Jack Leslie F1: July 2013

31 July 2013

2013 Goodwood Revival Guide

The Goodwood Revival takes place from the 13^th to the 15^th of September and really is a step back in time, to the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s when motorsport was dangerous, glamorous and on the edge.

The Revival offers visitors to the world’s most authentic motor circuit a unique chance to leave behind the ‘modern world’ and really experience and celebrate the history of motorsport and Formula 1.

Epic photos of F1 cars with just sponsor logos

Here's some stunning looking photographs edited by Yoni Alter showing what Formula 1 cars look like with just their sponsor logos.

We see his take on Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus with just their sponsors showing and the cars completely blanked out. Click "read more" to see the rest.

Bottas satisfied with 2013 performance so far

Williams F1 Team rookie Valtteri Bottas has revealed that he is happy with his performance from the first half of 2013 so far.

The Finn has impressed despite a below-par machine, the FW35 has proved to be slow and inconsistent. While improvements are being made, on a driver level, Bottas is pleased with how he has been able to match his more experienced team-mate.

Brands Hatch BRDC Formula 4 Blog

Last weekend was my first time covering a championship as an accredited journalist, live at a race track. I was at the stunning Brands Hatch circuit in Kent for the BRDC Formula 4 series - a new championship packed full of future stars and exciting races.

I was covering the event for RichlandF1 and it was, overall, a great experience. It was a busy weekend and I seemed to spend most of my time away from the race track in a taxi. However it was a good learning curve and a good warm up for potential future prospects.

Allison re-joins Ferrari

Former Lotus Technical Director James Allison has been announced as Ferrari's Chassis Technical Director.

He will re-join the team from September onwards and will move from his previous team - Enstone based Lotus.

Is India set to be dropped from the 2014 calendar?

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that the Indian Grand Prix will "probably not happen" in 2014.

He blamed "political" problems with the race and that he is looking for F1 to travel to India early in the season. It is by no means off the calendar overall, but its future for next season looks to be in jeopardy.

Tooned 50: Episode 2

The second episode of the hugely popular Tooned 50 series - celebrating 50 glorious years of the McLaren team - has been posted, titled "The Bruce McLaren Story."

Check out the cartoon and their merchandise here.

26 July 2013

Codemasters release F1 2013 Hungary hot lap video

Codemasters have unveiled the release date for their up-coming F1 2013 game - October 4th. The game will come out on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Along with the announcement, they decided to release a special hotlap of the Hungaroring with the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend commencing alongside the reveal. Check it out.

2013 Hungarian Grand Prix Weekend Report

The stunning city of Budapest welcomes Formula 1 for the 28th time in the sports history. The tight and twisty Hungaroring may not produce some of the most dramatic on-track action but it is a circuit that is loved by fans, teams and drivers alike.

After the strong form of Red Bull and Lotus in Germany three weeks earlier, all eyes were on them in anticipation for whether they could match their pre-break form.

Murray Walker on the mend

I'm delighted to hear the news that Murray Walker is well and truly on the mend after being diagnosed with lymphoma - a type of blood cancer that was discovered earlier this year whilst being treated for a broken pelvis in Salisbury.

Walker - the legendary F1 commentator - has confirmed that he will not have to undergo six months of intensive chemotherapy after receiving "unbelievably" good news on his condition from the doctors recently.

2013 Hungarian Grand Prix Thursday Snap Shot

The Hungarian Grand Prix sparks the end of a three week lull in F1 action. With plenty to talk about following the drama of Silverstone and the Nurburgring, it was a busy day at the track on Thursday.

Drivers took part in autograph sessions, met with engineers and mechanics and took part in media and sponsor commitments as the teams set up shop and prepared for first practice on Friday.

Spa, Monza and Singapore Pirelli compounds revealed

Pirelli has announced the tyre compounds that it will take to the next three rounds of the season.

The Italian manufacturer - who are debuting a new series of tyres at Hungary with 2012 construction and 2013 performance - revealed the allocated specs for Spa, Monza and Singapore.

Di Resta admits new Pirelli tyres "unknown"

Despite three days of tyre testing at the Silverstone Young Driver Test, Paul Di Resta has admitted that the new Pirelli tyres are still "the big unknown" as F1 returns to the Hungaroring.

The new tyres have the 2012 construction but 2013 performance and have been drafted in to improve the safety of the rubber after Silverstone's tyre failure-fest.

Hungaroring gets DRS zone upgrade for 2013

The 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix will see an additional DRS zone added to the Hungaroring track in a bid to boost overtaking figures.

The 2012 round featured fewer overtaking figures than the Monaco Grand Prix of the same year - 19 to 23 - and F1's sporting authority confirmed on Tuesday the additional boost of DRS over the 2.722 mile lap.

F1 Flashback - Hungary 2006

The 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix was not only a dramatic and eventful race, it also gave Jenson Button his first Formula 1 win. As an avid fan of the Brit, it is undoubtedly one of my favourite ever races due to the euphoric result.

I remember how tense the closing stages were as I watched with my family as we congregated around the TV – similar to the way we all gathered around the Television for his world title win in 2009. It was a milestone that he should have reached at the 2004 German Grand Prix but the long wait was well worth it.

Austrian Grand Prix could return to the F1 calendar

Formula 1 has not raced on the Österreichring since the 2003 season but the sport could be set for a return to Austria next year.

The classic track - that winds its way through the Austrian hillside - could re-join the calendar and boost the number of races on the 2014 calendar to 22 - thanks to the addition of the Russian and New Jersey Grand Prix's.

Kaltenborn's position under threat?

Swiss media are reporting that Sauber's new Russian investors are looking at replacing current Team Principal and CEO Monisha Kaltenborn with one of their own personnel.

Kaltenborn's seat could be under threat due to the agreed investment from Russia - who are reported to be pouring in an estimated $500 million into the team over the next few months.

Kobayashi crashes during Ferrari F1 demo

Driving a Ferrari Formula 1 car is a lifelong dream for a large amount of the 2013 grid. However crashing one is not. That's exactly what Kamui Kobayashi did over the weekend during the annual Moscow street demonstration.

The Japanese star - who formerly drove for Toyota and Sauber - spun the 2009-spec machine on a wet road whilst attempting a burnout. Click "read more" to see the on-board version.

Vergne still holding on to hope of 2014 Red Bull drive

Jean-Eric Vergne has said that he is not out of the running for the 2014 Red Bull Racing drive just yet but that he needs to perform at a more consistent level and impress the right people if he wants people to take notice.

He spoke to reporters at a World Series by Renault event where he was driving in a demo for Red Bull. It was no test session run like is team-mate Daniel Ricciardo was gifted with at Silverstone last week but the Toro Rosso driver has admitted that he is not out of contention.

2013 Hungarian Grand Prix Preview

The Hungaroring itself may not be a fan or driver favourite but Hungary always welcomes Formula 1 with open arms as fans from all over Europe travel to show their support - creating a fanatical atmosphere.

With its mix of slow and medium speed corners, the track is undoubtedly one of the trickier ones to get right and is a real technical challenge with high downforce. It's more often than not sunny but rain is never out of the question and can spice up the action.

Sirotkin, two steps forward and one step back for Sauber?

Can a driver really be ready for Formula 1 at the age of 17 years old and with limited running in the car? Don’t get me wrong, Sauber’s recent financial boost from Russia is great to hear. I’m glad they are still on the grid, but the subsequent announcement that Sergey Sirotkin will drive for the team next season has produced cause for concern.

Sauber are a truly likeable squad. Small, tough and the sports underdogs. The paddock is delighted to see them saved from ruin – as am I. However bringing in another ‘pay driver’ alongside Esteban Gutierrez (which looks likely at the moment) won’t do them any favours in the constructor’s championship and I feel it could be two steps forward and one step back.

2013 Silverstone Young Driver Test - Day 3

The 2013 Young Driver Test came to a close at Silverstone after a productive day for most. Fans were treated to yet another scorching day with attendance peaking at over 7,000 on the final day of the test.

Triple world champion Sebastian Vettel - who is not so young - topped the time sheets for Red Bull Racing. It was an expected and predictable result with the German taking to the track on Friday afternoon.

RUSH - Trailer 3

The exhilarating film RUSH - telling the story of James Hunt and Niki Lauda's epic 1976 title battle - has a third trailer, teasing fans even more ahead of its September release.

You can find out more about the movie by visiting their website. Also don't forget to follow them on Twitter and like their Facebook page to find out the latest information.

18 July 2013

2013 Silverstone Young Driver Test - Day 2

Daniel Ricciardo had a busy Thursday at the Silverstone circuit, testing for both Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing at the Young Driver Test.

The pressure was on as the Aussie effectively auditioned for the vacant 2014 Red Bull drive - Horner previously admitted that it was down Raikkonen and Ricciardo - and despite finding the gravel trap after just seven laps at the wheel of the RB9, his fastest time piloting the Toro Rosso STR8 set earlier in the day managed to remain at the top.

Talent can beat money - Calado

GP2 racer James Calado has said that he feels talent can still beat money when getting selected for an F1 seat.

In recent years the phrase 'pay driver' has been used to describe a number of F1 racers that bring funding and money to a team - Pastor Maldonado and Max Chilton are two examples - but this has been in the sport for some time. Calado is adamant that talent can still prevail.

2014 Red Bull seat between Ricciardo and Raikkonen

Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner has admitted that the battle for the vacant 2014 seat to replace Mark Webber at the squad is a two horse race.

Webber will retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2013 to pursue a career in sports car racing. That leaves the best seat in the sport open and Horner admits that the candidates have been narrowed down to two.

2013 Silverstone Young Driver Test - Day 1

Silverstone welcomed the F1 party just weeks after the British Grand Prix for the 2013 Young Driver Test. Not only was it open to a mix of race and young drivers, it was also open to the public.

I attended the Young Driver Test on day one and it was a positively thrilling experience, seeing F1 cars in the flesh, smelling the burning rubber and hearing the meaty V8 engines. McLaren topped the time sheets with their young charger.

Hulkenberg, could he be the right choice for Lotus?

As reported last week on my blog, Nico Hulkenberg could be set to make the move to Lotus for 2014 as Eric Boullier confirmed that he is in talks with the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix pole-sitter.

With the Frenchman also revealing that Red Bull are “pushing hard” to get Kimi Raikkonen on board for next season, the Enstone based teams line-up could look very different come the end of the year. But would Hulkenberg be the right choice for Lotus? I think so.

Marussia and Ferrari announce powertrain partnership

The Marussia F1 Team and Ferrari has announced an agreement that will see the Italian car manufacturer supply them with 2014 powertrains from 2014 onwards.

The new technical partnership will see the two companies tie-up in the long-term and the Anglo-Russian team will will join Sauber as customers of Ferrari.

Codemasters lifts the lid on F1 2013 game

Codemasters have been keeping the up-coming F1 2013 game under-wraps so far, until now.

The new game will be launched this autumn and will be available for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It will come in two forms, the standard F1 2013 game and a new "Classic Edition" which will feature allow gamers to race classic cars on classic circuits against iconic drivers.

Russian investment saves Sauber

The Sauber F1 Team's recent financial struggles have been the talk of Formula 1 since the German Grand Prix was completed.

However Russian investment has come to the rescue of the Swiss team and has secured their long-term future in the sport. A development programme will also be put in place for Russia's Sergey Sirotkin who currently races in Formula Renault 3.5.

Fangio's 1954 Mercedes breaks records at auction

Juan Manuel Fangio's 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 which he raced to two race wins has broken world records at auction.

The rare race car was previously tipped to reach £10 million when it was put up for sale at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Friday. However it exceeded that and by some margin to become the worlds most expensive car ever to be sold at auction and the worlds most expensive Mercedes-Benz ever sold.

Young Driver Test line-ups take shape

The Silverstone young driver test kicks off on Wednesday 17th July and the driver line-up is starting to take shape with both Lotus and Sauber announcing their selected runners.

The test was originally planned to be for young drivers only but due to the tyre troubles at Silverstone, the FIA decided to allow race drivers to take part as well.

Mercedes unfazed over tyre struggles

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has said that there is no need to worry about his teams drop off in pace at the German Grand Prix thanks to the re-appearance of their tyre woes.

Nico Rosberg took a euphoric victory at the British Grand Prix a week earlier which signalled that the Brackley based team had got over their former struggles.

JLF1 Blog Summer Competition

A few weeks ago I spent the day at Red Bull's Milton Keynes factory and got the chance to meet Mark Webber, who signed a few things for me. With F1 on a short break before Hungary, I thought what better time to have a summer competition than right now.

So starting on July 12th and ending on July 19th (from Friday to Friday), you can enter the JLF1 Blog Summer Competition and be in with the chance of winning a Red Bull Racing cap SIGNED by Mark Webber himself! It's a rare and very special prize that you could have delivered to your door very soon. The competition is open to UK ONLY (sorry!) and you can enter on the 'competition' page when it goes live on July 12th. More details and T&C's will be posted on that page. Good luck!

Powell Post - Volume 5

Here's another fascinating insight into the life of a racing driver with Alice Powell as she goes through her fitness training and explains the importance of being physically and mentally fit in her profession.

Hi Powell Post readers! It has been the usual month or so… this means busy! I have been driver coaching, training, doing some PR, attending meetings... oh and racing of course!

Bottas, quietly impressing?

Williams had high expectations of Valtteri Bottas when he made his Formula 1 debut at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix and because of that, everyone else had high expectations of him too. But how is he faring so far?

Whilst he currently sits 17^th in the standings with no points to his name, the first half of his rookie season has been quietly impressive. And I don’t think I’m the only one that feels that way. The Finn has showed that he can overtake and race but also proved that he can take the fight to Maldonado despite lagging behind the Venezuelan in experience.

Helmet safety development saves Chilton from injury

Max Chilton will be thanking the FIA for their recent safety developments after he managed to avoid injury during last weekend's German Grand Prix.

Speed Week reports that the Brits helmet was struck by a piece of debris - thought to be a stone or something of similar size - during Friday practice. The helmet was taken by Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting for analysis by the FIA institute.

Boullier in talks with Hulkenberg over 2014 drive

Lotus Team Principal Eric Boullier has confirmed that he is in talks with Nico Hulkenberg over a 2014 race seat.

RichlandF1 reported earlier in the week that talks between Kimi Raikkonen's management and Lotus would take place very soon with the Finn having two very clear options, Lotus or Red Bull.

German Grand Prix pit lane incident sparks safety changes

The pit lane incident at last weekend’s German Grand Prix involving an FOM cameraman and a stray Pirelli tyre has sparked changes in pit lane etiquette to be made.

The new rulings were announced by Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA respectively and will help to prevent similar incidents from occurring. The pit lane is a dangerous and crowded place and with more and more cars being released unsafely from their pit box, it was unfortunately inevitable that something like this would happen.

Mercedes Grand Prix Insights - Seat Fit

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team are now renowned for their fantastic "Grand Prix Insights" series on YouTube and now they tackle the seat fit - an integral part of the car.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and key team members describe the seat and how it is made - plus some rather questionable acting from their two race drivers.

8 July 2013

Mercedes "back to Bahrain and Barcelona" - Rosberg

Nico Rosberg has said that Germany was a "weekend to forget" after he crossed the line to finish ninth in-front of his home crowd, saying Mercedes are back to their early season struggles.

The British Grand Prix race winner spoke in a post-race video blog about the troubles experienced during the German round after he started 11th on the grid. He had a tough time with tyre wear and failed to make much progress from his grid slot.

Massa's car "stuck in fifth gear"

Felipe Massa's lap three exit from the German Grand Prix has an officially confirmed cause; he was stuck in fifth gear.

The Brazilian exited the race at turn one after spinning onto the run-off area - he admits through his own error. He was then unable to rejoin the race due to the car being stuck in fifth gear, meaning he could do nothing but hop out and travel back to the paddock.

Cameraman taken to hospital after pit incident

An FOM cameraman has escaped serious injury after being hit by a tyre in the pit lane during the German Grand Prix.

The FIA has confirmed that Paul Allen, a British cameraman, was taken to hospital after receiving treatment at the Nurburgring medical centre.

Tooned 50 - The making of

Here's the latest video of McLaren and Framestore's hugely popular "Tooned" animation series featuring drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez.

This episode is a special "the making of" video showcasing what it to come with the series and behind the scenes. Check that out above and check out the last episode here.

5 July 2013

Sky Sports F1 German GP feature sneak preview

Formula 1 returns to the Nurburgring for the ninth round of the 2013 world championship. Sky Sports F1 are, as always, churning out the fantastic features and here's a sneak preview of two that are coming up over the next few days.

Above is a behind the scenes look at Martin Brundle's fantastic "Closer to the Cockpit" feature with Mark Webber. The first part debuted during their build up for the British Grand Prix.

2013 German Grand Prix Weekend Report

The drama of the British Grand Prix was still fresh in the minds of many as the F1 paddock swiftly traveled to the Nurburgring for the German Grand Prix.

With the Hockenheimring and Nurburgring alternating host duties of the German Grand Prix, it was the first time F1 had visited the circuit since 2011.

Pirelli and FIA issue tyre guidelines

Following the earlier threat from the GPDA to boycott the German Grand Prix if another tyre failure takes place over the race weekend, the FIA and Pirelli have issued guidelines to which the teams must stick to over the race weekend.

These guidelines will enable teams to avoid the causes of the four high-speed tyre blowouts during the German Grand Prix that Pirelli outlined in a statement earlier in the week.

2013 German Grand Prix, Thursday Snap Shot

With just a few days between the eight and ninth round of the 2013 season, the teams and drivers of the Formula 1 circus were swiftly transported to the Nurburgring circuit for the German Grand Prix.

Despite the short space of time, there was plenty to discuss and do on the Thursday of the race weekend. Check out what the drivers and teams got up to in this rounds Thursday Snap Shot.

Ferrari to run Alonso and Massa at Young Driver Test

The now not-so Young Driver Test will see Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa take part.

The three-day event that will take place from the 17th to 19th of July has been morphed into a tyre test that race drivers can take part in. Teams are open to use young drivers if they wish but it is expected that most will follow the lead of Ferrari.

Pirelli uncover tyre failure causes and announce future plans

Pirelli has uncovered the causes of the tyre failures witnessed at last weekends British Grand Prix alongside announcing their plans for the near future.

The supplier came under huge amounts of criticism after four separate incidents during Sunday's race. Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Jean-Eric Vergne and Sergio Perez all suffered left-rear failures but on differing compounds.

Tooned 50: Part One - A Night to Remember

McLaren's hugely popular animated series "Tooned" is back for series two. Here's the first episode: "Tooned 50: Part One - A Night to Remember"

1 July 2013

Silverstone Young Driver Test open to fans

The up-coming Silverstone Young Driver Test - which Mercedes have been banned from - will be open to the viewing public, FOTA have confirmed.

They confirmed the news on their twitter account @OllyFOTA. The event will help bring fans closer to Formula One machinery at a cheaper price and will be a fantastic event for those attending.

2013 German Grand Prix Preview

The German Grand Prix has gone through some uncertain times recently in regards to finance, with a shadow being cast over whether the Nurburgring would even be able to host the 2013 round. However the race is on course (reportedly thanks to Ecclestone waiving the fee) and Formula One returns to the track for round nine of the 2013 season.

With it's current agreement to alternate hosting the race with the Hockenheimring, the last time that the sport visited the once iconic circuit was back in 2011 where Lewis Hamilton raced to victory with Alonso in second, Webber in third and unusually Sebastian Vettel off the podium in fourth.

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