Renault roadshow wows Johannesburg

Renault’s Nelson Piquet and third driver Lucas Di Grassi took to the streets of Johannesburg on Sunday for the South African leg of the French team’s roadshow programme. The event, which took place in the city’s Sandton district, attracted over 60,000 spectators. Piquet and Di Grassi took turns at the wheel of a R27, thrilling the crowds with donuts and burnouts. The French team staged a similar demonstration in 2007 and the Brazilian was glad to have visited again. "Last year I really enjoyed being part of this event, and this year we have had an equally warm welcome,” said Piquet. “It was a lot of fun to do this demonstration and I hope that the public also enjoyed it." Di Grassi added: "The Roadshow programme is a unique experience that allows people to get close to Formula One. The public in Johannesburg have been amazing and we have had an incredible reception from everyone. I really hope that they enjoyed this demonstration because that was the objective of the day." http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8156.html

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Silverstone damage to blame for Glock’s accident in Germany

Toyota have revealed that Timo Glock’s high-speed accident at the German Grand Prix was caused by a part that had been damaged at the preceding British race. Glock crashed heavily on Lap 36 of the Hockenheim event after his TF108 suffered an apparent right-rear suspension failure. Initially the team blamed a rear toelink (trackrod) as the cause of the accident but, after a thorough technical investigation, it has been established that the damage was sustained at Silverstone two weeks earlier. “During that race Timo suffered several incidents,” said the team explained in a statement from the team. “As is normal practice, some parts from the British Grand Prix were carried over to Hockenheim, including most of the rear right suspension. “Although the parts were subjected to the normal test and screening process following the Silverstone race and passed fit for use at Hockenheim, it has become apparent that it did not identify an issue which subsequently led to the incident at Hockenheim.” As a result of the investigation, Toyota have revised their inspection processes to prevent any reoccurrence. http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8155.html

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Jerez day four - Kovalainen ends Spanish test on top

McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen leapt straight to the top of the timesheets on Friday in Jerez as this week’s multi-team test drew to a close. Kovalainen clocked a best time of 1m 18.385s to finish almost four tenths of a second ahead of Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais. Conditions were again extremely hot, with track temperatures reaching a heady 45 degrees Celsius. Kovalainen completed 83 laps in the MP4-23, which featured a variety of aero solutions, including antler wings on its nosecone. Bourdais, meanwhile, covered 113 laps in Toro Rosso’s STR3. The Frenchman’s programme focused predominantly on testing Bridgestone’s 2009 slick tyres. “The day went quite well,” he said. “Running the ’09 tyres was very interesting, even if a combination of a very abrasive track surface and a 50 degree track temperature, meant they did not last very long! We have also come up with some useful data for Hungary and to be honest that’s the most important thing about this test, as 2009 is still a long way away.” Third quickest was David Coulthard for Red Bull, while Renault tester Romain Grosjean finished the day fourth fastest. Grosjean covered 90 laps in the R28, working on the set-up of the car and evaluating some suspension development work. “It was a good day with Romain and he settled into the programme quite quickly,” explained Renault’s chief test engineer, Christian Silk. “He was giving good feedback to the engineers and showed consistency on the long runs this morning. So it was another encouraging day with him.” Ferrari’s Felipe Massa ended the day in fifth. Massa covered 92 laps in the F2008 as he carried out preparatory work for next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Just over a tenth adrift of Massa was Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima in sixth, while BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld ended the day in seventh. Heidfeld completed 99 laps in the F1.08 as he evaluated aerodynamic and mechanical solutions. Force India’s Adrian Sutil was eighth after enjoying a productive day in the VJM01. Sutil completed 72 laps in total as he sampled the team’s new seamless shift gearbox for the first time. “We got off to a good start this morning, with Adrian very quickly getting used to the seamless shift gearbox,” explained Dominic Harlow, chief race and test engineer. “In the afternoon we again tested the 2009 development tyres, allowing Adrian to get some more experience of driving on slicks. Overall it's been a good test with more than 1,000 kilometres over the three days and we feel well prepared for Hungary.” Honda’s Jenson Button took over from team mate Rubens Barrichello in the RA108 and finished in ninth after covering 98 laps. The final runner was Toyota’s third driver Kamui Kobayashi, who completed 90 laps in the TF108. Kobayashi spent the morning preparing for the forthcoming Hungarian Grand Prix and carried out aero comparisons in the afternoon, before switching to tyre testing. "We spent most of the day working towards the race in Budapest next week and we made good progress,” explained Kobayashi. “Late on we switched our attentions to Bridgestone's slick tyres for 2009. The track obviously changes quite a lot during the day here, becoming more difficult for testing in the heat of the afternoon, but we weren't looking for lap times. We had a lot of different aero parts to try, we completed our programme and we collected some useful data.” With the summer testing ban now in place, the teams will return to their factories to continue preparations, ahead of next weekend’s Budapest race. Unofficial Friday times from Jerez: 1. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 1:18.385 2. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 1:18.746 3. David Coulthard, Red Bull, 1:19.494 4. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 1:19.561 5. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:19.611 6. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 1:19.724 7. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 1:19.915 8. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 1:19.965 9. Jenson Button, Honda, 1:20.532 10. Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, 1:20.878 http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8153.html

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Hungarian Grand Prix - preview quotes

After some rainy races in recent weeks, the forthcoming Hungarian event is expected to be a scorcher. And as Budapest beckons, the drivers and some prominent team members discuss their prospects for the race... Fernando Alonso, Renault 2007 Qualifying - 6th, 2007 Race - 4th “I won my first Formula One race at this circuit with the Renault F1 Team in 2003 and it's a place were I have always gone well. So I'm happy to go back there again this year and determined to bounce back after my result in Germany. I have some great memories here and the race usually takes place around the time of my birthday. There are always lots of spectators, the people are very kind, and we always enjoy a warm welcome - that is why the paddock enjoys coming back to Budapest each year. “It's quite a demanding track and the temperatures are often quite high for the race, which makes things even more difficult, especially for the drivers and the mechanics. To be quick here you need very high levels of downforce, as well as good grip and traction to get performance out of the low-speed corners. So we will begin working on these things as soon as free practice begins on Friday, building on the information we learnt last week in Jerez.” Nelson Piquet, Renault 2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA “My GP2 weekend in Hungary in 2006 was very special because I won the feature race on the Saturday from pole position and then the sprint race on the Sunday, as well as setting the fastest lap in both races. It was definitely one of my best weekends in racing. It's quite a rewarding track to drive if you can find a good rhythm and it seems to suit my driving style. Obviously I haven't driven there in a Formula One car yet, but I'm looking forward to doing that this weekend. “I think it will be difficult to fight for another podium under usual circumstances because the gap to the leading cars is still too big. I also think that the battle in the midfield will be very competitive, just as it was in Germany, and so I will need to concentrate on getting a good grid position because it is so difficult to overtake in Hungary. If we can reach Q3 then I think the realistic goal is to fight for some points on Sunday, and if we can do that I will be very happy.” Pat Symonds, Renault director of engineering “It's a difficult track, which is often quite dirty for the first day of practice, and so you spend a lot of time sliding around with the car, understeering mid-corner and oversteering on corner entry and exit. But you just have to stick with it and wait for the track to come to you. In terms of downforce it's a very high downforce track and it's also pretty hard on the tyres due to the traction zones out of the low-speed corners. The tight and twisty nature of the track makes overtaking extremely difficult and so getting a good grid position for both cars will be a higher than normal priority for all teams.” Jarno Trulli, Toyota 2007 Qualifying - 8th, 2007 Race - 10th “I enjoy racing at the Hungaroring because it is a challenging circuit which is good fun to drive. It’s a narrow track with a lot of corners in quite a short lap so it’s not easy to overtake. That means qualifying will be particularly important here. Usually we expect a dusty track because it isn’t used regularly and this is quite a challenge for a driver because if you run off line you lose a lot of time, so you really have to concentrate to avoid making even the smallest mistake. Normally this race is one of the hottest of the year so you really need to be in good condition to stay sharp throughout the race, although I have done my training so it won’t be a problem for me. I have usually been competitive in Hungary, even if I have been a bit unlucky with results, so I am optimistic for the weekend and I expect to score points again. We showed in qualifying at Hockenheim that we can fight close to the front so our aim is to repeat that pace and get back in the points.” Timo Glock, Toyota 2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA “After my incident at Hockenheim I am fine and raring to go. I have had the chance to relax a little at home so I am definitely ready for this weekend. Also, I had a day in the car at Jerez preparing for the Hungarian Grand Prix and that went well. I enjoy visiting Budapest. I went there on holiday a few years ago and it was a fun place and also I have had some exciting races there, particularly in 2006. Obviously it’s a twisty circuit and we will have a different aero package for this race. I know the guys at the factory are pushing extremely hard so I am sure we will be competitive again. Qualifying will be really important this weekend because overtaking is very difficult in a Formula One car. I have had some fun races in GP2 in Hungary and overtaken a lot of cars but it’s completely different in Formula One. Even though the result wasn’t what I wanted in Hockenheim, I was competitive in the race and fighting to finish in the top six so I am optimistic again for this weekend.” Pascal Vasselon, Toyota’s senior general manager chassis “In Hungary we have an aerodynamic efficiency requirement which is different from our baseline car and much closer to Monaco, so we will run a high–downforce specification. The lay–out of the track also requires attention in terms of cooling, because the average speed is lower and there is quite a lot of braking, so we always have to be careful with cooling the brakes and engine. However, the main challenge in Budapest is tyre related; lateral severity is quite high but the track is quite low grip. You have to make sure you can get adequate heat into the tyres without destroying them very quickly and this is not easy. We have made further developments on our high downforce package since Monaco and we are pretty happy with the results and looking forward to this race. We were in the top six there last year so we are optimistic. It’s going to be a tough battle between now and the end of the year. It’s tight with Red Bull, and Renault is there too after the result in Germany, but it’s our objective to stay fourth in the constructors’ championship. We are ready for the challenge.” Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren 2007 Qualifying - 11th, 2007 Race - 8th “It’s a circuit I enjoy. I’ve done a couple of GP2 races here but my best performance was last year when I had one of the best races of my F1 career. Okay, I finished only eighth, but I was fighting with Rosberg for lap after lap, really pushing 100 percent all the way to the flag. It was one of those dices that never gets shown on TV, but I felt proud and satisfied afterwards because I’d pushed for the whole afternoon. This year, it would be nice if I could reward the team with another strong result. “It’s a circuit where you’ve got to make the car work for you: it’s not a track where you can drag the laptime out of the car, it’s more about working patiently with the set-up to make your life easier on raceday. If you end up fighting the car, the heat and the constantly twisting nature of the track mean you’ll be exhausted by the end of the weekend. Like Canada, it’s also a place that punishes you if you go offline. So driving well at the Hungaroring is all about neatness and patience.” Lewis Hamilton, McLaren 2007 Qualifying - 1st, 2007 Race - 1st “Hungary is very different from Germany; Hockenheim is a track that allows you to slipstream and pass other drivers fairly easily, the Hungaroring is the opposite of that. Qualifying will be crucial, and strategy will also be important in determining the optimum fuel-weight for the opening stint. It will be hot and tiring too, so keeping your focus and concentration will be vital. I don’t go into this weekend surfing any particular wave of confidence: it’s such a different type of circuit that it’s difficult for anybody to feel certain about their chances. “I’m wary about making any strong predictions; yes, we were strong in the last two races, but we encountered difficulties in the two before that, so it’s impossible to call it this weekend. All I can say is that our car feels fantastic at the moment and I’m really enjoying driving it: it feels like you can keep fine-tuning it to extract more performance from it, which is a fantastic feeling for any racing driver. “It’s easy to say that you’ll treat each race with a certain amount of respect. But the reality is that I haven’t changed my style: it seems to work for me and I enjoy pushing hard to achieve a good result. That’s when I feel I am operating at my maximum and it’s potentially dangerous to start thinking about changing your approach at this point in the season. I’ll be honest: my approach has served me fairly well so far and I’d need to give it some serious thought before attempting to change it. Let’s just say it will be business as usual in Hungary this weekend.” Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Formula One CEO “The two circuits on the calendar that most resemble the characteristics of the Hungaroring are, bizarrely, Montreal, which is dusty and low-grip, and Monte Carlo, which requires a high-downforce set-up to cope with the minimal straights and numerous low-speed corners. And the reality is that we were reasonably competitive at both those circuits. While it has been true to say that one of the key strengths of our car is its pace in high-speed corners, we’ve done a lot of work to the package to strengthen its weak spots. At Silverstone, we were comfortable with our pace through the last sector, and at Hockenheim, we were comfortably quickest through the stadium section of the track, which is tight and reliant on good mechanical grip. We won in Hungary last season and travel to Budapest confident that we have strengthened the weaknesses of our package. Nonetheless, we are fully prepared for a battle with our rivals, whom we can never under-estimate.” Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport “The characteristics of the circuit just outside Budapest are quite different to those at the previous Grands Prix in Silverstone and at the Hockenheimring. The average speed per lap of almost 200km/h is the second lowest speed after Monaco, where we won. In Hungary, we have clinched four victories out of the last 10 races; Lewis was our most recent winner last year. Four times we started from pole in Hungary, the last time also in 2007 with Lewis, and we have posted four fastest race laps. “As overtaking on the Hungaroring is almost impossible, apart from into turn one, a good grid position is even more crucial than on most other circuits. Nevertheless, at the Hungaroring, we will hardly see spectacular overtaking manoeuvres as demonstrated by Lewis on his way to victory in Hockenheim when he passed Felipe Massa and Nelson Piquet. To be fast through the many corners, which make up the largest part of the circuit, a lot of downforce will be key. At the Hungaroring, this is more important than good top speed. The high ambient temperatures at this race are among the highest which often put a lot of strain on car, engine cooling, tyres and of course the drivers.” Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber 2007 Qualifying - 7th, 2007 Race - 5th “For sure we can expect a lot of Polish fans in Budapest. The Hungarian Grand Prix is the closest race to my home country, so in some way it is my home race. The Hungaroring is the track where I had my first Formula One race in 2006. As a driver you always have a special relationship with the track where you had your first Grand Prix. However, it is not for these reasons alone that I like this track. For most of the lap you have some steering angle, which means you rarely get a break, and this is made worse by the fact the straights are very short. The Hungaroring is a difficult track, but then Formula One is about challenges.” Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber 2007 Qualifying - 2nd, 2007 Race - 3rd “I’ve always coped very well on the Hungaroring. The track suits me, and in the short history of our team I took a podium place there in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 it was the first podium for our team at the end of an unbelievably wet race. In 2007 I started second and finished third again. I also have a lot of positive memories of the Hungaroring going back to previous occasions. In 1999 I took an early Formula 3000 title there and was able to celebrate. The city is beautiful. I just love the historic buildings and its setting on the river. Budapest has lots of charm, especially when the weather is really summery. If it’s dry the circuit gets very dusty particularly at the start of the weekend. Racing there is exhausting because there aren’t any long straights where you can sit back and relax a little bit. I’m looking forward to the Hungarian Grand Prix and hope we will perform as strongly again as we have done in the last two years.” Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director “In the last two years, the Hungarian Grand Prix was a very exciting affair for us. In 2006 the weather turned the race into a cliffhanger, and in 2007 an offensive strategy really put us on our mettle but rewarded us with a podium place. For 2008 the goal is to make it onto the Budapest podium for the third consecutive time. Our pledge is to get both cars firmly into the top ten qualifiers and take home another decent points haul from the race. The Hungaroring makes huge demands on the cars’ aerodynamics and brakes. At 58 percent, the full-throttle percentage is at the lower end. However, temperatures could become critical for the powertrain. It’s generally hot in Budapest in August, and the heat tends to build up in the dust bowl of the circuit. Plus the low average speed does its bit to drive cooling systems to the limits.” Willy Rampf, BMW Sauber technical director “After Monaco, the Hungaroring is the track with the lowest average speed. Especially in the middle section of the track, it’s just one turn after another, and the start-finish straight is relatively short. That calls for maximum downforce. Overtaking is very difficult, and you have to take that into consideration in your race strategy. The track accumulates fresh sand every day, so grip levels are accordingly low, which can lead to understeer. In Hungary we use the softest tyre compounds. When it comes to the car’s set-up, you have to focus primarily on the middle section, which consists of a variety of corner combinations and the very tight final turns before the start-finish straight, which require good traction. The track layout and frequent high air temperatures mean the cars have to drive with maximum cooling.” http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8150.html

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Jerez day three - Webber fastest for Red Bull

Red Bull’s Mark Webber was the quickest driver in Jerez on Thursday as this week’s multi-team test continued. Webber clocked a best time of 1m 19.176s in the RB4 to finish ahead of Renault’s Nelson Piquet and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Hot conditions persisted at the Spanish circuit and Webber was able to complete 85 laps in total. The Australian’s programme focused on aero development work and suspension changes but the squad also carried out some 2009 tyre tests. Team mate David Coulthard will take over driving duties on Friday. “We’ve had a pretty good two days here,” said Webber. “The car ran pretty reliably and we’ve clocked up some good mileage. Today we were mostly getting ready for Budapest, as well as looking at developments for a little later in the season. Yesterday we were focusing more on ‘09, and it was quite a challenging day. Today was better in terms of what we learned, mechanically and aerodynamically. It’s been a hot week for the guys working here and they’ve done a good job.” Piquet was equally productive, completing 95 laps, as he spent the day evaluating Bridgestone's 2009 slick tyres. Raikkonen, meanwhile, focused his attention on preparations for the forthcoming Hungarian race, although he did switch to the slick rubber later in the day. He covered 84 laps and will hand over the F2008 to team mate Felipe Massa on Friday. "We have done many tests over these two days to try and understand what happened at Hockenheim and now we have a clearer idea on this matter,” said the Finn. "Today, the car had improved compared to yesterday and we hope to be ready for the next rounds. Our opponents are very strong, but there is still a long way to go in this championship and all the time to recover, given that in Formula One things can change a lot in no time at all." Fourth fastest was tester Vitantonio Liuzzi for Force India. Liuzzi continued to evaluate the team's new seamless shift gearbox, alongside some aerodynamic work and brake testing. In the afternoon, the squad also tested Bridgestone's 2009 slick tyres. He covered 86 laps in total. Giancarlo Fisichella had been scheduled to take over the VJM01 on Friday, but with the Italian currently suffering from a minor virus, team mate Adrian Sutil will be in charge of driving duties. McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa ended the day in fifth. With an oil leak and subsequent engine change limiting his running, De la Rosa only managed to complete 39 laps. He will hand over the MP4-23 to Heikki Kovalainen for the final day of the test. Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Bourdais, meanwhile, covered 77 laps in the STR3, as he assessed a new wing the team plan to use during the Belgian race weekend in September. Bourdais finished just ahead of Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima, who completed 88 laps in the FW30. Timo Glock was back in action for Toyota following his high-speed crash during the German Grand Prix. Glock was eighth quickest and covered 78 laps, before an issue with the TF108’s fuel system ended his day prematurely. Third driver Kamui Kobayashi will take charge of testing duties for the Japanese team on Friday. "It was good to get back in the car and that was a positive day's testing for us,” said Glock. “We pushed hard in the morning and we were able to get through most of our plan for the day before lunch. That was useful because in the afternoon here it gets too hot and the track is just too slow to get a clear picture out of the car. Late on we had a fuel system issue but we had already gathered the data we wanted. The main thing is that I've made a full recovery from my accident on Sunday and I feel fine." Rubens Barrichello was ninth quickest for Honda. Barrichello continued to evaluate the team’s new rear suspension for the RA108 and covered 68 laps. Completing the line-up on Thursday was BMW Sauber’s Nick Heideld, who completed 97 laps in the F1.08. Heidfeld concentrated on development work with the 2009 slick tyres. Testing continues at Jerez on Friday. Unofficial Thursday times from Jerez: 1. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:19.176 2. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 1:19.334 3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:19.434 4. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 1:19.544 5. Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren, 1:19.850 6. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 1:20.029 7. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 1:20.097 8. Timo Glock, Toyota, 1:20.421 9. Rubens Barrichello, Honda, 1:20.614 10. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 1:20.896 http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8148.html

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Ferrari's Raikkonen confident of comeback

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen believes he will regain his competitiveness, despite his poor showing at last weekend's German Grand Prix. Raikkonen, who qualified in sixth, eventually crossed the finish line in the same position to score three world championship points. “It was the most difficult weekend of the year: a horrible Friday, an even more complicated Saturday and a very bad Sunday,” the Finn told Ferrari’s official website. “During the tests on this track the week before the car went pretty well, at least that was the feeling we got. In the race it seemed as if we were in a different place. We never managed to find a good set up and the car had absolutely no stability. “You need good grip to drive good lap times at Hockenheim, but the rear went all over the place for the whole race. It's true that we had some problems at the beginning of the season to set up the car as I wanted, but we never had problems like we had at Hockenheim. When you're lacking grip in the rear you can't go fast enough to fight for the top positions.” The reigning world champion last won a race at the Spanish event back in April, but he remains confident that the team will be able to improve the car and he is now focusing on the next Grand Prix in Hungary. “We have to check and analyse every single detail and find out why we went so slowly, because there has to be something that didn't work properly,” he added. “The situation is quite complicated, but nothing is lost - we have to stay calm and react the way we know how to. I'm confident that we'll have a F2008 that can fight for a win again soon.” Raikkonen lies third in the driver standings on 51 points, seven behind leader Lewis Hamilton (58) and three adrift of team mate Felipe Massa (54). http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8147.html

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Jerez day two - Vettel keeps Toro Rosso on top

Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel was the quickest man in action for the second consecutive day, as testing continued at Jerez on Wednesday. Vettel clocked a fastest lap of 1m 18.843s to finish over two tenths of a second ahead of McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa. With high temperatures and sunny conditions continuing at the Spanish track, Vettel completed 100 laps as he carried out an evaluation of Bridgestone’s slick tyres for the 2009 season. His STR3 was also run with a smaller wing to replicate the predicted levels of downforce, as demanded by next year’s regulations. “I spent the whole time on the 2009 spec slick tyres and the biggest difference you notice is in the slow corners, where you feel more mechanical grip,” the German driver explained. “However, the low downforce configuration in line with next year’s rules means you have a lack of aero which you feel on the high speed sections, but it is balanced out by more grip from the tyres. We tried two types of tyre and it was an interesting experiment, from which we got loads of data to study.” Third fastest was Kimi Raikkonen for Ferrari. Raikkonen concentrated on comparisons between various different set-up options on the F2008, in preparation for forthcoming races. He covered 76 laps and will continue to test on Thursday. Williams’ Nico Rosberg finished the day in fourth as he kickstarted the British team’s programme of set-up and tyre work. Red Bull’s Mark Webber was fifth in the RB4, which was fitted with Bridgestone’s 2009 slick tyres for the entire day. He covered 105 laps and will continue in the car on Thursday. Just under four tenths down on the Australian was Alexander Wurz for Honda. Wurz was also charged with evaluating Bridgestone’s slick rubber and he covered 77 laps in the modified RA108. Jarno Trulli, meanwhile, enjoyed a second productive day for Toyota as he switched his attention to preparations for the forthcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. "The heat continues to be so strong here that we changed our programme around today,” explained Gerd Pfeiffer, test team manager. “We carried out our set-up work for the Hungarian Grand Prix in the morning while the track was in its best condition. After lunch, we concentrated on aerodynamic comparisons for the same race. The Hungaroring is one of the highest downforce tracks on the calendar so we worked on the package that we will use there. It's been a productive day with no major problems.” Force India began their three-day test on Wednesday. Tester Vitantonio Liuzzi was in charge of the VJM01 as he evaluated the team’s new seamless shift gearbox. In the afternoon Liuzzi also carried out a programme of suspension work, aero testing and reliability runs. “Today was a good day, especially considering I had not been in the car for a month,” explained the Italian. “I got back into the rhythm very easily and we did some very productive work today. The main issue was to complete a lot of laps to test the new gearbox and other new items, and without any issues we could complete the programme. The gearbox was reliable and the lap time was definitely improved as a result.” Renault’s Nelson Piquet was ninth after enjoying a productive day in the R28. Piquet focused on set-up work in the morning before shifting his attention to suspension development and brake testing after lunch. He covered 99 laps. “A good day's testing overall,” explained chief test engineer Christian Silk. “We spent the morning doing some set-up work and tested some R&D items on the suspension as well. We also took the opportunity to do some brake testing to get ready for the hard braking circuits that are coming up. In the afternoon the track was very hot again, which made it difficult to learn much about the car, but we continued with the suspension work and completed the programme successfully." Completing the line-up was BMW Sauber tester Christian Klien. After the KERS drama of Tuesday, Klien took charge of an F1.08 and evaluated a variety of mechanical and aerodynamic solutions. Testing continues in Jerez on Thursday. Unofficial Wednesday times from Jerez: 1. Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso, 1:18.843 2. Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren, 1:19.081 3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:19.446 4. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 1:19.861 5. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:20.021 6. Alexander Wurz, Honda, 1:20.416 7. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 1:20.534 8. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 1:20.577 9. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 1:20.827 10. Christian Klien, BMW Sauber, 1:20.850 http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8145.html

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Jerez plays host to pre-Hungary test

Less than 48 hours after the German Grand Prix, the teams are expected back on track this week to make crucial preparations for the forthcoming Hungarian race. Most squads will be in action for four days at the Spanish circuit of Jerez, with the majority planning to begin their programmes on Tuesday. After Lewis Hamilton’s dominant victory at Hockenheim, McLaren will be keen to maximise any performance advantage they hold, while rivals Ferrari will be working hard to rectify their recent drop in performance. BMW Sauber, meanwhile, will be out in force with tester Christian Klien and both race drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, expected to take charge of the F1.08 during their four-day schedule. Toyota will also be in action from Tuesday, although it is not known whether driver Timo Glock will be in action, following his crash during the German race. Fellow Japanese team Honda also have a four-day schedule planned, during which they plan to evaluate the RA108's new rear suspension and a revised aero package. Force India meanwhile, will test for three days from Wednesday. The squad are set to evaluate their new quick-shift gearbox ahead of its planned race debut in Hungary. With the remainder of the field also expected to attend, it is set to be a busy week in Spain, so check back throughout the week for daily updates on the teams’ progress. Note - all schedules are provisional and subject to change. http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8137.html

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Celebrity spotting at the German Grand Prix

The German race proved to be as popular as ever with celebrity Formula One fans. And we caught up with some of the biggest VIPs at Hockenheim on Sunday to find out how they were enjoying their Formula One experience… It has been only a week since Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko defeated Tony Thompson to take the IBF/WBO federation heavyweight crown. But on Sunday Klitschko, a guest of McLaren, was fighting again - this time in Lewis Hamilton’s ‘corner’. “(His victory) was down to perfect strategy and technique," he explained. "And that is very similar to boxing. I’ve also been able to shake Michael Schumacher’s hand for the first time and that has really made my day!” DaimlerChrysler’s CEO Dr Dieter Zetsche was also ecstatic to witness a McLaren-Mercedes victory. “It’s our home GP, one could say it is almost in our backyard - and Lewis is up there on the podium," said Zetsche. "It’s a fantastic end to a fantastic weekend! Naturally I hoped that Lewis would win but we have seen at many races this season that nothing is predictable, and scoring pole doesn’t automatically make you the winner. I really would like to be able to attend more races but unfortunately you cannot multiply time to take into account your own personal wishes. But a home Grand Prix is something of a must and with this result it was a real pleasure.” Another ‘giant’ in the paddock was German-born Hollywood actor Ralf Moeller, who was a guest of Force India. With a long history of visiting Grands Prix, Moeller is an avid motorsport fan, alongside some of his celebrity friends. “In LA myself, Arnold (Schwarzenegger) and his nephew love to get on our bikes and drive off into the blue," said Moeller. "And I believe that California would be ready for a Formula One race. Picture this - a horde of Hollywood stars on their bikes setting out for a Formula One race. That is PR you couldn’t beat!” German Olympic swimmer Franziska van Almsick is also no stranger to the fast lane. “I had a fantastic time," explained Van Almsick, after the race. "It is always a pleasure to come back, feel the excitement, the tension and the overwhelming joy of the podium. I live just around the corner in Heidelberg so there was no question I wouldn’t be here.” http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8135.html

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F1 in Schools champions visit McLaren factory

An invitation to take a look at the winning secrets behind Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen’s success was an offer that couldn’t be turned down by 2008 F1 in Schools world champions, Team Pulse. And last week the group of students from the UK’s Devonport High School were given an exclusive tour of McLaren's headquarters. From the moment they arrived, the students were given VIP treatment, with a chauffeur-driven bus collecting them and driving them around the outside of the facility’s lake to give them a full 360-degree view of the building. “When we got on the coach, the driver said to us that only really important guests get treated that well, and from that moment on we knew it was going to be a pretty amazing day,” said John Ware, Pulse team manager. Each Pulse member then received a rocket red McLaren victory t-shirt, before they toured the factory, visiting different departments. They then met up with Jonathan Neale, managing director at McLaren Racing, to find out a little more about the British team, before looking around the state of the art Fitness Zone, where they were given the opportunity to test their fitness and try on a race helmet. One of the highlights of the day was getting the chance to take a closer look at Hamilton and Kovalainen’s Formula One cars as they were being prepared for the Hockenheim. “It was a fantastic day out for us, a real once in a lifetime opportunity,” added Ware. “We had the chance to talk to different people from both the technical and the marketing departments, which was helpful as we’re all interested in different aspects of Formula One. We were given a tour of some of the most top secret areas of the facility - we weren’t even allowed our cameras! “We can’t thank everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes enough, they gave us so much of their time and let us see their really impressive facility. It was flattering that they were really interested in what we were doing with F1 in Schools and they even wanted to look at our car too!” F1 in Schools is a global multi-disciplinary challenge for students aged from 9-18 to use CAD/CAM software to design, analyse, manufacture, test and race their miniature F1 car made from balsa wood and powered by compressed air cylinders. Working in teams of between three and six, the students prepare a business plan, develop a budget and raise sponsorship as well as designing and racing their car.The challenge inspires students to learn about science, maths, aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership, teamwork, media skills and financial strategy, and apply them in a practical, imaginative, competitive and exciting way. For further information on the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge visit www.f1inschools.co.uk http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8134.html

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Reproduced with kind permission of the FIA

FIA post-race press conference - Germany

1st Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 1h31m20.874s; 2nd Nelson Piquet (Renault), 1h31m26.460s; 3rd Felipe Massa (Ferrari), 1h31m30.213s. Q: Lewis, on behalf of all race fans we have to thank you for making that such an exciting race by not coming in with the safety car. You gave yourself so much work to do in the latter stages of the race. Lewis Hamilton: Well, thank you. I didn’t plan on doing that. I would have much preferred an easy comfortable afternoon out in front. But it didn’t work that way. We had got off to a really good start. We had two very comfortable, two very decent stints and the team opted for me to stay out. I guess they thought I could pull out a gap but it was a 23 second gap I needed and I only had seven laps or something, so I don’t know how that worked out. I kind of understood and I just kept pushing. I was over the limit, pushing and pushing trying to get the gap but I came out behind Heikki. I have to say a big thank you to Heikki, he was a great team-mate. He didn’t put up a huge fight and saw that I was quicker and enabled me to get past quicker. And so a big thank you to him. I was able to pull it off. I had good tyres. I guess it was exciting for him and it was exciting for me. Q: I take it there was not much discussion between you and the team about the decision? LH: Not really no. I said ‘you sure about this’ and they said ‘fine’. But we all have decisions and opinions on certain things and for sure we will learn from this one and move onto the next race. But still we had the best car. The quickest car this weekend and we came out on top. That’s due to a lot of hard work from all the guys here. The team is fantastic, here and back home and also in Germany. They have all done a phenomenal job. Q: And talk about those two great passes on Nelson and Felipe. LH: With Felipe I saw that I was a lot quicker than him. I was told I was a second quicker than him at the time, so I just tried to keep up the pace. Obviously I was on the early few laps with my tyres and I knew I only had a small window to get past him before they began to grain and before they would slide around. I had to push to get as close to him as possible but the great thing about this track is that you can follow other people. Or so I found. So I was able to get quite close through the last two corners, follow him all the way down to turn two and slipstream him. But again towards the end of the straight he sort of matched my speed and I found it difficult to get past, so I just had to do it on the brakes. He gave me plenty of room. I think it was quite a good battle. It was fun. I think for Nelson, I thought my work was done but they said ‘you still have to get past Nelson.’ I was thinking ‘okay, I’ve just worked my backside off but that’s fine’. Again he put on a good battle but again it was very fair. Q: Nelson, you must be euphoric to start 17th on the grid and finish on the podium. That is the first time two Brazilians have finished on the podium since your Dad shared it with Ayrton Senna back at Spa in 1991. Nelson Piquet: I don’t even know where to start. It started to be a good weekend on Friday and in first practice Saturday. The car was getting better and better and our set-up was working very well. Fernando even used a bit of our set-up as I think they went the wrong way a bit. Things went well until qualifying when I didn’t have a very good run in the first outing. When I went out the second time I got a bit of traffic and that was it. I couldn’t get a good lap and started near the back. I thought that had finished my weekend but obviously with these safety car rules you can get quite lucky. The team did a good decision by calling me in at the right time. Obviously before the race we had a bit of a gamble between one and two stops. We had an option open for when we started the race. I think that was the perfect strategy. If we had gone for an aggressive short first stint to try to overtake in the beginning I wouldn’t have arrived here. Everything worked out great as well. I got lucky and just maintained my pace in the end and finished here. Q: Your pit stop window coincided with the safety car. But you had tremendous pressure at the end form Lewis and Felipe. NP: Yeah, I mean after the safety car I knew I just had to keep my pace. I didn’t want to push the tyres at the beginning. I could have pushed a bit more the first phase but I wanted to keep them until the end as I knew I had to run until the end. When I was leading the race I knew Lewis was coming by quick and I knew Felipe wasn’t that much quicker than me, so I decided not to make it such a big fuss with Lewis. And he was so much quicker than us. If I would have fought it would have been a risk for maybe Felipe to arrive and he could have overtaken me. I just decided to have a safe second place than to have a third or fourth place and not be too happy. The race was good. I just maintained the pace, no mistakes and kept the rear tyres to the end. Q: Felipe, a difficult day for you. But talk about the start? Felipe Massa: For sure I expected maybe a different race because the pace of Lewis at the beginning was so quick. By then I knew they were much quicker than us here on the track. Even looking at the pace in the race I would say I did a good qualifying because they had a good pace. Also in the race in the first stint he was just half-a-second per lap quicker and when it is like that you cannot do anything. Then just after the safety car we did the normal job, the team did a good job but it was more or less the normal job. Maybe Lewis was a bit too optimistic on the safety car. We restarted the race and I saw the pace of the car and the brakes and we had the hard tyres as the soft were so difficult to drive as well and I just couldn’t have the pace. It was just slow with difficult stability and also on braking I think I had a little problem as well and lost a lot of performance. I didn’t have the car to fight. I tried but it was not possible. At the end of the day it was a good race because we finished third. Even with a little bit more than the middle of the season the championship is open. We need to work very hard for sure. But I trust the team and I know they are going to work very hard and we are going to have a competitive car for the next races. Also I welcome Nelson. It is very nice. I am sure he is feeling a great time. The feeling to be on the podium the first time I remember. It was two years ago at the Nürburgring and I was so happy, like a child, I am sure he is very happy and I welcome him to this nice place in F1. Q: Lewis, your fourth win in a season and second in a row. You are leading the championship by four points, which is not much, but a nice momentum. LH: Yeah, overall it’s been a very good weekend. I think it has been our best weekend up until now. I think we have just been very strong throughout the weekend as well as last week’s test. But like I said it’s just been a great job by the team. We are really on top of our game right now. But I think we have not to get too far ahead of ourselves. We have got a lot of work to do for the rest of the season but if we can continue with this momentum we have got we are looking very good. So on to the next race and Hungary is a very good one for us, so fingers crossed. PRESS CONFERENCE Q: Lewis, tell us about the start and the early stages. You just seemed to be pulling away so easily. LH: Yeah, I felt very confident at the beginning that we had a good strategy and a good car. I got a great start, not really much hassle from Felipe or anyone behind, and I was just able to focus on my job then. I just felt at home. I was just driving nice and smoothly and consistently and surprisingly, I was pulling away, by half a second a lap, I think. By then, I was just comfortable just trying to pull the gap and surprise, surprise, the safety car comes out and… it was no surprise, I had a feeling something like that would happen, that’s motor racing. That was just before the second stop. We decided to stop a bit early at the first stop just to avoid any safety car issues which was a good call and then we got caught, which made it a lot harder. Q: Just now, when Peter asked you about staying out and not coming in, you said ‘everyone makes a…’ and then you stopped yourself. Do you think the team made a mistake not calling you in? LH: I think we probably should have come in but, at the end of the day, I don’t understand exactly what’s going on behind me, and I have to have full confidence in the guys who tell me what to do. I’m totally with the decision they made. For sure, we could have perhaps done a better job but nevertheless we were quickest and it just made my job a little bit harder but I just told Ron ‘that’s what you hire me to do. This is what I’m here for.’ Q: Just now, you also said you needed around a 23s lead before your second stop but you had a 13.7s lead before you came in. LH: Yeah, I was told that I needed a 23s lead, so I kind of knew that it was impossible in the short period of time that I had unless I was three seconds a lap faster or something. I just did the best job I could. I nailed it. I really got on. I was pushing even more than I was in the first stint. I was just trying to make that gap. I had a nice clean space, no one to cause me any troubles and we weren’t able to do it, we just missed it. We got a few seconds out of it but we just missed it, but nevertheless the great thing was that the team was still very positive. They came across on the radio and said ‘don’t worry, we can still do it.’ And you know that’s great, to see the team so positive and so enthusiastic and I think that enabled me to go and go for the win. Q: And now a four point lead in the championship which must seem like a luxury after the last few weeks. LH: Yeah, sure. It’s a good feeling to have come off a strong win at Silverstone and come here and we’ve pretty much been dominant all weekend, so it’s great to see that we have the pace that we have but again, we’ve just got to take one step at a time. We’ve got a long way to go and we’ve got to make sure that we can continue with this performance. Q: Nelson, it’s great to see you here on a Sunday afternoon. What were you feelings in the car as the last laps unfolded? NP: To be honest, I didn’t really know it was the last lap. I knew it was finishing but I was so concentrated, so looking forward that I didn’t even want to look left or right, look at the boards, I just wanted to look forward. I looked a few times but I didn’t want to spend too much time looking for how many laps, I just wanted to focus and when I saw Lewis backing off on the last lap, then I think I realised that this was the last lap and it was, and I saw the chequered flag. It was an incredible feeling. After the safety car left, I knew I was in a very strong position. I just had to push until the end, not making any mistakes. Then I knew Lewis was going to pit but probably he was going to catch up because he was really quick and that’s what happened. He came, and I saw him fighting with Felipe and he overtook Felipe, caught me very quickly and I just decided not to make it too hard because I could have a chance to lose time and fight with Felipe. Lewis was much quicker, he deserved to win and I was just worried not to make any mistakes and just keep it quick and finish second. It was a good race. In the beginning I struggled a little bit. The start was good but then I had a lock-up and the beginning of the safety mode in the car. It was a bit difficult on the first lap, sliding everywhere and getting mixed up with all the guys at the back. It wasn’t very good. Luckily, after the safety car I got rid of it and I was in front and on the soft tyres the car was really, really good and I was able to push from the beginning to the end and no mistakes, so it was good. Q: You’ve had a fairly tough time in the first half of the season; what do you think this result will do? NP: I don’t think it’s going to change much. Obviously it’s always good to get a result like this. I don’t think that if you had the normal finish of a race I probably wouldn’t arrive here starting from 17th. It was a bit lucky. It’s still difficult for me. I’m not saying that in Hungary, the next race, you should expect me on the podium. I don’t think it would be like that. Obviously we’re going to be fighting for it but for me it’s getting a bit tough. We’re getting there slowly, slowly, having some difficulties sometimes: qualifying, with the tyres, I’m not getting used to them very easily. I think it’s part of learning. I think getting a podium is great, it helps the confidence, good for the team, to push them up a bit but we still need to improve a lot. I certainly need to improve, the car still needs to improve, the team is doing a great job. I think the strategy today was great. We started the race with a flexible strategy between a two- and a one-stop and it was perfect because if we chose a very risky but quick one at the beginning with a short stint - I suggested one at the beginning to try to attack - I wouldn’t be here right now, so I think the strategy guys in the team all deserve this podium. Q: Felipe, you mentioned that the car didn’t feel particularly comfortable; is that a worry for future races? FM: I hope not. For sure today was a not great day for us. We had a difficult car to drive, I don’t know why. Yesterday was a little bit better than today in terms of competition with McLaren. Today was difficult. Lewis pulled away very easily in the first stint and during the whole race, and then in the last stint, I started to have little problems with the brakes. I had so much smoke coming from the car under braking and just lost a lot of performance. I had a bit of (brake) fading as well. It was difficult to fight for position at the end of the stint because of that and also the behaviour of the car was difficult as well. I’m sure we have a great car but for some reason today, something was not working and it was very difficult to drive but that doesn’t mean we will not be competitive in the next race. I’m sure we will be because we were so competitive in many races this year and I’m sure we are going to regain our normal pace. Q: Tell us about Lewis’s overtaking manoeuvre from your point of view? FM: Well, first of all I saw him in the slipstream and then I tried to brake as late as I could but I didn’t have very good braking performance and then I just saw him braking slightly forward, and then he just came beside me. Then I took the slipstream again in the next corner and he went inside. I tried everything I could on the outside but there was nothing I could do. He was so much quicker that if I passed him again he would pass me very easily afterwards because he had such pace and I couldn’t do anything. So at the end of the day, it was a positive race for sure. We cannot say it was a negative race and the championship is open, and I’m sure we’re going to get back the normal pace in our car and we’re going to fight again. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR Q: (Ed Gorman – The Times) Lewis, we’ve got used to seeing you at the end of wins being very excited and very happy and often telling us that this was your best win. Your mood today is very contrasting to that, it seems almost routine. Is that how feel about this one? LH: No, not really. I think it’s been a great weekend. I feel very proud to have won on my team’s home soil – at least, Mercedes Benz’s home soil – and I think this weekend we’ve just proved that the performance of the car and the team is very good at the moment. I’m very happy with my job and also the team’s job. I think we’ve all done a fantastic job. Excuse me for not being ecstatic like I was in Monaco but I am very very, very happy. Q: (Udo Döring – Darmstädter Echo) Lewis, it’s ten years ago since McLaren Mercedes last won here in Hockenheim. Do you remember what you were doing in 1999/8 or even on this day? LH: Yeah, I remember in 1998 I was go-karting, I was racing in Juniors in European races and I think that year I was probably vice-European champion in Juniors somewhere. I think around that time – that year or the year before – I had actually come to this race with Keke and with Nico Rosberg and this is when we decided to run our team in go-karts, the team in which me and Nico ran together. I have very fond memories. Q: (Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) Lewis, did you have any kind of information from last week’s test or Friday and Saturday morning that you would be so much faster than Ferrari during the race? LH: No, there was definitely no implication or any… we had absolutely no idea that we would be that much faster than them. I think we knew that we had made a step forward but if anything, we felt that maybe we had caught them and we were just with them, rather than before when we were just a little bit behind them. I think that it was extremely close this weekend as you saw in qualifying, yet we were able to just get that little bit better. I don’t know if it’s conditions or what, but the car was fantastic throughout the race and I was able to push and push, manage the tyres to the best I probably ever have and really the car was fantastic, so it’s a big, big step from the whole team. Q: (Marco Evangelisti – Corriere della Sera) Felipe, can you briefly explain what Ferrari has to do to recover the best shape it had in France? FM: Work hard, as we always do. I think maybe in this race it was something related to us, because in the last stint, if you look, we were not even quicker than the Renaults and the BMWs, so I think it was maybe something related to us, which happens – especially in this race – which was not happening yesterday or maybe not like today, so it’s something that we need to analyse and try to understand for the future. Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) Lewis, you mentioned about how it would have been nice for you to have won from the front but does it make it even better when you’re handed this opportunity to go and chase those two guys and deliver two great overtaking moves, does it make it that much more satisfying? LH: Yeah, it depends how you look at it. For me, I think we had just done such a solid job and we were clearly out in front. I think it would have been easier for us to have stayed out where we were and we could have won easier. That’s always the way to deliver but for sure it feels even better to know that we had done it from a little bit further back. I was behind these guys, it was looking like I was just having to collect points but we all remained positive and the car was great. I was able to battle and for sure it’s even more exciting for me to be able to compete with Felipe and fight with Nelson. For sure, I feel great for the battle we had. I’m sure the public enjoyed watching it. Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) When you passed Felipe, did you know how far away Nelson was? LH: No, if I’m honest, for some reason I thought that once I got passed Felipe I was in the lead, I thought that was it, and I realised I had this guy ahead of me. I must say congratulations to Nelson, he’s done a great job. It’s good to see him up here. I’ve been racing with him for a few years now in the lower categories and I know he’s been having a tough season – that’s Formula One – but he’s doing a great job and it’s good to see him up here. Q: (Ian Parkes – The Press Association) Lewis, do you feel, given the performance of the car at the moment, the way it’s just flying and given your own personal performance as well, it seems to be a good run at the moment, that you are the man to beat, that the guys behind you, the championship rivals, are really going to have to pull out all the stops if they are going to stop you winning the title this season? LH: I think it’s too early to say, to be honest. We’re looking strong, we’re looking good, we’re in a good position, but as you know, in a Formula One season things change, the teams always make steps here and there and as you saw last year, we were chopping and changing who was quickest and you will see in the next few races I don’t know what to expect. All I know is that we will have a competitive car and if we can challenge for wins, then great. I’m not going to say that we are the ones who need to pull their finger out. We need to keep on pushing, simple as that, and I’m sure everyone else will be. Q: (Ed Gorman – The Times) Lewis, you told us a little bit about the discussion on the radio about pitting with the safety car. Can you just tell us a little bit more and did they give you any indication what their thinking was to explain to you why you should have stayed out? LH: They just said that they were comfortable with where we were. I asked them, because I saw on the screens – because we were going so slowly I had time to look at one of the big screens – and I saw – I didn’t know at that point if it was a replay of the first pit stops – but I saw that Heikki and one of the Ferraris were in, so I did ask if these guys had pitted and then I asked ‘are you sure we shouldn’t be pitting?’ and then they said ‘we’re comfortable, we know that they will be very, very heavy, they’ll be in a bit of traffic, so we should be able to pull the gap. I did everything I could to pull that gap and it just wasn’t do-able. http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8130.html

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Piquet’s first podium boosts Renault morale

In the uber-competitive world of Formula One racing, when you qualify down in 17th you don’t normally expect to score points - let alone a podium. But Renault’s Nelson Piquet managed just that in Germany on Sunday, after good fortune and a sterling drive saw him take second place to clinch his first top-three Formula One finish. Piquet lost a place to Honda’s Rubens Barrichello at the start, but the crucial point for the Brazilian came on Lap 35 when Toyota’s Timo Glock collided with a wall and brought out the safety car. On a one-stop strategy, Piquet had just emerged from the pits, giving him an advantage over the rest of the field, who still had stops to make. Third at the re-start, Piquet took the lead of the race after the two men ahead - McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld - stopped. He was unable to resist the hard-charging Hamilton in the closing stages, but kept his cool to stay ahead of the chasing Ferrari of Felipe Massa. “I am obviously very happy!” said the Brazilian. “After qualifying yesterday I was thinking that my weekend was over, but we opted for an aggressive strategy in the race and the team made some great decisions when the safety car came out. Then I had to concentrate to keep my pace up and look after my tyres as much as possible towards the end of the race. I knew that Lewis was much faster than me, so I did not want to take any pointless risks. This second place today is a great reward for the whole team.” Piquet’s maiden podium was also Renault’s first of the season. They last scored a top-three finish in 2006, courtesy of Heikki Kovalainen’s second-place run at the Japanese Grand Prix. And team boss Flavio Briatore was thrilled with Piquet’s Hockenheim success. “Nelson had an amazing race,” said Briatore. “He proved to be very fast towards the end of the race and was able to remain strong under enormous pressure. He was not able to hold off Hamilton who was much faster, but he was able to defend his second place strongly. I am delighted for him and for the team who really deserve this result.” Fernando Alonso had a disappointing race in the second Renault and finished down in 11th. Nevertheless, Piquet’s eight points means the French team have moved seven points clear of Williams in the constructors’ standings to place them sixth, just one point behind Red Bull. http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8127.html

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‘Timo the terrier’ eager to mark home turf

For every Formula One driver, their national Grand Prix is an event to look forward to, but for Toyota’s Timo Glock, this weekend's German Grand Prix represents a very special homecoming. With his mature approach and consistent pace, it is easy to forget Glock is in his first full season of racing in Formula One racing, so this weekend's race is his first German Grand Prix - and it comes at the perfect venue. The 26 year-old was born in Lindenfels, a short drive from Hockenheim, and he grew up in the Odenwaldkreis region, where he lived until recently when he took up residence in Cologne to be close to Toyota’s technical centre. So Hockenheim is very much a home race for him, and that means not only will he be on familiar territory, he will have plenty of familiar faces to cheer him on as he looks for his second points finish of the season. “A lot of friends are coming down and a lot of people I know," he says. "That makes it quite a special race." Of course, the ambition for any racing driver is to win, so it is no surprise Hockenheim is one of Glock's favourite tracks, with a victory and third place on his last visit, as a GP2 Series driver in 2006, adding to an expanding collection of happy memories. "Every time I've been to Hockenheim I have had really good races and I've won a few times," he adds. "It's one of the best races of the year for me, not just because it's my local track but also because I have been strong there." Not only is Hockenheim a home race for Glock, it is the start of the second half of his first full season as a Formula One racer. So far the balance sheet says nine races and five points, but bare statistics only tell a fraction of the story. Glock has shown strong performance since the very start of the season and only bad luck denied him points on his debut in Australia. A points finish was also looking certain in Bahrain until gearbox gremlins struck, but in Canada he got the break his consistent performances deserved, capping a battling drive with fourth place. Such is the competitiveness of the midfield teams this season, the fight for points is fiercer than ever, making it tough for a young driver to regularly finish in the top eight when he must compete against a grid filled with 10 Grand Prix winners, including his experienced and very quick team mate Jarno Trulli. That is a formidable challenge, but one which Glock has risen to since joining Toyota at the beginning of the year. Formula One racing is more complex than a driver simply sitting behind the wheel and letting his talent do the talking; much more work is required to compete at the top - and that suits ‘Timo the terrier’. "Timo is a track animal I would say," says Dieter Gass, chief race and test engineer for Toyota. "Really he is somebody who is very motivated and very target orientated. I like to compare him to a terrier because when he gets his teeth into something he will not let go before he has achieved what he wants." Glock’s helmet even includes a 'Glock dog' motif, chosen to symbolize commitment and determination; attributes he has shown in good measure since joining Toyota. A sign of his commitment to the cause is his strong work ethic, which inspired his move to Cologne. In between his hectic schedule of races, tests and shakedowns, Glock is often seen hard at work in the factory, something he believes is crucial to his - and his car's - development. "The team is based in Cologne and for me it is important to share as much information as possible about the car with my engineers," he explains. "I think that is much easier when you live just five minutes away from the company compared to having to fly for two hours to Cologne. "To me it is completely natural and obvious that as a Formula One driver I need to work hard in order to help myself and my team move forward. As a driver you must be at one with the car; you have to know and feel your car 100 percent." Not surprisingly, that attitude has endeared him to the team, particularly his equally hard-working car crew, as chief mechanic Gerard Lecoq explains: "Glock is very friendly and easy to work with because he's an honest person and we can always share information. He's a straightforward guy who is very supportive to his mechanics. "Also, he is a very hard worker and doesn't want to leave the circuit if something isn't as it should be. If you do a quick tour of the paddock late in the evening there is almost no chance to see a driver, but if you find one it will be Glock." That respect is mutual, for Glock sees the long hours and complete dedication of his car crew as they strive to provide a perfect car for every session. "The mechanics are really good guys and they work nearly 24 hours for a driver,” he says. “It's reassuring to have such good mechanics behind you because every time you go out into free practice, into qualifying or the race, you have a car that is just really well sorted out. We work hard and have a strong relationship." As he enters the second half of his first full Formula One season, there would be no more perfect place for Glock to get back among the points scorers and add to his growing reputation, both within the Toyota team and around the paddock.

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