أرشيف وسم ‘ standings ’

Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2012

Raikkonen to complete comeback with perfect record

Kimi Raikkonen looks set to be the first driver since Nick Heidfeld in 2008 (BMW) to finish every race in a complete Formula One season. The Finn's rare feat, delivering him an almost certain third in the drivers' points standings, has coincided with his return to the sport with Lotus after a two-year rallying hiatus. "Our record shows that the team can build a reliable car and that I know how to drive it," said Raikkonen. Meanwhile, the former McLaren and Ferrari driver gave the […]

Posted on Friday, November 16, 2012

Vettel fastest in FP1

Sebastian Vettel was quickest as F1 returned to the United States of America. Vettel, who starts his 100th race this weekend, set a time of 1:38.125 to top the time sheets. The session began on an incredibly slippery circuit, with Kamui Kobayashi barely troubling an apex on his first flying lap. The track slowly rubbered in, but still caught several drivers out, most notably at the penultimate corner. Nico Hulkenberg spun a couple of times and he was joined by Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen […]

Posted on Thursday, November 8, 2012

Raikkonen: Leaving Ferrari was 'a relief'

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted it was a "relief" when his lucrative deal with Ferrari ended in 2009. The premature termination of the Finn's contract, making room for the arrival of Fernando Alonso and major sponsor Santander, pushed Raikkonen out of F1 completely and off to a two-year foray in world rallying and Nascar. But the now 33-year-old returned to the grid this year with Lotus, performing impressively to now sit a comfortable third in the drivers' standings, and having notched up his 19th career grand […]

Posted on Friday, October 26, 2012

Kovalainen facing Caterham axe to pay-driver

Heikki Kovalainen has admitted it is possible he will lose his Caterham seat at the end of the season. Although the Finn is highly regarded by the Tony Fernandes-led team, Caterham is facing up to the prospect of losing millions in projected Concorde Agreement earnings, due to losing tenth place in the lucrative constructors' championship standings to Marussia. When asked specifically about his future, Kovalainen answered in India: "For our team it's quite important that we try to regain that tenth position back. "So, the […]

Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2012

Red Bull still not imposing team orders on Webber

Red Bull is still not willing to slot Mark Webber into a supporting role after Sunday's Korean grand prix. With the Australian on pole but 60 points behind Fernando Alonso's championship lead prior to Sunday's race, the team said it would not be imposing team orders in a bid to boost teammate Sebastian Vettel's title chances. The situation is now different. After Korea, Vettel is now the championsip leader, while Webber's points gap is even slightly bigger. But when asked about the need for team […]

Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2012

'Stealthy' Raikkonen keeps title tilt at full speed

Stefano Domenicali has identified former Ferrari champion Kimi Raikkonen as a real threat for the 2012 title. It is Ferrari's new number 1, Fernando Alonso, who is comfortably leading the drivers' standings by 37 points after Monza. The Spaniard has been on the podium 7 times this year so far, including 3 wins. But, despite no wins at the wheel of his black and gold Lotus, Finn Raikkonen has had 6 podiums in the same period, and is now third in the standings behind Alonso […]

Posted on Monday, September 10, 2012

Razia and Gonzalez join Bianchi for young driver test with Force India

Jules Bianchi, Luiz Razia and Rodolfo Gonzalez will test for Sahara Force India at the upcoming young driver test session in Magny-Cours, France. Jules is the team’s third driver and has completed seven free practice sessions for the team already this season. 23-year-old Luiz Razia is currently second in the GP2 Series standings. The Brazilian will drive the VJM05 on Tuesday 11th September with Jules taking over for the second day of running on Wednesday 26-year-old Gonzalez is also competing in the GP2 Series and […]

Posted on Sunday, September 9, 2012

Expectations met for Lotus

Lotus team principal Eric Bouiller has expressed satisfaction at the team's performance during the Italian Grand Prix. The team recorded their fastest ever pit stop, 2.44s for Jerome d'Ambrosio, and claimed ten points. "From this weekend I don’t think we could have expected better. The key to a good championship position at the end of the season is always scoring points, even when it is a difficult weekend. Kimi delivered exactly as we wanted from him today and moving to third in the standings is […]

Posted on Friday, August 31, 2012

Alonso's engineer says Raikkonen can win title

Andrea Stella, Fernando Alonso's race engineer at Ferrari, has singled out Kimi Raikkonen as a challenger for the 2012 championship. The buzz in the sodden Spa paddock is that four-time Belgian grand prix winner Raikkonen is a true contender for Sunday's victory at the wheel of a Lotus. And the Finn, who in 2007 won the title for Ferrari, is still within shouting distance in the drivers' standings, just a point shy of Lewis Hamilton's fourth place. "Of course Kimi can challenge Fernando in the […]

Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Button tips Hamilton to stay at McLaren

Jenson Button has admitted he thinks Lewis Hamilton will still be his teammate in 2013. McLaren chiefs including Martin Whitmarsh have insisted they are "close" to signing a new deal with the 2008 world champion, but rumours suggest the two sides are at odds over Hamilton's right to keep his original trophies, and money. Fellow Briton Button, who is already signed up for 2013, reportedly 'laughed' when Brazil's Totalrace asked him if he thinks Hamilton will ultimately follow suit. "Yeah, I think so," he is […]

Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Title chase entering decisive phase at Spa says Lauda

With the long August break now over, Niki Lauda thinks the 2012 championship is entering a decisive phase this weekend at fabled Spa Francorchamps. Asked if he is looking forward to the highly popular Belgian grand prix, the triple world champion and F1 legend admitted: "Thank god we at least had the Olympics since the last race. "Otherwise it would have become really boring," the 63-year-old Austrian told Osterreich newspaper. "We can expect a spectacular weekend at Spa." Lauda said it is time Fernando Alonso's […]

Posted on Monday, August 27, 2012

All eyes on Lotus for high speed double header

All eyes will be on Lotus' already-competitive black and gold E20 at high speed Spa and Monza. Technical boss James Allison confirmed recently the Enstone based team intended to debut its so-called 'double DRS' system in Belgium. Sky television pundit Ted Kravitz said the device, so far only tested in Friday practice sessions, works at any point of a circuit over 150mph. Historic Spa and Monza, the F1 double-header taking place over the next two weekends, are among the fastest circuits on the calendar. "They […]