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Fernando Alonso ready for Spanish GP

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:04:49 +0000

Because after winning the first race of the season in Bahrain, the Spaniard hasn’t really won shit in Asia.

And now that the European leg of the 2010 F1 season is about to kick off in his home country of Spain, Fernando Alonso is looking forward to having a series of strong finishes in the next few races, claiming that this leg is where the race for the title truly begins.

”The Championship always starts in the first race, but it’s true that it’s just a race to confirm the good sensations you’ve had during testing. But it’s true that in Europe it is time to show who is going to fight for the title and who isn’t,” Fernando Alonso said in an interview.

”The first races can be atypical races with changing weather all the time, so now in Europe it’s the moment of truth to show who is going to be in the title fight, and also for the teams to prove they can develop faster than their rivals. It’s the start of a nice fight.”

”Being third in the Championship, very few points away from the leader, I believe is a very good situation.”

”With the potential that we have, with the super team that I have, this is just the beginning and I have a real chance to fight for the world championship, something I couldn’t even think about last year after four races.”

”I’m enjoying it again, and I’ve felt that bug from winning a race or winning the championship again, and that’s the most positive thing about the start to this year.”

”We can’t forget that last year during the final part of the season Ferrari was very far from the leaders, so there were a lot of things to confirm and many wishes to grant and they have been granted.”

Of course, many know that Ferrari has some reliability issues...

Lewis Hamilton wants to win at all cost

Jeffdstuff — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:04:25 +0000

Now we know why Fernando Alonso hated his guts so much.

In case you missed the fourth race of the 2010 F1 season which pretty much concludes the Asian leg of this year’s campaign, McLaren scored a dominant one-two finish to put them in the lead for the constructors’ title.

Thanks to Jenson Button scoring his second win of the season, McLaren Mercedes took the lead from Ferrari in this year’s race for the constructors’ championship. McLaren now has 109 championship points to Ferrari’s 90.

However, the story was Lewis Hamilton, who finished second fastest behind his teammate to give McLaren the one-two finish. How come? Well, he was back to his old antics that estranged former teammate Fernando Alonso a couple of years ago and although Hamilton and Button haven’t banged heads yet, trust me when I say that it’s only a matter of time.

Perhaps the most intriguing stunt Lewis Hamilton pulled was when he and Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel went wheel to wheel in Shanghai over the weekend. There’s nothing wrong with that when you do it on the race track but when you do it on the freaking pit lane?!? There’s something terribly wrong with you.

Coming in for new tires, Sebastian Vettel was well on his way to the pit lane when Lewis Hamilton all of a sudden, jumped in front of him to have his new set of tires as well. It didn’t end there though.

As soon as Vettel left his pit box, Hamilton tried to jump in again in front of him, only this time, he caught the right side of Vettel’s car as Hamilton went wheel to wheel with the Red Bull driver, putting everybody’s pit crew in jeopardy.

Refusing to yield to Vettel, Hamilton continued to...

Michelin to return to Formula One?

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:02:52 +0000

And that’s not because of some new technology those guys will be introducing next year.

But because at the end of the 2010 F1 season, the sport will have no tire manufacturer to turn to with Bridgestone set to quit at the end of this campaign.

And since Michelin, which was F1’s ”other” tire manufacturer a few years back, is still reluctant to return to the sport, Formula One is scrambling to find a solution before this season is over.

So who’s to blame for this yet another fiasco? Well, the ”powers – that – be” of course.

It was only four years ago when the French manufacturer, Michelin, walked away from the sport after the ”powers – that – be” decided to switch to a single manufacturer, enabling Michelin’s rivals, Bridgestone, to monopolize F1’s tire demands.

Now that Bridgestone is quitting they expect Michelin to just return? Well, at least Michelin is interested in making a return to the sport, provided that they have competition.

”We are interested in it but it must be right, who know what will happen,” a senior Michelin company spokesman said in an interview with Racecar Engineering.

”Certain things have to be done, we must have competition, we do not want to be the only supplier.”

”Also we need to be able to use the the opportunity of competition to improve our tire technology. For example our new Pilot 3 road tires had technology developed for Le Mans in them. We need this from Formula 1.”

”Finally it must have the possibility to improve...''

Alonso plays down Red Bull this season

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:02:50 +0000

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yes, Fernando Alonso is making new enemies again after only three races into the 2010 F1 season. In case you didn’t know, he kicked off the new season for his new teammates from Ferrari with a win in Bahrain but after failing to get a podium finish in the last two races, Alonso is back to what he does best, talking.

You read it, Fernando Alonso is talking again, only this time, he’s not talking about how much he hates Lewis Hamilton or how pathetic he thinks Renault is. This time, he’s talking about team Red Bull and how insignificant he thinks Red Bull’s one-two finish in Malaysia is.

It was indeed a one-two finish for team Red Bull in Sepang where Sebastian Vettel, starting from the three spot on the grid, went on to score his first win of the season. He was followed by Mark Webber who, despite having secured pole position in Malaysia, finished just 4 seconds behind his Red bull teammate.

STILL, it was a one-two finish for Red Bull as they close in on McLaren for the second spot in the race for this year’s constructor’s title. But as far as Fernando Alonso is concerned, Red Bull got the one-two not because of their drivers but because of the mistakes he and his team made during qualifying.

”They have three pole positions, but the three wins I’m not sure, because we were very quick in Bahrain and we were maybe quicker than them in Australia,” Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso said.

”Here it was a strange race, too easy for them because we made a mistake in qualifying. We are not too worried at the moment. It’s a very long championship and we are capable of improving the car a lot. We know in which areas we need to improve the car, so I’m more or less confident that we can have the best car in the next few races.”

”As always you need the consistency to be...''

Schumacher returns for 2010 F1 Season

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:02:26 +0000

Well, that’s what Jarno Trulli is saying anyway.

Michael Schumacher is set to return to Formula One after signing with Mercedes GP for the 2010 F1 season. Yes, in case you didn’t know yet, he’s coming back and he won’t be driving for Ferrari no more. Instead, he’ll compete for Ferrari’s rivals from Mercedes after a three-year sabbatical.

Can Michael Schumacher recapture the greatness he once had after three years being away from the sport? If you’ve been following F1 for quite some time, then you should know by now that betting against a guy like Michael Schumacher is a bad idea. As far as him winning another title at 41 years old is concerned, Jarno Trulli believes Schumi can do that too.

”Why not? Being 41 is not a problem; age is just a number. He’s still in very good shape, and physically and mentally I don’t think he’s going to have any problems,” Jarno Trulli said in an interview with Crash.net Radio.

”I think the only trouble he will find is returning to racing after three years, it’s not that easy to get back into the same rhythm in Formula 1. I think it will take him some races before he can really begin to attack again, but that is the only issue I can see him facing.”

Like Schumi, Jarno Trulli will also be driving for another team. You see, Toyota is no longer competing in Formula One, forcing Trulli to move to a new player this season, Lotus.

”We have to be realistic,” Trulli said. ”It’s going to be a tough season, and to begin with what we need to do is be reasonably competitive. Eventually, the target will probably be to show some good performances by the end of the year. As I say, it’s a long-term project, and the first season is all about building up the team. Obviously, what Lotus is looking for is to be an established, strong Formula 1 team for the future.”

”I am with Lotus for the next...''

Daytona 500 starts NASCAR Season

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:02:29 +0000

Since football season is over, it’s that time of the year when we watch cars go around in circles again.

And in case you didn’t get that, the 2010 NASCAR season is kicking off on Valentine’s Day weekend with the Daytona 500. For all ya’ll who didn’t know, they say the Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s equivalent to the Super Bowl. I still have no idea why they have this race to kick off their season though.

Still, NASCAR will have the annual Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway to generate some hype for the whole year. And since this sport really doesn’t have anything else to offer other than cars going around in circles for three freaking hours, they need all the hype they can get.

So with the 52 ^nd Daytona 500 kicking off the brand new season, what’s in store for NASCAR racing fans this year? Well, for one, NASCAR has made headlines over the last couple of weeks following several rules changes that will take place this season. These changes will encourage more aggressive driving from drivers AND more importantly, to captivate fans.

The recent changes have been made due to the continual poor ratings that racing received last year.

Chariman of NASCAR, Brian France said that he wants drivers not to be afraid to ”open it up.” Bump-drafting will now be permitted at Daytona during the race. France went on to say that he would like to see some of the drivers on the circuit show more emotion at times.

This new policy on the rules should make for an interesting race, when the Daytona 500 begins.

There will be 43 drivers in the field, and leading the pack as favorites for the Daytona 500 is Tony Stewart. Stewart has 43 career victories and 226 top-10 finishes. He has never won the Daytona 500, but oddsmakers have installed him as a +700 favorite to claim his first victory in the race.

At the second spot is Kyle Busch. Busch was...

Ferrari and Fernando Alonso team-up

Jeffdstuff — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:26:51 +0000

Looks like Ferrari is serious about dominating the field next season.

In case you haven’t been watching the 2009 F1 season, to say that it hasn’t been Ferrari’s year could be an understatement.

Next season, it looks like Ferrari intends to make a huge bid as far as the 2010 title is concerned because they just signed former double world champion Fernando Alonso to a three-year deal.

That’s right, Fernando Alonso, for the second time in his career, is leaving Renault to sign with another team, this time with Ferrari. Just a few years ago, he left Renault to sign with McLaren. The honeymoon between him and McLaren ended when a young Lewis Hamilton entered the picture. Luckily, Renault was there to take Alonso back, only for him to leave the team again to sign with Ferrari.

Alonso signing with Ferrari means he’ll be teammates with his rival Felipe Massa. That also means Kimi Raikkonen is leaving the team but I reckon with Alonso’s skill set, the Italians won’t miss the Finn one bit.

”We are very proud to welcome to our team another winning driver, who has demonstrated his amazing talent by winning two world championships in his career to date,” said Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

”Of course, we wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari.”

”In his first year with us he managed to win the drivers’ title, thus making his contribution to Ferrari’s history, and he played a vital role in our taking of the constructors’ title in 2007 and 2008.”

Kimi Raikkonen, who is set to return to McLaren...

Kimi Raikkonen to return to McLaren

Jeffdstuff — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:37:04 +0000

You read it, the fiery Finn is coming back to McLaren, looking to save the team from the debacle they’ve been having this year.

Looks like McLaren – Mercedes is already making some moves to rectify the pathetic campaign they’ve been having this 2009 F1 season. In case you haven’t been paying attention, McLaren’s defending champion, Lewis Hamilton, has only won a couple of races this season and the team in general hasn’t been faring well too, dropping to fourth in the constructors championship standings.

With Lewis Hamilton struggling this year, McLaren has to come up with an insurance policy for next year’s run and with the team signing a former world champion like Kimi Raikkonen, they may have found exactly that.

Kimi Raikkonen raced for McLaren a few years ago so there won’t be any adjustments as far as the Finn is concerned. Back in 2007, Kimi Raikkonen left McLaren for Ferrari in a £25 million a year deal that made him the highest paid driver on the grid.

He rewarded them by winning the world championship in his debut campaign but his position came under threat when Fernando Alonso, Renault’s double world champion, was rumored last year to join Ferrari and replace him.

The major problem has been Raikkonen’s $50 million (£31 million) a year contract with Ferrari, which had another year left to run then. Lawyers have been working overtime back in Singapore to complete the final details of his pay-off, with McLaren expected to pick up the Finn at a fraction of the price.

Raikkonen’s departure from McLaren after five years followed a falling out with then team principal Ron Dennis. But with Dennis having left the team, a source close to the negotiations said, ”Kimi is only looking at McLaren and McLaren are only looking at him.”

Raikkonen, 29, will replace his fellow Finn...

Can Alonso win Singapore Fair and Square?

Jeffdstuff — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:02:54 +0000

Who will crash his car on purpose for Alonso to take the checkered flag this time?

Ah yes, conspiracies and controversies have not been new to the 2009 F1 season. And in case you didn’t know, the entire Renault F1 team is in the middle of the latest one coming to this weekend’s Singapore GP.

Yup, the 2009 F1 Singapore Grand Prix is this weekend and Fernando Alonso will try to defend the title he earned last year. After all, the Singapore GP is the ONLY race in the F1 racing calendar held at nighttime and since the inaugural race last season, the event has become one of those races you just have to win if you’re a Formula One driver.

However, there seems to be a problem about the way Fernando Alonso won the race in Singapore last year. It turns out that team Renault ordered Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash his car on purpose to give Alonso an unfair advantage.

You see, Nelson Piquet Jr. crashing his Renault last year meant that Alonso had taken his first pit stop before the safety car was deployed. Thanks to Flavio Briatore’s ingenuity, the plan worked perfectly and Alonso ended up with the win on Singapore’s inaugural night race.

Fernando Alonso, as of this writing, still claims he was on the dark about the devious plan to give him the edge through the safety car. As far as he’s concerned, he doesn’t know squat about the incident.

Alonso is confident that he’ll be able to win again in Singapore, with or without his Renault teammate deliberately crashing his car for him.

”The car is working well at most circuits so I believe we are competitive enough to get close to the podium, which has to be my target this weekend,” he said.

”I like it [the circuit] because it’s quite...''

Can Brawn GP still win 2009 F1 title?

Jeffdstuff — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:04:09 +0000

In case you haven't noticed, teams are starting to catch up to the once unbeatable mean and green machine.

After a red hot start to the 2009 F1 season that saw Brawn GP on the podium for eight straight races, their last two outings have been a little different with Jenson Button scoring a mere six championship points and Rubens Barrichello dropping three before his DNF in Hungary.

For what it's worth, Jenson Button still remains on top of the leaderboard as far as the race for the drivers' title is concerned with Brawn GP still leading the race for the constructors' title.

But since other teams are starting to close in on them, specifically Red Bull, these guys definitely have something to be worried about. Red Bull's Mark Webber is now only 18.5 points behind Button while the team in general is only 15.5 points adrift of Brawn GP.

Is Brawn starting to lose its edge or has the competition started to get more competitive? As far as team boss Ross Brawn is concerned, he's putting the blame on the team's recent modifications to the BGP001 while also acknowledging that YES, the competition has become a little bit stronger.

''It's true that the opposition has got a lot stronger, but in the first part of the season we were getting the most out of the tires and unexpectedly we've had problems there (since),'' team boss Ross Brawn said.

''It's certainly related to some modification which...''