Wednesday 29 July 2009
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Sunday 26 July 2009
Friday 24 July 2009
Webber critical of F1’s youth policy
Mark Webber has questioned the wisdom of parachuting young drivers with minimal experience into Formula 1 race seats – arguing that the sport’s top flight should be reserved for seasoned racers and not used as a training ground.
Jaime Alguersuari is set to become the youngest driver ever to start a grand prix in Hungary on Sunday, aged 19 years and 125 days, and will be on a steep learning curve having had only a couple of straightline tests in which to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso car he will be driving.
Webber was careful not to imply his new Red Bull stable-mate didn’t belong in F1, but suggested the sport was not well served by an influx of young inexperienced drivers with comparatively thin CVs.
Asked how he would have coped with joining F1 as a 19-year-old, Webber said: “I probably wouldn’t have been ready, to be honest, but these days they seem to be ready a lot earlier.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Formula 1 being a learning school, but it seems like it is these days.
“I don’t think Formula 1 is a learning school; when you arrive in Formula 1 you should be ready, it’s not a place to learn.
“Anyway, some guys are doing that, but it’s harder without testing these days.
“I think we’re going to see a bit more of it in the future.
“I mean it’s not like a few years ago when we had a guy lapping eight seconds off the pace, which was totally ridiculous.
“Jaime won’t be like that; he’ll be quick enough and he’s going to learn.
“But they are becoming younger every time now, so that’s the way it is – after Formula Ford they want to be in Formula 1.
“It’s quite cheap if you can do it that way, but it’s not that easy when you arrive.”
Felipe Massa was even more outspoken, claiming Alguersuari is simply too young and inexperienced to be promoted to F1, particularly since he has had no meaningful testing mileage, and that it risks damaging the Spaniard’s long-term prospects.
“For me he’s too young,” said Massa.
“When I came into Formula 1 I was just 20 and for me it was also quite young.
“I was too inexperienced to ask what I needed from the car so I made some mistakes. For sure I had a very difficult car to drive, but anyway, it was not easy for me.
“But even for myself – and I can say it was too early for me – I did the whole winter [of testing], so I did many tests in Formula 1.
“He’s never driven a Formula 1 car, or he has only driven it in a straight line or whatever.
“It’s not good for him; he can burn himself very quickly.
“Maybe he’s an incredible talent and he will do much better than everybody thinks, but for me it’s not good for him.
“I’m surprised a team would put a guy like this in the car. For me it’s not right.”
BMW Sauber veteran Nick Heidfeld does not share Webber and Massa’s concerns, however, advancing a simple explanation for why the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Sebastien Buemi and now Alguersuari have reached F1 at a younger age than was typical in the past.
“The fact that drivers start to become younger and younger is pretty normal, or easy to explain, because they just start younger in karting,” said the German.
“When I did Formula Ford you were only allowed to do it when you were 18; now I think you’re allowed to do it when you are 16.
“For me it’s not so much about age – Mark won his first race [aged 32], and when Michael [Schumacher] won his last world championship he was not the youngest. Age is not that important.”
And Alguersuari’s compatriot Fernando Alonso, who likewise was 19 when he made the step up to F1 in 2001, pointed out that youth was no hindrance for him as he learned the ropes.
“All my career was like this,” said Alonso.
“When I was in go-karts, when you race in Cadets the drivers are normally between eight and 12 years old, and I was winning when I was eight.
“Then you go to the next category, I was 12 and it was people from 12 to 16, and I was winning.
“All the steps in my career I was three or four years younger than my main competitors, so when I arrived in Formula 1 it was not a surprise for me to be racing against older people.”
Jaime Alguersuari is set to become the youngest driver ever to start a grand prix in Hungary on Sunday, aged 19 years and 125 days, and will be on a steep learning curve having had only a couple of straightline tests in which to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso car he will be driving.
Webber was careful not to imply his new Red Bull stable-mate didn’t belong in F1, but suggested the sport was not well served by an influx of young inexperienced drivers with comparatively thin CVs.
Asked how he would have coped with joining F1 as a 19-year-old, Webber said: “I probably wouldn’t have been ready, to be honest, but these days they seem to be ready a lot earlier.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Formula 1 being a learning school, but it seems like it is these days.
“I don’t think Formula 1 is a learning school; when you arrive in Formula 1 you should be ready, it’s not a place to learn.
“Anyway, some guys are doing that, but it’s harder without testing these days.
“I think we’re going to see a bit more of it in the future.
“I mean it’s not like a few years ago when we had a guy lapping eight seconds off the pace, which was totally ridiculous.
“Jaime won’t be like that; he’ll be quick enough and he’s going to learn.
“But they are becoming younger every time now, so that’s the way it is – after Formula Ford they want to be in Formula 1.
“It’s quite cheap if you can do it that way, but it’s not that easy when you arrive.”
Felipe Massa was even more outspoken, claiming Alguersuari is simply too young and inexperienced to be promoted to F1, particularly since he has had no meaningful testing mileage, and that it risks damaging the Spaniard’s long-term prospects.
“For me he’s too young,” said Massa.
“When I came into Formula 1 I was just 20 and for me it was also quite young.
“I was too inexperienced to ask what I needed from the car so I made some mistakes. For sure I had a very difficult car to drive, but anyway, it was not easy for me.
“But even for myself – and I can say it was too early for me – I did the whole winter [of testing], so I did many tests in Formula 1.
“He’s never driven a Formula 1 car, or he has only driven it in a straight line or whatever.
“It’s not good for him; he can burn himself very quickly.
“Maybe he’s an incredible talent and he will do much better than everybody thinks, but for me it’s not good for him.
“I’m surprised a team would put a guy like this in the car. For me it’s not right.”
BMW Sauber veteran Nick Heidfeld does not share Webber and Massa’s concerns, however, advancing a simple explanation for why the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Sebastien Buemi and now Alguersuari have reached F1 at a younger age than was typical in the past.
“The fact that drivers start to become younger and younger is pretty normal, or easy to explain, because they just start younger in karting,” said the German.
“When I did Formula Ford you were only allowed to do it when you were 18; now I think you’re allowed to do it when you are 16.
“For me it’s not so much about age – Mark won his first race [aged 32], and when Michael [Schumacher] won his last world championship he was not the youngest. Age is not that important.”
And Alguersuari’s compatriot Fernando Alonso, who likewise was 19 when he made the step up to F1 in 2001, pointed out that youth was no hindrance for him as he learned the ropes.
“All my career was like this,” said Alonso.
“When I was in go-karts, when you race in Cadets the drivers are normally between eight and 12 years old, and I was winning when I was eight.
“Then you go to the next category, I was 12 and it was people from 12 to 16, and I was winning.
“All the steps in my career I was three or four years younger than my main competitors, so when I arrived in Formula 1 it was not a surprise for me to be racing against older people.”
Thursday 23 July 2009
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX VIEW
Red Bull Racing has reached the mid-point of the season in fine form, with consecutive onetwo
finishes in the British and German Grands Prix. Red Bull Racing Team Principal, Christian
Horner and Red Bull Technology Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey explain the
groundwork that went into producing these results. The team currently lies second in both the
Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
Christian Horner, Team Principal
As we go into the second half of the season are the pressures you now have to deal
with different to those of last year, or even at the start of this season?
The rewards on track are different, but the pressures are the same. We are working as hard
as possible to get as much performance as possible, as quickly as we can. Everyone at the
factory has a spring in their step at the moment, even if the pace of development required to
meet this year’s major regulation change has been relentless. There are a lot of unsung heroes
at the factory, putting in superhuman efforts and hours to get the components on the car.
How has the operation at Milton Keynes changed, to produce the performances we have
seen so far this season?
There were already signs of a change last year, when RB4 delivered reasonable
performance in the first half of the season, while in the second half Red Bull Technology had good
results with Toro Rosso, in what was essentially an identical car. The design group has really
gelled and is working cohesively and the integration across the whole group, R&D and the
production side, is working very well. This is down to stability and continuity in what is still a
relatively young team.
The race team at the track seems to be working well too and it features lots of new faces.
What effect has that had on performance?
The faces new to the race team are not new to the company, as they were all on the test
team last year. It’s a testimony to how strong the test team was that, when we conducted the
difficult exercise over the winter when as all the other teams we had to make redundancies, we
went through a scrupulously fair system to identify the best candidates for the roles we had
available. The group of guys in the garage are brilliant. The camaraderie between the two car
crews and the way they work for each other is fantastic; the team spirit is very strong this year.
Does the team have any weak points?
You can always do better. Putting aside our performance and two dominant one-two finishes
in the last two races, the team’s determination to continue to improve and not to take anything for
granted is very important. There are no obvious weaknesses in our armoury, but as a group we
must continue to push ourselves in all areas all the time.
Going back a few races, what do you remember about standing on an F1 podium for the
first time after the win in China?
It was a very proud moment representing Red Bull at the team’s first win, having been here
since the beginning. Looking down and seeing the faces of all the guys looking up at the podium
and standing next to the two drivers who’d driven brilliantly is a moment I will certainly always
remember. It was a great feeling, especially at the end of such a long race of almost two hours,
held in atrocious conditions.
finishes in the British and German Grands Prix. Red Bull Racing Team Principal, Christian
Horner and Red Bull Technology Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey explain the
groundwork that went into producing these results. The team currently lies second in both the
Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
Christian Horner, Team Principal
As we go into the second half of the season are the pressures you now have to deal
with different to those of last year, or even at the start of this season?
The rewards on track are different, but the pressures are the same. We are working as hard
as possible to get as much performance as possible, as quickly as we can. Everyone at the
factory has a spring in their step at the moment, even if the pace of development required to
meet this year’s major regulation change has been relentless. There are a lot of unsung heroes
at the factory, putting in superhuman efforts and hours to get the components on the car.
How has the operation at Milton Keynes changed, to produce the performances we have
seen so far this season?
There were already signs of a change last year, when RB4 delivered reasonable
performance in the first half of the season, while in the second half Red Bull Technology had good
results with Toro Rosso, in what was essentially an identical car. The design group has really
gelled and is working cohesively and the integration across the whole group, R&D and the
production side, is working very well. This is down to stability and continuity in what is still a
relatively young team.
The race team at the track seems to be working well too and it features lots of new faces.
What effect has that had on performance?
The faces new to the race team are not new to the company, as they were all on the test
team last year. It’s a testimony to how strong the test team was that, when we conducted the
difficult exercise over the winter when as all the other teams we had to make redundancies, we
went through a scrupulously fair system to identify the best candidates for the roles we had
available. The group of guys in the garage are brilliant. The camaraderie between the two car
crews and the way they work for each other is fantastic; the team spirit is very strong this year.
Does the team have any weak points?
You can always do better. Putting aside our performance and two dominant one-two finishes
in the last two races, the team’s determination to continue to improve and not to take anything for
granted is very important. There are no obvious weaknesses in our armoury, but as a group we
must continue to push ourselves in all areas all the time.
Going back a few races, what do you remember about standing on an F1 podium for the
first time after the win in China?
It was a very proud moment representing Red Bull at the team’s first win, having been here
since the beginning. Looking down and seeing the faces of all the guys looking up at the podium
and standing next to the two drivers who’d driven brilliantly is a moment I will certainly always
remember. It was a great feeling, especially at the end of such a long race of almost two hours,
held in atrocious conditions.
Red Bull confirms Webber
Red Bull Racing has announced that it will retain Mark Webber for the 2010 season.
The new deal comes shortly after Webber scored his maiden grand prix victory by dominating the German Grand Prix for the team.
"I'm delighted that we have re-signed Mark for 2010," said team boss Christian Horner.
"He has continued to show huge commitment and determination this season, especially following his bike accident at the end of last year.
"His recent results show he is on the form of his life – most notably with his recent win at the German GP – and he has the motivation to deliver at the highest level.
"It was therefore a straightforward decision to extend the relationship.
"We believe that the driver line-up of Mark and Sebastian [Vettel] is one of the strongest in the sport."
Webber added that he was delighted to stay on with the team.
"I'm extremely happy that Red Bull and I have been able to agree to race together again next year," he said.
"Even in the leaner and tougher years at the start of my relationship with the team, I've always enjoyed working with them, so now to go through this purple patch, which we hope will continue for a good while to come, makes the work even more enjoyable.
"We've got a very exciting finish to this year's championship, but I'm also looking forward to helping to develop and race the RB6 in the 2010 world championship."
The new deal comes shortly after Webber scored his maiden grand prix victory by dominating the German Grand Prix for the team.
"I'm delighted that we have re-signed Mark for 2010," said team boss Christian Horner.
"He has continued to show huge commitment and determination this season, especially following his bike accident at the end of last year.
"His recent results show he is on the form of his life – most notably with his recent win at the German GP – and he has the motivation to deliver at the highest level.
"It was therefore a straightforward decision to extend the relationship.
"We believe that the driver line-up of Mark and Sebastian [Vettel] is one of the strongest in the sport."
Webber added that he was delighted to stay on with the team.
"I'm extremely happy that Red Bull and I have been able to agree to race together again next year," he said.
"Even in the leaner and tougher years at the start of my relationship with the team, I've always enjoyed working with them, so now to go through this purple patch, which we hope will continue for a good while to come, makes the work even more enjoyable.
"We've got a very exciting finish to this year's championship, but I'm also looking forward to helping to develop and race the RB6 in the 2010 world championship."
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Red Bull mid-season report
With the brains of Adrian Newey, a small army working back at their UK base in Milton Keynes and the generous patronage of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull Racing have been threatening to step up to the front of the field ever since they bought out Jaguar in 2004.
This season they have finally made it into the big time, thanks in no small part to the combination of new signing Sebastian Vettel, who has chalked up three poles and two wins, and experienced runner Mark Webber, who finally clinched a maiden victory in Germany. Here’s the story of their season so far…
Red Bull
World championship points: 92.5
Best qualifying result: 1st (4x)
Best race result: 1st (3x)
After being upstaged by junior team Toro Rosso in 2008, Red Bull started the year vowing it was their turn to shine. The RB5 certainly turned heads during pre-season testing, with its clever interpretation of the stringent 2009 rules. But while it looked the most complete car, its pace (and reliability) was less convincing.
There were even murmurs that Red Bull had built themselves a pretty, but ineffectual, machine. In qualifying for Melbourne’s season opener, however, Vettel showed the true promise of the RB5, taking third on the grid behind the controversial double-diffuser Brawns. Both the German and Webber were equally strong in the race and, were it not for two collisions, may have scored a podium.
In Malaysia too, luck was not on their side and the car’s obvious pace received scant reward as Webber and Vettel struggled with their tyres. But at a soaked Shanghai, the RB5 was dominant, with Vettel and Webber clinching a richly deserved maiden one-two. In dusty Bahrain and sweltering Spain, however, the tyre degradation issues were back with a vengeance and solo podiums at each were a letdown.
Hoping for a boost, the team brought a Brawn-inspired double diffuser to Monaco (no mean feat given the packaging restrictions of the car’s pull-rod rear suspension), but ultimately dropped to third in the pecking order behind a resurgent Ferrari. In Turkey, they were reasonably satisfied with a two-three result, but for another win they would have to wait for June and the British Grand Prix. Again it fell to Vettel, but the real hero was the heavily upgraded RB5.
After what team principal Christian Horner called ‘superhuman efforts’ at the factory, the car was unassailable at Silverstone. In a reversal of fortunes it was Brawn who were struggling with tyres and Red Bull ran riot to score a majestic one-two. Matching it with more of the same in Germany, the team has proved their pace has staying power. And after unlocking the car’s potential so comprehensively, Horner believes the team can retain their grip at the top.
“Putting aside our performance and two dominant one-two finishes in the last two races, the team’s determination to continue to improve and not to take anything for granted is very important. There are no obvious weaknesses in our armoury, but as a group we must continue to push ourselves in all areas all the time."
Battle of the team mates - Sebastian Vettel v Mark Webber
Qualifying: Vettel (7-2)
Race: Webber (6-3) Vettel retired in Monaco
Points: Vettel 47, Webber 45.5
Up until the last round in Germany, Vettel had largely ruled the roost at Red Bull. Taking the team’s first-ever pole and victory and qualifying higher than Webber in all but two of the season’s nine outings, Vettel’s youth seems to be outclassing the Australian’s experience. But if you throw Webber’s pre-season cycling accident and consistency into the mix, the duo have been closer in performance than the stats suggest, with team principal Horner even stating that at the opening rounds Webber was somewhat below par, and it’s “only now we are seeing Mark at the level of fitness he was at prior to his injury”. Certainly with just 1.5 points separating the duo, they are the closest pairing on the 2009 grid. And with the team ruling out favouring one driver, for the moment at least, prepare to see them battle it out for supremacy over the coming races.
In summary - With the RB5 a three-time race winner, the stakes at Red Bull couldn’t be higher. Both drivers have the talent to do the car justice, but will Webber’s experience or Vettel’s ambition win the day?
This season they have finally made it into the big time, thanks in no small part to the combination of new signing Sebastian Vettel, who has chalked up three poles and two wins, and experienced runner Mark Webber, who finally clinched a maiden victory in Germany. Here’s the story of their season so far…
Red Bull
World championship points: 92.5
Best qualifying result: 1st (4x)
Best race result: 1st (3x)
After being upstaged by junior team Toro Rosso in 2008, Red Bull started the year vowing it was their turn to shine. The RB5 certainly turned heads during pre-season testing, with its clever interpretation of the stringent 2009 rules. But while it looked the most complete car, its pace (and reliability) was less convincing.
There were even murmurs that Red Bull had built themselves a pretty, but ineffectual, machine. In qualifying for Melbourne’s season opener, however, Vettel showed the true promise of the RB5, taking third on the grid behind the controversial double-diffuser Brawns. Both the German and Webber were equally strong in the race and, were it not for two collisions, may have scored a podium.
In Malaysia too, luck was not on their side and the car’s obvious pace received scant reward as Webber and Vettel struggled with their tyres. But at a soaked Shanghai, the RB5 was dominant, with Vettel and Webber clinching a richly deserved maiden one-two. In dusty Bahrain and sweltering Spain, however, the tyre degradation issues were back with a vengeance and solo podiums at each were a letdown.
Hoping for a boost, the team brought a Brawn-inspired double diffuser to Monaco (no mean feat given the packaging restrictions of the car’s pull-rod rear suspension), but ultimately dropped to third in the pecking order behind a resurgent Ferrari. In Turkey, they were reasonably satisfied with a two-three result, but for another win they would have to wait for June and the British Grand Prix. Again it fell to Vettel, but the real hero was the heavily upgraded RB5.
After what team principal Christian Horner called ‘superhuman efforts’ at the factory, the car was unassailable at Silverstone. In a reversal of fortunes it was Brawn who were struggling with tyres and Red Bull ran riot to score a majestic one-two. Matching it with more of the same in Germany, the team has proved their pace has staying power. And after unlocking the car’s potential so comprehensively, Horner believes the team can retain their grip at the top.
“Putting aside our performance and two dominant one-two finishes in the last two races, the team’s determination to continue to improve and not to take anything for granted is very important. There are no obvious weaknesses in our armoury, but as a group we must continue to push ourselves in all areas all the time."
Battle of the team mates - Sebastian Vettel v Mark Webber
Qualifying: Vettel (7-2)
Race: Webber (6-3) Vettel retired in Monaco
Points: Vettel 47, Webber 45.5
Up until the last round in Germany, Vettel had largely ruled the roost at Red Bull. Taking the team’s first-ever pole and victory and qualifying higher than Webber in all but two of the season’s nine outings, Vettel’s youth seems to be outclassing the Australian’s experience. But if you throw Webber’s pre-season cycling accident and consistency into the mix, the duo have been closer in performance than the stats suggest, with team principal Horner even stating that at the opening rounds Webber was somewhat below par, and it’s “only now we are seeing Mark at the level of fitness he was at prior to his injury”. Certainly with just 1.5 points separating the duo, they are the closest pairing on the 2009 grid. And with the team ruling out favouring one driver, for the moment at least, prepare to see them battle it out for supremacy over the coming races.
In summary - With the RB5 a three-time race winner, the stakes at Red Bull couldn’t be higher. Both drivers have the talent to do the car justice, but will Webber’s experience or Vettel’s ambition win the day?
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