INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Parth finishes 5th in Race 3 at Formula Pilota

    Shanghai, 16 June 2012: Upcoming Indian racer Parth Ghorpade had a tough day at the Shanghai International Circuit in Races 2 & 3 of Round 1 of the 2012 Formula Pilota Championship. The young Indian, who finished in second place in Race 1, had a DNF in Race 2 and finished in 5th place in Race 3. Race 2 ended for Ghorpade at the end of the first lap when he collided with fellow Indian Raj Bharath as the latter spun in front of him. Race 3 saw Ghorpade drop down to 3rd place at the start and finished in 5th after struggling with an electric problem.
    Ghorpade was disappointed with the finish to the weekend but was optimistic about the season ahead. Ghorpade commented, “Not a very good day for us after struggled with an electric problem since the morning. In Race 2 Raj (Bharath) spun off at the end of the first lap and unfortunately collected me forcing me to retire. In Race 3 I lost a position at the start and was running third till I lost power on the straight. I was lucky to finish in 5th position as the longer the race the more positions I would have lost. I am satisfied with my pace over the weekend and look forward to the rest of the season as I feel we can challenge for more wins.”
    The 1+8-year-old Ghorpade is a five-time National Karting Champion, runner-up in the inaugural 2010 Volkswagen Polo Cup India, and recently competed in the Renault F4 series in 2011, finishing in the top five multiple times.

    About Formula Pilota Championship
    Following the extremely successful Formula Abarth in Europe, a new series – Formula Pilota Championship was established in Asia in 2011. Also known as Formula Pilota China, the series managed to keep the Asian entry level formula up-to date with Europe and provided the exact same platform & race cars at a more affordable price.

    The 2011 season held 12 rounds (6 events) plus 1 FPC Final Master Race. The series gathered 8 teams & 26 drivers from 20 difference countries and regions. Having a strong connection with European motorsport has qualified FPC one of the best stepping stones for the young drivers to either move forward to the next level, or have a taste of single-seater right after graduation from Karting. The series has a great mix of young Asian, European and South American drivers and in 2011, FPC sent 2 young drivers (Champion & best Asian) to the Ferrari Drivers Academy (FDA) test. In 2012 season, FPC will have 6 triple-rounds events and 1 invitational race, which will sure to bring more excitement to the competition. The series will travel to Shanghai, Zhuhai, Taiwan and Sepang.
    ends

  • Can FIA initiate cost cutting to make F1 more affordable?

    Paris, 15 June 2012: A meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) took place today, 15 June, in Paris and the following decisions were taken.

    The WMSC also reiterated its intention to make motor sport more affordable in all categories.

    FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    At their request, the FIA is having active discussions with teams regarding cost control and any amendments to the technical regulations resulting from a further limit on expenditure on the chassis will be submitted to the WMSC via a fax vote before 30 June. The intention is to help all teams participate in the Championship in a fair and equal manner.

    Constructive Concorde Agreement discussions are on-going between the FIA and the Commercial Rights Holder, with the intention of finalising an agreement in the coming weeks. It was also decided that the deadline for the closing of entries be deferred to 30 September.

    FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AND RALLYING

    Following discussions with the FIA World Rally Championship stakeholders regarding the 2013 calendar, the WMSC adopted the calendar proposed by the WRC Commission. Events will be hosted in the following countries:

    Argentina
    Australia
    Finland
    France
    Germany
    Great Britain
    Greece
    Italy
    Mexico
    Monte Carlo
    Portugal
    Spain
    Sweden

    The dates will be submitted at a later time, taking logistics and the calendars of the other FIA Championships into account and to avoid, where possible, date clashes.

    Candidate rallies will be considered for the 2014 calendar, to ensure their events meet the requirements of a WRC event. These rallies will be run and observed before the end of April 2013. Brazil and South Africa have already expressed their interest in participating.

    Following the call for Expression of Interest launched earlier this year to promote the WRC, and the assessment of the numerous bids received, a shortlist of candidates has been established. Final discussions with those candidates are currently being conducted with a view to establishing the best possible platform for the promotion of the FIA World Rally Championship. A final recommendation will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council in September at the latest.

    With immediate effect, Priority 1, 2 and 3 drivers are authorised to re-use tyres during an event run on asphalt. However, their re-use will only be permitted if the depth of the profile of the tread pattern is at least 1.6 mm.

    In order to further assist in cost reduction, from January 2013 the number of new tyres priority drivers are permitted during a service is reduced to four.

    The FIA will seek greater involvement in world and regional rallies and is going to work on establishing more flexibility in the technical regulations in order to be able to attract more entries.

    The date of the Rally of Tanzania has been changed to 31 August-2 September, and the KCB Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally has moved to 21-23 September.

    FIA WORLD CUP FOR CROSS COUNTRY RALLIES

    For reasons of safety, and therefore with immediate effect, priority and non-priority drivers may be re-seeded at the start of each leg in accordance with their performance.

    The date for Baja Poland has been changed to 6-9 September.

    FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
    The 2014 LMP1 Technical Regulations were ratified by members of the World Motor Sport Council via a fax vote in early June and were officially announced at a press conference on 14 June at Le Mans. As approved in March, the principles of these regulations are to steer endurance towards energy efficiency and ‘green’ technologies, in particular hybrids, while at the same time maintaining a high level of attention to costs, to enable smaller private teams to take part alongside major manufacturers.

    Former Formula One and sports car driver Derek Warwick has been appointed a member of the Endurance Commission. The Briton is also an FIA Formula One Steward.

    FIA GT1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
    In order to set in place the necessary marketing and commercial plans and create stability for the series, the 2013 FIA GT1 World Championship will only be confirmed if 10 teams representing 10 brands enter before 30 August 2012.

    For the FIA GT3 European Championship, the project of the promoter is to adopt the same philosophy as the FIA GT1 World Championship, with one two-car team per brand. It is also intended to market this Championship as a genuine junior series for both teams and drivers.

    FIA WOMEN IN MOTOR SPORT COMMISSION
    The FIA Women in Motor Sport Commission hosted its first National Coordinators Seminar on 13/14 June in Paris. This brought together 40 of the 47 National Coordinators currently representing their ASNs around the world, together with key people in motor sport, and provided the opportunity to discuss issues that affect women in motor sport – both at national and international level – with a view to putting in place strategies and recommendations for the future that will promote and encourage more women in motor sport.

    The Commission also announced its first Ambassadors who represent excellence in different segments of the motor sport world, announcing Michèle Mouton (Honorary), Monisha Kaltenborn, Katherine Legge, Maria de Villota and Susie Wolff as its first global Ambassadors.

    PROMOTERS
    The WMSC approved proposals from both the Truck Racing Commission and the Rallycross Commission to source a promoter for those Championships.

    IOC RECOGNITION – FIA DRIVERS’ COMMISSION
    Following the granting of provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee, the WMSC agreed the composition, objectives and structure of a Drivers’ Commission. In addition to a President and Vice President, drivers and co-drivers from across all disciplines of motor sport will be represented in this 10-member Commission to be proposed by the ASNs. Draft modifications to the FIA Statutes will be submitted to the WMSC in September with a view to being ratified at the next General Assembly.
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    COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE

    CONSEIL MONDIAL DU SPORT AUTOMOBILE
    Une réunion du Conseil Mondial du Sport Automobile (CMSA) a eu lieu ce jour, 15 juin, à Paris. Les décisions mentionnées ci-après ont été prises.

    Le CMSA a par ailleurs réitéré son intention de rendre le sport automobile plus abordable dans toutes les catégories.

    CHAMPIONNAT DU MONDE DE FORMULE UN DE LA FIA

    A la demande des équipes, la FIA est actuellement en pourparlers avec ces dernières sur la question de la réduction des coûts. Toutes les modifications apportées au règlement technique suite à un nouveau plafonnement des dépenses relatives au châssis seront soumises au CMSA via un vote fax avant le 30 juin. L’objectif est de permettre à toutes les équipes de participer au Championnat de manière juste et équitable.

    Des discussions constructives sont en cours entre la FIA et le Détenteur des Droits Commerciaux concernant la Convention de la Concorde, l’intention étant de finaliser un accord dans les prochaines semaines. Il a également été décidé de reporter la date de clôture des engagements au 30 septembre.

    RALLYES ET CHAMPIONNAT DU MONDE DES RALLYES DE LA FIA
    Suite aux discussions intervenues avec les parties prenantes du Championnat du Monde des Rallyes de la FIA concernant le calendrier 2013, le CMSA a adopté le calendrier proposé par la Commission WRC. Les épreuves seront disputées dans les pays ci-après :

    Argentine
    Australie
    Finlande
    France
    Allemagne
    Grande-Bretagne
    Grèce
    Italie
    Mexique
    Monte-Carlo
    Portugal
    Espagne
    Suède

    Les dates seront soumises ultérieurement, compte tenu des questions de logistique et des calendriers des autres Championnats de la FIA, ceci afin d’éviter, dans la mesure du possible, des chevauchements de dates.

    Des rallyes candidats seront pris en considération pour le calendrier 2014, l’objectif étant de veiller à ce que leurs épreuves soient conformes aux exigences d’une épreuve WRC. Ces rallyes seront disputés et observés avant la fin avril 2013. Le Brésil et l’Afrique du Sud ont déjà manifesté leur intérêt.

    Suite à l’appel à manifestations d’intérêt lancé précédemment cette année pour promouvoir le WRC et à l’étude des nombreuses offres reçues, une liste restreinte de candidats a été établie. Des discussions finales sont actuellement en cours avec ces candidats, l’objectif étant d’établir la meilleure plate-forme possible pour la promotion du Championnat du Monde des Rallyes de la FIA. Une recommandation finale sera soumise au Conseil Mondial du Sport Automobile en septembre au plus tard.

    Avec effet immédiat, les pilotes de Priorité 1, 2 et 3 sont autorisés à réutiliser des pneus pendant une épreuve se déroulant sur asphalte. Ces pneus ne pourront cependant être réutilisés que si la sculpture du profil de la bande de roulement est de 1,6 mm au minimum.

    Dans l’optique de réduire davantage les coûts, à compter de janvier 2013, le nombre de nouveaux pneus autorisé pour les pilotes prioritaires pendant une assistance est réduit à quatre.

    La FIA cherchera à s’impliquer davantage dans les championnats régionaux et mondiaux et entend œuvrer en faveur d’une plus grande flexibilité du règlement technique afin de pouvoir attirer davantage de concurrents.

    La date du Rallye de Tanzanie a été déplacée aux 31 août-2 septembre et celle du Rallye KCB Rwanda Mountain Gorilla aux 21-23 septembre.

    COUPE DU MONDE DES RALLYES TOUT-TERRAIN DE LA FIA
    Pour des raisons de sécurité, et par conséquent avec effet immédiat, les pilotes prioritaires et non-prioritaires peuvent être reclassés au départ de chaque Etape selon leurs performances.

    La date de la Baja de Pologne a été avancée aux 6-9 septembre.

    CHAMPIONNAT DU MONDE D’ENDURANCE DE LA FIA
    Le Règlement Technique LMP1 2014 a été ratifié par les membres du Conseil Mondial du Sport Automobile via un vote fax début juin et a été officiellement présenté lors d’une conférence de presse le 14 juin au Mans. Comme approuvé en mars, les principes de ce règlement sont d’orienter l’endurance vers l’efficacité énergétique et les technologies “vertes”, en particulier hybrides, tout en maintenant un niveau d’attention élevé pour ce qui est des coûts afin de permettre à de petites équipes privées de participer aux côtés des grands constructeurs.

    L’ancien pilote britannique de Formule Un et de voitures de sport, Derek Warwick, a été désigné membre de la Commission Endurance. Il est également Commissaire Sportif FIA de Formule Un.

    CHAMPIONNAT DU MONDE GT1 DE LA FIA

    Afin de mettre en place les projets commerciaux et marketing nécessaires et de créer une certaine stabilité pour la série, le Championnat du Monde GT1 de la FIA 2013 ne sera confirmé que si 10 équipes représentant 10 marques s’engagent avant le 30 août 2012.

    Pour le Championnat d’Europe GT3 de la FIA, le projet du promoteur consiste à adopter la même approche que pour le Championnat du Monde GT1 de la FIA, avec une équipe de deux voitures par marque. Il est également prévu de commercialiser ce Championnat comme une série purement junior à la fois pour les équipes et les pilotes.

    COMMISSION FEMMES DANS LE SPORT AUTOMOBILE DE LA FIA
    La Commission Femmes dans le Sport Automobile de la FIA a accueilli son premier Séminaire des Coordinatrices nationales les 13/14 juin à Paris. Celui-ci a permis de rassembler 40 des 47 Coordinatrices nationales représentant actuellement les ASN du monde entier ainsi que des personnalités clés du sport automobile. Il a permis également d’étudier des questions qui concernent les femmes dans le sport automobile – tant au niveau national qu’international – l’objectif étant de mettre en place des stratégies et des recommandations visant à promouvoir et encourager davantage la participation des femmes au sport automobile.

    La Commission a également dévoilé les noms de ses premières Ambassadrices qui représentent l’excellence dans différents secteurs du sport automobile : Michèle Mouton (Ambassadrice d’Honneur), Monisha Kaltenborn, Katherine Legge, Maria de Villota et Susie Wolff.

    PROMOTEURS
    Le CMSA a approuvé les propositions de la Commission des Courses de Camions et de la Commission Rallycross de doter les Championnats concernés d’un promoteur.

    RECONNAISSANCE DU CIO – COMMISSION DES PILOTES DE LA FIA

    Suite à l’octroi de la reconnaissance du Comité Olympique International à titre provisoire, la CMSA a approuvé la composition, les objectifs et la structure d’une Commission des Pilotes. Aux côtés d’un Président et d’un Vice-président, les pilotes et copilotes de toutes les disciplines du sport automobile seront représentés au sein de cette Commission composée de 10 membres qui seront proposés par les ASN. Un projet de modification des Statuts de la FIA sera soumis au CMSA en septembre, pour ratification lors de la prochaine Assemblée Générale.
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  • Performance fell short of our capability: Peter Sauber

    Hinwil, 14 June 2012: Last Sunday in Canada, Sergio Pérez captured the second podium place of the season for the Sauber F1 Team. Team Principal Peter Sauber talks about this extraordinary race, an exciting season and the targets for the forthcoming grands prix.

    When did you realise on Sunday that a podium place was within grasp?

    Peter Sauber: “Not until late on in the race. Sergio had started from 15th on the grid, so you wouldn’t normally be contemplating a podium place – you’d be happy just to get into the points. But once the front-runners began to develop problems with their tyres towards the end of the race, it became clear that something very special could be unfolding. Unlike the other drivers, Sergio was not affected by these tyre problems and was able to continue his all-out offensive right to the end. He drove an extraordinary race.”

    Did the result come as a surprise?

    PS: “Yes and no. Of course it was a surprise that Sergio managed to advance from 15th on the grid to a third-placed finish in a perfectly normal race, without rain and without any safety car periods. But basically we knew the Sauber C31 was far better than the results of the last few GPs might have suggested. Our performance in Barcelona and Monaco fell well short of our capability. We had the potential in both races to be right up in front, but things just didn’t fall into place.”

    What are your expectations for the upcoming races?

    PS: “If we manage to exploit our full potential as a team, in other words get everything right from Friday morning to Sunday evening, a great deal is possible. After seven races it is patently clear that the C31 can be fast on virtually any kind of track.”

    Do you think a win would be on the cards?

    PS: “Before the season I don’t suppose anyone would have put that question to me. But now, after seven races with seven different winners, so much seems possible. In Malaysia we came very close to winning. Further podium places certainly seem a realistic prospect. The prerequisite of course is that our drivers go into the race from good grid positions.”

    Not everyone is happy about seven races with seven different winners – it throws them. What’s your take?

    PS: “As far as I can see it’s just a handful of people in the paddock who can’t get used to not knowing by Friday who’s going to win on Sunday. I think the fans see it in a completely different light. They’re delighted with the unpredictability, the sheer variety and the unbelievably close competition. I’ve been in Formula One for 20 years now and for me it’s never been better or more exciting. That’s partly down to Pirelli, who are supplying the tyres for this show.”

    Can the Sauber F1 Team keep up with the major players when it comes to further development of the car?

    PS: “Of course the four big teams have very different financial possibilities compared to the private teams in the middle of the pack. But that doesn’t in any way discourage us. Our forte is efficiency. The development package that was given its first airing in Barcelona showed what we are capable of. The crucial thing is that the C31 gives us an excellent foundation with real potential for further development.”

    What are your targets for the rest of the season?

    PS: “At the start of the season we said that we wanted to pick up points regularly and improve our position in the constructors’ rankings. That essentially remains in place, but naturally I’m now keen to see a few more podium places. The fact is that after seven out of 20 races we have a tally of 58 points. That’s already 14 more than we had at the end of last season. So far things are panning out quite well.”
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  • Narain hopes for change in fortunes at HRT’s 2nd home race

    22nd-24th June 2012
    Valencia Street Circuit – 57 laps – 5.419km

    Madrid, 15 June 2012: After a brief stop in Canada the Formula 1 World Championship returns to the old continent for the European Grand Prix. This will be the second and final time that HRT Formula 1 Team races in front of its home crowd this season. The team showed clear signs of improvement throughout the entire weekend in Montreal but wasn’t able to convert these sensations into a good result in the Grand Prix as brake issues on both cars forced the drivers to retire. There’s no better place to try and put things right than at home with the backing of the Spanish fans providing the team with that extra push says the HRT team release.

    Valencia is a street circuit made up of long straights and slow corners. Overtaking is a difficult challenge and there isn’t much grip, especially towards the beginning of the weekend. The high temperatures are also a factor worth keeping in mind.

    Pirelli have elected their medium and soft tyres for this Grand Prix.

    Pedro de la Rosa: “Just like in Barcelona, I’m really looking forward to racing in front of our home fans in Valencia. At the Valencia Street Circuit we will encounter high air and track temperatures so the brakes will be put through their paces once again, but we’re confident we can make the necessary modifications to overcome the problems we experienced in Canada. Valencia has long straights but overtaking isn’t easy and it is a high-downforce track. I think we can do quite well here, although it’s not as favourable to our car as Canada, because there are a lot of braking areas and slow corners which are good for us. We’re looking forward to putting in a good performance in front of our fans and we want to continue with our progress from the last few races, where we’ve been at a good standard, but here we want to confirm this improvement in the race”.

    Talking to India In F1 site, Narain Karthikeyan said: “I am looking forward to our second home race and Valencia will be our third street circuit in a row. It is our second visit to Spain in just about five weeks but the circuit is as different as it could be compared to Barcelona. It shares some characteristics with Montreal and Monte Carlo, like emphasis on low-speed traction so I expect our car to do well here. Apart from that, it is a beautiful place and weather is pretty hot, just like India, but the track itself isn’t a huge challenge. Yes the walls are close but the adrenaline factor isn’t close to Monaco or even Montreal. But on the back of the promise we showed in Canada, I’m looking forward to the race and hopefully we’ll have a chance to build on it this time”.

    Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We’re looking forward to racing in Valencia, as it will be the second time we do so at home this season. In Canada we were quick and performed well but were unable to finish the race. In Valencia we want to confirm this progress and achieve a good result, plus doing so in front of the Spanish public is even more special. I think that the characteristics of this circuit adapt well to our car and I hope we have good reliability and finish the race with a positive result”.

    ends

  • Parth Ghorpade, 2nd for a flying start to Formula Pilota

    Shanghai, 16 June 2012: Upcoming Indian racer Parth Ghorpade got his 2012 Formula Pilota Championship bid off to a flying start by finishing second in the opening race of Round 1 of the series in Shanghai. The young Indian did his country proud by finishing on the second step of the podium in only his first race in this series. Earlier in the day Ghorpade had qualified third on the grid for Race 1. 18 year old Ghorpade is a five-time National Karting Champion, runner-up in the inaugural 2010 Volkswagen Polo Cup India, and recently competed in the Renault F4 series in 2011, finishing in the top five multiple times.

    In Race 1 Pole man Shota Kiyohara got bogged down on the line as Parth took advantage and jumped into the lead. He soon came under pressure from teammate Antonio Giovannani, who had qualified P2, but was able to open up a gap after 3 laps. Kiyohara was able to make up ground as his pace through the weekend has been almost a second up on the others and he finally went ahead on lap 8. Parth managed to stay close to him and finish comfortably in second position.

    An overjoyed Ghorpade was extremely satisfied with this result after having tough practice sessions over the last couple of days. He said, “This is a fantastic result and a great way for to start the championship. There was limited running during practice due to various reasons so feels good to be on the podium today. I have been working really hard with the team over the last few days to get comfortable with the car and I must thank them for the great job they have done. Qualifying went well this morning so was confident going into the race. I had a fantastic start and went into the lead and managed to hold it for 8 laps before Kiyohara went past. Am still happy with my performance today and will hope to carry this momentum for the rest of the weekend.”
    While qualifying for Race 2 was done earlier in the day, the grid position for Race 3 was determined by fastest laps set during Race 1. Ghorpade ran into traffic in qualifying for Race 2 and will only start from 8th on the grid. For Race 3, Ghorpade set the second fastest lap of the race with a 2:07:117 which gives him a front row start. Both Races 2&3 will be held on Sunday.

    About Formula Pilota Championship
    Following the extremely successful Formula Abarth in Europe, a new series – Formula Pilota Championship was established in Asia in 2011. Also known as Formula Pilota China, the series managed to keep the Asian entry level formula up-to date with Europe and provided the exact same platform & race cars at a more affordable price.

    The 2011 season held 12 rounds (6 events) plus 1 FPC Final Master Race. The series gathered 8 teams & 26 drivers from 20 difference countries and regions. Having a strong connection with European motorsport has qualified FPC one of the best stepping stones for the young drivers to either move forward to the next level, or have a taste of single-seater right after graduation from Karting. The series has a great mix of young Asian, European and South American drivers and in 2011, FPC sent 2 young drivers (Champion & best Asian) to the Ferrari Drivers Academy (FDA) test. In 2012 season, FPC will have 6 triple-rounds events and 1 invitational race, which will sure to bring more excitement to the competition. The series will travel to Shanghai, Zhuhai, Taiwan and Sepang.
    ends

  • Karun first driver for JRM, to start 11th on the Grid

    Le Mans (France), 15 June 2012: Indian racing star Karun Chandhok’s JRM Racing will start its first-ever Le Mans 24 Hours from 11th position. The team made the best of a difficult day after discovering the gearbox had been damaged in yesterday’s running. The team elected to switch to the race engine as well, thereby lightening the work schedule for tomorrow. As a result it missed most of the earlier qualifying and the work was condensed into the later session, in which Peter Dumbreck exclusively completed. He bettered his time of yesterday to a 3:35.421.

    With the team missing most of the earlier qualifying session Chandhok did not get a chance to run and will head into the historic race with a mere 18 laps under his belt. The team which will field a Honda HPD ARX-03a in the top LMP1 class, has drivers David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck partnering the young Indian.

    While Chandhok did not get a chance to go out he was excited about starting his first ever Le Mans race. He commented, “We seemed to have a gearbox problem after hitting some debris in yesterday’s practice. We didn’t know until we checked thoroughly overnight but the impact of coming back to ground cracked the gearbox. The team then decided to change the engine, which was pretty logical considering we were changing tomorrow anyway. Although I would have liked to drive tonight, I’m just looking forward to getting behind the wheel at my first Le Mans on Saturday. The atmosphere here has been electrifying with the pit lane packed with fans at 11:30 at night! The race is going to be tough so look forward to crossing the finish line. ”

    Team Manager and Chief Engineer Nigel Stepney commented, “It’s a great feeling to qualify for our first-ever Le Mans. This being our debut, we knew there could possibly be some hitches so we took the precaution of having all our drivers do a minimum of five laps yesterday evening. As it happens this worked out well as we lost the earlier session when we changed the gearbox and the engine. Although we’re not 100% on the set up just yet, clearly our goal has got to be getting to the end and seeing where we are at the finish.”

    The race can be seen live at www.fiawec.com and live onboard streaming can be seen live from www.jrm-racing.com
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    Karun Chandhok to start on Saturday for JRM on 11th. Photo courtesy: KC

  • Monisha named ambassador by FIA for Women in Motorsport

    Paris, 14 June 2012: The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission (WMC) today announced its first Ambassadors who represent excellence in different segments of the motor sport world. At the launch of the FIA Women in Motorsport Ambassadors programme in Paris this afternoon, five women who lead the way in their sectors were awarded the accolade and will represent the Commission globally as it continues to promote and encourage women in to the sport, an FIA press release said.

    The FIA Women in Motorsport Ambassadors are:
    Michèle Mouton (Honorary Ambassador)
    Monisha Kaltenborn
    Susie Wolff
    Maria de Villota
    Katherine Legge
    The Ambassadors’ mission will be to spread the messages and actions of the Commission, with particular emphasis on demonstrating how to succeed in all areas of the sport, while also playing a part in driving all-important safety messages.

    The announcement of the Ambassadors – made in the presence of FIA President Jean Todt – came at the end of the Commission’s first National Coordinators’ Seminar. This brought together representatives from the FIA’s national sporting authorities around the world, providing the opportunity to discuss issues that affect women in motor sport – both at national and international level – with a view to putting in place strategies and policies that will promote education and training worldwide.

    The FIA Women in Motorsport Ambassadors:

    Michèle Mouton was the first and remains the only woman to have won a round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The Frenchwoman claimed victory in four World Championship rallies in the 1980s and was Vice FIA World Rally Champion in 1982. She is President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission and Manager of the FIA World Rally Championship, and last year was awarded the rank of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the former French President.

    “We need Ambassadors – role models – women who can represent the Commission internationally, spreading our messages and actions. Our Ambassadors represent excellence in different sectors of the sport and they have kindly accepted this role. They are high profile, professional and influential women with a voice in our sport; they are proof that where there is a desire, there is a possibililty to succeed.

    “We believe it is possible to change people’s perception of women’s role in motor sport, but we need the help of our National Co-ordinators too; they can see the issues they face in their own countries and through the Commission and our Federation – the FIA – we hope to be able to change attitudes and perceptions. Our Ambassadors are also proof that women can be successful, and there are a whole host of other women around the world who are high achievers in our sport. It is our job, that of our Co-ordinators and Ambassadors – as well as all the partners and stakeholders in our sport – to try and remove barriers that may exist and to demonstrate that gender is not an obstacle when you want to succeed in your chosen field.

    “The Commission, it’s Ambassadors and National Co-ordinators also provide another avenue for communicating messages relating to the FIA Action for Road Safety campaign. Around the world our ASNs are already using motor sport and its stars to highlight actions that can be taken to improve road safety. Driving these messages gives us further opportunity to reach out to youngsters and if we can educate from an early age, this will help change attitudes long term.”

    Indian-born Monisha Kaltenborn is currently one of the most prominent women in world motorsport. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Sauber Motorsport, the first woman to take on this role in Formula One. A trained lawyer, Monisha is also a member of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission.

    “Women nowadays do have the competence, the self confidence and the education to follow a professional career in any area they choose, but still they need the right opportunities to achieve their goals. The challenge now is to develop the platforms for them, so they have equal chances to show their abilities in all business areas they are interested in, which may include motor sport.”

    Susie Wolff, like many racers, started her career in karts and having worked her way through the motor sport ranks is now a full-time DTM driver with Mercedes-Benz. The Scot’s talent has, most recently, rewarded her with a seat with the Williams F1 Team as its development driver.

    “It is a great honour to be an Ambassador for the Women in Motorsport Commission. I’ve been racing since I was eight years old, coming through the ranks of international karting, Formula Renault and Formula 3. I was twice nominated for BRDC McLaren Young Driver of the Year.

    “When I started in DTM six years ago I wouldn’t have survived if I hadn’t been good enough to compete on merit, and that’s a big part of the reason why I was given the chance to become Development Driver for the Williams F1 Team. Motorsport is a competitive world and no one likes to beaten, male or female; whoever you are, you need to prove yourself.

    “There were not really any role models for me in motorsport when I was younger, but my mother and grandmother were both very strong, inspirational women. Certainly my mother taught me to believe that I could do whatever I put my mind to, and that’s what helped me in following a career path that other women didn’t. If what I am doing can inspire just one girl to give racing a go, then I would feel I had made a positive difference.”

    Maria de Villota – daughter of ex-Formula One driver Emilio – has raced in many single-seater and sports car categories and first tasted Formula One when she tested for the Lotus Renault GP Team in 2011. The Spaniard has now joined the Marussia F1 Team as a test driver.

    “To be an Ambassador is first of all an honour. It is also a big responsibility and we must support and help other women who work hard to achieve their goals.

    “I am very determined and, for me, it was not enough to just be in motor sport – I wanted to get to the very top. This year I achieved that goal with my test driver role at the Marussia F1 Team.

    “It is very important to let other women know that with enough belief and application, you can overcome any hurdle . If I can be an F1 test driver, I am sure a lot of women can do it too. It is purely a question of talent, hard work and commitment. I gave my life to motor sport and just kept the faith that my optimism would be rewarded.

    “For women who love motor sport, it is very important to visualise yourself doing what you want to do. Being different is hard. Not having another woman around to ask is tough and your destiny really is in your own hands. Having everyone’s eyes watching your every move is a lot of pressure. But, if there is passion, then there is no option but to keep pushing. It’s like anything in life, no one is going to make it happen for you but if you work hard to fulfil your dreams, the taste of success is unbeatable. I am very proud of how far I have come because I relied only on myself to get here.”

    Katherine Legge, born in England, began her career in karting and won numerous races and championships during the 1990s. She tested the Minardi Formula One car back in 2005 after winning three races in the Atlantic Championship. After two years in the Champ Car series and three seasons in DTM, her passion for open wheel racing has taken her to the United States where she competes in IndyCar. Unable to join her fellow Ambassadors at the launch, Katherine is in the USA preparing for this weekend’s Milwaukee IndyFest.

    “I am very proud and honoured to continue my work with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. I feel like my experience should be of some benefit to those looking at a career in racing. If I can help young people in their quest for success in racing, whether it be driving or otherwise, then I see that as a great way to ‘give back’ to the sport. These are exciting times for the Commission; we have big plans for the future.”
    ends

  • Endurance drivers, Karun, support FIA road safety campaign

    Road safety will be highlighted at the Circuit de la Sarthe, as drivers participating in the 3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at the 24 Heures du Mans joined Michelin and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) to show their support for the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign.

    Indian Formula One driver, Karun Chandhok, who is going to Le Mans after his WEC campaign will also be supporting the FIA Road Safety Campaign. Narain Karthikeyan, the only Indian currently on the F1 grid, is also a firm believer in Road Safety and the two have been at the fore-front in supporting Road Safety Campaigns.

    Michelin and the ACO reinforce their commitment to improving road safety within the framework of the FIA Action for Road Safety campaign via the distribution of 50,000 tyre tread depth gauges to the public. The gauges will be handed out over the course of the race weekend opposite the Michelin enclosure in the 24 Heures Village.

    Building on twelve months of activities to raise awareness of safer motoring, the FIA Action for Road Safety’s presence at the 24 Heures du Mans highlighted the importance of drivers ensuring that their tyres are in good condition, and called on race goers to support the campaign which aims to save 5 million lives on roads around the world.

    A special group photograph featuring the 168 drivers taking part in the 24 Heures du Mans, along with the FIA President and the President of the ACO will take place to mark the first year of the campaign and will be later distributed to racing fans along with the FIA’s Golden Rules for Safer Motoring.

    FIA Action for Road Safety

    Every year road traffic accidents are responsible for the deaths of 1.3 million people around the world and the injuries of nearly 50 million others. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that unless something is done to address this critical issue by 2030 traffic accidents will become the planet’s fifth most common cause of death, with a predicted 2.4 million fatalities per year.

    The FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign aims to address this problem and to limit the number of deaths and injuries on the world’s roads by focusing the federation’s resources on helping its member organisations around the globe to educate and advocate for safer roads, vehicles and behaviours. Supported by the ACO and Michelin, the FIA Action for Road Safety initiative is part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety programme launched by the United Nations (UN), 2011-2020.

    For more information: www.actionforroadsafety.org

  • Chandhok to try luck at Le Mans LMP1, qualifies 11th

    Le Mans (France) 14 June 2012: Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok completed his first qualifying session at the historic Le Mans 24 hours as his team JRM Racing set a time of 3:37.088, 11th quickest in the overall classification. JRM makes the step up to Le Mans after its FIA GT1 World Championship title victory last year. The trio of David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok will use the Honda HPD ARX-03a to contest the LMP1 category alongside works and privateer outfits.

    Earlier in the day, Brabham opened running in the practice session for JRM with three runs in the first 90 minutes. The Le Mans 2009 winner recorded the team’s best time of 3:34.641, 10th in the overall classification. Brabham then handed over to Chandhok, but the Indian reported some instability on the rear of the car on his second run and returned to the pits for checks before Brabham got back in the car to compare set-ups with the beginning of the session. The Australian then handed over to Dumbreck. In the second qualifying Dumbreck was first out in the car, completing four timed laps with his – and the team’s overall – best time of 3:37.088. Chandhok, who will become the first-ever Indian to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend, then posted three timed laps before Brabham rounded off the day.

    Chandhok was happy to get more time in the car, especially as he had never driven in the dark at the historic Le Mans circuit. He commented, “Today was about getting more time in the car and fine tuning the balance. We’re still very new round here, both myself and the team, so the learning curve is very steep. We’ve made a lot of changes as we’ve understood more about the tyre warm up and performance, plus the behaviour of the new aero package. It’s been a fairly tough day as the grip is low and temperatures have changed throughout the sessions but we are still learning all the time. On the plus side we have covered a lot of ground and there’s a lot of time between now and qualifying tomorrow to completely understand how we can improve.”

    Team Manager and Chief Engineer Nigel Stepney commented, “We did what we had to do today: completed the obligatory night qualifying laps for each driver and did more checks. We didn’t run any new tyres in the session and got caught in traffic on several potential fastest laps so the times aren’t entirely representative of our potential. We are struggling for grip and getting the tyres up to temperature but we do have an idea of why this is happening, which gives us a direction to go tonight.

    The race can be seen live at www.fiawec.com and live onboard streaming can be seen live from www.jrm-racing.com

    About JRM

    After winning the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship with Nissan, The British-based JRM Racing will partner with Honda Performance Developments to enter the brand new FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP1 class.  JRM Racing will enter a single LMP1 Honda Performance Development ARX-03a powered by a specially designed and tested 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine. The ARX-03a is currently hailed as the most competitive petrol Le Mans Prototype around.

    ends

     

  • 24 Heures du Mans supports FIA Action for Road Safety

    Road safety will be highlighted at the Circuit de la Sarthe, as drivers participating in the 3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at the 24 Heures du Mans joined Michelin and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) to show their support for the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign, an FIA release says.

    Michelin and the ACO reinforce their commitment to improving road safety within the framework of the FIA Action for Road Safety campaign via the distribution of 50,000 tyre tread depth gauges to the public. The gauges will be handed out over the course of the race weekend opposite the Michelin enclosure in the 24 Heures Village.

    Building on twelve months of activities to raise awareness of safer motoring, the FIA Action for Road Safety’s presence at the 24 Heures du Mans highlighted the importance of drivers ensuring that their tyres are in good condition, and called on race goers to support the campaign which aims to save 5 million lives on roads around the world.

    A special group photograph featuring the 168 drivers taking part in the 24 Heures du Mans, along with the FIA President and the President of the ACO will take place to mark the first year of the campaign and will be later distributed to racing fans along with the FIA’s Golden Rules for Safer Motoring.

    F1 drivers support FIA Road Safety at the First GP of 2012 in Melbourne. FIA photo

    FIA Action for Road Safety: Every year road traffic accidents are responsible for the deaths of 1.3 million people around the world and the injuries of nearly 50 million others. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that unless something is done to address this critical issue by 2030 traffic accidents will become the planet’s fifth most common cause of death, with a predicted 2.4 million fatalities per year.

     The FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign aims to address this problem and to limit the number of deaths and injuries on the world’s roads by focusing the federation’s resources on helping its member organisations around the globe to educate and advocate for safer roads, vehicles and behaviours. Supported by the ACO and Michelin, the FIA Action for Road Safety initiative is part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety programme launched by the United Nations (UN), 2011-2020.

    ends