Autoblog

British GP track Donington Park declares bankruptcy

Noah Joseph — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials, UK

1993 European Grand Prix at Donington

It's been one heck of a rollercoaster ride for Donington Park this year. The British racing circuit hosted a Formula One race back in 1993, and was set to take over the British Grand Prix from Silverstone until the race promoter fell on hard times.

Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd signed a 150-year lease with Wheatcroft & Sons Ltd, owners of the circuit just two years ago with the aim of bringing F1 racing back to the track. But having failed to raise the capital necessary to bring the track's facilities up to F1 standards, Autocar reports that the 17-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management fell into jeopardy.

Its prospects and finances in ruins, Donington Ventures has declared bankruptcy and entered administration. Now the lease could be up for grabs; failing that, it will revert to Wheatcroft ownership, the British Grand Prix will likely return to Silverstone for good and Donington will go back to hosting concerts, touring cars and motorbike races once again.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty]

British GP track Donington Park declares bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: 2009 Formula 1 season wraps up with a bang at inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:47:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Middle East

2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

Les jeux sont faits. The line signifies the last call for bets at a casino, and is all too familiar to racing fans visiting Monte Carlo for the annual Monaco Grand Prix. But these days the Mediterranean principality isn't the only place that features state-of-the-art Formula One race cars speeding past casinos. Nor is it the only exotic locale anymore that stages an F1 grand prix around a marina, for that matter. Over the past couple of years, Valencia and Singapore became two of the newest circuits that incorporate trackside docking for mega-yachts alongside wheel-to-wheel action, and this year Abu Dhabi joined the fold with the much-hyped Yas Marina Circuit. But by the time the F1 circus sailed in to the Gulf emirate for the last round of the 2009 Formula One World Championship, the titles were already settled and the champions already crowned.

With the major plays already made, some might have dismissed the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as insignificant. Indeed, if Bernie Ecclestone had his way with his proposed olympic-style medal system, the race might have been canceled altogether. But if you ask us, removing the title chase from racing boils motorsport competition down to its essence, all eyes focused purely on the checkered flag instead of scoring points in the larger context of the championship. And if anything, the action on Yas Island only proved the point. Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: 2009 Formula 1 season wraps up with a bang at inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: 2009 Formula 1 season wraps up with a bang at inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: The Fat Lady Sings at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, South America

2009 Brazilian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

"Everything can change in a New York minute." It's a good thing Don Henley wrote his hit song twenty years before this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. Because "in an Interlagos minute" just doesn't have the same ring to it. But it does go to show how quickly fortunes can be reversed over the course of a race distance. Especially when the championship is on the line.

With two races to go, the F1 circus rolled in to Sao Paulo with Jenson Button - winner of six grands prix this season - leading his Brawn GP team-mate, hometown hero and chief rival Rubens Barrichello 85 to 71, with Red Bull challenger Sebastian Vettel - fresh from victory in Japan - trailing with 69 points. The most likely scenarios placed Button clinching the title right here at the penultimate championship round, if not at the final race in Abu Dhabi two weeks from now.

But the heavens seemed to have a different plan when torrential downpours put a hamper on Saturday's qualifying session. Once the rain stopped, yesterday's proved to be the longest qualifying session in Formula One history, and the order came out all messed up. Instead of placing up at the front of the grid, Button and Vettel found themselves way down the pecking order in 14th and 16th positions. In their place, their respective wingmen Barrichello and Webber started 1st and 2nd on the grid, with half a field's worth of back-markers separating them. Follow the jump to read how the race unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: The Fat Lady Sings at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: The Fat Lady Sings at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Getting down to the point at the Japanese Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan

2009 Italian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

Underdogs turned front-runners. Grands prix won by six different drivers. Four teams switching their lineups midseason. A multiple world champion (quite nearly) returning to the grid. A team principal and technical director shamed into retirement. A retiring motorsport figurehead sparking a heated race for his succession, and several new teams preparing to join the grid. More so than any other in recent memory, this season of Formula One racing has been packed with excitement. But now it all comes down to three things: points, points and - you guessed it - points. Because while the championship has been in contention since the start of the season some seven months ago in Melbourne, we're now down to the final rounds where the titles will be ultimately decided.

Crossing the East China Sea from Singapore to Japan, Jenson Button held a commanding lead in the drivers' standings, and with his teammate Rubens Barrichello in second place, Brawn GP looked poised to take the constructors' crown as well. All they'd need would be another few points and they'd have it all locked up, leaving their rivals fighting over the table scraps. Follow the jump to see if they got 'em.

Gallery: 2009 Japanese Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Getting down to the point at the Japanese Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Getting down to the point at the Japanese Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Race Results: F1 action lights up at the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 Singapore Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

As the Formula One circus headed toward its only night race of the season in Singapore, several compelling storylines were developing. The championship-leading Brawn GP team seemed to be righting themselves from their mid-season struggles with teammates Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello solidifying their one-two position in the Championship standings; the consistently quick Red Bull team looked to be keeping the pressure on when they weren't crashing or breaking down; former champions McLaren Mercedes and Scuderia Ferrari appeared to have finally made up some of their early season lethargy with recent wins for both Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton that put them in fifth and sixth place respectively, and the resurgent Renault team suddenly facing the possibility of being excluded from the results altogether in the wake of the Nelson Piquet, Jr. Crashgate scandal. Throw in the fact that everyone from BMW Sauber to Force India to Toyota were showing signs of incredible pace and the spotlights of Singapore couldn't have been shown on a more compelling race.

So, how would the drivers and cars handle the street circuit in Singapore? The bumps, the dust, the artificial lights? Follow the jump to read how the race unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 Singapore Grand Prix

Continue reading Race Results: F1 action lights up at the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix

Race Results: F1 action lights up at the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Return of the Prix: F1 confirmed back in Canada for 2010

Noah Joseph — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Canada

Felipe Massa passes the casino on Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

It's only been a year, but it's been a long one for Formula One fans in North America. Last year Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA canceled the Canadian Grand Prix - a regular fixture of the F1 calendar and the only stop the circus makes in North America - when race organizers and local governments rejected demands for increased fees. Negotiations failed to bring the race back, but following purported pressure from the remaining manufacturers in the series and renewed contact with officials on the ground, the race has been confirmed to return for next season.

According to previous reports, Ecclestone's demand of $175 million to secure the race for several years was reduced to just $75 million, a price which supporting parties are apparently willing and able to pay in order to bring the grand prix back to the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Paul Gilham/Getty]

Return of the Prix: F1 confirmed back in Canada for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: All That and More at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:48:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 Italian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

In the midst of a Formula One season that's been anything but ordinary, how would you envision an ideal race to unfold? Ferrari and McLaren back on top? The two teams are responsible for most of the championships over the course of the past couple of decades, after all. The title-leading Brawn GP team taking another dominant victory? They've won over half the races so far this season. A new underdog to pull a surprise performance out of its hat? Nothing would surprise us at this point. Maybe some exciting wheel-to-wheel action and surprise spin-outs to shake up the order at the last minute?

How about all of the above? Because that and more is this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza had in store for race fans in one of the most exciting, surprising and pivotal races so far this season. Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 Italian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: All That and More at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: All That and More at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2009 Belgian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

You asked for it, you got it, racing fans. For decades, Formula One has been dominated by a handful of teams. The world titles have been shared between Ferrari, McLaren, Renault (formerly known as Benetton) and Williams since 1984. And the fans complained: Not enough competition. The small teams stand no chance of winning. Bigger budgets mean bigger trophy cases. And so on and so forth. Well this season has certainly shaken things up. Teams that were once relegated to the back of the field have been winning races, while that quartet of formerly elite teams has been scrambling to keep up. But while Jenson Button and Brawn GP's dominance at the start of the season came as a huge, almost entirely unprecedented surprise to everyone inside or outside the world of grand prix racing, nobody could have anticipated what happened this weekend.

Those who tuned in on Saturday for the qualifying sessions at the Belgian Grand Prix were shocked to find Giancarlo Fisichella and his Force India car sitting on pole. Yes, Force India. The team that never scored a single point, never crossed under the checkered flag in any position better than ninth, and seems to retire from as many races as it finishes. Behind him on the starting grid came fellow Italian Jarno Trulli in his Toyota, followed by BMW's Nick Heidfeld. The big names, meanwhile, were scattered down the order: Rubens Barrichello, fresh off his victory in Valencia, qualified fourth. Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, sixth. Red Bull's pair of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber - the main challengers to Brawn's title lead - placed eighth and ninth, while defending champion Lewis Hamilton, two-time world champ Fernando Alonso and title leader Jenson Button qualified twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively. That's one heck of a messed-up starting grid, especially on a circuit as universally loved by the drivers as Spa Francorchamps. But how the race would unfold would prove just as surprising. Follow the jump to read on.

Gallery: 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Reversals of Fortune at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:14:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2009 European Grand Prix at Valencia - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ever come back from vacation only to feel like you need another vacation? We've all been there, so we can all empathize with the performers in the Formula One circus. After the last grand prix in Hungary, the premier racing series took a much-needed break for nearly a month, ostensibly to regain their energy and regroup for the final rounds.

But for most parties, the would-be vacation proved to be anything but restful. On top of all the usual off-track posturing that typically occurs between races, two teams had to replace their drivers, a former multiple world champion nearly came back out of retirement, a major automaker announced its withdrawal from the sport, a whole slew of legal battles were fought, and all the parties ratified a new comprehensive commercial agreement for the years ahead. So much for a vacation.

Recuperated or not, however, it was back to work this weekend for the 2009 European Grand Prix, held for only the second time at the Valencia circuit on Spain's sun-drenched Mediterranean coast, where everybody had something to prove. Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Gallery: 2009 European Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Getting Back to Work at the 2009 European Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Massa has no long-term injury, will likely race again

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Felipe Massa's personal doctor has given the racer the best prognosis yet, saying "He doesn't seem to have a long-term injury," and that Massa hasn't suffered any eye damage. After the Brazilian's 170 mph (275 kph) impact with a flying spring that came off Rubens Barrichello's car during qualifying for the Hungarian GP, doctors were worried about keeping Massa alive, nevermind racing.

Now he is scheduled to leave intensive care today, and could leave the hospital in less than ten days. After that, he is expected to go to Paris for further treatment, and then to Monaco or Sao Paulo. Although it looks likely that Massa will race again, doctors have suggested it won't be this year. In the meantime, Michael Schumacher will emerge from retirement to take his place on Ferrari's F1 team.

[Source: EuroSport]

REPORT: Massa has no long-term injury, will likely race again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2009 Hungarian Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team cast a dominating shadow over the start of this year's Formula One World Championship, taking the checkered flag at six out of the seven races this season to take a commanding lead for the title. But as Button and Brawn cast a dark shadow over the competition, the skies over the paddock at this past weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix were darkened even further, with the drivers getting a taste of their own mortality after Felipe Massa was hospitalized with severe injuries to his head after being hit by a spring during Saturday's qualifying session.

Driving an F1 car - in a grand prix no less - takes an extraordinarily focused person, ignoring the laws of physics and all that can go wrong in order to even get some heat into the tires, much less extract the car's true performance potential. Winning a grand prix takes an even more rarified breed of individual, outgunning the other exceptionally talented and driven drivers to claim victory. Only 102 people have managed that feat in the history of the sport. But it takes a champion to see a fallen comrade and still marshal the fortitude to reel in the win.

Gallery: 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Of Champions and Shadows at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTube and Villeneuve rumored on board as USF1 gears up for October launch

Noah Joseph — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Now that the USF1 team has received the go-ahead from the FIA as one of the three new teams to join the grid next year, the boys in Charlotte are working away in preparation of an anticipated launch of their first chassis before the end of October. According to team principal Ken Anderson, the design is almost finalized, and they're just waiting for $5 million in machinery and the specs on the new Cosworth engine they'll be running to arrive before they can begin manufacturing. Currently the team employs some 20 staff, but have another 20 to 30 arriving next month.

Aside from the chassis itself, USF1 is said to be evaluating several logistical options. First is its European base, for which the team is considering either the Paul Ricard or Aragon circuits in Spain. Meanwhile YouTube is reportedly in the mix as a main sponsor after co-founder and chief executive Chad Hurley has reportedly met with team executives. And though Danica Patrick may have ruled out an F1 debut with the team, former world champion Jacques Villeneuve is tipped to fill one of the seats on the strength of his developing experience.

[Source: Autosport and F1-Live]

YouTube and Villeneuve rumored on board as USF1 gears up for October launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPOILER ALERT: Letting Loose the Dogs of War at the 2009 German Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 German Grand Prix - Click above for high-res image gallery

Every dog has his day. Let's make that the unofficial theme of this year's Formula One season. You can ask any of a variety of players in this year's championship and they'll surely attest to the old axiom's veracity.

First to speak up would undoubtedly be Jenson Button, the surprisingly dominant leader of this year's championship. He's been on the field since the turn of the millennium, racing for essentially the same team - under different banners - for the last seven seasons but who, until this year, had only one race win to show for it. His entire team at Brawn GP wouldn't be far behind in backing him up, either, as the scrappy insurgency has emerged as the force to be reckoned with in this tumultuous season. But this weekend's German Grand Prix, back at the Nürburgring thanks to a rotation with Hockenheim, it was another dog who had his day. Follow the jump to find out who.

Gallery: 2009 German Grand Prix

Continue reading SPOILER ALERT: Letting Loose the Dogs of War at the 2009 German Grand Prix

SPOILER ALERT: Letting Loose the Dogs of War at the 2009 German Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comeback Kid? Jacques Villeneuve reportedly wants back into F1

Noah Joseph — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Jacques Villeneuve knows what it's like to win. After emerging victorious in the Indianapolis 500, the CART title, the Formula One World Championship and narrowly missing the chance to score the triple crown with Peugeot at Le Mans this year, the son of legendary racer Gilles Villeneuve finds himself without a ride for next year as the Speedcar Series in which he'd been competing teeters on the verge of bankruptcy. But JV's got a plan. He wants back into Formula One. And he reckons next season will be the perfect time for him to return.

Even with Max Mosley's radical proposals cut back, next season is shaping up to be vastly different from the Formula One of two or three seasons ago. In-season testing is almost entirely eliminated. Fuel stops are being cut out. Slick tires are back and electronic aids are gone. And there are three new teams joining the grid for next season. All these factors, according to Villeneuve, means that there will be an even higher demand for experienced drivers than usual. Will anyone bite? Only time will tell, but he figures it's high time.

[Source: Autosport]

Comeback Kid? Jacques Villeneuve reportedly wants back into F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Cost cutting leads Toyota to cease hosting Japanese Grand Prix

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota

Toyota finances being what they are, the company is ruthlessly assessing its accounts and making cuts anywhere it deems appropriate. The latest head to roll is the Formula 1 race at Fuji Speedway, Toyota's own circuit. Opened in 1965 and host of the Japanese Grand Prix for the first time in 1976, Formula 1 returned to Fuji in 2007 and 2008, and was due again in 2010.

In spite of that, Toyota deemed the $20-to-$30 million dollars necessary to hold a Grand Prix -- a mere fraction of the money it spends on its F1 team - couldn't be justified. Said Hiroaki Kato, president of Fuji Speedway (above), trading conditions have made the race "extremely difficult."

This year's Japanese GP will be held at Honda's Suzuka as scheduled, but next year's race will need to be decided on. Honda has said it has no idea where the 2010 race will be held.

[Source: AFP via Google | Image: Yoshikazu Tsuno/Getty]

REPORT: Cost cutting leads Toyota to cease hosting Japanese Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota woes spell trouble for Fuji Speedway

Noah Joseph — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan, Honda, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

Toyota's Timo Glock at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix at the Fuji Speedway

In any game of chicken, it's all about who flinches first. Ever since its first running in 1963, the Japanese Grand Prix has bounced between Fuji Speedway and Suzuka Circuit, the former dominating in the '60s and '70s before the latter got the exclusive in the late-'80s through 2006, at which point Fuji took over again. The rivalry is about more than just the tracks, though: With Toyota owning Fuji and arch-rival Honda owning Suzuka, the back-and-forth has become something of a turf war between the country's automotive powerhouses.

Two years ago, the two tracks worked out a deal that would have the race alternating year to year, sort of like Germany's arrangement between Hockenheim and the Nürburgring. However, emerging reports suggest that tightening belts at Toyota could spell trouble for Fuji Speedway. The costs of hosting a Formula 1 grand prix event continue to escalate, and those costs may be harder to justify for the cash-strapped auto giant - especially if ticket sales don't cover the budget. Honda is likely in no better a financial situation, as evidenced by their unfortunate withdrawal from the sport. But if Toyota flinches first, Honda might win the race... in one sense or another.

[Source: F1-Live | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]

REPORT: Toyota woes spell trouble for Fuji Speedway originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: F1 reunites as Max Mosely reportedly forced to quit F1

Chris Paukert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:47:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

After all of this year's soap opera stories in Formula One, it appears there will be a unified championship series next year after all. According to The Times UK, controversial F1 boss Max Mosley has been "forced into a humiliating climbdown as president of the FIA," and his reign is over effective today.

Apparently, with the Formula One Teams Association's (FOTA) plan to build its own breakaway series and take most of its highest-profile (and highest-dollar) draws away with it, the FIA realized that something had to be done. Eight teams, including Ferrari, McLaren, BMW Sauber, and Brawn GP had pulled out of the series over concerns relating to a new £40m budget cap (around $66m USD).

With Mosley's departure effective immediately, F1 teams and the sanctioning body have agreed to cost cuts with the goal of getting spending outlays back down to the that of the early Nineties within two years.

Mosley has agreed to end his 16 year term at the FIA and not seek re-election to another office.

[Source: Times UK | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]

BREAKING: F1 reunites as Max Mosely reportedly forced to quit F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Spanish Grand Prix: How the Mighty Have Fallen [SPOILER ALERT]

Noah Joseph — Sun, 10 May 2009 13:53:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

2009 Chinese Grand Prix - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Those who tuned in on Saturday for the qualifying session at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix would not have been surprised by the top three: Brawn's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello took first and third on the starting grid, respectively, sandwiching Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel in second. No big surprise there - after dominating the first four rounds of the season, these three drivers hold the top three spots in the standings, after all. But coming in right behind them was a daunting wild card in Felipe Massa, who took fourth place on the grid. Of course only in this topsy-turvy season could Ferrari's golden boy, runner-up in last year's championship, be considered a wild card. Call it a sign of the times. But would Massa be able to turn around his dismal fortunes, take on the erstwhile underdogs and restore the Scuderia to its rightful place in the winner's circle? Follow the jump to find out.

Gallery: 2009 Spanish Grand Prix

Continue reading 2009 Spanish Grand Prix: How the Mighty Have Fallen [SPOILER ALERT]

2009 Spanish Grand Prix: How the Mighty Have Fallen [SPOILER ALERT] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 10 May 2009 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Formula Shuffle: Lola, Aston Martin reportedly considering F1 entries; Mercedes to leave?

Noah Joseph — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz

A string of reports over the past couple of days are emerging to paint a picture of a potentially huge reshuffle of the Formula One grid and the players involved as early as next season. The FIA and the teams are planning another round of regulation changes to further curb costs in F1, but while that might entice some, for others it could be too little too late.

First up to bat is Mercedes-Benz, which owns 40% of the McLaren team and supplies engines to both it and to Force India. Officials admit that in the current economic climate, the German automaker may have to shut down its F1 program, although remaining in the sport solely as an engine supplier (in other words, severing its remaining ties with McLaren) remains an option.

Meanwhile, several potential new teams are reportedly lining up at the turnstiles at the promise of a more cost-effective formula for next year. One key player is Aston Martin, which is pursuing overall victory in the LMP1 class of Le Mans racing this year after achieving dominance of the GT classes over years past. The company, and more specifically its racing team, is run by David Richards, who once headed Honda's F1 team and has been keen to get back into F1 despite previous assertions that he would not be rushing Aston Martin onto the grid. In the meantime, Lola has announced that it is starting development on its own F1 chassis with an eye towards returning to the grid next season. The British manufacturer competed in F1 during the Sixties under various banners before aborting an attempt to return in 1997. Although Lola makes the chassis which Aston Martin is running in the Le Mans Series this year, so far reports are not suggesting that the two could team up for a joint grand prix venture.

The reduced budgets promised for next year could entice some GP2 teams to move up to F1 as well, however by this point in the season the FIA would usually have announced the regulations for next season so that teams could begin development of their cars for next year.

[Source: F1-Live | Image: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty]

Formula Shuffle: Lola, Aston Martin reportedly considering F1 entries; Mercedes to leave? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Montreal, Niagara Falls, New York City: F1 looks to return to North America

Noah Joseph — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Since the Canadian Grand Prix was canceled for this season, Formula One has been entirely absent from North America. But participating automakers, investors and organizers alike know that the North American market is vital and can't be overlooked, and to that end several new developments are said to be underway to bring F1 back over to the western shores of the Atlantic.

First up, and probably the most straightforward, would be the reinstatement of the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. The event was long a mainstay of the F1 calendar and a prominent event both for locals and for racing fans from across Canada and the United States. Quebec provincial government minister Raymond Bachand confirmed in a recent radio interview that the local governments are motivated to bring the race back to Montreal, and that talks are ongoing with Bernie Ecclestone. A five-year deal at a more reasonable rate than what Ecclestone previously demanded is what local governments are seeking.

Meanwhile, reports are surfacing of several new circuits being built up the St. Lawrence River near Niagara Falls, Ontario. With the backing of Jeff Gordon and others, Kuwaiti investment firm Bayt Al Mal is reportedly building a new $200 million motorsports park in Niagara to include a one-mile oval track for NASCAR races and a 2.5-mile road course that could attract the Canadian Grand Prix to the site. The facility being built boasts seating capacity for 100,000, plus hotels and other accommodations on a 623 acre site. Several other projects are also reportedly under way in the region, close to upstate New York and not far from Detroit, including a 3.5-mile road course for the IRL.

Enough about Canada, what about the United States, you ask? Ecclestone's latest tirade precludes a return to Indy, while in his view none of the hundreds of existing race tracks in the United States would be suitable. Following his previous indications that a new track could be made near Las Vegas, Bernie's now suggesting that only New York would make a viable location for Formula One to return to the U.S. We wonder, meanwhile, what he'll come up with next.

[Sources: F1-Live and GrandPrix.com | Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Montreal, Niagara Falls, New York City: F1 looks to return to North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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