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F1 Teams told ‘10 rules must be agreed unanimously

Formula One teams have been told by the sport’s governing body that the published 2010 regulations can only be changed if all, including the new entrants, agree.
The autosport.com website reported on Tuesday that International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley had written to the teams pointing out the procedures laid down in the rules.
“Article 66 of the international sporting code states that no change can be made to the published regulations without the agreement of all confirmed entrants,” Mosley wrote to the three new entrants plus Williams and Force India.

“As a result, changes to the 2010 regulations require your agreement and consent”.
The five are outside the eight-member Formula One Teams Association (FOTA).
All 13 teams were due to meet before this weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring to discuss the 2010 regulations.
The three new teams, Campos Meta, US F1 and Manor Grand Prix, all signed up to next year’s championship when an optional 40 million-pound ($64.76 million) budget cap was planned.
The FOTA teams, led by champions Ferrari, had threatened a breakaway series but dropped that when a deal was reached at a meeting of the FIA’s world motor sport council in Paris last month.
The FIA said at the time that the rules for 2010 onwards would be the 2009 regulations “as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009.”

Massa remains in ICU after skull operation

Medical staff lift Ferrari Formula One car driver Felipe Massa of Brazil into an ambulance after he crashed during the qualification session for the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit near Budapest July 25, 2009. The Hungarian F1 Grand Prix will take place on Sunday July 26.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Ferrari driver Felipe Massa underwent skull surgery and will remain in intensive care for observation, his F1 team said on Saturday.
Massa crashed into a tyre wall in second qualifying after being hit on the helmet by a piece of flying debris believed to have come from the Brawn GP car of Rubens Barrichello.
He was flown to the AEK Hospital in Budapest after being treated at the track’s medical center.
Ferrari said in a statement that Messa was conscious when he arrived at the hospital and the outcome of his surgery was “positive”.
“He underwent surgery to treat these conditions, the outcome of which was positive. He will now remain under observation in intensive care,” Ferrari.
The 28-year-old Brazilian qualified in 10th despite the crash but will miss Sunday’s race.

Hamilton picks up 1st F1 win of 2009 at Hungary

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton won his first Formula One race of the season Sunday at a Hungarian Grand Prix overshadowed by the absence of Felipe Massa, who remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries from a crash a day earlier.
Hamilton won for the first time since last year’s Chinese GP, snapping a streak of 11 races without a podium finish.

McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gestures as he stands on the winners podium with Red Bull’s Mark Webber of Australia (R) and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen of Finland (L) after the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit near Budapest July 26, 2009. [Agencies]
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen came second and Red Bull’s Mark Webber finished third. Webber moved to second in the overall title race, after teammate Sebastian Vettel retired with an engine problem.
Massa, meanwhile, remained sedated in a hospital with multiple skull fractures after a crash in his Ferrari during qualifying. Massa’s place on the grid was left vacant.
“I’ve had a great relationship and we’ve had some great battles and not to see him today was difficult,” said Hamilton, who beat Massa by a single point in the 2008 championship following a battle that stretched to the final corner of the final lap of the season. “We miss him and wish him well and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Motor sport’s governing body suspended Fernando Alonso’s Renault team for the next race for failing to advise the two-time world champion that a nut on his front right wheel was not properly secured. Alonso, the pole sitter, would retire early after the wheel came off and bounced wildly down the track.
Overall leader Jenson Button finished seventh for the Brawn GP driver to lead Webber by 18.5 points.
Hamilton, who finished 11.5 seconds ahead of Raikkonen, started pumping his fists in celebration before even crossing the line, unable to rein in his emotions following a largely frustrating season for the British driver and his team.
He patted the No. 1 sticker on his car emphatically after emerging from the cockpit and then had to wrestle the celebratory champagne back from team principal Martin Whitmarsh as McLaren returned to the podium for the first time this season.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be back here after what feels such a long time away, and such a struggle with me and my team,” Hamilton said after his 10th career win. “We didn’t expect to win this season. Undoubtedly we caught up this weekend.”
Massa was struck in the helmet Saturday by a loose piece from another car, causing him to crash into the tire barrier at high speed. During the race, Ferrari’s garage displayed a banner reading “Forza Felipe Siamo Con Te” – or “Be Strong Felipe, We Are With You.”
“It was very unfortunate what happened. Yesterday was terrifically freakish,” Webber said. “But we don’t want to get too carried away with it. We missed him on the grid but the show must go on.”
It was Button’s worst result this season after winning six of the first seven races, and moved him to 70 points in the overall standings. Webber has 51.5 points, while Vettel’s retirement after 29 laps left him on 47 points.
Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello finished 10th to stay on 44 points as Red Bull also trimmed Brawn GP’s lead in the constructors’ series to 15.5 points with seven races left.

Renault Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain (front) leads in front of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton of Britain (L) and Red Bull’s Mark Webber of Australia (R) during the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit near Budapest July 26, 2009. [Agencies]
 ”We’re still up here, we haven’t been blown away by any means,” Webber said. “We’re still a force.”
F1’s safety measures are likely to be questioned after Alonso’s wheel came off since that scene comes a day after Massa’s accident and one week since F2 driver Henry Surtees, son of former F1 champion John Surtees, died in a crash caused by a loose tire.
Renault said it would appeal the suspension, which will keep Alonso out of the European GP on August 23, one of two races in his native Spain.
Hamilton muscled past Raikkonen at the first turn and then eventually got past Webber to pull away from Raikkonen following Alonso’s exit. Raikkonen squeezed past Webber on the exit out of the pit lane and never surrendered second after that.
Hamilton’s girlfriend _ pop singer Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls _ could not contain herself in the McLaren garage as the youngest ever F1 champion stormed to an easy win in the end.
“It’s a good day for the sport. Lewis is back and McLaren is back,” Webber said.
Vettel’s retirement came after a poor start and a slight collision with Raikkonen around the first corner, when the young German dropped from second to seventh.
Nico Rosberg of Williams was fourth for the second straight race and McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen was fifth.
Toyota pair Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli completed the points places after finishing sixth and eighth, respectively.
Jaime Alguersuari, who became the youngest driver to start an F1 race at 19 years, 126 days, finished ahead of last-place Toro Rosso teammate Sebastien Buemi in 15th on his debut.

Massa suffers heavy crash in Hungary GP

Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari was receiving medical attention Saturday after being hit by car’s piece and crashing heavily in qualifying for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old went off the track at Turn Four at more than 200 kph after being struck by a piece of debris that had flown off the rear of compatriot Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn GP suspension.
Massa was hit on the face, close to his chin, and momentarily concussed as his car skewed off the circuit and into the barriers.
The Brawn team confirmed that Barrichello’s car lost a piece of suspension and on-board film from Massa’s Ferrari showed him being struck, losing control and going off into a wall of tyres.
He was lifted out of his driver’s cockpit after being attended by medical staff and then taken to the circuit medical center.
After being treated and examined by Formula One’s chief medical officer Gary Hartstein, there was no immediate announcement on his condition but he was helicoptered off to hospital whilst qualifying then resumed.

Hospital: Massa now able to speak

Formula One driver Felipe Massa was awake and talking to family members Monday, making significant improvement after lost consciousness in a crash two days earlier.
Lajos Zsiros, the chief surgeon at AEK hospital, said Massa is now breathing unassisted and moving his limbs. In addition, a drain from his skull wound has been removed.
“(Massa is) sleepy but he gives adequate answers to questions we ask him and he gives spontaneous answers to questions we ask him,” Zsiros said. “Further improvement of his condition can be expected.”
Zsiros said Massa didn’t have a fever and remained in stable condition in the military AEK hospital’s intensive care unit alongside family members.
Massa crashed into a protective tire barrier at 190 kilometers per hour (120 mph) Saturday during qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix and was near death for two days.
“Felipe is awake. He’s very well and everyone is very happy with his condition,” Massa’s family doctor, Dino Altman, said. “He wants to know what happened to him and he answered some questions.”
Altman ruled out Massa being transferred from Budapest, with doctors suggesting Massa would have to remain at least one week to 10 days.

German car maker BMW pulls out of F1

BMW is pulling out of Formula One at the end of this season, the second car maker to leave the series within a year.
The German company announced the decision at a news conference Wednesday, saying it wanted to use its significant F1 budget in other areas. It will remain involved in auto racing.

Norbert Reithofer, CEO of German luxury carmaker BMW, addresses a news conference in Munich, July 29, 2009. BMW confirmed on Wednesday it would leave Formula One racing at the end of 2009 for image reasons as the maker of sporty luxury cars wants to focus on sustainability and the environment. [Xinhua]
Since entering F1 as a team by taking over the Sauber team ahead of the 2006 season – it had previously acted as an engine supplier – BMW had posted just one race win, at last year’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Touted as a championship contender for the 2009 season, BMW lagged well behind the pace of the leading teams.
“Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it’s a resolute step in view of our company’s strategic realignment,” BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer said at the news conference.
He said the Munich-based car maker would use the resources previously spent on the F1 team to advance “sustainability and environmental compatibility.”
Klaus Draeger, the board member responsible for development, said the team was “unable to meet expectations in the current season.”

BMW’s withdrawal followed that of Japanese car maker Honda ahead of the 2009 season, illustrating the growing pressure upon car makers to cut costs amid a global economic downturn that had hit new car sales.
Their withdrawal also lent credence to efforts by the FIA to significantly reduce F1 costs in order to retain existing teams and attract new entrants.
FIA, motor racing’s world governing body, said it hoped BMW was the last manufacturer to leave the series.
“The FIA regrets the announcement of BMW’s intended withdrawal from Formula One, but is not surprised by it,” it said in a statement.
“It has been clear for some time that motor sport cannot ignore the world economic crisis. Car manufacturers cannot be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula One when their survival depends on redundancies, plant closures and the support of the taxpayer. This is why the FIA prepared regulations to reduce costs drastically.”

File photo of BMW Sauber motorsport director Mario Theissen, Germany’s Nick Heidfeld, Poland’s Robert Kubica and technical director Willy Rampf (L-R) pose during the presentation of the new BMW Sauber F1.08 racing car in Munich in this January 14, 2008. [Xinhua]
BMW’s decision to end its involvement on Formula One only came Tuesday and the company was still considering what to do with the staff involved with the team, Draeger said.
“Of course … would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years,” BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said.
“But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing.”
Mercedes, the other major German car maker involved in Formula One, said it regretted BMW’s pullout, “but it will have no influence on our F1 engagement.”
The decision by BMW comes at a time when auto makers worldwide are reporting lower sales amid the global economic slowdown. Consumers are reluctant to open their wallets for big-ticket items and companies are trimming costs.
Georg Stuerzer, an automotive analyst with UniCredit in Munich who follows BMW, told AP that he estimated that the company was spending approximately $280 million a year on its Formula One involvement.
Draeger said it was not yet clear if the decision would result in job losses in Munich and Hinwil, Switzerland. The operation counts some 700 workers.
“Since we only made this decision yesterday, we cannot provide any more precise information,” he said. “We will develop and assess various scenarios and do our best to find a solution for the employees in Hinwil and the staff members involved in the Formula One project in Munich.”

File photo of the new BMW Sauber F1.08 racing car presented in Munich January 14, 2008. BMW announced on July 29, 2009 its withdrawal from Formula One at the end of the season during emergency press conference in Munich. [Xinhua]
The withdrawal will prompt speculation about the future of drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld. Kubica will be in strong demand for next season and will likely remain involved in F1.
The future for Heidfeld is less certain, though his long stint in the sport could make him an attractive option for the new entrant teams next season, who will be looking for an experienced driver.
In its debut season in 2006, BMW Sauber wound up fifth in the constructors’ championship. In 2007, the German-Swiss team came in second after McLaren-Mercedes’ exclusion from the points standings.
In 2008, the team was in the hunt for the world championship until the end of the season, winding up third. Kubica had the only GP victory in Canada.
So far, the BMW Sauber F1 Team has taken one pole position (Kubica in Bahrain in 2008) and 16 podium finishes. It is eighth in the constructors’ standings in the current season.

M. Schumacher backs to F1 from retirement

Former Formula One world champion and Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher of Germany signs autographs as he arrives at Albert Park race track for the Australian F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne March 29, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
Formula One team Ferrari announced Wednesday that Michael Schumacher could be back on track to replace injured driver Felipe Massa if the seven times world champion passes a fitness test.
“Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa’s car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race,” read a statement of the Italian team.
“I talked on the telephone with (team principal) Stefano Domenicali and (Ferrari president) Luca de Montezemolo this afternoon and we decided jointly that I’ll start preparing to jump in for Felipe,” he told his website Wednesday.
The 40-year-old German, who retired from F1 at the end of 2006, could make his comeback in next month’s race in Valencia, Spain, which is a street circuit having been added to the calendar only last season.
“Michael Schumacher has shown his willingness and in the next few days he will undergo a specific program of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the championship starting with the European Grand Prix on Aug. 23.”
The F1 reigning champions’ driver Brazilian Massa fractured his skull in an accident at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Schumacher probably making comeback

Seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher will replace injured driver Felipe Massa at Ferrari if he passes a fitness test, the team said on Wednesday.

The German, now 40 years old, retired from F1 at the end of 2006. All being well, he will make his comeback in Valencia, Spain, next month.
“Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa’s car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race,” the Italian team said in a statement. “Michael Schumacher has shown his willingness and in the next few days he will undergo a specific program of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the championship starting with the European Grand Prix on Aug 23.”
That race is one of the few Schumacher is unfamiliar with since the Spanish street circuit was added to the calendar only last season.

Schumacher’s comeback for the reigning champions will be a huge boost for F1 organizers as well as local fans, who could be without home hero Fernando Alonso after his Renault team were suspended for one race.
His comeback will be the first time McLaren’s current world champion Lewis Hamilton, as well as Red Bull’s title contender Sebastian Vettel, have raced against the man who dominated a decade.
Both Hamilton, 24, and 22-year-old German race winner Vettel – nicknamed ‘Baby Schumi’ by his compatriots – entered the sport after Schumacher had left the scene.
Fractured skull
Ferrari contacted the German, who has taken part in occasional motorcycle races since he retired, after Brazilian Massa fractured his skull in an accident at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
“I talked on the telephone with (team principal) Stefano Domenicali and (Ferrari president) Luca de Montezemolo this afternoon and we decided jointly that I’ll start preparing to jump in for Felipe,” he said on his website (www.michael-schumacher.de)
“Even though I completely wrapped up the subject of Formula One quite a while ago, due to my attachment to the team I cannot ignore this unfortunate situation. As a competitor, like I am, I’m looking forward to this challenge.
“Ultimately I like challenges and this is a great challenge.
Schumacher continued: “The important thing is that Massa gets better. I just wanted to help the firm (Ferrari) when they needed it”.
Schumacher is F1’s most successful driver, with 91 wins and more titles and records than anyone else has ever achieved.
He won his first world title aged 25 with Benetton in 1994. He retained the title the following season before moving to Ferrari in 1996. He won five straight titles from 2000, and his final tally of race wins far eclipsed the previous mark of 51 set by Frenchman Alain Prost.
Schumacher’s return had looked doubtful earlier in the week when his manager Willi Weber was widely quoted as saying it was impossible.
“Michael will not sit in a car in Valencia, this is out of the question,” he had said on Tuesday.
The retired champion was also said to be still recovering from a neck injury when he crashed his motorbike during tests in Spain in mid-February.

Ferrari driver Massa released from hospital

Injured Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa prepares to depart on a private jet to Brazil at Budapest airport after being released from hospital August 3, 2009. Massa suffered a head injury on July 25 at the qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix and spent several days in a coma and on a respirator.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Formula One driver Felipe Massa has left hospital and flew home after seriously injured in the Hungarian Grand Prix last week.
Massa, accompanied by his wife Rafaela and his doctor, went home aboard his private jet on Monday, according to the AFP.

Injured Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa (C) is pictured after his release from hospital before departing on a private jet to Brazil from Budapest airport August 3, 2009. Massa suffered a head injury on July 25 at the Hungarian Grand Prix and spent several days in a coma and on a respirator.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Brazilian Massa, 28, fractured his skull in an accident during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
He spent several days in an induced coma and on a respirator but was released from an intensive care unit at the Budapest hospital on Wednesday.

Australian GP stands next year

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix will remain in the Formula One calendar next year, race organizers confirmed on Monday.
Australian race organizers signed a new Concorde Agreement with the motor racing’s world governing body FIA last Friday which will keep the race in the schedule until 2012.
Only last month Australian Formula One race chief Ron Walker said the race was likely to be scrapped if leading teams formed a breakaway series in 2010.
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation said the agreement would bring stability to the fractious sport.
“The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is pleased with the announcement of the finalization of the new agreement between the FIA and FOTA,” it said in a statement.
“The agreement brings stability to the sport of Formula One and ensures the best teams will be participating in the championship for years to come and will all be at Albert Park in March next year.”