Jenson Button - classic F1

Jenson Button has enjoyed arguably the finest season of his Formula 1 career. The McLaren driver may have won the world title in 2009, when he was driving for Brawn GP, but his driving in 2011 has been even better.

So much so that former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, who dropped Button at the end of 2002, has even been forced to admit that he "never realised" the Englishman was "that good".

Button's three victories in 2011 - including his remarkable climb from last to victory in Canada - were among the very best of the year.

Even more impressive than that, though, is Button's achievement of finishing above compatriot and fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton in the standings. Hamilton, a man widely thought of as the fastest driver in the world, has never before been beaten by his team-mate.

Given his remarkable year, it is appropriate that Button is in the hot seat for the final edition of this year's BBC Sport's classic F1 series.

As regular readers will know, we have asked all F1 drivers for their five favourite races of all time, serialising them ahead of each grand prix.

The drivers have been free to choose whether to interpret the question as a request for their selection of the five greatest races of all time, or for their favourite races from their own career - or a selection of both.

Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, for example, chose their own races, while Mark Webber picked several all-time classics. Fernando Alonso went for a mix - as has Button.

Making the selection was not easy for Button - as you will find out if you read on or watch the video embedded below - but what a choice it is. There are two historic races that would be on many people's lists of greatest grands prix ever, plus three from the 31-year-old's own career that could also be on that list.

In Button's own words, here is his countdown from five to one:

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5) Britain 1987

"Nigel Mansell at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1987, when he pulled an epic dummy on Nelson Piquet into Stowe and went on to win the race. It was an amazing race to watch, especially dummying his team-mate like that."

4) Europe 1993

"Ayrton Senna annihilated everyone, overtook five cars on the first lap and was leading when he crossed the line. An amazing race. I was actually there watching it. It was one of the first races I saw live."

3) Germany 2000 (in Button's maiden F1 season with Williams)

"I had a problem at the start, well, the pre-start and had to start last. I fought my through in wet conditions and finished on the tail of David Coulthard. He finished third, I finished fourth and that was almost my first podium in F1. It was an amazing race for me fighting my way through. It was also at the old Hockenheim track with the long straights, so it was pretty scary in wet conditions. (Editor's note - the race was memorable for another reason - Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello won from 18th on the grid, in a race marked by a safety-car period following a track invasion)

2) Brazil 2009

"My second favourite race of all time would be Brazil 2009. This is a tricky one for me because it was either this one, when I clinched the title, or my first ever win in Hungary 2006. But I've chosen Brazil, mainly because it clinched me the world title.

"It was a very aggressive drive through the field from I think it was 14th or 15th on the grid. I don't even know where I finished, but it was one of those races, fighting my through, knowing every single point counted to winning the world championship. I really wanted to get it wrapped up before heading to Abu Dhabi - and that's exactly what I did."

1) Canada 2011

"My favourite race of all time has to be the Canadian Grand Prix this year. It's tricky because every win really matters to you and really means a lot and you remember pretty much every lap. But I've chosen this one because of what I went through, the high and lows throughout the four hours.

"To come away with that victory after being 21st and fighting my way through to first on the last lap of the race, that's a race I will remember forever.

"That's the one, if I have kids, I will first mention to them when they start watching Formula 1. I'll say: 'Daddy used to do that and he used to be all right. And he won the Canadian Grand Prix.' And I'll put it on 'play'."

The highlights programme broadcast on the BBC on the evening of the Canadian race is embedded below. Beneath it are long and short highlights of Vettel's victory in last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, as a warm-up for this weekend's action in Sao Paulo.

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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX
WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

The classic races will also be available on the BBC red button on digital television in the UK.

On Freeview, they will be broadcast only between first and second practice at the Brazilan Grand Prix - from 1355 to 1555 GMT on Friday 25 November.

On satellite and cable, the races will be broadcast from 1500 on Wednesday 23 November to 1400 on Thursday 24; from 1500 on Thursday until 1155 on Friday and again from 1355 to 1555 on Friday.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/11/jenson_button_-_classic_f1.html

Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra

Barrichello back in Williams frame

Formula 1 always goes a little quiet over Christmas, but one team that has been making waves - both publicly and behind the scenes - are Williams.

The team that dominated F1 for much of the 1980s and 1990s are one of only two outfits still with an obvious vacancy in their driver line-up - the other being back-of-the-grid HRT.

And it seems that Rubens Barrichello, the veteran who has driven for the team for the last two seasons, is back in with a chance of staying with them for 2012.

Rubens Barrichello

Rubens Barrichello had been tipped to vacate his Williams seat. Photo: Getty

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado is staying on in one of the cars after an up-and-down rookie season in 2011 - his position in the team is secure thanks to a multi-million sponsorship deal with his country's national oil company.

But the second seat is still up for grabs, and while Williams are not the attractive proposition they were in their glory days, they are the only decent choice for a whole host of drivers wishing to continue their F1 careers.

These include Barrichello, German Adrian Sutil, Brazilian Bruno Senna, Toro Rosso rejects Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi and Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Sutil, who had an impressive second half of the season for Force India, has been the favourite for some time, but the situation appears to have shifted recently.

My sources tell me that Barrichello, who appeared to be out of the running as his 19th season in F1 drew to a close in November, has come back into the frame and now has a reasonable chance of a Williams drive in 2012.

Barrichello has been arguing for some time that, with the huge ructions going on at Williams through 2011 and over the winter, it would make sense to have a known reference in the drivers.

"With all the changes for next year on the engine side and engineers," he said at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, "it would be clever from the team to keep the drivers and keep on going. I'm not pushing them, I'm just trying to show them that is the way to do it."

You can see his point. The team are changing engine suppliers, replacing Cosworth with Renault, and have undergone a wholesale restructure of the design department, with a new technical director, head of aerodynamics and head of engineering.

New tech boss Mike Coughlan is admired as being very clever, but his last role as a technical director was with the now-defunct Arrows team, who collapsed in 2002. As chief designer of McLaren after that, he was involved in the spy-gate scandal that engulfed the team in 2007 and for which he was sacked.

The technical changes at Williams were made even more seismic when it emerged on New Year's Eve that not only was co-founder Patrick Head stepping down as director of engineering, he was also resigning his position on the F1 team's board, thereby cutting all his ties with the sport.

It had long been known that Head, one of the most respected engineers in the history of the sport, would no longer have an active role in the day-to-day F1 operation, but it was a surprise to hear he was not going to be on the board of directors.

Head has insisted that his decision to end his day-to-day F1 role was based on feeling his relevance in F1 was diminishing.

In Brazil, he said: "I certainly didn't have an ambition to stop my involvement in Formula One with a season like this last one we've had behind us.

"But when I have a look at what specifically I can do to assist Mike Coughlan and (chief operations officer) Mark Gillan and (head of aerodynamics) Jason Somerville, I came to the conclusion that it isn't really enough to justify me carrying on doing the same thing."

He will still be involved at Williams through their subsidiary company Williams Hybrid Power and remains close to team boss Sir Frank Williams, who will doubtless be turning to him for advice on a regular basis.

All the same, many will consider it unwise that a team in such flux, and with such a grave need to improve, will not have on their board the guidance and wisdom of a man who not only co-founded the company but who was directly responsible for seven drivers' championships and nine constructors' titles.

Why will he not be there? Williams and Head were both unavailable for comment on Monday. I'm told, though, that his difficult relationship with chief executive officer Adam Parr was a part of Head's decision to step down.

Ironically, Head's departure may ease Barrichello's path to a return.

Head is forthright character and I'm told he had grown tired of the Brazilian's complaints about the team's difficulties.

With the 65-year-old no longer involved, that on the face of it is one less barrier to Barrichello being in the car again.

It seems, though, that all the driver hopefuls will have to wait. Williams are in the process of sponsorship negotiations with the Gulf state of Qatar, and they take primacy over a final decision on drivers.

With more than a month until the start of pre-season testing on 7 February, there is plenty of time to sort out drivers. After all, it's not as if Williams are struggling for choice.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/01/barrichello_back_in_williams_f.html

GT Vodka Chevrolet Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota Parker Kligerman

Marussia Virgin MVR-02 Launch pictures (7th of February)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zM-_w3QnMxc/TWDmQmpWvDI/AAAAAAAAHJc/N8PsrxU3WAs/s1600/jpg_9dcaf017%2B-%2BCopy.jpg

Marussia Virgin Racing unveiled their 2011 challenger at BBC Television Centre in London on 7th February 2011.

The Virgin MVR-02 is designed by Nick Wirth for the 2011 Formula One season. Like its predecessor, the Virgin VR-01, the MVR-02 is designed entirely with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), with Nick Wirth's Wirth Research design studio doubling their CFD capacity ahead of the 2011 season.

As compared to its predecessor, as well as many of the current F1 challengers , the new MVR-02 presents a lower nose design, while also featuring a tighter rear section. As far as the livery for the 2011 F1 season goes, Virgin's partnership with Marussia Motors reflects in a slightly different color scheme, with some white added to the front of the car's nose.The air intake on the front nose has been designed to resemble the one on Marussia's road car, the Marussia B2.

Technical specifications

Chassis carbon-fibre construction monocoque and nosebox
Suspension (front) carbon-fibre wishbones with titanium flexure joints, aluminium alloy uprights, Penske dampers
Suspension (rear) as front
Engine Cosworth CA2011 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90 V8, limited to 18,000 RPM, naturally-aspirated, mid-mounted
Transmission Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear, Aluminium construction, "seamless shift", electronically controlled hydraulic differential
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel BP
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Link

Virgin MVR-02 ? Exhaust Positioning (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"One detail of note on the car was the exhaust system. Already the buzz word at every launch, the exhaust mates the simpler diffuser to help produce downforce. In Virgins case they have extended the exhausts to blow over the diffuser. Nick Wirth did confirm a Renault style front exit was simulated, but the more conventional approach has been adopted on the launch car at least."

Marussia Virgin MVR-02 Launch pictures




Photos Marussia Virgin Racing

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Paul Menard Richmond Menards Ford Mark Green Ryan Newman

India ready to spice up Formula 1

The glamorous globetrotters of Formula 1 will stop in South Asia for the first time this week as India makes its debut on the grand prix calendar.

There is a real sense of anticipation within the sport that the race outside the capital city of Delhi will add some spice to the season now both championships have been settled - as well as introducing a new global powerbroker into F1.

"It's a historic and symbolic moment," enthused Narain Karthikeyan, India's first F1 driver, who returns to a seat at the HRT team this weekend.

"Never did I think there would be Indian race in Formula 1 and never did I think I'd be in it. It's going to be the biggest day of my career."

Despite spreading east and west, it has taken F1 more than 60 years to make its way to the world's second most populous nation.

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The sport's first appearance in India was back in 1982, when the Force India team's co-owner Vijay Mallya, then a young businessman with a fascination for fast cars, drove Nelson Piquet's 1978 Ensign in a series of events around India.

But despite Mallya's early foray, the sport's commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, waited until the mid-nineties before pursuing plans to add India to the calendar. An agreement to stage the race in Greater Noida, a new city outside Delhi, was finally reached four years ago.

Unusually for a new entrant on the F1 calendar, government is not committing any funds to the grand prix. Instead it is a private venture funded by construction specialists the Jaypee Group, which has spent £205m on the new track alone.

Organising the grand prix is the firm's first foray into sport but, despite F1's notoriously high price tag, Jaypee views the project as a strong investment.

The Buddh International Circuit - designed by Ecclestone's favoured architect, Hermann Tilke - has been devised as the centre piece of an ambitious 'Sports City', which will include hockey and tennis stadiums - pitches have already been dug in for a state-of-the-art cricket stadium.

Building cricket stadiums for the sport's devoted Indian audience can be viewed as a pretty safe bet but India's appetite for F1 is more of an unknown quantity.

"You cannot compare F1 with cricket in India because cricket is like a religion," explained president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India Vicky Chandhok, who described himself as Ecclestone's "eyes" in India.

"But F1 is a vibrant sport, it oozes glamour, it oozes sex and we have the perfect audience - the youngest population in the world are in India."

Karthikeyan, who first saw F1 when a friend bought him a 1989 season review video, agrees the sport should not try to compete for the cricket audience.

"F1 is definitely not watched by the same demographic as cricket," he said. "The urban areas are where F1 is most popular, among people who like technology.

"They have other things on their mind in the predominantly rural areas; where there are farmers, I don't the connection with F1 is that big, whereas cricket is accessible to everyone."

Who F1 will appeal to is one thing but the other big question is how many?

The Indian potential audience is huge, with a population of 1.18 billion. However, a large population and a growing economy does not necessarily make for a receptive audience - as has been proved by the lacklustre response to the Chinese Grand Prix, which has been running for eight years but still struggles to attract a crowd.

Before the Indian GP, it is estimated that 27m Indians tune in to watch F1.

ESPN Star Sports is the sport's sole broadcaster in India - although eight national news channels have also been accredited for the race - and F1 is included in part of a satellite subscription package which Karthikeyan says costs less than a pound a month.

Television audiences for the first Indian GP are expected to rise above 30m, with an estimated 200,000 expected to watch from the grandstands over three days.

The novelty of the first race is bound to lure in a new audience but sustaining both interest and growth in F1 when the circus leaves town is a different challenge.

Thousands of fans turned out in Bangalore to meet McLaren star Lewis Hamilton

On the plus side, motorsport has some established some roots, with national karting and rallying championships already in place as well as a three-tiered single-seater series powered by engine manufacturer Suzuki, whose subsidiary Maruti Suzuki is India's biggest car manufacturer.

Chandhok, whose son Karun is the Team Lotus reserve and only the second F1 driver from India, is confident the GP will spark new interest.

"I honestly think there is going to be a huge boom in motorsport," he said. "People like Karun really struggled to make it because of the [lack of] financial backing but the next generation will find it easier."

Karthikeyan is more cautious: "It could go two ways; one like the Korean Grand Prix where it happens, there is some attention and then nothing happens in any form of motorsport for the rest of the year.

"Or it could be like Malaysia where, after F1 arrived, there is a huge interest in the lower formulae and a lot of motorsport is going on there in a big way.

"There are lot of kids who will see the race in India and want to emulate the drivers."

Force India, who regard the grand prix as an "emotional" home race, have launched their own academy to help ensure the Indian GP is not the only outlet for Indian talent.

"There are three sectors," explained deputy team principal Robert Fearnley. "The first is the one-in-a-billion search for an Indian driver, the second is the idea to help bright young Indian aerodynamicists and mechanical engineers through university and the third is a vocational plan to bring in technicians and mechanics."

There is also confidence that F1 and India will go on to forge mutually beneficial commercial partnerships.

Sauber's Indian-born chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn says: "It was always a bit of a mystery why we couldn't attract Indian companies.

"Because the Indian market is so big, most products and brands didn't necessarily see beyond their boundaries, but now they can use F1 as a platform and we offer our partners something additional if India is a big market for them. It's a win-win situation."

There are, then, a lot of expectations weighing on the first Indian GP, whether it is winning the hearts and minds of a nation, acting as a catalyst for grassroots motorsport or building new global business partnerships.

But there is also a warm confidence that F1 and India are only at the beginning of a fulfilling, new relationship - and there should be some fun to be had too.

"I think you'll enjoy it," smiled Karthikeyan. "You'll be in good hands."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/10/the_glamorous_globetrotters_of.html

Elliott Sadler Stanley Ford Mike Bliss PRISM Motorsports Toyota

F1 2011 Teams and Drivers

Full Name Red Bull Racing Seasons 6
Principal Christian Horner Races 107
Nationality Austria Wins 15
Engine Renault Championships 1
Chassis RB7

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Sebastian Vettel (GER) Mark Webber (AUS)
Seasons 4
Races 62
Wins 10
C'ships 1
Seasons 9
Races 159
Wins 6
C'ships 0







Full Name Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Seasons 45
Principal Martin Whitmarsh Races 684
Nationality Great Britain Wins 168
Engine Mercedes Championships 8
Chassis MP4-26

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Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Jenson Button (GBR)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/S7MOCEiPWNI/AAAAAAAAFxI/PrtY8OfwgaU/s1600/Lewis+Hamilton.jpg Seasons 4
Races 71
Wins 14
C'ships 1
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/S7MOCftcBQI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/jE8IiPPCKrI/s1600/Jenson+Button.jpg Seasons 11
Races 191
Wins 9
C'ships 1







Full Name Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Seasons 61
Principal Stefano Domenicali Races 812
Nationality Italy Wins 215
Engine Ferrari Championships 16
Chassis F150

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Fernando Alonso (ESP) Felipe Massa (BRA)
Seasons 9
Races 159
Wins 26
C'ships 2
Seasons 8
Races 135
Wins 11
C'ships 0







Full Name Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team Seasons 3
Principal Ross Brawn Races 30
Nationality Germany Wins 9
Engine Mercedes Championships 0
Chassis MGP W02

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4boWj4s6g7g/TWozjN_ybpI/AAAAAAAAHQk/jlCZI9h_s_c/s1600/Mercedes.jpg
Michael Schumacher (GER) Nico Rosberg (GER)
Seasons 17
Races 269
Wins 91
C'ships 7
Seasons 5
Races 89
Wins 0
C'ships 0







Full Name Lotus Renault GP Team Seasons 18
Principal Eric Boullier Races 281
Nationality France Wins 35
Engine Renault Championships 2
Chassis R31

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tKr-7RpEv0g/TWo0BUGCK9I/AAAAAAAAHQ0/J74MlM4O2PQ/s1600/Renault.jpg
Robert Kubica (POL)
Vitaly Petrov (RUS)

Seasons 5
Races 76
Wins 1
C'ships 0

Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
C'ships 0








Full Name AT&T Williams Seasons 35
Principal Frank Williams Races 554
Nationality Great Britain Wins 113
Engine Cosworth Championships 9
Chassis FW33

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e_yjIHSJRxs/TWoMLqvtPgI/AAAAAAAAHP8/ZzuOgwjWwMk/s1600/williams_fw33_02.jpg
Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
Pastor Maldonado (VEN)

Seasons 18
Races 307
Wins 11
C'ships 0

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Full Name Force India F1 Team Seasons 3
Principal Vijay Mallya Races 53
Nationality India Wins 0
Engine Mercedes Championships 0
Chassis VJM04

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LYxuOQEHWPs/TWozidWpJ5I/AAAAAAAAHQM/_PwIh6T9mB0/s1600/Force%2BIndia.jpg
Adrian Sutil (GER)
Paul di Resta (GBR)
Seasons 4
Races 71
Wins 0
C'ships 0
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TUQ7VS6c1II/AAAAAAAAGts/OJtKdr659bw/s1600/Paul%2Bdi%2BResta.jpg








Full Name Sauber F1 Team Seasons 13
Principal Peter Sauber Races 216
Nationality Switzerland Wins 0
Engine Ferrari Championships 0
Chassis C30

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Kamui Kobayashi (JPN)
Sergio Perez (MEX)

Seasons 2
Races 21
Wins 0
C'ships 0

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Full Name Scuderia Toro Rosso Seasons 5
Principal Franz Tost Races 88
Nationality Italy Wins 1
Engine Ferrari Championships 0
Chassis STR6

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ndZiAo3F0yQ/TWo0Bn6i-jI/AAAAAAAAHRE/75eoBAS6VJc/s1600/Toro%2BRosso.jpg
Jaime Alguersuari (ESP)
Sbastien Buemi (SUI)

Seasons 2
Races 27
Wins 0
C'ships 0

Seasons 2
Races 36
Wins 0
C'ships 0








Full Name Lotus Racing Seasons 38
Principal Tony Fernandes Races 509
Nationality Malaysia Wins 79
Engine Renault Championships 7
Chassis TL11

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cpZOPdRxhOc/TWozij6FIbI/AAAAAAAAHQU/Q2IkWxM9_Qk/s1600/Lotus.jpg
Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)
Jarno Trulli (ITA)

Seasons 4
Races 71
Wins 1
C'ships 0

Seasons 14
Races 238
Wins 1
C'ships 0








Full Name HRT F1 Team Seasons 1
Principal Colin Kolles Races 18
Nationality Spain Wins 0
Engine Cosworth Championships 0
Chassis F111

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Rb0fqECF7o/TWDz70ANiZI/AAAAAAAAHJs/0DxuEe417lA/s1600/hrt_f111.jpg
Narain Karthikeyan (IND)
TBA
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f2dCclIT9q8/TT_9pJgSHPI/AAAAAAAAGnc/GreJAwK7z2g/s1600/Narain%2BKarthikeyan.jpg

Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
C'ships 0

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Full Name Marussia Virgin Racing Seasons 1
Principal John Booth Races 18
Nationality Great Britain Wins 0
Engine Cosworth Championships 0
Chassis MVR-02

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxiJA7vU6Vk/TWo0B5wXokI/AAAAAAAAHRM/OEde5I_Dn3c/s1600/Virgin.jpg
Timo Glock (GER)
Jerome d'Ambrosio (BEL)

Seasons 4
Races 56
Wins 0
C'ships 0

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/JaQO-YdA3P8/f1-2011-teams-and-drivers.html

Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie

Better racing - but is it fake?

In Monaco before Christmas, Formula 1's governing body held a meeting to discuss one of the key and most controversial aspects of 2011 - the Drag Reduction System or DRS.

Introduced amid much controversy and no small amount of trepidation in some quarters, questions about the validity of the overtaking aid, not to mention the wisdom of employing it, decreased during the season. So much so that, at the Monaco meeting, it was decided that only small refinements needed to be made to its use for the 2012 campaign.

But while the FIA and the teams all agree that DRS has played a valuable role in improving F1 as a spectacle, they are determined to ensure it performs in the way intended. In particular, no-one wants to cheapen one of the central aspects of a driver's skill by making overtaking too easy.

vetteldrs595.jpg

Sebastian Vettel enters the DRS zone at the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Getty

To recap briefly, DRS was introduced in an attempt to solve the perennial problem of there being too little overtaking. After years - decades even - of discussions, F1's technical brains hit on what they thought could be a solution: DRS.

DRS does what it says on the tin. When deployed, the top part of the rear wing moves upwards, reducing drag and giving a boost in straight-line speed. In races, drivers could use it only if they were within a second of the car in front at a "detection point" shortly before the "DRS zone". The DRS zone was where DRS could be deployed, which was usually the track's longest straight.

The idea was to make overtaking possible but not too easy.

There is no doubt that racing improved immeasurably as a spectacle in 2011 compared with previous seasons. But how big a role did DRS play? And did overtaking become too easy at some tracks and remain too hard at others?

It is a more complex issue than it at first appears because it is not always easy to tell from the outside whether an overtaking move was a result of DRS or not.

In Turkey and Belgium, for example, several drivers sailed past rivals in the DRS zone long before the end of it, leading many to think the device had made overtaking too easy.

But, armed with statistics, FIA race director Charlie Whiting says appearances were deceptive. What was making overtaking easy at those two races, he said, was the speed advantage of the car behind as the two cars battling for position came off the corner before the DRS zone.

Whiting showed me a spreadsheet detailing the speeds of the respective cars in all the overtaking manoeuvres that happened in the Belgian GP.

"This shows very clearly that when the speed delta [difference] between the two cars at the beginning of the zone is low, then overtaking is not easy," he said. "But if one car goes through Eau Rouge that bit quicker, sometimes you had a speed delta of 18km/h (11mph). Well, that's going to be an overtake whether you've got DRS or not."

According to Whiting, the statistics show that if the two cars come off the corner into the DRS zone at similar speeds, then the driver behind needs to be far closer than the one-second margin that activates the DRS if he is to overtake.

"One second is the activation but that won't do it for you," Whiting said. "You've got to be 0.4secs behind to get alongside into the braking zone."

Confusing the picture in 2011 - particularly early in the season - was the fast-wearing nature of the new Pirelli tyres, which led to huge grip differences between cars at various points of the races. A driver on fresher tyres would come off a corner much faster and brake that much later for the next one. That would have a far greater impact on the ease of an overtaking move than DRS ever would.

Critics of DRS might argue that while it may be useful at tracks where overtaking has traditionally been difficult, like Melbourne, Valencia and Barcelona, for example, it is debatable whether there is a need for it at circuits where historically there has been good racing, like Turkey, Belgium and Brazil.

According to Whiting, DRS does not diminish the value of an overtaking move at tracks where it is usually easy to pass. It just means that DRS opens up the possibility for more. In other words, it works just as it does at any other track.

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe is an influential member of the Technical Working Group of leading engineers which came up with DRS. He said people had been arguing for years that engineers should alter the fundamental design of cars to facilitate overtaking.

However, tinkering with aerodynamic design was never going to be a solution, according to Lowe, because F1 cars will always need downforce to produce such high performance, and that means overtaking will always, by the cars' nature, be difficult.

"What's great [about DRS is] at least we can move on from this debate of trying to change the aerodynamic characteristics of cars to try to improve overtaking," added Lowe.

"We've found something much more authoritative, much cheaper, easier and more effective, and adjustable from race to race."

Whiting thinks DRS worked as expected everywhere except Melbourne and Valencia.

valencia595p.jpg

Valencia's DRS zone could be extended for 2012. Photo: Getty 

So for next season's opening race in Australia, he is considering adding a second DRS zone after the first chicane, so drivers who have used DRS to draw close to rivals along the pit straight can have another crack at overtaking straight afterwards. As for Valencia, traditionally the least entertaining race of the year, the FIA will simply make the zone, which is located on the run to Turn 12, longer.

There is potentially one big negative about DRS, though.

There is a risk that its introduction could mean the end of races in which a driver uses his skills to hold off a rival in a faster car. Some of the greatest defensive victories of the modern age have been achieved in this way. One thinks of Gilles Villeneuve holding off a train of four cars in his powerful but poor-handling Ferrari to win in Jarama in 1981, or Fernando Alonso fending off Michael Schumacher's faster Ferrari at Imola in 2005.

The idea behind the introduction of DRS was for a much faster car to be able to overtake relatively easily but for passing still to be difficult between two cars of comparative performance. In theory, if that philosophy is adhered to rigidly, the sorts of races mentioned above will still be possible.

However, once an aid has been introduced that gives the driver behind a straight-line speed advantage that is an incredibly difficult line to walk, as Whiting himself admits. "You've got to take the rough with the smooth to a certain extent," he said.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/12/drs.html

Scott Speed Red Bull Toyota Kyle Busch M and M s Toyota

Official: Liuzzi announced as HRT's second driver

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The 2011 Formula 1 field is finally complete, after Hispania Racing F1 Team confirmed yesterday (March 9), the signing of former Force India driver Vitantonio Liuzzi for a full campaign in 2011.

After being ousted by Force India, he will be Narain Karthikeyan?s teammate, and will drive the new Hispania car later this week in Barcelona.

HRT also said on Wednesday that it will launch and debut the Cosworth-powered F111 on Friday.

I am really happy to have signed this agreement with Hispania Racing,? said Liuzzi in a statement for the press.

I never lost hope to be in Formula 1 as I knew I have the experience and the right attributes for a young and ambitious team. I face a new challenge now and this excites me. I also face a lot of hard work in guiding Hispania Racing through the development of our new car.

I am extremely grateful to Jose Ramon Carabante and to Colin Kolles for giving me such an opportunity.

- Vitantonio Liuzzi


I have known Tonio for many years as he raced with me in lower categories. He is a very professional driver who will bring a lot of benefits to the team. I am convinced about his skills to develop a car and his speed. He has shown this in the past having contributed to a large extent developing and moving a back of the grid car to the front.

- Team boss Colin Kolles

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/_8LvVr2vkVQ/official-liuzzi-announced-as-hrts.html

François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill Graham Hill

Red Bull RB7 launch pictures (1st of February)

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Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel presented their 2011 car, the RB7 to the media at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain on 1 February 2011.

Chief technical officer Adrian Newey explained some of the changes from the championship winning RB6 and the new RB7:

?Preparing for the new season has been an interesting challenge for all of us,? he says. ?There have been a number of changes to the regulations and while they are not as comprehensive as the changes for 2009, the major differences ? such a the re-introduction of the KERS system and the arrival of a moveable rear wing to aid overtaking ? have meant that RB7 is quite different to last year?s car.

?However, what we have done is taken the philosophy of continuing evolution. We have evolved RB6, which itself was an evolution of 2009?s RB5, and this is, if you like, the third generation of a successful lineage.?


Technical specifications
Chassis carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque, designed and built in-house, carrying engine as fully stressed member
Suspension (front) Aluminium alloy uprights, carbon-composite double wishbones with springs and anti-roll bar, push rod-actuated multimatic dampers
Suspension (rear) as front, except pull rod-actuated rear dampers
Engine Renault RS27-2011 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90 V8, limited to 18,000 RPM naturally aspirated mid-mounted
Transmission Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear Hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel Total
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Link
Red Bull RB7 ? Open Fronted Exhaust Blown Diffuser (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"Despite rule changes Newey has found the loophole that allows exhausts to blow inside the diffuser for more downforce. Although the rules were revised for 2011 to try to prevent double diffuser and openings to allow the exhaust to blow inside the diffuser. The rules did permit openings in the outer 5cm of the diffuser, an area where teams have recently split the floor and created raised lip, coincidentally a practice first exploited by Newey on the RB5."

Red Bull RB7 launch pictures







Photos Red Bull Racing/Getty Images

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/to5ODaYY2v4/red-bull-rb7-launch-pictures-31st-of.html

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Camping at NASCAR Races

If you are a fan of the races, you have probably at least entertained the thought of camping out at the race with other anticipating race fans. There is something about the vibe when camping at a NASCAR race that can't be beat, especially for those die hard fans out there that are truly thrilled b y it all. Getting NASCAR tickets is one thing, but actually having the opportunity to be on the infield as the race is going on is a unique experience in itself, one that no real race fan should have to live without having experienced.

There are different types of camping that can be done at a NASCAR race. Most people have RVs that they like to camp with because they can hook them up and be able to use the water, the facilities, and have electricity in the camper. There are also camping sites for NASCAR races that do not offer hook ups at all, although many of these facilities will make other arrangements for you to dispose of your waste and get clean water. Of course, there is always the option of camping in a tent and that is often the favorite option amongst those who would rather do things simply. Whichever method of camping you choose should not be hard to accommodate.

Why Bother Camping at NASCAR Races?

Many people who travel to NASCAR don't see the point in camping, and the truth is that it is not for everyone. There are many people who make a tradition out of traveling to races like the Coca Cola 600 and the Daytona 500 and camping with a huge group of friends and associates. Then there are people who fly to town and stay in luxury suites; obviously the latter group might not appreciate the experience. There is a camaraderie to be had at camp sites that goes well with the vibrant NASCAR atmosphere.

Camping at NASCAR Is One Big Party

People choose to camp at NASCAR rather than get a room or stay at a bed and breakfast because of the type of experience it offers. It is a great way for a lot of people who are interested in one thing to get together and celebrate it. There is often drinking, cookouts, parties, games, activities—you name it, it is done at a NASCAR campout. It is a good place to bring little ones who you want to enjoy the races with you and teach them how to have some good, wholesome fun.

Where to Camp at NASCAR

Depending on what race you are attending and what track you will be at, there are several different places to camp. Some tracks allow camping on the infield only, while some tracks allow camping inside the track and outside it as well. Other places have campsites very close to the track that are designated for camping NASCAR fans as well, so the venue can change accommodations from place to place and race to race. Check with your race in advance so that you can reserve a spot, and let your friends and loved ones know in advance, especially if there is a distance to be traveled to the race itself.

Something to keep in mind about camping out at NASCAR races is that the more popular the race is and the bigger of a deal the event is, the harder it is going to be to get a space. Sometimes, they require that you reserve a camping space a year in advance or more and that is a bit too long for some people. A lot of things can change in a year, but usually the cost of reserving the space is not too much to ask to have the space reserved when demand for it is going to be so high once the event rolls around.

Camping at NASCAR takes organization. It takes planning, and most of all it takes the will to have a good time. There should only be one rule at a NASCAR camping event and it should be that non race fans and party poopers are not allowed!

Steve Godlewski travels all over the country with his wife Jen, 2 Kids, 2 Dogs, and the cat. Feel free to join us and ride shotgun. Ride with us: http://www.roadwarriorslive.com

Article Source: Camping at NASCAR Races

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/187412/camping-at-nascar-races

Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson

Renault R31 launch pictures (31st of January)

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Lotus Renault GP unveiled their much-discussed 2011 challenger, the R31, in the pit lane of Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit on 31st Jan'11.

Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov revealed the R31, with reserves Romain Grosjean, Bruno Senna, Jan Charouz and Fairuz Fauzy.

Technical specifications

Chassis Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque, with engine incorporated as a fully-stressed member
Suspension (front) Carbon fibre double wishbone, operating inboard torsion bar and damper units via a pushrod system
Suspension (rear) As front except via a pullrod system
Engine Renault RS27-2011 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90 V8, limited to 18,000 RPM with KERS naturally aspirated mid-mounted
Transmission Seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox with reverse gear "Quickshift" system
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel Total
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Links

Renault R31 ? Launch Details and Analysis (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"What was formerly the Renault F1 Team and now Lotus Renault GP (I?ll use the term LRGP for this article) have unveiled their new car the R31. It seems some critical details are not fitted to the car for its unveiling, indeed the car was shown only briefly to the press before it was covered back up and returned to the garage. Despite the mystery surrounding the cars exhaust exit location, its clear this is a very new design for the team. In creating this the team were given a mandate to take risks, which probably explains the very different front and rear end treatments."

Renault R31 Front Exit Exhausts (FEE) ? Explained (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"Renault have found a new solution to the blown diffuser concept. In fact they?ve turned it on its head. With an exhaust that exits at the front of the sidepods.

Last years teams reintroduced the blown diffuser concept, either by blowing exhaust gasses over the top of the diffuser, or by creating an opening into the diffuser to blow inside the diffuser. Both solutions created more downforce. With the latter solution now banned, it seemed the less effective over-blown solutions are all that?s left to race."

Renault R31 launch pictures






Photos Renault/LAT

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/7EFQv-5Iy78/renault-r31-launch-pictures-31st-of.html

Paul Menard Brad Keselowski Dale Earnhardt Jr Kasey Kahne