Red Hot Red Bull Driver Mark Webber Takes Monaco GP Pole

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

With the tight streets of Monte Carlo providing an unique spectacle to see modern 21st century Formula 1 racing machines running on one of the tour's oldest race circuits, the Monaco Grand Prix captures the lavishness and starkness the series have long gravitated towards. While the Formula 1 tour in general has been brought to the realization of exploding team budgets through the 1990s and last decade, this is only allowing this perennial to cast itself as a brighter crown jewel.

Fresh off his pole and victory in Barcelona last week, Mark Webber carried momentum onto the narrow street course netting his Red Bull Racing car the preferred 1st place grid position in tomorrow's Monaco Grand Prix. Webber's pole time in the Red Bull-Renault on the streets of Monaco matches the single lap time record set by Michael Schumacher in 2004 down to he one-thousandth of a second. As Webber scored pole, this meant the second race in a row that the Australian beat this teammate Sebastian Vettel. Vettel had it up to 3rd in the final qualifying session to just miss a 3rd consecutive Red Bull front row.

On Saturday, the Renault F1 team and Robert Kubica rose to life recording the fastest time in practice. Kubica attempted to repeat the performance through F1 qualifying. Coming roughly 3/10ths of a second short, the Renault settles for a well-earned 2nd place place dividing the two Red Bulls. "Second on the grid at Monaco is a great result for us. The car has been great all weekend and I think we got the most from it today." Robert Kubica proudly admits after the time trial session. Renault Team Principal Eric Boillier delightfully commended Kubica's effort qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix. "We are now looking forward to an exciting race tomorrow and hopefully coming away with a great result." Boillier voiced confidence for Sunday's Grand Prix.


Lorenzo Bellanca/LAT Photographic


While Webber, Kubica and Vettel showed the top pace in Saturday qualifying, one potential polesitter spent the entire session on the sidelines. After posting the fastest speeds on track through early weekend practices, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso collided with the retaining barrier in the Massenet section (also known as a wide turn 3) as an incident Alonso admitted was a driver's mistake. With the Ferrari F2010 too damaged to compete in qualifying, Fernando Alonso will start the race from the pit lane in a back-up Ferrari. The other Ferrari of Felipe Massa curbed a streak of declining qualifying efforts in 2010. Producing have second-best qualifying effort of the 2010 Formula 1 season, Massa slotted in 4th after Q3.

Having led the 10 driver group of the final Q3 session, Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg fell to 6th fastest for the final starting order. Rosberg was able to poke his Mercedes Formula 1 race car one position ahead of Michael Schumacher who is coming off his best finish of 2010 at the Spanish Grand Prix. Schumacher has won 5 Monaco Grand Prix races making him the winningest active driver of this prestigious Formula 1 event. Besides Schumacher, previous Monaco Grand Prix winners running this weekend includes Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Jarno Trulli.


2010 Formula 1
Monaco Grand Prix
Starting Grid

1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
2. Robert Kubica Renault F1
3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
4. Felipe Massa Ferrari
5. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
7. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
8. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
9. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth
10. Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes
11. Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth
12. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes
13. Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari
14. Vitaly Petrov Renault
15. Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari
16. Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari
17. Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari
18. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth
19. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth
20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth
21. Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth
22. Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth
23. Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth
24. Fernando Alonso Ferrari

Mercedes Power Strong on Day 1 of Prep for Chinese Grand Prix

Home to the third Asian continent round of four initial races on the Formula 1 tour, the open wheel racing machines set course for the 5.451 kilometer (3.387 mile) Shanghai International Circuit in the People's Republic of China for the 6th running of the Chinese Grand Prix. Active winners of the grand prix includes Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel from last season. What makes this noteworthy is that, in 6 previous runnings of the Chinese Grand Prix, there has yet to be a repeat winning driver on the track.

Further adding to the unpredictability of the apparent variables in this grand prix is a chaotic start to the 2010 Formula 1 season overall. Three drivers competing in three different cars hold victories in the first three rounds of the Formula 1 series this season. This feat was last accomplished by the Formula 1 tour in 1990. While front-runners Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing have all recorded their first wins of 2010, the streak different driver/team victories could be extended if Mercedes GP or Renault would find the top of the podium in China.

In first day preparations for the Chinese Grand Prix, teams powered by Mercedes-Benz engines continue to show a consistent presence at the top of the Formula 1 time sheet. The top 4 times in both Chinese Grand Prix practices were captured by Mercedes-Benz powerplants of McLaren-Mercedes and the fully factory-backed Mercedes GP team. Overall, the second of two practice sessions proved fastest on day 1 with 2008 race winner Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest mark of 1 minute, 35.217 seconds for McLaren. Mercedes GP's Nico Rosberg posted the second fast on the day. Teammates for the top-2 runners in practice Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher were nearby on quick times.

Filed behind the Mercedes-Benz powered vehicles, the Red Bull Racing cars placed 5th and 6th fastest times with Sebastian Vettel leading Mark Webber. Red Bull Racing's satellite team Scuderia Toro Rosso, received a tremendous amount of attention for the wrong reasons. In first round of practice, a frightening scene transpired on the car of Sebastien Buemi entering into turn 14. As Buemi braked into th corner, the front suspension system of his Toro Rosso seemingly exploded sheering the front front wheels off the vehicle. Sebastien Buemi slid into the run-off zone but not made mild contact with a retaining barrier. Buemi was unhurt and no other drivers or spectators were directly threatened by parts flying from the Toro Rosso. Upon examining the vehicle, the Toro Rosso race team linked the suspension failure to a new-for-China design change to the front suspension upright. After the accident, the Formula 1 team reverted back to the design used the previous suspension uprights.

Foreshadowing the Chinese Grand Prix, a considerable focus in China is off-track as the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. Occurring in the western part of the country, 1,144 people are reported to have perished since the Wednesday earthquake shook the ground.

Webber Swims to Malaysian Grand Prix Pole

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Touching down on the Asian continent after an eventful Australian Grand Prix, the 2010 Formula 1 tour prepares for their 3rd race of the season, the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Coming off victory in Australia with his McLaren-Mercedes, Jenson Button returns to the 3.444 mile Sepang track as the defending race winner from 2009. 2010 competition ofr the Malaysian race is expected to be tough as the driver of the ultra-fast Red Bull Racing cars and the consistent Ferrari F2010s have shown early season strength.

As Formula 1 competitors and cars braced for Saturday qualifying, memories of the 2009 Malaysia race were probably flowing through many minds. Last season, the downpour followed by a mid-race thunderstorm permanently halted the Malaysian Grand Prix after running 33 of the 56 lap distance. In the final moments of the 3rd qualifying segment, rain became so intense that FIA race stewards threw a red flag.

With qualifying run, the Red Bull-Renault of Mark Webber set the fastest time by a considerable 1.3 second margin. Timing his run perfectly in before the heavy rain hit, Webber was able to blitz around the Sepang track 1 minute 49.327 seconds on intermediate Bridgestone race tires. Mark Webber takes the pole for Malaysian Grand Prix the weekend after getting reprimanded by the FIA for rough driving in the latter stages of the Australian Grand Prix. Webber bested the Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg who joins the Red Bull-Renault on the front row.

The second Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel starts right behind Mark Webber in 3rd place on the grid. Overall for 2010, Red Bull Racing has shown incredible pace but has encountered incidents through the first two grand prix events both mechanical and contact related.

In an outstanding fourth place, Adrian Sutil placed the Force India-Mercedes in the best grid position since his second place qualifying effort in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last season. Not typically a front-running team, Force India has made massive strides to becoming a full-fledged Formula 1 constructor. Sutil's teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi also performed admirably in Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying placed 10th on the day.

Joining the front of the grid, Williams F1 also had an overall stellar performance. Setting 5th and 7th fastest times, Williams' rookie driver Nico Hulkenberg outrun his more experienced teammate Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello, holding the most starts of an active Formula 1 driver, was not the only seasoned veteran bested by his younger teammate. In the Mercedes GP team, Nico Rosberg 2nd place start tops Michael Schumacher who mustered an 8th place time.

While Lewis Hamilton through the first two Malaysian Grand Prix practices on Friday, Hamilton and the McLaren team had trouble finding pace amongst a wetter Saturday time trial. Having the worst qualifying luck of the McLaren F1 team was Australian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button. Benefiting from a daring wet weather strategy last week at Albert Park, the intensifying precipitation around Sepang elected not to cooperate with the reigning Formula 1 Driver Champion. Failing to find traction on Bridgestone intermediate tires, Button slid his McLaren-Mercedes off the circuit in the 1st round of the knock-out qualifying. Resting in the sand trap, Jenson Button was unable to improve on his 17th place time even though he was eligible for the second round qualifying. McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton remained on track (particularly after McLaren opted Hamilton onto full rain tires) but finished slower in 20th.

If the struggle of the McLaren team wasn't surprising enough, the legendary Ferrari Formula 1 team was also bitten by speed issues on Saturday. Sandwiching Lewis Hamilton's McLaren, Fernando Alonso placed 19th while Bahrain Grand Prix winner Felipe Massa seeded in 21th. In fact, both of the Lotus-Cosworth cars outran the vast resources of the Italian auto racing powerhouse.

Weather conditions are expected to be wet for the 2010 running of the Malaysian Grand Prix set to start 4 p.m. Sunday Malaysia time or 4 a.m. Eastern time. With quality driver and teams at the back of the field, the start of this grand prix is certainly going to be worth watching.


2010 Formula 1
Malaysian Grand Prix
Starting Grid

1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
4. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes
5. Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth
6. Robert Kubica Renault F1
7. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth
8. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
9. Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari
10. Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes
11. Vitaly Petrov Renault
12. Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari
13. Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari
14. Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari
15. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth
16. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth
17. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
18. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth
19. Fernando Alonso Ferrari
20. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
21. Felipe Massa Ferrari
22. Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth
23. Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth
24. Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth

Vettel leads Red Bull Racing Front Row in Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP


2010 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Starting Order

1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari
4. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
5. Felipe Massa Ferrari
6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
7. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
8. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth
9. Robert Kubica Renault F1
10. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes
11. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
12. Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari
13. Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes
14. Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari
15. Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth
16. Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari
17. Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari
18. Vitaly Petrov Renault
19. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth
20. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth
21. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth
22. Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth
23. Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth
24. Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth

New F1 Team Hispania Racing F1 Names Chandhok to Drive

Recently stabilized by secure funding and management, the racing outlet now known as the HRT F1 Team (the team has now dropped the full Hispania Racing F1 name banner) scrambles to ready itself for the 2010 Formula 1 season. Holding the last vacancy of all the committed Formula 1 teams, HRT filled the gap with just 10 days remaining before the V8 F1 engines start at Bahrain. Joining the team's first named driver Bruno Senna, HRT has opted for another newcomer to F1 slating India's Karun Chandhok to command the team's other Cosworth-powered Dallara.

The second Indian driver to ever run in the Formula 1 tour (Narain Karthikeyan was the first in 2005, driving 19 races for Jordan Grand Prix), Karun Chandhok has shown himself a rising talent in the GP2 series. Formula 1 interest in the driver has spawned from 2007 when Chandhok served as a test driver with Red Bull Racing. Enthusiasm for Chandhok was renewed in 2009 when Force India was seeking a mid-season replacement to Giancarlo Fisichella.

In a distinguished career that included two GP2 wins, Kuran Chandhok's highlight is being crowned the first champion for the Asian Formula Renault series in 2006 winning an impressive 7 races and 9 poles.

Lotus F1 Team 2010 Race Car Comes to Bloom

Photo Credit: Lotus Racing

On the strongest footing of the four new Formula 1 teams entering the 2010 season, Lotus Racing has reason for being more serious in their every move building the race team. After all, Lotus Racing will be living up to the spirit of the historic Team Lotus which won 7 constructor championships and propelled 5 drivers to a combined 6 world driving championships. Based in Norfolk, England the new Lotus Racing Formula 1 team also sports strong connections to Malaysia thanks to car maker Proton rescuing the English sports car company in 1996. Having replenished the street car business, the return of Lotus to the major league of open wheel racing is the latest claim to their once world-beating greatness.

Determined to build a team which will not embarrass the sports car brand on their inaugural entry, the team's drivers announcement in mid December featured a veteran F1 cast of Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen.


Photo Credit: Lotus Racing

On Friday February 12th, Lotus Racing provided the first viewing of the vehicle and livery which they hope will contend favourably in the 2010 grand prix championship. Beaming in two-tone of green and a generous use of yellow, the Lotus T127 Cosworth blossomed amongst London’s Royal Horticultural Hall. Paying homage to its roots using a modern interpretation of the Team Lotus colours run within the early to mid 1960s, the car reflects all the essentials needed for a Formula 1 car in a slick, well-positioned design. Similar to the new teams entering the 2010 Formula 1 tour as well as the Williams F1 team, the Lotus Racing T127 engine bay adapted to the V8 Cosworth powerplant.



Photo Credit: Lotus Racing

Calling the Lotus T127 Cosworth "the fruits of the team’s hard work", Lotus Racing's Team Principal Tony Fernandes confesses at the vehicle's introduction the real work starts for the team.

Lotus F1 Racing Team Announces Driver Lineup for 2010

Photo Credit: Lotus F1

As the Lotus name returns the Formula 1 grid for the first time since 1994, the predecessor to the new team was a driving force of grand prix motorsports. Historic vehicles of Team Lotus are piloted by racing legends Jimmy Clark, Graham Hill, Mario Andretti, Aryton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Mika Häkkinen (all of which won F1 World Championship with or without Team Lotus). With auto racing pedigree of Team Lotus alumni, the motorsport world eagerly conjectured on who will be the team's drivers. Hosted by the Malaysia's Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, the awaited driver lineup for the 2010 Lotus F1 Racing team was presented in Kuala Lumpur.

Assembling the team's race day lineup for 2010 is Italy's Jarno Trulli and the Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen. Possessing one grand prix victory a piece, Trulli and Kovalainen both come from top racing teams. Trulli arrives from the now defunct Panasonic Toyota Racing outfit while Kovalainen enters Lotus F1 Racing after driving two seasons as Lewis Hamilton's wingman at McLaren. Jarno Trulli commented on his signing with the team as "a privilege" and expresses a desire to "draw inspiration from the heritage of Lotus for our team". In reality, the Lotus F1 Racing starts 2010 as a brand new Formula 1 race team with only a name to bring itself recognition on the grid. Therefore, it was not surprising that the organization sought the veteran hands for their debut in competition. In fact, Kovalainen made a direct response in relations to the driver lineup by saying "I believe that appointing two drivers with the experience Jarno and I have shows how determined the team is to go racing in a truly competitive way, and our pairing sends out a very strong message to our competitors."

Third Lotus pilot, 27 year old Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy, completes the team's lineup as the test and reserve driver. Fauzy has proven himself in professional karting as well as A1 Grand Prix racing.

One of four new F1 teams for 2010, Lotus F1 Racing is currently well underway on building their 2010 race car which will make use of a spec Cosworth V8 engine and Xtrac transmission designed to reduce competitive costs. It will remain to be seen how well the new car, being primarily campaigned by a veteran driving force, will fare against the seasoned teams of Ferrari and McLaren; two teams that were once taking lessons from Team Lotus.

Mercedes-Benz Buys Majority Stake In Brawn GP; Becoming Mercedes Grand Prix in 2010

Image Acquired From Brawn GP/Mercedes Grand Prix


Winning the 2009 Formula 1 constructor champion by winning 8 times in their first season with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello driving, Brawn GP was the Cinderella story of modern auto racing. Spun off the less than successful factory Honda Formula 1 team, former Ferrari and Renault technical director Ross Brawn retained the personal of the past team but sought the power of a Mercedes-Benz powerplant. As Brawn GP reveled as their Mercedes-Benz engines, few would have known that the German automaker wished to end their customer relationship. Instead, Mercedes-Benz (under parent company Daimler AG) decided to evolve their customer into their new factory team for 2010.

Announced Monday, Daimler AG, partnered with Abu Dhabi-based principal investment firm Aabar Investments PJSC, bought over 75.1% controlling interest to the one-year Formula 1 entrant Brawn GP. Renaming the team Mercedes Grand Prix, minority team owner and team leader Ross Brawn will continue to have an important presence in the new team.

While Brawn GP gains the factory support of Mercedes-Benz, The German auto giant also announced a change in their 14-year relationship with McLaren Mercedes Formula One. With Mercedes-Benz already possessing a 40 percent stake in this previous partnership, a preparation has been made for McLaren to buy back Mercedes-Benz's share of the team by 2011. However, as the auto manufacturer divests their interest from McLaren, Mercedes-Benz has also entered into a long-term engine supply deal for the Mclaren F1 team through the 2015 season.

F1: Rubens Barrichello driving for Williams in 2010

Photo provided courtesy of Brawn GP


The iron man of Formula 1 having entered 288 grand prix races, Brazil's Rubens Barrichello will be driving for the AT&T Williams after a successful one-year tenure within the Brawn GP team in 2009. As At&T Williams hires Barrichello, the team's entire driver lineup will be shaken up as the second car will be piloted by Formula One newcomer Nico Hulkenberg.

Formula 1's most Rubens Barrichello has actively competed in the world's top open wheel series since 1993 starting with Eddie Jordan's F1 effort. Through 18 seasons of F1 competition, Barrichello steered vehicles for Stewart, Ferrari, and Honda formula one team (the operation Ross Brawn purchased in creating his championship race team). Barrichello's glory years presided within the Ferrari team between 2000 to 2005 where he played an honourable supporting role to Michael Schumacher. Winning 9 grand prix races with the Scuderia Ferrari, those were Barrichello's only victories until his two wins with Brawn GP. He finished the 2009 F1 season 3rd in overall points, Barrichello's best finish since 2004.

Experiencing seasons of dominance coupled with ongoing periods of F1 back-marker status, AT&T Williams are looking for success in 2010 to revive notes of past greatness. Along with the new drivers, AT&T Williams will be running under new momentum for 2010. Abandoning the underperforming Toyota powerplants, the team will be opting instead for a spec Cosworth V8 which four new F1 teams will also campaign. Barrichello will undoubtedly find himself as not only the #1 driver but a guide to the rookie Hulkenberg as well as the rehabilitation of the Williams F1 team.