Blooming Blogger

Mario Theissen has decided to remain as head of BMW motorsport despite the German car maker’s decision to quit Formula 1.

With the backdrop of New York’s Times Square, Danica Patrick unveiled the car she will race in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“We’ve got the new IndyCar Go Daddy car for Andretti Autosport here,” Patrick said. “Go Daddy has been part of our car for the last three years, but now we’ve got them as the primary sponsor. With these bright colors, you can’t miss me.”

Andretti Autosport announced Nov. 30 that Go Daddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar and Web hosting provider, had signed a multi-year primary sponsorship agreement with the team and Patrick had signed a new multi-year deal to be the driver of the team’s #7 Go Daddy IZOD IndyCar Series entry.

“All of us at Andretti Autosport are looking forward to having Danica back with the team and are excited about working with (Go Daddy CEO and Founder) Bob Parsons and everyone at Go Daddy as the primary sponsor on Danica’s car,” said team owner Michael Andretti, who helped Patrick unveil the black and neon green-liveried car. “Go Daddy brings a lot of energy to our team and to the IZOD IndyCar Series. We’re very excited about the opportunity to work with them in 2010 and beyond.”

Patrick joined Andretti Autosport before the start of the 2007 season and became the first woman to win an IZOD IndyCar Series event at the Indy Japan 300 in 2008. She finished third in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 — bettering the fourth-place mark she established during her breakout 2005 season. Patrick also drove to a career-best fifth-place finish in this year’s IZOD IndyCar Series championship.

“Michael Andretti has helped me become a better driver, and we hope to accomplish a great deal during the next few years together, “Patrick said. “Bob Parsons and Go Daddy have believed in me from the start. You know, my lifelong goal is to win the Indy 500, and I’d love to do that in the GoDaddy.com car.”

Go Daddy is a leading provider of services that enable individuals and businesses to establish, maintain and evolve an online presence. Go Daddy provides a variety of domain name registrar plans and Web site design and Web hosting packages, as well as a broad array of on-demand services. Go Daddy is also well-known for its Super Bowl commercials, in which Patrick has been featured three straight years.

“Danica is the quintessential Go Daddy Girl,” Parsons said. “Danica is a beautiful woman competing in a male-dominated sport. She’s passionate. She’s focused. She’s all about doing what it takes to win and we love that about her. Not to mention she’s edgy, smokin’ hot and as tough as any competitor anywhere. We are very good together.”

As part of its continuing relationship with Andretti Autosport, Go Daddy provided the team with a redesigned company Web site, which was also launched Nov. 30 at www.andrettiautosport.com.

Ask anyone in Formula One racing and they’ll tell you Peter Sauber’s a real gentleman, even in the heat of competition. For the last four years he’s taken a back seat after BMW purchased a controlling share in the team he founded. Now, however, he’s returned to the spotlight after buying it back.

The Swiss squad may not yet have a confirmed grid slot for 2010, but Sauber is confident about stepping into the breach once more, with the Ferrari-powered C29 very much on schedule…

The Manor Grand Prix team will run under the Virgin Racing name in 2010, according to the latest entry list issued by the FIA today

Interview with Johnny Herbert

Jenson Button can boost his chances of taking the fight to Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2010 if he establishes strong ties with the men he will work most closely with as soon as he can.

Oliver Turvey, who won the 2006 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, will be given his prize drive by McLaren during this week’s young driver winter test at Jerez. Turvey, who has already undergone a seat fitting at McLaren’s factory, will get his first taste of Formula One power in the British team’s MP4-24 at the Spanish circuit.
?I’ve gone over this moment so many times in my mind, so it’s very exciting to be getting this opportunity to test with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team at Jerez this week,? said the 22 year-old Briton. ?My aim is to enjoy the experience, but also to learn as much as I can from it. If possible, I’d also like to be able to help the team with their preparations for the 2010 season.?

Oliver Turvey is to make his Formula 1 testing debut behind the wheel of a McLaren at Jerez in Spain this week

A photo of the Toyota F1 team motor home. At the European races on the Formula 1 calendar the teams all bring their own elaborate motor home to each race. In these elaborate traveling hospitality areas, the teams carry out their relations with the press and sponsors. They also use the motor homes as a dining area to feed the members of the team. Each season sees a new motor home or an addition to an old one, as the paddock evolves into the most luxurious racing city in the world.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is confident that the competitive rivalry between his 2010 drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will spur the team on rather than becoming destructive