Category Archives: Grand Prix News

The Caterham administrator has launched a crowdfunding project in an attempt to raise the funds to go racing in Abu Dhabi – and thus save the team for next season.

The hope is to raise £2.35m by November 14, with pledges from £10 and up. While it’s good to see that in contrast to Marussia the team is in theory still alive, the target would seem to be a trifle ambitious, to say the least.

“We are working non-stop to get the Caterham F1 Team back racing, initially in Abu Dhabi,” said administrator Finbarr O’Connell. “Hopefully that will be just a stepping stone to get it back racing on a permanent basis, under new ownership. In order to achieve that one of our most useful, innovative and effective options right now is crowdfunding.

“We want to get as many sponsors and fans as possible involved this week and make our comeback something we can all be part of. This team deserves a future and I’m sure that there are plenty of fans and companies out there that agree with us, so I can’t think of a better way to get us all together and show our support to the team than this one, the Caterham F1 Team #RefuelCaterhamF1 project.

“In order to make this happen, we’ve teamed-up with Crowdcube, the world’s leading crowdfunding platform, which has raised £45m for more than 150 organisations since 2011. If we don’t hit the target by next Friday, obviously the pledged funds will be returned, but right now we are hopeful for the future of the team and we are confident that the team showing the world that it can race again will lead to a bright future under a new owner on a proper financial footing.”

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn gave very little away when questioned about the contractual mess in which the team appears to have found itself.

Adrian Sutil has an ongoing two-year contract, and Giedo van der Garde is also believed to have signed some time ago.

However both Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr came along with big budgets and have been signed and announced for 2015. It looks likely that Sauber could face legal challenges from one or both of the drivers who have lost out.

Indeed it’s not hard to imagine that Van der Garde’s sponsors are furious that having paid for him to do some FP1 running this year, on the basis that he would race in 2015, the Dutchman has now been dumped. Van der Garde previously took legal action against Spyker over a contractual dispute – and won.

Kaltenborn refused even to concede that there was an issue – and demonstrated in full her legal training. Here’s what she had to say in answer to a series of questions on the subject…:

“We have announced our drivers and that’s how it’s going to be.”

“As I have said we have announced our drivers, if there are any other points related to it these are internal matters which we will discuss internally.”

“I am very clearly aware of my situation and I know what I’m doing. So we’ve announced our drivers, everything else we shall sort out internally.”

“As I told you for me it’s a clear situation.”

“These are internal things which I will discuss internally.”

“I’m not admitting it’s got to be resolved, all I said is if issues are coming up, we will look at them internally.”

“We know as I said what we are doing, and we are sure about that, if others have to go and say something, fine. But we shall discuss all these things internally.”

“Our situation is very clear, that’s what I can talk about. As I said we’ve announced our drivers, that’s it.”

It remains to be seen whether or not she is right to sound so confident…

Adrian Sutil has made it clear that Sauber has not addressed the issue of his 2015 contract before announcing that Felipe Nasr will join Marcus Ericsson next year.

Sutil signed a firm two-year deal last year which did not require him to bring any sponsorship – and he is paid a salary by the team. Sources suggest that there are no options or any way Sauber can cancel the contract without it becoming an expensive exercise for the Swiss team.

Sauber’s view is clearly that the sponsorship income from Ericsson and Nasr will more than cover the cost of paying Sutil to not to drive – and meanwhile the German is being told that unless he walks away the team’s future is at risk.

Presumably there was some pressure from Nasr’s Brazilian sponsor to go ahead with the announcement last night before the Sutil situation was resolved, which could make things messy legally.

Meanwhile sources say that Giedo van der Garde also has a contract to race for Sauber in 2015 and the team could face two legal challenges….

“There are certain things to talk about, definitely, yes,” said Sutil today. “I mean they’ve confirmed two drivers, it doesn’t mean the drivers are going to drive, and it doesn’t mean the team are going to drive. So there’s no real change from last weekend to this weekend. It’s just an announcement, and now of course in my situation I think I have to do some talking to sort out the things.”

Asked if he thought he would be in F1 next year he said: “At the moment, I don’t know. Maybe. F1 is unpredictable, but as I said there are a few things to talk about first, and the team has to comment on the rest.”

Meanwhile he admitted that the first lap clash with Sergio Perez in Austin was disappointing.

“We didn’t speak, so he didn’t apologise. Anyway, that’s how it is. It’s a shame, it was a good chance for points. A very nice qualifying, it was good to be in Q3 finally with this car, it’s been quite a challenge this year to be honest! So we didn’t expect it. For some reason it got better and better through the qualifying session, and especially on Saturday the car was better than before. So many things to analyse.

“We’ll try of course again here. I look forward to the race weekend, big chances with the weather looking very wet, and I think everyone knows how the race can turn out here in Brazil. We’ve seen many exciting races.”

Nico Rosberg admits he made a mistake when trying to get a power boost while attempting to keep Lewis Hamilton behind him in Austin.

Rosberg wanted the boost at the end of the straight as Lewis was preparing to launch his passing move, but he inadvertently used a control that asked for boost at the next straight.

“I made a mistake because I used the wrong things to give me KERS,” he said. “I thought I was doing the right thing, but there’s a delay in that one, and if I do it with a button it’s immediate, and with a switch there’s a delay. So I never got the extra KERS, and that’s why in the last metres he got a good jump on me. That’s was a mistake that I didn’t know about.

“I went for extra boost, but the way I did it it only comes on the next straight, or it comes with a delay, so I didn’t get extra boost.”

Asked if his error had made a difference he said: “I don’t know, in that situation it would have helped of course. I think he was pretty committed anyway.

“I’m sure I could have done better. It’s a judgement thing, if I defend a lot, then he’s going to brake late on the outside, and try and get me on the next one. I thought to indicate that I’m closing the door would be enough t stop him from trying, but it wasn’t. I was part way over already, and I thought that was enough to make it clear for him that he shouldn’t try, but it wasn’t.”

Rosberg insisted that he’s not compromised by memories of Spa when in combat with Lewis: “No, definitely not.”

He said the positive outcome of the race was that he will take the title battle to the wire.

“Championship wise it’s becoming more difficult, but at the same time it’s is a definite that I have a chance in the last race to win, so with that in hand already, that’s worth a lot.”

As for winning via double points, he said: “It is what it is. I don’t care, As long as I have one more point at the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. It’s the same for everybody.”