Friday 12 December 2014
Friday 28 November 2014
Thursday 27 November 2014
Monday 24 November 2014
Wednesday 19 November 2014
Friday 14 November 2014
Tuesday 11 November 2014
CampingF1 Austrian Grand Prix - Spielberg
Join CampingF1 at the Austrian Grand Prix in 2015!
The Austrian Grand Prix! Located in the greenest region of Austria, Styria, access via public transport is slightly more difficult than other circuits, however driving to the ring is reasonably simple as it is well connected via the nearby motorway. Join CampingF1 for pre erected tents, camping pitches and motorhome parking using the circuits own camping areas. Facilities are good and the entertainment throughout the weekend is fantastic!
Click Here for more information - AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
Friday 31 October 2014
#BeyondTheGrid: Nico Hulkenberg on Being a Driver
Nico has been out and about in 2014, guests at CampingF1 were challenged!
Thursday 30 October 2014
Monday 20 October 2014
European Grand Prix Travel Comparison
CampingF1 travel comparison for European Formula 1 Race Events.
Spanish F1 – Circuit de Catalunya – 08-10 May 2015
The Circuit de Catalunya is located just 32km from Barcelona and only 18km from Costa de Barcelona. With great public transport links and two major roads that run either side, the circuit is easily accessible. The race is the first European Grand Prix on the Formula 1 Calendar, held in early May, visitors can expect plenty of sunshine!
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Portsmouth to Bilbao – 24 Hours - £588 (Return)
Drive Route: Bilbao to Circuit de Catalunya, near
Montmelo
Drive distance: 614km
Drive time: 5h 23m
Drive Cost: Tolls – £52, Fuel - £90.
Flying
Airport location: Barcelona El Prat, 53km from the
Circuit.
Fly time: 2h 10m
Flight cost: From £96 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Monarch
CampingF1
Location: Designated area within Circuit Camping
Services: Pitch for your own tent or motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Not Available
More Information: CampingF1 Spanish Grand Prix
Services: Pitch for your own tent or motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Not Available
More Information: CampingF1 Spanish Grand Prix
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £81.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £215.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 10
VIP/Paddock Club - From £950.00
Discounts Available For Children (6-18) and Adults over
65 Years
Call us about tailor made packages for our Spanish Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
Monaco F1 – Circuit of Monte Carlo – 21-24 May 2015
The Monaco Grand Prix is situated on the streets of Monte Carlo in the heart of Monaco. Accessing the second smallest country in the world is easy as good transport links connect Monaco to France and Italy including substantial train and bus services and the main autoroute. Although Monaco does not have it's own airport, Nice Airport is located just 30 km along the coast. May is not the hottest period in Monaco, however situated along the Mediterranean coast, visitors can still expect plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Monaco
Drive distance: 1247km
Drive time: 10h 54m
Drive Cost: Tolls – £80, Fuel - £195.
Flying
Airport location: Nice, 30 km from Monaco.
Fly time: 2h
Flight cost: From £268 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, British Airways
CampingF1
Location: Peillon - 18km from Monaco (4km as the crow flies)
Services: Pitch for your motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire, Coach Transfers,
Prices From: £155 per person (inc breakfast and coach transfers)
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Saturday Evening BBQ
More Information: CampingF1 Monaco Grand Prix
Prices From: £155 per person (inc breakfast and coach transfers)
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Saturday Evening BBQ
More Information: CampingF1 Monaco Grand Prix
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £98.40
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £520.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 15
VIP/Paddock Club - From £1550.00
Discounts Available For Children (6-15)
Call us about tailor made packages for our Monaco Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
Austrian F1 – Red Bull Ring Spielberg – 19-21 June 2015
The Austrian Grand Prix is located in the greenest region of Austria, Styria. Although access via public transport is slightly more difficult than other circuits, driving to the ring is reasonably simple as it is well connected via the nearby motorway. With average temperatures in June of just over 20 degrees, visitors can enjoy a comfortable climate.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Spielberg
Drive distance: 1281km
Drive time: 12h 4m
Drive Cost: Fuel - £200.
Flying
Airport location: Vienna, 207 km from Circuit.
Fly time: 2h 15m
Flight cost: From £143 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, British Airways, Austrian Airlines
Although Graz is the closest Airport, there are no direct
flights from London to this destination.
Car Hire: Sixt Car Hire
Car Hire: Sixt Car Hire
CampingF1
Location: TBA
Services: Pitch for your own tent or motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: TBA
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: TBA
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £82.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £270.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 11
VIP/Paddock Club – From £1560.00
Discounts Available For Children (0-14)
Call us about tailor made packages for our Austrian Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
British F1 – Silverstone Circuit – 03-05 July 2015
Home to the British Racing Drivers Club, Silverstone Circuit is located in the heart of England. Nestled between the M1 and M40, the track has great travel links to both the North and South of England. If you wish to use public transport, there are plenty local and national train and bus services that run to Silverstone and nearby areas. Although the British Grand Prix is located in early July with average temperatures of 25 degrees, the Great British Summer can be unpredictable.
Getting there
Driving
Drive Route: London to Silverstone
Drive distance: 79.3 miles
Drive time: 1h 30m
Drive Cost: Fuel - £20.
Flying
Airport location: Luton, 38 miles from Circuit.
Birmingham and East Midlands also close.
Flights from: Paris, Aberdeen, Belfast, Dublin and many
more.
Providers: EasyJet, Ryanair and Monarch
Taxi Transfer: From £80
(Return)
CampingF1
Location: Towcester Road, Silverstone.
Services: Pitch for your own tent or motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £40 per person
Minimum Stay: 1 nights
Entertainment: Guest Speaker, Live Music, Fully Licensed Marquee
Prices From: £40 per person
Minimum Stay: 1 nights
Entertainment: Guest Speaker, Live Music, Fully Licensed Marquee
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £175.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £310.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 23
VIP/Paddock Club – From £1400.00
Discounts Available For Children (0-15)
Call us about tailor made packages for our British Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
German F1 –Nurburgring – 17-19 July 2015
Situated in West Germany, the Nurburgring has good access routes for all types of transport. The circuit can not be directly accessed via train, however the comprehensive bus service will take you directly to the circuit. If you wish to drive, the circuit is serviced by the A1, A61 and A48. The temperature tends to reach just over 20 degrees in July and it is not a surprise to see some rain over the weekend.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Nurburgring
Drive distance: 450km
Drive time: 4h 20m
Drive Cost: Fuel - £70.
Flying
Airport location: Cologne, 81 km from the circuit.
Fly time: 1h 10m
Flight cost: From £54 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, Ryanair, Germanwings
CampingF1
CampingF1 will not be providing a campsite at the 2015 German Grand Prix.Circuit Camping is available.
Tickets
Tickets are not available at time of publication.
General Admission Ticket -
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets -
Number of Different Grandstands Available -
VIP/Paddock Club -
Discounts Available For Children (6-15)
Hungarian F1 – Hungaroring – 24-26 July 2015
The Hungarian Grand Prix is situated only 20 km from Budapest, and accessing the circuit is made easy with the free bus service provided from Budapest Centre. Visitors may also access the circuit using the metro/train, taxi, or helicopter. If you wish to drive, the circuit is located just off the M3 and plenty of trackside parking is available. It has only ever rained twice in the last 28 years at the Grand Prix so expect plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 30 degrees.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Hungaroring
Drive distance: 1576km
Drive time: 15h
Drive Cost: Tolls - £16 Fuel - £250.
Flying
Airport location: Budapest, 41km from the circuit.
Fly time: 2h 30m
Flight cost: From £110 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, Ryanair British Airways
CampingF1
CampingF1 will not be providing a campsite at the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Circuit Camping is available.
Circuit Camping is available.
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £78.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £200.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 12
VIP/Paddock Club – From £2800.00
Discounts Available For Children (under 13)
Belgian F1 – Spa Francorchamps – 21-23 August 2015
The Belgian Grand Prix is nestled in the Ardennes Forest in East Belgium. The Belgium public transport is well organised and the circuit can be reached by train or bus. Alternatively, driving to the circuit is relatively easy, as the motorway runs East of the circuit from North to South. The race is famous for its unpredictable weather, when it can be raining on one part of the track and bright sunshine on another.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Spa Francorchamps
Drive distance: 342km
Drive time: 3h 5m
Drive Cost: Fuel - £65.
Flying
Airport location: Brussels, 140 km from the circuit.
Fly time: 1h 05m
Flight cost: From £120 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, British Airways, Brussels Airlines
Train Connection: Belgian Rail
Car Hire: Sixt Car Hire
CampingF1
Location: Lodomez, 11 km from the Circuit
Services: Pitch for your own tent or motorhome, Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Guest Speaker, Live Music, Fully Licensed Marquee
Prices From: £45 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: Guest Speaker, Live Music, Fully Licensed Marquee
More information: CampingF1 Belgian Grand Prix
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £82.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £320.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 13
VIP/Paddock Club – From £1200.00
Discounts Available For Children (6-15)
Call us about tailor made packages for our Belgian Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
Italian F1 – Monza – 04-06 September 2015
Located in Northern Italy, close to the Switzerland boarder, and less than 30 km from central Milan, the Italian Grand Prix in Monza is easily accessible. Milan hosts two airports, and there are plenty of trains and buses that run to Monza and the circuit itself. Over the past years, both Milan and Monza have been extensively improving their road networks. Although Monza hosts a slightly cooler climate than southern Italy, visitors can still expect plenty of sunshine and temperatures reaching up to 25 degrees.
Getting there
Driving
Ferry: Dover to Calais - £100 (Return)
Drive Route: Calais to Monza (Via France)
Drive distance: 1139km
Drive time: 10h
Drive Cost: Tolls - £70 Fuel - £180.
Tip: Drive to Italy via France and Mont Blanc, but head
back via Switzerland and Germany!
Flying
Airport location: Milan Malpensa, 62km from the circuit.
Fly time: 1h 55m
Flight cost: From £110 (Return)
Providers: EasyJet, British Airways
CampingF1
Location: Macherio, 4 km from the Circuit
Services: Quality range of Pre erected tent hire
Prices From: £125 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: TBA
Prices From: £125 per person
Minimum Stay: 2 nights
Entertainment: TBA
More information: CampingF1 Italian Grand Prix
Tickets
General Admission Ticket - £79.00
Average Cost of Grandstand Tickets - £260.00
Number of Different Grandstands Available - 17
VIP/Paddock Club – From £1050.00
Discounts Available For Children (under 11)
Call us about tailor made packages for our Italian Grand Prix Campsite. This can include a combination of Camping with Race Tickets, Ferry crossings, Flights and Car Hire. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Call us on +44 (0) 207 193 2636
Notes:
· All flights from Any London Airport unless specified.
· Prices which would be in Euros converted to GBP
at 1.25
Fuel prices calculated based on a new, medium sized petrol vehicle.
All dates yet to be confirmed at time of publication.
Fuel prices calculated based on a new, medium sized petrol vehicle.
All dates yet to be confirmed at time of publication.
Saturday 18 October 2014
Friday 17 October 2014
Wednesday 8 October 2014
Tuesday 7 October 2014
Monday 6 October 2014
Eddie Jordan on the Camping F1 stage for the 2014 British Grand Prix - YouTube
Follow this link to see Eddie on stage at CampingF1 Silverstone 2014 with Special Guest appearance from Shane Lynch of Boyzone!
Eddie Jordan on the Camping F1 stage for the 2014 British Grand Prix - YouTube:
Thursday 10 July 2014
CampingF1 Silverstone 2014
The CampingF1 team is now back from Silverstone. It's been an amazing weekend! Here is a summary of what happened:
Thursday 26 June 2014
Martin Brundle at CampingF1 Spa 2014
Renowned Sky Sports commentator, motorsport legend and former F1 driver Martin Brundle has just been confirmed as our Guest Speaker for our Belgian Grand Prix Camp Site! He'll be on stage on Friday 22 August 7pm for a stage talk followed by Q&A and live music by The Lettuceheads.
Our Spa-Francorchamps campsite offers tent & motorhome pitches, as well as spacious pre-erected tents with air beds. An Entertainment Marquee is available, full with an Food Outlet serving all day till midnight, a licenced Bar, Celebrity Guests, Live Entertainment by The Lettuceheads and DJ Phil on stage every night.
Book your Pre-Erected tent or Camping Pitch now at www.campingf1.com/events/belgian_grand_prix !
Our Spa-Francorchamps campsite offers tent & motorhome pitches, as well as spacious pre-erected tents with air beds. An Entertainment Marquee is available, full with an Food Outlet serving all day till midnight, a licenced Bar, Celebrity Guests, Live Entertainment by The Lettuceheads and DJ Phil on stage every night.
Book your Pre-Erected tent or Camping Pitch now at www.campingf1.com/events/belgian_grand_prix !
Saturday 24 May 2014
48 Hours In: Monaco
Monday 19 May 2014
Sebastian Vettel: Red Bull could challenge Mercedes in Monaco
Sebastian Vettel believes his Red Bull team could challenge Mercedes for victory at the next race in Monaco.
Mercedes have dominated the season so far, winning all five races, but the world champion believes Monaco's unique characteristics will help Red Bull.
Asked if they could compete with Mercedes there, Vettel said: "I think yes. It is difficult to predict but maybe in Monaco you need less power.You still need power, but maybe a little bit less than in other places."
Red Bull are being held back this year by their Renault engine, which team principal Christian Horner says is "80 or 90bhp down on the Mercedes".
The car itself is at least as fast as the Mercedes in the corners, which predominate on the tight and twisty Monaco street circuit.
Monday 12 May 2014
British Grand Prix may be at risk says Ecclestone
This month has not been a good one for Silverstone. Sure there was news that ticket sales for this year's British Grand Prix have been boosted by the success of Lewis Hamilton but a few days later it came to light that the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), which owns Silverstone, has shelved its plan to sell the track. Now Formula One's boss Bernie Ecclestone has cast doubt on the future of its flagship race according to an article in Forbes magazine by Christian Sylt.
Sunday 11 May 2014
Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish GP over Mercedes team-mate Rosberg
Lewis Hamilton took the world championship lead from Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with a closely fought victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton leads Rosberg by three points
as his fourth win in a row finally made up the ground he lost by retiring from the season-opening Australian GP.
The Briton led from start to finish to win a tense battle with Rosberg, with the rest of the field far behind. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was third and team-mate Sebastian Vettel fourth.
The world champion produced a superb recovery drive from 15th on the grid to finish ahead of Williams' Valtteri Bottas and the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
 |
| Hamilton revels in difficult win |
The Briton led from start to finish to win a tense battle with Rosberg, with the rest of the field far behind. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was third and team-mate Sebastian Vettel fourth.
The world champion produced a superb recovery drive from 15th on the grid to finish ahead of Williams' Valtteri Bottas and the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
Thursday 8 May 2014
British Racing Drivers’ Club withdraw plans to sell part of Silverstone
The British Racing Driver’s Club (BRDC) will no longer sell off a part of the Silverstone racecourse after talks with the investor fell through.
The BRDC confirmed a £32m deal with commercial property firm MEPC had been struck, with the company acquiring a 999-year lease on the industrial estate and development land around the circuit.
Despite this, negotiations with a second investor for the lease of the circuit and sale of Silverstone Circuits Limited have not been as successful, and as such, the deal has fallen through.
BRDC chairman John Grant said: “After intense efforts to secure an acceptable deal, we have not been able to bring negotiations with the second potential investor to a satisfactory conclusion.
The BRDC will now retain full ownership of SCL, whose highly experienced management team will continue to operate, promote and further develop Silverstone as a premier racing destination.
With or without another investor, the futures of both Silverstone and the British Grand Prix are secure.
The circuit business has enormous potential and MEPC's development of Silverstone Park - a high-tech business park on land surrounding the circuit - will enhance the circuit's image and value over the next several years.
We are delighted with the progress MEPC is already making. They are proving to be excellent partners and strong believers in our shared vision for Silverstone.
We look forward to working with them towards implementing our joint vision for the development of Silverstone as a globally recognised centre for world-class motor sport and advanced technology.”
Source: isportconnect.com
Tuesday 22 April 2014
Formula 1 engine noise action group eyes tailpipe solution
Tweaks to the exhaust systems on Formula 1 cars are being targeted as the best way to improve the engine noise this year.
An action plan is set to be decided at a crunch meeting on May 6.
Following a preliminary gathering of F1's engine manufacturers and the FIA in China on Friday night, it has been decided that work will now focus on revisions to the tailpipe.
Sources suggest that it has been agreed that further evaluation of tailpipe solutions will take place over the next few days, with the data pooled together by the FIA to try to settle a way forward.
One idea being considered is the introduction of a standard dimension tailpipe that has been optimised to try to boost the noise.
AUTOSPORT understands that the FIA has called a meeting with all interested parties for May 6, in the week before the Spanish Grand Prix, to try to finalise how to implement any improvements.
FIA president Jean Todt said in Bahrain that he hoped that the first tests of the new louder engines could take place as soon as the post Spanish GP test at Barcelona.
BIGGER CHANGES RULED OUT
Preliminary analysis of a different tailpipe design tried out by one manufacturer on a dyno has shown a promising jump in engine volume, which should be enough to appease the noise critics.
Any further changes to the power unit itself to try to improve the noise have been effectively ruled out because it would require a change to the entire philosophy of the new fuel-efficiency regulations.
The decreased noise this year is the result of the introduction of turbo engines and the way that energy loss - which manifests itself as noise - is minimised.
Renault's head of trackside operations Remi Taffin told AUTOSPORT: "If you look at rally cars, their turbos make a good noise because they use fuel through the exhaust - which is not something we are looking at because we have a fuel limitation.
"Everything is possible but when you settle the energy regulations, you more or less settle what is going to happen."
Source: AUTOSPORT.COM
Monday 21 April 2014
Chinese GP: Chequered flag error means race declared on lap 54
A mistake with the chequered flag at the Chinese Grand Prix has resulted in the distance of round four of the 2014 Formula 1 season being shortened.
Lewis Hamilton was shown the chequered flag at the end of lap 55 - one lap before it was supposed to have been displayed.
F1's regulations state that if the chequered flag is shown early, then the race will be deemed to have finished the lap before.
Wednesday 16 April 2014
Ride2Monza, a Charity Cycle Ride from Silverstone to Monza
Ride2Monza is a Charity Cycle Ride from Silverstone to Monza, Italy, raising Money for 5 very worthy Charities. Click here for more information about Ride2Monza.
Tuesday 15 April 2014
Red Bull F1 team loses fuel-flow appeal, FIA upholds stewards call
The FIA Court of Appeal has rejected the Red Bull Formula 1 team's appeal against Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix.
Friday 11 April 2014
New Formula 1 team set to be confirmed by Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone has said the FIA will give official confirmation on Friday for a new team owned by NASCAR's Gene Haas to join Formula One.
In December the FIA opened a tender for a 12th team and Haas quickly became one of the leading contenders to take on the position. Originally Ecclestone voiced doubts about the financial validity of Haas' bid but has recently changed his opinion on the proposed team.
"Haas has been accepted," Mr Ecclestone told Forbes on Thursday. "The FIA has accepted him for sure. It is done. They are going to put that out tomorrow."
Haas co-owns the Stewart-Haas outfit in NASCAR with Tony Stewart, which won the 2011 Sprint Cup championship.
Haas' outfit would be the first American team in F1 since Penske left the sport in 1978. USF1 was granted entry for the 2010 season the last time the FIA opened their application process, but they failed to make the grid due to financial difficulties.
Source: ESPN
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Some amazing facts and figures about Scuderia Ferrari's F1 engines and the Shell fuel used.
Come behind the scenes and follow Scuderia Ferrari's mission to be back on top of the podium. Watch as they work closely with their technical partner Shell to try and engineer the winning formula for the 2014 season.
Unprecedented access to Ferrari's Formula One factory makes for a fascinating behind the scenes look at how the most famous race team in the world prepares for the FIA Formula One World Championship™, featuring candid comments from key personnel, as well as drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.
Source : Shell Youtube
Up Close and Personal with the Formula One Power Unit
Yes, 2014 is a technological revolution for Formula One, but how does it all work? Find out as we get up close and personal with the Mercedes-Benz PU106A Hybrid Power Unit!
A to Z of Formula One: by Infiniti Red Bull Racing Part 1 and 2 (A to H)
Infiniti Red Bull Racing has launched the first parts of its new mini-series: The A to Z of Formula One.
Featuring Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastien Buemi, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, the series offers a unique insider view to the key aspects of Formula One, connected to each letter of the alphabet.
The series will be released over the next three weeks and will be split into six short episode.
Here are the first two episodes of the series, make sure to check out the other videos as we upload them.
Tuesday 8 April 2014
Monday 7 April 2014
Lewis Hamilton wins thrilling Bahrain GP after Rosberg battle
Lewis Hamilton wins a thrilling race-long battle with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg to win the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Their fierce battle at the front became a 10-lap sprint after a late safety car period wiped out Hamilton's 10-second advantage following a terrifying crash for Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez.
A frantic fight for third place was won by Force India's Sergio Perez, from Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
Source: BBC Sport
Wednesday 2 April 2014
Jake Humphrey with Eddie Jordan #F121
Ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix Jake wakes up old mate, F1 legend and garish shirt enthusiast Eddie Jordan on his yacht in the Caribbean to chat about what he is expecting this season.
Find out why Eddie feels Australia was robbed in the last Grand Prix and which young talent he is tipping for massive things this season.
Monday 24 March 2014
BBC News - Silverstone asks Cameron to halt Circuit of Wales funding
BBC News - Silverstone asks Cameron to halt Circuit of Wales funding:
Silverstone racetrack has asked David Cameron to prevent tens of millions of pounds of potentially "illegal" state aid being used for a new £280m circuit in Wales.
Developers behind the Circuit of Wales scheme in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, are said to be asking the Welsh and UK governments to commit up to £50m.
Silverstone has written to the prime minister to intervene.
Planning issues have delayed the start of work at the site.
Heads of the Valleys Development Company wants to create 6,000 jobs and bring 750,000 visitors a year to the area as part of its plans but doubts have been raised over the number of jobs claimed.
The development promises to transform one of Wales' most deprived communities.
Alongside the racing circuit, there are plans for hotels, a grandstand, a technology park and a solar park.
But those projects all rely on the racetrack going ahead.
The Circuit of Wales would host all motor racing events except Formula 1.
A spokesperson for Silverstone confirmed on Monday that its managing director Richard Phillips had written to Mr Cameron about funding for the Circuit of Wales.
The letter said: "An injection of funds by the Welsh and/or UK governments to the Circuit of Wales project would amount to a transfer of state resources, which gives Circuit of Wales an economic and selective advantage over other circuits. As such, it could amount to illegal state aid.
"There are a number of well established, privately funded circuits in the UK, including Wales, that feel that the British motor sport industry would be threatened by the addition of a government-funded circuit."
The Association of Motor Racing Circuit Owners, which represents 17 UK race tracks, said last summer the circuit would harm motorsport.
Developers have asked both the Welsh and UK governments for up to £50m in total towards the scheme, it was revealed earlier this month.
BBC Wales understands the Welsh government is considering investing £30m in the project.
The Welsh government told BBC Wales on Monday the Circuit of Wales had not asked it for money.
Prestigious event
Heads of the Valleys Development Company has also been asked to comment.
A key part of the racing circuit development involves securing the rights to host MotoGP - the motorbike racing equivalent of Formula 1 - which attracts global audiences of up to 300 million.
The company has said it aims to build the circuit in time to host the prestigious event in September 2015 but it is understood no deal has yet been signed.
It was hoped that building work could start on the site last December but there have been delays because of planning issues.
The circuit is being built on 332 hectares (820 acres) of common land so the company has to de-register it, find an equivalent amount of land elsewhere and re-register that as common land.
The Planning Inspectorate for Wales said the process could take almost a year to complete.
Monday 17 March 2014
Mercedes's Formula One title hopeful Nico Rosberg admits Lewis Hamilton rivalry is increasingly 'heated' - Telegraph
Nico Rosberg is recalling his earliest memory of Formula One. “I was sleeping on the roof of a boat in the harbour in Monte Carlo – it must have been 1988,” he says. “I remember being woken up on a Sunday morning by the sound of Ayrton Senna roaring out of the tunnel as they were doing warm-up. I sat up and saw the red and white McLaren, with his yellow helmet. I can still clearly see it – as a little child it was like camping outside.”
Some camping trip. But he was not any old F1 fan. The man who has a first drivers’ title in his sights this season has the sport woven into his DNA.
The 28-year-old German is the son of the 1982 world champion, Keke Rosberg, and had the pleasure of growing up in Monaco and flying around the world following the fortunes of the ‘flying Finn’ Mika Hakkinen, who his father managed. “I followed his races very intensely always, with my dad. They were always great times.”
Fast-forward to 2014, and the low-pitched grumble of turbo-powered engines will be heard in Formula One for the first season since Rosberg was woken by Senna tearing through Monaco’s streets in 1988. It is a season of immense change in which the Mercedes driver is considered one of the favourites, as he seeks to become the second son of a world champion to win the crown himself, after Damon Hill. In some quarters, he is favoured even more highly than his team-mate, and long-time friend,Lewis Hamilton.
The dynamic with Hamilton will be one of the season’s most fascinating sub-plots – a modern spin on the rivalry between Ayrton Senna, whose instinctive brilliance is echoed in the skilled, occasionally reckless Hamilton, and his McLaren team-mate, the ‘Professor’ Alain Prost, an ice-cool technician to whom Rosberg is a natural heir.
 |
| Rosberg and his girlfriend Vivian Sibold at the Thomas Sabo Rebel |
"It was the same when we were young - it was so competitive between us. In the amount of pizzas we could eat, the wrestling matches in the hotel rooms, whatever it was. It’s the same today."
Prost and Senna’s relationship at McLaren was characterised by bitter dislike at McLaren. Rosberg and Hamilton are not in that category – indeed they still maintain a large degree of the friendship first kindled when they were team-mates in karting, aged 14. But Rosberg is honest enough to acknowledge a competitive edge that occasionally spills over.
“We’re not best friends, and we’re probably never going to be best friends just because it’s difficult in this industry, especially when you’re team-mates, fighting for wins. We get in well, we have a laugh, neutral, very competitive. We even have some heated exchanges, but then afterwards it gets back to normal. That's it.
“It was the same when we were young - it was so competitive between us. In the amount of pizzas we could eat, the wrestling matches in the hotel rooms, whatever it was. It’s the same today.”
Rosberg is wise enough to acknowledge that if, as expected, they are fighting at the front, maintaining their friendship will be difficult. “It will definitely be harder, yes. The more success we have, the tougher it is.”
Mercedes in 2013 were also not afraid of employing team orders, which never helps foster harmony. In Malaysia last year, while Red Bull were mired in their own controversy, as Sebastian Vettel ignored a direct order to pass Mark Webber for the lead, Rosberg was enduring his own frustration. Unlike his compatriot, however, he obeyed the order to hold his position. After the chequered flag had fallen, he ominously told his team on the radio: “Remember this one.”
There is a weariness in his voice when he is reminded of the controversy. “Ah, this subject again. I’ve been through it so much. I just wanted to reiterate that I really was a team player, which is what the team wanted from me.
“I wanted to make sure that the team remembers what I did for the future, which they very much did. It all worked out well, and I would do exactly the same tomorrow if I had to do that decision, because in the end it’s a team sport. I need my team to do it together, and I respect my team, and their decisions.”
Fundamentally, however, whatever role team orders play in 2014 at Mercedes, this is the season for Rosberg to emerge from Vettel’s shadow, and to truly establish himself in the very highest echelons of the sport.
Justly or unjustly, in recent seasons Rosberg has struggled to be recognised among that select few of Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton, and perhaps Raikkonen. After three years in which he outclassed the returning Michael Schumacher, the consensus was that the seven-time champion had lost his way, not that his younger team-mate had stepped up.
And in 2013, when he matched Lewis Hamilton in the same machinery, popular opinion had it that Hamilton's standards had slipped, rather than Rosberg’s being elevated.
Rosberg harbours no resentment – “I respect that opinion, but it’s not something that annoys me” – and prefers to focus on the verdicts of those within the Mercedes family.
“I need the support of everybody to be able to win,” he says. “I’m very conscious of that. I really like to try and work together with everybody and get the best out of everything that we have.”
We meet at an event for Thomas Sabo in Munich, a brand for which he is an ambassador, but when asked if he enjoys these kinds of events as a relief from Formula One, his mind immediately turns back to a frenzied pre-season.
Rosberg admits Mercedes “underestimated” the challenge of Formula One on their return to the sport after half a century in 2010. Since then, however, they have invested hugely, assembling a technical team which is the envy of the paddock.
In pre-season testing they showed little sign of missing the retiring Ross Brawn. While Red Bull floundered, the silver arrows racked up the miles, setting a searing pace in the process. Rosberg, with just three career wins to his name to date, can expect many more this season, with his eye for technical detail well matched to the plethora of new regulations.
“There’s so much that’s different this season. It’s really a matter of practising to integrate it all, and making it sub-conscious. The more you have to think, that’s when things are going to go wrong. There’s a very positive energy and momentum in the team. Everybody is really firing up. It’s obvious in every single person. We’re ready to step up – we feel it.”
Source: Daily Telegraph
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