Ovidiu Panzariu
6,718 ARTICLES
Favorite quote: “Winning is everything. The only ones who remember you when you come second are your wife and your dog”, Damon Hill, 1996 F1 champion
Belgian GP Undisturbed by Potential Loss of Sponsor
28 Jan 2009, 17:36 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Following recent media reports showing that Dutch bank ING Group are to revise their Formula 1 sponsorship by the mid-season, several concerns were issued regarding the future of some Grands Prix inside the Great Circle backed by the aforementioned...
BMW to Join Bahrain Test
28 Jan 2009, 16:15 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / BMW are the third team to announce their presence at the Bahrain track next month, for their second testing session this year. The German team decided to add the Asian track to their testing schedule ahead of the season opener in Australia as a con...
Ecclestone Gives Go-Ahead to Rome GP
28 Jan 2009, 14:51 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / The Italian Grand Prix being held on the streets of Rome doesn't seem like a mirage anymore. Initially considered an extravagant idea of Superbike World Championship promoter Maurizio Flammini, it seems that Bernie Ecclestone has already given...
Renault R29 Lacks Performance?
28 Jan 2009, 14:41 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Fernando Alonso and Renault may have a lot of work developing a competitive car for the upcoming season. As reported by Swiss magazine Motorsport Aktuell, it seems that the new Renault R29 is not as performing on track as expected. The team's ...
SEAT Sport Confirms Lineup for 2009
28 Jan 2009, 14:35 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / If it works, why change it? That seems to be the logic behind SEAT Sport's latest announcement, confirming that their last year's driver lineup in the FIA World Touring Car Championship will remain unchanged for the 2009 campaign. That me...
Adapta Confirm Grondal for Rally Norway
28 Jan 2009, 14:07 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Norwegian rally fans will see both Petter Solberg and Subaru on the entry list of Rally Norway, scheduled to take place on February 13-15 as the second round of this year's WRC. The organizers managed to score the popularity points as a result...
Bourdais' Manager Denies Extension Reports
28 Jan 2009, 13:36 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Although Swiss magazine Speedweek has started the rumor of Sebastien Bourdais already being confirmed as official race driver of Scuderia Toro Rosso for the upcoming season, the driver's manager insists nothing has been settled yet. According ...
Coronel Extends SUNRED Deal in the WTCC
28 Jan 2009, 11:16 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Although he was linked with a move to the British Touring Car Championship earlier this year, Tom Coronel announced that he has secured a drive in the FIA WTCC series for 2009. The Dutch driver will therefore continue his collaboration with the SUN...
Marcus Gronholm Open to Dakar Debut
28 Jan 2009, 10:23 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Marcus Gronholm might have ended his career in the World Rally Championship, but the Finnish ace is certainly looking for new challenges in his post-WRC era. After competing in the 44th edition of the Arctic Lapland Rally earlier this month, the fo...
FIA Change Engine Rules for 2009
28 Jan 2009, 09:48 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / The rules regarding the use of only 8 engines throughout the upcoming F1 season have been clarified by FIA's race director Charlie Whiting in an interview for the series' official site. The FIA official finally brought some light into the...
FIA Rules Out Engine Unfreeze
28 Jan 2009, 09:08 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / The FIA insisted that no more engine changes will be allowed in Formula 1 starting 2009. After granting Renault with approximately 40-hp worth of power boost in the off-season, the FIA revealed that the measure was taken to equalize performances in...
FIA Changes Safety Car Rules
28 Jan 2009, 09:03 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Following several requests from both drivers and team principals for changing the safety car rules for the new season, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced that the pit lane will not be closed in the early stages of the safety ca...
FIA Deny Risk of KERS
28 Jan 2009, 07:57 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / The International Automobile Federation argued, through the voice of its race director Charlie Whiting, that the newly-implemented Kinetic Energy Recovery System will not cause any racing incidents. The FIA official insisted the system will not pos...
Honda Deny Buyout Deadline
27 Jan 2009, 16:23 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Honda don't seem too eager to finalize the buyout of their F1 operations, as revealed by a spokeswoman earlier today. The Brackley-based team was believed to have until January 31 to find an investor willing to take over as team owner in Formu...
Hamilton Fears Testing Limitations Will Affect Performances
27 Jan 2009, 15:19 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Taking over an idea expressed earlier by two-time F1 champion and former teammate Fernando Alonso, reigning champ Lewis Hamilton also agreed that the lack of testing in the off-season, combined with the in-season testing ban will affect the start o...
Renault Confirm KERS Deal with Red Bull Racing
27 Jan 2009, 14:44 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Renault have confirmed that they will supply Red Bull Racing with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System in extension of their current engine deal for 2009. Although everyone was expecting Christian Horner's team to turn to the French manufacture...
Richards: Honda Were Wrong to Announce Early Exit
27 Jan 2009, 13:59 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Although removing himself from the race to purchase Honda's F1 team, Prodrive boss David Richards insisted that he would really like the Brackley-based team to find a buyer soon enough in order to make the grid of the Australian Open in late M...
Rome to Host F1 Race in 2011?
27 Jan 2009, 13:48 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Paris might benefit from the support of the French Senate to hold the 2011 French Grand Prix, but they might face tough competition from Rome in order to secure a spot in the F1 schedule. As reported by the Reuters news agency, the city officials a...
Howett: Rules Interpretation Will Be Decisive in 2009
27 Jan 2009, 13:41 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Toyota's President of Motorsport John Howett admitted that the difference between winners and losers in 2009 could be made by the way in which the new regulations have been interpreted by some teams. Considering that the FIA has brought a high...
Klien Eyes Second Consecutive Le Mans Appearance
27 Jan 2009, 11:26 UTC · By: Ovidiu Panzariu / Considering there won't be much testing left for BMW test driver Christian Klien this year – at least in Formula 1 – the German is decided to take on every opportunity to race in 2009. Klien announced that he is planning to make h...