http://mclaren.com The official Vodafone McLaren Mercedes website en hourly 1 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:30:20 +0000 http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/12/2010-bahrain-grand-prix--free-practice http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/12/2010-bahrain-grand-prix--free-practice Full results after the first day's practice at Sakhir.   LEWIS HAMILTON MP4-25-02 P1 programme 19 laps 1m57.163s (+.580s) 6th P2 programme    22 laps  1m55.854s (+.445s) 2nd “Out on track, it’s been very hot so tyre degradation of both compounds has been pretty high. But I think the degradation is something we can handle; you build it into your driving style and moderate the approach to each lap. Still, it’s difficult to know what laptime to target when you’re on a long run. The less you push at the beginning of a stint, the more there is left to push at the end. But it’s difficult to know exactly, and we’re still trying to understand that. “The new section of track seems to be very bumpy and tricky – but everyone’s in the same boat. Equally, our car feels very heavy with a high fuel-load – it doesn’t want to stop under braking – but through the high-speed corners it feels quite well balanced. It’s just getting the car stopped that’s tricky: it doesn’t stop as well as when it’s on low tanks. “Overall, today didn’t feel too bad. We still don’t really have a full understanding of where all the teams are because everyone was running different fuel-loads. As a result, the positions on today’s timesheets don’t really reflect overall pace too much yet.”   JENSON BUTTON MP4-25-03 P1 programme   19 laps   1m57.068s (+.485s) 5th P2 programme                                                               28 laps                                 1m56.076s (+.667s) 4th “Today’s shown us that looking after the rear tyres is very difficult here, especially on the softer compound. So you find yourself driving with a lot of oversteer through most of the stint. “The new section of track is very bumpy. Turns Six and Seven are particularly tough because you’re trying to brake as late as you can, and, if you do that, the car hits the ground, you bounce all over the place and it’s very difficult to see where you’re going. So you have to brake earlier, and more gently, so the front doesn’t dip through that part of the corner – and that positions you better for the next turn. “We’re still working on our set-up – and that’s not something you can really do in the second session because you’re working on a tyre back-to-back programme and the track’s so busy. We know where the car is now and we know where we want it to be, so there’s work to be done this evening to improve things overnight. “I think we did an okay job today. We can be reasonably happy with the performance of the car, although we know there are areas we still need to work on. The basic car is working well, but we’re not quite there with the balance yet.”   MARTIN WHITMARSH Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes “After a long and incredibly busy winter, it’s fantastic to be back competing at a racetrack with all our competitors – particularly here in Bahrain, where our hosts always do so much to make every team feel so welcome. It’s a fantastic venue and the perfect place to kick off the world championship. “Of course, today was very much about establishing a benchmark for the rest of the weekend. With the track still very green and dusty and, in some places, quite bumpy, we concentrated on establishing a solid base set-up for both drivers before moving on to evaluate the two tyre compounds over the course of several longer stints. “As you’d expect, the larger fuel-loads still make accurate comparison of the teams difficult, but we’re optimistic that our pace relative to our closest rivals appears to be competitive. “This afternoon, Lewis had a small issue when the nosebox camera detached itself during a run – but it caused no damage and he was able to continue. “Our focus now turns towards understanding each tyre’s behaviour and finessing the car’s balance for tomorrow afternoon’s qualifying session. We feel we’ve made a solid start to our weekend.”   Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:42:03 +0000 http://mclaren.com/article/2010/bahrain-practice-2-results http://mclaren.com/article/2010/bahrain-practice-2-results Position Driver Constructor Time Laps 1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:55.409 23 2 Lewis Hamilton Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 1:55.854 22 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:55.903 23 4 Jenson Button Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 1:56.076 28 5 Sebastian Vettel Renault 1:56.459 18 6 Nico Hulkenberg Williams 1:56.501 26 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:56.555 30 8 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1:56.750 26 9 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:57.140 25 10 Pedro de la Rosa Sauber 1:57.255 24 11 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1:57.352 27 12 Adrian Sutil Force India  1:57.361 29 13 Rubens Barrichello Williams 1:57.452 21 14 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India 1:57.833 29 15 Robert Kubica Renault 1:58.155 29 16 Jaime Alguersuari Torro Roso 1:59.799 31 17 Mark Webber Renault 2:00.444 12 18 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus 2:00.873 23 19 Jarno Trulli Lotus 2:00.990 14 20 Timo Glock Virgin 2:02.037 3 21 Lucas di Grassi Virgin 2:02.188 21 22 Bruno Senna HRT 2:06.968 17 23 Sebastien Buemi Torro Roso No time 1 24 Karun Chandhok HRT No time 0 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:28:45 +0000 http://mclaren.com/article/2010/bahrain-practice-1-results http://mclaren.com/article/2010/bahrain-practice-1-results Position Driver Constructor Time Laps 1 A. Sutil Force India 1:56.583 18 2 F. Alonso Ferrari 1:56.766 18 3 R. Kubica Renault 1:57.041 19 4 F. Massa Ferrari 1:57.055 19 5 J. Button Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 1:57.068 19 6 L. Hamilton Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 1:57.163 19 7 V. Liuzzi Force India 1:57.194 19 8 N. Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:57.199 15 9 M. Webber Red Bull 1:57.255 17 10 M. Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:57.662 16 11 J. Alguersuari Toro Rossa 1:57.722 18 12 N. Hulkenberg Williams 1:57.894 20 13 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:57.943 17 14 S. Buemi Toro Rossa 1:58.399 13 15 R. Barrichello Williams 1:58.782 11 16 V. Petrov Renault 1:58.880 13 17 P. de la Rosa Sauber 2:00.250 18 18 K. Kobayashi Sauber 2:01.388 11 19 T. Glock Virgin 2:03.680 8 20 H. Kovalainen Lotus 2:03.848 21 21 J. Trulli Lotus 2:03.970 15 22 L. di Grassi Virgin   2 23 B. Senna HRT   3 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:57:41 +0000 http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/11/2010-bahrain-grand-prix---thursday-press-conference-transcript http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/11/2010-bahrain-grand-prix---thursday-press-conference-transcript DRIVERS: Fernando ALONSO (Ferrari), Jenson BUTTON (McLaren), Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren), Felipe MASSA (Ferrari), Michael SCHUMACHER (Mercedes GP) Q: A question to all of you. What are you most looking forward to during this season? Who is going to start? The World Champion.Jenson BUTTON: The same as all of us I think, and that is getting out there. It has been a few months since we actually raced for three of us here, so getting out there and racing, that’s what we all love. Testing is part of the job but racing is the bit what we really enjoy. I am looking forward to getting out there. It is such a competitive season, it looks like. It is possibly one of the most exciting seasons we have seen in Formula One, so just being a part of that is very special. Q: Lewis, what are you most looking forward to?Lewis HAMILTON:  Just getting on the track. Testing was good fun but obviously we did not have as much testing as we have had in the past and the more time in the car the more fun we have. Just looking forward to it all kicking off and to see where everyone else sits. Q: Felipe?Felipe MASSA: Well, to get back to racing after eight months. It is a long time. I am looking forward to getting back to racing, to starting in a good direction after as Lewis said not many tests. But it is nice to be back racing. Q: Michael, after an even longer absence what are you looking forward to? And welcome back.Michael SCHUMACHER: Thank you. The green light or the red light going off. Q: The green light or rather when the red goes off?MS: Yes.FM: You are very motivated. You are already in the overalls.MS: Exactly. Q: Fernando?Fernando ALONSO: The same as everybody. Just starting the competition, the racing. Testing is okay but it is just preparation for the race itself, so looking forward to Sunday. Q: Who has walked around the circuit? Any of you? Michael, what are your thoughts on the new section of the circuit? It is all probably fairly new to you.MS: The first part looks quite exciting. The later part a little less exciting, but then you have to drive it and feel it in reality. Q: Has anyone else been around the circuit to have a look at it? Jenson, been around the circuit?JB: No, we are going out this afternoon. Q: Lewis?LH: The same. Q: Jenson, a new team. What are the greatest changes and challenges for you?JB: I think moving teams. I was with my previous team for seven years, so moving teams can be tricky. It is a completely new environment, it is a real challenge and most of us do not really like change, but it has been good. Even after sort of two months I really feel part of the team. We have not even gone racing yet and I feel a big part of the team. I have always worked very hard to make myself fit into a team reasonably well but the team have been great. They are so hungry for a good season. Last year for them was not the best and it has made them hungry for success this year. It has been good and having the simulator there has helped me a lot to get used to the environment of being in this car. I spent a lot of time at the factory, not just with the engineers, just spending time at the factory, so I am part of the furniture there. Testing has gone well as well. It is important to really use every second or every minute you are with the team as it comes around very quickly. We have Friday and Saturday morning before qualifying but it is not a lot of time, so you have got to be ready for when you arrive here in Bahrain. Q: Having number one and being World Champion on the car. How motivating is that or is it even restrictive?JB: I can’t see it as restrictive in any way. You should look at it in a positive way. Stepping into the car and seeing the number one on it is a very special feeling, especially here in Bahrain at the first race. Just before I put on my helmet and I look at the car and see the No 1 it is going to be an emotional moment but as soon as you step into the car and close your visor last season is out the window and you are purely focussed on this year. Q: You won here last year. Is it a good circuit for you?JB: I like it. It is a fun circuit to drive and it is a place you can overtake which is great. The new section is pretty slow. There are nine new corners on the circuit and most of them are slow now, so it is tricky and I look forward to getting out there and seeing what we make of it as it is difficult walking around it and trying to understand it. The simulator is useful but still in reality it is nice to get out there and feel it in the car. I hope it does make overtaking better but I am not sure if that is going to be the case. I think it could possibly make the racing more exciting as it is very tricky, so I look forward to getting out on the circuit tomorrow morning. Q: Lewis, the man next to you is the reigning World Champion. How does that change things for you? Is that extra motivation?LH: I don’t think it makes a huge difference. Jenson has been welcomed into the team and he seems to be doing a great job, very productive, enthusiastic and he has really brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the team. I can only see it as a positive. On my side, for me, just from coming from not so good a year last year but to finish on quite a high I feel just as determined as ever if not more. Q: Which of the rule changes has been the most challenging as far as you are concerned?LH: Probably just being a little bit heavier. Otherwise it has been pretty straight forward. Just trying to understand the tyres a little bit and understand the approach to the long stints being a little bit different to last year on lighter fuel but otherwise it is pretty straight forward. I am sure this weekend will be a challenge for everyone but we are all in the same boat. Q: You finished second here in 2007, the first time you came here.LH: That seems like a long time ago. We had a good car back then. The last two years things haven’t been particularly special but hopefully this weekend will be a new start for us and hopefully a positive for me and Jenson. Q: Felipe, a big welcome back to you. What is it like to return, to be back in the car and back at a race meeting again?FM: It is just nice to be back in business. That is my job for many years. I have lost a bit of races and just nice to be back. I feel really happy and a lot of motivation to get back to the job. Q: You are a former winner here, but also in the past you have had some slow parts to the season. Is that something you are conscious of and determined to change?FM: I think it is something that we understood in the past that the first race is important to finish, important to score points. Even in the last years we always had some problems in the car to finish the race. That I hope doesn’t happen. I hope we can finish most of the races in good points as we know at the end of the season it is always important to be there on a good amount of points. Many people say at the beginning of the season what is important is the reliability. Reliability is always important. It is important to finish the race. We did a lot of kilometres in the winter test which helps when you have a good car to start the season. Q: Michael, what’s it like to be back at a race meeting when you are a driver and fully involved after an absence of three years?MS: Well, naturally it is a bit more intense. From the morning to the evening with lots more details than you want and naturally you have to pay attention. Q: How much are you still team building? People have spoken how you built a team at Ferrari. What is happening at Mercedes now?MS: I think it is difficult to say right now what is going to be the development. Naturally you have to adapt, you have to evolve developing into the team. It is probably the thing that you will find some potential, you still can improve, to understand how at certain moments the team will work, why it will work, how you can combine the two things. But so far I have to say that the guys are good guys. It is good harmony, particularly due to knowing the boss quite well and he knows me too. It makes things a lot easier, a lot smoother, but otherwise I am sure there is some potential we will have to develop. Q: You are a two-time winner here. What are your feelings about this circuit?MS: Making it three. Q: Fernando is a two-time winner as well, aren’t you?FA: Yes, three also. Q: But Fernando, again new team, new challenges. What are the major challenges? What are the major changes?FA: As Jenson said I think every time you change team you need to adapt yourself a little bit to the new people, the new philosophy of working, of preparing the season. It has been a great time so far. I have been very comfortable with the team from day one to now, so I think we arrive at the first race with a good preparation and ready for the fight. Q: Ferrari have been said to be one of the two top teams. Is that the way you see it?FA: Not really. We are not comparing too much the times in winter or making many predictions for these first races. We have just been concentrating on our programme to try to be as prepared a possible for the first race. I think the four teams - Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari - any of the four teams can be a favourite for this race and for the first part of the championship with, I am sure, some teams also like Sauber and Force India, they will have a very good race as well. I think we will do our best. We are well prepared for this start of the season but we want to be World Champions in November, not in March. We will do our best but the goal is to win the championship and we know this is not easy at all and we need to work very hard for 10 months, so it is only the start. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR Q: For all the drivers. If it was up to you and not working groups or the FIA, would you choose this year’s regulation regarding the refuelling ban and heavy cars at the start or last year’s regulation when it was a sprint from pit stop to pit stop?FA: I am happy with any decision. It is just a new challenge for all of us. For the engineers, teams, drivers it is change in Formula One, so any change is normally welcome as it offers you the possibility of discovering some new area of our sport. I am happy with the change but I was happy last year. We will see. We need to give some time to the new regulations to see how the races are. If we see more overtaking, if not? Maybe the races are very spectacular or maybe the races are very boring. We need to wait and see a few races to see if the new regulations are working or not.MS: Last year... yeah, for the simple fact it leaves more scope for strategy. Naturally, as a race driver you want to drive the fastest car and if you have full tanks to half full tanks it naturally makes a big difference. FM: I think the regulations have to be good for everybody: for the drivers, for the teams but also a lot for the guys who are watching the race. It’s very difficult to say which ones (regulations) I prefer, the new ones or the ones from last year. We haven’t yet done a single race, it’s very early to say which one I prefer, but I think if it’s good to everybody - for the moment I don’t think anybody is against the regulations, so if it’s good for everybody, it should be no problem to change. It’s also a new challenge for everybody, as Fernando says, so we just need to focus on every new point and try to do the best. LH: I think it’s a new challenge in the sport for all of us and the key is that we’re moving forward, so I’m excited to see how it works and I’m sure we will do everything we can, collectively, to put on a good show. JB: I think everything’s been said. I think turn one’s going to be pretty interesting with that much fuel – going down to turn one. I think we forget about qualifying as well. Qualifying is different to last year: we will be running on low tanks all the way through, which is great. I think we will have more of an understanding after qualifying than the last couple of seasons with the cars on low fuel. But I think the differences from qualifying to the races will be bigger than we’ve seen before. Some cars will be very good on light fuel, maybe not so good on 150/160 kilos of fuel, so it’s going to be interesting to see. Q: Michael, do you remember how you felt coming into the sport for the first time, up against champions who you had watched, the likes of Senna and Prost and so on? With your record and reputation, you’re very much the man to beat; is it going to be everyone else’s aim to attack you and challenge you on the track? MS: Yes. Basically when I arrived, I wasn’t that full of confidence to be on the same playing field but being with them the first time, I noticed that I could be (competitive) and I do feel pretty much the same now. There’s no reason why somebody should not feel in the position to fight me because all those guys who will be on the grid on Sunday have good reasons to be there because they’re highly talented. I have the greatest respect for each of them; for me, each one is a big competitor that I have to look at. Q: Michael, you always said you don’t like understeer in your cars, and this year, due to the weight of the car, the tyres, the nature of the cars, you have understeer. Do you think that because of that we may not see the best of you? MS: I think it varies very much from car to car, it’s a characteristic which is given to a car. Sometimes, you’re right, it may be given by the tyres, then it’s up to you and your team to get the balance that you want, because in the past, don’t forget a car suited me because I like oversteer, I like a neutral car, the fastest car, whatever that is! Q: Fernando, you’ve talked about settling in; do you think you’re ready to win? And what do you think of Michael coming back?FA: Yes, I think I’m ready to win. Every time you arrive at the first race of the championship you’ve been preparing yourself all winter for this moment, so I’ve been waiting very long to be here at Ferrari as well, many years of preparation for this moment, so now I feel ready to fight and hopefully we’re in a position to do that. To have Michael here, OK -  it was a surprise for sure when he came back but as I said many times, it’s a very good thing for all of us, for all the drivers, for our sport and that can only help Formula One and because we are part of Formula One, all the drivers, it also helps us, so I am very happy that he’s here and hopefully we can have good fights. Q: Question to Jenson and Lewis: just been watching the dynamic between you two guys while the other three have been answering questions at the front. You’ve been having a good laugh and a joke, sharing comments etc. Is that a good indicator of the friendship/relationship you two have already developed over the past few weeks together? JB: It’s all for show! Exactly what we were told to do by Steve (press officer Steve Cooper). LH: I agree. We’re focusing on a potential move to acting in the future! JB: And no one’s asking us any questions, so… Q: I have a question for you, Jenson. How do you feel about defending your title this season against Fernando in the Ferrari, Michael back at Mercedes, Lewis in the same equipment as you will have? Do you feel you will need a dominant start again this weekend? JB: Yes, I think every championship, for any champion, I think it’s important to be quick out of the blocks. If you look back, normally the guy that really fights for the championship and gets the championship is strong from the word ‘go’, so yes, I think it is important for all of us to be up there at the front here in Bahrain. The competition is very fierce, I must say, but that’s why it is exciting. For a fan of Formula One, this season should be electric, it really should be. If it’s not, we’re doing something seriously wrong. It’s obviously great to have Felipe back after his horrific accident last year. Great to have Michael back because it makes me feel young again! Looking at this race, I don’t think there have been so many competitive drivers in competitive cars for a long time, so it’s great to see. Q: To all of you, will the new distribution of points with 25 for the first, 18 to the second, change your approach and maybe your strategy for the race? MS: You still want to score the 25, so that’s the main strategy. It’s certainly a little bit fairer, I think, in a way that if you have somebody who wins most of the races, naturally you will most likely say that he is going to be the champion by the end of the year, rather than somebody there just sitting, waiting and taking second and third places and suddenly being World Champion. I don’t think that makes much sense, as it has been in past years. Actually I think I was the reason why it was implemented, the small gaps, because I was winning so much and nobody could find a way to stop that. I think it’s absolutely correct, the way it is now. FM: I think it’s correct as well. I think the winner, the victory is always more important than anything, so if you win, maybe to have a little bit more points is always better. So I’m with Michael. LH: Well, what they said was right. It’s another challenge, it’s a small change to the results. As Felipe said, when you win the race it should be rewarded perhaps a little bit more than the guys who come in second and third. I think it will be interesting to see how it pans out. I’ve not really thought about it too much to be honest. JB: I think we need to see how it goes. It’s the same as before. You still want to go out and win as many races as you can. Obviously when you’re fighting for a championship – I know how that feels now – it’s about being consistent as well. When you’re fighting for a win, it’s very difficult to hold back and think ‘I’ll come in second and pick up the points.’ We all want to win races and that’s what we’re here to do. FA: I agree. Q: Fernando, in the past you have said Michael is the best driver in history. Now, Michael is back, do you believe the same? And a question for Michael: who could be your biggest rival this year? FA: Yes, if I said that, it’s because I really think that. If you see the World Championships that Michael has it’s something that is impossible to repeat and part of the history in our sport, as I said. Looking at the numbers, Grand Prix wins, pole positions, championships etc, I think we all agree that Michael is the best ever, so I’m happy that he’s here and as I said, hopefully winning a championship or winning a Grand Prix with Michael on the track has more value, so we will try. MS: At my age, I keep forgetting things if they are too long away, so what was the question? Basically, I think there are the four main teams that you’re looking at and in all those cars – so you’re talking about a potential eight drivers, seven around me that I have to look out for. Four of them are sitting here right now and there are three more that aren’t here right now. It’s very tough to mention which is the one, but it doesn’t matter who it is, because you’re focused on the one that it is. Q: To all of you apart from Michael Schumacher: you were saying, Fernando, that winning a race ahead of Michael Schumacher would bring more importance. Don’t you think that if Michael starts to win too much, it’s going to be very bad for all of you in the end and for the sport too? FM: Well, for sure we need to work very hard not to let him win too much. Every team wants to win but it’s the best for the sport to have the best drivers on the track, the best teams fighting on the track and I think that’s always great for the sport. Anyway, everybody wants to win, everybody wants to keep winning all the time. But it’s a big competition, so I think it will be very difficult as we saw in the tests, to see a single car winning every race. But anyway, you never know. The race starts now and we need to wait and see. LH: We have to wait and see, we have to wait and see. JB: Yeah. I think you’ve answered it yourself. FA: I agree! Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:22:09 +0000 http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/10/jenson-wins-a-laureus-world-sports-award http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/10/jenson-wins-a-laureus-world-sports-award The 2010 Formula 1 season is only just beginning, but Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button already has plenty to celebrate after picking up a Laureus World Sports Award in Abu Dhabi last night. Jenson joined the ranks of legendary sports stars such as Lance Armstrong, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer and Mika Häkkinen in an emotional ceremony at the Emirates Palace. Jenson won the Breakthrough of the Year Award, which recognised his achievement in taking his first world championship against considerable odds. Other nominees included multiple Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish, diver Tom Daley, US Open tennis winner Juan Martin del Potro, South Korean golfer Ji Yai Shin and the German football team VFL Wolfsburg. “Last year was eventful but I have many happy memories,” says Jenson. “At the time I wasn’t thinking about the rewards, I was just tackling each challenge as it came. I’m honoured to have been given this award, and it comes at a very appropriate time as I face the fresh challenges of a new F1 season.” Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:21:20 +0000 http://mclaren.com/article/2010/x-trade-brokers http://mclaren.com/article/2010/x-trade-brokers X-Trade Brokers is a Polish brokerage house specialising in financial instruments traded over the counter market and stock exchange. X-Trade Brokers DM SA is supervised by the Financial Supervision Commission. The company is also active in foreign markets, having offices in Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. X-Trade Brokers provides its customers with the most technologically advanced transactional applications, characterised by professionalism, honesty and openness to the action in the market. The aim of X-Trade Brokers is to create the most efficient and user-friendly system to carry out transactions in foreign exchange markets, commodity and stock markets. Thanks to a restrictive cost policy and internet sales network, X-Trade Brokers can offer its customers one of the lowest spreads and exchange commissions. X-Trade Brokers aims to maintain its position as a leader among online trading platforms and to propose effective ways to trade on a stock exchange. X-Trade Brokers does not aim to deal with investment advice, but aims to take action to increase awareness of the principles of the functioning of financial markets among its clients. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:47:27 +0000 http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/09/historic-partnership-with-x-trade-brokers http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/09/historic-partnership-with-x-trade-brokers X-Trade Brokers, a Warsaw-based brokerage house specialising in foreign exchange (FOREX), commodity and stock market investments, has today announced an historic partnership with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team.  X-Trade Brokers becomes the first Polish company to sign a partnership with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, and its logo (‘XTB’) will appear on the overalls of reigning World Champion Jenson Button and 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, as well as on the upper engine cover of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 Formula 1 car. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is one of the most successful teams competing in Formula 1, having won 20 World Championships since it entered Formula 1 in 1966, and in 2010 it will become the first Formula 1 team ever to field a driver line-up consisting of the two most recent World Champions:  Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. “X-Trade Brokers stands for success, prestige and being the best. Therefore, it’s only right that we’ve chosen Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to showcase our company to the world: success is the foundation of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and the two companies therefore make a very natural fit,” said Jakub Zablocki, Chief Executive Officer of X-Trade Brokers. “When looking for a sponsorship property, we pondered at length which sport and which team would best reflect our own benchmarks of professionalism, high technology and need for speed. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes meets all those criteria as well as bringing with it attractive opportunities for X-Trade Brokers to increase its global brand footprint and awareness. Our partnership with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes marks a new stage of dynamic development and expansion for X-Trade Brokers. It’s also a great day for Poland.” Zablocki continued. “Adding X-Trade Brokers to our already world-class group of partners is a testament to the unique and enduring appeal of Formula 1 and of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes,” said Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of McLaren Racing, who attended today’s announcement in Warsaw. “As a truly international Formula 1 team, we’re proud that that we’re in partnership with companies from a wide variety of nations across a diverse spread of industry sectors; now, we’re delighted to be able to add Poland to that roster. Not only is the arrival of X-Trade Brokers excellent news for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – it’s also a very exciting development  for Poland and Polish business generally, as Poland further extends its footprint into Formula 1. “We at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes always make great efforts to ensure that our partners gain unbeatable returns on their investments, and that our partnership is just that: a mutually beneficial meeting of minds and aims, the result of which is an exciting blend of sporting triumph and commercial success,” Neale concluded. This year X-Trade Brokers plans further development and international expansion as throughout 2010 operations will open in four new European countries:  France, Italy, Portugal and Hungary.  At the same time, XTB is concentrating on the acquisition of brokerage houses in Asia and South America which will see the beginnings of developing distribution networks beyond the EU. X-Trade Brokers X-Trade Brokers is a Polish brokerage house specialising in financial instruments traded over the counter market and stock exchange. X-Trade Brokers DM SA is supervised by the Financial Supervision Commission. The company is also active in foreign markets, having offices in Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. X-Trade Brokers provides its customers with the most technologically advanced transactional applications, characterised by professionalism, honesty and openness to the action in the market. The aim of X-Trade Brokers is to create the most efficient and user-friendly system to carry out transactions in foreign exchange markets, commodity and stock markets. Thanks to a restrictive cost policy and internet sales network, X-Trade Brokers can offer its customers one of the lowest spreads and exchange commissions. X-Trade Brokers aims to maintain its position as a leader among online trading platforms and to propose effective ways to trade on a stock exchange. X-Trade Brokers does not aim to deal with investment advice, but aims to take action to increase awareness of the principles of the functioning of financial markets among its clients. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren founded the McLaren team in 1963. It entered its first grand prix in 1966 and won its first Formula 1 race in 1968. More than 40 years and 164 grand prix victories later, McLaren is still renowned as one of the sport’s most successful competitors and as one of the world’s most illustrious high-technology brands. The McLaren Group has grown to encompass much more than just racing. Housing a cutting-edge electronics division that not only services the entire Formula 1 grid but also many racing series across the globe. McLaren Applied Technologies creates cutting-edge solutions for modern industry while McLaren Automotive not only produced the 1990s’ original supercar, the F1, and the unique Mercedes-Benz SLR but has recently unveiled the prototype of its newest vehicle – the MP4-12C. The team kicks off its 2010 campaign with a stunning driver pairing: 2009 world champion Jenson Button and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton. It is the first time since 1989 – when it ran Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna – that the team has fielded a joint-world champion driver line-up, and marks the first time in Formula 1 history that the sport’s two most recent world champions have been partnered together. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:55:03 +0000 http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/09/gary--steps-up-for-bahrain http://mclaren.com/news/2010/03/09/gary--steps-up-for-bahrain Gary Paffett was busy in the simulator at the McLaren Technology Centre yesterday, preparing for his new role with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. After working hard behind the scenes over the winter to finesse the performance of the new MP4-25, Gary will attend the first four ‘flyaway’ grands prix of 2010 as our reserve driver.  “Gary has been on the team since 2006 and we value his dedication and technical feedback,” says Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh. “We need someone who’s ready to step in if anything should happen to prevent Jenson or Lewis from taking part in a grand prix weekend. We know from working with Gary, and from watching his performances in other racing categories, that he’s ready and able to take on this responsibility.” Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:20:32 +0000 http://mclaren.com/article/2010/formula-1-2010-is-go http://mclaren.com/article/2010/formula-1-2010-is-go The beginning of a new Formula 1 season is the most exciting time of the year. It means seeing new cars, new faces, old faces in new places, and the sheer enjoyment of seeing F1 cars in action again. It means not knowing for sure who’s really competitive until the lights go out at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix.  For everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes it’s equally exciting, for similar reasons. The start of a new season is the culmination of all the hard miles we’ve put in during the winter; not only during the tests at Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona, but over months of simulation in the windtunnel and on the rig. This is when we set aside our theoretical work and see how we compare with our rivals – out there, on the track, where it really matters.  We’re pleased and proud to have been joined by the 2009 world champion, Jenson Button. His partnership with Lewis Hamilton means that this is the first time in over 20 years that a team has fielded two world champions, and the first time in F1 history that the two most recent world champions have driven together.  At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes we’re passionate about technology. This year we aim to use this new-look site to throw open the doors and show you what’s happening at the McLaren Technology Centre and on the track.  “The internet has made it possible for F1 teams to connect with fans in a more direct way than ever before,” says Martin Whitmarsh, our Team Principal. “We live to race – and if you do, too, this is your window to our world.” Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:08:20 +0000 http://mclaren.com/article/2010/ngk http://mclaren.com/article/2010/ngk NGK Spark Plugs first took up the challenge of Formula 1 together with Honda in 1964. The performance of NGK spark plugs was recognised when Honda achieved their first victory the following year and soon NGK plugs were fitted in many other Formula 1 engines. In 1998, a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes fitted with NGK spark plugs took NGK to its 100th victory in Formula 1, and in 2009 cars fitted with NGK spark plugs achieved eleven wins out of a total of seventeen races, stretching the total to 240 wins. www.ngk-sparkplugs.jp/english