Interviews from Formula1.com http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/ en-US Formula1.com Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:06:51 GMT Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:06:51 GMT 15 http://www.formula1.com/photos/225x150/sutton/2009/d09esp1456.jpg http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10229.html Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari. Formula One World Championship, Rd 5, Spanish Grand Prix, Race Day, Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, 10 May 2009 For months it's been merely an option. Now it looks set to become a reality. Kimi Raikkonen will take a one-year sabbatical from Formula One racing in 2010, to bridge the gap from one competitive car to another - or so he hopes. Some fear the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix may have been the Finn's last race, and that would be a shame - seeing a great character leave the paddock with no further ado. Then again, the 'Iceman' can usually be relied on to surprise… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10229.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:53:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10229.html Formula1.com This season Bridgestone successfully managed a smooth transition from grooved to slick rubber, back in use for the first time in 11 years. Next season there are even more changes in store for Formula One racing's official tyre supplier. The ban on refuelling, a new track in Korea and the planned adoption of narrower front tyres will all be real challenges for the Japanese company, but Director of Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Hirohide Hamashima can't wait… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10216.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:42:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10216.html Formula1.com In which Spanish city was Fernando Alonso born? Where in Italy are Lancia's headquarters? Which two Frenchman competed for the team in the 1985 season? Which current Formula One driver is from Rome, and what does his first name mean? These are just some of the questions we thought Renault's Romain Grosjean would take in his stride after he agreed to be the latest participant in our personal trivia test, 'Ask the Expert'... http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10210.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:18:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10210.html Formula1.com Seventh in the championship, with two fourth-place finishes and a haul of 34.5 points, is not a bad season, but when 2009 got underway Williams had hoped for so much more. 2010, however, will usher in a fresh era for the British stalwarts, with a new race line-up in Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg, and Cosworth replacing Toyota as their engine supplier. For technical director Sam Michael it's an exciting time… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10207.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:58:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10207.html Formula1.com With the return of slicks, after ten years of grooved tyres, and a new circuit in Abu Dhabi to prepare for, the 2009 season was an exciting challenge for Formula One racing's official tyre supplier Bridgestone. Here Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport, reviews the season and looks ahead to 2010… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10208.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:31:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10208.html Formula1.com Ross Brawn has enjoyed a few classics seasons in his time. After winning six titles with Ferrari, he took a sabbatical before returning with Honda. But when the Japanese manufacturer decided to bid farewell to Formula One racing at the end of last year, Brawn's dream of making it back to the top looked over. Instead of wallowing, the Briton set about using his talents to save the team. He'd already built a beauty of a car, and having stuck his own name on the two BGP001s, saw his team rise from the ashes to take two titles... http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10206.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:08:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10206.html Formula1.com The 2009 season has been a rollercoaster ride for McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. From the lows of the opening rounds, where the MP4-24 struggled to make it into the midfield, to the highs of his victories in Hungary and Singapore, it's been a challenging and rewarding season for Hamilton. Talking to his official website, the British driver evaluates his '09 campaign and look ahead to 2010… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10204.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:07:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10204.html Formula1.com When race fans look back on 2009, they will describe it as the year of the underdog. While the usual frontrunners took a back seat, newcomers Brawn GP won both championships with fellow upstarts Red Bull hard on their heels all the way. For Red Bull's Christian Horner, the season's end brings mixed feelings. Yes, they achieved more than they'd hoped for, but they also lost out on both titles. For Horner the only response is to look ahead to 2010, so listen up Red Bull's rivals and watch out… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10199.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:55:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10199.html Formula1.com When the news broke that Williams had signed reigning GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg to partner Rubens Barrichello in 2010, it didn't surprise many paddock insiders. After the departure of his namesake Rosberg, it's not simply a case of the team favouring drivers called Nico. Hulkenberg tested for them last winter and has been busy in various roles in their UK factory since March. More importantly perhaps, the 22 year-old German is the latest protege of Michael Schumacher's manager Willi Weber... http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10196.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:01:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10196.html Formula1.com After being hailed as a future champion on his F1 debut in 2000, it took ten attempts before Jenson Button finally won his maiden title at October's Brazilian Grand Prix. But having the stamina to hold on to hope in the face of adversity is just as worthy as succeeding from the start - or so Formula One Management CEO Bernie Ecclestone believes. 'Big boss' Ecclestone, as Button calls him, and the newly-crowned world champion reminisce about when they first met and reflect on the past season... http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10195.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:50:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10195.html Formula1.com For Williams the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a disappointing finale to a successful season. The British team have scored more points this year (34.5) than they have since 2005, but their ninth and 13th place finishes for outgoing drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima at Yas Marina were far from representative of the FW31's pace over the course of 2009. Rod Nelson, the team's chief operations engineer, discusses what went wrong in Abu Dhabi and looks ahead to the winter break and 2010… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10193.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:39:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10193.html Formula1.com If Kamui Kobayashi's bold performance in Brazil during his debut for Toyota had been a surprise, then his second-ever Formula One race in Abu Dhabi on Sunday was nothing short of brilliant. From 12th on the grid, Kobayashi made the most of his one-stop strategy to finish in sixth, ahead of veteran team mate Jarno Trulli. Here the 23 year-old Japanese driver reflects on his Yas Marina race… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10191.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:38:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10191.html Formula1.com Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel started 2009 hoping for wins and finished it coming closer than anyone to beating Jenson Button to the title. Vettel says he has grown as a driver as a result, but makes no secret of his anger at losing out - at those missed opportunities and small, but costly mistakes. At least his win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix served as some consolation - and as a reminder of just what an excellent season he and Red Bull have had, despite both titles slipping through their fingers… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10188.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:16:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/11/10188.html Formula1.com There are a lot of farewells going on in the paddock this weekend. BMW says goodbye to Formula One racing and many drivers are bidding adieu to their respective teams in favour of new cockpits for 2010. One of the most interesting changes will see Fernando Alonso move from Renault to Ferrari. After many seasons together, and two world titles, Alonso is leaving the French team with mixed feelings, despite his relatively poor showing in Abu Dhabi on Saturday... http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/10/10176.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:04:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/10/10176.html Formula1.com Formula One Management CEO Bernie Ecclestone is not known for being overly verbose, but when he expresses his opinions they tend to stick. And he clearly has an opinion on the new Abu Dhabi race venue, labeling it a 'monumental' achievement… http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/10/10177.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:13:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/10/10177.html Formula1.com