A good summary from the US GP PR crew:
Formula BMW USA returning to support USGP
Formula BMW USA will return as a support series for the 2007 United States Grand Prix, the fourth consecutive year the development series will race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
IMS is one of seven venues on the 2007 schedule released Dec. 13 by series organizers, with two rounds contested at each venue. The two races during the USGP, June 15-17, will be the fifth and sixth races of the season for Formula BMW. Each race lasts 30 minutes.
Formula BMW USA will race at IMS one week after it supports the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal.
Formula BMW is a leading entry-level championship in worldwide formula racing, with series in 2006 contested in Germany, the United Kingdom, Asia and the United States. More than 80 promising drivers competed worldwide.
The FB02 race car is propelled by a 140-horsepower BMW engine, reaching speeds up to 140 mph.
Formula BMW USA joins the Indy Pro Series and the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Michelin as support series for the 2007 United States Grand Prix.
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Final tests: All the teams, except for Spyker, participated in two three-day test sessions at the Jerez circuit. The tests, which ran from Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15, were the final time the F1 cars were on the racetrack in 2006.
The fastest drivers, respectively, in each day of the tests were: Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes), Rubens Barrichello (Honda), Heikki Kovalainen (Renault), Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren-Mercedes) and Hamilton.
No testing will now be permitted until mid-January 2007.
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Speed’s test cut short: Scott Speed, America’s only F1 driver, spent four days in his Scuderia Toro Rosso during the two Jerez tests. He covered 152 laps in all, but his final two days were cut short because of wrist pain from an accident Dec. 14 caused by a mechanical failure.
While not severe, the wrist injury also forced Speed to pull out of the Race of Champions, the all-star event Dec. 16 that pitted top drivers from many types of worldwide racing against each other on a special rallycross track in the massive Stade de France soccer stadium in Paris.
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Andretti samples F1: Reigning Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Marco Andretti test an F1 car for the first time, with the Honda Racing F1 Team, at Jerez on Dec. 15.
“First of all I couldn’t have had more fun today, and it’s a shame that it was only a day!” Andretti said. “It took me a little while to get used to the traction control and the brakes, but once I got to grips with them, the times were more and more consistent.
“I would like to say a big thank you to the Honda Racing F1 Team on how professional and welcoming they have been this week, and I’m sure that they will have a good season next year.”
Honda gave Andretti the opportunity in recognition of his achievements in the Honda-powered IndyCar Series this year. IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Andretti scored a win on the Infineon Raceway road course, and finished second in the Indianapolis 500 in his first attempt.
While he enjoyed the test, Andretti remains committed to Andretti Green Racing and the IndyCar Series. He says his goal now is to win the Indianapolis 500.
2003 Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran, who is the sporting director of Honda’s F1 effort, praised Andretti, who completed 68 laps and set very respectable lap times.
“It’s been great to have Marco with the team and in the car,” he said. “He did a good job and acclimatized himself well to the unfamiliar surroundings in the very short time that a one-day test provides,” de Ferran said. “Marco looked comfortable straightaway with the car and the track, and overall it was a good first experience in a F1 car.”
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F1 goes green: The FIA and the Grand Prix Manufacturers Association have agreed on a long-term plan to use F1 technology to improve engine and fuel efficiency, and to research other areas to help make the automotive industry more environmentally friendly.
The FIA said in a statement that the objective of F1’s technical rules would be “to promote research relevant to the motor industry … to eliminate developments which do not meet these criteria, to reduce costs while improving cost effectiveness, and to keep and augment the image and excitement of F1 as the world’s leading motor sport category.”
One of central parts of the plan will be developing systems that recover the “waste” heat generated from exhaust gases and braking and use it to propel the car.
To save costs, the current basic engine specifications will be frozen for the next four years.
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F1 star Regazzoni dies: Clay Regazzoni, a winner of five Grands Prix in the 1970s, died in a traffic accident Dec. 15 in Italy. He was 67.
Regazzoni, a native of Switzerland, finished second in the 1974 World Championship while driving for Ferrari. He finished in the top five in points in four other seasons during the 1970s before his career ended due to paralyzing back injuries suffered in an accident in the 1980 United States Grand Prix at Long Beach. He continued to compete in rallies and sports-car races in specially equipped cars after his accident.
A passionate racer, Regazzoni placed 30th in his sole Indianapolis 500 start, in 1977.
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Schumacher honored: Seven-time World Champion and five-time United States Grand Prix winner Michael Schumacher has received a number of honors following his retirement.
The FIA awarded him the FIA’s Gold Medal, which is given to an individual that, either through exceptional success, or outstanding effort, has made a substantial contribution to motor racing.
“I have received a huge amount of joy and pleasure from motorsport,” Schumacher said when presented with the medal at the FIA’s year-end banquet. “To all of you and all of the people everywhere I really want to express my thanks. I have had such a love for this sport – it doesn’t need motivation. You do it as good as you can, and luckily I have a lot of great people around me who have allowed me to achieve what we have achieved together.”
Sir Stirling Moss, one of the sport’s greatest drivers during the 1950s and early 1960s, also was awarded the FIA’s Gold Medal.
Ferrari presented Schumacher with a massive trophy that is 5 feet high and weighs 440 pounds. It is inscribed with each of the 72 Grand Prix victories he earned with Ferrari, including his five wins at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Maranello, the Italian town where Ferrari is based, made Schumacher an honorary citizen.
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Testing agenda: Like the rest of the teams, McLaren-Mercedes used the end-of-season test sessions to get information on the new Bridgestone tires and evaluate components of its 2007 car.
“The primary focus of the three pre-Christmas tests has been the learning process between ourselves and Bridgestone,” said McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh. “We have been able to gather valuable data on how to get the best out of the Bridgestone Potenzas, and we are currently feeding this back into the (2007) MP4-22 program.
“The drivers have also been working through various development programs for the MP4-22, such as suspension, aero and setup work.”
McLaren also continued its intense training program for rookie driver Lewis Hamilton.
“With Lewis, we have also spent time on activities such as putting him out in traffic so that he builds experience of running with other cars,” Whitmarsh said.
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Renault drivers satisfied: Giancarlo Fisichella and his new Renault teammate, rookie Heikki Kovalainen, were happy with the work they accomplished at the Jerez tests.
“This was a good conclusion to a productive session,” Fisichella said. “The data we gathered will definitely help us for our work in 2007. I am now more comfortable with the new tires.”
Kovalainen showed he is not daunted by taking the seat of McLaren-bound Fernando Alonso by consistently setting some of the quickest lap times.
“Everybody worked hard once again,” Kovalainen said. “We need to analyze the data in order to be ready in January to start testing with the new car. These last sessions gave us a good view on different areas, such as the tires and the new gearbox.”
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Massa confident: Felipe Massa is confident Ferrari made progress in the December tests.
“Our car is consistent,” he told the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “From the start, I’ve adapted well to the new tires and the gearbox. The others have gone faster in this test session, but we constantly work on race setup with a lot of fuel on board.”
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Raikkonen visits: As he is under contract to McLaren-Mercedes until the end of December, Kimi Raikkonen, who will replace Michael Schumacher, can’t drive a Ferrari until January. But he did spent Dec. 7 visiting with the Ferrari team at the Jerez test.
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Bourdais drives Toro Rosso: Three-time Champ Car title winner and Indianapolis 500 veteran Sebastien Bourdais tested with Scuderia Toro Rosso on Dec. 13-15 at Jerez.
“It has been four years since I last drove a F1 car,” he said, “so I have enjoyed every minute this week. It has been a very positive test, and I hope that I have been able to help the team at this early stage of their 2007 preparations.”
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New cars: Four teams have confirmed when they officially will unveil the cars they will race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and other Grand Prix events in 2007.
The launch dates and locations: Toyota, Jan. 12, Koln, Germany; McLaren-Mercedes, Jan. 15, Valencia, Spain; BMW Sauber, Jan. 16, Valencia, Spain; Renault, Jan. 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
***2007 USGP tickets: Reserved Race Day and three-day “Season Passes” for the 2007 United States Grand Prix, June 15-17, are on sale to all customers.
Ticket information can be found any time at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or by calling the IMS Ticket Office at (800) 822-4639 or (317) 492-6700. Ticket Office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
