Formula1.com - Latest Headlines

Six teams to attend Goodwood Festival of Speed

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:04:00 GMT

There may not be a Grand Prix this weekend, but don't be fooled - the majority of Formula One teams will still be in action at the UK's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Brawn, McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, Toyota and Red Bull are all scheduled to attend the annual three-day celebration of motorsport, which gets under way on Friday.

McLaren and Kovalainen bound for Moscow

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:35:00 GMT

McLaren have confirmed that the team will be heading to Russia later this month to take part in the Moscow City Racing event. The annual motorsport festival, which is expected to attract thousands of Muscovites, will be held on July 19. Heikki Kovalainen will be in action in the British team's championship-winning MP4-23 for the spectacle, which will take place on a 4.5-kilometre street circuit right in the heart of the Russian city, with St Basil's Cathedral, Red Square and the Kremlin all providing stunning backdrops.

Alguersuari replaces Hartley as Red Bull reserve

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:24:00 GMT

Red Bull have announced that Spanish teenager Jaime Alguersuari will serve as their reserve driver from next weekend's German Grand Prix. Alguersuari, who became the youngest-ever British Formula Three champion last year, replaces fellow Red Bull junior driver Brendon Hartley, who has held the post since May's Spanish race. With the ban on in-season testing, Red Bull views the appointment of a third driver as part of its young driver training programme, allowing a driver to follow all activities of the F1 teams over a race weekend, explained the team in a statement. Having benefited from this experience over the first half of the year, Hartley will now concentrate on his own racing programme in the European F3 series.

Bridgestone reveal tyre specifications for upcoming races

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:24:00 GMT

Bridgestone have confirmed which dry-weather tyres will be available to the teams at the next five races. Although super-soft and medium rubber will be used at next weekend's German Grand Prix, the Japanese company plan to disregard their allocation rationale for the 2009 season, and bring adjacent compounds to the Hungarian, European, Belgian and Italian events. So for the upcoming race at Hungaroring and August's European Grand Prix in Valencia, super soft and soft compounds will need to be used, while at the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix teams will be allocated soft and medium rubber tyres.

Fans invited to sample Abu Dhabi circuit

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:09:00 GMT

With just over four months to go before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix makes its maiden appearance on the Formula One calendar, anticipation is building. And to boost interest in the Yas Marina circuit all the more, race organisers have unveiled an online 'Virtual Driver Experience', which gives fans the chance to enjoy a sneak preview of the new track. There is so much interest in the Yas Marina Circuit and the race here in Abu Dhabi that the Virtual Driver Experience is a great opportunity for motor sports fans to get as close to the action as possible before race day, explained Richard Cregan, CEO of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management.

Raikkonen to make WRC debut in Finland

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:06:00 GMT

The 2007 Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen is no stranger to the pressures of Formula One racing, but the Ferrari driver is set to sample a different motorsport challenge next month, after agreeing to make his World Rally Championship debut at July's Neste Oil Rally Finland. Although Raikkonen has already contested three rallies this year, including the arduous Arctic Lapland event in January, the Jyvaskyla race will be his first competitive outing on gravel.

Drivers sign up for StarCards charity auction

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:15:00 GMT

A unique collection of over 20 playing cards signed by top Formula One names are currently being auctioned online, in a bid to raise funds for London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. The StarCards project, which was launched at the British Grand Prix, is supported by F1 photographers Sutton Motorsport Images. All the cards have been professionally mounted with a high quality driver portrait and driving action montage. Mark Sutton of Sutton Images gathered the signatures at the recent Turkish race, with names including Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel, Jarno Trulli and Kimi Raikkonen...

Ross Brawn to become charity patron

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:21:00 GMT

Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn announced on Thursday he is to become a patron of the SKIDZ Motor Projects charity, which provides opportunities for disadvantaged young people in the UK to gain vocational motor trade skills and access to courses in motor engineering. Currently based in rented premises, the charity aims to raise almost £1million to purchase a property for the Wycombe Motor Project. A new location would see the organisation able to offer an improved service to the area's youngsters and better facilities.

F1 in Schools winners sample life in the fast lane

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:19:00 GMT

Winning teams from the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge enjoyed a taste of the high life at last week's British Grand Prix. The 'once in a lifetime' experience of the Silverstone event was organised as a prize for the young members of the six squads, which clinched victory at the UK's F1 in Schools national finals earlier in the year. Team Tigerzz from Ridgewood School in Doncaster joined Toyota on Wednesday in their motor home for a VIP lunch, before touring the Japanese squad's garage. St Bede's Babes from Peterlee's St Bede's School, joined up with Italian outfit Toro Rosso for a separate tour. On Friday the Comets from Carlisle's Caldew Lea Primary School watched both practice sessions as guests of Renault.

FIA release WMSC statement

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:06:00 GMT

After a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday, Formula One racing's governing body, the FIA, issued the following statement: All currently competing teams have committed to the FIA Formula One World Championship.There will be no alternative series or championship and the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009...

Backstreet Boys, Chaka Khan to headline Singapore entertainment

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:59:00 GMT

As if the return of the only Formula One night race wasn't exciting enough, Singapore Grand Prix organisers have also released news of a celebrity-packed off-track music line-up for this September's event. The exclusive free concerts will entertain fans throughout the weekend at the Marina Bay circuit. Headlined by renowned international artistes the Backstreet Boys and Chaka Khan, Singapore's impressive programme will also include stage performances from Senegalese legend Youssou N'Dour, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Mavis Staples and Filipino pop sensation Rivermaya. Los Angeles culture-mashers Ozomatli are also set to energise audiences.

Silverstone rocks as celebrities flock to British Grand Prix

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:05:00 GMT

Their third album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, was released on June 5 and entered the UK album chart at number one, giving Kasabian their second number-one album. And to give themselves a treat after those months of hard work in the studio, the British rock band showed up in the Silverstone paddock - causing a media frenzy...

FIA post-race press conference - Great Britain

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:22:00 GMT

1st Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 1h22m49.328s; 2nd Mark Webber (Red Bull), 1h23m04.516s; 3rd Rubens Barrichello (Brawn GP), 1h23m30.503s. Q: Sebastian, your first dry grand prix victory. Fantastic start. In the first stint you are pulling away at a second a lap from everyone else. You were told to calm down by your team in the middle stint but was it really as easy as it looked today? Sebastian Vettel: You know, it is never easy. It is a long, long race and I think particularly at this fantastic circuit everyone of us is enjoying it a lot...

British Grand Prix - selected driver quotes

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:51:00 GMT

Toro Rosso's Sebastien Bourdais and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen on the collision that ended both their races; Brawn GP's Jenson Button on failing to make it on to the podium for the first time this season; and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel on taking his second 2009 victory. All 20 drivers and senior team personnel report back on Sunday's race action

Vettel untouchable as Red Bull dominate British Grand Prix

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:48:00 GMT

What seemed to be a foregone conclusion after qualifying became one almost the moment Sebastian Vettel launched his Red Bull RB5 into the lead of the British Grand Prix. In a crushingly dominant drive, which underlined the major step forward that the Milton Keynes team have made on high-speed circuits, Vettel pulled away from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn by as much as a second a lap in a series of quick tours, and never looked remotely challenged...