F1 in Singapore

V8 SuperCars Eager to Ride on the Singapore F1 Wave

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 03:00:00 +0000

V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane has expressed his interest in organising a V8 Supercar race on the same weekend as the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on 28th September 2008.

Discussions with Singapore GP Pte Ltd, the official race organisers of the Singapore Grand Prix, have already gone underway according to the news sources. Cochrane said that the V8 Supercars event will not be a supporting race of the F1 race, but rather, they will be held on the day before the F1 race (i.e, 27th September).

The V8s series are currently held only New Zealand and Bahrain, with a non-championship round in the Albert Park circuit (also used by the Formula 1 event) and a Townsville Street Race in 2009.

If the current discussions are unsuccessful, the V8s organisers are still keen to have a race in Singapore to widen the audience reach.

F1 Enthusiast Bidded $30K for Hotel Room

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:59:00 +0000

An F1 enthusiast has paid a reported sum of $30,000 SGD for a hotel room in Pan Pacific Hotel during a charity auction.

The charity event, which was attended by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and his wife among the 500 guests, was the Assisi Hospice's Light-a-Heart charity dinner.

The unnamed bidder would be staying in the trackside hotel, which offers a prime view of the circuit just as the cars zip across the stretch at the speed of more than 300kmh, from 26th September to 28th September.

The trackside hotels in Singapore will be levied with a heavy tax of 30 percent during the event, and according to industry observer Noel Hawkes, the room cost will triple the normal rate during F1 races in other cities.

Off-Track: Fast on Circuit, Fast on Road

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:55:00 +0000

Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton made headlines lately with their F1-style performances off the circuit - and both ran into trouble with the law for their acts.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who had won the Race of the Champions for Team Germany with Sebastian Vettel, was in a rush to get to the airport or risk missing a family flight back to Switzerland. He decided to put his F1 skills to use when he took over the driver seat from the taxi driver Tuncer Yilmaz. Pushing the Opel Vivaro to its top speed of 163kmh, the taxi driver was in awe with the German racer and commented that Schumacher "overtook in some unbelievable places".

While the cabbie got a healthy sum as tips for letting Schumacher get to the airport more than in time for the flight, both Schumacher and him could be in trouble with the law as investigations are now underway.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, had mistaken the motorway near the northern town of Laon for the Magny Cours circuit when he took his Mercedes (the road one, not the F1 car) to a speed of 196kmh and was caught by the French police. He was subsequently banned for driving in France for a month, had his Mercedes detained and himself poorer by 600 euros. If anything good came out of this incident, he got himself free publicity and the French police commended the young driver for being cooperative and very polite.

Heikki Kovalainen for Mclaren

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:52:00 +0000

Heikki Kovalainen will line up alongside Lewis Hamilton for the Mclaren-Mercedes Team 08.

In almost something looking like a swop-deal between Mclaren and Renault (which of course didn't happen since Fernando Alonso was released before Renault finally got him back without having to negotiate with Mclaren), Heikki Kovalainen will leave Renault for the Woking-based team to complete an all-rookies line-up for 2008 season.

Lewis Hamilton, the 1st runner-up for the Drivers' Championship in his debut season, was more than happy to welcome the Finnish driver on board. He hopes that the Finn will enjoy his time in Mclaren, just like he did in season 2007. Not forgetting to emphasize on the importance of teamwork, he said that both of them will be "strong and focused" in their championship chase next year.

Heikki Kovalainen, on the other hand, felt that it is an honour for him to follow the footsteps of successful Finnish drivers Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Räikkönen, both whom have won Drivers' Championships before, although Kimi Räikkönen's was won with the Scuderia Ferrari team in 2007.

More Partnerships for Singapore Grand Prix Organisers

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:56:00 +0000

The Singapore Grand Prix organisers have announced 3 more deals for the inaugural Singtel Singapore Grand Prix next year.

First up, there is the deal with the Singapore Flyer, which will be prominently featured in the Singapore Grand Prix as the cars will have to pass by the observation wheel near turns 22, 23 and 24. The deal would allow the race organisers to utilise the grounds and facilities of the Singapore Flyer, thus adding more grandstands for spectators. The spectators will also have access to the areas within the Singapore Flyer Garden, with the organisers placing the entertainment and F&B outlets strategically inside.

Kingsmen Creatives and Pico Art International have both been awarded contracts to build temporary grandstands and corporate suites around the circuit. According to an article on the Straits Times, Kingsmen will be in charge of the areas at the pit grandstand, pit entry and exit, together with the Stamford grandstand and suites opposite One Raffles Link.

Pico will be in charge of the areas at turns 1, 2 and 3 as well as the grandstands at the Padang.

Fernando Alonso Reunites with Renault

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 02:47:00 +0000

As expected by many, Fernando Alonso will be reuniting with Renault - the team which he had won two world champions with in seasons 05 and 06 - after the FIA confirmed that Renault will be subjected to no punishment despite being found guilty of possessing Mclaren's intellectual property.

He will be partnering Nelson Piquet Jr, for the upcoming season.

Fernando Alonso left Renault for Mclaren in the 2007 season. Unfortunately, unlike Kimi Räikkönen who left his former team Mclaren to join Ferrari and won his maiden championship with the Italian team, Fernando Alonso had a stormy relationship with his Mclaren employers and ex-teammate Lewis Hamilton. He had joined the team hoping for a number 1 status, but when Lewis Hamilton started giving Fernando a run for his money with his strong performances, Fernando voiced out his unhappiness.

Mclaren team principal Ron Dennis' vehemence for an equality in the team might have ultimately cost the team the Drivers' championship with the two drivers engaging in draining off track and on-track feud.

Mclaren was also disqualified from the 2007 Constructors' Championship as they were found guilty of possessing Ferrari's technical data and information.

Fernando Alonso to Decide by Next Week

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:39:00 +0000

With Renault's spy incident hearing to take place on 6th December (this coming Thursday), Fernando Alonso is expected to announce his decision on his 2008 destination by early next week according to the Spanish newspaper AS DARIO.

Certainly, if all goes well in Renault, in any event that they were not found to be guilty, Fernando Alonso will most likely head back to his team where he had won 2 championships with in 2005 and 2006. Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has also indirectly hinted that Renault is ready to accept Fernando as the first driver of the French team.

Fernando Alonso has also been reportedly to the Honda's factory for a seat fitting last week, however, the rumour has been rubbished by the Honda team.

At the same time, Mclaren is also taking their time to decide on the driver who will replace Fernando Alonso's seat in 2008. Williams team has repeatedly stated Nico Rosberg's importance in the team, and Nico himself has also stated that he wants to be the revoluntionary force for the Williams team. Heikki Kovalainen, who looks likely to be forgotten by Renault with Flavio hinting a lineup of Fernando Alonso and current Renault test driver Nelson Piquet Jr, is another hot candidate for the coveted teammate seat of Lewis Hamilton.

Singapore Grand Prix To Be Sponsored By SingTel

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 02:27:00 +0000

The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix, which will take place on 28th September next year, will be called the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix after a deal has been reached for the telco company to be the main sponsor of the event.

For this prominent display of their sponsorship, the deal is estimated to be around US $10 million by the Straits Times, although no confirmation of the exact figure was given by the company. As the title sponsor, SingTel will be actively involved in the events leading up to the night race next year.

Kimi Räikkönen Official 2007 World Champion After Mclaren Appeal Fails

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:25:00 +0000

Kimi Räikkönen's status as the F1 World Champion 2007 remains unchange as the FIA Court of Appeal ruled that Mclaren's appeal for BMW's Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica and Williams' Nico Rosberg to be disqualified from the Brazilian Grand Prix after being alleged of having used fuel at an illegal temperature.

Initially, Mclaren had launched the appeal claiming to seek clarity of the regulations, after the two teams were not penalised for using fuel at 10 degrees lower than the ambient temperature. Mclaren's lawyer Ian Mill QC then called for the disqualification of the 3 drivers and a review of the championship result.

If Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg had all been disqualified, Mclaren's rookie Lewis Hamilton would have moved up a few positions and would have won the World Championship.

However, Mclaren, which are fined $50 million and disqualified from the Constructors' Championship, had no better luck in this appeal as the court ruled it 'inadmissable'.

Ross Brawn Heads Honda, Stefano Domenicali Replaces Jean Todt

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:29:00 +0000

Shortly after Honda F1 team announced ex-Ferrari Technical Director Ross Brawn as the new team principal, Ferrari released an announcement that Stefano Domenicali, current Sporting Director of Ferrari, would replace French man Jean Todt as the Director of the Gestione Sportiva. This change would take place with effect from the 1st January of 2008.

Mario Almondo, the Technical Director of Ferrari, will then become the Operations Director, while Aldo Costa will be the new Technical Director.

Jean Todt was placed in charge of Ferrari's F1 team since 1993 after a few successful years with Peugeot in various motorsports. Together, Jean Todt and Ferrari had won a total of 98 grand prix races, beating the record set by Enzo Ferrari's 93 grand prix races during his time.

Jean Todt's future has yet to be announced.

Renault to Attend WMSC Hearing

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:35:00 +0000

Renault has been named the latest accuse of the spying incident on Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes.

In the earlier hearings of the spying incident between Ferrari and Mclaren, in which Mclaren was punished and stripped off all their points in the Constructors' Championship, Renault was also mentioned in the investigation results done by Mclaren. While they were not investigated in the earlier stages, they are now being called forth to attend the hearing in front of the FIA World Motor Sports Council (WMSC) on the 6th of December.

According to the official statement released by the FIA, Renault is called to the hearing based on the suspicion of having "unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes". Supposedly, a former Mclaren team member had passed several CDs filled with technical information of Mclaren to Renault.

Over in the Mclaren camp, the MP4-23, which is the 2008 car of the Mclaren F1 team, has began to be subjected to scrutiny by the FIA officials to ensure that the design is legal (and not in anyway based on the technical information that they had from the Stepneygate incident). The results of the FIA's findings will be published on 7th December.

Michael Schumacher Back On Track for Testing

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:12:00 +0000

First it was for MotoGP, now Michael Schumacher will be testing the Ferrari F2007 during the upcoming winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya.

On Monday, after the final round of the MotoGP 07, Michael Schumacher took the Ducati Desmosedici GP7 on track for some fun testing under the guidance of Ducati's test rider Vittoriano Guareschi, Nicky Hayden and Randy Mamola, who gamely took Schumacher on a two-seater Ducati last season in Mugello.

However, for Ferrari, the testing will be done not for fun but rather for technical information purposes. With the banning of traction control in 2008 season, Schumacher's experience in handling a car that is not computer-aided will provide invaluable information for the two Ferrari drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa.

Where's Fernando Alonso Going?

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 06:25:00 +0000

As the news of the release of former 2 times world champion Fernando Alonso broke out, teams are rushing to snap up the Spanish drivers, aside from Fernando's previous team Renault, Red Bull, Williams and even BMW Sauber are reportedly trying to woo him over.

Toyota was also reported to have offered the Spaniard a wonderful offer, but was turned down.

According to AS Daily, a Spanish sports newspaper, Fernando would try to secure a short deal with one of the smaller teams in order to prepare for a transition to Ferrari in the near future, when either Kimi Räikkönen or Felipe Massa's contract is over.

Over at the Mclaren Mercedes camp, where they are now short of one driver, Lewis Hamilton has given some hints on who his future teammate might be. Naming a few candidates like Heikki Kovalainen, Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil, he said that the only prerequisite is that the teammate will have to be a 'team player'.

However, things will have to be seemingly put on hold as everyone waits for Fernando Alonso's eventual decision with bated breath.

Fernando Alonso Out of Mclaren

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:56:00 +0000

Shocking news of the season - Fernando Alonso is out of Mclaren.

It was yet another worse-kept secrets of a very messy season. Fernando Alonso has been a long-disgruntled employee of Mclaren Mercedes, right down from the moment when he realised that he would not get to enjoy his status as Numero Uno in the British Mclaren team. Often accusing the team of favouring rookie Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso has surely not made his animosity with his team a secret.

In the Hungarian Grand Prix, he threatened team principal Ron Dennis that he would go to the FIA with the evidences that Mclaren's ex-employee Mike Coughlan had information from Nigel Stepney, if Ron Dennis does not accede to his request of favouring him over his teammate. An incensed Ron Dennis volunteered to call Max Mosley (and he indeed did) to show Fernando that he was ready to see through the ultimatum set by the Spaniard.

Fernando Alonso had another 2 years of contract left with Mclaren, but now he has been ordered to leave Mclaren Mercedes wtih immediate effect. Questions will be raised - where will he go? And most importantly, who would be the teammate of wonder-rookie Lewis Hamilton next season? Williams' Nico Rosberg, Renault's Heikki Kovalainen and Honda's Jenson Button are prospective choices, but it will have to be seen if the teams are willing to let them go.

Mclaren Appeal Set on 15th November

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 11:28:00 +0000

The appeal lodged by Mclaren is set to be heard by the FIA Court of Appeal on 15th November.

Mclaren had lodged an appeal against the results of the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton, who finished 7th, lost out on the Drivers' Championship title to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen by just one point. It was later found out that Williams' Nico Rosberg, BMW's Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld had fuel that was below the allowed temperature (it has to be at most 10 degrees below track temperature), thereby giving them a boost in their performance (lower temperature meant more fuel stored). Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld finished 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

If Mclaren's appeal is successful, it could mean that Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld could all be stripped off their positions, thus handing the 4th position to Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton would then have enough points to beat Finnish Kimi Räikkönen and win the Drivers' Championship title on his debut season.

However, FIA president Max Mosley has played down speculations that Lewis Hamilton could be handed the Drivers' title even if the trio were found guilty.

Certainly, if the FIA decides to strip Kimi Räikkönen of his first title and hand it over to Lewis Hamilton, it would be a cruel blow to the Finn, as well as possibly cause an uproar against the FIA's decision.

Singapore: Permanent Racetrack to be Built

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:24:00 +0000

The motorsports fever in Singapore is in fullswing as the government opened up a site in Changi for proposals to build it into a permanent racetrack.

This race track however, will be a Grade 2 racetrack* and will not be able to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Motorsports fans in Singapore can look forward to races like the A1GP, MotoGP, Japan GP, as well as many other races. Testing of cars and driving training courses can also be conducted on the race track.

The race track should be between 2.8km to 3.5km or more, making it one of the most compact and efficient race track in Asia. The government is looking at a seating capacity of 15,000 or more, with the possibility of adding temporary structures to accomodate more seatings.

With the seafront location, the track is set to be one of the most scenic in the region. The estimated cost is set to be around $84 million, with no government funding, and is expected to be completed by 2011.

The government has also indicated their clear interest in pursuing a motorsports industry in Singapore, with plans to not only involve Singaporeans as spectators, but a chance to develop motorsports talent in the Republic. "A chance for a driving school perhaps... some kind of academy that'll give the driver a chance to get on the pathway. It will allow the masses to enjoy this, not only as a spectator but also to drive," said Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Council.

*Grade 2 FIA-approved motor sports racetrack capable of hosting any motor race for both motorcycles and cars, other than Formula One. Also includes a Grade 1 FIA-CIK-approved karting track.

Singapore Grand Prix 2008: Night Race is On!

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:48:00 +0000

Singapore will be hosting the inaugural night race of Formula 1 after the plans for the floodlit plans submitted were approved by the FIA.

The Singapore Grand Prix, which will be held on the 28th September 2008, will be a street-circuit that will feature prominent icons of Singapore, including the Swissotel, the Esplanade as well as the old Parliament House.

The US Grand Prix in Indianapolis will not be featured in the 2008 calendar, while the German race will be in the Hockenheim. Valencia, another new feature and a street circuit concept as well, will be the second of the two races in Spain (the first being in the Circuit de Catalunya) and will be called the Europe Grand Prix.

Brazilian GP:Kimi Räikkönen Wins Race, Wins Drivers' Championship Title

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:01:00 +0000

It was an epic buildup to the race, and the race itself certainly did not disappoint with the dramas that happened.

Right at the start of the last race of the 2007 season, Felipe Massa, showing he is a worthy teammate to Kimi Räikkönen, moved right in front of Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton, allowing Kimi to move up right beside the Brazilian. Going into turn 1, Massa went ahead while Kimi slotted in neatly behind his teammate's Ferrari. Mclaren's other driver Fernando Alonso did not make things any easier for his teammate Lewis Hamilton by overtaking him and forcing the young British driver to make a mistake and ran wide. Several cars overtook him as he steered back on track.

The two Ferraris pulled away gradually after 3 laps when Fernando Alonso's Mclaren could not keep up with their pace anymore. Lewis Hamilton then shortly suffered gear box problems and coasted around the track on neutral gear for nearly 40seconds. By the time he managed to get his car to working condition again, he was already down in the 18th place and effectively out of the title race.

William's Nakajima, in his debut race, was unable to control his race car to a stop effectively in the pit, knocking over one of the mechanics who had to be transported to the hospital but looked visibly alright other than a hurt left leg.

Felipe Massa built a small lead over his teammate after the first pitstop, however, a mistake by the Brazilian allowed Kimi to close in on him slowly and steadily. With a few marvellous laps while the Brazilian was having his second pitstop, and a brillantly executed pit stop for the Finn saw him overtook his teammate in the pits for the second time of the year.

Even when his Ferrari crossed the line, all Ferrari's supporters and Kimi himself were left holding their breaths as the other cars crossed the line. Lewis Hamilton was in the 7th place and if he remained in that position, then the Drivers' Championship would be Kimi's to take. Despite Williams' Nico Rosberg and the two BMWs of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica engaged in a fierce battle, they did not take out one another to the relief of the Red team and kept Lewis in his seventh spot.

Kimi Räikkönen, grateful for teammate Felipe Massa's help (who could have enjoyed a home victory but understood his position in the team and showed great teamwork when it mattered), got out of his car and thanked his teammate immediately.

The newly crowned World Champion Kimi Räikkönen with former 2 times World Champion Fernando Alonso on the podium. The Iceman, as Kimi is known for his cool and calm demeanor, showed rare smiles on the podium and looked visibly delighted.

Perhaps that was the defining difference between the two teams - Mclaren Mercedes, which looked like they had the two championships in the bag at the start of the season, and Ferrari, which showed great teamwork and unity when it mattered. Mclaren's team principal and rookie Lewis Hamilton will be left wondering about all the what-ifs and what went wrong for them this season when they had such a strong start.

Brazilian GP Results:
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:28:15.270
02 F. Massa Ferrari + 1.493
03 F. Alonso McLaren + 57.019
04 N. Rosberg Williams + 1:02.848
05 R. Kubica BMW + 1:10.957
06 N. Heidfeld BMW + 1:11.317
07 L. Hamilton McLaren + 1 laps
08 J. Trulli Toyota + 1 laps
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1 laps
10 K. Nakajima Williams + 1 laps
11 R. Schumacher Toyota + 1 laps
12 T. Sato Super Aguri + 2 laps
13 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso + 2 laps
14 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 3 laps
Did not finish
15 A. Sutil Spyker F1 + 28 laps
16 R. Barrichello Honda + 31 laps
17 H. Kovalainen Renault + 36 laps
18 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 37 laps
19 J. Button Honda + 51 laps
20 M. Webber Red Bull + 57 laps
21 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 + 69 laps
22 G. Fisichella Renault + 69 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Brazilian GP Qualifying: Felipe Massa in Pole Position

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 04:16:00 +0000

Times
01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:11.931
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:12.082
03 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:12.322
04 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.356
05 M. Webber Red Bull 1:12.928
06 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:13.081
07 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.129
08 J. Trulli Toyota 1:13.195
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.272
10 N. Rosberg Williams 1:13.477
11 R. Barrichello Honda 1:12.932
12 G. Fisichella Renault 1:12.968
13 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:13.058
14 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:13.251
15 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.315
16 J. Button Honda 1:13.469
17 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:14.078
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:14.098
19 K. Nakajima Williams 1:14.417
20 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:14.596
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:15.217
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:15.487

Source: PlanetF1

Home hero Felipe Massa did not disappoint the Brazilian fans. Fastest in Free Practice 3, Massa carried his wonderful form into the final qualifying of the 2007 season by clinching the pole position ahead of Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Räikkönen.

Lewis Hamilton was embroiled in more controversies as he was allegedly blocking Kimi Räikkönen on his flying laps twice as he came out of the pits to do his installation laps. However, the stewards did not conduct any investigations, nor were there any formal complaint filed by the Scuderia Ferrari team.

Mclaren's Fernando Alonso managed a 4th position, and will line up behind his teammate. He admitted that the hopes for any championship title is grim now, and blamed having to start Q3 behind his teammate, "The main problem was starting behind my team-mate as usual," he told Italian television RAI. He would certainly be hoping for some miracle to happen as he believes that the two Mclaren would be on identical pit-strategy, so Lewis Hamilton will have the upperhand on him by starting in the front row.

Mark Webber was a surprise in his Red Bull, taking the 5th grid, but perhaps the recent races have shown Red Bull's improvement, while his teammate David Coulthard qualified on the 9th position. Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica's BMWs were normal in their performance taking the 6th and 7th spot, while the 8th was taken by Jarno Trulli in his Toyota.

Williams' rookie Kazuki Nakajima, replacing Alex Wurz who retired with immediate effect after the Chinese Grand Prix, managed a lowly 19th position, while a surprisingly horrible performance by Renault's Heikki Kovalainen put him in the 17th position on the grid.

Brazilian GP Prac: Home Hero is Fastest

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:05:00 +0000

Times
01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:11.810 22 laps
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:11.934 18 laps
03 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:11.942 21 laps
04 M. Webber Red Bull 1:12.446 14 laps
05 J. Trulli Toyota 1:12.461 23 laps
06 R. Barrichello Honda 1:12.478 24 laps
07 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:12.579 25 laps
08 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.594 12 laps
09 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:12.767 18 laps
10 N. Rosberg Williams 1:12.823 20 laps
11 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:12.893 20 laps
12 G. Fisichella Renault 1:12.913 20 laps
13 J. Button Honda 1:13.015 22 laps
14 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.046 23 laps
15 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:13.090 20 laps
16 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.117 12 laps
17 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:13.299 16 laps
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:13.331 16 laps
19 K. Nakajima Williams 1:13.474 17 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.525 14 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:13.684 21 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:13.872 21 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Homegrown hero Felipe Massa topped the timesheet for the first time this weekend in his homeground. On a contrary condition from yesterday's weather, today's third practice session was held on a dry track in a sunny weather.

Lewis Hamilton, Mclaren's hope for a Drivers' Championship in 8 years (their last Drivers' Championship crown was obtained in 1999), set the second fastest time during the last 3 minutes of the timed session. Ferrari's other driver Kimi Räikkönen was the third fastest, while the other title contender Mclaren's Fernando Alonso was a lowly 8th.

Robert Kubica faced technical problems when his car around Bico de Pato, bringing out the yellow flags.

With just half an hour to go before the final qualifying session of 2007, 3 title contenders, who will get the pole position?

Will Felipe Massa attempt a shot at glory in his home race, or would he help teammate Kimi Räikkönen by playing shotgun? Will Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton lose their cool?

Only time will tell!

Three Drivers to go Unpunished for Tyre Error

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 02:52:00 +0000

Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Takuma Sato will all heave a sigh of relief as they are all not penalised for the tyre error committed during Practice 1, where they each used 2 sets of wet tyres instead of a set of wet and a set of extreme weather tyre as stipulated in the regulations.

Each team, Mclaren (Lewis Hamilton), Honda (Jenson Button) and Super Aguri (Takuma Sato) will instead be fined $15,000 euro and have a set of wet tyres confiscated. It is considered a light penalty in light of what could have been if the stewards decided to impose penalties on the drivers instead, considering that Lewis Hamilton would need all the points he can get to ensure that he gets his first Drivers' Championship, with teammate Fernando Alonso 4 points behind, and Kimi Raikkonen a further 3 points back.

Lewis Hamilton's Title Hope Hangs by a Thread

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 02:39:00 +0000

Lewis Hamilton, current leader in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship, will be investigated after he was found to be using 2 sets of wet tires during Practice 1.

Ron Dennis admitted that it was a "100%" Mclaren's fault, and now Lewis Hamilton, for the third time of the year, will be at the centre of controversies as he faces a steward's hearing.

According to article 25.3 of the F1 Sporting Regulations: "No driver may use more than one set of wet and one set of extreme weather tyres during P1 and P2." Other than Lewis Hamilton, Honda's Jenson Button and Super Aguri's Takuma Sato are all guilty of this offence. All three will be holding their breaths to see what punishment or penalty would be meted out to them as there has been no penalties set for the breach of this offence yet.

Brazilian GP Prac 2: Lewis Fights Back

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 02:34:00 +0000

Times
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:12.767 27 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.889 28 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:13.075 30 laps
04 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:13.112 30 laps
05 G. Fisichella Renault 1:13.579 22 laps
06 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.587 34 laps
07 N. Rosberg Williams 1:13.655 33 laps
08 K. Nakajima Williams 1:13.664 38 laps
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.706 30 laps
10 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:13.785 44 laps
11 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.829 29 laps
12 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:13.879 28 laps
13 R. Barrichello Honda 1:13.892 45 laps
14 J. Button Honda 1:14.095 44 laps
15 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:14.152 33 laps
16 J. Trulli Toyota 1:14.179 25 laps
17 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:14.409 37 laps
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:14.431 27 laps
19 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:14.477 31 laps
20 M. Webber Red Bull 1:14.543 35 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:15.095 35 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:15.715 32 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Practice 2 saw the Mclaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso topping the timesheet, a stark contrast from Practice 1 where they only managed a 5th and no-timing respectively. Kimi Raikkonen, the man who had set the pace on the first practice, managed only a disappointing 4th, behind his teammate Felipe Massa.

The session was without any rain, but the track was wet when they started, and was nearly totally dry towards the end of the session.

Brazilian GP Prac 1: Kimi First on a Wet Session

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:52:00 +0000

Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:19.580 9 laps
02 F. Massa Ferrari 1:20.062 10 laps
03 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:20.829 19 laps
04 N. Rosberg Williams 1:21.064 14 laps
05 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:21.121 10 laps
06 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:21.243 22 laps
07 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:21.598 22 laps
08 M. Webber Red Bull 1:22.104 12 laps
09 J. Trulli Toyota 1:22.104 26 laps
10 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:22.250 17 laps
11 R. Barrichello Honda 1:22.434 23 laps
12 J. Button Honda 1:22.477 22 laps
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:22.667 16 laps
14 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:22.929 19 laps
15 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:23.248 30 laps
16 K. Nakajima Williams 1:23.261 26 laps
17 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:23.551 20 laps
18 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:24.366 25 laps
19 N. Heidfeld BMW no time 1 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW no time 1 laps
21 F. Alonso McLaren no time 1 laps
22 G. Fisichella Renault no time 2 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Kimi Raikkonen came up on top of the timesheet for the first practice of the Brazilian Grand Prix. As predicted, it looks like we could be in for a wet race in Brazil following the wet ones of the Japanese Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix.

Championship title contender Lewis Hamilton looks lacklustre in his first Brazilian GP by setting a time that only puts him on the fifth place, while his Mclaren teammate Fernando Alonso, together with BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, as well as Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella failed to set a timing.

Singapore Set to be the Regional Racing Hub?

noreply@blogger.com (SingaporeF1) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:32:00 +0000

Plans to bring more forms of motorsports to Singapore are roaring ahead with the latest being the possibility of bringing in the Volvo Ocean Race here.

According to a report on The Straits Times, discussions to bring in the Volvo Ocean Race (one of the largest competition for 70-foot racing yachts) are already in the final stretch with a contract signing to be done next month.

Similar to Formula 1, the Volvo Ocean Race would mean huge media coverage for Singapore during the 10-month duration of the event. The event takes place once every 4 years.

Another big event that looks possible to take place in Singapore in the near future is the high-profiled Red Bull Air Race. If Singapore fulfils the bidding criteria, we could be considered as a 2009 circuit. Again, the media coverage would be extensive on the host country, especially with one of the criteria being that "the host city should be easily recognisable to the watching millions world-wide".

With the Formula 1 race in Singapore happening next year September 28, it should not be a problem for the country to meet that criteria, as the race is set within the heart of the city and numerous key buildings will be captured during the course of the race as the cars zip around the street circuit.