Saturday, December 29, 2007
Singapore GP signs partnership deal with the Singapore Flyer
Singapore GP Pte Ltd has signed a pioneering land use and ticketing partnership with the Singapore Flyer for the inaugural FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix which will take place on 28 September 2008. The deal allows race promoter Singapore GP access to the Singapore Flyer’s land and facilities whilst satisfying the commercial needs of the Singapore Flyer during the entire race period. Singapore GP will locate grandstands, lifestyle areas, entertainment and F&B outlets within the Singapore Flyer Garden and adjoining areas facing the track. To complement the existing landscaping, the area will showcase the latest in grandstand design. A key part of the deal is the co-ordinated management of both parties’ sales and ticketing infrastructures which will ensure a seamless ticketing experience for visitors to the FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix and the Singapore Flyer. Under the deal both companies will jointly promote the Flyer facilities and all patrons to the race will have access to the venue. “The agreement is a great example of a win-win deal with both parties maximising on the huge potential offered during the FORMULA 1™ race weekend. This is particularly important given the number of private land owners around the circuit and the deal will be a good model to use with other interested parties,” commented Michael Roche, Executive Director of the Singapore GP. David Beevers, General Manager of the Singapore Flyer added, “Working in partnership with Singapore GP has allowed us to add great value to their race and, at the same time, incorporate the Singapore Flyer as a key element of the official circuit seating and activities. We look forward to showcasing the Flyer to both the race-going public as well as the world”.Given the huge infrastructure around the street circuit, there is no guarantee that many of the unofficial vantage points will have unobstructed views of the race. The safety fences, lighting system and numerous advertising hoardings present potential obstacles for viewing from unauthorised venues on the peripherary of the track. Alastair Hunt, Singapore GP’s Circuit Park Manager explained “We are the only company with the rights to offer tickets. We are actively speaking to venues around the race circuit in order to structure joint deals, as we did with the Singapore Flyer, to help secure unobstructed race views and maximise involvement from as many vantage points as possible”
Singapore GP opens recruitment for volunteer marshals for inaugural night race!
Race promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd is invitingvolunteers to be a part of history as marshals at the inaugural 2008 FORMULA 1™SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.800 marshals are needed to fulfil varying positions in order to run a successful streetrace next year. Interested participants can register to be a marshal via the officialwebsite, www.singaporegp.sg. The Confederation of Motor Sport Ltd (CAMS), who is the appointed official raceorganisation consultant, will be providing the training for the marshals. The Australianorganisation and its accredited International trainers have significant experience at theFORMULA 1™ Grand Prix of Australia and other International and Australian major circuitracing championships. Many of them were also involved in the training of marshals forthe 2004, 2005 and 2006 FORMULA 1™ Grand Prix of Bahrain.The programme will consist of a foundational e-learning component, as well asclassroom and practical training sessions, stretching over a seven to eight month period.The online modules will cover basic marshalling knowledge, protocol, procedures, circuitinformation and more.Key marshals will also be sent to a number of overseas races, including the 2008FORMULA 1™ Grand Prix of Australia. These key officials will receive specific training andpractical experience in order for them to direct a race as well as to equip them with theability to train others.Singapore GP will also be recruiting several senior medical personnel for the event. Dr.Carl Le, the Chief Medical Officer for the 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore GrandPrix explained, “The event medical service will incorporate both a spectator medicalservice and a dedicated Track Medical Service. The Track Medical Service will include anon-track medical centre and medical staff of approximately 120 personnel."Besides CAMS, Singapore GP will also be working closely with the Singapore SportsCouncil (SSC) as well as the Singapore Motor Sports Association (SMSA) in order todeliver a successful event. The SSC will be providing the overall volunteer managementservices and the necessary human resource infrastructure to deploy and manage thevolunteer marshals.Besides a great sense of achievement from being a part of history, the marshals will alsoreceive a certificate of appreciation. Student volunteers will also gain CommunityInvolvement Programme points (where students have to chalk up a certain number ofhours of community service each year). These volunteers will also be certified by theSMSA and will thus be able to participate in other motorsport events.About 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand PrixThe inaugural FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix will take place on 28September 2008 on a street circuit of public roads around the Marina Bay area. The racewill be the first held at night in FORMULA 1™ history and is the first street race in Asia.Three-day Corporate Hospitality Suite packages were launched on 28 November 2007,with sale of three-day passes to the public due to start in mid January 2008. Single-daypasses will be released for sale just before the Chinese New Year, subject to availableinventory.About Singapore GP Pte LtdSingapore GP Pte Ltd is the race promoter for the 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel SingaporeGrand Prix. It holds five-year renewable rights to stage the Singapore Grand Prix,beginning with the 2008 Season. The company is a partnership between Komoco Motorsand regional events company Lushington Entertainments, via its parent company ReefEnterprises.About Singapore Sports CouncilThe Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is Singapore’s lead agency tasked with developingsports in Singapore. Our vision is to create a Sporting Singapore where Sports is a wayof life. SSC aims to develop sports champions and create enjoyable sportingexperiences for Singapore through the three strategic thrusts of cultivating a sportingculture, achieving sports excellence and creating a vibrant sports industry. Formed on 1October 1973, SSC is a statutory board under the umbrella of the Ministry of CommunityDevelopment, Youth and Sports.For more information, please contact:Singapore GP Pte LtdFiona SmithCommunications ManagerDID: +65 6731 4943 Mobile: +65 8248 3363 Email: fiona@singaporegp.sgSingapore Sports CouncilLin Mei JunAssistant Director, Group Communications DivisionDID: 6340 9650 Email: lin_mei_jun@ssc.gov.sg
Sutil denies Toyota rumours
Adrian Sutil's manager has dismissed renewed speculation that the young German is in talks with Toyota about a racing role in 2008.
Although Jarno Trulli has a contract to stay with the Japanese team next year, there is still some uncertainty about Toyota's intentions for the Italian veteran for 2008.
Newly crowned GP2 champion Timo Glock has been confirmed as a race driver for the new season, and renewed rumours now suggest that Sutil, who is 24, could join his countryman on the Melbourne grid next March after travelling to Cologne with his manager Manfred Zimmerman last Monday.
"That's a lie," Zimmermann told the Dutch magazine Formule 1 Race Report.
"In the past six months Adrian nor myself have visited the Toyota factory," he insisted.
Zimmermann reiterated that it is "a hundred per cent certain" that Sutil will honour his contract to stay with Force India in 2008.
Beyond that, Sutil is keen to step up with a bigger team, Zimmermann admitted, revealing that he is "in conversation with several teams" about 2009, and not only Toyota.
Meanwhile, to the Spanish news agency EFE, rookie hopeful Roldan Rodriguez revealed that he is expecting Force India to finalise its 2008 driver lineup early in January.
Kimi to debut new Ferrari
Newly crowned world champion Kimi Raikkonen will be the first to sample Ferrari's 2008 car.
According to the German news agency DPA, the 28-year-old Finn is scheduled to test the car with which he will defend his crown in 2008 on January 7, the day after it is launched.
The launch and test will take place at Fiorano, the Italian team's private circuit located near the Ferrari headquarters at Maranello.
Raikkonen's maiden test in the 2008 Ferrari will coincide with the presentation of top rival McLaren's new challenger in Stuttgart, Germany.
The next day, the Mercedes-powered team will begin testing the MP4-23 with two completed single seaters at an exclusive three day session at Jerez, Spain.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Team budget caps in F1 being considered
Motor racing's governing body is being urged to consider the radical idea of a budget cap for teams in Formula One as a way of stopping costs escalating out of control.
With the FIA having outlined a plan to limit the use of wind tunnels and other aerodynamic development as their latest step to limit costs, following a 10-year engine freeze, Honda Racing chiefs are calling for a more unconventional regulation.
They think that the FIA should introduce a cap on team budgets, rather than limit the teams on what they can develop on their cars.
Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry recently held discussions with new team principal Ross Brawn about the future direction of F1, and both feel that a budget cap is a realistic answer to solving the cost issues in F1.
"Ross and I both think that an overall budget cap is something that should be seriously investigated," Fry told autosport.com. "What we see at the moment, if you look at the accounts of any of the UK F1 teams, is that the costs keep going up.
"So far what we have been successfully doing is moving money from one area of the team to another. Money is certainly moved from engines to aerodynamics, because that is the next best area of performance advantage.
"We support a lot of the proposals on the aero restrictions, but the fear is that that money will merely be diverted elsewhere. It will go to driver salaries or engineer salaries, or some other part of the car, but will not necessarily reduce the total bill that a team has to pay.
"So rather than chasing our tails, we think we should be considering an overall budget cap. Although it will be difficult to monitor, we think it can be achieved."
Brawn added: "We do support sensible efficiencies on cost and cost restraint. The difficult thing is applying it so it doesn't advantage or disadvantage one team over another, and that's the thing we need to focus on.
"The concept of a budget cap a couple of years ago was thought to be fairly ludicrous. But if you look at the weaknesses of the counter-arguments and alternative solutions, you wonder whether budget-capping isn't the one you ought to find a solution for. It gives everyone the opportunity they want to try and achieve the objective."
Although there are obvious difficulties in monitoring a team's budget to ensure they did not find ways of getting around such a cap, Brawn thinks the challenges are no harder than the FIA will find in trying to impose a future limit on wind tunnel or CFD work.
"I could pick holes in the aerodynamic argument," he said. "How do you police CFD? You have a processor and a number of people working at their workstations in the CFD department, but if you've got somebody off-site quite legitimately developing the code and then they put that enhanced code into your system, are they part of your CFD process or not?
"I'm not saying a budget cap is the easiest thing to apply, but is it any more difficult than the other things we're going to do? And intrinsically or conceptually, it's a nicer thing because it's an efficiency approach.
"How fast can you make this car go for 100 million a year? How efficient can you be? And it's up to the teams to decide whether they spend 50 million on the driver and 50 million on the car; or one million on the driver and 99 million on the car. It would be fascinating to have that challenge."
Brawn felt that the movement of staff from one team to another would leave teams wary of openly breaching the budget caps, because a 'whistle-blower' could expose what was happening.
Fry admitted it would take a lot of work to specify what was in a team's 'capped' budget and what was not.
"Some of it looks easy on the face of it, but you have to think about what is included and what is not included," explained Fry. "Are your marketing people included? How do you account for resources that are shared with a car manufacturer?"
With the FIA having outlined a plan to limit the use of wind tunnels and other aerodynamic development as their latest step to limit costs, following a 10-year engine freeze, Honda Racing chiefs are calling for a more unconventional regulation.
They think that the FIA should introduce a cap on team budgets, rather than limit the teams on what they can develop on their cars.
Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry recently held discussions with new team principal Ross Brawn about the future direction of F1, and both feel that a budget cap is a realistic answer to solving the cost issues in F1.
"Ross and I both think that an overall budget cap is something that should be seriously investigated," Fry told autosport.com. "What we see at the moment, if you look at the accounts of any of the UK F1 teams, is that the costs keep going up.
"So far what we have been successfully doing is moving money from one area of the team to another. Money is certainly moved from engines to aerodynamics, because that is the next best area of performance advantage.
"We support a lot of the proposals on the aero restrictions, but the fear is that that money will merely be diverted elsewhere. It will go to driver salaries or engineer salaries, or some other part of the car, but will not necessarily reduce the total bill that a team has to pay.
"So rather than chasing our tails, we think we should be considering an overall budget cap. Although it will be difficult to monitor, we think it can be achieved."
Brawn added: "We do support sensible efficiencies on cost and cost restraint. The difficult thing is applying it so it doesn't advantage or disadvantage one team over another, and that's the thing we need to focus on.
"The concept of a budget cap a couple of years ago was thought to be fairly ludicrous. But if you look at the weaknesses of the counter-arguments and alternative solutions, you wonder whether budget-capping isn't the one you ought to find a solution for. It gives everyone the opportunity they want to try and achieve the objective."
Although there are obvious difficulties in monitoring a team's budget to ensure they did not find ways of getting around such a cap, Brawn thinks the challenges are no harder than the FIA will find in trying to impose a future limit on wind tunnel or CFD work.
"I could pick holes in the aerodynamic argument," he said. "How do you police CFD? You have a processor and a number of people working at their workstations in the CFD department, but if you've got somebody off-site quite legitimately developing the code and then they put that enhanced code into your system, are they part of your CFD process or not?
"I'm not saying a budget cap is the easiest thing to apply, but is it any more difficult than the other things we're going to do? And intrinsically or conceptually, it's a nicer thing because it's an efficiency approach.
"How fast can you make this car go for 100 million a year? How efficient can you be? And it's up to the teams to decide whether they spend 50 million on the driver and 50 million on the car; or one million on the driver and 99 million on the car. It would be fascinating to have that challenge."
Brawn felt that the movement of staff from one team to another would leave teams wary of openly breaching the budget caps, because a 'whistle-blower' could expose what was happening.
Fry admitted it would take a lot of work to specify what was in a team's 'capped' budget and what was not.
"Some of it looks easy on the face of it, but you have to think about what is included and what is not included," explained Fry. "Are your marketing people included? How do you account for resources that are shared with a car manufacturer?"
Ralf Schumacher spilts from manager
Ralf Schumacher and his Austrian manager Hans Mahr have parted company by mutual agreement after barely a year of working together, it was announced on Thursday. The 32-year-old, brother of seven-times world champion Michael, has been out of contract since his Toyota contract expired at the end of October. Schumacher seems set to join his elder brother Michael in retirement. Ralf admitted he was contemplating quitting after an unsuccessful test drive for Spyker last month. According to Mahr, the split was agreed months ago with the Austrian now set to work on other projects. "We have separated by mutual consent and do so immediately," Mahr told German sports agency SID. "Of course, if I can help him in anyway in the future, I will."
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Sensors earmarked for F1 safety
The FIA institute has developed the first prototype of an ear accelerometer specifically for use by drivers in the FIA Formula One World Championship. These sensors, placed in a driver’s ear, will reveal important information about the forces on his head during a race and help analyse how best to protect during an accident.
"This is a major breakthrough”, said FIA Institute project manager Andy Mellor. “During a given accident we will know immediately how all of the safety systems work performed by having this extra information, so for motor sport it will support a continual improvement in safety.”
In order to improve head protection it is important to know what is happening to the head. Currently, accident data recorders on the chassis only report what the car is doing rather than what happens to the driver. Ear accelerometers will reveal how the head is loaded during the critical split-second of an impact.
This work builds on a system developed for driver in the US Indy Racing League, but which was found too bulky for F1 drivers’ earpieces. With this in mind, FIA Institute researchers approached motor sport medics and engineers to help design the optimum package to measure head acceleration. They found that the best way to do this was to develop a device small enough to fit deep into the ear canal.
However, it was difficult to find a company that could produce the hardware small enough to carry out the task. Eventually, the FIA Institute discovered Japanese technology company Hokuriku, which specializes in producing small chips for computers. Just six months later Hokuriku delivered the prototype part, a square accelerometer chip measuring just 3mm across and 1mm deep.
The FIA Institute then designed a wiring interface to enable this chip to be connected to the F1 Accident Data Recorder in the car. This prototype has been completed and the FIA Institute will start validation testing in early 2008.
These tests will ensure that the ear accelerometer can function in the harsh F1 environment. Testing will run throughout 2008 and the FIA Institute hopes to introduce the technology into the sport in time for the 2009 season.
The FIA Insititute’s research will also help improve safety in other sports such as boxing and motorcycling. All of the data produced by the ear accelerometers will be made available after it has been processed and will add to the world knowledge on human tolerance to head injury.
"This is a major breakthrough”, said FIA Institute project manager Andy Mellor. “During a given accident we will know immediately how all of the safety systems work performed by having this extra information, so for motor sport it will support a continual improvement in safety.”
In order to improve head protection it is important to know what is happening to the head. Currently, accident data recorders on the chassis only report what the car is doing rather than what happens to the driver. Ear accelerometers will reveal how the head is loaded during the critical split-second of an impact.
This work builds on a system developed for driver in the US Indy Racing League, but which was found too bulky for F1 drivers’ earpieces. With this in mind, FIA Institute researchers approached motor sport medics and engineers to help design the optimum package to measure head acceleration. They found that the best way to do this was to develop a device small enough to fit deep into the ear canal.
However, it was difficult to find a company that could produce the hardware small enough to carry out the task. Eventually, the FIA Institute discovered Japanese technology company Hokuriku, which specializes in producing small chips for computers. Just six months later Hokuriku delivered the prototype part, a square accelerometer chip measuring just 3mm across and 1mm deep.
The FIA Institute then designed a wiring interface to enable this chip to be connected to the F1 Accident Data Recorder in the car. This prototype has been completed and the FIA Institute will start validation testing in early 2008.
These tests will ensure that the ear accelerometer can function in the harsh F1 environment. Testing will run throughout 2008 and the FIA Institute hopes to introduce the technology into the sport in time for the 2009 season.
The FIA Insititute’s research will also help improve safety in other sports such as boxing and motorcycling. All of the data produced by the ear accelerometers will be made available after it has been processed and will add to the world knowledge on human tolerance to head injury.
Force India recruits Bollywood actor
Force India has enlisted the help of a famous Bollywood actor to spread the word about formula one's newest team.Team owner Vijay Mallya, who with the Dutch Mol family recently bought and renamed the former Spyker outfit, said on Tuesday that Shah Rukh Khan would be involved in a multimedia campaign to promote the team in India."He said 'I'm a proud Indian and I would love to do it for an Indian F1 team'," Mallya told the news agency PTI."He did it for free," he added.Force India, originally founded as Jordan in 1991 with a base at Silverstone (UK), is the first ever Indian F1 team.The team is expected to officially launch its 2008 campaign in the Indian capital Delhi.Mallya also promised to consider countryman Karun Chandhok, currently a GP2 driver who has tested once for Red Bull, for a role in 2009."I can assure you that he would be considered at least for the test driver's role," he said on Christmas Day.
Torro Rosso team gelling well together
Scuderia Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost thinks one of the biggest steps forward his team made this year was in getting the personnel to believe in each other.
With the Red Bull-owned outfit having made a noticeable improvement in performance at the end of the season, Tost reckons that one of the key reasons for the progress was in the way people interacted.
"The team is coming together," Tost told autosport.com. "The reshuffle of an F1 team, to build up such an organisation, is not possible to do in one day. You have to find the correct people, and they have to work together.
"As you know in F1, you never have technical problems, you only have personnel problems. Sometimes, this is much more difficult to sort out than some technical problems.
"But I am very optimistic for the future because the team are coming together more and more. People understand more and more how important it is to do a disciplined work, to listen to each other and support each other, and not work against each other. Therefore we are looking forward for the next season."
As well as being satisfied with the way the entire personnel have moulded this year, Tost also thinks that the arrival of technical director Giorgio Ascanelli, plus driver Sebastian Vettel, were key to the strong finish to 2007.
"There are different reasons why the last races we were so successful," said Tost, who saw a Toro Rosso lead a race for the first time in the Japanese Grand Prix.
"First I would say reliability. After Giorgio Ascanelli's arrival at Toro Rosso, the reliability improved in a tremendous way and reliability for me is the first and the most important step to come forward. As long as you don't see a chequered flag you cannot be successful.
"Then I must say the second most important point are the drivers. When Sebastian Vettel joined the team, we quite clearly felt an improvement from the whole team.
"Vettel is a very highly skilled driver, his technical feedback and his technical understanding of what is going on in a race car are important for our engineers to analyse what is going on during a race or after the tests."
Heading into 2008, Tost thinks that the spirits will have been lifted by their performances at the end of the year.
"It is very important for this young Toro Rosso team that they see that they can compete, that they are able to compete against the other teams," he explained. "This confidence ends up in more motivation; more motivation ends up in better work. It is always a circle.
"I am happy that we achieved the success at the end of the season, so it is good for the winter time to have this bridge for hopefully starting a successful year in 2008."
With the Red Bull-owned outfit having made a noticeable improvement in performance at the end of the season, Tost reckons that one of the key reasons for the progress was in the way people interacted.
"The team is coming together," Tost told autosport.com. "The reshuffle of an F1 team, to build up such an organisation, is not possible to do in one day. You have to find the correct people, and they have to work together.
"As you know in F1, you never have technical problems, you only have personnel problems. Sometimes, this is much more difficult to sort out than some technical problems.
"But I am very optimistic for the future because the team are coming together more and more. People understand more and more how important it is to do a disciplined work, to listen to each other and support each other, and not work against each other. Therefore we are looking forward for the next season."
As well as being satisfied with the way the entire personnel have moulded this year, Tost also thinks that the arrival of technical director Giorgio Ascanelli, plus driver Sebastian Vettel, were key to the strong finish to 2007.
"There are different reasons why the last races we were so successful," said Tost, who saw a Toro Rosso lead a race for the first time in the Japanese Grand Prix.
"First I would say reliability. After Giorgio Ascanelli's arrival at Toro Rosso, the reliability improved in a tremendous way and reliability for me is the first and the most important step to come forward. As long as you don't see a chequered flag you cannot be successful.
"Then I must say the second most important point are the drivers. When Sebastian Vettel joined the team, we quite clearly felt an improvement from the whole team.
"Vettel is a very highly skilled driver, his technical feedback and his technical understanding of what is going on in a race car are important for our engineers to analyse what is going on during a race or after the tests."
Heading into 2008, Tost thinks that the spirits will have been lifted by their performances at the end of the year.
"It is very important for this young Toro Rosso team that they see that they can compete, that they are able to compete against the other teams," he explained. "This confidence ends up in more motivation; more motivation ends up in better work. It is always a circle.
"I am happy that we achieved the success at the end of the season, so it is good for the winter time to have this bridge for hopefully starting a successful year in 2008."
Schumacher to stay as Ferrari advisor
Michael Schumacher on Sunday confirmed that he has no immediate plans to end his role as an 'advisor' to the F1 team Ferrari.
Since retiring as the Maranello based team's principal race driver at the end of 2006, the seven time world champion has attended several Grands Prix and twice so far this winter tested the F2007 ahead of next year's traction control ban.
"In the future I don't know but right now I am going to stay in my advisory role for Ferrari," the German, who is 38, told Sky Sports at Wembley stadium in an interview with veteran commentator Murray Walker.
"I am quite happy in this role and I want to be a happy family father and enjoy life," Schumacher said in London.
At the Race of Champions, Schumacher and Toro Rosso racer Sebastian Vettel's German team won the teams' trophy, but Schumacher spun within sight of the chequer in the individual final against DTM driver Mattias Ekstrom.
But when asked if the competitive action might cause him to reconsider his retirement plans, Schumacher answered plainly, "No."
Since retiring as the Maranello based team's principal race driver at the end of 2006, the seven time world champion has attended several Grands Prix and twice so far this winter tested the F2007 ahead of next year's traction control ban.
"In the future I don't know but right now I am going to stay in my advisory role for Ferrari," the German, who is 38, told Sky Sports at Wembley stadium in an interview with veteran commentator Murray Walker.
"I am quite happy in this role and I want to be a happy family father and enjoy life," Schumacher said in London.
At the Race of Champions, Schumacher and Toro Rosso racer Sebastian Vettel's German team won the teams' trophy, but Schumacher spun within sight of the chequer in the individual final against DTM driver Mattias Ekstrom.
But when asked if the competitive action might cause him to reconsider his retirement plans, Schumacher answered plainly, "No."
Alonso, Hamilton didnt deserve title
Max Mosley says he is "relieved" that Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso failed to secure the 2007 drivers' title.
The FIA president told the British newspaper The Guardian that the 'Stepneygate' espionage scandal would have left an eternal question mark over the validity of the world championship had it been won by a McLaren driver.
Mosley has consistently argued that Hamilton and Alonso, who drove for Ron Dennis' Mercedes-powered team this year, should have been excluded from the drivers' standings because of the spy affair.
Asked if he was pleased when Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen surprisingly emerged with the spoils at the season ending Brazilian grand prix in October, Mosley answered: "Relieved because, if it had been either of the two McLaren drivers, there would always have been a question mark.
"I'm not sure how big a question mark but it would have been there. And that puts you in an incredibly difficult position. I think we've been very lucky," he said.
Mosley, however, clarifies suggestions that he "despises" Dennis, despite plainly and repeatedly accusing the McLaren boss of lying about the spy saga.
"I quite like him," the Briton, who is 67, argued. "But I do despise - I think that's probably the right word - his attitude to formula one, when he says, for example, that he's passionate about formula one. "That's not true," Mosley charged. "He's passionate about McLaren finishing first and second in every race, which is his job, but it's not the same thing as being passionate about formula one and it's foolish to pretend that it is."
The FIA president told the British newspaper The Guardian that the 'Stepneygate' espionage scandal would have left an eternal question mark over the validity of the world championship had it been won by a McLaren driver.
Mosley has consistently argued that Hamilton and Alonso, who drove for Ron Dennis' Mercedes-powered team this year, should have been excluded from the drivers' standings because of the spy affair.
Asked if he was pleased when Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen surprisingly emerged with the spoils at the season ending Brazilian grand prix in October, Mosley answered: "Relieved because, if it had been either of the two McLaren drivers, there would always have been a question mark.
"I'm not sure how big a question mark but it would have been there. And that puts you in an incredibly difficult position. I think we've been very lucky," he said.
Mosley, however, clarifies suggestions that he "despises" Dennis, despite plainly and repeatedly accusing the McLaren boss of lying about the spy saga.
"I quite like him," the Briton, who is 67, argued. "But I do despise - I think that's probably the right word - his attitude to formula one, when he says, for example, that he's passionate about formula one. "That's not true," Mosley charged. "He's passionate about McLaren finishing first and second in every race, which is his job, but it's not the same thing as being passionate about formula one and it's foolish to pretend that it is."
BMW targets first GP win
London - BMW Sauber aim to win a Grand Prix for the first time next year after finishing as runners-up in this season's F1 championship, team boss Mario Theissen said on Tuesday.
"The end of this season has seen us wrapping up the development phase of the BMW Sauber F1 team," he said in a review of the year.
"This phase has run according to plan and has seen us make it into the top three in a short space of time. Next year we will be looking to record our first win.
"The great progress we have made this year, in particular, has shown that we have got the direction of our development work and our working processes spot on," he added.
Theissen said BMW now had 420 employees at the team's Hinwil factory from 275 when they took a majority stake in the Swiss-based team in 2005. The workforce in Munich remained unchanged at just under 300.
BMW switched their full focus to the 2008 car in mid-September when it became clear they would finish second overall.
The team, who finished 50 points ahead of Renault and 103 adrift of champions Ferrari, would have been third overall had McLaren not been stripped of all their constructors' points for a spying controversy.
"We set ourselves the goal of fourth place and a much bigger points total this year, so third was a great bonus," said Theissen.
"The powers that be then promoted us further, but it is a pretty empty second place in our eyes. We are well aware that four cars have been faster than us and we want to beat them on the track, not in the corridors of power."
He said the high point of the team's season was the Canadian Grand Prix, with Germany's Nick Heidfeld finishing second and Polish driver Robert Kubica emerging unscathed from an horrendous crash.
"The end of this season has seen us wrapping up the development phase of the BMW Sauber F1 team," he said in a review of the year.
"This phase has run according to plan and has seen us make it into the top three in a short space of time. Next year we will be looking to record our first win.
"The great progress we have made this year, in particular, has shown that we have got the direction of our development work and our working processes spot on," he added.
Theissen said BMW now had 420 employees at the team's Hinwil factory from 275 when they took a majority stake in the Swiss-based team in 2005. The workforce in Munich remained unchanged at just under 300.
BMW switched their full focus to the 2008 car in mid-September when it became clear they would finish second overall.
The team, who finished 50 points ahead of Renault and 103 adrift of champions Ferrari, would have been third overall had McLaren not been stripped of all their constructors' points for a spying controversy.
"We set ourselves the goal of fourth place and a much bigger points total this year, so third was a great bonus," said Theissen.
"The powers that be then promoted us further, but it is a pretty empty second place in our eyes. We are well aware that four cars have been faster than us and we want to beat them on the track, not in the corridors of power."
He said the high point of the team's season was the Canadian Grand Prix, with Germany's Nick Heidfeld finishing second and Polish driver Robert Kubica emerging unscathed from an horrendous crash.
Friday, December 21, 2007
January launch for new Renault
Renault will reveal their 2008 challenger, the R28, in January, it was announced on Monday. The new car will be in action at the Spanish circuit of Valencia for a three-day test from January 22.It will then be officially unveiled at the French team’s corporate communications headquarters in Paris, France on January 31. The squad, including newly-confirmed race drivers Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet Jr, are all expected to be in attendance.Former title-holders Renault endured a difficult 2007 campaign, ending the season in third with 51 world championship points.
Honda launch '08 car in January
Honda will reveal their 2008 challenger, the RA108, in January, it was announced on Thursday. The new car will be unveiled at the team’s UK headquarters in Brackley on January 29, 2008.Honda CEO Nick Fry, new team principal Ross Brawn and race drivers JensonButton and Rubens Barrichello will all be attendance.The Japanese squad endured a difficult 2007 campaign, ending the season in eighth with six world championship points.
Valencia GP hits potential snag
Planning for next year's inaugural Grand Prix on the streets of Valencia has hit a snag.
The European Commission (EC) has confirmed as admissible a formal objection to the project, lodged late last month by the environmental group Formula Verda.
The group is requesting that the construction of the circuit in the Spanish port city not go ahead because a sufficient environmental impact study was not done.
According to Spanish newspapers, the group has requested urgent action "given the obvious risk that the European Commission is faced with a fait accompli".
The group claims that going ahead with the Grand Prix without an appropriate study would be a "clear violation" of European directives. It is also claimed that land for the circuit was taken from a protected "green area".
Another group, called Ecologistes en Accio, similarly objects to the project, and some local residents fear that their homes will be affected, after early construction affected the flow of the Turia river.
The European Commission (EC) has confirmed as admissible a formal objection to the project, lodged late last month by the environmental group Formula Verda.
The group is requesting that the construction of the circuit in the Spanish port city not go ahead because a sufficient environmental impact study was not done.
According to Spanish newspapers, the group has requested urgent action "given the obvious risk that the European Commission is faced with a fait accompli".
The group claims that going ahead with the Grand Prix without an appropriate study would be a "clear violation" of European directives. It is also claimed that land for the circuit was taken from a protected "green area".
Another group, called Ecologistes en Accio, similarly objects to the project, and some local residents fear that their homes will be affected, after early construction affected the flow of the Turia river.
Ferrari praises shop employee
Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has invited the British photocopy shop employee who helped uncover the McLaren spy scandal to Italy to thank him.
"If it had not been for that photocopy man we would not have known anything about this story," Montezemolo told reporters on Wednesday at the carmaker's end-of-year celebration at their Maranello headquarters.
"That's why we have invited him to the Mugello race track and will invite him to our factory."
The anonymous employee tipped off Ferrari that somebody had copied 780 pages of their technical data in June.
The dossier was found at the home of McLaren's former chief designer Mike Coughlan and the scandal eventually cost his team the constructors' title and a $100m fine.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen went on to edge McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso for the drivers' title.
Montezemolo had already dedicated Ferrari's win at the Belgian Grand Prix, where the Italian team virtually secured the constructors' championship, to the employee and to fans.
Montezemolo praised Raikkonen and his Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa and said he did not see twice world champion Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari in the future.
"If we have a problem, it is not a problem with the drivers," he told Rai Italian television.
He also said he would step down as president of Italy's business federation Confindustria in March, which would enable him to concentrate more on Ferrari
"If it had not been for that photocopy man we would not have known anything about this story," Montezemolo told reporters on Wednesday at the carmaker's end-of-year celebration at their Maranello headquarters.
"That's why we have invited him to the Mugello race track and will invite him to our factory."
The anonymous employee tipped off Ferrari that somebody had copied 780 pages of their technical data in June.
The dossier was found at the home of McLaren's former chief designer Mike Coughlan and the scandal eventually cost his team the constructors' title and a $100m fine.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen went on to edge McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso for the drivers' title.
Montezemolo had already dedicated Ferrari's win at the Belgian Grand Prix, where the Italian team virtually secured the constructors' championship, to the employee and to fans.
Montezemolo praised Raikkonen and his Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa and said he did not see twice world champion Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari in the future.
"If we have a problem, it is not a problem with the drivers," he told Rai Italian television.
He also said he would step down as president of Italy's business federation Confindustria in March, which would enable him to concentrate more on Ferrari
Ferrari confirms '08 car launch
Ferrari will launch its 2008 car on 6 January, the Italian marque's president Luca di Montezemolo revealed on Wednesday.
2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen let slip recently that the car will be unveiled for the first time in the early days of the new year, but he did not say where the presentation would take place.
La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes Montezemolo, the Ferrari president, as saying the 2008 car will be launched on January 6 at Fiorano, the team's private test track.
It will reportedly then be tested fully for the first time at Jerez a week later, incidentally at the same time as Red Bull's new RB4.
Montezemolo also revealed that the English photocopy shop employee, who alerted Ferrari about confidential information in McLaren's possession, has been invited to the team's Maranello factory.
"Without him, we would have known nothing," the Italian said. "That's why we have invited him to Mugello and to the factory."
2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen let slip recently that the car will be unveiled for the first time in the early days of the new year, but he did not say where the presentation would take place.
La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes Montezemolo, the Ferrari president, as saying the 2008 car will be launched on January 6 at Fiorano, the team's private test track.
It will reportedly then be tested fully for the first time at Jerez a week later, incidentally at the same time as Red Bull's new RB4.
Montezemolo also revealed that the English photocopy shop employee, who alerted Ferrari about confidential information in McLaren's possession, has been invited to the team's Maranello factory.
"Without him, we would have known nothing," the Italian said. "That's why we have invited him to Mugello and to the factory."
Thursday, December 20, 2007
New Red Bull set for Jerez debut
Red Bull are to launch their new RB4 car at Jerez in January with the team planning to challenge engine suppliers Renault in 2008.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit were dogged by technical problems during the 2007 season, with drivers David Coulthard and Mark Webber often failing to finish as Red Bull elected to race an all-new RB3 car - the first design from new chief technology officer Adrian Newey.
Webber in particular suffered repeated hydraulics failures throughout the season, but the team are confident that they have ironed out some of the problems.
Team principal Christian Horner confirmed to the official Formula One website: "The RB4 is scheduled to run during the third week of January.
"In 2007 we gave away approximately 24 points as a result of poor reliability, without which we would have been much closer to Renault and ahead of Williams.
"This is therefore one of our key focuses for 2008. With the same engine as the factory Renault team they, more than any other team, are our barometer.
"2008 is certainly set to be another very close season."
Red Bull finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship last year - 27 points behind Renault.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit were dogged by technical problems during the 2007 season, with drivers David Coulthard and Mark Webber often failing to finish as Red Bull elected to race an all-new RB3 car - the first design from new chief technology officer Adrian Newey.
Webber in particular suffered repeated hydraulics failures throughout the season, but the team are confident that they have ironed out some of the problems.
Team principal Christian Horner confirmed to the official Formula One website: "The RB4 is scheduled to run during the third week of January.
"In 2007 we gave away approximately 24 points as a result of poor reliability, without which we would have been much closer to Renault and ahead of Williams.
"This is therefore one of our key focuses for 2008. With the same engine as the factory Renault team they, more than any other team, are our barometer.
"2008 is certainly set to be another very close season."
Red Bull finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship last year - 27 points behind Renault.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Mallya to announce drivers soon
Force India co-owner Vijay Mallya has promised to announce the team's 2008 drivers before New Year, and that the choice will "balance talent with experience".
The newly-monikered team put a raft of drivers through their paces at Jerez last week, with Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien and Tonio Liuzzi all auditioning for the seat alongside Adrian Sutil.
Mallya says he will mull over his options over the next two weeks before making an official announcement at the start of 2008.
"I will decide who we will sign," he told The Mail on Sunday newspaper.
"I need to balance talent with experience, and I need to find out how the engineers feel on driver feedback.
"I'll decide before Christmas - but there won't be an announcement until the New Year."
Mallya and the Dutch Mol family took over the Silverstone-based squad in September after former owner Spyker hit severe financial trouble.
Investment
The Indian billionaire says he plans to boost the team with significant investment but is aware that it takes more than fiscal frivolity to attain success.
"The team will have $100m (£50m) a year to work with," he said.
"[But] The bottom line is that money cannot buy performance.
"Equally, there's only so much research and development you can do in one year
The newly-monikered team put a raft of drivers through their paces at Jerez last week, with Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien and Tonio Liuzzi all auditioning for the seat alongside Adrian Sutil.
Mallya says he will mull over his options over the next two weeks before making an official announcement at the start of 2008.
"I will decide who we will sign," he told The Mail on Sunday newspaper.
"I need to balance talent with experience, and I need to find out how the engineers feel on driver feedback.
"I'll decide before Christmas - but there won't be an announcement until the New Year."
Mallya and the Dutch Mol family took over the Silverstone-based squad in September after former owner Spyker hit severe financial trouble.
Investment
The Indian billionaire says he plans to boost the team with significant investment but is aware that it takes more than fiscal frivolity to attain success.
"The team will have $100m (£50m) a year to work with," he said.
"[But] The bottom line is that money cannot buy performance.
"Equally, there's only so much research and development you can do in one year
Road ban for Hamilton
Formula One star Lewis Hamilton has been banned from driving in France after being caught speeding.
The 22-year-old McLaren driver was stopped by police near Laon after being clocked at 120mph, 40mph above the motorway speed limit.
Hamilton, who finished second in the world championship in his first year in the sport, has been banned from French roads for a month.
A spokesman for McLaren said: "McLaren were made aware that Lewis was stopped for speeding in France whilst driving in a private capacity.
"We understand he has received a mandatory fine and suspension from driving in France for one month."
The spokesman stressed that the incident would not affect Hamilton's professional driving career.
The 22-year-old McLaren driver was stopped by police near Laon after being clocked at 120mph, 40mph above the motorway speed limit.
Hamilton, who finished second in the world championship in his first year in the sport, has been banned from French roads for a month.
A spokesman for McLaren said: "McLaren were made aware that Lewis was stopped for speeding in France whilst driving in a private capacity.
"We understand he has received a mandatory fine and suspension from driving in France for one month."
The spokesman stressed that the incident would not affect Hamilton's professional driving career.
Alonso : I've no chance in "08
Fernando Alonso has dismissed his chances of regaining the Formula One world title in 2008.
Alonso, 26, was champion in 2005 and 2006 with Renault before moving to McLaren and finishing third last season.
The Spaniard has rejoined Renault for 2008 but believes it is 'madness' to expect him to win the title in his first year back with the Regie.
"Today that idea is madness," Alonso told sports programme El Larguero.
"You have to be realistic and this year they (Renault) were a long way behind and it's too big a leap.
"But everything is possible, they have to make the car better.
"We opted for Renault because it is the most optimistic choice for 2008 and with possibilities to do good things.
"However, every team has to make a huge step up in quality for next year because McLaren and Ferrari won all the races this year."
Ferrari ambition
Alonso admitted he still harbours ambitions to drive for Ferrari at some stage in the future.
"I didn't know whether to stay at McLaren or what I was going to do," he said of his exit from the Woking-based team after just one season.
"We looked at everything and in the end we decided it would be better to go our separate ways.
"From there I started looking for teams. Almost all the teams approached me, but not Ferrari.
"It wouldn't be right to say that I want to sign for Ferrari barely a fortnight after I signed for Renault but of course it would be nice if I could go there one day."
Alonso, 26, was champion in 2005 and 2006 with Renault before moving to McLaren and finishing third last season.
The Spaniard has rejoined Renault for 2008 but believes it is 'madness' to expect him to win the title in his first year back with the Regie.
"Today that idea is madness," Alonso told sports programme El Larguero.
"You have to be realistic and this year they (Renault) were a long way behind and it's too big a leap.
"But everything is possible, they have to make the car better.
"We opted for Renault because it is the most optimistic choice for 2008 and with possibilities to do good things.
"However, every team has to make a huge step up in quality for next year because McLaren and Ferrari won all the races this year."
Ferrari ambition
Alonso admitted he still harbours ambitions to drive for Ferrari at some stage in the future.
"I didn't know whether to stay at McLaren or what I was going to do," he said of his exit from the Woking-based team after just one season.
"We looked at everything and in the end we decided it would be better to go our separate ways.
"From there I started looking for teams. Almost all the teams approached me, but not Ferrari.
"It wouldn't be right to say that I want to sign for Ferrari barely a fortnight after I signed for Renault but of course it would be nice if I could go there one day."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
2008 Ferarri 'completely new'
Ferrari technical director Aldo Costa has revealed that the team's F2008 challenger will not be an evolution of this year's car.
Costa said that the Scuderia will be looking to start next season with a bang as they looked to defend both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "It will be completely new, even though you can't make radical changes because of the regulations."
The new car will be launched in January and Costa explained that it will feature a number of new components in line with new rules governing both standard Electronic Control Units (ECU) and gearboxes - which must now last four races.
"The front of the car will be different, as far as the monocoque is concerned, with differently shaped sidepods, and the wing will be new too," he continued.
"Electronics change completely, with the single ECU that forced us to work on engine and gearbox. This will have to be used for four races in 2008."
Winter period crucial
The 46-year-old added that testing - which has featured input from the now retired Michael Schumacher - has progressed well so far and he is adamant that the winter period will be crucial to the Italian team's fortunes.
And, despite Ferrari's successes last season, Costa also stressed the need for more reliability, an attribute which became - relatively speaking - a bugbear for the team in 2007.
"The first tests at Barcelona and Jerez were positive," he said. "We simulated four races with no problems. There will be new components in the suspensions and the gearbox, with even quicker shifts."
"Our intention is to start 2008 strongly. We will push to the maximum during the winter break in order to show up at the start of the season in good conditions.
"What happened in 2007 has to be judged based on what our rivals were doing: if they improved mid season it means they worked better. But we carried on with development by making a lot less errors.
"However, besides being more consistent, we will need a more reliable car."
Costa said that the Scuderia will be looking to start next season with a bang as they looked to defend both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "It will be completely new, even though you can't make radical changes because of the regulations."
The new car will be launched in January and Costa explained that it will feature a number of new components in line with new rules governing both standard Electronic Control Units (ECU) and gearboxes - which must now last four races.
"The front of the car will be different, as far as the monocoque is concerned, with differently shaped sidepods, and the wing will be new too," he continued.
"Electronics change completely, with the single ECU that forced us to work on engine and gearbox. This will have to be used for four races in 2008."
Winter period crucial
The 46-year-old added that testing - which has featured input from the now retired Michael Schumacher - has progressed well so far and he is adamant that the winter period will be crucial to the Italian team's fortunes.
And, despite Ferrari's successes last season, Costa also stressed the need for more reliability, an attribute which became - relatively speaking - a bugbear for the team in 2007.
"The first tests at Barcelona and Jerez were positive," he said. "We simulated four races with no problems. There will be new components in the suspensions and the gearbox, with even quicker shifts."
"Our intention is to start 2008 strongly. We will push to the maximum during the winter break in order to show up at the start of the season in good conditions.
"What happened in 2007 has to be judged based on what our rivals were doing: if they improved mid season it means they worked better. But we carried on with development by making a lot less errors.
"However, besides being more consistent, we will need a more reliable car."
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Singapore night race set at 8 pm
The first ever floodlit formula one night race will begin at 8pm local time in Singapore late next September, organisers of the fledgling event have confirmed.
A source who lives on the island nation explained that it is completely dark at 8pm in September.The unusual start time will ensure not only an unique spectacle, but an ideal daytime live television slot for European viewers."It will be great fun for the people of Singapore and formula one, but I hope they have checked all the safety issues," Williams' Nico Rosberg told the local Electric New Paper.Singapore is one of three street circuits on the 2008 calendar, along with Valencia and the famous Monaco grand prix."I always like visiting somewhere new and learning a new track and the fact this will be the first ever night race means it will be particularly special and memorable," said F1 veteran David Coulthard.
A source who lives on the island nation explained that it is completely dark at 8pm in September.The unusual start time will ensure not only an unique spectacle, but an ideal daytime live television slot for European viewers."It will be great fun for the people of Singapore and formula one, but I hope they have checked all the safety issues," Williams' Nico Rosberg told the local Electric New Paper.Singapore is one of three street circuits on the 2008 calendar, along with Valencia and the famous Monaco grand prix."I always like visiting somewhere new and learning a new track and the fact this will be the first ever night race means it will be particularly special and memorable," said F1 veteran David Coulthard.
S'pore youth could be in S'pore support race in 2008
A Singaporean teenager is set to make history at Singapore's first Formula One race next year. Mohamad Nasri Naufal is hoping to break into the Formula BMW series, which will be one of the support races for the Singapore Grand Prix. He is among a growing number of Singaporeans who are seriously looking at racing as a career. One of them, who has already gone pro, is Hafiz Koh. The 23-year-old is a professional race driver and has competed in the Formula V6 Championship this season. The rookie driver had a reasonable start, finishing 5th overall among 12 drivers. He even managed a podium finish in Chengdu in October, coming in second in the sprint race. "The whole year was a real roller coaster ride... they were trying to fit in what all these drivers had in their heads into me, within a few months, so it was a very big challenge for me," said Koh. Singapore's only motorsport racing team, TaraDTM, is owned by Koh's family, but he still has to bring in his own sponsorship funds to race. Koh intends to continue to compete in next year's race and hopes to make the cut for Formula One, one day. TaraDTM has already spotted another young talent – 19-year-old Mohammad Nasri, who recently took part in the ROK International Karting Finals in Italy. The teenager is now hoping to garner a S$50,000 scholarship from the Formula BMW series organisers when he goes for the BMW test series trials in Sepang next month. Mohammad Nasri said: "I'm very confident in getting the scholarship, and I hope that my parents, my friends and TaraDTM would be proud of me." If he clears the trials, he will get a chance to race in the Formula BMW series next year with the TaraDTM team. He may also get the rare opportunity to race in front of a home crowd at the support race for the Singapore F1 next September. Mohammad Nasri was at the airport on Tuesday to send off TaraDTM's Formula BMW driver, Zahir Ali. The 20-year-old won the driver championship this season, earning him a trip to Spain for the Formula BMW World Final, starting on 22 November. - CNA/so
Admission to Paddock Club
LOBSTER to whet the appetite, milk-fed veal for dinner and free flow of Mumm champagne - sprayed by drivers on the podium after Formula 1 Grands Prix - to quench the thirst. All for $7,500 a person. That is how much a three-day admission to the exclusive Paddock Club will cost, according to Singapore GP, which yesterday put on sale corporate hospitality packages for the Sept 28 race. However, only 4,000 people will get to enjoy this luxury and maybe a chance to mix with drivers, and even celebrities from around the world. With teams and sponsors getting first bite, Singapore GP media and communications director Jonathan Hallett warned that tickets were very limited. Singapore's is understandably more expensive, added Hallett, and not just because of the novelty of a night race. 'Because this is a street circuit, we have to build from scratch the structures that house the suites. 'Other circuits house the Paddock Club in permanent buildings.' The close proximity of top-end hotels such as The Fullerton also means that guests of the corporate suites can expect a 'higher level' of catering. There are slightly cheaper options for companies and the rich, offering equally impressive views of the race, minus the pit tours. There are air-conditioned suites above the premier grandstand, letting viewers stare down the pit straight into the pit lane. There are suites located opposite the pit-lane entrances and exits, giving a better look at cars as they slow down. Suites are also positioned at the first three turns of the race, where cars will try to overtake each other. All the suites have outdoor viewing areas that hang over the track. Given that the race is held in the heart of Singapore, it allows companies to offer their clients a unique experience. More importantly, the hospitality packages help defray the costs of the general tickets, which are expected to start from $275 for a three-day pass to the race.
3-night stay for room with F1 view: $30,000
Pan Pacific says it will go to charity; but it has set a benchmark for trackside hotels THAT room with a view of the Formula One race costs a bomb - $30,000 - but it was for charity. Pan Pacific set the top rate for the room when a bidder paid $30,000 for a three-night stay to catch the F1 race from Sept 26 to 28 next year. The standard room was auctioned off in a charity dinner on Sunday. Industry watchers say the amount is indicative of the interest in the F1 race. Room rates have been the subject of much speculation since the announcement by the Government that trackside hotels would be slapped with a 30 per cent levy between Sept 24 and 28. Trackside hotels include The Fullerton, Marina Mandarin, Conrad Centennial, and The Pan Pacific. When contacted on Tuesday, several of these hotels said their F1 rates have not been finalised. Among them, only Pan Pacific indicated that its guests could be forking out well over $1,000 a night for a regular room during the race period, with no guarantee of rooms overlooking the racetrack. This rate is more than double Pan Pacific's highest average room price of $455 this year. The hotel also said that its suites, which offer a view of the track, will cost over $2,200 a night. For both rooms and suites during that period, guests must stay a minimum of five nights. Industry observer Noel Hawkes, who was the general manager of the now defunct Hotel Phoenix, said in other cities which host F1 races, room rates could triple the normal rate. 'I don't think its unreasonable. It's not that exorbitant by any means,' he told The Straits Times. Several non-trackside hotels, which will pay a 20 per cent levy, have in fact set their rates and secured bookings too. Some hotels such as the Royal Plaza on Scotts, Sheraton Towers and the Four Seasons hotel, have tied guests down to a minimum stay of three to five nights. For the race season, most hotels say they will give no refunds for cancellations.
Friday, December 14, 2007
F1 driver Kovalainen joins Hamilton at Mclaren
Finland's Heikki Kovalainen will race alongside Lewis Hamilton at Formula One team McLaren from next season, the team announced on Friday. Kovalainen, who was with Renault last season, replaces two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who left McLaren last month after suffering an often strained relationship with the team in 2007. Alonso has moved in the opposite direction, returning to Renault with whom he won his two world titles in 2005 and 2006. Kovalainen, 26, joins McLaren on what has been described as a "long-term contract" and will commence his driving duties with the team in early January. The Finn finished his debut 2007 season in seventh place in the drivers' standings, scoring his first career podium at the Japanese Grand Prix and outscoring his more experienced Renault team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. He becomes the third Finn to race for McLaren in a little over a decade, following in the footsteps of both Mika Hakkinen and reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen. "I am so excited to join a team like McLaren Mercedes," Kovalainen told the team's website, www.mclaren.com. "So far I have been blown away by the dedication and commitment to winning which is clear through the entire organisation and I am really excited about our joint future. "As a Finn it's an honour for me to follow in Mika and Kimi's footsteps. I haven't really spent a lot of time with Lewis so far but from what I know I think we will work well together and do our best for the team."
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