Showing posts with label motor sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motor sports. Show all posts

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Lewis Hamilton: I'll get my season back on track in Valencia

Lewis Hamilton says he wants to get his season back on track and 'consolidate' in Valencia next weekend, after two concerned grand prix.
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The McLaren star's title bid has gone off the rails in recent weeks, starting with a disordered Monaco event that saw him twice penalised for colliding with rivals, and then making contentious comments about the race officials, for which he later apologised.

He hoped to make compensation with a great result in Canada, only to punt Mark Webber into a spin at the first bend, run wide while dicing with Michael Schumacher, and then retire with crash damage after a tangle with his team-mate Jenson Button - who went on to pull off a brilliant last-gasp victory.

Hamilton is therefore aiming for a calmer weekend in Spain to resolve things down again.

"For me, Valencia will be a weekend of consolidation after two disappointing results in Monaco and Canada," he said.

"Those two races were chiefly frustrating for me because we showed we had the pace to win both of them, yet I only came away with eight points."

He said the Spanish street track used for the European Grand Prix was one of his favourite venues, so would be the perfect place to mount a resurgence.

"I've always gone well at Valencia, finishing second there in every race, and I really enjoy offensive the track," said Hamilton.

"It's a hard circuit with no let-up, but that won't deter me as I'm really keen to get back on track and get back in the points.

"This race will be our third street circuit in a row, so expectantly it'll give me the chance to reverse the bad luck I've encountered in the previous two."

Hamilton added that he was now certain McLaren had the pace to beat Red Bull in a straight fight, after he hounded Sebastian Vettel to the flag in Spain, and given that Button came close to charming in Monaco and then pulled off his epic Montreal triumph.

"We've debatably had the fastest race car in the last three races, and that's really encouraging because I know that, when it's put to best use, I should be able to finish at the front," said Lewis.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Kubica could go back for season finale

The Pole is undergoing remedy following his horrific accident during a rally in Italy in February. He spent two months in hospital after anguish life-threatening arm, leg and hand injuries.

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The 26-year-old's upturn is going well, according to his manager Daniel Morelli.

"Recovery is moving ahead positively," Morelli told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. "The right leg is fine: if that was the problem, then Robert would roughly be ready. No, that's not our worry."

Morelli also insists there is a chance that Kubica could drive in the final race of the season.

"The Italian GP is held in September, so it's in just three months' time, but we can imagine about the final race of the season," he said.

"In any case, when Robert gets in the simulator, he'll right away recognize whether he's able to come back, how and when, without the need of a stop-watch."

Meanwhile, Renault team boss Eric Boullier says they will only start creation plans for their 2012 driver line-up once they know if Kubica will be able to drive again.

"Robert is the key to this," explained Boullier. "We clearly are 100% committed behind Robert, and I have offered to put in place all the rehabilitation on the racing side for him to be contented before making the decision.

"We are now having debate with his management to see how we can do it. There is not always the same concern for everybody, but I would like to wait to see Robert's choice to see if he is back or not, and then work out if we go to a different plan or not."

He added: "I have been told he will be starting his full treatment in August, which is late. But we have to make a decision around then."

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Rossi’s right-hand man: Uccio

Instantly recognizable as Valentino Rossi’s friend and confidante, Alessio Salucci – otherwise known as “Uccio” in the MotoGP Paddock – discusses his connection with the nine-time World Champion in a special interview.

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How did the friendship with Valentino begin?

“It’s been a long time, it’s hard to remember! Vale’s been there since my earliest memories, our parents were friends and we almost grew up together. We’re from a little village and went to the same nursery, schools… we’ve always been very close.”

What are your earliest memories of Valentino?

“I have plenty! I remember that in nursery our friends often played football, but we would go to a downhill slope we knew and ride a tricycle down it! A group of us would go, me and three friends, one of whom was Valentino. It’s a memory that is well set in my mind, even at that age we were captivating big risks – there was a big turn to the left!”

How did the passion for bikes start?

“I was born around motorbikes, I have always loved them since I was a child. I didn’t like football, I liked (Kevin) Schwantz. It’s thanks to my father. In Pesaro everybody was a fan of Graziano (Rossi, father of Valentino) and because of this two-wheeled sport was more significant than any other. I did like F1, but I chose bikes because that was the path Vale took.”

What do you do during a GP weekend?

“My main role is to drive the motorhome to the races, even if this year it isn’t a motorhome but a truck used as a home as the old motorhome became too small. Over the winter we worked a lot on this new truck and I take care of it. It’s a big job as it’s more or less like a hospitality suite. I also take care of the leathers, gloves, boots, helmet… every detail so that Valentino can think fully on racing.”


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Webber ponders F1 future before Turkey

Mark Webber has not lined out finding a new Formula One team if Red Bull don't offer him a new agreement at the end of 2011.
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The 34-year-old was widely predictable to retire if no new deal was forthcoming from Red Bull but told Italian newspaper La Stampa on the eve of this weekend's race in Turkey he still has amazing to offer.

"I have my flaws, but I'm strong-minded," Webber said.

"Last year I fought for the title, and I want to go for it yet again When this season ends my agreement with Red Bull will expire.

"If the team doesn't want me anymore, I will have to react to a good question: to hang up the helmet, or to change teams? Let's see what happens."

The Australian will be hoping for a alike drive in Istanbul to his last outing in the Red Bull car when he came from 18th on the grid to finish third in China.

The Turkish grand prix was the scene for Webber's much publicised collision with coworker Sebastian Vettel last year.

Webber was foremost the race when the pair came together as Vettel tried to pass, allowing McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton to grasp a win while teammate Jenson Button came second.

Webber was able to direct his stricken car to a third-place finish but the incident forced Vettel to leave and began the rumour mill about a split in the Red Bull garage between the two drivers' camps which rumbled all year.

Despite that incident, Webber said he was looking onward to returning to Istanbul Park.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Lorenzo fastest in morning test session at Estoril

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yahama Factory Racing) led at the midway point of the MotoGP official test session held at the Portuguese circuit, subsequent yesterday’s race. The test is split into two parts: 10.00 -13.00 and 14.00-18.00 local time. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) were second and third quickest correspondingly.
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On a gloriously warm day in Estoril, Lorenzo was the first rider to emerge on track in the morning session. The reigning MotoGP World Champion’s quickest lap of the morning sitting was 1’37.170 which was 0.240s ahead of Edwards. The Spaniard was absorbed on new electronic components and working on the suspension of his factory M1 machine. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider worked on the race setting from yesterday, as did Stoner. Edwards and his team were also trying to find more grip from modifications on the chassis.

Estoril race winner Dani Pedrosa called an early halt to his test session after only carrying out a few laps. The Spaniard tried a new clutch and worked on the race setting of his factory RC212V, but was in too much pain to carry on and will now rest in the lead up to the next MotoGP race in Le Mans. Pedrosa was fifth fastest, just over half a second slower than Lorenzo’s fastest lap.

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ducati Team duo hopeful for sunshine in Portugal

MotoGP series proceeds to action at a track that is very demanding and full of contrasts. Despite it having the lowly average speed of the tracks on the calendar, the Estoril circuit also includes very fast sections, counting one of the longest straight aways of the year.
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Valentino Rossi has won five times in his eleven premier-class visits to the track, and he has ended on the podium on five other occasions, whilst the best result of his team-mate Nicky Hayden is a fourth place in 2007. The American will be looking to erect on his rostrum finish last time out in Jerez.

Valentino Rossi, Ducati Team

“We’ve had three weekends without a race so I was clever to unwind for a while following the GP12 test at Jerez, although I sustained training to help my physical recovery. Now we go to Estoril, a track I quite like, where we’ll carry on working on the GP11’s setup, particularly during the test on Monday. The conditions are often changeable at Estoril because the area is very windy and close to the ocean, making for variable weather. We saw at Jerez that we’re already spirited in the wet, however we’re hoping for sun in Portugal, so that we can make the most of our time on the track. We still have to understand the bike better and to work on the setup, with the goal of being faster in the dry in time for the mainly intense phase of the season, when we’ll have six races in eight weeks initial in June.”

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Lorenzo presents new book in Barcelona

The reigning World Champion discussed the Rossi/Stoner incident from Jerez, the future third round at Estoril and the 2012 Yamaha M1 at the appearance of his new photo-based book on Wednesday.

Different to the biography available about the 2010 MotoGP World Champion three years ago, his new book recounts his career through the medium of photos, with some 400 having been chosen from a collection of more than 1,000. The majority of the photos were taken by well-known photographer Mirco Lazzari, with the BBC’s Matthew Roberts having written the supplementary captions which annotate each picture.

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“I think there’s still a lot for my fans to know about me and this book has a lot of images inside it that they will never have seen before,” said Lorenzo. “We’ll see in the future if there are more things to narrate, I think there will be, and we still have a long time in which we can achieve many more things.”

Fielding questions from eager reporters at the press conference which accompanied the open of the book, Lorenzo spoke on a range of topics counting that of his time alongside Valentino Rossi in the Yamaha box.

“Valentino has been a very significant rival in my MotoGP career, a very tough one, but I admiration all rivals in the same manner and as generation and I don’t idolise anyone,” said Lorenzo. “All the riders who line up on the preliminary grid are capable of beating you on any given day. I don’t give any greater or lesser significance to Valentino than I do to any other rider.”

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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Successful operation for Pedrosa

The Repsol Honda rider had the titanium plate and screws set to his collarbone removed during surgery in Barcelona.

Dani Pedrosa has undergone victorious surgery at Teknon Medical Centre, in Barcelona, to decompress his left subclavian artery and is expected to recover satisfactorily. The involvement was performed by the Dr. César García-Madrid, vascular surgeon, and Dr. Joaquim Casañas, trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, both specialists at Teknon.

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In order to release the arterial density, the titanium plate and the screws fixed to the collarbone have been detached. The subclavian artery has also been estranged from the fibrotic tissues that surrounded costoclavicular space. At the same time, intraoperative angiography by plainly invasive transfemoral approach confirmed the return of the subclavian flow.

The medical checks performed last week at Institut Vascular Sala Planell, counting several physical tests and four dimensional CT with contrast in specific positions, established that the symptoms of pain, numbness and lack of strength in Dani’s left arm were due to compression of the subclavian artery secondary to the collarbone fracture.

Dani Pedrosa will remain in hospital for a further 48 hours to carry on treatment with analgesia and anti-inflammatories. Next week he will visit the doctors again to decide his rehabilitation, in order to contribute in the Grand Prix of Portugal, to be held in Estoril on May 1st.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Rossi 'sorry' for Stoner clash, lost chance

Valentino Rossi made a expensive mistake in Sunday's Spanish MotoGP at Jerez, which robbed the Italian of a possible first Ducati victory and knocked Casey Stoner out of the world championship lead.

Rossi, seventh on his Ducati debut in Qatar, was far more spirited in the wet Jerez conditions and quickly worked his way ahead from twelfth on the grid - after a crash in qualifying - to catch leaders Marco Simoncelli, Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo after 7 of the 27 laps.

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The seven-time MotoGP champion exhausted no time in overtaking former Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo, putting him directly at the back new Repsol Honda rider Stoner, winner from pole in Qatar and on pole again at Jerez.

As the pair headed for turn one at the start of lap 8 Rossi abruptly pulled to the inside and made an unexpected move on Stoner from a long way back. Rossi later claimed he hadn't been trying to pass Stoner, but simply avoid him.

Either way, Rossi dived within Stoner and was half-a-bikelength ahead when his front Bridgestone cried enough and deserted him on the asphalt at the apex of the corner. Rossi and his sliding Desmosedici then wiped out the unfortunate Stoner.

Rossi and his bike came to rest with Stoner's RCV on top of them, but it was Rossi who was able to rejoin and in the end finish fifth in the crash-packed race, while Stoner was forced to retire.

The #46 apologised to Stoner straight after the race.

Later in the evening Rossi, who set the best lap of the race, explained the day's events from his point of view.

“Today in the wet we had a great possibility for me to make my first podium with Ducati, or even to get my first win,” Rossi admitted.

“I felt good, both with the bike and my shoulder, because I could brake where I required to rather than where I'm required to in the dry, since I still don't have the necessary strength.

“The bike is very fast in the wet. I was advancing really well, and I'm sorry to have made that error and thrown away such an opportunity.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

MotoGP: Pedrosa’s Shoulder Not 100% Fit, Doctors Rule Out Any Complication

Dani Pedrosa underwent further medical checks after recurring from Doha to seek an answer to the discomfort that returned to his left arm throughout the Grand Prix of Qatar last weekend. 

The Repsol Honda Team rider, who despite the pain managed to take a third place finish at Losail, suffered from lack of feeling and lack of strengh in his left arm during the race and suspected that the injury he suffered in Japan last October had not completely disappeared, which encouraged him to re-visit specialists.

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Dani passed several tests, consisting in a three-dimensional CAT scan with difference and MRI. The results showed that there is no vascular or nerve compression in the canal of the collarbone, but there is a small stretch in the plexus, which is gradually civilizing but will need more time to finish healing

DANI PEDROSA

“I honestly didn’t expect my arm would respond in this way because during pre-season I didn’t feel too much trouble and I consideration the problem was solved. However, I felt really bad in the Qatar race and was aware that the injury is not totally healed. It was a shame because in Qatar I had a good feeling and until the second half of the race - which is when the pain started - I was really strong and I saw a sensible chance of winning. I would be lying if I said I’m not disappointed because this year the bike is working very well and physically I feel good, but unluckily this complication has arisen and I have nothing else to do but give my best until the wound heals completely”.


Monday, March 21, 2011

Webber fine with being the 'underdog'

Having clinched the crown last year, many are predicting Vettel will be the man to beat in 2011 while there are some nay-sayers who reckon last year's title brawl was Webber's one shot at achieving F1's ultimate prize.

The 34-year-old, though, is determined his detractors' comments won't get him down - rather, he says, they'll inspire him.

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"I do like to be the underdog to a degree. On the ropes a little bit. And of course there are plans you can use to fire yourself up. But you can only take that so far," said the Aussie.

"Don't worry; I'll be opposing this year again. Very, very hard. And sometimes that will be against Sebastian."

Webber urged Red Bull to bring out their 'A' game as several moments last season, such as their early dependability issues and the intra-team tension between himself and Vettel, played into their rivals' hands.

"There is every reason to suggest we can do well again," Webber told The Telegraph, "but we have learned to deal with convinced situations a little bit better so that we don't help our rivals."


Thursday, March 17, 2011

Simoncelli shines in Qatar FP1

The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider was fourth fastest in FP1 at Losail on Thursday, with coworker Hiroshi Aoyama 12th.

Marco Simoncelli carried his preseason form into the first official session of the MotoGP World Championship this afternoon in the surreal surroundings of the Losail circuit. The Team San Carlo Honda Gresini rider was fast and consistent and worked intensely throughout a satisfactory 45 minutes to find an improved set-up for his machine. It was a optimistic evening for Hiroshi Aoyama even though he was further down the time sheets, the Japanese rider clearly working on the right lines with his team and set-up, which will hopefully lead them to a better position tomorrow.

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Marco Simoncelli (4th 1’ 56” 441):

“I am really happy because it is always hard during testing to know exactly where you are but that changes when things get serious and we are able to make more a real analysis. I am satisfied because we struggled to get the hard tyre working during the tests but we found amazing tonight. It may be that the conditions are somewhat different but it is an important step towards making our choice for the race. We managed to make two changes to the set-up that better things further and now it is just a case of confirming what we already know and getting ready for Sunday. In universal I am feeling confident.”

Hiroshi Aoyama (12th 1’’ 56” 987):

”This was the first sitting of the season s o I was keen to do well. We in progress work on finding the best set-up for Sunday and the best feeling with the bike, working from what we learned in testing. We also tried to get closer to a decision on what tyre to use for the race. The conditions are improved than they were in testing and tomorrow we will try to improve on today's position, which is in fact not that significant because our focus for the day was not specifically on the lap time.”

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Schumacher: 2011 Mercedes could be a winning package

Michael Schumacher is now hopeful that the Mercedes W02 can be the car that takes him back to the top of the Formula 1 podium after the team's late surge at the end of winter testing.

Mercedes had been enduring a tough pre-season until its full 2011 package was introduced for the final two days and domed it to the front.

That has left Schumacher feeling confident that he can at least get back on the podium in 2011 - and maybe add to his record tally of 91 victories.

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"My feeling is a good one," he said.

"The team has been functioning very hard over the winter to shape our car in all of the areas which had been recognized by us as needing improvement.

"The data I have seen over the winter had been quite hopeful, but then we all know that the realities of data and the race track can be quite different.

"As a driver, you clearly hope for a good step forward and I think this is what we have achieved.

"I am confident that we can fight for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races.

"Saying that, we will only see the truth once the season gets underway, so I can barely wait to go to Melbourne to lastly see what the real picture is."

The German myth added that he felt far more at home back in F1 with a year of his comeback under his belt.

"This year feels very different certainly," he said.

"Last year everything was new again; the difficult situation, the car, the team, the structures.

"It was very thrilling but it was still something you had to find your way through.

"Now, one year later, I know much better which areas to work in.

"I am much more recognizable with the team and we have a great group of very skilled and devoted people.

"I enjoy what I do, I enjoy working with Mercedes, and I have never regretted my choice to return."

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Pedrosa: "This year will be very spirited"

The Repsol Honda rider, satisfied with the official Tests held at Sepang, faces the last meeting in Qatar before the start of the Championship.

The start of the Championship is future and Dani Pedrosa as well as his team-mates of the Repsol Honda Team, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso, have shown that they are the MotoGP competitors in shape during the pre-season. The Repsol Honda rider is certain of his and his bike’s chances, after winter Tests in which he has suffered none of the bodily or technical problems he had had in previous years.

From the first test in Valencia in November 2010 until the last tests held at Sepang, where have you enhanced the most with your bike?

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“Basically, the bike has not changed so much, so what we have tried to do is to get better it in the most critical areas, such as the braking or the electronics.”

What is your assessment of the last tests in Sepang?

“The best thing is that this year we have better foundations, opposing to what happened in the previous years, when we had to develop and improve the bike during the Championship. This season we start with a very positive training that will allow us to face the first race of the Championship with a good level of presentation.”

Is there something still to be done in the next Qatar test or will it just be used to get ready the first race of the Championship?

“There are always things to be done, but the main aim of the Qatar test will be to learn to make the most of the set-up we will use in the race. If the track situation are good, we will be able to take advantage of it.”

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Barcelona day one - Webber sets the normal for Red Bull

Red Bull’s Mark Webber topped the timesheets as the last pre-season test began at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday. Webber’s best time, a 1m 22.544s, was approximately four tenths of a second earlier than the quickest lap from McLaren's Jenson Button in second.
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The weather made life difficult for the eight teams in action, with lower-than-expected temperatures and a windy wind hampering their programmes at the Spanish circuit. Most, though, enjoyed productive days, with Webber managing to whole almost 100 laps in the RB7.

Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and Nick Heidfeld broken the day in third and fifth respectively, with Sauber’s Sergio Perez separating the duo in fourth. Force India were in sixth place with Paul di Resta at the helm of the VJM04. The team’s tester Nico Hulkenberg was in act before lunch and ruined the day in ninth.

Seventh slit went to GP2 driver Davide Valsecchi in the Lotus. Valsecchi’s AirAsia team friend Luiz Razia also enjoyed a drive in the T128 and finished in 10th. Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi was eighth, even as Virgin’s Jerome D’Ambrosio was the day’s final runner in 11th.

Testing continues at Barcelona on Wednesday, when Mercedes, Williams, Ferrari and HRT are predictable to join proceedings.

Unofficial Tuesday test times from Barcelona:

1. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:22.544, 97 laps
2. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:22.910, 74
3. Vitaly Petrov, Renault, 1:22.937, 27
4. Sergio Perez, Sauber, 1:24.117, 90
5. Nick Heidfeld, Renault, 1:24.735, 20
6. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:25.039, 38
7. Davide Valsecchi, Lotus, 1:25.406, 50
8. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 1:26.004, 48
9. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:26.030, 31
10. Luiz Razia, Lotus, 1:26.723, 29
11. Jerome D’Ambrosio, Virgin, 1:32.060, 57

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Edwards: “We’ve got a good shot this year”

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was in high spirits following the second pre-season Test at Sepang last week.

Colin Edwards stopped up the Sepang Test in Malaysia last week in fine form, both on the track and off it. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was left flattering the overall presentation of the M1 and its off-season improvements, having enjoyed his three days of work.

Edwards spent the bulk of the Test configuring the chassis of his machine and came away extremely satisfied with an better front-end feeling, as well as a better corner exit and rear grip.

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The American was also in certain mood about the 2011 season with the gap race in Qatar on March 20th, and said in the attached video interview: “I think we’ve got a good shot this year so I’m excited. I’m really happy with the package. To get in the top five this year I think will be a tall order for anybody. You have a lot of fast factory guys up there and there should be some entertaining racing.”

Edwards concluded: “I’m sure in 2011 Jorge would like to repeat what he did in 2010, but we’ll see. There’s a lot of stiff competition out there and there should be some good racing when it gets happening.”

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Rossi: We are quite worried

Valentino Rossi couldn't hide his dissatisfaction at concluding the second Sepang MotoGP test in eleventh place, almost two-seconds from the top.

After feeling 'quite confident' following Tuesday's opening day, when he was ninth (on hard tyres) and one-second from the front, Rossi was then forced to miss the whole second day due to fever.

The seven time MotoGP world champion returned today eager to try and make up for lost time - and rode for 59 laps in the very tiring Malaysian heat. But there was to be small reward.

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Rossi struggled with cornering and lost a further 0.8sec relative to fastest man Casey Stoner. There are now just two more days of difficult, at Qatar, before his first race as a Ducati rider.

“The first day was not so bad, because I was previously on the lap time of the first test [earlier this month] and we were one-second from the top,” said Rossi.

“We were quite certain for day two because we had a lot of things to try, like a dissimilar setting for the rear, some swingarm link, different suspension.

“I was quite hopeful to improve our lap time, then unluckily yesterday I could not ride so we lost one day and that made things more difficult.

“Anyway today I felt okay. I made nearly 60 laps and worked a lot on the bike, but unluckily we didn't fix our problem.

“We are not fast enough in the corners. We have a problem for rotating the bike, so I always have to slow down too much to make the first-class line. I cannot ride the Desmosedici in the right way.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

F1's bad payers exposed

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According to the Mail on Sunday, an self-governing study conducted by business information company Dun & Bradstreet reveals that only two teams pay earlier than the due date.

Red Bull Racing and sister team Toro Rosso, both bankrolled by Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, are the only clothes that pay their creditors - which comprise caterers, designers, equipment suppliers and haulage firms - on time. However, that is mainly down to Mateschitz's decision to boost the teams' budget.

'The data, which contrast the rate of payment between December 2009 to April 2010 and between April to November last year, reveal that even though the economy has begun to pick up, the creditworthiness of F1 teams has not,' the statement claims.

Despite having some of the biggest budgets in the sport, heavyweights Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are typically late by between 11 and 17 days. The trio were upstaged by rookies Virgin - backed by Sir Richard Branson - who on standard settled their accounts eight days after the due date.

Force India are by far the worst of the recognized outfits as they usually take about a month to pay their bills despite being owned by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya.

The report adds: 'One supplier, who did not wish to be named, said his company has had to pay its own staff late as a result. 'If Vijay sold his yacht, it would keep the team going for a couple of years,' he said.'

The Northamptonshire-based team though don't get the award for worst overall offender. That honour goes to rookies Lotus who typically pay 180 days late. 

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