July 14

Motul joins Spear MotorSports for 2009
Motul signs with Spear MotorSports as team sponsor for 2009.


7:49 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

Ferrari and McLaren settle...
Ferrari and McLaren both issued statements on Friday confirming that the teams have agreed to settle their outstanding differences over the spying controversy that dominated the Formula One headlines in the latter half of last season.

McLaren were fined $100 million and stripped of their 2007 constructors’ points after the FIA concluded they had benefitted from the acquisition of leaked Ferrari data. McLaren have now agreed to also pay Ferrari’s costs relating to the matter, as well as a concluding payment, which Ferrari will donate to charity.

The FIA formally drew a line under the ‘Spygate’ affair last December after McLaren issued a public apology and agreed not to pursue the development of certain systems on their Formula One cars. Friday’s statements now signal the end of the few remaining issues between the two teams.

Ferrari still plan to continue legal proceedings against former employee Nigel Stepney, the engineer alleged to have passed the confidential information to McLaren.

McLaren’s statement:
"In light of the formal closure in December 2007 of the FIA and FIA World Motor Sport Council proceedings against McLaren, and of McLaren's public apology to Ferrari which we have reiterated, Ferrari and McLaren have agreed to bring the various disputes between them in relation to this matter to a final conclusion.

"McLaren has also agreed to the reimbursement of Ferrari's costs and expenses relating to these matters and a concluding payment."

Ferrari’s statement:
"Ferrari acknowledges McLaren's reiterated apology for the well known events which occurred during the 2007 F1 Championship and, in the best interests of Formula One and taking into account the formal closure in December 2007 of the FIA and FIA World Motor Sport Council proceedings against McLaren, it confirms that it has accepted to put an end to all outstanding controversies between the two teams. Ferrari will donate to charity the concluding payment received from McLaren.

"Ferrari will pursue its claims against Nigel Stepney in connection with the matter."

4:21 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

July 08

Hockenheim Day One
British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton was the quickest man in action on Tuesday as this week’s multi-team test at Hockenheim got underway. Hamilton clocked a best time of 1m 15.483s in the McLaren around the German track, as all ten teams began preparations for the forthcoming German Grand Prix.

3:36 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

June 23

Raikkonen may use ‘free’ engine change at Silverstone
Kimi Raikkonen and his Ferrari engine may have survived to finish Sunday's French Grand Prix, completing a Ferrari one-two behind Felipe Massa, but it could result in an unscheduled engine change, according to team principal Stefano Domenicali.

Raikkonen suffered an exhaust failure around half distance in the 70 lap race which caused fluctuating performance thereafter. Raikkonen was lucky to finish behind Massa, even though he matched his team mate's pace for a while before the engine worsened at the end.

This year, however, Ferrari are lucky in that each driver is allowed one unscheduled engine change without penalty. "I would say it is quite likely that we will have to replace the engine," said Domenicali after the race. "For sure, after such a heavy race from the middle to the end, it's very likely that we have to change it so we need to play the joker that allows us to do it."

9:00 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

June 17

Mercedes to demo 1908 racer at Magny-Cours
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will step back in time at Magny-Cours this weekend, as engine partners Mercedes celebrate the 100th anniversary of their first ever victory.

In 1908, Christian Lautenschlager won the French Grand Prix in a four-cylinder 12.8-litre car which produced 135bhp. To mark this event, an original 1908 historic Benz Grand Prix car will be on display, with Hamilton and Kovalainen also completing demonstration laps in the historic machine.

"Mercedes-Benz and motor racing have a long standing tradition in France,” commented Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “100 years ago, Christian Lautenschlager won the French Grand Prix at the wheel of a Mercedes; it has been the first out of 104 Grand Prix victories in the Mercedes-Benz motor sport history.

6:48 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)