The upcoming European Grand Prix will be a focal point in the battle for supremacy in the ongoing 2007 Formula One season. Although McLaren is leading Ferrari in the constructors’ championship standings, Ferrari is staging a comeback of sorts. After bowing down to McLaren in the North American leg of the Formula One season, Ferrari has come back with two consecutive wins - both by former McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen.
The Italian Formula One team Scuderia Ferrari recently arrived in Germany to prepare for the battle this weekend. Raikkonen’s back-to-back victory at the French and British Grands Prix, Ferrari is now being seen as a strong contender to McLaren’s leadership.
Kimi Raikkonen is currently third in the drivers’ championship standings behind McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Raikkonen is just six points behind the double world champion Alonso and 18 points behind rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton.
Although going into the European Grand Prix after two consecutive wins, Raikkonen has to contend with history as his last three races at the Nürburgring resulted to retirement. The Finn though is looking to stop that string of bad races at ‘the Ring’ with Ferrari. This is the first year of the Finn in the Italian team and he said that: “never had a perfect race at the Nürburgring with my former team – now it's time to succeed.”
Raikkonen is also looking for a hat trick or three wins in a row. “It was great to win two consecutive races but we must continue to work hard to stay ahead of our main rivals. Let's hope we can make a hat trick as we did at Magny-Cours and Silverstone,” he said. The Finn will be participating in the Friday test runs, the qualifying sessions on Saturday and on Sunday’s race onboard his F2007 which has been performing at a high level. During the last two races, the car performed at its highest level, better than a Ferrari with the Airaid cold air intake.
Meanwhile, Felipe Massa who was overtaken by Raikkonen in the standings is confident going into the weekend event. “I am confident we have a very good package as we have seen from the last two races,” the Brazilian Formula One driver said in an interview. “If I have to compare the F2007 with the McLaren, maybe our strong point is that we are better in the race, while maybe they have a slight edge in qualifying.”
Thus, the Brazilian maintained that he is looking for a good qualifying session on Saturday. “Qualifying is important here at this track,” Massa said. "The whole first sector of the track has a lot of slow corners where you can lose a lot of time if you make a mistake. Also in the final sector, with its chicane, it can be tricky.”
The race though is taking a backseat to the spying scandal which involves Ferrari and McLaren. According to preliminary information, a Ferrari employee is secretly divulging secret information to a McLaren employee. Nigel Stepney of Ferrari has already been sacked while McLaren’s Mike Coughlan has been suspended. The matter is already being investigated by the sport’s ruling body. The FIA has already summoned McLaren to an inquiry which will be held four days after the race.
Massa, Raikkonen, Hamilton, and Alonso said that they are not concerned about the issue for one thing or another. “I don't want to discuss it, because for sure it is not a nice thing and I prefer to concentrate on my racing,” said Massa. Alonso also said that he is focusing on driving.
Related Articles
Audi Unveils Tts at Naias
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 15/01/2008 | Automotive
The performance version of Audi TT called the TTS will be unveiled by the automaker at the NAIAS. The TTS is equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 272 hp and a top-speed of 155 mph.
Trepidation Behind the Rise of Super-cheap Cars
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 28/01/2008 | Automotive
With the arrival of Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, watchers in the auto industry are worried about its repercussions. Some say the car will exacerbate India’s mass transit condition.
Audi Confirms Participation at Lms
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 02/02/2008 | Cars
Audi has confirmed that it will participate in the Le Mans Series. Said announcement is met with much gusto by Audi champion driver Allan McNish.
Ford Edge Goes Sporty at Chicago Auto Show
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 08/02/2008 | Automotive
Ford, to stress personalization, goes sporty at the Chicago Auto Show. There, the automaker will be introducing the Edge Sport, a factory-customized model.
Oresnik's Chevy Truck Passes Million-mile Mark
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 19/02/2008 | Cars
Frank Oresnik's ‘old girl’ passed the million-mile mark thanks to the Flint engine. The Chevy truck boasts of the real marvel engine.
Online Shopping Mall: Great Gift Selection, Bargain Prices!
By: Chris Robertson | 05/03/2008 | Gifts
With the holidays just around the corner, everyone is doing the seasonal scramble to find the perfect gifts. And, with the state of the economy and the housing market, consumers are on the lookout for bargains. That's why people are increasingly turning to the discount online shopping mall to stretch their gift buying dollars.
The Honda Exhaust Manifolds
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 12/03/2008 | Automotive
Get your Honda exhaust manifolds here at Discount Honda Parts and keep your Honda engine in top shape. Enjoy free shipping and great discounts.
Honda Multi Rib Belts Spell Durability
By: Anthony Fontanelle | 18/03/2008 | Automotive
Honda Multi Rib Belts improve engine performance. Purchase the Honda Multi Rib Belt now to enjoy the difference. We offer various car parts at this site!
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cars are manufactured in the United ...
By: Saul Garcia | 15-07-2008
how many cars are manufactured in the United States
1963 chev pickup grille
By: shefautobd | 13-07-2008
I want a replacement grille for my 1963 chev pickup, either original aluminum or chrome. The only aftermarket ones i find start at 1964b which is different. Can anyone help Elmer Shefautobd@aol.Com
Auto coral wire
By: kathy | 11-07-2008
h how do you know when coral wire is going out on your car? Dont know if i spelled it right.
Where can I sell a brand new set of A4 tires with ...
By: iyakuppur | 08-07-2008
where can I sell a brand new set of A4 tires with rims.
Exhaust pipe
By: ahcurzon | 07-07-2008
is it possible to retrofit a particle filter to a car?
Mercedes diesel designation
By: Joel | 04-07-2008
How does mercedes designate that a car is diesel vs gasoline?Will there always be a "D" following the model number, such as 240 D?
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Automotive Articles
Picking the Best Auto School
By: Tom Tessin | 25/07/2008
If you have an ambition of making it big in the automotive industry, you have to plan yourself for success and hard work. However, if you have ambitions more than just been a lube mechanic or a tire mechanic, get education from a good automotive repair or automobile training school.
A...
Water As Fuel For Your Car
By: James Gold | 25/07/2008
Recently the internet has been raving with topics about converting car to run on water as fuel supplementing the gasoline consumption.
This is highly attributed to the fact of soaring oil prices and global environmental issues.
It is pressing for common individuals relying on car transportation to make a living and many...
Taking a Glance at Electronic Automotives
By: Tom Tessin | 25/07/2008
Everything around has become smarter with the invention of technology, especially electronic automobiles or automotives. With the invention of electronic and digital components, life in the office and home has become much easier than it could have been.
Life for auto users has become easier and comfortable due to the increase...
What is a Hypermiler?
By: Mick Legg | 24/07/2008
I came across what I thought was a new word the other day "Hypermiler." I had just come home and caught the end of some show or documentary on the TV and it kept referring to this strange word "Hypermiler." Now as I didn't know what it meant but the...
Leasing vs. Buying a New Car
By: Abe S. | 24/07/2008
Getting a new car is always an exciting time - whether the car is bought outright or leased from the dealership. Many people believe that their car, much like their home, is an extension of the person they are or indicative of the person that they may become. A car...
How to Find Good Motorcycle Boots
By: Frank Medley | 24/07/2008
Your motorcycle boots need to be able to do a variety of things. You want them to be comfortable, but also sturdy and protective. They must also have great traction and not wear out quickly. The reality is that a motorcycle boot must also be able to protect you properly...
How Gas Discount Cards Save You Money on Gas
By: Tom Tessin | 23/07/2008
At present, people have started complaining on the skyrocketing gas price and are finding difficult to pay for it.
The introduction of gas discount cards acted as a boon for auto users, as they have made them to purchase auto fuel at an affordable price. Certainly, this is also a good...
How Much HHO Or Hydroxy Does The Electrolyzer Produce?
By: Mike Hickmon | 23/07/2008
How to save gas is the biggest topic today. And gas saving devices are seemingly in every corner of the world. Devices that convert water into fuel incorporate several techniques that help to improve fuel economy. The first and foremost is the Electrolyzer. How does it work, and just how...
More from Lauren Woods
Audi Changes Diesel Perception
By: Lauren Woods | 25/07/2007 | Automotive
Audi’s success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its diesel powered racecar is changing the way people view diesel engines. New generation of diesel powerplants are much cleaner and less noisy than its predecessors as exhibited by Audi’s R10.
Schumacher Confident of Toyota’s Resurgence
By: Lauren Woods | 17/07/2007 | Automotive
Ralf Schumacher is confident of his team’s resurgence after their performance at the past two races. Toyota is currently sixth and is looking to overtake third place BMW Sauber before the end of the season.
Peugeot Introduces Its First Suv
By: Lauren Woods | 14/07/2007 | Automotive
French carmaker Peugeot introduced its first SUV in the form of the Peugeot 4007. The 4007 is the result between the collaboration between Peugeot and Mitsubishi.
Subaru Updates Outback Wagon
By: Lauren Woods | 12/07/2007 | Automotive
The Subaru Outback was redesigned by the Japanese automaker for the 2008 model year. It was refined in terms of exterior and interiors styling.
Volkswagen Fahrenheit Gli Coming in 2008
By: Lauren Woods | 11/07/2007 | Automotive
Volkswagen will introduce a new Fahrenheit for the 2008 model year. The Fahrenheit is aimed to attract performance enthusiasts.
Saturn Vue Receives Praise
By: Lauren Woods | 07/07/2007 | Automotive
The redesigned Saturn Vue is one of the newest additions to the brand’s lineup. The crossover SUV has been praised both in magazines and online.
General Motors Expects Film to Boost Sale
By: Lauren Woods | 04/07/2007 | Automotive
Due to the appearance of four General Motors vehicles on a film the automaker is hoping that this will result to increased sales. The Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Solstice, GMC Topkick and Hummer H2 are featured on the film Transformers.
Delphi Uaw Members Ok Wage-cut Pact
By: Lauren Woods | 04/07/2007 | Automotive
About 70 percent of Delphi workers approved a pact between the UAW and the bankrupt parts supplier that will give workers cash payouts in exchange for slashed wages. The said pact is expected to resonate in the industry.
Automotive 
