The Sauber team has signed 38 year old Pedro de la Rosa to partner with Kamui Kobayashi for their 2010 season. Pedro dropped off the face of the F1 map some 7 years ago when he signed up as McLaren’s test/reserve driver. During that time he competed in 9 races for the silver arrows. Famously, 8 of those 9 races were in the 2006 season after the USGP where Juan Pablo Montoya ran over teammate Kimi Raikonnen and then retreated to NASCAR. Before signing with McLaren in 2003, Pedro had…
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F1 – Flavio Suing for Driver Contracts
The FIA may be in for a rude awakening. Flavio Briatore has started legal proceedings against the FIA in Geneva, Switzerland to recover damages from the FIA for forcing drivers to cancel their management contracts with Flavio’s company. This is on the heels of Flavio’s successful lawsuit against the FIA for banning him from involvement from FIA sanctioned motorsport indefinitely and for declaring that no driver who held a management contract with Flavio’s company would be granted a superlicense. The French court previously found that the FIA had acted against French law when Max Mosley presided over…
Read MoreF1 – Car Launch Dates – Force India Update – 1/15/09
Force India has announced that they will have their 2010 car, the VJM3, ready for on track testing at Jerez on February 10th. The team decided to focus on further development of the car, instead of pushing onto the track February 1st with the vast majority of the field. They will be joining Red Bull and Virgin who will also be seeing the track for the first time at Jerez. Also, Mercedes GP confirmed that they will be launching their car in Stuttgart at the Mercedes Museum on January 25th.…
Read MoreF1 – Car Launch Dates – Lotus & Torro Rosso Updates – 1/15/2010
We have updated Lotus launch details and news that Torro Rosso is going to make it on track before big brother RBR. Lotus has updated their launch date from February 5th to February 12th. February 5th is the date that they plan to fire up the mighty Cosworth power plant for testing in house. Also, Torro Rosso has surprised everybody by announcing that they will be on track February 1st for the test at Valencia. They have not announced an official launch date for the car yet, but they may…
Read MoreF1 – Bernie Lost the Plot, Mumbles About Shortcuts
Just when you thought Bernie might be slightly humbled after FOTA and the entire F1 following public voiced such a huge outcry against his ‘medal system’ idea at the beginning of last season, the ancient billionaire has reared his head again with a new idea sure to make him the but of the same type of jokes again. Bernie has made his ideas known on increasing overtaking in Formula 1, “I think it would be very easy for us on each circuit to have an area where you could gain…
Read MoreF1 – Car Launch Dates – 1/14/2010
McLaren has announced that they will launch their MP4-25 on January 29th. No location has been given for their launch at this time, however McLaren is least likely to have a low-key shindig. And why should they. With two British world champions on the team, they have much to trumpet. Add to that the amazing development they did on their 2009 challenger which brought it from the back of the grid at the beginning of the season to winning races. 2010 could be a very good year for Lewis Hamilton.…
Read MoreF1 – Senna to STR?
Bernie may have been right about one team not making the grid. Campos F1 is apparently on the brink of a total collapse and may be willing to release Bruno Senna from his previously signed contract. Senna, nephew of F1 legend Ayrton Senna, has been signed with Campos every since this summer. However, financial issues are beginning to catch up with the team and there is talk of releasing the Brazilian in favor of two pay-to-drive pilots. With that being said, the rumor further has Bruno going to STR in…
Read MoreF1 – Car Launch Dates – 1/13/2010
Ferrari has announced that they will be unveiling their 2010 challenger, the ‘281’ on January 28th at Maranello. It will then take its first laps at the Ricardo Tomo Circuit on February 1st, along with the majority of the 2010 grid. Also reported this week is that Red Bull will not have their RB6 ready on time to attend the first open test in Valencia, but will instead wait an additional week and run their first test at Jerez the following week. A launch date has not yet been announced…
Read MoreF1 – Life at the Cosworth End of the Grid: On USF1 and Campos
Bernie Ecclestone made some famous comments a couple weeks ago alluding to USF1 and Campos both not making the grid for the 2010 season. Further, Bernie was implicating that Stefan GP would probably take one of their places, making for 12 teams in 2010. Both Campos and USF1 promptly released statements assuring their fans and potential sponsors that they were viable. But now, more details are coming out about both teams that lend credence to the ancient billionaire’s park bench mumblings. All the while continuing to cast further doubt on…
Read MoreF1 – Alonso in Ferrari Red
Ferrari has kicked off its annual WROOM! media event this week and guess who was there in red for some photos…you guessed it. After a season that guaranteed a Fernando Alonso to Ferrari move, the Spanish double world champion was seen in the Scuderia’s colors on the ski slopes. Joining Alonso was now recovered incumbent Felipe Massa and third driver Giancarlo Fisichella. The annual event is being held at Madonna di Campiglio. Having Fred in the new Santander red outfit looked pretty good. It will be interesting to see how…
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