Monthly Archives: March 2010

The new HRT team has confirmed that Karun Chandhok will make his debut in the Bahrain GP, alongside Bruno Senna. The Brazilian appeared on the FIA official entry last night, although curiously he wasn’t mentioned by name in a statement from the team today!

The car itself is being unveiled today in Murcia, which will eventually be the home of the team.  The entry list also confirmed that the Dallara-built cars will be HRT-Cosworths.

“I am very pleased to use the Murcia site to officially unveil our car livery today that reflects the Murcia identity,” said Colin Kolles. “We also  complete the driver’s team line up with the Indian Karun Chandhok at the wheel of the car for our first ever season. We have been very impressed with Karun’s performance in GP2. India is a great country. It will be great for the sport to have an Indian driver on the grid for the first Indian Grand Prix. Murcia is part of the roots of the team.

“Everything is now in place after an impossible race against time to register the team’s name and I truly believe that we have an excellent platform to build on and move forward for a strong 2010 performance. Now, we need to work together. We need to learn together and keep developing as a team.”

Team chairman Jose Ramon Carabantes said: “The new HRT F1 Team, ‘Hispania Racing F1 Team’, is born in Murcia. I am proud to welcome you in Murcia where the team has its roots and to have given to my country the pride of the first ever Spanish Formula 1 team.

“The name of the team contains the word Hispania, which is not only the name of one of my companies, but Hispania was also the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. That reflects now our team’s new identity. 2010 will be a major debut for the team and drivers  at the wheel of our HRT F1 Team, car.”

When the FIA finally issued its 2010 entry list last night it seemed logical to get hold of one of the men most affected by the outcome.

Jacques Villeneuve had not signed a contract with Stefan GP, but he was poised to do so, having sat in the car in Cologne on Monday.

He was enjoying a late dinner with friends in Switzerland when I rang, and he had not heard the latest. As I explained it all to him I felt a little bit guilty that I had spoiled his evening, and left him to finish his meal.

Later, after he had time to digest the news and his pasta, he called back.

“Of course it’s disappointing,” he told me. “The car and team looked very promising, but we always knew there was a risk without having the entry, and it was running late. So it’s not a full surprise, but it’s still disappointing.

“There was a lot of potential with the car. It was built and it was a full blown project. It wasn’t something started from scratch, and it was going to be competitive. It’s a shame because it would have been a new team which could have run properly, but that’s the way it is.”

Villeneuve had first indicated his desire to come back as long ago as Monaco in May, so this has been something of a long term project. He’s kept himself fit, working with his longtime physio Erwin Gollner in Austria as recently as last weekend.

“It’s been a long process, so there’s no point to can it now. Who knows, there might be some driver changes during the year, as the teams are not all fully secure. And there’s still 2011.”

There remains a chance that Stefan GP will be granted an entry for next year, once the FIA has concluded its bid process. Jacques hasn’t ruled out being part of the package that the team presents: “It’s too early to say anything, but potentially.”

Meanwhile he’s been looking at prospects in the NASCAR world: “There are a few things I’ve put on hold, so I’ll just get working on it.”

Inevitably many people have been sceptical about Villeneuve’s comeback plans, but it would have done no harm to have another World Champion on the grid, in what was potentially a sensible car. There’s no doubt that he was fully motivated, and in a very different frame of mind to when he left BMW Sauber in 2006, having made a lot of changes in his life since then.

He turns 40 next year, but anyone questioning that should note that he is still a couple of months younger than Pedro de la Rosa – and of course Michael Schumacher has moved the goalposts in terms of our perception of an F1 driver’s age. Will JV get another chance?

The Lada name has appeared on the Renault... but there's still space

Renault has formally confirmed its deal with Lada, which was revealed to the world a few days ago by none other than Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The R30 will carry Lada branding, reflecting the commercial ties between the French company and the Russian car manufacturer.

It’s also the first major deal brokered by new boss Gerard Lopez, who is clearly in a hurry to get things done.

“We are proud to announce this new agreement, which marks another important step for the Renault F1 Team and Formula 1 in Russia,” he said in a team statement. “Through Mangrove Capital we have been actively investing in Russia over the last years. We know the country well, we have a high degree of appreciation for it and, as such, it is an honour for our F1 team to spearhead Russia’s entry into the sport and to carry the Lada brand at the highest level of world motorsport. We look forward to an exciting and successful season together.”

There have been many attempts over the decades to kick start a Grand Prix in Russia, and this deal will surely create some momentum for it to finally happen.

Yesterday we predicted that the FIA would issue two documents, an entry list and either an explanation of why Stefan GP was on it, or an announcement that there would be an entry bid process for 2011.

I indicated the latter was the most likely choice, and that’s exactly what has happened. In the face of strong pressure from Bernie Ecclestone, Jean Todt has – just five months into his job – taken the most conservative and arguably most logical option. And that is despite his own son having a vested interest in placing Pastor Maldonado in a testing role at Stefan.

The FIA’s explanation reads:  “The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage. In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season.”

So what next for Stefan? The Toyota TF110 will be legal for next year and the team can in theory spend the year testing before showing up with a modified car for 2011, assuming it wins the entry of course. But it will need tyres and hard cash to go testing with…

Stefan GP does not appear on the 2010 entry list, which was finally issued tonight. It contained a note that confirmed that US F1 has indicated that it will not participate in 2010, while for the first time Sauber has appeared. Bizarrely the team is still listed as ‘BMW Sauber’ despite discussions about a name change.

Bruno Senna is the only driver listed for HRT.
2010 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ENTRY LIST
03.03.2010
No.DriverTeamConstructor
1 Jenson BUTTON (GBR)
2. Lewis HAMILTON (GBR)VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GBR)McLaren Mercedes

3 Michael SCHUMACHER (DEU)
4 Nico ROSBERG (DEU)MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM (DEU)Mercedes Benz GP Limited

5 Sebastian VETTEL (DEU)
6 Mark WEBBER (AUS)RED BULL RACING (AUT)Red Bull Racing Renault

7 Felipe MASSA (BRA)
8 Fernando ALONSO (ESP)SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (ITA)Ferrari

9 Rubens BARRICHELLO (BRA)

10Nico HÜLKENBERG (DEU)AT&T WILLIAMS (GBR)Williams Cosworth

11Robert KUBICA (POL)
12 Vitaly PETROV (RUS)RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA)Renault

14 Adrian SUTIL (DEU)
15 Vitantonio LIUZZI (ITA)FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND)Force India Mercedes

16 Sébastien BUEMI (CHE)
17 Jaime ALGUERSUARI (ESP)SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (ITA)STR Ferrari

18 Jarno TRULLI (ITA)
19 Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN)LOTUS RACING (MAL)Lotus Cosworth

20 TBA
21 Bruno SENNA (BRA)HRT F1 TEAM (ESP)HRT Cosworth

22 Pedro DE LA ROSA (ESP)
23 Kamui KOBAYASHI (JPN)BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CHE)BMW Sauber Ferrari

24 Timo GLOCK (DEU)
25 Luca DI GRASSI (BRA)VIRGIN RACING (GBR)Virgin Cosworth

Note: The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in 2010.

As we suggested yesterday, the ex-Campos team will not officially be known as Hispania Racing, as that name was not accepted by the FIA. Instead it will use only those initials, and will henceforth be the  HRT F1 team. 

The full plans will be announced in Murcia tomorrow. Meanwhile the team’s statement reiterated its intentions to be ready for Bahrain: “Campos Meta 1 has been renamed ‘HRT F1’ Team, (Hispania Racing F1 Team) following Jose Ramon Carabante’s acquisition of Campos Meta 1 earlier in February. The new team name and identity is strongly linked to its Spanish roots and the team base will be in Murcia, near Alicante, Spain. The highly motivated squad around Dr Colin Kolles continues its preparations at full speed to make its F1 debut at the first round of the FIA 2010 F1 season at the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on 14 March.”

Kolles said: “The new team name signifies a new birth for our Formula One ambitions and highlights the incredible effort that is going on behind the scenes to ensure we make a successful debut in Bahrain on 14 March. While we are a new team in the paddock, we will be very proud to stand alongside such legendary names as Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Lotus, as we hope to build our own reputation in the coming years.”

It will be interesting to see how the news is received by Australia’s HRT, the Holden Racing Team. The outfit has been established for 20 years and is in effect backed by General Motors, who might not be too happy about it. The Kolles rescue of Campos has of course been linked with future investment from the VW Group.

Ken Anderson has responded to reports of the demise of US F1 by claiming that they are exaggerated – and says that he still thinks he has a chance of deferring entry until 2011.

Anderson made his comments to www.autosport.com after it was confirmed that his employees had been told on Tuesday to go home on what amounts to ‘unpaid leave.’

He says there was no point in them carrying on with the current car until the situation was resolved, an explanation with some logic to it, although paying them to stay at home might have been an even better solution.

As I suggested in the previous story, the guys were informed that it might be a temporary situation and thus there was still a glimmer of hope. 

However despite Anderson’s optimism sources close to the FIA indicated tonight that it was highly unlikely that the entry would be deferred. As reported earlier, instead the team would be able to re-apply in 2011, assuming there was still a vacancy and a bid process.

Meanwhile one can imagine that the employees who have remained loyal to Anderson – who did not address them about the situation in person – won’t stick around too long to enjoy their unpaid leave status.

We await developments with interest…

Ken Anderson signs the Concorde Agreement in July...

The staff of US F1 were told today to pack up and go home as reality finally hit in Charlotte. There has been no official confirmation – then very little has come out of the team in months – but the dream of Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor is finally over.

A desperate attempt by Anderson and Chad Hurley to salvage the project by asking the FIA for permission to postpone for a year, and showing faith by providing a $5m bond, has not worked.

It’s been said for some days that Windsor is out of the picture, but even Anderson was not around to give the bad news to the guys on the shop floor. One source says that they have been told that it may yet be temporary, which suggests that there may be some hope for a revival for 2011.

However the signs are that the shut down was prompted by a negative response from the FIA to the request for a year’s grace – and that if there is any tiny glimmer of a future for US F1, it’s merely that the team would be able to re-apply along with anyone else if there is still a free slot in 2011. And logic suggests that US F1 won’t get a second chance if there are other credible bidders.

We now await news from the FIA about what happens next. It seems likely that there will be two documents from the governing body within the next day or so – a definitive 2010 entry list, along with a separate statement that either explains why Stefan GP is on it, or confirms that there will be an open spot in 2011 and that an entry bid process will be launched.

It still seems likely that the latter course will be chosen. It if is then it will to some degree showcase Jean Todt flexing the FIA’s muscles in the face of strong pressure from Bernie Ecclestone to let Stefan in.

A source in Cologne told me tonight that it was now ‘almost impossible’ for the team to make it to Bahrain, so a positive decision is going to have to come very soon.

The entry list will also confirm the new name of Campos Meta – and some sources suggest that Hispania Racing might not be the final choice – and will finally show the name of the BMW Sauber team for the first time.

Meanwhile a source close to Chad Hurley says that the Silicon Valley entrepreneur sounded yesterday like he had had enough of trying to get involved in F1, and that the chances of him investing elsewhere were slim.

It really has been an extraordinary saga, but the bottom line is that Anderson and Windsor were able to beat several other serious projects to getting an F1 entry. They must have had an impressive pitch when they made their bid last May/June. But as many had long suspected, there was clearly very little real substance to it.

Just nine days before the cars are due to undertake FIA technical checks in the Bahrain pits there is still no news on a possible slot for Stefan GP.

The written request by Chad Hurley and Ken Anderson to have US F1’s entry deferred until 2011 has made the picture a little clearer in terms of where the American team stands.

The three possible scenarios remain a) a last minute merger of US F1 and Stefan, b) a 2010 entry granted to Stefan GP but only with the permission of all the existing teams, and c) an entry bid process announced for 2011 for which Stefan, US F1 and any others could apply.

The last would seem to be a logical solution for the FIA, but will obviously leave Stefan in limbo with a car that is ready to run. And whatever the answer, the governing body will have to make sure that all possible legal ramifications have been examined.

One interesting aside to all this is GP2 star Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan is in talks with Stefan about the third driver role, and is said to have been at the Toyota factory this week.

Maldonado is managed by none other than Nicolas Todt, son of FIA President Jean. Last year he drove for Todt Jr’s ART GP2 team, finishing sixth in the championship.

One might conclude that having been in contact with the team Nicolas would be able to give his father some extra insight into what’s going on in Cologne, and thus help him to make a decision on what happens next…

Meanwhile reports in Spain say Campos Meta will be renamed Hispania Racing.

Former Honda test driver James Rossiter had signed for US F1

Further evidence of the apparent mismanagement at US F1 has come with the confirmation that the team had not one but two fully sponsored drivers signed up well before the start of the season – and yet still couldn’t manage to build a car in time.

The team announced on January 25 that it had signed Jose Maria Lopez, but it never officially confirmed that in December it had also agreed a deal with former Honda test driver James Rossiter.

While there were rumours that Rossiter was in the frame – thanks to Lopez’s management telling the Argentinian media – sources confirm that the deal was in fact signed and sealed. Both drivers were committed to bringing $8m, a large chunk of which – as is standard practice – was to be paid before the first race.

However in early February Rossiter’s backers sought reassurances that everything was going to plan in Charlotte, and that sufficient additional funding was in place.

When US F1 was not able to provide those guarantees, Rossiter withdrew from the deal.

Days later US F1 had a showdown with Lopez’s management, and confirmed to the driver that the team would not make Bahrain. At that point Lopez also pulled out and went to Europe in a desperate effort to look for an alternative seat. Lopez’s management has since complained that the team must have known the situation when the deal was signed.

Certainly the fact that US F1 failed to build a car on time – despite having contracts with two drivers with F1 testing experience with a combined value of $16m – would suggest that something about the project was deeply flawed.

Rossiter has since signed up with the KVRT IndyCar team.