Formula1.com - Latest News

Raikkonen assured of DHL Fastest Lap Award

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:08:00 GMT

His championship hopes may be all but over, but Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen does have something to celebrate - clinching the DHL Fastest Lap Award for the second consecutive year. With three races still to run, Raikkonen has already racked up an unbeatable 10 fastest laps this year, his most recent in Singapore. With no other driver having recorded more than two, Raikkonen will collect the highly-coveted DHL Fastest Lap Award trophy following next month's season finale in Brazil.

FIA press conference schedule for Japan

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:52:00 GMT

Local hero Kazuki Nakajima takes to the stage with three other drivers on Thursday, while Honda's Nick Fry and Toyota's John Howett are among the leading team personnel facing the media on Friday. The line-up in full Thursday October 9, 1500 hours local time (0600 GMT): Jenson Button (Honda), Timo Glock (Toyota), Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) and Kazuki Nakajima (Williams).

Honda wow the crowds at Tokyo festival

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:04:00 GMT

Over the weekend, Honda enjoyed a starring role at the Tokyo Motorsports Festival in Odaiba as part of the team's week-long build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix. On Saturday Honda young driver, Luca Filippi, carried out several demonstration runs, before Jenson Button took over the RA108 to thrill the 72,000 fans in attendance on Sunday.

Waiting in the wings - Kamui Kobayashi's Toyota aspirations

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:10:00 GMT

Toyota's motorsport division has been based in Germany since 1978, but its links to the company's Japanese homeland remain as strong as ever, making this weekend's Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway a very special event. Boasting over 30 nationalities amongst 650 or so staff, Toyota is one of the most international of the 10 Formula One teams. Of course, they have more than their fair share of Japanese workers in their ranks - most notably third driver Kamui Kobayashi

Vijay Mallya Q&A: Force India out to build on strong foundations

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:58:00 GMT

It's been almost a year since Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya bought Spyker. In that time the rebranded Force India team have experienced the ups and downs of competing in the world's toughest - and most glamorous - motorsport category. Mallya reflects on the past year and reveals his hopes for the future

BMW Sauber retain Heidfeld and Kubica for 2009

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:37:00 GMT

BMW Sauber confirmed on Monday that current line-up, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, will continue to race for the team next season. With continuity being BMW Sauber's watchword for 2009, third driver Christian Klien will stay on too. "We see Nick and Robert as a strong driver pairing and Christian as an experienced test driver, explained BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen. We are in no doubt that we will again achieve our ambitious aims...

The gentle touch - Honda's Alex Wurz on mastering Fuji

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:30:00 GMT

This weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, round 16 of the 2008 championship, is a special race for Honda - not only is it their home event, but located 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Tokyo in the Shizuoka region, Fuji Speedway is close to where company founder Soichiro Honda was born in 1906. Fuji staged two races in the '70s, before returning last year after a facelift by renowned track designer Hermann Tilke. It's a circuit where small errors can cost you huge chunks of time, as Honda's Alex Wurz explains

BMW Sauber and Heidfeld take to the streets of South Korea

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:52:00 GMT

BMW Sauber marked a special debut in South Korea on Saturday when Nick Heidfeld became the first driver ever to clock up mileage in a Formula One car in South Korea's capital, Seoul. Along a closed-off section in the Samsung-dong area of the city, Heidfeld was cheered by an estimated crowd of 20,000 spectators who had come to watch his demonstration drive. The German driver blasted up and down the half-kilometre strip five times.

Fisichella exclusive: 'special conditions' needed to score in '08

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:39:00 GMT

When the Indian guests in the Formula One Paddock Club at Singapore's Marina Bay circuit saw Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella running in P2, pandemonium broke out, with fans jumping on tables, clapping hands, screaming and laughing - it didn't matter that Fisichella could retain the position only briefly. And the Italian himself admits that seeing P2 on the pit board brought back many happy memories and reenergised his belief that the team could yet win some points this season

Analysis - top teams pass notes to improve overtaking

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:53:00 GMT

Next season could see a lot more passing thanks to a unique collaboration between three top Formula One teams. Backed by the FIA, design engineers from Ferrari, McLaren and Renault have together contributed to revised aerodynamic regulations that should increase overtaking. A driver currently needs to be as much as two seconds a lap faster than the car in front to have a realistic chance of passing. That should be halved in 2009 thanks to changes, including front wings that can be adjusted by the driver...

2009 aero changes - Q&A with McLaren's Paddy Lowe

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:51:00 GMT

Along with his fellow Overtaking Working Group (OWG) members, McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe was one of the men charged with helping the FIA to frame revisions to the 2009 technical regulations, aimed at boosting the amount of overtaking in Formula One racing. We asked him about the Group's findings - and the likely impact of the planned changes

Japanese Grand Prix - selected preview quotes

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:26:00 GMT

After making its return to the calendar last season, the Fuji Speedway plays host to the Japanese Grand Prix again this weekend. With an overtaking-friendly 1.5-kilometre straight, Mount Fuji as a backdrop and the possibility of the same wet conditions seen in 2007, it presents a real challenge to drivers and engineers alike

Raikkonen at a loss to explain 'dark period'

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:11:00 GMT

For a world champion defending his title, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen has shouldered more than his fair share of lacklustre results this year. And after leaving a Grand Prix empty handed for the fourth time in succession in Singapore, Raikkonen lies a distant fourth in the championship standings, 27 points off the lead. Obviously I'm really sad about this situation, said the Finn. I can't explain this dark period and there's nothing I can do to change what happened. It's difficult to find the right words: racing at night or during the day, this is definitely not my year.

Nakajima - Japan's bright hope for Fuji and beyond

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:21:00 GMT

With the demise of Super Aguri and the accompanying departure of Takuma Sato earlier this year, all eyes will be on Williams' Kazuki Nakajima at next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. The sole Japanese entrant, Nakajima will be out to impress as he races a Formula One car in front of his fellow countrymen for the first time. Is the 23 year-old up to the task? A cursory glance at the season's scoreboard would suggest yes. Not only has he finished 13 of the 15 races run this year, but he has also scored nine points - no mean feat in a debut season, especially one with what is currently a midfield team.

Bob Bell Q&A: Singapore was the boost Renault needed

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:34:00 GMT

A few years' back Renault were regulars on the top step of the podium. But since their 2006 world championship the French team have endured a long and disheartening dry spell. In Singapore, however, all that changed with Fernando Alonso sweeping to victory at the Marina Bay circuit. Technical director Bob Bell reviews the race and reveals how the win has already worked wonders in improving the team's morale