FIA Thursday press conference - Korea

Reproduced with kind permission of the FIA

Drivers: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Jenson Button (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) and Mark Webber (Red Bull).

Q: Gentlemen, you have just been doing the recreation of the 1986 photograph of the World Championship contenders. There were four of them then. There are five of you now going into the third last round of the championship. What are your feelings about the championship going into this race, particularly on an unknown circuit?

 

Jenson Button: For me it has been a very interesting season. Arriving at a new team and working with a new team-mate and finding my feet pretty early on I felt. I have enjoyed the season. For all of us it has been quite up and down. We have all had some pretty poor events and some good events. It has made the championship very exciting. It is good to still be involved in the championship hunt with three races to go. Obviously it’s most difficult for me as I am 31 points behind. But there is always a possibility. We are still very hopeful and I am looking forward to the next three races. I am sure it is going to be pretty mixed up as we go through these next three races. If you look at the last two races the Ferraris and Red Bulls sort of had the legs on us a little bit but these next three hopefully we will be a bit closer. That will make an exciting fight for the end of the season.
Lewis Hamilton: I think Jenson answered it all really. It is good to be here. It is a new circuit which is quite exciting for all us drivers. Quite dusty out there, but as Jenson said this weekend hopefully we will have a little bit more of a fighting chance against the Red Bulls and Ferraris and hopefully we will be a little bit more fortunate as well.
Sebastian Vettel: I think it has been looking worse this year for me, so I think we are in a good position. The car is really good. The last couple of races were very strong. As the others said this race is a bit unknown yet. I think all of us could be very strong potentially here, so we need to see how it goes. Sector one doesn’t look like our home ground, but I think sector two and sector three should give us a possibility to catch up. We will see. Interesting venue this one, so looking forward.
Mark Webber: It was good to do the photo with all the guys. As you say going back all those years with some of our heroes obviously in those photos. It has been a very interesting season up to this point, lots of different winners, and we are all in a position now. It is not by accident we are in these positions. We have all had the season’s we have had up until this point. We have three races to go and they all offer the same points as the first three races of the year and the ones in the middle, so nothing has really changed too much. Just got to go out there and do your best. It is a clean slate here for everybody. It looks like a good little venue to have a race on, so I am looking forward to getting in the car tomorrow and getting on with it.
Fernando Alonso: Well, I think not much to add. Similar comments, up and down in the season. But for me personally a great 2010 championship, driving for a new team, great integration with Ferrari from day one. Felt very comfortable. It has probably been the best year of my career so far with great experience, very happy. Now the last three races try to do our best to arrive in a position to fight for the championship in Abu Dhabi. We came back. We made some good steps forward in the last five, six Grands Prix, so the last three races should be exciting with some better circuits, some worse circuits for all of us and hopefully making the most every weekend.

Q: A question to you all about Korea. I know Jenson and Lewis raced in Korea before in Formula Three. Jenson on the podium in 1999 and Lewis on pole position in 2003. Your feelings first of all about the circuit, maybe about the country?
JB: I enjoyed my experience here in Korea. In 1999 that was. I finished second in the race. It was partly a street circuit and it was a good experience. I think it was good to see so much interest in the event. I think it was one of their biggest motorsport events here. It was a great experience and they seemed very passionate about their motorsport and it is good to see a lot of interest. Hopefully it will be the same here. It is an interesting layout. I think they have done a good job with the layout of the circuit. I think in the first sector there are overtaking opportunities which is good to see and then you have some very fast flowing corners out the back. I think the layout is nice. It looks very slippery at the moment but that is inevitable considering it is quite a new asphalt.
LH: I don’t really remember too much about it. I remember I was taken out by a driver in the race. That was about it. Otherwise it was a good trip and a good experience and it is great coming back. This was my first time to Seoul and I had a good day there. I think they deserve a pat on their backs for getting this place ready and it looks like they can put on quite a good show, so looking forward to it.
SV: My first time here, so haven’t seen much yet. But walking the circuit this morning it looks very interesting and lots of grandstands, so hopefully we will have lots of people coming this weekend. The circuit itself, I think the main things have been covered. We will see how grippy it will be, but given the fact there was a lot of concern and we were even talking about not racing here, lately they did a very good job. I think most of the things are finished, so should be alright for us to go out.
MW: First time for me too to Korea. They have tried incredibly hard to get everything ready against a bit of a deadline. I think we are all ready to go. It looks like it will be ready, properly ready in a few years time if you know what I mean, in terms of around here and in terms of the city and some rural surroundings if you like. It’s a bit remote but that’s fine. I hope the people in the future can embrace the sport and have a good look at what Formula One is about as clearly at the moment it is new to them and a new experience but the enthusiasm looks good which is the most important thing.
FA: Me too, first time here. I think they did a very good job as well with getting everything ready. I think it is 99 per cent ready, so it will be a good show this weekend. It is always nice also from a driver’s point of view coming to a new circuit. It is a new challenge for us and always with a new country it is very welcome in the championship, so looking forward to the race here and hopefully a good show.
SV: The only thing that they could probably finish in the future is the hotel situation for a lot of team members and I think you journalists. I think for the drivers, we are fine, but I have heard some stories and maybe they can work on that.

Q: Again, to you all. What have you been doing since Japan? Did you stay out here or did you go back? Where have you been training?
JB: I headed back. We spent the day together Lewis and myself at a charity event, last Thursday, then I had a day in the simulator on Friday. We did some work for a partner of ours on Saturday and then headed out to Japan where I have been since in Hiroshima.
LH: I had a couple of days back home which was great. Did some training there and then, flew out here. Got here Wednesday morning and had appearances all day yesterday and drove up this morning.
SV: I stayed out after Japan, on the Asian side, to stay with the time rhythm and got a little bit of sun. Did some training and arrived here yesterday night.
MW: We left pretty quickly after the race in Suzuka which got me in trouble a bit apparently. Went to Australia as quick as possible and had a good time at home in Australia. It was all fine.

Q: Lots of appearances down there? Lots of media work?
MW: Absolutely zero.

Q: How did you manage that?
MW: They are not too bothered. No, they are okay. It was fine. They are excited but it was very well managed so it was all fine.
JB: Did you have any shrimps on the barbecue?
MW: Loads of shrimps on the barbie. I think there was a saint, the Italians will know, that we had Mary MacKillop made a saint. That is big news in Australia, but obviously not big news everywhere else, so that’s what the main news was. I had to watch that for seven days.
FA: I stayed in Asia, south of Japan, a little island. Did some training, playing golf, nothing exciting.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Joris Fioriti - AFP): For Jenson and Lewis. Would you say that this is your very last opportunity for the title? If you miss this one, mathematically speaking it is still possible, but it will be harder.
JB: Every time we go to a race it seems this is the critical race. It is obviously a lot more difficult for us to win the World Championship this year but we have seen in past seasons that anything is possible. We have all had failures this year. We have all had issues, so it is definitely still possible even after this event if it is mathematically possible.
LH: The same.

Q: (Frederic Ferret - L’Equipe): The Red Bulls seem quickest in qualifying, so for the two Red Bull drivers can you explain why it is so fast and do you think you will have the pole on Saturday? For the three others, do you think you can beat them and do you have a special thing to beat them on Saturday?
MW: Well, obviously Seb has had a good run in qualifying. He has had a few pole positions and I have had some poles as well. As you say the car is pretty quick on Saturday afternoon. We have adjustable front ride height suspension which has been running since the start of the year and that works well and then we put the car back up for Sunday. Lots of things have been good for us and we try to do the same job on Saturday.
SV: As Mark said we have this big lever for the ride height. I think that is the secret for Saturday.

Q: (MC) The other three, do you feel you can beat the Red Bulls, either to pole position or the race itself?
LH: I think it’s possible, anything’s possible, and I think you can tell that us, as a team, and the Ferraris as well, are pushing very hard because I don’t think the gap is that big, so it’s not impossible. We’ve outqualified them… what was it, one race maybe? So they’ve had more than a few pole positions but no, I think we can close the gap, hopefully.
JB: Yeah, they have had the advantage this season in qualifying. If you look at the last few races we have got closer. That’s an area where we struggled a little bit at the start of the year but over the last few races we’ve been a lot closer, which is good. I know everyone’s bringing new packages to the circuit but I’ve got to say a big thanks to the guys for bringing the parts that we have here which should hopefully make a difference but we have to wait and see if that is correct.
FA: I prefer to beat them on Sunday.

Q: (MC) Can I continue a bit on that: Mark, it has been said that you are a bit worried about the first sector, even to the extent that if the two of you are on the front row, that the advantage of your rivals could mean that you’re not in the lead by the end of the first sector.
MW: Yeah, that could happen, but there’s another 300kms to go after that. Look, it was the same at Spa. We knew that we were going to be quite vulnerable up the hill there. Obviously we didn’t even get into the lead at the start, initially, there. So there are some tracks where the first sector is different than other circuits but you can only do what you can on the day so, yeah, if, if you’re not leading at the end of the first lap, for sure you can still make an interesting race from there. That’s what you always look to do: put your best foot forward. Yeah, we’re ready for most things, so we shall see how we go.

Q: (Jaime Rodriguez - El Mundo) Mark and Sebastian, the last team that tried to win the championship with two drivers was McLaren in 2007 and this story didn’t finish very well. What do you fear now?
MW: Well, for sure the Spanish probably want this. No one in this room knows what’s going to happen in the next three races, nobody. We can talk here for hours about what we’re going to do, what’s going to happen, this and that, upside down, inside out. No one knows, so we’re going to go out there, do our stuff, clearly Seb and I have had a good season. We’re both in with a chance of doing quite well in the championship and also the team is doing well in the Constructors’, because of both of us obviously are getting quite a few points. If there’s a point, in the future, where we have to race each other again then we will do what we always do and that’s obviously try to get the best result out of whatever situation we have. Irrespective if I’m racing Fernando or JB or Lewis or Seb is that I know that I need to finish races, all of us know that, so that’s always in the front of your mind, but you’re not going to give positions up either, so it’s always a balancing act. That’s what it comes down to: the racing. All the other stuff isn’t important.
SV: Yeah, not much to add. What happened in 2007 happened for a reason. Kimi (Räikkönen) had quite a bad chance of winning the championship with two races to go, at the time 17 points behind. Of course he showed it’s possible but he also did his maximum and he won those races but it also required the others not to finish in the points or not to finish high up, so I don’t think you can really compare… I think it will be different this year.

Q: (Marc Surer - Sky TV Germany) I have a question for Alonso: Fernando you have had some engine problems at the beginning of the season. Do you still have enough engines to finish the season?
FA: I think we are OK. Obviously the first problems with the engine in race two and race three gave us a more difficult situation, no doubts, but I think from there on we planned the year, the championship in a different way and so far the situation has been under control, so we should have no concerns for the remaining races and everything is OK for us.

Q: (Joris Fioriti - AFP) Mark, you know that if you win one race and score podiums at the others you will have your destiny in your own hands. Do you sometimes calculate that or never take that into consideration?
MW: It’s ridiculous to start calculating things because a lot of things can happen. As you say: I win the next two races, it’s all over anyway in terms of doing well. But this is another event, another race here and (I must) keep doing what I’m doing. As I say, the gap has been edging away, the right way in the last few races. I need to try to do that. Then just keep doing our best, that’s the most important thing. I’m doing my best and then hopefully the result will take care of itself.

Q: (Bianca Leppert - Auto, Motor und Sport) For everbody, do you think that on Friday and Saturday morning it will be a race itself to find the right set-up or are all the three top teams on one level?
MW: It’s a new venue, clearly, so we obviously have good simulation tools to understand what we expect to a certain point, but the big unknown is obviously what sort of grip level the track will give to us in the cockpit and how the tyres will work. We’ll have a look at that tomorrow and then use a lot of that, obviously, for Friday going into Saturday. Everybody’s in the same boat, I think we’re all imagining that the track won’t be incredible in terms of grip but it might be a surprise if we have some grip to play with, so let’s see how tomorrow goes. I think for everyone it’s the same boat, it’s not that difficult with what we face.

Q: (Jonathan Legard - BBC Sport) Question to all of you: how much have you achieved what you expected to this season? Fernando, you said it was your best season to date; does that also include winning the championships with Renault as well?
FA: Well, it’s not finished, so we will see how the year ends, but in terms of happiness, in terms of motivation, driving, the team itself etc., it’s the best one. Obviously it will be nice to become champion this year but even if we cannot do it, I will anyway have great, great memories of 2010.
MW: Well, I think all of us to sit at the first qualifying session at Bahrain and say that with three races to go you’re going to be leading the championship is virtually… that is obviously the highest position you can be in with three races to go, so it’s a high bar to set yourself expectation-wise and also for the team, because we know what level of competition we have. We totally respect our rivals and they’re great operations, so that’s why you need to keep your goals in check but on the same side be optimistic and positive and well-driven within yourself that you can achieve great things and clearly Fernando has achieved more things in the past but for me this year has been an incredible season, a real highlight with many special victories for me and a lot of races which I have really, really enjoyed. Also the team chemistry - obviously we’ve had a few little bobbles here and there – but with adversity people learn a lot about themselves as well. So there has been some good stuff from our team and also from myself in terms of learning about the sport and it’s been good. Clearly it’s been my best season to date, so I’m happy with it so far.
SV: Well, I think after last season the expectation was to fight for the championship and with three races to go I think all of us are in a position to do so, some better, some worse, but that’s racing in the end. Sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes you’re probably not. You spoke about Fernando’s engine problems earlier in the season. I think it’s normal to have ups and downs, sometimes you have more, sometimes less, but as I said, the expectation was probably to be in a position to fight for the championship and I think we are in a very strong and very good position. I think so far we have fulfilled our expectations and there’s still a bit to go.
LH: I never have any expectations. I’m happy where I am, we’re still in the fight for the championship, so it’s not a bad position to be in.
JB: For me it’s been a fun year. Last season was obviously very special for me. I’d been in the same team for seven years, so to move teams was a challenge and it’s something I’ve really enjoyed this year, working with McLaren, working with Lewis. I’ve really enjoyed the situation I’ve found myself in. I still know there’s more to come. There are only three races left and with the partnership and the team, for me, I’m very happy. There is still more to come. I’m enjoying my life right now and I’ve enjoyed this season very much. I’ve had some really fun races, a couple of victories. I’d like to have won more races, but there are still three more to go, so we will give it a go.

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Korea preview - a critical voyage of discovery

The inaugural Korean Grand Prix - the race which some thought would never happen - is set to play a key role in the outcome of an increasingly tense world championship battle. Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel prepare to go head-to-head with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. And just to spice things up even more, all of them need to aim for victory.

 

Webber needs a win to provide himself with a cushion going into the final pair of races, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Vettel and Alonso need a win to close down Webber’s 14-point lead, as the Australian has 220 points to their 206 apiece. Hamilton and Button, on 192 and 189 points apiece, have to score big if they are to retain mathematical chances of the title.

And as if that isn’t enough, Felipe Massa aims to get in on the action to take points away from his Ferrari team mate’s rivals, and Robert Kubica and Renault are burning to make up for the wheel-tightening gaffe that ruined the Pole’s promising run in Suzuka.

"There is nothing that we fear in the remaining three races," says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. "We were competitive in Abu Dhabi and Brazil last year. But we don't take anything for granted. Korea is new for everybody and there will be areas where we will be weak. It has one of the season's longest straights, followed by a very, very twisty section. Sector one is not going to be great for us, but hopefully sectors two and three will be more our territory.

"So I think you will find that over a lap it will balance out the lap time between the strengths that some of the other teams have and the weaknesses we have."

Meanwhile, Alonso says that he will be giving it everything in the Ferrari. "In Korea we will have to attack because now we must close the gap to Webber. To lose any more ground would make the situation more complicated. The Korean Grand Prix could therefore start to be decisive for some - and for me it will be important also to be able to count on my team-mate. I know that he will be really hoping to make up for two negative results and he has all the capacities required to return to the podium.

"What's more, it will be very useful to work together to discover all the secrets of the new track so we can prepare our cars in the best way. In a moment like this every detail matters to achieve our goals."

Hamilton and McLaren believe the track, with its kilometre-long straight which runs between Turns 2 and 3, will suit their MP4-25. “I’m looking forward to the weekend,” the 2008 champion says. “I think we can have a positive race. While recent results haven’t necessarily shown it, we’ve had a strong car - now I’m hoping to get the chance to prove it on track.”

Team mate Button adds: “It’s always exciting visiting a new circuit for the first time. The Korean track certainly looks very interesting - a real mix of different characteristics - and there appear to be a couple of very likely opportunities for overtaking, particularly at the end of the three main straights, but possibly also off-line in the twisty final sector. The track looks quite high-speed, and the walls are close, so I think it’ll be an interesting challenge.

“We’ve made some improvements to the parts we tested in Suzuka, and it’s looking likely that we’ll run them on Friday. As with all our upgrades, we are pushing the envelope, so I’m optimistic that the tests will be positive and that we’ll be able to race the new components.”

Hamilton, who said his McLaren felt brilliant in the brief fast run he did before crashing on the Friday morning in Suzuka, looks forward to having the new rear wing that he couldn’t run there, and says of the track: “I’ve driven the Korean International Circuit on the simulator, and my first impressions were extremely positive. On paper, the track should suit our car quite well - the first sector is all about good end-of-straight speeds and strong performance under heavy braking, both key characteristics of our car.

“And the middle sector is fast and flowing; it’s the kind of place where you want a car with a good balance and good downforce. I think it’ll reward commitment - it actually feels like quite a nice driver’s track. The end of the lap is slower and tighter, but it’s still all about rhythm and flow - so, as long as the track surface is nice and grippy, I think we’re set for an enjoyable first race in Korea.”

Bridgestone will bring their hard and soft compound rubber, and a lot of the focus over the weekend will be on how they perform on a track whose top surface was only laid in the past two weeks. Will the oils coming to the surface make it slippery? How will it withstand the passage of 24 750-horsepower cars so soon after being laid? How long will it take to rubber in?

Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone’s director of motorsport tyre development, says: “This Grand Prix presents everyone in Formula One with an interesting challenge as the circuit has only recently been completed. This means that we cannot look at any data from races there so we have to rely on simulation data. From this information, the maximum and average speeds will be 310 km/h and 205 km/h respectively. This places the track between Catalunya and Istanbul and close to Sepang in terms of speed, which is an important factor determining the allocation of the hard and soft tyres.

“Korea should be a good test of all of our technology and I expect all the team engineers to be working very hard indeed over the weekend trying to understand the best car set-ups and tyre strategies for the race. As it will be the first motor racing event at the facility we expect a lot of track surface evolution over the weekend. It will also be interesting to see how the teams and individual drivers adapt to this track, particularly those in the hunt for the championship battle.”

The weekend’s weather looks likely to be reasonably settled, with ambient temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius and sunny conditions predicted for Thursday through to Sunday. The race will run over 55 laps of the 5.621 kilometre (3.490 mile) circuit, or 309.155 kilometres (192.100 miles). It starts at 15.00 hours local time, which is nine hours ahead of GMT.

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De la Rosa concludes successful Pirelli test

Pedro de la Rosa has concluded a two-day test for Pirelli at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. It was De la Rosa's second appearance as a test driver for the Italian company, who will become Formula One racing’s official tyre supplier from next season, following his debut in the role at Valencia just over two weeks ago.

The 39-year-old Spaniard tried out Pirelli's intermediate and wet tyres in Valencia, but for the Barcelona test he concentrated on their medium and hard compound slick tyres for the first time, refining the package that had already been formulated from previous tests.
"It's been an excellent couple of days; I've been very impressed because I have to say that the tyres were at an even higher level than I imagined,” he said. “If you look at what Pirelli has done, it's hard to believe that all this work has been carried out in such a short space of time. These Pirelli tyres have their own quite different characteristics to the current supplier that the drivers will appreciate next year and I'm confident that they will form a very competitive package. Pirelli's arrival is great news for Formula One."

De la Rosa's work included validating the conclusions drawn from past tests in Mugello and Jerez, as well as looking at different ways to make the medium and hard tyres even more effective. By the end of the two days, Pirelli was close to defining the rubber that will be taken to Abu Dhabi for the Formula One teams to try out at next month's post-season test.

In total De la Rosa completed 262 laps of running over the two days, equivalent to around 1218 kilometres. Pirelli carried out a number of endurance runs in Barcelona, running for around 35 laps at a time, in order to verify the new tyre's consistent performance and reliability in the long term.

Conditions were unusually cold for Catalunya at this time of the year, with temperatures of seven degrees Celsius in the morning. The weather warmed up to 21 degrees during the afternoon, allowing Pirelli's engineers to see how the tyres operated within a wide window of track conditions.

"Once again, Pedro has shown what a valuable asset he is to us through his hard work and detailed feedback,” said Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery. “He's carrying out a crucial role and the information that he has provided to us has helped us to further define the tyres that we will take to Abu Dhabi."

Pirelli's next Formula One tests will take place at France's Paul Ricard circuit in early November, where De la Rosa will concentrate on further development of their soft and super-soft tyres - two of the four compounds (along with the hard and the medium) that will be offered to all of the Formula One teams next year.
For Formula One and F1 team merchandise, click here.

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Edwards prepared for final push

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider finished seventh in the Iveco Australian Grand Prix and is now ready to make a final push in the last two rounds of the campaign.

Edwards reviews seventh place

Colin Edwards got his bid for a top ten World Championship finish back on track today, the experienced Texan claiming seventh. Edwards was hopeful of fighting for a top-six finish but he spent the majority of the race adapting his riding style to counter a small rear grip issue. With two races remaining at Estoril and Valencia, Edwards is just three points away from an overall top ten finish.

Colin Edwards – 7th:

“The pace I'd run all weekend was pretty much the pace I was able to run in the race. Conditions changed so much over the weekend that we never really got enough time to work on finding a decent set-up. I was confident going into the race and got a decent start but pretty much from the second corner I was having some spinning from the rear tyre. I tried to adjust my riding style because I didn't want to lose contact with the group in front of me. I settled into a comfortable rhythm but I just couldn't go any faster. I was trying different lines but I couldn't enter the corner like I wanted to. My speed was basically dictated by what the rear was doing, but we'll look at the data and figure a few things out for the final part of the season. I want to thank my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3. This has been a tough period of the season but we've worked really hard together and I'm happy with the way I've performed. Congratulations to Ben too for getting Rookie of the Year. He's rode awesome all year and he's beaten a lot of good guys to achieve that.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 press release

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Tenth in Australia disappoints De Puniet

The LCR Honda rider was aiming for a top-six result at Phillip Island.

Randy de Puniet sealed a strong qualification for the Iveco Australian Grand Prix with seventh position on the grid at Phillip Island, and was happy with his race pace at the track. Unfortunately the 29 year-old made a mistake in a close battle with Marco Melandri during the race but recovered to take tenth place.

Randy de Puniet – 10th:

“I am disappointed as I expected a top-six finish. With the lap times I did during the race I could have finished in a better position. I had a really constant lap time and I was faster and faster lap by lap. At the beginning of the race I was behind Melandri and overtook him a couple of times but he overtook me back and at turn four I passed him again in the inside. But I made a mistake when downshifting gears and ran wide in the grass losing many places. After that it was a chase for me as I tried hard to come back.”

LCR Honda press release

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Best European riders have their sights set on Albacete

This weekend the UEM European Championship takes place at the Albacete circuit in Spain, where 19 countries will be represented across three categories; Superstock 1000, 125GP and Supersport.

The entry list of riders brings together the top-classified riders from the National Championships in Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the leading participants in the three main inter-regional Championships in Europe; Alpe-Adria, Scandinavia and the Balkans.

The 125GP category has 42 entrants, a figure arrived at after a difficult selection process in which there was an extremely high number of applications. The main favourites will be Spaniard Isaac Viñales and Portuguese Miguel Oliveira, who have so far dominated the category in the CEV Buckler (Spanish National Championship) this year. Joining them will be Italian youngster Mauriello and Czech talent Popov, both of whom have been competing in the Italian Championship and rode at Mugello last Sunday.

Young German Luca Grünwald is also a talent to watch, and as IDM Champion will attempt to emulate his compatriot Marcel Schrötter as European Champion. Other notable entrants are French Champion Gregory di Carlo, Dutch Champion Roy Pouw and Scandinavian Champion, Norwegian rider Henning Flathaug.

In Superstock 1000 the calibre of entrants is at a premium with Spaniard Javier Forés, who recently claimed his National title, pitting his wits against Italian Champion and veteran Ivan Goi, as well as Czech Michal Filla and Swede Nicklas Cajback. Local representation will come from Javier del Amor, with Santiago Barragán another Spaniard and a rider who fought magnificently with Forés for victory in the CEV Buckler race disputed at Albacete just last month.

In Supersport a surprise entry on the list is the name of Carmelo Morales, current European Superstock 1000 Champion but who this season is competing in the Moto2 category. Morales intends to impose his experience on the category ahead of rivals and former World Championship riders Mirko Giansanti (ITA) and Raymond Schouten (NED).

The best television coverage in the history of the European Championship

A total of seven European television channels will broadcast the action from the UEM European Championship at Albacete this weekend, the highest level of coverage afforded to the event since it started in its current one-race format three years ago.

Teledeporte (Spain), Eurosport UK (Britain), Sport1 (Germany), Sport TV (Portugal), RAI Sport (Italy), Nelonen (Finland) and Super Sport (Albania) will broadcast the Superstock 1000, 125GP and Supersport races, offering either live or extended highlights coverage to their viewers.

The race schedule is as follows (Spanish time):
10:45 Superstock 1000
12:00 125GP
13:15 Supersport

Between the Superstock and 125GP races a tribute to Alex Crivillé will take place as turn two of the Albacete circuit is officially named after the 1999 500cc World Champion

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OnBoard at Phillip Island

Hold on tight and take another look at the best of the action from the Iveco Australian Grand Prix from a very special perspective.

Round 16 at Phillip Island, the Iveco Australian Grand Prix, and as always the OnBoard cameras caught all the action from the perspective of the riders. Review the best of it in the latest motogp.com video which offers you the chance to see it all from an amazing point of view!

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Repsol Honda pair energised for Brno

Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso are both feeling fit, ready and raring to go ahead of the Cardion ab Grand Prix Czech Republic after a summer break.

Having had three weeks off and time to recuperate after a busy first half of the season, Repsol Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso are now more than ready to return to action at Brno. Pedrosa currently occupies second position in the Championship and feels focused upon the resumption of his chase of leader Jorge Lorenzo, having enjoyed a refreshing summer interval.

“This has definitely been one of my best summer breaks of the last few years. I was able to just think about relaxing rather than working to recover from an injury, as has been the case in the last few years,” said Pedrosa, who is fully prepared for the challenge of round ten at Brno.

“Now I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike at Brno,” he continued. “It’s one of the most difficult circuits on the calendar; physically it’s very demanding but it’s also very enjoyable to ride on a MotoGP bike. I would say that there is only one good line, so it’s crucial to be focused during the whole lap to get a good lap time - and it’s a very long circuit.”

Second in last year’s MotoGP race, Pedrosa has previously tasted victory in the 250cc and 125cc classes at Brno, a result he is hoping to replicate in the premier class. “I’ve had many podiums in Brno, including two wins, so I would like to add another one in MotoGP,” he said, before looking ahead to the one-day test that follows the GP on Monday.

“It’s going to be a busy weekend for everybody, not only with the race but also because we stay on Monday for testing. It’s the only test day remaining this season so we have to make sure we do a good job to help us in the upcoming races,” he added.

Repsol Honda team-mate Dovizioso is similarly eager to climb back aboard his factory RC212V as he aims to close the gap on his colleague, who sits 23 points ahead of him in the standings.

“Our target is to fight for second position in the Championship, and to do that we have to be up there battling for race wins every Sunday starting from this Grand Prix,” said the Italian, who is third in the standings at the moment. “I’m looking forward to this race weekend and also to the test on Monday because that will be really important for us. We will have the opportunity to test some new material and it will be a good opportunity to make some further progress.”

Dovizioso is also focused and ready to do a job this weekend, and he added: “I’m feeling good going into the weekend after a having some time away from the MotoGP paddock, and now I’m ready to get back on track."

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In conversation - Bernie Ecclestone & Tavo Hellmund

Formula One racing has a long and illustrious past in the United States, but one that has been rather sporadic of late. No surprise then that news the US Grand Prix will be back on the calendar for 2012 has been met with universal excitement. For fans, seeing F1 cars battle it out again on American soil is a dream come true, whilst for teams, manufacturers and sponsors the marketing potential of a stateside race is second to none. However, for the two men responsible for the return - Formula One Group CEO Bernie Ecclestone and Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions LP - it’s been a far more personal quest…

Q: The United States are considered to be one of the most important markets for Formula One racing. In 2012 there will be again a United States Grand Prix, in Austin, Texas. Who came up with this idea?
Tavo Hellmund: I considered Austin as the ultimate place and I went to Bernie with this idea. Austin has developed immensely over the last 15 years - in every aspect - so for me there was no better place to hold the United States Grand Prix. The State of Texas has developed into the 11th biggest global economy and many of the Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters here. And Austin is the capital. Think of the ideal location of the city: my fellow countrymen can reach it easily, as well as fans from central and South America. In this respect it’s perfectly central. My philosophy is that you will succeed if you are at the right place at the right time - and for a Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, I considered it to be the right time. We have a contract for the next ten years, but if you ask me we could race here for the next 40 years!

Q: Bernie, what impressions did you take home from Austin?
Bernie Ecclestone: First of all, when Formula One returns to the United States we wanted to go to a place that has global recognition. Texas fulfils that perfectly, so Tavo’s plan and our needs matched perfectly. And Austin is so beautiful. Anyone visiting for the first time will be very impressed. And now comes something important: I’ve known Tavo since he was born.

Q: How come?
TH: My father and Bernie have been friends for decades. As a child I would spend summer vacations with Bernie so I have been familiar with Formula One since I started to walk. One way or another, F1 was always a topic of conversation in our family as my father and Bernie were responsible for the return of the Mexican Grand Prix in the 80’s. Bernie and I always stayed in touch, he was always interested in my projects and sent his congratulations when we did well, including organizing motorsport events or music festivals in the US. Now Bernie is banking that I not only know about the needs of Formula One, but also the predilection of the American fans.

Q: What needed to happen for the Austin F1 project to take off?
BE: We had to verify if it was feasible - from the security aspect of such a mega event down to the most peculiar facet, until we were confident that it would work perfectly.

Q: So far it’s been a tough endeavour for Formula One racing to gain the affection of US motorsport fans. How do you think Austin will manage that?
TH: It will be great. One of the reasons is that I have fantastic partners in Red McCombs (McCombs Partners) and Bobby Epstein (Prophet Capital Management). Red’s legendary ownership experience in the NBA and NFL are huge assets and we have hired various agencies and staff that are the best of the best. Their experience ranges from the entertainment/business world to being involved in the election campaigns of Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barak Obama. Their goal and ours is not only to establish the US Grand Prix at home, but also make it a worldwide event. America shall be proud of it. Therefore we will build a track that will stand as a symbol. Bernie has given us the platform and you can be sure that we will use it! Prominent Texans will support us in making the US Grand Prix in Texas a national and international affair.

Q: Can you drop names?
TH: Well, MotoGP legend Kevin Schwantz - one of my closest friends - is involved in the project. And Austin is home to many internationally prominent actors, athletes and business people. Suffice to say, we have a very deep bench.

Q: That’s all well and good, but isn’t NASCAR too strong a competitor?
BE: Stop! Whenever we’ve raced in the US we had legions of fans that were fascinated and thrilled. It was the case in Long Beach and in Dallas, also in Indianapolis. But the promoters there believed that they could make a better cut financially. The problems in Indianapolis had nothing to do with us. We’ve been always popular with the fans in the United States.
TH: That’s true. What you need to have is the total package, which is extremely difficult to do. Fortunately that is the fact in our case. And what could be better for a city or region than to have this ultimate high-tech-sport with a global audience in your backyard? And with a permanent facility…
BE: Exactly - that’s what is needed. Let’s face it, it’s no big deal for a promoter to build fences and crash barriers around a street circuit, tear them down again and pocket the profits.
TH: We are planning something grand, something that has permanence. Bernie has brilliant ideas on how to inject thrills into the race weekend with support events, mega parties in the park. This is no fairytale or witchcraft - I know that we can do it, but hard work lies before us.

Q: How will the race track look like?
TH: Amazing! I have conveyed my ideas to Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl who are the most established racetrack architects of our times. The area has natural elevation differences, which promises a fast track with difficult corners. But the most essential thing is that has to be a masterpiece in its suitability for fans. Spectators have to be able to see large parts of the track from wherever they are.

Q: What is your schedule?
TH: The layout is just about to be finished and we will present it to the FIA in September.

Q: Many American motorsport fans love that barbeque-type atmosphere at a race, where they can bring their camper and have their own evening entertainment…
TH: Absolutely. That’s exactly what we are planning, as we are not only staging a race but a happening where racing is just a part of it.

Q: Bernie, how important is it for you personally to bring F1 back to the US?
BE: It’s very simple: we call ourselves a world championship and that implies having a race in the US. But we would not come here at any price and we would not be willing to settle for a rotten compromise. Now we have found someone who thinks the same way, and that means first class, in every respect.

Q: Car manufacturers like Mercedes must be cheering the return of F1 to the US…
BE: Of course they do.
TH: And they will recognise immediately why they have good reason to cheer - because I don’t want to make just Bernie or myself happy, but more importantly our fans, the region and our partners. And the manufacturers I consider our partners. I could not rest easy knowing that anyone in this chain is not happy. Or to use a metaphor, I would not sell you a Budweiser with no Bud in the bottle…
BE: Tavo, hold it - no advertisements please…

Q: Do you think manufacturers and teams will support you?
TH: I am positive about it. They will send show cars and people over because it’s the logical thing to do. Everyone involved can only win: Formula One, the teams, the manufacturer, the State of Texas, the fans - simply everyone!

Q: Wouldn’t it add to the picture if there were an American team or an American driver? Just to cement the success…
TH: Bernie thinks so I guess. Of course it would be fantastic to have an American driver. A team would great, sure, but it’s no real necessity. But I see different options. There is that young Mexican driver Perez who is doing a great job in GP2 right now. For him the 2012 US Grand Prix could be a sort of home race: the distance from Austin to Mexico is a mere 250 kilometres!
BE: His career is followed in Mexico with huge interest, that I can confirm. Regarding an American driver, we have tried that lately but obviously what’s missing is the right attitude. You can race successfully in the US without the huge effort you need to succeed in Formula One. But to have someone like Danica Patrick in F1 would be a perfect advert.

Q: Bernie, have you already been thinking of a slot for the 2012 race in the calendar?
BE: We have to wait and see, but it would be logical to place it close to the race in Montreal and that would mean somewhere in June.
TH: Of course I have a preference, but feel confident that Bernie will do what is best for us to ensure the success of the USGP.

Q: Will there be more than one race in the US in the future?
BE: Let’s make one thing clear: Austin will be the US Grand Prix. But that does not mean that we cannot have another race in the US with another label. I would be insane if there were the option to race in New York and I said ‘no thanks’. But for now that’s nothing more than a pipe dream. The reality is we have a contract with Austin and it is there where the US Grand Prix will be staged.

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Lorenzo to continue title charge

The Fiat Yamaha rider is ready to maintain his fantastic 2010 form and is aiming for a first premier class win at Brno this weekend, where he will look to extend his 72-point Championship lead.


The first half of the 2010 season could not have gone much better for Jorge Lorenzo, who won six of the opening nine races and placed second in the remaining three. That phenomenal form has given the Fiat Yamaha rider a substantial 72-point lead in the World Championship standings at the midway point of the campaign, and after a three-week summer break he will now continue his bid for a debut MotoGP World title at Brno this weekend.

"The holidays were perfect… ten days in the Caribbean for rest and fun, recharging the batteries for the second half of the season. I needed it because the calendar has been busy in the last month and now I can focus on the rest of the season,” explained Lorenzo, who now heads to a track he has won on in both the 125cc and 250cc classes but is still yet to take victory at in the elite category.

“We are going to Brno, a track I like and where I've won three times, but never in MotoGP. I haven't even got a podium here and this is my challenge, my first podium in the second part of the season and in Brno,” explained Lorenzo, who became the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 2002 to finish inside the top two in the first nine MotoGP races of the season with victory last time out at Laguna Seca.

Following the race on Sunday Lorenzo and his Fiat Yamaha team will work on the Spaniard’s M1 machine during the one-day test, to further improve what has proven to be a fantastic package so far this season.

“After the race I will stay in Brno to try something new on the bike, something to improve our bike until the end of Championship. It’s a good place to restart!" he added.

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Ferrari target ‘fresh inspiration’ over summer break

For a fortnight in August Formula One racing comes to a shuddering halt as the teams enforce their self-imposed summer shutdown. For Ferrari, who only recently rediscovered their early season form at the German and Hungarian Grands Prix, the two-week holiday could be considered costly, but team principal Stefano Domenicali is hoping a spell away from the factory could prove productive.

“We will be on holiday, but that does not mean our brains will stop working,” Domenicali told Ferrari’s official website. “Maybe one can even find fresh inspiration when outside the normal working environment and I expect this time to be a fertile one for ideas, which when all is said and done, are what make the difference.”

Although hopeful of returning from the shutdown with a few bright ideas packed into his suitcase, Domenicali believes the Italian team are already on the right track thanks to their hard work in July and he is optimistic the F10 will only get better when they resume racing at the end of this month.

“I have to say I was very pleased with the way our team reacted at a point in the season when the results were just not coming,” he added. “The second half of July went very well and I hope it has given the right impetus for the final part of the season. We know there is much to do, because we still do not have the best car, but this should simply be a further incentive.”

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, who won in Germany and took second place in Hungary, isn’t expecting to completely escape Formula One either on his break. He is currently 20 points adrift of standings’ leader Mark Webber and is targeting more strong results when he returns to racing.

“It won’t be possible to switch off my mind completely over these two weeks,” Alonso said. “I will try and relax and do a bit of sport, but at least once a day, maybe just for ten minutes, I will inevitably think about the next race in Belgium. I think it will be the same for everyone. After a few unlucky races, which went badly for various reasons, we are now on the right road.

“The car is much improved and so that makes me more optimistic and has seen the whole team grow in confidence. It only took us two normal races to be fully back in contention for the title. The important thing is to remain calm and concentrated and to do our job well. The percentage chance (of winning the title)? I’d say 50 percent, which is the normal state of affairs.”

Ferrari are expected back in the factory from August 23, ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps from August 27-29.

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Valentino Rossi’s 2010 season so far

A winning start, a horrendous injury and a phenomenal return to action well ahead of schedule… and all by the halfway point of the season. This is the reigning World Champion’s 2010 campaign to date.

Valentino Rossi’s 2010 season so far…

Nobody ever expects Valentino Rossi’s season to be without its fair share of pivotal moments, but the first half of the reigning World Champion’s 2010 campaign must go down as one of the most eventful of his illustrious career to date. Victory in round one, despair in injury and a highly impressive return to action have all been packed into the opening nine rounds by the 31 year-old Italian.

Starting the defence of his title with a win in Qatar Rossi began his quest for an eighth premier class title in the perfect manner, but a motocross training accident shortly after resulted in an injured shoulder which was to continue troubling him for some time. Pain proved no insurmountable obstacle however and third place at Jerez in the next round proved Rossi’s determination. Second place behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo at Le Mans in round three maintained his solid start as another intense battle between the pair formed early in the campaign.

Eager to secure a second win of the season in his home race at Mugello disaster struck in the second practice session as a crash resulted in a fractured right tibia and fibula, an injury which was to rule Rossi out for four races, a considerably shorter period than had first been suggested. It also brought to an end his record breaking run of 230 successive Grand Prix starts, having never missed a race since his World Championship debut in 1996.

Back on two wheels a little over four weeks after the injury Rossi tested a superbike at Misano at the start of July, and a few days later a second day at Brno led to a decision by the rider and his Fiat Yamaha team to attempt a comeback at Sachsenring. Just six weeks after breaking his leg The Doctor rode to fourth position in the race, losing out on a podium spot only on the final corner of the last lap.

Completing a remarkable comeback Rossi placed third in the next race at Laguna Seca, refusing to hold back in his effort to get his campaign back on course. Fifth in the standings on 90 points, some 120 off leader Lorenzo, the title looks beyond his grasp in 2010 but few would be surprised if Rossi mounted an impressive attempt at recovering lost ground over the remaining nine rounds.

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Jenson Button shines at London Triathlon

Despite suffering from a bout of tonsillitis in the days leading up to the event, McLaren’s Jenson Button put in an impressive performance at Sunday’s London Triathlon. Button is understood to have finished fourth out of the 570 competitors in his group, with a time of 2.14:14.

The annual event includes a 1500-metre swim, a 40-kilometre bike ride and a 10-kilometre run. It attracts 11,000 entrants making it the largest triathlon in the world.

“Great day at the London Triathlon,” said Button on his official Twitter site. “Suffered quite a bit on the run due to just being physically drained I guess from the antibiotics. Still reasonably happy with the result though.”

Button competed to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a charity which makes dreams a reality for young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. For more details on the 30 year-old’s fundraising efforts, visit www.justgiving.com/jb2010.

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Diversity in rear tyre selection a success at Mugello

Official MotoGP tyre supplier Bridgestone was highly satisfied with the performance of the two rear tyre options offered at a hot Gran Premio d’Italia TIM.

Bridgestone were extremely pleased with the results they saw at Mugello as the riders employed the widest variety of choice so far this season in terms of rear tyre selection for the race. Every rider opted for the hard front compound due to the hot conditions and hard braking demands, whilst seven went for the softer (medium) rear option and nine for the harder choice
This allowed a direct comparison to be made between the performance of the two rear specifications, and race winner Dani Pedrosa set a new circuit record of 1’49.531 on lap five on the harder rear slick during the 23-lap race.

“This is the second new lap record set on our tyres from the first four races of this season, which is an achievement I am proud of,” said Bridgestone Tyre Development Manager, Tohru Ubukata. “Although his best lap came on lap five, he also broke the lap record on only the fourth lap of the race which indicates good performance from the start. The new fastest total race time at this circuit demonstrates good consistency from our tyres over race distance.”

The number of riders using the softer rear option was also a show of confidence in the performance and durability of the slicks. “Casey and Marco Melandri were two of the riders to use the softer option rear, and they finished fourth and fifth which proves they were good over race distance,” continued Ubukata. “What’s more, Casey and Marco were also in a long battle with Randy de Puniet who used a hard rear tyre and all three riders did very similar lap times throughout.”

The diversity in rear tyre selection was down to the wider temperature operating range of both compounds, meaning both were able to deal with the demanding heat of the asphalt as the track temperature rose to 54ºC during the race. That left the riders to make their decisions based on a combination of riding style and machine set-up.

“Dani, Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso chose the hard compound rear because they could get good grip from it with their individual set-ups and it gave better stability because the rubber is stiffer,” explained Ubukata. “Casey and Marco, for example, chose the softer option rear because it gave more edge grip, and for their styles and set-ups durability was not a concern even with the high track temperature.”

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Re-live the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM!

motogp.com takes you through a full review of the fourth round of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, with the best video action just a click away.

Mugello played host to the latest stage of the World Championship as round four called on the beautiful Tuscan countryside last weekend, and with the weather remaining fine throughout the weekend it was an eventful one in Italy.

The official pre-event on Thursday saw some World Championship riders attempt to make traditional Italian pizza, although their dough skills failed to match up to their abilities on board a motorcycle! The serious business began later that afternoon as a quintet of MotoGP stars – Nicky Hayden, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso and Marco Simoncelli – attended the pre-race press conference as anticipation for the race grew.

Friday afternoon arrived and the time for talking was over as the on-track action commenced and it was World Champion Valentino Rossi who took control of the opening practice session, setting the fastest time as Casey Stoner experienced a difficult start to the session.

On Saturday morning it was Jorge Lorenzo who topped the timesheet by the conclusion of FP2, but the main talking point of the session and the remainder of the weekend was Rossi’s crash which ruled him out of the race – and for an as-yet unknown number of rounds – with a fractured right tibia. The Italian was flown to hospital in Florence by helicopter where he had an operation later that day. Dani Pedrosa was the fastest man in qualifying in the afternoon as he secured his second pole position of the season.

Race day arrived and a spectacular 125cc race kicked Sunday off. Marc Márquez took the first victory of his career with a perfectly judged ride to win a thrilling four-way battle with Nico Terol, Pol Espargaró and Bradley Smith, who just missed out on the final podium spot by 0.045s.

Moto2 provided a similarly engrossing spectacle, but the battle was for second spot as Andrea Iannone raced to a clear victory. Jules Cluzel was one of a series of fallers as he crashed out when leading the chasing pack.

It was then onto the MotoGP race and before the main event got underway Rossi spoke to fans over the circuit PA via telephone from his hospital bed, thanking them for the overwhelming messages of support. Simoncelli and Lorenzo were amongst the riders who also wished the 31 year-old a speedy recovery as they lined up on the grid.

Pedrosa stormed to victory in the MotoGP race to take his first win of the campaign, with Championship leader Lorenzo and home hero Dovizioso taking the other podium spots. All expressed their delight in the post-race press conference. There was disappointment for Nicky Hayden and Mika Kallio, who both crashed out of the race.

Trackside the Mugello Paddock Girls complemented the stunning Tuscan landscape, and the OnBoard cameras provided the regular unique perspective of the riders.

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Rossi in high spirits after operation

The Italian expressed his gratitude to the medical staff at the hospital at which he is recovering from his operation and thanked his well wishers, even finding time to joke.

Valentino Rossi displayed some of his characteristic humour as he spoke from his hospital bed at the Centro Traumatologico Ortopedico (Centre for Orthopaedic Trauma) in Florence, Italy on Sunday.
The World Champion, who had an operation to repair his fractured right tibia on Saturday, was interviewed by journalist Guido Meda from Mediaset just before Sunday’s Gran Premio d’Italia TIM at Mugello, the first race he has missed since making his 125cc World Championship debut in 1996.

Rossi’s initial words were ones of thanks to Doctor Buzzi at the CTO, the man who performed his successful operation, and the nine-time World Champion also explained how touched he was by the range of tributes from his fellow riders on Sunday which included a message from Fiat Yamaha team-mate and rival Jorge Lorenzo calling him a ‘legend’.

“I want to thank everyone at Mugello and also all the riders who have wished me well: it’s always a great feeling,” said Rossi. “The operation went well, Doctor Buzzi has been exceptional and they are treating me like I’m part of the family here. I have had a pin inserted into my leg and tomorrow they will close and stitch the wound, then we will wait and begin a good rehabilitation programme.”

Rossi recounted the crash in the practice session which threw him from his bike. “They were difficult moments because it was a bad crash and a bad injury. I’ve watched the accident again and to see how my ankle looked was not a good feeling. There were a few moments of fear, but now I’m doing well,” he stated.

“Now I can say my morale is reasonably high because I’ve discovered I have a great rapport with morphine!” he joked, before going on to show that he was well and truly on the road to recovery with another comment about the race, which Dani Pedrosa won shortly after the interview. “I hope nobody wins!”

Rossi now wants to ensure that he takes enough time to fully recover, and added: “It will take some time, but the important thing is that I’ll return at 100%.”

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Ferrari sign Canadian karter to driver academy

Ferrari have selected 11-year old Canadian karter Lance Stroll to join their driver academy. The programme, which was set up at the end of 2009, was devised by the Italian team to find and support talented young drivers from around the world, with the eventual aim of helping them into Formula One racing.

Montreal-born Stroll has already clinched two wins in the Canadian national championship in the Rotax Mini Max category, as well as winning the Coupe de Montreal and Coupe du Quebec Micro Max championships in 2008 and both Mini Max championships in 2009.
“We are pleased to welcome Lance to our group,” said Luca Baldisserri, who runs the Ferrari Driving Academy. “He is very young, but he has already shown in karting that he is exceptionally talented. We will follow him step by step in his forthcoming events in North America and he will soon also take part in our courses at Maranello.”

Last year, Stroll finished sixth in the world finals at Lonato in the Mini Roc category and second in the Rotax Micro Max Florida winter tour, a series he won this year in Mini Max along with the championships for the Tag/Cadet Florida Winter Tour. In 2008 he was nominated by the Federation Sport Automobile du Quebec as rookie of the year and in 2009 was nominated as a driver of the year.

Others in Ferrari’s stable of young drivers include Brandon Maisano, Raffaele Marciello, Jules Bianchi, Daniel Zampieri and Mirko Bortolotti.

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Vettel: Red Bull's heads held high for Montreal

Red Bull have endured a rough ride in the ten days since May’s Turkish Grand Prix. As well as the furore that surrounded the crash between team mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber at Istanbul Park, the team also know that this weekend’s Canadian race will be a tough test, with many tipping McLaren to dominate.

Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with its slow corners and long straights, should certainly favour the F-Duct equipped MP4-25 of the British team. But rather than feeling downcast, Vettel is optimistic the previously dominant RB6 has enough performance in reserve to overcome the dearth of high-speed corners, in which the car has been particularly quick, to maintain Red Bull’s advantage.

“It’s a very nice track - I like it,” the German told Red Bull’s official website. “On paper it’s probably not the best for our car, but on the other hand our car has been very competitive at every single race this year, so I think we can go there with our heads held high. We will try to do our best.”

McLaren’s much talked about F-duct system, which stalls the car’s rear wing at speed, reducing drag, should be particularly beneficial in Montreal. Red Bull trialled their own version in practice in Turkey, but results were inconclusive and the team are not expected to use the system in Canada.

“I think the McLarens will be very strong there because, whatever you call them - J-switch or F-duct system - should work there again very well,” added Vettel. “So we’ll see, but I think we have a very good chance. We’ll try to score the maximum amount of points.”

Red Bull arrive in Montreal after scoring seven consecutive pole positions and three race wins in 2010. While Webber is leading the drivers’ standings with 93 points, Vettel is down in fifth, 15 points adrift of his team mate. Red Bull, meanwhile, are one point down on constructors’ leaders McLaren.

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