Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Montreal has some great karting tracks. The French-Canadian metropolis, after all, is a veritable motorsport mecca, playing host to Formula One (among other series) on a more regular basis than any other city in North America. So it should come as no surprise that, while Ferrari was in town for the Canadian Grand Prix last week, they took the whole team out to one such facility for some suitable R&R.

Among those participating were the team’s star drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, along with Lance Stroll, the 11-year-old kid the team had signed to a driver development program the day before. So how did the young prodigy fare against the seasoned veterans? Well, after beating out the rest of the team personnel (including, we’d assume, at least one of the Scuderia’s many test drivers), Stroll finished second in the ranks, beating out one of the grand prix drivers.

Ferrari, somewhat understandably, isn’t saying which - Alonso or Massa - Stroll defeated in the friendly competition, but given that Massa is still an avid karter, we’d suspect it was Alonso. It’s worth noting that with his more relevant experience and lower body weight, the young Stroll had a bit of an advantage. But any way you cut it, that’s some fine work. Official announcement after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari’s 11-year-old wunderkind beats F1 driver in karting competition

Ferrari’s 11-year-old wunderkind beats F1 driver in karting competition originally appeared on Ferrari News on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari, Canada

We don’t know about you, but when we were 11 years old, most of us here at Ferrari News were dreaming about one day driving a Ferrari. Never in our wildest dreams could never have imagined being signed to a contract with the Scuderia. Not at that age, anyway. But that’s exactly what’s happened for Lance Stroll.

An eleven-year-old racing prodigy from Montreal, Stroll has already been kickin’ butt and taking names in pro karting series at home and around the world. He’s won several karting races and titles, and was named Rookie of the Year and then Driver of the Year by the Fed

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

The 2010 Formula One season isn’t even halfway through, and already speculation has been ramping up for next year’s line-up. The biggest piece of the puzzle revolves around Felipe Massa, the Brazilian driver who has - notwithstanding a few seasons spent farmed out to Ferrari-powered Sauber - been with the Scuderia since advancing to the series in 2002 with the European Formula 3000 title under his belt.

Word around the paddock is that Ferrari has been unsatisfied with Massa’s performance this season. After coming a close second in the championship in 2008, Massa suffered a crippling crash last season, sidelining him for the remainder, only to return to the scarlet cockpit this year. So far, however, Massa’s been languishing behind his rivals, currently sitting seventh in the standings while his team-mate Fernando Alonso holds on to fourth place.

The lackluster performance has led to rumors that Ferrari would opt to release Massa - who is managed by FIA president and former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt’s son Nicolas - rather than renew his contract which is due to expire at the end of this season. That, in turn, led to speculation that either Red Bull’s Mark Webber or Renault’s Robert Kubica could get called up to Maranello. But speaking with the BBC in the ramp up to this past weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, team principal Stefano Domenicalli indicated that Massa’s contract would, in all likelihood, be renewed after all. Nothing is certain until the papers are signed - and even then things can change - but for now it looks like Felipe is set to stay in the red.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Alberto Cridpa/AFP/Getty]

Scuderia Ferrari chief says Massa is here to stay originally appeared on Ferrari News on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari, Rumormill

After winning three out of the seven races so far this season and topping both championship standings, Red Bull’s dynamic duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber must be looking mighty tempting to any number of rival teams on the grid. But the most alluring, according to recent reports, could be Ferrari.

For his part, Vettel is widely regarded as the personal favorite of one Bernie Ecclestone, who could be helping to broker a deal that would see the young German wearing red in the near future. Vettel, however, is on a long-term contract with Red Bull, leaving the possibility open for a few years from now.

More likely for the near future, however, could be Webber. The 33-year-old Australian driver - fresh from back-to-back victories at the Spanish and Monaco grands prix - is on a year-to-year contract with Red Bull, which could leave him free to switch teams in the off-season. Red Bull chief Christian Horner has hinted at his intention to retain the driver currently topping the standings, but until a contract is signed… mind you, contracts in F1 aren’t worth what they once were.

While Fernando Alonso continues to impress, Ferrari is widely speculated to be dissatisfied with their second driver Felipe Massa, and could cut the Brazilian lose for next season. Alternative reports place Renault’s Robert Kubica in the Scuderia’s hot seat, but only time will tell.

[Source: ESPN | Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Reports place Red Bull’s Vettel, Webber at Ferrari originally appeared on Ferrari News on Mon, 17 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing

We know, we know. The pace set on track tests doesn’t necessarily indicate how a given team, car or driver will perform in an actual race, let alone across a whole season. But it’s hard not to read too much into it when we’ve been waiting for a sign since the end of last season, when the winningest team in all of motorsports - which has been working on this car since the middle of a dismal last season - with its veteran driver recovered from injury, and with a two-time World Champion taking the helm for the first time, when all these elements come together and the team absolutely dominates.

Half of the F1 teams that’ll be competing for honors this season descended on Valencia for three days of official testing. And when all was said and done, Ferrari had dominated the time sheets on each of the three days. The first two days saw Felipe Massa run the new car, setting the fastest times on both days. Then Alonso took his turn on Day 3, beating Massa’s time and everyone else’s in the process - including returning seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher in the new Mercedes and reigning champion Jenson Button in the new McLaren.

For his part, Alonso was quick to quell speculation. Reliability, fuel loads, yadda yadda yadda. But when this is the first and only indication we have of how the season is shaping up, we can’t help but sit back and stroke our five o’clock shadows in contemplation. We invite you to do the same while viewing the mega gallery of on-track images below.

[Source: Ferrari]

Pics Aplenty: Alonso, Massa dominate Valencia testing in new Ferrari F10 originally appeared on Ferrari News on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been almost a year since the Ferrari 599XX made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, and we’ve seen the factory-fettled racer quite a few times since. Each of those times has been either in a dealership or on a show floor, though, and the 599XX has yet to be seen running in anger. Until now.

Just ahead of Ferrari’s test of their new Formula 1 car at the Ricardo Tormo circuit outside of Valencia, the 599XX turned its first wheel on-track with none other than Felipe Massa behind the wheel. Massa led a group of seven cars around the circuit, the others piloted by the lucky members of Ferrari’s Corse Clienti program. Fortunately, we might just get to see the 599XX here in the States, as Ferrari has planned various events in America, Europe and Asia for their most special customers.

From his brief tenure at McLaren, we know that Fernando Alonso has a bit of trouble getting along with his teammates. Especially when he doesn’t get the clear preferential treatment as the team’s #1 driver. After all, as has often been said, a driver’s teammate is his chief rival. So after Ferrari confirmed that Alonso and Felipe Massa would be put on equal footing, we smelled some trouble a-brewin’. But we didn’t expect it to start at least until the beginning of next season. Turns out, that was a bit premature, as some cracks in the relationship between the two teammates-to-be have already started to show.

Speaking with a group of journalists in his native Brazil where the F1 circus is preparing for this weekend’s grand prix, Felipe Massa said with “absolute certainty” that Alonso knew about the plan to have wingman Nelson Piquet crash to hand him the controversial victory. That’s a pretty hefty charge levied by his future teammate, and Ferrari naturally scrambled to issue a clarification (which you can read after the jump) but you can’t take back what’s already been said.

Massa was suitably - and vocally - upset when the Crashgate story broke, because without Alonso’s ill-earned victory, Massa would have won the championship last year, instead of losing to Lewis Hamilton by one point at the last corner of the last lap of the last race of the season. Better luck next year, gents.