We’ll leave it to Coutlhard to tell you about his decision to quit F1 at the end of this season:
“I would like to announce today my decision to retire from racing in Formula 1 at the end of this season. I will remain actively involved in the sport as a consultant to Red Bull Racing focusing on testing and development of the cars.
“I have an open mind as to whether or not I will compete again in the future, in some other form of motorsport, so I am definitely not hanging up my helmet!”
British MotoGP rider switches to four wheels for day
Yamaha rider Toseland, who crashed out on the first corner of the first lap in last Sunday’s British MotoGP, visited the Williams factory last week, where he had a go in the team’s F1 simulator. How did he do? Read on…
Grid Crasher’s tells you who’s staying, and who’s going…
Now is the time of the season when the F1 rumour mill goes crazy. Will Alonso leave Renault at the end of the year? Will Kimi actually retire? Is Nelson Piquet Jnr history? What is the point of Timo Glock? So many questions, no concrete answers.
Here is our take on what the 2009 driver line-ups will look like…
Robert Kubica is playing it cool about rumours that cherubic Nico Rosberg could join him at BMW next season. Paddock whispers - often less effective than Chinese whispers - suggest that Rosberg could replace Nick Heidfeld for 2009.
Kubica says it doesn’t really make a difference to him who occupies the second BMW next season:
“For me it doesn’t change anything if it’s Nick or Nico: my team-mate is just one of 19 other drivers who I must beat,” he told La Stampa.
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) “At Montreal the stability during braking and when you go over the curbs is extremely important. The F2008 improved a lot in these areas compared to last year’s car. Obviously we have to wait until the first Free Practice session on Friday to get it confirmed.“ What he really means: Not sure. We fell asleep half-way through the second sentence.
Felipe Massa (Ferrari) “I love the city and the atmosphere and I am looking forward to having a nice time there both on and off the track.” What he really means: “Show me the party.”
The FIA has forced F1 teams to make their “bridge wings” – aero devices that span the front wing, as shown in the above pic of McLaren’s nose - more stable, as of this weekend’s Canadian GP. Teams will have to fit a supporting stay to ensure that the bridge wing doesn’t move or flex at high speeds.
Currently, McLaren, Toro Rosso, Toyota, Renault, Red Bull, and Williams all have cars fitted with such bridge wings; only Renault runs with a central stay.
Pre-race Monaco quotes and what the drivers really mean
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) “There is nothing like the Monaco GP. To race in the Principality is really different from everywhere else: it is really difficult to have a perfect weekend here. When you manage it you know the great feeling you get by winning the race here. The race in Monaco is the race. It’s a legend amongst all the races. My success here in 2005 is maybe the most memorable of all my races. So to win it again would be just as special.” What he really means: “I don’t give a shit about Monaco.”
Honda’s biggest aero tweak for the current French F1 test session is this pair of developed elephant ears - or rabbit ears, if you prefer - on the car’s nose cone. The struggling team has fixed endplates to the ears, in a bid to improve downforce ahead of this month’s Monaco GP - the famous Monte Carlo street circuit is a high-downforce track, y’see.
