Michael Schumacher's recovery is going to take a "long time" and he faces a "hard fight", according to his manager has said on the first anniversary of his skiing accident.
The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion suffered severe head injuries exactly one year ago today while on a family holiday at the Meribel resort, situated in the French Alps.
"We need a long time. It is going to be a long time and a hard fight," Sabine Kehm told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation," she added, echoing comments made earlier this year.
He was initially cared for at Grenoble's University Hospital and underwent two operations before being transferred in June to a rehabilitation clinic in Switzerland. It was at this point it was announced he was no longer in a coma.
Schumacher left hospital back in September, with a statement then confirming his rehabilitation will continue at home.
Speaking after he went home, Kehm said: "Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months.
"There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead."
Basically the last post for 2014 as I am taking a few weeks off with my family and try to enjoy Christmas. All that means is a Happy Christmas/Holidays to you all and see you in 2015.
Bye.
During my first post of 2014. I did a post on five racing predictions for 2014, and the post was really a fun post on five predictions that may happen in 2014. But the main question is did I got any right? let see:
Number 1, 13-0 for VW in the WRC this season.
Well almost happen with 12 wins, but it could have been 13 Rally wins but for Jari-Matti Latvala crashing out of Rally Germany in August on the last day of the rally with three stages to go to give Hyundai and Thierry Neuville their first ever WRC win. So basically I got it Wrong.
Number 2, Nico Rosberg Formula 1 World Champion 2014.
With Nico Rosberg finishing in second place in the F1 Drivers' Championship this season with 67 points (42 points if double points didn't happen in Abu Dhabi) behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the end of the season. Nico Rosberg could have won the Drivers' title in the end but didn't happen. So this prediction was Wrong.
Number 3, Toyota to win the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Toyota did win this years World Endurance Championship with Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi. But didn't win this years 24 Hours of Le Mans, despite they were leading mid-way through, that went to Audi once again. So once again, I got a prediction Wrong.
Number 4, Nicky Hayden to score more points than the works Ducati riders.
With top Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso finishing in fifth place in the MotoGP Riders' Championship with 187 points. Nicky Hayden could only managed a sixteenth place finish in the standings with 47 points, despite Hayden missed five races due to injury. Possibly the worse prediction of 2014 I got that prediction completely and utterly Wrong.
Number 5, Marussia or Caterham finally scoring a point in Formula 1.
This last prediction did happen with Marussia, which I got it Right. A ninth place finish (eighth on the road minus penalties) for Jules Bianchi at Monaco gives Marussia their first points in Formula 1, and ninth place in the Constructors' that means ahead of both Sauber and Caterham in the standings. Despite the team went into administration, and missed the last three races of the season and the team folded during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
So basically I got one out of five right. More fun predictions in 2015.
End of post for now, new post soon, bye.
It was announce this afternoon (19/12/14) that former Toro Rosso driver Jean-Éric Vergne will be Ferrari's test driver during the 2015 season.
Vergne will be the teams test driver and will focus on car development in the simulator, and will now move across to Ferrari, where he joins recently-appointed test and reserve driver Esteban Gutiérrez in providing support to Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen. While Ferrari, also confirmed today that it has parted company with development driver and former McLaren F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa after two years with the team.
Vergne made his Grand Prix debut with Toro Rosso in 2012 and raced for the team, for the last three seasons, after eight seasons as a Junior Red Bull driver.
End of blog for now. New post soon. Bye.
Second part of my Formula 1 2014 Season Review, this post will includes my top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2013. And my final thoughts of Formula 1 2014.
Starting of with My Top Formula 1 drivers of 2014, this is the part who was in my top 10 this season, not in championship order, not in championship order, so his list doesn't includes the likes of Sergio Pérez or Kimi Räikkonen for example, its just only opinion folks. But, before I start an honourable mention to Jules Bianchi who's not on the list, but was in the mid-season review, as he scored two points in Monaco, and some impressive qualifying and races this season. And hoping for a quick recovering for the former Marussia driver.
Anyway, here is my list below.
My Top Formula 1 drivers of 2014:
10. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren) - A second place finish in his debut race, and as fast in some races as his much experience team-mate Jenson Button; sadly back as a reserve driver at McLaren next season.
9. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - Only four podiums in 2014, unreliable and underpowered Renault power unit has cost Sebastian Vettel to defend his title this season, still fast as ever, off to Ferrari in 2015.
8. Jenson Button (McLaren) - Consistently fast and reliable this season despite a slow car from McLaren this season.
7. Fillipe Massa (Ferrari) - Impressive drives at Monza, São Paulo and possibly winning the races at Montreal and Yas Marina this season, can win races in 2015 if Williams gives him the right car.
6. Nico Hülkenberg (Force India) - Consistently fast and reliable this season, and impressive drives at Sepang, Bahrain, Monaco and Yas Marina this season.
5. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - Fast as ever, consistent, some great race performances at Shanghai and Hungaroring this season, despite having a very slow car this season, back to McLaren for next season.
4. Valtteri Bottas (Williams) - Impressive second season in Formula 1, which includes impressive drives at the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, Hockenheim and Sochi.
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) - Some great wins at Montreal, Hungaroring and Spa this season, out-performing his four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, and if Red Bull and Renault gives him a reliable and fast car next season, his got a change of winning the drivers' championship in 2015.
2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) - Despite losing out to Hamilton to the drivers' championship this season, it was coming of age season for Rosberg of that he can challenge the top drivers for titles in years to come.
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - Best driver on the grid this season with Eleven Grand Prix wins to concluded with his second drivers' championship this season.
Overall, possibly one of the most dominating seasons I have seen from a team in Formula 1, sixteen out of nineteen wins and eleven one-two finishes, which beaten the records from the 1988 season, which makes the Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid the most dominant F1 race car in Formula 1 History to give Mercedes their first ever Constructors' Championship. While both Mercedes drivers challenge for the Drivers' title and both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg took the title battle to the last race of the race to conclude with Lewis Hamilton winning the 2014 World Drivers' Title and his second F1 Drivers' title in his Formula 1 career. Bring on Formula 1 2015.
End of the two part posts of this seasons F1 review. A new shorter post soon. Bye.
Two parter Formula One season review of the 2014 season. In this post I will review each team of 2014. Which, I will say one sentence that will be positive with each team. And one sentence that will be negative for each team. So starting with Mercedes below.
Mercedes:
+ Best car and drivers on the grid with the F1 W05 Hybrid, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, with 18 poles, 16 race wins, a Constructors' Title and a Drivers' Title with Lewis Hamilton.
- The race at Spa did cost the team a race win with both drivers squabbling with each other on the second lap, but Mercedes did control both afterwards with their rivalry.
Red Bull:
+ Some impressive performances from Daniel Ricciardo this season which includes three race wins, despite an under performing race car
- An unreliable and underpowered Renault power unit has cost Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel for both championships this season and replacing Sebastian Vettel for 2015 season will be a touch challenge to replace him at Red Bull, Daniil Kvyat will have a touch challenge ahead.
Williams:
+ Some great performances from Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa this season, which includes races at Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, Hockenheim, and Sochi for Bottas, and Monza, Interlagos and Yas Marina with a much improve Williams race car underneath from last season; which concluded finishing in third place in the constructors championship this season with 320 points.
- A few too many DNFs from Felipe Massa this season, which includes three DNFs from the first lap cost Williams second place in the constructors championship this season, overall a great season for Williams.
Ferrari:
+ Some great race performances from Fernando Alonso, which includes a second place at the Hungaroring.
- An underpowered and thirsty Ferrari power unit has not helped the team, and return of Kimi Räikkönen has not produced a great race this season; which concluded a fourth place finish in the Constructors and losing Fernando Alonso for 2015 season will be a touch challenge to replace him at Ferrari, despite Sebastian Vettel will be replacing Alonso.
McLaren:
+ A much better season from last year and Honda power units are on their way for the 2015 season.
- The car was too slow this season, McLaren needs a faster car next season as they got both Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso next season.
Force India:
+ Some impressive performances from Nico Hülkenberg this season after a season away from Force India, and a third place finish for Sergio Pérez in Bahrain.
- Like in 2013, 59 points since Hungaroring compare to McLaren's 84 points, the second half season development of the car has cost Force India fifth place in the constructors championship.
Scuderia Toro Rosso:
+ Some impressive drives from Daniil Kvyat have put him in the main Red Bull team next season.
- An unreliable and underpowered Renault power unit has cost Toro Rosso more points then they have this season and also letting Jean-Éric Vergne go could bite the team back next season if the inexperience Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, Jr. doesn't work.
Lotus:
+ Mercedes-Benz power units are on their way for the 2015 season.
- An unreliable and underpowered Renault power unit and the E22 has been poor this season, only 10 points this season compared to 315 points from last season.
Marussia:
+ A ninth place for Jules Bianchi at Monaco gives Marussia their first points in Formula 1, and ninth place in the Constructors' that means ahead of Sauber in the standings.
- Jules Bianchi heavy crash at Suzuka shocked the team, team in administration, missed the last three races, and the heavy expenditure of Formula 1 cost Marussia a place in Formula 1 for 2015 and possibly forever in Formula 1.
Sauber:
+ A good race performance from Adrian Sutil in Qualifying at Austin.
- Where to start, an overweight and unreliable C33, a thirsty and underpowered Ferrari power unit, a not so fast Esteban Gutiérrez hasn't helped at all to conclude with no points; tenth in the constructors, worse season ever for Sauber in Formula 1.
Caterham:
+ Impressive Monaco race for Marcus Ericsson finishing in eleventh place,
- Slowest car on the grid this season despite improvements late on the season, still no points, Tony Fernandes has sold the team to a consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors with no understanding on who owns the team, team in debt, Caterham in administration, missed two races this season, an uncertainty future for Caterham ahead.
In part 2 of Formula 1 2014 Season Review my top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2014. And my final thoughts of Formula 1 2014.
But for now, end of post for now. A new post soon. Bye.
It was announce this afternoon (15/12/14) that former Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez will be Ferrari's test and reserve driver during the 2015 season.
Gutierrez made his Grand Prix debut with Sauber in 2013 and raced for the team with the last two seasons, after two seasons competing in the GP2 Series.
End of blog for now. New post soon. Bye.
