To keep all my viewers up-to-date with the lastest F1 news and views I will be creating the F1 News Book. The News Books will have all the breaking news with links to read the hold story.

Conway, Ericsson to test for Mercedes

Briton Mike Conway and Japanese Formula 3 champion Marcus Ericsson will join Mercedes Grand Prix for the young driver test days at Jerez.

Full Story: Autosport.com

McLaren’s reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa says he is doing everything he can to secure a racing seat in Formula 1 next season.

Full Story: Autosport.com

The Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) has approved the membership applications of the Lotus and Manor teams, AUTOSPORT can reveal, meaning the organisation now features every team on the grid.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Fernando Alonso has completed his second semi-official visit to new team Ferrari’s headquarters – and completed more laps of its Fiorano test track.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Formula 1 circuit chiefs are the latest additions to the 2009 Motor Sport Business Forum, which takes place in Monaco on December 9 and 10.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Volkswagen is seriously evaluating a move into Formula 1 as an engine supplier from 2012, when new power unit regulations due to be introduced could make the sport attractive enough for the German car maker to get involved.

Full Story: Autosport.com

BMW has agreed to sell its Formula 1 team back to Peter Sauber, on condition that the team receives an entry for 2010, after announcing it’s original sale to Qadbak Investment Ltd. will not be completed.

Full Story: Autosport.com

The Force India team has confirmed it will retain both Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi as its racing drivers for the 2010 season.

Full Story: Autosport.com

The Renault team will test Bertrand Baguette, Lucas di Grassi and Ho-Pin Tung in the upcoming testing session at the Jerez circuit in Spain.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Mark Webber says his motivation remain as high as ever as he targets an even stronger championship challenge in the 2010 season.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Stefan Grand Prix, the Serbian team that is seeking a move into Formula 1, says it is still looking at opportunities to make it onto the grid next year – despite dismissing talk that it is about to buy Toyota’s F1 entry.

Full Story: Autosport.com

The Canadian Grand Prix’s return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2010 is now official, after the government stepped in to help secure a five-year deal for the race.

Full Story: Autosport.com

Prometérselas felices ante un Barcelona-Real Madrid resulta temeridad propia de neófito, ignorante balompédico, o simplemente un osado capaz de sacar de las casillas al más calmo. Si és cierto que existe una posibilidad de acudir culé o merengue al derby, al clásico, mostrando mejor cara, e incluso, una cierta ‘indiferencia’ ante lo que suceda. La eventualidad en cuestión se da cuando uno de los dos ya amarró campeonato y el resultado final se incluye en el anecdotario de la competición. Aunque, hasta en el caso referido, la contundencia del guarismo que registre el tanteador, hace bueno el dicho de ‘a falta de pan, buenas son tortas’, o el más vulgar, ‘quién no se conforma és porque no quiere’.
Un Barça-Madrid es impredecible. Lleguen en las circunstancias que lleguen, nadie cometa el descaro y la temeridad de apostar fuerte. Háganlo si el monedero no se resiente en exceso y sólo jueguen fijo, por imposición, en la cuadrícula del pleno al 15.
Mañana domingo se paraliza la España de los ‘estatuts’, la de piratas propios y extraños, la de ‘brotes verdes’ y recesión, la digital y la analógica, la del sastre y el sitel, la íntegra y la corrupta, la mieleurista y las otras…Una pasión de 7 a 9, la lujuria en cuero, el erotismo voyeurista del ‘football’. A Françoise Sagan el fútbol le recordaba “viejos e intensos amores, porque en ningún otro lugar como en el estadio se puede querer u odiar tanto a alguien”.
El clásico hispano por excelencia, el rey de las contiendas en competición de clubes, no deja indiferente a nadie. La concupiscencia del aficionado ante el ‘match’, ese deseo ansioso de bienes, tres, que sumen y distancien, que representen victoria y satisfacción ‘sadomaso’ buscando el placer en la humillación rival, ante el derby, se multiplican, se acrecientan con carácter geométrico.
El balompié gana adeptos día a día en los sectores ligados a la cultura que reconocen belleza, hermosura y poesía colectiva. Del desprecio de Rudyard Kipling, considerando un entorno de “almas pequeñas que pueden ser saciadas por los embarrados idiotas que lo juegan”, a la máxima de mi admirado Umberto Eco: “algo bellísimo; al menos tan hermoso como el sexo, la reflexión filosófica y los juegos de azar en que se juegan frijolitos”.
Hablar de fútbol ya no supone bajeza intelectual, ya no desmerece, no resulta ni vulgar ni vanal, ni opio. Cierto és que para ello hubieron de reconocerlo habilitados literatos, científicos, hombres y mujeres de la cultura y las artes, y ya si me lo permiten, anecdoticamente, una parte de la clase política internacional. Así suele suceder en otros ámbitos. La Copla, nuestra formidable Copla. Hasta hace bien poco cuatro cretinos o más, progretas de cuarta, menospreciaban, subestimaban, postergaban, lo que en la actualidad elevan a los altares gracias a la dignidad que ofrece la atención que los Serrat, Victor Manuel, Luz, tenores de alcurnia…le ofrecen.
Literatura y cine dignifican, más la primera, una práctica que lejos del elitismo profesional, el mareante y a veces inmoral baile de millones, permite disfrutar de un juego colectivo que reconoce individualidad, entrega, trabajo, método, estrategia…Y que muy a pesar de las ‘stars’ subsiste, germina y desarrolla tanto en aldea nigeriana, favela de Rio o distinguido residencial del moderno occidente.
Anteayer, coincidí con Gustavo Bueno jr. a la entrada de un debate televisivo. Tengo debilidad por su padre, me epató en los 80’ con magistrales, divertidas y singulares clases de antropología y filosofía en la facultad de Psicología, Filosofía y Ciencias de la Educación. Me comentó, para mi satisfacción, la intención del octogenario, extraordinario y lúcido filósofo riojano, de compartir con Jorge Valdano unas charlas que serían publicadas para disfrute mundano. A Bueno se le entiende todo cuando aterriza carnalmente ‘entre nos’, y resulta perceptible, tan sólo para placer de versados, logicamente, cuando el Materialismo filosófico, Marxismo, Racionalismo, Academia de Platón, Escolástica….fundamentan sus charlas, escritos, ensayos, publicaciones…
Estoy ansioso por comprobar el trabajo final. No tendrá desperdicio. Ni por asomo me imagino la visión que ofrecerá D. Gustavo sobre el deporte más popular del mundo, el que ya cuenta con orígenes más allá de los 300 años.
Lo cierto es que la aportación de Bueno, contribuirá junto a Valdanágoras, a incrementar su autoestima y habilitarlo como un referente cultural inevitable para entender e interpretar nuestra reciente historia.
Llega el gran Barcelona-Madrid, el partido por antonomasia. Se acerca para sacarnos de la rutina, para ofrecer respiro, que no olvido a la crísis, a la pandemia, al telediario, a Jesulín, Esteban, Campanario, Muñoz…A los ‘brasas’ de un rosa que durante 90’ o más, trocará color. ¿Blaugrana o blanco?. Esa es la cuestión.
Abajo, sobre el césped, el protagonismo para ellos, los jugadores, con “la hermosura y la tragedia de las mariposas, que vuelan tan alto y tan bello pero que jamás pueden apreciar y admirarse en la belleza de su vuelo”, que dijo Kundera.
Mañana de 7 a 9, anule sus citas, sus compromisos durante el ‘match’como hizo Morín filósofo y científico francés en el mundial galo-, y dedíquese a ver el partido.
Otra historia será el final. El pitido de Undiano, llamado a la gloria para dirigir el clásico, pondrá límite a la incertidumbre, para desestimar inquietud y abrir debate, que lo habrá, pase lo que pase.
Por cierto, ni Pep, ni Manuel Luis tendrán amparo en las ausencias. Todos en la cancha para que al menos ese no sea motivo de disculpa.
¡Que empiece ya!.

Espanhol bicampeão mundial só poderá pilotar carro da equipe em 2010

Fernando Alonso (esq.) e Felipe Massa durante o Ferrari World Finals, em Valência O piloto espanhol Fernando Alonso, que será companheiro do brasileiro Felipe Massa na Ferrari em 2010, visitou pela segunda vez a fábrica da escuderia, na cidade italiana de Maranello. Durante dois dias, o bicampeão mundial da Fórmula 1 (2005 e 2006) trabalhou com os técnicos da equipe e conheceu o programa para a próxima temporada.

Além disso, Alonso deu algumas voltas no circuito de Fiorano com um Ferrari 458 Itália e um modelo 599. Ele aproveitou ainda para visitar todas as áreas onde são fabricados os carros, sejam eles específicos para a F-1 ou de venda ao público em geral.

Em nota, a escuderia disse que o piloto não testou nenhum carro da equipe, o que poderá acontecer apenas ano que vem.

A primeira visita de Alonso a Maranello foi no último dia 6, quando se reuniu com o presidente da Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo. Mas o compromisso não foi considerado oficial porque o espanhol ainda estava ligado à Renault, equipe que defendeu este ano. Ele também participou do Ferrari World Finals, em Valência.

O piloto foi anunciado oficialmente em 30 de setembro e acertou por três temporadas. Esta será sua quarta equipe na F-1: estreou pela Minardi, em 2001, e ainda correu pela McLaren em 2007.

[Fonte: globoesporte.globo.com]

Fernando Alonso e Lewis Hamilton já movimentam as casas de apostas para o título de 2010 e partem como os grandes favoritos.

E o espanhol, detentor dos títulos de 2005 e 2006, e o inglês, vencedor de 2008, lideram a preferência do público. Felipe Massa aparece em posição discreta, em quinto.

Segundo o jornal espanhol AS, eles são os nomes mais procurados pelas casas de apostas de Inglaterra, mesmo com as dificuldades este ano. Enquanto a McLaren ainda deu duas vitórias a Hamilton, quinto no campeonato, o espanhol foi o nono no Mundial, com apenas um pódio.

A principal mudança é justamente quanto a Alonso, que fará a sua primeira temporada pela Ferrari. Em caso de triunfo do espanhol o valor recebido pelos apostadores chega a quatro euros, pouco mais do que no caso de vitórias do inglês, que paga 3,50.

Jenson Button, que pagou 80 euros para cada um jogado antes da temporada 2009, aparece como quarto preferido nas casas inglesas, atrás do alemão Sebastian Vettel. Ele foi o “azarão” do ano, já que depois do Mundial de 2008 sofreu com o fim da Honda e quase ficou sem lugar na categoria. Agora campeão do mundo, paga nove euros para cada um apostado.

O brasileiro mais bem cotado segundo a pesquisa do diário espanhol é Felipe Massa. Ainda assim, é apenas o quinto, muito atrás do novo companheiro Alonso.

[Fonte: portalf1.com]

In a matter of weeks, the driver market has upended itself.  The world champion has left his team and joined the 2008 world champion.  The 2007 world champion is out of racing, his spot taken by the 2005-2006 world champion.  A seven-time world champion is thinking of returning to the grid. 

Got it? 

No one was surprised when two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was announced at Ferrari.  Then, with Kimi Raikkonen seemingly ousted from the scuderia and Toyota announcing its withdrawal from the sport, Jenson Button landed at McLaren.  This earth-shattering news came just weeks after Button won the 2009 title for Brawn. 

My head is beginning to hurt.

At first blush, Button’s move seems hard to explain.  Brawn had thrown him a lifeline after Honda pulled the plug on its adventure in team ownership.  Brawn cleverly exploited the regulations in creating a double-diffuser that placed its car at the sharp end, landing Button his first world championship and a second consecutive British champion.

Button predictably increased his salary demands.  Brawn should have seen this coming, and to not have recognized Button’s increased worth was a mistake.  Perhaps Brawn thought Button would stay out of loyalty.  A quick glance at some of Button’s career moves suggests that he is less than reliable when it comes to cashing in on a promise.

My theory is that Button sensed a resurgent McLaren at the end of the year, once the other teams had caught up to Brawn and Red Bull’s “unfair advantage”.  We saw the title contenders close in on Button at the end of the year.  Possibly, Button calculated that Brawn would never meet his salary demands, whereas McLaren was happy to shell out for two British champions .  Button’s move is characteristic of his career trajectory, similar to his on-again, off-again move to Williams several years ago. 

Raikonnen’s disappearance from the grid next season is hard to explain, although rumors are floating that he will replace Button at the newly rebranded Mercedes F1 team, the three-pointed star having bought Brawn (and presumably thinking Button as well), being shocked to find out that longtime “partner” Ron Dennis had just bought Button for McLaren.  I saw that as a nice “f– you” to Norbert Haug for buying Brawn, and a middle finger firmly directed at Ross for sorting out the double diffuser first.

Now Eddie Jordan, of all people, is saying that Mercedes is in negotiations to sign Michael Schumacher.  The Schumacher-Raikonnen pairing was a near-miss when Michael retired, but it’s obvious from his aborted comeback of earlier this year that the fire burns.   Remember that his comeback was stopped cold by a neck injury.  This could be a pairing for the ages, or a disaster for either driver.

I questioned this story but wondered why Eddie Jordan would put it out without having some sense of the facts.  Eddie’s been known to stretch the truth (in fact, one might argue that’s what got him in to F1), but this is a big chunk of gossip to throw out there without a firm belief in its truth.  Eddie still likes his credibility.

It has all the makings for an incredible 2010.  Alonso in a Ferrari is mouth-watering.  With a decent car, Alonso could easily win his third title and bring the championship home to Maranello next season.  Notice I don’t mention Felipe; I’m sorry but his injuries are too severe for him to be the same driver who nearly won the title in 2008.  Michael in a Mercedes, alongside Raikonnen, is the matchup we all waited for when Kimi went to Maranello.  And two world champions in silver cars, rising above it all.

Briga equilibradíssima em 2010

Bom dia, fufeiros. Aqui em London está chovendo, infelizmente, mas as perspectivas para uma tarde ensolarada são boas, então fico na torcida.

Como hoje não há muito o que falar, pensei em fazer uma rápida enquete para vocês me ajudarem em uma questão que não consigo resolver desde ontem: quem tem a dupla mais forte para 2010, Ferrari ou McLaren?

Alonso, bicampeão mundial, melhor piloto do grid. Felipe Massa, o cara que mais evoluiu de 2006 para cá e também o cara que dominou Kimi-Matias pela primeira vez na carreira do finlandês. Dois pilotos de muito talento, sem sombra de dúvida.

Mas do outro lado temos Lewis Hamilton, campeão de 2008, e Jenson Button, atual campeão. Button, muitos irão argumentar, é o mais fraco da turma, mas não concordo. Ele tem consistência em corrida e é extramente regular (e veloz) nestas condições. Pode até estar ligeiramente abaixo, mas é diferença tão sutil que não me atrevo a cravar sua inferioridade. Ele tem um estilo próprio, e que se provou eficiente em 2009. Em 2010, com carros lotados de gasolina, sua tocada tranqüila poderá ser uma carta na manga.

E sobre Luisinho World Champion, nem preciso falar. É um tremendo piloto, velocíssimo e dos mais agressivos do grid.

A parada está difícil, e peço a ajuda de todos vocês. Quem tem a dupla mais forte para 2010? Ferrada ou McLata?

Um ótimo domingão para todos nós! Beijundas.

PS: Não incluí a dupla da Red Bull por algumas razões. Primeiro que nenhum dos pilotos têm título mundial – contra fatos não há argumentos. E segundo que Mark Webber me parece um claro motivo para descarte imediato. Alguém discorda?

Despite the not so impressive first half of the season, it seems the Formula 1 world have recognised that the car was to blame and not Lewis Hamilton. This was evident in the second half of the season when improvements to his McLaren MP4-24 saw Hamilton back on top again, twice, in Hungary and Singapore, and competing for the top spot in most other races.

Hamilton thanks his car for victory in Hungary

Lewis Hamilton has been voted the number 1 Formula 1 driver of 2009 by not one, but two of the most prestigious publications in motorpsort.

Autosport
Arguably the number 1 motorsports magazine in the world has a 2009 Formula 1 season review issue out at the moment which rates the top 10 drivers of 2009. At number 1 is Lewis Hamilton. The 9 drivers below him were rated as follows:

2 – Jenson Button
3 – Sebastian Vettel
4 – Mark Weber
5 – Robert Kubica
6 – Fernando Alonso
7 – Felipe Massa
8 – Kimi Raikkonen
9 – Rubens Barrichello
10 – Nico Rosberg

Very interesting top ten indeed – I’ll be picking up my copy tomorrow to see what justification there is for Barrichello being in only 9th place. Sure he didn’t do as well as team mate Button but he did his part to ensure Brawn GP won the constructors championship and towards the end of the season he was a better driver than Button himself. Also, Kubica in 5th – was that based on Brazil alone?

You can flick through a tiny version od the current issue over at Autosport.com

GP Week
If you didn’t know already, GP Week is a free, yes FREE, online publication with excellent written content and superb photos. They have rated the top 5 Formula 1 drivers of 2009, and like Autosport have Lewis Hamilton taking the number 1 spot. The other 5 are as follows:

2 – Sebastian Vettel
3 – Jenson Button
4 – Mark Weber / Rubens Barrichello
5 – Sebastian Buemi

The first thing you’ll notice is the inclusion of 2 drivers at #4 – there’s your top 5 there guys, but I will let you off as the extra driver is Buemi who performed very well considering his absolute dog of a car. Interesting to see they rate Rubens Barrichello a lot higher than Autosport, and rightly so in my mind.

So, anyone agree or disagree with the two sets of rankings?

Team GB

Despite Mercedes buying out Brawn GP to create Mercedes GP, and despite Mercedes’ promise to shareholders and fans alike that it would be back to back championships, the interweb has been abuzz with numerous rumours that the 2009 drivers champ, Jenson Button, was ditching his championship team and heading to (less?) greener pastures. Those wild rumours have been put to rest as McLaren and Button have announced their partnership for the 2010 season. This begs all sorts of unresolved questions. First off… Astonishing, no? What does all of this mean for Lewis Hamilton… is there another driver controversy brewing in the British Midlands… didnt McLaren learn from the Alonso-Hamilton misfire that two drivers of equal talent cant possibly co-exist at the same stall? Just thinking about it makes me wish Australia was just around the corner.

So lets, think about this for a moment… who is driving for Mercedes now?? Barrichello was the first to bolt and now Button has left the BAR replacement. So without any true championship caliber drivers, how exactly does the German stall plan to deliver on their lofty promise of a repeat championship. Why by installing two German drivers of course. Both Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg are tipped to be the 1-2 drives for next year’s squad, though nothing is 100% squared away just yet. There is still a lonely Finn out there who might be the right man for the job, should he decide he can afford a pay cut from 20 million pounds to 6 million pounds for the season.

The Sweet Nectar of Victory

However, considering the financial sticking point and Kimi’s notorious stubbornness, the Button move will likely push the once highly sought after Kimi Raikkonen into no-mans land. Its been a “hard” road for the Finn who could never quite get it done with McLaren, then won a driver’s title with Ferrari, got bumped from Ferrari in favour of driving enemy no 1, Fernando Alonso, returned to McLaren, only to be bumped by driving enemy no 2… Jenson Button?? Based on the personnel changes in F1 thus far it seems more and more certain that the 2010 season will find Kimi without a drive for the first time,  in a very long time. Oh well Kimi, I hear Le Mans is… wait… its too funny to even consider. I doubt you will be able to make anywhere close to 6 mill on the 24 hour circuit, let alone the rally series you are considering. So Kimi… see you in 2011. I hear that Red Bull might have a spot open.

Sebastian Vettel pode ter perdido o título Mundial para Jenson Button, mas para os patrões das equipas de Fórmula 1, foi o melhor piloto, e como uma boa vantagem sobre o Campeão verdadeiro.

No balanço do ano publicado esta semana pela revista inglesa Autosport, e com votações similares às do Mundial de F1, o resultado foi o que pode ver na lista abaixo. Lewis Hamilton ficou no ‘pódio’ e Fernando Alonso foi quarto, apesar da má época da Renault. Veja a lista completa:

[Fonte: autosport.aeiou.pt]

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Luke Pollard

Luke P0llard (@motorsportprint) is an unusally gifted artist. The most fascinating thing about him is his art – he sketches motorsport cars. His artistry brings the excellence, the competitive spirit, the excitement and rivalry of the game to life. His sketches speak for themselves in vivid color or immaculate pencil sketch. Its a privilege to bring an artist of such rare ability to the readers of my blog.

Luke’s website: www.motorsportinprint.com

Q&A WITH LUKE POLLARD

What can you tell us about Luke, the artist and the person?

I am a family man, have two kids (4 and 2). I am a huge follower of motorsports and cars in general.

I spent many years as a graphic designer but its not where my passion was. Ever since being a small child I wanted to be an artist and now I am fulfilling my dream! Its almost perfect; great family and a job that I love!

Senna in a McLaren, 1992

As a motorsport fan, who is/are your favorite driver(s)? and team(s)?

I have many favourites. I am a huge fan of Jackie Stewart. He did so much for F1 and motorsport in general improving safety – not to mention being a superb driver! I am also a big fan of Jim Clark. I wasnt around when Clarke and Stewart were racing but have a huge DVD collection of old footage!

Today, I am a big fan of a lot of teams and drivers really… I don’t have a stand out favourite. I think Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton will be a force to be reckoned with in the future winning many titles. I guess I have to stay loyal to the British drivers so lets just say they are my favourites!

When/how did you become interested in pen and ink sketches for motorsports?

Ever since I was a kid, I was drawing and painting. At a young age, I preferred pencil sketches of landscapes. If I ever went on holiday with my parents, I would always take a note pad with me and would draw. Drawing and painting motorsports is relatively recent. I actually started earlier this year after spending many years as a graphic designer and abstract artist. I am a huge fan of motorsport, especially F1. It all started when I created a picture for my brother of his Caterham for his birthday. It got shown to a few people who really liked the uniqueness. From there, I honed my style and now produce artwork digitally, in pen, ink painting and also using acrylics.

Schumacher in a Ferrari

Did you train to be an artist? Tell us a little bit about your training.

The only art education I had was at high school. I always enjoyed art at school and when going to college it was a difficult choice between studying art or music technology – I went for music technology!

What inspires you about motorsports?

I have been a huge fan of motorsport for as long as I can remember. I just love everything about it; the noise, speed, colours… I love watching it and I love creating artwork of it!

Who is your favorite driver to draw?

I don’t draw drivers.

What is your favorite car to draw?

The F1 cars from the 60s are fantastic. The Tyrrells and early Lotus cars are the most fun to draw. Today, I guess I like drawing the BrawnGP cars. They have a nice uncluttered livery! To be honest, I enjoy drawing them all!

Lewis Hamilton

What is the process of drawing – can you give an insight into the creative process?

For the drawings, I am actually quite brave! I draw straight off using fine liners.

My paintings are a little more time consuming but a heck of a lot of fun. They start off as sketches on canvas detailing the important elements of the car. Next, I add in the paint. Most of the time I will actually mix the paint on the canvas and make a basic colour version of the painting. Next is the fun bit! All the colours get blended together to give the motion of speed. You really have to see the work to understand!

My digital artwork is quite a complicated process that involves blurring, drawing and colouring all then layered up into a finished artwork.

Alonso in a Renault

What do you draw other than motorsports?

My other work is really just abstract paintings… but 99% of my work is motorsport!

What drawing would be a perfect gift for your girlfriend?

It depends on who there favourite driver and/or team is.

What are your goals for the future?

I would like to work more with teams and doing some art demonstrations. It would be great to go to different motorsport events all around the world showing people my artwork!

BBC Sport brings you a regular round-up of the gossip in newspapers and on specialist websites around the world.

Ross Brawn has advised Jenson Button that he should stay with him next season rather than move to McLaren.
Full story: Independent

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has warned fellow Briton Button about moving to McLaren following the problems Fernando Alonso had at the team. (The Sun)

But Button will be announced as a McLaren driver within the next 48 hours to form an all-British driving line-up with Lewis Hamilton at the Formula 1 outfit.

Full story: Daily Mail

Have your say and share your views in the comments  – get writing now…

Reference Source: BBC Sport

Como já é tradição na época do Natal, o Site Oficial do Fernando Alonso faz o 6º Concurso de Dibujo, um concurso de desenhos onde os artistas são as crianças.

A promoção é válida até dia 20 de novembro e para participar é necessário ter menos de 14 anos. Sei que muitos de nós não poderão participar, mas nossos priminhos, sobrinhos ou irmãos mais novos podem! hehe

Para saber como funciona bastar clicar aqui, e ler o regulamento.

O mais legal é que quem escolher o desenho vencedor é o próprio piloto!

Bjinhos, Tati

Domingo, dia 15 de novembro de 2009, Fernando Alonso compareceu ao Ferrari World Finals, o primeiro evento como piloto da Ferrari.

Além do espanhol, estiveram presentes em Valência no Circuito Ricardo Tormo, os outros pilotos ferraristas: Felipe Massa, Luca Badoer, Marc Gené e Giancarlo Fisichella.

Vale lembrar que Fernando  ainda tem contrato com a Renault que vence apenas no dia 31 de Dezembro. Porém a equipe francesa permitiu que o bicampeão fosse ao evento.

Bjinhos, Tati

So you might think, why Jenson, he is the reigning Formula One champion and has that adorable face fuzz!

Here is my original Facebook post:

Jenson why don’t you just fuck off. Kimi should be driving for McLaren, not you! You fuzz faced bastard. And do you really think McLaren will make you their number one driver when they have invested 10+ years in Lewis, who is a miles better driver than you (no pun intended). Lewis has won more races than you in 3 seasons than you have in 10 years in F1. JUST GO AWAY WITH YOUR SMARMY FACE. Rant over.

And it would have been more but Facebook wouldn’t let me post anymore characters.

“But Vic, you’re just jealous because Jenson might take the place of your beloved Kimi!”

So!! It is not JUST because he is gorgeous – he also happens to be a talented driver and 2007 World Champion. Despite the fact that my view is slightly clouded due to my immense love of Kimi, there are several things that are true about this situation, whether you are a Kimi fan or not:

Whoever is in that other seat in McLaren will play second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton. FACT. Would McLaren invest all that time and money into Lewis and his and the team’s future in Formula One just to let some trumped up little squirt be their main driver. No, they would not. And surely if Jenson does not realise this, then his management will.

Why as a driver would you want to put yourself in that position after winning the 2009 World Championship?

GREED. Jenson is looking for a salary higher than the paltry £3 million that Brawn will offer him. Is that really all it’s about? Well seeing as he lives in Monaco, can afford a Bugatti Veyron and a vareity of other super cars, he is probably not so strapped for cash like the rest of us. So why not stick with Brawn, why not stick with a team who have won the 2009 world Championship for you and who (without Ross Brawn’s sheer genius) you wouldn’t have won the first 6 out of 7 races while all the other teams (except Red Bull Racing) were lagging behind.

It all comes down to this: BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS. That’s right. Jenson was all happy to say how well the team had done to pull it together because “at Christmas, they didn’t even know if they’d have jobs in F1″. But now he is World Champion, suddenly Jenson is too good for them?? Talk about having a giant ego…

And here are a few other things that really peeve me about Jenson, some hilarious and some which are blindingly obvious:

1. Brawn won the title for him. I’ve said it already in this post. It is easy to win when the other cars are no way near at your pace, but as soon as the other teams started to catch up, Jenson crumbled under the pressure. His qualifying became piss-poor. His race days became equally as bad. He even admitted it himself that it was a massive weight off his shoulders when he won and the pressure was intense. And why was it so intense? Because there are probably 10-15 drivers on the grid who are better than him.
2. A worthy champion. Around the Brazil race, the BBC team reported that F1 critics, fans and various other people around the paddock were questioning whether he was a “worthy champion”. If he was a worthy champion, then it wouldn’t be questioned. FACT. See point 1 for the reason he won. Then after his 5th place in Brazil when he wrapped it up, you have Martin Brundle and Eddie Jordan saying “Well that drive proved it!” So, he had to ovetake some cars rather than rely on the fact his car was better than everyone else’s for the majority of the season. A worthy champion indeed…NOT.
3. People, including my very favourite F1 friend Martyn, hated Michael Schumacher because “Ferarri had the best car so Michael won all the races”. HELLO? Is this not the same this season. But would anyone question the fact that if Schumi was driving for a different team, that he would have won races, if not championships. Could the same be said for Jenson, I think not.
4. He has a smarmy face, with face-fuzz!
5. He does not compare to the other top drivers in F1 who have world championships. Kimi, Lewis and Fernando Alonso are just better drivers, plain and simple. Even Massa, who has not won a world championship, is a better driver.

And yes, one of my gripes about Jenson is that he could “take” Kimi’s place in McLaren. Despite being a big fan, F1 would be a duller place without Kimi. He is a class driver, does some pant-wetting overtaking moves and if you are female/gay/curious/have eyes, he is hot. Plus if we are going to go to the Korean GP and Kimi is not there I will be pissed off.

But regardless of my petty reasons for disliking Jenson and loving Kimi, the fact of the matter remains: Jenson is not a worthy champion, only won it because of Ross Brawn and now thinks he is better than Lewis Hamilton. Dream on. And get a shave for god’s sake.

Some quick Formula One news is on tap for today before I get to the main Top Gear article. It seems as though Jenson Button is poised to make a move to get into the McLaren cockpit alongside fellow Brit, Lewis Hamilton. This is potentially huge news, as Button and Hamilton would make basically an all British team, while this would ruin Kimi Raikkonen’s chances of getting into the sport next season. With the McLaren seat filled, there would be no other team on the grid willing to pay the amount of money that the 2007 world champ wants. I don’t know whether or not to say that this is a good move for Button because, as we have seen with Fernando Alonso, a title winning driver moving to McLaren with Hamilton is a risky move that could just take points away from both drivers. The only real reason that Kimi won in 2007 was because there was no number one driver for McLaren that year, and both teammates took points away from each other, allowing Kimi to sneak up and snag the title in Brazil. Frankly, I’m surprised Button is thinking this way. I know that there is more money involved, but wouldn’t you rather be on a team where you are the number one driver instead of simply Lewis’ teammate? If it were me, I think I would be satisfied being the number one driver of a team who has Ross Brawn at the head of it, even though I would be paid less, the money made is still a lot. In fact, his salary at Brawn is still over four million pounds per year, though that is two million less than McLaren is willing to pay him for his services. So, does he say “Show me the money!?” or does he stick it out with Brawn and try to make it two in a row? I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but I would hate for him to join McLaren as it would instantly make him the enemy.

Fernando Alonso y Felipe Massa subidos a un Ferrari quedaron atrapados en la puzolana del circuito.

The latest news sweeping the online world is that Jenson Button has signed a 3 year deal with McLaren worth £6 million a year. I must stress that at this time this is not confirmed, but heavily suspected to be true. After yesterday’s news of Mercedes buying into Brawn GP, Jenson Button moving to McLaren seems more likely than ever. The signing of Jenson Button will save McLaren a fair few millions of pounds a year than if they’d signed Kimi Raikkonen.

Jenson Button – soon to be driving the #1 car for McLaren?

I’ve had some feedback which suggests that I have been unfair when talking about Jenson Button and that he has far more fire in his belly than I have given him credit for. Admittedly my judgement of Jenson Button is only based on the past few seasons where before last season he was almost non-existent, and last year I was pretty unimpressed despite him winning the World Championship. I’m more than willing to be proven wrong and if I am, and this move to McLaren is actually happening, then that’ll mean more championship points for the team I love and more positive blogging to be done!

I can’t help thinking that Mercedes GP are making a mistake in letting Jenson Button go, because as much as I don’t see his apparent driving skills, he’s a better proposition than either Nick Heidlfeld or Nico Rosberg. The former is consistent but unspectacular and the latter is a wiz in qualifying but never seems to translate that to podium finishes. It’s all very well Mercedes wanting an all German line up of drivers but shouldn’t the potential to succeed be the bigger factor in signing a driver?

Mercedes have said they will announce their drivers for 2010 in the next week or so, but if Jesnon Button is announced as a McLaren driver before then I think Mercedes will be forced into bringing their announcement forward – it would be as obvious as the Ferrari signing of Fernando Alonso earlier in the year.

As for Kimi Raikkonen, well this leaves him taking that money spinning sabbatical that he has spoken about. He has maintained that he will only drive for the right team and with no competitive drive options left one can only assume that the 2007 world champion will not be on the grid in Bahrain next March.

A couple of items caught my eye today. First, the Brawn GP has been bought out by Mercedes and will be branded, from now on, as Mercedes Grand Prix. As for McLaren, that team will be phased out, sort of, and will eventually become an independent team, much like Brawn was last season, with Mercedes supplying engines, but totally sovereign from them. Brawn (or Mercedes Grand Prix) will then become the actual factory backed team from Mercedes. Does this mean, then, that McLaren will be forced to the sidelines and won’t be as competitive as they have been previously? Of course not. In fact, I believe this gives McLaren even more motivation to beat the factory cars, as the new customer set up. Plus, the real rivalry is still McLaren vs. Ferrari. Brawn can have their little Red Bull spat, but everyone knows that McLaren vs. Ferrari is where it’s at.

The second bit of news is a little embarrassing for the Prancing Horse from Maranello. This past weekend, Ferrari held a little get together in Valencia known as the Ferrari World Finals. It featured a parade of Maranello’s finest and even introduced Fernando Alonso to the Spaniards as the newest Ferrari Formula One driver. However, the Ferrari California that was driven by Luca di Montezemolo ended up being beached in a sand trap, as he either forgot how to drive, or simply felt that the car could get closer to the crowd without being stuck. Whatever his inclination, it was a mistake and the baby Ferrari became stuck in it. Here are a couple of videos of the little snafu that must have been one of the most embarrassing moments for him. I hope that Fernando isn’t thinking this is a great way to start his Ferrari tenure, having the boss beach him in his own country. Oh well, this could only really happen to Ferrari couldn’t it. They seem to be full of miscues lately and this is probably just the start of many more to come.

Ao jornal espanhol Marca, Fernando Alonso produziu as primeiras declarações ‘by Ferrari’, numa altura em que permanece sob contrato com a Renault.

Autorizado pela equipa francesa a marcar presença nas finais Ferrari em Valência, o bicampeão do Mundo não deixou de dizer que “para mim é um dia muito importante, pois é o primeiro em que pude experimentar o mundo Ferrari e a verdade é que estou muito impressionado também muito feliz. Espero lutar pelo título com a Ferrari”, referiu o espanhol.

(Fonte: autosport.aeiou.pt)

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