Webber targets Monaco upturn

Williams driver Mark Webber is hoping that the first anniversary of his maiden podium podium in the top flight will mark a turn in fortunes for the Aussie in 2006.Although he has finished sixth twice, Webber has also been forced to retire three times already this season. Last time out, at Barcelona, Mark finished an uncompetitive ninth having struggled for straight-line speed.
"Monaco is certainly a very special race on the calendar for everyone involved in F1,” admits Webber, who finished third in last year’s race.
“We had a good result there last year and I hope we can improve on the previous race in Barcelona by quite some margin and get some solid points for the team.
“I love the challenge of Monte Carlo and, as a sporting event, the atmosphere is absolutely amazing.”
Webber is looking to capitalise on the curious nature of Monaco, which can often create mixed up results.
“I really hope it [Monaco] will prove to be a turn in fortunes, and form, for the team,” added Mark.
“It can’t come soon enough after the last race and I’m just looking forward to getting there.”
Sunday will mark the German rookie’s first Formula 1 appearance on the streets of Monte Carlo - his hometown since childhood.For Nico, the event opens another new chapter in an already sparkling rookie year, and the 20-year-old is hoping to build on his two seventh places scored so far this season.
“Monaco will be a special weekend for me,” he said.
“Racing in the town where I have lived all my life, and with all my friends supporting me on such a fascinating circuit, will be great.
“I had a great race here in GP2 when I finished third and, although the track will be quite different in a F1 car, I'm going into the weekend with a strong belief that we can do well.”
Monaco provided Williams with its best result of the season in 2005, when Nick Heidfeld and Webber finished second and third.
The team’s technical director Sam Michael is hoping that yet more aero modifications for the FW28, and fresh Cosworth engines will help it repeat that performance this weekend.
"Overtaking is extremely difficult in Monaco, but not impossible, as Williams showed in last year’s race, so qualifying and race strategy are key to a good result here," he said.
“We have an aerodynamic upgrade on the FW28 especially for this race to ensure we get the best out of this maximum downforce track.”

Andy Wallace had the fastest lap in qualifying Friday for the American Le Mans Series Portland Grand Prix, repeating as pole-sitter for Saturday's race and setting a new course record at Portland International Raceway.

Wallace lapped the road course at 1:02.712 in the No. 20 Dyson Racing Lola, bettering the David Brabham's mark set four years ago by about 1.5 seconds. Wallace also was on the pole two weeks ago at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Chris Dyson will share the pole with Wallace, while Butch Leitzinger and James Weaver will start second.

It was Dyson Racing's second front-row sweep, the last coming at Infineon on 2003.

"I'm not sure if I'm actually going to start the car, because my crew jokes that I always seem to overtake the car behind me during the start," Wallace said.

"But this could be a second or even a third gear start. You have to keep your foot on the accelerator on the floor and at the start of the race you're not pressing the throttle, you're lifting the brake. But its not as slippery here, so the start shouldn't be a problem."

Marco Werner and JJ Lehto qualified third in the No. 1 Audi, followed by the No. 2 Audi entry of Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro.

In LMP2, Clint Field put the No. 37 Intersport Racing Lola on the pole for the second straight race with a 1:05.744, and will drive Saturday with Gregor Fisken.

Olivier Beretta won his second pole of the year with a lap of 1:08.193 in the No. 4 Corvette Racing C6-R, making him the career ALMS record-holder for career poles with 16. Beretta will share driving duties Saturday with Oliver Gavin

In GT2, Romain Dumas in the No. 23 Alex Job Racing Porsche lapped the course in 1:12.653. He will drive with Timo Bernhard.

Moving from open-wheel racing to sportscar endurance events, Saulnier Racing presented in grand style their new Courage LMP1 C70 at the Geneva Motorshow in Switzerland.

"Today is a great moment for me and for Switzerland. This program is a new start for our organization as we move away from single-seater formulae towards prototypes and endurance racing," commented team manager Serge Saulnier.

The Swiss Spirit Courage will be powered by a Judd 5-litre V-10 powerplant to challenge the top prototype teams in the Le Mans Endurance Series in 2006. The team hopes to receive an invitation to the world's showcase endurance race in June on the La Sarthe circuit in Le Mans, France.

"In terms of our package, we have decided to go with Courage for the chassis because we believe they offer the best all-round 'package' - for an LMP1 car, for Le Mans and for the five Le Mans series races," stated Saulnier on their choice of prototype, powerplant and tyres.

"On the engine side, we have decided to go with Judd as they are the benchmark for performance and reliability and these two factors are of course key to any endurance event," he added. "Last but certainly not least, I am delighted to continue my long partnership with Michelin who provide us with the very best tyres for endurance racing.

The team's first chance to see what the car can do in race mode will be in Istanbul, Turkey on April 9th, prior to the LMES season-opening 1000km race, the team will test their new Courage-Judd on March 26, 27 at the LMES official pre-season test.

"I've been keen to make the move from many years but only with all the key requirements for a highly professional and competitive programme, which I am delighted to say we now have," Saulnier said. "If we can get an entry for the Le Mans 24 Hours, it will be the achievement of a life-long dream."

Saulnier Racing has a stellar record in open-wheel racing, including Formula 3 events and the World Series by Renault with over 50 race wins. The team was formerly known as Promatecme and Renault Promatecme UK.

"Although I made my name as a Team Manager in single-seater racing over the years, we have been involved in endurance racing via the "V de V" championship," explained Saulnier. "You cannot compare this with racing an LMP1 prototype in the Le Mans Series, but this experience will still be very valuable as we have learnt important lessons - especially regarding the strategy and the approach to races."

Driving for Swiss Spirit will be Harold Primat and Marcel Fassler, the two Swiss drivers have impressive resumes. Primat brings his sportscar talent to the team, having competed in the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans and LMES after years of running open-wheel machines in European competition.

"Since I moved from single-seaters at the end of 2004, my objective has been to race competitively in endurance racing and compete in all the major events," a delighted Primat said. "To race at Le Mans in an LMP1 car and carry the Swiss flag is fantastic for me and I'm really looking forward to it."

Like Primat, Fassler started in open-wheel racing prior to turning to the German Touring Car Masters Championship where he spent the last six years, racing for two teams over the years.

"To join 'Swiss Spirit' is a great opportunity for me and I would like to thank Serge and the team for their confidence. I am very proud of carrying the flag for my country and I will do everything I can to bring home good results," Fassler said. "This is a new start for me following my six years of racing in DTM with Mercedes and Opel and I think that we are going to have a great time."

Fassler has run one endurance race: Nurburgring 24 Hours, in 2004, the DTM Opel racer had the opportunity so even though his is not "a sportscar racer", he has a 24 hour experience. A fact that will standing him in good stead if the team receives the coveted invitation for Le Mans.

"When I saw the new LMP1 Courage for the first time on Monday afternoon, I was blown away - it looks stunning! If we get to race it at Le Mans it'll be the realization of a dream I have had since I actually lived there from '95-'98," commented Fassler. "So, while I don't know the track very well, it's fair to say that my road-car has done more than a few laps! I am convinced that we can have a good race at Le Mans -- if we receive an entry!"

"I'm not a complete 24-hour race virgin either -- I once did the Nurburgring 24 Hours for Opel in 2004 with a DTM Astra!", added Fassler.

The aim is to finish in the top-five, which would be a major result for our first year. The Swiss Spirit team has one main goal in their three-year dedicated to sportscar racing -- to stand on the top step at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and to place a Swiss driver on the step, a feat that has never been accomplished in the 73 year history of premier sportscar race.

Saulnier believes he has the right driver combination: "As for the drivers, we are lucky to have Harold Primat and Marcel Fassler. I have been working with Harold since 2003, we know each other well and we have a great complicity. Harold is a fast and reliable driver and he has absolutely the right profile for an endurance racer.

"Marcel Fassler is one of the fastest Swiss drivers around and has always been at the top of my list. I am a great admirer of his, both in terms of his driving talent and of his approach - he is quiet, professional and has exceptional attention to detail."

Hong Kong

Hong Kong's greatest motor racing driver, Charles Kwan, is coming out of retirement to boost the SAR's pioneering Le Mans team.

The track legend has agreed to compete for Noble Group-GruppeM Racing if they are invited to the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

Kwan, 42, retired after the 2004 Macau Grand Prix following an illustrious 20-year career in the sport.

But the lure of driving for Hong Kong's official team in the world's greatest sports car race has proved too strong.

"I had a great career and I'm happy in retirement, so it's fair to say Le Mans is the only race that can get me back behind the wheel," said Kwan.

"The Hong Kong Le Mans team is a fantastic project and, after giving it careful thought, I've agreed to be one of the drivers.

"I'll obviously need to do some testing and it's possible I may compete in a couple of races here in Asia as a warm-up, but I don't think it will take me long to get back to the level I was at."

Kwan was already an off-track advisor to Noble Group-GruppeM Racing but now, after months of intense lobbying from team spearhead and fellow driver Matthew Marsh, he has agreed to put on his racing suit once more.

"Matthew has been very persuasive!" laughed Kwan. "But, seriously, I've been following the team with interest and they've had some good results. I'm impressed by what they've achieved.

"Now, I'm looking forward to going to Le Mans and flying the flag for Hong Kong."

Kwan carved his name in Macau Grand Prix folklore in 1993 when he became the only driver in the event's history to win three races in the same weekend - the Macau Cup in a Group A BMW M3, the Supercar Race in a Porsche 911 Turbo and the Guia Race aboard a DTM BMW M3.

He capped his career by winning the inaugural Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia series in 2003.

Marsh was delighted by Kwan's decision. "This is fantastic news," he said. "Charles is, quite simply, the finest driver Hong Kong has ever produced and to have him back behind the wheel for our team is a massive boost. When I conceived this project it was all about driving with Charles in the world's greatest race. This is not only the final piece of the jigsaw - it's the whole picture."

Noble Group-GruppeM Racing are attempting to become the first Hong Kong team to compete at Le Mans.

The team, which races a bauhinia-emblazoned Porsche GT3 RSR, was launched last June. Being unable then to lure Kwan from retirement, Marsh gave up-and-coming local racer Darryl O'Young the opportunity to share the driving with him in series of six-hour races in Europe as well as last October's three-hour FIA GT race at Zhuhai.

A two-man team is enough for six-hour races but three will be needed for the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours. The identity of the third driver will be confirmed soon.

Marsh has just submitted the team's entry application to the Le Mans organisers, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), and will learn in March whether it has been accepted.

"In most cases, entry to Le Mans is by invitation only and is at the discretion of the ACO," he explained. "They take into account various factors, including results, organisation and capability, as well as what a team can bring to the race in terms of profile and publicity.

"Given our performances, the media interest we have generated and the fact that we would feature the first ever Chinese driver at Le Mans, we're quite hopeful."