Singapore Grand Prix Preview

Well, yet again, Formula One officials have to clean up yet another controversial matter. Renault team principal Flavio Briatore and engineering chief Pat Symonds have left the team with immediate affect for their actions in the Singapore crash scandal. Sacrificing their positions within the team has helped the FIA in only handing the Renault team a two year suspended ban. In my opinion, this is probably the right decision, however I believe Renault have been let off lightly having to fund the costs of the investigation and make a significant contribution to the FIA safety fund. This is in comparison to Mclaren and Ferrari in 2007 in which Mclaren were fined a much more significant amount than Renault. The FIA placed Nelson Piquet Jr. in the same position as Fernando Alonso in 2007, where they offered immunity in exchange for information. Even though I find this fair to discover the truth, the difference is that Piquet actually took action to “cheat”. He was the one to put his foot down and accelerated, even when the wheels were spinning. I understand that Piquet had a poor 2007 season and needed to make sure he had a contract for the following season but why did he not have the guts to say no and stand to his rights as a racing driver to race? I would have much more preferred him to back off and hold half of the field up for Alonso to catch up than to put lives in danger. I know that sounds a little over-exaggerated at a low speed circuit but marshals had to climb over the wall to help retrieve the car and driver and as a result putting themselves in danger. In addition, small pieces of debris could have hit anyone on the side of the track. To purposely do something like this seems foolish but that is the price of success in Formula One in my opinion. Teams like Audi (DTM) and SEAT (WTCC) have been accused of over-using team orders to get their drivers to the front but have never crashed on purpose to improve another car’s position.

Symonds is probably the only person to come out of this with any dignity. The way he did not accept immunity but still gave information shows that he is willing to take some responsibility for his actions. He has been banned from FIA-sanctioned motorsport for five years, which will take him away from a sport which he was highly respected in. I hope he can return after his ban because he is one of the best engineers in present Formula One and possibly its history.


Ironically, it is now time for the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix. Yet again, this will be a race under darkness. Brawn GP is expected to be strong as they were on the street circuits of Valencia and Monaco along with the Mclarens, especially Lewis Hamilton. Rubens Barrichello will have to take it easy as he already has a damaged gearbox and will not want to be forced into a five-place grid penalty. This was damaged when he had to force the car away from the grid in Spa. I feel Jenson Button will be in a great position to try and extend his 14 point championship lead. He bounced back from a series of poor races to claim a podium at Monza. Barrichello is the closest man to him in the championship and will need Jenson to suffer in the remaining races to take the title. They are both great mates and either driver will deserve the championship. Jenson has been strong for most of the year and won six of the first seven races. Rubens, on the other hand, has had to work hard in the first half of the season whilst watching Button win races, and has turned his season around with two victories in Valencia and Italy. My prediction is for Rubens to close the gap in the drivers’ championship but not by much.


Congratulations to new Formula Renault 3.5 champion Bertrand Baguette, who has clinched the title ahead of Toro Rosso star Jaime Alguersuari with a round to spare. Baguette and GP2 champion Nico Hulkenburg have both showed their class this season. With the extra spaces in Formula One next season, there must be room for these two drivers to be given their chance to shine. Another champion crown has been Andy Soucek, who is the first driver of the modern era to be crowned as the Formula 2 champion. In a season that will be remembered due to its return and the tragic death of rising star Henry Surtess, Soucek has kept his head and lead the field since round two to win the title.


And finally, BMW Sauber has announced an engine and gearbox supply deal with Ferrari. This is the first part of what I mentioned in a previous blog (see Italian Grand Prix). Now we have to wait and see if a Fisichella drive will be part of the deal to keep the Italian race sharp.

Italian Grand Prix Review

Brawn championship......That’s what many people are calling it after the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday at Monza. The two Red Bull drivers has a poor afternoon with Mark Webber out before the end of lap one and Sebastian Vettel only just making it into a point scoring position due to Lewis Hamilton crashing out on the final lap. With Lewis, Kimi Raikkonen and Adrian Sutil all running two stops at Monza, Ross Brawn knew he just had to keep his cars in sight of the front three.

This was helped with power of the Mercedes engine. In Saturday's practice and qualifying, the Mercedes powered cars (Mclaren, Force India and Brawn) were all in the top seven with only Nick Heidfeld (practice) and Kimi Raikkonen (qualifying) breaking the monopoly. They could have had a monopoly over the top six in the race but pre-race favourite Heikki Kovalainen could not keep the pace on his heavier fuel load and Tonio Liuzzi produced a strong drive on his return to Formula 1 but was unlucky with a driveshaft failure. The engine manufacture may have more on it's plate over the next few years with the paddock understanding that they will slowly phase in a buy-out of the Brawn team. This could end the 14 year partnership between Mclaren and Mercedes.

Until then, Liuzzi had kept up with pace in his first race in one and half years and would have been in a position to outscore team-mate Sutil and even dream of a podium in his home race. He also showed his racing skill had not left him with a brilliant pass on Kovalainen on the outside of Parabolica. The Force India has been so strong on the low downforce circuits lately that they could have won either race. It will be interesting to see if they can keep it up at the next round on the roads of Singapore. I hope they can but feel they will not be as strong as the last two rounds, maybe getting a couple of points at most.


The main story over the weekend was the rumors that the Renault team asked Nelson Piquet Jr to crash on purpose in Singapore last year to create a safety car, which in turn was the only way that Alonso could make a mad fuel strategy work. Flavio Briatore accused Piquet Jr of blackmail and launched criminal proceedings against Piquet and his father but has sensationally left the team alongside Pat Symonds, who was offered immunity in return for information about the event. This, and the team not contesting the charge, shows the many people that the members of the team involved are guilty. Apparently this is only three members, Piquet, Britatore and Symonds. I feel if it is honestly true, that it is poor sportsmanship and proves that a few members of the team would put members of circuit staff, drivers and spectators at risk to win a grand prix. Then again, even if it guaranteed Piquet a race seat next season, why did he do it? Why didn't he tell Flavio where to go and prove himself on the track? The questions will go on.....


It is also good to see the Lotus name returning to Formula one in the place of BMW Sauber. Although the BMW team has been sold for next season, Formula one chiefs are trying to organise a 28 car grid for next season with 14 teams. This would allow BMW's new owners to continue and the four new teams to start racing in 2010. I think this will be great and can see no problems with a larger grid and hopefully the new teams will be able to follow Force India's example by creating a successful package.


Red Bull had something to cheer at Monza with their junior driver Daniel Ricciardo winning the BritishF3 title and has marked himself as someone to watch out for in the future. He will probably join Carlin in World Series by Renault next season.


To end with, well done to Nico Hulkenberg for winning the GP2 title at Monza, with a round to spare. He has defiantly lined himself for a Formula one drive next year and the world has gone mad if he does not get one somewhere, I think Williams.

Italian Grand Prix Preview

So to Monza it is.......The Italian Grand Prix! This is normally "silly season" time. The driver market goes mad as Ferrari announces their driver line-up for the following year. Will it be the same this year? Well Ferrari started early by announcing the signing of Giancarlo Fisichella as `09 driver and `10 reserve driver. This, however, does not mean the end for Fisichella. The team has announced that he will be able to race for another team.....if that’s a formula one team or some other remains to be seen. This will keep him race sharp incase Ferrari are required to recall him. Maybe we will see him returning to yet another previous squad. He returned to Renault after racing under it's old banner, Benetton in 1998-01. The same with Force India when he raced under the Jordan name in 1997. Could we see the experienced Italian spend his 15th Formula one season at the current BMW spot?

 After winning the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Giancarlo moved from Jordan Grand Prix to race for Peter Sauber's formula one team. He took points on nine occasions for the team and finished 11th in the drivers championship. If Peter Sauber breaks down BMW's resolve and takes control of his former team, he would need an engine supply. Since 1997, the Sauber team ran with Petronas-badged Ferrari engines, which shows he knows how to deal with the car giant. He used to work it by running a Ferrari driver in one of his seats in return for free engines. In 2000, Mika Salo found a seat at the team after covering for Michael Schumacher in 1999. Salo continued his Ferrari career in GT racing and still races for them today. Nicola Larni tested and raced for the Scuderia in 1994 and landed a Sauber seat in 1997, even if it was for a few races. Even a full time Ferrari driver did his stint at Sauber........Felipe Massa landed a seat in 2002 and then in `04 and `05 after spending a year testing in-between. With Ferrari wanting to keep Fisichella race sharp and Peter Sauber, or any other buyer, after cheap engines, then would this not be the perfect arrangement?

With Fisichella moving, this gives Force India test driver, Tonio Liuzzi, a chance to prove himself. After some strong showings at Toro Rosso, he was muscled out to be replaced by Sebastian Vettel. As an Italian, a strong showing at Monza would be a dream but will be just a dream?


With a strong Mercedes engine in the back of a strong aerodynamic package on the car (this was shown at Spa), then he has his best chance in Formula one yet. Could we possibly have two Italians on the podium in Italy? I feel this is not possible due to Liuzzi's inexperience in the 2009 spec car and also his skill. I do feel he may score points but Sutil would beat him overall and possibly score the second set of points for the Force India team.

Fernando Alonso's deal with Ferrari is set to be announced at Monza but until this is done, the driver market is on hold. Kimi will then move on and so on......but untill then, no-body knows.

Other news from this week is that Jarno Trulli has said he does not want to predict any Toyota victories after missing out in Spa. This shows everyone the attitude of a driver who wants to leave the team and if he does, I feel that will be the end of his formula one career. He has always been poor in his race performances compared to qualifying and has been called a moving road block in his time in grand prix racing. Maybe it is time for him to move on and give a youngster a chance. If Toyota wants an experienced head in their car, then there are plenty of other drivers who will be able to race better than Trulli and scored the constant points that are needed to keep the company on the grid.