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Formula 1
F1: Grand Prix News Briefs (Update 5)
The 2012 field is so even because the rules are so restrictive, according to Fernando Alonso...
"Every year there are more and more limits on creativity and the potential development of a car," says Fernando Alonso. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Curtailed 'Creativity' Causing Championship Chaos - Alonso: The 2012 field is so even because the rules are so restrictive, according to Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard admitted to worrying about the "credibility" of the sport, in light of the common view that the tires supplied by Pirelli this year are making winning and losing Grands Prix akin to a "lottery." But Ferrari driver Alonso has another theory. Asked by the Spanish news agency EFE why he thinks the championship is so closely contested, he said it is "partly because of the restrictions that occur each year in the rules. When someone discovers a double diffuser, the following year it is banned. When someone does the F-duct, the next year's it's banned. Last year there were the exhausts blowing into the diffuser, and this year they are gone," said Alonso at an event in Madrid. "Every year there are more and more limits on creativity and the potential development of a car. We are seeing more and more similar cars, all the time (F1) becoming closer to GP2." The 30-year-old insisted, however, that the cream always finds a way of rising to the top. "Despite it being an incredibly tight championship, the first (placed) constructor is Red Bull, and then McLaren and Ferrari. And the first six or seven in the drivers' championship are the same names from last year," added Alonso.
'Fake Charlie Whiting' To Meet Real One: 'Fake Charlie Whiting' will meet the real thing next week. Mark McArdle is the man behind the fake Twitter account which has caught the eye of FIA race director Whiting. "I am still pinching myself — I am floored that this is really happening," McArdle told the Globe and Mail. The Canadian newspaper reports that Whiting was amused by his fake Twitter identity and therefore extended 43-year-old McArdle an official invite to the Montreal paddock next Thursday. "We are going to meet up in Montreal for a chat — I thought it would be quite fun," the real Whiting said. "I will be fairly busy on Thursday, but I will be quite happy to show him around race control." Whiting admits he was tipped off about the 'fake' Twitter account. "I don't do Twitter and I barely know what it is, to be frank," he smiled. "But people have come up to me on occasion and said 'I love your tweets' and I always say that I don't do any. People don't realize that it's not me. Now, if he was doing and writing silly things, I might have something to say about it, but it's quite fun and he's not casting me in a bad light, so I'm pretty happy really." The report said McArdle has been invited to also spend time with the McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Force India and HRT teams on Thursday, while Caterham has offered up a paddock pass to his wife Helen.
Ecclestone Confirms F1 Floatation Delay: Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that plans to float F1 on the Singapore stock exchange have been put on the back burner for now. The F1 chief executive said in Monaco last weekend that the sport's owners had adopted a "wait and see" attitude in light of the problems with Facebook's high profile listing. And this week, London based jeweller Graff Diamonds postponed its Hong Kong floatation, citing adverse market conditions. Ecclestone told Bloomberg on Thursday that F1 is also going to wait for the markets to "settle down. I'm absolutely confident we will do it this year," said the 81-year-old. "There's no rush. The markets aren't good at the moment; it doesn't inspire people," the Briton added. "We don't have to do it now."
'No One Knows Why' Small Teams Best - Marko: Helmut Marko has responded to claims a couple of regular midfield teams are actually fielding the very best cars in 2012. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport this week cited GPS evidence in reporting that the Williams and the Sauber feature the most aerodynamic cars, based on data from Barcelona's demanding turns 3 and 9. And at Monaco, Sauber's Sergio Perez recorded not only the fastest lap of the race, but he was the quickest circulating car "for long periods," according to team boss Peter Sauber. Journalist Michael Schmidt said: "With Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton in the cockpit, Williams or Sauber would probably be leading the championship." Red Bull's Marko responded: "They have good cars, but no one knows why. They are not as highly bred as a Red Bull and McLaren, but apparently easy to drive and understand. In the present situation, anything is possible."
Steering Issue Creating Lotus-Raikkonen Rift: The mere issue of 'steering' risks creating a rift between Lotus and its star driver Kimi Raikkonen. The 2007 World Champion has complained about the steering system aboard the black and gold E20 from his very first lap this season. For Monaco, the team debuted a special system tailored to the Finn's needs, but it lasted just a single out-lap on Thursday morning. "He was asked to consider running the session with it as it was (but) he refused and took no further part," Sky Sports' technical expert Mark Hughes reported. That has triggered speculation Lotus is close to "giving up" on fixing the issue for the famously laid-back Raikkonen, who might have to simply adapt instead. "By no means are we 'giving up' on fine tuning the development of the steering system according to Kimi's exact preferences," a Lotus team source is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV3. But the Enstone-based team also appears to have highlighted the impact of Raikkonen's refusal to practice on Thursday. Monaco, according to a report on Lotus' official website, showed "the importance of getting the steering system exactly as he likes it, whilst also underlining the fact that even an experienced challenger can be affected by missing running time at such a technical circuit."
'Fake Charlie Whiting' To Meet Real One: 'Fake Charlie Whiting' will meet the real thing next week. Mark McArdle is the man behind the fake Twitter account which has caught the eye of FIA race director Whiting. "I am still pinching myself — I am floored that this is really happening," McArdle told the Globe and Mail. The Canadian newspaper reports that Whiting was amused by his fake Twitter identity and therefore extended 43-year-old McArdle an official invite to the Montreal paddock next Thursday. "We are going to meet up in Montreal for a chat — I thought it would be quite fun," the real Whiting said. "I will be fairly busy on Thursday, but I will be quite happy to show him around race control." Whiting admits he was tipped off about the 'fake' Twitter account. "I don't do Twitter and I barely know what it is, to be frank," he smiled. "But people have come up to me on occasion and said 'I love your tweets' and I always say that I don't do any. People don't realize that it's not me. Now, if he was doing and writing silly things, I might have something to say about it, but it's quite fun and he's not casting me in a bad light, so I'm pretty happy really." The report said McArdle has been invited to also spend time with the McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Force India and HRT teams on Thursday, while Caterham has offered up a paddock pass to his wife Helen.
Ecclestone Confirms F1 Floatation Delay: Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that plans to float F1 on the Singapore stock exchange have been put on the back burner for now. The F1 chief executive said in Monaco last weekend that the sport's owners had adopted a "wait and see" attitude in light of the problems with Facebook's high profile listing. And this week, London based jeweller Graff Diamonds postponed its Hong Kong floatation, citing adverse market conditions. Ecclestone told Bloomberg on Thursday that F1 is also going to wait for the markets to "settle down. I'm absolutely confident we will do it this year," said the 81-year-old. "There's no rush. The markets aren't good at the moment; it doesn't inspire people," the Briton added. "We don't have to do it now."
'No One Knows Why' Small Teams Best - Marko: Helmut Marko has responded to claims a couple of regular midfield teams are actually fielding the very best cars in 2012. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport this week cited GPS evidence in reporting that the Williams and the Sauber feature the most aerodynamic cars, based on data from Barcelona's demanding turns 3 and 9. And at Monaco, Sauber's Sergio Perez recorded not only the fastest lap of the race, but he was the quickest circulating car "for long periods," according to team boss Peter Sauber. Journalist Michael Schmidt said: "With Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton in the cockpit, Williams or Sauber would probably be leading the championship." Red Bull's Marko responded: "They have good cars, but no one knows why. They are not as highly bred as a Red Bull and McLaren, but apparently easy to drive and understand. In the present situation, anything is possible."
Steering Issue Creating Lotus-Raikkonen Rift: The mere issue of 'steering' risks creating a rift between Lotus and its star driver Kimi Raikkonen. The 2007 World Champion has complained about the steering system aboard the black and gold E20 from his very first lap this season. For Monaco, the team debuted a special system tailored to the Finn's needs, but it lasted just a single out-lap on Thursday morning. "He was asked to consider running the session with it as it was (but) he refused and took no further part," Sky Sports' technical expert Mark Hughes reported. That has triggered speculation Lotus is close to "giving up" on fixing the issue for the famously laid-back Raikkonen, who might have to simply adapt instead. "By no means are we 'giving up' on fine tuning the development of the steering system according to Kimi's exact preferences," a Lotus team source is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV3. But the Enstone-based team also appears to have highlighted the impact of Raikkonen's refusal to practice on Thursday. Monaco, according to a report on Lotus' official website, showed "the importance of getting the steering system exactly as he likes it, whilst also underlining the fact that even an experienced challenger can be affected by missing running time at such a technical circuit."
Spanish Grand Prix
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