Dieter Mateschitz says Let Red Bull race four cars

Red Bull Tycoon Dietrich Mateschitz has prompted debate that each Formula One team should be allowed to sport ‘four cars’ per grand prix in the future. The billionaire born in austria has recently and openly put his 50 per cent share in ‘Toro Rosso’ up for sale, as Formula One prepares to not accept ‘customer cars’ in formula one from 2010.

But in an effort to maintain the same number of Red Bull branded cars on the grid, Mateschitz told an Austrian newspaper that an alternative solution would be to allow four red bull branded cars to be entered into each race.

“My proposal is to allow four cars per team, If the regulations mean Toro Rosso can no longer utilise Red Bull technologies, then it makes no sense,” he is quoted by Salzburger Nachrichten. “We can not build a second Milton Keynes in Faenza,” Mateschitz added.

BMW Post Race News Barcelona

Munich/Hinwil, 18th April 2008. The BMW Sauber F1 Team has barely embarked on its third
season and is already heading for its first Formula One grand prix as the leader of the
constructors? championship.

In the first three World Championship races of the 2008 season,
the team was on the podium each time (two second places and a third), had its first pole
position (Robert Kubica/Bahrain) and set its first fastest race lap (Nick Heidfeld/Malaysia).
With 30 points, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is one ahead of Ferrari and two of McLaren
Mercedes.

During the brief spring break all the teams have been upgrading their cars in
preparation for the European curtain-raiser in Barcelona on 27th April. The Spanish Grand Prix
on the impressive, but unforgiving, Circuit de Catalunya could prompt a reappraisal of where
the teams stand relative to one another.

Nick Heidfeld commented:
The Spanish Grand Prix has its own special ambience because the stands are now regularly
packed to the rafters. The fans ensure a brilliant atmosphere, which we as drivers pick up on
to some extent as well.

Although I have already clocked up hundreds of race and test laps on the Circuit de
Catalunya, boredom just doesn’t come into it. It has often been the case that a set-up
determined during testing was no longer the right one for the race weekend. That could be
due to the weather or to the condition of the track, which naturally accumulates much more
rubber deposits over a grand prix weekend than during testing.

Now the question everybody wants to hear the answer to is: how well are the new
components, with which we’ve modified the BMW Sauber F1.08 since the initial overseas
races, going to work. I’m also very keen to see whether we have made more progress with
our new developments than the competition. At any rate, I’m confident that we will be just as
strong as in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain.

This is what Robert Kubica had to say:
I think we will have a more predictable race than the first three overseas grands prix. The
conditions this time round are completely different. All the teams know the Barcelona circuit
like the back of their hands because we do a lot of testing here.

That’s why I expect the gaps between the teams to become a lot smaller than in the last races.
Everyone will be coming to the season’s first European grand prix on top form. I guess all the
teams will be lining up with an improved car. But at the same time that means we also have to
get the maximum out of the BMW Sauber F1.08.

If we manage that, and since the latest test in Barcelona I am firmly convinced we will, I’ll be racing right up at the front again. My goal is
to achieve a good result to earn as many points as possible for myself and the team.

BMW Testing Barcelona Day Three

Robert Kubica’s work today concentrated on two different areas. The first one included testing of different setups and aerodynamical solutions in preparation for the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix.

The second part consisted of early base work for the 2009 World Championship. To collect valuable data for the development of next year’s car BMW Sauber F1 Team also used the 2009 slick tyres. With one hour to go Kubica went off in turn 5 due to a technical problem. The minor impact into a tyre barrier caused some damage to the front suspension and front wing of the car.

The reason for the technical problem will be further analyzed by the team?s engineers. What comes next: As scheduled BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Barcelona tomorrow with Robert Kubica at the wheel. More setup work and tyre testing in preparation for next week?s Spanish Grand Prix is on the programme.

Williams Test Slicks In Barcelona

 Williams have been testing the slick tyres to be brought into use during the 2009 formula 1 racing season. The move comes at the same time as other teams as Michael Schumacher also returned to test the slicks on the F2008.

Nico Rosberg set the seventh fastest time today using the new slick tyres which shows promise for next season.  Williams were also testing the car in preparation for the next race in Barcelona.

 Dickie Stanford, Test Team Manager: “Nico Rosberg took over the FW30 today and concentrated on running the 2009
Bridgestone slick tyres gathering valuable data ahead of next year. The day ran
smoothly, with no major problems and we’ll continue with Nico tomorrow.”

Honda Announce Long Term Support Of Karter Will Stevens

The Honda Racing F1 Team has announced that it has signed 16 year old British karter Will Stevens under a long-term driver support agreement, similar to the one Mclaren gave to Lewis Hamilton.

Will Said “I am extremely proud to be joining the Honda Racing F1 Team and this provides me with a great opportunity to progress my career towards my goal of reaching Formula One. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me so far in my career and especially Honda for their commitment and support of my future. I intend to do my very best to ensure that their belief in me is rewarded.”

Ron Meadows, Sporting Director for the Honda Racing Formula 1 racing team said, “We are delighted to welcome Will to the Honda Racing F1 Team. Will has had a very promising career in karting to date and we very much look forward to assisting his advancement through the ranks of the junior formulae towards achieving his ultimate ambition to race in Formula One”.

This is not the first young driver to be taken under the wing of a Formula 1 racing team and we are sure it will not be the last. Will Stevens is an accomplished young driver who has already had a great deal of success in the karting world and we are sure he will continue to progress through the driving ranks with Hondas support and backing.

Renault F1 Techical Chief Demands Major Changes

Renault’s chief technician Bob Wells has said that he wants major changes to the Renault formula 1 racing car.  His aim is to bring the Renault R28 in line with other competitors by the end of the season, he wants major improvements on the car to give Renault back the competitive edge it enjoyed three season ago with Fernando Alonso.

“I think just needing to improve is a bit of an understatement,” Bell said. “We need a tidal wave of change to move us back where we want to be, but that’s what we’re here to do.”

“Our biggest issue is the car’s aerodynamics, but there are also mechanical improvements we can make,” he added.

Renault are addressing the aerodynamics issue with a new aero package for Barcelona, they will be testing the new package over the next two weeks that could give the car .5 of a second extra. This will be the first step in improving the R28, Bell added Renault that the aero package is only the first stage of improvements and promised more will follow after Barcelona.

BMW Interview With Mario Theissen

Interview with BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen

“Taking a bold concept leap has paid off”

How do you review the situation after the first two races of the season?

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: “Naturally we’re extremely pleased with the way the season has started off for us. Two second places by Nick and Robert in Melbourne and Sepang, Robert on the front row of the grid in Australia, Nick claiming the fastest race lap in Malaysia, plus 11 points in one race and 19 in the championship – that’s an outstanding achievement and a strong basis for the coming races. It demonstrates we have been making steady progress since the roll-out in mid-January. I wasn’t just gratified by our good results, but above all by the performance and pace we managed in both races.”

The BMW Sauber F1.08 didn’t come up to expectations in the first tests. How did the engineers deal with that?
Theissen: “It was the first real acid test for our young team. Since the first outing in Valencia the day after the launch, we refused to be diverted at any stage and systematically continued along our planned path. Measured data and driver feedback were compared, causes analysed and a whole package of measures adopted – with success. In the weeks following the launch of the F1.08, we not only brought the car up to speed but also learnt a great deal in the process. In retrospect these were extremely productive and motivating weeks. Willy Rampf and the entire team deserve a huge compliment for never once losing sight of the goal even under extreme pressure.”
 
You mentioned a package of measures. What precise modifications have been made to the car?
Theissen: “During the first tests we very quickly established that the F1.08 is a far more complex car than its predecessor. It wasn’t a case of an individual component in the car not working. The key factor was that, in the first tests, individual elements weren’t interacting with each other perfectly. We rectified that step by step. It was a matter of fine-tuning the overall package, which we managed to improve through dozens of minor alterations. On the aero front we optimised the interplay of the front wing, deflectors and underbody, and in terms of mechanics, for example, we modified the front suspension slightly. These are all changes you can’t see but which all add up to a significant improvement in performance. And, of course, with each test we were able to gather new data that now enables us to find the right set-up for varying conditions.”
So will you be pitching your season target higher now?
Theissen: “There’s no call for that really. Our goal is to close the gap to the leaders and win our first race. That’s a fairly ambitious goal and we’re sticking to it. In the first two races we managed to open up the two-way battle. We were faster than one of the two top teams on each occasion. But one shouldn’t draw any premature conclusions. We’re still not on a par with Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes. However, the latest results are certainly a great incentive for everyone. The clear message to the workforce is: we can make it.”

How much potential remains inside the BMW Sauber F1.08?
Theissen: “We’ve still got several arrows in our quiver and certainly haven’t exhausted our entire potential yet. The next major step is planned for the European curtain-raiser in Barcelona. For us one thing is clear: risking a major concept leap in the winter has paid off. Now it’s up to us to systematically continue along the path we’ve embarked on.”

How do you rate the performance of your two drivers?
Theissen: “Both of them have delivered what we expect of them. Not just in the two races, but prior to that during the important testing work over the winter. Both of them have prepared single-mindedly for the new season. And both of them have got what it takes to claim the first win for our team. They also know that it takes more than just a few fast laps. The drivers are leaders within the team and have a huge impact on the team spirit and the ongoing development of the car. Both of them are bringing this awareness into play, and I am very happy with the results so far.”

How did you fare with the standard electronics in the first two races of the season?
Theissen: “There was the occasional hiccup, but that was down to the fact that the application had not yet been perfected and was unrelated to the basic software. There were no malfunctions that might have threatened to end the race or compromise driver safety.”

Best Of The Rest Is Dead! BMW Out Class Mclaren At Bahrain

At the start of the season (even the start of the weekend) many people were talking about two teams contending for podiums and the title. Now it seems that there is no longer only two teams contending but in fact three. BMW have had an excellent weekend with Robert Kubica gaining another Podium and Nick Heidfeld driving solidly to finish in fourth.

The entire weekend sore BMW beat the Mclaren boys for pace and all important traction which shows Mclaren are not that far ahead of BMW at all.  This has led me to the question ‘is the best of the rest category dead?’  Time will most definetly tell but one thing that is sure is the championship will be a more exciting place from now on.

One aspect that we must not forget is that Heiki Kovalainen set the fastest lap of the race. This shows that with a few tweaks before Barcelona they should be right back on track.

Torro Rosso To Be Sold Before 2010

Torro Rosso the junior team of Red bull racing is set to be sold off before the start of the 2010 formula 1 season. The teams owners are hoping to have a buyer for the team before the end of next season, the team have assured fans that they will not sell unless the team will be put into safe hands. Here is a quote from Dietrich Mateschitz, the co owner of red bull racing.

“I see the necessity that we continue with one team only for 2010 but we will not sell Toro Rosso during 2008. We will only sell the team if it is put into safe hands. But it will be before 2010.”

Ferrari F2008 F1 Racing Car Photo

This photo shows the brand spanking new Ferrari Formula 1 car - the F2008. The car is obviously in the trade mark red and features a whole host of new features. The main updates include advances in aerodynamics, electronics, suspension and all important updates to the gearbox to make it more hardy for the new 2008 season rules.  This should result in the car being even quicker with razor sharp handling. This is one hot car.

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