Jaime Alguersuari Focusing On Pirelli Test Drive Role In 2013

Former Formula 1 driver Jaime Alguersuari has explained how he will continue to strive for a full-time Formula 1 drive, despite his recent confirmation that he will not race for Force India in 2013. After a season away from a full-time drive testing for Pirelli and commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, Alguersuari was confident of returning in 2013.

However, as the rumors continue to circulate as to who will eventually team-mate Paul di Resta at Force India, Jaime Alguersuari has confirmed that he will not line-up on the grid in Melbourne next month with the Silverstone-based outfit. Instead, the Spanish driver will continue to focus on his Pirelli test driver role, as well as keeping up to scratch with driving a Formula 1 car.

With many other drivers including Jules Bianchi, Adrian Sutil and Narain Karthikeyan also eying up the sole remaining vacancy at Force India, it was also rumored that Alguersuari would instead move to DTM for the forthcoming season should a return to Formula 1 fail to materialize. However, this particular endeavor by Alguersuari has been thwarted by former F1 driver Timo Glock at BMW. This therefore means Alguersuari will once again spend a motor sport season only testing for Pirelli, although the 22-year-old is confident he can one day complete a return to Formula 1.

“When a driver in his best racing form leaves F1, he needs to keep his currency up,” explained Jaime Alguersuari to AutoSport. “That’s why I’m very happy to have this Pirelli deal, because I can still be active, can still run in the car and can understand the tyres. I’m still ready to jump in and race this year and do the job I should do. Possibly I did close other opportunities in other series but now I’m concentrating on this [the Pirelli test drive]. Maybe in the future I will look at other things.”

With Jaime Alguersuari seemingly out of the equation at Force India for 2013, it is widely predicated that the second and final drive on the grid with Silverstone-based outfit will be a “shoot-out” between reserve driver Jules Bianchi and former driver Adrian Sutil. Jaime Alguersuari however will continue his work with Pirelli, in the hope that one of the teams decides to replace one of their drivers throughout 2013.

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Charles Pic Q&A

Last season saw Charles Pic become Timo Glock’s third team-mate in as many years at Marussia, following on from both Lucas di Grassi and Jerome D’Ambrosio. Just like his predecessors at the outfit, Charles Pic had graduated from the GP2 Series after taking two victories and five podiums throughout the previous season in the category.

Despite four retirements in the first six races at the start of his Formula 1 career, Charles Pic greatly impressed many during his debut year in the sport. Towards the end of the European season, Charles Pic began both out-qualifying and out-racing his vastly more experienced German team-mate. During the final Grand Prix weekend of the season at Brazil, it was confirmed that Charles Pic had signed for Caterham on a multi-year contract.

After many weeks of speculation regarding who would eventually team-mate the 22-year-old, Dutchman and former Caterham reserve driver Giedo van Garde was confirmed prior to the opening test of the season. Mentored by former race winner Olivier Panis, Charles Pic impressed many during his debut season in Formula 1. With only several weeks to go before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne, I caught up with Charles Pic to discuss his second season in Formula 1.

Charles Pic testing at Jerez in the new CT03 machine.

Q: First of all Charles, many thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. You are currently preparing for what will be your second season in Formula 1, and your first with Caterham, how are your preparations going for the start of the new season?

Charles Pic: Preparations are going very well thanks. Before the first test I was able to spend quite a lot of time in the factory in Leafield, meeting everyone, spending some time in the simulator and starting to work with my Race Engineer Tim Wright. The first test was also good. We had a technical issue on my first day in the car, but on day two we ran more than 100 laps and generated a lot of very useful data, so we’re now looking ahead to the next test in Barcelona and picking up where we left off.

Q: Throughout your debut season with Marussia, you out-qualified and out-raced your team-mate Timo Glock on several occasions. How do you feel you performed throughout 2012?

CP: I think I did pretty well, but it was my first year and we were racing a lot of tracks I hadn’t driven before. This year I have that experience, so I think year two will be even better – you never stop learning!

Q: The subject of ‘pay drivers’ has been rather topical in recent weeks throughout the Formula 1 fraternity. What is your opinion on the term, do you think it is good or bad for the image of the sport?

CP: That’s not something I want to get into.  There are plenty of other people who can talk about that but for me, I am in the team to do my job and that’s what I want to focus on.

Q: In 2013 Caterham will unquestionably be striving to score their first World Championship points. How confident are you that both yourself and the team will be able to achieve this in the forthcoming season?

CP: It’s too early to tell, and, truthfully, that’s not really the goal. F1 is probably more competitive than it ever has been and our main goal has to be to get as close as we can to the teams ahead – if we reach them then maybe a point will be available, but first we have to catch the cars ahead.

Q: Former Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis was with you throughout the majority of your debut season with Marussia. How much does he assist you throughout a Grand Prix weekend, and will he accompany you at Caterham as well this season?

CP: Olivier has been a great help to me and he’s obviously one of the most experienced people I could work with. Quite a few of the guys at Caterham have worked with him before, when he was driving, so for both him and me there’s a good atmosphere in the team and we’re working with people we know. I’m not sure how many races he’ll be at this year, we’ll see.

Q: And lastly, last season the first three races were completely new circuits for you. How confident are you on returning to the likes of Albert Park, Sepang and the Shanghai International Circuit at the start of the new season?

CP: Confidence is probably not the right word. I’m looking forward to racing again – it’s my job and I love what I do, so I’m excited about going back to work and the fact I know the tracks is a bonus.

Many thanks to Caterham and Charles Pic for the communication and time taken to complete this interview.

Picture(s) Copyright © Caterham F1 Team

Luiz Razia Completes An All-GP2 Marussia 2013 Line-Up

Marussia have finally confirmed their second driver alongside Max Chilton, after weeks of speculation surrounding the vacant seat since Timo Glock’s sudden departure. 2012 GP2 runner-up Luiz Razia will complete the graduation up to Formula 1 alongside the Briton, in an all-GP2 line-up for the Banbury-based outfit.

Since Timo Glock’s abrupt departure to the DTM Series, Marussia have been searching for a replacement to team-mate new driver Max Chilton. Several drivers were instantly linked to the vacancy, including Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. However, as pre-season testing drew ever nearer, reports began to emerge linking Brazilian driver Luiz Razia to the Anglo-Russian outfit.

Luiz Razia enjoyed a rather prosperous season last year in the GP2 feeder category with Arden International, taking four wins and nine podium finishes on his way to runner-up in the Championship standings behind eventual Champion Davide Valsecchi. The 23-year-old has previously tested for numerous Formula 1 outfits including Team Lotus (now known as Caterham), Toro Rosso and Virgin Racing (now known as Marussia). This makes Razia no stranger to the Banbury-based outfit, and therefore only adds to the teams pleasure of seeing him return to the team.

“We are pleased to have concluded our driver line-up, which means that we can now focus all our attentions on what looks set to be a very promising 2013 season.” Explained John Booth, Marussia’s team principal. “Luiz isn’t new to our team of course, having been Reserve Driver in our debut season in 2010 and part of our Young Driver Programme. It is therefore very pleasing to have not one but two graduates of that Programme driving for us in 2013, and also very exciting, since both Luiz and Max demonstrated a great deal of potential competing alongside each other in GP2 last season.”

Luiz Razia is understandably thrilled with his “graduation” to the world of Formula 1, after several competitive seasons in GP2. The 23-year-old becomes the 31st Brazilian driver to enter Formula 1, and is already preparing to make his debut on track later today in the team’s new MR-02 machine during the second day of the Jerez test.

“It is fantastic to be back with the Marussia F1 Team and with pretty much the same group of people I worked with back in 2010 when I was Reserve Driver.” Enthused Luiz Razia, “I am very proud to take the step up to a Formula 1 race seat, particularly with the team I began this journey with, since they helped show me what it takes to progress to the highest level. The past two seasons in GP2 have been all about proving that I have what it takes and that I’m ready.

“I am looking forward to beginning that process in Jerez where we are testing the MR02 for the first time. This is an important year for the Marussia F1 Team in terms of maintaining the momentum from a very positive 2012 season. I look forward to making a valuable contribution to that.”

This announcement by Marussia leaves only one vacancy on the grid for the new season, with Force India still yet to confirm Paul di Resta’s team-mate for 2013. Numerous likely candidates include Jules Bianchi, Adrian Sutil, Vitaly Petrov and even James Rossiter who will drive the new VJM06 later today at Jerez.

Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service

Marussia Launches KERS-Assisted MR02 At Jerez

Marussia have unveiled their new KERS-assisted MR02 machine at Jerez, prior to the first day of pre-season testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain. With only one driver confirmed for the new season in former reserve driver Max Chilton, much of the attention within the paddock is on who will team-mate the Briton at the Banbury-based outfit.

As the first day of testing dawned over the Jerez circuit, Marussia became the first outfit to get proceedings underway with a short and sweet unveiling of their new MR02 machine on the track’s start/finish line. The new car features a slightly revised color scheme in comparison to last season, however their main colors of black and red remain relatively the same.

For the first time in 2013, Marussia will run the KERS device which naturally presented a challenge to the design team to accommodate the package. Another new addition to the Banbury-based outfit’s machine is a new sidepod design, which is aimed at improving the airflow over the car. This will be assisted by a more aggressive coanda exhaust layout, which the team believes will be a major development area for the new season up and down the grid.

“We embark on the first pre-season test of 2013 feeling very positive about our new car – the MR02 – and what lies ahead in this next important chapter in the development of the Marussia F1 Team.” Explained Marussia’s team principal, John Booth. “Whilst we have experienced some changes over the winter, the one area of stability we have enjoyed is the one that is most important to our progression from here, the design of our 2013 race car, led by our Technical Director Pat Symonds. The incremental steps we were taking in the latter half of last season gave us the confidence to not only fight hard for 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship, but to feel encouraged by our overall design direction, which was the basis for the car we are fielding here in Jerez today.

“It is early days in our pre-season development programme but there is a great deal of optimism amongst the team for what lies ahead.” Continued John Booth, “With that in mind, we all look forward to seeing the MR02 make its on-track debut later this morning.”

Max Chilton will become the first driver to get behind the wheel of the new MR02 later today at Jerez, however the Briton’s team-mate has yet to be confirmed by the Anglo-Russian outfit. After Timo Glock’s sudden departure from the team, rumors have been circulating that paddock that GP2 ace Luiz Razia could join Max Chilton. With no driver announcement imminent, Max Chilton and Marussia will be hoping for a productive opening day of the first pre-season test.

Picture Copyright © Marussia F1 Team

Timo Glock Officially Leaves Marussia By ‘Mutual Consent’

Timo Glock has officially left Marussia by ‘mutual consent’, confirming rumors which began to surface Sunday evening regarding the German’s future in Formula 1. This departure by Glock ends his three-year partnership with the Banbury-based outfit, despite being contracted for Marussia for the forthcoming season.

Since the team’s inception in Formula 1 back in 2010, when they were then known as Virgin Racing, Timo Glock has spearheaded the outfit’s campaigns alongside the likes of Lucas di Grassi and Jerome D’Ambrosio. The German has unquestionably assisted Marussia into becoming the team they are today, with his many years of experience in Formula 1 proving a valuable asset to a team battling towards the back of the grid with the likes of Caterham and HRT in recent years.

“Timo has made a very significant contribution to our team over the past three seasons, helping us to develop our package to the point where, for a large proportion of the 2012 season, we were holding 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship.” Explained John Booth, Marussia’s team principal. “We would like to thank Timo for working with us to reach this decision, especially as he had a valid contract, and also for the contribution he has made to our team. We wish him all the best for his future and I would like to congratulate the next team acquiring the services of such a competitive, professional and experienced racer. We will provide an update regarding the completion of our driver line-up in due course.”

German newspaper Bild have speculated that the German star could move to the DTM Series, with rumors that he could join BMW, a marque which he tested with in Formula 1 back in 2007. Timo Glock is departing from Marussia with nothing but praise for the Anglo-Russian team, who he joined in 2010 after several competitive seasons with Toyota.

“I have had three excellent years with the Marussia F1 Team, during which I had the chance to actively participate in building and developing the team in its endeavors to succeed within the Formula 1 World Championship.” Said Timo Glock, “I would like to wish the team good luck in navigating this next period and thank everyone for the great times we shared and the support I have received. Although it is not the path I expected to be taking, I am in fact very excited about what the future holds in terms of my own career and I hope to comment on that very soon.”

This sudden departure of Timo Glock leaves Marussia with only one driver for the rapidly approaching season, with Briton Max Chilton preparing to make his debut with Marussia. The Banbury-based outfit will understandably be eager to find a replacement for Glock, before pre-season testing gets underway.

Picture Copyright © Marussia F1 Team

Timo Glock Reported To Have Left Marussia

Timo Glock has allegedly left Marussia, according to a report issued by German newspaper Bild on Sunday which reads that the 30-year-old German has left the Anglo-Russian outfit by a mutual agreement to find a new challenge in his motor sport career. If true, this will leave Marussia with only one driver only weeks before pre-season testing.

With pre-season testing quickly approaching ahead of the new season, Timo Glock’s rumored departure could leave the Banbury-based outfit in turmoil. This would effectively leave the team with a relatively inexperienced driver, and in desperate search of a replacement to fill the void left by Timo Glock. The German driver has been a member of the Marussia F1 team since their debut season in the sport back in 2010, when they were then known as Virgin Racing.

After signing a three-year deal with the outfit back in 2011, Timo Glock’s future with Marussia looked settled. However, after a relatively tough 2012 season alongside Charles Pic, who shone during his debut season both out-qualifying and out-racing Glock on numerous occasions, it seems the experienced German’s future is now uncertain in the sport. At the time of Bild’s initial report, Marussia were unavailable for comment on the matter, however it is believed an official statement will occur on Monday.

Such a move by Timo Glock will unquestionably fuel speculation as to who will replace the German driver at Marussia, with only Caterham and Force India currently sporting vacancies on the 2013 grid. Timo Glock was originally set to team-mate rookie Max Chilton in 2013, and his departure will understandably prompt the outfit to hunt for an experienced replacement, due largely to Chilton’s inexperience during a race weekend.

Picture Copyright © Marussia F1 Team

Marussia Officially Confirm Max Chilton For 2013

Marussia have officially confirmed that British racing driver Max Chilton will team-mate Timo Glock at the Anglo-Russian outfit next season, in a move which will see the 21-year-old “graduate” from the GP2 feeder series to the world of Formula 1. Chilton will be filling the vacancy left by Charles Pic, who will move to Caterham for 2013.

After an extremely competitive season in GP2 with the Marussia-backed Carlin outfit, Max Chilton became a firm favorite to fill Charles Pic’s vacancy once the Frenchman confirmed his departure to Caterham for 2013. The Briton tested for Marussia during the team’s Young Driver Test programme at Silverstone in July alongside fellow GP2 driver Rio Haryanto. Chilton impressed greatly during this two-day test, and was appointed as the team’s official reserve driver once the GP2 season had drawn to a conclusion at the Japanese Grand Prix.

This saw Max Chilton make his first official appearance at a race weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix during practice one, when the Briton replaced Charles Pic. This fueled speculation that Chilton would drive for the outfit in 2013, and would team-mate Timo Glock who has remained with the outfit since their debut season in 2010. Marussia Motors President Nikolay Fomenko assured Russian media that Max Chilton would partner Timo Glock earlier in the week, with rumors circulating that the Briton has brought around €11.5 million to the team.

“We are delighted to welcome Max to the role of Race Driver with the Marussia F1 Team for the 2013 season.” Explained Marussia’s team principal, John Booth. “We have spent a significant amount of time evaluating his performances during 2012, both in our own car in a testing situation and also from the pit wall as we monitored his progress alongside the other members of our junior talent pool during Grand Prix support races. We felt confident enough in his ability and potential to appoint him to the role of Reserve Driver in September and since that time his development has been rapid in all aspects.

“Max very quickly embedded himself within the team, thanks in no small part to the fact that he is a lively and affable character who we’ve enjoyed having around. Having been integral to our race weekend engineering environment for the past three months already – as well as having undertaken a significant part of our simulator programme – Max has already found his feet.”

Max Chilton is understandably enthralled with his promotion within the Marussia outfit, and already has his sights firmly set upon making a good impression once pre-season gets underway in only a few months time. Marussia struggled greatly during pre-season testing last season, however the team is confident such struggles are behind them as they aim for a much more competitive 2013 campaign.

“It’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling today, with the announcement that I will be racing for the Marussia F1 Team in 2013.” Said Max Chilton, “It comes at the end of what has been a fantastic year for me, and those steps – my GP2 pole positions and wins, my performances in the F1 Young Driver Test and in FP1 at Abu Dhabi – have given everyone the confidence in my ability to compete at the highest level of motor sport.

“I feel very lucky to be able to embark on my F1 racing career with this group of people. Pre-season testing is just a few weeks away, so my focus now is to continue my physical preparation whilst spending as much time as possible working with the technical team to help develop the car I will drive in my debut F1 season.”

Max Chilton will become Timo Glock’s fourth successive team-mate at Marussia, following in the footsteps of Lucas di Grassi, Jerome D’Ambrosio and Charles Pic. Only the latter of those three drivers has gone on to secure himself a full-time drive in the sport after his debut season with Marussia, however Max Chilton will be hoping his time with the Banbury-based outfit allows him to secure a future in the highest echelon of motor sport.

Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service

Nikolay Fomenko Confirms Max Chilton At Marussia For 2013

Marussia Motors President Nikolay Fomenko has confirmed to Russian media that Britain’s Max Chilton will team-mate Timo Glock at the Anglo-Russian outfit next season, therefore ending speculation regarding the team’s driver line-up. It has been reported that Max Chilton has brought €11.5 million to the team for next season.

After a relatively successful career in GP2, which spanned three seasons and saw the Briton clinch two race victories, Max Chilton has become the third confirmed British driver on the grid for next season alongside Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. During the first Young Driver Test at Silverstone in July, Max Chilton joined fellow GP2 team-mate Rio Haryanto at the outfit for two days, completing a combined total of 86 laps.

Once the 2012 GP2 Series season had drawn to a fine conclusion, Max Chilton joined Marussia as the team’s official reserve driver for the remainder of the Formula 1 season, and partook in his first official session at a race weekend in Abu Dhabi during practice one on the Friday morning. When Frenchman Charles Pic was confirmed at Caterham for 2013, rumors linking Max Chilton to the vacancy alongside Timo Glock gathered momentum.

Despite no official confirmation by the Marussia F1 team, the President of Marussia Motors Nikolay Fomenko has explained that Max Chilton will definitely team-mate Timo Glock next season. If this announcement by Fomenko is true, then Marussia’s 2013 machine could well feature sponsorship from the Aon Group, whose Chilton’s father is the Vice President.

Picture Copyright © Marussia F1 Team

Marussia Targeting First Pre-Season Test With 2013 Car

Marussia are confident that their 2013 car will be unveiled at the first pre-season test next February, and that the development of the Marussia MVR-03 car is currently on schedule. The Anglo-Russian outfit were late in unveiling their car during pre-season testing at the start of the 2012 season, and were forced to initially use their 2011 car.

Whilst other teams unveiled their new 2012 cars either before or during pre-season testing, Marussia’s initial plans were scuppered as the MVR-02 car failed to pass several of the sport’s mandatory crash tests. Team principal Graeme Lowdon is confident history will not repeat itself next February, with the team planning to unveil their new car prior to the first pre-season test which starts on February 5th.

“It’s on target at the moment, and in fact some bits are ahead,” Explained Graeme Lowdon to AutoSport. “We’ve got a high degree of confidence. We’ve got a totally different structure now. This will be our first car that’s truly our car in terms of the new people involved. The car we’ve just finished with was a full CFD car when we hit the first race.”

Despite having 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship cruelly snatched away from them by rivals Caterham during the final race of the season at Sao Paulo, Graeme Lowdon still thinks Marussia is a worthy top ten team. The team currently has one vacancy remaining for the 2013 season alongside Timo Glock, with reserve driver and GP2 star Max Chilton strongly tipped to partner the German.

“I definitely think this is a top ten team.” Continued Graeme Lowdon, “We didn’t have a top ten car, and that’s something that takes time and money. Look at Brazil, Timo’s fastest stop was faster than all the stops McLaren did. People don’t notice that kind of thing, but we’ve now got a very, very good team. A really good structure, very tight-knit and a very low cost base. If we have a car that’s capable of quicker lap times, which is the other piece of the jigsaw – and everything I’ve seen is that next year’s car is going to be a really good car – then you can’t write this team off. I’m looking forward to Melbourne.”

With HRT currently not on course to be on the grid come the Australian Grand Prix next March, Marussia and Caterham will remain as the two lowest teams on the grid. This will unquestionably make the battle for 10th in the Constructors’ Championship a much more intense affair, and one which Marussia will be eager to clinch ahead of their Leafield-based rivals.

Picture Copyright © Marussia F1 Team

Collision With Jean-Eric Vergne Destroyed Timo Glock’s Race

Timo Glock’s hopes of retaining tenth position in the Constructors’ Championship for Marussia were destroyed during the Brazilian Grand Prix, after a collision with the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne upon the restart after the first safety car period. This forced Glock to pit, and saw him plummet to the back of the pack.

As utter mayhem ensued throughout the early stages of the Brazilian Grand Prix, the Marussias and Caterhams slowly rose through the order as they opted to remain out on track as the rain continued to fall. This saw the likes of Glock, Kovalainen, Petrov and Pic race competitively within the top ten as the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all struggled in the treacherous conditions and decided to pit for wet tyres.

Eventually the safety car was deployed as the amount of debris on the track rose due to the numerous collisions throughout the opening few laps, therefore allowing the marshals to clear the track. Upon the restart, the difference in speed between the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne and the Marussia of Timo Glock was so great that the two collided, with Glock being forced to pit after the incident. The German driver was understandably upset, as this practically ended Marussia’s chances of retaining tenth in the Constructors’ Championship.

“There isn’t much we can say really; the result speaks for itself and we were just not lucky today.” Explained a dispirited Timo Glock, “It is a crying shame for everyone associated with the team as we have all worked so hard together to come this far. It’s so sad to lose 10th like this because we were right on it and we had everything lined up to stay ahead of the other guys. Unfortunately, Vergne crashed into the back of my car and destroyed the race for me because it was right at the restart and I had to pit under the green flag. I went straight to the back of the field and worked hard from there, but there was very little we could do.”

Jean-Eric Vergne was very apologetic to Timo Glock after the race, which saw the Frenchman eventually finish 8th and in the points. The rookie has finished in the points four times this season, interestingly finishing each race in 8th position. Vergne coped well in the inclement weather conditions, despite running on dry tyres on a very greasy track surface.

“At the restart after the safety car came in, I was hanging back to get a run on Glock,” said Jean-Eric Vergne. “But as I caught up, those in front were braking hard and I ran into him and I’ve already apologized to him for that. My pace on the slick tyres in the damp conditions was very good and it’s nice to finish the final race of the season in the points.”

Both Timo Glock and Jean-Eric Vergne will be aiming for a much more competitive season in 2013, as they both struggled greatly throughout this past year. Glock was both out-qualified and out-raced by rookie team-mate Charles Pic on numerous occasions, and Jean-Eric Vergne has struggled with the pace of his Toro Rosso. Both will return in 2013, and both will be after improvements from their respective outfits.

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