Rounding Off the Season?

The Yas Marina hotel awaiting it’s next opportunity to light up a Formula 1 session. CEO of the circuit Richard Cregan has requested that the FIA rethink the 2010 calendar, and give the season finale back to the Abu Dhabi circuit, rather than Brazil.

Credit: Yas Marina Circuit

09-Dec-09: Abu Dhabi Request Final 2010 Grid Slot

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Welcome to F1 Minute for the 9th December 2009.

Organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have appealed to the FIA for yet another calendar change that would see them granted the final race of the year once more. Initially, they had the last calendar slot, but then Brazil was given the November 14th season closing position instead. CEO Richard Cregan said: “The final meeting is this week and we will know after that where we are on the calendar. Fingers crossed we will get the last race but I don’t know what the situation will be. I think that either way we are going to be happy.”

Elsewhere, the Motorsport Business Forum in Monaco has many top F1 personnel talking about the sport and how it can improve. Today they were talking about media, and Lotus chief Tony Fernandes said: “I look at the future of where F1 could go if managed correctly. It is a massive sport that is as yet untapped. We haven’t touched the whole world yet, through online. I left the music business because it didn’t want to embrace the internet…”

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

I Bet Your Scalectrix Set Didn’t Have One of These

Ex-manager of Toyota Richard Cregan explains to Timo Glock the layout of the Abu Dhabi circuit. Cregan moved on to management at the new Yas Marina circuit, who have today revealed a new game to introduce fans to the track.

Credit: Toyota Motorsport GmbH

30-Jun-09: Abu Dhabi Release More Track Info

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It’s the 30th June 2009 and this is F1 Minute.

The Yas Marina Circuit released an online game today, which supposedly allows fans to have a go round the track and try and set a fast time. I couldn’t get it to load, so we’ll have to take their word on that. Meanwhile, ex-Toyota employee and CEO of the track management Richard Cregan has offered an insight to the game which presumably translates to the real life track as well: “Whether you are accelerating down the longest straight on any Formula 1 circuit, skidding off the track under the grandstand, tackling the tricky Marina and Yas Yacht Club corners or driving beneath The Yas Hotel, every lap offers a challenge.”

Also, yesterday it was confirmed that Kimi Raikkonen will appear in the World Rally Championship in Finland, competing against Sebastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen. Kimi has taken part in a couple of non-championship events but will take to the stage with a Fiat in the gap between Hungary and Valencia at the end of July.

That’s it for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

Panasonic Toyota Racing Bids Farewell to Richard Cregan

The Panasonic Toyota Racing on-track team paid tribute to Team Manager Richard Cregan at Interlagos today, on the occasion of his final Grand Prix wearing the Toyota uniform.

The Irishman, 48, will leave Toyota at the end of this month to become Team Manager of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, spearheading preparations for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009.

All race team members joined together to pay tribute to Richard in the Interlagos pit lane as Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina presented him with a personalised Panasonic Toyota Racing race overall, produced by Alpinestars, before a group photo.

Richard said: “This has been a weekend of very mixed emotions because on the one hand I am excited by the future but on the other I am sad to be leaving my friends at Toyota.

“I have had a fantastic time with this team; we have had highs and lows but we have stuck together throughout and I am very proud of what has been achieved. Even though I will not be with Toyota after November, I will always be a team member in my heart.

“I was in Melbourne for Toyota’s first Grand Prix, which was a very special event for us and to score a point, after so much hard work just to get there, was fantastic. The 2005 season was my most memorable because we were very successful but this year it was a good feeling to be back on the podium; that is where this team belongs.

“This is a great team of people and I believe there is no better in the pit lane. I know the results will come and I could wish for nothing better than a Toyota victory in the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That would be a dream come true.”

Richard has played a pivotal role in Toyota’s motorsport history, having joined the company in 1984 as a mechanic on the World Rally Championship team.

His first event, the 1984 Safari Rally, was also his first victory with Toyota and he went on to become test team foreman, workshop manager and operations manager. In that time Toyota won four drivers’ and three manufacturers’ championships.

He was also operations manager for the Le Mans 24 Hours project in 1998 and 1999, which culminated in second place in the latter event, before assisting Ove Andersson in setting up Toyota’s Formula 1 programme after it was announced in 1999.

As General Manager General Affairs and then Team Manager, Richard has competed with the team at 120 Grands Prix and in his seven seasons of Formula 1 competition, Panasonic Toyota Racing has scored 215 points, finishing on the podium eight times.

Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina said: “We are very sad that Richard is leaving the team but we understand his reasons and we wish him the very best of luck in Abu Dhabi; I am sure he will make the first Grand Prix there a truly memorable event.

“He can be very proud of his numerous achievements at Toyota, which include providing a positive working environment at the factory and at the track as well as implementing the Toyota Way in Formula 1, where we have achieved significant progress in areas such as pit stops and car operations.

“I look forward to seeing Richard again in Abu Dhabi when I hope we can try out the new podium facilities!”

01-Sep-08: Toyota Announce Team Manager Departure

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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.