Formula 1 General Chat & Discussion

Ferrari with yellow back wing 1st practice.

PS: Now it's white only for installation lap used.

The Times For This weekend F1 :

Friday :
1st free practice session : 16:00 - 17:30 CET
2nd free practice session : 20:00 - 21:30 CET

Saturday :
3rd free practice session : 16:00 - 17:00 CET
Qualification : 19.00- 20.00 CET

Sunday :
Race : 20.00 CET

Wet start to Canada weekend but dry race expected
Conditions for the first day of practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve may remind drivers of the heavy rain during last year’s F1 race. The 2011 Grand Prix was stopped for two hours as a downpour fell on the Montreal track.
A low-pressure weather system lying to the south-east of Montreal is producing cool conditions in the area at the moment. Thunderstorms are expected on Friday afternoon which could coincide with the second practice session at 2pm.
Lighter rain is forecast on Saturday, which could make for an interesting qualifying session. But conditions for the race are expected to be much better.
Expect to see more sunshine and higher temperatures on Sunday, rising from around 20 to 25C.

Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve –Montreal – Canada
This circuit is located on the île Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River. It is a stop-start circuit with a combination of slow corners and chicanes linked by long straights. This is one of my favorite tracks. The others are: Melbourne, Monaco, Silverstone, Spa (the best), Monza, Suzuka. and Interlagos.
The inaugural race on Montréal was held in 1978 and was the first F1 victory of Villeneuve. In 1981 was the last time Gilles raced on this circuit. Driving in the rain, he damaged the front wing of his Ferrari which obscured most of his vision. He kept on driving for several laps until the wing completely broke away. Despite his Ferrari 126C was undriveable he finished third under the checkered flag.(look at the video). The Circuit was renamed in honour of the popular Canadian driver following his death in 1982. Last year there was one of the longest race in F1 history, with a two-hour suspension due to heavy rain, and another record: the Safety Car was sent out on the track six times.
In this season, due to strict rules and new bans, the cars are very similar, so the gap between the teams is very close. In this way tyres are more and more importants. So many times is better save the tyres, rather than pushing to go faster and taking the risk of a high degradation. But were teams and Federation to ask Pirelli to produce tyres which degrade after a few laps to make the races more spectacular. The supplier Pirelli has done what his customers have asked. Surely they would be able to produce tyres that hold out for the whole GP(300 km), but without pit stop, no strategy and in this way the races would become boring for many viewers.
DRS: only one zone, however there are good chance to overtake on this track.
Like at the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago Pirelli tires will be soft (prime, yellow) and supersoft (option, red). Brake demand: very high. Downforce Level: medium-low. Tyre wear: medium-high. probably there will be many pit stops.
Podium 2010: Hamilton – Button – Alonso – fastest lap on race: Kubica – pole position : Hamilton 1'15''105
Podium 2011: Button – Vettel – Webber – fastest lap on race: Button – pole position : Vettel 1'13'014
Montreal GP: victories for current pilots: Schumacher(7) Hamilton (2), Alonso, Raikkonen and Button (1).
Vettel: best finish 2°place; Webber: best finish 3°place; Rosberg: never on podium.
Montreal GP: pole position for current pilots: Schumacher(6), Hamilton (3), Alonso Vettel, and Button (1)
Podiums: Schumacher 12 times on this circuit.

Newsflash :

Protest threat causes Canadian GP pit walk cancellation :
Montréal, Sunday, June 3, 2012 – With regret, the Grand Prix du Canada announces today the cancellation of the popular ‘’Open Doors’’ day, originally scheduled for the morning of Thursday, June 7. Following a serious examination of the situation, made necessary by public disruption threats and the difficulty to measure their precise validity, the organizers came to the conclusion that it is necessary to restrain the access to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve and precisely the F1 pit lane, on the day preceding the first sessions on track.

‘’Having to cancel our ‘Open Doors’ day make us extremely sad. We wish to express our sincere apologies to the F1 fans and, among them, a good share of our spectators who appreciate this annual gathering with the Word Championship teams, declared François Dumontier, President & CEO of Octane Racing Group Inc. and President of the Grand Prix du Canada. When we finally made the decision, we weren’t exactly happy, being fully aware that this activity is an important part of the appeal and the tradition of true friendliness at our event.

Nevertheless, one of our primary obligations is to ensure the comfort and the security of the participants and the spectators, something we will do as we open the turnstiles Friday morning, and again during the whole weekend. Considering the various disruption threats made public recently, the free admission and the naturally openness character of the ‘Open Doors’ day, revealed some risks that we could not neglect. Under these circumstances, cancelling the ‘Open Doors’ day was the only action we could take. Unfortunately, for the fans and our spectators, it was impossible to escape from such responsibility’’, concluded Dumontier.


Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

News Round Up of the complete week Part 2 :

No protest against Mark Webber's Monaco Grand Prix win :
Mark Webber's victory in the Monaco Grand Prix was unchallenged on Sunday night, despite speculation over a potential protest from rival teams about the legality of his car. It is understood that Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes are unhappy that holes in the floor in front of the rear wheels of the RB8 do not comply with the regulations.
Other teams that are running such 'holes' have been forced to include slots that run out to the edge of the floor to ensure that they are openings - and not fully enclosed. There was talk after the race that either McLaren or Ferrari were going to protest the result, but in the end neither team elected to take such action.
The official results were duly published at 6.45pm confirming Mark Webber's victory, and there was no subsequent challenge from any competitor about it. However, both McLaren and Ferrari said afterwards that they were keen to get clarification on the matter before the next race in Canada.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said: "I heard about that [the hole issue] in terms of discussion about this type of thing, and for sure we need a clarification on this point. That is all I can say tonight."
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said he was happy to follow the FIA's lead on the matter.
"It is not for me to comment on someone else's car, it is for the FIA to make that decision," he explained.
When asked if he expected the matter to be sorted out before the next race, he said: "Yes. I think it will be sorted out shortly."
Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner insisted that his team had had full approval from the FIA on its design being legal.
"I would be disappointed if there would be a protest, it would not be particularly sporting," he said.
"We are totally happy that our car fully complies with the regulations. We have obviously consulted with the FIA over it - we have had their opinion in writing confirming the interpretation, so it would be disappointing if there was a protest. But we are entirely happy that the car completely complies."

FIA plans to resolve Red Bull car's floor row over next few days :
The FIA is planning to resolve the row over the controversial holes in the floor of the Red Bull RB8 over the next few days, says a FIA spokesman. After Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren expressed some doubts about the legality of the holes ahead of the rear wheels of the Red Bull, there was some consideration given to a post-race protest over the matter. In the end, it was felt that it would be better to sort out the issue before the Canadian Grand Prix, rather than damage the sport with the prospect of the results of the Monaco Grand Prix being overturned.
The discussions will take place over the next 48 hours on the matter, and the FIA has confirmed it hopes to issue a clarification on the matter this week. A spokesman for the FIA said: "Red Bull have not been asked to change anything yet. However, there is a difference of opinion over interpretation of a regulation, which we intend to clarify our position on during the next days."
The dispute over the holes relates to the fact that those on the Red Bull do not feature small slots to the edge of the floor, like those that are on the Ferrari.
By having this slot, which the FIA says can be so small that even a sheet of paper would not fit through, the holes are no longer enclosed and become openings.
The FIA spokesman added about the governing body's position: "We think there are arguments on both sides so a position will have to be taken."

Perez needs more experience, says Montezemolo :
Mexican Sergio Perez needs to gain more experience before any move to Ferrari can become a realistic proposition, says the Italian Formula One team's president Luca di Montezemolo .Speaking on the sidelines of an FT luxury conference, Montezemolo said it was too early for any decision on the future of Ferrari's under-performing Brazilian Felipe Massa and spoke out also against any expansion of the calendar beyond the current 20 races. We never take a decision before the second half of the season," he said of Massa, who has scored just 10 points from six races while Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso is leading the championship with 76.
Perez, who drives for Ferrari-powered Sauber and finished a close second to Alonso in Malaysia in March, is already part of Ferrari's young driver programme and has been seen as a possible replacement for Massa despite being in only his second full season in the sport. Montezemolo played down the 22-year-old's immediate prospects.
"No. Perez is a good driver but to drive a Ferrari you need more experience," he said. "I think he is one of the potential best young drivers for the future but before putting a young driver in a Ferrari I need more experience and more results."
Montezemolo said Massa, who has been at Ferrari since 2006 and was runner-up in the championship in 2008 before suffering a near-fatal head injury in 2009, had yet to be ruled out of the picture. His contract expires at the end of the year. "I'm sure that, because we are improving our car, the car will be less difficult to drive," he said.
"And I expect from Felipe better performances as I have already seen in Monte Carlo, because in Monte Carlo he was among the five quickest drivers on the track and in the qualifiers.
"So I hope he will continue like this. At the moment we are not taking any decision yet for the future, because it is too early."
Next week's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal will be the seventh round of what is now a 20-race championship.
A research note this week from UBS, one of the joint global co-ordinators of Formula One's now stalled $3 billion planned IPO in Singapore, spoke of an expectation that the number of races would rise to 22 by 2015.
A first Russian Grand Prix is already scheduled for Sochi in 2014 while a new race in New Jersey, with the New York skyline as a backdrop, is due next year. France is also eager to return, but in alternation with Belgium.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Reuters this week that he was also in talks for an eventual Mexican Grand Prix while a return to Argentina has also been mooted. Montezemolo declared any expansion beyond 20 would not be a good idea, however.
"There are too many so we have to discuss about it. I will be totally against the possibility to increase the number of races," he said. "Twenty is the super maximum possibility. I will not be prepared to accept more than 20."

Fernando Alonso backs Felipe Massa to come good :
Fernando Alonso has promised Felipe Massa his full support for the remainder of the season as he is convinced the Brazilian is capable of fighting for wins .After a wretched start to the campaign, scoring just two points from the opening five races, Massa finally proved his worth to Ferrari in Monaco at the weekend.
After qualifying in the top 10 for the first time this year, and even threatening to start ahead of Alonso, Massa went on to finish sixth, three places behind the title-leading Spaniard.
Although Massa currently trails Alonso in the standings by 66 points, and is undoubtedly the number two driver at Ferrari, the latter still firmly believes in his team-mate.
"It's hard to think Felipe won't win many points in the second part of the season, that he won't make podiums or fight for wins. He's got the talent for it," said Alonso.
"It's been an unfortunate start to the season because of a number of things - bad luck, a slower adaptation than before to the tyres...Felipe's results weren't normal.
"He's got all my support, and all the support of the team to change the situation around.
"Or to change his results because many times in practice or qualifying we're very close. but then in the race, because of the start or he got hit, he would be towards the back early on.
"In Monaco it looks like his results changed, so we hope that from here on it will all go well for him."
Alonso, meanwhile, believes next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix will prove to be a more reliable benchmark of where Ferrari stand in the pecking order. The 31-year-old's championship lead is in a car many feel is far from the best in the field, and given the topsy-turvy nature of F1 this season he has arguably lucked into his success.
Alonso said: "In Canada we want to confirm our improvement and be competitive in a more 'normal' circuit because Monaco is unique due to its characteristics and Barcelona has very quick corners.
"Canada and Valencia are going to be two very important tests for us to see if we can really put both Ferraris in Q3, like we did in Monaco, and opt to be in the top places.
"We're taking some upgrades to Canada, a race both on and off the track because all the big teams are going to bring new parts so let's see whose works best. "We've tried to extract the most of what we had and our rivals have let their guards down".
"This year two or three tenths (of a second) makes you lose or gain five or six places, because everything is very close."

Rosberg reckons Mercedes set to be strong in the remaining races of the season :
Nico Rosberg believes Mercedes can look forward to the remainder of the campaign with some good optimism after his second place finish in the Monaco Grand Prix. Despite struggles in the first two races of the campaign, Rosberg has been the highest scoring driver in the last four grands prix. That has lifted confidence for the team ahead of venues like Canada and Valencia that should perfectly suit the W03.
"It is great to see how we are improving as a team, getting stronger and stronger," Rosberg said in his official video diary.
"In the last four races I am the one who has scored the most points, which really shows that we are quite consistent. That is why the future can look good for us in the next upcoming races." Rosberg believes that Mercedes had the best car in Monaco, but the nature of the track meant it was not possible to overtake race winner Mark Webber to make the most of that potential. Even so, Rosberg is pleased with the fact that he is just 17 points off the world championship lead after six races.
"Points wise we are looking good in the championship," he said. "I am really looking forward to Canada because a) I think we have a really good car for there and b) now my father cannot give me advice any more on F1 as I [will] have more experience than him, as I have done just as many races as him in his career."
Canada will be Rosberg's 115th grand prix start, with his father Keke starting in 114 races during his Formula 1 career.

Formula 1 teams in new push to bring costs down :
Formula 1 teams are to meet the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone to embark on a fresh push to bring costs down in the sport.
On the back of dialogue between the teams and the FIA about the possibility of the governing body getting more involved in budget control, FIA president Jean Todt has arranged a get together at the Sporting d'Hiver club to move the debate along. It is understood that a range of topics have been put on the agenda, including the FIA policing the Resource Restriction Agreement, changes to F1's testing format, the 2014 engine rules and new cheaper regulations.
F1 team figures are hopeful that the discussions that will involve every team principal will be positive, and that any agreement coming out of the meeting can then be put through the appropriate channels to be drafted in to regulations.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said: "The meeting is related to see if we can find altogether some measures that will reduce the costs in F1. That is the purpose.
"It is just a meeting where we should discuss if we can find consensus in a lot of things that have been proposed and discussed with the FIA in the past weeks.
"This meeting is to see what is the status of the teams and the FIA, to understand if everyone is clear and to see if we can try and save money for the future of F1."
Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug told : "I think it is vital for F1 generally speaking to balance things out, even now.
"It is not a secret that with the new [commercial] arrangements that the top teams are better off, and what we want to have in F1 are competitive midfield teams that can spring surprises.
"It is an ideal situation right now - not for us, as I could live with domination - but at the end of the day if you dominate everything then it is very clear that after a while you do not get the right amount of spectators."
Despite concern from some teams about a dramatic rise in the cost of customer engines for 2014, manufacturers are wary of delaying the introduction of the V6 rules as that would not save any costs for them.
Haug explained: "It is just a question of money. We have a parallel programme and two engine programmes, and you need to get rid of one programme.
"You cannot subsidise it all the time, and one fact is clear: after we have started now, doing it later costs more money. Ferrari, Renault and ourselves, plus PURE, will spend more money if we need to develop longer."
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh thought it was vital, however, that teams did not face a dramatic rise in engine costs for 2014.
"There is no one to my knowledge who has quoted prices, but I suspect the majority of the grid would not be able to afford $20-25 million," he said "So I think we have to work hard with the FIA and the manufacturers.
"We have to respect the fact that the manufacturers are spending a lot of money in developing these new packages. But that is something a lot of teams did not ask for, and it will not be possible to spend that amount of money on power train.
"The FIA and the teams have to get together to make sure that there is a smooth transition from the current regulations to the new ones, and we have a sustainable business opportunity later."

Red Bull told RB8 floor holes must be removed :
FIA forces Red Bull to redesign car before Canadian Grand Prix .Red Bull will have to revise the design of their car before next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix after the FIA said that the controversial holes in the rear floor of their RB8 could not be employed. The team have been using the holes, which sit just in front of the rear wheels and are used to channel air underneath the car, since the Bahrain Grand Prix, where Sebastian Vettel won. However neither his, nor Mark Webber's victory at Monaco last week, will be affected by the decision.
The issue of the design's legality had been raised unofficially during the Monaco Grand Prix but the FIA technical delegate, Charlie Whiting, had declared it within the rules. An official protest was considered by teams including McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes after the race but it is understood it was deferred to avoid negative publicity for the sport at one of its most high-profile events and a clarification of the rule was requested instead.
The Red Bull manager, Christian Horner, was confident only hours before the clarification was issued, saying: "The rules are written in such a way that they are open to interpretation and our interpretation of that particular rule was accepted." He added: "We were always confident that our car complied fully with the regulations."
However, the FIA statement, which referred to "discussions in Monaco, during which it became clear that certain misunderstandings existed", was unequivocal, stating, in reference to the location, that "fully enclosed holes may not be located there".
The aerodynamic feature, pushing air to the underfloor of the car and toward the diffuser, is designed to improve downforce. That there is an advantage to be gained in this area seems clear, since both Ferrari and Sauber have similar holes in the same position but featuring a small gap in the edge of the floor that allows them to be defined as "slots". That is a redesign and redefinition that Red Bull may look to pursue in a bid to regain the lost grip in the short time before the race in Montreal.

Red Bull forced to remove floor holes for Canada:
As expected the FIA has clamped down on the controversial Red Bull floor by clarifying its position and stating that the holes in front of the RB8’s rear wheels are not permitted.
The ruling, given via the traditional route of a Technical Directive sent to all the teams, applies from Canada onwards. It does not affect past results, which is normal when such clarifications occur.
Other teams had expressed their opposition to RBR’s interpretation of the rules applying to ‘surfaces lying on the step plane’, and the FIA came to its conclusion after reviewing that input – along with Red Bull’s opinion.
Ferrari and McLaren had considered a protest in Monaco but chose not to make one after the race, on the basis that they assumed that the FIA would come to such a conclusion.
Red Bull’s view was that in effect there was a grey area in the rules which did not specify that holes were banned in that particular place. However, the FIA now says “we disagree with this view and consider it implicit that fully enclosed holes may not be located there.”
Although the consensus was that the RBR holes did not necessarily provide a significant performance advantage the concern was that it could have led to developments that had a greater impact.
This writer has seen a copy of TD/013-12, the text of which reads as follows: “Following on from a number of discussions in Monaco, during which it became clear that certain misunderstandings existed, we feel it would be helpful to make our position clear with respect to the presence of a fully enclosed hole in any surface lying on the step plane.
“It has been argued that, as it is not explicitly stated that fully enclosed holes cannot be located in a surface lying on the step plane rearward of a line 450mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit template, then they may be located in such areas. We disagree with this view and consider it implicit that fully enclosed holes may not be located there.
“If they were permitted the opening part of the second paragraph of Article 3.12.5 (which was added to the regulations at the same time as Articles 3.12.9 and 3.12.10 for 2011) would be superfluous.
“Furthermore, locating a fully enclosed hole partly or wholly within the 50mm band which is exempt from the requirements of Article 3.12.10 along the outer edges of the surfaces lying on the step plane does not exempt it from the requirements of Article 3.12.5, those parts lying outboard of Y650 are still parts of the surfaces lying on the step plane.”

Sebastian Vettel insists he is perfectly happy at Red Bull amid Ferrari rumours :
World champion Sebastian Vettel says he finds it hard to imagine life outside of Red Bull Racing, and insists he does not want to be anywhere else. The two-time champion has a contract with the Milton Keynes-based squad until the end of the 2014 season, but the German has again been linked with a move to the Ferrari team.
Vettel, however, says he feels perfectly happy at Red Bull, with which he has won his two titles.
"I've been wearing a Red Bull helmet for almost my entire career. It is difficult to imagine another kind of life if you are so used to it," Vettel told AUTOSPORT when asked about his plans after 2014.
"It would be like when you turn 18, 19 and move out of your family's home. I am very happy where I am right now and I don't want to move on to anywhere else."
Vettel, who dominated the 2011 season with 11 wins and 17 podiums, is currently in second place in the standings, having won just one race this year. The German says consistency - and not only wins - will be very important this year given how tight the fight at the top is.
"People only remember our wins, but they forget a bit how tight it often was," he said. "Yes, we won some races in which we did not have the strongest package.
"This year there are much more candidates to win races than before. Therefore it gets more essential to collect as many points as possible in every race." With six different winners in the first six races of the season, Vettel believes it is vital to get everything right during the weekends in order to be fighting for victory.
"From the first day of winter testing on I had confidence in our car. We have not got out the most of the potential though we make steadily progress. And troubles with tyres concern almost everyone, not us alone. It simply depends on who will be doing the better job." And the world champion reckons the unpredictability of this year's races is translating into a good show for the fans, despite some criticism about the racing being artificial.
"If you look back ten years, there was heavy criticism of a boring F1 because of Michael (Schumacher) winning all the time. Now we hear F1 is unpredictable and a lottery.
"You cannot satisfy all people every time, but I think we have a good show, a lot of overtaking, good action now. There is more tension - for people who watch and for us inside the cars. I think I like the way it goes, however, we have to be careful not to create something artificially."

Formula 1 team bosses reject criticism of 2012 season's unpredictability :
Formula 1 team principals are adamant that the unpredictable nature of this season is not a turn-off for fans.
Mark Webber became the sixth different victor of 2012 in the Monaco Grand Prix, and there have been criticisms from some quarters that F1 risks losing credibility if the races are too random.
But McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh and Red Bull's Christian Horner insist that there is nothing for the sport to worry about, even though it is making it much harder for their teams to win races.
Whitmarsh said: "If people now say randomness is unattractive, then that is a 180 [degree change] from what people felt a few years ago when it was very predictable.
"On balance I am sure that people want a lack of predictability. You want to go to each event not knowing who is going to win. You want to go through the course of the weekend not sure what is going to happen in each session, and you want to go through the race not knowing what is going to happen. Every one of our races this year has been tremendously exciting."
When asked if he felt the races were too random this year, he said: "I don't think so. I think it is an enthralling sport at the moment. A few years ago weren't people saying 'aren't these processional races and aren't they so predictable?' Well, we certainly don't have a predictable season. I think an unpredictable race and an unpredictable season is what a lot of fans want."
Horner added: "I think it is remarkable that there have been so many winners. The tyres are a factor and the fact that there are so many strong drivers as well is also a crucial factor.
"Red Bull has become the first team to win two races this year, which is an achievement. F1 is different this year primarily because of teams trying to get on top of the variances in the tyre compounds."
Although the team principals are happy, not all drivers are satisfied by the fact that form seems to fluctuate so much.
Jenson Button, who started the season strongly but has had poor results in the last three races, said: "Clearly everyone is excited about so many different winners, which initially was great for the fans and great for the sport.
"But there will come a time when the fans will say, 'So anyone can win a grand prix, everyone can lose a grand prix like that?' I think they're finding it a little bit strange now.
"I don't know, but hopefully a pattern will emerge after the next couple of races and we'll understand the teams and drivers we need to beat to win the championship."

Hamilton sure Ferrari will give Alonso a car to stay in the championship fight :
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari will be able to give Fernando Alonso a car capable of keeping him in the fight for the world championship to the end of the season. The Maranello squad started the 2012 campaign aware that its car did not have the pace to match those of its main rivals after a difficult winter of testing.
Despite that, Alonso managed to win the Malaysian Grand Prix and now leads the championship after the first six races of the year. The Spaniard is three points ahead of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.
Alonso has proved to be the most consistent driver so far, as only he and Hamilton have scored points in every race.
"I'm sure that Ferrari, being the competitive team that they are and with the experience that they have, will be very strong throughout the year," said Hamilton.
"We are probably one of the main teams that are able to recover from a poor start and they have done the same thing. I think that they are going to be competitive throughout the year."
Hamilton also hinted that Alonso will only become harder to beat once he and Ferrari get on top of the F2012 as the season goes on.
"I think once he has the car - which he has done in some of the races - he will be extremely quick and difficult to beat," said Hamilton.
"Of course he is a two-time world champion and he's achieved an incredible amount in his career and he's ahead of me in the world championship at the moment. But I want to switch that around by the end of the season and I'm sure we'll have a great battle until the end of the year."

Jenson Button says critics of Michael Schumacher should understand the demands of becoming competitive again :
Jenson Button believes that Michael Schumacher's critics need to understand that it can take time to regain competitiveness in Formula 1. The Briton also reckons people should not forget what the seven-time champion has achieved during his grand prix career. Schumacher, 43, returned to the sport at the start of the 2010 season after an absence of three years and struggled to repeat the kind of form that took him to a record 91 grand prix wins.
The German has received some criticism this year after having scored just two points to his team-mate Nico Rosberg's 59, which include one win in China.
The 43-year-old Mercedes driver, however, showed he still has what it takes during last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, where he was quickest in qualifying. He lost pole position because of a penalty imposed for an incident in the previous race in Spain.
"Michael's come in for a lot of criticism over the last couple of years since he's been back," said Button. "I think we all forget what he achieved in his previous career, if you want to call it that.
"Sometimes it takes time to feel comfortable with a car and comfortable with the people you're working with. But I think he put a great lap together, didn't make any mistakes and he obviously deserved it very much.
"I'm sure when he got out of the car he was very happy, but also disappointed that he was put back to sixth [on the grid] at a place like Monaco."
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh also praised Schumacher's performance in Monaco, but admitted his team will not be "misty-eyed" when it comes to trying to beat him.
"Michael's been a great driver. We like beating him, not him beating us. We're not going to be so misty-eyed. I think you've got to give credit where credit's due. Not always in the spirit that we enjoyed.
"But he did a great job of putting that lap together. Credit to him, but whether he had a penalty or didn't have a penalty, we'd still want to beat him next day."

Jenson Button makes qualifying better his priority for Canadian Grand Prix :
Jenson Button says his focus for the Canadian Grand Prix will be on improving his qualifying form following a series of difficult races. The McLaren driver has started the last two grands prix from 10th and 12th positions as he has struggled to get the balance of his car right. Button has scored just two points in the last three events.
The Briton, the winner in Canada last year, says he is aiming to fix his qualifying problems this weekend as his main priority. "Obviously, returning to Montreal will be an extremely proud and happy moment for me," said Button in a team preview. "This weekend, though, it's going to be important to get a handle on the car in qualifying.
"At the last two races, Q2 hasn't gone my way, so, no matter what pace you have in the race, you're still compromised on Sunday afternoon, particularly as the pack is so tightly bunched at the moment.
"My aim for the weekend will be to have a stronger qualifying performance and to be able to build on that in the race."
Team-mate Lewis Hamilton is also hoping for a change of luck in Montreal, the 2008 world champion still seeking his first victory in 2012.
"I know that the results we all want will soon come to us: I am doing everything I can to extract every tenth from the car, and I know that the guys at the track and the men and women back at MTC are doing everything they can to give me a car that's worthy of winning," he said.
"We are still very much in the hunt for this world championship and I'm looking forward to bringing that fight to Montreal, which is one of my favourite races of the season."

Raikkonen sure his time will come despite disappointing Monaco Grand Prix :
Kimi Raikkonen is staying calm about Lotus's form despite a disappointing Monaco Grand Prix, the Finn convinced that his day will come. Raikkonen had to settle for a distant ninth place in Monte Carlo, his worse result in three races after having finished on the podium in the previous two events. The Lotus driver believes that the bad result in Monaco is not a sign that his team is losing momentum, and he is confident strong results are still on the cards.
He conceded, however, that the team will have to get everything perfect during a weekend in order to win a race.
"One race doesn't change the fact that we have been pretty strong everywhere - even at Monaco during most of the weekend," said Raikkonen. "Monaco is completely different from any other track and I don't think we should worry too much about the fact that it wasn't our best weekend.
"We've been quick everywhere and we've been on the podium. It's difficult to get everything exactly right at the right time, which is what you have to do to win a grand prix.
"I've won races with other teams and I have a good feeling that Lotus are capable of strong results. Our day will come."
Raikkonen said the fact that Lotus can score points on a bad weekend like Monaco shows the team is still a force to be reckoned with. "That's racing. Ninth was the best we could do on the day. I didn't start in a great position and I had some difficulties during the race so it wasn't the easiest weekend, but at least we got a couple of points. It's better than nothing but not exactly what we wanted.
"If we can have a bad race like that and still take two points it's not the end of the world. Picking up points like this when we're not at our best could make a big difference at the end of the season." The Finn believes his car should be strong in next week's Canadian Grand Prix, although he concedes it is still too early to make predictions.
"We've been competitive in most places and we expect the same there, but like always it's easier to say after the first day of running..." Raikkonen missed most of first practice in Monaco because a steering set-up the team tried did not work as expected, and the Finn reverted to the original version, which he says he is happy with.
"We tried something different for the special challenge of Monaco and it didn't work for me. It's impossible to test how something will work at Monaco without going to Monaco.
"We're not allowed open testing and the roads would be too busy for a Formula 1 car anyway. I'm happy with the basic set-up, though it's still an area I'm working on with the team."

One DRS zone instead of two at Canadian Grand Prix :
The double DRS zone used in last year’s Canadian Grand Prix will be replaced with a single DRS zone for this year’s race.
Ahead of this year’s race Lewis Hamilton said: “With KERS hybrid and DRS in the mix, it should be an exciting grand prix – although, interestingly, we’re reverting to a shorter, single DRS zone after the double zone last year.”
Last year’s DRS zones for the race were situated on the start/finish straight and the straight leading towards the final chicane. They shared a single activation point at the exit of the hairpin. In the race some drivers were able to complete a pass in the first DRS zone, then pull further ahead of their pursuer in the second zone.
Twin DRS zones were used in the Australian Grand Prix this year, where one had been used the year before.
Hamilton expects McLaren to be competitive at next week’s race: “The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a fantastic track – it’s super-fast in places, which means it requires finesse and precision, but you can also end up racing wheel-to-wheel with people at 200mph too, which is an incredible sensation.
“However, you still want a car with decent low-speed traction – all those long drags are usually preceded by tight hairpins, so it’s important that you can get the power down efficiently if you’re to pull a good lap time together.”
He added: “On paper, I think our car will be well-suited to the combination: we showed in Spain that we’re very good in high-speed corners, but we were also quick in the final sector, which is slower and more technical.
“Of course, it’s still difficult to accurately predict the outcome, so I’ll be focusing on another clean weekend where I can score more consistent world championship points.”

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News Round Up of the complete week Part 1:

Whitmarsh convinced that McLaren is still in the hunt in 2012 :
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is adamant that his squad has not dropped off the pace, but is just losing out in Formula 1's tyre lottery at present.The Woking squad appeared to be 2012's benchmark as it opened the year with two straight poles for Lewis Hamilton and a Melbourne win for Jenson Button. But it has not managed a podium finish since China, and its drivers are now down to third and fifth in the championship standings after spells in the points lead.
Whitmarsh denied that McLaren has gone into a slump, saying it was impossible for any team to stay at the front consistently in such an up-and-down year - as Monaco qualifying proved.
"It's an extraordinary season," he said. "I didn't think even at the start of Q3 that Michael [Schumacher] was going to come out with a time like that and Lotus have looked good here, I thought, and Lewis was in front of the two of them."
"We think that we've got to keep working. This year's championship is very unusual and is undeniably going to continue to be a fight to develop the car and to understand and work with these tyres. If you get it right, you've got a huge performance uplift." He suggested that even teams achieving good results remained baffled by tyre performance this year. "I think in truth, if you look back at a number of the almost surprise quick guys, if they're really honest they're not sure why they were quick at the moment they were quick," said Whitmarsh.
The McLaren chief said he was convinced there was nothing wrong with the team's current package that would prevent it winning on days when it mastered the tyres better than its rivals.
"I think we've got a competitive car. We haven't always got the best out of it," said Whitmarsh.
"We've got two great racing drivers, so it's going to be a fight for the whole year. There are moments of frustration and moments of elation, and that's how a world championship should be.
"Of course we'd all like to understand everything, to be improving the car and to understand the tyres every time you go out. Evidently it's not like that for us. It's not like that for anyone. That's the real challenge.
"These tyres seem almost organic, non-linear, and very difficult and very complex. We don't have as good an understanding of them as we should do and as we'd like to have, but I don't think there's anyone out there at the moment - any team, any driver, any engineer - who feels they've got it nailed on the tyre front."

No Reason For Webber To Leave - Horner :Red Bull Racing head says Mark Webber has good reasons to stay with team :
Christian Horner has indicated that Mark Webber’s expected departure from Red Bull Racing at the end of 2012 is not a foregone conclusion.The consensus in the paddock has long been that Webber will either retire at the end of this year or take Felipe Massa’s place at Ferrari – and will be replaced by either Daniel Ricciardo or Jean-Eric Vergne.
However, Horner said that there are good reasons for Webber to stay.
“Mark’s had a great day today, he’d driving very well, he’s in great shape,” said Horner after the Monaco GP. “And you can see on a day like today that he’s absolutely on the top of his game. We have a very open and straightforward relationship with Mark, and today certainly doesn’t change that. It’s been the same situation for the last couple of years.
“Why would he want to leave? He’s comfortable in the team. The team know Mark very well, Mark knows the team very well. We’re only at race six. Obviously, a lot depends on his desire and motivation going forward which at the moment looks very clear. He’s doing a great job, we’re really happy with him. He’s really deserved today’s result.
“Mark’s doing a good job. Let’s focus on today, and the future will take care of itself.” Asked to compare the team’s three Monaco wins, Horner said: “I think they all are sweet. The third one was pretty special, the second one was special, as well, and this one feels just as good to become triple winners in Monte Carlo.
“I don’t think you do that by luck, and Mark’s become a double winner. He joins an elite group of double winners or multiple winners in Monaco. He really deserved it today.”

Hamilton frustrated to go backwards after finishing fifth in the Monaco GP :
Lewis Hamilton ended the Monaco Grand Prix frustrated with both his start and his pitstop after his third place on the grid became only a fifth position finish. The McLaren driver could not keep up with leaders Mark Webber (Red Bull) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) in the first stint, was jumped by Fernando Alonso's Ferrari when both pitted early on, and then found Sebastian Vettel rejoining ahead of him as Red Bull executed an alternative strategy for the world champion.
"It wasn't the best result. But this is motor racing. I really dislike going backwards," said Hamilton.
"But we still came away with some points and there are many, many more races ahead of us so we just have to keep our heads up and keep pushing." He warned that McLaren, which has not had a podium finish since China in April, had to react fast. "I think the team have definitely got some work to do because we are falling behind race by race," said Hamilton. "The others are picking up some serious pace. If we're not lucky then it will fall away from us."
Hamilton was particularly disgruntled about his start. Although he did not lose any positions, he felt a chance to gain ground had been missed.
"My start was one of the worst starts I've had in a long time," he said. "I just don't understand why it happened when the two guys next to me and the guy behind me got perfect starts. I was very, very fortunate not to get caught up in the crash.

Ross Brawn -Michael Schumacher should stay at Mercedes :
The German legend qualified fastest for last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix before a five-place grid penalty was applied.
Schumacher's contract runs out this year, and asked if he wanted him to stay on, Brawn said: "I think it would be everyone's wish.
"We always said Michael himself will know when it's time to retire and after a performance like that why should he?"
Schumacher retired from the race with a fuel-pressure problem after running seventh - he lost ground at the start following a collision with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean. But his qualifying performance was arguably his most convincing since he made a return to Formula 1 in 2010 after three years in retirement.
"It's great for the team and I think it's great for F1 as well," Brawn said. "Let's hope he continues on as long as he can do what he did today." Schumacher, 43, would not be drawn on his plans for his future.
He said: "You imagine that just because of one result I've done at this moment I'm suddenly restarting or opening a different subject. No, that's not the case.
"I'm focused on what I'm doing right now. There will come a time when I will make summary of everything and then I will sit down with the team to see what we're going to do." In the run up to Monaco, there had been some suggestions that the team felt Schumacher needed to up his game. Mercedes chief executive officer Nick Fry had said: "I am sure if we get to the end of this year and it continues as it has done for the last few races, I think he will probably be asking himself that question [about whether to continue]. "There is time to go and we are not making any decisions yet."
But in Monaco Mercedes vice-president of motorsport Norbert Haug said the seven-time champion had never let his poor results affect him. "Michael handled it quite well all the time," Haug said. "I never got the impression he was frustrated or down. He knows what he can do, and he thinks if the car is right he can deliver.
"Ross and I and the whole team were always convinced he was a good driver and could do it. That he needed to learn after such a long time was very clear but he shows commitment and his talent was there."
Schumacher struggled through the first 18 months of his comeback, but in the second half of 2011 there were signs that he was recovering some form. He continued to struggle to match team-mate Nico Rosberg in qualifying - the score was 15-4 in the younger man's favour last season - but he produced some strong performances in races.
This year, the qualifying score is three-all, and the two have generally been closely matched on pace, although Schumacher has suffered three retirements, only one of which was driver error.
The exception was the Chinese Grand Prix, when Rosberg beat Schumacher to pole position by more than half a second. The pace differential continued as Rosberg romped to his maiden victory and Schumacher retired with a loose wheel.

Fernando Alonso says third in Monaco Grand Prix means goals achieved :
Fernando Alonso reckons third place means he achieved his target from the Monaco Grand Prix, which was to finish ahead of his closest championship rivals Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver is now in the sole lead of the world championship, with 76 points, ahead Vettel and Monaco winner Mark Webber, who are both on 73.
And while a second Monaco victory escaped Alonso by less than a second, the Spaniard said he was satisfied from his weekend's haul.
"Our target was to finish in front of Sebastian and Lewis - they were with us in the world championship and if you go race-by-race you concentrate on different drivers," he said afterwards. "The next one will be Mark, who is now second in the championship.
"It will be interesting this season with the see constant development of the car and the constant surprises that we are having every race. You never know which one is for pole or race win."
Alonso admitted that he was lucky to emerge unscathed from the fracas at the start which eliminated Lotus driver Romain Grosjean and mixed up the order behind, bringing Vettel, who started ninth into contention.
"I had a fantastic start, so in the first ten metres I was side by side with Romain and I was passing Lewis [Hamilton] as well who was third," he said. "They went close to each other and I put the car in the middle and I think I touched with Romain with my rear left and his right front.
"After that touch he spun, so were lucky that nothing was damaged in the car. After that spin of Romain I think the positions mixed a little bit because I saw Vettel like position five or six – so people were helped and some people gained advantage.
"Everything went smooth after the start – at that point I thought maybe the car was damaged or something – but it was fine," he added. "I felt good, I felt competitive, but obviously in Monaco it is difficult to manage the traffic.
"We overtook Hamilton at the stop with perfect time and perfect stop again, so thanks to team we are in a privileged position."

Ferrari unlikely to protest Red Bull's Monaco win after floor 'hole' controversy :
Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali has suggested his team is not planning to lodge a protest against Red Bull after the Monaco Grand Prix. There was speculation after the race that rival teams would protest the legality of Red Bull's floor design. Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes are believed to have questioned the design of a 'hole' in the floor ahead of the rear wheels of Red Bull's car. Domenicali said, however, there were no plans to protest the design in Monaco.
"At the moment there is no indication that that is the intention," said Domenicali.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said it would be a shame it someone protested, but insisted he is convinced there is nothing illegal about his cars.
"I'd be disappointed if there was," says Horner . "It would be a shame for that to happen after the race, but we are totally confident that the car complies with the rules.
"We have got clarification that the technical director agrees with our interpretation. You know, we are totally comfortable with the car we have entered here, we've run it like this for other races as well. So we will see, but it will be disappointing if there was."


F1 unpredictability may be a turn-off for fans, says Jenson Button :

With Mark Webber claiming victory in Monaco on Sunday, F1 history was made with the championship having had six different winners of the opening six races for the first time. After Red Bull’s domination of the past two years, many have welcomed this, but Button thinks the randomness over a race weekend, and of the season, is starting to prove unattractive.
‘You say I’m quite inconsistent but [Pastor] Maldonado has had four no-score races, and then he’s had a win [in Spain two weeks ago] and an eighth, so it’s pretty up in the air,’ he said.
‘Clearly everyone is excited about so many different winners, which initially was great for the fans and great for the sport. But there will come a time when fans will say, “So anyone can win a grand prix, everyone can lose a grand prix like that?” I think they’re finding it a little bit strange now.
‘I don’t know but hopefully a pattern will emerge after the next couple of races and we’ll understand the teams and drivers we need to beat to win the championship.’
Button also admitted he is enduring his most frustrating time since joining McLaren. After picking up two points from his last three races, the Briton is now 31 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso.
Casting an eye over his results, Button said: ‘That’s awful but that’s where it is right now. These things happen, so I’ve just got to get through it. But it’s certainly my most frustrating time with McLaren, which is a fantastic team.
‘Suddenly the last three races, I don’t know where the pace and feeling I get from the car has gone.
‘It’s tough but it’s nothing we can’t sort out. We will solve the issues. It’s just whether we do it in time.’

Alonso warns unpredictable F1 could lose credibility :
Fernando Alonso warned F1 is in danger of losing credibility because results have been so unpredictable this year.
Speaking to CNN Alonso said “It’s a fantastic season, it’s so unpredictable. I think people stand in front of the TV with some surprises every race and it’s good for the audience, it’s good for the sport to bring attention to the races.”
“On the other hand we can lose credibility. We cannot lose that the best teams, the best drivers, the best strategies or whatever, they win the races. Because at the moment from the outside it seems that in every race [anyone] can win and it doesn’t matter the talent, it doesn’t matter the team, the performance – it’s like a lottery.
Alonso, who is leading the world championship by three points ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, said that what a driver achieves in Formula 1 is “not by chance”.
He added: “We need to make clear that if you win a race, it’s because you did something better. And at the moment I don’t know if this is clear for everybody.”

Felipe Massa boosted by Monaco Grand Prix performance :
Felipe Massa believes his improved pace in Monaco can act as a springboard to an upturn that might be enough to save his Ferrari career. The Brazilian is widely expected to be dropped at the end of 2012 after seven seasons with Ferrari, having struggled to match team-mate Fernando Alonso and following a poor start to this year's Formula 1 season.
In Monaco, Massa reached Q3 for the first time in 2012 and took only his second points finish of the year. But the Brazilian was mainly satisfied with how close he had been to the leaders, as he was part of a six-car train battling for victory .Asked by the reporter if he thought he could still keep his Ferrari seat if he kept his Monte Carlo form up, Massa replied: "I think so. The race was very good, and the result at the end, I'm not very happy with because you always want more, but it was a good start for now until the end."Massa said the Monaco weekend had given him a very big confidence boost. "For sure I'm very confident," he said. "I was very confident during the whole weekend and I think the result helps a lot to push a bit harder and to get even better results from now to the end of the year ".
"The championship up to now was not like I expected, but the championship is still very long, so I hope we can completely change what's happened up to now and go in a different direction from now to the end."

Ferrari sure Massa has turned the corner after troubled start to the 2012 F1 season :
Felipe Massa has turned the corner on his so-far troubled campaign with his performance in Monaco, according to Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. The Italian team had not hidden away from the fact in the build-up to the Monaco race that Massa needed to raise his game amid questions over his future.
Speaking about Massa's form, on the back of his sixth place finish in the train of cars behind race winner Mark Webber, Domenicali said: "I think that he did a great weekend. It was the weekend that he deserved, after a lot of weeks of big pressures.
"I am sure this will be the turning point of his season. It was a great boost for him to perform in a difficult moment. It is something we need for the Constructors' Championship, so I am expecting a good Felipe up until the end [of the season].
"He did a great qualifying, and you always can say it could have been better in Q3, but we need to look at it from different angles. He did a great race and he was a bit unlucky because he could have got out in front of Lewis for a fraction. But he was there in the first six cars that were very close, so that is for me the best point."
Massa said that sixth place is not what he is racing in F1 for, but on the back of his troubles earlier in the campaign it was a positive weekend.
"It was a good race," said the Brazilian. "It's always a difficult race, and I think this was a race where everything went okay.
"There was good pace and to finish with good points at the end, even if it was sixth - not a position that gives you a lot of happiness - with what had happened up to now was good. I would say everything worked in a good direction during the weekend."

Stefano Domenicali says Ferrari must focus on single-lap pace :
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes his team must focus on improving the single-lap pace of its car if it is to seize control of the world championship battle. Fernando Alonso has been in brilliant form this season with an under-performing car, and his third-placed finish in Monaco helped him move back to the top of the world championship standings. However, Domenicali thinks that Ferrari must start qualifying on pole position to take advantage of the benefits of running in clear air at the front of the field.
"If you are fighting for pole position, and even on pole position, then the race is totally different," said Domenicali. "This is something we need to keep focusing on to make sure things are going in the right direction.
"In terms of the pure performance of the car, we had a very difficult start. We have a situation where we are not happy and where we want to improve the car because we have seen other cars at the moment have pole positions, and we do not. So that has to be a target for the team."
Ferrari's update package for the F2012 that it delivered at the Spanish GP appears to have provided the step forward in form it needed to keep the team in the title hunt.
Further improvements are set for the next few races, and Domenicali thinks there is also an onus on Alonso to keep producing the kind of performances that he has done so far this year.
"I feel that at home everyone is working to make sure that every race we keep putting performance on the car, and that is what we have to do," he said.
"I am happy we are leading but with such a championship we have to make sure that we don't lose points. There are so many drivers and teams that are fighting for the win that you have to be always there."

Ferrari suspends work at Maranello base following earthquake in northern Italy :
Ferrari suspended work at its Maranello base on Tuesday following the earthquake in northern Italy.
Although the area around the Ferrari factory was not among those worst affected, with the centre of the quake 40 kilometres north of Bologna, Ferrari felt it was important to halt operations for the day.
A statement on its Twitter feed said: "After the earthquake, working activity has been suspended for today. All the workers and employees have been allowed to join their families."
Fernando Alonso added: "After the earthquake, the team has decided to stop the activities at the factory. We are all going back to home."
Ducati, located nearer to Bologna and therefore to the quake centre, also shut its factory down for the day.
"Ducati today is closed due to the earthquake. People are OK, we are verifying the factory," its Twitter feed said. "We feel very close to all the families and people that live near here for this difficult moment."
Italian media reports say that six people have so far been confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake.

Ferrari auction raises over money for earthquake victims :
Ferrari holds an online auction next week whose proceeds will go to the victims of two heavy earthquakes in northern Italy in recent times. Among the things that go under the hammer are helmets of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, a V8 Formula 1 engine and a rare 599 XX Evo, with a commercial value of 1.3 million €. Ferrari suggests in a statement: "As soon as the news of the earthquake reached the world , Ferrari customers and collectors took contact with Maranello to offer for a contribution .Again, we support most affected by this tragedy thanks to the generosity of the Ferrari enthusiasts ". Before has the Italian sports car manufacturer was already in for the 2009 hit Abruzzo region. Ferrari also donated 80 million yen for the construction of two school facilities in Ishinomaki after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year.


Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

The earthquake shook and continues to shakes the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, alerting numerous clients and collectors from all over the world.
Ferrari decided to start fund raising for the families affected by the earthquake, organising a charity auction with unique items such as a 599XX Evo and memorabilia from Formula 1.A special section on ferraristore.com will be dedicated to this important initiative.

Martin Brundle 1st June 1959
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Happy Birthday to your 53rd anniversary

hanshel wrote:This season’s six races have been won by an unprecedented six different drivers.

And world champions Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher are yet to triumph this year.

Triple champion Lauda, 63, said: “We have been surprised.But if it continues, we’ll lose spectators as the main public wants to see world champions winning."
“We need two races with known winners and then the crazy stuff can start again."

Do you think the same ??? I think it is too much a tires game right now and not first a question of drivers quality. The tires too important at the moment - have a look at the last few stupid Q3 That is really a problem or !?
But concerning to Laudas problem I think this way is more interesting than only one or two teams go ahead in their own class !
I am sure after some more races only the few best drivers will survive at the top !

I think the tires are not the problem, since they are the same for everyone. The problem is the number of tires that can be used during the whole week.

I remember when there were two suppliers of tires (Michelin and Bridgestone). The difference between cars of a different brand of tire was higher than the engines used or the aerodynamics of the chassis. Ferrari suffered several years the worst performance of the Bridgestone.

I believe in equality in Formula 1. The difference should be marked by the ability of the pilots, although I know this is impossible because really are the teams that are competing and cars are not going to be equal. Is obvious.

What I find it shameful is the total number of tires available throughout the weekend. This means that, finally, Q3 becomes a Pole without quorum.

hanshel wrote:This season’s six races have been won by an unprecedented six different drivers.

And world champions Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher are yet to triumph this year.

Triple champion Lauda, 63, said: “We have been surprised.But if it continues, we’ll lose spectators as the main public wants to see world champions winning."
“We need two races with known winners and then the crazy stuff can start again."

Do you think the same ??? I think it is too much a tires game right now and not first a question of drivers quality. The tires too important at the moment - have a look at the last few stupid Q3 That is really a problem or !?
But concerning to Laudas problem I think this way is more interesting than only one or two teams go ahead in their own class !
I am sure after some more races only the few best drivers will survive at the top !

Absolutly right. Like Schumi says. The Tires sucks!!!

This season’s six races have been won by an unprecedented six different drivers.

And world champions Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher are yet to triumph this year.

Triple champion Lauda, 63, said: “We have been surprised.But if it continues, we’ll lose spectators as the main public wants to see world champions winning."
“We need two races with known winners and then the crazy stuff can start again."

Do you think the same ??? I think it is too much a tires game right now and not first a question of drivers quality. The tires too important at the moment - have a look at the last few stupid Q3 That is really a problem or !?
But concerning to Laudas problem I think this way is more interesting than only one or two teams go ahead in their own class !
I am sure after some more races only the few best drivers will survive at the top !

Gianmaria Bruni 30th May 1981
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Happy Birthday to your 31st anniversary

ferrari news
Test suspended in Maranello to allow all staff to reach their families.
The Twitter profile of the stable of the prancing horse reads: "After the earthquake, the work was suspended to allow everyone to reach their families."
Ferrari has therefore today decided to stop all testing at home, because of the particular situation created due to the earthquakes that have affected this morning throughout northern Italy.
The area where the team was working, however, was not among those most affected, with a epicento about 40 miles away, but the Formula 1 team has not deemed necessary, stop all activities, for security reasons.

Ukyo Katayama 29th May 1963
(Former Driver for Larrousse,Tyrrell,Minardi)
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Happy Birthday to your 49th anniversary