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The ING Renault F1 Team thrills 100,000 fans on the streets of Sao Paulo - 1 DEC 2008

After Johannesburg, Kiev, Lisbon and most recently New Delhi, the ING Renault F1 Team visited Sao Paulo, Brazil at the weekend to demonstrate its cars in the final Roadshow of the team’s 2008 programme.

After several weeks of preparation in close collaboration with Renault Brazil, the ING Renault F1 Team travelled to the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo at the weekend for a special demonstration with recently confirmed 2009 race driver, Nelson Piquet. The event was a first for Renault in Brazil and for the residents of Sao Paulo who are more used to following F1 at the Interlagos circuit

on the outskirts of the city. There was therefore a big turnout of fans who were keen to watch this exciting spectacle.

In all more than 100,000 people came along to enjoy Nelson’s demonstration of the R27 in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The display included donuts and burnouts, much to the delight of the fans.

The 1.1km track was especially designed for the event in Sao Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park. Nelson also drove onto the Pedro Alvares Cabral Avenue, which brought his R27 out in front of the Das Bandeiras monument.

At the end of the demonstration, Nelson Piquet commented: “I’m really happy to have been able to do this demonstration here in Brazil. The atmosphere was very special and I hope that my compatriots enjoyed the event as much as I did. These Roadshows give a rare chance for fans that follow the sport to see and hear an F1 up close.”

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Edoardo Piscopo enjoys positive F1 debut for Ferrari at Fiorano

The Formula One debut of Edoardo Piscopo finally came today at Fiorano, where he took on-track a Ferrari F2008. On the car that brought Ferrari the 2008 constructors’ title, Edoardo was called to drive for first, finding damp conditions: after 8 laps with rain tires, he moved to slicks, topping a total of 27 laps around Modena’s test track. Despite the tough weather, Edoardo left a strong impression by nearing the laptimes set by official test-driver Andrea Bertolini. Right after the end of the session, Edoardo headed towards Valencia, where he’ll enter the second day of the collective World Series Renault tests with Draco.

EDOARDO PISCOPO

“It has been a great experience, despite I could only drive for 27 laps in tough track conditions. I’m really happy with the results, though I think I could have improved my marks later, when the track warmed and started to get some tire groove. The car is incredible, so well-balanced to seem even easier than an A1GP car. It’s incredibly effective on-track, making you learn and improve in a really natural way.”

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Whether he’s buying a London mansion with his Pussycat Doll girlfriend, calculating how to drive faster than a man on a bicycle, or otherwise gilding his golden life, world driving champion Lewis Hamilton has not been in Barcelona, Spain, this week to test Formula One cars. The man who could become his chief rival has.

Sebastian Vettel again set fastest time during testing at Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday. Driving a Red Bull RB4 over the 2.89-mile course in sunny, coolish conditions, Vettel cruised to a fast lap of 1 minute, 19.295 seconds in unofficial timing. He called the test useful and lauded the opportunity to get to know team engineers “to develop a common understanding between us.”

Once again, he was closely chased by former Toro Rosso teammate Sebastien Bourdais. The former multiple Champ Car champion is in hot pursuit of the No. 1 spot at Toro Rosso, the one vacated by Vettel’s move to Red Bull. Bourdais also dropped under the 1:20 mark, registering a 1:20.893 and becoming the only driver besides Vettel to do so at this test. Red Bull test driver for the 2008 season, Sebastien Buemi, put a modified STR3 third on time charts with a 1:20.154. Bourdais and Buemi completed 122 and 115 laps, respectively. Only Luca Badoer, testing alone for Ferrari, came close to such course coverage. , covered 120 laps with a best lap of 1:22.866 in continuing engine-gearbox reliability evaluation in an F2008 modified as much as possible to 2009 rules.

“It’s been a useful one-and-a-half days, trying various setup options to find the right direction for next year’s car,” Bourdais said. “Of course, the 2008 car was not designed to run on the ‘09 slick tires, which means you don’t always have the necessary range of adjustment to exploit them fully, but it was an interesting experience nevertheless.”

Toro Rosso’s chief engineer Laurent Mekies said, “There was a twofold purpose to these three days, firstly evaluating drivers for next year and secondly assessing the 2009 Bridgestone slick tires, while running with the level of downforce we expect to have next season. The high number of laps completed means we have been able to carry out both these tasks to our satisfaction. On the tire front, we tried a variety of suspension and mechanical setup options, which means we have plenty of data to analyze.”

Teams claim times are less relevant than ever with teams concentrating on adjusting to new rules including ones that affect engine wear, front-wing use, and the optional inclusion of kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS). With no new chassis yet revealed, teams have adapted 2008 cars with aerodynamic and mechanical bits and bobs that reflect ‘09 rules. This test includes driver evaluations for the few teams whose driver lineups are not yet set. Other teams offered reward drives to champions from other series.

McLaren Mercedes test driver Gary Paffett finished the week’s work without encountering difficulties. He posted fourth-quick time with a lap of 1:21.140 among 81. The team announced satisfaction with slick tire and aero configuration data collection as well as progress understanding KERS and how the device affects car dynamics.

Jenson Button continued a second day of testing a modified RA 108 for Honda. Besides tire evaluations, he tried aerodynamic and suspension settings in 94 laps, the best of which was a 1:21.387, fifth on time charts. “It’s nice to be back in a car that I enjoy driving,” Button said. “Taking a lot of the downforce off and running on slick tires suits my driving style a lot more than grooved tires. I’ve had a fun couple of days, and it’s been very useful, as we have tested many things that should help us with the new car. It’s been a positive start to 2009 already and I’m very pleased. I’ve just got to keep pushing the team hard now to get the improvements that we are hoping to achieve for next year.”

Bruno Senna drove a second Honda as part of the GP2 driver’s job evaluation. The Brazilian logged 107 laps with a best of 1:21.676, ninth-best overall. Morning traffic frustrated his efforts, but he managed tire runs and setting consistent lap times through the afternoon. “Today has been a really good day and I’m very pleased,” Senna said. “I’ve become a lot more comfortable and confident in the car, and I think that showed in the lap time, both in the actual time and also the consistency. We found some good setups and we were able to make a lot of progress through the day. Whether what I did today is good enough is for the team to decide now and I respect that. But for me personally, for my first time in a Formula One car, I have to be happy with what I achieved today.”

Honda team boss Ross Brawn said, “The first test of the winter in Barcelona has seen us commence our on-track preparations for 2009, a season which will see the most significant change in Formula One’s technical regulations for many years. We have been running two modified RA108 chassis with an aerodynamic package representative of the downforce levels required for next season.

“We have also conducted an intensive tire program with the Bridgestone Potenza slick tires. Having been sensible in the use of our tire allocation so far this year, we are in the best possible position to gain information about the new slicks ahead of the launch of our new car. Whilst the temperatures have been quite cool this week, which has affected the behavior of the tires, both the team and drivers are happy to see Formula One back on slicks.”

BMW Sauber continued work with its kinetic energy recovery systerm, or KERS, car, on an F1.08B-06 modified as such. Test driver Christian Klien, sixth-quick, drove 88 laps, with a best of 1:21.534, his work interrrupted by a morning hydraulic leak in the drivetrain that put him off track. Carmaker BMW is among those keen to develop a KERS system for eventual road use. The device is optional in F1 for 2009. The system initially presented safety fears when a series of incidents involving fire and shocks came to light. The latest issue is weight.

Race driver Nick Heidfeld, seventh-quick, drove F1.08B-03 for 106 laps, best of which was 1:21.592, in continuing to test slick tires, which come in again for 2009. “Definitely, the slick tires provide more grip than the 2008 grooved tires,” Heidfeld said. “On the other hand, we have to start from zero by learning how the slick tires heat up and for how many laps they deliver optimum performance.”

Also new for ‘09 is a requirement that engines last three instead of two races, which had teams performing reliability testing. A new, power-adjustable front wing is also on the cards. Heidfeld collected data on these items and used various setups to test mechanical and aerodynamic changes.

Nelson Piquet, the only driver testing for Renault, drove the R28 without incident for 94 laps with a fast lap of 1:22.148, good for eighth on timesheets. “We had a busy morning, continuing with the work we began earlier this week by evaluating the tires and looking at some more development parts in preparation for next year,” Piquet said. “The car still feels strange running with settings to simulate 2009, but we now have lots of data to work through, and so it has been a valuable few days for the team.”

The only Williams on course was in the hands of tester Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg worked through 52 laps, fewest of the days, with a fast lap of 1:22.410.

Force India race driver Giancarlo Fisichella closed out the test for the Indian team with 93 laps in a VJM01. His best lap was a 1:23.086. Pedro de la Rosa drove a second VJM01 for 88 laps, best of which was a 1:23.103.

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orld driving champion Lewis Hamilton, who arrived with family members and girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, was greeted by 1,500 McLaren Mercedes employees Wednesday on a celebratory visit to the McLaren Technology Centre where he said everyone needs “a holiday and a pay rise,” a line that drew cheers from the assembled workers and laughs from McLaren chief exec Martin Whitmarsh and top boss Ron Dennis.

Hamilton returned to Britain from winning the world title in Brazil to find himself subject of a BBC television special, “The Billion Dollar Man.” The youngest and the first driver of color — his father is black, his mother white — to win the world driving championship, Hamilton is seen as poised to be first to the magical money mark, too.

Emerging from family downtime Wednesday, Hamilton visited the McLaren HQ at Woking, England, where he drove an MP4-23 around the compound’s lake, reiterated to employees that McLaren is where he wants to spend his F1 career, and received a congratulatory message from Queen Elizabeth II.

“I’m delighted that you succeeded in winning the Formula One world championship to become the youngest-ever champion,” the queen’s message read. “I send you my warmest congratulations on your remarkable and historic achievement.”

Hamilton reiterated that, like British great Jim Clark with Lotus before him, he expects to spend his F1 career with McLaren.

“I’m with the team I’ve always dreamt of driving for,” Hamilton said in response to questions after prepared remarks. “When you’re living your dream, and you’re in the car you’ve always wanted to have, why would you want to go anywhere?”

Hamilton told the BBC he didn’t think he could match Michael Schumacher’s record seven world driving titles but that he would like to win three. A hat trick would earn him a McLaren F1 LM worth $3.2 million. Dennis gave his top driver a miniature of the car at Wednesday’s ceremony. Only a handful of the exotic sports cars have been made.

Hamilton, 23, became the sport’s youngest and first driver of color to win the championship when, in a do-over from a year ago when he lost the title by one point to Kimi Raikkonen in Brazil, he won on the final lap of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix. He needed to finish fifth if title rival Felipe Massa of Ferrari won, which the Brazilian did. But Hamilton was passed by Toro Rosso driver Sebastian Vettel and dropped to sixth until, at the final corner of the final lap, Toyota’s Timo Glock could not hold position on dry tires on a wet course and Hamilton recaptured fifth. Hamilton took the title by one point from Massa.

Hamilton, who, with Scherzinger, 30, signed autographs for McLaren workers, was asked about the recent success of another mixed-race fellow, Sen. Barack Obama, who Tuesday night became president-elect of the United States.

“I have a huge amount of respect for both candidates but I’m very happy and proud to see Obama at the front. I think it is great for the world, so congratulations to him.”

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone also weighed in Wednesday, telling the Daily Express he was pleased with Hamilton’s championship as good for F1.

“A lot of people who might not watch grand prix racing on television will switch on to see him. There could be a Tiger Woods effect,” Ecclestone said.

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PARIS: Newly crowned Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton made an moving revisit to the McLaren headquarters and promised the affectionate workforce that he would stay with the team.

The factory, 32 kilometers south of London, shaped the car he drove in Sunday’s nerve-shredding finale in Brazil and the 23-year-old Briton at home in it to a roar of praise.

Formula One’s youngest world champion was blinded by a sea of flashing cameras as he mounted a raised area groaning with the trophies accumulated from the last two seasons - 22 dais finishes from 35 races.

More than 1,000 employees, almost all of them shimmering in the company’s shining orange colors and many of them wet-eyed with emotion, provided a bright backdrop as they crowded round to hear their hero offer his thanks.

Hamilton moved through the multitude, affectation for photographs and signing autographs in the spotless, hi-tech structure that bears more similarity to a massive hospital operating theater than a traditional car factory.

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At the age of 23 years 301 days Hamilton becomes Formula One’s youngest planet titleholder.

Becomes only the second driver to win the title in his second year, equaling a feat achieved by Jacques Villeneuve.

Hamilton is Britain’s ninth world champion, subsequent Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie

He is McLaren’s seventh world champion after Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost,

A Aged 22 years 155 days Hamilton is the fifth youngest winner of a grand prix at the back Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Troy Ruttman and Bruce McLaren.

Hamilton connect Villeneuve, Giuseppe Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio, Giancarlo Baghetti, Jackie Stewart, Clay Reggazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi and Juan Pablo Montoya in winning a GP in his first year with his win in Canada.

Hamilton became the first driver to maintain a podium in his first three races, a record he comprehensive to nine.

Hamilton became the youngest to lead the championship outright after he finished second in Spain last season, aged 22 years and 127 days

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 Formula 1 ace Lewis Hamilton will experience more title agony this season says former world champion Damon Hill and hill who has put his money on Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen said If you had asked me before Sunday who I ‘d put my money on I would have said Lewis. But I would want my bet back now. I ‘d be saying Wait a moment, that Ferrari looks strong.  I ‘d put my money on Raikkonen. Hamilton missed out on the drivers crown by a point last year after Raikkonen overturned a 17-point deficit in the last two races. But the McLaren ace increased his lead in Budapest this weekend when Felipe Massas Ferrari engine blew up with three laps to go and the Brazilian will start eight points behind Hamilton when the battle resumes at Valencia’s new street circuit on Aug 24^th Lewis looked a bit dejected.He’d have been thinking I am on pole and I am going to win a daily quoted Hill as saying.

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what do the Hamilton knockers say now? The two best performances of the season so far in a row no one can say Hamilton isn’t brilliant now without sounding completely stupid. Hamilton has every right to say he did a fantastic job because it’s quite simply the truth.  When he does a bad job he admits it so there is nothing wrong in admitting when he’s done it brilliantly! Of course there are people out there who will still say he is crop he won’t win a title it’s the best car etc these are the same kind of people who probably still think the earth is flat bless. Some people in the UK say they feel like they get Lewis Hamilton rammed down their throats all the time. So?! Don’t you think Germany did the same about Schumacher? Didn’t Brazil do the same about Senna and no doubt Spain about Alonso? Hamilton hasn’t won a title yet but in his rookie year he beat the current World Champion at that time in the same car and only missed out on winning the title by two points. People say you can’t or shouldn’t be comparing him to the likes of Senna and Schumacher yet but the fact is, he is the most successful rookie of all time! He is way ahead of where Senna and Schumacher were at the same stage of their careers regardless of how good his car is so there is every chance is will be as good as them if not better. He could easily go on to be the greatest F1 driver of all time if you think about the level he started at and the level he could eventually reach and that’s why so many people are getting so excited. All the papers who gave him such a hard time especially the Daily Mail have absolutely no right to bask in the glory of his victories but of course they are all printing nothing but praise again now.

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Effectively required to win the race twice after the deployment of the Safety Car wiped out the 10 second lead he had constructed Hamilton delivered a barnstorming final flurry to overtake Massa and then the Renault of Nelson Piquet junior to claim a deserved victory. While relatively subdued after the race Hamilton was not shy of congratulating himself on his performance. I think I did a fantastic job he declared. The pace I had was incredible. It [the Safety Car] just made it more exciting and the win look even better but it is Hamilton’s remarks on his overtaking move past Massa that is bound to draw the more interest and while the Ferrari driver was suffering from a clear speed disadvantage compared to Hamilton’s McLaren, the Brazilian’s feeble attempt to retain his second place has drawn strong criticism and Hamilton himself has now echoed those sentiments. All I know is that if it was the other way around then he wouldn’t have got past the 23-year-old commented when invited to study a replay of his move. He didn’t defend very well.

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Sir Jackie Stewart believes Lewis Hamilton would have been heading into Sundays British Grand Prix still in charge of the Formula 1 World Championship but for a lack of clear communication. Hamilton was on top of the world after his win in Monaco, but has since fallen from grace after mistakes in Canada and France. Driving into the back of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in the pit lane in Montreal resulted in a 10-place grid penalty for France where his pursuit of points resulted in a drive through penalty.  3 time former world champion Stewart feels a wise level head within the McLaren team would have served Hamilton well at both races and seen him in the headlines for the right reasons but as Stewart admits finding a pit wall engineer willing to take on the role of psychologist is virtually impossible. One of the biggest and most important elements is communication and there is enough of that going on said Stewart in his role as global ambassador for RBS at the Royal Automobile Club in London. Look at the accident in Montreal where there was so much publicity about Lewis and with Nico Rosberg but not so much. How did that happen? Simply because there was so much distraction so much interference going on in their young heads that they didn’t hear the message the pit lane is closed the red light is on. Lewis had pulled away from the rest of the field and was enjoying a dream drive whilst Nico in a very competitive car was possibly on for a podium. Then the Safety Car came out and I don’t care who you are you are going to be upset and annoyed by that. When he came in he needed to be talked down mentally and that is almost a psychiatrist’s job. That is where a coach comes in. The man who should be talking to him is a man who specialises in good clear communication who knows when to a put an emphasis on a certain word and you have to bring the guy’s head down so when he accelerates out of there you tell him the red light is on do you understand? The blame Lewis and Nico received was all on their shoulders and that was wrong because the team should have ensured the message was clear with Hamilton seemingly offered little advice he has been left to his own devices and that has led to him being gung-ho rather than ice cool. The discipline of not making mistakes is what wins because to finish first and 1^st you have to finish added Stewart. You look at my record 27 wins from 99 races. I don’t think I was necessarily that fast it was just that I thought fairly carefully. You had to go quickly, but you couldn’t go over the top. Drivers shouldn’t go over the top even now but I think that has probably taken the world championship lead away from Lewis at the moment. Stewart like many others points to the role Michael Schumacher enjoyed with technical director Ross Brawn at first Benetton but more notably Ferrari. They had a unity of when to speak and when not to speak during a race and they talked a lot remarked Stewart. Many of the teams today they send the drivers to school on how to appear how to be able to speak, and when to say this and that. But a racing team should be doing the same thing within their communication system. An engineer needs to be educated in that as much as the driver in my opinion. Teams might say they don’t need that but they do because that is there only contact with a driver whilst a number of things are going on. Stewart has also urged Hamilton to avoid taking on the media as he did ahead of the race in France following critical headlines in the wake of his Montreal mistake. Stewart feels that will only detract from his performance on track, adding: “It’s important not to become emotionally disturbed because when you are like that you say things you wish you had never said. You certainly don’t take on the media. You can’t do it. There’s no point. That’s fact. You can maybe try to correct things but not by telling them they are all rubbish. Lewis would not be here today doing what he is doing if he had not had the media on his side.

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