Adam Cooper F1

Damon Hill and old F3 pal Martin Donnelly compare notes after the race

Damon Hill says he has no thoughts of a proper racing comeback – or perhaps doing a 24 hour race with son Josh – despite showing well in the VW Scirocco-R Cup at Brands Hatch last weekend.

Hill, who retired from F1 at the end of 1999, took part in the DTM support event for charity. He was joined by a group of contemporaries known as the ‘Rat Pack,’ all of whom have various degrees of F1 experience, and who were rather kindly classified as ‘Legends’ by VW.

Other previous occupants of the VW VIP cars include Arie Luyendyk, Patrick Tambay and Martin Brundle.

Despite his lack of knowledge of FWD touring cars Hill was actually fastest overall in free practice, ahead of all the young hotshoes. In qualifying proper Mark Blundell was quickest of the Rat Packers in fifth, ahead of David Brabham (7^th), Martin Donnelly (10^th), Hill (11^th), Perry McCarthy (24th) and Julian Bailey (26^th).

In the race Hill pitted for damage inspection after being hit from behind, and while he returned to the track he decided after a few laps that there was no point in continuing and possibly getting in the way of the leaders.

Brabham meanwhile won the class in fifth overall, ahead of Blundell (6^th) and Donnelly (10^th), while McCarthy and Bailey trailed home in 21^st and 24^th.

“I tell you what, it’s lovely to drive a race track on your own,” Hill told this blog. “But not when you’ve got a bunch of aggressive young guys. And very old guys as well!

“I loved the driving, I have to say I did love the seat of the pants stuff and just playing with the car, but it’s the aggressive racing I didn’t like. I got hit so hard from behind I thought I’d crashed into the wall backwards, but there was no damage. I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s been fun, but I think it reminded me of why I stopped racing as well. There’s more lows than highs…”

Hill and his colleagues were competing on behalf of the learning disability charity http://www.halowproject.org.uk.

The organisation is also behind an endurance kart event at Daytona Sandown Park on June 28th. More details of how to enter a team from Di Bird, mother of Merc F1 tester Sam, at di.bird@halowproject.org.uk.

Damon, wearing borrowed white helmet, looks confident before the start!

Six ‘legends’ on the podium, albeit three of them only as presenters!

Luca di Montezemolo has attempted to rally the Ferrari staff by telling them that the 2012 title can still be won.

The company president made the comments in an open letter to his employees.

Fernando Alonso is currently an impressive second in the World Championship, on the same points as leader Sebastian Vettel, after five races. However good fortune has played a part, and the consensus in the paddock is that the Italian team will have to make big steps with its car in order to stay in the hunt.

“The championship is very open and so far, there has not been one dominant force,” said Montezemolo. “A series of circumstances and the work done here to improve the car, as well as Alonso’s great ability, has led to us leading the Championship after five rounds. We must capitalise on that, with each one of us giving our very best at home and at the race track, including Massa who must bring home the results we expect from him.

“I know from [Stefano] Domenicali, with whom I am in constant contact, how hard all of you are working. Of this I am sure, also because winning the Championship depends only and exclusively on ourselves: on our ability, our creativity, our determination and our desire to show that we are the best.”

In a surprise move Peter Sauber has transferred a one-third stake in the Sauber Group to his CEO, Monisha Kalternborn.

The team says the deal has been done “in the interests of continuity.” Sauber retains the remaining stake and is still team principal and president of the group.

“When BMW pulled out of Formula One in 2009, Monisha Kaltenborn was instrumental in the team’s survival and since then she has been doing outstanding work in her capacity as CEO,” Sauber said in a statement.

“Transferring one third of the stake to her represents an important step for me in providing continuity. My desire is to ensure that the company continues to be led as I would want over the long term. Monisha Kaltenborn and my son Alex, who joined the company as Marketing Director in 2010 and has since also been a member of the Board of Management, both embrace this aim. It means we can offer our employees a positive outlook for the future.”

Kaltenborn added: “For me this step is a mark of the greatest possible trust, which I will do everything in my power to justify.”

Legendary racing car manufacturer Lola is set to go into administration after hitting a cashflow shortfall.

The company says that the decision will provide an opportunity to secure fresh investment or find a new owner.

A statement from Lola Group Holdings today said: “The latest economic downturn and the decision of HMRC not to pay ongoing R&D tax credits has caused a serious cashflow problem for the businesses. It is with enormous regret that a decision has been taken to issue Notices of intention to appoint an Administrator to Lola Cars International Limited and Lola Composites Limited.

“This step allows the board to continue its discussions with possible investors and prospective purchasers with a view to securing the best outcome for the staff, creditors and customers of both businesses.”

Lola says it won’t make any further comment until May 21.

The Daly name is back in F1 for the first time since 1982

Conor Daly will have his first F1 experience when he undertakes an aero test for Sahara Force India on Thursday at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire.

The 20-year-old, who scored his first GP3 win in Barcelona on Sunday, spent part of the Spanish GP weekend with the F1 team. He was at the Silverstone factory on Tuesday for a seat fitting and to familiarise himself with the controls of the VJM05.

Daly’s opportunity comes some 30 years after his father Derek enjoyed his final F1 season with Williams, as team mate to the 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg.

Although his father is Irish by birth, Daly Jr was born in Noblesville, Indiana, and has always raced under the American flag.

He drives for the Lotus (formerly ART) team in GP3, whose co-owner Nicolas Todt also manages regular Sahara Force India test driver Jules Bianchi.

World Champion Sebastian Vettel was in philosophical mood after a difficult Spanish GP, taking heart from the fact that despite his own problems he had outscored two key title rivals in both McLaren drivers, as well as team mate Mark Webber.

However, Vettel was frustrated by the RB8’s unexpected lack of pace on race day, which left him unable to keep up with the leading group.

Vettel was also delayed by a drive through for speeding under yellows, and also lost a few seconds in the pits when his nose was changed. He acknowledged that he was unlikely to have finished better than fifth, even without those extra dramas.

“Obviously the drive through cost us one position in the end,” said Vettel. “To battle the first four was impossible, especially after the first two stints. All in all I think it was a mixed up race, sometimes quick, sometimes slow, so a bit difficult to understand everything, a lot of things to go through. The car was changing a lot. I had a nose change as well, so a lot of things today.

“Look at the McLarens today. I think they have a very competitive and very beautiful car. They were even worse off than us. In the end I don’t think it really matters where you start the race, it matters if you have the pace. We didn’t have the pace to be better than P5, we finished P6.

“All-in-all, valuable points, I think if you look at the whole year, they might be very useful, but difficult to understand. I don’t know if you are into betting but if you put some money on Williams before this weekend, you are better off now. It’s difficult for us as well to understand what’s going on.”

Vettel had no idea about RBR’s prospects for Monaco.

“Look at today’s race, it was pretty crazy, what was going on. Maybe we’ll have an HRT or a Marussia on pole in Monaco! It’s difficult to say where we are. Today we were not quick enough, a drive through here or there, P5 would have the maximum.

“Not quick enough, not as quick as we’d like to be, but we keep fighting, and there’s a lot for us to understand and pick up and learn, so we’ll see in two weeks.”

He added: “I’ll maybe go to the casino and put some money on Williams! It’s obviously nice for you, because a lot of things happening. But for us, it’s a bit tricky to understand. We were in quite a good position Friday morning and Friday afternoon, yesterday not so good, and today a bit mixed.”

The fire started when this fuel rig exploded in the back of the garage

Williams chief operating engineer Mark Gillan says the team is still assessing the damage following Sunday’s pit fire in Barcelona – and has yet to determine the cause.

The fire started right behind the area where all the telemetry equipment and servers were located, and Gillan confirmed that replacing the IT infrastructure in time for Monaco is a major challenge.

“I would like to reiterate our thanks to everyone in the paddock who helped the Williams team on Sunday to control the fire,” Gillan said in a team Q&A. “There were a number of people who attended the circuit medical centre, mostly as the result of smoke inhalation. One team member remains in hospital having suffered burns, but he is in a stable condition and in good spirits and has returned to England today for further medical care.

“Investigations into the actual cause of the fire are ongoing and are being performed in collaboration with the local authorities and the FIA. The extent of the damage is still being accessed and will not become fully clear until both the cars and equipment have returned to the factory. What is clear is that our garage IT equipment and infrastructure have been badly damaged.

“On the back of a win we go to Monaco with high hopes but there is a prodigious amount of work to be done prior to the event to recover from the fire.”

Gillan also praised Pastor Maldonado for his superb drive: “Simply stunning – a master class from start to finish.  He was strong all weekend, winning the race from pole despite a strong challenge from Alonso.  One can’t ask anymore from a driver.

“This is a massive result for Williams and of course it is incredibly satisfying, especially given the tribulations of the 2011 season.  However, this business is all about continuous improvement and it is important that we continue to deliver.”

A seemingly routine story on Ferrari’s website has underlined the fact that Felipe Massa is coming under ever increasing pressure to perform.

The Scuderia’s post-Barcelona report spoke of Massa’s “drop-off” and said that the team is “expecting a change of gear” in Monaco.

Massa had another terrible weekend in Spain, qualifying at the bottom of Q2 and landing a drive through penalty in the race.

Regarding the first five races, the Ferrari story read: “As for an analysis of the Scuderia’s performance and its two drivers, Fernando has always maintained a very high level (67 points and second place in 2010, 51 and fifth place last year) while Felipe’s drop off has made itself felt. The Brazilian had picked up 49 points two years ago and 24 the following year, while so far this season he has just 2.

“In Montmelo, Felipe was very unlucky, both in the race and in qualifying, but everyone, he more than anyone, is expecting a change of gear starting right away with the Monaco Grand Prix, his second home race, given that he lives just a few hundred metres from what, as from next Sunday, will be transformed into the paddock for the sixth round of the 2012 championship.”

Adrian Sutil’s presence in Barcelona added fuel to suggestions that the German could form part of Ferrari’s future plans. He is known to have had contact with Maranello in recent months.

Williams has confirmed that one team member remains in hospital in Barcelona after suffering burns yesterday’s fire, adding that he is in good spirits.

Meanwhile the team has again thanked the paddock community for its support.

A statement today said: Following yesterday’s fire which occurred in the team’s garage after the Spanish Grand Prix, Williams F1 can confirm that a further two team members have now been released from hospital and have returned home having received treatment for smoke inhalation.

One member of the team remains in hospital in Spain having suffered burns in the incident. He is stable and will return to the UK within the next 48 hours to receive further medical care. His family are in constant communication and he is in good spirits. 

Investigations into the cause of the fire are on-going in collaboration with the FIA and local authorities.

The team would like to thank everyone for their good wishes and support over the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile Sir Frank Williams admitted he was overwhelmed by the support the team has received.

“I was pleased to welcome back to the factory the majority of our team this morning,” said Sir Frank. “One of our people remains in Spain for further medical assistance, but we are all looking forward to his imminent return.

“Everyone at Williams F1 is extremely relieved that this event was contained as quickly as it was and the damage which occurred was, relatively speaking, limited in its nature.

“While the incident was unexpected and definitely most undesirable, it has demonstrated the genuine cohesiveness, camaraderie and spirit of co-operation that exists within the Formula One paddock. The astonishing response from the teams and other paddock personnel was immediate, unconditional and overwhelming.”

We may have enjoyed the most unpredictable start to the season in F1 history, but after five races there’s no escaping the fact that Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull sit atop both championship tables.

After various dramas in Spain Vettel still managed to finish sixth, although even team boss Christian Horner admitted that the German would probably have only been one place higher with a clean race. Nevertheless despite the uncertainty Vettel has still managed to string together the best 2012 campaign, even if he is only marginally ahead of Fernando Alonso.

“It’s no by co-incidence that we’ve had five races now and five different winners,” said Horner. “It’s also not co-incidence that we’ve managed to emerge from race five and we find ourselves leading both driver and constructors’ championships, and even on a day like today managed to increase our lead in the constructors’ championship, albeit by a point.

“I think these tyres are obviously the key to performance. I think our actual pace in the race when you look at clear lap running, we were competitive, particularly prior to the last stint with Sebastian, when we knew those tyres had to go a long way. And he’s ended up passing in the last three or four laps Hamilton, Button and Rosberg. Jenson had looked untouchable on Friday. So I should think there’s a great deal of head scratching going on up and down the paddock.”

Horner says that consistency will be the key to the championship.

“It’s a matter of whoever understands these tyres’ characteristics and manages to broaden the window of performance from track to track will ultimately prevail. I think where we’ve done a strong job is on the days where we haven’t been able to win – even today where we’ve had drive through penalties and front wing changes – we still managed to score a respectable result, a respectable recovery. I think consistency over the year is ultimately what’s going to be crucial.

“Arguably after five races we must have been the most consistent, because we find ourselves leading both championships. So I think on the days that don’t go your way you’ve still got to make sure that you optimise.

“We had good strategy, good pit work, and ultimately pretty reasonable pace when we were in clear air in the race and our degradation was respectable and we were able to pick off three cars in the closing laps. But I think on a clear run Sebastian potentially he would have had the pace to finish fifth from his grid position today. Maybe he could have given Grosjean a bit of a run for his money as well. Sixth place is damage limitation after nosebox changes and drive through penalties it’s a respectable recovery.”

Horner was not making any predictions for the next race in Monaco: “Monaco is a lottery anyway, so maybe that will be less variable this year. With the way it’s going at the moment, who knows what may spring up there. Monaco’s a different challenge in itself, and again it’s going to be fascinating to see what teams are performing well there.”