Andrew Benson blog

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorspo...307861.stm

F1 cars set for major changes inspired by Head & Byrne

F1 cars in 2013 will have a small front wing, just like the Williams from 1980

Exclusive by Andrew Benson


Formula 1 cars are set for more radical changes in time for 2013 as bosses look to make the sport more efficient and potentially more exciting.

Cars will have much smaller wings and specially-shaped underfloors designed to generate downforce differently.

They will use 35% less fuel and be a little slower but more challenging to drive, although passing may be easier.

Drawn up by respected engineers Patrick Head and Rory Byrne, the rules would be the biggest design change since 1983.

The draft regulations, which were requested by governing body the FIA, are to be sent to teams this week ahead of a meeting in January of F1's Technical Working Group (TWG), which scopes out rule changes.

ANDREW BENSON'S BLOG
These external changes reflect a major change in the philosophy behind the cars and, as with the turbo engines, it is a case of back to the future

The TWG, which includes the design heads of each team, will discuss the proposals and suggest any changes they feel might need to be made.

But the fundamental philosophy that has been created is expected to remain intact.

The major changes will be: The major changes will be:

* Much smaller front and rear wings;

* A far greater proportion of the total downforce of the cars will be created by the underfloor, compared to the wings;

* A major reduction in the amount of total downforce created by the car;

* To achieve this, the underfloor of the cars will be shaped along its length to generate downforce for the first time since the 1982 season - currently cars have bottoms that are flat between the wheels;

* The average proportion of a lap that a driver is able to spend on full throttle to be cut from 70% in 2010 to 50% in 2013;

* Tyres will remain large and chunky to ensure cornering speeds remain high.





Head, director of engineering for Williams, and Byrne, a former chief designer for Ferrari, have between them been involved in the design of cars that have won 17 constructors' titles for Williams, Benetton and Ferrari.


The 1982 Ferrari - a 126C2 - also possessed a small front wing
The pair started work on the new rules in March and have now presented a set of draft regulations to FIA race director Charlie Whiting, who will finalise them before sending them off to the teams.

"We are only going to have roughly 65% of the amount of fuel and a [limited] fuel [flow] rate - that was a given," said Head, talking exclusively to BBC Sport.

"We were just told 'That's what it will be, you've got to come up with a car spec that is not going to be more than five seconds a lap slower than a current F1 car'.

"So some circuit simulation was done by Rory at Ferrari and when we'd come up with some numbers in terms of drag and downforce it was then to try to come up with a geometry of a car that could try to achieve that."

Head and Byrne were charged with ensuring the new rules did not make overtaking any harder and, as it turns out, they could actually make passing easier.

That is because a car should lose less downforce when it is following another car if more of its total downforce is created by its underfloor rather than its wings.

This makes it easier for drivers to follow closely behind cars they are racing and therefore easier to pass.

Shaped undersides were banned in F1 at the end of the 1982 season because it was felt cornering speeds had got too fast and the cars too dangerous.

But back then they were used with skirts that touched the ground and sealed the low-pressure area, vastly increasing its efficiency.

This will be made impossible in 2013 by making the centre of the car lower than the sides.

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Coches de Fórmula 1 se establecen para cambios más radicales en el tiempo para 2013 como jefes para hacer el deporte más eficiente y potencialmente más emocionante.

Coches tendrá mucho más pequeñas alas y underfloors en forma de especialmente diseñados para generar aerodinámica de manera diferente.

Utilizarán 35% menos de combustible y ser un poco más lento pero más difícil de la unidad, aunque pasando puede ser más fácil.

Elaborado por los ingenieros respetados Patrick Head y Rory Byrne, las normas sería el mayor cambio de diseño desde 1983.

El proyecto de Reglamento, que fueron solicitado por la FIA de órgano rector, se van a enviar a los equipos de esta semana antes de una reunión en enero de F1 técnica Working Group (TWG), qué ámbitos a cambios en las reglas.

BLOG DE ANDREW BENSON
Estos cambios externos reflejan un cambio importante en la filosofía de los coches y, al igual que con los motores turbo, es un caso de espalda para el futuro

El TWG, que incluye a los jefes de diseño de cada equipo, discutirá las propuestas y sugieren que los cambios que se sienten que deba hacerse.

Pero se espera que la filosofía fundamental que se ha creado permanecen intactos.

Los cambios principales serán:

* Mucho menor frente y alas traseras;

* Una proporción mucho mayor de la fuerza total de los coches se creará por suelo radiante, en comparación con las alas;

* Una importante reducción en la cantidad de fuerza total creado por el coche;

* Para lograr este objetivo, en el suelo radiante de los coches se se forma a lo largo de su longitud para generar aerodinámica por primera vez desde la temporada de 1982 - actualmente coches disponen de fondos que son planas entre las ruedas;

* La proporción media de una vuelta que un piloto es capaz de pasar Acelerador completo para ser cortado de 70% en 2010 al 50% en 2013;

* Neumáticos serán siendo grande y gruesa para velocidades de giro siguen siendo elevadas.

Head, director de ingeniería para Williams y Byrne, un ex jefe de diseño para Ferrari, entre ellos han participado en el diseño de automóviles que han ganado títulos de 17 de los constructores para Ferrari, Williams y Benetton.


El Ferrari de 1982 - C 126 2 - también poseía un pequeño alerón delantero
La pareja comenzó a trabajar en las nuevas normas en marzo y ahora presentan un conjunto de proyectos de Reglamento al director de carrera FIA Charlie Whiting, que será finalizar antes de enviarlos a los equipos.

"Sólo vamos a tener aproximadamente el 65% de la cantidad de combustible y una tasa de combustible [limitado] [flujo] - que fue un dado," dijo el jefe, hablando exclusivamente a la BBC Sport.

' Sólo nos dijeron ' eso es lo que será, tienes que llegar a una especificación de coches que no va a ser de más de cinco segundos una vuelta más lenta que un coche de Fórmula 1 actual'.

"Tan algunos simulación de circuito fue realizada por Rory en Ferrari y cuando nos vendría con algunos números en términos de arrastre y aerodinámica fue entonces tratar de llegar a una geometría de un automóvil que podría tratar de lograr".

Jefe y Byrne fueron acusados con la garantía de las nuevas normas no hizo superando todo más difícil y, como resulta, podría realmente hacen pasar más fácil.

Esto es porque un coche debe perder menos fuerza cuando está siguiendo otro auto si más de su fuerza total es creado por su radiante, en lugar de sus alas.

Esto hace más fácil para los conductores a seguir de cerca detrás de ellos son carreras de coches y por lo tanto, más fáciles de pasar.

Enveses forma fueron prohibidas en la Fórmula 1 al final de la temporada de 1982 porque se consideró las curvas a velocidades habían conseguido demasiado rápido y los coches demasiado peligrosos.

Sigue...

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Vettel's rivals given hope in Malaysia


Andrew Benson | 14:51 UK time, Sunday, 10 April 2011

There was a point, shortly before half distance, when the Malaysian Grand Prix appeared to be turning into a microcosm of exactly what the 2011 Formula 1 season was expected to be.

The eventual winner Sebastian Vettel was leading in his Red Bull, from Lewis Hamilton's McLaren and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari. Hamilton was closing on Vettel, Alonso was closing on Hamilton and, not far behind them, Jenson Button in the second McLaren was keeping pace.

Four great drivers in the three top teams were all in contention, and it looked for all the world like a continuation of the fights that made last year into an all-time classic.

In the end, that fantastic battle for the lead ebbed away, but the race still went some way towards cooling fears that Red Bull are going to walk away with this championship.

In the end, Vettel may have driven to another relatively comfortable victory, but just like in Australia two weeks ago the Red Bull was not obviously that much faster than a McLaren or, this time, a Ferrari in the race.

And, surprisingly, Vettel had nowhere near the advantage in qualifying that he had in Melbourne. The battle for pole position was genuinely close between him and Hamilton - despite Sepang being exactly the sort of track that should emphasise the Red Bull's aerodynamic excellence, even if the car has a power handicap down Sepang's long straights.

The world champion was hampered during the race by a faltering Kers system. It seems it was not working when he was coming under pressure from his pursuers, and came back again a little later, when he pulled away again, before the team decided to stop using it altogether once the challenge from Hamilton had faded.

It may be that Red Bull have not yet had to show their full hand in a race - or that for reasons related to the new Pirelli tyres they are not able to.

Either way, the McLarens and Ferraris were much closer than many feared heading into this race. After Australia, you could have been forgiven for thinking 2011 was going to develop as a repeat of Michael Schumacher's dominant years in 2002 and 2004. After Malaysia, the prospects for an exciting season look considerably stronger.




The race ebbed and flowed throughout its duration, providing a fascinating and gripping spectacle.

Vettel's afternoon was made easier than it might have been by Nick Heidfeld's lightning start in the Renault, which catapulted the German veteran into second place ahead of Hamilton.

There was therefore no chance to see a direct comparison between Vettel and Hamilton in the early laps - and that allowed Vettel to quickly build an advantage that meant he was in control mode as early as the first of his three pit stops.

Mid-race, Hamilton was Vettel's main threat, but as he dropped back, losing grip from his Pirelli tyres faster than his rivals, Button came increasingly into the picture.

The 2009 world champion struggled in the early stages after making a mistake on set-up going into the race. But once that was rectified by adding more front downforce at his pit stops, Button edged ever forward, and as Hamilton fell back with tyre problems, the older McLaren man emerged in second place.

In the closing laps, Button made a go of closing on Vettel, only to effectively be told by his engineer to settle for second because the team did not know whether his tyres would last.

Had things worked out differently, Button may have been forced to spend those closing laps watching his mirrors for a challenge by Alonso. As it was, the Spaniard wrecked what was looking like a certain podium when he misjudged a passing attempt on Hamilton with 10 laps to go.

With his moveable rear wing not working, Alonso was forced to look for other places to pass Hamilton than the end of the pit straight. He had a great run on the McLaren out of Turn Three, but he got too close before pulling out to try for the inside into Turn Four and he clipped his front wing against his old rival's right rear tyre.

That meant a stop for a new front wing, and a finish behind team-mate Felipe Massa in sixth place, which he retained despite a 20-second penalty for hitting Hamilton. It was a costly mistake, but if Alonso did not sound too down in his post-race interview, that was almost certainly because Ferrari certainly did not go into the race expecting to be challenging a McLaren for a place on the podium.




The team were utterly dejected on Friday, when Alonso was 1.5 seconds off the pace, and not much more optimistic after qualifying on Saturday. But in race conditions the Ferrari looked pretty competitive.

With a massive internal inquiry going on at Maranello about these confusing signals, and the promise of significant upgrades to come, one suspects Alonso may well be a major contender again.

The same is undoubtedly true of Hamilton, even if he did not look like he believed it himself after the race. Starting the day expecting to fight for victory, he finished seventh after struggling increasingly with tyre wear as the race developed. And that was before a 20-second penalty for weaving while defending from Alonso cost him another place.

Hamilton's penalty was not for the collision itself - it was for an incident two minutes earlier, which was when he was defending his position from Alonso down the pit straight the previous lap.

If you watch the video closely, Hamilton does slightly change the trajectory of his car a number of times as the two men are heading towards the first corner.

He is heading to his left, towards the outside of the track, then he goes right a touch, then back left again. They are not big moves, but they are moves. And the stewards decided he had crossed the line and broken the rule that forbids drivers from making more than one change of line to defend a position.

It was, it has to be said, a marginal decision but it should be pointed out that Hamilton has been in trouble for this sort of thing before - in last year's Malaysia race, as it happens. Then, he was given a warning flag for unsportsmanlike driving while defending from Renault's Vitaly Petrov - and received heavy criticism from fellow drivers in the aftermath of the race.

This incident was not as dramatic as that, but Hamilton has nevertheless become the first man to be punished under new rules this season that give race stewards broader powers in such situations.

Hamilton was dejected after the race, obviously frustrated, and appearing to blame the team for stopping him too early for tyres throughout the race.

But the late stop with four laps to go that dropped him down from fourth place was his own decision, according to team boss Martin Whitmarsh. The team felt he could have stayed out - although Whitmarsh was quick to add that the driver has to be trusted in such situations.

Before the season, there was talk that Hamilton's more exuberant style compared to Button could lead him into problems with this year's Pirelli tyres, which have been deliberately designed to degrade relatively quickly. Hamilton has been quick to reject such suggestions, but was this an example of that? And, if so, how much of an impact on Hamilton's hopes will it have this season?

That is just one of the questions to which the Chinese Grand Prix next weekend may provide more answers. Among the others, the merits of the moveable rear wing, or DRS as F1 rather unhelpfully officially calls it, will remain under the spotlight.

At times during Sunday's race in Malaysia, it appeared to be working exactly as planned - it was putting drivers in a position to try to pass, but they were still having to work for it. At others, it appeared to be making things a little too easy. It will doubtless continue to provide a talking point throughout the season.

More pressingly, for those pursuing Vettel, there is the urgent need to turn promise into concrete results.

After two races, Vettel's position in the championship already looks comfortable. Two consecutive victories, with different drivers alongside him on the podium, have put Vettel into a commanding 24-point lead in the championship - after two races, he is already nearly a win clear of his closest pursuer, Button.

Unlike last year, Vettel has made the most of the fastest car in the first two races of the season. Like last year, Red Bull have had problems - this time, with the Kers system - but the German has won both races anyway, whereas at this stage in 2010, he had only a fourth place to his name.

Strong as the Red Bull is, it has weaknesses and it appears as if it is beatable, as long as a rival gets everything right. But they need to start doing that soon, or the already large gap Vettel has built up in the championship will begin to look unbridgeable

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/formula_...109394.stm


Fernando Alonso rear wing mystery explained

Alonso's rear wing mysteriously opens
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso was involved in a mysterious incident during the Chinese Grand Prix when his drag-reduction system overtaking aid deployed in a forbidden area while he was trying to pass the Mercedes of Michael Schumacher.

The devices - known as DRS for short - have been introduced to Formula 1 this year in an attempt to make overtaking a little easier.

Drivers can use their DRS in one designated zone on the track and only if they are within a second of the car they are trying to overtake. The driver defending his position is not allowed to use his device.

The device is enabled electronically by systems operated by the FIA, the sport's governing body. It works by lifting the upper of the two parts of the rear wing, 'stalling' the wing, reducing drag and therefore increasing straightline speed.

In Shanghai, the DRS zone was on the long back straight. It started 750 metres before the hairpin at the end of the straight and ends as soon as the drivers hit the brakes.

But at one stage, while Alonso was still behind Schumacher, television viewers saw the Spaniard's wing open between the hairpin and the final corner on lap 23.

BBC Sport has learnt that an error caused Alonso's DRS to 'offset' on that lap.

That meant it was not enabled until 300m before the end of the straight, and was then available after the corner for a short time.

This meant that he gained no advantage from the situation - in fact it actually caused him a disadvantage - so was given no penalty.

FIA officials are still investigating what caused the error.Alonso eventually passed Schumacher two laps later, on lap 25, by getting a better exit out of the hairpin.

He finished the race in sixth place. It was won by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton from Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

Alonso also had problems with his DRS in the previous race in Malaysia a week ago. Then, it stopped working and he was unable to use it for much of the

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Alonso da pausa de Red Bull para reflexionar
Andrew Benson | 17: 04 Hora de Reino Unido, domingo 8 de mayo de 2011
La temporada de Fórmula 1 de 2011 no es todavía un cuarto hecho pero ya es difícil ver los pasados de Sebastian vettel , terminando una segunda temporada consecutiva como campeón mundial.

Una tercera victoria en cuatro carreras ha dado el liderazgo de controlador un 34-punto de Red Bull en la clasificación y el hombre en segundo lugar, Lewis Hamilton, podría terminar sólo cuarto en el gran premio de Turquía del domingo.

No cabe duda que el alemán es ahora en control total de esta temporada. La palabra "dominación" es ser circular alrededor y es fácil ver por qué pero, en cada una de las cuatro carreras hasta ahora, no ha sido tan grande como los cruda resultados sugieren la brecha de rendimiento entre Vettel y sus perseguidores.

Al igual que en sus victorias en Australia y Malasia, tarde de Vettel en Estambul fue facilitada por retrasos sufridos por sus rivales.

Esta vez, nico rosberg, quien inició la tercera en la cuadrícula detrás de Vettel y compañero de equipo Mark Webber, fue el hombre responsable de permitir que a su colega alemán para romper. Aseguró que podría aliviar en control de crucero ya en la vuelta cinco, cuando Webber fue finalmente capaz de pasar el inicio rápido de Mercedes.

La clave de Vettel victorias ha sido su inmensa ritmo en la clasificación. Turquía fue su cuarta pole position consecutiva esta temporada, su séptimo en las ocho últimos carreras si usted contar el final del año pasado - y uno de sus más impresionante fue hasta ahora.




Vettel no tuvo ejecuta seco el viernes siguiente un fuerte accidente causado por presionar demasiado sobre neumáticos intermedios en convertir ocho en las condiciones de humedad el viernes por la mañana. Sin embargo, al día siguiente poner su coche en Polo por casi medio segundo de Webber.

Incluso en las razas salvajes y whacky de 2011, pole position está demostrando un arma vital para Vettel. Es lo que le permite dirigir claro de la locura detrás de él y lo que le permite ejecutar a su propio ritmo, poniéndolo en control de carreras desde muy temprana edad.

¿Webber o Ferraride Fernando Alonso, quien finalizó segundo y tercero, habría sido capaz de desafiarlo el domingo no hubiera sido por Rosberg? Ninguno de ellos sonaba muy confiado de después de la carrera.

Webber dijo habría sido "difícil de derrotar Sebastian hoy", mientras que Alonso - gran sorpresa de la raza - descrito Vettel como un "favorito de 99 %".

Sin embargo, Alonso añadió que "este 1% (es) habíamos perdido en las cinco primeras vueltas con Nico porque más o menos la distancia de siete segundos a Sebastián fue consistente a lo largo de la carrera. Sin esos cinco segundos, tal vez podría haber corrido en la parada en boxes y obligó a algo".

Y ese es el punto. Vettel, como dijo él mismo, no es imbatible. Pero su vida es facilitado por la frenética batalla detrás de él, que él es agrimensura desde arriba por ahora.

Partida en la carrera de Turquía, pocos hubiera predicho que sería Alonso dar la pelea el Red Bull - y no el hombre mismo.

El español llegó en Estambul hablando de Ferrari haber tomado un "pequeño paso". Pero el nuevo frente y alas traseras y conductos de freno, sumadas a mucho más que eso.

Alonso ha calificado la quinta para todas las cuatro razas hasta ahora esta temporada, pero él y Ferrari reducción su déficit a Vettel de 1.4secs en China 0.8secs en Turquía hace tres semanas. Y en la carrera fue muy y de cabeza a los pies con Webber llegó casi a la parte superior.

Alonso hizo una excelente carrera, aprovechándose de un error de vuelta de Hamilton se deslice en cuarto lugar, Webber siguiente Rosberg y, a continuación, arrastrando a con el Red Bull para el resto de la tarde.

Fue, entonces, el merecido ganador de nuestro nuevo piloto de Fórmula 1 de la BBC de la votación del día, en que tomó el 18,5% del apoyo, justo por delante de Vettel (17,9%) y de Sauber kamui kobayashi, que luchó desde la parte posterior de la cuadrícula 10mo (17,2%).

Fue un cambio notable por Ferrari y hay más de ellos después de algunos análisis detallado e intenso en Maranello tras su decepcionante inicio de temporada.

Inmediatamente revivió recuerdos del año pasado. Dejando el gran premio británico en julio pasado, casi dos victorias claras frente a liderar el Campeonato en puntos, Alonso declaró que era más seguro que nunca que él podría ganar el campeonato. Y no haber sido por alguna estrategia echaron de Ferrari en la carrera final de la temporada, lo habría hecho.

Alonso podría ser 52 puntos - más de dos victorias - detrás de Vettel ahora, pero tiene 15 carreras, o posiblemente 16 dependiendo de lo que sucede a Bahrein, recuperar y sería un ***** que descontó un caza ahora esa formidable. Después de la experiencia del año pasado, Red Bull, sin duda, no hacer ese error.

"Ferrari", dijo el equipo principal Christian Horner, "están atrás. Ellos nos empujaron muy duro hoy con Fernando."

Alonso consideró suficiente confianza después de su tercer lugar en Turquía para hablar de ganar carreras. Sin embargo, por ahora, la única persona a hacerlo este año además de Vettel es Hamilton, cuyo equipo McLaren Domingo fue una experiencia chastening después de su conductor impresionante victoria en China.

Que el error en la primera vuelta, con amplia en convertir cuatro desafiantes a Webber, lo pone en el pie atrás y un fumbled de parada en boxes, causada por una tuerca rueda agarrotado, descendió le aún más. En estilo típico, Hamilton se quedaba con la tarea y lucharon para terminar cuarto.

jenson Button fue sexto después de él y el equipo eligió erróneamente una estrategia de tres paradas cuando cuatro era el camino a seguir.

Jefe de equipo Martin Whitmarsh acertadamente lo describió como un "día bastante normal en la Oficina" pero Hamilton habló de la lucha por el segundo sin sus problemas y no hay ninguna razón para suponer McLaren han perdido la capacidad que han demostrado en las tres primeras carreras para mantener el ritmo con Red Bull.

La siguiente fase de la temporada, y promete ser apasionante, con Mercedes, también en la mezcla - incluso si la carrera de Rosberg ritmo no coincide con su excelente rendimiento de calificación.

Sin embargo, para su compañero de equipo, el futuro parece menos brillante. El domingo fue un día difícil en regreso funesto de Michael schumacher.




Aplastados por Rosberg en la clasificación, cuando tenía - al igual que para gran parte del año pasado - culpable de over-driving, Schumacher tuvo otra carrera pobre, acaba con las esperanzas de una recuperación completamente calculando mal su defensa contra Renault Vitaly petrov en las primeras vueltas y extracción en su alerón delantero.

"No sé por qué él no sabe cuándo rendirse," David Coulthard dijo en el comentario. "En la pista o en su carrera?", respondió Martin Brundle, fuerte como nunca.

BBC analogía posterior a la carrera de analista Eddie Jordan con Un Ali de Muhammad mayores y embriagado cuando luchó Larry Holmes en 1980 fue tal vez un toque duro, pero podría ver de donde venía desde.

Tiquets, máscara de Schumacher se deslizó un poco por primera vez desde su regreso. Él siempre había insistido que estaba disfrutando de él mismo, y que el ritmo y toque volvería. El domingo, sin embargo, admitió "la gran alegría no existe ahora".

He conocido a Schumacher por un largo tiempo, y Miró y sonaba como un hombre empezando, como Coulthard, "a sí mismo algunas preguntas".

Tal vez fue la emoción posterior a la carrera inmediata hablando, tal vez no. Pero, no por primera vez, muchos en la F1 se preguntan si su segunda carrera durará los tres años que firmó.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/...eason.html

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Fernando Alonso - classic F1 2011Comments

Andrew Benson | 06:00 UK time, Wednesday, 18 May 2011
It is the turn of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to pick his five favourite all-time grands prix in the latest edition of our classic Formula 1 series.

We have asked all the drivers to do the same, and are broadcasting their choices - and highlights of the relevant races - ahead of each grand prix this season to whet your appetites for the action to come. Highlights will be shown on this website and on the red button in the UK.

Alonso follows in the footsteps of Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Sebastien Buemi and Rubens Barrichello so far this season.

We have chosen Spain's double world champion this time because it is his home race this weekend, and among his choices is a grand prix from the Circuit de Catalunya that has hosted the event since 1991.

That choice is the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix, which Alonso won to become the first Spaniard to win his home race. Of his 26 career victories, and 162 grands prix, the 29-year-old says this one "may be for me still the most emotional race".

Alonso has picked only two races from his own career, the other being his remarkable victory in last year's maiden Korean Grand Prix.

Those who remember his manic cackle over the radio on the slow-down lap - part disbelief, part sheer joy, part cartoon villain - will not be surprised that he has chosen that race. You may, though, be as surprised as I was that he did not choose his superb victory in the Italian Grand Prix last year, in his first season at Ferrari, which he likened to his Spanish victory.

For Alonso, Korea last year marked the climax of a quite brilliant fightback in the world championship battle.

Leaving the British Grand Prix, the 10th of 19 races last year, Alonso was 47 points off the championship lead. His victory in Korea, seven races later, put him at the top of the standings. Of course, he went on to lose the championship by just four points to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel after a catastrophic strategic error by Ferrari in the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In Korea, Alonso was engaged in an intense race-long battle for the lead with Vettel and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton which was finally decided in the Ferrari driver's favour when Vettel suffered an engine failure in the closing stages.

But that was not the only reason Alonso remembers the race so fondly - in fact, he did not even mention that he won it.

He said: "I will always remember the first race in Korea because the conditions were so extreme in terms of light.

"It was completely dark and it was so wet. It was one hour delayed because of the wet. We could not follow the safety car because of the spray.

"There were so many things in one race that it remains quite shocking what we did in Korea."

Alonso's other three choices are ones that have already proved popular among the other drivers.

He has chosen the two notorious Japanese Grands Prix of 1989 and 1990, in both of which Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost collided to decide the destiny of the world title. These were also chosen by Buemi.

And finally there is Belgium 2000, featuring Mika Hakkinen's famous pass of Schumacher, as the two went either side of the backmarker Ricardo Zonta. This race was also chosen by Schumacher.

Alonso says: "One of my favourite races was Senna-Prost fight in Suzuka when in Turn One they finished both in the gravel (1990), and the year before, when one of them (Prost) finished stopped in the chicane.

"I also like, and have seen many times on TV, the race at Spa with Mika and Michael, when they overtook Ricardo Zonta at the end of the straight. That was a super race - from both of them."

An interesting footnote about that weekend in Belgium in 2000 is that it was also crucial in Alonso's career.

He was racing in Formula 3000, the forerunner of today's GP2 feeder series, driving for the Astromega team, who were not one of the better outfits.

In terms of bald statistics, it was not a great season. At Spa, though, on one of the world's great driver circuits, Alonso was in a league of his own, taking pole position, a dominant victory and fastest lap.

His performance impressed many of those watching the race in the F1 paddock, among them a certain Flavio Briatore, who pretty much immediately signed Alonso up for his driver management business.

The next year, Alonso was driving for Minardi in F1, the year after that he was test driver for Briatore's Renault team, in 2003 he was promoted to a race drive and the rest is history.

In Hungary that year, Alonso's became the sport's youngest ever race winner and two years later its youngest world champion, and a year after that the youngest double champion.

Now, back to classic F1.
Sigue.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/..._five.html

[Blackmadonna]

El blog maravilloso por el único Andrew Benson hoy, nuestro amigo entre los periodistas ingleses.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/...ilton.html


Hamilton outburst overshadows Monaco thriller



Andrew Benson | 19:09 UK time, Sunday, 29 May 2011

As if the Monaco Grand Prix had not already been dramatic enough, Lewis Hamilton's controversial comments afterwards will ensure it makes even bigger headlines across the world.

The McLaren driver quoted Ali G, the original spoof character dreamt up by Borat creator Sacha Baron Cohen, as he railed against the decision by race stewards to call him to explain his part in two separate incidents during Sunday's event.

Hamilton pointed out to BBC F1 pit-lane reporter Lee McKenzie that it was the fifth time in six races this year he had been called to account for his actions, and she asked him why he thought that was.

"Maybe it's because I'm black," he said, laughing. "That's what Ali G said. I dunno."

"People want to see overtaking and racing and you get done for trying to put on a show and make a move," he continued. "Fair play. If I really feel I've gone too late and hit someone, I'll put my hand up and say I've caused the incident and been the stupid one."

Hamilton described his being called to account for incidents for which he felt was blameless as "a joke", and described the rivals in question - Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams novice Pastor Maldonado - as "stupid".

What was he going to do about the situation? "I'll just try and keep my mouth shut," he said.

It is too late for that, though, even though McLaren went into damage-limitation mode after the race.

"Immediately after the race he was very down," team principal Martin Whitmarsh said, "and during a post-race TV interview he made a poor joke about his penalties that referenced Ali G. However, I'm pleased to say that he chose to return to the track a little while later to speak to the stewards about the joke. They accepted his explanation."

Hamilton's remarks came at the end of a weekend when nothing seemed to go right for him.

A wrong call to do only one run in qualifying led to him starting the race from ninth place, after he made a mistake and cut a chicane on his flying lap.

Trying to make up ground in the race, a brilliant early pass on Michael Schumacher was followed by the two collisions with Massa and Petrov.

Sir Jackie Stewart talks about the importance of ridding yourself of emotion before stepping into a grand prix car, but it looked as if Hamilton had not taken the great man's advice on Sunday.

Hamilton has made himself one of global sport's highest profile figures thanks to his inspirational driving, and cool, youthful image. And he has established himself in the four and a half years of his career as unquestionably the greatest overtaker in F1, as well as arguably its out-and-out fastest driver.

But he did not earn that reputation with performances like that in Monaco on Sunday. BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle described his late lunge down the inside of Massa as "clumsy" and his attempt to pass Maldonado later on was similarly optimistic.

When Hamilton watches the incidents back, I suspect he might agree, as he may well regret his post-race comments when he calms down after what was admittedly an intensely frustrating weekend. It remains to be seen whether they will get him into hot water with governing body the FIA.

In the days of the former president Max Mosley, there is no question Hamilton would have been called up to answer a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute. His predecessor Jean Todt has taken a less antagonistic approach, but has not yet had to deal with a similar incident.

Brundle said he thought Hamilton had let frustration creep into his driving, and it certainly looked that way.

He entered Monaco expecting to fight for victory and was quick throughout practice on a circuit he adores and on which he excels, only for it all to slip agonisingly through his fingers.

That frustration will be heightened by the fact that Vettel, with five wins in six races, is now in what has to be considered a virtually unassailable position in the championship.

Hamilton is well aware of how good he is. He aches to add more crowns to the one he won in 2008, and even before Monaco it was obvious that the fact this season is likely to be another barren year was already bubbling provocatively inside him.

But the sooner he realises that his quest to win the multiple titles he feels he deserves will not be helped by this sort of reaction, the better it will be for him.

While luck appeared to desert Hamilton in Monaco, the angels are truly smiling on Vettel this season. And it is not even as if he needs them.

Time after time, circumstance has intervened to make the German's path to victory easier than it should have been, and Vettel has taken full advantage.

Vettel's victory in Monaco on Sunday, his first in the principality, was his fifth in six grands prix so far this season. Only Jim Clark, Nigel Mansell, Schumacher and Jenson Button have achieved that and all of them ended the season in question as champions.

Vettel now leads the championship by 58 points - that means Hamilton, his closest pursuer, would have to take two wins and a sixth place with the Red Bull driver not scoring just to draw level.

It is the sort of margin that can be closed only by a driver in the best car. The problem is that it is Vettel himself who enjoys that luxury and, boy, is he capitalising on it.

His and Red Bull's domination is being founded on their blistering superiority in qualifying. In races, as Sunday demonstrated yet again, the Red Bull is far more vulnerable.

This time, a mix-up at Vettel's first pit stop meant he rejoined on the harder of the two tyre choices, the softs, when Red Bull had been intending to put him on the super-softs, which his closest pursuer Button chose to fit at his first stop.

The mistake made, Red Bull altered their strategy, in light of a mid-race safety car period, and decided to try to make it to the end of the race on those tyres.

That meant Vettel entered the final 30 laps of the race with tyres that were already 32 laps old and with two of F1's finest drivers closing in fast on fresher rubber.

Fernando Alonso's tyres were 17 laps younger than Vettel's, Button's a full 31; and with a little less than 20 laps to go the three of them were running nose to tail.

Vettel, driving brilliantly as he has all year, had held them off relatively comfortably until a big crash involving Hamilton, Vitaly Petrov, Jaime Alguersuari and Adrian Sutil brought out the safety car again and subsequently the red flag.

The 20-minute stoppage before the race was resumed robbed millions of viewers around the world of what promised to be a spectacular climax to the race - it meant all the drivers could fit fresh tyres and Vettel survived the last eight laps of the re-started race without incident.

It will never be known whether he could have held off Alonso and Button for the last eight laps had the race not been stopped.

But McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale told BBC pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz that by their calculations Vettel's tyres had no more than three more laps before they "dropped off the cliff", as F1 teams have taken to describing the moment the Pirellis that have done so much for the racing this year finally lose all their grip.

If Neale was right, even at Monaco Vettel would surely not have been able to hold Alonso and Button back.

Even Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted luck had shone on his team, saying the red flag was a "reprieve".

It was just the latest example of a recurring phenomenon this year. For all Vettel's searing qualifying pace, he is vulnerable in races, but events are transpiring to give him the breathing space he needs to keep winning.

Monaco followed Australia, Malaysia and Turkey this year as a race in which he might have faced a more serious challenge but didn't.

The championship may already appear to be a formality but the races themselves are making up for it with a combination of action and unpredictability that F1 has never seen before.

Next up is the Canadian Grand Prix, on one of the least favourable tracks for Red Bull, the long straights at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve favouring the extra power of McLaren's Mercedes engine and Ferrari over the Renault in the Red Bull.

Last year, Red Bull could manage only fourth and fifth in Montreal, behind Hamilton, Button and Alonso, in a race that prompted the decision to ask new supplier Pirelli to produce tyres that degraded rapidly.

The unique track surface there made the super-durable Bridgestones used last year behave like the Pirellis are doing at every race this season, and prompted the most exciting grand prix of the year.

If that happened when the racing was sometimes processional, even if the title fight was thrilling, the mind boggles at what could happen there in 2011

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Estallido de Hamilton eclipsa thriller de Mónaco

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Andrew Benson | Hora 19: 09 del Reino Unido, domingo 29 de mayo de 2011

Como si el Gran premio de Mónaco ya no había sido suficientemente dramáticos, comentarios polémicos de Lewis Hamiltondespués se asegurará que hace aún más grandes titulares en todo el mundo.

El piloto de McLaren citado Ali G, el personaje de parodia ideada por Borat creador Sacha Baron Cohen, como él cuando están hicieron campaña contra la decisión de Comisarios de la carrera de llamarlo para explicar su parte en dos incidentes separados durante el evento del domingo.

Hamilton señaló a reportero de BBC F1 pit-lane Lee McKenzie que era la quinta vez en seis carreras este año que había sido llamado a cuenta de sus acciones, y le preguntó por qué pensaba que era.

"Quizás es porque soy negro," dijo, riendo. "Eso es lo que dijo Ali G. No sé".

"Quieren ver adelantamientos y racing y hacer para tratar de poner un show y hacer un movimiento", continuó. "Fair play. Si me siento realmente he ido demasiado tarde y golpear a alguien, a poner mi mano y decir que he causado el incidente y sido el estúpido."

Hamilton describe su llamado para tener en cuenta los incidentes para que él sentía era inocente como "una broma" y describió a los rivales - Ferrari felipe Massa y Williams novatos o Pastor maldonad- como "estúpido".

¿Lo que él iba a hacer al respecto? "Te acabo de probar y mantener mi parada de boca," dijo.

Es demasiado tarde para que, sin embargo, a pesar de que McLaren entró en modo de limitar los daños después de la carrera.

"Inmediatamente después de la carrera fue muy abajo," equipo principal Martin Whitmarsh dijo, "y durante una entrevista posterior a la carrera hizo una mala broma sobre sus sanciones que hace referencia a Ali G. Sin embargo, me complace decir que escogió volver a la pista un poco después para hablar a los Comisarios de la broma. Aceptaron su explicación".

Observaciones de Hamilton llegaron al final de un fin de semana cuando nada parecía ir bien para él.

Una mal llamada a hacer sólo uno ejecutar en la clasificación lo llevó a partir la carrera noveno lugar, después de que cometió un error y corta una chicana en su vuelo de vuelta.

Tratando de recuperar terreno en la carrera, un brillante pase principio sobre Michael schumacher fue seguido por las dos colisiones con Massa y Petrov.

Sir Jackie Stewart habla sobre la importancia de librar a sí mismo de emoción antes de entrar en un coche de gran premio, pero parecía que Hamilton no tenido asesoramiento del gran hombre Domingo.

Hamilton ha hecho una de las figuras de perfil más altas del deporte mundial gracias a su inspiración de conducción y la imagen fresca y juvenil. Y se estableció en los cuatro y medio años de su carrera sin duda el mayor overtaker en F1, así como posiblemente su controlador más rápido demagógico.

Pero él no ganó esa reputación con actuaciones que en Mónaco el domingo. BBC F1 comentarista Martin Brundle describió su lunge final en el interior de Massa como "torpe" y su intento de pasar Maldonado más tarde fue igualmente optimista.

Cuando Hamilton ve los incidentes volver, sospecho que él podría estar de acuerdo, como bien puede lamentar su comentario posterior a la carrera cuando él se calma después de lo que fue sin duda un intensamente frustrante fin de semana. Queda por verse si obtendrán le en agua caliente con el Consejo de administración la FIA.

En los días del ex Presidente Max Mosley, es indudable que Hamilton habría sido convocado para responder a un cargo de llevar el deporte en el descrédito. Su sucesor Jean Todt ha adoptado un enfoque menos antagónico, pero no ha tenido todavía hacer frente a un incidente similar.

Brundle dijo que se pensó Hamilton había que frustración colarse en su conducción, y ciertamente parecía así.

Entró en Mónaco esperando para luchar por la victoria y fue rápidamente a lo largo de la práctica en un circuito de adora y en la que sobresale, sólo para que todos agónica deslizarse a través de sus dedos.

Que frustración verá acentuado por el hecho de Vettel, con cinco victorias en seis carreras, es ahora en lo que tiene que ser considerada una posición prácticamente inexpugnable en el campeonato.

Hamilton es consciente de lo bueno es. Él dolores para agregar más coronas al que ganó en 2008, y aún antes de que Mónaco era obvio que el hecho de esta temporada es probable que sea otro año estéril ya fue burbujeo provocadoramente dentro de él.

Pero pronto se da cuenta de que no se ayudará a su búsqueda para ganar los títulos múltiples que siente que merece por este tipo de reacción, mejor será para él.

Suerte parecía desierto a Hamilton en Mónaco, los Ángeles son verdaderamente sonriendo en Vettel esta temporada. Y ni siquiera es como si necesita.

Otra vez, circunstancia ha intervenido para hacer la ruta del alemán a la victoria más fácil de lo que debería haber sido y Vettel ha aprovechado plenamente.

Victoria de Vettel en Mónaco el domingo, su primera en el Principado, fue su quinto en seis grandes premios hasta ahora esta temporada. Sólo Jim Clark, Nigel mansell, Schumacher y jenson Button han logrado y todos ellos terminaron la temporada en cuestión como campeones.

Vettel ahora lidera el Campeonato por 58 puntos - que significa que Hamilton, su más cercano perseguidor, tendría que tomar dos victorias y un sexto lugar con el controlador de Red Bull anotando no sólo a nivel de dibujar.

Es el tipo de margen que puede cerrarán sólo por un conductor en el mejor coche. El problema es que es Vettel, que goza de ese lujo y, chico, es él capitalización en él.

Su y dominación de Red Bull se basa en su superioridad ampollas en la clasificación. En carreras, como el domingo demostró una vez más, el Red Bull es mucho más vulnerable.

Esta vez, una confusión en la primera parada en boxes de Vettel significaba que volvió en la más difícil de las opciones de dos neumáticos, los programas, cuando había sido con la intención de Red Bull ponerlo en los super-softs, que eligió a su más cercano perseguidor, botón para encajar en su primera parada.

El error cometido, Red Bull había alterado su estrategia, a la luz de un período de coche de seguridad mid-race y decidió intentar llegar al final de la carrera en los neumáticos.

Eso significaba que Vettel entró en las últimas 30 vueltas de la carrera con neumáticos que fueron ya viejos 32 vueltas y con dos de los mejores controladores de F1 cierre rápido sobre el caucho más fresco.

Neumáticos deFernando Alonsofueron menores de Vettel 17 vueltas, botón de un total de 31; y con un poco menos de 20 vueltas para ir los tres estaban ejecutando la nariz a la cola.

Vettel, brillante conducción como él tiene todo el año, celebró les relativamente cómodamente hasta un gran accidente de Hamilton, Vitaly petrov, Jaime alguersuari y Adrian sutil sacaron el coche de seguridad nuevo y posteriormente la bandera roja.

El paro de 20 minutos antes de la carrera se reanudó robaron millones de espectadores de todo el mundo de lo que prometía ser un clímax espectacular a la carrera - significó todos los controladores pueden caber neumáticos frescos y Vettel sobrevivió las última ocho vueltas de la carrera reiniciar sin incidentes.

Nunca se conocerá si hubiera tomado Alonso y botón de las últimas ocho vueltas la carrera no había sido detenido.

Pero McLaren director general Jonathan Neale le dijo a BBC boxes reportero Ted Kravitz que según sus cálculos, neumáticos de Vettel tenían no más de tres vueltas más antes de que "cayeron por el acantilado", como equipos de F1 han tomado de describir el momento la Pirelli que ha hecho tanto para las carreras este año finalmente perder todos sus garras.

Si Neale tenía razón, incluso en Mónaco Vettel seguramente no habría podido retener a Alonso y botón.

Incluso el equipo Red Bull que principal Christian Horner admitió suerte había brilló en su equipo, diciendo que la bandera roja fue un "respiro".

Fue sólo el último ejemplo de un fenómeno recurrente este año. Para todos Vettel agobiante ritmo de calificación, es vulnerable en carreras, pero eventos son debido a darle el respiro que necesita para seguir ganando.

Mónaco seguido de Australia, Malasia y Turquía este año como una carrera en la que se podría haber enfrentado un reto más grave pero no.

El Campeonato ya parece ser una formalidad, pero las carreras propias son compensar con una combinación de acción y la imprevisibilidad F1 ha visto nunca antes.

A continuación, es el gran premio de Canadá, en uno de los temas menos favorables para Red Bull, las largas rectas en el Circuito Gilles Villeneuve, favoreciendo la energía adicional de motor Mercedes de McLaren y de Ferrari en la Renault en el Red Bull.

El año pasado, Red Bull podría administrar sólo cuarto y quinto en Montreal, detrás de Hamilton, botón y Alonso, en una carrera que llevó a la decisión para pedir de nuevo proveedor Pirelli para producir neumáticos que degradación rápidamente.

La superficie de la única pista que hizo el super-durable Bridgestones utiliza el año pasado se comportan como el Pirelli está haciendo en todas las carreras de esta temporada y motivó el gran premio más emocionante del año.

Si eso sucedió cuando la competición fue a veces procesional, incluso si la lucha del título fue emocionante, que boggles la mente en lo que podría suceder que en 2011.
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Could Hamilton join Red Bull?



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Andrew Benson | 12:28 UK time, Wednesday, 15 June 2011

As Lewis Hamilton ponders the fall-out from his controversial performance in Canada, he has more on his mind than a few lost points in the world championship.

Formula 1's most exciting driver is pondering his future as he watches Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel canter to a second consecutive world title.

As Mark Hughes explained in his column, Hamilton's frustration is down to the fact that he believes he is the fastest driver in the world, that he would be beat any of his rivals if they were all driving the same car. It is a belief largely shared within Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso may be the best driver, or the most complete, but Hamilton is certainly the quickest, although Vettel's reputation continues to soar with every win.

For Hamilton, it is proving increasingly hard to cope with the fact that he has won the world title just once, in 2008, and that he is facing a third consecutive year in a car that is arguably not really fast enough to allow him to compete for another.
Hamilton collides with Button during Canadian Grand Prix

McLaren's race pace - far superior to its qualifying speed - is clouding the issue slightly, but it's hard to argue with Vettel's five wins and two second places in seven races.

Given these circumstances, it is easy to see why the 26-year-old Englishman might be beginning to wonder whether McLaren is the team to satisfy his burning ambitions.

Not for the first time, the concept of Hamilton joining Red Bull raised its head again in Montreal - and that was even before Autosport revealed on Monday that he had spent 15 minutes in a private meeting with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner on Saturday evening at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

According to Autosport, the meeting was described by a Red Bull "source" as a "social visit". That "source" may or may not be Horner himself.

Hamilton has played down the idea of leaving McLaren, saying the team have a car capable of winning races and that there is no reason to leave while they remain competitive. He also says it is not unusual for him to talk to rival team bosses.

But that is not an outright denial, so the issue of his future will continue to remain a source of speculation.

Could the meeting with Horner be the start of serious negotiations about a move to Red Bull? Certain sections of the media suggest it is wrong to attach too much significance to Saturday's chat, claiming it would be foolish for a driver to walk over to a rival team's HQ in full view of the F1 paddock with the express intention of discussing his future.

But people have either got short memories or do not pay close enough attention.
When Alonso joined McLaren for 2007, it was the culmination of a process that began in 2005. Ron Dennis, who was the team boss of McLaren at the time, mooted the idea to the Spaniard in a chance conversation as both men waited to go out on to the podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Alonso having just won his first world title for Renault.

Likewise, in Belgium in 2007, with his relationship with McLaren in pieces, Alonso strolled over to the Red Bull motorhome, where he discussed the chances of joining the team with Horner as they sat on the open top deck. I know, because I watched them from the upper level of the paddock.

And so the 2011 F1 driver market 'silly season' starts in earnest.

Alonso has just signed up with Ferrari until 2016, the double world champion is not going anywhere. The same goes for Vettel, who is under contract to Red Bull until 2013. So, of F1's big three, that leaves Hamilton.

Theoretically, he is contracted to McLaren until next year, the result of a five-year deal that was signed in the wake of his stunning debut season alongside Alonso in 2007.

That has always been assumed to be a firm five-year contract, which means any move Hamilton makes - to Red Bull, for example - would have to wait until 2013.

However, it would be very unusual for a driver to sign away his future to a team for that length of time without any opt-out clauses, even if - as in the case of Hamilton and McLaren - that team had groomed him for success since he was 11 years old.

And even if the contract is solid, it does not mean Hamilton cannot move. As one veteran driver manager said: "I don't know the details of Hamilton's contract but if the team-driver relationship gets to an irreconcilable point then it won't matter what the contract says."

So a Hamilton move to Red Bull for next year cannot be ruled out, especially in light of the mixed messages coming out of Red Bull about the future of Mark Webber.

On Thursday, Horner said Webber had made it clear he would like to drive for the team next year, adding that he felt the Australian still had the "motivation and desire" and that Red Bull were "very happy with him in the team".

But 24 hours later, Webber did not sound so sure. "We'll see how we go," he said. "There's a bit to go yet in the summer. Keep thinking."

So what is going on?

Horner shrugged his shoulders when I asked why Webber would say that if he had told him he wanted to continue. But when I explained the situation to a man with long experience of the driver market, he said: "I think you can read that as Horner trying to tease another driver out, getting him to make up his mind."
Vettel misses out on victory in Canada as Button makes last-lap move

Could that driver be Hamilton? Is it a coincidence that the Englishman went to speak to Horner two days after the Red Bull boss made those comments to the media?

On the face of it, you might wonder why Red Bull would want Hamilton. They already have Vettel. Putting Hamilton alongside the German would be a wonderful proposition for F1's audience but it would be a massive headache for those inside the team. And such a move would be guaranteed to infuriate Vettel, the company's blue-eyed boy wonder.

But from a global marketing perspective, what could be better? Red Bull have long made a point of letting their drivers race. What better scenario for a company wishing to project an exciting, dynamic, youthful image, than two of F1's three most exciting drivers going at it head-to-head in the same team?

It would be a tricky situation for Horner to handle, as he has already admitted himself, but why would that be a concern for Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz?

Equally, while Vettel would probably be furious at having Hamilton alongside him to start with, he might well come round to the idea. He already has an advantage as the incumbent and, while he may not be as fast as Hamilton, he is, by reputation, better at working with his engineers to get the best out of his car.

If Hamilton did go to Red Bull, it would be in place of Webber. The Australian will not be drawn on the apparent disconnect between his words in Montreal and Horner's but many believe he will leave the team at the end of the year - either into retirement or to another team for one last hurrah.

That team could be Ferrari, where Felipe Massa's future is in question. The Brazilian has a contract for 2012 but he is an inconsistent performer. He is pretty close to Alonso at some races but nowhere near at others.

Massa, I'm told, will keep his seat if he puts in a strong showing at the next race, the European Grand Prix at Valencia on 26 June. If not, Webber is one of the drivers on Ferrari's list of candidates.

Ferrari are, I understand, also interested in Jenson Button and have had some contact with him. When Button joined McLaren in 2010, it was said that he had a three-year contract. But I am told he is a free agent at the end of this year if he wants to be. The prospect - however slim - of losing both his drivers must be giving McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh sleepless nights.

Ferrari are also interested in Nico Rosberg, who has impressed since joining Michael Schumacher at Mercedes last year. However, the rumours are Rosberg has been offered a big pay packet to stick with the German team.

That is not surprising given the uncertain form of Schumacher, whose excellent performance in Montreal will not bury memories of less convincing races elsewhere.

Schumacher is on a three-year deal but will he continue beyond 2011 if he cannot retain the speed he showed in Canada? If he doesn't, Paul di Resta, who has impressed enormously in his debut season with Force India, must be a strong candidate to replace him, as a Mercedes protégé.

How many of these prospective moves actually happen remains to be seen but it certainly promises to be an interesting summer.
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