Sebastian Vettel to retire - Formula 1

Sebastian Vettel

 

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel to retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season

This is it. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season.

The German, who made his debut with BMW Sauber in the 2007 United States Grand Prix, revealed the news via his newly created Instagram account – his first foray into social media.

Vettel won all four of his championships with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013 and is third on the all-time list of Grand Prix winners with 53 victories.

A six-year stint with Ferrari failed to yield a much-coveted fifth title and he has scored just one podium during one-and-a-half years with Aston Martin, where his contract expires at the end of 2022.

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Vettel – who races alongside Lance Stroll – announced this will be his 15th and final full season in Formula 1.

“I have had the privilege of working with many fantastic people in Formula 1 over the past 15 years – there are far too many to mention and thank,” said Vettel. “Over the past two years I have been an Aston Martin driver – and although our results have not been as good as we had hoped, it is very clear to me that everything is being put together that a team needs to race at the very highest level for years to come.

“I have really enjoyed working with such a great bunch of people. Everyone – Lawrence [Stroll], Lance [Stroll], Martin [Whitmarsh], Mike [Krack], the senior managers, the engineers, the mechanics and the rest of the team – is ambitious, capable, expert, committed and friendly, and I wish them all well.

“I hope that the work I did last year and am continuing to do this year will be helpful in the development of a team that will win in the future, and I will work as hard as I can between now and the end of the year with that goal in mind, giving as always my best in the last 10 races.

“The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it; at the end of the year I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next; it is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family.

“But today is not about saying goodbye. Rather, it is about saying thank you – to everyone – not least to the fans, without whose passionate support Formula 1 could not exist.”

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Thirty of the Brightwater Fonterra team will be impacted by a shock decision

Thirty employees will be impacted by the closure of the Brightwater plant on Factory St., Brightwater. Photo R Therkleson

Fonterra to close Brightwater milk powder plant

Fonterra has today announced it will be closing the milk powder plant at its Brightwater site 10km south of Richmond, Tasman in April 2023.

However, milk collection and associated activities will continue at Brightwater as Fonterra moves its milk transfer activities there from Tuamarina, Marlborurough.

Brightwater with a population of 2250 residents at the 2020 census can ill afford to loose any workers. It is a thriving little town on the Waimea plains servicing local farmers, horticulture, viticulture, and the local community.

Brightwater central shopping centre Photo R Therkleson

Thirty employees will be impacted by the closure of the milk powder plant and Mr Whineray says the priority right now is supporting them.

“It’s no doubt tough news for some of the Brightwater team and we’ll be working with them in the coming months on their future options, including re-deployment opportunities within the Co-op.”

Mr Whineray says he’s proud of the quality and skills the 30 team members have and is confident they’ll be able to secure new roles.

The small ageing plant processes about 0.25% of the Co-operative’s overall milk supply into whole milk powder. Fonterra Chief Operating Officer Fraser Whineray says the move, which will instead see the milk being processed at Fonterra’s Darfield site near Christchurch, is in line with Fonterra’s long-term strategy.

Fonterra Chief Operating Officer Fraser Whineray  Photo Fonterra

“We know milk supply is declining over time, flat at best, so we need to make sure we’re getting the most out of every drop of milk and optimising our plants to match both consumer demand and available milk supply." 

“Part of our long-term strategy is to direct more milk into our Foodservice and Consumer business, less into Ingredients, and in some cases, to divert product away from the Global Dairy Trade auctions. This, along with forecast capital and maintenance costs, means we’ve made the tough decision to close our milk powder plant at Brightwater." 

“We’re continually working to ensure our assets across the country are as efficient as they can be, changing product mixes, and moving more milk into value-add products” says Fraser Whineray.

Fonterra Factory on Factory Rd., Brightwater Tasman Photo R Therkleson

Comments:-

-Sad news, I was factory manager for 11 years from1975. The plant is suitable for small runs of specialty product. Hope someone can use it again for that purpose.

-That’s sad for the workers down there.

Thanks for your comments. Ray editor

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Thorp Bush Motueka

 

Working Bee at Thorp Bush Motueka

The ‘Keep Motueka Beautiful’ group have had a working bee

The ‘Keep Motueka Beautiful’ group had a very successful working bee at Thorp Bush on Saturday 23rd July.  

Fifteen volunteers worked very hard and planted, jacketed and mulched over 250 plants in the old vehicle turning circle  where the asphalt driveway has been removed.  

The weather was fine and it wasn't too muddy after a lot of rain for these hard workers. 

These volunteers planted over 150 plants

The photos show the before and after.  The ‘Keep Motueka Beautiful’ group thanked everyone who was involved.

We have been advised that the other side of the path is still waterlogged and it will be at least 2 weeks before the hard working group have another working bee. 

 

Saturday 13th August may be a possibility, Keep a watch out on Facebook.

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Road Closures SH 6 and SH 7

In Just a week another Large Boulder Blocks SH 6, Road Closed and Snow Closes SH 7 Lewis Pass until further notice from Waka Kotahi

The Tasman Police advised that at 5pm today Saturday 30 July SH 6 is closed in Barrytown Grey District.

A large piece of the cliff wall has fallen on to SH 6 blocking the road. 

Waka Kotahi advise that SH 6 Punakaiki to Greymouth is closed due to the rock fall until further notice.

The alternative detour is through Inangahua and Reefton to Greymouth.

Waka Kotahi advise also that SH 7 road is closed from Hammer Turnoff to Springs Junction - Lewis Pass due to snow.

The road is closed until further notice, but there will be an update at 9am 31 July. There is no detour available.

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Formula 1 on course to deliver 100% sustainable fuels for 2026

 

Formula 1 at cutting edge of no carbon fuels

Formula 1 racing cars are already hybrid and now research is developing fast to have hybrid racing cars with no carbon emissions.

By 2030, it's anticipated there will be close to two billion cars on the road, with only 8% of those pure Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVS). That means other solutions are needed to slash carbon emissions.

As part of F1’s plans to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030, the sport is pioneering a ‘drop-in’ 100% sustainable fuel that can not only be used in F1 cars from 2026 but crucially can be utilised by most road cars across the world.

F1’s Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds is heading up the team focused on creating this revolutionary fuel and has spent months deep in research to create the best quality product for 2026.

“It's been a fascinating challenge,” says Symonds. “At the time I was first talking to people about this, no one knew what I was talking about, and to be honest I’m not sure I did really, so I've done an awful lot of research into it. We've worked closely with the FIA, who have got a couple of very good fuels specialists and we've had a lot of help from our partner ARAMCO.”

The fuel revolution has already begun, with F1’s new generation of cars running   on E10 fuel a blend of 90% fuel and 10% renewable ethanol – this year. “The 10% of ethanol that we’re putting in now is entirely sustainable,” says Symonds. “There are lots of different types of ethanol, which vary in quality, but this is a true green ethanol – so fully sustainable.”

The fuel that F1 will run-in just over three years’ time will be unique and lab-created. “E fuels offer such a wonderful opportunity,” says Ross Brawn – F1’s Managing Director, Motorsports. “We’re working on an E fuel where the carbon circle is completely neutral so the carbon utilised to produce that fuel is the same quantity as the carbon emitted from the internal combustion engine. It means that the engines do not add anything to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

“The great appeal is when we find this solution, you can use it in your road car, without making any changes to the engine. We will have close to two billion internal combustion engines on the planet and whatever electric solution we find, whatever hydrogen solution we find, there’s still going to be two billion cars. There are parts of the world where those cars won’t change to electric.

“If we drop a fuel which has much less impact on the environment into those cars, it’s a positive change and we will be sending a strong message that that is a feasible way to go. All the oil companies that work in F1 are all committed to that. It will be a fantastic achievement and a fantastic message to the world that there are other solutions as well.”

Shifting from 10% renewable fuel in 2022 to 100% in just a few years is ambitious, as it requires increasing production of the product rapidly. But Symonds says F1 are on target.

“We’ve been working with ARAMCO and have now tested 39 surrogate blends of fuels,” says Symonds. “This has helped us understand the effects of the different types of blends that you can use in a sustainable fuel. We’ve been testing those in a single cylinder Formula 1 power unit so it’s representative testing – and I think that’s helped accelerate our progress.”

He adds: “ARAMCO will be producing fuel from two plants, one in Saudi Arabia and one in Spain. There’s going to be a lot of people wanting the product out of them, but they, as well as the many other energy suppliers involved in Formula 1, are more than capable of producing what we need.”

For over 70 years, F1 has been at the cutting edge of innovation, developing the most efficient power unit and hybrid systems ever created. Now the sport is focused on helping drive a green revolution for the entire planet.

“F1 has always pushed technology amazingly well, and pioneered genuine technology that can be used in passenger vehicles and road cars and so on,” says Brawn. “We have an amazingly efficient internal combustion engine.

“This concept that when you set the competition, if you set it with the right objectives – if the objective is the best sustainable fuel, then manufacturers will pour millions into development to try and achieve that and then we get all the benefits for the wider society.”

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FORMULA 1 - FRENCH GRAND PRIX - PRACTICE

Leclerc beats Verstappen to fastest time in opening French GP practice

French Grand Prix Practice - Charles Leclerc - Ferrari

Charles Leclerc’s French Grand Prix weekend got off to a strong start as he beat championship rival Max Verstappen to the fastest time in opening practice at Circuit Paul Ricard.

The Ferrari driver clocked a 1m 33.930s on the soft tyre to finish just 0.091s ahead of the Red Bull, however Verstappen lost around two tenths of a second running wide at Turn 11 on his best lap.

Carlos Sainz was more than 0.3s off the pace in third, the Spaniard facing a tricky weekend ahead after Ferrari fitted a new control electronics to his F1-75 that triggers a 10-place grid penalty.

All three tyre compounds were on show in the opening 60-minute practice session of the weekend, as teams evaluated how the Pirelli rubber coped with the heatwave cruising across Europe right now. Track temperatures hit 58 degrees Celsius.

Mercedes, who have brought updates to France, were inside a second of the fastest time, courtesy of George Russell, with the team’s reserve Nyck de Vries borrowing Lewis Hamilton’s car for practice 1 and ending up ninth, half a second further back.

This was the first time in Hamilton’s career – which hits 300 Grand Prix weekends in France – that he has given up his car for a practice session. The rules mandate each driver must do so at least once this season and the seven-time world champion, who watched the action from the Mercedes garage alongside boss Toto Wolff, chose this weekend to step aside.

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ROAD CLOSURE ON STATE HIGHWAY 6 AT DELLOWS BLUFF WEST OF MURCHISON OPEN TOMORROW AT 8AM SATURDAY 23 JULY

ROAD OPEN 8AM SATURDAY 23 JULY

Dellows Bluff west of Murchison ROAD OPEN 8AM SATURDAY 23 JULY.  Photo thanks to Tasman District Council

 TASMAN DISTRICT COUNCIL have advised this afternoon the 22 July that:  

Waka Kotahi has advised that following extensive safety work, State Highway 6 at Dellows Bluff west of Murchison will reopen by 8am tomorrow (Saturday 23 July).

 

The road was closed following a major rockfall early on Wednesday morning. Initial indications are that tree roots and water ingress into the fractured cliff face caused the massive boulders to fall. This has left further fractured rocks overhanging the cliff face at risk of falling onto the road.

Temporary protection will be in place that will allow people to use the road safely. Contractors have been building a stone-filled container wall in the northbound lane to protect the existing road shoulder. This means all traffic will be able to move through the section of road while work continues to stabilise the rockface.

On July 20 the Dellows Bluff section of State Highway 6 west of Murchison was closed. Photo thanks to Tasman District Council.

A permanent fix for the rockfall risk will take some time to complete, meaning only a single lane will be available initially. However, the intention is to get two lanes open as soon as possible. 

If you have any further questions, reach out to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - South Island.

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