Kimi Raikkonen wants an explanation from Ferrari on its pit stop strategy after he finished behind team-mate Fernando Alonso in Spain. Alonso passed Raikkonen on fresher tyres in the closing stages in Spain on the back of a three-stop strategy, having earlier pitted before the Finn despite running behind Raikkonen on the road. Usually priority is given to the man running first, and at the end of the race Raikkonen asked on the radio "who made these calls?" complaining that he was receiving "second choice", and also walked away from TV interviews when asked about the strategy. Raikkonen admits he was confused by Ferrari's decision-making. "No, but obviously I want to clear up a few things and that's all," he said when asked if he feels like Ferrari's number two driver. "Obviously there was not much between it, I ran out of tyres a little bit in that lap or two. We still finished far away from the others or where we want to be, so it did not make much difference, two or three stop." Raikkonen feels he could have avoided being lapped by the Mercedes pair had the strategy been different, but thinks that should not mask the fact Ferrari has a lot of work to do. "We are still sixth and seventh, one lap down. [A better strategy] could have probably kept myself in the lap but that doesn't change the fact that we are far away from where we want to be. I was just fighting with the car for the whole race. Overall I think we finished where our speed is among the teams." Raikkonen insists no-one at Ferrari is happy with its current position in the pecking order and is convinced the team will work hard to get back into podium contention. "It's disappointing for Ferrari but there was some good points from the weekend compared to the last weeks. We are not happy where we are as a team and we know we have a lot of work to do to catch up. In the future we know the areas where we are lacking, but it's not easy to catch up on each thing in F1. "Other teams are pushing forward as well and there aren't many stupid people in this sport so it's about improving the small things and big things and hopefully we will get there."
Smedley hints that Ferrari wind tunnel problem persists Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley says it is impressive to finally be working in Formula 1 with a wind tunnel that works. The Maranello team’s wind tunnel problems are well known, but when asked by Totalrace, Smedley initially answered: “I don’t like to talk about Ferrari.” Smedley, Felipe Massa’s long-time race engineer at Ferrari, joined his Brazilian collegaue in moving to the Grove based Williams team for 2014. Smedley, 40, is now Williams’ ‘head of performance engineering’ and admitted that a major technical difference between Ferrari and his new employer is that new parts developed in Williams’ wind tunnel always work as expected. “At Williams, the correlation between the wind tunnel and the track is amazing,” he said. “Compared to my previous experience, it is something that has impressed me. Everything we take to the track ends up on the car, so the car really does improve from race to race.” (GMM)
Can't help but feel that Ferrari wouldn't have so many issues in the wind-tunnel if they'd stop designing their cars using Lego bricks.
Oh you guys.... Lauda snubbed There’s no love lost between Mercedes and Red Bull, since the Milton Keynes team protested the Mercedes car in 2013 for allegedly ‘secret’ and ‘illegal’ tyre tests with Pirelli. Christian Horner was demanding the highest sanctions for the Silver Arrows, but the sanction from the International Tribunal was that Mercedes had to sit out the young driver test at Silverstone last summer. Since then, Mercedes weighed in over the Red Bull team’s defiance of the FIA instructions to restrict their fuel flow rate in Australia. Representatives from Brackley demanded a two race ban, accusing their rivals of dishonesty and incompetence. Well, the big boss of Red Bull bought the circuit which most recently hosted the defunct Austraian GP and renamed it the Red Bull ring. He has negotiated a contract to run F1 races for several years and the dilapidated facilities of the former A1 ring have been redeveloped.. Until this week, turn six at the former A1 Ring was named after the greatest of Austrian F1 drivers, triple world champion, Niki Lauda. However, prior to the GP, promotional material published reveals Niki is no longer remembered by the Austrian circuit. The corner has been renamed in honour of the great F1 tyre manufacturer – Pirelli. After being made aware of the change, Lauda was philosophical. “I’m very disappointed. I can only presume it is because I am now at Mercedes and we are beating Red Bull,” he told Kleine Zeitung. In his usual mischievous manner, Lauda added, “As punishment, Mercedes will be happy to celebrate a one-two in Spielberg,” The former Gerhard Berger Curve has also been renamed, ‘Wurth’, after the German tool company which has paid for the naming rights’.
Yes, well spotted BLS… Although such behaviour from those in charge at Red Bull is what I have come to expect over many years, this unfortunate insult to Austria's most celebrated racing driver by far, beggars belief. Not only is it a deliberate snub to the man himself, it also insults the population of that fine and historic country who still have a living hero, as well as followers of motor racing all over the world who remember and appreciate what Lauda experienced and achieved. So far as I know, the naming of the corner was not even partly connected with his horrific accident, but nevertheless, such adversity served to remind the world of the potential horrors of our sport, as well as demonstrate gallantry amongst its participants. Austria has a history of chivalry stretching back to the middle ages but now finds such high ideals undermined by a cheap and tacky drinks company. What a shame. It sort of leaves a bad taste in one's mouth…
I hope Mercedes dominate the race and lap the Red Bull's, and also have Lauda on the podium to collect the trophy. But more than anything, I hope we see this Austria: [video=youtube;qTvq5aX9VYQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTvq5aX9VYQ[/video]
Poor from Red Bull. Even more shameful that they rename it after Pirelli, who already have a negative image among many F1 fans after last year. It will be interesting to see the reaction from the Austrian fans considering it's Red Bull's "home Grand Prix"
poor show, but tbh if you insult the owner of something don't expect any favours back. I also find that wording very tellling, there's no allegedly about it, Mercedes DID cheat, they DID have secret and illegal tests, as everyone knows, to imply they're just unfounded rumours spread by Red Bull really shows the depths 'journalists' and their editors will sink to to try and swing public opinion. Been going on since Vettel started spanking Hamilton.
Businesses getting naming rights to corners... What kind of horse poop is that? It's worse than the bloody awful corporate naming of races on this side of the Atlantic. Screw the history, lets get some cash!
So the Austrian GP has decided that instead of honouring it's greatest driver, it's going to honour a tyre manufacturer. Also Berger being replaced by a business I hope the commentators just refer to the corners as "turn" whatever. It's cool when drivers have a corner named after them, and it was nice to see a Schumacher corner in Bahrain. I hope Alonso and Vettel get corners at Barcelona and Hockenheim when they retire, something I believe would be truly meaningful.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that he is trying to lure departed chief Ross Brawn back into the team’s Formula 1 garage, and says that he consults the former team boss when the need arises. Brawn, 59, stepped down at the end of last year but, during his first year of retirement, he has already been linked with a return to Ferrari, having even visited the fabled Italian team’s base recently. Wolff has now told the Telegraph that Briton Brawn can take some of the credit for Mercedes’ current dominance of Formula 1, insisting that he still would have a valuable contribution to make. Austrian Wolff said it was Brawn who “realised” what Mercedes needed to do in order to succeed in the wake of Mercedes’ 2010 takeover. “Ross Brawn realised in 2012 that it was not getting any better – he started to recruit and to add some of the people to the organisation in key areas,” he said. Wolff also hailed Brawn’s input in other key areas, “If there is a heated situation on a race weekend, I …try to imagine what Ross would have done.” “If needed, I give him a call, but I can well see us missing Ross’s calmness and experience in the heat of races, or in the heat of the championship. Ross has a considerable part in the success of this year. It’s a big shame that he’s not here,” said Wolff. “[I speak] with Ross regularly, and we are trying to get him to one of the next races to have a look at the team. “He was so important in building the base, and setting in place some of the structures, and we would like him to be part of the team and see what’s happening this year. He’s going to come eventually – he’s promised to,” Wolff added. (GMM) Read more http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/05/19/wolff-wants-brawn-back-at-mercedes/
