. I contribute to them regularly, and they’re held to an incredibly high standard. They’ve very reliable.
Mike
4th July 2011, 16:31
We are in your debt :D
F1 has brilliant wiki pages.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 2:41
The tabloids (gag! barf!) are claiming that Lewis Hamilton will activate his escape pod at McLaren the moment winning the championship becomes impossible.
infy (@infy)
4th July 2011, 6:52
Maybe he is looking for a drive at Lotus.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:40
LOL, or at Renault Lada GenII
Jon
4th July 2011, 10:07
That joke stopped being funny about six months ago
William Wilgus
4th July 2011, 2:53
A very few years ago, Hamilton emphatically stated that he was going to spend his entire career at McLaren. Now it seems like he’s thinking of becoming a rat and deserting the sinking ship . . .
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 2:57
Hello? Did you not see that the ‘article’ was written by The Daily Fail? The reports that came up a few weeks ago claiming the BBC would not renew their broadcast rights to Formula 1 – clearly setting up a case for the sport to go to Sky – have more credibility than this ‘report’.
But even if it’s true, Hamilton has a right to race for whoever he wants to. He never signed a lifetime contract with McLaren …
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:41
I took that ‘article’ as something possibly pushed by Lewis’ management to put the heat on McLaren and get working on improved contracts (well and the car, off course).
A bit of drivel.
Trix (@)
4th July 2011, 11:45
It’s the Simon Fuller management company, what did you expect? They built their business on rubbing tabloid legs, timing their little rumours and staged photo ops, fake insider info and official denials.
Obviously, this is a string of orchestrated messages (and threats). “Me want win, now you gimme win!”
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
4th July 2011, 12:35
Just lost a bit of faith in showbiz and the like.
Back to the topic though, I agree with PM, he can race for whoever he wants to. Although I can’t imagine him anyone else, there’s no point in staying with them against his will if, say, they become the next Williams. That hurts to say, because I love Williams and there’s not a bone in my body that doesn’t want them back at the front soon.
Matty
4th July 2011, 3:30
Hi, this is a bit OT but I was wondering when Formula 1 started to be known as F1. Or has it always been known as F1.
Julian
4th July 2011, 4:26
This is just off the top my head, but the formula bit comes from the fact that the cars are designed and raced from a ‘formula’ of rules and regulations.
hohum
4th July 2011, 16:11
Pre-war (WW2) it was known as Formula Libre which meant F Free or unrestricted, after Herr Hitler and Mercedes/Auto Unions blitzkreig it was decided to make some basic limitations to get the series going again in the post war economic climate. Of course the few basic rules are now a very strict and restrictive rulebook.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 5:00
The name was established in 1946. It was originally known as “Formula A”, but it was better known as “Formula 1”, and so the name stuck. Its first real official use was at the 1950 British Grand Prix, the first race of the very first season.
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve)
4th July 2011, 5:01
interesting question! i think “formula” came from the set of rules.. like up there ^^^^^^
and it’s the number 1 formula i guess..
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve)
4th July 2011, 5:02
ok.. PM hadn’t replied before i wrote this! now i look like a spud!
Matty
4th July 2011, 6:15
Well, what Im getting at is, when did ‘F1’ start as an alternate or abbrieviated name for Formula 1 or has it always been used.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
4th July 2011, 8:17
Formula 1 came first. That’s its official title and always has been.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 8:36
It’s a bit hard to pin down exactly when it was used for the first time. It’s a natural evolution of “Formula 1”, so it’s probably been around for decades.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
4th July 2011, 9:07
The FIA Formula 1 World Championship name only came in during the 1990s I believe. And I assume the F1 name/logo used by the FIA was around 2003/2004 time?
It originally just used to be called the Grand Prix (Grand Prize) and before the World Championship for Drivers, all the races that would count for anything were called Grandes Epeveues (excuse my poor French)
Matty
4th July 2011, 13:53
Dont worry, my french is really bad as well.
GeeMac
4th July 2011, 6:28
The Nomura deal sounds like a debt refinnacing or a debt buy out rather than a sale. Where I come from (and I’m pretty sure its the same under European and IUK laws) the person you pledge shares to (the Pledgee) can’t sell the shares of the Pledgor (because you are still the owner) unless a default has occurred under the loan.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:36
I agree that is sounds more like a debt buy out or something.
On the other hand it seems Banco Popular had been moving lately and there were some talks of management changes, so it might well be that Carabante defaulted on the loan and its really the team ownership being sold on.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:34
Another COTD! very nice on a cold and rainy day in the middle of the summer :-D
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
4th July 2011, 10:48
Fantastic! You must be beating Icthyes by now, surely! :P
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 7:43
And what to make of Bernie giving hints that he might sue the FIA for the new engine rules, what is he playing at.
Burnout (@burnout)
4th July 2011, 8:21
Can you re-post that link? It doesn’t seem to be working.
hohum
4th July 2011, 16:17
Yes it links straight back here.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 21:08
Sorry, only got back here now. Here goes:
http://www.formula1blog.com/2011/07/04/ecclestone-to-sue-fia-over-engines/
SennaNmbr1 (@)
4th July 2011, 8:14
Lewis seemed perfectly able to race when he was in the back half of the field in 2009. I’ve now lost all respect for him. He’s been in an extremely priveliged situation and should realise that instead of insulting the back half of the grid. He’s just trying to be edgy, like Senna, by saying he’s always going for the win and nothing else matters. The difference is, Sennas comments came from the heart and Lewis’s come from the head.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
4th July 2011, 8:20
I keep telling myself the FOM race edits are going to get better, but they’re progressively getting worse. Whoever did them last year now looks like a god in comparison to this year’s editor. :(
Dave Blanc
4th July 2011, 9:15
You’re right. I’ve got to stop looking forward to them coming out as they are very very disappointing this year.
Burnout (@burnout)
4th July 2011, 8:30
I don’t understand all the fuss about how the OTBD ban will make the field even. It might hobble the RB7 a bit, but only in qualifying right? In any case it’s obvious that the RB7 is not a one trick pony and that there’s more to the car’s speed. Not to forget that the Mclarens will also be hit in qualifying by the OTBD ban. It might help Ferrari relative to McLaren though.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th July 2011, 8:53
It won’t even the field out completely, but everyone is hoping that the gaps between cars will be minimalised. The ban in Valencia simply meant that teams were forced to run the same engines maps in qualifying and the race. The ban for Silverstone means that the engines can only be mapped to simulate the same conditions as when the throttle is opened to 10% of its maximum.
hohum
4th July 2011, 16:21
Force India and Sauber might be the main beneficiaries as they seem don’t seem to have progressed from last year.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
4th July 2011, 9:10
Hamilton constantly compares himself to Senna. However, with his recent comments especially, he’s looking more of a Prost to me.
Prost would always blame other drivers, the car, or anything, just as an excuse…
Senna would say he was the fastest driver, and would go and verify that.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
4th July 2011, 10:19
Not this nonsense again.
Hamilton has sometimes said he wanted to emulate Senna, because to him he was the greatest and he wants to be like the greatest. Apart from that fantasy role-play interview where he said Alonso would be his Prost if he were Senna (some of the reaction being a wonderful example of people almost choosing not to understand what the word “if” means”), that’s it.
Journeyer (@journeyer)
4th July 2011, 10:23
@Fixy: They only took a week to do the original edit – but had to take it back down, probably due to issues with the original song used.
McLarenFanJamm
4th July 2011, 12:38
Knew I should have contacted Keith before today, seeing as it’s my birthday :)
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
4th July 2011, 12:44
Happy birthday! :D Have a great day.
hohum
4th July 2011, 16:24
You and the USA. Happy Birthday to both of you.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 21:11
Yeah, enjoy the 4th of july people!
BasCB (@bascb)
4th July 2011, 21:10
Happy birthday to you!
Mr. Veloce
4th July 2011, 14:54
@WelshF1 I get what you are saying, on one side of it all, he has been in the Toro Rosso cockpit for every first practice session so far this season but then again, the Toro Rosso is not the Hispania.
F1 98
4th July 2011, 19:08
The bank could just sponcer kamui