Bench Racing: 2009 Formula One Thread - Page 27

Mika · 10-23-2009, 06:36 AM

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Preview
• 23.10.2009
• Press Release
30th October – 1st November 2009
17th and final World Championship race

Munich/Hinwil, 23rd October 2009. The 17th and final race of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship will take place on 1st November with the maiden grand prix at the new Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The whole of the Formula One community is looking forward to sampling the new venue on the calendar, as anticipation builds ahead of the debut of Formula One at the track. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will also be the first time the drivers will have started a race in daylight and finished it after dark.

While the destiny of the drivers’ and constructors’ titles has now been decided, further back in the field much can change. The BMW Sauber F1 Team moved up to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship through Robert Kubica’s second place in Brazil, and can still snatch sixth position from Williams – the British team is currently 2.5 points ahead in the standings – with the right result in Abu Dhabi.

The final race weekend of 2009 will also bring the curtain down on the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s involvement in Formula One. On 29th July BMW announced that it would be pulling out of Formula One at the end of the season, although the Swiss arm of the team under Peter Sauber is still hoping to line up on the grid in 2010.

Robert Kubica:
“I have not been to the Abu Dhabi circuit so far. As we do not have a simulator I only know the track from the Internet and from a couple of presentations. The track looks very interesting. The facilities and the buildings around the circuit especially seem to be outstanding. However, before having done the first laps on the track with a Formula One car, it is really difficult to judge the circuit itself. But of course I know this situation from the past. In 2008 both Valencia and Singapore were new on the calendar. Fortunately I consider myself a driver who does not need a lot of track time to be on a good pace straight away. I guess that a lot of cars will be out on the track on Friday in order to understand the track and to learn as much as possible. I am really looking forward to going there. It will be my last race for this team, but I hope very much to see them on the grid again next year.”

Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m very pleased to be getting another taste of summer and will be flying out to Abu Dhabi a few days early with my family. I’m really excited about the new circuit. Everyone who’s been there already has described it as an incredible place. I think it’s always great to discover a new track. I haven’t found the lack of a simulator to be a disadvantage at other new circuits, and this way it’s even more exciting when you drive out of the garage for the first time.

“This will be a very special race for all of us in the team. So far I haven’t really had that feeling of saying goodbye. But that will change in Abu Dhabi for sure, and will probably be quite intense. I very much hope that the team is given a place on the grid for 2010 soon.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“We will travel to Abu Dhabi with mixed feelings. The eight points we collected in Brazil have allowed us to move up a place in the Constructors’ Championship, and we will be highly motivated once again at the final race of the season. We are looking forward to racing at the new Formula One venue and can’t wait to experience the atmosphere at the marina circuit.

“However, there will of course also be a fair amount of sadness within the team as we set off for Abu Dhabi. After all, this will be our 70th and final race with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

“With the exception of our fourth and unfortunately final season, I’m more than satisfied with what we have achieved since 2006. In the first three years after the team was founded, we met – and even exceeded – all the aims we set ourselves. We recorded two podium finishes in our first season on the grid, and in our second season we established ourselves as the third-strongest team in the championship. This was the year in which Robert suffered his horrific crash in Montreal. It felt like an eternity until we finally heard the good news that he was ok. The relief meant we were able to celebrate Nick’s second place in suitable style. It was in Montreal a year later that we enjoyed our greatest success. From the moment that Robert and Nick crossed the finish line in quick succession to record a 1-2 result, there was no stopping us. We remained part of a three-way battle for the title almost until the end of the season. We notched up 11 podium finishes in total in 2008 and our reliability was excellent.

“Of course, the whole team is disappointed that we have been unable to build on this success in 2009, as we had hoped to have a say in the title race. But we have never thrown in the towel, even after BMW announced its withdrawal from Formula One, which shows the strong character of our team. I hope that the successor to the BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue along this successful path in Formula One.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering:
“I always find it exciting to compete at a new venue. The circuit in Abu Dhabi has a whole series of predominantly slow and medium-speed corners, but also two very long straights. Since the track is also very wide, we can probably look forward to a lot of overtaking moves.

“Of course, we have carried out the usual simulations, but one significant unknown is how the tyres will respond on the new asphalt. We will only discover the answer to this question during the course of the weekend. The ambient temperatures are sure to play a major role. Although the race is not scheduled to start until 5.00 pm, we can still expect the outside air temperature to be well over 30 degrees Celsius.

“Brazil was the first race in which we’ve been able to fully exploit the potential of the car since the extensive package of modifications were introduced in Singapore, and we’re also expecting to have a strong race in Abu Dhabi. We’ll be pulling out all the stops to finish the season on a positive note.”

Background:

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and the largest of the seven Emirates. Local etiquette dictates that public displays of affection between adults are not permitted – holding hands is even punishable by law for married couples and can result in imprisonment. Licenses for the sale of alcohol are only granted to hotel restaurants and drunkenness is punished. On Friday, the holy day, shops have restricted opening times. When it comes to tips, taxi drivers will expect customers to round up the fare, while ten percent is normal for waiters.

The Yas Marina Circuit on the man-made Yas Island sets out to overshadow everything that has gone before. The facility spans over 160 hectares in total, with the paddock – which backs onto the harbour – occupying 40,000 square metres.

The circuit can claim to be the only venue on the calendar where all the grandstands are covered, and 50,000 spectators can enjoy the race from the shade. The 60-metre-tall Sun Tower, which is powered by solar energy, is reserved for guests of honour. The facility also encompasses a driving school, a drag racing centre, a karting centre, a business park and a five-star hotel with 500 rooms. The press centre is designed to accommodate 600 journalists and photographers.

weather.com: Abu Dhabi

F1 News

dailyepress.co.uk: Donington Grand Prix dream over

autocar.co.uk: Button’s Veyron for sale again

Election Day at the FIA

Autosport.com
Election day analysis
Q&A with Ari Vatanen
Q&A with Jean Todt

bbc.co.uk: FIA poised to elect new president

crash.net: Todt accuses Vatanen of hypocrisy as election fever grows

Spiegel.de translated: Ari Vatanen profile – Always full pipe on the road

reuters.com: Controversial Mosley era to end with Paris vote

independent.co.uk: Jackie Stewart – Untoppable Scot put his foot down

Rumors: Silly Season and More

automot365.com: McLaren courting Button to join Hamilton?
Related
guardian.co.uk: McLaren fail to rule out signing Jenson Button

USF1

motorsport-total.com translated: Hurley planning for the long term

Hinwil F1

itv.com: Domencali - Sauber deserves an entry

Mika · 10-23-2009, 09:35 AM

Press Release
FIA Elects New President 23/10/2009
Jean Todt has been elected President of the FIA for a four-year term by the FIA General Assembly at its annual meeting in Paris.

The FIA membership voted as follows:

For Jean Todt: 135
For Ari Vatanen: 49
Abstentions/invalid votes: 12

Voting in the General Assembly was made by secret ballot. The votes were counted in private by the FIA legal department, under the supervision of scrutineers proposed by the two presidential candidates and designated by the General Assembly.

The entire voting procedure was supervised by an external Huissier de Justice (French state-appointed public witness).

The following were also elected as part of Mr Todt’s candidacy list:

President of the Senate
Nick Craw, President, Automobile Competition Committee for the US (USA)

Deputy President Automobile Mobility & Tourism
Brian Gibbons, Chief Executive, New Zealand Automobile Association (New Zealand)

Deputy President Sport
Graham Stoker, Council Chairman, Motor Sports Association (UK)

Senate Members

Hernan Gallegos Banderas, President, Automovil Club del Ecuador (Ecuador)

HH Tunku Mudzaffar bin Tunku Mustapha, Chairman, Automobile Association of Malaysia (Malaysia)

S.H. Rudolf Graf von der Schulenburg, President, Automobilclub von Deutschland (Germany)

Carlos Slim Domit, Patron, Asociación Mexicana Automovilistica (Mexico)

Jainchang Yan, Deputy President, Federation of Automobile Sports of China (China)

Mobility Vice Presidents

Carlos Barbosa, President, Automovel Club de Portugal (Portugal)

Victor Dumot, President, Touring and Automobile Club of Paraguay (Paraguay)

Ignacio Gonzalez Fausto, President, Asociación Mexicana Automovilistica (Mexico)

Gus Lagman, President, Automobile Association Philippines (Philippines)

Franco Lucchesi, Delegate to the FIA, Automobile Club d’Italia (Italy)

Jorge Rosales, President, Automobile Club of Argentina (Argentina)

Danijel Starman, President, Avto-moto zveza Slovenije (Slovenia)

Sport Vice Presidents

José Abed, President, Organizacion Mexicana del Deporte Automovilistico Internacional (Mexico)

Michel Boeri, President, Automobile Club de Monaco (Monaco)

Morrie Chandler, Honorary President, MotorSport New Zealand (New Zealand)

Enrico Gelpi, President, Automobile Club d'Italia (Italy)

Carlos Gracia, President, Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (Spain)

Mohamed ben Sulayem, President, Automobile and Touring Club for United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Surinder Thatthi, Automobile Association of Tanzania (Tanzania)

Mika · 10-26-2009, 08:02 AM

F1 News

autosport.com: Todt wants harmony with F1’s teams

Press Release - FIA Elections
Date:
23 October, 2009

FOTA welcomes Jean Todt to the FIA Presidency

The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) today congratulated Jean Todt on his victory in the FIA presidential election, and welcomed him to his new position.
Speaking after the result of the election had been announced in Paris, FOTA Chairman Luca di Montezemolo said: "I would like to send my best wishes to Jean Todt in his new role, as I have always appreciated his ability, dedication and commitment. I am sure that, under his guidance, the Federation will be rejuvenated and will restore a climate open to dialogue and constructive collaboration with the teams and FOTA, thus ensuring stability of the regulations and the whole environment”.

“Formula One is about to embark on a new phase: all the stakeholders must work together with an eye to the future, to increase the credibility and interest generated by this sport, tackling the technical and environmental challenges that await it, while keeping unchanged, those characteristics that have made it one of the most popular disciplines on the world stage”.

FOTA Vice Chairman John Howett added: ”I extend my best wishes to Jean Todt as he takes on this demanding but crucial role. I am convinced that Jean Todt’s presidency represents an opportunity for all Formula One’s stakeholders to unite under his leadership and work together to strengthen our sport. FOTA is looking forward to supporting him to broaden the appeal of our sport among fans and sponsors while respecting Formula One’s great heritage to which he has contributed enormously.”

spiegel.de translated: FIA boss Todt – Napoleon at the head
f1sa.com: Peter Sauber angry new Formula 1 teams ‘disturebed’ Sauber plans

Rumors: Silly Season and More

automoto365.com: If it’s money you want, we don’t want you says Haug

usatoday.com: One-on-one with USF1’s internet whiz Chad Hurley

autoweek.com: Kyle Busch unlikely to join USF1

Now an advisor to the Queen?
crash.net: Ecclestone calls for Ross Brawn to be knighted
Related articles at –
dailyexpress.co.uk

At the same time Bernie is saying –
telegraph.co.uk: Formula One does not need a British Grand Prix
Perhaps the sport does not need a Bernie Ecclestone either.

Mika · 10-28-2009, 07:31 AM

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

formula1.com: Theissen in a reflective mood ahead of BMW’s final race FIA.com

Official Media Kit – 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

formula1.com: Facts and figures – Abu Dhabi the Yas Marina Circuit

attwilliamsf1.com: Abu Dhabi GP preview

nickheidfeld.com: Tires a significant unknown

Toyota.com
Abu Dhabi GP preview
Technical Preview
Kamui Koboyashi to compete in Abu Dhabi

bbc.co.uk: Glock not ‘risked’ for F1 finale
Weather.com: Abu Dhabi

F1 News

motorsport-magazin.com translated: Behind the scene with Renault F1 – Loud music and lots of screens

eveningstandard.com: Alonso sad to say goodbye to Renault

reuters.com: Ecclestone seeking deal with Silverstone

guardian.co.uk: Damon Hill seeks new Silverstone F1 deal as Donington hopes fade

The Daily Express asked “Do we need a British Grand Prix” in a headline from last Friday. My answer is yes. The British GP has been held at three different locations over the years, but for over two decades it has been held at Silverstone. F1 needs new tracks like Abu Dhabi and new fans in order to continue to exist. Yet to give context to the racing and the developments in the sport it needs bench mark tracks like Silverstone. The Daily Express article suggests that Bernie Ecclestone’s answer to the question is no and proceeds to lay out the reasons why. After reading the article I wondered does F1 racing really need Bernie Ecclestone? My answer is no.

Rumors: Silly Season and More

f1complete.com: USF1 denies Cosworth termination rumors

speedtv.com: USF1 looks to grow, flourish in NASCAR valley

Speed has given another pass to Windsor and USF1 in this piece instead of doing the hard reporting F1 fans and cable subscribers deserve from them as F1 broadcasters. There are serious questions being asked about the viability of USF1 and Speed has done little but rehash and pontificate with disclaimers and invoking jingoist fever instead of doing any motor journalism.
- There is no price cap for 2010. So why all the ink discussing price caps and their implications?
- Engines have been rev-limited for years and continue to be so what is this balderdash unlimited rev engines? Again the rule being discussed was eliminated long ago, in F1 terms, during the FOTA Wars. Come on Speed, keep up!
- Cosworth engines have been at the heart of the new team deals and USF1 from the beginning. Yet in all this time all Speed does is to rehash old rumors and press releases.
- The article closes with a focus on an FIA article quote. I can get the FIA article and quote and I am just a schlep fan doing a thread on a motorcycle web forum. Where is the reporting in that?

The USF1 story, real or a big con job, is the biggest stories in US motor racing for years. Yet what we have gotten from Speed is pabulum in its reporting. They have done nothing that an overfed underpaid Roadster rider from fly-over-land with an internet connection could do.

It is time for the boys to get off the Speed F1 set and do some digging. North Carolina is in the US not someplace on the other side of the world. It’s a bloody domestic flight. Heck if the Speed budget won’t handle a flight drive or take a bus. Telling us how early the Porsche club in ____ got up to watch your race coverage is not reporting. Talk to people at Cosworth and find out what the deal is. Talk to them on the record, off the record or on deep cover. Go to NC and visit the Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donut outside the USF1 shop and start asking questions. Then start following the leads. Track down suppliers and vendors and ask questions. Search the public record. Heck use the racing contacts that you supposedly have for more than filling cable hours with what you have.

Sorry Speed TV I expect more than you have delivered. This is why you have been black flagged in my house.

At the same time rumors continue that McLaren and Mercedes are separating
sportbild.de: McLaren and Mercedes about to separate?

motorsport.com: Haug downplays reports of Merc talks

aut-motor-und-sport.de: Nico Rosber – I alone lead the negotiations

Mika · 10-29-2009, 10:02 PM

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Circuit Map
Circuit Information

Stewards Hermann Tomczyk, Enzo Spano, Khaled Bin Shaiban Al Mehairi

2009 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
THURSDAY PRESS CONFERENCE – October 29, 2009

DRIVERS:
Fernando ALONSO (Renault),
Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari),
Adrian SUTIL (Force India),
Jarno TRULLI (Toyota)

Weather.com: Abu Dhabi

F1 News

formula1.com: Rosberg confirms Williams departure

autosport.com: Raikkonen says McLaren the only option

f1technical.net: Renault Glock deal 95% certain

timesofindia.com: Senna signs F1 deal with Campos

speedtv.com: 2010 grid becoming clearer

reuters.com: Trulli and Sutil keep old argument on the boil

blick.ch: A farewell without tears

On the Street

BMW Group establishes joint venture with SGL Group
• 29.10.2009
• Press Release
Cooperation for the manufacture and processing of carbon fibres for new vehicle concepts

Munich/Wiesbaden. The BMW Group and the SGL Group have agreed on the establishment of a joint venture for the production of carbon fibres and textile semi-finished products (CFRP) for use in vehicle construction. The total investment volume is € 90 million in the first development phase, the two companies stated on Thursday.

The joint venture will be operated through two companies, one based in North America (SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC), and the other in Germany (SGL Automotive Fibers GmbH & Co KG). The BMW Group holds 49% of the shares, and the SGL Group 51%. The two groups will be equally represented in the management of the two companies; major corporate decisions must be made unanimously by both partners. The joint venture will initially create around 180 new jobs in North America and Germany. Its establishment is subject to approval by the cartel authorities.

"This joint venture is designed to be a classic win-win situation. We are acquiring pioneering future technologies and raw materials that we need for our Megacity Vehicle on competitive terms. The SGL Group is moving into the automobile business with us as a strong partner", BMW AG Management Board Chairman Norbert Reithofer emphasised in Munich. "With our concepts within project i, we are breaking new ground when it comes to vehicle architecture, lightweight design and the use of materials", Reithofer continued.

Robert Koehler, CEO of the SGL Group, stated: "This joint venture with the BMW Group is a milestone for the use of carbon fibres on an industrial scale in the automobile industry. For the first time, carbon fibres are taking on an important role in series vehicle manufacture. This confirms our strategy and shows that carbon fibre technology is becoming increasingly important in the materials substitution process to lighter material. This material will help to reduce CO2 emissions and save our natural resources“.

Lightweight design has been one of the core skills of the BMW Group for decades – after all, reducing weight is a major factor in cutting fuel consumption. In the use of high-tech Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the company is also able to draw on its many years of experience. CFRP not only plays an important role in motor sports; the material is also used in series vehicles, such as in the roof of the BMW M6 Coupé.

In the Megacity Vehicle, which will be launched under a BMW sub-brand in the first half of the next decade, the high-strength yet ultra-light material will make up a significant proportion of the materials used. The combination of the advanced CFRP fibres developed by the SGL Group and the BMW Group's expertise in the industrial manufacture of CFRP components is making it possible, for the first time, to install CFRP on a large scale in a series vehicle at a competitive cost.

With the joint venture, the BMW Group is underlining its position as the most sustainable vehicle manufacturer. This claim is reflected throughout the entire value creation chain, from component purchasing to recycling. Producing CFRP in a way that protects resources is therefore a high priority. The high energy requirement for the production of carbon fibres is to be met completely by environmentally friendly hydropower. This is one of the preconditions for the production site of carbon fibres in North America. The raw material is then processed into a carbon fibre fabric at the second location in Germany. Parts and components will then be made from this light-weight durable fabric within the BMW Group.

Mika · 10-30-2009, 11:03 AM

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Friday Practice
Session 1
Classifications
Lap Times

Session 2
Classifications
Lap times

bbc.co.uk: Kovalainen top as McLaren shine
Weather.com: Abu Dhabi

17 years after winning the World Championship in 1983, BMW returned to Formula One as an engine supplier. The BMW WilliamsF1 Team celebrated ten victories, 17 pole positions and 45 podium finishes ...

F1 News

formula1.com
: Q&A with Nick Heidfeld

formula1.com: Q&A Robert Kubica – I am happy my future lies with Renault

cosworth.com: Press release confirming the signing of ATT Williams
autosport.com: Williams confirms switch to Cosworth

f1complete.com: Formula 1 driver salaries revealed

reuters.com: Malaysia’s Lotus F1 team appoint CEO

reuters.com: USF1 team to use Spanish circuit as European base

Rumors: Silly Season and More

Kovalainen tops Friday practice while the rumor mill debates who will fill his seat next year.

Kimi Raikkonen says McLaren is his only option discounting rumors that he will sign with Toyota. Concurrently the Finn has said he will continue to drive in WRC events when ever possible no matter who he signs with.

Of late the leading candidate is Jenson Button. Negotiations with Brawn GP have been put on hold. This week the Brawn – Nick Fry – Button signing meter has gone from 99% to a cool 80%. At the same time pieces from Reuters and others keep popping up reporting Hamilton says he would be happy to partner with Button.

In Italy the news has to be going down hard. Sales at Ferrari are down. The potential for a big chunk of the reduced revenues going to park Raikkonen in the paddock to put Alonso on the track grow.

Mika · 10-31-2009, 12:51 PM

FIA.com

Press Conferences
Friday
TEAM PRINCIPALS: Bob BELL (Renault), Ross BRAWN (Brawn GP), Christian HORNER (Red Bull), Mario THEISSEN (BMW Sauber)

Saturday
DRIVERS:
1. Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren Mercedes), 1m40.948s
2. Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull), 1m41.615s
3. Mark WEBBER (Red Bull), 1m41.726s

Qualifying
Classifications
Note: The grid is provisional. Kovalainen received a 5 position penalty for a gear box change. There are other possible changes.
Lap Times
Maximum Speeds
Sector Times
Speed Trap

Car Weights

Formula1.com

Selected team and driver quotes

Reuters.com: Hamilton on pole for first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Autosport.com: Button frustrated by Q3 problems

BMW Sauber pair Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld comment on qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina
Robert Kubica – 7th:
Unfortunately I missed yesterday's second free practice session. As a result I had no experience of the track conditions at this time of day. The conditions were completely different compared to the third free practice session. The lower temperatures had quite a big effect on the car's balance. In the end qualifying in seventh is quite ok and I am optimistic that we can fight for points tomorrow.

Nick Heidfeld – 8th:
I think my eighth position is alright. On the last lap there was a small chance to improve, but I had traffic with Mark Webber in front of me, and anyway there is no guarantee this lap would have been faster. If I take the fuel load into account, I'm happy with my grid position although I only really know the fuel load for our cars. The tyres seem to last here remarkably well, which means it could pay off if you stay out for longer. The light from the setting sun was a bit brighter than yesterday, but the circuit is built in such a way that you have to deal with it in only one corner, which anyway is flat. For our last race tomorrow I hope for all of us we can achieve a good result with points for both cars.

Mario Theissen, BMW motorsport director:
The outcome of qualifying is more or less what we expected. It was good to see both our cars made it quite safely into the top ten. In the final part of qualifying the field was very close together again. However we ended seventh and eighth. Now it will be important to see when the first pit stops will take place. Technically today everything went without any problems.

Willy Rampf, head of engineering:
For our team it was a qualifying without any special excitement. Our result reflects quite accurately where we stand with our performance. As early as Q1 it was clear we had a very good chance to make it into Q3, and that finally happened. With the fuel load our drivers have on board we should be able to score a good result in the last race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

Mika · 11-01-2009, 07:13 PM

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

FIA.com

Press Conference
POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE – November 1, 2009
1. Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull), 1h34m03.414s
2. Mark WEBBER (Red Bull), 1h34m21.271s
3. Jenson BUTTON (Brawn), 1h34m21.881s

Starting Grid
Race Classifications

Lap Chart
Lap Analysis
Fastest Lap
History Chart
Maximum Speeds
Pit Stop Summary
Sector Times
Speed Trap
Drivers Championship
Constructors Championship

Stewards Technical Report

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race
• 01.11.2009
• Press Release
Weather: dry, 30-31°C Air, 31-34°C Track

Abu Dhabi (UAE). Happy end to the last race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: After a great race, Nick Heidfeld finished the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in fifth. With these four points the team was able to move up one place in the constructors’ championship and overtake Williams to finish sixth. Robert Kubica was also on the way to score a championship point before he spun in a battle with Sébastien Buemi.

As a thank you for Nick Heidfeld’s seven years of great commitment to the team in Hinwil Peter Sauber is giving him a Formula One car from this era. The 2009 season's finale also marks the last Formula One race for BMW after the company's decision at the end of July to pull out of this sport. In the team’s four year history the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 308 world championship points, one pole position and 17 podiums, including one win. (The following pages outline a timeline of the team's achievements.)

Nick Heidfeld: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap: 1:40.672 min on lap 54 (7th fastest overall)
“I am very happy with my fifth place. It was a good race in which I was able to get the maximum out of the car and score four points, which was enough to reach our target for the end of the season to overtake Williams in the constructors’ championship. After I have been a little unlucky in recent races, this time I was really able to exploit the car’s potential. For quite a long period I was able to go at the same speed as the world champion’s car, the Brawn. The strategy to go for a rather long stint paid off and the track was even more fun when it had more rubber on it. It is a pleasing end to our last season together. It now becomes very emotional. During the last laps I had to pull myself together in order to keep my concentration.”

Robert Kubica: 10th
BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap: 1:40.924 min on lap 54 (14th fastest overall)
“I lost the race in the second stint when I was very slow, while in the first stint I was able to go at quite a good pace, similar to Rubens. The car was working very well. After changing tyres I had no grip at all. The track was getting quicker and I just could not go at the pace of the other drivers. This was very strange. My fight with Sébastien Buemi was quite tough and a bit dangerous. We nearly touched when braking into the chicane. He first moved to the left and blocked the inside of the left hander. When I moved to the right he pushed me over the high inside kerb of the right hander section of the chicane and I spun. He did not leave any space at all. Thanks a lot to the team for the last four years. I hope to meet them back on the grid next year.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was once again a strong weekend for our team in the season´s finale. Starting from eighth Nick consistently moved up to fifth thanks to a very good performance. Robert was unlucky three times during the race: After each pit stop he came back on the track behind a slower car, and due to the collision with Buemi he lost one position. But the most important point is that with today´s result we gained another place in the constructors’ championship. So we ended a very tough season with some strong results. A big thank you goes to the whole team - both here at the track as well as in Munich and Hinwil.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):
“Our goal today was to score three points more than Williams and overtake them in the constructors’ championship. This goal was achieved thanks to Nick’s great drive and his fifth place. The race was very interesting from a strategic point of view because a one stopper was exactly as quick as two. Therefore the decisive part was at the second pit stop where it was decided who was in front of who. The race was so close today, so it was an absolute must not to make any mistake at all. I want to express my respect for the team in Munich and Hinwil who never lost motivation and continued to push very hard. They all did a fantastic job and deserve this result.”

Abu Dhabi, 1st November 2009

Thank you!

BMW says thank you –
to its partners for their backing,
to the fans for their enthusiastic support,
to its rivals for their respect,
to the drivers for their sheer focus,
to the team for its collective achievement,
and to the media for their fairness.

Timeline.

16th/17th January 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team presents itself to the public in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 has its first track outing. The team drivers are Nick Heidfeld (DE) and Jacques Villeneuve (CA), the test and reserve driver is Robert Kubica (PL).

12th March 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team lines up in Bahrain for its first GP.

19th March 2006: The team wins its first World Championship points in the second race of the season when Villeneuve finishes seventh in Malaysia.

2nd April 2006: The third GP sees both drivers finish in the points for the first time. In Australia Heidfeld is fourth, Villeneuve sixth.

6th August 2006: Heidfeld takes the first podium place in the team’s 13th World Championship race. Kubica runs his first Formula One race in Budapest.

25th August 2006: Sebastian Vettel (DE/19) is made Friday driver in the third F1.06 with immediate effect.

October 2006: The wind tunnel in Hinwil runs on three shifts. A year previously it had been on one daily shift.

22nd October 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team ends its debut year in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship (36 points).

16th January 2007: Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 in Valencia. Heidfeld and Kubica continue as team drivers, Vettel remains reserve driver, Timo Glock (DE) is taken on as second test driver.

10th June 2007: In Canada Heidfeld earns the team’s first second-placed finish. Kubica survives a serious accident virtually unhurt.

17th June 2007: Vettel stands in for Kubica in Indianapolis and gains his first World Championship point.

21st October 2007: The BMW Sauber F1 Team concludes its second season with 101 points as the third-strongest team. Officially it is in second place (after disqualification of McLaren Mercedes).

End of 2007: The extension at Hinwil is ready for occupation and accommodates a workforce boosted by 150.

14th January 2008: The BMW Sauber F1.08 is unveiled at BMW Welt in Munich. Kubica and Heidfeld continue as the team drivers.

2nd February 2008: Christian Klien (AT) and Marko Asmer (EE) are announced as reserve driver and second test driver respectively.

23rd March 2008: Heidfeld records the team’s first fastest race lap in Malaysia.

5th April 2008: Kubica wins the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s first pole position in Bahrain.

6th April 2008: After the Bahrain Grand Prix – the third race of the season – the team leads the World Championship for the first time.

8th June 2008: Kubica crosses the line ahead of Heidfeld in Montreal to claim the first win for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in their 42nd GP. The Polish driver now leads the Drivers’ Championship.

2nd November 2008: After a mixed second half of the season, the team has 136 points and 11 podiums to place it third in the World Championship. The drivers conclude the season in 4th (Kubica) and 6th (Heidfeld) position.

20th January 2009: The F1.09 is unveiled in Valencia. Kubica, Heidfeld and Klien are on board once again. The economic recession makes for generally low-key presentations.

29th July 2009: The BMW Group announces its withdrawal from F1 at the end of the season. The freed-up resources are to flow into the development of new drive technologies and projects promoting sustainability.

15th September 2009: BMW AG announces the sale of the team to Qadbak Investments Ltd.

1st November 2009: The BMW Sauber F1 Team contests its 70th and final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.

• The best results for the Sauber Team as a solo venture (1993-2005) were six third places.

• With Brabham, BMW took eight wins in the period 1982 to 1985. The final victory with the legendary turbo engine was in 1986 with Benetton. During the Williams era (2000 to 2005) the total was ten wins.

• In 1983 Nelson Piquet (Brabham BMW) won the Drivers’ Championship. Prior to the BMW Sauber F1 Team era, BMW had totalled 19 Grand Prix wins and 33 pole positions.

Weather.com: Abu Dhabi

kewlmoose · 11-01-2009, 09:54 PM

Mika - Thank you for all the posts! It made it a lot easier to keep up on what was happening.

Mika · 11-02-2009, 07:45 AM

You're welcome.

ATT Williams just announced its 2010 driver lineup.

The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that its drivers for 2010 will be Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg.

Frank Williams, Team Principal, said, "Rubens needs no introduction. He is not only the most experienced driver in Formula One, but a passionate and talented driver who fought hard for the Drivers' Championship this year. Nico Hulkenberg won the GP2 Championship this season as a rookie and has previously won the F3 Euroseries, Formula Masters, A1 GP and Formula BMW Germany.”

He continued, "Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima remain our drivers until the end of 2009 and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to the team. Nico and Kazuki have represented AT&T Williams and our partners with dedication, discipline and skill and we wish them every success with their future endeavours."

PAULBACH · 11-02-2009, 08:24 AM

This would have made a great tavern topic but ...

Is this another Big Brother step? Not sure but some of these may be in some American cars.

From Mika's post today.

Quote:

THE European Union is drawing up plans for aircraft-style black box recorders to be fitted to all cars to help the police identify who is responsible for crashes.

A £2.4m, three-year study commissioned by the European commission’s transport arm has recommended the mandatory installation of the boxes in all cars. They will record 20 types of data, including speed, the car’s most recent movements and whether the driver braked or indicated.

The information will be used by police and insurance firms to reconstruct crashes and determine who was at fault. It could then be used in court cases. Insurers would be able to expose bogus claimants by checking their account of an accident against what really happened.

Researchers believe the technology will improve safety. The study, called Project Veronica, found drivers with black boxes were 10% less likely to be involved in a fatal accident, and their repair bills fell by as much as 25%.

For more information click here.

kewlmoose · 11-03-2009, 02:34 PM

And this has what to do with F1 racing????????????

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAULBACH

This would have made a great tavern topic but ...

Is this another Big Brother step? Not sure but some of these may be in some American cars.

Mika · 11-03-2009, 09:36 PM

I suspect Paul was commenting on a post in my thread Bench Racing & The Morning Reads and posted in the F1 thread by mistake.

PAULBACH · 11-03-2009, 09:38 PM

Yup - my mistake! I get so interested in the material that Mika posts that I get lost in time and space.

Mika · 11-03-2009, 10:29 PM

reuters.com: Toyota to quit Formula One – Report

I had posted that the announcement of future plans for F1 would be announced Sunday by Toyota. However; after the meetings of the Toyota board on Tuesday leaks began to appear that the decision was formally made to exit F1 and will be announced Wednesday.

10-23-2009, 06:36 AM	#391
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix BMW Sauber F1 Team - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Preview • 23.10.2009 • Press Release 30th October – 1st November 2009 17th and final World Championship race Munich/Hinwil, 23rd October 2009. The 17th and final race of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship will take place on 1st November with the maiden grand prix at the new Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The whole of the Formula One community is looking forward to sampling the new venue on the calendar, as anticipation builds ahead of the debut of Formula One at the track. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will also be the first time the drivers will have started a race in daylight and finished it after dark. While the destiny of the drivers’ and constructors’ titles has now been decided, further back in the field much can change. The BMW Sauber F1 Team moved up to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship through Robert Kubica’s second place in Brazil, and can still snatch sixth position from Williams – the British team is currently 2.5 points ahead in the standings – with the right result in Abu Dhabi. The final race weekend of 2009 will also bring the curtain down on the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s involvement in Formula One. On 29th July BMW announced that it would be pulling out of Formula One at the end of the season, although the Swiss arm of the team under Peter Sauber is still hoping to line up on the grid in 2010. Robert Kubica: “I have not been to the Abu Dhabi circuit so far. As we do not have a simulator I only know the track from the Internet and from a couple of presentations. The track looks very interesting. The facilities and the buildings around the circuit especially seem to be outstanding. However, before having done the first laps on the track with a Formula One car, it is really difficult to judge the circuit itself. But of course I know this situation from the past. In 2008 both Valencia and Singapore were new on the calendar. Fortunately I consider myself a driver who does not need a lot of track time to be on a good pace straight away. I guess that a lot of cars will be out on the track on Friday in order to understand the track and to learn as much as possible. I am really looking forward to going there. It will be my last race for this team, but I hope very much to see them on the grid again next year.” Nick Heidfeld: “I’m very pleased to be getting another taste of summer and will be flying out to Abu Dhabi a few days early with my family. I’m really excited about the new circuit. Everyone who’s been there already has described it as an incredible place. I think it’s always great to discover a new track. I haven’t found the lack of a simulator to be a disadvantage at other new circuits, and this way it’s even more exciting when you drive out of the garage for the first time. “This will be a very special race for all of us in the team. So far I haven’t really had that feeling of saying goodbye. But that will change in Abu Dhabi for sure, and will probably be quite intense. I very much hope that the team is given a place on the grid for 2010 soon.” Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “We will travel to Abu Dhabi with mixed feelings. The eight points we collected in Brazil have allowed us to move up a place in the Constructors’ Championship, and we will be highly motivated once again at the final race of the season. We are looking forward to racing at the new Formula One venue and can’t wait to experience the atmosphere at the marina circuit. “However, there will of course also be a fair amount of sadness within the team as we set off for Abu Dhabi. After all, this will be our 70th and final race with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. “With the exception of our fourth and unfortunately final season, I’m more than satisfied with what we have achieved since 2006. In the first three years after the team was founded, we met – and even exceeded – all the aims we set ourselves. We recorded two podium finishes in our first season on the grid, and in our second season we established ourselves as the third-strongest team in the championship. This was the year in which Robert suffered his horrific crash in Montreal. It felt like an eternity until we finally heard the good news that he was ok. The relief meant we were able to celebrate Nick’s second place in suitable style. It was in Montreal a year later that we enjoyed our greatest success. From the moment that Robert and Nick crossed the finish line in quick succession to record a 1-2 result, there was no stopping us. We remained part of a three-way battle for the title almost until the end of the season. We notched up 11 podium finishes in total in 2008 and our reliability was excellent. “Of course, the whole team is disappointed that we have been unable to build on this success in 2009, as we had hoped to have a say in the title race. But we have never thrown in the towel, even after BMW announced its withdrawal from Formula One, which shows the strong character of our team. I hope that the successor to the BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue along this successful path in Formula One.” Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “I always find it exciting to compete at a new venue. The circuit in Abu Dhabi has a whole series of predominantly slow and medium-speed corners, but also two very long straights. Since the track is also very wide, we can probably look forward to a lot of overtaking moves. “Of course, we have carried out the usual simulations, but one significant unknown is how the tyres will respond on the new asphalt. We will only discover the answer to this question during the course of the weekend. The ambient temperatures are sure to play a major role. Although the race is not scheduled to start until 5.00 pm, we can still expect the outside air temperature to be well over 30 degrees Celsius. “Brazil was the first race in which we’ve been able to fully exploit the potential of the car since the extensive package of modifications were introduced in Singapore, and we’re also expecting to have a strong race in Abu Dhabi. We’ll be pulling out all the stops to finish the season on a positive note.” Background: Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and the largest of the seven Emirates. Local etiquette dictates that public displays of affection between adults are not permitted – holding hands is even punishable by law for married couples and can result in imprisonment. Licenses for the sale of alcohol are only granted to hotel restaurants and drunkenness is punished. On Friday, the holy day, shops have restricted opening times. When it comes to tips, taxi drivers will expect customers to round up the fare, while ten percent is normal for waiters. The Yas Marina Circuit on the man-made Yas Island sets out to overshadow everything that has gone before. The facility spans over 160 hectares in total, with the paddock – which backs onto the harbour – occupying 40,000 square metres. The circuit can claim to be the only venue on the calendar where all the grandstands are covered, and 50,000 spectators can enjoy the race from the shade. The 60-metre-tall Sun Tower, which is powered by solar energy, is reserved for guests of honour. The facility also encompasses a driving school, a drag racing centre, a karting centre, a business park and a five-star hotel with 500 rooms. The press centre is designed to accommodate 600 journalists and photographers. weather.com: Abu Dhabi F1 News dailyepress.co.uk: Donington Grand Prix dream over autocar.co.uk: Button’s Veyron for sale again Election Day at the FIA Autosport.com Election day analysis Q&A with Ari Vatanen Q&A with Jean Todt bbc.co.uk: FIA poised to elect new president crash.net: Todt accuses Vatanen of hypocrisy as election fever grows Spiegel.de translated: Ari Vatanen profile – Always full pipe on the road reuters.com: Controversial Mosley era to end with Paris vote independent.co.uk: Jackie Stewart – Untoppable Scot put his foot down Rumors: Silly Season and More automot365.com: McLaren courting Button to join Hamilton? Related guardian.co.uk: McLaren fail to rule out signing Jenson Button USF1 motorsport-total.com translated: Hurley planning for the long term Hinwil F1 itv.com: Domencali - Sauber deserves an entry __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-23-2009, 09:35 AM	#392
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Press Release FIA Elects New President 23/10/2009 Jean Todt has been elected President of the FIA for a four-year term by the FIA General Assembly at its annual meeting in Paris. The FIA membership voted as follows: For Jean Todt: 135 For Ari Vatanen: 49 Abstentions/invalid votes: 12 Voting in the General Assembly was made by secret ballot. The votes were counted in private by the FIA legal department, under the supervision of scrutineers proposed by the two presidential candidates and designated by the General Assembly. The entire voting procedure was supervised by an external Huissier de Justice (French state-appointed public witness). The following were also elected as part of Mr Todt’s candidacy list: President of the Senate Nick Craw, President, Automobile Competition Committee for the US (USA) Deputy President Automobile Mobility & Tourism Brian Gibbons, Chief Executive, New Zealand Automobile Association (New Zealand) Deputy President Sport Graham Stoker, Council Chairman, Motor Sports Association (UK) Senate Members Hernan Gallegos Banderas, President, Automovil Club del Ecuador (Ecuador) HH Tunku Mudzaffar bin Tunku Mustapha, Chairman, Automobile Association of Malaysia (Malaysia) S.H. Rudolf Graf von der Schulenburg, President, Automobilclub von Deutschland (Germany) Carlos Slim Domit, Patron, Asociación Mexicana Automovilistica (Mexico) Jainchang Yan, Deputy President, Federation of Automobile Sports of China (China) Mobility Vice Presidents Carlos Barbosa, President, Automovel Club de Portugal (Portugal) Victor Dumot, President, Touring and Automobile Club of Paraguay (Paraguay) Ignacio Gonzalez Fausto, President, Asociación Mexicana Automovilistica (Mexico) Gus Lagman, President, Automobile Association Philippines (Philippines) Franco Lucchesi, Delegate to the FIA, Automobile Club d’Italia (Italy) Jorge Rosales, President, Automobile Club of Argentina (Argentina) Danijel Starman, President, Avto-moto zveza Slovenije (Slovenia) Sport Vice Presidents José Abed, President, Organizacion Mexicana del Deporte Automovilistico Internacional (Mexico) Michel Boeri, President, Automobile Club de Monaco (Monaco) Morrie Chandler, Honorary President, MotorSport New Zealand (New Zealand) Enrico Gelpi, President, Automobile Club d'Italia (Italy) Carlos Gracia, President, Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (Spain) Mohamed ben Sulayem, President, Automobile and Touring Club for United Arab Emirates (UAE) Surinder Thatthi, Automobile Association of Tanzania (Tanzania) __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-26-2009, 08:02 AM	#393
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	F1 News autosport.com: Todt wants harmony with F1’s teams Press Release - FIA Elections Date: 23 October, 2009 FOTA welcomes Jean Todt to the FIA Presidency The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) today congratulated Jean Todt on his victory in the FIA presidential election, and welcomed him to his new position. Speaking after the result of the election had been announced in Paris, FOTA Chairman Luca di Montezemolo said: "I would like to send my best wishes to Jean Todt in his new role, as I have always appreciated his ability, dedication and commitment. I am sure that, under his guidance, the Federation will be rejuvenated and will restore a climate open to dialogue and constructive collaboration with the teams and FOTA, thus ensuring stability of the regulations and the whole environment”. “Formula One is about to embark on a new phase: all the stakeholders must work together with an eye to the future, to increase the credibility and interest generated by this sport, tackling the technical and environmental challenges that await it, while keeping unchanged, those characteristics that have made it one of the most popular disciplines on the world stage”. FOTA Vice Chairman John Howett added: ”I extend my best wishes to Jean Todt as he takes on this demanding but crucial role. I am convinced that Jean Todt’s presidency represents an opportunity for all Formula One’s stakeholders to unite under his leadership and work together to strengthen our sport. FOTA is looking forward to supporting him to broaden the appeal of our sport among fans and sponsors while respecting Formula One’s great heritage to which he has contributed enormously.” spiegel.de translated: FIA boss Todt – Napoleon at the head f1sa.com: Peter Sauber angry new Formula 1 teams ‘disturebed’ Sauber plans Rumors: Silly Season and More automoto365.com: If it’s money you want, we don’t want you says Haug usatoday.com: One-on-one with USF1’s internet whiz Chad Hurley autoweek.com: Kyle Busch unlikely to join USF1 Now an advisor to the Queen? crash.net: Ecclestone calls for Ross Brawn to be knighted Related articles at – dailyexpress.co.uk At the same time Bernie is saying – telegraph.co.uk: Formula One does not need a British Grand Prix Perhaps the sport does not need a Bernie Ecclestone either. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-28-2009, 07:31 AM	#394
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix formula1.com: Theissen in a reflective mood ahead of BMW’s final race FIA.com Official Media Kit – 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix formula1.com: Facts and figures – Abu Dhabi the Yas Marina Circuit attwilliamsf1.com: Abu Dhabi GP preview nickheidfeld.com: Tires a significant unknown Toyota.com Abu Dhabi GP preview Technical Preview Kamui Koboyashi to compete in Abu Dhabi bbc.co.uk: Glock not ‘risked’ for F1 finale Weather.com: Abu Dhabi F1 News motorsport-magazin.com translated: Behind the scene with Renault F1 – Loud music and lots of screens eveningstandard.com: Alonso sad to say goodbye to Renault reuters.com: Ecclestone seeking deal with Silverstone guardian.co.uk: Damon Hill seeks new Silverstone F1 deal as Donington hopes fade The Daily Express asked “Do we need a British Grand Prix” in a headline from last Friday. My answer is yes. The British GP has been held at three different locations over the years, but for over two decades it has been held at Silverstone. F1 needs new tracks like Abu Dhabi and new fans in order to continue to exist. Yet to give context to the racing and the developments in the sport it needs bench mark tracks like Silverstone. The Daily Express article suggests that Bernie Ecclestone’s answer to the question is no and proceeds to lay out the reasons why. After reading the article I wondered does F1 racing really need Bernie Ecclestone? My answer is no. Rumors: Silly Season and More f1complete.com: USF1 denies Cosworth termination rumors speedtv.com: USF1 looks to grow, flourish in NASCAR valley Speed has given another pass to Windsor and USF1 in this piece instead of doing the hard reporting F1 fans and cable subscribers deserve from them as F1 broadcasters. There are serious questions being asked about the viability of USF1 and Speed has done little but rehash and pontificate with disclaimers and invoking jingoist fever instead of doing any motor journalism. - There is no price cap for 2010. So why all the ink discussing price caps and their implications? - Engines have been rev-limited for years and continue to be so what is this balderdash unlimited rev engines? Again the rule being discussed was eliminated long ago, in F1 terms, during the FOTA Wars. Come on Speed, keep up! - Cosworth engines have been at the heart of the new team deals and USF1 from the beginning. Yet in all this time all Speed does is to rehash old rumors and press releases. - The article closes with a focus on an FIA article quote. I can get the FIA article and quote and I am just a schlep fan doing a thread on a motorcycle web forum. Where is the reporting in that? The USF1 story, real or a big con job, is the biggest stories in US motor racing for years. Yet what we have gotten from Speed is pabulum in its reporting. They have done nothing that an overfed underpaid Roadster rider from fly-over-land with an internet connection could do. It is time for the boys to get off the Speed F1 set and do some digging. North Carolina is in the US not someplace on the other side of the world. It’s a bloody domestic flight. Heck if the Speed budget won’t handle a flight drive or take a bus. Telling us how early the Porsche club in ____ got up to watch your race coverage is not reporting. Talk to people at Cosworth and find out what the deal is. Talk to them on the record, off the record or on deep cover. Go to NC and visit the Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donut outside the USF1 shop and start asking questions. Then start following the leads. Track down suppliers and vendors and ask questions. Search the public record. Heck use the racing contacts that you supposedly have for more than filling cable hours with what you have. Sorry Speed TV I expect more than you have delivered. This is why you have been black flagged in my house. At the same time rumors continue that McLaren and Mercedes are separating sportbild.de: McLaren and Mercedes about to separate? motorsport.com: Haug downplays reports of Merc talks aut-motor-und-sport.de: Nico Rosber – I alone lead the negotiations __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-29-2009, 10:02 PM	#395
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Circuit Map Circuit Information Stewards Hermann Tomczyk, Enzo Spano, Khaled Bin Shaiban Al Mehairi 2009 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX THURSDAY PRESS CONFERENCE – October 29, 2009 DRIVERS: Fernando ALONSO (Renault), Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari), Adrian SUTIL (Force India), Jarno TRULLI (Toyota) Weather.com: Abu Dhabi F1 News formula1.com: Rosberg confirms Williams departure autosport.com: Raikkonen says McLaren the only option f1technical.net: Renault Glock deal 95% certain timesofindia.com: Senna signs F1 deal with Campos speedtv.com: 2010 grid becoming clearer reuters.com: Trulli and Sutil keep old argument on the boil blick.ch: A farewell without tears On the Street BMW Group establishes joint venture with SGL Group • 29.10.2009 • Press Release Cooperation for the manufacture and processing of carbon fibres for new vehicle concepts Munich/Wiesbaden. The BMW Group and the SGL Group have agreed on the establishment of a joint venture for the production of carbon fibres and textile semi-finished products (CFRP) for use in vehicle construction. The total investment volume is € 90 million in the first development phase, the two companies stated on Thursday. The joint venture will be operated through two companies, one based in North America (SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC), and the other in Germany (SGL Automotive Fibers GmbH & Co KG). The BMW Group holds 49% of the shares, and the SGL Group 51%. The two groups will be equally represented in the management of the two companies; major corporate decisions must be made unanimously by both partners. The joint venture will initially create around 180 new jobs in North America and Germany. Its establishment is subject to approval by the cartel authorities. "This joint venture is designed to be a classic win-win situation. We are acquiring pioneering future technologies and raw materials that we need for our Megacity Vehicle on competitive terms. The SGL Group is moving into the automobile business with us as a strong partner", BMW AG Management Board Chairman Norbert Reithofer emphasised in Munich. "With our concepts within project i, we are breaking new ground when it comes to vehicle architecture, lightweight design and the use of materials", Reithofer continued. Robert Koehler, CEO of the SGL Group, stated: "This joint venture with the BMW Group is a milestone for the use of carbon fibres on an industrial scale in the automobile industry. For the first time, carbon fibres are taking on an important role in series vehicle manufacture. This confirms our strategy and shows that carbon fibre technology is becoming increasingly important in the materials substitution process to lighter material. This material will help to reduce CO2 emissions and save our natural resources“. Lightweight design has been one of the core skills of the BMW Group for decades – after all, reducing weight is a major factor in cutting fuel consumption. In the use of high-tech Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the company is also able to draw on its many years of experience. CFRP not only plays an important role in motor sports; the material is also used in series vehicles, such as in the roof of the BMW M6 Coupé. In the Megacity Vehicle, which will be launched under a BMW sub-brand in the first half of the next decade, the high-strength yet ultra-light material will make up a significant proportion of the materials used. The combination of the advanced CFRP fibres developed by the SGL Group and the BMW Group's expertise in the industrial manufacture of CFRP components is making it possible, for the first time, to install CFRP on a large scale in a series vehicle at a competitive cost. With the joint venture, the BMW Group is underlining its position as the most sustainable vehicle manufacturer. This claim is reflected throughout the entire value creation chain, from component purchasing to recycling. Producing CFRP in a way that protects resources is therefore a high priority. The high energy requirement for the production of carbon fibres is to be met completely by environmentally friendly hydropower. This is one of the preconditions for the production site of carbon fibres in North America. The raw material is then processed into a carbon fibre fabric at the second location in Germany. Parts and components will then be made from this light-weight durable fabric within the BMW Group. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-30-2009, 11:03 AM	#396
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Friday Practice Session 1 Classifications Lap Times Session 2 Classifications Lap times bbc.co.uk: Kovalainen top as McLaren shine Weather.com: Abu Dhabi 17 years after winning the World Championship in 1983, BMW returned to Formula One as an engine supplier. The BMW WilliamsF1 Team celebrated ten victories, 17 pole positions and 45 podium finishes ... F1 News formula1.com : Q&A with Nick Heidfeld formula1.com: Q&A Robert Kubica – I am happy my future lies with Renault cosworth.com: Press release confirming the signing of ATT Williams autosport.com: Williams confirms switch to Cosworth f1complete.com: Formula 1 driver salaries revealed reuters.com: Malaysia’s Lotus F1 team appoint CEO reuters.com: USF1 team to use Spanish circuit as European base Rumors: Silly Season and More Kovalainen tops Friday practice while the rumor mill debates who will fill his seat next year. Kimi Raikkonen says McLaren is his only option discounting rumors that he will sign with Toyota. Concurrently the Finn has said he will continue to drive in WRC events when ever possible no matter who he signs with. Of late the leading candidate is Jenson Button. Negotiations with Brawn GP have been put on hold. This week the Brawn – Nick Fry – Button signing meter has gone from 99% to a cool 80%. At the same time pieces from Reuters and others keep popping up reporting Hamilton says he would be happy to partner with Button. In Italy the news has to be going down hard. Sales at Ferrari are down. The potential for a big chunk of the reduced revenues going to park Raikkonen in the paddock to put Alonso on the track grow. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

10-31-2009, 12:51 PM	#397
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	FIA.com Press Conferences Friday TEAM PRINCIPALS: Bob BELL (Renault), Ross BRAWN (Brawn GP), Christian HORNER (Red Bull), Mario THEISSEN (BMW Sauber) Saturday DRIVERS: 1. Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren Mercedes), 1m40.948s 2. Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull), 1m41.615s 3. Mark WEBBER (Red Bull), 1m41.726s Qualifying Classifications Note: The grid is provisional. Kovalainen received a 5 position penalty for a gear box change. There are other possible changes. Lap Times Maximum Speeds Sector Times Speed Trap Car Weights Formula1.com Selected team and driver quotes Reuters.com: Hamilton on pole for first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Autosport.com: Button frustrated by Q3 problems BMW Sauber pair Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld comment on qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Robert Kubica – 7th: Unfortunately I missed yesterday's second free practice session. As a result I had no experience of the track conditions at this time of day. The conditions were completely different compared to the third free practice session. The lower temperatures had quite a big effect on the car's balance. In the end qualifying in seventh is quite ok and I am optimistic that we can fight for points tomorrow. Nick Heidfeld – 8th: I think my eighth position is alright. On the last lap there was a small chance to improve, but I had traffic with Mark Webber in front of me, and anyway there is no guarantee this lap would have been faster. If I take the fuel load into account, I'm happy with my grid position although I only really know the fuel load for our cars. The tyres seem to last here remarkably well, which means it could pay off if you stay out for longer. The light from the setting sun was a bit brighter than yesterday, but the circuit is built in such a way that you have to deal with it in only one corner, which anyway is flat. For our last race tomorrow I hope for all of us we can achieve a good result with points for both cars. Mario Theissen, BMW motorsport director: The outcome of qualifying is more or less what we expected. It was good to see both our cars made it quite safely into the top ten. In the final part of qualifying the field was very close together again. However we ended seventh and eighth. Now it will be important to see when the first pit stops will take place. Technically today everything went without any problems. Willy Rampf, head of engineering: For our team it was a qualifying without any special excitement. Our result reflects quite accurately where we stand with our performance. As early as Q1 it was clear we had a very good chance to make it into Q3, and that finally happened. With the fuel load our drivers have on board we should be able to score a good result in the last race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

11-01-2009, 07:13 PM	#398
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix FIA.com Press Conference POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE – November 1, 2009 1. Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull), 1h34m03.414s 2. Mark WEBBER (Red Bull), 1h34m21.271s 3. Jenson BUTTON (Brawn), 1h34m21.881s Starting Grid Race Classifications Lap Chart Lap Analysis Fastest Lap History Chart Maximum Speeds Pit Stop Summary Sector Times Speed Trap Drivers Championship Constructors Championship Stewards Technical Report BMW Sauber F1 Team - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race • 01.11.2009 • Press Release Weather: dry, 30-31°C Air, 31-34°C Track Abu Dhabi (UAE). Happy end to the last race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: After a great race, Nick Heidfeld finished the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in fifth. With these four points the team was able to move up one place in the constructors’ championship and overtake Williams to finish sixth. Robert Kubica was also on the way to score a championship point before he spun in a battle with Sébastien Buemi. As a thank you for Nick Heidfeld’s seven years of great commitment to the team in Hinwil Peter Sauber is giving him a Formula One car from this era. The 2009 season's finale also marks the last Formula One race for BMW after the company's decision at the end of July to pull out of this sport. In the team’s four year history the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 308 world championship points, one pole position and 17 podiums, including one win. (The following pages outline a timeline of the team's achievements.) Nick Heidfeld: 5th BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9 Fastest lap: 1:40.672 min on lap 54 (7th fastest overall) “I am very happy with my fifth place. It was a good race in which I was able to get the maximum out of the car and score four points, which was enough to reach our target for the end of the season to overtake Williams in the constructors’ championship. After I have been a little unlucky in recent races, this time I was really able to exploit the car’s potential. For quite a long period I was able to go at the same speed as the world champion’s car, the Brawn. The strategy to go for a rather long stint paid off and the track was even more fun when it had more rubber on it. It is a pleasing end to our last season together. It now becomes very emotional. During the last laps I had to pull myself together in order to keep my concentration.” Robert Kubica: 10th BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9 Fastest lap: 1:40.924 min on lap 54 (14th fastest overall) “I lost the race in the second stint when I was very slow, while in the first stint I was able to go at quite a good pace, similar to Rubens. The car was working very well. After changing tyres I had no grip at all. The track was getting quicker and I just could not go at the pace of the other drivers. This was very strange. My fight with Sébastien Buemi was quite tough and a bit dangerous. We nearly touched when braking into the chicane. He first moved to the left and blocked the inside of the left hander. When I moved to the right he pushed me over the high inside kerb of the right hander section of the chicane and I spun. He did not leave any space at all. Thanks a lot to the team for the last four years. I hope to meet them back on the grid next year.” Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “That was once again a strong weekend for our team in the season´s finale. Starting from eighth Nick consistently moved up to fifth thanks to a very good performance. Robert was unlucky three times during the race: After each pit stop he came back on the track behind a slower car, and due to the collision with Buemi he lost one position. But the most important point is that with today´s result we gained another place in the constructors’ championship. So we ended a very tough season with some strong results. A big thank you goes to the whole team - both here at the track as well as in Munich and Hinwil.” Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “Our goal today was to score three points more than Williams and overtake them in the constructors’ championship. This goal was achieved thanks to Nick’s great drive and his fifth place. The race was very interesting from a strategic point of view because a one stopper was exactly as quick as two. Therefore the decisive part was at the second pit stop where it was decided who was in front of who. The race was so close today, so it was an absolute must not to make any mistake at all. I want to express my respect for the team in Munich and Hinwil who never lost motivation and continued to push very hard. They all did a fantastic job and deserve this result.” Abu Dhabi, 1st November 2009 Thank you! BMW says thank you – to its partners for their backing, to the fans for their enthusiastic support, to its rivals for their respect, to the drivers for their sheer focus, to the team for its collective achievement, and to the media for their fairness. Timeline. 16th/17th January 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team presents itself to the public in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 has its first track outing. The team drivers are Nick Heidfeld (DE) and Jacques Villeneuve (CA), the test and reserve driver is Robert Kubica (PL). 12th March 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team lines up in Bahrain for its first GP. 19th March 2006: The team wins its first World Championship points in the second race of the season when Villeneuve finishes seventh in Malaysia. 2nd April 2006: The third GP sees both drivers finish in the points for the first time. In Australia Heidfeld is fourth, Villeneuve sixth. 6th August 2006: Heidfeld takes the first podium place in the team’s 13th World Championship race. Kubica runs his first Formula One race in Budapest. 25th August 2006: Sebastian Vettel (DE/19) is made Friday driver in the third F1.06 with immediate effect. October 2006: The wind tunnel in Hinwil runs on three shifts. A year previously it had been on one daily shift. 22nd October 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team ends its debut year in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship (36 points). 16th January 2007: Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 in Valencia. Heidfeld and Kubica continue as team drivers, Vettel remains reserve driver, Timo Glock (DE) is taken on as second test driver. 10th June 2007: In Canada Heidfeld earns the team’s first second-placed finish. Kubica survives a serious accident virtually unhurt. 17th June 2007: Vettel stands in for Kubica in Indianapolis and gains his first World Championship point. 21st October 2007: The BMW Sauber F1 Team concludes its second season with 101 points as the third-strongest team. Officially it is in second place (after disqualification of McLaren Mercedes). End of 2007: The extension at Hinwil is ready for occupation and accommodates a workforce boosted by 150. 14th January 2008: The BMW Sauber F1.08 is unveiled at BMW Welt in Munich. Kubica and Heidfeld continue as the team drivers. 2nd February 2008: Christian Klien (AT) and Marko Asmer (EE) are announced as reserve driver and second test driver respectively. 23rd March 2008: Heidfeld records the team’s first fastest race lap in Malaysia. 5th April 2008: Kubica wins the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s first pole position in Bahrain. 6th April 2008: After the Bahrain Grand Prix – the third race of the season – the team leads the World Championship for the first time. 8th June 2008: Kubica crosses the line ahead of Heidfeld in Montreal to claim the first win for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in their 42nd GP. The Polish driver now leads the Drivers’ Championship. 2nd November 2008: After a mixed second half of the season, the team has 136 points and 11 podiums to place it third in the World Championship. The drivers conclude the season in 4th (Kubica) and 6th (Heidfeld) position. 20th January 2009: The F1.09 is unveiled in Valencia. Kubica, Heidfeld and Klien are on board once again. The economic recession makes for generally low-key presentations. 29th July 2009: The BMW Group announces its withdrawal from F1 at the end of the season. The freed-up resources are to flow into the development of new drive technologies and projects promoting sustainability. 15th September 2009: BMW AG announces the sale of the team to Qadbak Investments Ltd. 1st November 2009: The BMW Sauber F1 Team contests its 70th and final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. • The best results for the Sauber Team as a solo venture (1993-2005) were six third places. • With Brabham, BMW took eight wins in the period 1982 to 1985. The final victory with the legendary turbo engine was in 1986 with Benetton. During the Williams era (2000 to 2005) the total was ten wins. • In 1983 Nelson Piquet (Brabham BMW) won the Drivers’ Championship. Prior to the BMW Sauber F1 Team era, BMW had totalled 19 Grand Prix wins and 33 pole positions. Weather.com: Abu Dhabi __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

11-01-2009, 09:54 PM	#399
kewlmoose Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 182	Mika - Thank you for all the posts! It made it a lot easier to keep up on what was happening. __________________ 82 R65LS - gone but not forgotten 02 R1150RT "Oh good, my dog found the chainsaw"

11-02-2009, 07:45 AM	#400
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	You're welcome. ATT Williams just announced its 2010 driver lineup. The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that its drivers for 2010 will be Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg. Frank Williams, Team Principal, said, "Rubens needs no introduction. He is not only the most experienced driver in Formula One, but a passionate and talented driver who fought hard for the Drivers' Championship this year. Nico Hulkenberg won the GP2 Championship this season as a rookie and has previously won the F3 Euroseries, Formula Masters, A1 GP and Formula BMW Germany.” He continued, "Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima remain our drivers until the end of 2009 and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to the team. Nico and Kazuki have represented AT&T Williams and our partners with dedication, discipline and skill and we wish them every success with their future endeavours." __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

11-03-2009, 09:36 PM	#403
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	I suspect Paul was commenting on a post in my thread Bench Racing & The Morning Reads and posted in the F1 thread by mistake. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!

11-03-2009, 09:38 PM	#404
PAULBACH Once there was a Tavern Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ballston Spa, NY; South of the Adirondacks, North of the Catskills and West of The Berkshires and Green Mountains Posts: 6,180	Yup - my mistake! I get so interested in the material that Mika posts that I get lost in time and space. __________________ Paul Bachorz - F Twins Moderator Director - Vermont MOV For *Touring Tips* archives click here

11-03-2009, 10:29 PM	#405
Mika Still Wondering Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On reconnaissance Posts: 7,458	reuters.com: Toyota to quit Formula One – Report I had posted that the announcement of future plans for F1 would be announced Sunday by Toyota. However; after the meetings of the Toyota board on Tuesday leaks began to appear that the decision was formally made to exit F1 and will be announced Wednesday. __________________ Pass the mustard and UP THE REVOLUTION!