2006 Monte Carlo Grand Prix - Race 7/18

Senna to test STR at end of year - Berger

Gerhard Berger has denied rumours in the Monte Carlo paddock that Bruno Senna, the nephew of his old McLaren teammate, could test a Toro Rosso car very soon.

''During the season it would be difficult,'' the Austrian, who half-owns the former Minardi squad, told the 'Salzburger Nachrichten' newspaper.

But Berger said: ''Perhaps at the end of the year.''
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Johnnie Walker salutes 40years of progress at McLaren

Johnnie Walker, the world's number one selling Scotch Whisky today presented Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group and Team McLaren Mercedes Team Principal with a handcrafted bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label decorated with Steinmetz diamonds to celebrate McLaren's 40th anniversary in Grand Prix racing.

The bottle was presented by Paul Walsh, CEO Diageo on the steps of the Team McLaren Mercedes Communications Centre in the Formula 1 paddock.

Earlier in the month Ron Dennis visited the home of Johnnie Walker at the Cardhu distillery to help view some of the casks selected for this historic Blue Label blend.

Monaco is a significant location for both Johnnie Walker and McLaren, with McLaren's Formula 1 debut being at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1966, while Johnnie Walker first appeared on the Monaco track in the mid-seventies.

"There is a natural and historic fit between Johnnie Walker, McLaren and Monaco, both brands have become synonymous with the sophistication and glamour epitomised by this special race," said Ben Anderson, global brand director of Johnnie Walker.

"As a partner of Team McLaren Mercedes, Johnnie Walker is delighted to be here in Monaco to celebrate this historic milestone with the team."

Ron Dennis said "I was invited to the home of Johnnie Walker to see the whisky distillation process for myself and was amazed at how many rare and distinctive whiskies come together to create Blue Label. It was a pleasure to meet Jim Beveridge, the master blender who explained the intriguing art of blending and the attention to detail that goes into creating this excellent blend."

Throughout the Grand Prix weekend Johnnie Walker continues to demonstrate its commitment to responsible drinking through the 'Pit Stop' promotion located at Monaco railway station.

The activity was launched on Wednesday by a personal appearance by Juan Pablo Montoya, who arrived by train and helped the Johnnie Walker Pit Stop crew to raise consumer awareness on how to enjoy the Monaco Grand Prix responsibly.
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Mika: Kimi should stay at McLaren

Two time world champion Mika Hakkinen feels that Kimi Raikkonen has a better chance of achieving lasting success by staying with McLaren.

The 38-year-old has been a long-term driver for Mercedes but won both his world championships in a McLaren. He says that Raikkonen would be better served by looking to solve the problems with his team rather than searching for a new one.

"Personally I believe Kimi should continue with McLaren-Mercedes," the Mercedes DTM star told Autosport magazine.

"I think he should work closely with the team and focus on the problems and try to make things better.

"Maybe it doesn't come for the next race, or the race after, or even this year, but you have to look long-term at what is the best."

There has been plenty of speculation that Raikkonen will join Ferrari next season, with some pundits saying it is already a done deal.

But Hakkinen, who only drove for two teams in his F1 career - Lotus (1991-'92) and McLaren ('93-'01), warned Raikonnen that a switch in teams could damage his long-term prospects in the sport.

"If you start jumping left, right and centre, suddenly you realise 10 years have gone by," he said.

"It's a tough one, of course. It's difficult for a young driver to make a decision.

"The question is: do you want to win it 10 times or do you want to win it once."
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Hmmm....

"If you start jumping left, right and centre, suddenly you realise 10 years have gone by," he said.

Coooeeeee?? Button? Read that ^^^ :D :p
 
Changes at Spa

The Societe Wallonne de Gestion et de Participations (SOGEPA), a company owned by the regional government of the Belgian region of Wallonia, has announced a restructuring of the company that runs the Spa Francorchamps racing circuit.

SOGEPA exists to invest in companies that will help develop the economy of the region and has now decided to take over the company and replace the current management with a new board of directors headed by socialist politicians Libert Froidmont (who is head of SOGEPA) and Jean-Louis Rolle.

The next step is to sign a new contract for a Grand Prix and then work out who will promote the races at the Francorchamps.
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Ferrari reject tyre favouritism claims

Renault boss Flavio Briatore should stop complaining that current Bridgestone teams will gain a significant advantage in 2007 when the Japanese company becomes the sole tyre supplier in Formula One, according to Ross Brawn.

Ferrari's technical director said on Thursday at Monaco that Briatore has only one company to blame if his team are disadvantaged next year - and that is Michelin.

"The situation we have coming in 2007 is because Michelin decided to withdraw from the sport," said the Englishman. "Those teams that are now unhappy about the situation should go and complain to Michelin.

"It's Michelin's fault that they decided to withdraw from the sport. Briatore should complain to Michelin rather than Ferrari, Bridgestone or the FIA."

Briatore said this month that he feared Ferrari, who have a close relationship with Japan's Bridgestone, will be favoured when his team's partners Michelin pull out at the end of the season.

"If we are all on Bridgestone next year, then if you use them already you will surely have an advantage," said Briatore. "I believe what the FIA and Bridgestone need to do is to change the compound and change the construction completely.

"I don't think it is fair to give an advantage to some teams - whoever those teams are. I don't care if it is just Ferrari. I believe we need to have equal possibility to do our job."

Brawn admitted that the current Bridgestone teams will have some advantage next year, even though the tyre company is likely to take "one or two steps back" in the specification of its rubber in 2007.

"There is no doubt that the teams that have built a relationship with Bridgestone will benefit from having done that," he said. "That's entirely fair and proper."

Formula One teams and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) have agreed formally to move to a single tyre supplier from 2008, with the governing body announcing a tender for that contract earlier in the week.
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Briatore, Todt want less technology in F1

Formula One needs to be more entertaining and less technology-driven, Renault and Ferrari team bosses agreed on Thursday.

"I would say that Formula One, in my opinion, does not need as its first priority technical challenge," Ferrari's Jean Todt told a Monaco Grand Prix news conference.

"It needs show, it needs people fighting on the track. And very often, with the more technology you have, the less opportunity you give to the drivers to fight on the track."

Flavio Briatore suggested that those teams calling for more technology were those who had delivered least.

"Everybody talks about technology and fighting for technology but it's the people who have never won a race, or it's a team that won a race eight or nine years ago," he said.

"If somebody needs to talk about technology, then it is Renault and Ferrari... I believe like Jean says that we need real racing. What we need is overtaking, we need people enthusiastic to watch Formula One."

Formula One's next big battle is over the technical regulations for 2008 now that peace has broken out between the major carmakers and the commercial rights holders over the division of revenues after years of debate.

Some manufacturers are eager for the sport to remain the pinnacle of motor racing through cutting-edge technology, while others and the governing body are adamant that costs must be slashed to ensure smaller teams can compete and survive.

Todt and Briatore said they were happy with the FIA's proposed technical rules for 2008, the first season after the expiry of the current commercial agreement.

"We don't need to negotiate any more because already we have seen how long it takes to negotiate a commercial deal," said Briatore.

"Three years ago we had a better deal. Now we have signed a worse deal and it has taken six years to put this together."
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Senna name back on track in Monaco

The name Senna has as much resonance in Monaco as the reverberating roar of Formula One cars howling through the tunnel and along the harbourside.

This weekend, 12 years since three times world champion Ayrton Senna crashed and died in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the name is back.

Bruno Senna, 22-year-old nephew of the great Brazilian who won a record six times in the Mediterranean principality including five in a row, is competing in a Porsche support race.

He is not just along for the ride, either.

"My main reason to come here was to learn the track for the future," he told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

That future, inevitably, is Formula One but Senna is prepared to bide his time.

"The ultimate aim is not only Formula One, it's being successful there," he said. "There's no point in arriving there and being kicked out so that's why I'm not in a hurry. I need to get well prepared before getting there."

Bruno has racing in his blood. The son of Viviane Senna, Ayrton's sister, the resemblance to the late great is immediately apparent.

The two used to race go-karts together, with Bruno usually winning.

"I was too light, he couldn't keep up with me," he recalled. "I knew my way around the track very well because I had tested there every weekend. I would do the same laptimes as him...he could catch me on the corners but on the straights I just pulled away so he was a bit frustrated."

The idyll fell apart after Imola 1994. His grandfather, who had taken him to his kart races, lost interest and Bruno's father died in a motorcycle accident.

"No one was really keen to have me racing," said Senna. "So I kind of took that decision and I just stopped. But I never stopped liking it. No one ever told me to stop. My grandfather never mentioned it again. I think it was just enough and I was so young I couldn't really force anything."

When he was 18, his mother took him aside and asked what he wanted to do with his life. It was the chance he had been waiting for.

"I said 'Race'. First thing. She was surprised because it had been so long since I had spoken about it," recalled Senna.

"She said 'okay, let's try.' She wasn't taking me very seriously but after almost two years breaking ribs and everything she realised I really wanted to do it and gave me the opportunity of going to a race car."

The family name helped, as has Ayrton's former teammate and close friend Gerhard Berger - now the Toro Rosso part-owner in Formula One - but Senna has shown his talent too.

He has won three of the first four races in the British Formula Three championship this year - a series his uncle won in 1983 before moving directly into Formula One - in a team part-owned by McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

"It's not the name that drives the car, I drive the car," he said firmly.

One of those wins was in the rain at Donington Park, the circuit where his uncle took one of his most memorable victories in similar conditions in 1993.

There has been speculation already, particularly in Brazil where expectation is already at fever-pitch, that Berger could fast-track Senna into a drive at Toro Rosso but the Brazilian poured cold water on that prospect.

"Gerhard is always giving me good advice, he's always helped me with my career," said Senna. "But the only way he is going to give me an opportunity is if I really show potential and really do well. Right now there is nothing going on, and with no other Formula One teams as well."

That is not to say he has not been noticed.

"He's doing a good job isn't he?," Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Reuters. "It's not just the name. He's doing a good job without the name."

Frank Williams, the team boss in whose car Ayrton died, has also been kept up to date although he ruled out any suggestion of a test.

"Our experience has shown that there is a vast gulf actually between being a very successful F3 driver, and he is just beginning, and a worthwhile occupant of we hope a competitive grand prix seat. Quite a bit to go," he said.

"He's not on our radar at the present time."

That does not trouble Senna. On Friday, he was simply enjoying himself in the Monaco sunshine.

"It's a very good feeling, people are being very kind to me. Most of the people probably worked when Ayrton raced here and they are being very nice to me and telling me stories. It's a good reception," he said.
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Fabulous to see the same back at Monaco.

All we need now is to get him in the Lotus 96T and to hurl it round Estoril.....in the rain.. ;)
 
VIP passes for British GP auctioned

Formula One fans will get the opportunity to secure VIP access to the British Grand Prix, thanks to an online auction which goes live this weekend.

The auction, whose profits will all go to the Grand Prix Mechanics Charitable Trust, will allow fans to bid for paddock passes for all three days of the Grand Prix, provided by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

The winner will also get the opportunity to have lunch at the Williams team motorhome, as well as a private tour of the team's garage with former world champion Jackie Stewart, who will assist organisers.

"I cannot recall this sort of privileged access to the Grand Prix paddock area being made available to anyone outside the immediate world of F1," said Stewart. "It's a tribute to a whole range of people, particularly Bernie Ecclestone, that this has been possible.

"Their generosity will I am certain make this auction a tremendous success, benefiting in the process the good work undertaken by The Grand Prix Mechanics Charitable Trust which I founded in 1987 to help Grand Prix Mechanics in times of hardship."

The Grand Prix Mechanics Charitable Trust, formed by Stewart in 1987, is a charity providing help and support for former Formula One mechanics.

A similar auction raised nearly £15,000 (GBP) last year.

The auction will run on eBay from from 27th May to 4th June.
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£15'000 :eek: :eek: :eek:

YOUCH!
 
rpstewart said:
Would be nice wouldn't it...

He's taking a 97T up the hill at Goodwood this year which will be worth seeing. Doubt it'll have the same impact as JV in his old man's T3 though.
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Oooh...may have to get to Goodwood this year. :D

Although the T3 is a pretty special car. I always prefer the JPS Lotii...

May have to see if my mate has anything at Goodwood this year - snaffle a few passes. ;)

Simon/~Flibster
 
Edouard Michelin killed in boating accident

Michelin Managing Director, Edouard Michelin, has drowned in a boating accident in Brittany, he was 43.

He joined Michelin in 1985 and has held various posts in the fields of research, production and sales, first as Production Manager at the Puy-en-Velay (France) plant then as CEO of Michelin North America, where he was in charge of both industrial plant and truck UOT sales and distribution.

Co-opted as a Managing Partner in 1991, he joined François Michelin and René Zingraff in Clermont-Ferrand in mid '93, and was appointed Michelin's new head by the Annual Shareholders Meeting held on June 11, 1999.

Michelin was due to leave the company at the end of the year, having admitted that he was extremely distressed by events surrounding the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
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R.I.P. :(
 
Saturday Free Practice.
Code: 
[b]Pos	No	Driver			Team			Time[/b]
1	1	Fernando Alonso 	Renault			1:13.823		
2	5	Michael Schumacher 	Ferrari			1:14.031		
3	2	Giancarlo Fisichella 	Renault			1:14.056		
4	14	David Coulthard 	RBR-Ferrari		1:14.550		
5	10	Nico Rosberg		Williams-Cosworth	1:14.623		
6	4	Juan Pablo Montoya 	McLaren-Mercedes	1:14.785		
7	9	Mark Webber 		Williams-Cosworth	1:14.804		
8	6	Felipe Massa 		Ferrari			1:14.842		
9	12	Jenson Button 		Honda			1:15.020		
10	3	Kimi Räikkönen 		McLaren-Mercedes	1:15.124		
11	11	Rubens Barrichello 	Honda			1:15.283		
12	15	Christian Klien 	RBR-Ferrari		1:15.476		
13	16	Nick Heidfeld 		Sauber-BMW		1:15.591		
14	18	Tiago Monteiro 		MF1-Toyota		1:15.809		
15	19	Christijan Albers 	MF1-Toyota		1:16.066		
16	20	Vitantonio Liuzzi 	STR-Cosworth		1:16.147		
17	21	Scott Speed 		STR-Cosworth		1:16.201		
18	17	Jacques Villeneuve 	Sauber-BMW		1:16.285		
19	8	Jarno Trulli 		Toyota			1:16.456		
20	22	Takuma Sato 		Super Aguri-Honda	1:17.148		
21	7	Ralf Schumacher 	Toyota			1:17.860		
22	23	Franck Montagny 	Super Aguri-Honda	1:17.934

Sector Times - Free Practice 3

Code: 
[b]Sector 1[/b]
[b]Pos	No	Driver			Time[/b]
1	1	Fernando Alonso		19.505 
2	5	Michael Schumacher	19.512 
3	2	Giancarlo Fisichella	19.526 
4	10	Nico Rosberg		19.657 
5	4	Juan Pablo Montoya	19.682 
6	9	Mark Webber		19.707 
7	6	Felipe Massa		19.786 
8	16	Nick Heidfeld		19.798 
9	3	Kimi Räikkönen		19.841 
10	14	David Coulthard		19.847 
11	20	Vitantonio Liuzzi	19.917 
12	11	Rubens Barrichello	19.996 
13	12	Jenson Button		20.086 
14	17	Jacques Villeneuve	20.092 
15	15	Christian Klien		20.098 
16	21	Scott Speed		20.105 
17	8	Jarno Trulli		20.113 
18	19	Christijan Albers	20.116 
19	18	Tiago Monteiro		20.183 
20	22	Takuma Sato		20.487 
21	7	Ralf Schumacher		20.551 
22	23	Franck Montagny		20.628

Code: 
[b]Sector 2 [/b]
[b]Pos	No	Driver			Time[/b]
1	5	Michael Schumacher	36.477 
2	1	Fernando Alonso		36.513 
3	2	Giancarlo Fisichella	36.692 
4	10	Nico Rosberg		36.802 
5	4	Juan Pablo Montoya	36.804 
6	14	David Coulthard		36.851 
7	9	Mark Webber		36.999 
8	3	Kimi Räikkönen		37.000 
9	11	Rubens Barrichello	37.018 
10	12	Jenson Button		37.059 
11	6	Felipe Massa		37.138 
12	15	Christian Klien		37.342 
13	18	Tiago Monteiro		37.472 
14	16	Nick Heidfeld		37.588 
15	20	Vitantonio Liuzzi	37.609 
16	21	Scott Speed		37.682 
17	8	Jarno Trulli		37.705 
18	19	Christijan Albers	37.714 
19	17	Jacques Villeneuve	37.747 
20	22	Takuma Sato		38.208 
21	23	Franck Montagny		38.519 
22	7	Ralf Schumacher		38.639

Code: 
[b]Sector 3 [/b]
[b]Pos	No	Driver			Time[/b]
1	2	Giancarlo Fisichella	17.784 
2	1	Fernando Alonso		17.802 
3	14	David Coulthard		17.852 
4	12	Jenson Button		17.875 
5	6	Felipe Massa		17.918 
6	5	Michael Schumacher	17.956 
7	15	Christian Klien		17.972 
8	10	Nico Rosberg		17.987 
9	9	Mark Webber		17.992 
10	4	Juan Pablo Montoya	18.021 
11	18	Tiago Monteiro		18.120 
12	3	Kimi Räikkönen		18.148 
13	16	Nick Heidfeld		18.205 
14	19	Christijan Albers	18.236 
15	11	Rubens Barrichello	18.269 
16	17	Jacques Villeneuve	18.281 
17	23	Franck Montagny		18.348 
18	21	Scott Speed		18.377 
19	20	Vitantonio Liuzzi	18.431 
20	22	Takuma Sato		18.453 
21	8	Jarno Trulli		18.529 
22	7	Ralf Schumacher		18.546

Speed Trap

Code: 
[b]Pos	No	Driver			Time		Speed[/b]
1	6	Felipe Massa		11:57:10	283.7 
2	1	Fernando Alonso		12:00:38	282.5 
3	5	Michael Schumacher	11:30:21	281.8 
4	2	Giancarlo Fisichella	11:45:37	281.1 
5	17	Jacques Villeneuve	11:12:16	280.7 
6	3	Kimi Räikkönen		11:15:26	280.2 
7	16	Nick Heidfeld		12:00:22	279.8 
8	9	Mark Webber		11:39:43	279.6 
9	14	David Coulthard		11:43:32	278.9 
10	8	Jarno Trulli		11:59:07	278.4 
11	7	Ralf Schumacher		11:58:25	277.9 
12	20	Vitantonio Liuzzi	11:44:47	277.7 
13	10	Nico Rosberg		11:59:41	277.4 
14	11	Rubens Barrichello	11:54:23	277.2 
15	22	Takuma Sato		11:44:52	277.1 
16	4	Juan Pablo Montoya	11:13:55	277.0 
17	15	Christian Klien		11:34:01	276.6 
18	21	Scott Speed		11:57:02	276.0 
19	23	Franck Montagny		11:49:32	275.6 
20	19	Christijan Albers	11:41:56	275.0 
21	12	Jenson Button		11:54:17	273.4 
22	18	Tiago Monteiro		11:39:38	272.5
 
rpstewart said:
Woah, they've put a hoooge grandstand between the swimming pool and rascasse - opposite the pits these days of course, $$$$$!
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Not surprising tbh.

Wouldn't want to be there - hotel with balcony please. :D
 
Code: 
[b]Driver			Session 1	Session 2	Session 3[/b]
Raikkonen		1:13.887	
Alonso			1:14.232	
Webber			1:14.305	
R.Schumacher		1:14.412	
Montoya			1:14.483	
Klien			1:14.489	
Fisichella		1:14.614	
Barrichello		1:14.766	
Trulli			1:14.883	
Rosberg			1:14.888	
Button			1:15.085	
Coulthard		1:15.090	
M.Schumacher		1:15.118	
Liuzzi			1:15.314	
Villeneuve		1:15.316	
Heidfeld		1:15.324	

POSITIONS SET AFTER SESSION 1

[b]Pos	Driver			Session 1	Session 2	Session 3[/b]

17	Albers			1:15.598
18	Monteiro		1:15.993
19	Speed			1:16.236
20	Sato			1:17.276
21	Montagny		1:17.502
22	Massa			Accident
 
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