IS THIS THE WORLD CHAMPION WINNING CAR?

yallaf1FORMULA 1 MAGAZINE & NEWS DIGEST

01.02.2012 ISSUE.04

IN THIS ISSUE FIRST FRAME

MCLAREN MP4-27 BREAKS COVER

LEWIS SPEAKS

JENSON SPEAKS

WHITMARSH SPEAKS

CATERHAM CT01 UNVEILED

FERNANDES WANTS A POINT AT LEAST

GASCOYNE HAS HIS SAY

PIRELLI LAUNCH 2012 F1 RUBBER

SUTIL SORRY, ANGRY

BIANCHI PROMOTED

FERRARI DRIVERS BOOTCAMP

BARRICHELLO 19 YEARS 19 CARS

AND MUCH MORE...

1 February 2012

Caterham kick started the 2012 with their late February launch of the CT01. It caused a quite a stir, being first to go public with their car. The consensus was that the car was ugly with it’s ‘platypus’ nose and all that... but really we were all waiting for the first real big revelation!The McLaren launch was really the highlight of the past seven days. This is the car with which two of the sport’s best drivers will be trying to crack the might of Red Bull and their superb world champion Sebastian Vettel.Contrary to predictions that ‘most cars will be ugly’, the MP4-27 is strikingly pretty - beautiful is how Jenson put it. Good looking cars are a McLaren tradition, hopefully it can deliver the goods on track too, which is also a McLaren tradition.In this edition we pay tribute to Rubens Barrichello who looks like having had his last Formula 1 race, barring force majeure or a call up to substitute should this be required by a team in the future. Nevertheless we have a spread of 19 Big Pictures depicting him in 19 different F1 cars during his record breaking career.And of course all the other news, interviews, gossip , photos and general F1 musings on 126 pages!

Content & Credits

• All content sourced from YallaF1.com• Content providers: PVM, GMM, Reuters, FIA, Red

Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus, Mercedes, Force india, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Williams, Marussia, Caterham, HRT, Pirelli, Cosworth, Renault and other F1 related organisations.

• Main Photography by Sutton Images• Additional photography services provided by F1

teams including Getty Images, LAT, Hoch Zwei, Ercole Colombo

• eMagazine production by Motorsport27• Contact: info@yallaf1.com

FIRST WORD

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FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 LAUNCH

BIG SMILES AS BEAUTIFUL MCLAREN MP4-27 REVEALED

A light-hearted Lewis Hamilton laughed at the past and looked forward to a happier season ahead after helping

Jenson Button take the wraps off McLaren’s sleek new Formula One car. Highlighting the re-profiled wing mirrors on the silver and red MP4-27, 2008

world champion Hamilton joked that the rear-view improvements would also be appreciated by Ferrari rival Felipe Massa. The two drivers clashed repeatedly last year in a controversial and crash-happy season that Hamilton was only too happy to leave behind.

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BIG SMILES AS BEAUTIFUL MCLAREN MP4-27 REVEALED

“We’ve changed the wing mirrors, so hopefully we’ll be able to see a little bit better,” said Hamilton, admiring the smooth, flowing lines of the Mercedes-powered machine. “Felipe will be happy with that.” The new car had none of the ‘ugly’ bumps on the nose predicted to become a

feature of this year’s crop after Caterham last week revealed a ‘platypus’ front wing that received an immediate thumbs down from the aesthetes. “This is a beautiful car. Many of those that you see will not be,” said Button. Hamilton agreed that the car looked

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the business and should be able to do it as well. “I think it looks fantastic. I think it’s probably the most refined looking car we’ve had for some time now,” said the 27-year-old. “When the car looks good, it generally is good.” Hamilton and 2009 world champion Button, overall runner-up in 2011, won three races each last year but Red Bull won both championships for the second year in a row. McLaren, without a constructors’ title since 1998, finished distant runners-up after launching their car with great optimism and then struggling to get an elaborate exhaust system to function properly in testing. They made sweeping changes but still had to play catch-up in the early races while Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel chalked up a string of wins and took his second title. Button said he had no idea where McLaren stood this year but hoped he would have a good impression when the car hits the track in Jerez, southern Spain, next week. “We’re all positive now and hopefully that will continue in testing,” he said. “We’ve got to come out of the box and be strong. We are excited but I’m sure every team is a little bit apprehensive when it comes to testing.” While Hamilton took comfort from the car being an evolution of the one that ended 2011 so strongly, the car is substantially revised from last year’s with all major systems updated or re-designed. The rear bodywork is more tightly-waisted, to improve air flow, and the sidepods re-designed as a result of new exhaust regulations. “It looks beautiful at the moment but cars really do look beautiful if they win races,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who recognised last year’s testing had been “abysmal”. “If it looks good at the outset, then that helps us,” added the Briton. “We don’t think we are going to have a repeat of last winter.” This season, which starts in Australia on 18 March, will have a new race in Austin, Texas, and an unprecedented six champions on the starting grid now that Kimi Raikkonen has returned. “It’s great to have so many great champions out there, that’s definitely enough world champions, hopefully there won’t be any more out there,” smiled Hamilton.

FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 LAUNCH

It looks beautiful at the moment but cars really do look beautiful if they win

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It looks beautiful at the moment but cars really do look beautiful if they win

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FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 LAUNCH

MCLAREN MP4-27 2012 TITLE CONTENDER

One of the most anticipated cars of the 2012 Formula 1 season, the McLaren MP4-27, was revealed on 1 February

at the team’s Woking factory with Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton present for the unveiling. These are the first pictures of the car which McLaren are hoping will be able to challenge for the 2012 world championships – drivers and constructors.

McLaren launch statement: The continuation of our double world-champion driver line-up, further

consolidation of our championship-winning engineering team and a subtle, yet deep-reaching technical update of our car all underpin the world-class strength, experience and ambition that exists at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes ahead of the 2012 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This morning’s technical presentation of the MP4-27 at the McLaren Technology Centre showcased a natural evolution of last year’s six-race-winning car and underlined the message that the new season is very much one of growth through strength and

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MCLAREN MP4-27 2012 TITLE CONTENDER

continuity. After finishing second in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2011, our aim for the new season is to fight for both world titles from the very start of this year’s campaign. Evolutionary design of MP4-27 masks overhaul of all major systems: While the all-new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-27 closely resembles last year’s multiple race-winning car, the 2012 chassis has been substantially revised from the ground-up, with all major systems updated or re-designed for the new season. The most

evident visual differences include more tightly waisted rear bodywork, developed to improve flow to the rear of the car, and a revised cooling system, which re-directs the gearbox oil-cooler. Last year’s U-shaped sidepods have also been re-designed – a legacy of the FIA’s new exhaust regulations that redefine the shape of the rear bodywork. Best driver line-up in Formula 1 retained for third successive season: Maintaining the belief in the validity of strengthened continuity, Vodafone McLaren

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Mercedes is the only team in Formula 1 whose driver line-up consists of two world champions: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. Between them, they have scored 22 grand prix victories for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and are the strongest and most consistent driver line-up in the sport. Maintaining the partnership into a third successive season was merely a formality. Strength drawn from consolidation of engineering and race teams: On the technical front, our exemplary engineering trio Tim Goss (director of engineering), Paddy Lowe (technical director) and Neil Oatley (director of design and development programmes) once more remain at the forefront of the drawing office. For 2012, they will be joined by sporting director Sam Michael, whose arrival coincides with the re-organisation of our trackside personnel roster to ensure both growth and development within the group. Off-track the most complete team in Formula 1: Away from the track, the team continues to develop, too: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes last year

FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 LAUNCH

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Mercedes is the only team in Formula 1 whose driver line-up consists of two world champions: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. Between them, they have scored 22 grand prix victories for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and are the strongest and most consistent driver line-up in the sport. Maintaining the partnership into a third successive season was merely a formality. Strength drawn from consolidation of engineering and race teams: On the technical front, our exemplary engineering trio Tim Goss (director of engineering), Paddy Lowe (technical director) and Neil Oatley (director of design and development programmes) once more remain at the forefront of the drawing office. For 2012, they will be joined by sporting director Sam Michael, whose arrival coincides with the re-organisation of our trackside personnel roster to ensure both growth and development within the group. Off-track the most complete team in Formula 1: Away from the track, the team continues to develop, too: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes last year

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FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 LAUNCH

became the world’s first carbon-neutral Formula 1 team, efficiently managing its carbon footprint and purchasing carbon credits to completely offset its emissions.As well as continuing relationships of record-breaking length with partners such as Hugo Boss (31 years), TAG Heuer (27 years), Kenwood (22 years), ExxonMobil (18 years), Mercedes-Benz (18 years), Hilton (eight years) and Vodafone (six years), our new strategic partnership with

GlaxoSmithKline continues to gather pace. Development and planning continue on the McLaren GSK Centre for Applied Performance, while GSK’s Lucozade scientists are busy developing a groundbreaking cockpit drinks formula to hydrate our drivers during grands prix in 2012. Finally, in a year when the world’s spotlight will shine on London and the 2012 Olympics, we’re proud that equipment and technology pioneered at the racetrack by

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GlaxoSmithKline continues to gather pace. Development and planning continue on the McLaren GSK Centre for Applied Performance, while GSK’s Lucozade scientists are busy developing a groundbreaking cockpit drinks formula to hydrate our drivers during grands prix in 2012. Finally, in a year when the world’s spotlight will shine on London and the 2012 Olympics, we’re proud that equipment and technology pioneered at the racetrack by

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and developed by McLaren Applied Technologies will be used by Team GB’s athletes in their quest for Gold this summer. Following a one-day private shakedown with Oliver Turvey at the wheel, Jenson Button will begin track testing of the MP4-27 at Spain’s Circuito de Jerez on Tuesday 7 February, after which Lewis Hamilton will take over the cockpit.

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FOR THE RECORD MCLAREN MP4-27 SPECIFICATIONS

ChassisMonocoque McLaren-moulded carbonfibre composite incorporating front and side impact structuresFront suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishboneRear suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pullrod and bell crank with a double wishboneElectronics McLaren Electronic SystemsBodywork Carbon-fibre compositeDriver-operated drag reduction systemTyres Pirelli P ZeroRadio KenwoodRace wheels EnkeiBrake callipers AkebonoMaster cylinders AkebonoBatteries GS Yuasa CorporationSteering McLaren power-assistedInstruments McLaren Electronic SystemsPaint solutions AkzoNobel Car Refinishes using Sikkens products

EngineType Mercedes-Benz FO 108ZCapacity 2.4 litres with 8 cylindersMaximum rpm 18,000Bank angle 90°Piston bore maximum 98mmNumber of valves 32Fuel ExxonMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)Spark plugs NGK racing spark plugs specially designed for Formula 1Lubricants Mobil 1Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)

KERS HybridType Mercedes-Benze-Motor Engine-mounted electrical motor/generatorESS Integrated energy storage cells and power electronicsPower 60 kW

TransmissionGearbox McLaren-moulded carbon-fibre compositeGears Seven forward and one reverseGear selection McLaren seamless shift, hand-operatedClutch Carbon/carbon, hand-operated

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ChassisMonocoque McLaren-moulded carbonfibre composite incorporating front and side impact structuresFront suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishboneRear suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pullrod and bell crank with a double wishboneElectronics McLaren Electronic SystemsBodywork Carbon-fibre compositeDriver-operated drag reduction systemTyres Pirelli P ZeroRadio KenwoodRace wheels EnkeiBrake callipers AkebonoMaster cylinders AkebonoBatteries GS Yuasa CorporationSteering McLaren power-assistedInstruments McLaren Electronic SystemsPaint solutions AkzoNobel Car Refinishes using Sikkens products

EngineType Mercedes-Benz FO 108ZCapacity 2.4 litres with 8 cylindersMaximum rpm 18,000Bank angle 90°Piston bore maximum 98mmNumber of valves 32Fuel ExxonMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)Spark plugs NGK racing spark plugs specially designed for Formula 1Lubricants Mobil 1Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)

KERS HybridType Mercedes-Benze-Motor Engine-mounted electrical motor/generatorESS Integrated energy storage cells and power electronicsPower 60 kW

TransmissionGearbox McLaren-moulded carbon-fibre compositeGears Seven forward and one reverseGear selection McLaren seamless shift, hand-operatedClutch Carbon/carbon, hand-operated

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Lewis Hamilton, 27, made his Formula 1 debut with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in 2007, immediately making headlines for his supremely assured blend of speed, wisdom and sheer

audacity on the racetrack. A world champion at the age of 23 and, uniquely, a race winner in all of his five Formula 1 seasons, Lewis remains one of the fastest, most gifted and compelling drivers in F1 history. At the end of 2011, he threw himself into a series of intense preparations ahead of the new season, training at high altitude in Colorado and at home in Switzerland. Lewis said: “The winter has been a great opportunity to recharge – I got away into the mountains, spent a lot of time hiking and running, improving my fitness and starting to prepare for the new year. “It’s always great to get away from everything; change the scenery. And what’s great about Formula 1 is that you start each season with the baseline completely reset – everybody starts again from zero – and that always makes me so hungry. “I’ve been keenly following the development of MP4-27 over the winter and I’ve been really encouraged by the results and the data that the engineers have been showing me. I think we already had a very strong base to build upon: Jenson and I won six races with MP4-26 last year and I think we’ve been able to retain all the strengths and the reliability of that design while also incorporating lots of improvements and new ideas into the new car. “Of course, the biggest changes for 2012 are the modifications to the exhaust regulations – that will reduce the downforce and grip that we had last year, but it just puts the emphasis on the designers to try and claw some of that back in other areas. “I get the feeling the MP4-27 is going to feel very new and exciting when we get to drive it for the first time.”

INTERVIEW LEWIS HAMILTON

LEWIS HAMILTON: WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO RETAIN ALL OUR STRENGTHS

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LEWIS HAMILTON: WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO RETAIN ALL OUR STRENGTHS

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INTERVIEW JENSON BUTTON

Jenson Button joined Vodafone McLaren Mercedes as the newly crowned world champion at the end of the 2009 season and re-signed a new multi-year deal with the

team last autumn. His runner-up position in the 2011 world drivers’ championship, including victories in Hungary and Japan and a career-best last-to-first final-lap win in Canada, along with nine further podium finishes, underlined his credentials as one of the most respected and complete drivers in Formula 1 history. The 2012 season will mark his 13th season in Formula 1. Jenson said: “With the regulations remaining relatively stable, we’ve really been able to focus on the detail with this year’s car. I still think we had a very fast package last year – it was very strong in certain areas – and our race pace was almost always fantastic, but we’re hoping for a further step forwards in 2012. With Mercedes-Benz, I think we also had the best overall engine and KERS Hybrid package in the pitlane. “We were also able to continuously develop throughout the year to match Red Bull – and that shows that we have the knowledge, effort and resources to sustain our efforts across the course of a whole season, which can be crucial. “I know that the whole team is extremely proud of the MP4-27. It may look like a direct evolution of last year’s car, but we’ve analysed every area of performance over the winter and the whole car has benefited from lots of fresh thinking and new ideas in every area. I’m really looking forward to getting behind the wheel in Spain next week. “I know that everyone will be watching us very closely to see what progress we make during the pre-season tests, but I genuinely believe we have every reason to feel optimistic about the progress we’ve made and our competitiveness this year.”

JENSON BUTTON: WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO FEEL OPTIMISTIC

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JENSON BUTTON: WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO FEEL OPTIMISTIC

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INTERVIEW MARTIN WHITMARSH

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal Martin Whtmarsh spoke on the occasion os the

launch of the team’s 2012 Formula 1 world championship challenger, the McLraen MP4-27, at their headquarters in Woking. Whitmarsh said: “The 2012 season will be an important one for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: having finished second in the constructors’ championship for the past two seasons, we’re determined to mount a sustained, hard challenge for both world titles. “Our engineering team continues to develop and grow: while the key names who head the department are well known – Tim Goss, Paddy Lowe and Neil Oatley – it’s the strength in depth within the department that continually impresses. I’m extremely proud of our efforts to invest in and recruit young graduate engineers and to develop and school them in the ways of Formula 1. “We have a fantastically committed team of individuals, and MP4-27 is the fruit of their labours – it’s a beautiful car, and one we feel is the perfect platform from which to launch our assault on the world championship.

MARTIN WHITMARSH: THE CAR IS PLEASINGLY COMPLETE

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MARTIN WHITMARSH: THE CAR IS PLEASINGLY COMPLETE

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While there are clear visual changes to this year’s car, there’s greater change beneath the skin, with lots of fresh thinking applied to every major system. The car is pleasingly complete. “I don’t think we want for anything from our drivers, either: in Jenson and Lewis,

I believe we have the very best line-up in Formula 1 – the perfect blend of experience, speed and aggression. They complement each other perfectly. “For 2012, we are well aware that Red Bull remains a very powerful and capable operation, and that both Ferrari and Mercedes

INTERVIEW MARTIN WHITMARSH

Whitmarsh: We have the best driver line-up in Formula 1

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AMG are ramping up their operational capacity. “We have no room to be complacent – what you see today only scratches the surface of what we’re planning to deliver to the track both from an engineering and operational point of view throughout 2012.

“I’m pleased and confident that we’ve left no stone unturned in our quest for performance. Now, our focus invariably turns to the track as we evaluate MP4-27 ahead of the start of the 2012 season in Melbourne on March 18. These will be a fascinating three weeks.”

Whitmarsh: We have the best driver line-up in Formula 1

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Lewis Hamilton will remember 2011 as a season where he copped a great deal of flak for both his on track and off track

exploits, by his own admission he was in a ‘wrong place’ at times, but despite this his greatest advocate continues to be McLaren

team boss Martin Whitmarsh. Speaking to The Telegraph, Whitmarsh was full of praise for the team’s 2008 Formula 1 world champion, “Lewis won three grands prix in 2011, one of only three drivers to have won more than a single race.

WHITMARSH: LEWIS IS A TRULY BRILLIANT RACING DRIVER

REPORT MCLAREN BOSS ON HAMILTON

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The other two were Sebastian [Vettel] and Jenson [Button].” “Again, just as most teams have never and will never win six grands prix in a single season, as McLaren did last year, it’s equally true to say most drivers have never and

will never win three grands prix in a single season, as Lewis did last year.” “Indeed, some of the most compelling highlights of last season’s on-track action, from the point of view of a racer’s sheer talent shining through, were provided by

WHITMARSH: LEWIS IS A TRULY BRILLIANT RACING DRIVER

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Lewis. In China, Germany and Abu Dhabi, and in many other places besides, he was awesomely impressive, ” With reference to a question about last year being a tough one for Hamilton. the Mclaren boss admitted, “Nonetheless, you described 2011 as ‘a tough season’ for Lewis and undoubtedly there’s some truth in that. But, such is the level of his ambition that he’s his own sternest critic.” “Sometimes, therefore, when things don’t go quite right for him, he lets it get to him. We saw that last year sometimes. But it’s a measure of his competitiveness, a side effect of his monumental will to win. “As such, we wouldn’t want Lewis any other way. He’s a truly brilliant racing driver – one of the fastest we’ve ever seen. And that’s why, throughout last year, we were always keen to reassure him we were backing him 100%.” Hamilton has competed in 90 grands prix form McLaren (the only F1 team he has driven for), winning 17 races, scoring 42 podiums, 19 pole positions and a world title since his debut for the Woking squad at the 2007 Australian GP. Prior to that McLaren have backed the 27 year old since his karting days. “People have short memories, don’t they?” mused Whitmarsh. “Lewis has been an integral part of McLaren for more than half his life. He’s part of the McLaren

Whitmarsh: People have short memories, don’t they?

REPORT MCLAREN BOSS ON HAMILTON

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Whitmarsh: People have short memories, don’t they?

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story and part of the McLaren family, too. He knows that. Equally, he’s been phenomenally successful in the five seasons he’s spent with us as a Formula One driver.” “He’s been in contention for the drivers’ world championship until the last grand prix of the season in three of those five seasons, and of course he won the drivers’ world championship for us in 2008.” “Overall, his record of 17 grand prix wins from 90 grand prix starts places him in the very top rank in Formula One’s metaphorical hall of fame.“ Predictably Whitmarsh is revealing very little about the team’s 2012 challenger which is due to be launched on 1 February. But he did reveal, “Everyone at McLaren is already working as hard as is humanly possible to change second to first, and has been all winter. Although that level of commitment necessarily involves personal sacrifice, I don’t think our people see it like that. Formula One people are an astonishingly motivated bunch, and McLaren people are even more driven than most.” “McLaren has won 20 world championships in the 46 years it’s been competing in Formula One, and that’s a stupendous record by anyone’s reckoning. Believe me, we fully intend to add to that tally,” said the McLaren boss.

Lewis won the McLaren Mercedes 1996 Champions of the Future series during his karting career

REPORT MARTIN WHITMARSH ON LEWIS HAMILTON

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Lewis won the McLaren Mercedes 1996 Champions of the Future series during his karting career

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Malaysian-owned Caterham emerged at the head of the pack on 26 January as the first of the Formula One teams to show off their new car for the 2012 season.If the green and yellow CT01 was unlikely to win any beauty parade, with some branding the ‘platypus-nosed’ car downright ugly, technical head Mike Gascoyne was sure it would not be alone. “As we’re the first car out it is obviously stirring up a lot of debate, but because of the 2012 regulations I think you’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars this year,” he said on the team’s facebook page. The rules have been changed to limit the height of the nosebox to try and ensure noses are not too high. “Our challenge is that you always want to get the chassis as high as possible to allow clean air flow to the underside of the car, and what you see on the CT01 is our solution to that,” said Gascoyne. Former F1 designer Gary Anderson, now a technical analyst for the BBC, said the nose’s ridges and bumps were inevitable. “The nose on the Caterham looks pretty stupid, but everyone’s going to be heading in that direction with the new rules,” he said. Renault-powered Caterham were Team Lotus last year, and Lotus Racing in their 2010 debut season. They have yet to score a point, like the other two ‘new’ teams, but they have the KERS kinetic energy recovery system for the first time this year and have set a top 10 finish as a priority.

REPORT CATERHAM CT01 UNVEILED

CATERHAM CT01 FIRST TO BREAK COVER

3401.02.2012 ISSUE 04

Malaysian-owned Caterham emerged at the head of the pack on 26 January as the first of the Formula One teams to show off their new car for the 2012 season.If the green and yellow CT01 was unlikely to win any beauty parade, with some branding the ‘platypus-nosed’ car downright ugly, technical head Mike Gascoyne was sure it would not be alone. “As we’re the first car out it is obviously stirring up a lot of debate, but because of the 2012 regulations I think you’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars this year,” he said on the team’s facebook page. The rules have been changed to limit the height of the nosebox to try and ensure noses are not too high. “Our challenge is that you always want to get the chassis as high as possible to allow clean air flow to the underside of the car, and what you see on the CT01 is our solution to that,” said Gascoyne. Former F1 designer Gary Anderson, now a technical analyst for the BBC, said the nose’s ridges and bumps were inevitable. “The nose on the Caterham looks pretty stupid, but everyone’s going to be heading in that direction with the new rules,” he said. Renault-powered Caterham were Team Lotus last year, and Lotus Racing in their 2010 debut season. They have yet to score a point, like the other two ‘new’ teams, but they have the KERS kinetic energy recovery system for the first time this year and have set a top 10 finish as a priority.

CATERHAM CT01 FIRST TO BREAK COVER

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Finland’s Heikki Kovalainen and Italian Jarno Trulli are their named drivers, although there has been lingering speculation about the latter’s race seat. The season starts in Australia on March 18. Gascoyne said the new car had passed all the mandatory crash tests and would be ready for the first pre-season test in Jerez, Spain, from Feb. 7. “The design of the car has been progressing since early 2011. It’s the first year of real stability for us on the technical side, and by keeping the Renault Sport F1 engine and Red Bull Technology gearbox, we know exactly what we’re working with and what we can expect,” he said. “Each year so far we’ve effectively not only had a new design team but also a new gearbox and engine combination. “Now, however, we have a very stable design team under our technical director Mark Smith, and this means we can take a much bigger step forward in terms of the detail of the design.” “Until we run the car, we only have numbers and simulation data to work with,” said Gascoyne. “We finished 10th in the last two years, which has been our target, but now I think it’s time we moved forward again. Let’s see what happens we get out on track.” “It’s no secret that we’ll have KERS on the car this year. Towards the end of last year it really started to affect us racing with the midfield cars. It hurt us in qualifying and in our eventual race positions. At the last race in 2011, Heikki made a good start and gained a lot of positions but then lost out by not having KERS.” “Having KERS embedded into our 2012 car is another good step forward for us. We had our best ever qualifying in relation to the cars ahead of us in Brazil, and with KERS we could have possibly out-qualified a few of them. So, again, we have another good reason to be very positive about 2012,” concluded Gascoyne. Caterham have been using the Williams wind tunnel as well as one in Italy, with aerodynamics the focus as they try and move up the pecking order from 10th place overall last year.

REPORT CATERHAM CT01 UNVEILED

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FERNANDES: WE WILL BE A DANGER MANY MIDFIELD TEAMS

INTERVIEW TONY FERNANDES

Big boss of the newly named Caterham F1 Team, Tony Fernandes speaks about the Caterham CT01 and the season ahead for the

team which, since it’s inception, has yet to score a point.

It’s been a busy week for you with QPR winning their last game and now Caterham F1 Team launching the CT01 – the first team to take the wraps off a 2012 car. What are your thoughts on it?Yes, it’s been a pretty good week. I am thrilled that we broke cover first and that the CT01 is the first example anyone has seen of a 2012 car. I think I am riding on some very good energy at the moment! I am pleased that we were able to release pictures of our new car so soon. Riad, Mike, Mark and the whole team did a fantastic job getting all the homologation and crash tests out of the way early, and keeping on track with the car’s build schedule. I am very proud that we are able to take the covers off first and I think it looks fantastic. This car represents another step forward for us. The detail right across the whole package is light years ahead of where we were when we first started out, and we are all excited about seeing what it can do when we get on track. I’m also very pleased that we were able to show our fans the car so soon. Our aim has always has been to be as open and interactive as possible, allowing our fans a real look inside our team. By launching the car through F1 Racing magazine, I feel we’ve been able to give our fans a unique first look at where we’re heading and what Caterham is all about. Maybe next year I’ll tweet a picture of the car to launch it!

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FERNANDES: WE WILL BE A DANGER MANY MIDFIELD TEAMS

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INTERVIEW TONY FERNANDES

The nose seems to be dividing opinion…Good. Personally I love this car, and it’s very flattering that people want to talk about our car and our team, but the main consideration is that it is quick. As long as it is quicker than last year’s car I don’t think the looks matter, and I am sure that when all the other cars are unveiled we will see a pretty common thread running through all of them. I actually think it’s beautiful. It’s different, and different does not equal ugly – in fact I think its difference is what makes it beautiful, but then I am probably a bit biased. However, it is important to remember that how the car looks and behaves is one part, admittedly a major part, but just one part of what makes this team who we are. Caterham is the name we will race under for many years to come, but we still have the

same DNA we have had since day one, back in 2009. We are the same team but every day we are growing stronger and what underpins that growth is the people in our team who have been with us since the early days, and the people who have come on board and share our vision. We are still very proudly green and yellow and I think that says rather a lot about who we are. For me this is a new year, a new start as Caterham, and the next chapter in our story. This is the first time our whole design team has really been able to get its teeth into creating our own product and I know it will be a progression from the T128, technically and in terms of its performance.

How are you feeling about the year ahead? You have quite a lot on your plate now.

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I do, but I am enjoying every single challenge even more than ever. I know we are not going to be the fastest team out there. I am an optimist but also a realist. What gives me confidence is knowing that whatever happens we will keep working harder than ever to make our dreams come true. The first test is just around the corner now and I feel a strange mix of nervousness and excitement – I always do at this time of year. But now we are in complete control of our own destiny it’s a feeling I am relishing more than ever. We have just celebrated Chinese New Year and 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. This could just be our year and I have never felt better. I was born in the Year of the Dragon so I feel very energised and optimistic about

the year to come. I am looking forward to whatever may happen – the ups and the downs. I feel very confident in the growth of the businesses Kamarudin and I run, and I am very excited about the future of the whole Caterham Group. Target wise, I have been quoted as saying I want us to score a point this year and that really has to be the aim. It has to be. Towards the end of last year we were so close to the midfield cars, but our lack of KERS limited our capabilities. This year, however, with the people and facilities we have in the factory and the wind tunnel, and with KERS, I am confident that we will become a danger to many of the midfield teams, and yes, I want us to achieve a point somewhere in 2012 – maybe two if we are very lucky!

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Mike Gascoyne, the Caterham F1 Team technical boss speaks about the squad’s 2012 challenger – designated

CT01 - and the team’s goals as they enter their third year at the pinnacle of the sport.

Can you give a technical overview of what the team has been up to during the winter and where are on the creation of the CTO1?Mike Gascoyne: Well, in short, we’ve been designing and building our new racing car! Throughout the off-season we’ve been focusing on a number of key elements of the development of this year’s car, including a lot of work on optimising the windtunnel. We have taken into consideration the changes in the technical regulations this year, most noticeably around the nose box and the push-off tests we had to pass. The rules around crash testing now mean that the cars have to be homologated before the first test, which meant bringing forward all the homologation tests by a month to six weeks before T1. From that point of view, we had a very successful development programme and we fully homologated the chassis before Christmas and, actually, I believe we were the first team to pass all the tests. The design of the car has been progressing since early 2011. It’s the first year of real stability for us on the technical side, and by keeping the Renault Sport F1 engine and Red Bull Technology gearbox,

INTERVIEW MIKE GASCOYNE

GASCOYNE: IT’S TIME WE MOVE FORWARD AGAIN

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we know exactly what we’re working with and what we can expect. Each year so far we’ve effectively not only had a new design team but also a new gearbox and engine combination. Now, however, we have a very stable design team under our Technical Director Mark Smith, and this means we can take a much bigger step forward in terms of the detail of the design – and that really showed in the homologation process. The car build has gone very smoothly. The car will be completely ready for the first test in Jerez on February 7th. In terms of aerodynamic development, we’ve continued our programme in Italy but have augmented that with a development programme in the Williams windtunnel, which has significantly increased our resources. All of that means I think we’ll be able to have a better and more competitive car, and we look forward to getting it out, testing it, and proving what the numbers are telling us.

What are the big changes. What should the untrained eye be looking out for?Gascoyne: Aerodynamics is always the main focus of performance and improvement. Last year it was all about the blown diffuser, which we struggled with because not having it in 2010 meant we were always playing catch up throughout the 2011 season in comparison to other teams. The fact it’s banned this year certainly plays to our advantage. Other teams had so much more development time, they were able to get much more out of it than we were ever able to, so that eliminates a little of the competition in terms of technical development. But really, aerodynamics is always one of the main features of development and that’s why we’ve put so much additional resource into it.

INTERVIEW MIKE GASCOYNE

Gascoyne: Aerodynamics is always the main focus of performance

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Gascoyne: Aerodynamics is always the main focus of performance

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INTERVIEW MIKE GASCOYNEAnd KERS?Gascoyne: Yes, it’s no secret that we’ll have KERS on the car this year. Towards the end of last year it really started to affect us racing with the midfield cars. It hurt us in qualifying and in our eventual race positions. At the last race in 2011, Heikki made a good start and gained a lot of positions but then lost out by not having KERS.

Having KERS embedded into our 2012 car is another good step forward for us. We had our best ever qualifying in relation to the cars ahead of us in Brazil, and with KERS we could have possibly out-qualified a few of them. So, again, we have another good reason to be very positive about 2012.

What about this nose? It’s creating quite a lot of debate…Gascoyne: Yes, well the regulations have changed to limit the height of the nosebox to try to ensure that noses don’t get too high. Our challenge is that you always want to get the chassis as high as possible to allow clean air flow to the underside of the car, and what you see on the CT01 is our solution to that. As we’re the first car out it is obviously stirring up a lot of debate, but because of the 2012 regulations I think you’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars this year.

What are our targets for 2012?Gascoyne: I think we need to see the car on track first and get feedback from the first tests. Until we run the car, we only have numbers and simulation data to work with. But every team wants to move up the grid and we’re no different. We finished 10th in the last two years, which has been our target, but now I think it’s time we moved forward again. Let’s see what happens we get out on track.

Gascoyne: You’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars

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Gascoyne: You’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars

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REPORT KIMI RAIKKONEN NO GREAT EXPECTATIONS

KIMI RAIKKONEN: I EXPECT TO FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE GROUP Kimi Raikkonen has revealed he is prepared

to race in the midfield this season as he returns to Formula 1 with Lotus.

The Finn, a winner of 18 grands prix with top teams McLaren and Ferrari, has spent the last two years in world rallying. For the first time since he stepped out of his Ferrari at the 2009 season finale, 32-year-old Raikkonen returned to the wheel of a F1 car this week at Valencia. “I was expecting it to feel faster than it was,” he admitted to the BBC. “Ok, Valencia is not the fastest circuit, but it was still pretty normal.” Raikkonen is also braced for an average season, admitting in Zurich to Italy’s Autosprint magazine that he is unlikely to be a frontrunner in 2012. “I expect to have to fight in the middle group,” he said. “But it will not be a drama. It’s no different to my last year at Ferrari.” It is believed Raikkonen was ousted by Ferrari two years ago because the team’s lucrative new sponsor Santander was willing to pay handsomely for Fernando Alonso. Typically, ‘Iceman’ Raikkonen has no regrets, “I have no resentment towards anyone.” But he has had to pay out of his own pocket for his recent rallying and Nascar forays, and is having to once again plot a course to the front of the F1 grid.

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KIMI RAIKKONEN: I EXPECT TO FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE GROUP

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Kimi: Racing is the biggest thing, that’s why I’ve come back

“Of course the championship is the goal,” Turun Sanomat newspaper quotes him as saying. “It’s fine to try it, but I am not obsessed about having another championship or not.” Raikkonen said his Lotus deal is “basically for two years”.“I don’t have any long term plans. Let’s see how it goes with Lotus.” His next outings will be at the wheel of the new car at Jerez. “Generally, if the car feels good right from the start, you are usually competitive (for the season),” said Raikkonen. “The races I don’t think are so different (from 2009),” he added. “Vettel was strong even then even though there is much more passing now, but that depends on the moving

wing. “I haven’t tried it (DRS) yet, or the KERS because it was the 2010 car (at Valencia). But it’s just one or two more buttons to push.” As for his fitness after two years out, Raikkonen said he felt good after almost 700 kilometres at Valencia. “I don’t feel in the neck any stiffness,” he said. “I probably expected to have more problems in the neck but I didn’t really have any.” “We try to do as well as we can of course in every race, but it’s very difficult to say. We have to see how the [new] car is in the testing and go from there.” “Hopefully we can have a good car to challenge in front

REPORT KIMI RAIKKONEN NO GREAT EXPECTATIONS

5001.02.2012 ISSUE 04

Kimi: Racing is the biggest thing, that’s why I’ve come back

wing. “I haven’t tried it (DRS) yet, or the KERS because it was the 2010 car (at Valencia). But it’s just one or two more buttons to push.” As for his fitness after two years out, Raikkonen said he felt good after almost 700 kilometres at Valencia. “I don’t feel in the neck any stiffness,” he said. “I probably expected to have more problems in the neck but I didn’t really have any.” “We try to do as well as we can of course in every race, but it’s very difficult to say. We have to see how the [new] car is in the testing and go from there.” “Hopefully we can have a good car to challenge in front

and that would be nice, but if not we try to improve it and go to the front. “The team has everything we need to produce a good car. We are not missing something that’s the reason we don’t have a good car. “The people are very keen to have a good year. The atmosphere is great, it is a bit more family like than in other big teams, very nice people to work with and I’ve been enjoying it so far.” Raikkonen said the main reason for his return to F1 was that he was missing wheel-to-wheel competition. “Racing is the biggest thing, that’s why I’ve probably come back,” he said. “That’s really the main thing.”

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MARTIN WHITMARSH: KIMI IS A GREAT GUY WITH A SUPER TALENT

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh welcomes and believes the return of Kimi Raikkonen is good for Formula 1, predicting if Lotus provide him with a

good car the Iceman will be fast in it “Kimi is a great guy, with a super talent,” Whitmarsh told Formula1.com. “He was very successful during his five seasons at McLaren, winning nine grands prix for us and, although he narrowly failed to win a Drivers’ World Championship during that time, he could easily have become World Champion in both 2003 and 2005 if he’d had a bit more luck or a little more reliability.” “Even as things were, without that extra bit of luck and reliability required to win World Championships, he still won 12 grands prix for us and some of those wins were truly majestic.” “If the Lotus car is quick, Kimi will be quick in it; it’s as simple as that in my view,” added Whitmarsh.“During an FIA press conference at a grand prix in the latter half of last year – I forget where – I was asked by a journalist whether the team principals of the teams then rumoured to be considering Kimi for a 2012 drive, a couple of whom were sitting alongside me, should hire him or not. My answer was an unequivocal yes.” “I stand by that answer, and I’m pleased that he’s made a Formula One comeback. He’s a very popular driver, and I think Formula One will be the better for his return.” “No fewer than six World Champions will be competing in Formula One this season – more than ever before – and each of them, including Kimi, is not only a fantastic racing driver but also a colourful character with a robust fans’ following and a unique global allure,” concluded Whitmarsh.

REPORT WHITMARSH ON RAIKKONEN

5201.02.2012 ISSUE 04

MARTIN WHITMARSH: KIMI IS A GREAT GUY WITH A SUPER TALENT

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REPORT PIRELLI 2012

Pirelli will be taking a more aggressive approach to their Formula One tyres this season and are confident the

racing will be more exciting, motorsport director Paul Hembery said at the launch of this year’s F1 tyres. Teams will still be supplied with four compounds over the course of the championship but the gap in performance between them has been significantly reduced. “We have had to make changes and the objective of those changes is to make the racing closer,” Hembery told reporters at a launch event in Abu Dhabi. “There is a smaller gap in performance between the compounds. Last year the teams were making choices based on tyres that had a 1.5 seconds difference – we have tried to get that down below one second and the aim is to have it at around 0.8 seconds.” The super soft compound is essentially unchanged from last year, Pirelli’s return to the sport as sole supplier after the withdrawal of Bridgestone, but the three other compounds have been made softer. Pirelli president Marco Tronchetti Provera said: “These changes will provide more opportunity for passes, and help make a better show. Our tyres will be a bit softer which will add speed and show.” Hembery hoped that closing the performance gap would make tyre strategy more of a factor in races than it became last season as teams got used to

PIRELLI GET MORE AGGRESSIVE FOR 2012

the new rubber. “We were going through races where teams would maximise use of the sets of the higher performing compound, which were soft in 2011, and minimising use of the hard or medium,” he said. “From that point of view, the second compound would not come into the strategy. “We want a lower gap between

compounds, with the slower tyre degrading slightly less. Then teams will have to make a decision on which tyre to go with,” added Hembery. “Last year we made it too easy for the teams by using soft compounds at each weekend, so they based their weekends on that. This year we want to mix it up more.” Pirelli is also confident that the different

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PIRELLI GET MORE AGGRESSIVE FOR 2012

compounds, with the slower tyre degrading slightly less. Then teams will have to make a decision on which tyre to go with,” added Hembery. “Last year we made it too easy for the teams by using soft compounds at each weekend, so they based their weekends on that. This year we want to mix it up more.” Pirelli is also confident that the different

types of compound will be more obvious. The sidewalls will be coloured as usual – red (super soft), yellow (soft), white (medium) and silver (hard) – but the design of the markings and lettering will be larger. Pirelli’s wet weather tyres will take the Cinturato branding that the Italian tyre company has used since the 1950s and have blue sidewalls, while the intermediates will be green.

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REPORT PAUL HEMBERY

With six world champions set to line-up on the grid in 2012, the scene is set for what could be the most competitive season in Formula 1 history, according

to Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery. He is referring to the fact that six world champions – Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher – will be on the Melbourne grid in March. That is a quarter of the entire 24-car field. “That is probably the highest level (of quality in F1) ever,” Hembery is quoted as saying by Turun Sanomat, “particularly when you take into account that there are a lot of other very talented drivers who haven’t won a title. “If the level of the cars and the performance levels (of the drivers) are just as high, there will be some astonishingly good races,” added the F1 tyre supplier’s motor sport director. Hembery was coy, however, when asked specifically about Raikkonen, the returning 2007 champion. “I have met him twice,” he said. “He is a quiet guy and, anyway, we strive to keep our distance. The drivers turn to us when they need something.” He did not give anything away about Raikkonen’s first taste of life on Pirelli rubber, after the Finn’s Valencia test this week on demonstration tyres. “We didn’t monitor it at all, it was Lotus’ thing alone,” he insisted. “Of course I saw his comments and it will be a big difference for him now compared to what he has known before. “But Kimi is one of the most extraordinary drivers the sport has seen so I think he will learn quickly.”

HEMBERY: HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALITY EVER IN FORMULA 1

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HEMBERY: HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALITY EVER IN FORMULA 1

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Vitaly Petrov hoped his future in Formula One will be sorted out in the next week as he emerged as a

contender for a test driver role with tyre supplier. The Russian has also been linked with

a move to Malaysian-owned Caterham F1, as a replacement for Italian veteran Jarno Trulli, after losing his race seat at Renault (now Lotus) at the end of last season. “If I said something it will be made into lots, I cannot say anything about what I

I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT 2012 BUT I CAN’T

REPORT VITALY PETROV FUTURE UNCERTAIN

5801.02.2012 ISSUE 04

will do this year,” Petrov told reporters after making an unexpected appearance at a Pirelli presentation in Abu Dhabi. “But please wait a little bit, another week. I want to say something but I can’t say at the moment.

“I want to stay in F1 because if I lose one year then it will be very difficult to come back and to take some places for 2013. So it is important to stay.” Asked why he was attending the event at the Yas Marina circuit, the 27-year-

I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT 2012 BUT I CAN’T

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old added: “They asked me to come and be part of this event, so I drive some cars and talk to some people and work with them. “Now in Russia, Pirelli is working quite close and maybe in the future we can do some good deals so maybe I will not test Pirelli but maybe we can work together in different parts.” Brazilian Lucas di Grassi is also expected to remain as a test driver, but Pirelli’s Motorsports Director Paul Hembery indicated there was also a role for Petrov. “We will see how it goes,” he said. “There is always a lot of tyre development work to do, and we are eager to have a driver who has experience of racing from the previous year.” Petrov was highly critical of Renault after a disappointing result in last November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was then replaced by Frenchman Romain Grosjean for this season. “I think I understand I should not talk about the team like this, but what is done is done and I don’t need to be angry about what happened.” “Already it is the New Year, it is finished so I am fully ready for next year. It is racing. Sometimes you have a good result, sometimes you have a bad one. So I think it is better not to talk about it.”

REPORT VITALY PETROV FUTURE UNCERTAIN

Petrov: What is done is done and I don’t have to be angry about what happened

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Petrov: What is done is done and I don’t have to be angry about what happened

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REPORT ADRIAN SUTIL SORRY BUT ANGRY

ADRIAN SUTIL: I AM EXTREMELY SORRY AND HAMILTON IS A COWARD

Former Force India Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil was found guilty of bodily harm by a Munich court

on 31 January and given an 18-month suspended sentence and $260,000 fine for a night club brawl in China last year. The German, who has yet to find a race seat this year, was found guilty of injuring Eric Lux, chief executive of Lotus F1 team owners Genii Capital, in a Shanghai nightclub after the Chinese GP, Judge Christiane Thiemann said. Lux needed stitches for a neck wound. The Renault team has since been renamed Lotus and Force India have already announced Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg as Sutil’s replacement. Sutil had told the court on the first day of proceedings on Monday he had repeatedly apologised to Lux and denied it was his intention to hurt him but rather to throw a drink in his face. The fine will be paid to charities.Sutil appeared in the witness stand on the first day of the trial and told the court, “I did everything to try to settle this row. I am really sorry, extremely sorry. I never wanted for this to happen,” said Sutil, dressed in a dark suit and tie.

Lux, also in court, said he had expected the driver to visit him in Luxembourg to make an apology. “A phone call is not good enough,” Lux told the court. Meanwhile Sutil has angrily slammed his former friend Lewis Hamilton for lack of support before and during his assault trial. Hamilton, the 2008 world champion and McLaren driver, declined to appear as a witness in former Force India driver Sutil’s trial this week over the assault of Lotus team executive Eric Lux. Hamilton was sitting beside German Sutil, 29, at the time of the incident, but the Briton wrote in a statement to the Munich court that he could not remember the details of the scuffle. “Lewis is a coward,” Bild newspaper quotes Sutil as saying. “I don’t want to be friends with someone like that. If you ask me he’s not a man as even his father sent me a text message, wishing me the best of luck for the hearing. From Lewis, nothing. He even changed his number so I couldn’t reach him.”

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ADRIAN SUTIL: I AM EXTREMELY SORRY AND HAMILTON IS A COWARD

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REPORT JULES BIANCHI PROMOTED

Sahara Force India announced that Jules Bianchi has joined the team as its reserve driver for the

2012 season. The 22-year-old Frenchman will be integrated in the team’s programme and will participate in a minimum of nine Friday practice sessions during Grand Prix weekends. In preparation for the 2012 season, Jules will get his first run in the VJM05 during pre-season testing next month. The appointment sees Sahara Force India continue its tradition of investing in young drivers and developing their skills by giving them time in the car. Jules Bianchi: “I’m obviously excited to join Sahara Force India and the chance to get track time during race weekends is an important step for me. Being regularly in a current car is the best way to learn quickly and I hope it will put me in a strong position to one day move into a race seat. The next few months will be really exciting as I get to know the team, see how they work, and prepare for my time in the car. I would like to thank everyone for believing in me and especially Sahara Force India for giving me this great opportunity.”Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal

and Managing Director: “I am delighted to welcome Jules into the Sahara Force India family. We always keep an eye on young, talented drivers and his performance in GP2 certainly impressed us all. By giving Jules the opportunity to be part of our 2012 campaign,

we continue to demonstrate our commitment to young drivers. We are proud of our track record in this regard and I have no doubt that Jules will quickly settle into the team and make a valuable contribution to our efforts on track this season.”

JULES BIANCHI GETS FORCE INDIA RESERVE ROLE

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we continue to demonstrate our commitment to young drivers. We are proud of our track record in this regard and I have no doubt that Jules will quickly settle into the team and make a valuable contribution to our efforts on track this season.”

Note: Jules Bianchi is a product of the Ferrari Drivers Academy (FDA) and Bianchi was on duty for the Maranello team during last year’s young drivers test in Abu Dhabi and remains part of the Maranello young driver’s academy.

JULES BIANCHI GETS FORCE INDIA RESERVE ROLE

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REPORT FERRARI BOYS GET PHYSICAL

FERRARI DRIVERS SURVIVE BOOT CAMP

While Europe endures another icy cold spell, in sunny and hot Lanzarote in the Canary Isles, the

Ferrari drivers pre-season training camp took place for Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Jules Bianchi and Davide Rigon.

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FERRARI DRIVERS SURVIVE BOOT CAMP

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The four drivers, along with the physiotherapists who look after them throughout the season, have spent the past few days tackling different sports, ranging from mountain biking to football, from tennis to ping-pong, not forgetting canoeing and working out in the gym or on the beach. All of this has taken place in very different conditions to those in Maranello, as the drivers enjoyed average daily temperatures of 20 °C. The Lanzarote course was not only aimed at improving physical condition, which is absolutely vital in a demanding sport like Formula 1, but it was also an important exercise in team building, both because the competitive nature inherent in all the drivers spurred them to work even harder and in the right spirit and also because, spending time together reinforces friendshipS between them. All four of them have important appointments in the first week of February. Jules will make a lightning visit to Maranello, before flying to England to start a new adventure as reserve driver for Force India, while, on 3 February, Fernando and Felipe will be taking part in the launch ceremony for the car they will be driving as from the Jerez test. Davide, who has recently extended his agreement with the Scuderia for two more years, will also be in Maranello: a lot of work awaits him in the simulator, in support of the development of the car that will see the light of day for the first time in a few days.

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Mark Webber was at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory on Wednesday to catch up with everyone after New Year and

spend some time with the night-shift workers who often miss out when our drivers attend the daytime race debriefs. We quickly caught up with him to ask about Christmas dinner, the odd gift-voucher and the eternal sunshine of the simulator.

So you’re fresh from your winter break, tell us, do F1 drivers tuck into hearty Christmas dinners with all the trimmings like the rest of us?Mark Webber: Absolutely yes. I had a good feed around Christmas time, it was good to relax and unwind with family and friends as we all like to do at that time of year – no shortage of alcohol, put your feet up for a while and recharge. It’s a great way for the body to have a bit of a break and then you can start building your preparations shortly into the new year.

What did you get for Christmas?Webber: That’s a very good question actually. Nothing super special, I’m pretty hard to buy for so I get a lot of basic stuff off my family and friends which is fine because I do need some navigational equipment with some of my training, it’s mainly always sports related. They’ll always go for the easy option and buy me gift voucher which is easy for me then to go out and get what I want. I’m pretty hard to buy for and I don’t expect too much, I just like everyone to be

ONE-ON-ONE MARK WEBBER

MARK WEBBER: ALWAYS SUNNY WHEN WE DRIVE THE SIMULATOR

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MARK WEBBER: ALWAYS SUNNY WHEN WE DRIVE THE SIMULATOR

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there together.We gather you were in Australia for New Year – who does it better – the Aussies or the Brits?!Webber: New Years Eve didn’t work out quite as planned. I think we had so much fun in the build up before Christmas, after Christmas, all that sort of stuff so New Year was a bit of a non-event. It’s what you make of it for sure – you need the company, you need a bit of alcohol to chill

out. We welcomed it in but it was pretty tame compared to previous years so I’d say London’s got the nod at the moment.

Either way, you’re back with us in the UK now and you’ve been in the simulator here at the factory – was it strange starting out in there again after such a long holiday?Webber: A little bit yeah but you soon get into it

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pretty quick, dealing with the guys on a technical aspect, it all comes back to us pretty quickly. It was certainly good to be back in and starting work and improving and working out what we need to do to make the car as quick as possible.

Will it be hard to adapt to driving your regular road car when you go home this evening?Webber: You’ve just got to recalcitrate the

eyes really. Obviously the simulator is not like driving your everyday road car. It’s always sunny when we drive the simulator! It’s always sunny! It’s never raining, so it’s different to driving on the roads in England. When I leave the simulator on a beautiful sunny day in Barcelona and I get in the car and it’s always raining – you’re eyes have got to adjust to that – that’s the trick.73

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OLYMPIC LEGEND TO SPEED UP WILLIAMS PIT CREWMichael Johnson, a four-time winner of Olympic gold, explained his role with Williams to The Guradian, “I feel extremely confident in myself and my staff in terms of what we have put together in training methodology and biomechanical efficiency.”“I don’t think anybody knows it better than us. There is a tremendous amount of biomechanical movement going on in the pit stops so it stands to reason we can make that quicker.”“The amount of steps that it is going to take for the guy that has got that tyre and has got to put it on - it makes all the difference in the world which is his lead leg to how many steps he is going to take.”“And the guy with the gun - it jumped out at me immediately that you can do it two different ways. You can take it off the wheel and bring it straight back into your chest or you can take it off and point it upwards to get it out of the way.”“What has never been done is to evaluate the guy from a sensory stand-point to see how accurate can he be,” said Johnson.Ben Howard, the crew man who does the left front wheel for Williams, said of the appointment, “I think everybody was excited, but possibly a little bit apprehensive as well. Michael is well known and trains top-level sports people but we’re not professional athletes so there was nervousness as to what he might make us do.”“To be honest not everyone goes to the gym to train because we use our own activities and hobbies outside of work to keep fit. It’s been good, though, really interesting, and obviously a privilege to be working with someone of his calibre,” revealed Howard.

GOOD PROGRESS FOR KUBICARobert Kubica has returned to the wheel of a Renault Megane, according to reports in Italy.The Omnicorse website reports that the Pole, horrifically injured in a rally crash a year ago, is now recovered enough to drive a car with an automatic gearbox.The former BMW and Renault driver re-broke his leg in an icy slip recently but is now managing some steps without crutches, the report added.Kubica is reportedly spending five hours a day on physiotherapy, with movement in his previously badly-injured right arm now almost “back to normal”.

VW MAKE F1 NOISES AGAINGerman car maker Volkswagen is contemplating a Formula 1 foray, according to German reports.The ca rmaker giant’s motor sport

representative Wolfgang Durheimer told leading business magazine Wirtschaftswoche he has devised a preliminary plan for the future that includes F1.“Later this year I will put forward proposals to the executive group for (involvement in) not only the racing series that we do already,” he said.“It is true — in America, Asia and the Middle East, we are not sufficiently represented in motor sport,” added Durheimer.The magazine cited sources in saying the first step for VW, already linked commercially with the Red Bull rookie team Toro Rosso, would be to become an engine supplier.

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FORCE INDIA HAVE RED BULL ASPIRATIONS

Force India’s new investor Subrata Roy wants the Silverstone based team to become like Red Bull.That is the claim of fellow Indian billionaire Dr Vijay Mallya, who with title sponsor Sahara’s Roy co-owns the team.Mallya bought the former Jordan team some years ago when it was known as Spyker and finishing grands prix in last place.“The Indian people are proud that we have been able to create a team for the country to play an important role in formula one. Without our success we have attracted a larger group of supporters,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.“Now it’s getting difficult to meet the demands,” “The people of India expect us to beat Mercedes now,” he admitted.If Force India can do that, is the sort of success achieved by Red Bull – another non-carmaker team – a realistic target?“Why not?” answered Mallya. “Subrata Roy’s vision is to be as good as Red Bull but he’s so excited that I have to stop him a bit.“There are no short-cuts in formula one.”

PIRELLI BOSS DENIES FERRARI FAVOURITISMPirelli has denied it works too closely in Formula 1 with fellow Italian marque Ferrari in the build up to the 2012 season.“Nonsense,” the tyre supplier’s chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera is quoted by La Repubblica newspaper.The question was put to him after Pirelli decided to soften the hardest compounds of its tyres ahead of the 2012 season.Last year, Ferrari struggled on Pirelli’s hardertyres.“It was a choice we made in accordance with all the teams and drivers,” insisted Provera.“These (2012) tyres are for 2012, not the cars of last year,” he is quoted by Spain’s AS newspaper.He admitted however to wanting to see Ferrari succeed, “Naturally. If you’re Italian your dream is for Ferrari to win, if you’re English then it is McLaren. Everyone’s heart is where it is.”And with Europe in crisis, a Pirelli-shod Ferrari victory would be meaningful for Italy.“There are Italian companies with the right approach in terms of competitiveness, technology, quality of the people. They can offer a great contribution to restoring confidence in the country,” he admitted.During his conversation with reporters, Tronchetti Provera answered his phone.“Luchino!” he beamed, admitting the call was from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.“Now everybody is going to say I have a special relationship with Ferrari,” he laughed, before pausing: “He (Montezemolo) says it isn’t true!”Tronchetti Provera also insisted he would be happy to see a tyre war in F1.77

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NEWS PIT TALK

VETTEL SIGNS UP NEW TRAINERReigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has signed up a new trainer.Last month, it emerged that the reigning back-to-back world champion

was parting with Tommi Parmakoski, who is returning to Finland to coach a women’s hockey team.German Vettel, the Red Bull driver, worked with Parmakoski since 2009.The Sport Bild magazine said the 24-year-old has replaced him for 2012 with another Finn, 28-year-old Heikki Huovinen.The German report said Huovinen – recommended to Vettel by Parmakoski – has a masters in sports science and has worked at a well-known Finnish fitness centre.He has also reportedly been a personal trainer and group instructor, and is a former player in Mestis, Finland’s second highest ice hockey league.Sport Bild said Huovinen, to be trackside at Jerez early next month, is relocating to Switzerland in order to live close to Vettel.

LOTUS NAME 2012 F1 CAR AFTER ENSTONE FACTORYKimi Raikkonen’s Lotus Formula 1 team, formerly known as Renault, have decided to name this year’s car after their factory in central England.The E20 car, to be unveiled online on 5 February before the first pre-season test in Jerez, will be the 20th F1 chassis produced in the Enstone facility.Team boss Eric Boullier said in a statement on Friday that the name recognised the contribution of the factory staff to performance on the track.

Enstone has been the headquarters since Benetton, who started as Toleman and won titles with the young Michael Schumacher before becoming Renault and winning again with Fernando Alonso, moved there in 1992.Renault still provide the engines but no longer have a stake in the team which changed its name after last season.

MATE KANAAN OFFERS BARRICHELLO INDYCAR TEST

After losing his drive in F1 with Williams, Rubens Barrichello will test an Indycar next week at the behest of his close friend and series driver Tony Kanaan.A photo has emerged of F1’s record-setting veteran Rubens Barrichello having a moulded seat fitted in the 2012-specification KV Racing car.The image follows reports the 39-year-old, having lost his formula one race seat after 19 consecutive seasons, will test the new DW12 – named after the late Dan Wheldon – at Sebring over two days early next week.Globo claims Barrichello was invited to test the car by his countryman Kanaan as well as KV team owner Jimmy Vasser.

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It is believed Kanaan suggested the available Barrichello would be an ideal driver to advise KV on the setup of Indycar’s 2012 single seater.“After you (Barrichello) play with my toy you’ll give it back, right? It’s mine!” joked Kanaan.“As we can’t keep the secret anymore, Rubens Barrichello will be testing for us. Very proud he can help KV Racing and myself with his feedback,” he added on Twitter.Barrichello’s assistant Anderson Marsili confirmed the news.“It’s an old invitation but now that he has no contract for 2012, he has accepted it to give his help and his opinion to his friend,” he said. “It’s nothing more than that.”

RAIKKONEN PUTS RALLYING ON HOLD FOR LOTUSKimi Raikkonen has admitted he will sideline his rallying hobby now that he has returned to Formula 1 full-time.F1’s 2007 world champion moved to world rallying two years ago after losing his Ferrari seat.In the meantime, Lotus (formerly Renault) struggled last season in the wake of lead driver Robert Kubica’s horror injuries sustained in a minor Italian rally.The Enstone based team, having now signed Raikkonen, has insisted its drivers will not be covered in cotton wool, even though the 32-year-old recently hurt his wrist in a snowmobile fall.“Kimi is Kimi and it will be difficult to change the way he lives,” said Group Lotus’ Dany Bahar last month.

Around the same time, Raikkonen’s former world rally co-driver Kaj Lindstrom said he hopes the Finn keeps rallying in 2012 “as a hobby”.“If I could continue with rallying at the same time as competing in formula one, I would,” Raikkonen is quoted by Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat in Zurich this week.“But I will have to wait a little while before I do some rallies again,” he admitted.“These days the teams are always a bit nervous about these things,” said Raikkonen.

SPANISH GRAND PRIX BOSS PLAYS DOWN PROBLEMSSalvador Servia, the boss of Spanish grand prix venue Circuit de Catalunya has played down reports the Formula 1 event is endangered.It is reported that Spain’s other F1 host, Valencia, as well as F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, are pushing Barcelona to agree a plan to annually alternate a single race date.But amid the country’s troubled economic times, Servia said Barcelona remains fully focused on its current race contract.“Only a disaster – say, an earthquake – is a problem. Forget all the rumours and headlines, we are still working as we were before,” he told Vuelta Rapida radio.Ecclestone warned recently that, with F1′s calendar ever-globalising, there could be only five grands prix remaining in Europe within a few years. “If there are five then we want to be one of them, and we will fight to be,” Servia insisted.He said Barcelona’s current F1 contract guarantees the Spanish grand prix until 2016.“We have had no communications, either verbal or written from him (Ecclestone) or his organisation regarding the issues of the rumours and headlines,” said Servia. “We are here, working to fulfil our contract until 2016 and thinking about 2020 as well.”79

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NEWS PIT TALK

CARLOS SAINZ JUNIOR UNDER RED BULL WING

With Red Bull juniors Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne stepping up for 2012, the spotlight is set to fall on the energy drink company’s next young hopeful.That youngster is Carlos Sainz Jr, the 17-year-old son of the Spanish world rally legend.Sainz Jr is now the cream of Red Bull’s junior driver programme, and this week is heading to Milton Keynes to drive the F1 team’s state-of-the-art driver simulator, Spanish sports newspaper Marca reports.Also in the spotlight this year is Russian 17-year-old Kaniil Kvyat, who like Sainz Jr is the other ‘veteran’ of the Red Bull programme.Sainz Jr moves into the British F3 championship for 2012; a category previously won by former Red Bull juniors Ricciardo, Vergne and Jaime Alguersuari.

RENAULT SPORT F1 SCOOP ACHIEVEMENT AWARDRenault Sport F1 took the jury’s ‘Special Prix’ prize (Prix Spécial du jury) at the 27th Festival Automobile International ceremony in Paris, France, on Wednesday, January 25.

The award was made in recognition of Renault’s involvement in Formula 1 since 1977, during which time it has claimed nine Drivers’ world crowns and ten Constructors’ titles.Said Renault Sport F1’s Managing Director Jean-François Caubet: “The success Renault has achieved in F1 is based on technical innovation and performance, a high level of quality and service but also on the strong, competitive relationships we have developed with our teams, drivers and partners. The 2011 results – two championships, 12 wins and 18 pole positions – have demonstrated we have achieved great results. It is however a real honour for Renault Sport F1 to have these achievements recognised by the wider motoring community. “The Festival (January 26-29), which takes place at the Hôtel National des Invalides in the heart of Paris, also features a display of concept cars which is open to the public. The exhibition includes two Renault vehicles: Zoe Preview and R-Space.

GLOCK LAMENTS MARUSSIA NEW CAR DELAY

Timo Glock has described Marussia’s plans for a short 2012 Formula 1 pre-season as “a shame”.The former Virgin team has admitted its new single seater is facing a

delay, with the MR01 to only hit the track at the final Barcelona test in March.And Glock and his rookie teammate Charles Pic will sit out the forthcoming Jerez test altogether.“It’s a shame we are getting the new car late and therefore only a short preparation (for the season) is possible,” German Glock is quoted by DPA news agency.He insists the team, ahead of its third

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consecutive season on the grid, will therefore suffer a “hard time” in the “first third” of the 2012 calendar.Auto Motor und Sport magazine said the car will receive its first significant update for May’s Spanish grand prix, but there will be no KERS system at all in 2012 for “cost reasons”.Glock, however, insists he is confident.“I am positive about 2012,” said the former Toyota driver. “Of course, our goal is to keep developing progressively.”

SEAT FITTING FOR TORO ROSSO NEW BOY RICCIARDO

Toro Rosso’s new recruit Daniel Ricciardo had a seat fitting in the team’s STR7 at the Faenza factory earlier this week.Toro Rosso reported on their website: “For a racing driver, the first time he gets to sit in his new car is a thrilling moment, a time to imagine what it will be like to drive through the coming season.”“For Daniel Ricciardo, that moment came on 26 January, when he had a seat fitting in the cockpit of STR7 at our Faenza factory. In a few days time, it will be Jean-Eric Vergne’s turn to get the perfect seat moulded around his body.”Red Bull junior drivers Ricciardo and Vergne were drafted in to replace Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari in the squad for 2012.

SCHUMI NO CHANCE AGAINST ROSBERG SAYS BERGERMichael Schumacher’s former rival Gerhard Berger believes the seven times world champion will hang up his helmet at the end of this year, saying the 43 year old does not stand a chance against Merecedes team mate Nico Rosberg.Berger, quoted by various German media, said, “I don’t think he’s going to extend the contract,” he said, referring to the fact 2012 is the third and final year of the 43-year-old’s existing deal with Mercedes. At some point he has to get tired.”“He has no chance against Rosberg,” explained Berger. “He will have to admit that at more than forty years of age he can’t beat a young driver at Rosberg’s level.”Indeed, young talent is now Berger’s specialty, after he was asked by his former Ferrari boss Jean Todt to head the FIA’s single seater commission.Berger thinks the junior categories cost youngsters too much currently, and has given his opinion on what the costs should be in the ladder to F1.“What I think would be reasonable is $65,000 at the most for a kart season, $130,000 for an entry-level series, $400,000 for Formula 3 and $650,000 for the last series before Formula 1,” said Berger.

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Axed veteran Rubens Barrichello revealed, to a respected Brazilian F1 correspondent, that Frank Williams called him personally to advise

him that he had lost his place in the Williams squad for 2012, this was followed shortly thereafter by a call from Bruno Senna. Speaking to Livio Oricchio, Barrichello said, “Frank Williams personally called me. He began by saying that he did not have good news and he explained that they had decided to sign another driver. Being the professional that he is, he did not mention who the driver was. Shortly thereafter, the same day, they announced the hiring of Bruno.” He explained, “I also had a share of sponsorship for the team from BMC (Brazil Machinery) which gave me high hopes of staying with the team. I also was prepared to revise my contract to make payment conditional on my results.” It is public knowledge that Williams has difficulties getting a budget and has lost some of its main sponsors. They were forced to choose a contract that would cover their financial needs. It’s understandable. The decision was solely financial, no doubt, no demerit to anyone,” said the 39 year old. “Let’s see how they will now develop the car with these difficulties. Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado will have to work hard to help them, the problem is that they are not experienced. It will be a challenge for everyone,” predicts Barrichello. Word in F1 circles is that Barrichello had managed to raise just short of $5 million, but that was not enough to match the estimated $12.6 million which Senna brought to the table.

REPORT RUBENS BARRICHELLO

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: FRANK WILLIAMS CALLED ME WITH THE BAD NEWS

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RUBENS BARRICHELLO: FRANK WILLIAMS CALLED ME WITH THE BAD NEWS

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REPORT RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Barrichello revealed that Senna – who replaces him in the team – called on the day of the announcement, “He was really affectionate but sounded uncomfortable. I asked him to stop, because we’re friends. I said that my dispute was not with him, but with Williams. The good news

is that there were two Brazilian drivers battling for the seat, which guarantees a Brazilian driver on the grid.” “We will remain friends, this changes nothing. I’m pushing now for Bruno. In his favour is the fact that they will get a better car than

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my one last year. If they have funds available, Williams can grow. It will depend a lot on the work of its drivers to dictate the direction of development. I talked with the engineers and they signaled me there is significant progress in testing the new model,” said the winner of 11

grands prix. Barrichello did point out that he had not heard from Adam Parr, the current Chairman of Williams Grand Prix Holdings, the Brazilian telling Oricchio, “Ah, Adam Parr has not contacted me yet.

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