Tag: formula 1

Indian Grand Prix Dropped From 2014 Formula One Calendar

Formula One Chief, Bernie Ecclestone and organisers of the Indian Grand Prix, Jaypee Group have confirmed that the Indian Grand Prix has been dropped from the 2014 Formula One calendar, and will be held in the first half of 2015.

There has been intense speculation about the future of the event for the past few weeks, amid major tax issues with Indian authorities. Ecclestone said from that he and his Formula 1 management always wanted the India round early in the season, but the organisers preferred October.

When we signed the five-year deal with Jaypee, we were keen on going to India in the first half and Jaypee wanted it to be in October. We gave in at that time, but now it looks we will have the race early 2015.

– Bernie Ecclestone, Chairman & CEO, Formula One

The 2014 round will not take place as it is not possible for Jaypee to host two races within six months. The organisers shell out $40 million (Rs 237.7 crore) for every Formula One race at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) as licensing fee. During the Hungarian Grand Prix last week, Ecclestone said that the Indian Grand Prix was unlikely to happen next year due to political reasons. Widespread interpretations took it as the unhappiness of Formula One teams regarding the heavy taxation policy of India and its rigid structure, which is largely inflexible towards Formula One teams.

The ditching of the Indian GP clears the way for Ecclestone to slot in the Russian Grand Prix in October next year. A race at the start of the 2015 season means India will have to be clubbed with Australia, and the Asian nations Malaysia, Bahrain and China.

July 31, 2013
Brilliant ‘Sound of Honda’ Commercial Celebrates Ayrton Senna [w/Video]

In 2015, we will witness the return of Honda to Formula One in collaboration with McLaren, but when you mention those two together, one man’s legacy is never far behind: Ayrton Senna. The late brazilian legend scored three world championships with McLaren, running Honda engines before his death at Imola in 1994.

In 1989, McLaren’s MP4/5 Formula One car, driven by Senna and powered by a Honda 3.5-litre V10 engine set the world’s fastest lap at the qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. The 1989 race at Suzuka turned out to be one of the most momentous of his career for good and bad reasons; he won, then was stripped of, the driver’s championship. That was the same year, in which Honda introduced telemetry systems to Formula One. Honda Japan has now released a stunning commercial called Sound of Honda in tribute to the racing great.

In the following video, Honda has used sound and telemetry data from Senna’s ‘89 MP4/5 and lined the Suzuka circuit with speakers and lights and used Senna’s telemetry data from 1989, to bring him back to life, if only for a minute or so. Enlarge the video, turn up the speakers, and once you’ve seen it, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below.

[youtube id=”oeO2q8FzcnM” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[Source: Honda JPPR via YouTube]

July 29, 2013
Formula 1 Chief Ecclestone Indicted on Bribery Charges

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has been indicted by German prosecutors on a bribery charge. The charge is related to a US $44 million payment to German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky of Bayern Landesbank, linked to the sale of a stake in F1.

Ecclestone has denied the bribery accusations, saying that the money was intended to stop the banker from exposing him to a UK tax inquiry. Gribkowsky was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail in Munich.

I have just spoken to my lawyers and they have received an indictment. It’s being translated into English. We are defending it properly. It will be an interesting case. It’s a pity it’s happened.
– Bernie Ecclestone to the Financial Times

The charges are related to the sale of a 47% stake in Formula 1 by Bayern Landesbank to private equity group CVC Capital Partners in 2006. Gribkowsky, who was in charge of managing the sale, admitted to corruptly receiving US $41.4 million in bank commissions and a large payment via the Ecclestone family’s Bambino Trust at his trial last year. He maintained he had been paid to undervalue the Formula 1 shares, whereas Ecclestone says he believed the banker was planning to give false information to the UK authorities about his tax affairs, and paid him to keep him quiet.

Bernie Ecclestone faces a possible jail term if found guilty, which would force him to stand down as head of Formula 1, as stated by him previously. He has six weeks to respond to the indictment.

July 18, 2013
Fangio-driven Mercedes F1 car auctioned for record $29M at Goodwood

The Bonhams auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed is known for hosting some iconic race cars in its history. The race car in the picture above adds to that list, and how. This Mercedes W196R was driven by legendary F1 driver, Juan Manuel Fangio, to wins in the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races. When the hammer fell at the auction yesterday, it was sold for $29.65 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold at an auction. With that sale, It also earned the honour of being the most expensive F1 car ever sold and the most valuable Mercedes Benz in the world.

Fangio’s wins gave Mercedes its first back-to-back post-war Grand Prix victories, and it introduced F1 cars to fuel-injection, tubular spaceframe chassis and inline eight-cylinder engines.

The most important historic Grand Prix racing car ever offered for sale.

– Robert Brooks, Bonhams Chairman

The Mercedes W196R came close to the record price for a car sold privately, with the current holder being a 1962 Ferraro GTO built for Sterling Moss that went for a reported $35 million in a private sale last year.

July 14, 2013
Webber to leave F1 after 2013 season for Porsche’s sportscar team

Red Bull driver Mark Webber has announced that he will leave Formula 1 at the end of the season. The 36-year-old Australian is joining Porsche’s new sportscar programme and will compete in the classic 24 Hours of Le Mans race for the German manufacturer.

Webber was first linked to Porsche earlier this season. He drove in sportscars with Mercedes in 1998-99, participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans both years, before returning to single-seaters in Formula 3000 and joining F1 with Minardi in 2002. After spells at Jaguar and Williams, he joined Red Bull in 2008. He won a race for the first time with Red Bull and became a genuine title contender with the team, but was unable to match team-mate Vettel’s success. He had a turbulent relationship with the German, exemplified by Vettel’s famous disregard of team orders at this year’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Webber had the option of staying with Red Bull for another season, and as also offered a seat from another big team, but, with a big change in regulations next year that will dramatically alter the demands of F1, he has decided to seek a fresh challenge. He has also been critical of the Pirelli tyres that F1 teams have been forced to use since 2011, claiming their rapidly degrading nature prevents drivers pushing to the limit throughout a race.

It’s an honour for me to join Porsche at its return to the top category in Le Mans and in the sports car World Endurance Championship and be part of the team. Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding technology and performance at the highest level. I’m very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula 1. Porsche will undoubtedly set itself very high goals. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sportscars in the world.
– Mark Webber

Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard are the other drivers who have already signed for Porsche’s LMP1 programme. This will be Porsche’s first assault on outright Le Mans 24 Hours honours since its 1998 triumph.

I’m very pleased to have secured Mark Webber for our LMP1 project as one of the best and most successful Formula 1 pilots of our time. Mark is without doubt one of the world’s best race drivers, he has experience at the Le Mans 24 hour race and on top of that he’s been a Porsche enthusiast for many years.
– Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s board member for research and development

The Australian’s decision leaves the second Red Bull seat alongside world champion Sebastian Vettel available for 2014, with Kimi Raikkonen already strongly linked to the drive. Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne are also options, with many fans hoping for Force India’s Paul di Resta getting a shot as well.

In 12 years in Formula 1, Webber won 9 grands prix, achieved 36 podium finishes, 11 pole positions, 15 fastest laps and twice finished third in the World Championship. His best season was 2010, when he led the championship for much of the year before faltering in the final three races, falling behind team-mate Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

[Image Source: Porsche via Facebook]

June 27, 2013