Ron: Lewis is too hard on himself

Lewis Hamilton has been accused of being too hard on himself by his team boss Ron Dennis, who has also urged him not to change his ways.


Hamilton returned to the podium on Sunday, his 14th in 21 races, with a third-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix.


The 23-year-old's fine drive, pushing Ferrari duo Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa all the way to the line, went some way towards banishing the memory of his blunders in Bahrain three weeks ago.


Hamilton drew considerable criticism following his performance at the Sakhir track, with many starting to question his lack of experience.


Yet McLaren team principal Ron Dennis maintains Hamilton is a far more mature driver than many people perhaps give him credit for, in particular after coming so close to world title glory last year.


But Dennis insists there is no harsher critic than Hamilton himself, and that in turn will only drive him on, as it did with another of his proteges in two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen.


"As you mature as an individual, whether you are a racing driver or any athlete, part of that maturing process is how you think about what you do and how you go about racing," said Dennis.


"Now I think Lewis is too hard on himself - I've told him that.


"What driver gets out of the car, speaks to you guys (media), and in his words says 'I didn't do a very good job and I'm angry with myself'.


"I can't remember his exact words, but how often does that happen? Seldom.


"Mika used to do it. He used to get out of the car and say 'I screwed up'.


"He (Lewis) is an honest guy. What you see is what you get, and it's refreshing because we know what we are dealing with.


"In truth he had a phenomenal run of not doing anything wrong, but then he had a small drop off in Bahrain where he made one small mistake.


"Apart from that, I think he is doing a good job."


Dennis sees no reason why Hamilton should alter his mindset, no matter the situation he is faced with, adding: "We all wrestle with our weaknesses.


"He is a grand prix driver, and of course he is going to feel a bit of pressure, but he handles it well.


"If he can't handle it, how could he have possibly done what he did last year?


"That was real pressure compared to where we are right now not long after the beginning of the season.


"If anything he is more relaxed. He was, and is, and will continue to be a great racing driver. As simple as that."


Former triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart suggested Hamilton might potentially benefit from working with a coach, noting the like of world number one golfer Tiger Woods has one fighting his corner.


But such a prospect has been firmly rejected by Dennis, insisting: "I don't see the need to have anyone for Lewis to call on a daily basis.


"You forget what he did last year. This guy does not need to be told how to win races, or how to prepare himself mentally.


"And who has a coach? What top driver has a coach? You are talking about something that doesn't exist.


"In my opinion any top driver knows exactly what he wants to do, how he wants to go about it, and he doesn't need anybody to tell him how to drive the car.


"I would never, ever have a driver that had to be guided by a third party on how to drive a racing car.


"I think we do more than any team, and certainly more than we have ever done with regard to the drivers' physical and mental condition.


"I can assure you we don't leave anything to chance, and I'd be very surprised if we didn't have two of the fittest, mentally prepared drivers in the pit lane."

Q&A: Heikki Kovalainen

McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen talks about Spanish GP shunt - well as much as he can given that he doesn't remember a thing.


Q: How do you feel at the moment?
HK: I have a slight headache and a stiff neck, but apart from that I am feeling well and in good spirits. My focus is on getting better as soon as possible so I can pass the FIA medical inspection required to allow me to race in Turkey."


Q: Do you remember anything from the accident?
HK: I don't remember anything from the accident or what happened afterwards but would obviously like to thank all the circuit emergency staff, the FIA medical team at the track and the doctors at the hospital for all their efforts in looking after me. Also thank you for all the messages I have received - they all mean a lot."


Q: What do you think might have caused the accident?
HK: The team told me that the left front wheel rim might have broken which could have lead to the sudden deflation of the tyre. However we have to wait for further inspections to be able to confirm the exact cause. What is especially important is the fact that the monocoque withstood the heavy impact, so credit should also be given to everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes for that."

No 2007 Formula 1 videogame

For the first time since 1996, Formula One looks set to miss out on the videogame market about Sony and Bernie Ecclestone failed to agree a new deal.


Sony has held the exclusive rights to produce F1 games since 2003 with the most recent edition of the game, which was based on the 2006 F1 season, coming out on the PS3 last year.


The five-year license reportedly cost Sony $15m per year.


However, it expired at the end of 2007 meaning a new contract was needed but that has, according to GamesRadar, failed to materialise.


The website reports that Ecclestone is "playing hardball" over the fee, wanting more than what Sony are prepared to pay.


And with no resolution on the cards as well no work having begun on a new edition of the game, it looks as is F1's gaming fans will be without a videogame this season.

Barrichello to mark record in Turkey

Rubens Barrichello has earmarked the Turkish Grand Prix as the race during which he will celebrate his 257th Formula One GP.


Barrichello made his F1 debut way back in 1993 at the South African Grand Prix, but nobody is quite sure when exactly he will hit the 257 mark.


Some suggest Barrichello has contested 253 starts while others claim he has only made 252 starts.


Riccardo Patrese, with 256 races behind his name, currently holds the record of F1's most experienced driver.


The Brazilian believes he will pass Patrese record in Turkey, and his Honda team will celebrate the occasion on May 11.


"In view of the lack of consensus regarding which specific race marks Rubens' 257th Grand Prix, Rubens will celebrate the milestone of 257 Grand Prix appearances at the Turkish Grand Prix on 11 May 2008," Honda said in a statement.


"Heading into this race, Rubens will have 16 seasons of competition at the pinnacle of motorsport under his belt, in which he has achieved nine race wins, 61 podiums and 13 pole positions. As a result of an accident in Friday qualifying, Rubens did not qualify or race at San Marino in 1994, however he did line up on the grid in Belgium in 1998 and in Spain and France in 2002, despite encountering difficulties which then prevented him from taking part in these races."


Rubens Barrichello F1 Highlights (as of Bahrain GP 2008):
Grand Prix Debut: Kyalami, South Africa, 1993
Best World Championship Position: 2nd in 2002 & 2004
First Grand Prix Win: Hockenheim, Germany, 2000
Grand Prix Wins: 9
Podiums: 61
Pole Positions: 13
Grand Prix Starts: 255
Grand Prix Points: 519

Williams eye fourth place

Nico Rosberg says Williams are targeting fourth place in the Constructors' Championship this season.


Ferrari, McLaren and BMW have by far and away been the best teams this season while Williams, Toyota, Red Bull and Renault have been battling it out for the remaining points on offer.


Williams are currently fourth in the standings with 10 points thanks mainly to the German's podium finish in the opening race in Australia.


Rosberg, though, admits it won't be easy to hang onto that position.


"The battle is very tight out there and it won't be easy at all to hold onto the fourth position in the Constructors' Championship," he told the official Formula One website in an interview.


"However, this is our target for this year and we'll do anything we can to achieve it. With some luck, we might end up on the podium again."


The 22-year-old admits Williams need to be at the very best in Barcelona this weekend if they want to pick up a few points.


"There are three teams quite clearly quicker than us at the moment, which means that if everything goes smoothly and they have no problems, we can be seventh," he said.


"There is little room left in the points for everyone else and the battle is tight. Most of the teams will bring improvements on their cars to the first European race. We'll see on Saturday in Barcelona where everyone is."

Kimi: We are in good shape

Kimi Raikkonen is upbeat about Ferrari's chances of making it three wins in a row in Barcelona this weekend.


After their opening race disaster in Australia, Ferrari hit back to win in both Malaysia and Bahrain. They were also at the top of their game during last week's four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya.


Raikkonen believes things are looking good for the Maranello-based team ahead of this weekend's race in Spain.


"All in the team are in good shape," he wrote on his website.


"My own part of last week's test was not that good, but it doesn't matter. I think we should have enough speed for the weekend. All looks good.


"I expect Ferrari to be very competitive at Barcelona.


"But it's going to be close between the top teams. All the teams have updates for the first European race, which makes it more interesting.


"We have won the last two races and that makes our competitors attack even harder.


"We know we have had our ups and downs in the first races. Now I expect Ferrari to keep it up in Barcelona like it was in Malaysia and in Bahrain."


The Finn admits he likes sitting at the top of the Drivers' standings.


"Obviously I prefer being the leader than the chaser I used to be almost every season," he wrote.


"Keeping all the others behind me in the race would mean keeping them behind in the Championship too.


"My approach is to keep pushing 100 percent like the whole team.


"Things change very quickly in F1, so it's important to get the maximum amount of points possible for every grand prix.


"There is such a long way to go."

Ferrari expect tight battle

Ferrari hope to keep their momentum at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, but they remain wary about the improvements their rivals have made.


The Scuderia are heading into the race in Barcelona high on confidence after Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa won in Malaysia and Bahrain respectively.


The team are also coming off a successful four-day test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.


However, team principal Stefano Domenicali is refusing to get carried away and believes it will be another tight battle between the top three teams.


"We come to Spain with every reason to be optimistic, after wins in Malaysia and Bahrain," he told the team's website.


"Testing here went well and we hope to keep our momentum moving forward.


"However, our rivals have not been twiddling their thumbs either, so we can expect a tough fight which we will tackle as usual with maximum concentration at every stage of the weekend."

Alonso: My fight wasn't with Lewis

Fernando Alonso insists he has "never had any problem" with his former McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton.


Alonso split with McLaren at the end of the 2007, just one year into a three-year contract following a turbulent season that often saw the Spaniard at loggerheads with team boss Ron Dennis.


The performance of Hamilton in his debut season also ruffled the feathers of Alonso, who felt the Woking-based squad were showing favouritism to the young Englishman.


But while Alonso admits he was left "disappointed" by certain members of his former team, he concedes that Hamilton was not one of them.


"Not everyone disappointed me," Alonso told El Pais newspaper. "Each one is how he is.


"I think that among the 1000 people that there are in McLaren, there are very great workers and engineers.


"But it is certain that, yes, there are people who disappointed me and who I couldn't work with.


"Hamilton wasn't one of them, he was on the margins of all that.


"People always talked about him and created this animosity, but I never had any problem with him."


Alonso, now at Renault after leaving McLaren, also absolved Hamilton of any blame over their infamous pit lane clash at the Hungarian GP, when Hamilton appeared to be impeded by Alonso, meaning he was unable to complete a final qualifying lap.


Hamilton's role in the incident was also called in to question, with McLaren admitting the Briton should have allowed Alonso ahead of him on the track during the fuel-burn phase of third qualifying, but the Spaniard lays the blame for the incident squarely at the feet of the team's management.


"If you are talking about Hungary, about the pit stop, well it wasn't his [Hamilton's] fault," Alonso continued.


"It was the team who should have taken measures and if I should have left first and given another lap to burn more fuel they should have ensured that it happened like that.


"Nevertheless, they didn't seem very interested in all that.


"It seemed that they weren't interested in me staying there.


"McLaren was a good car that gave me a chance of winning, but I knew that I could never do so in that team."

Spanish GP press conf schedule

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will meet up in Thursday's opening press conf for the Spanish GP while it's the techies turn to speak on Friday.


All times are local (Barcelona is GMT+2)


Thursday, April 24 - 15h00
Fernando Alonso (Renault)
Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren)
Kimi Rдikkцnen (Ferrari)


Friday, April 25 - 16h00
Aldo Costa (Ferrari)
Sam Michael(Williams)
Adrian Newey (Red Bull)
Willy Rampf (BMW)
Pat Symonds (Renault)


Saturday, April 26 - post qualifying
Three fastest drivers from qualifying


Sunday, April 27 - post race
First three finishing drivers

Todt: Max is a man of rare elegance

Jean Todt has come to Max Mosley's aid, saying the FIA President shouldn't be sacked just because of the sex scandal.


Mosley's position as head of motorsport's governing body has come under threat after a British newspaper published a sex scandal story with alleged Nazi connotations.


Mosley has subsequently come under fire from F1 teams, drivers and motorsport bodies around the world with the FIA calling a meeting for June 3rd where a vote of confidence will be taken.


However, one man who doesn't believe Mosley should be fired as a result of the scandal is former Ferrari team boss Todt.


"He's a true president," the Frenchman told the Daily Mail.


"He knows his brief and is a great worker, reliable, very intelligent, a man of rare elegance. He's a true leader.


"I'm still amazed people concentrate on things which are nothing to do with his role."

Alonso warns Renault: Improve or I'm gone

Although Fernando Alonso is keen to remain at Renault next season, he has warned the team he will leave if they aren't in a winning position.


Alonso returned to Renault, the team with whom he won both his World titles, at the start of this season. However, so far it's been a difficult campaign for the Spaniard as the R28 lacks the pace needed to run at the front of the pack.


And with little sign of Renault improving, Alonso has warned his team that he will leave if they can't offer him a better ride next season.


"There's a lot of things to evaluate," Alonso told El Pais newspaper. "My first choice is to continue in Renault if we obtain a winning car and the truth is that we are advancing in this.


"But what I want is to race in a car that can give me victories.


"There are various ones - Williams, Toyota, BMW and Ferrari, of course, that are always up there whatever happens.

Webber: Max has brought F1 into disrepute

Mark Webber believes the scandal surrounding Max Mosley has "brought the sport into disrepute."

The 68-year-old President of the FIA faces a vote of confidence at an extraordinary hearing of the governing body's General Assembly in Paris on June 3.

Mosley has been in charge of world motorsport since 1993 - but his future will be decided by a secret ballot following allegations regarding his private life published in a Sunday newspaper.

Webber told BBC Sport: "The current scandal has brought the sport into disrepute.

"Whether we like it or not, all of us in F1 are role models and F1 simply cannot have scandals of this type.

"Whether Max chooses to resign or how the vote will go at the extraordinary general meeting of the FIA on June 3 is a matter for him and the FIA membership.

"Hopefully that decision will come on June 3. We have got the confidence in the people - they have all the information they need to make the decision that will see if he can continue."

The 31-year-old Australian believes Mosley would find it difficult to continue with a number of the world's major motoring bodies condemning the 68-year-old.

Webber continued: "He is in a very influential position and it's a very important role that he has.

"It makes it difficult when any of these sort of scandals are involved, when they become public. It will be more challenging for him to do his role.

"F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport so a lot of other sports have been tarred with the same brush.

"Because F1 is so high profile, we are always very sensitive to not bringing it into (disrepute) because of the amount of people involved in it."

Theissen delighted with BMW duo

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen has paid tribute to the team's two drivers, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica.

BMW have made an incredible start to the 2008 campaign by picking up three podium finishes in the opening three races.

Kubica finished second and third in Malaysia and Bahrain respectively while Heidfeld scored a second-place finish in the season opener in Australia.

The Hinwel-based team are sitting pretty at the top of the Constructors' standings, and Theissen is quick to hail the Heidfeld and Kubica.

"He (Heidfeld) has seamlessly followed on from last year's great performances", Theissen said.

"Nick is hard to beat, recognises opportunities, and knows how to take advantage of them.

"Robert is back to his old self. He is throwing the car round the turns again. We can expect great things from him too."

A lap of Barcelona with Wurz

Honda test driver Alex Wurz describes a lap of the Barcelona circuit, home of the Spanish GP.


"Over the years, the Circuit de Catalunya has lost some of its edge because it's no longer the high speed challenge that it once was. All of the fast corners have gone, except Turn 3, which is still big G-force, very fast and very demanding.


"Of course, the track still remains an interesting place to drive. The key to a quick lap is to find a good rhythm and to make sure that your car works well in slow-speed corners, which is most of sector three. In days gone by, Barcelona required a high-speed car set-up, whereas now it needs a slow-speed set up, and I think that's disappointing.


"You approach Turn 1 at about 310kph (193mph). You stamp on the brakes and shift down to second gear for Turn 1, before taking Turn 2 in third gear. Next comes one of the best corners on the lap, Turn 3, before you're again braking hard for the hairpin at Turn 4. Another hairpin follows, where it's easy to lock up a wheel on the downhill approach, and you then have two very interesting corners.


"Turn 6 is medium-speed and requires you to use a lot of kerb on the exit, and Turn 7 is a right-hander taken at about 215kph (133mph). It's important to carry a lot of speed through Turn 7 because it leads you onto the back straight, where you're back up to 300kph (186mph). The last part of the lap is slow and it includes the new chicane before the final corner. Again, it's very important to have a good exit because you carry that speed all the way down the pit straight.


"The track was resurfaced a couple of years ago, so the infamous abrasive asphalt is gone. As a result, the race strategies are more or less the same as at other races because tyre degradation is quite flat.


"I advise anyone visiting the race to check out Barcelona because it's a cool city. I love it. The Catalan people are very open and friendly, and Barcelona has a great culture for art and food. If you have kids, take them to the Natural Museum - they'll love it."

Aguri: Spanish participation rests with Honda

Super Aguri have revealed that their participation in next weekend's Spanish GP is now in the hands of Honda's bosses.


Having announced earlier this week that Magma Group, a potential investor, had pulled the plug on a multi-million pound deal, Super Aguri's future was thrown in doubt.


The situation, though, is more ominous that initially thought as the team's co-owner Fumio Akita has admitted that they may not even compete in next weekend's Spanish GP.


"It's possible," Akita told Reuters on Friday when asked if the team could now miss the Barcelona race.


"We were banking on Magma's buyout but they turned it down. It feels like being jilted by a lover.


"Even if we have the money to go to Spain we might not be able to carry on after that. It's impossible to predict what will happen but it could now depend on Honda."


However, with a Honda spokesman recently telling AFP that the carmaker had no intention of changing their support to include anything beyond engines and technical help, Super Aguri's future is ever more bleak.


Akita, though, is holding out hope, although he admits a decision about the team's participation in Spain will need to be made by no later than Tuesday.


"I don't think there will be a decision until after the weekend," he said. "It is likely to be Monday or Tuesday until we hear. It will be very, very tight."

Symonds: R28 has been a letdown

Pat Symonds has conceded that Renault's 2008 challenger, the R28, has failed to live up the team's expectations.


After a disastrous 2007 season, which saw the then-reigning Champions fail to bag even a single race win, Renault had hoped for a better performances this season. And given that they had started early on their 2008 car, it was also expected.


To date, though, the R28 has failed to live up to the team's expectations as, although there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the car, it lacks the speed needed to escape the midfield.


"It doesn't appear to have a particularly difficult sweet spot," Symonds told Autosport.


"So early indications say there's nothing much wrong with the car other than it needs more aero efficiency, could do with slightly better ride, but nothing beyond that.


"You have to say it's not on target for performance but it's not as if there's an area that's deficient that we didn't expect. In other words, nothing's gone wrong, we just haven't achieved the levels we need to be at the front.


"We started pulling development off last year's car in August and pushing it onto this one because we knew that once we'd solved our problems from last year we had a huge deficit.


"In doing that, we set ourselves a very aggressive target of what we had to do in terms of development - we didn't quite meet it but we've certainly made improvements that have been more than a normal year-on-year."


And with more improvements coming in time for next weekend's Spanish GP, Renault fans may be hopeful of a home podium finish for Fernando Alonso. Symonds, though, believes that goal is still out of reach.


"We've got some big upgrades for both aero and chassis coming for Barcelona," he said. ""But I think there are 10 other teams saying exactly the same thing!


"We have some quite interesting chassis stuff coming as well which we hope will push us a little bit further."

'Seb was just going too fast'

Although Toro Rosso claim Seb Bourdais was to blame for his Barcelona crash, team boss Franz Tost concedes it just part of motor racing.


Just hours after unveiling the Toro Rosso STR3 on Wednesday morning, Bourdais destroyed the new car in a huge high-speed accident.


Traveling at over 250km/h the Frenchman left the track at Turn Nine, skipped over the gravel and went crashing into the barriers, causing significant damage to the car.


And although Tost says the accident was a result of Bourdais going too fast, he doesn't hold it against the rookie.


"He was going simply too fast. This can happen; it is part of motor racing," Tost told Eurosport.

Heidfeld: Results better than expected

Nick Heidfeld believes all the signs were there before the start of the season that BMW would have a good year.

The Hinwil outfit are topping the Constructors' Championship with 30 points after Heidfeld and team-mate Robert Kubica scored up three podium finishes between them in the opening three races of the season.

Heidfeld is delighted with the start of the season, but insists things could've been even better.

"I already knew at the end of winter testing that we were quite good, but people somehow didn't listen," the German told reporters in Barcelona.

"They preferred to look at the first comments and the problems we had. But we already knew that we had made big progress. But we didn't expect to be this good.

"We have been the second best team and we are leading the Championship. A couple of months ago I wouldn't have believed that."

"It's better than expected after the winter time, of course.

"But it could also be better. It can always be better."

Rosberg slams 'ridiculous' tyre warmer ban

More and more drivers are expressing their unhappiness with the ban on tyre warmers, which is due to come into force next season.


Williams' Nico Rosberg and Honda's Rubens Barrichello are the latest to criticise the move.


Drivers found things very tricky when they first tested under the new regulation in Jerez last year, but things improved slightly during the first day of testing in Barcelona this week.


However, the reintroduction of slicks in 2009 is likely make things a lot more difficult for drivers. Many reckon the different pace between cars already up to race speed and those with cold rubbers are too big a concern.


Rosberg described the new rule as "ridiculous".


"First of all it's still not good. It's still not right," Rosberg told Autosport.


"You can't run tyres like this next year. That's my opinion, definitely not. It's ridiculous. Running out of the pits it's ridiculous.


"It's not racing, it's survival. It's just survival out there, and that's ridiculous, it's not racing.


"They have to do something on the tyres to improve that. It's not the way it should be. You can have cold tyres, but not like that."


Barrichello echoed Rosberg's concerns.


The Brazilian told Autosport: "Without the blankets racing might be a bit boring, because then people will want to go as long as possible, as you are going to lose three seconds out of the pits.


"We may have crashes on the out lap because people may be trying things and I just don't think that's nice."

Rubens surprises at the top of the timesheets

Honda continued to underline their recent improvement as Rubens Barrichello led the way on the second day of testing in Barcelona.

However, his lap of one minute 18.928 seconds was set on slick tyres as teams this week use some of the time to evaluate the Bridgestone rubber ahead of their use from the start of the 2009 season.

The time was 0.6secs slower than that set by Ferrari's Felipe Massa on slicks on the opening day of the four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya yesterday.

It is clear the reintroduction of slicks will startlingly reduce lap times as Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella was second-fastest of the nine drivers on track today.

Another new regulation for in-season testing is that the teams are only allowed to run one car, thus limiting overall evaluation.

But of those drivers on grooved tyres, Massa set the best time - and was third overall - with a lap of 1:20.283.

The Brazilian, back in the world title hunt following his win in Bahrain nine days ago, was 0.169secs quicker than Lewis Hamilton, who also ran the day on grooved tyres.

Red Bull's David Coulthard split the duo with a time set on slick tyres.

Hamilton was behind the wheel of his McLaren for the first time since the race in the Middle East which he ended in 13th, the lowest finish of his career.

The 23-year-old endured a miserable weekend as he crashed into a wall in practice, momentarily stalled on the grid at the start of the race, before then driving into the back of Fernando Alonso's Renault.

The Briton, who also lost the lead in the world championship to Kimi Raikkonen, at least completed 96 trouble-free laps ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix at the same track later this month.

Hamilton will again be behind the wheel tomorrow, and up against retired seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher as Ferrari evaluate the new slick-tyre option.

Of the remaining drivers today, Alonso was sixth, followed by the Williams of Nico Rosberg, Timo Glock for Toyota and BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld.

Up-for-sale Toro Rosso and financially-troubled Super Aguri are the only teams yet to test this week.

Times
01 R. Barrichello Honda 01:18.928 77 laps
02 G. Fisichella Force India F1 01:19.721 79 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 01:20.283 113 laps
04 D. Coulthard Red Bull 01:20.392 87 laps
05 L. Hamilton McLaren 01:20.452 96 laps
06 F. Alonso Renault 01:20.616 118 laps
07 N. Rosberg Williams 01:20.800 115 laps
08 T. Glock Toyota 01:20.870 112 laps
09 N. Heidfeld BMW 01:20.981 97 laps

Q&A: David Coulthard

David Coulthard talks about the life of a F1 driver from jet lag to accommodation to which races offer the best nightlife.


Q: You don't take to the track until Friday morning, but when do you like to fly in?
DC: I normally am at the track on Thursday afternoon, I'll only arrive in the country earlier if I need to acclimatise, otherwise I'll spend as much time as I can in Europe at home.


Q: What's your advice for dealing with jet lag?
DC: The best thing is to do whatever you feel like doing on the plane. If you feel like sleeping, then sleep, but if you don't, then don't as that's what your body is telling you to do. When you arrive, if it's night time you've got to get yourself into bed and, if you don't feel sleepy, take a sleeping tablet or have a few glasses of wine to get you to sleep. I've never done either as I've never had a problem going to bed at the end of a long journey. The most important thing is getting up at the correct time because even if you can't sleep, if you get up, you'll be so tired by the evening then you have to sleep and you're into the zone.


Q: What's your preferred accommodation at races - city hotel, hotel near the circuit, your own motorhome near the paddock?
DC: I have my motorhome at all the European races near to the paddock and I stay in hotels near the circuits at the long haul races.


Q: Anything you have to have is provided in your hotel room, or are there any luxuries you always bring with you from home?
DC: I normally bring my iPod with speakers, so I can have my own music as well as toiletries, things like that, I don't like hotel toiletries.


Q: Any drivers you particularly like hanging out with?
DC: I know Jenson better than the other drivers as we've spent holidays together and things like that, but I don't really socialise during a GP weekend.


Q: Which is your favourite race for nightlife?
DC: The flyaways, such as Montreal or Melbourne, as you have more time. But the reality is that in the week leading up to the race you're getting into time zone, training and behaving, so you're not really going out and yahooing it up. On a Sunday night it depends on the venue, you might go out, but nothing too much.


Q: What's the best night out you've had at a grand prix? And have you ever overslept the next morning?
DC: I've never overslept. I've never had a big night out before a grand prix, I might have had a dinner out, but never a big night.


Q: What do you have for breakfast on a race Sunday?
DC: Whatever I feel like eating, but usually muesli, eggs, fruit, stuff like that - nothing fixed. Your preparation is not during the morning of a grand prix, but is done leading up to the event.


Q: How do spend the morning on race Sunday?
DC: They're usually quite relaxed. When I started in Formula One we usually had warm-ups, so sometimes we were at the track at 0730hrs for an 0830hrs warm-up. Now we don't have anything in the mornings, so here (in Bahrain) I'll probably come to the track around 11.30am. I may well lie by the pool at my hotel in the morning, and do a spot of light exercise, a bit of swimming or something like that.


Q: How do you like to get to the circuit on Sunday morning? Do you drive yourself?
DC: My trainer normally drives.


Q: How do you like to spend the hour or so before the race? Any superstitions or pre-race rituals you always go through to bring you luck?
DC: No, no superstitions. I always just make sure I'm properly warmed up, stretched, and that all my gear's checked. I just have a routine.


Q: What do you do to stay calm as you're sitting on the grid awaiting the formation lap?
DC: When you're concentrating on your job, then staying calm isn't a problem.


Q: How do you wind down after the race?
DC: I have a cup of tea and reflect on the weekend.


Q: If things don't go your way and you retire early, do you prefer to get away as soon as possible, or hang out and watch the rest of the race?
DC: I have left before the end of a GP on the odd occasion, but only if I had a long drive afterwards - it's been quite rare. Otherwise I'll stay afterwards, do the debrief and understand how we can improve.

Piquet: Renault moving in the right direction

Nelson Piquet Jr is confident Renault are moving in the right direction after spending Monday testing new aero parts for the R28.

The Brazilian was in action at the Barcelona circuit for Day One of a four-day test, where the team experimented with several upgrades to the R28, which included a new front wing design.

Piquet Jr also got familiar with Bridgestone's slick tyres, which will be used during the 2009 F1 Championship.

However, his running was cut short when he brought out the red flags prior to the lunchtime break.

"It was another good day of work. The track conditions were good, so there were no problems there and we had a productive morning," said Piquet Jr after finishing fifth on the timesheets.

"Unfortunately I lost some time in the afternoon and so I did not do as many laps as I would have liked.

"We tried some new things but the more interesting work will come later in the week."

Christian Silk, Renault's chief test engineer, added: "The morning programme ran very well and so it was a solid day of work with the only delay coming at lunchtime.

"The car is working very well and the factory has made a huge effort to get the car ready for this week. We just need to carry on this good work for the rest of the week."

Nelsinho: I'm not to blame

After a trying start to the season, Nelson Piquet Jr is at least drawing some comfort from his team-mate Fernando Alonso's similar struggles.

Both Renault drivers have found themselves to be well off the pace in the opening events of this season, which means scoring points have proven to be a difficult task.

Alonso managed to do so in the first two races, however, in Australia he was one of only seven drivers to compete the grand prix, while in Malaysia he only just made it into the top eight.

In Bahrain, though, the double World Champion struggled in the midfield, finishing down in 10th place.

His Sakhir results mirrored the experiences that Piquet Jr has gone through this season and gave the Brazilian some hope that at least he knows the blame for his lack of points doesn't rest on his shoulders.

"I am frustrated but I am not disappointed," he told French magazine Autohebdo.

"I would be disappointed if it was a really different story for Alonso, but when you see how difficult it was for him to get to Q3 in Bahrain, and how he couldn't secure points in the race, then my position is also understandable.

"That doesn't satisfy me - but it takes some pressure from my shoulders."

Meanwhile the Brazilian is hoping for a better race when the F1 circus stops in Barcelona next weekend for the Spanish GP after a successful opening day of testing at the track.

"I thought the car was very good today and we have another three days of testing and there's margin to improve. I think I'm optimistic that we can put both cars in the top ten in qualifying," he told Autosport.

However, whether his fifth placed finish during Monday's test means Renault have closed the gap to Ferrari and McLaren remains to be seen as some teams were testing various options that will only be used next season when the F1 rules change.

"A lot of people are running slicks tyres and different wings, so to be honest I cannot say. I was more worried about us," he said.
"Everybody knows everybody is running different fuel loads so it's not easy to say. I was very, very happy with the car compared to the previous test here. So I'm quite happy with the day."

Schu walks away unhurt from bike crash

Michael Schumacher walked away unhurt after crashing his Honda motorbike at the Lausitzring circuit in Germany on Monday.

The seven-time F1 World Champion was testing a Honda Fireblade CBR 1000 when, mid-way through the afternoon, he lost control at Turn 7.

Thankfully he was only doing 80 km/h through the slow corner and didn't suffer any injuries as a result of his off.

"The front wheel slipped away from me," he told the Bild. "This is actually nothing unusual and happens all the time."

Schumi will switch back to four wheels on Wednesday when he tests for Ferrari at the Barcelona circuit.

The 39-year-old has called up to help Ferrari adapt to Bridgestone's slick tyres, which will be used in next year's Championship.

Trulli 'satisfied' with his 2008 start

Although Jarno Trulli concedes Toyota aren't as close to BMW as they had hoped to be, the Italian is nonetheless happy with his start to the new season.

Trulli has netted eight points in the first three races of the season, which is the same number of points he bagged the entire campaign last year.

Asked to judge his start to the season, the Toyota driver said: "I would say satisfying and exactly where we wanted to be so far."

However, having said that he also concedes that the Cologne team had hoped to be a bit closer to BMW's pace.

"We must admit at the moment that Ferrari, McLaren and BMW are ahead. I expected us to be closer to BMW, but Bahrain for us was probably not the best track," he said.

"On twisty tracks I think we can be closer, because on long straights we need to drop our car drag. The car balance and grip is not too bad, but still we have some work to do to catch the top teams up."

And that work begins next week in Barcelona where Toyota will take part in a three-day test. "It will be all down to the next development work," the Italian told Autosport.

"We have got a good base to start with, and now the future results will be down to how well we can develop our car.

"From the start of the European races we start the phase of development, so we will see."

Honda sign 16-year-old karting star

Honda have signed 16-year-old British karting star Will Stevens in a long-term driver support agreement, the team announced on Friday.

Stevens has established himself as one of the leading young kart racers in the world in recent years. Having won titles in 2005 and 2006, he competed in last year's FIA-CIK KF2 European and Asia-Pacific Championships, winning both series along with the International Open Masters KF2 title.

This season the Brit is competing with the TonyKart Racing Team in the KF1 class in all major European races, as well as participating in the WSK International Series and the World Cup in Japan.

His progress through the ranks has caught the eye of Honda, who are now set to assist Stevens in developing to the level of performance that is required to potentially become part of Honda's F1 programme in the future.

"I am extremely proud to be joining the Honda Racing F1 Team and this provides me with a great opportunity to progress my career towards my goal of reaching Formula One," said Stevens.

"I would like to thank everyone who has helped me so far in my career and especially Honda for their commitment and support of my future. I intend to do my very best to ensure that their belief in me is rewarded."

Ron Meadows, Sporting Director for the Honda Racing F1 Team with responsibility for Honda's Young Driver Programme, added: "We are delighted to welcome Will to the Honda Racing F1 Team.

"Will has had a very promising career in karting to date and we very much look forward to assisting his advancement through the ranks of the junior formulae towards achieving his ultimate ambition to race in Formula One.

"Honda considers the development of emerging motorsport talent to be a key part of our strategy and our commitment to Formula One. We look forward to seeing how Will progresses with our support over the course of the next few years."

Theissen sings Kubica's praises

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen believes the decision to sign Robert Kubica has paid handsome dividends.

Kubica has 14 points three races into the 2008 season after picking up back-to-back podium finishes in Malaysia and Bahrain. He also scored up his first pole position at the Sakhir circuit.

"This qualifying session was a dream for him and the team," said Theissen.

"It shows that we made the right decision in signing him up. Robert can become one of the stars of Formula One."

Theissen is confident the Pole can win his first grand prix once BMW have provided him with the right car.

"He can be sure now that he can win a race, as soon as his car is good enough."

Max to donate any damages he may receive

Max Mosley has vowed to donate any damages that may be awarded to him in his legal proceedings against the News of the World to the FIA foundation.

Mosley is suing News Group Newspapers Limited on the grounds of invasion of privacy after the News of the World alleged that he engaged in lewd sexual conduct that included 'elements of Nazism'.

The FIA President, though, insists he had "done nothing wrong" and that the acts he engaged in were "completely" legal. He is demanding unlimited damages in his legal action.

His solicitors Steeles Law revealed that the 67-year-old now plans to donate any damages he may receive to the FIA foundation, which promotes road safety, safety in motorsport and the environment.

"At Mr Mosley's request directions have been set for an early trial," his solicitors Steeles Law told Autosport.

"Whilst Mr Mosley has every intention of getting the largest possible sum in damages from the publishers of the News of the World, so that they should be deterred from doing this to others in the future, Mr Mosley intends to donate any damages in the case to the FIA Foundation."

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after the FIA revealed plans to hold an Extraordinary General Assembly on 3 June. A vote of confidence as to whether Mosley can remain in office will be taken during the meeting through secret ballots.

Indianapolis still hopeful of F1's return

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Joie Chitwood has reiterated his desire to see Formula One return to the hallowed speedway in the near future.

After Indy boss Tony George failed to agree a contract extension with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, the United States Grand Prix left off the F1 calendar this season.

However, Chitwood reckons it could make its return in the not too distant future.

"I know that Tony has said it, I've said it: The door is open," he said. "We think that's a phenomenal racing series; we think it should be back in America.

"So the door is open. Maybe it can come back some day."

But while Indianapolis said goodbye to Formula One, it is welcoming MotoGP to the hallowed circuit this season.

However, in order to host the race the track had to be redesigned, although Chitwood claims all changes made were with an eye to seeing F1 return.

"One thing I want to make sure is clear, motorcycles didn't replace F1," he said.

"If you look at the way we scheduled our calendar, we had hoped that F1 would come back and it would have maintained that June date after the Montreal event, and that's why you saw the motorcycle event in September.

"One of the things that we did do with the design of this motorcycle course is that every change we made was also inspected and approved by the FIA so that should F1 come back.

"They can run this course, they can run it their same direction, they can run it the other direction, they can run the four-turn chicane in Turn One or not.

"We did not want to make any changes that would preclude us in the future from hosting F1."

Theissen: I didn't cost Williams a shot at Lewis

Mario Theissen has denied blocking Williams' bid to sign Lewis Hamilton in 2004, saying talks never reached a "serious" stage.

Williams co-owner Patrick Head revealed in the build-up to this year's Championship that Williams had tried to sign Hamilton two years before the Brit made his F1 debut with McLaren.

"We were with BMW at the time and I think Frank (Williams) rang Mario Theissen and said 'look, this guy looks as if he could be pretty good and whatever and he has come to us saying can we help him,'" Head said back in February.

"And I think Mario said they weren't prepared to provide any support and we weren't in a position financially where we could finance his racing."

However, Theissen refutes this, saying his decision never cost Williams a shot at the man many predict will one day be crowned F1's World Champion. Rather, he says, Hamilton always belonged to McLaren.

"There was no serious opportunity," Theissen told Autosport. "We had loose talks, but it was always clear that he was a McLaren protege. So I never followed it any further."

Stewart: Eight weeks is too long to wait

Sir Jackie Stewart has urged the FIA to bring forward the meeting to decide Max Mosley's fate, fearing the damage that could be done during the eight-week wait.

The FIA announced on Wednesday that Mosley would face an Extraordinary General Assembly on June 3 during which a vote of confidence will be taken as to whether the beleagured President will remain in office.

"The meeting will be held on June 3, 2008, in Paris," a FIA statement said. "The General Assembly will include a vote of confidence by secret ballot."

However, Stewart, who has heavily criticised Mosley since the scandal broke two weeks ago, reckons waiting eight weeks for the ballot could prove detrimental to F1.

"For the reputation of the sport, it's too far away, unrealistic," the triple F1 World Champion told PA Sport.

"It means until it happens there will be destabilising influences with regard to the reputation of the FIA and associated bodies.

"That includes not only Formula One, but all the motoring clubs and organisations.

"When you hear the Americans, Germans, Dutch, Israelis, along with BMW, Mercedes, Honda and Toyota, having their say, it is difficult for me to see how the reputation of the FIA is being upheld.

"Instead of him standing down to respect the reputation of the various entities, he has decided to go to his own family and ask for forgiveness, which in itself is unusual.

"He is being very blind to the realism of the act in which he was involved."

Mosley, though, maintains he's "done nothing wrong," adding that he acts he engaged in were "harmless and completely legal."

Q&A: Timo Glock

Toyota driver Timo Glock reviews last weekend's Bahrain GP and looks ahead to the upcoming Barcelona test.


Q: How was the Bahrain weekend for you?
TG: It was positive to complete a race distance after what happened in Australia and Malaysia but obviously I would be happier if I had finished in the points. Qualifying wasn't easy and in Q2 on my second run I could feel the car wasn't handling as well as it had been earlier, probably because of the wind. It was disappointing not to make it to Q3 but I was strong in the race. I made up quite a few positions and it is encouraging to see the level of performance we have. Jarno drove another great race and it's fantastic for the team to see how competitive we are this season.


Q: How close were you to your first championship point for Panasonic Toyota Racing?
TG: I was really close because I had the pace to beat Nico Rosberg in the final round of pit stops and get eighth place. Unfortunately I had a gearbox control problem which meant that we switched to back-up mode. Without that problem I think I would have been eighth.


Q: Was it an advantage for you to get experience of the track in February?
TG: I raced at Sakhir in GP2 and of course back in 2004 I did Friday practice, so I had some circuit experience, but the test in February was positive and it was good to arrive in Bahrain with some experience of the TF108 on this track. We did a race simulation so we had some data, although all the teams were up to speed and quick by the end of Friday anyway. Also, we were faced with different conditions every day, with the wind changing, so we had to adapt to that.


Q: You have had three Grands Prix back in Formula One now, how are you settling in?
TG: I'm enjoying it a lot. It's not so different from other classes of racing but what you notice is that you have a really tight schedule compared to GP2 or Champ Car. There's all the travelling of course and you see a lot of airports. But that's the life of a Formula One driver. You couldn't do it if you had a plane phobia!


Q: Is the amount of testing in Formula One a big change compared to other series?
TG: That is definitely true. In GP2 you are limited, and the same with Champ Car and Formula Three, so it is a lot of work now compared to those championships. You gather a lot of information in testing and you need to understand how to use that to move your set-up in the right direction. It is interesting to watch Jarno in testing because he has so much experience and when I watch him at work he just knows what he has to do. He is so professional and I am learning a lot.


Q: So do you find yourself thinking about car development much more?
TG: It's strange because it is in your head 24 hours a day and all you can do is try to improve. It is not easy to progress even though so much development is going on. If you do make one tiny mistake and go in the wrong direction, you lose time. Formula One is more complex, the team is much bigger than GP2 and the car is more involved in terms of aerodynamics; it makes a huge difference when, for example, the wind changes. Then there are the grooved tyres which require a different approach to slicks, so there has been a lot of work to do but I am constantly developing and I'm pretty happy with how things are going so far.


Q: Are you looking forward to testing at Barcelona before the European season starts?
TG: Yes. It will be an important week because the pre-season Barcelona test was quite difficult for me as I struggled a bit with getting the tyres working in the conditions. But the temperatures were quite low and that won't be the case when we go back. Jarno had a better feeling with the car and he set a fast lap time on the last day of pre-season testing. We have a lot of work to do at the test; we are working with some new aero parts - the first new aero package of the season - and the whole team is determined to keep pushing to close the gap on the top three teams.


Q: How is the feeling within the team?
TG: Everyone was really happy about the points in Malaysia and Jarno carried that through to Bahrain with another good result while I had a strong race, despite the gearbox problem towards the end. You could already see in Melbourne how good it was for motivation when we got both cars through to Q3 and then in Malaysia and Bahrain we have shown that our car is really competitive, so you can see that everyone is pushing as hard as possible. The pack behind McLaren, Ferrari and BMW is very tight but we seem to be best of the rest of the moment. The top three teams are not so far in front and it is so tight between Red Bull, Williams and us. The whole team is working really hard and feeling optimistic.

Gascoyne slams Hamilton

Mike Gascoyne has slammed Lewis Hamilton's behaviour in the Bahrain GP after the Brit angrily gestured as Giancarlo Fisichella for no reason.

The duo were fighting for position out on track with Fisichella leading Hamilton after a slow start and a crash with Fernando Alonso ruined the McLaren driver's race and dropped him down the order.

After failing to pass Fisichella for some time, Hamilton finally overtook him and shook his fist angrily at his rival as he did so.

It was a strange gesture as, fighting for position, Fisichella did not have to yield and nor was he seen trying blocking Hamilton in an unfair or illegal manner.

The gesture earned the 23-year-old some condemnation with Force India's tech director Gascoyne adding his voice to the list.

"I don't know why he did that," he told Motorsport Aktuell. "Fisichella was fighting with him for position, and he can't expect to just be let past.

"The gesture was totally unnecessary, so it was especially good to be in front of him at the end."

Fisichella eventually finished the grand prix in 12th place while Hamilton was only P13.

Costa: Ferrari need to win on the streets

Tech director Aldo Costa claims Ferrari need to win on street circuits if want to assert their dominance of the rest of the field.

Ferrari bagged their second successive win on Sunday in Bahrain having previously clinched the Malaysian GP victory as well.

However, while Costa concedes both were circuits that suited Ferrari's F2008, he believes they now have to prove they can win on tracks that have proved problematic in the past.

"The circuits in Malaysia and Bahrain suited the Ferrari perfectly. On other tracks we know we must close the gap and improve, and we are preparing for it," Costa told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"Sepang and Sakhir are new-generation circuits, with a certain type of corners and surface. On street circuits, where we already had problems last year, we must demonstrate to have improved.

"Up to now we've raced on peculiar tracks. We'll have to see what happens on the upcoming circuits. The Championship has just started."

As for his predictions for the upcoming Spanish GP, Costa reckons F1 will see another race weekend where Ferrari battle it out with BMW and McLaren.

"It's no different from other circuits," he said. "It isn't so demanding, compared to Malaysia and Bahrain, so I don't expect surprises."

Lauda: Lewis is getting worse, not better

Former F1 Champion Niki Lauda has slatted Lewis Hamilton's Bahrain GP performance, saying the McLaren driver's form has slumped this season.

Hamilton won the season-opening grand prix in Australia, however, has struggled to match the Ferraris ever since. While in Malaysia he had to settle for third place due to a lack of pace, in Bahrain he had a weekend to forget as he suffered not one but two crashes.

The Brit had a huge accident in Friday's second practice session, which caused severe damage to his MP4-23, forcing his mechanics to rebuild it overnight, while in Sunday's race he ran into the back of Fernando Alonso's Renault and had to pit for new nose.

It was a disappointing showing from a driver many believe should be fighting for race wins and the World title and Lauda reckons Hamilton has only himself to blame for his woes.

"At the moment Lewis has absolutely not impressed me," Lauda told the Daily Mirror. "I thought he would get better this year, but he has got worse. He is in pretty bad shape.

"The crash with Fernando Alonso and, then on Friday in practice too, was absolutely needless. Lewis showed nothing in Bahrain."

And as for what Lauda believes is the cause of Hamilton's problems, he said: "I think it's because of the pressure he is putting on himself."

Sun: Ferrari, BMW, McLaren

While Ferrari dominated the Bahrain GP, there were also great results for BMW and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen.

Ferrari
Felipe Massa: Sensational! Finally, after a start to the championship under dark clouds, I can see the sunshine again. We kept our concentration all weekend long and this is the result. We knew we could count on a great car and that certainly proved to be the case, given that I never had to push to the maximum once I was in the lead. I made a good start, managing to overtake Robert. Then, there were a few difficult laps because of oil on track between Turns 5 and 8, but I was always in control. Clearly, I always had in mind what happened in Malaysia and so I tried to pay attention all the time, to ensure I brought the car home. It is nice to be back in the winner's position here in Sakhir, a track I have always liked."

Kimi Raikkonen: Second place was the best I could hope for on a weekend which was definitely not the best for me. These eight points move me into the lead of the championship and that is definitely a reason for me to leave Bahrain reasonably satisfied. I never found the ideal balance. Sometimes you get weekends like this but I am convinced that in Barcelona, the situation will be different. My first pit stop was not very quick because we had a problem with the lights, but it definitely did not affect the final result. Once I had consolidated my position, I managed the situation, trying not to push the car too much, knowing how important it is to always bring home the points."

BMW
Robert Kubica: I am happy with the result. This is my second consecutive podium and the team is leading the constructors' championship. Unfortunately I had massive wheel spin at the start and hit some debris in the first corner of the second lap. When I drove through the oil I was sure I had punctured my tyre as at that point I didn't have the information about the oil. But this was a great day for the team. I am now looking forward to Barcelona.

Nick Heidfeld: Now after the race I'm much happier than I was yesterday. Having finished fourth is a positive result after what was a difficult weekend for me. The car's balance on this track was just not how I wanted it to be. I hope I won't have such troubles again. Finishing the race just one position behind my team mate, who started from pole while I was sixth, is a good result. I enjoyed overtaking Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen. Once again for us in the team everything went smoothly.

McLaren
Heikki Kovalainen: Quite a tough race today. I made a great start and overtook Kimi coming into Turn Two but then outbraked myself in Turn Four and he regained his position. I then went in too deep at Turn Eight and flatspotted my front right tyre which caused a lot of vibration. It vibrated so much that I was worried something would fall off the car. Things improved in the second stint and the car worked really well towards the end when we changed to the prime tyre. Fifth was the maximum I could do today. However we still scored points on a difficult day, and that is the main thing. I have total commitment to the team and a good car, and I know we will keep working hard to improve for the start of the European races."

Lewis Hamilton: I am really disappointed and feel like I let the team down today as I always am the first to blame myself. The whole weekend has not been ideal starting with the accident on Friday, but I will keep my chin up and bounce back at the next race. I messed up at the start as I didn't hit the switch early enough and therefore had not engaged the correct engine setting, and the anti stall kicked in. I lost a lot of places but things were still salvageable at that point. Then I had the incident with Fernando. I was behind him, and I moved to the right, and he moved to the right and that was it - a racing incident I guess. I am confident that we have the pace to be fighting at the front so the confidence is still there. I have had such a good run in Formula 1 until now, and it was almost inevitable that at some point things would go wrong. However there is a long way to go in the Championship and I intend to win it."

Lewis: I messed up at the start

Lewis Hamilton says he will "keep his chin up" after a disappointing performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver finished 13th at the Sakhir circuit after he crashed into the back of Renault's Fernando Alonso on lap two.

And, to make matters worse, he dropped to third in the Championship standings after his main two rivals, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, picked up 10 and eight points respectively.

Hamilton admits it has been a disappointing race weekend, but he promises he won't get too downbeat.

"I am really disappointed and feel like I let the team down today as I always am the first to blame myself."

"The whole weekend has not been ideal starting with the accident on Friday, but I will keep my chin up and bounce back at the next race.

"I messed up at the start as I didn't hit the switch early enough and therefore had not engaged the correct engine setting, and the anti stall kicked in.

"I lost a lot of places but things were still salvageable at that point. Then I had the incident with Fernando. I was behind him, and I moved to the right, and he moved to the right and that was it - a racing incident I guess.

"I am confident that we have the pace to be fighting at the front so the confidence is still there. I have had such a good run in Formula 1 until now, and it was almost inevitable that at some point things would go wrong. However there is a long way to go in the Championship and I intend to win it."

Sunday's FIA press conference

Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Robert Kubica attended Sunday's post-race press conference for the Bahrain GP weekend.

Q: Your second win in a row here starting second this time. Talk us through your race.

Felipe Massa: It didn't change anything starting second because we had a good a start. I think Robert didn't have a good start and I passed him. Then the race was pretty difficult in the beginning because there was a lot of oil on the track. We almost went off, me and Robert, and it was pretty difficult. During the race the car was just very good. I didn't push completely to the limit because I saw the gap increasing and then Kimi was behind but I could manage to keep the gap to him and the strategy was perfect as well

Q: It looked like you were having a bit of a fight there with your teammate Kimi trading fastest laps in the mid-point of the race. But at the end of the day you had a lot in hand, as you say. Can you tell us a little bit about your mind-set coming into this race having had difficult weekends first in Australia and Malaysia, but then coming to Bahrain where you won last year?

FM: For sure I have not had very easy weeks but that's life. It's not the first time and won't be the last one as well. You have some bad days in your life. I had two bad days in the first two races but I know that we are quick. When you make a mistake and you are behind it means that something is wrong but when you make a mistake and you are fighting for the victory that's better.

For sure the race was pretty difficult because I didn't want to make any mistakes. I didn't push as much either, just tried to bring the car home and just controlling the pace as well. But for sure I had a lot of time to think what's happened in the last race. That's pretty normal. But I am sure now it's in the past and what is in the past is one victory and that will help for the next race.

Q: I guess you love this circuit.

FM: Yes, I love this circuit. It is my second victory in a row. I have always gone very strong here. I remember in my first year, in 2006 with Ferrari, I almost made the pole position but was stuck in traffic in qualifying. Then I didn't have a very lucky race but I was always very strong, so I like the circuit. They are nice people here and we are always welcome, so it is nice to be here and get the second victory.

Q: Kimi, you have taken the lead in the World Championship but an interesting day for you. Playing catch-up virtually from the start, but a nice pass around the outside of Robert in the second lap there.

Kimi Raikkonen: The whole weekend has been pretty difficult, one of those things when we cannot really get the car right. But anyhow it was one of those bad weekends but I still finished second and the next race might be completely different again. We are leading the championship which is the main thing and we know that we have the speed once we get everything right. The race was quite difficult but anyhow I am happy with second.

Q: Putting the handling problems with the car to one side, you had a slight delay in the first pit stop and came in a little bit early at the second stop.

KR: In the second stop we had an easy time because we were one-two and we were not really racing against each other. We knew when we were going to stop, so we took it pretty easy. The first stop I had some difficulties. There was some problem with the light system, so it took a bit longer but it didn't change much the things in the race. I was second, but like I said, it was a difficult weekend, so second is a good outcome.
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Dennis unfazed by McLaren's drop down pit lane

Ron Dennis has downplayed the decision to move McLaren to the bottom of the pit lane, saying it could in fact be an advantage for the team.

Having been excluded from last year's Championship, McLaren had expected to take the last set of garages in pit lane this season. However, in a surprising move it was announced prior to the start of the season that the team had been given the fifth set instead.

This decision, though, was short-lived as Dennis was informed in the build-up to Bahrain that McLaren would be moving to the bottom of pit lane.

However, the McLaren team boss isn't too upset about the ruling.

"Technically, it's an advantage as far as we can see and where we are in the pit lane doesn't affect the races. If there is an outcome, it will be positive not negative," he said.

"Obviously some of the other facilities are not as good as here in Bahrain, it can be a bit of a squeeze, but we're very resilient to this sort of thing."

However, Dennis has yet to be told whether or not the move will be premanent. "I haven't a clue and I don't think about it," he said, adding that the move down the pit lane won't stop McLaren bringing their motorhome to grand prix weekends.

"I have no reason to believe we won't use the Brand Centre at all grands prix," he said. "That's my agreement with Bernie and I see no reason for that to be changed."

Massa blames mistake and traffic for lost pole

While Felipe Massa has accepted he made a mistake during his final flying lap, the Brazilian reckons traffic during qualifying didn't help his campaign either.

The Brazilian had looked to be a certainty for pole position after dominating Friday's practice sessions as well as the opening two qualifying segments.

However, when the drivers put in their final flying laps in Q3, he ran wide near the end of his own and found himself 0.027s short of Robert Kubica's lap time.

"Definitely I lost (it)," Massa said of his error. "I did incredible laps during the whole weekend and the car was perfect all the time."

The Ferrari driver, though, says he also wasn't helped by traffic in the form of Nico Rosberg who held him during his flying lap.

"In Q3 it was the only time I was behind cars and I did the first try, which was a pretty good lap time as I was the whole lap behind Nico and it was a shame as I managed to get a big gap and he got past me and I was behind him. And the second lap I was in traffic.

"It was a shame as I had a great car."

The Ferrari driver, though, isn't too upset by the situation as he will at least still be starting from the front row of the grid, having finished P2.

"It's still good to start from the front, and I know tomorrow we can be strong," he said.

Massa has yet to score a single World Championship point this season.

Car snapped away from me

Takuma Sato has explained his crash in Q1 in Bahrain, which brought out the session to a temporary halt for five minutes.

Trying to get a decent grid slot for Sunday's race, Sato touched the kerb on the outside of the track, which put his car into a spin.

The spin carried him across the track and into the barriers, which he rear-ended before stopping a few metres away.

And although the accident wasn't major one and debris hadn't been left on the track the session was still temporarily stopped as the marshals cleared away Sato's car.

"During qualifying my first run was a little bit slippery, but reasonable. I was much happier during my second run with the grip and I had a good feeling until the very last corner," the Japanese driver explained.

"Then I was touching on the outside kerb and the car ran wide and snapped quickly away from me. It is very disappointing that I could not complete qualifying, but hopefully we will show strong pace for the race tomorrow."

Hamilton weighs in on Mosley scandal

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have insisted it is vital for people in public positions to continually set a good example - as the Max Mosley affair rolled on.

The duo were commenting in the wake of the latest scandal to rock the sport - the lurid Sunday newspaper revelations surrounding FIA President Mosley.

The majority of the drivers maintained a dignified silence on the matter on Thursday after Mosley's position was brought into question by four of Formula One's major manufacturers.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Toyota - all members of the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association - turned the screw courtesy of various statements.

In particular, Honda noted: "It is necessary that senior figures in sport and business maintain the highest standards of conduct in order to fulfil their duties with integrity and respect."

The question to the drivers that followed was whether they agreed with the statement, and whether Mosley was upholding those standards as president of the FIA.

"I totally agree with what they're saying," said McLaren driver Hamilton.

"As young people we are always looking up to others to show us the way and set a good example, which is key."

Williams driver Rosberg replied: "If you're a figure like ourselves, a racing driver or something, you have to try and set a good example in general.

"People are watching you and looking up to things you do, and things like that.

"Just talking about my situation, it's important to think about other people, young drivers coming through, and to set a good example for those people."

Rivals agree: 20-race calendar is ideal

Rival team bosses have backed Ron Dennis's call for a maximum number of 20 grands prix per season.

Speaking earlier this week Dennis said that although he welcomes F1's current expansion into new countries, he believes the season should never be expanded "to more than 20 grands prix."

This is a sentiment echoed by his fellow team bosses with Red Bull's Christian Horner agreeing that 20 races is the ideal length for a grand prix season.

"I think 20 races is a big number but a sensible number," he said.

"It's a huge logistical challenge but the way the teams are working with each other to self-regulate testing it is possible."

Honda CEO Nick Fry added: "I think 20 grands prix is about right. The balance of traditional circuits in Europe and circuits in new continents is vital.

"F1 needs to go where the commercial market is and that market is moving from Europe and North America to the Middle East and Asia."

This year's calendar sees the addition of two new venues with a European GP being held in Valencia and Singapore playing host to F1's first ever night races.

Thursday's FIA press conference

Nico Rosberg, Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld and Lewis Hamilton attended Thursday's FIA press conference in Bahrain.


Q: Nico, this is a circuit of which you have got some pretty good memories.

Nico Rosberg: Yes, really good. I have had some great races here dating back to 2004 if I am not mistaken when Lewis and I were actually standing on the podium after the race. It was the Macau/Bahrain challenge at the time, so even then it was great times. I have had many great races here.


Q: You won the GP2 title here as well.


NR: Yes. Wining the GP2 title here was fantastic and one of the most important steps in my career on my way to Formula One. I really enjoy the track.


Q: Two very different results so far in the races. Obviously you hope it is going to be the first one rather than the second one when you had problems getting heat into the tyres? Do you think that is going to continue during the year?


NR: No. The first race we definitely benefited from other people making mistakes and having reliability issues. In the second race we struggled in qualifying mainly. Our race pace was more or less what we wanted it to be which was behind BMW to have the chance to finish seventh or eighth.


But in qualifying we really struggled and we think it is mainly due to the asphalt change and we have been working hard to try and understand the reasons for that. Anyway, here in Bahrain and in the next couple of races I think we should be back to where we want to be.


Q: Do you think it was the very smooth nature of the circuit - similar perhaps to Magny-Cours?


NR: Yes, amongst others things that was the reason that hurt us the most. That's what we think.


Q: Is that easily curable?


NR: It is not that straightforward. It is quite a complex thing and we have many people working on it in the factory. They have come up with some very good ideas, so I am quite confident that we will make some good steps forward in a good direction for the near future.


Q: Jarno, obviously Toyota tested here. One or two people are saying that it was not that much of an advantage but I am sure you are saying yes it is.


Jarno Trulli: I will say yes. It is an advantage because obviously I know what we should get. We got the car set-up and I don't think there is much change unless the circuit has changed dramatically. But I believe we have got some advantage and we have some new bits on the car which we can test here.


Q: Toyota are looking much better than last year. Where has the improvement come from?


JT: It is a much better car in every area. People have been working really hard over the wintertime and they have done a really great job. From the beginning of testing I have found a completely different car compared to the previous one and pretty soon we realised we had a competitive car in our hands especially a car which we can work with and we can balance. I am enjoying driving and I am enjoying the racing. It is a completely different season I would say.


Q: It is reported you were pretty exhausted at the end of the last race?


JT: It was not after the last race. It was hard because it was hot and especially in the last 10 laps we were pushing really hard on hard tyres which were not our best tyres for the race to hold Lewis back because he was coming up really quick. But in the end that is normal for a driver.


It was like a qualifying run and I really enjoyed it because I could retain my position and it was nice because I gave the team a perfect weekend where we all did a great job and came away with a fourth position. Obviously I was happy even if I was exhausted. But it was hot for everyone.


Q: Can you get on the podium do you believe?


JT: Oh yes. I took it easy because I know the way I am. Until I am in the car it is fine. When I have to get out I just have to take a little bit more time compared to the others because, physically, my body reacts in a different way. We have made some studies during the years and I just have to take it easy. I didn't have to get on the podium, so I took my time.


Q: Nick, interesting comments about this circuit from you. But this is a circuit you really enjoy, particularly from turn five to the penultimate corner?


Nick Heidfeld: It is definitely one of the nicest parts on the calendar for me. It is probably a bit difficult to see it as exciting from the outside because it is just buildings in the middle of nowhere. But there are some very nice corners, relatively quick in fourth and fifth gear and a bit of up and downhill and I really enjoy it.


Q: What sort of challenge is that going to represent without driver aids like traction control and engine braking?


NH: The bigger problems will come on the lower speed corners. We also have some difficult entries similar to the ones we get in Malaysia. There are some entries where you don't just brake in a straight line but where you turn at the same time. It is the loss of the engine push system that is going to be more difficult, but it is fun.


Q: And what about the sand? Watching the course cars going around just now the amount of sand that is on the circuit is incredible.


NH: Yes, but we have seen in the past that it looks dramatic but the effect on the circuit and also on the cars are quite small. I was testing here a couple of years ago and quite early on in the test, even without a lot of other cars running, the grip was there straight away. It improves a bit but it is not as bad as it looks.


Q: You didn't test here when Ferrari and Toyota were here. Is that going to be a disadvantage? And also no testing of course since the last race.


NH: I think it is a small disadvantage compared to Ferrari and Toyota. But we still have some time in the Friday practice sessions and Saturday morning. I don't think it is going to be a big problem but yes they have a small advantage.


Q: And Ralf Schumacher says you and BMW can challenge Ferrari and McLaren. Do you think that is true?


NH: It is difficult to say how it will be throughout the season. At the last race we were able to fight with McLaren. In the first race we were able to fight with Ferrari but they struggled there as they had some problems. Unfortunately on those weekends there was at least one team, so two cars, quicker than us. We are fighting hard to win our first Grand Prix this year but it is difficult to say how it will be over the season.


Q: Lewis, you're the man who has had the nicest time I think of everyone since the last race. Tell us what you have been doing.


Lewis Hamilton: How do you know?


Q: I have been to Koh Samui twice.


LH: Oh really. My trainer and I and Adrian Sutil went away to Thailand. We did a little bit of travelling. We did Bangkok and Phuket and a couple of other islands. But we did a lot of training out there which was quite cool. But to have another driver with you doing the training, to see the competitiveness, makes it fun.


Q: Is it quite difficult to remind yourself that you're not fully on holiday when it's half holiday and half training?


LH: Not really because we very rarely are on holiday when we know that we are training. It's a part of our lives, it's something that we enjoy doing. I wake up in the morning, I feel... straight away, without even thinking about it, I'm going training. It was relaxed training but it was very efficient.


Q: What did it consist of particularly?



LH: We did a lot of running, in the heat, obviously, it's like doing double the work anywhere else. A lot of kayaking, a lot of swimming. I'm not particularly one who likes being far out in the deep sea, but I got over it, I overcame one of my fears which was good. Q: Tennis?


LH: Yeah, we played tennis, we played golf, we played basketball and beach volleyball, so I was improving in all those areas.


Q: Tell us about this circuit. As you mentioned, you were here a long time ago as well in F3. I think it was Martin Whitmarsh who mentioned that there are not a lot of landmarks, it must be quite difficult for a driver in many ways.


LH: It is. I guess it's one of those circuits where you don't feel like you're particularly going anywhere because you don't have trees flying past you. All you have is perhaps a couple of markers, braking boards, a couple of bridges, but apart from that there's nothing really giving you a great indication of just how quick you're going or where you need to be braking. Some of the braking zones are a little bit out of your sight, but it's a really cool circuit, I really do enjoy it. I've had a great time here for the past few years, especially the first time I came here where I sort of thought my career was over and managed to pull a miracle out of the bag and me and Nico were on the podium. But last year was great here, from here I was leading the World Championship but coming here this year I obviously want to do one better. I think we're in a good position to do that.


Q: Mixed results so far with the win in Australia, but not quite such a good result in Malaysia. So what are your feelings coming here?


LH: I think when we went to Malaysia we easily had a very good package and obviously with a couple of hiccups, not only being put five places back but also with the pit stop issue we had, we sort of just didn't get the best from the weekend. But I think our underlying pace was as good as Ferrari's, if not a little bit slower but we had the car to be in the top three, so that still gives us confidence and I think coming here we would have learned from the mistake we made in the last race and look forward.


Questions From The Floor


Q: (Ralf Bach - R & B) A question for every driver: do you have any opinion about Max Mosley's party last week and about the discussions since?


NH: Nothing I want to share with you.


LH: Same.


JT: No, no comment.


NR: Nothing.


Q: (Ed Gorman - The Times) Lewis, you said you didn't like deep water. Are you frightened of being eaten by a shark?


LH: I definitely don't like great white sharks, that's for sure. I guess it's the unknown, not really knowing what's below you. I do like scuba diving, so being under the water is a completely different thing from floating on the top. You see all those Discovery channels when the bloody shark jumps up, eats whatever's floating on the top. I just don't fancy being in that position.


Q: (Ed Gorman - The Times) Could I also ask all four drivers: Honda today said that 'it is necessary that senior figures in sport and business maintain the highest standards of conduct in order to fulfil their duties with integrity and respect.' Could each driver please tell me whether they agree with that statement and whether they feel that Max Mosley is upholding those standards by remaining in his position as president of the FIA?


JT: I drive a car, so all I can say is about my car and my team, nothing else.


NR: I think, in general, yes, if you're a figure like us who are racing drivers or something, you've got to try and set a good example in general, because a lot of people are watching you and also looking up to what you do and things like that. I think it's important to also think about other people and young people or whatever. I'm just talking about my situation, young drivers coming up or whatever and I think it's important to try and set a good example for people who are coming up.


LH: Yeah, I think that's key, to set a good example. We all, especially the young people, we're always looking up to at least someone to show us the way and set a good example is the best way of saying it. I totally agree with what they were saying.


NH: Again, I don't want to comment on the subject.


Q: (Dan Knutson - National Speed Sport News) Nico, as your team celebrates its thirty years in F1, tell us maybe your two or three best memories in your three seasons with the team?


NR: I think it's been a good time. It's great to see, as the team is celebrating thirty years, it's a big landmark, I think and we're going to have other... like I think the 500th race, I'm not sure exactly of the numbers, but there are some other great numbers that are coming up this year. I've come a long way with the team and we really respect each other, I think, and I fit in well, so I'm enjoying it at the moment and I really hope that together we can continue to grow, as we've been doing recently. You mustn't forget we just managed to get onto the podium which hasn't been the case for many years with Williams, so we're going in the right direction. My two best memories? Yeah, the podium obviously was very special and fantastic. And the other one would be maybe my first race with the team, because as a young driver coming in, you just don't know what to expect and to just have a great first race is something very nice.


Q: (Patrick Salomon - Gulf Daily News) A question for Lewis: were you guys surprised by the sudden change in allocation of your garages and will that affect you guys at all?


LH: No, to be honest I quite like it down there. We're nice and out of the way, it's closer to the pit entry of the circuit and it's actually quite cosy down there, so we'll do the best shot we can. It makes no difference.


Q: (Ian Parkes - The Press Association) Lewis, it came to light this week regarding your fine for speeding in France, I think I'm right in saying that you agreed to take in a driver education course. Is that correct?


LH: Yeah, I said that I'm happy to do whatever I need to do to help and to show to them that I support the rules. They haven't asked for me, requested for me to go back and do any specific course but I said that I've got massive support.


Q: (Ian Parkes - The Press Association) But along those lines, that's part of a young person like yourself setting a good example.


LH: Absolutely, I think everyone makes mistakes. I'm young and this is part of my life that for me, in my position, and being a potential role model for lots of young kids, setting a good example is one of our top priorities, so that's something I'm going to continue to do.

Symonds hails the Alonso effect

Pat Symonds has hailed the effect Fernando Alonso has had on Renault since making his return to the team at the start of the year.

Alonso, the prodigal son at Renault, returned to the team with whom he won the 2005 and 2006 World titles after a disappointing and tension-fraught season with McLaren last year.

And although this year's Championship looks set to be a difficult one for Renault and Alonso given their lack of pace, Symonds reckons they has the desire to fight thanks to the Spaniard's motivating force.

"Fernando really is one of the positives and the effort we get from him is fantastic, as is his understanding of the race, the tactics and the whole business of Formula One," said Symonds.

"He goes about things in a very calm way and I like that because I think it pervades through the team.

"I always like to try and put calmness in the team because I think it operates better that way, and it's great when you have a driver who can do that.

"The other thing about him is his results are very motivational.

"He's not a guy who has to go around motivate people because his ability and his results motivate people in themselves.

"Everyone knows that at the end of every race Fernando has put in 100% effort no matter the circumstances or what position he is racing for.

"That is incredibly motivating for the whole team, and then there is the sheer effort he puts in.

"The way he grabbed fourth position towards the end of the race in Australia, that was just so typical of Fernando and shows us that he never gives up."

But even with the Alonso effect, Renault's executive director of engineering reckons it's still going to take some time before the team can give him a car capable of winning races.

"Behind McLaren and Ferrari there is a big bunch of teams all very closely matched," Symonds added.

"But I think we have to believe that BMW, Toyota, and maybe even Williams, are ahead of us and we therefore have a lot of work to do.

"We had hoped that we would give Fernando a car that was capable of winning because we know that he can win, and so far we haven't done that.

"That leads to some disappointment, but above all it leads to determination that we are going to give him that car.

"Everyone in the team hated last year, especially after two years of regular winning.

"Our determination is to get back to that standard and not to accept anything less than that."

F1 teams call on the FIA to act

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota issued statements on Thursday, calling for the FIA to take action against its President.

Following Sunday's sex scandal revelation concerning Max Mosley, the F1 teams have largely remained quiet, refusing to pass comment.

However, BMW and Mercedes-Benz were the first to break the silence, slamming Mosley's behaviour as "disgraceful." The two outfits also called for the FIA to take action.

"The content of the publications is disgraceful. As a company, we strongly distance ourselves from it," they said in a joint statement.

"This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as President of the FIA, the global umbrella organisation for motoring clubs. Its consequences therefore extend far beyond the motor sport industry."

They added: "We await a response from the relevant FIA bodies."

Toyota followed suit shortly after, issuing a statement of their own in which they condemned Mosley's actions and questioned whether he has the moral standing needed to lead the FIA.

"Toyota Motorsport does not approve of any behaviour which could be seen to damage Formula One's image, in particular any behaviour which could be understood to be racist or anti-Semitic," said the statement.

"Senior figures within any sport or business, including motorsport, must adhere to high standards of behaviour. When all the facts are known, it will be for the FIA to decide whether Mr Mosley has met the moral obligations which come with the position of FIA President."

Honda, as a team and not just a manufacturer, are demanding a swift resolution to the latest scandal to rock the sport.

"It is necessary that senior figures in sport and business maintain the highest standards of conduct in order to fulfil their duties with integrity and respect," they said in a statement.

"The Honda Racing F1 Team is extremely disappointed by recent events surrounding Mr Mosley and we are concerned that the reputation of Formula One and all its participants is being damaged.

"We request that the FIA gives this matter careful consideration and reaches an immediate decision in the best interests of F1 and motorsport."

Mosley, though, has already made it clear that he won't be stepping down from his role as FIA President.

"I will not allow any of this to impede my commitment to the FIA," he said in a letter sent earlier this week to all national FIA clubs and bodies.

Schumi rubbishes talk of a BMW challenge

Michael Schumacher has rubbished talk of BMW challenging for this year's Constructors' title, saying the fight is between Ferrari and McLaren.

An impressive start to the season that has yielded two runner-up finishes has bolstered talk of BMW joining the hunt for this year's World titles.

In fact the German outfit has had a better start to the season than Ferrari, having bagged 19 points to Ferrari's 11 in the first two races of the Championship.

But despite this Schumacher reckons only two teams, Ferrari and McLaren, have a realistic chance of winning the title.

"BMW here and there will have a few highlights, maybe more than we think, but calculating all things, I believe, no, they cannot sustain it over the season," he told Reuters.

"I believe it is a straight fight between Ferrari and McLaren. There will be no other team fighting realistically towards the end of the Championship."