Finnish F1 drivers: Mika Salo

I started a series of Finnish F1 drivers earlier this month and I had to stop for a while because my computer broke and most of the stuff I had prepared were lost. Now I will continue with the next Finn after Mika Häkkinen who is the other Mika (Salo).

After a few years racing in Japan he made his first Formula One start at the penultimate round of the 1994 season in Japan for the ailing Lotus team. He was kept on for the season's finale in Australia. Following the collapse of Lotus following the end of the season, Salo moved to Tyrrell for 1995. He was to spend three years with the team, scoring points several times. In the 1997 Monaco Grand Prix he completed the whole (rain-shortened and -slowed) race without refuelling, taking fifth place ahead of the faster Giancarlo Fisichella as a result. Despite a promising 1998 with Arrows, he had no full-time drive in 1999.

Following an injury to BAR driver Ricardo Zonta, Salo took his place for three races whilst the Brazilian recovered. However a greater opportunity arose when Michael Schumacher broke his leg in a crash during the 1999 British Grand Prix. Salo was selected as his substitute to partner Eddie Irvine at Ferrari. In his second race in Ferrari at the 1999 German Grand Prix Salo led for part of the race and would have scored a Grand Prix win but team orders demanded that he give the lead to Irvine, who at the time was fighting for the championship with Mika Häkkinen. Following the race, Irvine handed his victory trophy over to Salo as a gesture of gratitude. He also finished third at Monza, ahead of Irvine.

Salo was back full-time in 2000 with Sauber, taking 11th in the championship, although he left the team at the end of the season to join the new Toyota team in preparation for its Formula One entry in 2002. He scored two points for Toyota in their first season, becoming the first driver since JJ Lehto at the 1993 South African Grand Prix to score points on a team's debut by finishing sixth at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. He retired from Formula One at the end of 2002, after surprisingly getting fired from Toyota.

Williams F1 Megafactories - Documentary HD

I am forced to re-upload this video because the previous documentary was not by Discovery's official YouTube channel and was erased for that reason.

My son's other F1 toys

I got a question earlier when I said that my son got another Formula One car for Christmas. It was a request actually asking if I could show a picture or some pictures of the other F1 toys my son has.

He has two more and I think it's probably enough for the moment. I don't wanna force the F1 stuff on him. If he becomes interested of the sport I will buy him more and maybe take him to see or test some karting. I started driving go-karts when I was about 7 years old if I remember correctly. My "teacher" was a Finnish Karting driver Mikael Santavirta and the club I joined was called Micro Monza. It was in Konala, Helsinki. Great memories... Maybe I could show some pictures some day.

But here are the pictures of the toys:

A friend of mine was cleaning his basement and found this. When I was at his place he gave it to me because I am such a F1 freak.

My wife's friend from her office gave our son this because she also knew that I like F1.

If you wanna send my son more toys then feel free to do that! :D

Red Bull retain Buemi as 2015 reserve driver

Red Bull Racing have re-signed Sebastien Buemi as the team’s reserve driver for the 2015 season. It will be the fifth year in the role for Buemi, who was recently crowned FIA World Endurance Champion alongside fellow ex-F1 racer Anthony Davidson.

“I’m very pleased to take on another season as reserve driver at Infiniti Red Bull Racing,” said Buemi. “It is like being part of the family now and I have a good working and personal relationship with everyone at the team. I’m looking forward to helping with the development of the RB11 in any way I can. It should be an exciting season and I’m delighted that I will be a part of it.”

Buemi’s first stint as Red Bull’s test driver came in 2008, when the young Swiss was rising through the junior ranks in preparation for a Formula One career. After three seasons of F1 racing with sister team Toro Rosso from 2009-2011, during which he contested 55 Grands Prix, Buemi returned to Red Bull as reserve in 2012. 

“We are delighted that Sebastien will once again act as our reserve driver,” commented Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “He’s been closely associated with the team for some years now, we value his skills very highly and we have a great working relationship with him. His experience has proved invaluable over the years and it is great to have another world champion at the team.”

(source: f1.com)

F1 presents for Christmas

Yesterday I promised to show you guys some pictures if I got anything F1 related for Christmas. So here goes...

A Ferrari fleece quilt, blanket or what ever you wanna call it.

Michael Schumacher's biography. The book is from 2014 so there's everything about the accident as well.

That was all for me but look at this picture! My son got another F1 toy:

If you got something Formula One related then please share it on the Facebook page for everyone else to see! If you only want me to see then send the pics to my email f14lifeblog@gmail.com

Happy holidays from F1-4-LIFE!

The season starts in 78 days at Melbourne, Australia's Alber Park. It's a looooong time if you ask me. Before that I am getting the 2014 season review when it comes out and I'm gonna watch as many old races I have time to see. It's the only way I'll manage without F1.

Christmas is almost here so that means that I might get something F1 related from my family. Usually someone gets me something. I'll show you some pictures here if I get anything.

I don't have much to say but wanted to wish you all a merry christmas or happy holidays if you don't celebrate christmas :)

If you get anything F1 related for christmas please share on the F1 4 LIFE Facebook page for everybody to see.

Ferrari: Two wins the minimum for 2015

Ferrari’s new team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has set his Italian squad a minimum target of at least two Grand Prix victories for 2015, in what the Scuderia admit will be ‘a year of reconstruction’ as they bid to return to title contention.

Following a difficult 2014 campaign - their first winless season since 1980 - and the exit of Fernando Alonso, Ferrari have undergone a comprehensive management restructure, including the departures of former engineering director Pat Fry and chief designer Nikolas Tombazis.

“We will look towards 2015 with some optimism,” Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne said at a Christmas media lunch this week. “In the last few days we have made some sharp decisions on the make-up of the team and we know exactly who the key people are for development. We have taken away all the baggage of uncertainty which harmed the start of the work on the 2015 project.”

One of the biggest changes has been the arrival last month of Arrivabene, who took over from Marco Mattiacci (who in turn replaced Stefano Domenicali back in April), and the internal reshuffle he initiated, designed to provide ‘a flat structure and clear assignment of responsibilities’.

“I bring experience that has matured in my last company, the fact of knowing how to motivate people and to get the best out of them,” said Arrivabene. “In the company I’ve seen plenty of will to get things done: I am here to give the people my trust and to streamline the team. We won’t get anywhere individually, we have to work as a group.”

Replacing Alonso for 2015 is four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel who, like Ferrari, suffered a difficult 2014 season, failing to win for the first time since 2007. Marchionne insisted the former Red Bull star is very much aware of the challenge that awaits him in Maranello.

“I don’t think he’s naive, he knows our level of performance but this is the power of Ferrari: it manages to attract people even just based on its potential,” said Marchionne. “Our job for 2015 is to set this potential free. Vettel’s big gamble is ours too, to reconstruct the team and to make it grow.”

Vettel will partner Kimi Raikkonen, making Ferrari one of two teams - the other being McLaren - with two world champions in their 2015 line-up. On top of their obvious talent, Arrivabene believes the pair’s friendship will also prove an asset.

“I think Sebastian is well equipped for the job that awaits him,” he said. “He gets on very well with Kimi and this is a positive element, even if I hope that they won’t get on quite so well on the track, because the rule must remain that your team mate is your main opponent.”

On Ferrari’s 2015 prospects, Marchionne concluded: “I can guarantee the team is putting in a phenomenal effort. We have people here who are giving their absolute best and they have my full support. The important thing for us now is to give them courage and all the resources necessary to move forward and make the Scuderia grow.”

Ferrari finished fourth in the 2014 constructors’ championship, with Alonso’s second place in Hungary their best result of the year.

(source: f1.com)