photo credit: Flickr/Rich Jones

The cause of the fire in the Williams’ garage yesterday remains somewhat unknown. There are some reports that say the KERS unit from Bruno Senna’s car exploded, and the fuel in the area ignited. Spanish police are working with the team.

One crew member remains in the hospital with burns, but should be returning home to the UK to continue treatment soon. Two other crew members were released today after being treated for smoke inhalation.

Frank Williams says the response from personnel of other teams was overwhelming and showed a great spirit of cooperation in the paddock.

Then there’s the team that needs to really work on internal cooperation: McLaren. Martin Whitmarsh said today he regrets not telling Lewis Hamilton to abandon his pole position lap. Whitmarsh had known there wasn’t enough fuel in the car on that final lap, and instead of telling Hamilton to return to the garage, had him finish and stop on track.

Whitmarsh also said he did not expect such a harsh penalty, and that no matter how much fuel would have been left in the car, he was embarrassed by the entire situation.

Better luck next time, McLaren.

photo credit: Flickr/98octane

With the first practice session just over two days away, not much is going on beyond guessing what might happen at the first race of the season. (Answer: NOBODY KNOOOOOOWS)

But, every year at this time, Bernie Ecclestone always has plenty of ideas to keep things moving, beyond suggesting an Australia night race.

First up, Bernie says he wouldn’t be opposed to the concept of a budget cap. If you recall correctly, when Max Mosley was FIA President, the budget cap was rejected and instead the Restricted Resources Agreement became a thing.

Ecclestone thinks a budget cap would be a step in the right direction, considering teams seem too optimistic about current economic situations. The teams need to take off their “rose colored glasses” and buckle up on their budgets to control costs.

Large teams are always inherently opposed to spending limits given their larger sums of money compared to teams like HRT that struggle to finish a car before the season begins.

Ecclestone suggests trying to control the bigger teams’ spending so the smaller ones do not feel the need to spend and spend in an attempt to be on the same level as them.

The Marussia team says they support the idea of the budget cap. CEO Graeme Lowdon thinks that cost control would also help innovation and clever ideas flourish, compared to being able to spend mindlessly.

Ferrari has also brought back the talk of customer cars, using the excuse “it could help Italian drivers.”

But Luca di Montezemolo’s wording is a bit…strange.

“I have an idea: giving a minor team a Ferrari from the previous year and forcing them to field a young Italian. That would be fantastic…”

Forcing. Here, you can buy this car from us, but you’re going to have to use this Italian.

McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh and Marussia’s John Booth both oppose the idea of customer cars.

Whitmarsh says that constructors each making their own car is what sets Formula 1 apart from other forms of motorsport. Booth says it wouldn’t be as fair to everyone on the grid as cost control. If everyone could go out and buy last year’s Red Bull car, you can bet they would.

And so, the battle over spending rages on.

This is seriously something not to take for granted. After setting a deadline for today, Bernie Ecclestone says the Circuit of the America and US Grand Prix organizers have until the World Motorsport Council meets next Wednesday.

The WMSC ratifies next year’s calendar at their meeting. This is the last chance of all last chances, and hopefully something is finally made of it.

Ecclestone again used the phrase “they need money and a pen” regarding the situation, like he did to Will Buxton on Sunday.

Circuit of the Americas is supposedly making a statement at some point this afternoon, no indications if this was actually the news or what.

This is clearly an indication of how F1 really wants US exposure, and if COTA screws this up, then they don’t deserve it. Martin Whitmarsh today told Autosport that it would be damaging to the sport’s image if this falls through, but he believes things will work out and that there is an appetite for the sport here.

I figure this is a good article to have every Monday post-race. There’s always something after a race. Someone’s mad at someone else, someone’s mad at something that happened, Jarno Trulli is ranting in his newspaper column…

BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION
This time around I will agree with Trulli, unlike his previous complaints regarding everyone finishing the European Grand Prix. Yes, once again, it’s the silly blown diffuser argument. He says, “Even our engine guys couldn’t figure out what was allowed.” That is somewhat problematic.

It was fascinating though, considering Christian Horner and Martin Whitmarsh were the only two to really talk incessantly about the issue. Horner’s Red Bull Racing team is one of three teams using Renault engines, and Whitmarsh’s McLaren team is one of three using Mercedes engines.

But whatever. It’s done, hopefully.

ORDER ME SOME WHINE
Mark Webber says it was unnecessary for the team to tell him to maintain the gap to teammate Sebastian Vettel, rather than fight him for position. Webber argues that if Alonso failed to finish, they’d be fighting for P1. Christian Horner takes the “what if you idiots crash into each other like you did last year, huh?” route. Honestly, I can’t blame him after the McLaren drivers bumped each other last month.

Team orders are legal, but Horner claimed he would never take a part of them after last year’s use by Ferrari. Mark, you should just probably do what your team asks. I just want to slap both of them.

Oh, Horner hopes that Webber will still be signing a one year contract extension for next season. I would go elsewhere and let them give that seat to some newbie who gets it that he’s second fiddle to Mr. Vettel.

OTHER BITS
Williams says they are looking to keep both Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado for next season. It will be Barrichello’s 20th Formula 1 season.

Lotus Renault is working on rear exhausts for the German Grand Prix, as they feel their current forward facing ones are not helping them out. Cool concept, but they’ve really fallen back lately. The whole diffuser thing most likely did not help them either.

Ferrari are claiming that their first win of the season will lead them to not “getting carried away.” Well, that’s good to know, as it was just one win. On the less snarky side of things, I will be nice and say it’s good to see some team making improvements to the car rather than hurting it (see above.)

As usual, there is too much going on, but here are three stories of top interests!

TO NEW LANDS!

We’ll start with Martin Whitmarsh’s comments today at the ridiculously awesome FOTA Fan Forum held at the McLaren Mercedes Factory. The team principal says there should be two United States Grands Prix, so that Formula 1 can “conquer” the country.

Oh my. But he has the right idea that the east and west coasts are more the place for the sport. I am actually in fear of going to Austin in June due to the temperatures, to the point I am considering waiting for them to realize the race there should not be in the summer. Nothing against Austin, of course, I am dying to go there during a more temperate month.

He suggests Long Beach and New York. I wish Laguna Seca was F1 ready without some major changes, and like I’ve said before…Watkins Glen. The sport has a lot of work to do to garner more interest in the US first, though. But hey, Whitmarsh has that covered! He understands that F1 is going to have to do a lot more marketing.

» Continue reading “Whitmarsh The Conqueror, HRT Shake-Ups, And Why Jarno Trulli Is Wrong”