Lewis Hamilton’s 16th place in Sunday’s British Grand Prix was a stark contrast to his victory at Silverstone in 2008. But as development of the McLaren MP4-24 continues, the reigning champion insists there is light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, he’s looking forward to driving Ayrton Senna’s MP4-4 at the forthcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, as he explained to his official site…
Q: Not the best result in front of your home fans - was it a tough race?
Lewis Hamilton: Yes, it was a difficult afternoon for the whole team, but we knew that going into the weekend. I had some exciting moments out on the racetrack and really enjoyed my race. And while the result didn't look so good for us, again, I think we can take some positives away from this weekend because we genuinely learnt a lot about our car. It's still not going to be a night-and-day change that makes the difference, but I'm hoping that we can gain some advantage to help improve our results.
Q: You mentioned ‘exciting moments'?
LH: I had a great time racing against Nick (Heidfeld) and Fernando (Alonso), both guys who are hard but fair. The move on Heidfeld was pretty much on the limit, but it was fun. It was great to have enough of a balance in the car to be able to push and attack, but it was clearly not enough, and I was again on the edge through the race. I'm looking forward to the Nurburgring - the home race for Mercedes-Benz; I'm hoping that we will have some huge improvements for the race as it would be great to give our second home crowd something to cheer and feel proud about, but we'll see. Places like Hungary, Valencia and Singapore should hopefully be stronger for us and so there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel' for the end of season push. We need a competitive car before the end of the season so we can learn as much as we possibly can for next season.
Q: What did you do after the race?
LH: I relaxed and got changed back at the Brand Centre then I went over to the post-race party to say hello to everyone. What an amazing end to the day - the sun was going down, the weather was fantastic and they told me there were 20,000 people at the stage. When I walked onto the stage, the fans' reaction was amazing - just overwhelming. Because we are not doing so well this year with our results, I was worried about letting the fans down, but honestly, I've been really humbled by the support from the fans at Silverstone this year. I thought they were incredible in 2007 and 2008 but this year was bigger and better than ever. I've never seen so much passion from a crowd at a Grand Prix - from the people in the paddock, everyone cheering me on in the grandstands and then the people afterwards at the post-race party. I think this year's race has been the best ever for the fans. We really need to come back to Silverstone again, don't we.
Q: Was that the reason for your impromptu donuts after the race?
LH: It hadn't been the best race of my Formula One career, but I'd had a great weekend and I wanted to entertain the fans. I hope the crowd enjoyed it! It was only afterwards that I realised that's not the sort of thing you see very often at the end of a Grand Prix, but I wanted to do it to say ‘Thank You' for continuing to support me and my team in our time of need. We will repay your loyalty - soon.
Q: This year's race might have been the last at Silverstone - what memories will you take away of the place?
LH: When you look back at the history of the sport, you see that there are four special circuits in Formula One - Monaco, Monza, Spa and Silverstone. I was at the BRDC (British Racing Drivers’ Club) clubhouse the other day and I was looking at some old pictures of past Silverstone race drivers - there were shots of Fangio, Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill plus many more. So to race at Silverstone, it has an extra meaning - Copse is still pretty much the same now as it was when the race was held here in the 1950s. All the corners have names rather than numbers, and names that have a meaning. To have won here, as at Monaco, has an extra significance and importance. I will always remember the crowd's reaction when I took pole here in 2007, I could hear them cheering above the noise of the engine on my slow-down lap, and also winning here last year and jumping up onto the podium. But I just have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of this place. I hope so, anyway.
Q: There's three weeks until Germany - what's next?
LH: After a busy few weeks, I will get home, relax and do some proper training for the second half of the season. I think we have more things to look forward to in the second half of the year and I want to be fully fit to make the most of them. But before that, I have a bit more fun on my schedule - I'm going to the Goodwood Festival next weekend, on Sunday 5th July to drive Ayrton's 1988 McLaren up the hill. Whenever I go to the MTC (McLaren Technology Centre), there are two cars that I love the most - the first is the McLaren F1 that I've set my heart on winning and the second is Ayrton's MP4-4. Even today, it still looks like the car to be racing! About a month ago, I went down and sat in the car while the guys were preparing it for Goodwood, and tomorrow I'm having my final seat-fitting, that is going to be a pretty cool moment!
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Monday 22 June 2009
McLaren admits win not likely until 2010
Sunday, 21 June 2009 17:09
Martin Whitmarsh has conceded McLaren is unlikely to be back winning races until next season after its cars raced towards back of the field during a dismal home British Grand Prix.
Having qualified in 13th and 19th places, the team expected a tough 60-lap race and that’s how it panned out with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen engaged in an afternoon of entertaining, if ultimately fruitless, dices with similarly struggling rivals BMW and Renault.
Whitmarsh acknowledged it had been a miserable Silverstone weekend for the team, but promised that it would continue pushing development on its current MP4-24, alongside work on next year's car, in a bid to finally find a breakthrough.
However, he admits the team can't currently realistically expect to turn the car into a race winner over the final nine races.
“This weekend has been a very difficult one for everyone at McLaren,” he said.
“No-one in our team likes not winning, and it goes without saying that we all remain utterly determined to return to our winning ways.
“That may not be a realistic prospect for this season – although significant improvements are in the pipeline – but the team is doing a huge amount of work in an effort to gain a full understanding of the performance issues our car is currently facing, with a view to developing next year’s car as well as improving this year’s car.
“Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can begin going forwards – and, painful as it was for all of us, this weekend was an example of that.”
Hamilton, who described the MP4-24 as “dead slow” after qualifying a career-worst 19th, initially moved up to 15th by the end of the first lap before claiming another place from BMW’s Robert Kubica, only to lose it again after being forced wide at Chapel Curve.
Thereafter he gave his home fans something to cheer with bold overtaking moves on Nick Heidfeld’s BMW at Maggotts and former team-mate Fernando Alonso’s Renault down the inside of Copse, but his race-long struggle for grip eventually saw him spin at Vale and wind up 16th.
“I gave it my all today,” the reigning champion said after his fourth successive point-less race.
“Despite fighting for the lower positions, I was absolutely on the limit for the whole race.
“We knew it would be difficult, and I enjoyed my battle with Fernando, but we didn’t have the pace today to get into the points.
“The best thing about this weekend has been the fans: they really gave me some consolation by cheering me on throughout the race.
“I would love to have given them a result to make them happy and my country proud, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us before that will be realistic.”
Heikki Kovalainen slipped behind Hamilton at the start after being boxed in by other cars though Copse, before eventually retiring after colliding with Sebastien Bourdais’s Toro Rosso on the approach to Vale following his one pit stop.
Martin Whitmarsh has conceded McLaren is unlikely to be back winning races until next season after its cars raced towards back of the field during a dismal home British Grand Prix.
Having qualified in 13th and 19th places, the team expected a tough 60-lap race and that’s how it panned out with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen engaged in an afternoon of entertaining, if ultimately fruitless, dices with similarly struggling rivals BMW and Renault.
Whitmarsh acknowledged it had been a miserable Silverstone weekend for the team, but promised that it would continue pushing development on its current MP4-24, alongside work on next year's car, in a bid to finally find a breakthrough.
However, he admits the team can't currently realistically expect to turn the car into a race winner over the final nine races.
“This weekend has been a very difficult one for everyone at McLaren,” he said.
“No-one in our team likes not winning, and it goes without saying that we all remain utterly determined to return to our winning ways.
“That may not be a realistic prospect for this season – although significant improvements are in the pipeline – but the team is doing a huge amount of work in an effort to gain a full understanding of the performance issues our car is currently facing, with a view to developing next year’s car as well as improving this year’s car.
“Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can begin going forwards – and, painful as it was for all of us, this weekend was an example of that.”
Hamilton, who described the MP4-24 as “dead slow” after qualifying a career-worst 19th, initially moved up to 15th by the end of the first lap before claiming another place from BMW’s Robert Kubica, only to lose it again after being forced wide at Chapel Curve.
Thereafter he gave his home fans something to cheer with bold overtaking moves on Nick Heidfeld’s BMW at Maggotts and former team-mate Fernando Alonso’s Renault down the inside of Copse, but his race-long struggle for grip eventually saw him spin at Vale and wind up 16th.
“I gave it my all today,” the reigning champion said after his fourth successive point-less race.
“Despite fighting for the lower positions, I was absolutely on the limit for the whole race.
“We knew it would be difficult, and I enjoyed my battle with Fernando, but we didn’t have the pace today to get into the points.
“The best thing about this weekend has been the fans: they really gave me some consolation by cheering me on throughout the race.
“I would love to have given them a result to make them happy and my country proud, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us before that will be realistic.”
Heikki Kovalainen slipped behind Hamilton at the start after being boxed in by other cars though Copse, before eventually retiring after colliding with Sebastien Bourdais’s Toro Rosso on the approach to Vale following his one pit stop.
Friday 19 June 2009
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
Nationality Finnish
Date of Birth 19/10/1981
Place of Birth Suomussalmi, Finland
Height 1.72m
Weight 66kg
Favourite Music Nightwish (Finnish Rock Band)
Hobbies Gym, cycling, cross-country skiing, golf
Formula 1 Statistics(after 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix)
Grand Prix Debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix Starts 35
Grand Prix Points 83
Grand Prix Wins 1
Pole Positions 1
Fastest Laps 2
Number of Finishes 29
Number of Podiums 4
Number of finishes in Points 21
Number of Doubles
(pole position & win) 0
Number of Trebles
(pole position, win & fastest lap) 0
Date of Birth 19/10/1981
Place of Birth Suomussalmi, Finland
Height 1.72m
Weight 66kg
Favourite Music Nightwish (Finnish Rock Band)
Hobbies Gym, cycling, cross-country skiing, golf
Formula 1 Statistics(after 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix)
Grand Prix Debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix Starts 35
Grand Prix Points 83
Grand Prix Wins 1
Pole Positions 1
Fastest Laps 2
Number of Finishes 29
Number of Podiums 4
Number of finishes in Points 21
Number of Doubles
(pole position & win) 0
Number of Trebles
(pole position, win & fastest lap) 0
LEWIS HAMILTON
Nationality British
Date of Birth 07/01/85
Place of Birth Stevenage , UK
Height 1.74m
Weight 68kg
Resident UK
Favourite Music R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Funky House
Hobbies Playing the guitar, music, training
Website www.lewishamilton.com
Formula 1 Statistics(after 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix)
Grand Prix Debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix Starts 35
Grand Prix Points 207
Grand Prix Wins 9
Pole Positions 13
Fastest Laps 3
Number of Finishes 33
Number of Podiums 22
Number of finishes in Points 29
Number of Doubles
(pole position & win) 7
Number of Trebles
(pole position, win & fastest lap)
Date of Birth 07/01/85
Place of Birth Stevenage , UK
Height 1.74m
Weight 68kg
Resident UK
Favourite Music R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Funky House
Hobbies Playing the guitar, music, training
Website www.lewishamilton.com
Formula 1 Statistics(after 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix)
Grand Prix Debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix Starts 35
Grand Prix Points 207
Grand Prix Wins 9
Pole Positions 13
Fastest Laps 3
Number of Finishes 33
Number of Podiums 22
Number of finishes in Points 29
Number of Doubles
(pole position & win) 7
Number of Trebles
(pole position, win & fastest lap)
INTRODUCING THE MP4-24
While still retaining the distinctive family look established with both the MP4-22 and MP4-23, this year’s car is visually very different from its predecessors as a result of two main factors:
Aerodynamics
This year’s aerodynamic regulations were framed by the FIA and the Overtaking Working Group (helmed by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes engineering director Paddy Lowe, Ferrari’s Rory Byrne and Renault’s Pat Symonds) which met throughout 2007 in order to address the issues affecting passing in Formula 1.
The OWG’s influence can be most clearly seen around the front wing, which has been widened, and the rear wing – which is now more compact. Other factors affecting aerodynamics include the banning of ancillary appendages, the addition of driver-adjustable front-wing flaps and a heavily revised diffuser.
KERS
The MP4-24’s KERS device has been developed in collaboration with McLaren and Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, which has been developing and refining the system for almost two years. The device enables the car to recover energy under braking, store the energy for a lap and release it when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel.
With a fully optimised KERS device’s output capped at 400kJ (discharging 80bhp boost for 6.7s per lap), the development team’s primary focus has already shifted to further improving the unit’s integration within the chassis in order to minimise performance loss elsewhere within the package.
An optimised KERS package can be expected to deliver a 0.3-0.5s gain per lap.
Winter test programme
With in-season track testing now prohibited, the MP4-24 will undergo an intensive winter programme at the following venues prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29:
Jan 19-22 Portimao Group test one
Feb 10-13 Jerez Group test two
Mar 1-4 Jerez Group test three
Mar 9-12 Barcelona Group test four
Week 12 Private test ahead of transportation to Melbourne
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES MP4-24 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONChassis McLaren moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures. Contains integral safety fuel cell
Front suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Rear suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Suspension dampers Koni
Electronics McLaren Electronic Systems control units incorporating electronics for chassis, engine and data acquisition. McLaren Electronic Systems also supplies the electronic dashboard, alternator voltage control, sensors, data analysis and telemetry systems
Bodywork One-piece engine cover and sidepod covers. Separate floor section, structural nose with integral front wing
Tyres Bridgestone Potenza
Radio Kenwood
Race wheels Enkei
Brake calipers Akebono
Brake master cylinders Akebono
Batteries GS Yuasa Corporation
Steering McLaren power-assisted
Instruments McLaren Electronic Systems
Engine
Type Mercedes-Benz FO 108W
Capacity 2.4 litres
Cylinders 8
Maximum rpm 18,000 (FIA regulatory limit for 2009)
Bank angle 90°
Piston bore maximum 98mm (FIA regulation)
Number of valves 32
Fuel Mobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)
Lubricants Mobil 1 – for higher performance, lower friction and better wear resistance
Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)
Transmission
Gearbox Seven forward and one reverse
Semi-auto Yes
Driveshafts McLaren
Clutch Hand-operated
Aerodynamics
This year’s aerodynamic regulations were framed by the FIA and the Overtaking Working Group (helmed by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes engineering director Paddy Lowe, Ferrari’s Rory Byrne and Renault’s Pat Symonds) which met throughout 2007 in order to address the issues affecting passing in Formula 1.
The OWG’s influence can be most clearly seen around the front wing, which has been widened, and the rear wing – which is now more compact. Other factors affecting aerodynamics include the banning of ancillary appendages, the addition of driver-adjustable front-wing flaps and a heavily revised diffuser.
KERS
The MP4-24’s KERS device has been developed in collaboration with McLaren and Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, which has been developing and refining the system for almost two years. The device enables the car to recover energy under braking, store the energy for a lap and release it when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel.
With a fully optimised KERS device’s output capped at 400kJ (discharging 80bhp boost for 6.7s per lap), the development team’s primary focus has already shifted to further improving the unit’s integration within the chassis in order to minimise performance loss elsewhere within the package.
An optimised KERS package can be expected to deliver a 0.3-0.5s gain per lap.
Winter test programme
With in-season track testing now prohibited, the MP4-24 will undergo an intensive winter programme at the following venues prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29:
Jan 19-22 Portimao Group test one
Feb 10-13 Jerez Group test two
Mar 1-4 Jerez Group test three
Mar 9-12 Barcelona Group test four
Week 12 Private test ahead of transportation to Melbourne
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES MP4-24 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONChassis McLaren moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures. Contains integral safety fuel cell
Front suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Rear suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Suspension dampers Koni
Electronics McLaren Electronic Systems control units incorporating electronics for chassis, engine and data acquisition. McLaren Electronic Systems also supplies the electronic dashboard, alternator voltage control, sensors, data analysis and telemetry systems
Bodywork One-piece engine cover and sidepod covers. Separate floor section, structural nose with integral front wing
Tyres Bridgestone Potenza
Radio Kenwood
Race wheels Enkei
Brake calipers Akebono
Brake master cylinders Akebono
Batteries GS Yuasa Corporation
Steering McLaren power-assisted
Instruments McLaren Electronic Systems
Engine
Type Mercedes-Benz FO 108W
Capacity 2.4 litres
Cylinders 8
Maximum rpm 18,000 (FIA regulatory limit for 2009)
Bank angle 90°
Piston bore maximum 98mm (FIA regulation)
Number of valves 32
Fuel Mobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)
Lubricants Mobil 1 – for higher performance, lower friction and better wear resistance
Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)
Transmission
Gearbox Seven forward and one reverse
Semi-auto Yes
Driveshafts McLaren
Clutch Hand-operated
Practice 1: Vettel leads Red Bull 1-2
While Formula 1’s existential crisis gripped the paddock, Sebastian Vettel led Mark Webber in a Red Bull Racing 1-2 in a thoroughly overshadowed first Friday practice session at Silverstone.
Vettel pipped his team-mate in the dying seconds of the 90-minute session as Red Bull showed it will pose a major challenge to Brawn’s supremacy on the high-speed Northamptonshire circuit.
Home hero Jenson Button was third quickest for Brawn ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello, giving a symmetrical look to the top of the timesheet.
Fernando Alonso was fifth fastest for Renault ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli and 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton.
Full report to follow shortly…
British Grand Prix free practice session one times
1. VETTEL Red Bull 1m19.400s
2. WEBBER Red Bull 1m19.682s
3. BUTTON Brawn 1m20.227s
4. BARRICHELLO Brawn 1m20.242s
5. ALONSO Renault 1m20.458s
6. MASSA Ferrari 1m20.471s
7. TRULLI Toyota 1m20.585s
8. HAMILTON McLaren 1m20.650s
9. ROSBERG Williams 1m20.815s
10. FISICHELLA Force India 1m20.838s
11. SUTIL Force India 1m20.913s
12. KOVALAINEN McLaren 1m21.029s
13. HEIDFELD BMW 1m21.103s
14. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m21.179s
15. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m21.384s
16. GLOCK Toyota 1m21.386s
17. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m21.489s
18. PIQUET Renault 1m21.525s
19. BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m21.590s
20. KUBICA BMW 1m21.801s
Vettel pipped his team-mate in the dying seconds of the 90-minute session as Red Bull showed it will pose a major challenge to Brawn’s supremacy on the high-speed Northamptonshire circuit.
Home hero Jenson Button was third quickest for Brawn ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello, giving a symmetrical look to the top of the timesheet.
Fernando Alonso was fifth fastest for Renault ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli and 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton.
Full report to follow shortly…
British Grand Prix free practice session one times
1. VETTEL Red Bull 1m19.400s
2. WEBBER Red Bull 1m19.682s
3. BUTTON Brawn 1m20.227s
4. BARRICHELLO Brawn 1m20.242s
5. ALONSO Renault 1m20.458s
6. MASSA Ferrari 1m20.471s
7. TRULLI Toyota 1m20.585s
8. HAMILTON McLaren 1m20.650s
9. ROSBERG Williams 1m20.815s
10. FISICHELLA Force India 1m20.838s
11. SUTIL Force India 1m20.913s
12. KOVALAINEN McLaren 1m21.029s
13. HEIDFELD BMW 1m21.103s
14. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m21.179s
15. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m21.384s
16. GLOCK Toyota 1m21.386s
17. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m21.489s
18. PIQUET Renault 1m21.525s
19. BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m21.590s
20. KUBICA BMW 1m21.801s
Wednesday 17 June 2009
Road Safety
Lewis Hamilton today joined the FIA in calling for a coordinated UN action plan as road crashes are set to become the leading cause of disability and premature death for children aged 5-14 across developing countries by 2015.
Speaking at the UK launch of the new report in Parliament, Hamilton said: "I want to use my profile as world champion to do what I can to help raise awareness about global road deaths – and what can be done to prevent them.
"In the UK we have made great progress on road safety, but much more can be done. We need a global Decade of Action to cut the number of deaths by half. It is an ambitious vision, but not an impossible one. And it could help to save millions of lives."
The new 'Make Roads Safe' report, endorsed by the world's leading road safety experts, urges UN governments attending the first ever global conference on road safety in Moscow in November, to support a global 'Decade of Action for Road Safety' with the aim of reducing the predicted level of road fatalities by 50% by 2020. The report argues that between 2010-2020 the international community should invest in a $300 million action plan to help boost traffic injury prevention and re-focus national road safety policies and budgets in developing countries. According to the report:
More than one million people are killed on the roads of developing countries every year, and tens of millions are injured, a toll set to double by 2030. Road crashes are already the leading global cause of death for young people aged 10-24;
Road crashes have now overtaken malaria and tuberculosis as a major killer in developing countries;
They are forecast to be the number one cause of disability and premature death for children aged 5-14 in developing countries by 2015, according to WHO projections.
The launch was organised jointly by the Make Roads Safe campaign, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
Carey Oppenheim, IPPR Co-Director said: "We have a good record on road safety in the UK, but we know we must not be complacent. Other leading governments are taking the agenda forward globally and we must also make a strong commitment to the 'Decade of Action'."
David Ward Director General of the FIA Foundation said: "We welcome the Government's proposals to make Britain's roads the 'safest in the world'. This vision must also include a commitment to do much more to share the UK's knowledge and expertise with the developing countries where road deaths are increasing rapidly."
Notes to Editors:
The Make Roads Safe campaign's report 'Make Roads Safe – A Decade of Action for Road Safety' calls for a global target to cut the projected increase in road deaths by 2020 by 50%. To access the report (pdf) visit: http://www.makeroadssafe.org/publications/Documents/decade_of_action_report_lr.pdf
The Make Roads Safe campaign is chaired by Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, and supporters in the UK include the AA, Brake, British Red Cross, Living Streets, Oxfam, PACTS and RoSPA. The campaign's recommendation for a first ever Ministerial-level global conference on road safety has now been adopted by the UN General Assembly and will be hosted by the Russian Federation in November.
The FIA Foundation, which runs the campaign is an independent UK registered charity which manages and supports an international programme of activities promoting road safety, environmental protection and sustainable mobility, as well as funding specialist motor sport safety research.
Speaking at the UK launch of the new report in Parliament, Hamilton said: "I want to use my profile as world champion to do what I can to help raise awareness about global road deaths – and what can be done to prevent them.
"In the UK we have made great progress on road safety, but much more can be done. We need a global Decade of Action to cut the number of deaths by half. It is an ambitious vision, but not an impossible one. And it could help to save millions of lives."
The new 'Make Roads Safe' report, endorsed by the world's leading road safety experts, urges UN governments attending the first ever global conference on road safety in Moscow in November, to support a global 'Decade of Action for Road Safety' with the aim of reducing the predicted level of road fatalities by 50% by 2020. The report argues that between 2010-2020 the international community should invest in a $300 million action plan to help boost traffic injury prevention and re-focus national road safety policies and budgets in developing countries. According to the report:
More than one million people are killed on the roads of developing countries every year, and tens of millions are injured, a toll set to double by 2030. Road crashes are already the leading global cause of death for young people aged 10-24;
Road crashes have now overtaken malaria and tuberculosis as a major killer in developing countries;
They are forecast to be the number one cause of disability and premature death for children aged 5-14 in developing countries by 2015, according to WHO projections.
The launch was organised jointly by the Make Roads Safe campaign, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
Carey Oppenheim, IPPR Co-Director said: "We have a good record on road safety in the UK, but we know we must not be complacent. Other leading governments are taking the agenda forward globally and we must also make a strong commitment to the 'Decade of Action'."
David Ward Director General of the FIA Foundation said: "We welcome the Government's proposals to make Britain's roads the 'safest in the world'. This vision must also include a commitment to do much more to share the UK's knowledge and expertise with the developing countries where road deaths are increasing rapidly."
Notes to Editors:
The Make Roads Safe campaign's report 'Make Roads Safe – A Decade of Action for Road Safety' calls for a global target to cut the projected increase in road deaths by 2020 by 50%. To access the report (pdf) visit: http://www.makeroadssafe.org/publications/Documents/decade_of_action_report_lr.pdf
The Make Roads Safe campaign is chaired by Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, and supporters in the UK include the AA, Brake, British Red Cross, Living Streets, Oxfam, PACTS and RoSPA. The campaign's recommendation for a first ever Ministerial-level global conference on road safety has now been adopted by the UN General Assembly and will be hosted by the Russian Federation in November.
The FIA Foundation, which runs the campaign is an independent UK registered charity which manages and supports an international programme of activities promoting road safety, environmental protection and sustainable mobility, as well as funding specialist motor sport safety research.
FIA rejects FOTA's proposals
The FIA says it will press ahead with its planned £40m budget cap in Formula 1 next year after rejecting alternative cost-cutting proposals put to it by the Formula One Teams’ Association.
Financial representatives of the governing body and the teams’ alliance met in London on Monday to try to thrash out a compromise deal that would break the current deadlock over next year’s rules.
But the FIA said no progress was made because the FOTA representatives refused to discuss the existing 2010 regulations, with the result that there was no “proper dialogue” about the two contrasting approaches.
“As agreed at the meeting of 11 June, FIA financial experts met yesterday with financial experts from FOTA,” the FIA said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the FOTA representatives announced that they had no mandate to discuss the FIA’s 2010 financial regulations.
“Indeed, they were not prepared to discuss regulation at all.
“As a result, the meeting could not achieve its purpose of comparing the FIA’s rules with the FOTA proposals with a view to finding a common position.”
The FIA said it did discuss FOTA’s proposals, which involve reducing spending through specific initiatives rather than an overall budget ceiling – and concluded that they would be ineffective in preventing costs spiralling.
“In default of a proper dialogue, the FOTA financial proposals were discussed but it became clear that these would not be capable of limiting the expenditure of a team which had the resources to outspend its competitors,” the FIA said.
“Another financial arms race would then be inevitable.
“The FIA Financial Regulations therefore remain as published.”
The FIA has imposed a deadline of this Friday for the five teams that it has granted provisional places on the 2010 grid – Brawn GP, Toyota, McLaren, Renault and BMW Sauber – to drop the conditions they attached to their entries.
Since the abandonment of the published financial regulations is one of their two key conditions, it appears increasingly unlikely that the two sides can be reconciled before the deadline.
Meanwhile Ferrari and the two Red Bull teams insist they will not be bound by the FIA’s decision to enter them in the 2010 championship unconditionally, arguing that the contracts on which the governing body based its action are void.
Financial representatives of the governing body and the teams’ alliance met in London on Monday to try to thrash out a compromise deal that would break the current deadlock over next year’s rules.
But the FIA said no progress was made because the FOTA representatives refused to discuss the existing 2010 regulations, with the result that there was no “proper dialogue” about the two contrasting approaches.
“As agreed at the meeting of 11 June, FIA financial experts met yesterday with financial experts from FOTA,” the FIA said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the FOTA representatives announced that they had no mandate to discuss the FIA’s 2010 financial regulations.
“Indeed, they were not prepared to discuss regulation at all.
“As a result, the meeting could not achieve its purpose of comparing the FIA’s rules with the FOTA proposals with a view to finding a common position.”
The FIA said it did discuss FOTA’s proposals, which involve reducing spending through specific initiatives rather than an overall budget ceiling – and concluded that they would be ineffective in preventing costs spiralling.
“In default of a proper dialogue, the FOTA financial proposals were discussed but it became clear that these would not be capable of limiting the expenditure of a team which had the resources to outspend its competitors,” the FIA said.
“Another financial arms race would then be inevitable.
“The FIA Financial Regulations therefore remain as published.”
The FIA has imposed a deadline of this Friday for the five teams that it has granted provisional places on the 2010 grid – Brawn GP, Toyota, McLaren, Renault and BMW Sauber – to drop the conditions they attached to their entries.
Since the abandonment of the published financial regulations is one of their two key conditions, it appears increasingly unlikely that the two sides can be reconciled before the deadline.
Meanwhile Ferrari and the two Red Bull teams insist they will not be bound by the FIA’s decision to enter them in the 2010 championship unconditionally, arguing that the contracts on which the governing body based its action are void.
Monday 15 June 2009
McLaren Automotive announces plans for new British high technology production facility
Ron Dennis reveals details of proposed investment supporting over 800 jobs
McLaren answers UK political and industrial calls for high-tech manufacturing and engineering work supporting exports
McLaren Production Centre planned to build McLaren Automotive’s range of high performance sports cars from 2011
Ron Dennis, Chairman of McLaren Automotive, announced today plans for the UK home of a brand new British-built range of high-performance, high-technology sports cars. Located adjacent to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England, the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) is a proposal that would provide an important investment in the UK automotive and high-tech manufacturing infrastructure.
An application for planning permission was submitted yesterday (May 19 2009) to Woking Borough Council for the facility that would have the capacity for up to 20 pure McLaren sports cars per day. Aiming to be the UK’s most modern and efficient automotive production facility, MPC would provide employment growth at McLaren supporting over 800 automotive jobs and an estimated additional 1,500 indirectly in the local economy.
The planned building of MPC would also support sustained growth of the McLaren brand in providing high-value, high-tech manufacturing and engineering employment in the midst of the global recession. With its first product, a high performance and highly efficient sports car due to be delivered in early 2011, McLaren’s globally respected road car and racing car development skills are set to redefine the automotive engineering environment in the UK.
Ron Dennis said: “Ever since we revealed the McLaren F1 sports car in 1992, it has been a long-held dream of mine to launch a McLaren sports car company. Designing, developing and selling globally the best sports cars in the world is just half of that equation; building them to previously un-matched levels of quality, with ground-breaking technologies in a production facility in the UK is key to satisfying that dream. I believe that if the McLaren Production Centre is given the go ahead, it will be an engineering centre of excellence of which McLaren and the UK can be proud.”
Following a thorough planning process McLaren submitted a formal planning application that takes the McLaren Technology Centre’s (MTC) successful 2003 development as its lead precedent.
Six years ago, McLaren worked in partnership with Woking Borough Council and the Horsell Common Preservation Society to build an award-winning ‘Foster+Partners’-designed headquarters that offered extensive public access to its grounds and restored previously contaminated land. MTC’s build and integration into the landscape enabled sustained growth of McLaren Group companies to 1500 employees, adhered to strict planning controls and legal obligations and won a Royal Town Planning Institute award for its planning delivery. It is Ron Dennis’ aim that the McLaren Production Centre will follow a comparably successful process.
Dennis continued: “It would be easy enough to consider building McLaren sports cars in existing productive and experienced foreign factories; a number of which are knocking on our door. However, McLaren is a great British company founded over 40 years ago that should, in my view, continue to design and build our own products.”
McLaren’s plans for the MPC further support recent political and business calls for the creation of high-tech manufacturing and engineering jobs to support the UK’s growth out of recession. A Woking Borough Council decision on McLaren’s planning application for the McLaren Production Centre is anticipated at the end of July.
The proposed ‘Foster+Partners’-designed manufacturing centre complies with all key planning principles set by the existing planning consent and features a building sunk into the ground to minimise visual impact, substantial new areas of tree planting and re-contouring to effectively disguise above-ground views, and improves access to public land for recreation.
McLaren answers UK political and industrial calls for high-tech manufacturing and engineering work supporting exports
McLaren Production Centre planned to build McLaren Automotive’s range of high performance sports cars from 2011
Ron Dennis, Chairman of McLaren Automotive, announced today plans for the UK home of a brand new British-built range of high-performance, high-technology sports cars. Located adjacent to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England, the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) is a proposal that would provide an important investment in the UK automotive and high-tech manufacturing infrastructure.
An application for planning permission was submitted yesterday (May 19 2009) to Woking Borough Council for the facility that would have the capacity for up to 20 pure McLaren sports cars per day. Aiming to be the UK’s most modern and efficient automotive production facility, MPC would provide employment growth at McLaren supporting over 800 automotive jobs and an estimated additional 1,500 indirectly in the local economy.
The planned building of MPC would also support sustained growth of the McLaren brand in providing high-value, high-tech manufacturing and engineering employment in the midst of the global recession. With its first product, a high performance and highly efficient sports car due to be delivered in early 2011, McLaren’s globally respected road car and racing car development skills are set to redefine the automotive engineering environment in the UK.
Ron Dennis said: “Ever since we revealed the McLaren F1 sports car in 1992, it has been a long-held dream of mine to launch a McLaren sports car company. Designing, developing and selling globally the best sports cars in the world is just half of that equation; building them to previously un-matched levels of quality, with ground-breaking technologies in a production facility in the UK is key to satisfying that dream. I believe that if the McLaren Production Centre is given the go ahead, it will be an engineering centre of excellence of which McLaren and the UK can be proud.”
Following a thorough planning process McLaren submitted a formal planning application that takes the McLaren Technology Centre’s (MTC) successful 2003 development as its lead precedent.
Six years ago, McLaren worked in partnership with Woking Borough Council and the Horsell Common Preservation Society to build an award-winning ‘Foster+Partners’-designed headquarters that offered extensive public access to its grounds and restored previously contaminated land. MTC’s build and integration into the landscape enabled sustained growth of McLaren Group companies to 1500 employees, adhered to strict planning controls and legal obligations and won a Royal Town Planning Institute award for its planning delivery. It is Ron Dennis’ aim that the McLaren Production Centre will follow a comparably successful process.
Dennis continued: “It would be easy enough to consider building McLaren sports cars in existing productive and experienced foreign factories; a number of which are knocking on our door. However, McLaren is a great British company founded over 40 years ago that should, in my view, continue to design and build our own products.”
McLaren’s plans for the MPC further support recent political and business calls for the creation of high-tech manufacturing and engineering jobs to support the UK’s growth out of recession. A Woking Borough Council decision on McLaren’s planning application for the McLaren Production Centre is anticipated at the end of July.
The proposed ‘Foster+Partners’-designed manufacturing centre complies with all key planning principles set by the existing planning consent and features a building sunk into the ground to minimise visual impact, substantial new areas of tree planting and re-contouring to effectively disguise above-ground views, and improves access to public land for recreation.
Thursday 11 June 2009
Hamilton and McLaren fears backward F1 step in Spain
Lewis Hamilton is resigned to a less competitive showing from McLaren at next month’s Spanish Grand Prix after its resurgence in Bahrain.Hamilton battled with the leading group in the early stages of the Sakhir race and went on to finish fourth, his and the team’s best result of the season so far.
That prompted many to conclude that McLaren is making rapid strides with the development of its car and will be challenging for victories within the next few races.But speaking to reporters after Sunday’s race, Hamilton struck a much more cautious note, suggesting that McLaren has largely capitalised on its rivals’ mistakes and made only modest performance gains.“We’re not really fighting back [yet] – I think we’ve just done a better job than a lot of people, and whilst they make mistakes we are just collecting the points,” he said.“We are still a long way behind with the car. But for sure it feels good to have consistency and a step [forward in performance], and it gives us a better foundation to keep building and get better.”
Team boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted that the Sakhir track played to McLaren’s strengths and masked the car’s lack of downforce.
And while the whole field will be bringing new parts to the first European race of the season in Barcelona in two weeks’ time, Hamilton reckons the faster Catalunya circuit will be less forgiving of the MP4-24 than Sakhir.“I think the gap will be bigger when we get to Barcelona and [rival teams] will be a bit further ahead because it’s a high-downforce circuit,” he said.“We have to challenge for the top 10, but maybe a top five will be harder.”
Hamilton said his McLaren’s deficiencies were all too apparent to him when he was racing in close company with Jenson Button’s Brawn and Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull.“It was very tough behind the top cars,” he said.
“They are so fast in the high-speed corners; the downforce they have is almost double mine... It’s very hard to follow.
“We just don’t have any rear downforce to keep up with the guys in front, but we will get there eventually hopefully.”
That prompted many to conclude that McLaren is making rapid strides with the development of its car and will be challenging for victories within the next few races.But speaking to reporters after Sunday’s race, Hamilton struck a much more cautious note, suggesting that McLaren has largely capitalised on its rivals’ mistakes and made only modest performance gains.“We’re not really fighting back [yet] – I think we’ve just done a better job than a lot of people, and whilst they make mistakes we are just collecting the points,” he said.“We are still a long way behind with the car. But for sure it feels good to have consistency and a step [forward in performance], and it gives us a better foundation to keep building and get better.”
Team boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted that the Sakhir track played to McLaren’s strengths and masked the car’s lack of downforce.
And while the whole field will be bringing new parts to the first European race of the season in Barcelona in two weeks’ time, Hamilton reckons the faster Catalunya circuit will be less forgiving of the MP4-24 than Sakhir.“I think the gap will be bigger when we get to Barcelona and [rival teams] will be a bit further ahead because it’s a high-downforce circuit,” he said.“We have to challenge for the top 10, but maybe a top five will be harder.”
Hamilton said his McLaren’s deficiencies were all too apparent to him when he was racing in close company with Jenson Button’s Brawn and Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull.“It was very tough behind the top cars,” he said.
“They are so fast in the high-speed corners; the downforce they have is almost double mine... It’s very hard to follow.
“We just don’t have any rear downforce to keep up with the guys in front, but we will get there eventually hopefully.”
McLaren expect improvements at Monaco
McLaren has expressed confidence that its troublesome MP4-24 will be far more competitive on the twisty streets of Monaco next week than it was at the demanding Circuit de Catalunya.
The Woking squad made steady progress improving its car over the season’s opening four rounds, with Lewis Hamilton scoring its best result so far with fourth in Bahrain, but slipped way back in Spain last weekend and failed to score a point.But with Monte Carlo’s absence of fast corners meaning good traction is far more important than strong aerodynamics, McLaren believes the track will expose fewer of its cars weaknesses.
Therefore world champion Lewis Hamilton, who claimed victory in the Principality last year and who makes no secret of his love for the circuit, is expecting to be fighting further up the order.“There’s an expectation that Monaco will be another good circuit for our car package because the combination of low-speed corners and absence of any really fast stuff should suit MP4-24,” he said.
“I really hope so because it would be fantastic to have a competitive car and to be fighting at the front again.”While McLaren is optimistic of a much improved showing on its Barcelona form it is still unlikely to claim a hat-trick of Monaco wins, having also won with Fernando Alonso in 2007.
Nevertheless team boss Martin Whitmarsh says its impressive past record on the streets adds to its general belief that the weekend can be a more positive one.“Everybody at McLaren is rightfully proud of the team’s reputation around the streets of Monte Carlo,” he said.
“We have won the grand prix for the past two seasons and McLaren has triumphed here an unprecedented 15 times – more than any other Formula 1 team. “As a result, we go into the race with a greater degree of optimism than we had going into Barcelona: both Lewis and Heikki enjoy this circuit and we feel MP4-24 will be a more competitive proposition around the streets of the Principality.”Despite the circuit’s lack of long straights and passing opportunities, McLaren will continue to run its KERS device despite teams generally expecting it to give few overall benefits.Heikki Kovalainen admits he is unsure if he will be able to put the system’s power boost function to good use, but nevertheless believes it is the right decision to keep it on the car.
“We will be using KERS in Monaco and one of the questions will be whether we’ll actually be able to use it to get past other cars,” he said.“As usual, KERS will be a benefit for us, but anything can happen in Monte Carlo. “
The Finn himself is looking to improve both his fortunes from the race there in 2008 and from Spain last Sunday (when his car stopped after seven laps).“I really enjoy driving on street circuits and I’m optimistic that we’ve got a good package for Monaco,” Kovalainen added.
“Although the results don’t show it, because I was forced to start from the pitlane, I had a very strong race here last year and charged up from the back to finish eighth.“Coming off the back of a disappointing race in Spain last week, I’m more determined than ever to get a strong result under my belt.”
The Woking squad made steady progress improving its car over the season’s opening four rounds, with Lewis Hamilton scoring its best result so far with fourth in Bahrain, but slipped way back in Spain last weekend and failed to score a point.But with Monte Carlo’s absence of fast corners meaning good traction is far more important than strong aerodynamics, McLaren believes the track will expose fewer of its cars weaknesses.
Therefore world champion Lewis Hamilton, who claimed victory in the Principality last year and who makes no secret of his love for the circuit, is expecting to be fighting further up the order.“There’s an expectation that Monaco will be another good circuit for our car package because the combination of low-speed corners and absence of any really fast stuff should suit MP4-24,” he said.
“I really hope so because it would be fantastic to have a competitive car and to be fighting at the front again.”While McLaren is optimistic of a much improved showing on its Barcelona form it is still unlikely to claim a hat-trick of Monaco wins, having also won with Fernando Alonso in 2007.
Nevertheless team boss Martin Whitmarsh says its impressive past record on the streets adds to its general belief that the weekend can be a more positive one.“Everybody at McLaren is rightfully proud of the team’s reputation around the streets of Monte Carlo,” he said.
“We have won the grand prix for the past two seasons and McLaren has triumphed here an unprecedented 15 times – more than any other Formula 1 team. “As a result, we go into the race with a greater degree of optimism than we had going into Barcelona: both Lewis and Heikki enjoy this circuit and we feel MP4-24 will be a more competitive proposition around the streets of the Principality.”Despite the circuit’s lack of long straights and passing opportunities, McLaren will continue to run its KERS device despite teams generally expecting it to give few overall benefits.Heikki Kovalainen admits he is unsure if he will be able to put the system’s power boost function to good use, but nevertheless believes it is the right decision to keep it on the car.
“We will be using KERS in Monaco and one of the questions will be whether we’ll actually be able to use it to get past other cars,” he said.“As usual, KERS will be a benefit for us, but anything can happen in Monte Carlo. “
The Finn himself is looking to improve both his fortunes from the race there in 2008 and from Spain last Sunday (when his car stopped after seven laps).“I really enjoy driving on street circuits and I’m optimistic that we’ve got a good package for Monaco,” Kovalainen added.
“Although the results don’t show it, because I was forced to start from the pitlane, I had a very strong race here last year and charged up from the back to finish eighth.“Coming off the back of a disappointing race in Spain last week, I’m more determined than ever to get a strong result under my belt.”
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