24-Nov-08: Webber Recovering from Tasmania Accident
This is F1 Minute and it’s the 24th November 2008.
You’ve probably heard by now, but Mark Webber suffered an unfortunate accident over the weekend during his charity challenge in Tasmania. Webber was on the cycling leg of the adventure challenge and was involved in a head on collision with a car. He escaped with a broken leg, although it did require surgery. He is well and according to Red Bull in good spirits. They say he will return to the UK as soon as possible, will miss out on a lot of winter testing, but they’re sure he’ll be back in time for the Australian Grand Prix.
Elsewhere, Dietrich Mateschitz has said he thinks Buemi is “very likely” to get a race seat at Toro Rosso for 2009 although we won’t know the official decision before the final December test.
And lastly, the BBC have confirmed their lineup for F1 coverage next year. Martin Brundle and Jonathan Legard take over commentating duties with David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan as pundits. Lee McKenzie and Ted Kravitz cover the pit lane. I’d love to hear what you think of this lineup at F1Minute.com.
02-Jul-08: Singapore GP to Get More Tickets
Welcome to F1 Minute for the 2nd July 2008.
Organisers of the Singapore Grand Prix have announced they will be adding at least 1,500 more seats, due to the popularity of the event. They’ll extend one grandstand and build another for the increased ticket-holders. They’ve also reduced the number of corners to 23, after deciding that Turns 10 and 11 should only really count as one.
Elsewhere today, Ross Brawn has apparently said that any team would be interested in signing up Alonso, as indeed are Honda. However, he also pointed out that the Spaniard’s preference for Ferrari would need to be sorted out first.
Finally, two quick snippets, David Coulthard got a sneek peak at the McLaren Technology Centre today, having bid on and won a charity prize for a tour. He took Christian Horner, Adrian Newey and Martin Brundle with him, as well. And Lewis Hamilton has signed the previously rumoured personal sponsorship deal with Reebok, although no numbers have been released.
That’s all for today, please join me again tomorrow for another F1 Minute.
10-Dec-07: Alonso Will Join Renault for 2008
It’s the 10th December 2007, this is F1 Minute and these are your top headlines for today.
Alonso has been holding up the drivers market for quite long enough, and has now announced his return to Renault. He’ll be joined by Nelsinho Piquet who will be making his F1 debut, and Romain Grosjean takes the test driver role. Briatore paid tribute to Fisichella and Kovalainen who will now have to look for a seat elsewhere, and said the car they provided them with was not up to scratch but the team appreciated the hard work both drivers put in. Along with the driver announcement, Renault confirmed the launch of their new car will be at the end of January, running at Valencia, and then unveiled in Paris.
In other news, the FIA’s latest war of words through the media is actually with the media. At the end of last week we found out that the FIA will be suing the Sunday Times for a column from Martin Brundle accusing them of a McLaren witch-hunt. Brundle wrote another column to defend his right to an opinion and berating the FIA for their apparent media manipulation. The FIA have hit back again saying that he does have every right to an opinion but he will have to defend it in court.
That’s all for today, please join me tomorrow for another F1 Minute.