reppo wrote:It's nice that they tossed a coin in Caterham to find out who get the new engine cover. At least it should keep Petrov happy for a while. In Ferrari they should first check both sides of the coin. In McLaren they would start fighting whose coin to use. In Lotus they would ask first: "What? What is a coin". In Red Bull they would have to wait until Adrian invents the coin...
that was brilliant reppo!Management giant IMG cherishes Kovalainen's F1 career
F1 | Turun Sanomat 11:24
Heikki Kovalainen's beginning in Caterham has failed to fulfill the objectives of the team and the driver, but it helps significantly the 30-year-old from Kainuu, when, besides his car and driving, he does no longer have to worry about his other matters.
Big management giant IMG manages the whole contract package of Kovalainen, and rock hard professional Anayi Martin has been collecting impressions of early season F1 races in order to every way maximize driver's career.
IMG's longest F1 client is Sir Jackie Stewart, whose things the company has handled for 45 years. IMG actually left the F1 circuits in 90's, when it's star clients, Ayrton Senna who died 1994 in Imola, Alain Prost and David Coulthard ended the co-operation.
In recent years golf and tennis have been IMG's main areas. It's customers included for example Tiger Woods. Today it's golf stars include Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie, and top tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
- The last 3-4 years we have working to come back in F1. When in other sports we have focused on ownerships of rights, they have not been available in F1, Anayi, who belongs to IMG's management, explains.
- Now on the last few months is we have had a certain opportunity to show our strength in managing drivers, as [clients] in golf and tennis. We try to make a very high quality management plan for each individual. It includes public relations work, marketing, legal affairs, administration, team agreements, and various negotiations.
- With Heikki the return has occured in a natural way. He is a great guy. Heikki's potential is obvious and he definitely wants to succeed. An important example of his valuation was team managers voting after last season, where he rose to the top ten of the drivers.
Anayi travels alongside Kovalainen all the races. Caterham has an option to continue with Kovalainen, and now the most important thing is to focus on improving the competitiveness of the car - fastly.
- However, this is only the team's third season, so some growing pains are still going on. Heikki has a strong desire to race - and not just against team mate Vitaly Petrov. Also, thr team boss Tony Fernandes wants to fight in the mid field. This means that the team need to reqularilly get into Q2 in qualification and drive for points on the race, Anayi defines.
Increasing wind tunnel test time and a new aero expert John Iley are now the factors that are believed to improve the competitiveness of Caterham, at the latest towards end of the season.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
So, Briatore back. Where? In Ferrari organization? And what kind of new rules?Briatore making a new rule book
Posted on 05.22.2012 12:39 (updated 12:48)
Ex-Renault boss Flavio Briatore may be returning back to the Formula One series with a new rule book under his arm, says German Auto Motor und Sport magazine.
In 2008 Singapore GP's crash brawl his reputation lost ex-team boss' F1 ban finishes at the end of the year. In his spare time Briatore has drafted among others rules for new GP1 series, if Concorde agreement of F1 series for sharing the money is not signed this year.
Auto Motor und Sport reports that Briatore has already got support of Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo, because the new rules would no longer emphasize the importance of aerodynamics as current rules do.
Ferrari has for long wanted to reduce the importance of aerodynamics in formula series on the grounds that the development work in that field does not provide significant benefits for road cars.
Nine F1 team, in turn has approached FIA wishing the budget cap to F1 rules. The costs would be initially limited EUR 170 million, from which it decreaced in the coming years to 120 million and perhaps even to 100 million.
MTV3
I take all that with a pinch of salt to be honest;phil1993 wrote:Potentially massive news
http://www.f1zone.net/news/vettel-linke ... ove/14187/
Could be a couple of seasons of these sorts of stories!Yeah, and he was only in the car in 2010 because they bought Kimi out. So technically, it was a 3 year wait. But then, Alonso was wanted at Ferrari in 2002, but Briatore offered him the Renault route and voilla, so really, a 9 season wait lmao, just like Kimi's 6 season wait!donald29 wrote:Was my point. People we talking about Kimi to Ferrari in 2001, but we had five seasons at McLaren first! Then there were rumours of Alonso moving in early 2008 and he wasn't in the car until 2010... we'll see when Vettel goes there.
2 heads on decapitation block?
Subject F1, 24.05.2012 15:08, heikki.kulta
At this point of F1 season rumors in the driver market usually flies here and there. When the relative strengths of the teams have thrown somersaults, it seems drivers too are hesitating in their decisions.
In general it is argued that Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher could be driving their last seasons. Just to pass the time I went asking colleagues here in Monte Carlo harbor in the press room, which one they believe are most likely to now say good bye to Monaco track.
Brazilian long time F1 writer Livio Oricchio shakes his head with sad expression behind his spectacles.
- Massa will drive for Ferrari to the end of the season and after that touring car series somewhere in the world. With that attitude, he does not go far. Massa is even more difficult case than Rubens Barrichello in his time.
- Massa has become persona non grata in Brazil. Fans reading my blog have sent a wish to Ferrari to get rid of him. They think that Massa is a disgrace to Brazil. I guess we have the same trend going on as in Finland a couple of years ago, that the interest in F1 as whole has begun to clearly decline, Oricchio said.
- Only now, on Wednesday, Massa admitted for the first time to me, that he is suffering mental problems because of Fernando Alonso. He has always gone to win his team mate, but has continuously lost half a second. He would have needed Eddie Irvine's approach to things, that accepts to be slower, and doing his own work as well as possible.
Per se Brazilian journalist colleague believes strongly that also Schumacher is racing his last season.
- But I have to apologize to Kimi Räikkönen's fans in Brazil and elsewhere, when I used to believe his career is over, and, moreover predicted at least half year settling time after return to these tracks. Kimi has shown that all my doubts were completely wrong, and what kind of driver he is!
Next to Oricchio hard working Turun Sanomat's assistant Luis Vasconcelos nods his head agreeing about Massa.
- Massa knows already to be out. Schumacher's case again is that it would require someone from the team to inform him that he is not needed. He does not otherwise leave. I think Ross Brawn has made his own conclusions. Nico Rosberg has "murdered" Schumacher, says Vasconcelos.
- I do not think either of these centlemen will be along [next year], but if you have to say whichever is more likely out, then Massa, says British journalist Bob McKenzie.
In the press room McKenzie is known as a man, who gladly in his interviews pressures Schumacher to a corner by asking isn't it already the time to announce retirement.
- I asked that last Wednesday, but he hides behind it, that the car could win and that's why he does not think of anything else. The fact is that he can't beat Rosberg and if the car can win, the winner is Nico.
German Michael Schmidt also turns the thumbs down in case of Massa.
- Probably Michael continues. He does not have anything else in his life. Similar like other champions. Just ask Kimi Räikkönen, what else could he be doing but racing. Nobody in Mercedes does has enough guts to say, Michael, thank you and goodbye.
Italian Marco Evangelisti Is the only one against the common front.
- Even if the Massa does not continue in Ferrari, I think he can find a place in some smaller teams. In Schumacher's case I do not see such option that he would be driving still next year.
- Massa's leaving depends on the fact that can Ferrari find the team mate to Fernando Alonso. I do not think that any Mark Webber or Jenson Button would be coming. They are eyeing a young driver and from the start of the season it has been rumored that Sergio Perez could take a seat. If Sauber does not put the price to the clouds, Perez could very well take the place of Massa, Evangelisti says.
And what team might that be, other than Force India. According Iltasanomat he has said in Spanish AS magazine that he will be back in F1 in 2013, but won't yet say in which team.Alguersuari first in line if Force India drive becomes available in 2013
May 28 (GMM) Jaime Alguersuari has refused to confirm or deny speculation that he might be first in line should Force India have a driver vacancy for the 2013 season.
El Mundo Deportivo, a Spanish newspaper for which the former Toro Rosso driver is now a columnist, mentioned that the Force India rumour had circulated in the Monte Carlo paddock at the weekend.
When posed to Alguersuari, the 22-year-old answered: “I have said that I will be in the world championship in 2013, but I did not say where and I will not tell you now.”
Force India driver Paul di Resta has been linked with moves to top teams Mercedes or Ferrari.
Alguersuari continued: “As of June, all sorts of rumours start going around in formula one, but they are just that – rumours.”
