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January 26, 2009

RBS admits F1 backing under review

Filed under: F1 — Tags: , , , , , , — A1 News @ 5:13 am

Off the back of a disastrous chapter for the British company, the Royal Bank of Scotland has admitted its sponsorship of the Formula One team Williams is under review.

Williams’ RBS deal still has two years to run, but after losing nearly 70 per cent of its share price, the bank admitted this week that it is set to record the biggest ever corporate loss in British history.

“We recognise the need to ensure that our sponsorship activity reflects the process of restructuring that the bank has under way,” a spokesman is quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

The bank would not be Williams‘ only sponsorship loss, after recently unveiling its 2009 car without the usual backing of Baugur firms, as well as 2009 sponsors Lenovo and Petrobras.

Reutemann for President

Filed under: F1 — Tags: , , , , — A1 News @ 5:10 am

Carlos Reutemann, a winner of 12 Grand Prix, most recently in 1981, says he will run for the presidency of Argentina at the next election in 2011, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.

A veteran of 146 Grand Prix, for teams including Ferrari and Williams, the now 66-year-old subsequently turned to politics in his native country, where he has been a senator and governor of his local province Santa Fe.

Briatore fed up with Alonso-Ferrari rumours

Filed under: F1 — Tags: , , , , , , , — A1 News @ 5:08 am

Renault duo Flavio Briatore and Fernando Alonso this week gave little attention to the endless speculation that the Spanish driver is set to switch to Ferrari in the near future.

An Italian sports newspaper recently reinvigorated the rumour, drawing an annoyed response by Renault team boss Briatore.

“I cannot understand how people who work for newspapers can just write lies,” the Italian is quoted as saying by Diario AS.

Alonso also informed Spanish reporters that he did not intend to spend much time addressing the Ferrari rumours.

“I know that I will have to speak about this regularly, but now is not the time. I am concentrated on doing a great championship with Renault,” he said.

To English-speaking reporters, he added: “Hopefully this year I can be winning races and fighting for the championship and we can forget Ferrari.”

Lauda wants F1 drivers to double up

Filed under: F1 — Tags: , , , , , — A1 News @ 5:05 am

Niki Lauda has a novel, if unrealistic, proposal to get more value out of F1’s highly-paid drivers and at the same time help another premier series stave off the effects of the global financial crisis.

The former champion wants racers like 2008 title winner Lewis Hamilton, and rising star Sebastian Vettel, to double up and race in the German premier touring car category DTM.

“In these difficult times Mercedes could use Hamilton (for its DTM team),” the Austrian told the German language news magazine Focus, explaining that F1 drivers this year will not be deployed on circuits so much due to the total ban on in-season testing.

“And Vettel could be put to use by Red Bull-Audi,” Lauda continued.

He said his scheme would give F1 employers more value for their money, and boost the popularity of the DTM, whose 2009 calendar does not include too many clashes.

Lauda said he does not agree with proposals to cap or limit F1 drivers’ salaries.

Red Bull RB5 to be ”beautiful” car, says Webber

Filed under: F1 — Tags: , , , , , , , , — A1 News @ 5:02 am

Red Bull is set to buck the trend by revealing a handsome 2009 car next month, according to Australian driver Mark Webber.

The 32-year-old, still on crutches and recovering from his broken right leg, said designer Adrian Newey has managed to create a “beautiful” RB5 despite the unseemly new mandatory dimensions of this year’s cars.

On a visit to Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz’s native Austria, he told the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper: “(The RB5 is) perhaps the most beautiful of the 2009 class, which under the new regulations was pretty difficult.”

While at the Kitzbuhel ski resort, Webber was also quoted as saying he is happy at Red Bull Racing and willing to remain with the Milton-Keynes squad for the balance of his career.

He told Salzburger Nachrichten that few teams have decided if they will commence the 2009 season with KERS.

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