2014 F1 Calendar Update

Formula 1′s crowded 2014 calendar looks set to shed at least a couple of races before it is finalized.

Speed Week reports that the new Grand Prix scheduled for New Jersey and Mexico will in fact not take place next season.

The 2014 schedule should then shrink from an unprecedented 22 to a still-hectic 20 races.

Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying the construction of a new pit building in Mexico is “virtually impossible” for a November 2014 race date.

And New Jersey, he added, is “not going to happen because they haven’t got their finances in place.”

Ecclestone is quoted by SID news agency in Abu Dhabi: “I only put it (New Jersey) on the calendar because they assured me again and again that everything will work out.” 

22 Races of 2014 F1 Calendar

The Championship 2014 Formula 1 provides a record 22 races including the first Russian Grand Prix scheduled on October 5, two weeks earlier than expected, according to the schedule adopted last weekend by the World Council of the automobile.

The Russian organizing committee announced in July that the Russian Grand Prix was scheduled for 19 October in Sochi city between the edges of the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, the host of the Winter Olympics in February. Expenditures for the Grand Prix wanted by President Vladimir Putin and organized on the site of the future Olympic Games have increased by more than 70% compared to initial estimates, had reported last week the daily Vedomosti.

The cost of improvements is estimated at 11 billion rubles (260 million euros), against 148 million euros at the time of the signing in 2010 of the Agreement between Vladimir Putin, then prime minister, and Bernie Ecclestone, the big treasurer of F1, as Vedomosti citing Tsentr Omega Project Group.

Mexico is back in business for the first time since 1992, on the old circuit Brothers Rodriguez in Mexico City, which will be renovated in time for a GP set on 16 November.

Also return to the Austrian GP Red Bull Ring (formerly A1 Ring) being renovated by Dietrich Mateschitz, the energy drink magnate.

The Belgian Grand Prix will take place on August 24 at Spa-Francorchamps.

Bahrain tipped to be night race in 2014?

Bahrain will celebrate its tenth anniversary as a F1 host by staging next year's race under lights.

Although 2014 will not be the tenth Bahrain Grand Prix, because the race was removed from the calendar in 2011 due to the island Kingdom's civil unrest outbreak, it will be the tenth anniversary of the first race in 2004. To mark the occasion, circuit chairman Zayed Alzayani revealed earlier this year: "We are looking at many options.

"A night race could be one of them, but it is not the only one. There are pros and cons to doing it."

It appears the 'pros' have won the day, with European publications Speed Week (Germany) and Italiaracing (Italy) reporting that the deal was agreed between Alzayani and Bernie Ecclestone at Monza at the weekend. Speed Week said the news will be confirmed 'in the coming days', while Italia racing said the work to install the lighting systems should be complete by February.

According to the draft calendar that did the rounds at Monza, Bahrain will host the fifth round of the 2014 championship, in late April. Speed Week correspondent Mathias Brunner said: "It is still unclear whether Bahrain will be a twilight race, like Abu Dhabi, or a pure night race, like Singapore."

Mexico In and New Jersey Out - 2014 Formula One Provisional Calendar

Formula 1 is set for a 21-race calendar next year, including the return of Mexico but no New Jersey race, AUTOSPORT can reveal. A first draft of the 2014 provisional calendar has been distributed to teams ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Although the 2014 schedule needs to be approved at a meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council that takes place in Croatia on September 26-28, teams are bracing themselves for F1's longest ever season. An early version of the schedule, which has been seen by AUTOSPORT, does not include the proposed event in New Jersey that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had hoped to include. However, it will feature events in Russia and Mexico, providing the circuits are ready in time.

As has been widely expected, the season will start in Australia on March 16 for the traditional double-header with Malaysia. The Korean Grand Prix has been moved from the end of season run of flyaway events to become the fourth race of the campaign, taking place in the week after the Chinese GP. However, the event is likely to only be made official subject to the completion of a contract with Formula One Management.

The returning Austrian GP is penciled in for June 22, earlier than the July 6 date that it was originally scheduled for. The new Russian GP at Sochi will become a back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, while the Mexican GP is being twinned with the USA GP at Austin. The Spanish GP is set to take place at Barcelona, with Valencia not making it back on to the schedule, while the German GP will return to Hockenheim.

DRAFT 2014 CALENDAR

March 16 - Australia (Melbourne)
March 23 - Malaysia (Sepang)
April 6 - China (Shanghai)
April 13 – Korea* (Korea International Circuit)
April 27 – Bahrain (Sakhir)
May 11 – Spain (Barcelona)
May 25 – Monaco (Monaco)
June 8 – Canada (Montreal)
June 22 – Austria (Red Bull Ring)
July 6 – Britain (Silverstone)
July 20 – Germany (Hockenheim)
July 27 – Hungary (Budapest)
August 24 – Belgium (Spa)
September 7 – Italy (Monza)
September 21 – Singapore (Marina Bay)
October 5 - Japan (Suzuka)
October 19 – Russia* (Sochi)
October 26 – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
November 9 – Mexico* (Mexico City)
November 16 – USA (Circuit of the Americas)
November 30 – Brazil (Interlagos)

* (subject to confirmation of track/contract)

2014 F1 Calendar speculation

The roar was drowned out by the incessant chattering over the 2014 provisional calendar.

The calendar speculation has been intense this summer, with all sorts of changes afoot. The first story was that India would be moving to the spring, where it would be back-to-back with China. And it will be held in 2015. Both Melbourne and Bahrain are in line to kick off proceedings in 2014.

What was interesting about the speculation taking place in Spa is that much of it differed depending on the nationality of the gossip in question. I have long been expecting Mexico to return to the calendar, but while the Europeans have been looking to 2015 - pointing to all the work needed to bring the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez back up to F1-spec - the Latin American media are talking seriously about 2014. Charlie Whiting, the FIA's race director and safety delegate, is due to visit Mexico in the coming weeks to inspect the circuit, and if the race organisers are able to complete the necessary work in time, Mexico could appear on the calendar as early as next year. The aim is to run the race back-to-back with Austin, giving the F1 circus a week off in the Americas before traipsing down to Interlagos for the season finale.

Austria's return to the calendar - with a provisional date of 6 July, no less - is looking more and more like a replacement for the German Grand Prix, and not an additional European event. But even that much-heralded event has its own issues, thanks to crowd capacity restrictions of 40,000, lower even that the 60,000 widely reported elsewhere. Exceptions can be applied for, but there is a lot of red tape to wade through. Speaking of red tape, Formula One looks likely to trade one behemoth of bureaucracy for another, with the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi set to claim India's late-October date. Or thereabouts, anyway – should Mexico join the calendar in 2014 there will be a lot of shuffling of dates in the final round of flyaways.

And then there's New Jersey to consider. The weekend's reports that the race was off have been denied by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who said the race would go ahead as long as the organisers complied with the terms of their contract. But the NJ race will complicate the summer somewhat. Monaco is generally fixed as the last weekend in May, and the WMSC have blocked out the weekend of 14 June for Le Mans. If Austria takes place on 6 July as scheduled, that leaves Montreal, New Jersey, and Silverstone all looking for a June slot.

Michelin could be face of F1 tyre supplier in 2014

There is increased speculation that Michelin could return to Formula One next season after was interested in supplying the sport for next year.

Formula One does not currently have its tyre supply for 2014 confirmed, although Pirelli is known to have commercial contracts in place with all but one team. It's a point Ecclestone too has acknowledged, making any change in supplier difficult. Michelin is said to have told teams over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend that it was not interested in supplying Formula One next season.

It has also been reported that should Michelin enter F1 it would want to move away from the current 13-inch wheels to 18-inch wheels for 2016, and does not want to produce the type of fast-wearing rubber Formula One has had for the last three seasons. Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery has made his position on the current situation clear, believing it would be farcical to begin a tender process now. "If you wanted to do that then it should have been done in September of last year," Hembery said at the weekend. "Everybody will look ridiculous in that scenario."

Pirelli is in a strong position as any change in tyre supply must come via a tender process. Following the Spanish Grand Prix Mercedes performed unauthorised tyre testing for Pirelli. It resulted in both appearing before an FIA International Tribunal which ruled that while the test was not in keeping with the rules (and banned Mercedes from the subsequent Young Driver Test at Silverstone). Pirelli cannot therefore be excluded from any tender process or deemed unfit for supply, thereby closing one door on the FIA's alleged desire to switch to Michelin.

Much of that however has been for reasons out of its control with the teams themselves complicit in many of the failures seen so far in 2013.

Had teams followed Pirelli's advice it is likely we would not have seen the same concern surrounding tyres. Perhaps Paul Hembery and his team is naïve to expect Formula One teams to follow advice and recommendations rather than looking for greater performance, but the line has to be drawn somewhere and ultimately it is Pirelli which has suffered for the teams' unwillingness to listen. There are now regulations in place to ensure they do, and changes to the tyres have not seen a repeat of the Silverstone fiasco where a number of tyres failed.

There remains a general feeling within the paddock that the tyres are too susceptible to 'debris' on the circuit, with Mark Webber wanting a better explanation. "We need answers, and 'debris' is not the answer," Webber argued on Friday.

For Michelin to win a tender process over Pirelli it would have to very clearly demonstrate that it is the best possible supplier for Formula One. The French company must prove it can produce tyres to an incredibly tight deadline and provide an attractive financial package to teams who currently pay Pirelli in the region of £2.6million a year.

Mexico set to return in 2014 says Ecclestone

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that a decision is due “within a couple of weeks” about whether the Mexican Grand Prix will take place next year.

The race would fill a void in the F1 calendar which has been left by the exit of several races, including the planned Grand Prix of America in New Jersey which Ecclestone has said will not go ahead in 2014 because the organizers have not raised enough money to fund it. The 2014 calendar will be finalized in December by F1's governing body, the FIA, but new races need financing in place by now to ensure their plans are on track. “I should know within a couple of weeks about Mexico,” Ecclestone told Autoweek, adding “I'm going to try to make it happen.”

The Grand Prix is due to be held at Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which last hosted an F1 race in 1992. The plan to revive the Mexican Grand Prix has the backing of an all-star management team which is driven by two key figures. The first is Tavo Hellmund, the creator and mastermind of the F1 USGP and the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. His counterpart in Mexico is Alejandro Soberon, chief executive of the world's third-largest live entertainment company, CIE. The team members include Carlos Slim Domit, who sits on the FIA's decision-making body, the Senate, and is son of the world's richest man, Carlos Slim. 

The Mexican Grand Prix is understood to be fully funded but, according to Ecclestone, the same cannot be said of the Grand Prix of America in New Jersey. Its organizers appointed investment bank UBS in June to raise $100 million which is required for the race to go ahead. It seems they have run out of time. "It's not on the cards for next year,” said Ecclestone, adding that the problem is “they haven't got any money.”

The race was planned to be run on 3.2 miles of public roads in Port Imperial, a district in the New Jersey towns of West New York and Weehawken. It snakes alongside the Hudson river and would give the race a spectacular backdrop of Manhattan's historic skyline.

It was originally set for June this year but was postponed after the organizers missed payment deadlines in their contract with the F1 Group. Ecclestone said he signed the deal despite the funding not being in place because he understood the organizers would be able to raise it. The promoter is Leo Hindery Jr., a sometime racer and managing partner of private equity fund InterMedia Partners. “The guy is a multibillionaire and is well-known in New York,” said Ecclestone.

In 2011 Hindery provided the initial $10.3 million investment in race organizing company Port Imperial Racing Associates (PIRA) and obtained an additional $10.1 million loan. In April this year, the F1 Group itself provided the company with a credit facility personally guaranteed by Hindery, but the Grand Prix still needs $100 million to get the green light. It isn't the only race that has hit a roadblock.

Last month it was announced that the Indian Grand Prix will skip 2014 but this was balanced out by the news that the Austrian Grand Prix will return to the calendar after an 11-year hiatus. It would keep the number of races stable at 19 in 2014 if it wasn't for the addition of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.

F1's contracts with the teams stipulate that majority consent from Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing is required if there are more than 20 races in a season. If Mexico joins but the brakes stay on New Jersey, it seems there would be 21 races in 2014. However, there have been widespread reports that the loss-making Korean Grand Prix may be dropped next year which means that Mexico would take the total just to the limit of 20. Ecclestone couldn't have planned it much better.

Formula 1 in Suzuka till 2018

Formula 1 will remain at Suzuka until at least 2018 after track bosses signed a new contract with Bernie Ecclestone.

Suzuka president Hiroshi Soda met with Ecclestone in London this week to agree the terms of a new five-year deal which starts next season.

Although the Japanese GP gets no government investment, Soda said that the terms of the new contract were such that the race made financial sense for the track. F1 supremo Ecclestone added: "It is great to see Honda back in F1 in 2015. I am sure that the Japanese Grand Prix will attract greater attention than ever."

2013 SHELL Belgian Formula One Grand Prix

It has been a month break for the teams and fans as they went into a summer break and now they are back and racing again at Spa-Franchorchamps. The forecast for Saturday is suppose to be that rain will fall near or on qualifying, as it may or may not reshuffle up the grid. But come Sunday there will also be rain on the horizon as it is expected to fall around race start or even during the race. 
Qualifying: ONE - 19.30pm to 21.15pm LIVE
                  TEN -  01.00 to 03.00 REPLAY
Race: ONE - 19.45pm to 22.00 LIVE
             TEN - 0.00 to 02.20 REPLAY 

Hungary extended to 2021

The Hungaroring’s contract to host Formula One has been extended today, with the deal securing the future of the Hungarian Grand Prix until 2021.

The circuit first played host to the race back in 1986 as part of Bernie Ecclestone’s desire to take Formula One into eastern Europe. The event has certainly achieved this and paved the way for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix in 2014, but the race in Hungary is a firm favorite among the drivers and fans as the Hungaroring is one of the few ‘old’ circuits left on the calendar.

Despite there not being a Hungarian driver currently in the sport, it is seen as a “home” race for the Finnish drivers on the grid as legions of Finns make the journey south to cheer on Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas. Speaking to Sky Sports before the race, Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that the deal had been signed.“It’s an extension of our current deal taking us up to ’21,” the Formula One supremo said.

Indian Grand Prix may be dropped for 2014

The Indian Grand Prix is unlikely to be included in the 2014 Formula 1 calendar, according to Bernie Ecclestone.

The event made its debut in 2011, but teams have been constantly concerned about taxation issues when entering the country.

India's government has not granted a custom exemption to the teams as it does not consider F1 to be a sport.

"Is India going to happen next year? Probably not," Ecclestone told Reuters in Hungary. "[It's] very political." Russia and Austria will be joining what is set to be a 20-race calendar next year. India will host its third Grand Prix in October. Organisers have denies "baseless and malicious" rumours about the event being in doubt.

Red Bull must clear hurdles for Austria GP return

Red Bull needs to clear some hurdles before the Austrian Grand Prix can go ahead in 2014. The energy drink company and Bernie Ecclestone announced on Tuesday that an agreement to stage a race mid next year at the former A1-Ring, now called the Red Bull Ring, has been reached.

APA news agency said the “provisional” deal is for at least seven consecutive Austrian grands prix. But Red Bull’s statement on Tuesday admitted the deal is “on condition of approval by the required authorities”. One necessary approval, it has emerged, is the extension of the circuit’s allowed spectator attendance for an event from just 40,000 people on two consecutive days.Reports also refer to limitations of the allowed decibel noise levels at the track, and backdated permission for the formation of a spectator bank.

“The conditions (for a F1 race) will certainly not be easy to fulfil,” said local ombudsman Karl Arbesser, according to the German-language Speed Week.“I do not know if they (Red Bull) will have an operating license for 2014.” Another local administrator, Harald Schnedl, told APA that Red Bull will have to submit a full “noise, emissions and traffic engineering concept” prior to approval. And Kleine Zeitung newspaper said the Red Bull Ring will have to improve the current media centre, which is currently “too small” for Formula One. Meanwhile, Mateschitz admitted the race will cost him money.“With the gate (ticket) receipts I will cover the organisational costs, but not the license fee.“But Red Bull Racing won both of the world championships in the past three years, which was certainly an advantage to getting the race,” he added.

2014 Formula 1 season schedule could be 22 races

It’s possible that Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone will ask the FIA to ratify a huge 22 race Formula 1 calendar for the 2014 season.

That is the claim of a Brazilian media report, after Formula 1 chief executive Ecclestone provisionally approved Austria’s return to the sport for next year. With Russia and New Jersey also set to join the 2014 calendar, next year’s schedule could blow out from 19 races at present to an unprecedented 22.

The FIA is expected to release a draft calendar for the 2014 season in the coming weeks.

21 Races of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship

Bahrain is likely to host the first Formula One race next year as early as March 2. "Bahrain’s Crown Prince was in Montreal on the weekend ahead of that city’s race. The Bahrain event has been controversial since civil unrest broke out in 2011.The event was cancelled that year but has gone ahead in 2012 and 2013 despite protests from international human rights groups who claim the kingdom is responsible for a violent suppression of democracy fighters.

The year 2014 is set to be the longest racing calendar in the event’s history, with a record 21 GP if New Jersey and Russia win their bids to host a race and none of the other scheduled races drop off. The season opener would be brought forward to March 2. Abu Dhabi is the second Middle East F1 host. Its race usually is one of the last, held in early November. 

However, Whitmarsh said he was not confident that 21 races could be accommodated.“I don’t know whether there really will be 21 races,” he said.“I've heard the stories of a variety of new venues, from Russia and talk of New Jersey again and those sorts of things. Whether all the other dates on the calendar survive I don’t know but 21 races is a lot that is for sure.“This year we have 19, we did 20 last year. I know it’s only one more but we have been saying that since we were at about 14 races and most of those were in Europe. It gets quite tough for the teams.” 

The schedule will be confirmed by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, which is due to meet on June 28.

Thailand 2015 GP Track Route Confirmed

The proposed route for the track which will host Thailand’s round of the 2015 F1 season has been approved by the government.
Thailand Sports Authority governor Kanokphand Chulakase approved the layout, which is made up of streets around the Grand Palace, on Thursday according to the Bangkok Post.
The start and finish area will overlook the Chao Phraya River. “We may be able to build the main stands in the river,” said Chulakase, “It would also be convenient for transportation of equipment.” Seating for up to 150,000 spectators is planned around the course.
From the waterfront the cars will follow a clockwise route which takes in Ratchadamnoen Avenue which Mark Webber drove along in a demonstration run for Red Bull in 2010.                                                                                                                        

A final layout will be required formal approved from the FIA before the race takes place in two years time. Race organisers intend Thailand's first Grand Prix at night alongside Singapore and Abu Dhabi

2013 GULF AIR Bahrain Grand Prix: TEN Network

Qualifying: ONE - 1830-2030 LIVE                   TEN - 0100-0330Race:          ONE - 1730-2200 LIVE                   TEN - 2330-0200

After Fernando Alonso won the Chinese GP can he make it back to back or will Vettel win yet another race? It will be a thrilling run to the finish in a epic Bahrain Grand Prix in the Gulf country. See it LIVE right here on Network TEN. With Alan Jones, Greg Rust and Daryl Beattie 

2013 UBS Chinese Grand Prix: ONE

Qualifying: ONE-1330-1530 LIVE TEN- 2345-0200                                                   Race: ONE-1500-1700 LIVE.       TEN- 2330-0200

Can Mark Webber bounce back after that "Multi 21 saga". Which he believes he deserved to be 1st not Vettel. Also on the topic Lewis Hamilton also believes his teammate Nico Rosberg should be on the podium not him. The race was all about "team orders". See all the action LIVE on ONE

2013 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix: ONE

Join Greg Rust, Daryl Beattie and Alan Jones with all the LIVE action of the 2013 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix from Sepang. 

Which there is a chance of heavy rain just before the race with thunderstorms as well as it will cause havoc for the drivers? Just like last weekend for the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park where for qualifying there was torrential rain and in the race there was only light rain around with BOM predicting a 30% chance of rain to fall but Greg Rust said "TEN understands that it will fall after the race" but the person on zeebox was right as Magdalena Roze predictions were wrong. I wonder if TEN will get Mags do the weather forecast for qualifying and races for each and every F1 and Moto GP race? But they could get @Thrusta1 to do the weather forecast prior to qualifying and race.

Qualifying: ONE-1530-1730 LIVE in HD
TEN- 0130-0330 REPLAY
Race: ONE- 1600-1800 LIVE in HD
TEN- 2230-0100 REPLAY

The weather details for the Malaysian Grand Prix for Qualifying Day that there will be thunder and heavy rain particular for qualifying which will even more put the drivers to the test as it is warm, humid, rain and thundery in Malaysia which is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar. For Race Day there will be yet again thunder and heavy rain. This circuit provides a lot of drama, action and entertainment especially for the front runners who are contesting Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. We all thought Red Bull were going to dominate? But it turns out they just don't have the pace. This race could well and truly finish at 6.30pm MYT or 6.30/9.00/8.30/9.30pm. 

2013 ROLEX Australian Formula One Grand Prix: TEN Network

TEN host is Greg Rust and expert commentators are Daryl Beattie and Alan Jones, along with Tom Clarkson, Mark Howard and James Allen will be on the ground at Albert Park for an exciting Grand Prix in Australia as they will broadcast F1 and support categories like Carrera Cup, V8s, Celebrity Challenge etc.

ONE: Friday- 9am AWST to 4pm, Saturday- 5am AWST to 3.30pm, Sunday- 7am AWST to 4.30pm    . TEN: Saturday- 5am AWST to 3.30pm, Sunday- 7am AWST to 3.45pm                                                                                      ELEVEN: Nil                                                                                                                  

The weather is going to be on Friday is partly cloudy and a top of 27C, Saturday is expecting a few showers and a top of 22C while on Sunday there will be yet again a few showers and a top of 22C. As it looks as though it is going to be a wet Grand Prix as it will challenge the drivers to the test as the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship comes nearer and nearer as all fans, drivers and engineers are enthusiastic about Formula One to begin at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia. It could be a wet back-to-back Grand Prix in Australia and in Malaysia at the Sepang Circuit in Kuala Lumpur which there was torrential rain at last years 2012 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix. As this years F1 could be more heavy rain then what they had in 2012 but down at Silverstone and Brazil there was torrential rain right across the weekend.  

2014 Mexican Formula One Grand Prix "coming"

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that he is in talks about a Mexican Grand Prix in 2014. The race would take place at Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez which last hosted an F1 race in 1992 and needs a multi-million dollar upgrade in order to do so again.

The Mexican Grand Prix was expected to return in 2006 at a street circuit just south of the international airport in the beach resort of Cancun. The race did not take place and, since then, there have been widespread rumors about when and where it would return. Ecclestone has stayed quiet about rumors but has now revealed that Mexico City is in pole position to become the new home of the Mexican Grand Prix.

However, one hurdle is likely to be fitting the Mexican Grand Prix into F1's tightly-packed calendar. There were 20 races last year -- with Russia, New Jersey, Japan are all set to join in 2014. The number of races is restricted to 20 by the Concorde Agreement but its possible to go to 24, which the contract which commits F1's 11 teams to race. Under the Concorde Agreement, the teams' unanimous consent is required to host more than 20 races in a season or if more than 60 percent of them are outside F1's traditional markets of Europe, the U.S. or Canada. But Bernie is pushing for 22 for next years world championship which will consist in South America, North America, Australasia and in Europe.

Giedo Van Der Garde at Caterham in 2013

He was signed by Caterham over a month ago for the 2013 Formula One Season starts just under a week away at Albert Park. He will be team mates with Charles Pic a former racer at Marussia. The Dutchmen says "I know I am ready to take the step up to F1 and all the work I have done throughout my career, and particularly in the last year with this team, has brought me to my ultimate goal".

The team principal Cyril Abiteboul of Caterham said "Everyone in the team is delighted that we can finally confirm that Giedo will be racing for us in the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship. He has been part of our family since early 2012 when he joined our GP2 team and was appointed as reserve driver for the F1 team. He acquitted himself extremely well in both his GP2 season and his six FP1 sessions, progressively improving his outright pace, technical feedback and his relationship with his engineers and mechanics, giving us the clear justification for promoting him to F1".

Charles Pic and Giedo Van Der Garde replaced Hekki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov respectively for this season. Which could mean that there will be no Russian driver to promote the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi in 2014 which is expected to be held in November of next year, as Vladimir Putin is hoping that there will be a Russian driver as he will be pushing for it to happen.

Alan Jones joins TEN Sport for F1 Commentary Role

The 1980 Formula One World Champion "AJ" has joined TEN Sport commentary team alongside Greg Rust and Daryl Beattie. As Craig Baird has racing commitments in the Carrera Cup but it took a long hard thought and he decided to stay racing. TEN’s Head of Sport, David Barham, said: “We are delighted that Alan is joining the Formula One commentary team in 2013. He brings strong opinion, great knowledge, experience and profile to the home of premium Motorsport. It is a real coup for viewers and fans.”

He starts his commentary role for the team a week away for the 2013 Rolex Australian Formula One as you can see all the action on ONE and TEN from Friday @ 9am as they will be broadcasting the F1 breakfast with Stephen Quatermain and Natarsha Belling on Saturday as it will be simulcast on ONE and TEN throughout the weekend (LIVE in HD on ONE).

He last commentated which was for 2012 British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, he did previous role for Channel 9 back in the 1990s and since 2003 TEN has held the rights to both F1 and MotoGP. TEN signed with FOM "Formula One Management" back in 2009 and they are in their 3rd year on a 5 year deal with Bernie Ecclestone as it runs from 2011-2015. As they are looking to extend that beyond 2015 in which FOX Sports don't have a say to either F1 and MotoGP. For MotoGP they are in their 4th year on a 5 year deal with Dorna as it runs from 2010-2014 but yet again they are looking to extend their contact.


As a result the NBL will be shown on TEN at 12.50am Monday morning as ONE has F1 and ELEVEN has American Idol and Neighbours encore in the time slot. TEN already has Telstra Ironwoman Series, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series, Rugby Union, Hyundai Hopman Cup, MotoGP, NBL and they are emerging as a key player to get the Cricket rights off 9 which could be an interesting battle as TEN put around $350 million dollars for five years for the cricket rights after they loss AFL to Seven West Media, NRL to Nine Entertainment Co. and the V8s to Seven West Media.