MiniDrivers - Chapter 7x09 - 2015 British Grand Prix

Take a look at this cartoon! I will probably start posting these after every race if people like them.

2015 British GP Press Conference after the race

Several of you have asked me where you can watch the press conference after the race. The one that comes after the podium. 

The answer is that some countries shows the post press conference as well and some only show the podium interviews. If you haven't seen the previous then watch this. You can usually find them on YouTube. It's just a pity that there's Spannish dubbing that may distract some of you. I managed to watch this anyways :D

Felipe Massa: Bottas key to 2016 driver market

Felipe Massa says his Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas is likely to be crucial to any potential driver changes ahead of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Bottas, who scored his first podium of the season in Canada last month, has been linked in the media to a potential switch to Ferrari in place of Kimi Raikkonen, and Massa believes his current partner’s talent will make him a key player in who goes where next season.

"I think he is one of the most important names on the market," the Brazilian commented.   

"He shows he is a good driver, he has the talent to drive in a top team, and he shows he can do well, whatever team he is racing for. That's why all the teams are interested to get him.

"But we cannot forget he has an option to stay here, so we need to understand what is going to happen. I don't know if he is going or not - we need to wait and see."

Asked about his own future, Massa - who has an option for 2016 with Williams - said he expects to remain with his current team.

"I am happy where I am," he stressed. "Sometimes it's not just money or things like that making a difference: you need to understand what you are doing, where you are and how happy you are.

"I really like this team - they respect me a lot, I feel relaxed and we have some good results as well. I don't see why things would change.

"We have an option for next year, [and] I don't see really why we wouldn't take it and carry on. Results are always the best [way] to keep you happy and relaxed and in the right mind. I feel happy; we're doing a good job."

Like Bottas, Massa has scored one podium with Williams this season. He lies sixth in the driver standings, two places - but just three points - behind his team mate.

(source: f1.com)

Ricciardo laughs off Ferrari speculation

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo says there is little substance in rumours linking him with a switch to Ferrari next year, and that he treats the media chatter as a bit of ‘fun’.

With speculation continuing to swirl around Kimi Raikkonen’s future with the Italian squad, Ricciardo’s name has been one of several put forward as a potential replacement. The Australian outshone current Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel when the two were team mates last year.

“I don’t even know where the rumours started actually - it’s really exploded,” Ricciardo said. “Ferrari is probably the only top team potentially with a seat open, which is why I guess my name and a few others have been linked to that.

“It’s a bit of a laugh. You know what, it’s fun - we talk about these things now, so it creates some variety in our conversations! Obviously it is nice to be regarded by a top team like that - it’s nice to know there is interest from other teams as well. But I am with a top team too.”

Asked if either he or his management had held talks with Ferrari, Ricciardo joked: “I am my manager. I haven’t had any talks - we’ve had indirect talks through the media I guess!”

Ricciardo was one of the stars of the 2014 season, taking three wins and finishing third overall in the drivers’ standings. However, he and Red Bull have struggled for form this season - he currently lies seventh overall, with his best finish being fifth at Monaco.

(source: f1.com)

Power unit and penalty rule changes approved

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has approved the simplification of power unit penalties, as proposed by the F1 Strategy Group earlier this month.

It will mean the most a driver can be penalised at a Grand Prix for power unit changes is to be demoted to the rear of the grid. Unused portions of a penalty will no longer be converted into in-race time penalties.

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) also ratified changes to the sporting regulations giving new power unit manufacturers an extra power unit for each driver to use throughout Grands Prix for the season, bringing the total to five - one more than the existing power unit suppliers.

This will be applied retrospectively to Honda, who returned to Formula One competition with McLaren this season.

Friday’s WMSC meeting in Mexico also saw the update of regulations relating to Super Licenses, with a view to increased flexibility for drivers who have qualified for one but do not have the opportunity to compete in F1 racing. Such drivers - for example, Formula One test drivers - will now keep this possibility for three years.

(source: f1.com)

Baku included on provisional 2016 calendar

Formula One racing’s governing body the FIA has released the provisional schedule for next year’s world championship, with 21 rounds listed, including the inaugural race in Baku, Azerbaijan, in July.


The 2016 season is set to kick off later than usual, with the Australian opener on April 3, while Russia’s Sochi race moves forward from its current October slot to May 1. Malaysia shifts to the latter end of the year, back to back with Singapore, while Germany returns in July after its 2015 absence. The campaign is due to conclude in Abu Dhabi on November 27.

The provisional calendar in full:

April 3 - Australia
April 10 - China
April 24 - Bahrain
May 1 - Sochi
May 15 - Spain
May 29 - Monaco
June 12 - Canada
June 26 - UK
July 3 - Austria
July 17 - Baku
July 31 - Germany
August 7 - Hungary
August 28 - Belgium
September 4 - Italy
September 18 - Singapore
September 25 - Malaysia
October 9 - Japan
October 23 - USA (Austin)
October 30 - Mexico
November 13 - Brazil
November 27 - Abu Dhabi

(source: f1.com)

F1 2015 is released!

Friday sees the launch of F1™ 2015, the official videogame of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, throughout EMEA territories. Arriving earlier in the season than previous Codemasters® F1 releases, it marks the award-winning series’ debut on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One. The game is also available for Windows PC.

F1 2015 delivers a truly immersive experience thanks to an all-new ‘broadcast presentation’ style that recreates the unique race day atmosphere of a Grand Prix, complete with introductory grid sequences, new motion-captured pit stops by a real world pit crew, and the iconic podium celebrations.

Using voice recognition technology available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, players can become immersed in the cockpit, engaging with their race engineer through in-game voice commands with Kinect for Xbox One and the PlayStation®Camera or compatible headsets and microphones for PlayStation 4.

Players compete as their favourite Formula One star in the all-new Championship Season and push themselves to the limit in the challenging Pro Season mode. The game also features fully playable 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship bonus content.

To celebrate the game’s launch, Codemasters have released a new F1 2015 launch trailer that showcases how F1 2015 takes players closer to the real-world experience of racing in the world’s most glamorous, exciting and prestigious motorsport, thanks to a brand new version of Codemasters’ proprietary EGO game engine.

In addition to spectacular visual fidelity, F1 2015 offers a significant step forward in the physics-based handling model of the game, which is designed to be inclusive for both seasoned players and those new to the series. The handling model offers enhancements and additions in over 20 areas, including engine and transmission, aerodynamics, fuel tank, force feedback, suspension and most notably, a brand new tyre physics model, to recreate the breathtaking handling characteristics of the world’s fastest and most responsive racing cars.