• 23 Oct
• Category: Moto GP Extraas
• Created on Sunday, 23 October 2011 17:56
• Written by SurenF1

The Gresini Honda rider lost control of his bike on the second lap of the circuit in Sepang and appeared to be hit by Colin Edwards and then Valentino Rossi as he slid across the track, but at 4.56pm local time it was announced he had succumbed to his injuries.Edwards also fell but escaped serious injury, while Rossi was able to return to the pits.

Simoncelli, 24  won the 250cc world championship in 2008, clinching the crown in Sepang, stepped up to MotoGP in 2010. The last fatal accident in the world championship series came when Moto2 rider Showa Tomizawa was killed at Misano last September.

"Despite their efforts, Marco sadly succumbed to his injuries at 4:56pm local time (0856 GMT)," MotoGP said in a statement on its website."Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Marco's family, friends and team at this tragic loss."

Formula One driver Mark Webber tweeted: "R.I.P Marco A special talent that will be missed... Thinking of your loved ones, and all the motogp paddock..mark."

A message on Simoncelli's Gresini Honda team website  "CIAO 'SUPER SIC'.

The Rizla Suzuki team wrote: "All at Rizla Suzuki are deeply affected by today's tragic events and send their deepest condolences to Marco's family and friends during this time of great loss."R.I.P Marco Simoncelli, 20 January 1987 - 23 October 2011 - A true competitor."

His death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan's Daijiro Katoh died from his injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.

Newly-crowned champion Casey Stoner admitted immediately after the crash he had feared for Simoncelli.

He spent four seasons with the Gilera team, in 2008 became a winner for the first time, won the title beating Alvaro Bautista.Pole positions at Catalunya and Assen and a run of six straight front row starts, although incidents in races meant he could not deliver the results he promised.

Simoncelli lost the crown to future Gresini MotoGP team-mate Aoyama He secured a MotoGP seat with Gresini for 2010 and became ever more competitive, that earned him a factory specification Honda this season. He had also secured works Honda equipment again with Gresini next season, a potential MotoGP winner of the future.

In 2011, Simoncelli was predicted to be the surprise package of the season. He finished fifth in the Qatar, before falling from the lead of the wet race at Jerez. Simoncelli secured his first MotoGP pole position, 0.016 seconds ahead of Stoner & earned his first podium in the premier class, with a third place in the Czech Republic.

R.I.P Super Sic!!You will ever be missed. Thoughts and regards to his family & friends and also to the Motogp community. Dan Wheldon died last week Sunday in a horrific crash and now Marco. It has been a nightmare of a week for the motorsport world.

• 22 Oct
• Category: F1
• Created on Monday, 22 October 2012 20:22
• Written by SurenF1

The reigning world champions on both worlds had arrived at the inaugural race in India with nothing to lose as they were far superior in every respect. Redbull are leading the pack this time around as well but not in their usual gimmick. Despite holding their hands up higher, there is a Horse lurking at the back to pounce at any given time as Vettel has a meager edge of six points over Alonso.

Before Vettel’s hat-trick winning streak, Webber had more wins under his belt but his good run of fortune gave up when he failed to deliver points on consistent basis, for instance, since winning in Britain he managed to accomplish only a solitary top six finish – a second step on podium in Korea.

Webber capitalised on his team-mate’s mistake to notch pole in Korea but Vettel got back strongly to work his magic out in race which suggested that a straight on battle is on the horizon among the Bulls along with Hamilton. Vettel’s focus would mainly revolve on keeping Fernando at bay though.

It’s safe to say Redbull got their mojo back after the lately developed Double DRS system appeared in Singapore and also due to persistent evolution of updates for every race running.  The DDRS system has been used to good effect in qualifying with hat-trick of poles for the Milton Keynes based team and aided Vettel to take the fight back to Alonso.

With Ferrari’s windtunnel woes replicating in their results; Mclaren have a good shot at Constructors’ title if their British pair can pull out some decent finish on one of the toughest tracks in the calendar. I reckon the sector 1 at BIC has long straights which never really suit the likes of RB8 but the twisty sections of sector 2 and 3 with plenty of elevation changes could well decide the balance between top speed and good traction out of corners.

Last year’s race was a complete awash with Vettel beating Button narrowly by an eight second margin. It may not be the case this time on the silly season as Redbull haven’t been as quick as they looked in qualy as in Korean race- the track that shares many qualities alike with Buddh circuit. Webber’s title chances are running out of sight but he still clings on to the back of Hamilton who isn’t far away from Raikkonen either.

He might get his orders to hold back if wanted by his team but Vettel is in a league of his own now.  Amidst getting excited to drive on the sunny tarmac of BIC, this is all what they have got to say:

Mark Webber: “It’s a challenging venue and I really enjoy the track, it’s a nice circuit to drive. There was a massive crowd there last year and it was a good atmosphere. The track is similar to Korea with mainly long straights in sector one followed by a very busy sector two and three, so we need to get the balance right between downforce and top speed. It should be reasonably straightforward weather-wise and I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

Sebastian Vettel: “I loved the track layout last year, but not just because I won the race. With an average speed of 235km/h, the course is the second quickest of the year after Monza. There is a lot of elevation change around the lap which adds to the fun, from as much as eight per cent downhill and up to 10 per cent uphill; it’s like a rollercoaster! It really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers.”

• 22 Oct
• Category: F1
• Created on Monday, 22 October 2012 20:21
• Written by SurenF1

Ferrari were in the forefront of rumour mill since the season’s start as to who will replace Massa for the next season or even right in the middle of the running one. As expected, the Brazilian did make the horses cry in Melbourne and retired, in many respects, was nowhere closer to Alonso at any given moment. There was some hope arrived when he clawed back some valuable pace after a new chassis fitted to his very slow and yielding Ferrari F2012 but nor did the results as his qualifying seemed less competitive.

The below par performance evoked speculations for a new driver taking his place at Ferrari which pretty much included the whole list of drivers in the paddock and also a few sacked ones. Until Spanish GP, the shaky start awarded with just two points on the board almost left Ferrari in despair. At Monaco, we did see Felipe got something out of his car and ran well enough on Thursday to get the right balance and prevailed at p7. A much needed points finish with p6 behind his former championship rival Hamilton has made the horses breathing at last.

His success reemerged at Silverstone after two races on a wet track which saw Ferrari making a great deal of progress as Alonso claimed pole while a bit disappointed Massa started from fifth – best grid position since Korea 2010 . With getting everything worked out as he’d have wanted, Massa fended off Raikkonen to take his place behind the podium finishers. At Spa, we did witness the old Massa in a ‘racing mode’ with some sublime overtakes to reel in a fifth place result. Despite all that, Ferrari still waited to lift the money off their hat.

Since the option in his contract ran out, Ferrari were fueled up to report on the case but they waited patiently for a sit down with Massa.  In the next race, at Ferrari’s home, it was down to Massa to deliver as Alonso’s car cropped up an anti-rollbar failure on a crucial q3 lap to put him at the back. Loads of pressure invested on Felipe as they apparently had the fastest car but to the delight of adoring Italian crowd, Alonso won the party by finishing ahead of his team-mate on podium.

After all the drama at Monza, naysayers of Massa did quite get convinced that he retained his composure and form and would have deliver if he got some more space for himself in the team. I would say, the Japanese GP was a big highlight, not just because he secured a podium  but it came in at the right time. Lewis and Perez decided where they would want to go next year and of the top teams only Ferrari’s move was left undisclosed.

The long wait was finally over and disproved the fact that Ferrari wanted Massa to leave as he was retained for eighth season running recently – the horse pranced didn’t it?  Peter Sauber is good at spotting young talents and he did discover the one in Massa. I must say, it was Ferrari who chose to buy Raikkonen’s contract as opposed to Massa’s to pave way for Alonso.

He was that good but unfortunately things can change swiftly in F1, in Massa’s story, it actually quite the quickest. Since that near fatal crash in 2009 Hungarian GP, Massa was never the same man as before. He struggled to find rhythm and not faster enough even in a fast car. Ferrari does have a clear favourite, their ace-man, Fernando Alonso but coping with him is just as hard as coping with Schumacher as they need spotlights placed at them in any circumstances.

But why did Ferrari choose to stay put with Felipe when they had other colourful options? Ferrari issued a statement that had told the answer. They weighed up Felipe carefully and also the approached opportunities, they said. It was a decision solely made by the team not by Alonso they pointed out and eulogised Massa as a team player and a talented driver.

Ferrari did admit seeking replacements but in the end it was a smart move to keep Massa for yet another season as he knew their operations better than anyone else and can render hands if needed by Alonso to win back the title deceiving for long. The 2008 runner-up shouldn’t be taken lightly if Ferrari was to give him a good car in 2013. It’s good to see him not hanging his racing boots as he will be available for one more season unlike Schumacher, perhaps the toughest of his career – a season to redeem himself for maybe one more time.