Caterham Appoint Hari Roberts As Head Of Aerodynamics

Caterham have confirmed the appointment of Hari Roberts as the Leafield-outfits Head of Aerodynamics, only several days before proceedings get underway for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Roberts will work closely with the team’s Technical Director Mark Smith and Performance Director John Iley.

As Caterham prepares to enter their fourth season in Formula 1, the team is continuing to build towards becoming a competitive outfit in the sport. Currently the team have yet to score their first World Championship points of their career, yet have progressed massively since their debut season in 2010. Since then, the team have acquired Renault engines and have moved to their new factory at Leafield.

With HRT now no longer competing in Formula 1, Caterham have only one arch rival on the grid in the form of Marussia. The Leafield-based outfit will be hoping that the appointment of the experienced Hari Roberts will help continue their progression towards the midfield, with his wealth of knowledge in the sport after working with accomplished teams such as Jordan, Renault and Lotus.

“I am excited about the challenge that lies ahead with Caterham F1 Team and I am delighted to have renewed my working partnership with Mark, and started a new partnership with the whole team.” Explained Hari Roberts, “Caterham F1 Team has the potential to grow into a serious force in Formula One and I am looking forward to playing an integral role in helping the team fulfill its potential.”

Mark Smith and Hari Roberts worked alongside each other at both Jordan and Renault, and are understandably thrilled to be reunited at Caterham for the coming season. Mark Smith believes the appointment of Hari Roberts is a clear indication of Caterham’s continued growth as a Formula 1 team, and is confident ahead of the new F1 season.

“I am delighted that Hari has joined our team, particularly as his appointment extends an excellent working relationship that I have had with him over many years with teams including Jordan and Renault F1 Team.” Enthused Mark Smith, “He gives us more senior leadership in a critical area of the team’s development and it is another sign of our shareholders’ ongoing commitment to our team’s growth that we have appointed someone of Hari’s calibre to the role of Head of Aerodynamics. We have also invested in such core areas as our dedicated model shop at Leafield, the ongoing development of our High Performance Cluster (HPC), which powers our CFD and design functions, and our driver in the loop simulator – all of which give us the tools needed to fight with the most famous names in motorsport in years to come.”

Caterham ended their winter testing programme with high spirits after a productive final test around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. The team will be aiming to continue their productivity throughout the coming season, as they strive to score their first World Championship points and once again thwart Marussia in the battle for 10th in the Constructors’ Championship.

Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team

Vitaly Petrov Full Of Praise For Caterham After Qualifying

Vitaly Petrov has enjoyed one of his most competitive qualifying sessions as a Caterham driver, after the Russian star out-qualified Heikki Kovalainen in 19th position. The Caterham mechanics carried out a masterful job of fixing his car after third practice, which saw Petrov tap the barrier on the exit of turn 21.

After several races of lackluster performance by the Caterham F1 team, it seems the Leafield-based outfit have rediscovered their form. Although they were still knocked out after Q1, the Renault-powered outfit were much closer to their midfield opposition during the opening 20 minutes of qualifying.

“I’m really happy with how qualifying went today.” Enthused Vitaly Petrov, “It’s my Father’s birthday and the performance is my present for him. He told me this morning “don’t push too hard” and then I went and crashed the car in P3! The boys did a fantastic job in the garage to repair the car and it was actually all ready 15 minutes before Q1, so thank you very much to them for putting in such a great effort.”

Vitaly Petrov’s highly competitive performance in qualifying was noticed within the team, as both Caterham’s technical director Mark Smith and team principal Tony Fernandes praised the Russian driver. Praise was in abundance throughout the team for their tremendous work on Petrov’s car between third practice and qualifying, after the Russian drive ruined his right-rear tyre in the closing stages of the session.

“First I want to thank the team for the excellent work they did between FP3 and qualifying to repair Vitaly’s car, and give him what he needed to put in the performance he did in Q1.” Said the team’s technical director, Mark Smith. “It is good to see that we have started to unlock the potential of the new parts we have brought here and the aim is to make sure we keep progressing.”

Tony Fernandes was full of praise for Vitaly Petrov, who has recently risen to the challenge within the Caterham outfit. The Russian driver has been rumored to be making way for Jaime Alguersuari next season, however these allegations are far from the minds of the Caterham team after qualifying.

“I think Vitaly’s performance today might just be the making of him as a Caterham driver.” Explained Tony Fernandes, “He drove outstandingly well today and I have never heard him speak so positively over the radio. He enjoyed his drive and his crew did a brilliant job to fix his car, and give him the platform to show what he can do.”

Tomorrow’s 61-lap race will unquestionably be one of the toughest of the season, however Vitaly Petrov will be striving to remain competitive as he fends off team-mate Heikki Kovalainen and the Marussia duo of Timo Glock and Charles Pic. With Caterham sill yet to score a point in Formula 1, Petrov would undoubtedly relish to opportunity of clinching that elusive maiden point for the team.

Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team

Caterham Aiming To Take Another Step Forward At Silverstone

After a very competitive European Grand Prix around the Valencia Street Circuit, where Vitaly Petrov nearly scored the teams first ever World Championship point, Caterham are aiming to take yet another step forward at this weekends British Grand Prix. With the team introducing several new parts to their car, the drivers are optimistic on enjoying another competitive weekend.

Throughout the European Grand Prix, the Caterham duo of Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov were both extremely close the Toro Rossos. This weekend at the legendary Silverstone circuit, Vitaly Petrov is hopeful that Caterham can once again reel in the Toro Rosso duo and possibly even progress through to Q2 during qualifying once again.

“As we’ll be bringing more new parts to the British Grand Prix I think it’s another race where we’ll be able to take a step forwards.” Explained Vitaly Petrov, “I’m sure everyone else will be bringing upgrades so we need to make sure that we don’t just make gains, but we improve more than our nearest rivals. That’s a big challenge but after seeing the gap to Toro Rosso shrink in Valencia we have a clear target just ahead and that gave the whole team a real boost. The team made great progress in Valencia and I really hope that we will continue in the same manner at the next race.”

With other teams also set to introduce new parts to their cars, the British Grand Prix could well be another highly exciting addition to the 2012 season. The new parts for Caterham this weekend will consist of new rear bodywork and a revised exhaust layout, amongst other upgrades. With Caterham visibly more competitive in Valencia, the team are hopeful this weekends British Grand Prix will continue the positiveness that currently exists within the team.

“We left Valencia after a very positive weekend for the whole team.” Said Caterham’s Technical Director, Mark Smith. “One of the most pleasing aspects for me was seeing that the numbers we had predicted for the upgrades we brought there matched what we did on track, and that gives us a lot of confidence that future upgrade packages should continue the trend we are seeing of the gap to the teams ahead shrinking. For Silverstone we will be bringing a number of new parts, including new rear bodywork, a revised exhaust layout and a number of smaller updates in other bodywork areas around the car.”

This weekends British Grand Prix is one of two homes race for the Caterham F1 team, as they are based at Hingham in Norfolk. This will undoubtedly be more incentive for the team to continue improving, as they edge ever closer to that elusive first World Championship point.

Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team

Caterham Targeting An Advance To Q2 In Qualifying

Caterham are confident that their new updates that are set to be introduced this weekend at the European Grand Prix could advance one of their cars into Q2 during qualifying, as the Hingham-based outfit edge closer to the midfield teams. Vitaly Petrov in particular is extremely confident this weekend, and believes Q2 is not out of the question in qualifying.

After making their debut back in 2010 (then known as Lotus), the team have made significant leaps forward in pace and consistency. They are now regarded as the best of the three ‘new’ teams which entered the sport in 2010, and have come agonizingly close to scoring points with several 13th place finishes throughout the last three years.

With the dreaded 107% rule now in force throughout qualifying, there is more emphasis on a competitive qualifying lap than ever for the three smaller teams at the back. However, Caterham are now beginning to show signs of midfield pace in qualifying, and combined with their new upgrades this weekend they are confident of a possible advance into Q2.

“The difference this year for us is that we expect to be much closer to the cars ahead than we were last year, giving us a chance perhaps to put one of our cars into Q2 and giving the drivers a real chance to race on Sunday.” Explained Caterham’s Technical Director, Mark Smith. “We have a couple of quite significant updates coming in Valencia and Silverstone – we will take a look at a number of new aerodynamic elements in Valencia as well as some minor modifications to the floor, and even though we will not know exactly what they will give us until we get out on track, we are cautiously optimistic they will help us keep edging ever closer to the midfield.”

Russian driver Vitaly Petrov has won twice around the Valencia Street Circuit during his GP2 career, and is also confident that Caterham can begin to advance through to Q2. Petrov has yet to progress to Q2 this season, whereas his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen has. With the confidence and knowledge that the 27-year-old has around Valencia, he’ll be striving to impress this weekend.

“I think the Valencia race and the next one at Silverstone could be pretty positive for our team.” Said Vitaly Petrov, “We have a few updates coming onto the cars at the next two races, and we keep seeing how the gap to the teams ahead is closing, little by little. We were closer than ever to Q2 on merit in qualifying in Canada, so let’s see what the upgrades we’re bringing to Valencia and Silverstone help us do.”

With the competitive and highly unpredictable nature of the 2012 season, Caterham will be eagerly hunting for their first World Championship point throughout the duration of this season.

Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team

Caterham Not Worried By Kovalainen Engine Failure

Caterham are unperturbed by Heikki Kovalainen’s engine failure in the first practice session yesterday, after the Finn suffered a spectacular engine blow up as he drove through the tunnel. The thick white smoke brought a premature end to the session, as the visibility within the tunnel was reduced to zero.

However, the engine in question was due to be replaced after the Thursday practice sessions’ anyway, as it had covered over 2,000kms. With this the case, Caterham aren’t particularly worried as they look ahead to tomorrows qualifying session. Heikki Kovalainen suffered a difficult second practice session as well, as the Finn out-broke himself through turn 5’s Mirabeau hairpin. Kovalainen subsequently switched off the car, as the reverse gear failed to engage to allow him to continue on track. 

“Today’s practice sessions was ok for us, if a bit stop start with the weather in FP2.” Explained Mark Smith, Caterham’s Technical Director, “The new engine he ran in FP2 was due to go on his car tomorrow anyway, it had covered more than 2,000kms, so it really was not a big problem for us to see his morning session end that spectacularly! The team worked very well with Renault Sport F1 to make the engine change over lunch and Heikki was back on track about six minutes after FP2 began.”

Heikki Kovalainen’s team-mate Vitaly Petrov enjoyed a promising two practice sessions, with the Russian driver feeling confident ahead the race on Sunday. Unlike many of the GP2 drivers on the grid, Petrov has never won around the streets of Monte-Carlo. 

“Both sessions were good for me today.” Said Vitaly Petrov, “This is one of the races where we need to make sure we’re there at the checkered flag and not make any mistakes, so having had a few laps in what will probably be the trickiest conditions all weekend I’m feeling good about the sessions ahead, and the race on Sunday.”

With the Monaco Grand Prix traditionally having a high attrition rate, Caterham could well score their first F1 World Championship point if lady luck swings their way come Sunday afternoon. 

 Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team