Adam Cooper F1

The HRT team reached a milestone late on Wednesday afternoon in Bahrain when Bruno Senna’s car was fired up for the first time.

Karun Chandhok’s machine is still being completed today. One of the final pieces in the puzzle was the wiring loom which arrived at the airport on Thursday morning and was soon being fitted to the car. The fact that the team is here and should be in a position to send both cars out on Friday morning is nothing short of a miracle.

“At the end of the day we’re here and it’s a great achievement to be here already,” Bruno Senna told this blog on Thursday. “What these guys are doing now is what should have been done in the workshop months ago, and everything should be much more ready. But that’s the conditions we have to play with, and I hope we don’t have so many problems that we hinder our weekend in a way that we cannot do enough miles to learn. But I guess I have to wait until tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday to see that.”

From having virtual nothing a few weeks ago the team is now packed with experienced people, at least on the engineering side, with consultant Geoff Willis and technical boss Jacky Eeckelart joined by race engineers from Sauber, Williams and Renault.

“That’s how it goes, it changes so quickly. And as you said, there are plenty of experienced F1 people, everybody’s so motivated, everybody’s doing their best, so I’m feeling confident that given the right time, we should be able to start competing properly.”

Senna acknowledges that Friday is just going to be about running installation laps: “We need to be careful, try to do as much as we can without causing unnecessary damage. We have to take this weekend as a testing session, because we didn’t have the testing that everybody else had. So we’re going to really take it easy, and then if everything goes to plan on Saturday we start playing with set-up.”

He does agree that it would be fun if HRT could get a car out of the pit lane first, “just to wind everybody up!”

As for Sunday, there can only be one target. “That would be a great achievement, finishing a race. So I hope we get it.”

This time last year we were heading to the first race in Australia with the knowledge that the revamped Brawn team had been quick in testing. However, there was still some doubt over the double diffuser, so we weren’t quite sure where things stood.

Even allowing for that controversial performance boost it seemed hard to believe that a team that had struggled so much in 2008 could emerge from a turbulent winter with a new engine partner and still be a clear pacesetter.

Twelve months on, much has changed. Jenson Button is at McLaren, and Brawn GP has become Mercedes GP. And despite adding works backing and the talents of Michael Schumacher, life is going to be a lot harder. Ross Brawn expects to see no surprises this year, with McLaren, Ferrari and RBR at the sharp end of the grid.

“Last year McLaren and Ferrari did a pretty average job at the beginning of the year, and that created an unusual situation,” Ross told this blog. “They recognised particularly Ferrari, that they were off the pace, and in the end sacrificed the year to get back into shape for this year, which was probably the right decision. So it was an unusual year in that respect, so I don’t think we’re going to see that this year.

“I think in 2010 you’ll have the usual candidates at the front, and Renault and Williams and one or two others will be right there. I think Williams with the Cosworth engine will be very interesting. Renault has undergone a fairly major restructuring, and we’ll see what affect that has. The Sauber looks like quite a good car. I think they did the same as Ferrari, I think they recognised their failing, and knuckled down and devoted all their efforts to the new car.”

Ross is of course the king of strategy, even if these days he keeps more of an overview. Ross is adamant that this year strategy is all about being ‘reactive,’ in that you’ll always be responding to what others are doing.

“In previous years you had X amount of fuel in the car, and you wanted to run to that point and pit, and that determined your first pit stop. The reactivity of your decision making was how long to the second pit stop, where were you going to judge that gap.

“Now it’s completely open when you make your stop, be it one or two, and how soon you make it. If you make it early you can gain an advantage because you’re back out on new tyres, but if those new tyres are shot by the end of the race, you can become exposed. It’s going to be very interesting, but it’s going to be a much more reactive process on the pit wall than past years.

“I think there will be a lot of one-stop races this year, particularly if you’re starting on the soft tyre. If the hard tyre is durable then all the race will really take place in the first 10-15 laps, then right at the end if people run into problems with fuel consumption or tyre wear or brake wear.

“So I think there will be two windows of racing, in the early part when everyone is jockeying for position, and the end of the race where someone might start to struggle with their tyres or their car.”

Messrs Schumacher and Rosberg can’t ask for a better guy on the pit wall. Will Ross’s presence really make a difference?

Skilled PR operators know how to bury bad news, and you would have thought McLaren had something to hide when they snuck out a press release at 11.22pm UK time on Saturday night…

In fact the document was not some terrible confession of wrongdoing, but a routine race preview, and worth a look as it contained the thoughts of the two drivers as they head to their first race as team mates.

The world has already decided that Jenson Button is going to have a hard time this year, but that’s created an environment in which he’s the underdog, and that’s a situation he no doubt enjoys.

“I’m really looking forward to getting into my car on Friday morning in Bahrain and knowing that I’m the world champion,” he said. “It’s a responsibility and an honour – but it’s something I’m going to enjoy for as long as I can. I don’t want to lose that number from my car!

“My winter has been an incredible learning experience – joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has provided me with exactly the sort of challenge I needed. I have put every effort into working with the team, my engineers and learning about my car to ensure that we start the season in Bahrain in the best possible shape.

“Even after four weeks of testing, it’s incredibly difficult to predict the order ahead of the new season. There are a number of teams and drivers who appear to be in the hunt, and, as with the start of every new season, it will be fascinating to see who emerges as the team to beat. I’ve never known a team work as hard as we have done over the winter – I’ve spent more time with my engineers this winter than I have before any other season, and I feel very comfortable about my preparations.”

For Lewis Hamilton meanwhile this is a year where he hopes to build on everything he learned during the struggles of 2009. He said at the end of last season that he’s a better driver than ever, and now he has the chance to prove it.

“I can’t believe the winter’s over already,” said Lewis. “It seems like only yesterday when I was racing in Abu Dhabi. It’s been a winter of two halves for me: before Christmas, I really focused on my fitness and training, working away to be as ready as possible for the new season. Since January, I’ve been fully focused on working with the team, testing the car and improving our package ahead of the opening race of the year.

“There’s been a huge workload, but it’s been fantastic to work with Jenson and the engineers to improve MP4-25, and we’re all extremely pleased with the progress we’ve made and the direction we’ve taken. I think we have a very promising car beneath us: it’s a real change of direction for us, and I think the possibilities with this car are very exciting. Now, though, it’s all about the racing – once I put my crash helmet on and pull the visor down, I know more than anything that I’m ready to go racing.”

Meanwhile team boss Martin Whitmarsh is optimistic: “From our side, we’ve been engaged in one of the most painstakingly diligent pre-season programmes that we’ve ever undertaken. We’ve amassed an enormous amount of data and we’ve learnt a considerable amount about MP4-25 in just four brief tests. We’ve been encouraged by our progress, we’ve been delighted with the input of both Jenson and Lewis and, finally, we feel ready.”

The McLaren was fastest overall at the last two tests. Will it be the car to beat next weekend?

Schumacher can't wait to get going in Bahrain

As the countdown continues to Michael Schumacher’s comeback in Bahrain, the former World Champion says he’s like a ‘child looking forward to Christmas,’ and that his ‘batteries are recharged.’

In a Mercedes statement he reiterated the fact that updates due on the silver car for Bahrain could tip the balance in the team’s favour.

“Finally the season will start!,” he said. “I feel like a child looking forward to Christmas. The decision to make my comeback feels like a long time ago now and I can hardly wait for the season to get underway in Bahrain. It’s funny to think that I will be competing in Formula One again when just a few months ago, I would have declined the opportunity categorically.

“But sometimes things change and the right circumstances come together. I feel fresher than I have for many years. I am perfectly prepared physically and most importantly, my energy is back completely. When I retired from racing in 2006, my batteries were simply empty. Now they are totally recharged and I am ready for the challenge. It is the competition at the highest level that only Formula One offers which has provided the temptation for me.

“It is always difficult to predict the form in pre-season testing, this year more than ever, but the final test in Barcelona proved to us that we should be competitive. We know that we will have more new parts in Bahrain which should bring extra performance to the car. It’s important to be in the leading group from the start of the season and I am confident that we will be there.”

Meanwhile Ross Brawn admits that there’s still some work to do:  “We had a strong pre-season testing programme with the MGP W01 but we are not quite reached the level of preparation that we would have liked prior to Bahrain. The car shows promise and we have a strong development programme planned for the season but there is a lot of hard work ahead to ensure that we will be in the fight for the title.

“I am very pleased with how our new drivers Michael and Nico have settled into the team and developed a close working relationship. They have really pushed the development of the car throughout testing and they will push each other to achieve better results on the race track.

“This season should be a fantastic one for the fans with so many talented drivers competing and what is likely to be a very close fight for the title between the top teams and that can only be good for our sport.”

That’s certainly what everyone is hoping. A week from today we’ll find out a little more…

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.