The 2014 Formula One Thread
11-04-14, 02:35 PM
#151
Romania's Forza Rossa to join 2016 F1 grid
Formula One may be in a bit of a crisis at the moment, with two of its smaller teams collapsing into bankruptcy, but there may yet be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel as two new teams are gearing up to take their place. One of those teams is Forza Rossa, and while we haven't much anything about the Romanian entry in in recent months, a new report from Pitpass indicates that plans are well under way – if not without their complications.
Forza Rossa is being backed by a number of Romanian parties, including veteran race strategist Colin Kolles (who was most recently involved in the Caterham buyout) and Ion Bazac, former government minister and Ferrari's Romanian importer (pictured above next to Giancarlo Fisichella). Interestingly, the latter's ties to Maranello have prompted speculation that the team could be at least as closely affiliated with Ferrari as Haas (the American team being started by industrial machinery magnate and NASCAR team owner Gene Haas).
A third Romanian individual – former soccer player Constantin Cojocar – turns out to have been the one who bought Caterham Sports Ltd, the company which designed and built the cars for the Caterham F1 Team until its recent collapse. The plan was to supply chassis and components to both Caterham and Forza Rossa, but Cojocar evidently had trouble paying the bills and keeping the lights on.
Caterham's bankruptcy, however, could present a golden opportunity for Forza Rossa to scoop up the assets of both the team and the manufacturer at a good price, building the new team on the burnt foundations of the old one – even if it has already been granted the go-ahead by the FIA to form its own entry.
That, however, won't happen until 2016 at the earliest, whittling down the grid in the meantime from 22 cars to 18. According to the arrangement between the FIA, Formula One Management and the teams, that threshold would oblige at least the leading teams to make up the lost places on the grid by fielding a third car each – something they couldn't prepare in time for US Grand Prix this past weekend, but which could be put into action for next season. And therein very well might lie the answer as well to the question of where Fernando Alonso will land next season, potentially remaining at Ferrari to drive alongside Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in a three-champion super team with seven World Titles between them.
Forza Rossa is being backed by a number of Romanian parties, including veteran race strategist Colin Kolles (who was most recently involved in the Caterham buyout) and Ion Bazac, former government minister and Ferrari's Romanian importer (pictured above next to Giancarlo Fisichella). Interestingly, the latter's ties to Maranello have prompted speculation that the team could be at least as closely affiliated with Ferrari as Haas (the American team being started by industrial machinery magnate and NASCAR team owner Gene Haas).
A third Romanian individual – former soccer player Constantin Cojocar – turns out to have been the one who bought Caterham Sports Ltd, the company which designed and built the cars for the Caterham F1 Team until its recent collapse. The plan was to supply chassis and components to both Caterham and Forza Rossa, but Cojocar evidently had trouble paying the bills and keeping the lights on.
Caterham's bankruptcy, however, could present a golden opportunity for Forza Rossa to scoop up the assets of both the team and the manufacturer at a good price, building the new team on the burnt foundations of the old one – even if it has already been granted the go-ahead by the FIA to form its own entry.
That, however, won't happen until 2016 at the earliest, whittling down the grid in the meantime from 22 cars to 18. According to the arrangement between the FIA, Formula One Management and the teams, that threshold would oblige at least the leading teams to make up the lost places on the grid by fielding a third car each – something they couldn't prepare in time for US Grand Prix this past weekend, but which could be put into action for next season. And therein very well might lie the answer as well to the question of where Fernando Alonso will land next season, potentially remaining at Ferrari to drive alongside Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in a three-champion super team with seven World Titles between them.
11-07-14, 04:01 AM
#152
Lexus Champion
Austin race was great........even though Caterham and Marussia aren't in it.
And it looks like Nico can still have a chance as the final race at Abu Dhabi features double-points.
And it looks like Nico can still have a chance as the final race at Abu Dhabi features double-points.
11-10-14, 11:16 PM
#153
Race Recap: 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix showcases Silver Arrows and German steel
Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-...photo-3097227/
Formula One got the drawn out Driver's Championship it wanted, which won't be decided until the last race in Abu Dhabi, and it didn't even need double points to do it. A trip below the equator turned around more than merely weather patterns, Nico Rosberg throwing his Mercedes AMG Petronas around the Interlagos track faster than teammate Lewis Hamilton every time it counted, beginning with Free Practice 1.
That's how the German lined up on pole, three-hundredths ahead of the Brit. Two-tenths behind them came the Williams duo, Felipe Massa ahead at his home race, teammate Valtteri Bottas following. Jenson Button made a surprising leap up the grid to put his McLaren fifth, after being "nowhere" during the Free Practice sessions. Sebastian Vettel drove the first Infiniti Red Bull Racing to sixth, ahead of the second McLaren of Kevin Magnussen, and Daniel Ricciardo in the second Infiniti Red Bull Racing in ninth split the Ferrari duo of Fernando Alonso in eighth and Kimi Räikkönen in tenth.
When the pedal got put to the carbon fiber on Sunday, Rosberg did his best to make Hamilton earn his position.
And by "his position" we actually mean second place. So far this year, Rosberg has only converted four of his 13 pole positions into wins, the last race in Austin being another of the ones that got away. Not so in Brazil. Making this race the anti-USGP, Rosberg pulled away at the start and didn't let Hamilton get closer than half of a second away for all 71 laps. The best chance Hamilton had to take the lead was during the second round of pit stops, going for the undercut. After the German pitted, the Brit put in the fastest lap of the race up to that point, then stayed out for another. On that second lap, his tires went off and he locked up and spun into the run-off area at Descida do Sol, costing himself seven seconds. If he had kept the same pace and kept it pointed in the right direction, it's likely he would have come out in front of Rosberg. But it was Nico's day, thanks to a mistake-free outing and being fastest in the middle sector to overcome Hamilton's advantage in the first and third sectors. His teammate crossed the line right behind him.
Massa crossed the line in third, a welcome podium placing in front of his biggest fans. It looked like his race was ruined by a five second stop-go penalty for speeding in the pit lane during his first stop, and he lost more time on his third stop when he drove through the McLaren pit box. Yet the pace of the Martini Williams saw him catching up to and passing drivers who still hadn't pitted yet. Eventually, he returned to the front of the train behind the Mercedes factory cars, albeit 41 seconds behind.
Button said he didn't know where the extra pace came from in qualifying and race compared to the practices, but the Brit rode it to fourth position at the flag. He kept himself in contention at the front during a quiet race, passed Räikkönen on track toward the end of the race and kept Vettel behind him. The German thought Red Bull might have the pace to challenge McLaren, climbing back up the order after getting swamped by Magnussen and Alonso at the start, but it wasn't to be, and he ended affairs in fifth.
Alonso took sixth, the Spaniard in a late-race battle with teammate Räikkönen that began around Lap 65. Räikkönen stopped twice in the race, the last time on Lap 34, Alonso pitted three times, the final time on Lap 52. Fresher tires helped the Spaniard chase down the Finn, but Räikkönen kept the obviously faster Alonso behind him for four laps. When Ferrari didn't ask the slipping, sliding Räikkönen on old tires to move over for the faster sister car, making Alonso get the pass done on track, commentators said that was all the proof they needed that Alonso is leaving the Scuderia. Räikkönen, expected to be with the team next year, finished three seconds behind Alonso, in seventh.
Nico Hülkenberg in the Sahara Force India came home eighth after a race in which he passed a few cars, including one adventurous shot down the inside of Bottas into turn one, but really managed to keep his pace up high enough to maintain position. He was followed home by Kevin Magnussen who had a thoroughly anonymous race to ninth.
The second Williams of Bottas suffered plenty of troubles, from a loose seat belt keeping him from driving properly and blowing one pit stop out to almost ten seconds, to bad tire graining, to debris in his front wing, to getting passed by two cars after Hülkenberg's pass, to suffering the seat belt problem again. Considering all of that, it is again a credit to the Williams' pace that he finished in tenth.
Rosberg, who has never finished on the podium at Interlagos, rode his victory to get to 17 points behind Hamilton. Rosberg showed the kind of steel that he's been accused of missing all year, but it might be too late: all Hamilton has to do is finish second in Abu Dhabi, and he takes the Driver's Championship. Barring a reliability or a kamikaze incident, after Mercedes' 11th one-two of the year, he should pull that off.
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/10/r...an-grand-prix/
11-11-14, 02:50 PM
#154
Caterham F1 Team raises over £1 million in crowdfunding campaign
CATERHAM F1 TEAM RAISES OVER £1M IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS AND IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO RAISING THE £2.35M IT NEEDS TO RACE IN ABU DHABI AS A STEPPING STONE TO ITS LONG TERM SURVIVAL
Sunday 9 November 2014
The Caterham F1 Team launched the #RefuelCaterhamF1 project on Friday 7 November in order to power the team to go racing in Abu Dhabi and hopefully beyond. The team will reward both fans and sponsors in this unique opportunity to be the driving force behind the team by Crowdfunding its return to the grid.
Companies and fans can get involved by heading to the Crowdcube website, www.crowdcube.com/caterham, and pledging the amount they wish to give, from just £5. Supporters will receive unique rewards, from support badges and T-Shirts to a once in a lifetime opportunity to get their name on the Caterham F1 car competing in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The opportunity to support Caterham F1's return to the grid and to receive unique rewards will close when it reaches its £2.35m funding target or on Friday 14 November 2014, whichever is sooner.
Finbarr O'Connell, Caterham Sports Limited administrator and interim Caterham F1 Team Principal: "Everyone involved is incredibly grateful and excited to have raised over £1m of support in less than 48 hours. The Caterham F1 Team is almost half way to its funding target. I am not packing my toothbrush as yet though and there is still a lot of fundraising to be done by the Team. However, it is clear that this campaign is becoming international and I have been contacted by media organisations from all over the world since Friday. The Caterham F1 Team have been approached by a number of people and organisations who have offered their support in different ways ---from Simon Ward, the artist, offering to produce an original artwork, and 500 prints of it, to trading partners who are offering their support as they want to see the Caterham F1 Team back on the grid.
"Most importantly, a new financially sound interested party has entered the arena and is considering acquiring the Team. This new interest is wholly due to this campaign.
"It will be a very novel moment in Abu Dhabi when the Team's supporters will be able to watch the race in the knowledge that they put the Caterham F1 car on the grid.
"There has been some confusion with regard to the purpose of the Crowdfunding Project. Clearly, the plan is not to run a F1 team by using Crowdfunding but rather this funding is providing a stepping stone for the Team to a new financially sound future. If teams don't race they are at a huge disadvantage as regards a potential purchaser making a very expensive purchase decision and this Project gives the Team the ability to showcase itself and especially its cars.
"I have been very grateful for the support the Project has had from F1 thought leaders like Eddie Jordan, a fellow Irishman. Whilst I am also incredibly grateful to Renault and Total for their support of what the Team is doing I really want people to focus on the other human engine to this Team, being 200 people in Leafield, in the Prime Minister's constituency, who have been working without pay for the last 6 weeks in order to rescue this Team. Without them there would be no Team and they deserve everybody's support.
"We are working non-stop to get the Caterham F1 Team back racing and one of our most useful, innovative and effective options right now is Crowdfunding. We want to get as many sponsors and fans as possible involved this week and make our comeback something we can all be part of and proud of. This team deserves a future and I know that there are plenty of fans and companies out there that agree with us, so I can't think of a better way to get us all together and show our support to the team than this one, the Caterham F1 Team #RefuelCaterhamF1 project.
"In order to make this happen, we've teamed-up with Crowdcube, the world's leading Crowdfunding platform, which has raised £45m (£46m as of today!!) for more than 150 organisations since 2011. If we don't hit the target by next Friday, obviously the pledged funds will be returned (or people can, at their choice, retain the rewards they have already funded, as many have already asked) but right now we are hopeful for the future of the Team and we are confident that the Team showing the world that it can race again will lead to a bright future under a new owner on a proper financial footing."
Sunday 9 November 2014
The Caterham F1 Team launched the #RefuelCaterhamF1 project on Friday 7 November in order to power the team to go racing in Abu Dhabi and hopefully beyond. The team will reward both fans and sponsors in this unique opportunity to be the driving force behind the team by Crowdfunding its return to the grid.
Companies and fans can get involved by heading to the Crowdcube website, www.crowdcube.com/caterham, and pledging the amount they wish to give, from just £5. Supporters will receive unique rewards, from support badges and T-Shirts to a once in a lifetime opportunity to get their name on the Caterham F1 car competing in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The opportunity to support Caterham F1's return to the grid and to receive unique rewards will close when it reaches its £2.35m funding target or on Friday 14 November 2014, whichever is sooner.
Finbarr O'Connell, Caterham Sports Limited administrator and interim Caterham F1 Team Principal: "Everyone involved is incredibly grateful and excited to have raised over £1m of support in less than 48 hours. The Caterham F1 Team is almost half way to its funding target. I am not packing my toothbrush as yet though and there is still a lot of fundraising to be done by the Team. However, it is clear that this campaign is becoming international and I have been contacted by media organisations from all over the world since Friday. The Caterham F1 Team have been approached by a number of people and organisations who have offered their support in different ways ---from Simon Ward, the artist, offering to produce an original artwork, and 500 prints of it, to trading partners who are offering their support as they want to see the Caterham F1 Team back on the grid.
"Most importantly, a new financially sound interested party has entered the arena and is considering acquiring the Team. This new interest is wholly due to this campaign.
"It will be a very novel moment in Abu Dhabi when the Team's supporters will be able to watch the race in the knowledge that they put the Caterham F1 car on the grid.
"There has been some confusion with regard to the purpose of the Crowdfunding Project. Clearly, the plan is not to run a F1 team by using Crowdfunding but rather this funding is providing a stepping stone for the Team to a new financially sound future. If teams don't race they are at a huge disadvantage as regards a potential purchaser making a very expensive purchase decision and this Project gives the Team the ability to showcase itself and especially its cars.
"I have been very grateful for the support the Project has had from F1 thought leaders like Eddie Jordan, a fellow Irishman. Whilst I am also incredibly grateful to Renault and Total for their support of what the Team is doing I really want people to focus on the other human engine to this Team, being 200 people in Leafield, in the Prime Minister's constituency, who have been working without pay for the last 6 weeks in order to rescue this Team. Without them there would be no Team and they deserve everybody's support.
"We are working non-stop to get the Caterham F1 Team back racing and one of our most useful, innovative and effective options right now is Crowdfunding. We want to get as many sponsors and fans as possible involved this week and make our comeback something we can all be part of and proud of. This team deserves a future and I know that there are plenty of fans and companies out there that agree with us, so I can't think of a better way to get us all together and show our support to the team than this one, the Caterham F1 Team #RefuelCaterhamF1 project.
"In order to make this happen, we've teamed-up with Crowdcube, the world's leading Crowdfunding platform, which has raised £45m (£46m as of today!!) for more than 150 organisations since 2011. If we don't hit the target by next Friday, obviously the pledged funds will be returned (or people can, at their choice, retain the rewards they have already funded, as many have already asked) but right now we are hopeful for the future of the Team and we are confident that the Team showing the world that it can race again will lead to a bright future under a new owner on a proper financial footing."
11-13-14, 05:07 PM
#155
European lobby group calls for end of alcohol sponsorship in F1
A European lobby group has called for the end of alcohol sponsorship in Formula One, issuing an open letter to FIA president Jean Todt.
According to the letter published by the European Alcohol Policy Alliance, drunk driving accounted for 6,500 deaths (or 25 percent of road deaths) across Europe in 2010. Based on those numbers, and drawing a direct (if rather tenuous) correlation between drunk driving and alcohol sponsorship in motor racing, the organization known as Eurocare is calling on the FIA to ban liquor companies from sponsoring F1 teams and events.
Currently the Williams team is sponsored by Martini, Force India by Smirnoff and McLaren by Johnnie Walker, which was also recently named the official whisky of the sport. Out of deference to (if not compliance with) the ban on consuming alcohol under Sharia law, most teams remove any liquor logos when racing in Muslim countries (where the champagne traditionally sprayed and drank on the podium is also typically replaced with a non-alcoholic substitute like rosewater).
Banning those and other liquor brands from sponsoring the teams and advertising track-side at races would come at a rather difficult time for the series in which several teams are struggling financially. Eurocare addresses the issue, noting that F1 did recover from the ban of tobacco advertising, which was previously a huge contributor to the bottom line of teams like Ferrari (Marlboro), McLaren (West), Lotus (JPS) and Honda (British American Tobacco).
A recent op-ed similarly called for the end of sponsorship by energy drink brands like Red Bull and Monster Energy, which support countless racing teams across numerous racing disciplines.
Of course Formula One isn't the only form of motorsport where alcohol advertising is prevalent. NASCAR and IndyCar have had checkered histories with alcohol companies advertising in their series, the former's second-tier championship famously having been known as the Busch Series after the beer label – while the top-tier series was known as the Winston Cup after RJ Reynolds cigarette brand. Both series have since been renamed for less controversial sponsors Nationwide Insurance and Sprint telecom. The American Le Mans Series was similarly title-sponsored by Patrón tequila before it merged into the United SportsCar Championship, sponsored by watchmaker Tudor.
According to the letter published by the European Alcohol Policy Alliance, drunk driving accounted for 6,500 deaths (or 25 percent of road deaths) across Europe in 2010. Based on those numbers, and drawing a direct (if rather tenuous) correlation between drunk driving and alcohol sponsorship in motor racing, the organization known as Eurocare is calling on the FIA to ban liquor companies from sponsoring F1 teams and events.
Currently the Williams team is sponsored by Martini, Force India by Smirnoff and McLaren by Johnnie Walker, which was also recently named the official whisky of the sport. Out of deference to (if not compliance with) the ban on consuming alcohol under Sharia law, most teams remove any liquor logos when racing in Muslim countries (where the champagne traditionally sprayed and drank on the podium is also typically replaced with a non-alcoholic substitute like rosewater).
Banning those and other liquor brands from sponsoring the teams and advertising track-side at races would come at a rather difficult time for the series in which several teams are struggling financially. Eurocare addresses the issue, noting that F1 did recover from the ban of tobacco advertising, which was previously a huge contributor to the bottom line of teams like Ferrari (Marlboro), McLaren (West), Lotus (JPS) and Honda (British American Tobacco).
A recent op-ed similarly called for the end of sponsorship by energy drink brands like Red Bull and Monster Energy, which support countless racing teams across numerous racing disciplines.
Of course Formula One isn't the only form of motorsport where alcohol advertising is prevalent. NASCAR and IndyCar have had checkered histories with alcohol companies advertising in their series, the former's second-tier championship famously having been known as the Busch Series after the beer label – while the top-tier series was known as the Winston Cup after RJ Reynolds cigarette brand. Both series have since been renamed for less controversial sponsors Nationwide Insurance and Sprint telecom. The American Le Mans Series was similarly title-sponsored by Patrón tequila before it merged into the United SportsCar Championship, sponsored by watchmaker Tudor.
Monsieur Jean Todt
President
Federation Internationale de l'Automobile
8 place de la Concorde
75008 Paris
Brussels 12.11.2014
OPEN LETTER RE: Alcohol Advertising in Formula One: An Irresponsible Message
I am writing to you on behalf of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), an alliance of 57 public health organisations from 25 European countries working on the prevention and reduction of alcohol related harm. Improving road safety is one of the topics we are promoting. Drink driving is linked to 25% of the road deaths in Europe and 6,500 deaths could be saved in 2010 if drivers had obeyed the law on drink driving(i).
The reason why we are writing to you is to address our great concern regarding alcohol sponsorship of Formula One. On the 9th November the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix was broadcasted widely on several TV channels in Europe and the alcohol advertising through sponsorship was very visible during the whole day. 2014 has been a strong season for alcohol sponsorship in Formula One. The alcohol producer Smirnoff(ii) now joins Johnny Walker (McLaren)iii and Martini (Williams)iv as another major alcohol brand in the sport after signing the sponsorship agreement with Force India (May 2014).
The European Alcohol Policy Alliance is deeply concerned of the heavy marketing exercise seen in Formula One and is therefore requesting an urgent change. The association between drinking and driving should clearly be seen as a troubling one.
Alcohol sponsorship is big business in Europe. The alcohol industry spends billions every year marketing its products, and over £800 million a year in the UK alone.v However, the very nature of such sponsorship in Formula One is leaving an uneasy feeling for an increasing number of people.
Sponsorship of sporting events such as Formula One is a prominent marketing tool used by the alcohol industry to promote their products. Sponsorship of this type operates differently from conventional advertising, as its means of persuasion is indirect and implicit. It allows companies not only to create and reinforce awareness, but also to generate positive associations between the sport and the product. The intended result is that the sponsorship creates a link between the company and a highly valued event or occasion in the minds of consumers; a process known as "brand transfer." It is this transfer that is particularly troubling.
Allowing alcohol sponsorship in Formula One seems to contradict many official guidelines for the marketing of alcohol. It runs against the EU Directive (2010/13/EU) which states that marketing for the consumption of alcohol should not be linked to driving. Moreover, the current association between alcohol and driving does not seem to fall in the category of "the widespread promotion of responsible drinking messages", part of the mission supported by the alcohol industry itself.
Alcohol companies often claim that their campaigns are merely the result of a competition between producers for market share and brand loyalty. However a ban on Formula One alcohol sponsorship would only create a level playing field for those in the industry. There is wide spread agreement about the inappropriateness of the alcohol industry sponsoring Formula One.
A common argument made against imposing restrictions on alcohol sponsorships is that it could deal a significant financial blow to the sport. Yet such concerns are largely unjustified. When the tobacco industry was edged out of snooker, horse racing and even Formula One itself, the sports made successful shifts and alternative sponsors emerged. Despite fear-mongering concerning the withdrawal of tobacco sponsorship from Formula One, claiming that the new regulations could be fatal for the sport, nothing of the sort has emerged.
When considering the continued destructive prevalence of drink-driving, permitting the mixed messages presented in alcohol sponsorship of Formula One seems ever more inappropriate given the total viewing audience of 500 million. The sport would not collapse overnight as a result and would constitute a sincere effort to severe the link between drinking and driving. Furthermore, a ban on alcohol sponsorship in Formula One is not a radical departure from previous policy, and rather is a reform in sync with current national efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm.
The European Alcohol Policy Alliance is requesting an end to alcohol sponsorship in Formula One and expects rapid action from your side. We are happy to meet to discuss this further with you.
Sincerely,
Mariann Skar
Secretary General European Alcohol Policy Alliance
Copy: Chief Executive Bernard Ecclestone, Formula One
Vice President Andrus Ansip, European Commission Digital Agenda
Director General Robert Madelin, European Commission DG Connect
Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis , European Commission Health and Food Safety
Director General Ladislav Miko, European Commission DG Sanco
Director General Margaret Chan, World Health Organisation
Head of Unit Vladimir B Poznyak, World Health Organisation
President
Federation Internationale de l'Automobile
8 place de la Concorde
75008 Paris
Brussels 12.11.2014
OPEN LETTER RE: Alcohol Advertising in Formula One: An Irresponsible Message
I am writing to you on behalf of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), an alliance of 57 public health organisations from 25 European countries working on the prevention and reduction of alcohol related harm. Improving road safety is one of the topics we are promoting. Drink driving is linked to 25% of the road deaths in Europe and 6,500 deaths could be saved in 2010 if drivers had obeyed the law on drink driving(i).
The reason why we are writing to you is to address our great concern regarding alcohol sponsorship of Formula One. On the 9th November the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix was broadcasted widely on several TV channels in Europe and the alcohol advertising through sponsorship was very visible during the whole day. 2014 has been a strong season for alcohol sponsorship in Formula One. The alcohol producer Smirnoff(ii) now joins Johnny Walker (McLaren)iii and Martini (Williams)iv as another major alcohol brand in the sport after signing the sponsorship agreement with Force India (May 2014).
The European Alcohol Policy Alliance is deeply concerned of the heavy marketing exercise seen in Formula One and is therefore requesting an urgent change. The association between drinking and driving should clearly be seen as a troubling one.
Alcohol sponsorship is big business in Europe. The alcohol industry spends billions every year marketing its products, and over £800 million a year in the UK alone.v However, the very nature of such sponsorship in Formula One is leaving an uneasy feeling for an increasing number of people.
Sponsorship of sporting events such as Formula One is a prominent marketing tool used by the alcohol industry to promote their products. Sponsorship of this type operates differently from conventional advertising, as its means of persuasion is indirect and implicit. It allows companies not only to create and reinforce awareness, but also to generate positive associations between the sport and the product. The intended result is that the sponsorship creates a link between the company and a highly valued event or occasion in the minds of consumers; a process known as "brand transfer." It is this transfer that is particularly troubling.
Allowing alcohol sponsorship in Formula One seems to contradict many official guidelines for the marketing of alcohol. It runs against the EU Directive (2010/13/EU) which states that marketing for the consumption of alcohol should not be linked to driving. Moreover, the current association between alcohol and driving does not seem to fall in the category of "the widespread promotion of responsible drinking messages", part of the mission supported by the alcohol industry itself.
Alcohol companies often claim that their campaigns are merely the result of a competition between producers for market share and brand loyalty. However a ban on Formula One alcohol sponsorship would only create a level playing field for those in the industry. There is wide spread agreement about the inappropriateness of the alcohol industry sponsoring Formula One.
A common argument made against imposing restrictions on alcohol sponsorships is that it could deal a significant financial blow to the sport. Yet such concerns are largely unjustified. When the tobacco industry was edged out of snooker, horse racing and even Formula One itself, the sports made successful shifts and alternative sponsors emerged. Despite fear-mongering concerning the withdrawal of tobacco sponsorship from Formula One, claiming that the new regulations could be fatal for the sport, nothing of the sort has emerged.
When considering the continued destructive prevalence of drink-driving, permitting the mixed messages presented in alcohol sponsorship of Formula One seems ever more inappropriate given the total viewing audience of 500 million. The sport would not collapse overnight as a result and would constitute a sincere effort to severe the link between drinking and driving. Furthermore, a ban on alcohol sponsorship in Formula One is not a radical departure from previous policy, and rather is a reform in sync with current national efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm.
The European Alcohol Policy Alliance is requesting an end to alcohol sponsorship in Formula One and expects rapid action from your side. We are happy to meet to discuss this further with you.
Sincerely,
Mariann Skar
Secretary General European Alcohol Policy Alliance
Copy: Chief Executive Bernard Ecclestone, Formula One
Vice President Andrus Ansip, European Commission Digital Agenda
Director General Robert Madelin, European Commission DG Connect
Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis , European Commission Health and Food Safety
Director General Ladislav Miko, European Commission DG Sanco
Director General Margaret Chan, World Health Organisation
Head of Unit Vladimir B Poznyak, World Health Organisation
11-16-14, 04:28 PM
#156
Ecclestone dismissive of young F1 fans, small teams in wide-ranging interview
Octogenarian billionaire, briber and Bond villain caricature Bernie Ecclestone is not popular with the fans of the sport he oversees with an iron fist, and somehow, we don't think that's set to change after the 84-year-old gave a pretty wide-ranging interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific.
It all starts rather nicely, with Ecclestone discussing, quite poetically in fact, his fortunate rise to the top of Formula One.
"I think most of us are just lucky and happy to be in the right place at the right time," Ecclestone said. "I grasped the opportunities that were in front of me, whereas a lot of people don't but afterwards say, 'I could have.' The people that have become successful have seen an opportunity and taken it, whatever it is."
He then gets onto the troubles facing Marussia and Caterham, the sport's two struggling backmarkers. After claiming that the sport didn't need the pair, because "they're not front-running teams," Ecclestone used the example of another formerly struggling F1 outift to illustrate the mistakes made by Caterham and Marussia.
"Years ago, [Frank] Williams had a very small budget and was generally in trouble. Yet he always paid every dollar that he owed. He ran the team accordingly with the amount of money he could come up with," Ecclestone said. "Eventually things got better and he built the business and now he's where he is today."
Like a moth to a flame, though, Ecclestone can't resist making some sort of controversial comment, finishing his response by saying, "It's the same for everything in life, isn't it, really? It's the same problem with ladies and credit cards."
Doh.
When asked about social media, Ecclestone basically showed his old guy card, saying, "You're right that we should use social media to promote Formula One. I just don't know how."
Ecclestone's statements on younger fans, meanwhile, are quite dismissive, although he has a pretty airtight reason for his stance – they aren't going to make his sponsors any money.
"Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it. Or our other sponsor, UBS – these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway," Ecclestone argued. "I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash."
There's much more from Bernie, including a few other controversial and sexist remarks, in the full interview. Head over and have a look.
It all starts rather nicely, with Ecclestone discussing, quite poetically in fact, his fortunate rise to the top of Formula One.
"I think most of us are just lucky and happy to be in the right place at the right time," Ecclestone said. "I grasped the opportunities that were in front of me, whereas a lot of people don't but afterwards say, 'I could have.' The people that have become successful have seen an opportunity and taken it, whatever it is."
He then gets onto the troubles facing Marussia and Caterham, the sport's two struggling backmarkers. After claiming that the sport didn't need the pair, because "they're not front-running teams," Ecclestone used the example of another formerly struggling F1 outift to illustrate the mistakes made by Caterham and Marussia.
"Years ago, [Frank] Williams had a very small budget and was generally in trouble. Yet he always paid every dollar that he owed. He ran the team accordingly with the amount of money he could come up with," Ecclestone said. "Eventually things got better and he built the business and now he's where he is today."
Like a moth to a flame, though, Ecclestone can't resist making some sort of controversial comment, finishing his response by saying, "It's the same for everything in life, isn't it, really? It's the same problem with ladies and credit cards."
Doh.
When asked about social media, Ecclestone basically showed his old guy card, saying, "You're right that we should use social media to promote Formula One. I just don't know how."
Ecclestone's statements on younger fans, meanwhile, are quite dismissive, although he has a pretty airtight reason for his stance – they aren't going to make his sponsors any money.
"Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it. Or our other sponsor, UBS – these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway," Ecclestone argued. "I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash."
There's much more from Bernie, including a few other controversial and sexist remarks, in the full interview. Head over and have a look.
11-20-14, 10:04 PM
#157
Ferrari confirms Vettel in, Alonso out
Welcome Sebastian – Vettel and Raikkonen 2015 driver pairing
Maranello, 20 November 2014 – Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement of three years duration with Sebastian Vettel, who will drive for the team as from the 2015 season.
The driver line-up next season will consist of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.
"Scuderia Ferrari has decided to put its faith in the youngest multiple champion in the history of Formula 1" – commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. "In Formula 1 terms, Sebastian Vettel is a unique combination of youthfulness and experience and he brings with him that sense of team spirit which will prove invaluable when, together with Kimi, they tackle the challenges awaiting us, as we aim to be front runners again as soon as possible. With Sebastian, we all share a thirst for victory as well as enthusiasm, a strong work ethic and tenacity; key elements for all the Scuderia members to write together a new winning chapter in the history of Ferrari."
"The next stage of my Formula 1 career will be spent with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a lifetime has come true" – said Sebastian Vettel. "When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari. I already got a small taste of what the Ferrari spirit means, when I took my first win at Monza in 2008, with an engine from the Prancing Horse built in Maranello. The Scuderia has a great tradition in this sport and I am extremely motivated to help the team get back to the top. I will put my heart and soul into making it happen."
###
Thank you Fernando
Maranello, 20 November 2014 – Scuderia Ferrari and Fernando Alonso announce that, by common consent, they have ended their relationship.
Fernando Alonso leaves the team at the end of this season, after a five year period which, with one race remaining, saw him score 1186 points, 44 podiums and 11 wins.
Everyone at Scuderia Ferrari thanks Fernando for his great contribution on both a personal and professional level.
"In the Scuderia Ferrari roll of honour of great drivers, Fernando Alonso will always occupy a special place" – commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. "We offer him our heartfelt thanks for what has been an extraordinary adventure with the Scuderia, when in the past five years, he twice came so close to winning the world championship. I am sure that a great driver like Fernando will always hold the Prancing Horse dear to his heart and I also expect the Ferrari fans will continue to hold him in high regard in his future endeavours."
"Today is not an easy one for me, because even if I always look to the future with great enthusiasm and determination, at the end of this season my journey as a Ferrari driver will come to an end" – said Fernando Alonso. "It was a difficult decision to take, but a carefully considered one and from start to finish, my love for Ferrari was a prime consideration. I have always been lucky enough to make my own decisions about my future and I have that possibility now too. I must thank the team for that, as it understood my position. I leave Scuderia Ferrari after five years, during which I reached my very best level professionally, tackling major challenges that pushed me to find new limits. I also proved to be a true team-player, putting the interests of the Scuderia before my own. When I had to take important decisions about my future, I did so with Ferrari in my heart, driven by my love for the team. I am very proud of what we have achieved together. Thanks to the efforts of the men and women of Maranello, on three occasions we came second in the Formula 1 World Championship, two of them fighting for the title right up to and including the final race, running in a championship winning position for many laps. Without a shadow of a doubt, these five years produced some of the best moments of my career and I also feel that, in leaving the team, it is family rather than friends I am leaving behind. Now I look to the future with great enthusiasm, knowing that part of my heart will always belong to the Prancing Horse. I want to thank each and everyone of the team for the trust they showed in me."
###
Abu Dhabi GP – Alonso: "From Monday, I'm a Ferrari supporter"
Yas Island, 20 November – Just over an hour after it was officially announced by Scuderia Ferrari that Fernando Alonso was leaving the team at the end of this season, the Spaniard faced the press in the Yas Marina media centre, as part of the FIA Press Conference.
"This is a new chapter in my career," he began. "It is time to find new projects and new motivations, but it was not an easy decision to make. Even last year, I had some doubts about 2014 and I decided to check how the new turbo era would go for Ferrari. I was very close to Luca di Montezemolo and we agreed that if we were not competitive I could think of other options. Then, in the summer break, I told the President I wanted to go. I have to thank Ferrari so much, because they could have said 'no,' as there were two years left on my contract. It's a true sign of the respect and love I have for this team. I stop now as a Ferrari driver, but from Monday I become a Ferrari supporter! Time will tell if my decision is good or bad.
Being with Ferrari has been an amazing experience, with an amazing team and brand," reflected Fernando. "Three times I came second in the championship and I'm extremely proud of that. Now it is time to close one door and open a new one. I am very proud of what we achieved with this amazing group of people and I have learned so much in five years. I am not the same driver as in 2009 when I arrived. I am better in all aspects of my driving skills."
Fernando will be wearing a special helmet this weekend and he explained the meaning of the artwork: "On one side, it has a pit stop from this year, with the Italian flag in the middle and the signatures of everyone in the team on the other side. I told them I wanted to bring all of them with me to do my last race with them on the track. Actually, I took the signatures at Sochi, but when we got here there were 25 still missing, so the helmet does not look as perfect as it should, but they are all on it now. I am proud of them all."
Maranello, 20 November 2014 – Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement of three years duration with Sebastian Vettel, who will drive for the team as from the 2015 season.
The driver line-up next season will consist of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.
"Scuderia Ferrari has decided to put its faith in the youngest multiple champion in the history of Formula 1" – commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. "In Formula 1 terms, Sebastian Vettel is a unique combination of youthfulness and experience and he brings with him that sense of team spirit which will prove invaluable when, together with Kimi, they tackle the challenges awaiting us, as we aim to be front runners again as soon as possible. With Sebastian, we all share a thirst for victory as well as enthusiasm, a strong work ethic and tenacity; key elements for all the Scuderia members to write together a new winning chapter in the history of Ferrari."
"The next stage of my Formula 1 career will be spent with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a lifetime has come true" – said Sebastian Vettel. "When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari. I already got a small taste of what the Ferrari spirit means, when I took my first win at Monza in 2008, with an engine from the Prancing Horse built in Maranello. The Scuderia has a great tradition in this sport and I am extremely motivated to help the team get back to the top. I will put my heart and soul into making it happen."
###
Thank you Fernando
Maranello, 20 November 2014 – Scuderia Ferrari and Fernando Alonso announce that, by common consent, they have ended their relationship.
Fernando Alonso leaves the team at the end of this season, after a five year period which, with one race remaining, saw him score 1186 points, 44 podiums and 11 wins.
Everyone at Scuderia Ferrari thanks Fernando for his great contribution on both a personal and professional level.
"In the Scuderia Ferrari roll of honour of great drivers, Fernando Alonso will always occupy a special place" – commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. "We offer him our heartfelt thanks for what has been an extraordinary adventure with the Scuderia, when in the past five years, he twice came so close to winning the world championship. I am sure that a great driver like Fernando will always hold the Prancing Horse dear to his heart and I also expect the Ferrari fans will continue to hold him in high regard in his future endeavours."
"Today is not an easy one for me, because even if I always look to the future with great enthusiasm and determination, at the end of this season my journey as a Ferrari driver will come to an end" – said Fernando Alonso. "It was a difficult decision to take, but a carefully considered one and from start to finish, my love for Ferrari was a prime consideration. I have always been lucky enough to make my own decisions about my future and I have that possibility now too. I must thank the team for that, as it understood my position. I leave Scuderia Ferrari after five years, during which I reached my very best level professionally, tackling major challenges that pushed me to find new limits. I also proved to be a true team-player, putting the interests of the Scuderia before my own. When I had to take important decisions about my future, I did so with Ferrari in my heart, driven by my love for the team. I am very proud of what we have achieved together. Thanks to the efforts of the men and women of Maranello, on three occasions we came second in the Formula 1 World Championship, two of them fighting for the title right up to and including the final race, running in a championship winning position for many laps. Without a shadow of a doubt, these five years produced some of the best moments of my career and I also feel that, in leaving the team, it is family rather than friends I am leaving behind. Now I look to the future with great enthusiasm, knowing that part of my heart will always belong to the Prancing Horse. I want to thank each and everyone of the team for the trust they showed in me."
###
Abu Dhabi GP – Alonso: "From Monday, I'm a Ferrari supporter"
Yas Island, 20 November – Just over an hour after it was officially announced by Scuderia Ferrari that Fernando Alonso was leaving the team at the end of this season, the Spaniard faced the press in the Yas Marina media centre, as part of the FIA Press Conference.
"This is a new chapter in my career," he began. "It is time to find new projects and new motivations, but it was not an easy decision to make. Even last year, I had some doubts about 2014 and I decided to check how the new turbo era would go for Ferrari. I was very close to Luca di Montezemolo and we agreed that if we were not competitive I could think of other options. Then, in the summer break, I told the President I wanted to go. I have to thank Ferrari so much, because they could have said 'no,' as there were two years left on my contract. It's a true sign of the respect and love I have for this team. I stop now as a Ferrari driver, but from Monday I become a Ferrari supporter! Time will tell if my decision is good or bad.
Being with Ferrari has been an amazing experience, with an amazing team and brand," reflected Fernando. "Three times I came second in the championship and I'm extremely proud of that. Now it is time to close one door and open a new one. I am very proud of what we achieved with this amazing group of people and I have learned so much in five years. I am not the same driver as in 2009 when I arrived. I am better in all aspects of my driving skills."
Fernando will be wearing a special helmet this weekend and he explained the meaning of the artwork: "On one side, it has a pit stop from this year, with the Italian flag in the middle and the signatures of everyone in the team on the other side. I told them I wanted to bring all of them with me to do my last race with them on the track. Actually, I took the signatures at Sochi, but when we got here there were 25 still missing, so the helmet does not look as perfect as it should, but they are all on it now. I am proud of them all."
11-24-14, 11:01 PM
#158
Race Recap: Abu Dhabi GP
Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/race-...photo-3139016/
We weren't sure if Alter Ego Nico Rosberg, the one who flew into Brazil and showed Mercedes AMG Petronas teammate Lewis Hamilton that he knew also knew how to grab an entire race weekend by the scruff of the neck, arrived in Abu Dhabi. In both Friday practice sessions Hamilton showed Rosberg the way.
Then on Saturday, Alter Ego Rosberg took over, taking the last Free Practice session and then pole position by a whopping four-tenths of a second over Hamilton. Thanks to the gimmicky and soon-to-be-obliterated spectre of double points, if Rosberg won the race and Hamilton finished lower than second, the World Championship would remain in German hands.
Behind Hamilton came the Williams duo, again, with Valtteri Bottas ahead of Felipe Massa. Daniil Kvyat did swell to put his Toro Rosso in fifth, Jenson Button was just as swell getting his McLaren into sixth. Kimi Räikkönen outqualified his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso for the third time this year, the pair taking seventh and eighth on the grid. Kevin Magnussen lined the second McLaren up in ninth, Jean-Eric Vergne making the top ten for Toro Rosso in his last race for the team. To be clear, that was the final grid for race: Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel had both qualified in the top ten but were sent to the back of the grid when their Infiniti Red Bull Racing front wings were deemed illegal. They'd start from the pit lane, which was still ahead of Romain Grosjean in the Lotus, who took so many penalties for new engine components that he started the race in Turkey.
At lights-out on Sunday, well, it was pretty much lights out.
That's when Hamilton got the start of the year, bolting off the line so quickly it didn't take him 100 meters to get in front of Rosberg. The Brit took Turn 1 in the lead, then laid more than a second into the German on the first lap. Rosberg kept close, about 2.5 seconds back, but it was Hamilton's race to lose and everyone knew it; barring a reliability issue or the kind of driving mistake Hamilton hasn't made all year, Britain would have its fourth double world champion. Rosberg was left asking his engineer what kind of strategy they might use to claim first place.
That reliability issue did come, but it struck Rosberg on Lap 26 when his entire Energy Recovery System failed, robbing him of 160 horsepower and taxing his brakes. Still through less than half of the 55-lap race, he tried not to fall further than fifth, which still gave him a mathematical chance of taking the title if Hamilton retired, but the power deficit was too much: losing more than two seconds a lap to those behind, he would finish fourteenth.
That left Hamilton in charge, and he didn't put a wheel wrong on his way to a straightforward victory. Even with his engine turned down, trying to avoid the same issue that got Rosberg, he was still laying down fastest laps late in the race.
That was partly in effort to keep away from Felipe Massa. The Williams driver also got a great start and was into third on the first lap, and kept both Mercedes' on their toes by never falling more than a few seconds behind. He had said earlier in the weekend that he didn't think Williams had the package to get in with the Mercs, but by the end of the event he was putting on super soft tires trying to reel in Hamilton with a late charge. He ended in second.
His teammate Bottas finished behind him, the Finn having fought his way back from the bottom of the top ten after another terrible start. He benefitted from the front-runners who pitted early getting stuck in traffic, and the Williams chassis didn't hurt.
Daniel Ricciardo ended the year as he began, with a bang-up race scuttled by a penalty. He and Vettel carved up the backmarkers, yet whereas Vettel couldn't make much more progress after cracking the top ten, Ricciardo drove himself into fifth by the finish - nothing flashy, just another determined drive that gets the most out of the RB10. Teammate Vettel - after a battle with Alonso over tenth place - finished eighth in his last race with Infiniti Red Bull Racing, the four-time World Champion giving up Adrian Newey's technical prowess for the childhood dream of tifosi and scarlet.
Jenson Button came fifth in what might be his last race for McLaren and in Formula One. It was a pleasant turnaround from Friday, when Button described the team as being "nowhere" in terms of pace and setup. When the race was over, Button did donuts in one of the runoff areas, a smoky yet sedate goodbye to a lengthy and successful career that started with Williams when he was 19 years old.
Force India finally got another double points finish after some lackluster second-half performances, Nico Hülkenberg and Sergio Perez finishing one after the other in sixth and seventh.
Alonso says goodbye to Ferrari with a ninth place, ahead of teammate Raikkonen in tenth, both of them saying that was the best they could do with the underpowered F 14 T chassis. Alonso will hope for better luck next year with McLaren Honda - if the loose lips of former King Juan Carlos of Spain are to be believed - or at least a better climb in year-on-year car development.
Hamilton's victory gives him his second Driver's World Championship trophy, six years after his first - and that one he also claimed at the last race of the season. His 11 victories this year make him the only non-German driver to have won 11 or more races, the last one helping Mercedes make sole claim to the winningest constructor in a single season with 16, eclipsing McLaren and Ferrari by one. He is F1's 16th multiple champion and Britain's fourth, after Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart - and Stewart's last Championship came in 1971. The Brit says he's already looking to 2015, a year in which he says he'll be even faster.
Mercedes (701 points) and Infiniti Red Bull Racing (405 points) took places one and two in the Constructor's Championship, Williams' most excellent resurgence putting it in a solid third place with 320 points. Ferrari locked up fourth with 181 points, and McLaren on 181 points stayed in front of Force India on 155. The oddest bit of news in that race: Sauber didn't score a point all year, the first time it's happened since the team started racing in F1 in 1993.
And now we can look forward to a drama-filled winter break: no matter who McLaren chooses to partner Alonso it will cause an uproar, and if McLaren Honda doesn't impress in winter testing there'll be another uproar; the small teams will continue their quest to get more of the sport's prize money; the big teams will continue their fight over engine changes to be allowed next year and 2016; Ferrari has a new team principal and a hungry Vettel, and the entire team will be expected to start its season better than the last five; and we can expect rumors for weeks as to whether Caterham will be on the grid next year in green or any other color.
Our only hope for 2015: as happened this year, may the best man win. We'll see you next spring.
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/24/f...-abu-dhabi-gp/
12-04-14, 08:56 PM
#159
Congrats to Mercedes and their domination of the 2014 season.
Mods, going to start a 2015 Formula One thread as the 2015 schedule has been released. Feel free to close this one.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post8813745
Mods, going to start a 2015 Formula One thread as the 2015 schedule has been released. Feel free to close this one.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post8813745
