Rossi to Ferrari

Seven times world champions Valentino Rossi and Michael Schumacher have a lot in common

Last week Rossi lapped within two tenths of Raikkonen's lap record at the Barcelona circuit. His pace and ability to learn are not in doubt.

Italy is looking for a new favourite now that Schumacher has left for Mercedes.

Schumacher may have had in mind following John Surtees to be a champion in motorcycling as well as Ferrari F1. However a series of accidents on two wheels hampered his progress and then delayed him returning to F1.

Now both drivers are aiming for eight championships.

Ferrari will likely replace one of their drivers with Rossi in 2011, and again will have a driver with the highest status in their premier brand.

Schumacher Now a Mercedes Driver

Another F1GPnews prediction has come to be. Schumacher is now a Mercedes driver.

As for Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Jaques Villeneuve the pull of F1 is too great to resist a return for the great Herr Schumacher.

What a spectacle it will be when Button goes head to head in the same car with Lewis Hamilton and Alonso takes his Ferrari to the limit with Ferrari-favourite and former ambassador and multiple World Champion Schumacher in a Mercedes!

Four recent world champions on one grid. What a shame Raikkonen could not have hung on for one more year.

Why Schumacher Will Sign for Mercedes

When Michael Schumacher signs for Mercedes it will be to reunite him with Ross Brawn.

Jenson Button knew that this was imminent and McLaren tipped him off when he visited the factory in Woking and ended up signing for them rather than staying with Brawn. This was despite his world championship winning year with them and disregarded the risks of joining 'Hamilton's team'.

That is what appears most likely at this point in time. It's the guessing that makes F1 such a constant attraction and distraction in so many ways.

Schumacher's return will make 2010 incredibly exciting as he pits his skills against the reigning and previous world champions, his likely successor at Mercedes when his Red Bull contract ends, and another young german team mate whose father was F1 champion and held the all time lap record at Silverstone at 160 mph average speed.

Silverstone Contract

As suggested here on November 4th, Silverstone has signed a 17 year deal to host the British Grand Prix.

This will give the security needed to carry out a substantial redevelopment of the historic circuit.

A 5% annual cost uplift and 10 year break clause are understood to be part of the package.

Schumacher to Join Silver Arrows Brawn Mercedes

It is the reported opinion of Eddie Jordan that Michael Schumacher will join Mercedes Brawn F1 GP team.

In an interview with the BBC, Jordan, who gave Schumacher his F1 debut, expressed the clear opinion that Brawn's team will sign the seven times world champion for 2010. To clear the way he will need to be released from the conditions of his contract with Ferrari.

To read more about Michael Schumacher click here on the topics bar.

McLaren vs Brawn

So as predicted here on November 11th, Jenson Button is now a McLaren driver and as suggested on November 9th Brawn will race in silver.

How will they get on? McLaren's long relationship with Mercedes is not dead as they will continue to use Mercedes engines. Brawn as a team will benefit from increased funding but perhaps suffer from interference into Ross Brawn's peerless engineering management.

What about Button vs Rosberg, the new Brawn driver? Button is an enduring racer and a consistent points scorer. Rosberg is quick in first practice.

More musings later.

McLaren to Sign Button

Having been at Honda then Brawn for so long, my instinct is that Jenson Button will not be able to resist the new challenge of signing for McLaren Mercedes for 2010.

Although this may lay him open to accusations of moving for money, his defense will be that this opportunity may not arise again. To have the current and former world champion in the same team will be a revival of the Prost-Senna era.

It is very unlikely that there would be any of the friction that arose when Alonso was Lewis Hamilton's parter.

That would give Kimi Raikkonen the option of moving to Brawn and reunite him with Ross who helped him to his championship at Ferrari. Ross Brawn is used to drivers who will push in every race regardless of whether this may lose them points. Many believe that Button is that sort of driver but Brawn may not be convinced. Raikkonen does not need the money since Ferrari are effectively paying his salary for next year with his premature severance pay to make way for Alonso.

Button's alternative is to negotiate more freedom for income through endorsements whilst accepting a lower salary from Brawn GP.

Brawn to Race In Silver?

With Mercedes rumoured to be looking to take a 75% stake in Brawn GP - the question arises as to whether they would race in silver rather than the now familiar white and yellow.

Jenson Button will no doubt be interested in the outcome of such a takeover and the investment it would draw in.

One of his options is to join the McLaren team itself. Would he be joining a team that would become to Mercedes what Toro Rosso is to Red Bull?

Either way there is little doubt that Ross Brawn remains probably the best engineering manager and stategist in the pit lane. With Button's own World Championship he becomes the most successful manager of drivers world champions considering his pivotal role in all of Schumacher's successes also.

Silverstone Signs Deal for 2010 British Grand Prix

This is the headline all British grand prix fans want to see and many others elsewhere.

Although only £600,000 profit was made this year from the event, the spin offs are worth hundreds of times that sum to the economy.

It seems likely that a deal will be done within the next week with Silverstone remaining on the formula one calendar.

Jenson Button | My Championship Year

To celebrate Jenson Button's 2009 F1 World Championship win, the book 'My Championship Year" is available to order now from F1 GP Bookstore.

Click here to order.

Jenson came home 3rd to close out the season with a podium finish in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton Hot in Abu Dhabi | Button's Form Deserts Him

Lewis Hamilton set a blistering pace to take pole by half a second at the brand new Abu Dhabi circuit. New world champion Jenson Button spoke of having to change his safety helmet and then vibration under braking as distractions leaving him able not to do better than fifth.

In case you had hoped to order a ticket for a 2010 British Grand Prix before the end of November 2009, you will be disappointed to know that a deal has still not been signed.

The galvanised scaffold grandstands I have sat in since fhe 1960s remain strangely silent.

Silverstone Circuit Designs

Silverstone have already commissioned designs for redevelopment including a new pit complex.

These were prepared by HOK Sport. Whether or not they will go ahead may be part of the deal.

HOK Sport worked with Foster and Partners on the Wembley Stadium. Does Silverstone have the time and cost control in place to realise such a scheme?

Picture credit : Building.co.uk

F1 | Architects

Architects are used to working with design technology - you don't need to go all the way to Abu Dhabi to find good examples.

I have worked with svaarchitects in Berkshire and they came up with some good designs too.

F1 News | Silverstone Circuit vs Abu Dhabi

As Donington gets the thumbs down from Bernie Ecclestone, Silverstone is again endeavouring to get an agreement on staging the 2010 British Grand Prix.

The negotiators are Bernie vs Damon. Two different syles here.

No doubt contrasts will be drawn between the facilities in Abu Dhabi and those at Silverstone. Questions of funding will arise and a compromise will be reached that allows Silverstone to make some minor changes while continuing to hold the GP.

Talking of differences in style it is a good time to mention the excellent architects Hani Rashid and Lisa Anne Couture of New York based Asymptote who were responsible for the building most often featured in shots of the Abu Dhabi facilities - not a grandstand or a club house but a hotel - the Yas Hotel in fact.

Maybe that is a way of funding a visual update for Silverstone.

picture source: http://www.asymptote-architecture.com

Raikkonen to McLaren

News is still awaiting confirmation but a move by Kimi Raikkonen to McLaren is a tantalising prospect.

Both Raikkonen and Hamilton are former world champions and both are blisteringly quick in a raw talent kind of way.

Brawn | Button Holding Out

Newly crowned World Champion Jenson Button has not yet signed a contract for 2010.

According to general news sources, funding has yet to be agreed. Ross Brawn expects this to be agreed within the next few weeks.

To put things in perspective and depending on the driver, an F1 driver's salary for between five days and two weeks is the equivalent of what a mechanic earns in one year.

Jenson Buttons World Title

Today Jenson Button clinched the Formula One World Championship. With four stunning overtaking moves he climbed from 14th to 5th in probably the most gripping race of the season.

Jenson Button World Champion | F1

Jenson Button World F1 champion 2009. Those words will resound from Brazil if he finishes in third place this weekend.

What would you do if you were in his position? Anyone who has taken part in a karting event with friends will know that you need to hammer it in qualifying to go for pole in the race.

From there you are clear of the danger of being tagged by other competitors in the melée of the first corner and can control the race thereafter.

Is it just Vettel who is a threat for victory? Barrichello will be out to please his home fans and Hamilton will be very fast. The one to watch is Mark Webber. He can be very influential over the result for Red Bull.

Race Averages | Last Eight

In F1 news of points scored is always interesting.

In the past eight races Button has averaged 3 points per race, Barrichello 4.5 and Vettel 5. If this average continues, Button will finish the season with 91 points, Barrichello 80 and Vettel 79.

Button Loses Ground

Sebastian Vettel built on his excellent pole position with a clear victory in Suzuka.

Button followed Barrichello into eighth to pick up one more point. Vettel reminded everyone before the race of Hamilton's debut year when a seemingly unassailable margin was overhauled by Kimi Raikkonen in the last three races.

Vettel on Pole

With several drivers struggling at Suzuka and having their qualifying cut short with crashes, Sebastian Vettel took pole position. The other championship contenders Barrichello and Button came in 5th and seventh respectively.

Ross Brawn clarified the unusual number of accidents by explaining that an oversteer set up is quick at Suzuka. This reduces the margins when the limit of adhesion is reached.

Hamilton's New Team Mate

Although yet to be confirmed, McLaren F1 appear to be lining up to announce the news of next year's driver line up.

Not since the days of Prost and Senna have McLaren had such a strong partnership as they will have should Kimi Raikkonen leave Ferrari one year early to join Lewis Hamilton.

Heikki Kovalainen is extremely talented and may well prove to be very successful in a new team.

Fernando Alonso would replace Raikkonen at Ferrari. On past experience of other team partners, it is not clear that Massa will find him as good company as Kimi has been.

Singapore GP | Hamilton Wins

Lewis Hamilton put in a flawless performance to win the 2009 Singapore GP.

The news is that Button with his fifth place only lost one point to Vettel and pulled out another on Barrichello. He has a 15 point lead in the championship with three races to go.

FIA Verdict

The Renault F1 Team received a two year ban suspended on the basis that no comparable offense is committed during that period. Failing this a permanent exclusion from the sport would be applied.

Following a frank admission of events leading to the deliberate crashing of Nelson Piquet's car, Renault will pay the full costs of the investigation and agreed to commit significant funding to the safety work of the FIA.

As a result of the crash a safety car was deployed and the combination of this and an early

refuelling of Alonso's car was alleged to have contributed to his race victory in Singapore.

FIA Hearing Paris

News is awaited of the FIA decision today on last year's Singapore GP events.

Briatore and Symonds Quit

Flavio Briatore and Director of Engineering Pat Symonds have left the Renault Formula One team.

There is no news on the future of the team.

Lotus | F1 | 2010

Excellent news has been released that Team Lotus will return to F1 in 2010.

Mike Gascoigne will be technical director.

Historic names such as Jim Clark and Graham Hill have driven Lotus cars to their six F1 drivers titles.

FIA Press Release:-

Following an intensive selection and due diligence process, the FIA has awarded the 13th entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship to the Lotus F1 Team.

The FIA also received an impressive application from the BMW Sauber Team. However, given that BMW has announced it will withdraw its support in 2010, there are still uncertainties regarding the future ownership of the team.

Nevertheless, the FIA considers that BMW Sauber’s application is of high quality and would constitute a competitive participant in the Championship. As such, it has awarded BMW Sauber the '14th place' in the Championship meaning that it will be entitled to fill any vacancy that arises on the 2010 grid.

In addition, the FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams. The FIA will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010.

Detailed below is information about the new team that has been confirmed to compete in the Championship from next year.

Company Name: 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd
Team Name: Lotus F1 Team
Country: Malaysia
Team Principal: Tony Fernandes

A partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs, 1Malaysia F1 Team returns the Lotus name as a constructor to Formula One for the first time since 1994. The team will initially be based at the RTN facility in Norfolk, UK, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. A 50,000 square foot fully equipped facility, RTN was built by Toyota for its initial Formula One programme and then used by Bentley for its successful Le Mans programme.

The team’s future design, R&D, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose built at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit.

Team Principal Tony Fernandes is the founder and CEO of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, owner of the Air Asia airline. The team’s Technical Director Mike Gascoyne has over 20 years of experience in Formula One having previously performed the same role for the Force India, Toyota, Renault and Jordan Formula One teams.

As part of its application to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, the team has agreed an engine supply deal with Cosworth and a wide variety of technical partnerships including Xtrac and FondTech.

Drivers Table After Monza

With four races left, Button and Barrichello would need a very unusual circumstance not to win the F1 drivers championship this year.

For example Vettel wins all four remaining races and Button fails to make the podium.

For the few that don't have it in their head - here's the F1 points system from first to eighth:-

10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

A couple of DNFs however and the pressure is back on. And if Barrichello wins the last four, Button will need to be right behind him...

Brawn 1-2 | F1 News | Monza | Brawn 1-2

There was something just right about the race at Monza.

Many drivers appeared to be pushing the limits of their cars. Hamilton did so until finally the grip gave way on the last lap and hit the barrier.

Button was swapping fastest sector times with Hamilton as they both chased Barrichello.

A Ferrari on the podium in the shape of Raikkonen again was just the right thing.

Then Ross Brawn, the architect of 9 world championships, gave a calm, professional interview stating that for the rest of the season, both drivers will be given the same open treatment to close down the championship.

Mansell Advises Button

The great entertainer and proven winner Nigel Mansell has advised Jenson Button to loosen up ahead of the Monza F1 GP.

We all remember Murray Walker announcing excitedly 'Mansell's on a charge', race after race.

Mansell gave the impression he was fighting for every point and that is what is needed for the rest of the season.

Massa Plastic Surgery

'Today Felipe Massa had plastic surgery at his brain box.'

In case this sounds rather flippant - please see felipemassa.com.

The operation took place yesterday at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital.

Picture credit: felipemassa.com

Vettel at Monza

Sebastian Vettel won the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at Monza in a Toro Rosso.

This year he goes to Italy in his Red Bull with 53 points - 19 behind championship leader Jenson Button.

A win in the wet like last year would close the gap, particularly if Button follows the form of his races from Silverstone on.

F1 | News | Drivers Table

As the Monza GP Italy approaches this is the drivers table.

With 5 races to go Button needs 35 points to secure the title. That assumes that Barichello wins all remaining races. The reality is that, along with Button himself, wins will likely be divided between Raikonnen, Hamilton, Webber and Vettel. On that basis Button looks even more secure.

His best strategy would still be to go out and win the next two races.

Fisichella Joins Ferrari

Force India driver Giancarlo Fisichella, contrary to previous denials by his team, has joined Ferrari for the remainder of the season.

The 36 year old driver has won three races to date and was second in the last race at Spa. His form may well continue to Monza which will of course be his home race and a popular Italian drive.

As you can see from this photo he looks like boy who has at last been given a toy he has always wanted.

image credit: Ferrari.com

Ferrari Vacancy

Now that Michael Schumacher has postponed his return due to his neck injury and Felipe Massa has been cleared by his medical team but not to race until next year, the seat at Ferrari for Monza is still in debate.

The current incumbent Luca Badoer as had a less than successful at deputising rounding out the field last at Spa while his team mate competed 4 wins out of 5 at the Belgian circuit.

Force India have ruled out releasing Fisichella for Monza preferring to believe that they can repeat their second place success at Spa with him or do even better.

Belgian Grand Prix | Ferrari Force Win

As Kimi Raikonnen took Ferrari's first victory of the season, Force India came in second with Fisichella being quicker for most of the race. Beaten by KERS at the start, it was not possible to take the win but only a second separated first and second at the end.

Vettel closed the championship gap on Button with third place. Button had his first DNF of the year after being hit from behind by Grosjean on lap 1.

India Force Spa Front Row

Giancarlo Fisichella put his Force India F1 car on pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix tomorrow. This is of course the team's best ever result and is a fitting reward for some steady development progress this year.

F1 Champs

This weekend the F1 GP team moves to Spa Francorchamps. This is perhaps the most evocative of all circuits and in particular the Red Water Road or Route de l'Eau Rouge. This corner creates immense compression and lateral G-Forces which may have concerned Schumacher when considering whether his neck was up to a return this year.

Picture credit: www.spa-francorchamps.be

Rubens Dedicates Win

Rubens Barrichello dedicated his win in Valencia today to his absent friend Felipe Massa.

In an emotional mood he drove the BrawnGP to his first victory in five years.

As Vettel retired with a broken engine and Webber finished behind him, Jenson Button was able to limit the damage from his seventh place.

-- Post From My iPhone

Hamilton on Pole | F1 | Valencia

Remember our blog from Hungary?

"if Lewis Hamilton continues his Hungary form and closes out the season by winning the next 7 races he could be world champion with 89 points".

Well he is moving forward to this goal by setting an excellent pole time with Button back in 5th.