Teams pass new flexi tests; Team Lotus name to be revived; Haryanto to get Virgin test; HRT fined after mechanic pit accident; Jordan: Schumi could quit again
The recent controversy surrounding flexi-floors and front wings appeared to be settled before this afternoon’s Italian Grand Prix, after Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari all passed the FIA’s latest round of front floor deflection tests.
According to Autosport, the FIA tested Jenson Button’s McLaren, Mark Webber’s Red Bull and the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso after qualifying on Saturday and confirmed that all three cars conformed to the current regulations.
Meanwhile the BBC reports that Lotus Racing will be inherit the classic Team Lotus name for next season, after team principal Tony Fernandes acquired the naming and heritage rights to the marque.
The current operation, backed by a consortium of Malaysian businessmen, already has the support of the Chapman family, and with reports suggesting that the team will switch to Renault power next season Fernandes will be hoping to recapture some of magic of old.
Staying with the newly-entered teams and Virgin Racing has announced that Indonesian driver Rio Haryanto will receive a Formula One test, after finishing top of all the Manor-entered cars in GP3.
The 17-year-old finished fifth in this year’s championship, in a season which saw him claim victory in Istanbul.
Staying further down the grid, and a Hispania mechanic was forced to visit the Monza medical centre, after an incident during a pitstop in today’s Italian Grand Prix.
It was reported that the mechanic was hit by Sakon Yamamoto’s car when the Japanese driver was serving his stop. Subsequently an ambulance was seen in the pit lane, however the team stated that the mechanic had remained conscious.
Despite this, Autosport reports that race stewards still awarded the team a $20,000 fine for the unsafe release of its driver.
According to the report the lollipop man had released Yamamoto without realising that the mechanic had finished working on his car.
Finally, Eddie Jordan believes that Michael Schumacher may decide to walk away from Formula One at the end of the season.
After a difficult return to the series with Mercedes, the former team boss and television pundit believes that the German has had enough.
“I’ve a hunch something fundamental has changed. I believe he is disillusioned and thinking of quitting,” Jordan told the BBC.
However, such claims have been dismissed by Mercedes boss Ross Brawn.
“[There will be] no changes to the driver [for next season].” he is quoted as saying in the same article.
