Renault has decided to maintain its commitment to Formula One and welcomes the perspective of a strategic partnership with Genii Capital, a Luxemburg based firm specialized in new technologies, brand management and motor sport. Following the proposed sale of a large stake of Renault F1 Team to Genii, both partners will operate the team together. The letter of intent signed by the two companies should be concluded in early 2010.
In 2010, the team will retain its name, its identity and the core ingredients that led to the successes achieved in 2005 and 2006. The team will continue to be supplied with engines by its sister company in Viry-Châtillon, which is also pleased to have received a renewed commitment from Red Bull Racing for the 2010 season.
Only team-mate Mark Webber could stop Sebastian Vettel from recording a perfect weekend this afternoon in Japan, as the young German romped clear from pole position to win his third race of the season, leading every lap of the race in the process. Had it not been for Webber’s late pitstop for new tyres on low fuel, Vettel would also have recorded fastest lap, but more significantly his 10 points and Brawn’s struggle to 7th and 8th means he remains in title contention with just two races remaining.
From the start, Vettel was challenged strongly by the KERS-boosted Lewis Hamilton, and after successfully fending him off, was never again under pressure for the lead. With more fuel on-board than his nearest rivals, he kept the lead even during the pitstops, and shrugged off a late-race safety car period to record a comfortable five-second victory.
Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position in tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix after an action-packed qualifying session at Suzuka this afternoon. The scheduled qualifying hour was delayed by three red flag periods courtesy of three separate crashes in Q2 and Q3, eventually ending half an hour late.
With Red Bull’s Mark Webber having been ruled out of qualifying after damaging his chassis in final practice, just four drivers would be eliminated in Q1. After a largely trouble-free session for most drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella (1m31.704s) dropped out at the first hurdle for the second successive time, followed closely by home hero Kazuki Nakajima (1m31.718s) who was unable to turn local knowledge into a Q2-worthy laptime.
Mark Webber dominated this afternoon’s German Grand Prix, as he led home the second consecutive Red Bull 1-2 in front of team-mate Vettel’s home crowd. Webber had the KERS cars of Kovalainen and Massa to thank for his win, after holding Vettel behind in the first stint, and then delaying potential race winner Barrichello.
Webber and Barrichello made decent get-aways from the grid, but the Australian was soon handed his penalty for colliding with the Brawn on the run-down to turn 1. He was able to serve his penalty and still emerge ahead of the chasing pack, laying the crucial foundations for his first F1 victory. His only rival for the victory win, the three-stopping Barrichello, then saw his chances evaporate when a fuel rig problem lost him valuable seconds on his second stop, paving the way for comfortable Webber triumph.
Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull delivered an annhialating blow to the field at Silverstone today when the German cruised to a dominant victory in Britain, with team-mate Mark Webber securing the team’s second 1-2 of the season some 15 seconds adrift in second place. With the nearest non-Red Bull car finishing over 40 seconds adrift of Vettel, the updated RB5 proved impossible to match as the team closed the gap to Brawn GP atop the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
While the Red Bulls scampered off into the distance, Barrichello was locked in a battle with Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg for the final podium place, with the Brazilian taking advantage of a long second stint to take the place. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa drove strongly to rise from 11th on the grid to fourth at the flag, jumping Williams’ Nico Rosberg during the final round of stops.