The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Red Bull Rising...
By Philippe Defechereux
Photos by Ferrari Media and Planet F1
Coming four days after a strong performance in Suzuka the previous weekend, and in parts thanks to a new “Double DRS” device, the Red Bull team arrived in Korea on Thursday as the favorites. Fans of the three other leading teams, especially Ferrari and McLaren, were hoping for a magic aero trick out of the proverbial magic bag. It was not to be. Still, the Korean race had plenty of intense moments.
Stirling Moss at Monaco, 1955 with the Mercedes-Benz W196. With Fangio, the Mercedes team would win every Grand Prix that year aside from Monaco, where they retired with mechanical problems. Photo from author’s collection.
Chinese Grand Prix by Pete Vack
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media, unless otherwise noted
Mercedes-Benz won their first F1 race since 1955. That in itself is surprising, but the most significant aspect of their victory was the long struggle to achieve a true Mercedes-Benz win. The difficulties in succeeding in F1 today (already noted with great loss of dollars by Toyota, Jaguar, Honda, Porsche and others), demolished the tradition of German engineering supremacy, a shock and awe technique which once caused fear and loathing in its competitors.
[Read more…] about Chinese Grand Prix 2012
Race Report by Pete Vack
2 AM Eastern Daylight time. Last thing we needed to stay awake was a boring Grand Prix race, which Korea almost was. But just almost. Yes Vettel won and wrapped up the constructor’s Championship for Red Bull (for us who care more about engines than sugar drinks, that’s Renault Red Bull) and even Webber placed well in third to bolster the points for Renault Red Bull. But underneath and behind was a very palpable sense of frustration that was clearly evident among the drivers and made for an exciting race–at least for second and third places. [Read more…] about Korean Grand Prix 2011
Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Aldo Costa
Alonso successful at night
By Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Singapore has tried branding itself as the Monaco of the east. I’ll give them credit for creating something special. But, with strict laws and not nearly the same quantity of vulgar, rich Russians, it’s not going to be an exact copy. But what they have managed to do is create a show, and that’s what this sport is all about. [Read more…] about Singapore Grand Prix, Sept. 26, 2010
Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
A Bad Day for Ferrari, a Good Day for Webber
by Pete Vack (Erik is still on the road.)
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
As runner ups to the raging Red Bulls, Ferrari had half a chance this weekend. Alonso had qualified in third and put his car on the second row, Massa in row four. An early puncture put Massa near the back of the pack from where he would not recover, seemingly off form. After flat spotting his tires on lap 40, Massa made a trick or treat call on the pits and they simply weren’t ready. [Read more…] about British Grand Prix
Ferrari Motorhome
Red Bull Perfect
Grand Prix of Monaco
by Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
There is still something special when the circus comes to town, and when the circus is F1 and the town is Monaco, people tend to be overwhelmed by not only the atmosphere, but also the bar tab. What do you mean that a glass of champagne was 30€, and it was even non-vintage? But even the common bubbly flows like water on a certain weekend in May every year, and the team that seemed to be doing the most celebrating was Red Bull racing who left the principality with a perfect result. [Read more…] about Monaco Grand Prix
The Podium
Webber Untouchable
By Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
For those that thought Red Bull had recently lost ground to McLaren, the Spanish Grand Prix reiterated that Red Bull is likely the team to beat in the 2010 season. [Read more…] about Spanish Grand Prix
By Philippe Defechereux
Photos courtesy Planet F1
Well, well, well. This may be the first inter-season in a long time to prove more thrilling, exciting and dramatic than the racing season itself. Last month in Part 1, we used the words “staccato of events” to describe the early post-season events. Now, we need to use something much stronger like “major news releases at maximum revs.” And that’s 19,000 rpms as befits F1. Let’s hear these latest loud sounds of fury; we suggest wearing earplugs.
In order of amplitude:
* Schumi is back. Great blasts of trumpets and fireworks! Anybody who would have predicted this in writing six months ago would have quickly been taken to the loony house (next to Max Mosley’s favorite club). [Read more…] about The Inter-Seasonal Sounds of Fury
Kimi Raikkonen
Button Takes All, Fat Lady Leaves the Building
by Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright FerrariMedia
It may not have been a pretty finish, or one that will go down in the record books as a great performance, but Jenson Button’s fifth place finish in the suburbs of Sao Paulo was enough to clinch the 2009 Driver’s Championship. [Read more…] about Brazilian Grand Prix
Hot Flash: Schumacher to Replace Massa
Michael Schumacher will be replacing the injured Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix in Valencia. Ferrari confirmed the decision on Wednesday evening.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, and Mark Webber
by Erik C. Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
The Formula One season so far seemed to be a shuffle of the teams at the top of the leader board. Brawn GP came out of the ashes of the old Honda effort to mop up the competition. Red Bull Racing played a strong second fiddle; German fans felt they had their next-generation boy wonder in Sebastian Vettel; and, the legions of tifosi were scared that Ferrari had decided on benchmarking their performance to the efforts of the Scuderia in the late 80s and early 90s. This weekend’s results showed more consistency with the pecking order being restored to last year’s table.
The major incident of the weekend was Filipe Massa’s incident when he was hit in the head by an errant spring from Rubens Barichello’s Brawn GP in qualifying. As of 12:17 GMT today, according to a report on Autosport.com, Massa’s doctor, Dino Altmann, said that Massa will be able to race again.
“I have no doubt Felipe will race again,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. [Read more…] about Hungarian Grand Prix
Kimi Raikkonen and the grand stand. Not a good race for Ferrari; Kimi finished 10th.
by Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Where are the fans?
It never fails. The race that immediately follows the glitz and glamour of Monaco never seems to live up to the same standard or reputation. Turkey had the honor this year and it seemed like Jenson Button had a good time, but all is not well in F1 right now. Rumors abounded up and down the pit lane that the powers that be actually requested a couple of cameras be turned off during the race, lest someone actually realize that the stands were as empty as they are in Daytona at 2 AM during the 24 hour race, in the rain.
[Read more…] about Grand Prix of Turkey
Sorry, not really a Ferrari in the lead.
Follow the money
by Pete Vack (Erik Nielsen is traveling)
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Felipe Massa’s voice had an urgency heard even above the roar of the Ferrari V8. “What do you want me to do?”, asking the pits for instructions. Running in fourth with only a few laps to go, he was being hounded by Sebastian Vettel. Should he let him go by?
[Read more…] about The Spanish Grand Prix