02-Dec-08: Berger Spills the Beans on his Toro Rosso Exit
Welcome to F1 Minute for the 2nd December 2008.
Having confirmed last week that Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz was buying out his 50% share of Toro Rosso, Gerhard Berger has said he might not be leaving F1 forever. He said: “Let’s put it this way: if one day the right conditions for a return are on the table, then I could consider the possibility of coming back.” He also clarified his reasons for selling, admitting that he was focused on improving Toro Rosso’s performance but needed more funds from Red Bull, and they just weren’t forthcoming. He believes Red Bull will sell STR to put all their energy into their own team.
Also today, Alonso revealed he is targeting his third title in 2009 but he knows it may not go to plan, saying: “The first part of last season was average. I can’t afford to start the championship thinking that I’m not going to win. It’s a very clear goal, although it may have to be altered as the year goes on.”
Finally, McLaren have announced their launch date as the 16th January and it will be in Woking.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
Quotes Roundup - Week Ending 30th Nov
November 30, 2008 by Christine
Filed under Weekly Quotes
The very best from the mouths of those in the know.
Toro Rosso Buyout
In which Dietrich Mateschitz regains full control…
- “Dietrich’s interest will focus on Red Bull Racing, therefore the support for STR will become smaller and prevent the team from improving further from sixth. I don’t want to decline, that is not in my nature.”Gerhard Berger
- “I am very grateful to Gerhard for his huge input. Together we turned Toro Rosso into a team that qualified on a regular basis in the top 10 and collected world championship points.” Dietrich Mateschitz
- “I will be out of STR, but the split with STR and Dietrich is completely amicable and there was no rift between us.” Gerhard Berger
The Medal Proposal
Bernie says it will be introduced in 2009…
- “All the teams are happy. The whole reason for this was that I was fed up with people talking about no overtaking. The reason there’s no overtaking is nothing to do with the circuit or the people involved, it’s to do with the drivers not needing to overtake.” Bernie Ecclestone
- “The points are necessary. I was one of the team principals in the team principals’ meetings who advocated that the points should go down to eighth place, because one point to a team down there is as important as a win is to the likes of McLaren and Ferrari, and we must never forget that.” Eddie Jordan
- “There are a lot of people who have ridiculed this suggestion, and honestly I have to admit at first that I thought the stress of divorce had got to him. But I think he actually has a point. Like him, I think the winner of the most races in a season should automatically be the world champion.” Jos Verstappen
Circuits Planning Ahead
Although many are pulling out of the calendar, some are thinking to the future…
- “This will be the first public transport Grand Prix. We are not bringing cars here. We are looking to use public transport from all the major conurbations, the airport and the Parkway station.” Simon Gillett, chief executive of Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd
- “With Bahrain at the start of the year and Abu Dhabi at the season finale there are many projects on which we can work together to attract more spectators, corporate clients and sponsors to both the region’s races.” Zayed Alzayani, Bahrain circuit boss
- “We think Formula One is a very good product, a very good event for Shanghai city so at least from our company’s point of view we want to continue promoting and building the event. Research shows there are more and more race fans in China, so I don’t think we will say no to the Formula One Grand Prix.” General Manager of Event Management at Shanghai
25-Nov-08: Red Bull Buy Back Toro Rosso Share
Welcome to F1 Minute for the 25th November 2008.
Red Bull have bought back their 50% share in Toro Rosso from Gerhard Berger, despite the fact that owner Dietrich Mateschitz was previously contemplating selling his interest in the team. Now, the Austrian says: “I am very grateful to Gerhard for his huge input. Together we turned Toro Rosso into a team that qualified on a regular basis in the top 10 and collected world championship points.”
Also in Red Bull news, Christian Horner says the only positive thing from Webber’s accident is the timing, and they plan to put Vettel and Buemi in the car during upcoming tests. He said Coulthard had other priorities at the moment, having just become a first time dad.
Meanwhile, Rosberg has said he doesn’t regret staying with Williams and will wait to see what 2009 brings before rethinking his position. Obviously he wants the team to get back to their winning ways but knows the field will spread out with the drastic regulation changes in the coming season.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
15-Oct-08: French Grand Prix Cancelled for 2009
It’s the 15th October 2008 and this is F1 Minute.
It seems only moments since Canada was left off the 2009 calendar, and now France, who had a slot on the season guide for next year, look like they’re pulling out. The FFSA, who organise the sport, have several options as to where the Grand Prix should be held next year, but with the current financial meltdown, the 10% increase in fees, and the fact that the event would most likely make a loss, they just don’t want to do it. They’ve said it would be better to sit out for one year, and come back when they’ve got some long term funding on board. Whether a replacement will be found, or if there will just be a gap in the calendar has yet to be seen.
Finally, I mentioned yesterday that Berger wouldn’t be drawn on whether Bourdais would be resigned for 2009, preferring to wait until the end of the season. Today, Bourdais himself has said that he can’t wait until December for a decision, otherwise he might be left with no other racing opportunities.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back again tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
14-Oct-08: Toro Rosso Won’t Announce Drivers Till Season End
Welcome to F1 Minute for the 14th October 2008.
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed really obvious that Bourdais was going to get the push from Toro Rosso and two new drivers would be stepping in to the team for 2009. Now, though, Gerhard Berger says that there’s no rush to announce a new lineup, and they’ll probably wait until after the season. He spoke out after the Japanese Grand Prix but wouldn’t be drawn on whether Bourdais’ recent improved performance could guarantee a renewal: “I don’t want to say anything at this stage because we have to sort out everything in a quiet way. But that’s exactly what we need to see him doing as he did today. It was a good result.” Berger also defended Bourdais and said he did nothing wrong in the Massa incident.
Meanwhile, BMW have said they will do all they can to back Kubica for the title, now he is only 12 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton. Whilst Mario Theissen says there’s nothing they can do to make the car faster, they won’t step back just yet.
That’s it for today, please join me again tomorrow for another F1 Minute.
24-Sep-08: Berger Wants More Support From Red Bull
It’s the 24th September, and you’re listening to F1 Minute.
Although Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has already expressed his desire to sell sister team Toro Rosso before the end of 2009, co-owner Gerhard Berger wants more investment into his team. He believes Toro Rosso’s first win should inspire more support to get better results.
As well as that, customer cars are being outlawed after next season, and Berger knows they will need to increase the infrastructure. “If we need to build the entire car, it’s clear that to do that I can’t wait until 2010, I will have to start before then, and I will need more people. From the 160 staff we are now, to build and produce the entire car in 2010 we’ll need to grow to 230 people.”
Elsewhere today, Nakajima has spoken about Bridgestone’s new one-size fits all wet weather tyre, as he tested it at Jerez last week. He concludes that it was way too slippery, like driving on an ice rink: “It is the first generation one and I think we need to do a lot of work there.”
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
10-Sep-08: Raikkonen Won’t Give Up On Championship Yet
Today is the 10th September 2008 and this is F1 Minute.
Raikkonen has admitted that his championship campaign isn’t looking very bright at the moment, but that he won’t stop fighting until he’s actually out of it. The Finn hasn’t won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix, and now trails three drivers in the championship, but remains optimistic. He says: “My position is not ideal but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up. I will fight until the very end.” Raikkonen also says it would be good to get a win this weekend, in front of the team’s home crowd.
Elsewhere today, Gerhard Berger has admitted that the jury is still out on whether Bourdais will retain his seat for 2009. The Toro Rosso boss says that he is still watching Bourdais closely, but his recent improved form has been good. Berger says that the driver isn’t really lacking in speed, as recent outings have shown, but that he just doesn’t have the confidence yet. The team also confirmed that they have extended the deal with Ferrari to supply engines, although we don’t know how long for.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
01-Sep-08: Toyota Announce Team Manager Departure
Today is the 1st September 2008 and you’re listening to F1 Minute.
It seems to be the day for talking about departures, as it’s been announced the team manager of Toyota, Richard Cregan, will be leaving at the end of November. Cregan has been with the team for 24 years, working his way up to manager in 2004. It appears he will be taking a new job within Formula 1, although no details have been released, and he will be replaced from within Toyota.
Also today, Gerhard Berger has spoken of Vettel leaving the team for Red Bull next year and says that he will be sorely missed. He said: “We had been really struggling with Scott Speed and Tonio Liuzzi last year, but he has proved what the team is able to do and has done it in a very nice way, with us, with the engineers, with everybody. That has pushed us such an immense step forward - it is really a pity to lose him.” Berger also mentioned the fact that Red Bull give them so much, that it’s nice to be able to give something back.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back again tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
15-Aug-08: Hamilton Wants Consistency for the Championship
Welcome to F1 Minute for the 15th August 2008.
The Valencia preview quotes are starting to trickle in now, and we have plenty of excitement from McLaren. Hamilton says he is enjoying the break for a chance to recharge his batteries but he’s also looking forward to getting to the new circuit. “I enjoy visiting new racetracks and I’m looking forward to getting into the cockpit on Friday morning. It looks like being an amazing track.” He also says that although he doesn’t want to make any predictions about the championship, what he can say is that the key is to be consistent over the remaining races.
Whilst we’re on the subject of championships, Gerhard Berger has said that he’ll be sad to see Vettel go to Red Bull next year, but knows the driver has to move on to better things. He said: “He can do everything really and I am convinced that one day he will win the Formula 1 championship.”
Finally, back to McLaren, Kovalainen says that his win in Hungary was great, but it really doesn’t change anything, he still thinks he has a lot to learn.
That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.
19-May-08: Vettel to Suffer 5-Place Grid Drop in Monaco
Today is the 19th May and you’re listening to F1 Minute.
The Monaco Grand Prix weekend hasn’t even begun yet and already Sebastian Vettel has secured himself a five-place grid drop. After testing out the new STR3 at Paul Ricard last week, and saying he was looking forward to running the new car, Vettel has had a setback. The new car cannot house the gearbox in the same way as the old one, and so it will have to be replaced. Under current four-race gearbox rules, that means a 5-place penalty. Team mate Bourdais doesn’t suffer the same fate as he didn’t finish the last race in Turkey. Team owner Gerhard Berger has said: “Monte Carlo is the last place you want a punishment like that.”
Elsewhere, Frank Williams has admitted that he regrets splitting from former engine partners BMW, after seeing how well the manufacturer team is doing by itself. Williams blames the difficult relationship between the two factions on a lack of communication, but said he couldn’t fault BMW on their hard work and decent engines. He did make sure to complement current engine suppliers Toyota as well.
That’s all for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.