2nd March 2010

Rally Mexico Preview - Citroën Junior Team set for Mexico debut

Following the wintery conditions of the Rally Sweden, the Citroën Junior Team now changes continent and surface to contest the first gravel round of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship season. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia and Kimi Räikkönen/Kaj Lindström will drive the team’s two Citroën C4 WRCs.

Having appeared on the World Rally Championship for the first time in 2004, the León-based event features the most concentrated rally route on the calendar this year. In fact, a full 354.60 kilometres out of a total route length of only 884.58 kilometres are run competitively. Another peculiarity of Rally Mexico is that competitors will be driving at an altitude of almost 2800 metres at one point on the opening day (Ortega, SS2 and SS6). Citroën comes into the event fresh from three consecutive victories in Mexico, between 2006 and 2008. Nonetheless, the Rally Mexico will be an all-new experience for the Citroën Junior Team, which goes there for the first time.

Since making their World Rally Championship debut two years ago, Sébastien and Julien have climbed onto the overall podium (thanks to second place in Greece last year) and finished eighth in the 2009 World Rally Championship for drivers. In Sweden, their fifth place ensured that they beat several local Scandinavian specialists. So in Mexico, the French duo’s objective will be to at least equal that result.

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström will continue their learning curve on the gravel of Mexico. Following their first rally on the snowy tracks of Sweden in February, the Finnish crew now faces a new challenge on a very different surface.

“What I love about rallying is that you have to be competitive on all sorts of different surfaces,” said Kimi. “After my experience on snow, now I’m going to find out about driving on gravel. I really don’t know what to expect, but that is all part of our learning process. I’m very much looking to driving the Citroën C4 WRC in these challenging conditions and getting as many kilometres under my belt as I can, in order to add to my experience.”

Three questions to… Kimi Räikkönen

Looking back on it now, what conclusions can you draw from your first event in the World Rally Championship with the Citroën Junior Team C4 WRC?

“The really positive thing is that we managed to cover all the stages on the Rally Sweden and we learned a lot. We could have done better overall had it not been for some small mistakes but we managed to improve our stage times as the rally went on. That was our initial objective. The second run through the stages was better for us. I also felt a big difference once I became more confident with my pace notes. With more experience, things should get increasingly easier.”

Mexico will be the first time that you drive the Citroën C4 WRC on gravel. Do you think that you will find this surface easier than snow?

“I’m really looking forward to starting the Rally Mexico. My impression is that driving on gravel should be a little bit easier for us. Or at least that’s what Marcus Grönholm told me! I reckon that we will find a more consistent level of grip on gravel. But for the moment I’m still lacking experience. I just need to get more kilometres in the car in order to get used to the Citroën C4 WRC in particular and rallying in general.”

How are you going to approach the Rally Mexico?”

My plan had initially been to take part in a test session on gravel, in order to get to know the Citroën C4 WRC a bit better on a new surface for me. But unfortunately I experienced a bit of back pain that stopped me from driving. I’ve had some treatment now but I preferred to rest before leaving for Mexico. Of course I would have liked to test the car before going, but it was important to recuperate in order to start the second rally of the season in the best possible physical shape.”

Courtesy of Citroen Racing Communication.

Source - Kimi’s Official Website

Image (c) Craig Boon

Ferrari’s president Luca di Montezemolo has given a strong hint that the Italian team will soon switch its focus on to its 2010 car.

Its been suggested that Ferrari will forfeit this season to get ready to fight for the title again in 2010, as the F60 has failed to win a race this year or prove a match for the championship leaders Brawn GP and Red Bull Racing. 

He told RTL “I am confident that we can improve our performance into the next race. But it is going to be difficult if not impossible to dramatically change the car within this season without any tests. Soon we will concentrate fully on next year’s car,” 

He also went on to blame uncertainty over rules at the start of the season - in particular over the legality of the ‘double decker’ diffusers and the problems the introduction of KERS has caused.

Image (c) Bridgestone Corporation

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Williams have been temporarily suspended from the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA). It follows Monday’s confirmation that Williams have lodged a formal entry for next year’s championship, despite the ongoing dispute between the teams and the FIA over the 2010 regulations.

“FOTA’s decision, although regrettable, is understandable,” said team principal Frank Williams after the news emerged from a meeting of team bosses in London on Wednesday. “However, as a racing team and a company whose only business is Formula One, with obligations to our partners and our employees, submitting our entry to next year’s championship was unquestionable.

“In addition, we are legally obliged under our contract with FOM and the FIA to participate in the world championship until the end of 2012.”

Teams have until this Friday (May 29) to submit their entries for 2010, but several have suggested they will not do so unless the FIA modifies plans to introduce an optional £40 million budget cap in exchange for more technical freedom.

During last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix all ten teams wrote to the FIA, requesting that the existing 2009 technical rules be retained for next season to allow more time for the future framing of the Formula One regulations to be considered.

Source - F1.com

Image (c) Bridgestone Corporation

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Dear friends,

I want to thank you personally for the numerous messages of support we received from all over the world over the last hours on our website and via email. It is important to know that we can count on the support of our fans all over the world and that our fans completely share the motivations, which brought us to take such a decision. If we were forced to leave the Championship we were part of over the last 60 years of our history and where we set all the records in terms of victories, it is because they want to change the nature of its founding values.

If it really was like that, then I have to say that our cars will race in other competitions, where – and I am absolutely convinced about that – they will find the enthusiasm and the passion of millions of fans, following us in every corner of the world. Racing is part of Ferrari’s DNA and this is something that will never change.

Luca di Montezemolo

Image (c) Bridgestone Corporation

Press Release - World Motor Sport Council 

30/04/2009 

An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council was held in Paris on 29 April 2009. The following decisions were taken:

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2010 FIA Formula One World Championship

Applications to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship are to be submitted to the FIA during the period 22-29 May 2009. Teams must state in their application whether they wish to compete under cost-cap regulations. 

The maximum number of cars permitted to enter the Championship has been increased to 26, two being entered by each competitor. 

The FIA will publish the list of cars and drivers accepted on 12 June 2009, having first notified unsuccessful applicants. 

Cost Cap Regulations 

From 2010, all teams will have the option to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent cost cap.  

The cost cap for 2010 will be £40m per annum*. This figure will cover all team expenditure except: 

• Marketing and hospitality;
• Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes;
• Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA;
• Engine costs (for 2010 only);
• Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship;
• Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship.

* For the purposes of these Regulations, the financial year is 1 January to 31 December.   

A new Costs Commission is being set up to monitor and enforce these cost-cap financial regulations. The Costs Commission will consist of a Chairman and two other Commissioners, appointed by the WMSC for terms of three years.   

One Commissioner should be a finance expert and the other should have high level experience in motor sport. The Chairman should have appropriate experience and standing in motor sport or sports governance. All members of the Costs Commission shall be independent of all teams.  

In addition to the payments which it already makes to the top ten teams in the Championship, Formula One Management, the commercial rights holder, has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to the new teams. This includes an annual payment of US$10 million to each team plus free transportation of two chassis and freight up to 10,000 kg in weight (not including the two chassis) as well as 20 air tickets (economy class) for each round trip for events held outside Europe.  

To be eligible for this, each new team must qualify as a “Constructor” and demonstrate that it has the necessary facilities, financial resources and technical competence to compete effectively in Formula One.  

To enable these cars to compete with those from teams which are not subject to cost constraints, the cost-capped cars will be allowed greater technical freedom.  

The principal technical freedoms allowed are:  

1. Movable wings, front and rear. 

2. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit.  

The teams will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing.  

Changes applicable to all teams  

It was confirmed that from 2010, refuelling during a race will be forbidden in order to save the costs of transporting refuelling equipment and increase the incentive for engine builders to improve fuel economy (to save weight).   

It was also confirmed that tyre blankets will be banned and that the ban on other tyre-heating devices will be maintained. 

Full details plus information on further amendments to the 2010 Sporting and Technical Regulations will be available shortly on www.fia.com.  

By exception, if supported by the Safety Commission, the FIA WMSC may approve the issue of the Formula One Super Licence to persons judged by the Council to have met the intent of the qualification process.   

Source - FIA

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