{Motorsports}
Ferrari celebrates their 800th Grand Prix in turkey
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his weekend’s Turkish race will be a very special one for Ferrari, as it will be the Italian team’s 800th Grand Prix. And to celebrate reaching such a momentous milestone, a special commemorative logo will be placed on the engine covers of both F10s for the duration of the Istanbul Park event. “Eight hundred Grands Prix represents a milestone in the life of Ferrari, which fills us with satisfaction and pride,” said Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo. “I want to
share our delight in this achievement with the drivers who have driven our cars in the world championship and with our fans. It is nice to look back and see what we have done together, aware that we are part of a story that is without equal and is ongoing.” First as sporting director (from 1973-1976) and then as President (since 1991) Di Montezemolo has been involved in 359 of the 799 chapters of Ferrari’s Formula One history, during which time the team won a total of 17 world championships (seven driver titles and 10 constructor titles) and 123 Grands Prix. The only team to have participated in every world championship since its inception back in 1950, Ferrari’s first victory came courtesy of Jose Froilan Gonzalez at the 1951 British Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso clinched their most recent at the 2010 season opener in Bahrain. The Italian team have also set many
Formula one returns to the united states
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ormula One World Championship Limited and Formula One Administration Limited (together, the F1 Commercial Rights Holder) and Full Throttle Productions, LP, promoter of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™, announce that a historic agreement has been reached for Austin, Texas to serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ for years 2012 through 2021. “We are extremely honoured and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 Commercial Rights Holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event,” stated Tavo Hellmund, Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, LP. Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group stated: “For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event. It was thirty years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ was last held on a purpose-built 70
permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US.” Mr. Hellmund added: “This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the ‘it’ cities in the United States. Austin features that rare combination of ideal geographic location and beauty.” Texas Governor Rick Perry conveyed his enthusiasm for the project, explaining “Texas’ relatively strong economy continues to draw both national and international attention and I commend Comptroller Combs for her work in bringing this exciting event to the Lone Star State.”
records, thanks to their 15 drivers’ titles, 16 constructors’ titles, 211 wins, 632 podium finishes, 223 second-place finishes, 198 thirdplace finishes, 203 pole positions and 220 fastest race laps. Other records held by Ferrari and their drivers include constructors’ championship points (4229.5), consecutive wins (14, between 1952-1953), one-two finishes (80), wins in one season for one driver (13, for Michael Schumacher in 2004), consecutive wins for a driver (nine, for Alberto Ascari from 19521953), consecutive podium finishes for a driver (19, for Schumacher from 2001-2002,) one-two finishes for a driver pairing (24, for Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello from 2000-2005), and consecutive points finishes per driver (24, for Schumacher from 20012003)
fia to clarify last-lap safety car rule
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he FIA is to clarify regulations relating to safety-car procedures on the final lap of a race. It follows Michael Schumacher’s penalty for passing Fernando Alonso in the dying seconds of Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. With the track declared clear and the safety car coming in, Schumacher’s Mercedes GP team believed their drivers were free to race as normal. However, race stewards subsequently penalised Schumacher for breaking Article 40.13 of the Sporting Regulations, which states: “If the race ends whilst the safety car is deployed it will enter the pit lane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.” Mercedes originally planned to appeal the decision, but dropped those plans after the sport’s governing body agreed to review the rule in question. According to the FIA, “adjustments to the regulations are necessary to clarify the procedure that cars must meet when the last lap is controlled by the Safety Car whilst also ensuring that the signalling for teams and drivers is made more clear.”