Best of F1 Big Picture 2009

The middle of January is a little late for end of year round ups and season reviews, but in our defence, F1 Minute has only just acquired a blog section in which to put content such as this.

F1 Big Picture started back in January 2009, and managed to cover the entire of last season in picture format. Every day Formula 1 photographers traipse the globe capturing the fastest cars and the most important events with their gigantic lenses. With so many fabulous images taken throughout the course of last year, we wanted to collect together our favourites as a reminder of season we experienced.

• Mark Webber in Training – An unusual sight to see an F1 driver in the water.
• Ron Dennis Attends Paris Exhibition – The bow tie says he means business
• Lewis Hamilton Tests in Jerez – Jerez blue is like no other blue in F1
• Robserg Behind the Wheel – A wide-angled lens captures this stunning action shot
• Keep Your Enemies Closer – It’s hugs all around before the season gets serious
• Three Abreast – A rare shot of some side-by-side action
• Crossing the Line – The camera doesn’t lie, but you’d swear that Renault was slower
• Racing Underground – You know it must sound awesome
• Kimi Turns a Corner – Gucci, Monaco, Ferrari
• On Reflection – Button overshadows Vettel, on track and off
• About as Far Away From Paris as You Can Get – Now you can visualise the circuit
• Spot the Ball – Football adds some much need colour to the mix
• The Focus of Attention – If he was as fast as he is photogenic
• Who’s on Pole? – It’s hard to express confusion with a helmet on
• The Only Way Is Up – Eau Rouge as you’ve never seen it before
• Smile Like You Mean It – Who doesn’t miss the Formula Unas?
• United Colours of Barrichello – He’s a colourful chap
• Low Down with Low Downforce – A lovely overhead shot with two drivers vying for position
• On Your Bike – Possibly the only team boss to join in fitness training?
• Looking For a Comfortable Seat – It’s tough to find a good picture of Bobby K, this one of them
• Bright Lights, Big City – Singapore offers the most picturesque views of the year
• Four Peas in a Pitlane – Black Eyed Peas do provide the best headlines
• Explain That One – Lee McKenzie is usually found off camera
• Something Borrowed, Something Blue – Favourite headline of the year
• Scuderia Amongst the Shadows – A strong contender for best photograph of the year
• Hi Ho Silverstone – Confirmation of a British Grand Prix in 2010 closes out the season in style

We hope you enjoyed that belated trip down memory lane. F1 Big Picture will continue to document the 2010 season, and we look forward to you joining us for the ride.

Q & A with Renault’s Eric Boullier

In what frame of mind was the team when you arrived?
Eric Boullier: When I started in the job it quickly became clear that the staff’s morale had been affected by the end of the 2009 season and that the last few weeks had been quite challenging. However, the team is now very motivated thanks to the new philosophy that the Renault F1 Team wants to implement and, when it was presented at the factory shortly before Christmas, it was welcomed with applause. Everyone is now refreshed and ready for action.

What will be your day-to-day responsibilities?
EB: I will concentrate solely on the sporting and performance aspects. Bob Bell will oversee the Design Office, Production and the technical development of the car. We have already had a lot of discussions and we think in the same way. I think that we will work well together.

Are you a representative of the new strategic partners of the team?
EB: I have been appointed by Renault F1 Team who stays in charge of all operational aspects of its F1 activity. Of course, representatives of Genii Capital were consulted, but it would be wrong to think of Renault as a two-headed structure that will have two decision-making hubs. This is one team with one structure.

Have you been given a timeframe to prove yourself?
EB: My employers never mentioned this, however I have set myself relatively high objectives. F1 is a dream for an engineer and I wouldn’t want to let this opportunity pass me by. There is no pressure, only the motivation to do the job for which I have been appointed well.

Can you summarise your approach in three words?
EB: Humility, rigorous and openness. For me, the racing is the most important thing above all.

Is your age an advantage?
EB: I like to think so. The team wanted some fresh blood and to open a new chapter. F1 is made of cycles and the shape of tomorrow’s sport is being defined now with a new generation beginning to fill the paddock little-by-little. Ferrari and McLaren have, among others, followed this evolution. And Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing is my age!

What are your objectives for 2010?
EB: It is still a little early to describe them precisely, but my mission is foremost to put the team back on track by concentrating on two main themes. One of my priorities will be to put in place an organisation that flows and is efficient in order for Enstone to work in harmony. Then, for the performance, we must put in place an improved feedback process. It won’t happen in two months, we know that, but it will need to be progressive and solid. Today we have all the means to reach this objective. The budget is fixed, 60% of the wind tunnel has been upgraded and our high-tech CFD centre is now in full swing. So there’s everything to play for.

As CEO of Gravity Sport Management, will the second driver be a Gravity driver?
EB: The second driver will have to be able to score points and challenge Robert Kubica. So in fact, it might be a Gravity driver or not, but I can guarantee that it will be even more difficult for a Gravity driver to be selected as they really will have to prove their worth to be chosen as Renault’s second driver.

Button Seals Memorable Season

The FIA Gala in Monaco provided the grand finale for a dramatic season in the FIA Formula One World Championship. The winning trophies were presented to Jenson Button and Ross Brawn for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles respectively, whilst Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello took the stage to collect their second and third place trophies.

It was a season of records for all of those on stage. Having won six of the first seven races of the championship, Brawn became the first team to claim the Constructors’ title in its debut season.

Vettel, at age 22, became the youngest Drivers’ Championship runner-up in Formula One history. Rubens Barrichello, at age 37, attained his fourth top-three finish in the Formula One Drivers’ Championship, whilst maintaining his position as the most experienced driver in F1 history, having competed in 288 races and counting.

Jenson Button said:

“I am honoured to be here in Monaco this evening to collect the Drivers’ Championship trophy and to see my name engraved alongside the famous racing legends of the past. Motor racing has been a part of my life since my father bought my first go-kart at the age of eight and to have achieved my dream of becoming World Champion makes me incredibly proud.

“This has been a fantastic year for myself and Brawn GP. Just 23 days before the start of the season, we didn’t even know if we would be at the first race and now I am the World Champion with the team winning the Constructors’ Championship. Everyone at the team deserves our success so much.

“I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone at Brawn GP and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines for all of their hard work and commitment and for producing such a great car. It has truly been a fantastic year and I am very proud of the success that we achieved together.”

Brawn Team Principal Ross Brawn said:

“This has been an incredible year for Brawn GP. To live the trauma of the winter months and make it to the grid for the first race and then to achieve eight Grand Prix victories and the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships in our first year was inconceivable before the season started.

“On behalf of the team, it is a great honour to receive the Constructors’ Championship trophy this evening and I look forward to taking the trophy back to Brackley to share with our team. I would like to thank Jenson and Rubens for the spirit in which they fought for the Drivers’ Championship this year, all of our staff at the factory in Brackley for their hard work and dedication, and Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth for the support that they have given us since the start of the year and the superb engine that they provided.

“Our team has now formed a partnership with Mercedes-Benz for the future through the investment in the team by Daimler AG and Aabar. Our new position as the Mercedes works team will revive the brand’s iconic Silver Arrows heritage and we are all looking forward to representing Mercedes-Benz at the pinnacle of global motorsport and the challenge of defending our title next season.”

Sebastian Vettel said:

“It is a great honour for me to be here in Monaco at the FIA Gala to receive this award. Of course, as a sportsman, coming second is never your target, but we can be happy with what is nevertheless a great result. For the team, it was a fantastic season – its best ever – and the credit goes to everyone at Red Bull Racing, both at the race track and back in the factory. We are very proud of what we have achieved and it will motivate us to try and do even better next year.”

Rubens Barrichello said:

“It was a great season for everyone at Brawn GP. We had a really fun year together that will remain in our memories forever and it’s good to be here this evening to see Ross collect the Constructors’ Championship trophy on behalf of the team.

“I’m really pleased to have played my part in securing the title for the team with the two wins in Valencia and Monza and the podium and points finishes in what has been one of my strongest seasons in Formula One. The team were superb all year, producing and developing a car which gave me the opportunity to return to winning ways, and maintaining their belief through the difficult times. We fully deserve our Championship success and it was a real privilege to be part of such a strong team.”

Renault F1 Team Gets Set for Young Driver Test in Jerez

The Renault F1 Team is gearing up for the young driver test which will take place from the 1st to the 3rd of December in Jerez, Spain. Bertrand Baguette, Ho-Pin Tung and Lucas Di Grassi will share driving duties across the three days.

The provisional schedule will see 23-year-old Belgian driver, Bertrand Baguette, get behind the wheel of the R29 on Tuesday 1st of December as his prize for winning the World Series by Renault 3.5 category. This will be Bertrand’s first chance to sample F1 power and an opportunity to complete representative mileage as the team evaluates up and coming young drivers.

The team will also evaluate young Chinese prospect, Ho-Pin Tung. Having previously tested for Williams, the 26-year-old will relish the chance to get reacquainted with an F1 car and will draw upon his recent experience in GP2, A1GP and the Superleague Formula.

The team’s third driver, Lucas Di Grassi, will also have the chance to complete further F1 mileage as he drives the R29 for the first time.

Speaking ahead of the test, Team Principal Bob Bell commented: “Testing is so restricted nowadays, but this young driver test is the perfect opportunity for us to assess rising stars such as Bertrand, Ho-Pin and Lucas. All these drivers have shown great promise and we look forward to seeing what they are capable of as we complete our test programme for the year.”

Bejeweled

French driver Jules Bianchi participates in GP2 testing at Paul Ricard. The 20 year old has been given the opportunity to test for Ferrari in the young driver test at Jerez in early December. Bianchi has previously won the Formula 3 Euro series, and is taking part in the Macau Grand Prix this weekend.

Credit: Drew Gibson/LAT Photographic

2009 World Champions

The Brawn team celebrate their championship success in Brazil. Button finished fourth, with a storming drive from 14th, picking up sufficient points compared to his rivals to win the title. Brawn only needed a minimum points finish to secure the constructor’s title, and thus, they did the double.

Credit: Brawn GP

Qually Delight

Robert Kubica during the Turkish Grand Prix qualifying. The BMW brought a new diffuser to Istanbul and so far it has been working for them. From the bottom of the grid in Monaco, Kubica qualified 10th today, with Heidfeld close behind him in 11th.

Credit: BMW AG

Downtown Downtime

Nico Rosberg sips a drink in downtown Bahrain on the Thursday before the Grand Prix. The drivers often like to arrive at the next calendar destination early, to acclimatise and spend time enjoying the country. Then they spend a day or so indulging in promotional activities for the team and their sponsors before getting on with the racing action.

Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Photographic

Button, Barrichello and Brawn Celebrate Victory

Brawn GP celebrate a dominate 1-2 at the Australian Grand Prix 2009. Button led from start to finish, whilst Barrichello had a bad start, but made his way back through the field to take second place. Trulli joined them on the podium, but was later handed a 25 second penalty, giving Hamilton third place.
Credit: Bridgestone Corporation

Sun Sets on Bourdais’ Qualifying Session

Bourdais and his pit crew during qualifying on Saturday. Le Seb finished the day in last place, almost half a second behind his rookie teammate Buemi. If it wasn’t for the Toyota penalties, and Hamilton’s gearbox change, he would be starting from the back of the grid.
Credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Next Page »