04-Feb-10: Heidfeld Signs as Mercedes Reserve Driver

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It is the 4th February 2010 and this is F1 Minute.

Mercedes GP have confirmed their reserve driver for 2010 and it is none other than Nick Heidfeld. Having missed out on the Sauber seat, it was rumoured that Heidfeld would make the move to the all-German team, alongside Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. He said: “While I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same.”

Meanwhile, Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali has been talking about the team’s excellent performance in the first pre-season test, but says they’re not about to get carried away: “We can’t take anything for granted and we shouldn’t delude ourselves by indications, which could be completely misleading. We can’t work like in football where two good or bad results are enough to pass from riches to rags or vice versa.”

That’s all for today, please join me tomorrow for another F1 Minute.

Out to Pasture

Nick Heidfeld poses at Melbourne Zoo for BMW ahead of the 2009 season. The German has been confirmed as reserve driver at Mercedes GP for 2010, making it an all German outfit based in Brackley. Heidfeld says he is slightly disappointed with not having a race seat for the upcoming season but is determined to make it work with his new team.

Credit: BMW AG

Nick Heidfeld Signs for Mercedes GP Petronas

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is pleased to confirm that Nick Heidfeld will join the team as Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for the 2010 Formula One season. Nick will therefore complete the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver line-up with race drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

Like Michael Schumacher before him, Nick is another former Mercedes Junior who returns to his motorsport roots. After winning the 1997 German Formula 3 Championship, as a junior driver supported by Mercedes, Nick tested a McLaren Mercedes Formula One car for the first time.

Nick was the McLaren Mercedes test driver for the 1998 and 1999 seasons, during which time he had two successful years in Formula 3000, as runner-up in 1998 and winning the Formula 3000 Championship, held alongside the Formula One races, in 1999.

Nick began his Formula One career with the Prost team in 2000 and since then has participated in 167 Grands Prix driving for Sauber (2001-2003), Jordan (2004), Williams (2005) and BMW Sauber (2006-2009). He had his best Formula One season in 2007 when he finished in fifth position in the World Championship. To date in his Formula One career, Nick has achieved 12 podium finishes.

Nick Heidfeld: “I am very pleased to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It’s the team which has attracted the most interest in the close season, not only because of the comeback of Michael Schumacher, but also because this season sees the return of the Silver Arrows cars as a Mercedes-Benz works team for the first time in over fifty years. Whilst I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same. I will be doing my very best to support Michael and Nico this year.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: “It’s a great pleasure for us to have signed a driver of the calibre and experience of Nick Heidfeld as our Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for the 2010 season. Nick has over ten years of experience in Formula One working with established teams and he will be a great asset to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. I am confident that his input into the development of our MGP W01 car will be invaluable. We look forward to welcoming Nick to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and working closely with him.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “To sign Nick Heidfeld as Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team means another re-enforcement for our team. We have known each other for many years and Nick was supported by our junior drivers programme from 1997. During his 10 years in Formula One, circumstances often made it difficult for him to achieve his breakthrough. However Nick is extremely capable, he will be an asset to our team and he will show this.”

16-Nov-09: Mercedes Buy Control of Brawn GP

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Welcome to F1 Minute, it’s the 16th November 2009.

There is only one topic of conversation today and that is Mercedes’ purchase of Brawn GP.  The engine manufacturer confirmed they have taken 45.1% of the team, with the current stakeholders only keeping 24.9%. It’s not a done deal, as the EU still need to look into it, but they have already decided on the new name for the team – Mercedes GP, and a potential new livery – very silver.

McLaren will still run Mercedes engines, with the deal potentially running until 2015, and it looks as though the new deal doesn’t affect them too much. However, much of the speculation is over how the driver lineups will turn out. There’s talk that Button could move to partner Hamilton, or he could stay with his original team. There’s also thoughts that Rosberg or Heidfeld might be signed up, whilst of course Raikkonen’s future remains up in the air with this news. The team aren’t confirming anything on that front just yet.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

13-Nov-09: Czech Republic Wants Grand Prix Event

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Today is the 13th November 2009 and this is F1 Minute.

Autosport is reporting today that officials in the Czech Republic have their eye on hosting a Grand Prix at some point in the future, but they’re hoping to get a DTM race first. The track  doesn’t exist yet but has been drafted by Hermann Tilke – him again. It would be situated a few miles out of Prague and would be part permanent and part street circuit. There’s also talk of the track going through a stadium, but I care little for those gimmicks.

Meanwhile, Nick Heidfeld has hit back at criticism about his performance last year and thinks he could be in with a drive in 2010. The German said: “When you’re battling for victories and podiums, people look only at the statistics – in the media at least. Fortunately, the people who run the teams can see beyond that. So all in all, I’m quite optimistic about the future.”

Finally, Maurice Hamilton of the Guardian  reported that Jenson Button visited the McLaren factory in Woking today. People will talk!

That’s all for now, have a great weekend and I’ll be back on Monday with another F1 Minute.

Lights Go Down

Nick Heidfeld follows a Brawn car into the pit exit tunnel during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This was the final race for BMW and Heidfeld was emotional as he completed the last few laps in his car. For their final weekend, Heidfeld finished 5th and Kubica ended the day down in 10th.

Credit: BMW AG

Quotes Roundup – Week Ending 1st November

The very best from the mouths of those in the know.

Preview Quotes

The tension builds in Brazil…

• “It is wonderful for us to be ending the season at a fantastic new venue and all credit to everyone involved with the Yas Marina circuit for creating a superb new facility to be seen by millions of television viewers around the world.” Hiroshi Yasukawa
  
• “I am really looking forward to my second Grand Prix and I want to make the most of this unexpected chance. I didn’t know the track in Brazil and that was a little bit of a disadvantage because almost all the other drivers had some experience of it. But that’s not the case in Abu Dhabi; this is a new track for everyone so that should help me.” Kamui Kobayashi
  
• “It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend!” Jenson Button
  

Post Qualifying

Qualifying was so long, we weren’t sure it would ever end…

• “It was disappointing for us to be out after Q1 as obviously I would have liked to qualify higher up the grid. Although the team have done their best to prepare the car, it just wasn’t quick enough to set a better time this afternoon. Tomorrow I will do all I can to get the best result possible in my last race with Renault.” Fernando Alonso
  
• “The car feels very competitive, as indeed it has been for the past few races and scoring points is a realistic target for tomorrow. The visibility is no problem so that should be fine for the race and the track is getting faster every time we go out on it.” Sebastien Buemi
  
• “A very short session with a lot of problems. The car didn’t seem to have any grip at all, particularly on the rear, and there was just so much oversteer that I was just struggling to keep the car on the circuit. I’m obviously very disappointed and we need to figure out what happened.” Adrian Sutil
  

Post Race

And thus, the championship was decided…

• “I am very happy with my fifth place. It was a good race in which I was able to get the maximum out of the car and score four points, which was enough to reach our target for the end of the season to overtake Williams in the Constructors’ Championship.” Nick Heidfeld
  
• “We never gave up, and really turned the tables around. And I’m extremely proud to be a part of the team that beat Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 2005.” Heikki Kovalainen
  
• “To sum up the season, what can I say? I would say up and down, we are currently very strong and have just gained our fourth one-two finish, so congratulations to the team. They have been pushing a lot, working very hard back in the factory. It’s a shame now that the season ends, as we are on a roll!” Sebastian Vettel
  

BMW Bowing Out

The racing action in Abu Dhabi has yet to be seen, but what we do know is it’s a photographer’s dream. Nick Heidfeld represents BMW as they participate in their last Grand Prix weekend under the current iteration. The team has found sponsors in Qadbak, but has yet to find a way onto the grid for 2010. All within the team, particularly Heidfeld who has no other drive for next season, remain hopeful they will be back.

Credit: BMW AG

FIA – Japanese GP Conference 1

THURSDAY PRESS CONFERENCE – October 1, 2009
DRIVERS:
Jenson BUTTON (Brawn GP),
Timo GLOCK (Toyota),
Nick HEIDFELD (BMW Sauber),
Kazuki NAKAJIMA (Williams),
Adrian SUTIL (Force India)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Adrian, you have had a certain amount of experience at this circuit.
Adrian SUTIL: Yes, I know the circuit quite well from my time in Formula Three here. A very nice circuit and in general one of my favourites. Very high speed. You need a lot of grip here, but also with the long straights it is good for racing in general. I have had some good races here and I am really happy to be back.

Q: Have you had a look around to see what changes have been made?
AS: Yeah, I had a circuit walk today. It is not too much of a difference. Just the first sector. I think the first two or three corners are different. A new surface and a little bit safer in the run-off areas, but I think everything else looks quite similar.

Q: Some people are saying Force India will be once again suited to this circuit, but I would have thought it is still quite a high downforce circuit, isn’t it?
AS: It is high downforce, but also you need a really good engine which is what we have with the Mercedes. There are also two very long straights, so you need some kind of top speed. I would say it is not comparable with Spa, it is more downforce definitely, but I would say a mix of Spa and Silverstone, so it should suit us much better than the last one.

Q: So you are quite optimistic?
AS: Yes:

Q: Kazuki, tell us about the pressure of racing at home. I think you have had quite a busy lead up already to this grand prix.
Kazuki NAKAJIMA: Well, actually it is not as busy as last year which was quite nice. I managed to have some time off yesterday and I managed to go back to my home as it was on the way from Tokyo to here. There is a pressure, but this is only the second time for me and the first time to be in Suzuka, so I never know what is going to happen. Last year I really enjoyed the Japanese Grand Prix and I didn’t really have too much pressure, so hopefully it is the same for this year. As it is my first time to drive Suzuka with an F1 car I just feel quite excited. Hopefully the weather will be good but it doesn’t look like that at the moment.

Q: It doesn’t look good at the moment. Is that local knowledge?
KN: I haven’t got any special forecast with me. We will see.

Q: How much racing have you done here in other categories?
KN: I have done quite a lot with F3 or like GT but it is the first time since 2005, so it is a long time and I will have to dig into my brain to get it back.

Q: What are your thoughts on your future in terms of F1?
KN: At the moment there is nothing I can say really. I think it is the same for many drivers. I think the situation is really tricky at the moment and we will have to just wait and see. The results have not been there but I think my performance is certainly better than last year. There has been some good races, so I hope that I can do the same job next year.

Q: With Williams or with another team?
KN: No idea. If I could stay with Williams that would be the best but we will see.

Q: Nick, obviously a disappointing end to the grand prix in Singapore but Mario Theissen says there is quite a lot more to come from the car. Would you agree with that?
Nick HEIDFLD: That is what we hope. We don’t have another update here but we had a big package for Singapore. But our feeling is that our car is not the best mechanically and probably it was possible also to see that on the television pictures. We were jumping around quite a bit even though the track was newly resurfaced. Here it should be more of a normal track and we hope our aero package will suit it pretty well, but we will find out.

Q: It is very much a favourite track of yours?
NH: Yes, it has always been my favourite circuit. Last year actually it was Singapore and it is great now having two of my favourites circuits within a week.

Q: What is it about this circuit?
NH: I always find it pretty difficult to explain why you like a circuit and why you don’t like a circuit. You just drive it and get a special sensation. What is obvious here is that it is a relatively long circuit. Therefore you have a lot of different corners. The circuit has got a nice flow to it and especially the esses are special. Each lap you arrive there, you are looking forward to that. It is medium speed – definitely more than 200kph – and it is just a great feeling if you get them right.

Q: And if you get one of them wrong it puts you out for the rest presumably?
NH: Well, it is important to get the first one right as it will have a knock-on effect. But that is also part of the fun. It is very difficult to get it perfectly right, so sometimes you mess up the first corner a bit and then you have to get the rest as perfect as possible. Then you look at the split time and know if it worked out or not.

Q: How do you accept the engine penalties now that you have gone over the eight engines?
NH: Well, I am on my ninth engine now which hasn’t done a lot of kilometres in Singapore. Most likely I will use it here and in Brazil and then I will be allowed to use one of the older engines for Abu Dhabi, not before that, but that will not have a lot of mileage on as well. I changed engines at the last race and got a penalty but from now on I think I am in pretty good shape.

Q: Jenson, we had a quote from you during the week that you are not pushing to seal the title here. What is the policy?
Jenson BUTTON: First of all, good afternoon everyone. I am looking forward to the weekend. This is a circuit that I have enjoyed very much in the past. It is a very fast flowing circuit and I think every driver enjoys racing here. But I don’t come into this race thinking I am going to seal the title here. There are so many possibilities this weekend. There are still three people who can still challenge for the championship. I am one of them, and the most important thing for me to do is work as hard as I can on Friday and Saturday to get the car ready for qualifying and the race and have a good race, the same as all of these guys. I shouldn’t be thinking about anything else.

Q: Do you think you have got the qualifying problems sorted out? You had had a problem with the back end of the car.
JB: No, in Singapore it wasn’t that at all. It was my mistake but we tried a few different things to help the balance of the car in Q2 which was probably the wrong thing to do. We didn’t do two new tyre runs in Q2 which put quite a bit of pressure on the second run and I hit the brakes into turn seven and at about 280kph the front of the car hit the ground and I locked up. With two massive flat spots I couldn’t really do a good lap time. Coming here I am in very good shape. I am looking forward to the weekend. Last weekend was a very interesting race. I still have got a few bruises to show after the bumpiness of the circuit. But it was a good weekend. We came back from a very tough Saturday and had a good Sunday, so I was happy. This weekend the weather is looking interesting. I would rather if it was dry all weekend for sure, but it is what it is and we will make the best out of it. As far as I know it should be wet tomorrow and Saturday, and Sunday more likely dry than wet.

Q: The weather forecast according to Jenson Button.
JB: Yes, 27 degrees, few clouds in the sky and a slight headwind.

Q: Timo, are you optimistic when it comes to your future in F1? Obviously a great result last weekend, but all sorts of stories coming out about your future. Would you tell us the real situation?
Timo GLOCK: I think the stories after the race on Sunday were the funniest I’ve ever read on the Internet. And to be fired on Saturday after qualifying is just b***t and it’s not correct. The point is that we already had a couple of discussions a couple of weeks ago and we are open with Toyota, Toyota is open to me. We have the possibility to look around and that’s it really. There is nothing new, there were no discussions over the weekend about any contract situation or whatever. That’s the only thing that I can say. There are rumours going around and I think maybe for some it was a bit boring on Saturday and they had to find a story for Sunday or after the race on Sunday.

Q: Obviously a great result on Sunday, can you do it again here? How much pressure have you had from Toyota at their home race?
TG: The pressure is normal. I think you have the pressure at every race. Overall, I think we had a good performance in Singapore. Singapore is completely different to Suzuka, for sure, but the improvements that we had in Singapore were already on the positive side. This circuit should suit our car. Spa didn’t look too bad for us, and I think Suzuka should be in the right direction but we will see. The others are strong. I think Brawn and Red Bull will be strong here, McLaren as well and we will see what BMW can do. It will be tight but I hope we can just do a good race. It would be great for me to maybe have wet conditions, I like the wet quite a lot. We will see how it goes and I will just try to fight as hard as possible as I did in Singapore and then we will see the result.

Q: Obviously you were here in 2004 with Jordan; what other experience do you have of this circuit?
TG: I know it. It’s positive that I already know it in wet and dry conditions but that’s a couple of years ago and it’s been resurfaced since then, so we will see how it goes tomorrow. I hope there’s not another typhoon like in 2004, otherwise the rest should be fine.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Marco Degli’Innocenti – La Gazzetta dello Sport) For all of you: are you envious of Fernando Alonso at the moment?
TG: Why?

Q: (Marco Degli’Innocenti – La Gazzetta dello Sport) It was the most kept secret in Formula One but now it’s no longer a secret.
JB: I’m pretty happy actually where I’m sat right now. I’m good to go.
TG: There’s nothing to say. I think it was clear for everybody a couple of months ago, so now it’s just official.

Q: (Marco Degli’Innocenti – La Gazzetta dello Sport) But are you envious of Fernando?
TG: No.
AS: I think it’s good for him but for me nothing has changed. I don’t care.
KN: Same for me.
NH: I think he’s one of the few guys who is in a team for next year where he can believe he might have a better chance to fight for the championship than in many other teams. Ferrari has always been one of the strongest teams in the last couple of years, and on top of that, even though I drive for BMW and I’m very happy there, Ferrari has a special name in the sport, so it must be a special thing. It’s not only for Italians like you, which is why you asked the question, but I think Ferrari is a great team.

Q: (Marc Surer – Sky Germany) Timo, you once said that you never know why you’re quick or why you’re slow with this car. You were so much faster than Jarno (Trulli) in the last race; do you know why – apart from your talent, of course?
TG: I was already quick in Singapore last year. I like street circuits. I don’t know if the ChampCar series in 2005 was experience for me which just made it easier in Singapore but overall I like the circuit, and I think you can make a difference as a driver in Singapore. Overall, it was a possibility for me, with my driving style, to set up the car very much more in my direction. Jarno took over the set-up on Saturday morning and it didn’t work for him, so I just like to drive on circuits like this. You can just go high risk, you can’t make any mistakes. That’s the reason why I was quick in Singapore. I like the circuit quite a lot, it’s good fun, and I think everything came together.

Q: (Jerome Bourret – L’Equipe) Jenson, you’re known as a pretty relaxed and cool guy, but how stressful has this season been? How do you deal with all these ups and downs? And was Singapore really a race for you or not?
JB: It has been a pretty hectic season, obviously with a fantastic start. Then there were a few races when the car wasn’t as good as we had hoped and then there were a couple of races where I didn’t really get the best out of the car. So yeah, the last two races have been good for me. I’ve been happy with my performance, I’ve been very happy with the team’s performance. It sounds silly but it is a bit of a rollercoaster when you’re fighting for a championship, and it’s been a long time since I’ve been fighting for a championship, so you do forget. But if it was easy we’d all be doing it. It’s part of the challenge, it’s a sport that is very emotional for me. I’ve always loved motor racing since I was very, very young and being in the position that I’m in, I’m certainly very privileged and very lucky to be fighting for a championship, so I will never forget that. And I also have some great people around me who keep me grounded and focussed. It’s obviously tough but it’s also very exciting and I wouldn’t change it for the world, for sure.

Q: Jenson, I understand that you’re not trying too hard to win the Japanese Grand Prix here on Sunday. For you, obviously, winning the championship is more important but remembering what happened in Brazil last year, Lewis Hamilton said finishing fifth was actually more difficult than winning some races. What’s your opinion there?
JB: I’ve never said that I don’t want to win this race, for sure. We go to every race to win it. I think you’re getting it confused with… for me the most important thing is to win the World Championship. It’s not when or where, that’s exactly what I said. For sure, I would love to win in Suzuka, it’s a circuit that I love. I’ve got a lot of connections with Japan from the past and from the present. So for sure I’m here to win this weekend and that’s my aim. So the second part of the question is irrelevant.

Q: (Marco Degli’Innocenti – La Gazzetta dello Sport) I have a question for Adrian: if you can tell us something about your future. Maybe you are going to drive another Mercedes engine somewhere else?
AS: Well, right now I’ve got a real good offer, driving in a winning team… in GP2! I’m going to try to go there!

Q: (Ralf Bach -  R & B) Question to Nick and Adrian: did you speak about your accident in the last race or not?
NH: Yeah, I think the first time we spoke about it was when I came out of the stewards’ room. I asked him what went on. He explained. He said he was sorry and for me that was OK.
JB: That was a big fine!
AS: Yes, big enough.
NH: Just a big verbal fine, but nothing with the hands.
AS: I’ve explained it several times and I think there’s nothing more to say. We saw all the pictures and that’s it. We spoke to each other, twenty thousand is enough.
NH: I didn’t receive it yet.
AS: It’s not for you.

BMW Sauber F1 Team – Japanese Grand Prix – Preview

Preview.

Munich/Hinwil, 27th September 2009. The mere mention of Suzuka sets drivers’ pulses racing. This fabulous race track offers every type of corner in the book – from the spectacular esses after the start, to the challenging Spoon curve and the tight hairpin, all the way to the high-speed 130R. For three years almost to the day, drivers have had to forego the unique thrills of this circuit while Formula One was hosted by Fuji. 2009 sees the Japanese Grand Prix return to Suzuka this coming Sunday, 4th October.

Robert Kubica:

“I am really looking forward to going racing in Suzuka again. The circuit is one of the most exciting tracks to drive on – for me it is one of the best circuits in the world. There are a lot of really challenging high-speed corners, especially the 130R which is really fast. The fans there are fantastic. In 2006 a lot of them in the grandstands stayed at the circuit until very late in the night. They are really passionate and enjoy Formula One a lot.”

Nick Heidfeld:

“I’m thrilled that my favourite Formula One circuit is back on the calendar. It will be interesting to see what changes it has in store for us. I know the track has been partly resurfaced, and there’s always the possibility of the forces of nature intervening – we’ve already had an earthquake and a close call with a typhoon. The weather is always an issue and there’s been torrential rain often enough in Suzuka. It’s quite a long circuit, very varied, and it flows beautifully. The first section with its double-apex right-hander and sequence of esses is really superb. But you have to get into the flow properly; if you make a mistake in one turn, you’ll mess up all the rest.

“I really enjoy going to Japan. The first time round I didn’t immediately take to it, but since then I’ve become a great fan. I just love the food and the unique atmosphere. I’ll be spending a few days in Tokyo ahead of the race in Suzuka.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:

“It’s one race chasing the next on the home straight of the 2009 Formula One season. Seven days after the night race in Singapore we’ve got the next round in Suzuka, Japan, which completes the back-to-backs in a region that is extremely important for the BMW Group.

“This circuit is one of the most challenging for the drivers, making it a real favourite among them and the fans. A well-balanced car is a must in Suzuka. But it’s a tough track for the engine experts as well: in the ultra-fast 130R turn you get lateral acceleration forces of up to 6g and it’s essential the oil keeps flowing.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering:

“With its many fast corner combinations, the Suzuka Circuit is one of the most challenging in the Formula One calendar. The gradients also contribute to making this a true race track. The esses in the first sector are crucial to lap times: you can lose a lot of time there if you don’t follow the ideal line. It’s a unique sector, no other Formula One circuit has anything like it. There’s also the tight hairpin, but the dominant feature are the medium and high-speed corners. It’s a real contrast to Singapore’s city circuit which has more of a stop-go rhythm. That’s why the car’s balance is so important in Suzuka. As for configuration, we’ll be setting the car up with a high downforce level similar to that in Singapore.”

History and background:

2009 marks the 21st Japanese Grand Prix to be staged at Suzuka. Formula One debuted at the track in 1987; prior to that two Japanese Grands Prix were held in 1976 and 1977 at the circuit below Mount Fuji, which also hosted the Formula One events in 2007 and 2008. In 1994 and 1995 the Pacific GP was held at Japan’s Aida circuit.

The 2004 Japanese Grand Prix remains seared in the memory of the teams who were there. On the Saturday the track was completely closed off due to an approaching typhoon, which eventually made landfall elsewhere. Amid heavy downpours on Friday, the teams had packed up and secured all their equipment. The all-clear came on Saturday afternoon and qualifying was held on Sunday morning. Formula One had already had a taste of natural forces at Suzuka in 2000 when the mild aftershocks of an earthquake could be felt during free practice.

The Suzuka Circuit is the only F1 track designed in a figure 8. It is located in the middle of a large leisure park dominated by its hallmark Ferris wheel.

The city of Suzuka lies on the southeast coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu and belongs to the Mie Prefecture. The car manufacturer Honda has major production plants in this city of 200,000 inhabitants. Its European twin city likewise has a strong automotive connection: Le Mans in France.

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