Archive for category: News

For the twelve years old Matteo Nannini the last was an apprenticeship week-end. At Adria, scene of the last appointment of the Rok Nord Championship, he signed his debut with the RB Racing colors. The demanding weather conditions which affected the area of the Rodigino circuit, let the driver from Forlì take the appropriate measures of the new Exprite material looking ahead to the Italian final, scheduled for early September exactly at the Adria International Raceway, and to the World Championship in Lonato.

Matteo had the opportunity to experience a wet track, a road condition for which he had a poor experience especially after his in-season transition to KFJ category . In that circumstance he had the support of such a specialist like Karol Basz returning from the Swedish appointment of the European Championship. Basz helped Matteo to become familiar with the OTK material.

“It was a useful week-end. I had the opportunity to drive for many kilometres with the new material looking ahead to appointments in September. I feel good both with the team and the kart. It was the first time I have drove a 125 under the rain so i had the opportunity to gain this experience, supported by Karol. My goal is the Italian Final” Matteo Nannini comments.

“The team we met was very helpful to Matteo. Despite a week-end with adverse results Matteo had the opportunity to start working in a real team. I liked seeing him following carefully the advises of a wet expert like Karol Basz” Alberto Tonti analyzes. “Joining KFJ in late season we hadn’t any goal in this Championship. The Adria race has been very hepful to us. We could test the new material both on dry and wet track. A really important test looking ahead to the Italian Final which will be run exactly at Adria” Manager Giovanni Minardi comments.

After Minardi.it announced a tam-tam concernig Renault’s interest in purchasing the 100% of Lotus team few days ago, now rumors consider an agreement between Red Bull and Mercedes as a done deal. According to them, Mercedes will provide his Power-Unit to Milton Keynes-based team already from the next season.

It is a really interesting step because a group who tenaciously wants to win again joins the current “fleet”composed by Williams, Force India, and Lotus. Almost certainly there will be four German’s customer-teams with Gérard Lopez’s group transition under transalpine colors.

“As previously mentioned Renault is not interested anymore in just a part of the Lotus team but in its entire stake, to start relevant manoeuvres which could concern also Red Bull which is heavily atoned for the transalpine PU. According to last rumors the first domino has fel apart starting a great change for 2016” Gian Carlo Minardi analyzes at the microphones of Minardi.it. “A direct rival for the title appears among Mercedes’ customer. Dietrich Mateschitz deeply wanted this transformation and his men want to win again. This could generate a wonderful championship. We hope that Ferrari could recover its gap to play the game” the manager from Faenza continues.

However there could be other news as told us by the ex Team Principal and Manufacturer.“Within Red Bull’s team there is also a discussion about an important change on the Driver front aiming to take a top driver to Milton Keynes, with respect to Ricciardo and Kyvat. There are really many opportunities to take advantage of ,with many drivers close to contract expiration or who could be released for lack of results”.

The summer of Formula 1 is going to be very hot, because of the overwhelming and devastating power of Mercedes that is creating many problems to all teams, especially to constructors competitors forced into a “mission impossible” run-up. In particular, Honda’s and Renault’s problems are affecting negatively on the results of McLaren and Red Bull.

MCLAREN-HONDA

The situation of the team from Woking is certainly not the happiest. The latest interviews with Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier leaked out new situation for such a famous team, but not new for the small teams that, due to force majeure, had to face it in order to remain in Formula 1.

Dennis said that a team like his certainly can not be satisfied with a client-engine, because he does not guarantee the ability to fight for victory. This is also why the challenge with Honda is born. On the other side, his Racing Director – Eric Boullier – complains that it’s hard to find major sponsors without the results.

After criticizing small teams, now they understand what’s the meaning of having to look for sponsors, occupying constantly the last position. Fortunately, they don’t have to pay for the engine. The small teams, like Minardi, arrive in November still without an engine (for a fee), with tyres to pay and having fond out new companies, then suffer the attacks of top teams’ marketing (McLaren first place). There has always been too much presumption and some Team Principals have never wanted to keep costs down. It’s time to offer mea-culpa. At the same time, an important Mercedes past player has been sighted in the area of Monaco … Whether they’re trying to involve someone else if Honda could not retrieve the desired competitiveness?

RED BULL – RENAULT

On the other side, we have Red Bull, which shows tranquillity against Renault, although the results are below expectations. Luckily for them, they don’t have economic problems because they are a reality that is self-subsidizes. The same goes for Toro Rosso. Anyway, the two companies, with accounts in order, are still suffering heavily on the technical front. In recent days, Christian Horner said that Red Bull is ready to honour the contract in 2016, but that they’re not good at being patient. In 2017 the situation may be different

FERRARI

He starts to leak some nervousness. The victory won in Malaysia came too soon, increasing illusions. Between the Team Principals Maurizio Arrivabene and Jamers Allison betrays little serenity. The novelties are not giving the desired results and Mercedes are moving away. In contrast, we are getting closer to February, when the Power-Units are to be frozen. They must quickly take important decisions concerning the development of PU and, simultaneously, take under consideration the second driver.

From this view – anything but calm-, one senses that something is wrong. But Formula 1 continues to live in his gilded world, as evidenced by the proposals approved in view of 2016 in Mexico City by the World Council. There has been talk of new score for Superlicense, 21 races in the calendar and penalties’ simplifications. Meanwhile, this year we lost the Grand Prix of Germany (thankfully, next year it will return in the calendar). We speak of a nation that is the mirror of maximum expression in Motor-sport (F1 world champions like Mercedes, Audi and Porsche at the top in the World Endurance Championship, Volkswagen in Rally and BMW in DTM) and in the productive sector, as well as being the reference in world economy. Despite all this, no German GP of F1.

Gian Carlo Minardi

The checkered flag at the British Grand Prix marks two Mercedes, one Ferrari, two Williams in the top five positions, followed by Red Bull, two Force Indias (with the seventh place for Hulkenberg and the ninth for Perez), one Ferrari in the eighth place with Raikkonen and one McLaren, which closes the score zone.

To date, however, our view is very different, because the forces on track are dictated by the grid and by the positions before the arrival of the rain. We have one Mercedes that can rely on 8-9 dec of advantage on Williams, which rises to 1-1.2 sec against Ferrari. That’s to say: “ages”.

Talking about the race, without rain factor, the result would have been very different. Behind the two Mercedes there would be two Williams showing an intense battle between Vettel and Hulkenberg for the fifth place. Until then, the German driver of Force India was driving very well and he could trouble the compatriot of Maranello. The arrival of the rain and the ability of some drivers have changed the fate of the race. It must be expected that also drivers’ market can be influenced just by what we have seen on the track this weekend.

Let’s give votes to the protagonists of an exciting race thanks to the amazing start of Williams and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and rain, that has reshuffled the cards on the final.

Lewis Hamilton – 10 Despite having by his hands a spaceship, none can deny him full votes this weekend. He was flawless throughout the weekend, unlike his teammate.

Felipe Massa – 9 He was the protagonist of the British weekend. He was the only one to improve in the second stint of Q3 and the author of a stunning start that launched him straight in the lead. Unfortunately, the strategy and a car were not competitive on the wet, denying him the satisfaction of the podium.

Sebastian Vettel – 8.5 Thanks to the rain, he straightened a weekend that was closing far from the first positions, giving an unexpected podium at Red team. He was great to exploit the strategy and to sense the necessity of changing his tyres at the best time, unlike Raikkonen.

Daniil Kvyat – 8 He continues to drive constantly kilometers with a car that suffers, obscuring the star, Ricciardo. Good his final sixth position, for him and Red Bull.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8 Although his not competitive car, he proved to be a driver so far underestimated. Beautiful even his departure. Without the rain, he could also attack Vettel for the fifth place finish.

Carlos Sainz – 7 He was the author of a solid performance until the time of retirement. Once again, Red Bull was forced to give up the points because of the transalpine power-unit.

Nico Rosberg – 7 With the car he drives, he has to do more, especially for Qualifying and for the first part of the race. He grabbed a second place thanks to the strategy of his box and for the errors of Williams. I did not see him such “hunger” as he should be under these circumstances. In wet conditions he was recovering very well for Hamilton, who, however, has correctly predicted the exact moment to enter the pits.

Fernando Alonso – 7 of encouragement because he fought tooth and nail to grab this small point despite a dangerously uncompetitive car.

Valtteri Bottas – 6 He suffered throughout the weekend the “old man”. Whereas he is a possible candidate for Raikkonen’s place at Ferrari, this performance should make him reflect. Too compliant, also against Hamilton. That being the case, I do not see he as a Ferrari driver.

Now we have three weeks of relaxation, where everyone will be called to work overtime.