Nuts And Bolts

Posted on July 11th, 2010 by Stephen Rhodes in Formula 1 - News/Rumors - Nuts and Bolts

Some news tidbits from the world of Formula 1:

Red Bull, Renault, Eye Team Switch For Buemi: Sebastien Buemi has leapt into contention for a move to a better team in the future. With the backing of owner Red Bull, the 21-year-old Swiss currently drives for Toro Rosso but is hoping to eventually graduate to the energy drink company’s main team. The Swiss daily newspaper Le Matin said Buemi currently has no contract for 2011, but has attracted the attention of rival team chiefs with his driving at recent races. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s F1 consultant, said: “His Montreal race was perfect – exactly the kind of performance we expect from him.” RBR has already confirmed its driver lineup for next season, but relations between the team and Mark Webber are currently strained. Marko said of Buemi’s current form: “If it continues, we might consider placing him in the Red Bull team in 2012.” However, at Renault, a race seat might open up as soon as 2011, with the team openly considering the future of Russian pay-driver Vitaly Petrov. When asked about Buemi, team boss Eric Boullier said: “Sebastien is on our list of potential drivers for 2011. He even has a special place on it (the list), because I know him well and like him very much on a personal level.”

Safety Car Rule Tweaks Scrapped Before Silverstone: The FIA introduced a further tweak to the safety car rules ahead of Sunday’s British GP. It emerged earlier at Silverstone that, following the post-Valencia furore, drivers would have to circulate no faster than the safety car while the race order is being determined upon deployment of the silver Mercedes gullwing. The new slow pace was tested at the end of Friday practice at Silverstone, before a slightly faster pace was tried by competitors after another pre-British GP session. But on safety grounds, the changes were scrapped a few hours before the race. “The speed is just too slow,” Pedro de la Rosa is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. “If all the drivers don’t react, there could be rear-end collisions.” Robert Kubica added: “The accidents would be like the Webber and Kovalainen one (in Valencia).” The German report said the only tweak that survived is the one where drivers in the last 200 meters before the pit entry are no longer subject to the delta time limits. And race director Charlie Whiting said the FIA will try to only deploy the safety car when it can immediately pick up the race leader. “An assessment will be made to determine when the safety car should join the track in order to try and ensure that no drivers will be unnecessarily disadvantaged,” he said.

Sympathetic Yamamoto Seeks Talks With Senna: Sakon Yamamoto has revealed he will seek to speak with Bruno Senna. HRT test driver Yamamoto replaced race regular Senna at Silverstone, with the new Spanish team insisting it wanted to give the Japanese an “opportunity.” But rumors suggest 28-year-old Yamamoto’s 5 million euros in sponsorship backing is the real reason for the switch, even though Brazilian Senna will return to the car at Hockenheim and beyond. Whatever the reason, Yamamoto appeared to sympathize with Senna’s situation. “Actually we’ve only said ‘hi,’” he is quoted as saying by Brazil’s Globo. “As a driver, I understand how he is feeling. I want to talk to him afterwards, when everything is a little calmer. At the moment it’s very difficult. The circumstances were a little strange but I have had good relationships in the team since I got here. Bruno was always nice. I don’t know what he thinks, but I want to talk to him.”

Ecclestone Wants GP In South Africa: Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday said he hopes Africa will join the F1 calendar “in about three years’ time.” On the day of the World Cup final, the F1 chief executive said plans are afoot for the construction of a new Grand Prix circuit in Cape Town. During an interview at Silverstone with BBC Radio 5’s Sportsweek, the 79-year-old said the success of the World Cup had convinced him that F1 should also be in Africa. “It would be nice to have covered the world, but Russia is more important right now,” the Briton explained. “Africa is limited for all the people who are involved in F1 for business, whereas Russia is wide open. “But we will see. We have been talking to the people in South Africa for quite a long time off and on. The chances are OK. It’s a case of getting the right venue always.”