F1 News
Date: 31/August/2011
Red Bull Racing's chief technical officer, Adrian Newey, was seen drying his eyes at the end of Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix - and it wasn't because his drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, had finished first and second.
Newey was emotional drained from the stress caused by a tyre set-up gamble in qualifying, which meant both his drivers began the race on blistered tyres that some feared could fail after just a handful of laps.
Red Bull's gamble had been to exceed Pirelli's recommended amount of camber - the amount the top of the tyre leans inwards - which offered a short-term performance benefit, but had caused the inside shoulder of the tyre to overheat and 'blister'.
Reducing the camber - the maximum recommended level is four-degrees from vertical - for the race would have meant starting in pitlane. Rival teams were against Red Bull being allowed to change tyres on safety grounds, since their actions had created the risk.
Ultimately, Red Bull decided to start on the blistered tyres, but pitted Webber as early as lap 3, then Vettel on lap 5.
But whilst the 'damaged' qualifying tyres were soon changed, the potentially catastrophic risks caused by the excessive camber hung over the team for the rest of the race - at a track with some of the fastest corners in the world.
"We had a lot of concerns going into the race after the damage we had on the tyres from qualifying. We took quite a lot of risk," confirmed world champion Vettel. "We had reason to be confident that it should be fine, but you never really know.
"The alternative would have been to change the set-up and start from the pit-lane. We took that risk.
"We had some long discussions last night and this morning. Now we are sitting here, it all went well and we finished one-two - but it wasn’t an easy decision to make. You are driving into the unknown."
Team-mate Webber praised his team for keeping both drivers fully informed.
"Credit to the team for the way they handled all the problems," said the Australian, who sympathised with the pressure the team were put under.
"It was not an easy grand prix for those guys on the pit wall, watching their two drivers out there. It was reasonably sensitive for them.
"It was pretty stressful last night, pretty stressful this morning," Webber admitted. "We are not just talking about blisters, we are talking about unknown characteristics of what the tyre might do.
"It was handled well from our team’s perspective, by putting the drivers right in the discussions to understand how we could get through the grand prix as safe as possible.
"I was giving them feedback on how the tyres looked. The main thing we were interested in was looking at the fronts on the inside shoulder. My set after qualifying was in a very bad way so we had to get rid of those very quickly."
The blistering remained an uncomfortable factor for both drivers during the race, but never developed into anything more serious and certainly didn’t hurt their performance.
"It was pretty scary to go around with blistering issues," confessed Vettel. "It’s not very comfortable, especially on the way down to [the flat out] Eau Rouge and Blanchimont corners.
"You look at the tyre and it doesn’t look like being in great shape and you feel quite a lot of vibrations."
Vettel won the race by 3.7sec from Webber, with McLaren's Jenson Button 9.6sec from victory in third. Vettel's seventh win of the season means he is now comfortably on his way to a second consecutive world title.
Stoner lukewarm on Indy MotoGP future
MotoGP News
Date: 30/August/2011
Moments after standing on the top step of the Indianapolis podium, straight-talking MotoGP title leader Casey Stoner refused to back the circuit remaining on the World Championship calendar.
Indianapolis is yet to sign a contract for 2012, and is under pressure from the new Austin track. The Texan venue has agreed a ten-year MotoGP deal starting from 2013, while California's Laguna Seca circuit is signed up until 2014.
So unless MotoGP is willing to run three US rounds, Indy has at best one more year of motorcycle grand prix, if terms can be agreed for 2012.
Indianapolis joined the MotoGP calendar in 2008, using a modified version of the infield circuit previously created for its F1 Grand Prix.
Fitting a road course within an oval is always a compromise and the quirky layout, which uses the same main straight as the famous Indy 500 before peeling off into a tight and twisty infield section, has never been a favourite with the riders.
"I'm not like some other riders that really enjoy tracks just because they win there," said Stoner, when asked if victory had changed his negative opinion of Indy. "We ride at a lot of different tracks around the world and I can't honestly say this is better than most of them.
"I don't get a kick out of a track just because I win on it. Mugello is one of my most favourite circuits, and I've only won there once. I look at what quality the circuit has rather than just memories."
When asked if MotoGP should return next year, the Repsol Honda rider dodged a direct answer, speaking instead of the missed opportunity to create a challenging track to match the awesome architecture and infrastructure.
"I think this whole facility and place could be unbelievable," began Stoner, "but in my opinion the corners are too tight and we use first gear a lot more than most other circuits.
"There's maybe two or three corners that I think are a lot of fun. Turn 5, Turn 12. But the rest of the track is just very tight, twisty. You just kind of roll around.
"This facility could be unbelievable with the history and everything. But, in my opinion, I don't enjoy riding it as much as I do a lot of other circuits."
Part of the problem is that MotoGP inherited the failed F1 project, for which the road course was designed to be run in the opposite direction.
Seeing cars drive the 'wrong way' down the Indianapolis home straight was a massive PR blunder and the road course was reversed, and slightly revised, for MotoGP's debut.
But changing the course direction meant many corners tend to tighten, rather than get faster.
"It's not meant to be run the way we're running it," stated Stoner. "So instead of corners opening up for exits, they just keep tightening up."
American Ben Spies unsurprisingly gave a more favourable response regarding Indy's MotoGP future, although his opinion seemed based mainly on it being another home race and a track where he has performed well.
"For me it's a home race. It's in front of the home crowd. I've had good results here. But I think it's more important for America to get involved with MotoGP and for it to grow in the States," said the Yamaha rider. "I would like to see Indy stay, for sure. It's an easy flight for me, so there's a lot of bonuses to race here."
Stoner's team-mate Dani Pedrosa indicated that as long as there are races in America, the venues are of secondary importance.
"Well, as Ben said, as I think it is important to still have races [in the US]," said Pedrosa. "I don't know if it will be Indianapolis or maybe - I don't know when the new track is ready in Texas.
"As Casey said, the track could be a little better. The track is quite strange going in the opposite way. I don't know the future with it."
In a sign of Indy's apparent intention to keep MotoGP beyond this season, the previously patchy infield asphalt was replaced for this year's race.
But what should have been a major improvement backfired when riders found the new asphalt incredibly slippery during first practice.
Conditions fortunately improved, but some riders then struggled with massive front-tyre wear, while off-line debris and dust made overtaking difficult.
"In the first session it was very slippery," said Pedrosa, "then it got better when the dust was cleaned from the race line. But basically the tyres were struggling the whole weekend, and much more in the afternoon with the heat."
Date: 30/August/2011
Moments after standing on the top step of the Indianapolis podium, straight-talking MotoGP title leader Casey Stoner refused to back the circuit remaining on the World Championship calendar.
Indianapolis is yet to sign a contract for 2012, and is under pressure from the new Austin track. The Texan venue has agreed a ten-year MotoGP deal starting from 2013, while California's Laguna Seca circuit is signed up until 2014.
So unless MotoGP is willing to run three US rounds, Indy has at best one more year of motorcycle grand prix, if terms can be agreed for 2012.
Indianapolis joined the MotoGP calendar in 2008, using a modified version of the infield circuit previously created for its F1 Grand Prix.
Fitting a road course within an oval is always a compromise and the quirky layout, which uses the same main straight as the famous Indy 500 before peeling off into a tight and twisty infield section, has never been a favourite with the riders.
"I'm not like some other riders that really enjoy tracks just because they win there," said Stoner, when asked if victory had changed his negative opinion of Indy. "We ride at a lot of different tracks around the world and I can't honestly say this is better than most of them.
"I don't get a kick out of a track just because I win on it. Mugello is one of my most favourite circuits, and I've only won there once. I look at what quality the circuit has rather than just memories."
When asked if MotoGP should return next year, the Repsol Honda rider dodged a direct answer, speaking instead of the missed opportunity to create a challenging track to match the awesome architecture and infrastructure.
"I think this whole facility and place could be unbelievable," began Stoner, "but in my opinion the corners are too tight and we use first gear a lot more than most other circuits.
"There's maybe two or three corners that I think are a lot of fun. Turn 5, Turn 12. But the rest of the track is just very tight, twisty. You just kind of roll around.
"This facility could be unbelievable with the history and everything. But, in my opinion, I don't enjoy riding it as much as I do a lot of other circuits."
Part of the problem is that MotoGP inherited the failed F1 project, for which the road course was designed to be run in the opposite direction.
Seeing cars drive the 'wrong way' down the Indianapolis home straight was a massive PR blunder and the road course was reversed, and slightly revised, for MotoGP's debut.
But changing the course direction meant many corners tend to tighten, rather than get faster.
"It's not meant to be run the way we're running it," stated Stoner. "So instead of corners opening up for exits, they just keep tightening up."
American Ben Spies unsurprisingly gave a more favourable response regarding Indy's MotoGP future, although his opinion seemed based mainly on it being another home race and a track where he has performed well.
"For me it's a home race. It's in front of the home crowd. I've had good results here. But I think it's more important for America to get involved with MotoGP and for it to grow in the States," said the Yamaha rider. "I would like to see Indy stay, for sure. It's an easy flight for me, so there's a lot of bonuses to race here."
Stoner's team-mate Dani Pedrosa indicated that as long as there are races in America, the venues are of secondary importance.
"Well, as Ben said, as I think it is important to still have races [in the US]," said Pedrosa. "I don't know if it will be Indianapolis or maybe - I don't know when the new track is ready in Texas.
"As Casey said, the track could be a little better. The track is quite strange going in the opposite way. I don't know the future with it."
In a sign of Indy's apparent intention to keep MotoGP beyond this season, the previously patchy infield asphalt was replaced for this year's race.
But what should have been a major improvement backfired when riders found the new asphalt incredibly slippery during first practice.
Conditions fortunately improved, but some riders then struggled with massive front-tyre wear, while off-line debris and dust made overtaking difficult.
"In the first session it was very slippery," said Pedrosa, "then it got better when the dust was cleaned from the race line. But basically the tyres were struggling the whole weekend, and much more in the afternoon with the heat."
Vettel talks risks, wins and World Championships
F1 News
Date: 29/August/2011
Sebastian Vettel took another step towards defending his F1 title with his first ever victory at the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps circuit, in Belgium on Sunday.
Vettel came into round twelve on a three-race losing streak, his longest of the season, but left with his seventh victory of the year and - with seven rounds to go - has now scored more points than during the whole of 2010.
But despite being 92 points clear of Red Bull team-mate and nearest rival Mark Webber, an advantage of almost four race wins, Vettel insists the title is far from over.
"Of course I’m very happy with today’s result and it brought us closer to our final target, but it’s still a long way," claimed Vettel, who snatched the 2010 title from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso at the very final race.
"If you look at last year, yes, by this time it might have been different. But if you look at how quickly things can change - if you are out in two races and someone else has good races - it could change.
"So all we do is try to get the optimum every time, like today. When the chance is there to win, we go for it. When I was driving around, passing people around the outside here and there, I wasn't thinking about the championship.
"If there’s room to overtake, I go for it."
But Vettel, 24, who crashed into Button in last year's Belgian GP, did admit to weighing-up the potential risks of an overtake a little more carefully than in previous years.
"If the risk is too high, then naturally I think you shouldn’t do it," said the German. "I’ve done it in the past when it didn’t work, as Jenson can tell you, so it’s not necessary to take that risk."
With victory at Spa, highly prized among racing drivers, added to his growing list of conquests, there is now only one event still absent from the Vettel CV.
"A home win in Germany is still missing," said Vettel. "Every year I go there and we are quite confident, but so far it hasn’t worked, so we will see in the next couple of years.
"For now, I’m very proud of the races I have won. Obviously this win at Spa is a very important one. It’s nice to join the famous guys who have won here and it’s one of the nicest tracks we have."
Vettel has won 17 races since making his full-time F1 debut in 2008 and is in his third season at Red Bull Racing.
Date: 29/August/2011
Sebastian Vettel took another step towards defending his F1 title with his first ever victory at the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps circuit, in Belgium on Sunday.
Vettel came into round twelve on a three-race losing streak, his longest of the season, but left with his seventh victory of the year and - with seven rounds to go - has now scored more points than during the whole of 2010.
But despite being 92 points clear of Red Bull team-mate and nearest rival Mark Webber, an advantage of almost four race wins, Vettel insists the title is far from over.
"Of course I’m very happy with today’s result and it brought us closer to our final target, but it’s still a long way," claimed Vettel, who snatched the 2010 title from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso at the very final race.
"If you look at last year, yes, by this time it might have been different. But if you look at how quickly things can change - if you are out in two races and someone else has good races - it could change.
"So all we do is try to get the optimum every time, like today. When the chance is there to win, we go for it. When I was driving around, passing people around the outside here and there, I wasn't thinking about the championship.
"If there’s room to overtake, I go for it."
But Vettel, 24, who crashed into Button in last year's Belgian GP, did admit to weighing-up the potential risks of an overtake a little more carefully than in previous years.
"If the risk is too high, then naturally I think you shouldn’t do it," said the German. "I’ve done it in the past when it didn’t work, as Jenson can tell you, so it’s not necessary to take that risk."
With victory at Spa, highly prized among racing drivers, added to his growing list of conquests, there is now only one event still absent from the Vettel CV.
"A home win in Germany is still missing," said Vettel. "Every year I go there and we are quite confident, but so far it hasn’t worked, so we will see in the next couple of years.
"For now, I’m very proud of the races I have won. Obviously this win at Spa is a very important one. It’s nice to join the famous guys who have won here and it’s one of the nicest tracks we have."
Vettel has won 17 races since making his full-time F1 debut in 2008 and is in his third season at Red Bull Racing.
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