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Posts Tagged ‘Formula 1’

The great financier of Formula 1 Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday expressed fear that the events that occurred Tuesday in Bahrain can affect the first Grand Prix of the season, scheduled from March 11 to 13 in this country.

Bernie Ecclestone

“The danger is obvious, is not it?, Ecclestone told the website of British newspaper the Daily Telegraph. If these people (the protesters) want to make noise to gain international recognition, it will be really easy, n is not it? ”

“You start to create a problem on the grid in Bahrain, and you have worldwide coverage,” said Ecclestone stating he would contact the king of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, to the Update on the situation.

Asked whether the race might be canceled, he replied: “I have no idea. It’s hard to know exactly what happens.”

Two protesters were killed Shiites in Bahrain on Monday and Tuesday during the repression of anti-government protests in this small Gulf kingdom, ruled by a Sunni dynasty.

The events take place at the initiative of users who have called on Facebook to protest to demand political and social reforms in the wake of riots in Tunisia and Egypt.

Sebastian Vettel, the sacred month last world champion in Formula 1 at age 23, was voted German sportsman of the year by a panel of 1,500 journalists on Sunday in Baden-Baden.

The youngest world champion in F1 history succeeds swimmer Paul Biedermann, distinguished in 2009 after his two world titles in Rome.

The Red Bull driver was clearly ahead with 4288 points the player table tennis Timo Boll (2088 pts) and the new sensation of the golf world, Martin Kaymer (1763 pts).

The title of German sports of the year returned to Maria Riesch, double Olympic champion in alpine skiing in Vancouver, who narrowly edged with 3957 points Queen Magdalena Neuner Biathlon (3921 pts).

Riesch succeeds Steffi Nerius, 2009 world champion in the javelin in Berlin.

The team of the year is no surprise team of German football that took 3rd place 2010 World Cup and enthusiasm in South Africa observers.

The Nationalmannschaft Joachim Loew has been acclaimed with 3436 points and the successor to the distinguished female football team in 2009.

Fernando Alonso, the new leader of the world championship of Formula 1, called on Friday to stay “grounded” to two races remaining this season, believing that the conquest of the title required that Ferrari and himself are now “perfect”.

“I came back to head the ranking, which had not happened since Australia. But we know that with this point system and with the differences that there have few positions: it is sufficient to a race, as we saw in Korea, to reverse the situation, “remarked the Spaniard.

Ex-3e General, Alonso benefited from an accident by Mark Webber and then the explosion of the engine Sebastian Vettel to steal first place in the Championship for both Red Bull drivers at the Grand Prix of South Korea Sunday Yeongam.

“Knowing that achieving this goal depends on us gives us a bit more quiet, but this does not change our approach. We will do everything possible (…). The only difference is that we can safely stay ahead of our direct opponents, without making too many calculations, “he said.

For the next Grand Prix, November 7 at Interlagos (Brazil), the “tour is rather short, and deviations smaller than usual,” commented Fernando Alonso, who with 231 points, just 11 ahead of Mark Webber’s dolphin.

“The slightest blunder will have even more because it will require a one or two tenths of a second to have seven or eight cars in front or behind. We will have to be perfect,” said the Spaniard.

“Naturally I have fond memories of this track. I’ve won my two titles in 2005 and 2006. Every time I go to Sao Paulo, I feel a special emotion,” Alonso told the site Ferrari.com .

“But do not want to think that the scenario could be repeated a third time: I know there is a theoretical possibility, yet it does not matter to me. We want to confront this GP as all the previous ones, focused on ourselves, feet on the ground, “he said.

Russia could host its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sochi in 2014, the same year as the Winter Olympics, but many challenges remain to be addressed, starting with the construction, at great expense, to a racing circuit.

In a recent interview with Russian daily Kommersant, the boss of F1, Bernie Ecclestone announced that it has completed negotiations with Russia on the organization of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.

“The agreement has not been signed yet, but when a person with appropriate authority in Russia will sign the next day I put mine,” he said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, is expected Thursday in Sochi on the Black Sea shores, where it must approve the proposed construction of a motor racing circuit in the city.

A sports enthusiast himself, the former Russian president (2000-2008) was the organization in Russia for major sporting events a priority. In 2007, he had mobilized the whole state apparatus, sportsmen and businessmen, and defended himself for the Sochi Olympics-2014. And he is currently campaigning for Russia wins the World Cup organization in 2018 or 2022.

Regarding F1, Kommersant reports that the organization of a Grand Prix will cost Russia $ 40 million per year, not counting the 200 million dollars to find to build the circuit.

“But the economic benefits of a sporting event of this magnitude promise to be much more important” that all spending, said the Russian newspaper.

This optimism is not shared by all. Ivan Samarin, pilot of Formula 2 (formula promotion), and regrets that the Russian authorities are trying to get into F1, while the Russian experience in motor sport is minimal.

“Organizing an F1 race in Russia under the existing conditions is utopian, he believes in the Russian press. We should build more circuits to organize national races before we embark on the construction of a circuit for F1.

He said Russia must also stop expecting immediate profits on its investments.

“The construction of a circuit is a long term investment. The holding of an F1 race increases the prestige of an entire country and attracts crowds of tourists willing to pay for the show. But investors must be prepared to wait years to see the benefit of their investment, “insists Samarin.

This is not the first time Russia is negotiating its place in the supreme discipline of motorsport.

In 2002, Mr. Ecclestone had come to Moscow to sign a contract on the Grand Prix held in the Russian capital, but Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow Mayor sacked late September, had finally refused, accusing the race organizers want “s allocate all the profits. “

An apology from Michael Schumacher, whose return for Mercedes in Formula 1 is a “disaster” is “the piper,” said former teammate Eddie Irvine in an interview published Saturday in the magazine La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“On paper, his return was not a bad idea. Since 2006 Felipe Massa (who assisted him at Ferrari) was often before him, he had already lost some. Three years later he lost even more. Result? It’s a disaster, “he told the British revenge.

“His excuses are the piper:” This is a new team, new people, “etc.. The first year at Ferrari, the car was rotten but he won three races,” noted Irvine, who is Schumacher also not a “good tester” of cars.

“Ferrari has taken for his talent but he had no idea how the car behaved. Michael is a great driver, you can give him a suitcase with four wheels and it will go very quickly. Schumi’s strength, c ‘is the address to drive, that’s all, “he said.

Income in F1 this season after three years of retirement from sport, the seven-time world champion has stepped unworthy races this season. Changes in the discipline and the slowness of his car are excuses to explain his poor performance.

Conversely, the Mercedes boss Ross Brawn, who previously directed at Ferrari, frequently praised the capabilities of the German Development and develop a car. Schumacher, humiliated by his teammate Nico Rosberg has signed a three-year contract with the German mark.

Jacques Villeneuve would like to make one last dip in Formula 1 before live a peaceful end career in NASCAR. He would like to rewrite the script of the last act of his F1 career.

“There are things to clean in F1. I did not like how it ended,” Villeneuve said Thursday during a press briefing held at the approach stage of Montreal the NASCAR Nationwide Series, taking place this weekend at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. There are small things I want to prove. I also want my son to see me race in Formula 1. ”

Among the bad memories to erase, there are obviously those related to the end of his stay with BMW Sauber. His departure was made in bitterness, he was replaced by Robert Kubica season.

Jacques Villeneuve

Michael Schumacher could also make a return next season, but Villeneuve believes that there would be nothing to settle at this level.

Schumacher, I beat him in 1997, so it’s settled since 1997, has launched Villeneuve, referring to his conquest of the world championship in F1 this year.

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The Quebecers 38 years knows full well that unlike NASCAR, F1 did not offer much longer the possibility of obtaining a driving full time.

“For right now, hopefully more on the side of F1 as NASCAR, because it is not quite the same age limits in NASCAR than Formula 1. So, if a little chance in F1, he must try to go as there will be this small opening. There’s one now, so I’ll try.

“In the long term, sure (NASCAR) is something very exciting. I would like to join, yes,” said Villeneuve, who believes it will be possible to do well in this series even after that he reaches forty. Just look at Mark Martin, how competitive it is … and he is in his fifties. ”

Five Quebecers

Villeneuve will be part of a contingent of five Quebec, this weekend, at the stage of Montreal’s NASCAR Nationwide Series. The others will be Patrick Carpentier, who finished second in each of the first two presentations of the race, Alex Tagliani and Jean-Francois Dumoulin, who will be making their debut in Nationwide, and Andrew Ranger, the headliner of the Canadian series Tire, which will be found among major for the second consecutive year.

Tagliani and Ranger will also participate in the race of the Canadian Tire Series will be contested Sunday morning, hours before the Nationwide race. Qualifications will be held Saturday.

Carroll stole the show these past two years, but Villeneuve intends to do to turn this year. Hired by Braun Racing least one month before the 2008 race, he has had more time to prepare this time.

“Last year I even led a lap, just before the red flag (which ended the race because of rain), Villeneuve noted. I hope to be more than one round this year – or if only one tower, whether the latter.

“It was therefore held fairly well last year. This time we did some tests with exactly the same car as last year, and the same team. We are better prepared than last year. We will be a little more competitive, and it is hoped that others would not have made as much progress. The goal is to drive forward, to try to win the race. ”

Besides Villeneuve, Carpentier, Tagliani and Ranger Dumoulin, Quebecers Patrice Brisebois and Patrick Laperle (Canadian Tire Series) and Didier Schraenen (Form 1600) will participate in an autograph session between 14h and 15h, Friday at Circuit Gilles – Villeneuve.

The practice and qualifying rounds of the Formula 1600 Grand-Am will be held all day Friday. The racing fans will then enter the free tour at the “Discovery Day”.

The difficulty of finding a wheel

There will be many Quebecers track this weekend, but none currently a full time drive in NASCAR. Only Carroll made a serious foray into Sprint Cup with Gillett-Evernham team, before being released last year.

Obstacles remain for many Canadians, says Villeneuve. But Ron Fellows, the veteran Canadian pilot who won the race in Montreal last year, believes the deal will change in “three or four years.”

“Generally, Canadians are viewed as specialists road circuits, Villeneuve noted. And the perception is that those who excel on the road circuits can not do on the ovals. This is not necessarily true. The results of Juan Pablo Montoya is currently helping in this direction. ”

“With the marketing efforts that NASCAR has made in Canada and long-term involvement with a company with strong symbolic value as Canadian Tire, we’ll see drivers here puncture,” said Fellows. Andrew Ranger may be the next young hope who will benefit from what we are trying to establish in Canada. I think the future is bright. We would talk about this in five years. “