Pitpass is proud to announce that it has secured significant investment from a consortium of senior and highly-respected business professionals who work in the City of London.

The new backers are loyal followers of Pitpass who decided to support it to ensure that it remains the leading fully independent Formula One news website. They wish to keep their identities private but their impact will be very public.

Over the next couple of months Pitpass will undergo its most extensive redesign since it was launched in 2002. The new look will go live for the start of the European F1 season in May and will include many new features to increase content delivery and reader interactivity.

The independence of Pitpass' editorial will not be affected at all by the new investment. In fact, Pitpass' content will be strengthened as it is taking on a number of new columnists. They are some of the most experienced commentators in F1 and include former FIA technical adviser Tony Purnell, technical expert Matt Somerfield and former McLaren race mechanic Marc Priestley.

They join long-standing Pitpass regulars Mike Lawrence, Mat Coch, Glen Crompton, Gurmit, former F1 driver Christian Klien and editor Chris Balfe. Mat Coch will continue to produce the weekly Pitpass podcast and report from the F1 paddock whilst inside information on the finances of F1 comes from our business editor Christian Sylt.

Another welcome addition to the site is a picture supply from the legendary Sutton Images.

"The new investment is terrific news for F1 fans as it enables Pitpass to boost its offering and remain a truly independent source of F1 news and analysis," says Chris Balfe.

Unlike many of its rivals Pitpass is not controlled by a magazine publishing company, sports internet group or television broadcaster. This allows it to speak out on behalf of the fans and report the truth at the heart of the most important issues in F1. It has given Pitpass the highest level of respect within F1 and its growing popularity reflects that.

According to F1's industry monitor Formula Money, which uses a number of different sources including Google and web information firm Alexa, Pitpass is one of the top ten most popular F1 news websites and is the leading fully independent F1 news website unconnected to a major publisher or broadcaster.

Chris Balfe
Editor