Grosjean: “I will try not to make the same mistakes”
F1 Fanatic round-up
In the round-up: Romain Grosjean says he will try to avoid a repeat of the collisions that dogged his 2012 campaign.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
“I was very sorry for the drivers that were involved. But I am not stupid – I know the risks and I will try not to make the same mistakes again and learn from that.”
Grosjean rallies Lotus with email thanks (Autosport)
“Romain Grosjean has issued a personal message of thanks to his Lotus team for having faith in him, as he predicts a regular challenge at the front of the grid for 2013.”
Max power! Chilton becomes fourth Brit on grid after landing Marussia contract for 2013 (Daily Mail)
“He has previously stated that the estimated £9.5m funding he has secured to realise his Formula One dream does not come from the family coffers.”
“Circuit of the Americas officials, aided by a Austin City Council vote Thursday, will seek what could be as much as $5 million from the Texas Event Trust Fund for four motor sports events next year. Separately, circuit organisers will likely seek a payment from the state for the November 2013 Formula One race.”
Have BBC lost the rights to screen practice live? (The F1 Broadcasting Blog)
“Sky have amended the Sky Media document, removing the ‘exclusive’ element, confirming it was human error. So the answer to the title is ‘No, BBC have not lost the rights to screen practice live’.”
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (Sauber)
“He’s the fastest man in the world, capable of orbiting the earth in a single day. What’s his secret? Triple DRS, a flexible front wing, double COANDA? We wanted to get to the bottom of it and put him through some rigorous testing, not least in the wind tunnel.”
Tweets
Force India will launch their 2013 #F1 car on February 1st.
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) December 18, 2012
It’s hard to put into words how I am feeling but I know I am full of energy and ready give it my all next year in my first F1 season!#f1
— Max Chilton (@maxchilton) December 18, 2012
Total has just announced the renewal of its partnership with Romain #Grosjean ! #F1
— Total F1 (@F1TotalOfficial) December 18, 2012
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
Max Chilton’s deal to drive for Marussia has reopened the “pay driver” debate:
Far too many people still throw the term “pay driver” around like it is a dirty word, stigmatising drivers in the process by assuming that the driver in question is more of a Jean-Denis Delatraz or a Paul Belmondo than a Sebastian Vettel or a Lewis Hamilton.
The simple fact of the matter is that F1 has changed, the world has changed and most importantly the economic climate has changed. Today being able to bring a budget to a F1 team is just as important as being able to lap quickly, so drivers who do shouldn’t ridiculed for it.
@GeeMac
From the forum
- Video: Michael Schumacher motorbike riding with other top riders
- Rio Haryanto will drive for Addax in GP2 next year and another driver will be confirmed today
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
Onofre Marimon was born on this day in 1923. He joined fellow Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio in racing in F1.
He finished on the podium at Spa for Maserati in 1953 and repeated the feat at Silverstone the following year. But he was killed during practice for the next race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Image © Lotus F1 Team/LAT
Yobo01 (@yobo01) said on 19th December 2012, 10:50
I thought I put my birthday on the list. Maybe I forgot to do it.
Anyway, today is my birthday. I wanted to share it with the best F1 website I know!
BBQ2 said on 19th December 2012, 13:02
Congrats Yobo. You must have been a nice Christmas gift for your parents some 25yrs back? Enjoy the day!
Bernification (@bernification) said on 19th December 2012, 16:06
Happy birthday Yobo, have a great year.
BasCB (@bascb) said on 20th December 2012, 18:01
Hey, @jobo01, I hope you have a great birthday non the less. Enjoy it!
BasCB (@bascb) said on 20th December 2012, 18:01
fail there – happy birthday @yobo01
Bernification (@bernification) said on 19th December 2012, 16:14
I don’t see what the problem with Chiltern being a pay driver.
It’s how Kimi, Massa and many others have got into the sport. Even if drivers don’t back the seat up with personal money, many have to bring money from personal backers with them.
I don’t like the system personaly, but it has allways existed and to pretend otherwise is just silly.
Please, just don’t be another Ralph bloody Firman. He was useless.
Aficion said on 19th December 2012, 19:03
This ‘Comment of the Day’ is just the sort of thing that infuriates me. Yes, the teams, drivers AND F1 should be ridiculed for allowing this state of affairs. I’m not sure why we should just give up and accept something that is detrimental to the integrity of the sport. Why is it so hard to be ethical? I’d rather see a poorer F1 where we are assured we have a field of the best pure drivers. Saying that ‘it’s just the way it is, we have to accept it’ is either really lazy, or unapologetically sleazy.