The second Friday practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend got underway as the sun dipped below the horizon, allowing the impressive lighting system taking over the task of illuminating the new 5.556km Marina Bay Circuit. Heikki Kovalainen saved his best to last, as he moved to the top of the timesheets in his McLaren Mercedes with a best lap of 1:41.307s just ahead of the chequered flag.

Lewis Hamilton was second fastest to make it a McLaren one-two, the duo using the KERS advantage down the long 1.2km back straight. Hamilton ended the day two-tenths off the ultimate pace with champion-elect Jenson Button close behind in third position in his Brawn Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel was fourth fastest in the leading Red Bull Renault, and frequently the quickest racer in the tighter segments of the circuit.

The evening session saw many drivers opting to run the softer option tyre for the first time and while Kovalainen was able to make gains on the compounds, others such as Button and Vettel surprisingly produced their fastest laps on the harder prime tyre.

Kamui Kobayashi continued to impress with Toyota as the Japanese racer set the fifth fastest time as he again stands in for the injured Timo Glock. Team-mate Trulli, thought to be competing for the last time with the German-based squad, was 14th, eight-tenths shy of the rookie racer.

Toro Rosso’s late season surge continued with Sebastien Buemi setting the sixth fastest time ahead of Mark Webber in the second Red Bull, Rubens Barrichello in the second Brawn, Nico Rosberg in the leading Williams Toyota, while Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the top ten in his Ferrari.

Adrian Sutil lost further time with braking issues on his Force India Mercedes but bounced back to take the 11th fastest time ahead of Kazuki Nakajima, Nick Heidfeld and Trulli. Tonio Liuzzi was 15th ahead of Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella, Romain Grosjean and Jaime Alguersuari.

In what was largely an incident free session – a few wide moments aside – Robert Kubica was forced to sit out most of the running when his BMW engine failed on his 13th lap of the evening. He was 17th at the time but unsurprisingly was bumped down to the bottom of the timesheets in the remaining 50 minutes.

McLaren Mercedes seem strong in Abu Dhabi, but with one second covering the fastest 13 runners, there is still plenty of gains to be found ahead of Saturday’s all-important qualifying hour for what everyone hopes is a spectacular season finale.

[Source: Earl ALEXANDER; www.f1live.com]
© CAPSIS International

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6 cars unveiled.. 3 more to go. Just hope Honda finds a buyer

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As expected, Honda Motor Company chief Takeo Fukui in Tokyo confirmed on Friday afternoon that the Japanese manufacturer is withdrawing from formula one ahead of the 2009 season.

He said the decision was taken as a result of the prevailing conditions in the automotive sales sector, including a near-unprecedented decline of more than 30 percent in its biggest market, the United States, last month.

“Honda Motor Co. has come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season for participation,” Fukui stated. “This difficult decision has been made in light of the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry, brought on by the subprime problem in the United States, the deepening credit crisis and the sudden contraction of the world economies.”

Fukui also revealed that Honda will not even remain involved in F1 as an engine supplier, despite attempts to sell the Brackley based team as a going concern before the 2009 season commences in late March.

Instead, it is understood that Honda team boss and former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn has arranged that ant potential buyer of the Brackley outfit will be powered by 2.4 litre Ferrari V8s. 2008 constructors’ world champions Ferrari have the capacity to supply an extra team next year, given the switch of customer partner Force India to Mercedes power.

According to early speculation, one potential buyer of the team could be Dubai International Capital (DIC), which came close to buying Super Aguri when Honda pulled its support for the satellite team earlier this year.

Honda team chief, Nick Fry on Friday said he is confident Honda will find a buyer for the Brackley-based Formula One team and be on the grid in Melbourne next March.

Fry revealed that should the team survive, Jenson Button is first in line for a race seat.

“He has a contract with the team for next year,” Fry said, referring to the 28-year-old British driver.

He said a decision about Button’s team-mate, with Rubens Barrichello, Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi believed to be in the reckoning, has not yet been taken.

[Source: GMM]

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Fernando Alonso has said he will consider leaving formula one if the sport enforces standard engines from 2010.

The FIA proposal has been highly controversial, particularly among F1’s car manufacturers, who have hinted the move might be reason enough to withdraw from the grid.

Former double world champion Alonso, who drives for Renault, agrees with their logic.

“If they approve a single engine, that would be the last straw. It would be time to start thinking about retirement,” the 27-year-old said at a team sponsor event in Spain.

Alonso said standardising parts like engines would be another “backwards step” for formula one.

He said the last V10 engines with nearly 1000 horse power, before the sport reverted to the current V8s, were “exciting for the drivers — auto racing at its limit.

“We’ve gone from a glimpse of the future to cars without electronic aids and no grip (and) which are a visual image of the past.”

[Source: GMM]

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The youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history, Lewis Hamilton has no shortage of talent behind the wheel. Now that the ’silly season’ has arrived, however, he’s taken to a more conceptual field, and designed his own personal take on the ultimate F1 circuit.

Though the track is thus far nothing more than a design, its provenance gives it some hope of being made real. Combining 10 of the toughest, most interesting corners in F1, the track offers a challenge even for the likes of Hamilton.

“I wanted to create a circuit that would be challenging, exhilarating and enjoyable,” said Lewis, “but most of all somewhere you would love to have the chance to drive and provide the definitive test for any driver, in any car.”

The ten turns run, in order, through Turn 8 from Istanbul, Estoril at Magny Cours, 130R at Suzuka, Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps, Tabac at Monaco, Turn 1 at Suzuka, Pouhon at Spa-Francorchamps, Casino Square at Monaco, Mergulho at Interlagos, and finally Copse at Silverstone. With cornering forces regularly in excess of 4.5g and speeds varying from 80mph to 185mph (130km/h to 295km/h) the track would be a true test not only of driver skill but of physical conditioning as well.

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Former champion Fernando Alonso is sure he will not retire until he adds a third title to his tally.

“I’m more or less convinced about not leaving F1 without becoming world champion again,” the Renault driver told the Spanish radio network Cadena SER.

Alonso, 27, won the drivers’ titles with the French team in 2005 and 2006, but last year endured a miserable season with McLaren, and in 2008 struggled early on with Renault.

And although hopeful for the R29, he refuses to rule out a future with F1’s most famous team, Ferrari.

Asked about his unrelenting link with Maranello, Alonso said coyly: “A quick answer to that question would not be the right answer.”

He is scheduled to test at Jerez next month, and then get at the wheel of the 2009 car late in January.

“Tomorrow I’m going to get my seat fitted for the new car, which takes half a day.”

Alonso also took the opportunity to once again play down his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, which is billed as the bitterest in the paddock.

“It’s not as bad as it is made out in England and in Spain,” he insisted. “I congratulated him for becoming champion, as I did with Kimi as well. I told him to enjoy it, he said thanks, that’s it…”

[Source: GMM © CAPSIS International]

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Spanish sponsor Banco Santander will move its backing from McLaren to Ferrari after the 2009 Formula One season, the bank’s boss Emilio Botin has confirmed.

“Santander will be with Ferrari in 2010, yes,” he is quoted as saying by the Spanish newspaper Diario AS.

Botin also made clear his desire to reunite the Santander logo with the car driven by Fernando Alonso, after the former double world champion left McLaren at the end of last year.

“Alonso is the best driver in the world and we would like to work with him, but that’s not something that depends only on us,” he insisted.

Ferrari’s current race drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are both contracted to the Italian team for 2009 and 2010.

[Source: GMM © CAPSIS International]

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