F1-Blog

The qualifying session started with some strange occurrences, even though Renault asked the German Stewards over turned an FIA injunction about the mass damper system, they still decided not to run the system on the car, worried the FIA would overturn it and penalise Renault.

The SA06 of Takuma Sato showed it had a little better pace than the 'Orange Arrows' car that they have been running by popping in between the two Midland cars.

Trulli started his weekend off badly in the Toyota, when his new specification RX06 engine gave up on him in practice and he has had to take a 10 place penalty for replacing it.

The qualifying proper showed up some strange issues as well, the Renault's had very little pace, all the grid believed they had been sand bagging in practice, but it seems that it is not the case. Fisichella was the fastest Renault only getting the 5th spot.

The Ferrari cars where both quick, Massa making the first showing of speed, with Michael close behind. The two Scarlet cars are 2nd and 3rd for Sundays race.

The surprise of the day though was the McLaren of Kimi. Not only did he pop it onto pole on Mercedes home grand prix, he did it in style setting a 1:14:070 with race fuel. Michael could only manage a 1:14:205, this proves that the McLaren team have certainly found some pace over the last couple of weeks, or that they are running Kimi very light indeed.

The tyre war looks to be closer this weekend as well. Michelin have brought a new 'experimental' tyre to the race and it seems (in Qualifying at least) to have brought the Michelin teams back up to the same performance level as the Bridgestone teams.

Let's hope the race turns out to be a good one, the track has a few good overtaking opportunities, and with Alonso so far back on the grid, we should get to see some good driving. 

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If you would like to see allof the free practice from the Friday sessions of the German Grand Prix then head over to EasyNews

Free Practice Download

The German Grand Prix is this weekend, and as usual it will be airing on ITV in the UK.

Saturday - 12:10 Qualifying

Sunday - 12:00 Race Live

Sunday - 23:15 Race Highlights

And for our American readers, SpeedTV are showing it at

Saturday -08:00ET Qualifying

Sunday - 06:00ET GP2

Sunday - 07:30ET Race Live

Sunday - 12:30ET Race Repeat

Enjoy the race! 

After the FIA banned the mass damping system that Renault are running in the nose of their car, the German stewards have deemed it ok to use.

The FIA will take this to the FIA International Court of Appeal, however it is unlikely that the matter will be cleaned up before the Hunagrian Grand Prix.

It has been announced that Jarno Trulli an Toyota have signed a contract that will keep them together until 2009.

Jarno said "I am 100% sure of Toyota's potential and of its chances of challenging for the Formula One World Championship, I am therefore more than happy to continue my excellent relationship with the team into the longer term and to try to achieve our common goals."

This tells us two things, one that Jarno is obviously valued in the team, as his contract will now run for 2 years longer than Ralph Schumacher's (overpriced) contract, and that Toyota will be in the sport until 2009 at least, the worry was that the company would switch from full works outfit, to engine supply partner with Williams.

Trulli commented on the contract, saying "I am really pleased with the contract because it means that also they trust me, they trust in the driver line-up and the work I have done up to now.

"We are going through a difficult stage of Formula One and a lot of things will change during next year and that's why we both agreed to stick to a long-term contract because continuity is the only way to build up something important," 

Williams F1 have announced the much rumoured deal with Toyota for the supply of engines in 2007.

The three year deal was signed Wednesday night, and will give the team manufacturer support again after loosing the BMW engine partnership.

The team will run the same specification RVX-07/8/9 engines as the works Toyota team. Both sides of the deal are keen to stress however that this is an engine supply deal only, and not a development partnership. However with Toyota having two world class teams doing the development work things are bound to rub off.

John Howett (Toyota Motorsport President) said "We are pleased to be selected as the engine provider to Williams and look forward to establish a strong relationship with them, We look forward to both teams using each other as a comparative benchmark from which each can improve its own performance and to competing with each other at the front of the grid."

However the previous speculation had the Williams team running the engines branded as Lexus, however this seems to not be the case. Instead the Williams car will have a 'Powered by Toyota' Logo on the cowling instead, Toyota then hoping that the association with the Williams team will have the same influence as Ford enjoyed with the 'Powered by Cosworth' stickers that they used in Rally.

This will hopefully help the Williams team out with sponsors, as another rumour has the Budweiser sponsorship the team currently have pulling out sometime soon. 

Williams are also a proven race and title winning organisation, and Toyota are desperate to win before Honda, and it looks like in any way possible.

What is to become of the works team has not been mentioned, there will obviously be a good amount of rivalry between the two teams, as the Midland team that currently run the engines are not a real challenge. That too has not been mentioned, will Toyota keep up the supply to the Midland racing team? or will Cosworth take over there. 

News in the press has Damon Hill making a competitive return to racing in the GP Masters series.

He is planning to join the ranks of Mansell, Fitipaldi and rumours of Prost are abound as well.

The word on the street is that he will compete in the Silverstone race planned for the August 13th.

Hill had always said after quiting F1 in 1999 after a bad season with the Jordan team that he would never race competitvly again, however he is now quoted with saying “You should never say never,”. What has brought on this need to return? Recently Hill had a run in a Mercedes DTM car at Brands Hatch and said “Driving that car made me think twice about not racing again." Also he was never really in the sport competing directly with Nigel Mansell (the current star of GPM), and says he regretted never having the chance to race him, this series woul obviously allow that to happen, 

"I never did get the chance to race against him properly in Formula 1, because the timing just wasn’t right,” he said.

“In fact, I spent most of my early career being a test monkey for Nigel so I would love to get out there and give him a run for his money.”

So even if our boy Jenson is struggling in F1, it's nice to know our 'old boys' are still kicking the proverbial.

With so many great names already signed up for the series, and more coming (if Prost does arrive), the GP Masters may become more interesting to watch than the current F1 series! 

F1 is certainly looking up!

Britsh model Keeley Hazell, the new female face of the Playstation 'Formula One 2006' computer game, waits in the Midland F1 Racing Team garage for a photocall before the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire, central England, June 11, 2006.

I may have to get another PS2 and pick this title up ;) 

The striking, yet ugly aero additions to the nose of BMW Sauber car that we saw at the last race are to be banned.

A statement issued by the FIA says :

In view of recent developments to bodywork forward of the cockpit opening on some cars, we have become concerned that these devices may impair the forward and/or lateral vision of the driver.

Therefore, under Article 2.3 of the F1 Technical Regulations, unless any team concerned can clearly demonstrate to the satisfaction of the technical delegate and the stewards that their driver's vision is not impaired in any way by such devices, no bodywork higher than the top of the front roll structure will be permitted forward of it."

BMW's man at the top Mario Theissen commented on the statement saying :

The vertical wings obviously presented a new aero solution within the rules," he said. "We, however, respect the FIA's decision to ban such elements. The knowledge we gained from this will be included in our future development programmes."

So does that mean that the BMW Sauber team have another generation of this sollution that will not be as gairish, or some other way to direct the airflow that does not rely on these towers.

At least all the other teams now know not to waist rescources on testing and developing there own variants of the devices. 

GP2 are holding their annual Winning Attitude Awards on the 10th of September, and they are asking for your input.

Pop along to the GP2 site and vote for things like who has the best driving style, overtaking maneuver of the year, and other interesting ones beside.

Pop along and vote for yourself.