DoxCar.CoM:

Stoner unconcerned about win-less year

By Pablo Elizalde and Toby Moody

Thursday, September 2nd 2010, 16:50 GMT

Casey Stoner says he has no concerns about finishing the 2010 with no wins, as he feels he is riding as well as ever.

The Ducati rider, the 2007 world champion, has finished on the podium five times this year, but has been unable to climb on the top step so far.

Despite the lack of results, however, Stoner says he has been very happy with his performances.

“Not at all, to be honest,” Stoner said when asked if he was concerned about finishing the season with no wins. “I’m happy with my riding. When I get really angry is when there’s something definitely wrong or with myself, because I don’t think I’ve been performing for some reason.

“But this year to be honest I’m really happy with the way I’m riding, training, everything, I’m very happy. I can’t be disappointed with that.

“Of course I’m disappointed with my results and that’s why I’m taking a few more risks with set-up. But nothing to be worked up about. I just have to forget about this year at the end of it.

“We still have some more races to do and we are trying to get a little bit more speed. But it’s been a difficult season. I can’t seem to get more out of myself or the bike.”

He added: “I’m not getting desperate. Like I said I would be if I wasn’t happy with my performances or I’d be really angry if things were constantly going wrong. They aren’t constantly going wrong.

“We just don’t have enough speed. I’m happy with the way I’m riding, my attitude… We are trying to get some solutions to improve the results, but that’s it.”

The Australian, who will ride for Honda next year, believes last weekend’s race at Indianapolis would have been his best chance to fight for victory had he not crashed out.

And Stoner admits he is unlikely to be able to have a better chance in the remaining races of the year.

“The best opportunity I had to win was in Indianapolis and even there I think Dani was just a little bit faster and I might have been able to finish second quite confidently. We definitely had the speed for that. There’s no circuits coming up. We’ve got to find some genius thing which if I haven’t found by now I don’t think we are going to.

“Normally at the start of the season we are struggling and slowly get the bike better. But we got the bike working pretty well at the beginning of the season and we haven’t been able to improve it, so I don’t think there’s anything more to come.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Yamamoto to retain Hispania seat

Colin Kolles has confirmed that Sakon Yamamoto is to remain at HRT for the foreseeable future.

Yamamoto was originally drafted in as a one-off at the British Grand Prix as replacement for Bruno Senna, but since then he has filled in for Karun Chandhok in the other seat.

And after suggestions in Belgium that Yamamoto will now see out the season, team principal Kolles has said that he sees no reason to replace the Japanese.

“I think that both drivers are doing a good job,” explained Kolles. “We had the best qualifying result in Spa so far and Sakon’s lap times were at the same level as Kovalainen’s and Glock’s in the race. I think there is no reason to make any changes so far.”

Kolles said he was encouraged by the sponsor interest his team was gaining, and he is upbeat about its future.

“With more sponsors on board the situation is improving,” he said. “As I mentioned before, in F1 you need a lot of support and this is what we are trying to achieve.
“Obviously this is a positive sign but we have to work hard to get as much sponsorship as possible for 2011.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Massa grid error prompts FIA probe

The FIA has launched an investigation into why Felipe Massa was able to start the Belgian Grand Prix slightly ahead of his grid slot without the error getting picked up at the time.

Amateur video footage that appeared on the Internet in the days after the race showed that Massa came to a stop on the grid slightly in front of where he should have been.

Massa’s wrong positioning was in theory a breach of the regulations, but FIA race director Charlie Whiting received no information from the marshals at the track that the Brazilian had stopped in the wrong place - and the electronic systems in place on the grid did not detect it either - in time for a jump start penalty to be imposed.

With rival teams unaware of Massa’s error, so not complaining to the FIA, the matter was not looked at in any more detail before the Belgian GP results were made official on Sunday night - which means no further action on the incident could be taken.

However, although Massa escaped punishment for what happened, the FIA has promised to look into why the wrong positioning was not picked up at the time.

“The problem was not brought to the attention of the FIA race director by either the marshals nor the automatic jump start system in time to be able to apply the appropriate penalty for jump starts,” said an FIA spokeswoman.

“As no further information or complaints were received before the publication of the official result on Sunday night, the classification of the Belgian Grand Prix will now remain unchanged.

“The FIA are investigating the causes of the apparent failures in communication with race control in order to ensure a repetition is not possible.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Tracy eyes top six at Kentucky

Paul Tracy is optimistic that he can get Dreyer & Reinbold into the top six when he returns to the team for this weekend’s IndyCar Series race at Kentucky.

The 2003 Champ Car champion will contest the next two events for DRR while the injured Mike Conway continues his recovery.

Tracy said he had been highly encouraged by his DRR team-mate Justin Wilson’s run from 23rd to seventh at Chicagoland this weekend, and is aiming for a similar performance.

“It’s encouraging when you see teams like D&R, a much smaller operation than a Penske or Ganassi, come from the back and race their way to the front,” he said. “It’s the type of racing that can be done if you get the car right.

“They have some things they learned from the final practice and the race that they think are going to help the car in qualifying trim. Hopefully we can have Justin and I have good starting positions and race well together and both get solid top-10 finishes.

“If it’s like Chicagoland, for sure the first third of the race, because I haven’t done that style of racing in a while, it’s going to take me a little bit to get my feet back under me and get used to whatever situation you have to get into. But as the race progresses, hopefully we’ll be running towards the front.

“Are we going to come there and win the race? It’s a pretty lofty goal. But I think a realistic expectation is to finish in the top 10. If things go really well, have a good, solid finish like Justin had [at Chicagoland], maybe even a top five or six.”

Tracy’s deal is currently for Kentucky and Motegi only, but the Canadian - who also had an outing with Dreyer & Reinbold at Watkins Glen - said he would be open to stepping in again at Homestead if Conway was not fit enough to return for the season finale.

“There’s a possibility that he could be ready to run. It’s his car,” Tracy said. “From that standpoint, if he comes back, that’s great for him. But if he doesn’t, then I hope that we can have a good couple races and hopefully the natural decision will be for me to continue.”

The Canadian added that he is working hard to ensure he has at least one more full season in IndyCar before retiring.

He has not had a full-time drive since the 2007 Champ Car season, and even that was interrupted by injury. This year has seen him contest a handful of rounds for KV Racing alongside his Dreyer & Reinbold appearances.

“I would hazard a guess that I will be running next year in some capacity, whether it’s one or five [races] or maybe the whole season, I don’t know yet,” he said.

“But my focus right now is to try to put together a full-season programme. I’d like to run another year or two and have some type of a farewell tour for myself to finish my career off after putting 20 years into the sport.

“So that’s what I’m focusing on. If that happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, then we just pick and choose the races that we can put the programmes together for.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Meeke signs for Mini WRC programme

Kris Meeke has signed to drive for Mini in the World Rally Championship next year, this week’s AUTOSPORT magazine reveals.

Reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Meeke denied any deal had been done with the Prodrive team that will run Mini’s WRC return, but AUTOSPORT understands that an agreement is in place.

A source close to Prodrive said: “The deal with Kris is done. [Prodrive chairman] David Richards has talked a great deal about having a British driver and he’s been as good as his word.”

Meeke said: “My focus remains on this year and winning rallies with Peugeot.”

Peugeot UK is known to have contacted drivers about replacing Meeke in its IRC programme for next season.

AUTOSPORT has learned that double WRC champion Marcus Gronholm will test the new Mini Countryman WRC for the first time in Portugal next week, after which he is set to decide whether he will sign for the team.

Former Junior champion and Suzuki WRC driver P-G Andersson also has an offer from Mini for 2011.

For more details about Mini’s 2011 WRC plans, read this week’s AUTOSPORT magazine, also available in digital form.

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DoxCar.CoM:

Pirelli confirms WRC exit

Pirelli has elected to turn its back on the World Rally Championship next year in a move that will see it concentrate its efforts on Formula 1, AUTOSPORT has learned.

The Italian tyre company won the battle to secure the supply deal for F1 next year, and it has already begun testing its rubber on a Toyota TF109.

Despite its return to F1, Pirelli had been expected to remain in the World Rally Championship.

However, AUTOSPORT has learned that it did not submit an application to the FIA to supply tyres to the WRC in 2011 before last night’s deadline, citing the lack of rule stability in the series as the reason for its withdrawal.

Pirelli has supplied the WRC with a control tyre for the last three years in an €11.5m investment with the sport’s governing body, the FIA.

For next season, however, Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery says the firm will focus its attentions on Formula 1.

“The first point to make here is the way the rules have been changed,” Hembery told AUTOSPORT. “There have been three significant rule changes in the last nine months - and, possibly, an even more significant change coming in 2012.

“In December we tendered for another three-year deal to supply tyres for WRC. Once again, our tender was set out to provide finance for continued investment in the FIA, in the sport’s promoter and, of course in the Pirelli Star Driver scheme which we financed from its inception in 2008.

“That three-year tender was rejected and we were offered a one-year extension on the same terms as the current three-year deal, then a one-year deal on the new tender conditions - that was something we felt was unacceptable.

“And now we come to the current regulation, which we feel is neither a control tyre scenario or competition. And, based on the experiences we have had in GT racing, where regulations similar to those in the WRC were open to interpretation and were flexible if a [tyre] manufacturer was having some difficulties. We explained those issues [to the FIA] and we have had no significant response. These rules leave a lot to be desired and we have communicated these limitations to the FIA.

“Overall it just feels that we were not wanted in the sport despite delivering run-flat technology, a Tarmac-specification tyre [which is] fully EEC road homologated, an offer to bring self-sealing, puncture-resistance to the sport, aromatic oil-free tyres and, of course, a level puncture resistance that was unheard of before 2008. We leave the sport with our head held high, having supported the series through some of the most difficult economic conditions ever experienced.”

Hembery said Pirelli would continue to be involved in rallying, adding: “We have always been involved in the sport and we will continue to do so. We will remain in national championships and we will also look at the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, where we can have proper competition.

“We won the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening IRC round, this season with one car against a rival with many cars – so we know we can be competitive.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Honda: Plato tough to beat

Jason Plato is the clear favourite to win the British Touring Car Championship this year, according to his title rival Matt Neal.
Honda driver Neal lies third in the standings, 23 points behind Plato and five adrift of Tom Onslow-Cole after amassing only two podium finishes from the six races at Snetterton and Silverstone.
He reckons that it will be difficult to overhaul the Chevrolet man over the remaining three rounds.
“Jason’s going to be very tough to beat for the rest of the season,” Neal told AUTOSPORT. “The main thing is that he has the advantage in the points, and you’d always take the points over the potential for scoring them.
“The Chevrolet is a good car and its run by a good team [RML] and it seems to handle well as well as being quite quick down the straights. Jason knows how to finish races, so it will be tough to catch him.”
Neal said that he and his Honda team-mate Gordon Shedden, who have won six races between them this year, will go all-out in the remaining races, starting at Knockhill this weekend, to close the gap to Plato.
“At least we’re going to some places that our car likes now with Knockhill and Donington, so we’ll just roll our sleeves up. We’ve got nothing to lose.”
Shedden, fourth in the championship, will be racing in front of his home crowd at Knockhill.
He knows that consistent podium finishes will be crucial to keep both drivers in the hunt for title honours.
“For us Honda, the last few circuits have been tough,” he said. “Silverstone and Snetterton really didn’t suit the characteristics of our car.
“However, now we’re moving onto three circuits with a lot more corners and braking points, and that’s where the Civic is particularly strong.
“We’ll be biting at their necks for sure. We need to make sure we’re in the mix enough that come finals day at Brands Hatch, we’re both in the fight for the championship.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Massa says pressure is on Ferrari

Felipe Massa says the pressure will be on Ferrari to deliver a strong result on home ground in Italy next week - as it bids to get itself back in the hunt for the world championship.

On the back of a disappointing Belgian Grand Prix, where Ferrari was no match for Red Bull Racing and McLaren, the outfit lost big ground in the points standings when Alonso crashed out.

And with just six races to go, Ferrari needs to recover the lost ground quickly if it is going to keep its title hopes alive.

Speaking ahead of the countdown to Monza, Massa said: “That will be a great event, racing in front of our tifosi, but the reality is that it will be a very important race, because after the less that satisfactory performance in Belgium, the championship is not looking so easy for us.

“We need to keep pushing for the last six races, trying to be back in the fight for wins or at least as many podiums as possible. For sure it won’t be easy.”

Massa admitted that Ferrari had been expecting more from the Belgian Grand Prix – especially when its pace looked so good during Friday practice.

“Looking back a couple of days to the Belgian Grand Prix, I started sixth and finished fourth, so at a certain level, I could say that I had a good race. However, in terms of the result and in terms of the championship and the points total for Ferrari, it was not enough.

“Given the difficult conditions, with the weather changing several times during the race, this was a positive performance in difficult conditions. However it was not what I expected, or what the team had hoped for, given the fact that in Spa, the car was not as competitive as it had been in the two previous races in Hungary and Germany.

“This was probably another example of how, this year, the situation in terms of which teams are competitive, has been governed by the nature of the track.”

Massa will be returning to the Hungaroring this weekend for a special appearance at the Ferrari Racing Days event. He will also demonstrate a Ferrari 2008 car.

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DoxCar.CoM:

Petronas extends Malaysian GP deal

Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas has signed a new five-year deal to title-sponsor the Asian country’s grand prix.

The new agreement will see Petronas sponsor the Sepang race until 2015.

The oil company has sponsored the event since it took place for the first time in 1999.

“Apart from the continuous benefits our businesses and brand receive through the Formula One exposure, our extension of the agreement to partner Formula One reflects our long-term commitment and continued dedication to support efforts to position Malaysia as a major motorsport hub and tourist destination,” said Mohd Medan Abdullah, senior general manager, corporate services division Petronas.

“The economic activities during the Grand Prix period have also benefited a growing number of local industries - particularly those in the tourism, food and beverage, transportation and related services sectors.

“More importantly, this also signals the growing importance of Formula One to Asia, particularly to the businesses related to this premier sporting event, including the automotive, oil and gas industries.”

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DoxCar.CoM:

Pirelli ahead of schedule after test

Pirelli claims it is ahead of schedule with the preparations for its Formula 1 return following the latest test at Paul Ricard in France this week.

The team has been using a TF109 and feedback from test driver Nick Heidfeld to bring on its development programme.

And following an intensive two day’s work at Paul Ricard, using various layout configurations of the French track, Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery is pleased with the efforts.

“We’re very happy with the progress we’ve made so far, which actually puts us slightly ahead of where we expected to be at this point in time,” said Hembery.

“We worked through an initial development programme that has given us a useful insight into the performance of our prototype tyres under a wide range of conditions, corners and speeds.

“We’ve been hugely encouraged by what we’ve seen up to now, and that’s been helped by both Nick’s clear and precise feedback, as well as all the different possibilities afforded to us by the Paul Ricard circuit.”

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