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Mar 14
Force India has lashed out at F1′s owner CVC, accusing the private equity firm of not being interested in developing the sport.
The financial news agency Bloomberg quoted deputy team boss Bob Fernley as saying new deals that give more money and power to the bigger teams are a “disaster”. “CVC is not interested in developing the sport, it’s interested in making as much money as possible and then selling it,” he said.
Dec 31
Team boss Luis Perez-Sala has admitted the HRT dream is over.
After three seasons at the back of the F1 grid, the Spanish backmarker has folded, even though official confirmation has been lacking so far. “It was impossible to go on,” Sala, a former Minardi driver who was brought in by new owners Thesan Capital to run the team this year, told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper.
Dec 03
Fernando Alonso was “undoubtedly” the best driver of the 2012 season, according to fellow Spaniard and Ferrari test driver Marc Gene.
“The ease with which Vettel has won his titles is abnormal,” the former Minardi driver is quoted by EFE news agency. “For me the best driver this year was undoubtedly Fernando, getting thirteen out of twenty podiums.”
Dec 03
HRT’s technical director Toni Cuquerella has acknowledged that the Spanish team’s F1 foray is now over.
It was believed the team’s departing owner Thesan Capital had set an end-of-November deadline for a new buyer to be found. Indeed, as November became December over the past weekend, the FIA published the official 2013 entry list, and it made no mention of HRT.
Oct 05
“If this figure will double in 2014, then I do not know what we would do.” – Luis Perez-Sala
HRT boss Luis Perez-Sala has expressed concerns F1′s 2014 engine regulations could push small teams out of business. “Yes,” he is quoted by Autosprint magazine, “today for a team like HRT, the engine costs account for 20 per cent of our total budget.
Sep 18
With fresh Paralympic gold around his neck, Alex Zanardi is eyeing the German touring car series DTM as his next goal.
Since losing his legs in a 2011 crash, the former F1 driver has completed the last laps of that ill-fated CART race, won world touring car races for BMW, tested a BMW-Sauber, and soared to the very top of the world of hand-cycling.
Sep 08
Jean Todt has revealed he did not attempt to sign Fernando Alonso during his time as Ferrari boss due to an earlier betrayal.
The Frenchman, who is now the FIA president, reigned over Ferrari from the 90s until 2008. At the end of 2006, he chose Kimi Raikkonen as the retiring ‘number 1′ Michael Schumacher’s replacement, even though Spaniard Alonso – now Ferrari’s long term hope – was also on the market.
Jun 29
McLaren is considering following Ferrari’s lead and introducing innovative pull-rod front suspension for its 2013 car.
That is the claim of the Spanish sports daily Marca, citing the information of multiple Italian specialist sources. Ferrari raised eyebrows early this year when the aggressive F2012 was launched with pull-rod suspension: a configuration not seen since Fernando Alonso raced a Minardi more than a decade ago.
Jun 13
More than 25 drivers with formula one experience will be on the grid at this weekend’s 80th running of the fabled 24 hour Le Mans race.
Near the front, in the premier LMP1 prototype class, will be Allan McNish and Marc Gene, driving for Audi. Scot McNish raced in F1 with Toyota in 2002, while Gene drove for Minardi and is still a Ferrari test driver. Toyota has since left F1 and for 2012 has entered Le Mans, and the Japanese marque’s number 8 entry is a grand prix-superteam featuring Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri), Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) and one-off 1999 Minardi driver Stephane Sarrazin.
May 16
Robert Doornbos, the former Minardi and Red Bull driver, is being pursued for millions by a former sponsor.
The disgruntled backer, Harry Muermans, is demanding the Dutchman pay back a whopping EUR 11 million from their partnership between 2005 and 2008, claiming the money was in fact not sponsorship, but loans.
Mar 24
The Italian press is reporting that Ferrari could abandon the innovative pull-rod suspension layout of its disappointing F2012 car.
The Spanish sports daily AS concurs, adding that the revised car could be ready as soon as next month, and certainly in time for Barcelona in May. “Ferrari may even give up its revolutionary front suspension,” wrote correspondent Manuel Franco.
As a race fan going back to when I could barely walk – just being able to say I’ve “been there” is a thrill and an honour. To have been driven around the track in an IndyCar 2-seater is without a doubt a dream-come-true and something I’ll never forget. 
