Ferrari and Force India will reveal their new F1 cars today.
Ferrari’s launch has been disrupted by heavy snow at Maranello. However they will be showing off their car online at 9am UK time at monoposto2012.ferrari.com.
Meanwhile at Silverstone Force India will pull back the covers on their new car at roughly the same time. Dan Cross will be at the track to cover the test for F1 Fanatic.
Pictures and news from the launches will appear here as soon as they are available.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
“The team headed to the Idiada proving ground outside Barcelona, with reserve driver Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel.”
Hamilton eager to sort out future (Autosport)
“Probably after the first couple of races it’s something we will probably want to get out of the way.”
Australian Open costs a lot too: GP boss (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Australian Grand Prix boss Ron Walker: “The Grand Prix looks expensive but so is the tennis. We’ve never had the debate about the tennis before. They have committed another $368 million to keep it until 2036.”
“Impressed by what I have seen today at HRT. Great effort in less than three months. Good job guys.”
Roberto Mieres 1924-2012 (Joe Saward)
“Finally he went to Europe on his own and, thanks to his friendship with Harry Schell, did a deal to become the reserve driver of Gordini, where Schell was teamed with Maurice Trintignant, Jean Behra and Robert Manzon. While waiting for his chance he went to Italy and talked his way into a test with Lancia and went faster than the regular drivers.”
Retromobile Paris 2012 (Nick Mason via Facebook)
“My 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 (driven by Gilles Villeneuve) on the stand at Retromobile with Hall and Hall.”
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
Yesterday’s article on the riding cost of attending F1 races elicited several responses from readers who are feeling the pinch:
I have been to the British Grand Prix since 2002, and made it every year bar one when my mother passed away. However, this year I won’t be going – the increases in price have made it uneconomical for me to go. I found paying £179 as I did last year for camping and three-day walkabout tickets was very expensive, but manageable, but £215 for the camping and three-day walkabout is too much to budget for.
It’s a shame, and I’ll miss the fantastic buzz, but at those prices, which have gone up year-on-year since I started attending (the first year I went, I got Copse B undercover tickets for £225 per person, and the second year three-day General Admission was £79 per person) and it has got to the point where I just can’t countenance the cost.
LazerFX
From the forum
- Sky add live GP2 and GP3 coverage to their F1 channel
- The guess the circuit thread is going strong
- The 2012 WEC and Le Mans entry lists have been revealed with four Audis and two Toyotas heading to Le Mans
- Another blow for the WRC as BMW is poised to axe Prodrive involvement in Mini team
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to BrawnGP!
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
It’s too cold for Ferrari this year but it was too hot on this day last year: the team suffered a setback in testing when Felipe Massa’s car caught fire:
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Girts (@girts)
3rd February 2012, 7:41
RIP Roberto Mieres.
Let’s hope that we will soon see new Argentinian F1 drivers again and that Argentina will be able to host a Grand Prix, too.
It’s always very sad to see the old heroes pass away. I recently did a small research and found out that only three men of all those who participated in the first (1950) World Championship are still living. The Frenchman Robert Manzon (94) is the only one who scored points in 1950. The Argentinian José Froilán González (89) went on to score the first ever F1 Grand Prix win for Ferrari in 1951. The German Paul Pietsch (100) is the oldest one. Here’s to you guys!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
3rd February 2012, 7:45
Looks like we could have more than just car launches to talk about today. According to the BBC’s Andrew Benson, Narain Karthikeyan is about to be announced as the second HRT driver:
http://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/statuses/165337127381499905
It’s already been reported in the Deccan Chronicle:
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/sport/motor-racing/narain-signs-hispania-racing-formula-one-464
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd February 2012, 8:09
I think something just changed in the matrix – it’s déjà vu all over again.
celeste (@celeste)
3rd February 2012, 14:15
@jason lmao
Mike (@mike)
3rd February 2012, 8:09
Gotta feel for Liuzzi.
But unlike the other teams I really sympathize that they need the money to survive. Harsh, but you can see that it’s really what they had to do.
That they waited so long however suggests to me that they were pushing for more money. I wonder how much he is paying.
(Assuming that it’s true)
Solo (@solo)
3rd February 2012, 9:06
Sorry for his fans but i wouldn’t pick Luizzi over any pay driver even Karthikeyan. The guy never showed talent in F1. Riccardo that was a complete rookie and jumped in the middle of the season got the better of him after 2-3 races.
Kartrikeyan wasn’t as much worse as people make it out ether. The guy hadn’t driven in F1 for a while and his difference to Luizzi was according to that sensible. I believe he can pretty much drive about as good now so i don’t see why anyone will want to keep Luizzi that is hardly better than one of the not very talented pay drivers.
If they get good money from the Indian then it’s a good choice. Besides their car won’t be anywhere near the others this time(yeah even Marussia) so is not like his gonna cost them. Slow or fast drivers they will be at the back.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
3rd February 2012, 8:40
As it turned out we didn’t have to wait that long!
Narain Karthikeyan takes final F1 seat at HRT
KeeleyObsessed (@keeleyobsessed)
3rd February 2012, 8:06
Sky definitely seem to be doing the F1 coverage properly, GP2 and GP3 coverage aswell?
You can’t say that they’re not gathering together the best possible ideas for F1. The only downside is the cost.. Hopefully that’s something they can address in future years..
Mike (@mike)
3rd February 2012, 10:17
The cost is more likely to go up rather than down.
Don’t forget that Sky is trying to convince us that it is preferable to the BBC.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
3rd February 2012, 13:40
@mike @keeleyobsessed Yeah, the price will only go up if anything. Our Sky Sports package went up by a couple of £ at the end of 2010.
However, this does make it considerably better from a value for money point of view.
Great news.
dennis (@dennis)
3rd February 2012, 8:07
I hope Pedro means it. It would be nice to finally see HRT make a little step forward.
Solo (@solo)
3rd February 2012, 9:14
The best step forward they can do right now is actually have a car ready before the first race of the year.
Mike (@mike)
3rd February 2012, 8:20
As an Aussie F1 fan the Australian open article really interests me.
The only thing I ever here I the media is “F1 is too expensive” and “Webber is so awesome and the bestest”.
Actually, that’s closely to reality than you might think.
Mike (@mike)
3rd February 2012, 8:20
*I ever get here in the*
Also, I’m happy cause this gives me ammo.
Now to explain to my girl friends dad that AFL is small time :D
dennis (@dennis)
3rd February 2012, 8:37
@Mike
How big is the base of ‘hate against F1’ in general in Australia? I awlays thought there was being quite a large basis of automobile interest. Is it just some political groups blaring nonsense over the media? Or are there actually normal people with common sense that have made F1 their main target?
Mike (@mike)
3rd February 2012, 11:03
Most people seem indifferent, V8’s are popular more for the “bokeyness” of it. In that is culteral for blokes to like it.
Politicains however see the big money and the disruption F1 cause in parts of the city as a massive target. Although this is much more prevelant in Victoria.
Personally, I’ve never met a fan in real life. :c
BBT (@bbt)
3rd February 2012, 9:01
http://events.ferrari.com/singleseater2012/
Hasn’t crashed yet
graigchq (@graigchq)
3rd February 2012, 10:54
THE FERRARI NOSE IS HORRIBLE!!
ok, i said it, moving on…
alexf1man (@alexf1man)
3rd February 2012, 11:01
McLaren are the only team to have made a pretty nose. All the others are UGLY. Hope McLaren has the fast one :-)
UNeedAFinn2Win
3rd February 2012, 11:52
Looking at the new cars revealed so far, the Williams walrus would fit right in the zoo… actually, would it fit within the regulations, the tip of the nose has to be 55cm from the plane, with the walrus design, that would never be an issue… oh if only access to CFD wasn’t so limited to top tier motorsports !
Do we have good 3D-modelers/ or even photoshoppers on F1F ?
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
3rd February 2012, 13:41
Is F1 seen as a bigger disruption to the city than tennis perhaps?
celeste (@celeste)
3rd February 2012, 14:18
I think the last quotes from Sutil´s father are really worth a discution….
So Hamilton was a reason for the fight… Oh this is getting interesting…
BasCB (@bascb)
4th February 2012, 20:28
At least it makes more sense for Sutil’s father to say these things than it does for Sutil himself saying that.
Is that from Bild?
Fixy (@)
3rd February 2012, 15:33
Yes, I’m very upset today. Karthikeyan has been confirmed for the second-consecutive season at HRT, the F2012 is the worst-ever looking car and the VJM05 also has the step-nose.