Red Bull Driver Webber to quit Formula One at end of 2013

Mark Webber will leave champions Red Bull and Formula One at the end of the season to join Porsche's new Le Mans sportscar programme, the Australian driver announced on Thursday.
"I'm very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula One. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world," he said on his website (www.markwebber.com).

Red Bull Driver Mark Webber

Porsche said he had signed a multi-year contract. Red Bull said a decision on his replacement would not be made until later in the season.The oldest driver on the starting grid, who will be 38 next year and is in his 12th season, Webber has yet to win a race in 2013 but has a good chance to rectify that at this weekend's British Grand Prix.

The straight-talking Australian - who drives a Porsche for private use - has won two of the last three races at Silverstone, including last year's, and has finished on the podium at what amounts to a home race every year since 2009.
He has won nine grands prix, all for Red Bull, since his debut with Minardi in 2002 but has been eclipsed in the championship by German team mate Sebastian Vettel who is chasing a fourth successive title.Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion with Ferrari, has been strongly tipped to take Webber's place.

That move would replace one of the sport's most outspoken drivers with the most taciturn and, at 33, second oldest after Webber.

Formula One Race: Fernando Alonso wins Chinese Grand Prix

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso won a drama-packed Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday, well ahead of the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
The reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel came home fourth after adopting a different tyre strategy, while his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber failed to finish. Jenson Button, of McLaren, was fifth, and Felipe Massa sixth
Daniel Ricciardo, of Toro Rosso, Force India's Paul di Resta, Romain Grosjean of Lotus and Nico Hulkenberg, of Sauber, rounded out the top 10.

Alonso and Lewis Hamilton Celebrating

Hamilton's lead from pole position lasted only into lap five, when Alonso activated his DRS on the home straight, sneaking on the Briton's outside, then Alonso's team-mate Massa shot down Hamilton's inside.
Next Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez slammed into the back of Adrian Sutil, of Force India. Flames licked from the right side of Sutil's machine as engineers battled to save his race. But both cars were out.
Vettel, who started ninth on the grid, was moving ominously up the field. Likewise Webber, who started the race from the pits after a disastrous qualifying session. That run to the front was curtailed though on lap 16 when Jean-Eric Vergne, of Toro Rosso, cut across him.
Webber suffered damage to the front of his car and was called into the pits. But shortly afterwards the Australian inexplicably lost a right-rear tyre. Several cars had to swerve as the tyre rolled across the track.

Fernando Alonso Finished the Race ahead of Raikinon and Hamilton

Webber's bad weekend was over.Raikkonen was in the thick of it, suffering slight damage when Sergio Perez, of McLaren, attempted to snuff out the Finn's overtaking manoeuvre. "What the hell's he doing?!" exclaimed the straight-talking Raikkonen over the team radio.
Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg, winner in Shanghai last season, was the next to retire, as Button, Alonso and Vettel all had turns in the lead.Twenty laps to go and Raikkonen and Hamilton were also still in the hunt.

Alonso, the two-time world champion, surrendered his lead -- nearly 20 seconds by then -- to Vettel when he went in for a change of tyres. But the Spaniard snatched it back again on lap 43 of 56, darting inside the Red Bull.
Alonso, narrowly beaten to the world title last season by Vettel, was in full flow now, clocking the fastest lap time of the race, as Vettel, the rampaging Raikkonen and Hamilton scrapped it out for the other two podium places.But Vettel still needed to pit again. On lap 52 he did so, rejoining the action in fourth, as he attempted to chase down a podium place

Sebastian Vettel leads Red Bull stampede at Malaysian GP

Triple F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian GP on Sunday to get his team and himself the first win of the season. It was also a Red Bull 1-2 with team mate Mark Webber finishing second and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in third.

The German who started on pole position like he did in the Australian GP a week ago managed to lead after the first corner from Fernando Alonso who suffered a retirement due to a broken front plate.

The race saw the lead go to Mark Webber in the middle and Lewis Hamilton who went to the wrong pit garage stopping at former team McLaren rather than his new team Mercedes was in second position after an undercut on pit stops.

However, in the final leg of the race Vettel came back strongly to overtake both Hamilton who was on a save fuel mission and teammate Mark Webber to take the race lead and later the win.

The win means that Vettel who was third in Australia leads the F1Driver's Championship with 40 points from Kimi Raikkonen and Mark Webber.

Formula One :Kimi Raikkonen upstages big rivals to win Australian GP

Kimi Raikkonen cruised to victory at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday while Formula One's title favorites labored behind him, announcing Lotus as a genuine championship contender in the season ahead. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was second, while pole sitter and three-time reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel was third in a Red Bull which struggled to preserve its tires. Force India pair Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta were seventh and eighth, ahead of McLaren's Jenson Button and Lotus' Romain Grosjean.

Group Photo of Drivers

Raikkonen took the lead for good on lap 43 of 58 in a race which had seven different leaders, and had the luxury of driving conservatively in the closing laps while Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel scrambled in vain to keep up.

Starting of the Race of Australian Grand Prix

Formula One confirms 19-race calendar for 2013( See Complete Schedule)

Formula One has settled on a 19-race schedule for the 2013 season. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said last month that the vacant July 21 date on the calendar would not be filled — and that was confirmed at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Geneva on Friday. Istanbul, dropped from the calendar in 2012 after a disagreement with Ecclestone over hosting fees, had been the leading contender to make it a 20-race season but terms could not be reached.

NO

DATE

GRAND PRIX                 CIRCUITS                                                                   

                                                     

1

Sun 17 Mar 2013

Australian Grand Prix     Albert Park

2

Sun 24 Mar 2013

Malaysian Grand Prix

Sepang International Circuit

3

Sun 14 Apr 2013

Chinese Grand Prix

Shanghai International Circuit

4

Sun 21 Apr 2013

Bahrain Grand Prix

Bahrain International Circuit

5

Sun 12 May 2013

Spanish Grand Prix

Catalunya

6

Sun 26 May 2013

Monaco Grand Prix

Monte Carlo

7

Sun 09 Jun 2013

Canadian Grand Prix

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

8

Sun 30 Jun 2013

British Grand Prix

Silverstone Circuit

9

Sun 07 Jul 2013

German Grand Prix

Nurburgring

10

Sun 28 Jul 2013

Hungarian Grand Prix

Hungaroring

11

Sun 25 Aug 2013

Belgian Grand Prix

Spa-Francorchamps

12

Sun 08 Sep 2013

Italian Grand Prix

Monza

13

Sun 22 Sep 2013

Singapore Grand Prix

Marina Bay Street Circuit

14

Sun 06 Oct 2013

Korean Grand Prix

Korean International Circuit

15

Sun 13 Oct 2013

Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka

16

Sun 27 Oct 2013

Indian Grand Prix

Buddh International Circuit

17

Sun 03 Nov 2013

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Yas Marina Circuit

18

Sun 17 Nov 2013

United States Grand Prix

Circuit of the Americas

19

Sun 24 Nov 2013

Brazilian Grand Prix

Interlagos

F1 ace Hamilton beats rival Vettel’s test track record at Top Gear show

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has beaten three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel track time record of 1 minute 44 seconds by clocking 1 minute 42.9 seconds in the popular BBC show Top Gear. The 2008 world champion, who had topped the time sheets in a Suzuki Liana in the show’s ''reasonably priced'' car challenge, had a dry run on the track unlike his wet run during his previous appearance in the show six years ago, when he had set a test track time of 1 min 44.7 secs, the Daily Mail reports. 

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastia

  Hamilton, who claimed to be surprised at the win, said that he would have been disappointed in himself if he had not set a comparatively competitive result. Although the F1 ace played down his chances of challenging the leading teams from the beginning of the racing season in Australia in March, he said that his much criticised move to Mercedes from top dog McLaren was necessary because he wanted a change from the team. Stating that he had been in McLaren since he was 13 years old, Hamilton said that although the move was risky, it presented a challenge for him as he liked taking risks.

Rio to bid for Formula 1 race

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes is reportedly preparing a bold proposal to bring Formula One to the Brazilian city.

Paes is seeking talks with F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone about the prospect of making Rio Brazil's second venue on the championship calendar after the Interlagos track in Sao Paulo, reports Xinhua.
It is understood Paes is hesitant to enter in a direct dispute with Sao Paulo for the event, but will do so if Ecclestone rules out the prospect of staging two Grand Prix races in the country.
Speaking at an announcement for Rio's new international speedway Friday, Paes said: "Be prepared Sao Paulo because I am going to steal the Formula 1 from you."

Interlagos, which is contracted to host an annual F1 race until 2015, was Brazil's first Grand Prix home in the 1970s before losing its host status to Rio de Janeiro's Jacarepagua circuit in 1981.
The event returned to Interlagos in 1990 and has remained there since. 

Indian Grand Prix: Vettel wins fourth consecutive GP

Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel cruised to his fourth consecutive win and extended his lead in the title race of 2012 to 13 points when he steered his Red Bull car to victory in the Indian Grand Prix.
The 25-year-old German dominated the race from start to finish as he led from pole to the chequered flag to come home ahead of nearest championship rival, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. 

Sebestian Vettel after win 

Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber finished third to consolidate his grip on third in the title race, the Australian fending off a strong late challenge from Lewis Hamilton of McLaren who finished fourth ahead of his team-mate and compatriot Jenson Button. Felipe Massa came home sixth in the second Ferrari ahead of his old friend Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus and 10th placed Bruno Senna of Williams. 
It was Vettel's 26th win and he revelled in his familiar trick of adding the fastest lap of the race in the final lap and then standing atop of his car to milk the applause from the crowd. 
Vettel, aiming to become Formula One's youngest triple champion, said: "Two years and two wins here, it's a very special Grand Prix, I don't know what it is about this circuit. 

"A big thanks to my team, we're all pushing very hard.

"This is another good step (to the title) for us but there is still a long way to go."

Alonso commented: "It's not easy at the moment to fight with Red Bull but we will never give up...."

By the way, the fastest lap of the race went to McLaren’s Button. It shows the McLaren had the pace but the Red Bulls had the better overall package.

Nico Rosberg takes first win in Chinese GP

Nico Rosberg won the Chinese Grand Prix for Mercedes from pole position on Sunday in the first victory of his 111-race Formula One career.

Britain's Jenson Button finished second for McLaren with team mate and compatriot Lewis Hamilton finishing third for the third race in a row to take the championship lead.

Rosberg's victory was the first by Mercedes, as a works team, since 1955 when Argentine Juan ManuelFangio won the Italian Grand Prix from pole.

At the front it was a stroll in the park. Few expected the Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher to maintain their qualifying advantage for the duration of the Chinese Grand Prix, but Rosberg seized the lead at the start and was never threatened thereafter. He went on to take a comfortable victory, 20.6sec clear of his rivals: it was his maiden Formula One success and the first for a Mercedes chassis since Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1955 Italian GP, at Monza.

This year's Mercedes has a reputation for shredding its tyres over a race distance, but cooler temperatures played into the team's hands and Rosberg was able to pull away at his leisure. With no immediate pressure from behind, the German was able to look after his rubber and made only two tyre stops while most of his main adversaries plumped for three.

Rosberg had a buffer during the early stages, with Schumacher sitting a few seconds behind, but the veteran dropped out moments after his first pit stop because he rejoined before his front right wheel had been properly secured.

Despite his comfortable advantage, Rosberg's victory owed a little to good fortune: Jenson Button looked set to challenge the leader, but a sticky left-rear wheel delayed his final stop and dropped the Englishman into traffic.

In the race's closing stages, Rosberg led a queue featuring a blend of cars on fresh and worn tyres – and a volley of passing manoeuvres enlivened the closing laps as several drivers' rubber wilted. Button was able to pick his way through to take second ahead of his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Nico Rosberg celebrating his win

"My pace was very good prior to the final stop," said Button, "and I thought I might be able to hunt down Nico towards the end. For that, though, I needed to rejoin on a clear track, but the pit delay put me behind four other cars and I had to fight my way through."

The Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel took fourth and fifth, from Romain Grosjean (Lotus, his first F1 points finish), Bruno Senna (Williams), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber).

Hamilton has finished third in each of this season's first three races and holds a slender championship lead over Button, by 45 points to 43, with Alonso (37) and Webber (36) next up.

FIA confirms Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead on April 22 as per schedule

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has made it clear that the proposed Bahrain Grand Prix will take place as per schedule next week, despite incessant anti-government protests in the troubled state, similar to those that forced the cancellation of the race last year. The announcement mirrored the views of Formula One's boss Bernie Ecclestone, who had said on Thursday that the April 22 race was on unless local sporting authorities asked for it to be cancelled.

Bahrain Grand Prix Circuit

"Based on the current information the FIA has at this stage, it is satisfied that all the proper security measures are in place for the running of a Formula One World Championship event in Bahrain," Stuff.co.nz quoted the FIA statement, as saying.
"Therefore, the FIA confirms that the 2012 F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain will go ahead as scheduled," the statement added.
Team principals, some of them believed to be discontented about competing in Bahrain against a backdrop of continuing violence, were to meet Ecclestone at the Shanghai circuit on Friday.
The race will be the fourth round of the 20-race season. Last year's event was deferred, then eventually cancelled, after a rebellion in February by mostly Shiite pro-democracy demonstrators, who demanded a greater say in government and better access to jobs and housing.

Lewis Hamilton ready to roll with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger by his side.

Formula one driver Lewis Hamilton is all set for heading into the F1 season with a new luxury pad in Monaco and a stunning girlfriend. Hamilton has done the full Monte and will roar into the latest season boosted by the feel-good factor.
"I just fancied a change. It was a bit boring where I was living before, not many people around, so it was good to move," the Mirror quoted him saying.

His glamorous girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger is helping him unpack after moving last week to the new place, where he can go training with fellow races like speedy Scot Paul di Resta.
"There are quite a lot of drivers I know there and my trainer is just up the road," he added.
"So there's a bit more of a social life, there's better weather, it's by the sea, so overall a bit better.
"That feel good factor helps going into the season," he said

Bahrain GP organisers say Formula 1 race is on

Bahrain Grand Prix organisers have officially confirmed they will be hosting the Formula One race April 22. Top brass at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) headed by chief executive Sheikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa said in a press conference that the racing weekend will be April 20-22 and will be held under the slogan "Unified One Nation".
He also said special discounts will be offered to fans for tickets, which will be sold across the country.
Bahrain was initially scheduled to host the season opener, but F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggested a change in the calendar.

Ecclestone told Motor Sport magazine Hall of Fame recently that the Formula One's governing body can be trusted to make the right decision about racing in Bahrain, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

"As far as I am aware, we are definitely going," Horner had said.

"We rely on the FIA, it is the FIA Formula One world championship, and Bahrain is one of the races on the calendar."

Aerial View of Baharain GP Race Track

The 2011 Bahrain round was cancelled due to civil unrest in the country.

Several F1 teams voiced their concerns on not to hold the race due to alleged human rights violations.

Videos of anti-government protests were reportedly sent out to drivers and teams to create a sense of fear. 

FIA GT1 World Championship: Budh International Circuit to host 2012 season final

India's Budh International Circuit (BIC) will be hosting the 2012 season grand finale of FIA's GT1 World Championship Nov 30-Dec 2. India will be the second venue of the race in Asia after China.

Stephane Ratel, founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group, the official organizer of world body FIA's GT1 World Championship, said the calendar for the coming season is rounded out by the final round in India, at the BIC, which hosted India's first Formula One race last year.

“India completes the 2012 calendar in every way. It fulfils our ambition to continue to break new ground in global markets, taking world-class GT racing to new and exciting locations. To secure events in the three capital cities of the three fastest growing markets for luxury cars is a major step forward,” Ratel said in a statement.

Budh International Circuit

Constructed in 2010, the 5.125-kilometre track, situated at NOIDA near New Delhi, was designed by Hermann Tilke, and offers a variety of challenges to drivers and teams alike.


Sameer Gaur, MD and CEO of Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI), which owns the circuit, said it was a great honour for BIC. JPSI is also the promoter of the Formula One in India.

"It is indeed a matter of great pleasure for us to be a part of the FIA GT1 World Championship. After having hosted a hugely successful F1 race at BIC last October, we are fully prepared for another successful international race. I am sure Indian motorsport fans would love it and India would soon acquire its rightful place in the world of high-speed motor racing," Gaur said in a statement.

Budh International Circuit

The 2012 season will also see Ferrari competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Two GT1 race cars based on the Ferrari 458 Italia will compete in the series.

Ferrari joins Audi (Team WRT), BMW (Vita4One), McLaren (Hexis) and Mercedes (All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport) in an impressive lineup for the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship. Other teams will be announcing their participation in the coming days.

"The addition of Ferrari to the 2012 lineup makes it a mouth-watering series. With Ferrari, the number of teams for the next season is five and and we are in advanced talks with a number of other teams as well," said Ratel.

Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli will be the official tyre supplier for the series.

The FIA GT Championship started in 1997 is a sports car racing series organised by the SRO on behalf of the FIA. The championship is basically concentrated in Europe, but over the years has expanded to Asia and South America. At the end of 2009, the championship was replaced by the FIA GT1 World Championship.

The race comprises grand tourer cars meeting FIA World GT regulations. The championship features two titles awarded to the highest scoring entries over the course of the season: The GT1 World Championship for Drivers and the GT1 World Championship for Teams.


The 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship Calendar

April 8 - Nogaro (France)
April 22 - Zolder (Belgium)
May 27 - Navarra (Spain)
July 8 - Algarve (Portugal)
Aug 26 - Beijing (China)
Sep 2 - Ordos (China)
Sep 16 - Moscow (Russia)
Oct 7 - Zandvoort (The Netherlands)
Nov 4 - San Luis (Argentina)

Dec 2 - New Delhi (India)

Lewis Hamilton thrills Bangalore audience with his driving Talent!!!

Nearly 10,000 motor sport lovers witnessed marked British F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton drive his award winning MP4-23 car on the Nice road on Tuesday at Banglore.

The car that Lewis drove on the Indian soil on Tuesday was the same one that he had used to clinch the 2008 champions title of formula one

Lewis Hamilton in road of banglore

.

The audience was left spell-bound with the driving skills of Lewis and lightning fast speeds of his car.
Lewis Hamilton said, “I’ve visited India many times over the last couple of years and it’s never been more exciting to be here than now: the inaugural Indian Grand Prix is only weeks away and you can really feel the growing passion of the people and the excitement levels continuing to build.”

Hamilton 

.
The enthusiasts cheered aloud as they witnessed Hamilton burnt rubber on the highway. Every Indian are waiting for the first formula one race in the country which will going to organise in Greater Noida on 30th October 2011. The Airtel Grand Prix of India will be a Formula One race held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. The first event is scheduled to take place on October 30, 2011 as the 17th race of the 2011 Formula One season.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins Australian Grand Prix!!!!

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel made a perfect start to his Formula One world title defence with a pole to flag victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday after Bahrain failed to start formula one race due to political unrest in the country.Former champion Lewis Hamilton settled for the second spot, while the local hero Mark Webber finished fifth on his home soil.

Red Bull's car

Sebastian Vettel started the new Formula season in a pole position and maintained his lead through out the race. Vettel finished 22.2 seconds earlier than Lewis Hamilton, who won the race in 2008. Renault driver Vitaly Petrov finished third and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso settled behind him.
 

"Thank you boys. Fantastic race, really controlled. Thank you very much. Very cool. Excellent car. Excellent stops. We learned a lot from today, keep it mind," said Vettel after the race.

"We have to keep our feet on the floor. A lot of things can happen. It will be very close. With McLaren and Mercedes, even though they did not have the best day today. I don't like the word 'dominate' today because there is such a long way to go. The sun came out today. I was missing it all week and the car was perfect," he added. "It wasn't an easy win, the start was crucial and obviously I got a good getaway," Vettel added in a news conference.

"The second part of the race, Lewis dropped off and I could control the situation a bit better.

"It's the first time I've finished in the Australian Grand Prix so I'm really happy."

Renault's Vitaly Petrov claimed his and Russia's first ever podium in third place as the top three all ran two-stop strategies, despite the new Pirelli tyres which are supposed to degrade more quickly.

 The Formula One hero Michael Schumacher for Mercedes was forced to retire between the race after engine problems. The defending Australian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button was fined for his illegal overtaking move on Felipe Massa.

Overall Result of Australian Grand Prix 2011

Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	Sebastian Vettel	RBR-Renault	Winner
2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	+22.2 secs
3	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	+30.5 secs
4	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	+31.7 secs
5	Mark Webber	RBR-Renault	+38.1 secs
6	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	+54.3 secs
7	Sergio Perez	Sauber-Ferrari	+65.8 secs
8	Kamui Kobayashi	Sauber-Ferrari	+76.8 secs
9	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	+85.1 secs
10	Sebastien Buemi	STR-Ferrari	+1 Lap
11	Adrian Sutil	Force India-Mercedes	+1 Lap
12	Paul di Resta	Force India-Mercedes	+1 Lap
13	Jaime Alguersuari	STR-Ferrari	+1 Lap
14	Nick Heidfeld	Renault	+1 Lap
15	Jarno Trulli	Lotus-Renault	+2 Laps
16	Jerome d'Ambrosio	Virgin-Cosworth	+4 Laps
Ret	Timo Glock	Virgin-Cosworth	+9 Laps
Ret	Rubens Barrichello	Williams-Cosworth	+10 Lap
Ret	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes GP	+36 Laps
Ret	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus-Renault	+39 Laps
Ret	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes GP	+39 Laps
Ret	Pastor Maldonado	Williams-Cosworth	+49 Laps