Can Stephan GP make it to Bahrain ??

Stefan GP expecting entry confirmation within a week

Stefan GP boss Zoran Stefanovic is expecting to know in a week's time whether his team will be on the grid for the season opener in Bahrain.
With US F1 looking less and less likely to make the first race, Stefan GP is hoping to be granted a position on the official entry list instead. The team has a Toyota-based chassis and engine ready to run and Stefanovic is confident he will reach a deal with the FIA within the next week.

"Definitely, we are waiting for something to happen because the time is very short and the deadline for Bahrain is approaching," he told Reuters. "If you are going to Bahrain you have to be packed by next Wednesday and we think we will be able to reach something by then."
When asked if his outfit could join F1 later in the season, he said: "Technically it's possible but we are going to be in Bahrain. We are not saying it's for sure, but we are looking forward to it."
Stefan GP faced its first major setback this week when it was forced to cancel its first test due to a lack of suitable tyres. However, Stefanovic is hopeful a solution will be found that will see his car run before the start of the season.

"We have been unable to get the Formula One tyres because the FIA and Formula One have a contract stipulating that only the teams that are already in Formula One can get the Bridgestone tyres," Stefanovic said. "We believe the FIA has to release the proper tyres to us for safety reasons. We expect it to happen and we have very good faith that it is going to happen."
He also said that he was on the brink of confirming 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve as a driver alongside ex-Williams man Kazuki Nakajima.
"It's not happened yet but everything except his signature has been done," Stefanovic said. "Probably in the next two or three days, we will be reaching some sort of an agreement."
He added that he has the support of Bernie Ecclestone in bringing the Serbian team to Formula One.
"I've been involved in engineering in the last five years and I've been interested in Formula One for a long time," he said. "I think Bernie supports everyone and I think he supports us because we are pushing for it. We are working, not talking.

"The impact will be huge and a lot of people in Serbia don't realise that yet. The positive image of Serbia being a part of Formula One is something any country would wish for, so it's a plus one way or another. Also, it's a huge opportunity to get into high-tech business."


source ESPNF1

Robert Kubica Wins Canadian Grand Prix

Robert Kubica made a triumphant return to Canada on Sunday, storming to his maiden grand prix victory exactly a year after suffering a horrific crash on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The Pole led a shock BMW Sauber one-two in Montreal after pre-race favourite Lewis Hamilton took himself and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen out of the fray in an early pit lane collision.
Nick Heidfeld took second place and Red Bull's David Coulthard was third but the day belonged to Kubica, now four points clear at the top of the world championship.

"It is fantastic to win for BMW Sauber," he said. "We grew up together and thanks to the team for providing a good car - we managed to do first and second.
"Winning in Canada where I had big shunt last season and achieving the goal to win a grand prix this season... We have done it and I'm leading the championship, so I hope the team will give me 100 percent support to defend it until last race.
"It's fantastic for me, the team, my country and my fans. It was a great race. It is always chaotic here with the safety car and it is not easy. I have never struggled so much before, I was pushing so hard."
The win was the first by a team other than McLaren and Ferrari since October 2006 and fulfilled the BMW Sauber's pre-season ambition to win their first Formula One race.

Toyota's German Timo Glock took fourth place, the best result of his first full Formula One season and Ferrari driver Felipe Massa did well to claim a highly eventful fifth.
The Brazilian now joins Hamilton in second place in the driver's title race.
Italian Jarno Trulli completed a good day for the Toyota team with sixth place with Honda's Rubens Barrichello and Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel filling the other point-scoring positions.
The race started amidst serious concerns over the state of the circuit. Patches of the track surface had crumbled badly during qualifying on Saturday and although running repairs were made overnight, many in the paddock were expecting trouble.
Those concerns translated into a generally cautious attitude amongst the drivers and the start passed without incident.
Nico Rosberg did manage to slip his Williams into fourth place around the outside of Fernando Alonso's Renault at the second corner; but it was a clean getaway for Hamilton's McLaren, Kubica and Raikkonen who started first, second and third respectively.
Raikkonen began to put Kubica under serious pressure, the Finn quickly setting the fastest lap of the race, but Hamilton was moving well clear in front.
His lead was erased though, when the safety car was deployed after German Adrian Sutil's Force India car caught fire.
As the field bunched up, the leaders ducked into the pits to refuel. Raikkonen and Kubica emerged from the garage ahead of Hamilton, but were held up by a red-light at the end of the pit lane.
Inexplicably, Hamilton did not realise that his two rivals were stationary ahead of him and after pulling away from his garage he barrelled into the back of Raikkonen ending his own race and that of the reigning world champion.
"I don't know what happened to be honest," Hamilton said. "I was comfortably in the lead, it was looking like an easy win. Then I went in for the pit stop. It was not a good stop and I saw the two guys in front of me battling in the pit lane.
"I saw the red light but by that time it was a bit late. It was not exactly a racing incident as such, it was unfortunate.
"It was one of those things. It is different to if you crash into the wall and you are angry. It is not like that. I apologise to Kimi for ruining his race."
Rosberg was also caught up in the incident and though he was able to continue after some hasty repairs to his front wing, his chances of a points finish were ruined.
Heidfeld was now leading the grand prix, with Barrichello and Williams' Kazuki Nakajima lying second and third.
Heidfeld, his one-stop strategy working perfectly, soon pitted and could not stay ahead of Kubica who had emerged unscathed from the pit lane chaos. Kubica knew he would need one more fuel stop, so he pushed his BMW to the absolute limit to establish a significant margin between himself and his teammate.
With 22 laps remaining the Pole pitted for the final time, emerging safely in front of Heidfeld.
Scottish veteran Coulthard was now in third place with a mad scramble for points unfolding behind him.
There was no catching Kubica though, and there were scenes of joy in the BMW garage as he crossed the finish line to become the first ever Polish grand prix winner.

Lewis to Date Dannii Minogue ??

It 's not realyy my stuff to gossip about F1 drivers, but this is one story I had to let you know...

It seems that British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton has the hots for Dannii Minogue, for the sports star has arranged a secret date with the Aussie singer at the Monaco Grand Prix next month.

The two had swapped numbers following Hamilton's Australian race victory last month. Since then, Hamilton has been bombarding Dannii with texts messages.This will be the second F1 outing for Dannii, who was engaged to Jacques Villeneuve in 1999. "Lewis has been texting Dannii like mad since they met in Melbourne. He took a real shine to her," The Sun quoted a source as saying. "Lewis thought she was gorgeous and was really impressed with her knowledge of cars. He wanted to take her out for dinner that night but she had something on that she couldn't cancel.

"He's kept at it and she's finally agreed to meet him for dinner at the Monaco Grand Prix," the source added. The X Factor judge has on the other hand been full of praise for the young racing star after their meeting. "I think the guy is incredible. He is mostly perfect in every way, shape and form," she said.The source also revealed that Lewis was very excited about the whole meeting, and would be doing his best to woo the lady with his charm on May 25. "Lewis is delighted they have finally set a date," the source said. "It's the earliest time they could both do. They will certainly have a lot to talk about. Dannii is quite knowledgeable about F1 thanks to her relationship with Jacques," the source added.

Lewis Hamilton "His-Story" - Is it Self Indulgence?

Before you start to assume that I dislike the fella ... I don't. The fact that my husband is a fan - and has been talking of the fella even before his F1 debut - got me fascinated with the character. In fact now, I truly respect and admire this young English lad greatly in terms of his achievements at such a young age. A Mclaren F1 Prodigy, he knows how to work the media machine and in his very busy schedule, he finds the time to produce a biography.

But then again, I also know he is much too young to come out with a book on err "His Story" - no pun intended. Is it self indulgent? As far as I am concerned, his F1 life has just begun and while it looks very, very promising, the future of where and how he would end up is still unclear. Yes, he was cultivated to work hard to become some sort of genius in the motor racing sports. Yes, he could be the F1 world champion sooner or later. Yes, he could live life to its grandest. My point is personally I think 22 is much too young of an age to come out with such a book with such a title. Simply because his life personally and professionally is inconclusive.

To have Lewis' book up in stores besides the likes of legendary Aryton Senna (I-bow-to-you-cause-you-are-my-all-time-favourite-driver) and nemesis Alain Prost, Messieurs Juan Manuel Fangio , Gilles Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Didier Pironi is imbalanced even premature.

Formula One aficionados will be those that are most likely to be interested to hear Lewis' perspective on the controversial 2007 season especially on his very public squabble with teammate Fernando. The book highlights his entire childhood, both on and off the track, his ex girlfriend - Didn't your mama taught you never to kiss and tell ?- and his entire F1 career (all one year of it anyway) in a thick tome. So I can't help but feel it's a little too self indulgent for a 22 year old, even if his debut season was very eventful. It sure sounds that way at times. Not a terrible read for fans of the sport and the driver, although the writing is nothing to shout about and Lewis tends to get a little defensive once in a rare moment. Well I guess it's his book so he can say whatever he wants in whatever tone he likes. However, I still think a biography at his age is way too early.

Bonne Journee, the MISSUS.

You might like to check out Amazon other selection of books On F1 drivers.

A bit of History...Williams F1 Team

Williams F1 is one of the world's leading Formula One teams. Formed in 1977 by Frank Williams and Patrick Head, the company has secured 16 FIA Formula One World Championship titles. Nine of these titles have been won in the Constructors' Championship in association with Cosworth, Honda and Renault. The remaining seven titles are Drivers' Championships, won with Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.

Today Williams F1 employs around 520 personnel at a 40ha technology campus based in the heart of the UK's 'Motorsport Valley' in rural Oxfordshire. The company's core competencies are the design and manufacture of Formula One race cars, and the deployment of this expertise in running the team's entries into the Grand Prix each season.

Away from the race track, Williams F1 has grown into a significant international business over a quarter of a century, and its achievements earned its founder, Frank Williams, a knighthood in the 1999 New Year's Honours List to augment France's highest decoration, the Legion d'Honneur. Corporately, Williams F1 has also been awarded two Queen's Awards for Export Achievement, and is today recognised as one of the most enduring and successful organisations in global sport.

The company's business model is relatively unique. Williams F1 is one of the very few wholly independent Formula One teams that exists purely to race. Its income is largely derived from sponsorship. Supplementing this are a number of secondary income streams, including an international business and conferencing facility at the company's Grove HQ, with an extensive interactive museum tracing thirty years of success in Formula One.