The Official Formula 1 Blog

Qualification Malaysian Grand Prix

2006-03-20T09:07:00.000+02:00

1 G. Fisichella Renault 1:33.840
2 J. Button Honda 1:33.986
3 N. Rosberg Williams 1:35.105
4 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:35.010
5 M. Webber Williams 1:35.252
6 JP. Montoya McLaren 1:34.536
7 K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:34.667
8 F. Alonso Renault 1:35.514
9 C. Klien Red Bull 1:35.171
10 R. Schumacher Toyota no time
11 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:34.614
12 R. Barrichello Honda 1:34.683
13 J. Trulli Toyota 1:34.070
14 J. Villeneuve BMW 1:34.752
15 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:34.783
16 F. Massa Ferrari no time
17 S. Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:36.297
18 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:36.581
19 C. Albers Midland F1 1:37.426
20 T. Monteiro Midland F1 1:37.819
21 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:39.011
22 Y. Ide Super Aguri 1:40.720

Bahrain Grand Prix

2006-03-15T12:11:00.000+02:00

A nail-biting start to the 2006 season saw Michael Schumacher push world champion Fernando Alonso all the way in Bahrain in a race filled with drama and incident.

Nico Roseberg Formula One debute is sort debut that every driver dreams of. Not only did Nico Rosberg score points in his first ever Grand Prix - driving his Williams to a well-deserved seventh place finish - but did so with one of the most convincing maiden drives in recent memory, including setting the fastest lap of the race.

1. F. Alonso Renault 1:29:46.206
2. M. Schumacher Ferrari + 1.246
3. K. Räikkönen McLaren + 19.360
4. J. Button Honda + 19.992
5. JP. Montoya McLaren + 37.048
6. M. Webber Williams + 41.932
7. N. Rosberg Williams + 1:03.043
8. C. Klien Red Bull + 1:06.771
9. F. Massa Ferrari + 1:09.907
10. D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1:15.541
11. V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso + 1:25.997
12. N. Heidfeld BMW + 1 lap
13. S. Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso + lap
14. R. Schumacher Toyota + 1 lap
15. R. Barrichello Honda + 1 lap
16. J. Trulli Toyota + 1 lap
17. T. Monteiro Midland F1 + 2 laps
18. T. Sato Super Aguri + 4 laps

Qualification Bahrain Grand-Prix

2006-03-15T12:07:00.000+02:00

1 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:31.431
2 F. Massa Ferrari 1:31.478
3 J. Button Honda 1:31.549
4 F. Alonso Renault 1:31.702
5 JP. Montoya McLaren 1:32.164
6 R. Barrichello Honda 1:32.579
7 M. Webber Williams 1:33.006
8 C. Klien Red Bull 1:33.112
9 G. Fisichella Renault 1:33.496
10 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:33.926
11 J. Villeneuve BMW 1:32.456
12 N. Rosberg Williams 1:32.620
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:32.850
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:33.066
15 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:33.416
16 S. Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:34.606
17 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:34.702
18 C. Albers Midland F1 1:35.724
19 T. Monteiro Midland F1 1:35.900
20 Y. Ide Super Aguri 1:37.411
21 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:38.868
22 K. Räikkönen McLaren no time

The months of waiting are over

2006-03-10T11:06:00.000+02:00

The months of waiting are over. The 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship gets underway in Bahrain this weekend with new drivers, new regulations and even a new team. And winter testing suggests that champions Renault have plenty of rivals ready and able to steal their crown

The 2006 rookies - Rosberg, Speed & Ide

2006-03-09T07:57:00.000+02:00

The start of any Formula One season brings with it a crop of new faces and this year three ‘rookie’ drivers are set to make their race debuts when they line up on the grid in Bahrain this weekend.

The 2006 Season Preview

2006-03-06T08:11:00.000+02:00

Formula One racing is set for one of the most open seasons in years. There is no other conclusion that you can draw when you study the teams' winter testing form from the Barcelona, Jerez, Valencia, Bahrain, Imola and Vallelunga circuits.

2006 has all the hallmarks thus far of a brilliant season, with world champions Renault battling it out again with McLaren, and Honda moving forward to challenge both of them. Ferrari and Toyota should also be close, while Williams, BMW Sauber and Red Bull - with their Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso (formerly Minardi) teams - are definite underdogs.

Record pace from Honda

2006-03-03T10:07:00.000+02:00

Kimi Raikkonen’s V8 record lap of 1:09:423 set yesterday in testing at Valencia was crushed today by Davidson in the Honda. Davidson stopped the clocks with an impressive best lap of 1:08.543s, completing 70 laps in his Honda. With just one week to go until the season is underway - Honda, Renault and McLaren Mercedes are all looking strong.

10 days to go

2006-03-02T09:56:00.000+02:00

With just 10 day's till Bahrain, the teams are looking good; it is going to be a fantastic season. All the teams have done a good job with there cars, a lot of the weaker teams look a lot better, but it looks like this season is going to be a four way fight between Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and Honda.

McLaren one-two at Valencia

2006-03-02T09:53:00.000+02:00

Five teams and seven drivers completed another day of testing today at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.Kimi Raikkonen broke the track record for a V8-powered F1 car.

Valencia - 01/03/06
1. K. Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1'09"423 (+0"000) - 120 laps
2. P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 - 1'09"852 (+0"429) - 115 laps
3. A. Davidson - Honda RA106 - 1'10"301 (+0"878) - 143 laps
4. D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'11"078 (+1"655) - 76 laps
5. R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 - 1'11"129 (+1"706) - 59 laps
6. J. Trulli - Toyota TF106 - 1'12"159 (+2"736) - 80 laps
7. A. Wurz - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'12"257 (+2"834) - 70 laps

Honda in front of Renault

2006-02-26T22:28:00.000+02:00

Thursday 23 February, Testsession Barcelona.

Less than a tenth of a second separated the top three runners in Barcelona on Thursday, as Honda and Renault battled for supremacy in the week’s third day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya. Jenson Button emerged on top, edging out Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso, with Rubens Barrichello fourth.

J. Button - Honda RA106 - 1'13"935
2. G. Fisichella - Renault R26 - 1'13"971
3. F. Alonso - Renault R26 - 1'13"977
4. R. Barrichello - Honda RA106 -1'14"266
5. J.P. Montoya - McLaren MP4-21 - 1'14"588
6. K. Raikkonen - McLaren MP4-21 - 1'15"475
7. N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'15"774
8. R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 - 1'15"973
9. D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'16"034
10. J. Trulli - Toyota TF106 - 1'16"057
11. M. Webber - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'16"128
12. C. Klien - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'16"923
13. C. Albers – MF1 Toyota M16 - 1'17"142
14. T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA05 - 1'19"787

McLaren and Henkel continue team work

2006-02-26T22:22:00.000+02:00

Team McLaren Mercedes is pleased to announce that long-term Partner Henkel has extended its Partnership with the team in a new multi-year agreement.
The partnership began in 1995 through the Loctite® brand. Henkel will continue to be an Official Supplier, but the Henkel logo has moved to the more visible top position on the rear wing end plate of the two MP4-21 racing cars.
The MP4-21 race cars are strengthened by a broad range of Henkel’s high-strength Loctite® brand adhesives, securing everything from threaded bolts to wiring. Already in the design phase, engineers at McLaren Racing consult with Henkel to determine the best-suited products to meet the distinct demands of any particular application.

Troubled day for Schumacher in Bahrain

2006-02-21T09:02:00.000+02:00

Ferrari continued their intensive test schedule at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit on Monday, with mixed fortunes for drivers Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher.

Massa, at the wheel of an F2004 chassis fitted with a restricted V10 engine, covered 124 laps with a best time of 1m 30.410s. The Brazilian’s programme comprised electronics and tyre work.In contrast, Schumacher could only complete 49 laps as he hit technical problems in the new 248 F1. The German, who focussed his attentions on set-up and tyres, ended the day with a best lap of 1m 31.390s.

Valencia day four - Kimi quick for McLaren

2006-02-21T09:00:00.000+02:00

Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest time of the day, and of the week, in Friday’s test in Valencia, which was marred at times by strong winds. Showing both encouraging speed and reliability, the Finn lapped in 1m 09. 987s while completing 81 laps.

Friday times from Valencia:
1. Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren (Michelin) 1:09.987s
2. Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault (Michelin) 1:10.921s
3. Heikki Kovalainen Renault (Michelin) 1:11.071s
4. David Coulthard, Red Bull (Michelin) 1m11.076s
5. Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren (Michelin) 1:11.245s
6. Christijan Albers, MF1 (Bridgestone) 1:13.09s
7. Adrian Sutil, MF1 (Bridgestone) 1:13.52s
8. Tiago Monterio, MF1 (Bridgestone) 1:13.815s

Mosley moots Morocco race

2006-02-20T08:23:00.000+02:00

With the likelihood of the mooted South African Grand Prix fading, Max Mosley has suggested that Formula One could head to a different part of the continent.Antarctica aside, Africa is the only global continent not represented on the F1 calendar.But with plans for a Cape Town (South Africa) event believed to have struck government funding problems, Mosley - the FIA president - dropped the name of an interesting northwestern kingdom: Morocco.

Very close results at Valencia

2006-02-17T07:54:00.000+02:00

Today’s results at Valencia were extremely close between the five teams present at the Spanish track.Heikki Kovalainen achieved the best time of the day at the wheel of his Renault R26, only a few tenths of a second better than the other Renault driver, Giancarlo Fisichella.
The rest of the field – except for MF1 test driver Adrian Sutil who had to settle for last year's EJ15B – was separated by very small gaps.
A good sign for Red Bull and Williams, who had at least one driver each within one tenth of a second of Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap.

Valencia - 16/02/06
1. H. Kovalainen - Renault R26 - 1'10"631 (+0"000) - 141 laps
2. G. Fisichella - Renault R26 - 1'10"930 (+0"299) - 119 laps
3. K. Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes - 1'11"173 (+0"542) - 71 laps
4. J.P. Montoya - McLaren Mercedes - 1'11"188 (+0"557) - 49 laps
5. D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1'11"216 (+0"585) - 71 laps
6. N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'11"232 (+0"601) - 77 laps
7. A. Wurz - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1'12"229 (+1"598) - 116 laps
8. C. Albers - MF1 Racing M16 - 1'12"767 (+2"136) - 50 laps
9. A. Sutil - MF1 Racing EJ15B - 1'17"912 (+7"281) - 28 laps

Williams stay on top in Spain

2006-02-16T10:03:00.000+02:00

Second day of testing this week at the Valencia circuit in Spain. Despite feeling sick (food poisoning), Nico Rosberg set the fastest lap, followed by Kimi Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen.McLaren encountered more technical problems today, both Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya were momentarily stopped on the track during the session.

Valencia – 15/02/2006
1. N. Rosberg Williams FW28 1'10"994 -- 94 laps
2. K. Raikkonen McLaren MP4-21 1'11"199 +0"205 16 laps
3. H. Kovalainen Renault R26 1'11"362 +0"368 115 laps
4. G. Fisichella Renault R26 1'11"443 +0"449 83 laps
5. C. Klien Red Bull RB2 1'11"544 +0"550 63 laps
6. M. Webber Williams FW28 1'11"584 +0"590 33 laps
7. J. Montoya McLaren MP4-21 1'12"462 +1"468 85 laps
8. C. Albers MF1 Racing M16 1'12"916 +1"922 64 laps
9. D. Coulthard Red Bull RB2 1'13"585 +2"591 14 laps
10. R. Doornbos Red Bull RB2 1'14"643 +3"649 44 laps
11. G. Mondini MF1 Racing EJ15B 1'14"646 +3"652 84 laps

Mosley opens window for 2008

2006-02-15T12:06:00.000+02:00

FIA president Max Mosley has told Formula One teams that they will have a 10-day window of opportunity next month in which to commit to the 2008 championship, or risk losing their place on the grid.

Speaking in London yesterday, Mosley said he hoped the manufacturers threatening to form a breakaway championship when the Concorde Agreement expires at the end of 2007 would commit to the series. But he warned the five Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association teams – BWM Sauber, Honda, McLaren Mercedes, Renault and Toyota - that they would not be guaranteed one of the 12 entries if they fail to sign-up in time.

The entry window is expected to open on March 23 2006, closing 10 days later, so that the deadline for 2008 regulations can be observed by the end of June.

So far only six teams - Ferrari, Williams, Midland F1, Red Bull, Scuderia Torro Rosso and Super Aguri - have committed to the new 2008 Concorde Agreement, though some of the so-called ‘rebels’ have indicated that they would be prepared to follow suit if it was possible to compete on a budget of around £100m per year. Current levels of expenditure by the top teams exceeds that by a factor of three or even four.

SUPER AGURI DRIVER LINE

2006-02-15T12:05:00.000+02:00

SUPER AGURI FORMULA 1 is delighted to announce that Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide will be the team’s race drivers for the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Takuma joins SUPER AGURI FORMULA 1 from the Honda Racing F1 Team where he achieved eighth position in the 2004 Drivers’ Championship with 34 points, helping the team to complete the season in second place in the Constructors’ Championship.

De la Rosa tops Jerez timesheets

2006-02-10T07:51:00.000+02:00

Testsession Jerez day 3
01. P. de la Rosa - McLaren - 1:17.451
02. G. Fisichella - Renault - 1:17.479
03. M. Webber - Williams - 1:17.767
04. J. Button - Honda - 1:17.990
05. J. Villeneuve - BMW - 1:18.179
06. N. Heidfeld - BMW - 1:18.278
07. H. Kovalainen - Renault - 1:18.542
08. N. Rosberg - Williams - 1:18.843
09. K. Raikkonen - McLaren - 1:18.929
10. J. Trulli - Toyota - 1:19.083
11. R. Schumacher - Toyota - 1:19.320
12. V. Liuzzi - Scuderia Toro Rosso - 1:19.394
13. C. Albers - Midland F1 - 1:20.685
14. T. Monteiro - Midland F1 - 1:20.922

Jerez day two - McLaren close the gap

2006-02-09T13:03:00.000+02:00

Fernando Alonso was again the man to beat in testing on Wednesday as Renault began a four-day test at Jerez in Spain. Honda proved to be the world champions’ closest rivals, with Jenson Button only a tenth of a second behind, while McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya was an encouraging third with an improved Mercedes V8.

Wednesday times from Jerez:
1. Fernando Alonso, Renault (Michelin), 1:16.960
2. Jenson Button, Honda (Michelin), 1:17.106
3. Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren (Michelin), 1:17.272
4. Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren (Michelin), 1:17.421
5. Rubens Barrichello, Honda (Michelin), 1:17.503
6. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber (Michelin), 1:17.584
7. Jacques Villeneuve, BMW Sauber (Michelin), 1:18.055
8. Mark Webber, Williams (Bridgestone), 1:18.264
9. Heikki Kovalainen, Renault (Michelin), 1:18.922
10. Jarno Trulli, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:19.430
11. Ralf Schumacher, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:19.681
12. Nico Rosberg, Williams (Bridgestone), 1:19.971
13. Tiago Monteiro, MF1 (Bridgestone), 1:21.880

Testing time fast running out

2006-02-08T13:22:00.000+02:00

With the start of the season just over a month away, pressure is mounting on the teams to ensure their new machines are on the pace in time for the season opener in Bahrain. This week the testing action shifts to the Spanish circuit of Jerez, where we should get the best picture yet of the potential 2006 order.

New Mercedes engine for McLaren

2006-02-08T13:19:00.000+02:00

In a bid to curb their on-going gremlins Mercedes have redesigned their 2006-spec V8 engine.
During recent testing the Woking team struggled to keep pace with the Renaults, leading Kimi Raikkonen to claim that McLaren's Mercedes engine was it's "weakest link."
He said: "On the engine side we have a lot of work to do. (Mercedes) are not where they should be and they need to improve.
"We have been testing for a long time but we have not been able to make progress."
"(The engine) is definitely our weakest link now."
In an attempt to fix the problem, Mercedes have redesigned their FO 108S engine, which according to Autosport, is not only more reliable than the current one, but also has 60 horsepower more power.
McLaren are expected to test the new unit during this week's Jerez programme.

Alex Wurz on top for Williams

2006-02-08T13:06:00.000+02:00

Jerez - Tuesday - Testing
1 . A. Wurz - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1:18.144 (+ 0.000 ) - 48 laps
2 . J. Button - Honda RA106 - 1:18.250 (+ 0.106 ) - 88 laps
3 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA106 - 1:18.626 (+ 0.482 ) - 112 laps
4 . N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1:18.735 (+ 0.591 ) - 84 laps
5 . R. Zonta - Toyota TF106 - 1:20.162 (+ 2.018 ) - 85 laps
6 . O. Panis - Toyota TF106 - 1:20.339 (+ 2.195 ) - 79 laps
7 . C. Albers - MF1 Racing Toyota M16 - 1:21.511 (+ 3.367 ) - 74 laps
8 . T. Monteiro - MF1 Racing Toyota EJ15B - 1:22.318 (+ 4.174 ) - 71 laps.

Williams F1 announces DeWalt

2006-02-07T13:44:00.000+02:00

WilliamsF1 confirmed today that the world’s leading manufacturer of professional power tools and accessories, DeWalt, has joined the team as an official supplier with a partnership agreement that will extend into the medium term.

Ferrari face tough test from Honda and Renault

2006-02-07T13:36:00.000+02:00

Michael Schumacher believes Ferrari are set to wipe away memories of their 2005 embarrassment by returning to top form this season.

Honda could challenge says Champ

2006-02-06T08:00:00.000+02:00

World Champion Fernando Alonso says he is not sure where his main challenge is going to come from this season as a number of teams, including Honda, could pose a real threat.
While the Renault driver will start the season as the favourite, he knows things can change very quickly in a Formula One season.

FIA confirms GP timetable for 2006

2006-02-06T07:58:00.000+02:00

Formula One's ruling body has confirmed the timetable for Grand Prix weekends for the 2006 season. The FIA confirmed there will only be one, one-hour long practice session on Saturday morning, instead of two like in the past.

Alonso and Button prove closely matched

2006-02-03T09:59:00.000+02:00

Testing continued today in Valencia with 16 racers able to take advantage of rare dry conditions at the Spanish test circuit. It was close at the top of the timesheets with Fernando Alonso leading the way for Renault by just three thousandths of a second from Jenson Button in the Honda.

Valencia: A much better day for Rossi

2006-02-02T14:08:00.000+02:00

Valentino Rossi impressed in his first full Formula One test on Wednesday at Valencia.
The MotoGP World Champion, who had only tested behind closed doors for Ferrari prior to this week's Spanish outing, put Tuesday's spin behind him with a solid display.
Rossi span on his first lap at a wet Valencia on Day One but improved on Wednesday to complete 52 laps.
And despite spinning twice he still managed a time just over a second slower than lead Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher.

2006 Teams

2006-02-02T13:47:00.000+02:00

Renault: - F Alonso, G Fisichella
McLaren: - K Räikkönen, J Montoya
Ferrari: - M Schumacher, F Massa
Toyota: - R Schumacher, J Trulli
Williams: - M Webber, N Rosberg
Honda: - R Barrichello, J Button
Red Bull: - D Coulthard, C Klien
BMW Sauber: - N Heidfeld, J Villeneuve
MF1: - T Monteiro, C Albers
Toro Rosso: - V Liuzzi, S Speed
Super Aguri: - n/a, n/a

Alonso aims to leave Renault on a high

2006-02-01T10:13:00.000+02:00

Fernando Alonso intends to conjure up another World Championship double as his parting gift to Renault.
The Spaniard, the youngest World Champion in Formula One history, shocked the sport in December when he announced his defection to McLaren for 2007.
That left him facing awkward questions as Renault launched their 2006 car in Monte Carlo, but Alonso brushed aside fears he could be distracted by McLaren.

Montoya on hunt for new team

2006-01-31T12:29:00.000+02:00

Juan Pablo Montoya says McLaren has not yet decided whether he or teammate Kimi Raikkonen will get the boot for 2007.
The feisty Colombian, reportedly disillusioned that Ron Dennis did not take up an option on his contract to extend beyond this year, admitted that he is thus looking for a new seat.

Bridgestone team up with Super Aguri

2006-01-30T14:07:00.000+02:00

Bridgestone have announced that F1's newest team, the Super Aguri , will use Japanese rubber when it makes its debut in Bahrain.

Kimi warns Mercedes to up their game

2006-01-30T07:39:00.000+02:00

Kimi Raikkonen has warned Mercedes to up their game after a worrying start to testing for the new McLaren.
The McLaren's Mercedes engine has suffered reliability woes since it made its debut last week and Raikkonen confessed he is concerned by the problems.
The Finn missed out on the world championship last season, largely due to a string of engine problems, and he is concerned history could repeat itself this term.

McLaren has engine problem - Raikkonen

2006-01-28T07:50:00.000+02:00

Kimi Raikkonen says that McLaren has problems with Mercedes' new V8 engine and there is a lot of work for the car manufacturer to do before the start of the 2006 season. Raikkonen was only twelfth fastest in the team's 2006 car when he returned to the cockpit on Thursday.

Williams unveil the FW28

2006-01-28T07:49:00.000+02:00

The car Williams will use to contest the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship was officially launched on Friday afternoon at the team’s UK headquarters near Oxford.
The FW28 will use Cosworth power, following the team’s split with BMW at the end of last season, and will run on Bridgestone tyres after Williams’ switch from Michelin.

Raikkonen expects four-way fight

2006-01-28T07:33:00.000+02:00

As he returns to the cockpit of an F1 car for the first time since the Chinese Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen expects the 2006 championship to be a four-way fight between himself, Montoya, Alonso and Michael Schumacher.

Super Aguri gets the go-ahead

2006-01-27T12:03:00.000+02:00

Formula One will feature 11 teams for the first time since 2002 after the Super Aguri outfit were given the green light by the world governing body, the FIA.
Super Aguri, founded by ex-Formula One racer Aguri Suzuki, were left off the initial 2006 entry list after failing to lodge a £27million bond with the FIA in time.
That left the Honda-backed team needing unanimous backing from all 10 rivals, as well as approval from the FIA.
With support from all 10 existing teams, Super Aguri's final hurdle was the backing of the governing body, which has now been confirmed.

Barcelona day three - Ferrari lead again

2006-01-26T14:56:00.000+02:00

Unofficial Wednesday times from Barcelona:1.

Felipe Massa, Ferrari (Bridgestone), 1:15.6792.
Fernando Alonso, Renault (Michelin), 1:16.2003.
Jenson Button, Honda (Michelin), 1:16.5434.
Rubens Barrichello, Honda (Michelin), 1:16.7045.
Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault (Michelin), 1:16.7286.
Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber (Michelin), 1:17.0367.
Jarno Trulli, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:17.0608.
Olivier Panis, Toyota (Bridgestone), 1:17.4209.
Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren (Michelin), 1:17.48210.
David Coulthard, Red Bull (Michelin), 1:17.58211.
Scott Speed, Toro Rosso (Michelin), 1:18.09212.
Gary Paffett, McLaren (Michelin), 1:18.24613.
Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber (Michelin), 1:20.042

Team's of 2006

2006-01-26T14:33:00.000+02:00

Team's of 2006

Juan Has The Edge On Kimi

2006-01-25T15:58:00.000+02:00

They've hardly spent any time in their 2006 challenger the MP4-21, but already Juan Pablo Montoya has the edge on his team-mate in the race for a McLaren seat in 2007...

McLaren launched their grand prix challenger on Monday and their two drivers surfaced to talk to the press. McLaren may or may not win both World Championships in 2006 but one thing is for certain - one of their drivers is leaving.
Ever since Ron Dennis announced that Fernando Alonso would be joining the team in 2007 there has been a lot of speculation as to who will leave. McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh says that he can see a situation where both Raikkonen and Alonso are retained for next year.

Honda target race wins with new RA106

2006-01-25T15:56:00.000+02:00

Honda unveiled its challenger for the 2006 Formula One season, the RA106, in Spain this morning with the new driver line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.
This marked an important milestone for Honda as it is the first Formula One car launched by a Honda works team since 1968.
As an indication of Honda's commitment to the new challenge and the strength of its manufacturing operation, the team delivered not one, but two identical RA106 ace cars to the launch to enable Rubens and Jenson to start testing at exactly the same time.

Alonso has lot to learn - Schumi

2006-01-25T15:55:00.000+02:00

Seven-times F1 world champion Michael Schumacher says that he can still show Fernando Alonso a trick or two and the Spaniard can still learn a lot from him as the German bids to reclaim his title from the Spaniard.

Barcelona day 1: New BMW flies, new McLaren breaks cover

2006-01-24T11:55:00.000+02:00

The new BMW F1.06 shone on its first day of testing today at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain. Jacques Villeneuve clocked a best lap of 1m17.242s after a busy day of 84 laps. As BMW gave its new car its first test, the new McLaren MP21 also broke cover.
It was a clear and sunny day at the Spanish circuit. Air and track temperature were around 10 degrees Centigrade allowing BMW and McLaren to enjoy a good day of testing.Villeneuve finished 0.8s ahead of McLaren test driver Gary Paffett in a hybrid winter testing McLaren Mercedes fitted with a limited V10 engine.
All eyes were on the other McLaren garage of Pedro de la Rosa as the Spaniard gave the all new 2006 McLaren car its first outing. It was a troubled first outing for the new car as de la Rosa managed just 19 laps before a problem with the hydraulics stopped him for the day. Nick Heidfeld was the only other driver in action at the wheel of a hybrid Sauber fitted with the BMW V8 engine. He finished fourth and last.

New Ferrari called 248 F1

2006-01-24T11:52:00.000+02:00

In Mugello Ferrari launched their 2006 contender; the Ferrari 248 F1. The new car was driven this morning at Mugello in front of the press by Michael Schumacher. The '248' comes from 2.4 litres and 8 cylinders engine.

F1.06 gets Villeneuve approval

2006-01-23T07:59:00.000+02:00

Jacques Villeneuve came away impressed after his first test in BMW Sauber’s 2006 challenger, the F1.06, on Thursday. Villeneuve completed 76 laps of Spain’s Valencia circuit as the team completed their first three-day session with the new car.

Belgian GP cancelled

2006-01-23T07:57:00.001+02:00

This season's Belgian Grand Prix has been cancelled, according to reports in Belgium.
The race promoter recently went bankrupt with heavy debts but local officials had hoped to persuade Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to step in and promote the event at Spa-Francorchamps.
Ecclestone claimed last week he would reluctantly agree to that proposal, claiming: "We need to keep Spa alive don't we?''
However, the Belgian media is now claiming Ecclestone has ended negotiations and pulled the race from Formula One's 2006 calendar.
Serge Kubla, the former economics minister of the Walloon region of Belgium, told the local parliament that sources close to Ecclestone had confirmed the news.
He said too little time was left to improve facilities at Spa-Francorchamps before the planned race on September 17.
If the Belgian race is cancelled, the 2006 season would be trimmed to 18 races.

Williams finding the groove with Bridgestone

2006-01-23T07:57:00.000+02:00

Following its switch from Michelin to Bridgestone, the WilliamsF1 team has spent a major part of its winter testing programme getting to grips with the new rubber. The team finished the final day of testing in Jerez this week on the top of the timing sheets. It was also the team's final test before the new FW28 is launched next week.

Ferrari signs Acer

2006-01-23T07:55:00.000+02:00

Ferrari has signed up themselves a new sponsor. The technology company Aces became the Italian's latest sponsor.

Biaggi delighted with MF1 test

2006-01-19T11:49:00.000+02:00

MotoGP star Max Biaggi got behind the wheel of a Formula One car at Silverstone on Wednesday. The flamboyant Italian, known in bike circles as ‘The Roman Emperor’, was invited to test at the British Grand Prix circuit by MF1 Racing.

Villeneuve not done with F1 yet

2006-01-19T11:48:00.000+02:00

Jacques Villeneuve will enjoy his eleventh season in Formula One with BMW Sauber F1 this year. The 1997 Formula 1 World Champion will see his contract expire at the end of the year, but he is not finished with the sport just yet.

Honda on the pace

2006-01-19T11:47:00.000+02:00

On the second day of testing at the Spanish Jerez track Jenson Button was the quickest man at the end of the day. The Honda driver set a quickest time of 1.18.398 and completed almost 100 laps.

Alonso's early McLaren move a risk

2006-01-19T11:46:00.000+02:00

In December McLaren announced it has signed Fernando Alonso's services for the 2007 season. Renault team principal Flavio Briatore was not amused with the way McLaren handled the whole driver transfer, and now also feeld that it wasn't a smart move of Alonso to sign this early.

Trouble-free first test for new BMW

2006-01-18T11:49:00.000+02:00

At 1.20 pm today Nick Heidfeld drove the very first lap with the BMW Sauber F1.06 at the Valencia circuit in Spain. After this installation lap he returned to the garage for the usual checks before continuing to clock up a total of 29 laps of systems checks.

De la Rosa upbeat on Michelin development

2006-01-17T08:42:00.000+02:00

McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa testing for all four days of the team's test at Jerez last week and completed 291 laps or 1,280 km in that time. The Spaniard was working through a Michelin tyre testing programme and reported that the team is finding some good performance with the French tyre manufacturer..

First Ferrari test a success

2006-01-17T08:40:00.000+02:00

On Monday Michael Schumacher began to work with Ferrari's new F2006 car at Fiorano, Italy. The shakedown of the car went without any major problems. There weren't any official times released but according to Italian media Schumacher's lap time was less than one minute.

The F2006's performance, fitted with a V8 engine, was good. Fiorano's lap record is 55.9 seconds and set in 2004. The F2006 covered 33 laps in the morning. The only problem that halted the test in the afternoon, after 45, laps was a problem that looked like a fuel problem. Schumacher stopped at the straight and couldn't go any further.

No space for private teams says Richards

2006-01-17T08:38:00.000+02:00

Dave Richards has called on Formula One to follow rallying's lead and slash costs - so he can take his Prodrive company back to the top.
Richards and Prodrive ran BAR until Honda's buy-in at the end of 2004, which pushed them to one side.
As one of the motorsport industries success stories, Prodrive have ambitions to enter Formula One in their own right but founder Richards concedes spiralling costs make that impossible.

Tonio wants to achieve what Minardi never could

2006-01-16T10:57:00.000+02:00

Vitantonio Liuzzi has challenged the new Scuderia Toro Rosso team to shock Formula One and finish on the podium in their debut season.
The ex-Formula 3000 Champion, who drive in four races last year with Red Bull Racing, has been given a full season for the new team, set up partly to keep him in the Red Bull family.
The soft drink giant bought Minardi, renaming it Scuderia Toro Rosso and installing Liuzzi and American Scott Speed as drivers.
Minardi never managed a Formula One podium in their 340 races but, with new owners and more financial backing, Liuzzi has targeted a top three in 2006.

Toyota officially launches 2006 car

2006-01-16T10:44:00.000+02:00

Toyota officially kicked off its 2006 Formula campaign with a special event for the world's media at the Toyota manufacturing facility in Valenciennes, France on Saturday. The factory is the home of the corporation's top-selling Yaris car.

'Britain needs Button to start winning'

2006-01-13T13:19:00.000+02:00

Jenson Button needs to break his Formula One duck next season for the good of British motorsport, according to former boss David Richards.
Button's disappointing 2005 season concluded with his 100th grand prix, during which time he has failed to stand on the top step of the podium despite several near misses.
Richards, the man who signed Button for BAR-Honda, believes this year is crucial if the 25-year-old Englishman is to back up his formidable reputation with results.

'Schumi should quit immediately'

2006-01-13T13:11:00.000+02:00

Michael Schumacher shouldn't wait until the end of the year to quit Formula One, rather he should do it immediately. That's according to former rival Mika Hakkinen.
Schumacher recently admitted that he is considering leaving Formula One at the end of this season.
"Mid-season I will decide if I want to go on or not go on," the seven-time World Champion said.
However, according to Hakkinen, if a driver thinks about quitting, he should do it immediately.

'DC has plenty left in the tank'

2006-01-13T13:08:00.000+02:00

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner believes David Coulthard still has "a great deal to offer" Formula One as he heads into his 13th season at the top.
The Scotsman won 13 grands prix during his time at Williams and McLaren before switching to Formula One rookies Red Bull last year.
Despite arriving on the back of a downbeat 2004 campaign, Coulthard was the surprise of last season to inspire a better-than-expected performance from Red Bull.
He was quickly retained for this year, to partner youngster Christian Klien, and team boss Horner is tipping the 34-year-old as a force to be reckoned with for some time yet.

Schu: 'Small chance I'll swap teams'

2006-01-13T07:55:00.000+02:00

Michael Schumacher has refused to rule out the possiblity - slim as it may be - of him leaving Ferrari and racing for another team in 2007.
The seven-times World Champion's future with Ferrari, and in fact in Formula One, has long been the focus of much speculation.
However, Schumacher isn't ready to cast any light on the subject quite simply because he doesn't know himself.

Schumi aiming for title in 2006

2006-01-13T07:53:00.000+02:00

After a disappointing 2005 season in which he claimed just one hollow victory in the US Grand Prix and finished a distant third in the drivers' championship, Michael Schumacher says he has but one aim in 2006 - to win the championship for the eighth time.

Jerez Day 3: Barrichello quick at Honda debut

2006-01-13T07:51:00.000+02:00

Both Rubens Barrichello and Pedro de la Rosa set the fastest times on the third day of testing at Jerez. It was the first day for Rubens Barrichello behind the wheel of the V10-powered Honda. The Brazilian and de la Rosa (McLaren V10) set a time of 1.16.732.

Ralf tips Toyota for first win

2006-01-12T15:40:00.000+02:00

Ralf Schumacher believes Toyota are capable of scoring their first Formula One victory this year.
The well-funded team claimed their first podium and pole positions in 2005, their fourth season of grand prix racing.
Now Schumacher wants that improvement to continue and claims race wins are within Toyota's sights for 2006.

Illien: Montoya Lost our Title

2006-01-12T15:37:00.000+02:00

According to Mario Illien McLaren lost the constructors' title last season because Juan Pablo Montoya made too many mistakes and didn't bring in enough points for the British team.

Mario Illien is one of the founders of the company which builds the Mercedes F1 engines for the McLaren team. "Räikkönen retired three times while leading the race, but it was never down to engine problems. Losing the constructors' championship was down to Montoya who in my opinion should have brought home more points win the championship," Illien told Autosprint. "Montoya made some mistakes which a driver with his experience shouldn't make."
Kimi Räikkönen scored 112 points in 2005, while Montoya scored 60 points.

FIA Regulations 2006 season changes

2006-01-12T10:23:00.000+02:00

A number of changes to both the Sporting and Technical Regulations have been made by the FIA for the 2006 Formula One season.

Qualifying
For 2006, the single-lap system used in recent years is replaced be a new three-part, knockout format, with multiple cars on track throughout the qualifying hour, which is split into two 15-minute sessions and a final 20-minute session, with five-minute breaks in between.
Part one: All 20 cars may run laps at any time during the first 15 minutes of the hour. At the end of the first 15 minutes, the five slowest cars drop out and fill the final five grid places.
Part two: After a five-minute break, the times will be reset and the 15 remaining cars then will then run in a second 15-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the 15 minutes, the five slowest cars drop out and fill places 11 to 15 on the grid.
Part three: After another five-minute break, the times are reset and the final 20-minute session will feature a shootout between the remaining 10 cars to decide pole position and the starting order for the top 10 grid places. Again, these cars may run as many laps as they wish.In the first two 15-minute sessions, cars may run any fuel load and drivers knocked out after those sessions may refuel ahead of the race. However, the top-ten drivers must begin the final 20-minute session with the fuel load on which they plan to start the race. They will be weighed before they leave the pits, and whatever fuel they use in the 20 minutes may be replaced at the end of the session.If a driver is deemed to have stopped unnecessarily on the circuit or impeded another driver during the qualifying session, then his times will be cancelled.

Engines
For 2006, engines are reduced in size from the previous 3-litre V10s to 2.4-litre V8s. The aim is to reduce costs and improve safety. With similar engine speeds, the change is expected to cut peak power by around 200bhp, which in turn is likely to add around five seconds to lap times at most circuits. The FIA may allow some teams to use 2005-spec V10s if they do not have access to competitive V8. The FIA will enforce a rev limit on any V10s to ensure performance is comparable with that of a V8.

Tyres
After a season’s absence, tyre changes during races return to Formula One in 2006. The thinking behind this is that the reduced engine size will offset any performance gain. Drivers also have access to slightly more tyres than in 2005 - seven sets of dry-weather, four sets of wet-weather and three sets of extreme-weather. Drivers must make a final choice of dry-weather compound ahead of qualifying.Weekend scheduleIn a slight change to the Grand Prix weekend format, Saturday morning now features a single, one-hour practice session, as opposed to two, 45-minute sessions. It takes place between 1100 and 1200. Qualifying is an hour later than before, commencing at 1400.

New rules will help Ferrari

2006-01-12T10:14:00.000+02:00

Ferrari's new race driver for 2006 - Felipe Massa - reckons the current set of rule changes will play into the Italian team's hands - particularly the return of tyre changes in pit stops.

Fisichella impressed by Renault's car

2006-01-12T10:10:00.000+02:00

Giancarlo Fisichella declared himself impressed by Renault's new car after his first test session in it.

The Italian became the first man to drive the new machine, successor to Renault's world championship-winning 2005 car.
He completed 41 trouble-free laps at Jerez in a session designed to test the new car rather than to clock fast laps.
Fisichella, who was sixth-fastest, said: "We had a very promising first day with the new car."

McLaren Fastest runner

2006-01-12T07:39:00.000+02:00

McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa set the clear pace on the second day of testing this week at Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain. Driving an orange McLaren fitted with a limited V10 engine, the Spaniard finished almost 1.5s ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher. The seven-times champion was the fastest V8 runner for the second day running.

McLaren

2006-01-11T10:43:00.000+02:00

McLaren are going to be the team to beat in 2007, according to former Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart.

Schumacher

2006-01-11T10:42:00.000+02:00

Michael Schumacher's manager has dropped a tantalising hint that the German could move to Toyota in 2007 to drive alongside brother Ralf.

Renault

2006-01-11T10:16:00.000+02:00

Renault will become the third team to debut their 2006 car on Tuesday when Giancarlo Fisichella gives the R26 its first track outing at Jerez in Spain. Team mate and world champion Fernando Alonso will sample the car later in the week.

2006 Race Calendar

2006-01-10T10:39:00.000+02:00

2006 Bahrain Grand Prix Sakhir 10 - 12Mar

2006 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur 17 - 19 Mar

2006 Foster's Australian Grand Prix Melbourne 30 Mar - 02 Apr

2006 Gran Premio Foster's di San Marino Imola 21 - 23 Apr

2006 Grand Prix of Europe Nürburgring 05 - 07 May

2006 Gran Premio de Espana Catalunya 12 - 14 May

2006 Grand Prix de Monaco Monte Carlo 25 - 28 May

2006 Foster's British Grand Prix Silverstone 09 - 11 Jun

2006 Grand Prix du Canada Montreal 23 - 25 Jun

2006 United States Grand Prix Indianapolis 30 Jun - 02 Jul

2006 Grand Prix de France Magny-Cours 14 - 16 Jul

2006 Grosser Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland Hockenheim 28 - 30 Jul

2006 Magyar Nagydij Budapest 04 - 06 Aug

2006 Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix Istanbul 25 - 27 Aug

2006 Gran Premio Vodafone d'Italia Monza 08 - 10 Sep

2006 Belgian Grand Prix Spa 15 - 17 Sep

2006 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai 29 Sep - 01 Oct

2006 Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka 06 - 08 Oct

2006 Grande Premio do Brasil Sao Paulo 20 - 22 Oct