Lewis Hamilton Storms To First Career Pole For Mercedes At China
Lewis Hamilton has stormed to his first career pole for Mercedes and his 27th overall after a frenetic and slightly bizarre qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, which consisted of much tyre preservation. The Briton will start the race alongside Kimi Raikkonen, with a second row consisting of Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg.
The all-important qualifying session got underway in glorious sunshine around the Shanghai International Circuit, however once the session got underway the drivers were reluctant to take to the track. It was well over five minutes into the session before Jules Bianchi eventually became the first driver to take to the track, leading out a small flurry of drivers. The Frenchman set the first timed lap of the session with a 01:39.025, however his time was immediately obliterated by Nico Rosberg who stormed to a 01:35.959 on the soft tyre.
With only five minutes remaining in the session, the entire field finally took to the track in a bid to progress through to the second qualifying segment. Lewis Hamilton stormed to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:35.793, whereas further down the order Jules Bianchi was momentarily ahead of the Toro Rosso duo. However, as the session drew to a conclusion, both Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo progressed through to Q2 whereas Jules Bianchi was eventually eliminated along with Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton, Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde.
After the excruciatingly long wait for track action at the start of Q1, Sebastian Vettel was the first driver to take to the track at the start of Q2. The reigning World Champion therefore set the first timed lap of the session with a 01:36.260, before the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso rose to the top with a 01:36.186. Utter disbelief then ensued when the Red Bull of Mark Webber parked his Red Bull machine at the side of the track at Turn 14, with the Australian driver allegedly out of fuel. Whilst Mark Webber’s car was cleared by the marshals, the time at the top continued to tumble as Kimi Raikkonen and then Nico Rosberg rose to the top.
Lewis Hamilton then once again rose to the top for Mercedes, setting another superlative 01:35.078, as Fernando Alonso slotted into 2nd position behind the Briton. Mark Webber gradually fell down the order as the session progressed, with the Australian driver unable to return to the track after his issue. Daniel Ricciardo greatly impressed many by progressing through to the top ten shootout, as Paul di Resta, Sergio Perez, Adrian Sutil, Mark Webber, Pastor Maldonado and Jean-Eric Vergne were eliminated.
The frenetic proceedings during Q2 led many to believe that the all-important top ten shootout would be equally as exciting, however once again there was a long wait until a driver completed the first timed lap. Sebastian Vettel was initially the first driver to take to the track, however he was instructed to return to the pits after an installation lap. This tactic by Red Bull was to ensure that the German would qualify ahead of any drivers who did not elect to complete a timed lap.
Eventually the majority of the field finally took to the track, in what became a mad dash to the finish. Kimi Raikkonen set the first timed lap of the session with a 01:34.762, as Nico Rosberg ruined his timed lap by running wide at Turn 16. Sebastian Vettel also ran extensively wide at Turn 14, and therefore elected to abort his timed lap altogether. Lewis Hamilton once again produced an absolutely stunning lap for Mercedes, and stormed to his first career pole for the German marque with a 01:34.484. Fernando Alonso managed to slot into 3rd position for Ferrari, with Sebastian Vettel all the way down in 9th position on the grid.
Although the majority of the qualifying session was centralized around tyre preservation, there is no denying that tomorrow’s 56-lap Chinese Grand Prix will be an intriguing combination of tactics and pure excitement. Will pole position prove to be an asset to Lewis Hamilton, or will the shrewd thinking of Red Bull allow Sebastian Vettel to rise through the order?
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m34.484s 2. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m34.761s + 0.277 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m34.788s + 0.304 4. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m34.861s + 0.377 5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m34.933s + 0.449 6. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m35.364s + 0.880 7. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m35.998s + 1.514 8. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 2m05.673s + 31.189 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault no time 10. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari no time Q2 cut-off time: 1m36.261s Gap ** 11. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m36.287s + 1.209s 12. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m36.314s + 1.236s 13. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m36.405s + 1.327s 14. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m36.679s + 1.601s 15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m37.139s + 2.061s 16. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m37.199s + 2.121s Q1 cut-off time: 1m37.508s Gap * 17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m37.769s + 1.976 18. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m37.990s + 2.197 19. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m38.780s + 2.987 20. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m39.537s + 3.744 21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m39.614s + 3.821 22. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m39.660s + 3.867 107% time: 1m42.489s
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel Defends His Decision To Overtake Mark Webber
Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel has continued to discuss the controversial proceedings of the Malaysian Grand Prix last time out, with the German driver stating he would do the same thing again should the situation arise and that Mark Webber did not deserve the victory. Mark Webber has instead decided to move on from the topic.
During preparations for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix around the Shanghai International Circuit, the three-time World Champion defended his decision to overtake his team-mate during the latter stages of the Malaysian Grand Prix. After leading the majority of the race, it looked certain that Mark Webber was on his way to his 10th career victory last time out. However, Sebastian Vettel had other ideas and ignored team orders and overtook Mark Webber for the lead of the race. The duo fought perilously close for the position, before Sebastian Vettel eventually stormed into the lead.
Immediately after the race it was evidently clear that the atmosphere between the Red Bull duo was excruciatingly tense, with the body language of Mark Webber speaking much louder than his words during the post-race press conference. Several weeks after the controversial conclusion to the Malaysian Grand Prix, and the main topic throughout the paddock at Shanghai is still unsurprisingly Sebastian Vettel’s decision to overtake Mark Webber. Whereas the Australian driver has decided to move on from the events at Sepang, Sebastian Vettel has continued to fan the flames by stating he would probably do the same thing again and that Mark Webber did not deserve the victory.
“I am not sure I can give you a proper answer because in the moment it might be different, but I would probably do the same.” Explained Sebastian Vettel, when asked whether he would repeat his actions again. “Had I understood the message and had I thought about it, reflected on it, thought what the team wanted to do, to leave Mark in first place and me finishing second… I think I would have thought about it and I would probably have done the same thing. He didn’t deserve it. There is quite a conflict, because on the one hand I am the kind of guy who respects team decisions and the other hand, probably Mark is not the one who deserved it at the time.”
It seems the topic surrounding Sebastian Vettel’s decision to disobey team orders will continue to circulate throughout the Formula 1 paddock for many weeks to come, despite Mark Webber’s wish to simply move on from the events. Their on-track actions will undoubtedly be scrutinized greatly throughout the remainder of the season, as they both strive for further victories for Red Bull.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Antonio Felix Da Costa To Act As Red Bull Reserve Driver In China
It has been announced that Portuguese driver Antonio Felix da Costa will act as Red Bull’s reserve driver during this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, as the outfit’s full-time reserve driver Sebastien Buemi competes in the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Silverstone. The 21-year-old is widely regarded as Red Bull’s rising sensation, following in the footsteps of the outfit’s protege Sebastian Vettel.
Antonio Felix da Costa became part of the Red Bull Junior Team last season, whilst competing in the World Series by Renault and GP3 Series. The Portuguese driver enjoyed a tremendously competitive season in both categories, taking a combined seven victories and the victory at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix, which ultimately saw him take part in the Formula 1 Young Driver Test at Abu Dhabi for Red Bull in November. This enabled him to complete a combined total of 141 laps for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, and gather valuable knowledge behind the wheel of an F1 machine.
Since loosing his seat at Toro Rosso at the end of the 2011 season, Sebastien Buemi has continued his presence in the Formula 1 paddock as the Red Bull reserve driver. Many expect Antonio Felix da Costa to enter Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in the future, much like Sebastian Vettel did in 2008. However, with the Portuguese driver continuing to impress many throughout the lower categories, its entirely feasible that Red Bull could opt for da Costa as a replacement for Mark Webber in the future.
Despite a successful campaign in the GP3 Series last season, Antonio Felix da Costa has not opted for “graduation” through to the GP2 Series for 2013. Instead, the Portuguese ace has elected to continue competing in the World Series by Renault, otherwise known as Formula Renault 3.5. He began his 2013 campaign in the category in superlative style for Arden Caterham, winning one race at Monza.
Picture Copyright © Daniel Kalisz/GP3 Series Media Service
2013 Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix Preview
After what seems like an eternity since the controversial Malaysian Grand Prix around Kuala Lumpur’s Sepang International Circuit, the Formula 1 fraternity is finally preparing to reconvene for the third round of the season at Shanghai in China. Sebastian Vettel currently leads the Championship, nine points ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.
Although three weeks has passed since the controversial proceedings towards the end of the Malaysian Grand Prix, it’s undeniable that Sebastian Vettel’s decision to deny team orders and overtake team-mate Mark Webber for the race victory will still dominate the headlines as the paddock returns to the Shanghai International Circuit. Despite the continued spotlight on Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s partnership which is expected for the weekend ahead, the Chinese Grand Prix is an event with favorable memories for Red Bull. Back in 2009, Sebastian Vettel stormed to the outfit’s first race victory in utterly treacherous weather conditions.
Since then the Milton Keynes-based outfit has dominated proceedings at the front of the order, picking up three Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships along with a further 34 race victories across many of the races on the calendar. However, it’s unquestionable that the outfit’s closest rivals such as Ferrari, Lotus and Mercedes will be eager to challenge their dominance during this weekend’s events.
After the sweltering heat which plagued the drivers and team personnel at the Malaysian Grand Prix last time out, much cooler temperatures are expected this weekend at Shanghai. The Chinese Grand Prix has been struck by inclement weather conditions on numerous occasions, however early weather forecasts indicate a dry weekend ahead. The opening two races of the season were both struck by heavy rain at some stage of the weekend, forcing the drivers to opt for Pirelli’s Cinturato full wet and intermediate weather tyre. Once again the Cinturato compound will be available to the drivers, along with Pirelli’s soft and medium tyre compounds.
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Pirelli’s 2013 soft tyre compound, which has received slight alterations over the winter period along with all of Pirelli’s compounds. This has caused renewed criticism of Pirelli’s P Zero and Cinturato tyre range, with Red Bull in particular speaking out against the tyre compounds. The medium compound has so far been selected for all of the opening three races, along with the super-soft in Australia and hard in Malaysia.
The Chinese Grand Prix has been present on the Formula 1 calendar since 2004, a year which was dominated by the Ferrari duo of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. The Brazilian driver eventually won the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, ahead of the BAR of Jenson Button and the McLaren of Kimi Raikkonen. Only Lewis Hamilton has won more than one Chinese Grand Prix, in 2008 and 2011, making him the most successful driver around the Shanghai International Circuit. However, the Briton’s reign around the Chinese circuit could be questioned this weekend if Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button or Nico Rosberg takes victory on Sunday.
Although Lewis Hamilton his two victories at China with McLaren, the Woking-based outfit is tied with the most wins around the circuit with Ferrari. Both teams have won on three occasions (with Jenson Button adding to Lewis Hamilton’s tally), with Ferrari securing victories in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Either Ferrari or McLaren could take a fourth victory at the circuit this weekend, however the Scuderia are without a doubt the likeliest to do so due to McLaren’s disastrous start to the season.
Can Felipe Massa continue his competitive start to the season this weekend in China?
Although Fernando Alonso is unquestionably regarded as the number one driver at Ferrari, Felipe Massa has surprised many with his competitive start to the 2013 season. The 31-year-old Brazilian has not won a Grand Prix since 2008, however he is undeniably eager to end his winless-streak this season. Felipe Massa has finished both races so far this season within the top five, whereas Fernando Alonso crashed out of the Malaysian Grand Prix after a front wing failure on Lap 2. Last season it was widely predicted that the Brazilian would be replaced for the 2013 season, however he has been quick to redeem himself of late and could prove to be a contender for victory this weekend.
The driver representative steward for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix will be former Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell, who will make his second appearance in the role. The 47-year-old Briton made his Formula 1 debut back in 1991 with Brabham, before competing with the likes of Ligier, Tyrrell and McLaren later in his career. He moved to ChampCar in 1996, eventually picking several victories before focusing on endurance races later in his career. The Briton will be joined in the stewardship of the Chinese Grand Prix by Garry Connelly and Steven Chopping.
Like with the opening two races of the season, the Chinese Grand Prix will also feature two DRS Zones around the 5.451km circuit. The first DRS Zone is situated in exactly the same location as last season, with the detection zone at Turn 12 and the activation zone 752m before Turn 14 down the exceedingly long back-straight. The second DRS Zones is a completely new addition for the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, and is situated with the detection zone 35m before Turn 16, with the activation zone 98m after Turn 16 down the start/finish straight.
Last season saw Nico Rosberg storm to his maiden Formula 1 race victory for Mercedes, and their first victory as a Constructor since 1955 with Juan-Manuel Fangio. The latter stages of the race were utterly dominated by the high degradation of the Pirelli tyres, with Kimi Raikkonen in particular loosing out significantly and dropping back through the order. Once again the Formula 1 fraternity is heading to China with he possibility of a third different race winner this weekend, however the favorite for victory is once again Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull. Can anyone tame the Red Bulls this weekend, or will their own goal of the previous race weekend come back to haunt them?
Picture(s) Copyright © Pirelli & Getty Images
Ma Qing Hua To Drive Once Again In Practice At Singapore
HRT’s development driver Ma Qing Hua will once again get behind the wheel of the F112 at an official F1 event next time out at Singapore, as the Chinese driver continues his valuable learning experiences with the Spanish-outfit. The 24-year-old made F1 history last time out in Monza, becoming the first Chinese-born driver to race in the sport.
After initially partaking in HRT’s Young Driver Test at Silverstone back in July, Ma Qing Hua is now preparing to participate in his second official practice session in F1. Many teams up and down the paddock have utilized the opening practice session of the weekend to run their reserve drivers, such as Valtteri Bottas [Williams] and Jules Bianchi [Force India] making regular appearances for their respective teams. With HRT set to introduce several new upgrades at the Singapore Grand Prix, Ma Qing Hua will be instrumental in testing the new updates.
“I’m very happy to drive the F112 for a second time in a row and I really appreciate the opportunity HRT is giving me.” Explained Ma Qing Hua, “It will be very exciting to drive an F1 [car] around the streets of Singapore. It’s a very demanding track for all of us, but it will be even more of a challenge for me as this is only the second time I will be driving the car at a race weekend. I have prepared myself in the simulator as well as doing some specific exercises to be used to driving at night. This is yet again another step in my career and I look forward to getting more experience at the wheel of a Formula 1 car as well as doing my best to help the team to prepare for the race.”
Ma Qing Hua will once again replace Narain Karthikeyan for the opening session of the weekend, before the Indian driver makes a return behind the cockpit of the F112 for the second practice session later in the afternoon. Narain Karthikeyan has also never raced around the Marina Bay street circuit, and will be eager to utilize the 90-minute second practice session to learn the track.
Picture Copyright © HRT F1 Team
Pedro de la Rosa: “I’m More Than Satisfied With The Result”
Pedro de la Rosa enjoyed a relatively successful 100th Grand Prix earlier today, even though he and his team-mate Narain Karthikeyan once again brought up the rear of the order. After starting the race from 23rd on the grid alongside the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg, de la Rosa was able to complete a one stop strategy to finish 18th.
Although the HRT duo ended the race one lap off the leader, the Spanish-outfit remain confident as they continue to improve as the season enters its closing stages. With HRT set to introduce several new upgrades to their F112 car at the next race in Singapore, they are confident a further step forward can be achieved. Narain Karthikeyan, who had not raced around the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza since his debut season back in 2005, finished the race in 19th position. The Indian driver out-qualified team-mate de la Rosa for the first time this season, however he was unable to translate such a result through to the race.
“I’m more than satisfied with the result, especially keeping in mind how we started the race.” Explained Pedro de la Rosa, “The start wasn’t easy but I did what I could because the medium tyres didn’t work well. In the second half of the race, on hard tyres, I started to run well and I’m happy with our pitstop because it was very good. I’m happy with this 100th Grand Prix although I would have liked to have done it better. We have to continue improving and in Singapore we hope for the planned upgrades to help us take that step forward.”
Ma Qing Hua made his official F1 debut during first practice on Friday.
Luis Perez-Sala was content with his teams performance after the race, after a successful weekend which began by creating F1 history as the team allowed development driver Ma Qing Hua to drive during opening practice. The 24-year-old became the first Chinese-born driver to compete in an official F1 event, and coupled with de la Rosa’s 100th Grand Prix the team are confident the upgrades at Singapore next time out will be yet another boost for the Madrid-based outfit.
“I’m happy with how the race went; we experienced no problems and the car proved its good reliability.” Said HRT’s team principal, Luis Perez-Sala. “We’ve closed the gap to the head of the field at a circuit that we knew would benefit us. Overall it’s been a positive weekend with Ma’s debut and Pedro’s 100th Grand Prix, and now we’re looking forward to Singapore, where I hope we will be able to continue progressing.”
Picture Copyright © HRT F1 Team
Ma Qing Hua To Make F1 Debut At Monza Practice
HRT’s development driver, Ma Qing Hua, will make his first track appearance at an official Formula 1 race at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix when he becomes the first Chinese-born driver to race in the sport. He will replace Narain Karthikeyan for the opening session on the Friday, and will team-mate Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.
Throughout the majority of the season, HRT have elected their reserve driver Dani Clos to take part in numerous Friday practice sessions, however this weekend will see a slight change as 24-year-old Ma Qing Hua gets behind the wheel of the F112 for the first time since the Young Driver Test at Silverstone back in July. The Shanghai-born driver completed 483.062km during the Silverstone test, and greatly impressed the team as well as securing himself a Formula 1 Super License which enables him to partake during official race weekends.
“This is a very important step towards my dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver.” Explained Ma Qing Hua, “It will be my second time in the car, after the Young Driver Test in Silverstone, and I’m very excited about driving at a circuit like Monza. The objective of this session is to continue advancing with my programme, rack up more miles and experience at the wheel of an F1 car and help the team with whatever they need. I’m excited but also calm about it because I’ve been training hard in the past months to be prepared when the opportunity presented itself. I’ve also worked on the simulator to get to know the circuits a bit better and how a Formula 1 car reacts.”
This weekend will see Ma Qing Hua make F1 history as he becomes the first Chinese-born driver to race in the sport, after Dutch-born Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung tested for Williams and Renault as well driving in the GP2 Series. This will be the second time HRT have made F1 history this season, the first coming at the Spanish Grand Prix when it was announced that Dani Clos would be driving for them alongside Pedro de la Rosa in first practice. This therefore created the first ever all-Spanish line-up in a Spanish F1 team at all places, Spain.
“Personally, it fills me with satisfaction to be able to give Ma the opportunity to make his debut at a Grand Prix, and to do it in FP1 at a classic circuit like Monza makes it even more special.” Said HRT’s team principal, Luis Perez-Sala. “Since we started working with him in March everything has been very quick but he’s responded and overcome every phase accordingly. From tests with World Series or GP2 cars, passing through sessions on the simulator, to the Formula 1 tests in Silverstone where he completed 500 km with no problems. He’s shown to us that he’s on a good level and has transmitted the necessary confidence to take the next step, which is to make his debut at a free practice session of a Grand Prix.”
Narain Karthikeyan, who will sit out the opening practice session for Ma Qing Hua, will naturally make a return behind the cockpit of the F112 during the second practice session in the afternoon. Just like at Spa-Francorchamps last time out, this will be the Indian drivers first appearance at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza since his debut season in 2005 with Jordan.
Picture Copyright © HRT F1 Team
Ma Qing Hua: “It Was A Fantastic Experience”
Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua got his first taste of Formula 1 machinery on Thursday, as the 24-year-old partook in day one of the Silverstone Young Driver Test. The HRT driver completed 82 laps throughout the day, nearly surpassing 500 km with a personal best time of a 01:37.829.
Ma Qing Hua became only the second driver from China to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, with fellow countryman Ho-Pin Tung testing for Williams in 2003 and Renault in 2010. However, a Chinaman has yet to start an official Grand Prix and Ma Qing Hua is certainly on the right track to one day changing that stat.
With HRT only fielding one driver throughout the Young Driver Test at Silverstone, Ma Qing Hua enjoyed a whole day testing for the Spanish outfit. The Chinese driver was thrilled with the experience, as he completed various challenges throughout the day including short stints, qualifying simulations, long stints and pit stop practices.
“It was a fantastic experience and it’s really hard to put into words everything I felt when I got into the Formula 1 car.” Explained Ma Qing Hua, “It was very special but also productive; a great day. Everything went perfect; the weather was on our side, it didn’t rain and we were able to carry out the established programme without any trouble. It was intense because we practically didn’t stop but that enabled us to cover a lot of miles and finish with a good time.”
Ma Qing Hua was terribly excited with the prospect of driving a Formula 1 car, and explained how he struggled to sleep the night before the test. After his first run in the morning session at Silverstone, Ma Qing Hua had to wipe away his tears of joy at becoming the first Chinese-born driver to drive a Formula 1 car.
“I must confess that the night before I struggled to sleep a bit because it was an important test and I didn’t want to make any mistakes.” Said Ma Qing Hua. “But everything went well and we basically did everything. Short stints and qualifying simulations with both tyre compounds, long stints, start simulations, pit stop practices…it was a very intense but productive experience.”
Ma Qing Hua joined HRT three months ago, and has greatly impressed the Spanish outfit in the short space of time in which he has been with them. Ma Qing Hua’s aim now is to continue working and progressing and to be prepared for his next outing with the Spanish outfit.
Picture Copyright © HRT F1 Team
Chinese Formula 1 Driver Clarification
There has been a debate over the social networking site Twitter as to whether history was made yesterday when HRT’s Ma Qing Hua took to the Silverstone circuit on day one of the Young Driver Test, with some believing the Chinese driver was the first from his nation to drive a Formula 1 car. Others, however, believe Ho-Pin Tung was the first Chinaman to drive an F1 car back in 2003 with Williams.
The debate stems from belief that Ma Qing Hua, who on Thursday drove an F1 car the first time with HRT, is the first Chinaman to drive an F1 car, thus creating history. However, the official stat will show you that Ma Qing Hua is the first Chinese-born Chinaman to drive a Formula 1 car, and not the first Chinaman altogether in Formula 1.
That stat rests with Ho-Pin Tung, even though he was born in Velp, Gelderland (Netherlands). The Chinese-Dutch driver made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2003, during a test session around Jerez in Spain. Some might argue with this stat, however hardly anybody argues about the fact that Nico Rosberg carries the German flag, even though the 27-year-old competed for Finland in his earlier career and has a Finnish father.
Ho-Pin Tung made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2003
So the clarification is that Ma Qing Hua is the first Chinese-born driver to race a Formula 1 car, whereas Ho-Pin Tung was the first Chinese driver to race a Formula 1 car outright. Either way, a Chinese driver has yet to start an official Formula 1 race, and Ma Qing Hua is undeniably on the right course to one day change that stat.
Picture(s) Copyright © HRT F1 Team & Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Chinese Indy Qingdao 600 Cancelled
The proposed IndyCar race around the Chinese port city of Qingdao has been cancelled, after complications between the city officials and IndyCar lead to the race running out of time to be planned. This was to be the first time IndyCar had ventured into China, with most races run in either Canada or America.
The event was scheduled to take place on August 19th, however race promoters in China cancelled the event. This means the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series calendar is now a race short, with IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard currently investigating the possibility of a replacement event which would keep the Series at 16 events.
“We wanted to give the China race every opportunity to move forward and be successful, but IndyCar has been notified by the promoter that the event is cancelled for 2012,” explained Randy Bernard. “We were informed that the promoter was trying to move the event to a different date and location. After ongoing discussions regarding alternative dates, as well as doing our due diligence in exploring alternate venues in China, the promoter cancelled the event. A decision had to be made to allow IndyCar and its participants to plan accordingly for the second half of the season.
“We are working with our promoters that host events in the second half of our calendar to keep them apprised of how the date of a potential new race could impact our current schedule,” continued IndyCar’s CEO.
After the loss of the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi last season, and the cancellation of the Indy Qingdao 600 in China, the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series will only visit three different nations this season in Brazil, Canada and America. However, IndyCar officials are not “closing the door” on a future race in China in years to come.
The next race on the IZOD IndyCar schedule is this weekend, at Milwaukee for the Milwaukee IndyFest. Will Power currently leads the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of his nearest rivals Scott Dixon and James Hinchcliffe.
Picture Copyright © Chris Jones/IndyCar
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