Archive for category: F1

At the turning point of the F.4 Championship Powered by Abarth, Joao Vieira attacks the podium’s top step on the track of Magione circuit.

After a day of test-driving on the same track on last July 23^rd and after great times realized, the 16-year-old Brazilian of Antonelli Motorsport will try to increase his points in raking, to climb back up to the top of it, as he did over the weekend at Mugello, which has taken him from the 19^th to the 8^th place.

“I can’t wait to get back in the car, because I feel ready to try winning my first race. After the test at Magione circuit, where I immediately had a good driving feeling, I think we can try, even if competition is really fierce”, Joao Vieira says.

“I think the turning point of the Championship is the right time to chasing after the top step of the podium and Joao is doing everything to get into it, between gym and track’s workouts. From the first day he got in the car till today, Joao has improved a lot and, if we consider that he’s one of the pilots with less mileage, I think he has made giant steps, given also the high level and the large number of participants – 22 – we find in this Championship”, the Manager Giovanni Minardi comments.

The curtain will rise on the Umbrian circuit this Saturday, August 2^nd with the two free practice sessions (9:50 am and 12:10 pm) and the two Qualifying sessions (4:00 to 4:25 pm), which will define the starting grid of the two rounds of the race (28 ‘+ 1 Lap), starting on Sunday at 9:00 am and at 4.40 pm. In the middle, starting at 12:30 pm, the sprint race (18 ‘+ 1 Lap).

Formula 1 is ready to be back on track, entering into the second half of the season. There are still nine events, one of which Hungary, that is before the long-awaited summer-break during which the teams will be able to recharge their batteries, after a really intense start of the season.

We arrive on a particular circuit, not really different from a Go-Kart track and just 4 kilometers long, where overtaking is very difficult. Therefore, it will be difficult to see again what happened in England and Germany, with amazing overtakings and battles. We are speaking, however, of a track in which it is dangerous to get out of the trajectories and the tyres, given the hot weather, could play an important role. For the occasion, Pirelli will bring the Soft Yellow and White Medium compounds, that have similar performances, with which the teams will play on two stops.

I expect the usual family duel between Mercedes drivers, Nico and Lewis, with Williams ready to consolidate the second place, especially if bad luck will finally abandon Felipe Massa. The track takes some time to rubber-in and placements will be unclear on Friday, since they’re going to improve steadily until Saturday afternoon. Due to the circuit’s layout, Qualifying will play an important role, as starting from the front rows means staying away from any possible contact, mainly in the first two corners.

At the moment, the forces in play seem consolidated with Mercedes, Williams, Red Bull and Ferrari. Then, depending on the track, there can be outsiders in the top ten, such as Force India and Toro Rosso. Maranello will have to slog and Raikkonen will have to pull out the nails to get into the score-zone and help the team.

In 2003, the Minardi F1 Team celebrated, together with some of its pilots, its first 300 races in Formula 1.

In our official FaceBook page you can find a Gallery with pictures of our GPs of Hungary.

Formula 1 is ready to arrive in the country of the World Champions in charge coming back, two years later, to the Hockenheim Circuit.

It will be a Grand Prix with several unknown elements, starting from the tyres. Pirelli, which has not run here since two seasons, will have the Soft and SuperSoft compounds that, in the previous appointments, contributed to make more uniform the performances of the competing cars, reducing the difference between Mercedes and non-Mercedes power units. After the last tests, Ferrari seems to have made some progresses, even if at the team they are still keeping their feet on the ground.
We expect a battle at the top between the two Mercedes drivers, with Lewis Hamilton almost forced to stand in front of Nico Rosberg, who recently renewed his contract. The English driver will have to try to cause problems to the team-mate before the team takes internal decisions. Behind them, the outsiders will try to consolidate positions by exploiting the only weak points of the “German Army”, related to reliability. On the front line there will be the “branch” of Mercedes, in other words Williams, with Bottas and Massa. Precisely the Finnish driver could be a bothering rival for Lewis, considering that his manager is Toto Wolff, who is also a shareholder of the British Team. This strategy, as it happens at Red Bull’s with Toro Rosso, should give origin to a reflection also at McLaren’s and Ferrari’s. It’s almost of vital importance to have a “satellite” team, in order to try and test new technical solutions, engineers and pilots.

The “back office” of the race will be very hot because there are several important seats that “burn”, such as Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso. In my opinion, Fernando will weight in the balance mainly the technical guarantees. Knowing him, he’d like to win his third title precisely with the team of Maranello.
In Silverstone, fifteen days ago, we saw a thrilling due between Vettel and Alonso. We hope that this will happen again, regardless of the first consolidated positions. We’re talking about a mixed-fast circuit where the weather could play an important role.

The eighth round is archived, with the new double scored by Mercedes; however, the most important piece of news is the podium of Williams.

Circuit – 10 The highest vote is deserved by the circuit and the organizers, that were able to attract the public of special occasions through a series of promotional events.

Nico Rosberg – 9 Determined and serene in the management of the race. Impeccable.

Fernando Alonso – 9 His best race. He fought with great determination for over 300km, despite a car which is not very competitive. Together with Ricciardo and Raikkonen, he tried to counteract the supremacy of the Mercedes power-unit.

Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa, Williams – 8.5 For what they showed both in qualifying and in the race. Thanks also to the German power-unit, their cars are difficult to overtake.

Sergio Perez – 8 Despite the penalty, he has been able to come back and to score points with his Force India, keeping the fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

Daniel Ricciardo – 8 He couldn’t do more than this. He’s one of the few drivers who managed to bring a non-Mercedes powered car among the many German power-units. His car has several problems, which are evident mostly with his team-mate.

Lewis Hamilton – 7 At the moment is exactly the opposite of his team-mate. Too nervous. I remain convinced that the error in qualifying is not his fault.

Daniil Kvyat – 6.5 Excellent performance, despite the fact this was  a new track for him. He was able to show his qualities again. Unfortunately, he was “betrayed” by his Toro Rosso.

Kimi Raikkonen – 5 He’s still struggling with the F14-T, such as Jenson Button is doing with his McLaren. Perhaps the use of harder compounds will give a help to the British driver.

Problems have emerged again at Renault’s, certainly leading to new internal meetings. The problem at Renault’s, however, will not have an easy solution.

Formula 1 prepares his return to Austria, on a track that has had a “makeover”: I already had the chance to see and taste it a year and a half ago, during a race of the Italian Championship organized by ACI Sport. We are speaking of a well-structured circuit, with a good organization.
The Grand Prix will be surrounded by a series of promotional events. In the main one, the Austrian drivers who have raced in F1 world will return to step into their historical cockpits: therefore we’ll see Niki Lauda at the wheel of Ferrari 312T and Gerard Berger on 88C, Alexander Wurz on Benetton B198 and our Patrick Friesacher on Minardi PS05.
Red Bull is creating a great media event to watch and follow – they are masters in this kind of things. As I said it is a revisited track, certainly less dangerous than in the past, where the chassis and aerodynamics will be able to give a hand to the home team.

After the interlude in Canada marked by first seal of Daniel Ricciardo, Formula 1 is coming back to Europe. Mercedes has showed its only Achilles’ heel – reliability – that could liven up the World Championship. To say what will happen is not easy. There is a high chance of rain, and traction and aerodynamics will be an important component, as well as the tyres, especially on a dry track. Pirelli will bring in fact Supersoft and Soft. I expect a Mercedes ready to play the hare, with a Red Bull – strongly growing – ready to chase her. Ferrari seemed to be able to surprise us with important innovations, which unfortunately in Montreal have not yielded the expected results.
Do not forget about Williams, Force India and Toro Rosso. Depending on the circuit, or on the pairs pilot-circuit or power-unit-circuit, we might have some surprises. Fifteen days ago we saw a Williams in great shape. Without the inconvenience during the pit stop, maybe Massa could have fought for the first place, also keeping away from the contact with Perez. Who has had the ability to grab the Mercedes power-unit will do the killjoy, especially in the case of a KO of Rosberg and Hamilton.
We hope to live a red-hot and non-programmed final.

We’ve arrived at the seventh round of F1 World Championship and we are fast approaching mid-season. This weekend, Formula 1 flies overseas to Canada, Montreal, before coming back again to the Old Continent with six consecutive races, ranging from Austrian GP (returning this year in F1 calendar) to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

It is a mixed track, halfway between street and permanent circuit, extremely difficult due to high consumption and important breaks. Also, we must not forget the weather issue, with the winds from the two Oceans that might influence the course of the race. We arrive at the circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve, with the hope of seeing Ferrari ready to redeem thanks to the numerous novelties of which we have been hearing so much about. The objective of Maranello has to be the third step of the podium and the second place among Constructors, i.e. the first among the “others”. To do so, however, they need major and constant developments, also because we see a Red Bull constantly growing, ready to chase the invincible Mercedes.

Daniel Ricciardo is galvanized by the two consecutive podium finishes, but I would not give for missing a four-time World Champion such as Sebastian Vettel, even though, to date, it has happened all that once happened to Webber. At Red Bull’s the atmosphere is certainly not serene, with Adrian Newey ready for a sabbatical year.

In this beginning of the season we have seen starting grids and arrivals consisting of teams’ pairs, with two Mercedes, two Red Bull and two Ferrari, with Williams, Force India and Toro Rosso ready to bring home positions and important points, also taking advantage of errors by the top teams. Even here in Canada, I expect a very similar plot. Excluding the first six places, there are four positions left to complete the Top Ten. The ones more prepared and capable to hit the race will then be the ones to smile, coming back to Europe with a good outcome.

Force India will try to keep the fourth position, with Massa and Bottas ready to overtake McLaren for fifth place.