Latest F1 news in brief
08/21/07
- Piquet Jr wants top team debut
- Purnell wants to wind up F1 magazine
- Renault took biggest backwards step in '07
- Jordan – I don't regret selling team
- BMW confirm unchanged lineup for 2008
- Alonso did not snub McLaren vacation – Haug New
- Rosberg 'not for sale' – Williams New
Piquet Jr wants top team debut
(GMM) Nelson Piquet Jr has warned formula one's backmarker teams to not bother offering him a debut drive for the 2008 season.
The Brazilian test driver, linked with a possible move to a racing cockpit next year with Renault or Williams, revealed that he is only interested in joining a team that is capable of scoring regular points.
"I want to race for a top team," the 22-year-old told f1today.nl, explaining that he had not worked his entire career to finish last in F1.
"From the outset I want to have the opportunity to collect points.
"Some people think it is important to gain experience with a small team. I see it differently.
"You only have to look at (Lewis) Hamilton; on his first attempt with McLaren he was right up there."
Piquet finished second to Hamilton in the feeder series GP2 last year, thereafter agreeing to emulate Fernando Alonso and Heikki Kovalainen by sitting out a single season as Renault test driver.
Purnell wants to wind up F1 magazine
(GMM) An official of motor racing's governing body wants to rid the formula one world of a specialist magazine.
FIA technical consultant Tony Purnell, who formerly ran the now-defunct Jaguar team, has served a petition to wind up the controversial British monthly BusinessF1, which is headed by editor Tom Rubython.
Purnell and Rubython were in court in April where BusinessF1 was ordered to pay $150,000 in libel damages, after an article accused Purnell of bribing journalists.
The winding up petition will be heard in London's Royal Courts of Justice on 5 September.
Renault took biggest backwards step in '07
(GMM) Renault took the biggest step backwards this year compared with every other formula one team, according to an analysis.
The magazine Auto Motor und Sport claims that the French team, after securing the 2005 and 2006 drivers' and constructors' titles, fell back more dramatically than any rival this year in terms of championship points and actual car pace — including the dreadful Honda outfit.
After 11 races last year, Renault had 142 points on the scoreboard, and 121 in 2005.
This year, the team has just 33, and is a large margin behind not only McLaren and Ferrari but also BMW-Sauber.
On the track, Renault has dropped back by an average of 1.204 seconds. In comparison, McLaren gained 0.039 seconds per lap in 2007 compared with last year, and BMW-Sauber 0.051.
A big upwards mover, meanwhile, is Red Bull; some 1.151 quicker than in 2006.
Renault, however, fares better in the reliability stakes, with only McLaren completing more racing laps so far this season, but is dead last in the comparison of points scored in 2007 and 2006.
Jordan – I don't regret selling team
(GMM) Eddie Jordan says he does not regret selling his formula one team.
The Silverstone based camp has suffered a tumultuous time ever since, with Midland selling to Spyker at the end of last year and the struggling Dutch owners now likely to offload the team to yet another buyer.
But Jordan said F1 is simply a tough environment for privateer teams these days, and that handing the team on was preferable to letting it fold.
"You can be selfish and say that it could have been better," the Irishman told the Dutch magazine Formule 1 Race Report.
"But I could not forget about the 250 very loyal people who worked for the team. What was I supposed to do — send them away with nothing?
"That has never been my style."
Jordan, however, admitted to "surprise" that the man he initially sold the team to – Russian-Canadian billionaire Alex Shnaider – did not stick around for long.
"I really thought that Midland would continue with it for longer, and the same for Spyker."
He said he would be willing to help the team if they asked.
But "they have never asked and I don't expect they will now".
Jordan added: "Yes, I would gladly pass on my experience and my knowledge. But it is like a bird from the nest — they fly away and learn to look after themselves."
Alonso did not snub McLaren vacation – Haug
(GMM) Fernando Alonso did not refuse an invitation to join his McLaren colleagues for a vacation during the summer break.
That was the insistence on Tuesday of team carmaker partner Mercedes-Benz's Norbert Haug.
He dismissed as "nonsense" recent reports that, amid tense relationships with Britons Lewis Hamilton and Ron Dennis, Spaniard Alonso said no to team co-owner Mansour Ojjeh's invitation to join the festivities aboard his super-yacht Kogo.
"Complete nonsense," German Haug is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.
"Lewis (Hamilton) was frequently on the boat, but it was never intended that Alonso must also be there."
Haug confirmed, however, that team talks are scheduled in Turkey this weekend following the events of the recent Hungarian grand prix.
"We will all gather in Turkey and discuss the situation," he said.
Rosberg 'not for sale' – Williams
(GMM) Team boss and co-owner Sir Frank Williams has denied that Nico Rosberg could be used as a revenue-raiser.
It was reported recently that, given 22-year-old Rosberg's impressive performance so far in 2007, Williams might sell the German's 2008 contract to a well-funded high bidder elsewhere in pit lane.
When asked by Sport Bild if his current employer would hold onto him for next year at "any price", Rosberg said: "That is a big statement."
On Tuesday, however, 65-year-old Williams told Auto Motor und Sport: "Nico is not for sale."