Tuesday, June 11, 2013

FIA statement following death of Canadian Grand Prix circuit worker.


 Canadian Grand Prix - Announcement



The FIA is sad to announce the death of a Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada circuit worker, at 6:02 pm.

The worker, a member of the Automobile Club de l’Île Notre Dame, was the victim of an unfortunate accident that occurred at the end of this afternoon’s Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle.

The worker was transported via helicopter to Sacre-Coeur Hospital where he was treated by the traumatology department of Dr Ronald Denis, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Dr Jacques Bouchard, Chief Medical Officer of the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, the worker succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

The FIA, l’Automobile Club de l’Île Notre-Dame and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada want to communicate their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The identity of the worker cannot be revealed at this time.

 
source  http://www.fia.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-announcement







Thursday, June 6, 2013

The Canadian Grand Prix - did you know?



2013 The Canadian Grand Prix - did you know?




Did you know that the last Austrian driver to stand on a Formula One podium did so in Canada? Or that Canada staged the longest Grand Prix in history? Or that this year’s event will be Force India’s 100th race under that name? For the Austrian’s identity, the year of the four-hour epic, and more fascinating facts about F1 racing in Canada, read on…

• Three venues have hosted the Canadian Grand Prix in its 43-race history - Mosport (eight times), Mont-Tremblant (twice) and Montreal (33 times). The first world championship race in Canada was held at Mosport in 1967 and won by Jack Brabham in his eponymous BT24.
• Eleven Canadians have started a world championship Grand Prix, but only one has won his home race - Gilles Villeneuve at Montreal in 1978. It was also his first F1 win (seeFlashback: Canada ‘78 - Villeneuve scores fairy-tale maiden win).
• The Montreal circuit was originally called Ile Notre-Dame Circuit but was renamed Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in 1982 following the Canadian driver’s death.
• Taking on average 75 seconds to complete, the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve has the quickest lap time on the calendar.
• At 4.361 kilometres, the current track is 139 metres shorter than the original 1978 layout.
• There will be no ‘home’ drivers on the grid in Canada this year. The last Canadian to start a Grand Prix was Jacques Villeneuve - Gilles’ son - in Germany in 2006.
• In the 33 previous races at Montreal, the polesitter has been victorious only 14 times. The lowest any winner has started on the grid is 10th - that was Ligier’s Jacques Laffite in 1981.
• McLaren have scored the most wins of any team in Canadian Grand Prix history - 13 - but Ferrari have a 10-9 edge over McLaren when it comes to races in Montreal. However, McLaren have won the last three races at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
• When it comes to the manufacturer with the most podium places in Canada, Ferrari have a marginal edge over their rivals McLaren - 31 to 29.
• Surprisingly, given their recent domination, Red Bull have never won at Montreal and have only scored three podiums in Canada, making it statistically one of their worst races.
• Michael Schumacher is by far and away the most successful driver in Canadian Grand Prix history. The German won the race a record seven times and reached the podium on five other occasions.
• Of the current grid, Lewis Hamilton is the master of Montreal, though it has been a case of win or bust. The Mercedes driver has started five races in Canada, winning three times (2007, 2011, 2012) and retiring twice (2008, 2011). Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have each won the race once, with Button's victory remarkably achieved despite having led just one lap during his 12 Canadian Grand Prix appearances.
• Canada holds the distinction of hosting the longest Grand Prix of all time - the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix which lasted 4h 4m 39.537s and included a two-hour rain delay. It was eventually won in dramatic style by Jenson Button.
• The last Austrian to make it to a Formula One podium did so in Canada in 2007 - Alex Wurz driving for Williams.
• The Canadian Grand Prix has witnessed a number of milestones:
- Jackie Stewart scored his first Grand Prix pole in Canada in 1970. Peter Revson scored his and McLaren’s first pole two years later in 1972.
- Five drivers have scored their debut wins in Canada: Gilles Villeneuve (1978), Thierry Boutsen (1989), Jean Alesi (1995), Lewis Hamilton (2007) and Robert Kubica (2008).
- Four drivers all stepped onto the podium for the first time in Canada: Mark Donahue (1971), Stefan Johansson (1985), Eddie Irvine (1995) and Giancarlo Fisichella (1997).
- Several drivers have hit race start milestones in Canada. Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann both started their 100th races here in 1978, Philippe Alliot started his 100th race here in 1993, Andrea de Cesaris and Pierluigi Martini celebrated 200 and 100 races respectively in 1994, Martin Brundle started his 150th race here in 1996 and Mika Salo his 100th in 2002.
- Michael Schumacher scored Ferrari’s 150th Formula One win in Montreal in 2002.
• Rubens Barrichello holds the lap record for the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in its current configuration - 1m 13.622s set in 2004 in a Ferrari.
• This year’s race will be the 100th time the Force India team has raced under that moniker. The squad has been known by three other names - Jordon, Midland and Spyker.
• The safety car has been deployed at least once in five of the last nine races in Canada.
• According to Mercedes, drivers are at full throttle for approximately 72 percent of the lap distance in Canada with the longest period of full throttle 13.5s. Each driver will make 50 gear changes per lap, which equates to 3,500 over the 70-lap race distance.
• The biggest winning margin in a Grand Prix at Montreal was in 1983 when Ferrari’s Rene Arnoux crossed the line 42.029s ahead of Renault’s Eddie Cheever. The smallest winning margin came in 2000 when Michael Schumacher beat Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello across the line by just 0.174s.
• After extending their runs of consecutive points finishes to 64 (a record) and 54 respectively at the last round in Monaco, McLaren and Ferrari will look to continue the trend in Montreal this weekend.
• Kimi Raikkonen’s last-lap pass of Nico Hulkenberg in Monaco gave the Finn more than just one point for tenth place. It also extended his points-scoring streak to 23 races. Should he finish in the top ten in Canada this weekend, Raikkonen will equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 24 consecutive races in the points.
For tickets and travel to 2013 FORMULA 1 races, click here.
For FORMULA 1 and F1 team merchandise,click here.

Organisers of the 2013 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix have announced that Canadian pop star Justin Bieber will headline their inaugural ‘closing concert’ on Monday, September 23 - the day after the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Bieber, who has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and has 37 million followers on Twitter, will perform hits such as ‘As Long As You Love Me’, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Beauty & A Beat’, ‘Boyfriend’ and ‘Right Here’ on the Padang Stage - Singapore’s biggest outdoor stage.
The 19-year-old joins rock band The Killers (performing on Saturday) and singing sensation Rihanna (performing on Sunday) in an impressive entertainment line-up which also includes legendary singer Tom Jones, '80s icon Bob Geldof, upcoming singer-songwriter Laura Mvula and magician and illusionist Dynamo.
Entry to the Saturday and Sunday concerts is included with any three-day Grand Prix ticket or Sunday single-day Pit Grandstand special ticket, but fans and ‘Beliebers’ wishing to attend the closing concert will need to buy tickets separately. For more details visit www.singaporegp.sg.
The 2013 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix takes place on September 20-22. To book tickets and full travel packages to the event,click here.

2013 Canada Grand Prix

source F1.COM


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wheldon’s Gold Coast Seat Filled



















The field for this weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600 in South East Queensland, Australia, has been finalized with the addition of English driver Darren Turner as a replacement for the late Dan Wheldon.

A two-time/reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, Wheldon was killed Sunday in a crash during the season-ending IZOD IndyCar Series Las Vegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Wheldon was scheduled to compete as co-driver to Australian V8 Supercar champion James Courtney in the No. 1 Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore.

Turner is a current FIA GT driver and former Formula One test driver for McLaren International.

The accident which claimed Wheldon’s life also has affected two other prominent IndyCar Series regulars who were scheduled to compete in the Gold Coast 600. Australian Will Power of Team Penske injured his back in the crash and has been replaced in Mark Winterbottom’s Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon by Northern Ireland’s Richard Lyons.

“I’m really torn about racing as I literally heard the sad news about Dan’s passing only an hour before I spoke with Tim,” said Lyons, referring to Tim Edwards, Ford Performance Racing team principal. “I’ve known Dan for about 15 years as we started off racing together as juniors. We lived nearby in England and we hung out whenever we could, so it is with a heavy heart I come to Surfers Paradise.”

Singapore-based Lyons has won Formula Nippon and Super GT titles in Japan during his career.

Brazilian Tony Kanaan, the 2004 IndyCar champion who was leading the race at LVMS at the time of the accident, has opted to not make the trip to Australia. Kanaan has been replaced in Jason Bargwanna’s Jana Living/BJR Commodore by Danish driver Allan Simonsen, fresh from a podium finish in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama on Oct. 8.

Additionally, three IndyCar Series drivers involved in the race at LVMS – Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe (No. 2 Toll HRT Commodore with Garth Tander); Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Alex Tagliani (No. 16 Stratco/Kelly Racing Commodore with David Reynolds) and Penske’s Helio Castroneves (No. 47 Lucky Seven/SBR Falcon with Tim Slade) have reconfirmed their participation at Surfers Paradise.

Tander teamed with Nick Percat to win the Bathurst 1000. Percat, 23, is sitting out this event but will be monitoring the Toll HRT team from the pits.

All 28 drivers are expected to be at Queensland Raceway near Ipswich Wednesday, Oct. 19, for a co-driver test day. The Armor All Gold Coast 600 is the third endurance race on the V8 Supercars Championship calendar. The V8 Supercar regulars are partnered with an international star in this event. Racers from Formula One, IndyCar, Sports Car, Touring Car and NASCAR will be on hand for an event running Friday through Sunday. The V8 Supercars will be supported by Porsche Carrera Cup, the V8 Utes, Touring Car Masters and Formula Ford.

Turner is a former British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) Young Driver of the Year winner and a two-time GT1 class winner in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, teaming with Australian David Brabham in victories for Aston Martin in 2007 and 2008. More recently, Turner has been competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship for the Aston Martin Racing team, winning the most recent round held in China to take second spot in the championship.

Shane Howard, V8 Supercars acting CEO, said reaction from the motorsports community internationally after Sunday’s tragedy has been remarkable.

“It was a very sad situation for everyone after Dan’s death,” Howard said. “The offers of support from all levels of the international motorsport community have been amazing and really makes you proud to be a part of this business. Obviously, we were looking forward to having Dan, Will and Tony with us but our thoughts are with them and their families at this time.

“We are grateful that Richard (Lyons), Allan (Simonsen) and Darren (Turner) could make themselves available at such short notice and we look forward to having them here. We also appreciate what Ryan, Alex and Helio have been through in the last couple of days and will ensure they are accommodated with what they need over the next week.

“We are looking forward to paying tribute to Dan with a terrific event, one he was very much looking forward to being a part of.”

The field now includes eight drivers with Formula One race experience and current F1 driver Vitantonio Liuzzi, five-time Le Mans champion Emanuele Pirro and former Indianapolis 500 champions Castroneves and Gil de Ferran.

SPEED will broadcast the Gold Coast 600 live Saturday at 11:30 p.m. (EDT) from the street circuit at Surfers Paradise. Darrell Waltrip, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, will headline the same broadcast team that covered the Bathurst 1000. Waltrip will be joined by NASCAR on FOX boothmate Mike Joy and SPEED announcer Leigh Diffey, a native of Brisbane. Former racer Calvin Fish again will work the pits.



ARMOR ALL GOLD COAST 600 FIELD with DRIVER/CO-DRIVER

1 – Toll Holden Racing Team _ James Courtney/Darren Turner

2 – Toll Holden Racing Team _ Garth Tander/Ryan Briscoe

3 – Wilson Security Racing _Tony D’Alberto/Vitantonio Liuzzi

4 – IRWIN Racing _ Alex Davison/Marc Lieb

5 – Orrcon Steel FPR _ Mark Winterbottom/Richard Lyons

6 – Trading Post FPR _ Will Davison/Mika Salo

7 – Jack Daniel’s Racing _ Todd Kelly/Richard Westbrook

8 – Team BOC/BJR _ Jason Bright/Stephane Sarrazin

9 – SP Tools Racing _ Shane van Gisbergen/Emanuele Pirro

11 – Pepsi Max Crew _ Greg Murphy/Oliver Gavin

12 – Westrac Racing _ Dean Fiore/Gianni Morbidelli

14 – Jana Living Racing _ Jason Bargwanna/Allan Simonsen

15 – Jack Daniel’s Racing _ Rick Kelly/Jorg Bergmeister

16 – Stratco Racing _ David Reynolds/Alex Tagliani

17 – Jim Beam Racing _ Steven Johnson/Dirk Mueller

18 – Jim Beam Racing _ James Moffat/Joey Hand

19 – Mother Energy Racing _ Jonathon Webb/Gil de Ferran

21 – Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing _ Karl Reindler/Fabrizo Giovanardi

30 – Gulf Western Oil Racing _ Warren Luff/Marino Franchitti

33 – Fujitsu Racing GRM _ Lee Holdsworth/Simon Pagenaud

34 – Fujitsu Racing GRM _ Michael Caruso/Augusto Farfus Jr.

39 – Supercheap Auto Racing _ Russell Ingall/Jan Magnussen

47 – Lucky 7 Racing _ Tim Slade/Helio Castroneves

49 – V.I.P. Petfoods _Steve Owen/Boris Said

55 – Bottle-O Racing _ Paul Dumbrell/Christian Klien

61 – Bundaberg Racing _ Fabian Coulthard/Patrick Long

88 – Team Vodafone _ Jamie Whincup/Sebastien Bourdais

888 – Team Vodafone _ Craig Lowndes/Andy Priaulx



A public memorial service celebrating the life of IZOD IndyCar Series driver Dan Wheldon has been scheduled by INDYCAR for Sunday, Oct. 23, at 4 p.m. (EDT) at Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 2005 IZOD IndyCar Series champion, was fatally injured in a racing accident Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He is survived by his wife, Susie, and sons Sebastian and Oliver. Wheldon was 33.

The Dan Wheldon Family Trust Fund has been established for the financial security of Wheldon’s family. The public can make contributions to the fund starting Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the following address:

Fifth Third Private Bank

Attn: Dan Wheldon Family Trust

251 North Illinois St., Suite 1000

Indianapolis, Ind. 46204

Source:http://www.racintoday.com/archives/30927

Monday, October 25, 2010

Williams to field Maldonado and Stoneman at Abu Dhabi test

Race winner Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Rapax celebrates on the podium. GP2 Series, Rd 7, Race 1, Budapest, Hungary, Saturday 31 July 2010. 2010 F2 champion Dean Stoneman (GBR). FIA Formula Two Championship, Rd9, Valencia, Spain. Sunday 19 September 2010. (L to R): Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus with Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams Test Driver. Formula One World Championship, Rd 11, German Grand Prix, Qualifying Day, Hockenheim, Germany, Saturday, 24 July 2010
Williams will run Pastor Maldonado and Dean Stoneman during the young driver test, which will take place at the Yas Marina Circuit following November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The two-day test is scheduled to get underway on November 17.

Venezuelan Maldonado recently took championship honours in the 2010 GP2 Series, while Briton Stoneman took the title in this year’s FIA Formula Two Championship. Williams also confirmed Valtteri Bottas will remain as the team’s test driver in 2011.

“We are delighted to have the two reigning champions of the two strongest feeder series for Formula One in the FW32 for these two test days,” said Williams team principal Frank Williams. “Valtteri fought hard for his third place in this year's Formula Three Euroseries, taking two wins and six podiums in a very competitive year.

“He also set a record with his second consecutive victory in the Formula Three Masters. He has worked hard both on and off the track and learnt a great deal. We continue to see talent, discipline and dedication and are happy to help foster that further in 2011."

The young driver test will be the first of two opportunities for the teams to prepare for the 2011 season before the end of the year. The other will be a Pirelli tyre test, which is also scheduled to take place at Yas Marina in the days following the Abu Dhabi season finale.

source http://www.formula1.com