Niki Lauda: Schumacher will be back on form by Malaysian GP

Q: Niki, with everyone running low fuel this season qualifying should really show who is quickest. Were you surprised that it was Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull who were the pacemakers in Bahrain?

Niki Lauda: No, because to be surprised I would have had to have known who was the fastest. Everybody who thought they would be able to make a prediction after testing is an idiot. Nobody tested under similar conditions, so whoever made a statement before Saturday afternoon was at best a phony.

Q: Would you have guessed that McLaren and Mercedes would be off the pace on Saturday?

NL: It’s the same answer as before - how should I know? But what we have seen - Vettel on pole position and the Ferraris snapping at his heels, followed by Lewis (Hamilton) and Nico (Rosberg) - is something that we will very likely see a lot this year.

Q: How would you rate Michael Schumacher’s return?

NL: It was a perfect performance. You can hardly start any better. He ran very little over the winter, due to test restrictions, and got into a modified car he had never driven before, so it was simply impossible for him to clock a qualification lap at the push of a button. I’d suppose he needs about three races to get back up to the same level he was at. When you take all that into account, he did a superb qualification lap, even compared to Nico who was only three-tenths faster. My guess is that in Kuala Lumpur he will have regained that ability to switch on for a fast lap that every permanent driver has to have.

Q: What are your thoughts on the outcome of the Bahrain race?

NL: Ferrari delivered a perfect race. Their win was well deserved and they finished the race. You know that saying, ‘to finish first you first have to finish’. Lewis, Vettel and both Mercedes were very close, so it definitely looks like we are going to see a very tight championship. The question now will be about who can develop at the fastest rate.

Q: Jenson Button was a bit off the pace compared to his team mate Hamilton. Were you surprised?

NL: No, that was what I expected. Lewis knows the team, so it is not surprising that he can control Jenson.

Q: What is your advice for Sebastian Vettel? He wasn’t happy with fourth…

NL: He should keep at the level he was at in Bahrain. He is the fastest car/driver combination at the moment, and even if he didn’t win he can head to Australia quite satisfied. Up until his car troubles he had dominated the race very clearly. Nobody behind him had the slightest chance of catching up.

Q: Fernando Alonso was always one of the favourites for the title, but his odds must be even better now after he won in Bahrain…

NL: He won the race because Sebastian had problems with his car. So let’s wait until Australia to see if he was just sailing due to somebody else’s bad luck, or if he can do it by himself.

Q: Was a pecking order established in Bahrain?

NL: Yes, for the moment it is Red Bull as the leader of the pack, followed by Ferrari, then McLaren and Mercedes are almost even.

Q: What did you think about the performances of the new teams?

NL: The only benefit of the new teams is that the grid looks more impressive on TV and you have the benefit of beating more cars when you win. I am not the right person to ask as I hardly look at them - I am only interested in the top teams. The gap suggests that somebody should pull them up and get them to develop faster.

Source:formula1.com

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Exclusive Interview with McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh

With their car launch set for Friday and its on-track debut a week away, McLaren’s Woking factory will no doubt be a hive of activity as the British team complete last-minute preparations. Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh, however, has found time to answer some pressing questions about their 2010 campaign. Will they miss the input from BMW Sauber-bound tester Pedro de la Rosa? Will fellow world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button get along? Is the MP4-25 a winning car? Whitmarsh reveals all…

Q: How is progress going with the 2010 car? What are your plans for testing?

Martin Whitmarsh: Clearly, the absence of testing in January has eased the car-build schedule to a certain degree, but we’re still working as hard as ever at the McLaren Technology Centre. We’ll be launching the car at Vodafone’s UK headquarters in Newbury on January 29, and we’ll be running one MP4-25 at the first test at Valencia on February 1. Obviously, Pedro (de la Rosa)’s decision to sign with Sauber will have a slight impact on our test programme, but we’ll overcome it. We’re very happy that Pedro has got a race drive for 2010 - he’s been a great asset to our team and, above all, a very dear friend to all of us. As has become customary with most teams, the first tests will be about establishing a baseline of performance, allowing the engineers and mechanics to learn and understand the new car and the impact of the new regulations. And, as in previous years, we’ll introduce a series of upgrades at one of the later tests, and that will be the car we take to the opening race.

Q: What is the initial feedback from your data and simulation work about the performance of MP4-25?

MW: During the development of MP4-25, we set ourselves some very high targets - and I’m enormously pleased with the way our designers and engineers have tackled the approach to the new car. The new regulations have obviously had an effect on the car’s appearance, with the much higher-capacity fuel tank looking more striking than before. But we’re pleased with a number of solutions we’ve been able to bring to the car, and I think we’re cautiously optimistic that, after the experience of last year and, in particular, the momentum we gathered in the second half of the season, we’ll have a competitive car for both Jenson and Lewis. Is it a championship contender? It’s still far too early to say. Will it win races? We certainly hope so. Am I proud of the effort we’ve currently invested in the car? Most definitely.

Q: You have the previous two world champions on board. How easy will it be manage Hamilton and Button, and ensure that both work for the benefit of the team?

MW: I’m relatively relaxed about the driver partnership. Knowing Lewis as I do, and having got to know more of Jenson during the limited time I’ve spent with him during his busy visits to MTC (McLaren Technology Centre), I feel relatively confident that our driver line-up this year will be a very stable and mutually productive one. But neither became world champion simply by driving at the limit on the racetrack; they’ve each been responsible for moulding and developing an organisation around them, and in exploiting the skills of their respective engineers to the best of their abilities. And it’s that sort of approach that we’ll be looking to encourage from both drivers in order to give us a performance advantage. We’ve also got an extremely experienced and capable race team, and we feel that will play absolutely to our drivers’ strengths. Equally, they know that Formula One in 2010 will be more competitive than ever before. Collaboration, understanding and the shared development of the car will be at the forefront of everybody’s mind. And given the testing limitations and the minimal track time at the weekend, it’s the only way to get ahead. Both Jenson and Lewis fully understand that. That’s why I’m so thrilled with our driver partnership - I really think it will play to the strengths of modern Formula One. Of course, we wouldn’t be going racing if we couldn’t let our drivers ‘off the leash’, but our absolute priority is to develop a front-running car.

Q: The main regulation change this year is the banning of refuelling. What impact will this have on the racing? Will it be better, or will it result in more processional races?

MW: Inevitably, when you make a change, there are pros and cons. Regarding the pros, it arguably makes qualifying purer because the fastest car/driver combination will be setting the fastest times, and the public can understand that. Secondly, in the race itself, overtaking was often being planned and implemented to occur as a consequence of strategy, and therefore happening in the pit lane and not the circuit. In the absence of that effect, drivers will have a greater incentive to overtake. There have been occasions in the past where a driver hasn’t had that incentive because he knows he will be running longer and can get past the car ahead strategically through the pit stops. Additionally, the fact that drivers will qualify on low-fuel, and then the next time they drive the car in anger into the first corner will be after a standing start with cold tyres and cold brakes and 160 kg of fuel. That will be very challenging for them, not just in terms of getting round that first corner, but in terms of how they look after their tyres and how the balance of the car will alter as a consequence of that. And there will be drivers who are able to deal with those changes better than others. Those are all the positives. On the negative side, it’s possible that if all of the above is managed equally well by every driver, then we’ll have lost one of the strategic campaign interests that the more avid fans enjoyed in the sport. Hopefully the former points will outweigh the latter.

Source:Formula1.com

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Ferrari aim thrashing Michael Schumacher

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali says Michael Schumacher's return to Formula 1 has fired up the Italian outfit and new recruit Fernando Alonso.

Schumacher, who won five world titles with Ferrari, is returning in 2010 with Mercedes, who won both titles in 2009 under their former guise, Brawn.

But Domencali insists Ferrari have him in their sights, saying: "Michael's return is inner motivation to our team.

"Fernando is the only driver on track to defeat Michael and he wants to win."

Schumacher's renewed rivalry with Alonso, who beat him to the 2005 and 2006 championships when driving for Renault, is one of the most eagerly anticipated match-ups of the new season, alongside 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton's first competitive meeting with Schumacher.

Relationships between the seven-time world champion and Alonso soured during their championship battle in 2006.

One flashpoint was when Schumacher deliberately crashed his car at slow speed to stop the Spaniard snatching pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Schumacher has never admitted to deliberately blocking the track but he was found guilty by race stewards and put to the back of the grid.

It was Alonso's turn to be furious at the Italian Grand Prix later that year when he was demoted five places for allegedly holding up Schumacher's team-mate Felipe Massa in qualifying.

Alonso has now arrived at Ferrari as Massa's team-mate for 2010 and he donned the famous red kit for the first time this week at the team's annual winter sports event at Italian ski resort Madonna di Campiglio.

Domenicali is relishing the battles ahead between his new Ferrari line-up and former employee Schumacher.

"Michael's return is further stimulus within our set-up," added Domenicali. "It has also triggered new interest and that is good for racing.

"It is right not to forget that what has happened has left its mark but now we have to turn the page.

"We have to show Michael that this is a strong team. We want to win.

"Fernando and Felipe are able to beat him even if Michael is still very strong."

Schumacher, who spent 11 years with Ferrari, was primed to step in for Massa after the Brazilian was forced to spend the rest of the 2009 season on the sidelines after his crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

However, an aggravated neck injury quashed Schumacher's hopes and now Massa, recuperated after fracturing his skull, is ready to return to racing.

Domenicali welcomed the new partnership between Massa and Alonso, who has replaced F1 exile Kimi Raikkonen, and believes it signals a new era for the Italian marque.

"We have two Latin drivers and it's a gush of fresh air which brings a sparkling, new environment," stated Domenicali.

"Fernando and Felipe are one of the strongest pairings amongst the teams."

The Ferrari boss also downplayed concerns about the balance of power within the team.

Massa emerged as the de factor number one driver in 2008, when he went on to lose the title to Hamilton by a single point.

However, Alonso is known to prefer to be top dog and openly accused McLaren of favouring his team-mate Hamilton during his tumultuous 2007 season with the Woking-based team.

Domenicali will be charged with balancing the power between Massa and Alonso at Ferrari but he is adamant internal rivalry will not be an issue.

"The rules are clear here," added Domenicali. "The drivers appreciate that.

"It was the same with Felipe and Kimi - one was stronger one year and then the other in the next and respect develops.

"People try to generate competition within our team but we have to be more rational inside."

Ferrari's countdown to the 2010 season begins with the launch of their car on 28 January at their Maranello base.

The team stopped developing their 2009 challenger, which was off the pace at the start of the season, last summer to focus on 2010 but Domenicali remains cautious about making predictions before the car has hit the track.

"I believe the prospects are good," said Domenicali. "Despite last season, which was difficult for a lot of reasons, we have consolidated for the future.

"I don't think we'll see how competitive we will be by the first test in February but maybe by the last test.

"Winning immediately would be better but let's stay calm if it doesn't happen."

Source:news.bbc.co.uk

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Jaime Alguersuari in suspense deal with Toro Rosso

Jaime Alguersuari will retain his Toro Rosso driving seat for the 2010 season has emerged. When the 19-year-old rookie's name was gone off the short-term entry list for 2010 season, his management team spoken surprise and said the juvenile Spaniard was under-going official Red Bull training.

Its next emerged that Toro Rosso may be keeping off confirming Alguersuari's deal for next 2010 season as in talks with possible Spanish sponsors.The Marca sports newspaper now claims that Alguersuari, having been incorporated in the Faenza-based team's calendar of pre-season work, is in suspense his contract is established in early January.

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López not agree to USF1 deal

José María López has said that he came to an agreement with USF1 on Friday and that, once the necessary sponsorship budget is in place, he will be racing for the team in 2010. Having visited the outfit's Charlotte facility, the Argentine must now find a number of sponsors for the new team.
López is a former GP2 and Renault F1 test driver. According to USF1's Peter Windsor, Sporting Director for the team, his FIA Superlicense shouldn't be an issue. "I don't think his license will be a problem with the many miles he has covered as Renault test driver," Windsor explained.

"We would like to sign a contract as soon as possible. It is important for both team and driver to sign a driver as early as possible but, as long as we have not signed a deal, it would be inappropriate to say more."

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Timo Glock to Join Manor Grand Prix in 2010

Starting from next season, former Toyota driver Timo Glock will be pursuing his Formula 1 career with new Manor Grand Prix F1 team. The racing experience behind this ambitious British team has been extremely successful in various junior series in recent years, responsible for developing great talents such as Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton in their early careers.

“It might seem like a brave step,” explained Glock. “But there are many good reasons to join this team. For me as a driver, for example, it was important that I was assured I would be involved in the development of the team and the car. The car is being designed by Nick Wirth. That was another argument in the team’s favour as far as I was concerned,” added Glock.

“Nick Wirth has a lot of race car design experience and a very good reputation. You only need to look at the Acura ARX-02a to see what he and his team can do. That prototype was immediately successful in the American Le Mans Series despite not spending a single hour in a wind tunnel. It is a sensational car!”

Many Formula 1 fans will remember Wirth as a leading aerodynamics engineer at the Benetton team, and he later designed a complete car for the first time with Simtek. The Brit learned his trade while working alongside star designer Adrian Newey at March and Leyton House. “When Nick and his colleagues John Booth and Graeme Lowdon talked to me, we were on the same wavelength straight away. They really wanted to have me on board to help develop the car,” said Glock.

“With a year left on the Toyota contract, we originally had other plans and were aiming to really compete for the world championship with the team. Now, for obvious reasons, that is not going to happen,” continued the German. “Ahead of me now is a great challenge. And I’m really looking forward to it!”

It is not only the technical side of things that has convinced Timo to join Manor. He explained: “The personal side is also extremely important to me. The atmosphere in a private British team like this is always terrific. I saw that during my time with iSport International in GP2. There we worked very closely together to achieve shared success. Manor is starting out with a similar working style which is why I have actively decided to join this team. We will all be pulling in the same direction and encouraging each other in order to drive the programme forward.”

Timo’s friend and manager Hans-Bernd Kamps looked at all the options available to Timo in 2010 and concluded: “I think it’s great that Timo is taking on this challenge with Manor Grand Prix. I know the team will benefit from his commitment, determination and speed.”

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