Rob Veenstra

Rob founded GPToday together with Danny. He started as an intern at the end of 2004, after which he became the first journalist to be hired and wrote articles and various interesting columns for many years. He was regularly the daily hub of the news, but also provided live coverage of the test sessions.

News

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Massa just 17th on 'best of 2012' ranking - report
Felipe Massa has been ranked by an authoritative German magazine as the 17th best driver on the 2012 grid after half the season so far. But the Brazilian, who is fighting to kee...

20 Aug 2012 11:58
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More sources reporting Mercedes-rebranding rumours
More publications and sources are reporting rumours Mercedes could be looking to reshape its commitment to formula one. The latest edition of the French weekly Auto Hebdo report...

17 Aug 2012 14:43
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Alonso names main rivals for 2012 title
Fernando Alonso has singled out Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel as probably his toughest challengers for the 2012 title. With half of this year's grands prix now in the past...

17 Aug 2012 14:00
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Maldonado eyes 2013 title with Williams
Pastor Maldonado has revealed he wants to stay at Williams for "at least" another year. As reigning GP2 champion, and with substantial backing from his native Venezuela, the now...

17 Aug 2012 12:14
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FIA aware of VW's F1 foray plans for 2015 - report
The German weekly Sport Bild is reporting that Volkswagen, the carmaker giant, is making plans to enter formula one in 2015. Sauber team boss Peter Sauber confirmed recently tha...

17 Aug 2012 10:29
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Valtteri Bottas admits Williams race debut 'ideal'
Valtteri Bottas, currently Williams' reserve and 'Friday' driver, has admitted a race seat at the British team would be "ideal". The young Finn is hotly tipped to step up for hi...

17 Aug 2012 09:31
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Ferrari says next races 'important' for Massa's future
The forthcoming races are "very important" to Felipe Massa's future. That is the claim of Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali, apparently rejecting reports the famous Maranello team...

17 Aug 2012 08:43
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Q&A with HRT driver Narain Karthikeyan
HRT Formula 1 Team has gone through a restructuring process in which it has settled at a new base, practically renewed the staff entirely and new drivers have arrived, but there...

16 Aug 2012 13:50
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Turkey, Greece eye spots on F1 calendar
Turkey could return to the F1 calendar. Between 2005 and last year, despite poor spectator attendance, drivers enjoyed the Hermann Tilke-designed Istanbul layout, featuring the ...

16 Aug 2012 09:49
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F1 'would not allow' Indycar tracks - Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello has admitted that driving an Indycar after an almost two-decade formula one career was a rude awakening. And not just the speed difference. Asked by Germany's...

15 Aug 2012 17:08
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Renault's Lom 'busy' with new FIA role
No longer in a Renault shirt, Fabrice Lom has revealed he is still "very busy" in the world of formula one. A high ranking engineer at Renault throughout the Williams, Benetton ...

15 Aug 2012 15:59
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2012 title much tougher for Vettel - Lauda
Winning the 2012 world championship is going to be a much tougher task for reigning back to back title winner Sebastian Vettel. That is the view of F1's legendary triple world c...

15 Aug 2012 11:52
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McLaren 'closer' to 2013 Hamilton deal - Neale
Lewis Hamilton and McLaren are apparently now "closer" than ever to agreeing a new deal beyond the 2008 world champion's current contract. With the 27-year-old Briton's current ...

15 Aug 2012 09:28
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Berger wants to make climb to F1 easier
Gerhard Berger wants to make it simpler for young drivers to progress through the junior ranks to formula one. The former ten-time grand prix winner, BMW motor sport director an...

15 Aug 2012 08:41
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Williams would be better with me - Barrichello
With the longest ever grand prix career now behind him, and half a season into his new foray, Rubens Barrichello is still not willing to say he is done with formula one. "I thin...

14 Aug 2012 16:59
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Mercedes eyes partial F1 withdrawal for 2014 - report
Mercedes is considering a partial withdrawal from formula one at the end of 2013, the French weekly Auto Hebdo is reporting. The Stuttgart carmaker, still yet to agree a new Con...

14 Aug 2012 09:47
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Magny Cours still in running for 2013 French GP
Magny Cours, France's last grand prix host, is still in the running to secure the country's return to the F1 calendar. Le Figaro daily is reporting that the circuit in central F...

13 Aug 2012 14:32
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2012 car 'good basis' for next Mercedes - Brawn
Mercedes' 2012 car is good enough to be the basis of next year's silver challenger, team boss Ross Brawn has revealed. Although Nico Rosberg won April's Chinese grand prix from ...

13 Aug 2012 13:28
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Petrov not 'nervous' about 2013 Caterham seat
Vitaly Petrov says it is too soon to determine what he will be doing in 2013. The Russian made his debut for Renault (now Lotus) in 2010, moving across to the back-of-the-grid C...

13 Aug 2012 12:16
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Racing surface going down at 2012 US GP track
Organisers of the 2012 US grand prix have begun to lay the crucial racing surface at the brand new Circuit of the Americas. Watching the progress at the bespoke venue in Austin,...

13 Aug 2012 11:44
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2014 suppliers now running real V6 engines - report
F1's three engine manufacturers for 2014 are hard at work on their new turbo V6 designs, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported. The publication said Craig Pollock's new ventur...

13 Aug 2012 10:03
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6,000 fans left without tickets for Spa race
Thousands of paying ticket customers for next weekend's Belgian grand prix appear unlikely to enjoy the fabled Spa-Francorchamps race. The De Telegraaf (Dutch) and Het Belang Va...

13 Aug 2012 08:46
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Whitmarsh expects three engine suppliers in 2014
Martin Whitmarsh has revealed he is not surprised to hear about 2014 engine supplier Pure's problems. The McLaren boss and current FOTA chairman said he expects there to be just...

10 Aug 2012 16:50
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Red Bull to take over world rally series - report
Red Bull, the owner of two formula one teams, is poised to take over the running of the FIA's World Rally Championship (WRC). The premier rallying series was thrown into turmoil...

10 Aug 2012 15:30
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A horse called Damon Hill, a medallist at McLaren
Rarely do the worlds of formula one and the Olympics collide. But casual viewers of the prestigious equestrian dressage event could hardly believe their ears when a commentator ...

10 Aug 2012 13:39
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Buemi rules out HRT, Marussia for 2013
Sebastien Buemi is confident he can return to the formula one grid in 2013. After being dropped by Red Bull's driver development team Toro Rosso, the 23-year-old Swiss was signe...

10 Aug 2012 12:06
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Mercedes engines wearing out Pirelli tyres
McLaren, Mercedes and Force India are all struggling with excessive tyre wear this year. And according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the likely culprit is the trio's common...

10 Aug 2012 10:10
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Martin Whitmarsh to step down as FOTA president
Martin Whitmarsh has flagged his intention to step down as president of the teams association FOTA. The union was created in the heat of the Max Mosley political war in 2008, wi...

10 Aug 2012 08:35
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Q&A with HRT team principal Luis Perez-Sala
With two seasons behind his back as a Formula 1 driver in 1988 and 1989, and a permanent link with motorsport, Luis Pérez-Sala wasnt entering an unknown world when he was nam...

09 Aug 2012 16:22
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Schumacher not 'the reference' at Mercedes - Vettel
Nico Rosberg has undoubtedly had the measure of Michael Schumacher since the seven time world champion returned to the sport in 2010. That is the reluctant view of Sebastian Vet...

09 Aug 2012 11:34
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Glock counts himself out of 2013 'silly season'
Timo Glock has counted himself out of this year's driver 'silly season'. Theoretically, there are 2013 race seats up for grabs at teams including grandees Ferrari, McLaren and M...

09 Aug 2012 09:41
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Nurburgring cannot afford Ecclestone's fee - official
A Nurburgring official has admitted the German circuit cannot afford to host formula one next year. As per the existing German GP alternating scheme with Hockenheim, the Nurburg...

08 Aug 2012 12:39
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Button rules out sharing Ferrari with Alonso
Jenson Button has revealed he would only consider becoming Fernando Alonso's Ferrari teammate "in a parallel universe". The 2009 world champion's latest interview, with Italy's ...

08 Aug 2012 11:06
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Qualifying the key to 2013 race seat - Senna
Bruno Senna has conceded he needs to up his game in qualifying in order to secure his future at Williams. After incomplete seasons with HRT (2010) and Renault (2011), this year ...

08 Aug 2012 10:12
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Heikki Kovalainen open to McLaren return
Heikki Kovalainen believes he is ready to return to a top team like McLaren. After a difficult debut season at Renault in 2007 in the wake of Fernando Alonso's departure, the no...

08 Aug 2012 09:28
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Force India eyes F1 return for Chris Dyer - reports
Triple title winning engineer Chris Dyer could be set to return to formula one. After serving as Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen's championship-winning race engineer at Fe...

08 Aug 2012 08:49
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Drivers relax during August shutdown
Ping-pong or the Olympics? It's a tough choice for formula one drivers as they contemplate how to spend their rare free time during the August break. Felipe Massa, having return...

07 Aug 2012 14:50
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Raikkonen 'a real threat' in 2012 - Whitmarsh
Martin Whitmarsh, a former boss of the famous Finn some years ago, has admitted he has been impressed by Kimi Raikkonen in 2012. The pair worked together between 2002 and 2006, ...

07 Aug 2012 13:44
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McLaren to follow Ferrari's 'pull-rod' lead in 2013
Another publication is reporting rumours McLaren will follow Ferrari's lead in opting for innovative pull-rod front and rear suspension for its 2013 car. A little more than a mo...

07 Aug 2012 12:14
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Toto Wolff rules out testing Williams car
Toto Wolff, a shareholder and now Williams' new executive director, has ruled out testing the famous British team's 2012 car. Williams test driver Susie Wolff's husband, and Fri...

07 Aug 2012 11:43
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'All teams' ready to enter 2013 season - Whitmarsh
Despite the current Concorde Agreement uncertainty, all 12 competing F1 teams will almost certainly line up on the 2013 grid. Originally, the FIA imposed a June 30 deadline for ...

07 Aug 2012 10:27
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Lotus pushing to debut 'double DRS' at Spa
Technical boss James Allison has confirmed speculation Lotus intends to debut its so-called 'double DRS' system in Belgium next month. On British broadcaster Sky's 'F1 Show', te...

07 Aug 2012 09:58
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Schumacher 'should know the rules' - Whiting
Charlie Whiting has pointed a finger of criticism at Michael Schumacher and Mercedes in the wake of the recent Hungarian grand prix. The Hungaroring race start was delayed when ...

07 Aug 2012 08:40
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World of F1 now closed for business
Formula one is officially on holiday. A gentleman's agreement between the 12 competing teams means every factory has closed its doors and sent home its staff for a full 14 day p...

06 Aug 2012 16:28
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Ricciardo not surprised to miss Red Bull seat
Daniel Ricciardo did not interpret Red Bull's decision to keep Mark Webber in 2013 as a door slammed in his face. Now the cream of the energy drink company's driver development ...

06 Aug 2012 15:55
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First taste of HRT was 'total disaster' - boss
HRT boss Luis Perez-Sala has admitted his first taste of the struggling Spanish team was not a happy one. The former Minardi driver was appointed by HRT's new owners Thesan Capi...

06 Aug 2012 14:45
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Sauber not definitely staying with Ferrari in 2014
Sauber has not decided if it will stay with Ferrari power in 2014. The Swiss team has expressed grave doubts about the increased costs of renting engines for the radical new V6 ...

06 Aug 2012 13:29
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Ecclestone admits Olympic stadium GP unlikely
Bernie Ecclestone has admitted it is unlikely a bid to stage a grand prix at London's Olympic stadium will succeed. A company called Intelligent Transport Services recently laun...

06 Aug 2012 12:12
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Pirelli says tyre war not good for F1
Pirelli chief Paul Hembery thinks it would be wrong for formula one to return to the 'tyre war' era. Recent rumours hinted FIA president Jean Todt would like to see Michelin ret...

06 Aug 2012 11:33
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Red Bull controversies 'boring tactic' - Webber
Mark Webber has described the high profile of technical controversies involving Red Bull as a "tactic" deployed by rival teams. This week, a reportedly "furious" Ferrari hit bac...

06 Aug 2012 10:14
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'Furious' Ferrari denies Marko's hand-adjuster claim
A reportedly "furious" Ferrari has hit back at Red Bull, after the reigning champions suggested the famous Italian team broke the rules "for a year". Frustrated with the constan...

06 Aug 2012 09:32
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Sauber not worried about 2013 driver situation
Sauber is "laid back" about its driver situation for 2013. That is the claim of chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn, despite reports Kamui Kobayashi has underperformed, Sergio Pe...

06 Aug 2012 08:59
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Red Bull controversies 'boring tactic' - Webber
Mark Webber has described the high profile of technical controversies involving Red Bull as a "tactic" deployed by rival teams. This week, a reportedly "furious" Ferrari hit bac...

04 Aug 2012 16:40
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Good news from F1 hosts Austin and Russia
There is good news from new formula one hosts in Texas as well as Sochi, Russia. Austin's new Circuit of the Americas announced that three-day general admission tickets for its ...

04 Aug 2012 16:39
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Winning structure still in place at Lotus - Villadelprat
Joan Villadelprat is full of praise for Lotus, a team he says still has the blood of Benetton and Renault flowing in its veins. Spaniard Villadelprat, who was team manager at th...

31 Jul 2012 16:33
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Valentino Rossi hails Ferrari's 2012 recovery
Valentino Rossi has used Ferrari as an example of an Italian racing team that managed to emerge from a deep crisis. Increasingly frustrated with his MotoGP outfit Ducati's lack ...

31 Jul 2012 15:59
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Pirelli announces first three nominations for second half of 2012
Pirelli has announced the first three tyre nominations for the second half of the 2012 season in Belgium, Italy and Singapore. At Spa, the home of the Belgian Grand Prix, the P ...

31 Jul 2012 14:43
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Jenson Button not ready to help Hamilton
Jenson Button insists he is not ready to fall in line behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton's championship bid. In Hungary, Felipe Massa - who is pushing to stay at Ferrari next ye...

31 Jul 2012 13:22
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No Schumacher contract announcement at Spa - Haug
Norbert Haug has played down expectations Michael Schumacher's plans beyond the 2012 season will be discussed and decided during the month-long August break. With the seven time...

31 Jul 2012 12:13
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Lotus 'definitely' eyes same drivers for 2013
Eric Boullier has revealed he "definitely" plans to keep not just Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus in 2013, but also the Finn's impressive rookie teammate Romain Grosjean. The Enstone ba...

31 Jul 2012 11:20
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Anthony Hamilton suing di Resta over firing
Paul di Resta's recent split with his former manager Anthony Hamilton is heading to the courts, the Telegraph has revealed. The British newspaper said Hamilton, who is McLaren d...

31 Jul 2012 10:36
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Pastor Maldonado plays down 'mistakes'
Pastor Maldonado insists it is not fair if he is gaining a reputation as a 'crash driver'. Sauber's Sergio Perez was furious with the Venezuelan after their clash at Silverstone...

31 Jul 2012 09:53
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Technical reshuffle at Mercedes with signing of Mike Elliot
Mercedes has started a process of restructuring its technical team, Italy's Autosprint reports. The report said the Brackley based team's aerodynamics chief John Owen is moving ...

31 Jul 2012 09:10
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'Frank Williams happy' with Senna's progress
Bruno Senna was feeling confident about the future after Sunday's Hungarian grand prix. Surrounded by burgeoning paddock rumours the Williams shareholder Toto Wolff-managed Valt...

30 Jul 2012 16:30
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'Many problems' at Toro Rosso also last year - Alguersuari
Half a season into 2012, Jaime Alguersuari has aimed fire at his former team Toro Rosso. The Red Bull-owned squad controversially dumped its established race drivers Alguersuari...

30 Jul 2012 15:54
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Petrov could leave Caterham after 2012 - manager
Vitaly Petrov's manager has revealed she is in talks with three teams about the 2013 season. After Renault (now Lotus) dropped him at the end of last season, Russian Petrov move...

30 Jul 2012 15:10
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Michael Schumacher parked in wrong grid slot
Reuters news agency described Michael Schumacher's Hungarian grand prix as a "comedy of errors". And two of the errors were committed by the 43-year-old even before the race sta...

30 Jul 2012 13:44
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Teammate feud brewing at Marussia - report
A feud is brewing at the back of the grid. Germany's SID news agency said Marussia's driver duo Timo Glock and Charles Pic are not getting along. The report said rookie Frenc...

30 Jul 2012 12:51
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Bottas staking claim on 2013 Williams seat
Valtteri Bottas is staking his claim on a race seat at Williams in 2013. The Finn, who is the British team's reserve and morning practice driver, was marginally faster than Will...

30 Jul 2012 12:12
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F1 drivers criticise Pirelli's wet tyres

A trio of formula one drivers have criticised the performance of Pirelli's rain tyres. Seven time world champion Michael Schumacher on Friday suffered his second crash in wet co...

30 Jul 2012 11:31
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