F1 News

The FIA says it will publish a full explanation for the Ferrari decision today, which of course will be on the site when it becomes available. Here’s today’s round-up:

Links

Ferrari accuse McLaren of secret team orders (Daily Express)

“Ferrari have spent a lot of time since Germany briefing against other teams, claiming McLaren told Lewis Hamilton in one race that the “cat was out of the house” to get him to pass team-mate Heikki Kovalainen.”

Comment of the day

The World Motor Sport Council’s decision yesterday not to punish Ferrari any further for using team orders in the German Grand Prix leaves us in an odd situation for the rest of the season, as John H explains:

It’s a dangerous precedent. So you can have team orders but it will cost you the measly sum of $100K. Any other team that does it now this season will have to get exactly the same punishment or it makes even more of a mockery of the council.
John H

From the forum

The funny F1 videos thread has been running for over a month and is still going strong.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Mark Hitchcock and Prashanth Bhat!

On this day in F1

Ayrton Senna won the Italian Grand Prix for the first time in his career on this day 20 years ago.

The McLaren driver led home championship rival Alain Prost’s Ferrari, with their team mates Gerhard Berger (McLaren) and Nigel Mansell (Ferrari) behind them.

But the race is most famous for Derek Warwick’s violent crash at the start where he rolled his Lotus at the Parabolica:

Epsilon Euskadi president Joan Villadelprat says he “respects” the FIA’s decision not to grant a place to his team for 2011, but the team may yet find another way to get into F1.

In an interview on the team’s website he said:

First of all, I would like to say that we respect the FIA’s decision of not granting the allocation of the 13th license. If, having all the information about the candidates, they decided that this is the best option is because it must be.

As a personal opinion, I think that it is best to leave it vacant rather than having a team that, given the deadlines and requirements, would almost be impossible to be ready for 2011. We knew it would be very difficult for us to be chosen since, as I always said, we still don’t have the economic package granted.

Without this capital it would be unfeasible to carry out the F1 project that we want. And without this capital neither would we commit ourselves to do it. We have the ideal facilities and work force for Formula 1 and we will keep working to get there sooner or later.
Joan Villadelprat

Despite failing to gain a place in F1 for the second year in a row he believes the application the team put forward this year was stronger than their 2009 effort:

This year’s was the same than 2009 but improved; more settled and complete. In 2009 we weren’t yet established at the new headquarters and we were missing the mileage that we currently have.

This year we also moved forward with the model and the human team. This candidacy was even better than 2009 one, the only thing we were missing was the financing, which we had last year.
Joan Villadelprat

As rumours link Epsilon Euskadi to struggling outfit HRT, Villadelprat did not rule out some other kind of involvement in F1 in the future:

The 13th license was one way but not the only one to get into Formula 1. We definitely consider other possibilities, which can be very different.

We are talking about options that haven’t occurred yet but, I repeat, we will keep working both on the financial and development packages to be ready for when these options may come up.
Joan Villadelprat

Read more: No 13th F1 team in 2011

Formula 1's ban on team orders is to be reviewed after the season following the decision of the FIA not to hand Ferrari any further punishment for breaching the regulations at the German Grand Prix

The FIA is to review the rules relating to team orders in Formula One racing after its World Motor Sport Council decided on Wednesday to impose no further sanction on Ferrari for their controversial one-two finish in July's German Grand Prix. Hockenheim stewards fined Ferrari US$100,000 for imposing team orders and bringing the sport into disrepute after Felipe Massa moved aside to let team mate Fernando Alonso win the race.

Ferrari looks set to escape further sanction over its alleged deployment of team orders in the German Grand Prix

The FIA have announced Ferrari will not be punished any further for using team orders during the German Grand Prix.

However the World Motor Sport Council upheld the $100,000 fine imposed by the stewards after the Hockenheim race.

Update: The FIA have said they will review the ban on team orders (article 39.1). See below for their full explanation for the decision and Ferrari’s reaction:

On 25 July 2010, at the Grand Prix of Germany, the Stewards of the meeting found an infringement by the Scuderia Ferrari to the prohibition of team orders interfering with a race result and then decided to impose a fine of $100,000 and to forward the dossier to the World Motor Sport Council for further consideration.

The Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council held an extraordinary hearing in Paris on 8 September 2010 to examine this matter.

After an in depth analysis of all reports, statements and documents submitted, the Judging Body has decided to confirm the Stewards’ decision of a $100,000 fine for infringing article 39.1 of the Sporting Regulations and to impose the payment of the costs incurred by the FIA.

The Judging Body has also acknowledged that article 39.1 of the Sporting Regulations should be reviewed and has decided to refer this question to the Formula One Sporting Working Group.

The full decision will be available on the website www.fia.com on 9 September 2010.

Proceedings

In March 2010 at Bahrain at the initiative of the FIA President, the World Motor Sport Council adopted a new transitional disciplinary procedure, in order in particular to ensure the separation between the prosecuting body and the judging body. At the General Assembly on 5 November 2010, a more global reform of the FIA judicial system will be submitted for approval, including in particular the creation of an International Tribunal which will exercise the disciplinary power in the 1st instance in place of the World Motor Sport Council.

In application of this new procedure, previously applied within the context of the US F1 case, the FIA President exercises the role of prosecuting body. As such, he has the authority to notify any person being prosecuted of the grievances brought against him and to submit the matter to the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council, chaired by the Deputy President for Sport, Mr Graham Stoker.

The Deputy President for Sport has the power to proceed with an investigation and, within this context, to designate a reporter from among the members of the World Motor Sport Council.

In the present case, the Deputy President for Sport designated Mr Lars Österlind, a member of the World Motor Sport Council, as reporter. Mr Österlind’s report was forwarded to the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro as the party being prosecuted.

Prior to the hearing, the members of the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council received all the documents in the case, including the observations submitted by the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro.

The FIA President did not attend the hearing but was represented by Maître Jean-Pierre Martel from the law firm Orrick Rambaud Martel.

The hearing before the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council, assembled on 8 September 2010 in an extraordinary meeting, was chaired by the Deputy President for Sport and allowed the hearing, in person, of Mr Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, assisted by lawyers, Mr Henry Peter and Nigel Tozzi. The World Motor Sport Council had the possibility to join the drivers Mr Fernando Alonso and Mr Felipe Massa via video conference.

Ferrari released the following statement:

Ferrari has taken note of the decision of the FIA World Council, relating to the outcome of this year’s German Grand Prix and wishes to express its appreciation of the Council’s proposal to review article 39.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, in light of what emerged during today’s discussions. Now, all the team’s efforts will be focussed on the next event on track, when the Italian Grand Prix takes place at Monza this weekend.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Ferrari team orders in Germany

• Ferrari face FIA World Motor Sport Council on team orders charge tomorrow
• Ferrari: “Lauda missed out on a fine opportunity to keep his mouth shut”
• Lauda: Ferrari will get a pasting from WMSC
• “I am much quicker than Felipe” – how Alonso urged Ferrari to use team orders
• Ferrari to face FIA on September 8th
• Why the team orders rule must stay
• Alonso: “Winning is a great feeling”
• Montezemolo defends driver switch
• Ferrari duo hounded in press conference
• Crucial mistake delayed Alonso’s pursuit of Massa (Ferrari race review)
• Vettel not pressuring Ferraris ahead of switch (German Grand Prix analysis)
• Controversy as Alonso wins manipulated race (German Grand Prix review)
• Massa ordered to hand win to Alonso

Romain Grosjean has joined Gravity Sports Management, the driver management company owned by Gerard Lopez.

Lopez is on the board of Genii Capital which bought into the Renault F1 team at the end of last year.

Renault are yet to confirm who will be their second driver alongside Robert Kubica in 2011.

Grosjean is hoping to return to F1 after seven races for Renault at the end of 2009. He’s driving from the DAMS team (formerly run by Renault team principal Eric Boullier) in GP2 at Monza again this weekend.

Grosjean said:

This agreement with Gravity Sport Management is a great opportunity for me, and I’m very happy to be able to take advantage of it.

Such a partner will enable me to concentrate on my return to top-level single-seater racing, and I hope to attain my main aim, which is still Formula 1.

This weekend’s mission will be to build on the promising performance on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on which Jérôme and I showed the team’s and car’s potential.

A victory would be a marvellous reward for the efforts invested over the last few weekends by everybody. One thing’s sure. Monza’s a circuit that I like; it’s a very quick track and I’m prepared to give the maximum.
Romain Grosjean

Read more: Grosjean to make another GP2 apearance

Karun Chandhok has expressed his optimism ahead of the inaugural Indian Grand Prix following the release of the official 2011 Formula 1 calendar, which confirms that India's first F1 race will take place on 30 October next year

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has announced two proposals it hopes to introduce in order to better maintain the reputation of the sport and the integrity of its competitors. It plans to submit both proposals to the FIA's General Assembly for consideration. One suggestion will see the introduction of a 'competitor's staff' licence to ensure team members comply with standards of 'good standing'...

McLaren has confirmed that it has had to modify its car to avoid falling foul of the more stringent flexible bodywork tests being introduced at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix - but says it has managed to turn the change into a performance upgrade

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has confirmed that it will seek to introduce "competitors' staff licences" for all teams competing in its world championships

Formula One racing's governing body, the FIA, has released the calendar for the 2011 world championship. The addition of the Indian Grand Prix makes for a 20-race season - one more round than in 2010 and the longest in Formula One history. The Bahrain Grand Prix will kick off proceedings on March 13, with the inaugural Indian event taking place towards the end of the year on October 30...

F1 drivers could lose their competition Super Licenses if they are involved in incidents on the road under new proposals from the FIA.

The World Motor Sport Council urged drivers to act as “ambassadors for the sport” in a statement released today:

The FIA, both in its motor sport and mobility roles, has a strong interest in promoting road safety. Competitors at FIA events must act as ambassadors for the sport, be aware their conduct on the road must be exemplary and respect road safety rules.

A proposal to amend the international sporting code will be submitted to the FIA General Assembly to clarify that any holder of an International Super Licence must also be in possession of a current road driving licence.

Additionally, the Code will be amended to clarify that if an International Super Licence holder is involved in a serious road traffic offence recognised by a national police authority, the FIA, depending on the severity of the case, may issue a warning or refer the matter to the International Disciplinary Tribunal, which may temporarily or indefinitely withdraw the competitor’s International Super Licence.

In March Lewis Hamilton was charged with irresponsible driving by the police in Melbourne during the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix.

The FIA has also formed a new working group to promote its Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Read more: A bad weekend gets worse for Hamilton

The FIA has announced it will keep the Formula One entry list at 12 teams for 2011 and 2012, after deciding that none of the those bidding for a 13th entry next season met the necessary requirements. Formula One racing's governing body had received bids from numerous organisations after it invited expressions of interest from potential new teams back in March, following the late withdrawal of one of the new 2010 entries...

The FIA has suggested that Formula 1 drivers who commit road traffic offences could lose their superlicences as a punishment for their conduct

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has proposed that staff who are involved in FIA-sanctioned events be licensed by the sport’s governing body.

In a statement released today the WMSC said:

The World Motor Sport Council will submit a proposal to the General Assembly that a specific licence is created for a restricted list of members of staff of the competitors entered in the FIA World Championships.

The aim is to introduce a system that ensures they are subject to the criteria set out in a new FIA Code of Good Standing. This would apply to a minimum of six people per competitor, including the Team Principal, Sporting Director, Team Manager, Technical Director and two race engineers (or equivalent).

A new mechanism will be introduced to control access to areas under the jurisdiction of the FIA and no pass of any kind will be issued to any person or body who is not in good standing for the purposes of the FIA International Sporting Code.

Entrants will also become responsible for their staff, meaning any person connected directly or indirectly with the entrant in connection with their participation in an event.

The move is a response to the FIA’s difficulty in restricting Flavio Briatore and Pat Symond’s involvement in Formula 1 following their involvement in the Singapore 2008 affair.

Read more: Briatore and Symonds accept three-year F1 ban in Singapore crash settlement

Although McLaren have been tipped to be the best of the bunch at Monza this weekend, many believe they will then struggle to match car to circuit characteristics at the remaining five rounds. But Tim Goss, chief engineer of the MP4-25, is confident new upgrades, a better understanding of the blown diffuser and their leading role in the development of the F-duct could see the team go from strength to strength as the season's climax approaches. He reveals more during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 'Phone-In' session…

McLaren have revealed they have carried out minor modifications to the MP4-25's floor ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, in light of the more stringent tests to be applied by the FIA at the Monza event. The sport's governing body revised their scrutineering checks following July's Hungarian race after some teams, namely Red Bull and Ferrari, were accused by rivals of running flexible front wings. After introducing tougher front-wing tests at the last round in Spa, the FIA will carry out a stricter floor test in Italy, with weight applied to the side of a car's floor as well as its centre.

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has released the provisional race calendar for the 2011 Formula 1 season, which sees Interlagos regain the season finale for the first time since 2008

The 2011 F1 calendar has been revealed by the FIA with a record 20 races on the schedule.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the first round of the season for the second year in a row. Meanwhile the season finale will be held at Interlagos in Brazil for the first time since 2008.

The ‘European season’ will begin with the Turkish Grand Prix which moves forward to May. The Chinese Grand Prix, whose original contract expired this year, remains on the calendar.

As expected the first ever F1 race in India appears on the schedule.

13 March – Bahrain Grand Prix
27 March – Australian Grand Prix
10 April – Malaysian Grand Prix
17 April – Chinese Grand Prix
8 May – Turkish Grand Prix
22 May – Spanish Grand Prix
29 May – Monaco Grand Prix
12 June – Canadian Grand Prix
26 June – European Grand Prix
10 July – British Grand Prix
24 July – German Grand Prix
31 July – Hungarian Grand Prix
28 August – Belgian Grand Prix
11 September – Italian Grand Prix
25 September – Singapore Grand Prix
9 October – Japanese Grand Prix
16 October – Korean Grand Prix
30 October – Indian Grand Prix*
13 November – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
27 November – Brazilian Grand Prix

*Subject to circuit inspection

Read more: 2011 F1 calendar

Image © Brawn GP