List of mounting injuries

[Juan Powerblow]

[29/03/05 - 13:26]Webber races through the pain Australian star racing with a broken ribWebber pushing hard for BMW Williams According to reports from Australia, BMW Williams racer Mark Webber has been contesting the opening races of the season with a broken rib. MNews state that a slightly ill fitting seat in pre- season testing in Barcelona saw Webber fracture a rib. With pain killing injections Webber was able to race to fifth position in Melbourne while the pain has subsided somewhat by the Malaysian Grand Prix. However, he opted not to test last week in Barcelona to allow the injury more time to heal. The injury is not expected to compromise his Bahrain weekend too much as he will be back on track and aiming to move up from ninth position in the driver standings. McLaren Mercedes meanwhile have yet to make any further announcement regarding Juan Pablo Montoya’s injured shoulder. Pedro de la Rosa is expected to take the Colombian’s seat should he be unable to race. Earl ALEXANDER© CAPSIS International

 

[Juan Powerblow]

[30/03/05 - 13:15]

Juan Pablo Montoya will miss Bahrain
McLaren confirm Pedro de la Rosa over Wurz





With over 2000KM in the MP4-20, de la Rosa
gets the nod to replace injured Montoya


McLaren Mercedes has confirmed this morning that Juan Pablo Montoya is unable to take part in the Bahrain Grand Prix this coming weekend, as a result of an injury he sustained whilst playing tennis during the Easter weekend.

Montoya was playing tennis with his personal trainer in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday morning when he slipped and fell, sustaining a minor hairline fracture to his left scapula. Following a number of tests, scans and an examination by one of McLaren’s medical consultants, the team has been advised that Montoya should rest to allow for the injury to heal.

Further scans will take place in two weeks time to verify the healing process, but at this stage the team fully expects Montoya to be able to compete in the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola on 24th April 2005.

The team's nominated test driver for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Pedro de la Rosa will race the MP4-20 in Juan Pablo’s place. The team’s other test driver Alexander Wurz will pilot the third car during Friday’s two practice sessions.

Pedro de la Rosa has undertaken 2168 kilometres of testing with the MP4-20 since late January whilst Alex has been focusing on Michelin tyre development with the MP4-19B.



Subsequently after a discussion between the team and Wurz, it was decided that on this particular occasion de la Rosa was better equipped to race at the Bahrain Grand Prix. However following the Bahrain Grand Prix, Wurz will commence his testing programme with the MP4-20, and will be able to share the test driver duties with de la Rosa at future races.

Juan Pablo Montoya
“I’m obviously disappointed not to be able to race this coming weekend. However driving a Formula One car is hard work and it would be impossible to do with my injury and whilst it’s difficult, we have to follow the advice from the medical experts. I’m going to take it easy for a few weeks and cheer for the team in front of the TV. I’m already looking forward to getting back into action as soon as possible. At least it’s early in the season and a lot can happen, so I don’t think my championship challenge is over.”

Pedro de la Rosa
“First of all I would like to wish Juan Pablo a speedy recovery. As one of the test drivers for Team McLaren Mercedes this is really an extension of my existing track side responsibilities. I’m looking forward to the challenge of racing in Bahrain and will do my best. It will be a new experience as I have not competed in Bahrain before. I know the team and the car very well from our comprehensive testing programme and hopefully we will be able to put in a strong performance. I’m definitely going to enjoy this opportunity as much as I can.”



Wurz gets to run the MP4-20 for the first time
in practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix

Alex Wurz
“It goes without saying that I would have preferred to be the one racing the MP4-20 at the Bahrain Grand Prix. However the team and I agreed this was the best solution for this race and I am excited that I will be able to drive the MP4-20 for the first time on Friday in Bahrain. Like the rest of the team I also want to wish Juan Pablo all the best.”

Ron Dennis
“It’s in situations like these that Pedro and Alex roles become even more crucial within the team and I’m confident that both drivers will put in strong performances during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. We will continue to monitor Juan Pablo’s progress over the coming weeks and are aiming to get him back in the car as soon as possible.”

Norbert Haug
“Unfortunately Juan Pablo can’t race at Bahrain due to his shoulder injury. I wish Juan Pablo a speedy recovery, so that he will be in a position to compete in the next race at Imola again. I am convinced that Pedro will do a competent job having covered more than 2000 Kilometres of testing with the MP4-20. He and Kimi will be efficiently supported by Alex when he will drive the MP4-20 for the first time during Friday’s free practices.”

E.A.
Source McLaren

 

[Juan Powerblow]

[31/03/05 - 16:50]

Webber aiming for podium after injury clear-up
The Williams driver is 90 percent fit





Mark Webber


Australian Mark Webber is hoping to fight for a podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix here Sunday after returning to full fitness following a recent rib injury.

Webber, who joined front-runners Williams at the start of the season, suffered broken ribs during pre-season testing because of an ill- fitting seat and raced through the pain barrier in the first two Grands Prix of the year. He finished fifth in the season opener in Australia, equalling his best ever Formula One finish, but crashed out while challenging for third place with Italian Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella in Malaysia.

Now he is "90 percent fit" he expects his Williams team to be fighting with McLaren and Toyota for a podium place while the Renault drivers, who have won the first two races, cruise into the distance again.

"The injury's a lot better than it was the last few weeks," said Webber. "It has settled down now. It was alright (in Malaysia) when the adrenaline got going but it is actually just pre and post, when you are out of the car. It didn't affect my driving at all, just the sleeping and all the boring little things like doing shoelaces up and things like that, it just does your head in."



"I hope we can sniff for a podium this weekend. Toyota are strong, McLaren, we haven't seen really what they can do yet, but they are the quick teams. I think it is Renault then after that Williams, Toyota and McLaren very close."

Williams had expected to be off the lead pace at the start of this season after admitting that pre-season testing had not run as planned and the car was not as fast as they had hoped. But Webber has been pleasantly surprised by his team's performance so far, with team-mate Nick Heidfeld securing third place after Webber's demise at the last race in Sepang, Malaysia.

"Yeah, we are surprised at where we are," he said. "That's good, but you never want to lift off. We have got some stuff coming through which is obviously going to help us and the improvement is there."

"Williams have shown in the past that they can ramp up in the season quite well and BMW have done a good job of the engine, so it is going alright. But it would be nice to get ahead of the group and get ahead of the Renaults."

Ferrari are also expected to move back into the mix this weekend after struggling in the first two races with their uncompetitive modified version of the championship winning F2004. They will bring their new car to the Bahrain circuit for its debut race, having rushed it forward two races after an intense period of testing which assured them it would be race ready.

Webber is still unsure how much the new Ferrari will improve their pace but he insisted that the Italian team are at their most dangerous after the disappointments they experienced in the first two races.

"It is impossible to say (on the new Ferrari)," said Webber. "They were very slow in Malaysia, it was very unusual and it was good to see them having a hard time. We all like to try and win but it is good that Ferrari are going through a bit of a lean patch, it's nice to see! But that is when they are strongest and they will be back."

Source AFP