INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Monisha launches `F1-in-Schools’ programme

    Monisha Kalternborn, the FIA Women in Motorsport ambassador, spending time with school children in Greater Noida near BIC on Friday. An FIA photo.

    New Delhi, 26 Oct 2012: Indian-born Sauber Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn, one of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Ambassadors, has become a Patron of F1 in Schools India, following the national launch of this worldwide educational challenge during the occasion of the FIA Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix.

    F1 in Schools is the only truly global educational programme and its main aim is to change perceptions of science, technology, engineering and maths by creating a fun and exciting learning environment for young people to develop an informed view about careers in engineering, Formula One, science, marketing and technology. With over one million youngsters aged between nine and 19 from more than 20,000 schools taking part this year, the programme is already operating in more than 40 countries, with India becoming the latest nation to join.

    Indian-born Kaltenborn, Team Principal of the Sauber F1 Team, attended the launch in Greater Noida, New Delhi, where the F1 in Schools starter kit was officially unveiled and she spent time talking to the students about her life in Formula One.

    “I’m delighted to see that F1 in Schools is now launching its programme in India, not only because I have Indian roots, but also because of the growing importance of this country,” said Monisha. “I’m sure there are many Indian students who are keen to participate. There is so much talent in this country and I’m pleased that I was given the opprtunity to support this programme. And, as a member of the Women in Motorsport Commission, I would be particularly pleased to see this programme attract more girls and women to become involved in motorsport in the long term.”

    Students participating in F1 in Schools are tasked with designing, constructing and racing a scale model Formula One car powered by compressed air. In addition to complying with the technical rules and regulations, the students are charged with preparing a business and sponsorship plan before taking to the track with their model Formula One car. This year’s eighth F1 in Schools World Finals will be held in Abu Dhabi from 29-31 October, coinciding with the FIA Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. More than 250 students from around the world – over 30% of whom are girls – are expected to attend after winning national finals in their home countries.

    Monisha Kaltenborn joins a host of other personalities from Formula One who have committed to being Patrons over the years, including Martin Whitmarsh, Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn, as well as Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management who have lent their support to the challenge since its inception in 2005.

    ends

  • Narain believes BIC offers more grip this year

    Greater Noida (New Delhi), 25 Oct 2012: The lone Indian driver in Formula One, Narain Karthikeyan believes the Buddh International Circuit will offer more grip in 2012 than it did during its debut grand prix. He was talking to the reporters at the FIA Thursday Press Conference at the BIC ahead of the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday.

    Karthikeyan is one of very few drivers with experience of Buddh this year, and argues the circuit has improved with age. “I think the track is already in a lot better condition than last year,” said the Indian driver in Thursday’s FIA press conference. “It was very dusty, and because of the landscaping that they have done, the dust has settled. There’s no more constructio

    n around the circuit so we already have a higher level of grip and the circuit looks quite nice. As you know, I drove the MR Formula 2000 car a month ago; it was already very good. Temperatures won’t matter, they are going to drop a few degrees from today [30°C], I think, but it’s OK. The tyres are fine; compared to last year we have the same allocations but [the compounds are] a little bit softer so it should be fine here.

    The Indian driver also revealed HRT have an upgrade for this race. While suggesting it might be worth several tenths, Karthikeyan voiced the hope that a bumper crowd would be in attendance to see a more competitive performance from the Spanish team.

    “We’re coming off a hugely successful race last year, so expectations are high and I hope on Sunday we see a big crowd, a strong one. In India there is a lot of passion for Formula One and comparative to our neighbouring countries, like China, the understanding of Formula One is a lot better. It’s going to be a good grand prix, I hope. And for us, we have a small update, which is a rarity for our team. Hopefully it’ll work and we’ll have a few more tenths. I know we need seconds but it is what it is and I’m not complaining, I’m happy to be driving here and will give it my best.”

    Press Conference was attended by: DRIVERS – Heikki KOVALAINEN (Caterham), Bruno SENNA (Williams), Jean-Eric VERGNE (Toro Rosso), Narain KARTHIKEYAN (HRT), Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (LOTUS), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Sahara

    File photo of Narain Karthikeyan by HRT F1 team

    Force India).

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Gentlemen, your thoughts on India? some of you have been here before, some of you haven’t, so your thoughts on what you’ve experienced so far and what you’ve seen so far and what you think of the country and what you think of the circuit.

    First of all Heikki, you’ve been here before, you’ve been training in Abu Dhabi so you’re used to the heat, what do you think of the weekend coming up and the country itself?

    Heikki KOVALAINEN: Well, I think, like you said, last year was the first year that we raced here. I think the event itself was really successful. Especially the circuit; I think they’ve done a great job here with the circuit. I think the layout is one of the best in the calendar, there are really some nice corners, the surface is nice and smooth, so it’s always enjoyable to drive here and we can set up the car nice and low and get them gripping quite well. So, I’m looking forward to another good event this year. It seems like the locals are picking up the Formula One more and more, so it’s working quite well here. Hopefully we get a lot of people coming to see us on Sunday.

    Bruno…

    Bruno SENNA: Of course I agree with Heikki regarding the track; it’s one of my favourites in the calendar as well and coming from last year to this year, the improvement on the facilities and everything is quite impressive. I think everything was a bit rushed last year, so everybody was a bit ‘oh this isn’t ready for the race,’ but at the end of the day it’s always the case when it’s the first year of the circuit. All the rough edges have been sorted out for this year so it’s a much nicer place. Of course the experience of the track is a whole different thing and I think for everyone who’s not used to India it’s a big cultural shock but it’s a culture full of history, full of richness and I think if you learn how to appreciate that sort of stuff, you can learn to appreciate the country.

    Jean-Eric, your first time here I think?

    Jean-Eric VERGNE: Yes, indeed. To be honest I don’t have much to say about this track except that it looks like a nice one, really smooth. The race from last year looked quite nice and I’m really looking forward to drive on it and it should be a good experience. As Bruno said, off track it’s quite a different country and to be honest I haven’t experienced much: I stayed in the hotel, I was quite far from everything, so didn’t see much, just on the roads, which look quite messy but beside it, yeah, we’ll see how the weekend goes.

    Narain, obviously a very busy week so far for you so far, a very busy weekend coming up as the native from the host country.

    Narain KARTHIKEYAN: Yeah, we’re coming off a hugely successful race last year, so expectations are high and I hope on Sunday we see a big crowd, a strong one. What I always say, in India there is a lot of passion for Formula One and comparative to our neighbouring countries, like China, the understanding of Formula One is a lot better. It’s going to be a good grand prix, I hope and for us, we have a small update, which is a rarity here for our team. Hopefully it’ll work and we’ll have a few more tenths. I know we need seconds but it is what it is and I’m not complaining, I’m happy to be driving here and will give it my best.

    Kimi, your first time in India. What are your thoughts, your impressions?

    Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN: Well, I came last night at one o’clock, so I’ve only seen the motorway and the hotel. The hotel, outside it, looks nice. I have no complaints so far. The circuit – I haven’t gone around it. That is tomorrow. I’ll tell you about it.

    Are you a fan of Indian food?

    KR: Yeah, actually I am, if it’s the same as it is in Europe. I like it, but you know I have no experience yet of the local food.

    Nico, I expect you’ve have a busy week?

    Nico HULKENBERG: yes, we obviously we’ve had quite a few visits to India over the last two years. We’ve been here since Monday doing work with the local media and being in Delhi. I’ve been a few times here but I enjoy it every time I come. It’s a very different culture and a special experience to come here. It’s very different to all the other Asian places we go to. They’re always very welcoming, very friendly. I enjoy being here. Obviously, the track is new to me, so I’ll have to learn that one tomorrow. I’m generally looking forward to the weekend really. It’s a special weekend for us and hopefully we can entertain the crowds.

    Now, a question to all of you about your future. I don’t know if you’ve got things signed or not. Just give us some sort of update as to what’s happening next year? Heikki, would you like to start?

    HK: I wouldn’t actually like to start, but now that you’re pushing me… Nothing’s been signed for next for myself yet. Personally, my target and my focus is at each race weekend for our team it’s quite important that we try to regain that 10th position back from Marussia. It’s not going to be easy but I think we have to do whatever it takes to be in a position to do that if a freak race happens again. So, the main focus is on that and regarding the future with the team and with Tony, we haven’t decided yet. I think Tony knows what he gets with me but then he’s evaluating other options I think to see what he wants to do. And I’m waiting. In the meantime, of course, my management is also working. There’s nothing really to report but the main thing I think for myself and really for our team has to be to keep pushing to get that 10th position back, it’s quite crucial.

    Bruno – for next year?

    BS: Nothing has changed from the last time I was here and you asked me the same question but the focus is still the same: keep pushing and trying to get points for the team and then hopefully be on the grid next year.

    Jean-Eric?

    JEV: I haven’t thought about it really. So far I have a contract with Red Bull. I think I just have to keep doing the job I’m doing and improve myself every race weekend and I’ll think about this race weekend and Abu Dhabi and then think about next season, but I’m quite confident about staying with Toro Rosso and that’s what I would love.

    Narain?

    NK: Again, I have a good relationship with HRT; it’s my second year with them. They’ve built a good factory and everything else. On paper next year they’ll look the best so realistically I’d like to stay here and that’s the plan right now.

    Kimi, we’re told we can expect an announcement next week or so, is that the case?

    KR: I don’t know. I mean, we have options but nothing is decided but I guess it will be decided at some point.

    Nico. There are rumours about concerning your future. Where you’re going to go, when do you think you will know?

    NH: I know there is lots of talk about my future but at this point I don’t want to make a comment on the speculation. I’ll just focus on this weekend, which is the most important thing.

    Are things settled? Can you say that?

    NH: Just no comment.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Shridhar Poddar – Sakal Media House ) Kimi, how has the break from Formula One to rallying helped you, because your second stint has been turning out to be as good as the first one?

    KR: It hasn’t really done anything. I was pretty happy to go and do something else for a while, did some racing and I’m enjoying it again. It’s the same places – OK, there are some new circuits and places to come to this year and a new team, but apart from that, Formula One hasn’t changed and it’s exactly the same. For me, nothing’s really changed. People always talk about where I was last time, that I didn’t have the motivation but I thought I drove better than I ever drove in the last year; it was just that we had a pretty bad car at that time. Nothing has really changed for me.

    Q: (Vinayak Pandey – Hindustan Times) Narain, you have probably driven on this circuit a lot more than other drivers. The conditions in Delhi were unexpectedly cool and there was a rain shower on Wednesday. Should the temperatures become cooler than they are right now in qualifying and on Sunday, do you see any particular changes in the way the cars will handle or the outcome?

    NK: I think the track is already in a lot better condition than last year; it was very dusty, and because of the landscaping that they have done, the dust has settled, there’s no more construction around the circuit so we already have a higher level of grip and the circuit looks quite nice. As you know, I drove the MR Formula 2000 car a month ago; it was already very good. Temperatures won’t matter, they are going to drop a few degrees from today, I think, but it’s OK. The tyres are fine; compared to last year, the hard compound – we have the same allocations but it’s a little bit softer so it should be fine here.

    Q: (Chetan Narula – PlanetF1) Kimi, how big a challenge were Pirelli’s tyres for you, because the last time (you were in F1) you had different tyres, and now you have totally different compounds and everything?

    KR: I admit that I had some thoughts about the tyres before I did one private test – OK, it wasn’t the race tyres, it was some other even more worse tyres but I thought that they were fine. When you come from rallying, they have much more grip and the tyres were OK for me so after that, I already knew that I would not have any issues, because there was a lot of talk that maybe it was not good, but when I came back, I didn’t really remember how it was two years earlier, so I thought that the tyres were completely fine and I still do so. OK, they wore off a bit faster than in the past in some races but it’s the same for everybody and they’ve been doing a very good job for Formula One so I’m happy with that.

    Q: (Chetan Narula – PlanetF1) And you haven’t won this year but despite that, how good a comeback has this been for you?

    KR: Yes, I’m happy. If you had told me before the season that I will be in this position with this many points  and stuff like that I would have taken it but of course when you do some good races you always want more and more and then you’re disappointed if you’re not. If you do well you want more and more. It could have been better but it could have been much more worse also.

    Q: (C. Raghunath – The Hindu) Kimi, do you fancy your chances this year? You’re third in the championship…

    KR: Yeah, of course. We’ve had a chance. It’s the difference like in 2007. We had a car that you knew that could win all the races and right now we are not the fastest car so we need more help to really win it but we will keep trying and hopefully we can achieve it. We will try until there’s no chance but it’s a bit different situation. But if we can improve the car in the next three races, you never know, so…

    Q: (Vinayak Pandey – Hindustan Times)  Kimi, after which race did you feel that the Lotus team didn’t have the same competitiveness as it had at the start of the season?

    KR: I think in Spa we had some signs but then we have seen this year that one race you can be very strong and the next not so good, it’s been up and down between the teams. For some reason, after the summer break, some of the teams have been much more consistent. I think we still have a good car. We improved it in the last race again but we are not at the level that we maybe were compared to others at the beginning of the season.

    Q: (Gary Meenaghan – The National) Nico, you said that you mentioned that you got here on Monday. Could you just give us an idea of some of the things you’ve been doing since you got here?

    NH: Well, mainly a lot of media interaction. We are an Indian team so there is quite a bit of interest, so we’ve been around, talking to a lot of TV stations, went to some studios, did a sponsorship event with Hackett which is a team partner in clothing. It’s only two days and two days pass pretty quickly.

    Q: (Gary Meenaghan – The National) Did you meet Vijay?

    NH: No, we haven’t met Vijay.

    Q: (Shreyas Sharma – Mail Today) Narain, since you are closely associated with this track, some changes have been made, although the changes are minor. Do you think it will make the race more interesting, faster?

    NK: No, the layout remains the same, just that the kerbs are extended a little bit in turns five and six and then they put some astroturf to keep the dust down because a lot of cars were going off in that particular corner last year. Apart from that, as everyone has said, the layout is fantastic and I’m glad they haven’t changed anything, it’s nice to drive on, it’s pretty flowing and it’s fast.

    Q: (Shridhar Poddar – Sakal Media House) To all the drivers, whoever wants to answer: the long straight is something that the DRS was really tailor-made for although we didn’t see too much overtaking last year. How much overtaking do you think there is a scope for over here?

    NK: We won’t be doing much overtaking so I think…

    HK: We have the same problem as Narain so…

    BS: Normally, the overtaking is more due to the tyre difference between the cars than to long straights or DRS. Long straights always help a little bit but if you’re coming from a corner like turn two, which is a long corner where you put a lot of heat into the tyres, into a hairpin, where traction is a bit more compromised so overtaking really is more due to the tyres than anything else in current Formula One. But if you’re in a Toro Rosso  then you have about 20kph more top speed than everyone else then you can overtake as well!

    Ends

  • Ameya Bafna wins Pre-final

    Ameya Bafna wins Pre-final

    Macau, 22 October 2012: Indian karting champion Ameya Bafna of Rayo Racing dominated the first day of the Macau Cup Rotax Senior class, at the FIA CIK World Karting Championship this weekend.

    Ameya narrowly missed the pole position after qualifying 0.06 off the fastest driver. Hovever, he went on to win the Pre Final. Rayo Racing was the only Indian team to take part at the famous Kartodromo de Coloane Circuit in Macau.

  • Heavy rains force cancellation of Coorg Rally

    By David Bodapati

    Polibetta (Coorg), 20 Oct 2012: Heavy rains that lashed the region on Friday rendered the dirt stages unfit for rallying and the Rally of Coorg, the second round of the Indian National Rally Championship, was cancelled here on Saturday.

    Steward Farad Bathena made a visit to the stages early in the morning and after his report, the stewards, headed by Zayn Khan, took a decision to cancel the rally and made an announcement to the drivers and co-drivers at 9 am at the service park, near the hockey ground in Ammathi town.

    “The stages were completely damaged due to the overnight rains and the stewards felt that they were unsafe for conducting a rally,” said Zayn Khan, the Chief Steward.

    Initially, some drivers wanted the route to be reduced and conduct at least 55 per cent distance including the Super Special Stage but with some of the drivers opposing the idea no efforts were made to run the rally. “ We have done everything for the smooth conduct of the rally. But we will abide by the stewards decision as safety of the drivers is of utmost importance,” said Jaidas Menon, the head of Motorsport Inc, the hosts.

    The FMSCI rally championship will now move to Chikmagalur in the last week-end of November for the next leg.

    Note: This article is manually migrated from archives.

  • Coorg rally cancelled due to heavy rains

    By David Bodapati

    Polibetta (Coorg), 20 Oct 2012: Heavy rains that lashed the region on Friday rendered the dirt stages unfit for rallying and the Rally of Coorg, the second round of the Indian National Rally Championship, was cancelled here on Saturday.

    Steward Farad Bathena made a visit to the stages early in the morning and after his report the stewards, headed by Zayn Khan, took a decision to cancel the rally and made an announcement to the drivers and co-drivers at 9 am at the service park, near the hockey ground in Ammathi town.

    “The stages were completely damaged due to the overnight rains and the stewards felt that they were unsafe for conducting a rally,” said Zayn Khan, the Chief Steward.

    Initially, some drivers wanted the route to be reduced and conduct at least 55 per cent distance including the Super Special Stage but with some of the drivers opposing the idea no efforts were made to run the rally. “ We have done everything for the smooth conduct of the rally. But we will abide by the stewards decision as safety of the drivers is of utmost importance,” said Jaidas Menon, the head of Motorsport Inc, the hosts.

    The FMSCI rally championship will now move to Chikmagalur in the last week-end of November for the next leg.

    Note: This article is manually migrated from the archives of old website.

  • JPSI announces Airtel Indian GP schedule

    New Delhi, 17 Oct 2012:Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI) has announced the schedule for the second edition of Indian Grand Prix  at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC), Greater Noida, on Sunday the 28th of October 2012

    A file picture of Sameer of JPSI receiving Bernie Ecclestone. Photo JPSI

    .

    Motorsport Fans will get a chance to experience the adrenaline rush of F1 up close and personal on October 26 with the first practice session scheduled for 10 AM. It will be followed by a second practice session from 2 PM to 3.30 PM. JK Racing Asia Series and MRF Challenge 2012 will be the two support races for the Indian GP.

    The all-important qualifying will begin at 2 PM on October 27, which will be preceded by the one-hour long third practice session from 11 AM. The final race will be flagged off at 3 PM on October 28.

    Indian GP schedule: (Detailed Schedule annexure attached)

    Friday, October 26: JK Racing Asia Series (practice): 08:45-09:15; F1 first practice: 10:00-11:30; MRF challenge (practice): 12:00-12:30; F1 Paddock Club (pit lane walk) 12:35-13:45; F1 second practice: 14:00-15:30; F1 press conference: 16:00-17:00; MRF challenge (Qualifying): 16:00-16:30; Marshall Pit Lane Walk : 17:45

    Saturday, October 27: JK Asia Racing Series (Qualifying): 09:15-09:45; F1 Paddock Club (pit lane walk): 09:50-10:40; F1 third practice: 11:00-12:00; MRF Championship 1st Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins): 12:25-12:55; F1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk: 13:00-13:45; F1 Qualifying: 14:00; JK Asia Racing Series 1st Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins): 15:30-16:00

    Sunday, October 28: F1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk: 10:00-10:50; MRF Championship 2nd Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins): 11:00-11:30; JK Asia Racing Series 2nd Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins): 12:00-12:30; F1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk: 12:35-14:15; F1 drivers grid parade: 13:30; F1 starting grid presentation: 13:40-14:15; National Anthem: 14:46; Grand Prix: 15:00

    The tickets for the race days are available on www.bookmyshow.com. They are also available in selected outlets in key metros from 11.00 AM from 5th October, 2012. Tickets, outlet details, parking charges, shuttle services from various points in NCR, location of stands, etc, are now available at www.buddhinternationalcircuit.co.in

    About Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI)

    Established in October 2007, Jaypee Sports International Ltd., a subsidiary of Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. (JAL), has constructed India’s premier motorsports destination – Buddh International Circuit (BIC) – which hosted India’s first ever F1 Grand Prix on October 30, 2011. In addition to F1, the track is also expected to host other top-level international motorsports events. BIC will be a part of Jaypee Sports City, which is spread over 2,500 acres. This facility will include a Cricket stadium that is being developed in two phases and which will have a seating capacity of 100,000 people. There will also be a hockey arena, a sports training academy and infrastructure for other sports. Jaypee Sports City, the country’s first fully integrated megacity built around a sporting lifestyle and featuring premium residential and commercial spaces, has been designed by world renowned architects and planners, WATG. One of the world’s leading design consultants for the hospitality, leisure and entertainment industries, WATG has made a significant contribution to making Jaypee Sports City the best of its kind anywhere in the world.

    ends

  • Sauber chief Monisha dwells on her Indian roots

    Hinwil, 17 Oct 2012: Monisha Kaltenborn is almost a week into her post as the first female team principal in Formula One. With a total of four podium places so far, the Sauber F1 Team has enjoyed a very successful 2012 season. The forthcoming Indian Grand Prix takes the new boss to her native country. There’s plenty to talk about.
    Your passport gives your full name as Monisha Kaltenborn Narang. Why do you so rarely use your double surname?
    Monisha Kaltenborn: “I really like my Indian name. My Indian heritage and my parents’ family mean a great deal to me, which is why I never wanted to give up Narang. On the other hand, you have to admit that double-barrelled names aren’t very practical in day-to-day business operations. That’s why I only rarely use my full name.”
    What does the Indian Grand Prix mean to you?
    MK: “Well, I really have to distinguish between the professional and the private side. From the sports point of view, as far as the Sauber F1 Team is concerned the Indian GP is a race like any other, with the same meticulous preparations and the same aspiration to achieve the best possible result. From a personal point of view, it’s rather different. Obviously I’m particularly looking forward to this race in my home country. As I travel to all the grands prix as part of my job, I don’t have time for private trips to India. During my school and university days I would go there regularly. My husband Jens and I celebrated our marriage in India with a fabulous and very happy Hindu ritual. I feel very attached to India.”
     
    Will you be seeing friends or family during the grand prix?
    MK: “I won’t really have time for private visits during this year’s race, but I’ll be flying out at least a day early to spend some time looking around New Delhi and attending various media events. I’m also involved as an ambassador for the FIA’s Women in Motorsports Commission, as well as an event by the F1 in Schools initiative.”
    Which memories do you associate with India?
    MK: “Oh, undoubtedly my wonderful childhood. Since I was their only grandchild for a long time, my grandparents spoilt me rotten, and we had three delightful dogs. Up to the age of eight I attended Welham Girls’ High School in Dehradun, my birthplace and one of the oldest and most traditional cities in the north of this vast country. It was a very happy time with marvellous friendships. Then in 1979 my parents decided to emigrate to give me a better education.”
    What made your parents decide on Austria?
    MK: “Originally the plan was to find a new home in an English-speaking country. But Vienna was the first stop on our journey because an uncle of my father’s was working at the atomic agency there. We liked it and so we stayed. I was sent straight to an Austrian rather than an international school, so I learnt the language very quickly and became integrated. I also completed my law studies in Vienna and took on Austrian citizenship, which had many advantages. And of course I have a lot of ties with Austria. I’ve spent a considerable part of my life there, after all.”
    To what extent are you still Indian today?
                                                             
    MK: “I don’t think you ever lose your roots, and anyway you can tell where I’m from just by looking at me. I also think I have a certain serenity and openness you might describe as Indian. That includes shrugging off negative experiences and focusing positively on the future – something that is very important in an environment as competitive as Formula One. As for my Hindi, it’s no longer as good as I’d like it to be. But I do try to talk Hindi with the children occasionally. Our son is ten years old, our daughter seven, and I’d like them to learn the language. But my parents are better teachers than me.”
    How important do you think Formula One is for India?
    MK: “Basically it’s difficult for any sport to find a place in India next to cricket. But I do think that the interest in Formula One has risen significantly since its debut last year. At least the media interest we are experiencing as a team would strongly indicate that. It seems right that India, as an upwardly mobile nation, a huge marketplace and a high-tech location, has found a place in the Formula One calendar with its excellently trained engineers. Both Formula One and the country can benefit from it.”
    What chances do you hold out for the Sauber F1 Team at the Indian Grand Prix?
    MK: “The track layout is very similar to that in Korea. There are slow and fast turns and quite a long straight. However, it will be warmer there and Pirelli is providing different tyres – soft and hard rather than the super-soft and soft ones we had in Korea. That will mean different race strategies. For the C31, the circuit in India is likely to be neither ideal terrain nor particularly problematic. I’m confident that we will manage another decent points haul there.”
    You’re into your first week as Team Principal at trackside. What does this step mean for you?
    MK: “I’m very happy at the confidence that Peter Sauber has placed in me. I grew into this role step by step, of course. I had been head of the company’s legal department since 2000, in 2001 I joined the Board of Management, in 2010 I became CEO, and since the end of 2011 I’ve held a third of the company’s stakeholding. Peter Sauber’s withdrawal from the day-to-day running of the business has been on the cards for a long time, so this latest step was well prepared. I’m acutely aware of what it means to carry the responsibility for this company, which has been around for over 40 years and involved in Formula One for almost 20 years.”
    Is it more difficult as a woman to be accepted as Team Principal?
    MK: “Professionally I’m sure gender plays no role. And as I’ve been around for such a long time, I don’t think I’ll be seen more in terms of a woman than a boss. People who are new to the scene might just do a double-take at first, but that will soon settle down.”
    How do you manage to cope with the twin responsibility of work and family?
    MK: “It usually works very well, though in some situations it can prove an organisational and emotional challenge. I believe it’s very important to involve the children. We stay in touch on race weekends by phone or skype – these days, fortunately, there are such options. At home my husband, my parents and a nanny manage to cushion my professional absences. I’ve got a strong support system, and the kids are really proud of what their mother does.”
    How satisfied are you with the Sauber F1 Team’s achievements so far this season?
    MK: “With four podium places and now 116 world championship points, we can certainly be proud of our achievements so far as a private team. Of course there have been races where things didn’t go to plan and we forfeited valuable points. Our car, the Sauber C31-Ferrari, is a great success and has proved competitive on virtually any kind of circuit. Some describe it as one of the best cars on the grid. Now it’s a matter of carrying the impetus forward into the remaining four races. Our ambitious goal remains to finish fifth in the Constructors’ World Championship. And I have the utmost confidence both in our team at Hinwil and in the crew at the track along with our two drivers, Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Pérez.”
    What are your personal highlights of the season so far?
    MK: “To answer that I’m going to have to take off my sober, objective hat for a moment: it was just so emotional when Kamui finished third in Japan.”
    ends

    Monisha Narang, the new Sauber team Principal, in a file photo as admires Kamui Kobayashi's home race feats. Photo Sauber F1 team.

  • Vettel goes past Alonso with 3rd straight win

    Sebastian Vettel completed Formula One’s tour of the Far East with a third straight victory, in the process taking the lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

    Sebatian Vettel of Red Bull Racing takes the driver championship lead with a third straight win at the Korean GP on 14 Oct 2012. Red Bull Racing photo

    His third victory in a row was secured in the first three turns of the race. When the lights went out pole position holder Mark Webber made a marginally slower getaway and Vettel was able to pull alongside his team-mate into Turn One. It was a close battle but by the end of the circuit’s long back straight the champion was ahead and had the better inside line. After that Vettel opened up a gap of a couple of seconds and seemed able to respond whenever Webber went quicker.
    On lap 14 Webber headed for the pits to discard his supersoft tyres for a set of the softs. Vettel stayed ahead after his stop a lap later and set about increasing his lead to around 10s where it stayed. From there it was simply a case of both drivers managing tyre wear in order to maintain their one-two status to the flag. It was Red Bull’s first one-two finish since last season’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

    Behind them Ferrari finished third and fourth with Felipe Massa tucking in behind Fernando Alonso. Kimi Räikkönen was fifth for Lotus, Nico Hülkenberg a hard-fought sixth for Force India ahead of Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus. Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo were eighth and ninth respectively for Toro Rosso, and Lewis Hamilton picked up the final point for tenth after McLaren had a bad day.

    This is the first time Vettel has led the Drivers’ Championship since May. He has 215 points compared to Alonso’s 209. Räikkönen remains third in the standings, increasingly distant on 169, while Lewis Hamilton is fourth with 153. “I think it was a fantastic race,” said a delighted Vettel. “Obviously the foundation was to have a good start, which I wasn’t sure [of] because I was starting on the dirty side but I have to say I had reasonable grip and a very good launch.  I could see that Mark was struggling a little in the first bit of the start and I was able to get side-by-side. Then I had the inside into turn one, which was good.”

    Vettel conceded that after that it had simply been a case of controlling the gap back to Webber and his rivals and managing his fading tyres.  “It was a perfect first stint,” he said. “I think towards the end I was able to pull away a little bit and open a gap to Mark which helped to stay out a little bit longer and I think after that we had a very good stop, a very strong second stint opening the gap again.”
    Webber, meanwhile, admitted that his less than perfect getaway had compromised his race. “The initial launch wasn’t good. The first bite just kicked to wheelspin and from then on I knew I could have some issues,” he said. “It was just a very mediocre run to the first corner. Seb got a good one.”
    Alonso said he was happy with having got the maximum out of his Ferrari but admitted he did not know what his team could do to counter-punch against the form currently being shown by Red Bull. “I think it’s a question mark,” he said. “We didn’t bring to the last six or seven races, anything new. We are doing what we can at the moment and we are trying to save points, which I think we are doing perfectly every Sunday.

    “Again it was a perfect Sunday for us: good start, good strategy at the right time and in the right moment, then finishing again on the podium. “I think it was a very strong Sunday. We overtook McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, which is something that maybe we didn’t expect two or three races ago, so definitely we are moving in the right direction. We just need a little last step to be as competitive as Red Bull and I think it will be a beautiful last four races to the end.”
    Red Bull increased their Constructors’ Championship lead to a commanding 77 points, with 367 compared to Ferrari’s 290. As Alonso said, third and fourth in the Korean Grand Prix jumped his team ahead of McLaren in the standings, for whom Jenson Button had a first-lap retirement after being hit by Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber on the run down to Turn Three. Lewis Hamilton lost third place to Alonso at the start and then suffered an anti-roll bar failure mid-race that upset his car’s balance and forced him into a three-stop strategy for badly wearing tyres.

    Hamilton conceded “In terms of winning the world championship, logic suggests that that’s probably it for me,” while Räikkönen said “The gap to Sebastian in the Championship is quite big now so it will be very difficult to catch him.” Increasingly the season looks like becoming a straight fight between Vettel and Alonso, with the momentum definitely in the German driver’s favour.

    ens

  • Karun, JRM finish second in their class

    Fuji (Japan) 14 Oct 2012: Indian racing star Karun Chandhok and his JRM Racing achieved its best result of the season today at the Six Hours of Fuji in Japan, finishing second in the privateers’ class and fifth overall. The #22 HPD ARX-03a driven by David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok had qualified in P3 in the privateers’ class for the penultimate race of the FIA World Endurance Championship, setting up a good race today.

    Peter got the six hours underway for the team and had a good start, gaining a place in the first corner. He was in the car for the first two hours and 40 minutes, managing the tyres perfectly and lapping at a very consistent pace. After a double stint, the Scot handed over to David. The Safety Car had to come out half way through the race so debris on track could be cleared, but David looked after the tyres and when the race got underway again he was able to run at consistent pace, constantly swapping track positions with the #12 Rebellion.

    Karun drove the #22 during the last third of the race. Minor contact with the #1 Audi was made during his first stint, and during the last minutes of the race he also had to do an extra pit stop to change the rear end of the car that had been damaged. Nevertheless he managed to stay in fifth position and even set the team’s fastest lap of the race, a 1:30.907.

    After achieving the best result of the season so far, the team looks forward to the eighth and final race of the year that will take place in China in two weeks’ time.

    Karun Chandhok was thrilled with the best finish of the season after struggling with mechanical problems in the last few races when the team was in a strong position. He said, “Great to be on the podium! It was a good race and finishing for the team was a fantastic feeling, particularly as it’s our best finish of the season so far. I had a bit of contact with the Audi and there was a bit of bodywork damage but apart from that we were reasonably quick. We do need a little bit more pace to finish ahead of the Rebellion – we stick with them at some parts of the race and only need a little bit more to get ahead. It’s nice to get a trophy for the boys, and it’s very positive for us and for the team moral. I’m very pleased after a couple of hard weekends in Brazil and Bahrain, and hopefully we can finish the season strongly in China.”

    Nigel Stepney, team manager and chief engineer, said, “This is our best result so far and we are absolutely delighted. The race went according to plan. We probably lost the chance to fight the Rebellion during Peter’s second stint on new tyres when we had a bit of a performance problem. But the boys did a fantastic job changing the rear bodywork in an extra pit stop and it was a positive race overall. We’ve been promising it for two races, Brazil and Bahrain, so it’s finally nice to get to the end and achieve what we know we can do.”

    James Rumsey, team principal, commented, “Overall, a very positive result today; we can be very happy and proud. The team has worked very hard during the whole weekend and finally it all came together in the race. This is our best result of a season where we have improved race after race and we certainly deserved it. It’s also great to finally see our drivers on the podium for the first time. Now we have to continue working hard and do our best to end the season on a high.“

    ends

    Karun and teammates get a second place in their class at Fuji on 14 Oct 2012. Adrenna Photo

  • This is my best race in F1 this year: Vergne

    Jean Eric Vergne scores his third 8th place this season. Photo: Toro Rosso – Red Bull Content pool.

    Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne has branded his eighth-place finish in the Korean Grand Prix as his best performance in Formula One so far.

    The French driver started 16th and put in a committed drive to take four points at the Korean International Circuit, equalling his previous two best finishes in Malaysia and Belgium.

    The result puts him on 12 points, three ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who finished a place behind Vergne in Korea after a brake problem hampered his progress in the closing stages of the race.

    “I’m really, really happy, as this was definitely my best race of the year and the car worked well with very little tyre degradation on both the prime and the option,” said Vergne.

    “I did not take too many risks at the start and I had a nice fight with Perez in the early stages and then with Di Resta and also Hamilton,” he added. “Daniel [Ricciardo] and I were on different strategies and both seemed to be effective. Towards the end, I was told that my team-mate had a problem, but overall for the team, to get eighth and ninth, with Daniel also driving a great race, is a fantastic result.

    “In general, we seem to be making progress and this track seemed to suit us well, which I think we can also expect to be the case in India. The best part of the race? Seeing the chequered flag in the points!”

    Ricciardo, meanwhile, was pleased with his two points but felt he could have achieved more had it not been for the late-race brake issue.

    “My last stint on the Prime was my best until, with about ten laps to go, I found myself going straight on at turn three,” said the Australian. “At first I thought it must have been a suspension failure because the car suddenly shot to the left and I couldn’t stop it.

    “However, I realised I could keep going, even if every time I braked the car pulled to the left and I was locking the front a lot. Unfortunately, that cost me eighth place. I’m still grateful to be in the points with such a problem, although it’s a case of mixed emotions, as it would have been my best result of the season. But for the team overall, it’s been a very good day.”

    ends