Chinese Driver Ma Qing Hua Joins HRT’s Young Driver Programme
Only several weeks away from the Chinese Grand Prix, HRT have announced that Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua has joined their young driver development programme, alongside their test driver Dani Clos. This could see the 24-year-old partake in the Young Drivers’ Test in in the F112 towards the end of the year.
Ma Qing Hua has most recently taken part in the Chinese Touring Car Championship, and has won 4 races and qualified on pole-position 4 times. Throughout his career he has also taken part the Superleague Formula for Team China, as well as A1GP for Team China. This move is a big step for the youngster, which could see him one day become China’s first F1 driver.
“I’m very honored to form a part of the driver development programme at HRT Formula 1 Team since, with work and effort, it will allow me to become the first Chinese Formula 1 driver.” Explained Ma Qing Hua, “It’s a very special moment for me and it’s hard to express how happy I am. I’ve dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small. I started in the karting world when I was 8 years old and I worked really hard to learn and become quicker every time. Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I’m going to work hard to earn it.”
“We are working so that one of the team’s signs of identity is to serve as a platform to launch young drivers, both nationally and internationally.” Said HRT team principal, Luiz Perez-Sala, “Ma Qing Hua is one those talents in which we believe and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1. We like his conditions and we want to take part in his formation by incorporating him to the team’s Driver Development Programme so that he can participate in races and private tests, with the objective of him being able to take part in the Formula 1 tests reserved to young drivers.”
Ma Qing Hua’s first role as a member of the HRT team will be at a press conference on Thursday 12th April, prior the 9th running of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Picture Copyright © HRT F1 Team
Thai Grand Prix The Next Asian Event To Join F1?
Thailand looks set to be joining fellow Asian nations’ Singapore, Korea and India in hosting a Formula 1 event in the near future. The proposed venue is a street circuit at Ratchadamnoen Avenue in the capital city of Bangkok, which has been favored over a new and costly permanent circuit at Pattaya.
In 2010, Mark Webber demonstrated his Red Bull RB6 around Ratchadamnoen Avenue. It is the owner of Red Bull – Dietrich Mateschitz – that has fueled the recent speculation of Thailand hosting an F1 race in the future.
“The idea is good. We are in talks.” Said Red Bull owner, Dietrich Mateschitz, “Thailand could host a Formula 1 race in the next two or three years, [Bernie] Ecclestone agrees with the idea. We may sign an agreement soon. I can’t give you details because it is not my responsibility. All I can tell you is that a race could take place here in the next two or three years. I remember that a lot of people watched the show [Webber’s demonstration] and a race here will be successful.”
There has only ever been one Thai driver in the history of Formula 1, in Prince Bira who competed in 19 races throughout the 1950s including the first official FIA Formula 1 race at Silverstone in 1950.
If Thailand did host a race in the future, it would become the 9th Asian Grand Prix on the calendar. With the addition of a second American Grand Prix in 2013 and a Russian Grand Prix in 2014, the Formula 1 calendar is becoming dangerously packed with events. This will undoubtedly mean the loss of further Grands Prix, with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa two races which are currently not contracted beyond the 2012 season.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Alexander Rossi Set For Busy 2012 Season
American driver Alexander Rossi has today been announced as Caterham F1’s test driver for the 2012 season. This move will see him compete in several Friday practice sessions, as well as compete in the 2012 Word Series by Renault Championship for the Arden-Caterham outfit.
Alexander Rossi competed in the inaugural GP3 season in 2010, ending the year 4th overall after a competitive season with ART Grand Prix. The American won two races, including several podium finishes throughout the course of the season. In 2011, he competed in his first full season of the World Series by Renault, ending the season 3rd overall after a highly competitive campaign which saw him win 9 of the 17 races throughout the year.
With a second season in the World Series by Renault planned for Rossi, coupled with Friday running in Formula 1 with Caterham, Alexander Rossi has a promising 2012 season ahead of him. A potential championship contender in the World Series by Renault, he could well be set to join the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo in Formula 1 in the next few years.
“I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to make this dual announcement today.” Explained an elated Alexander Rossi, “My goal to be in Formula One is one step closer after being signed as Test Driver for Caterham F1 Team. I want to thank Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and Riad Asmat for their trust in me and long-term commitment to my career. The Caterham F1 Team support, coupled with the efforts of my management and investors, has brought my goal of reaching an F1 race seat one step closer.”
With an American Grand Prix scheduled towards the end of season, Alexander Rossi seems to have become a Formula 1 test driver at exactly the right time. If he impresses enough throughout the 2012 season, Rossi could well find himself in Ricciardo’s shoes and racing in F1 at his home race in November.
Picture Copyright © Caterham Racing
Tio Ellinas Joins Marussia Manor Racing For 2012
Marussia Manor Racing have completed their 2012 driver line-up with the announcement of Cypriot Tio Ellinas, as he joins Dmitry Suranovich and newly signed Brazilian Fabiano Machado for the coming season.
After testing for the team at Jerez and Valencia, the 20-year-old impressed greatly thus improving his chances with the team for the 2012 season. Ellinas began his motor sport career in karting, winning 101 of the 131 races between 2001 and 2009.
In 2010, Ellinas began his career in single-seater racing in the British Formula Ford Championship. Throughout his debut year he won 3 races, ending the season 4th in the Championship as well as becoming the rookie of the year.
“I am very happy to join Marussia Manor Racing.” Explained Tio Ellinas, “It’s a winning team and I am really looking forward to building on the progress made during the two tests. I felt immediately at home in the team and now I can’t wait to get back in the car again and race in my first GP3 season.”
Last season, Ellinas moved up to the Formula Renault UK Championship. Throughout the season, he won 2 races for the Atech Reid GP team.
The 2012 GP3 Series gets underway in May as it supports the Spanish Grand Prix on the Circuit de Catalunya.
Fabiano Machado Joins Marussia Manor Racing For 2012
Reigning South American Formula 3 Champion, Fabiano Machado, has been signed by Marussia Manor Racing for the 2012 GP3 Series. He will race alongside Russian driver Dmitry Suranovich, after dominating the South American Formula 3 Championship last season.
The Brazilian won 17 races in the Championship last season, as well as achieving 15 fastest laps and 7 pole-positions along the way. He had a promising career in karting beforehand, winning various championships along the way including the Paulista Championship and the Brazilian South Region Championship.
“To race in the GP3 Series with a winning team like Marussia Manor Racing will be a big step forward in my learning process and in my career.” Said Machado, “I’m really pleased and excited to be racing for the first time in a European Championship. I want to thank the team and my sponsor Grupo Schahin for this opportunity and I will work as hard as possible to put together a strong campaign.”
The GP3 Series has a two day pre-season test at Estoril in Portugal next week, before the season gets underway at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain in May.
Aldo Costa And Geoff Willis Join Mercedes GP
Former Ferrari Technical Director, Aldo Costa and former Red Bull and HRT Technical Director, Geoff Willis have both joined the Mercedes GP team, a move that will undoubtedly strengthen their 2012 car design.
Mercedes, who took over the one-hit wonder Brawn GP team in 2009, have since settled as the next best team after Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull although they have undoubtedly the most accomplished driver in the history of the sport, Michael Schumacher. However, Schumacher has up until recently been overshadowed by his younger team-mate Nico Rosberg who has been the only driver out of the two to achieve podiums in the last two seasons so far. Schumacher has come enticingly close, but has yet to step on the podium since the 2006 season with Ferrari.
This has sparked question marks over Schumacher’s current career in Formula 1, after winning 5 of his 7 World Championships with Ferrari between 2000-2004 and his first two with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, he has returned to F1 after his retirement in 2006 without a single Pole-Position or win to his name…yet.
With these two new Technical Directors joining Mercedes, it is obvious they are pushing to design a car that next season will be competitive enough to deliver Rosberg his maiden F1 win and Schumacher his 92nd Grand Prix win, his last being at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix. The German is showing no interest in leaving Mercedes and is undoubtedly enjoying his return to F1.
Aldo Costa started his F1 Career as Chief Designer at Minardi in 1988 and in 1989 became the teams Technical Director, however Minardi failed to achieve decent results with only 4 points scoring finishes in 1988 and 1989 combined. The following seasons saw Minardi continue with these sporadic achievements with point scoring finishes in every other season, but the general consensus was that when Minardi took one step forward, they took two steps back. So in 1995, Costa moved to Scuderia Ferrari, and in 1998 became the assistant to the teams Chief Designer Rory Byrne.
Geoff Willis started his F1 Career as Chief Aerodynamicist at Williams, and in 2001 joined BAR which was later bought by Honda in 2005. In 2006, Willis started to have conflicts with Honda and eventually left the team to go and join Red Bull Racing in 2007 as the Team’s Technical Director under Adrian Newey. This partnership lasted all but 2 years and in 2009 he left Red Bull for what are still unknown reasons. In 2010, Willis joined the fledgling Hispania Racing Team (HRT) however last month (September 2011) he left the team after receiving no assurance of financial backing necessary for him to start designing the 2012 HRT car.
And so Aldo Costa and Geoff Willis, both from different team backgrounds, are now set to be working together to try and help pull Mercedes GP from the midfield up to the sharp end of the grid for next season. And what with Ross Brawn, Norbert Haug and Michael Schumacher within the team, they could be a fighting force next season…
F1 News 24/7
Andy's GP Blog 