MIKA27 Posted April 28, 2009 Author Posted April 28, 2009 I agree there OZ. It's about time we had teams that were well balanced with some teams having strengths (KERS) and others having better aero like Braun and RBR. The entire line up are doing very well, I even noticed the Force India team having some good speed there during the Bahrain GP which surprised me to see. All in all, F1 in 2009 is a very exciting year, I don't believe Braun need worry (Button) because they will dominate this year for sure along with Red Bull racing, Toyota and Williams will no doubt get in there also. Love the pic of Jense there OZ, locking up those wheels. MIKA.
MIKA27 Posted April 29, 2009 Author Posted April 29, 2009 Michael: Williams need to improve Sam Michael admits Williams are not in the position they should be, especially given Nico Rosberg's pace in Friday practices. Rosberg has proven to be the king of free practice this season, setting the pace in seven of the 12 sessions that have taken place. And although the German was able to translate that into strong qualifying positions, and a handful of points, in the opening two races, he's performances have subsequently slumped. Despite still qualifying in the top ten, Rosberg failed to score any points in China or Bahrain, while Kazuki Nakjima has found the going even tougher than his team-mate and was the only driver to retire from the Bahrain GP. "We didn't leave Bahrain in the position where we needed to be," technical director Michael admitted. "We've only accumulated 3.5 points from four races this season and we need to improve upon that going into the European rounds if we're going to stay in the game. "It's clear from this weekend's grand prix that we definitely need to perform better in qualifying and to assist the drivers going into the first corner, among other things."
MIKA27 Posted April 29, 2009 Author Posted April 29, 2009 'Wary' Whitmarsh: Lewis could retain the title McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has revealed the team has "thrown everything we can" into overturning their wretched season. The fruits of McLaren's labours are finally coming to bear, and it has raised hopes of Lewis Hamilton retaining his World title. However, much first depends on the outcome of Wednesday's World Motor Sport Council hearing into the Liargate scandal, although no one believes the WMSC will suspend or exclude McLaren from the Championship given the harm it would likely cause Formula One. It is anticipated Hamilton will escape punishment as he has already been penalised given his disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix for lying to the stewards, and subsequent apology. A fine, suspended sentence or points deduction in the Constructors' Championship - so costing the team their share of earnings come the end of the season - are the likely penalties for the team. It would at least ensure morale stays intact, invariably keep the nervous sponsors on board and, more crucially, leave Hamilton free to focus on retaining his crown. Sunday's fourth place in the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Hamilton competing with the three leading teams in Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toyota, suggests he is far from out of the running. That is in stark contrast to pre-season when it was clear McLaren had built their worst car for years, since when sacrifices have been made. Hamilton trails Championship leader Jenson Button by 22 points, which is not insurmountable at this stage, leaving Whitmarsh cautiously optimistic. "We have to be wary," said Whitmarsh. "We've made good progress, a lot of progress, and if we can continue that progress then we're going to be in a strong position. "But we have to be frank because as a race team we have thrown everything we can at it. "There were 12 performance modifications on the car in Bahrain compared to China, and that takes a huge amount of effort. "We've certainly put a lot of effort in, by comparison, to some of our competitors, and if you do that it can be to the detriment of longer-term development. "But as a real race team, as we are, it's not in our character not to go to every race and throw everything you can at it. "Sometimes it's not the most efficient development process, but it creates an environment that is not a losing one. "We weren't one of those teams who, within two races, was saying the Championship is over. "You can sense the people within the team feel we're heading in the right direction. "So the benefit of a full-on assault gives momentum to the drivers, engineers, everyone within the team, to think 'Right, we can catch these guys up, overhaul them and win races this year'. "We have to do that first, and when we do that, we'll see where we are in the Championship, and whether it's feasible (to win it)." Whitmarsh is surprised, in one respect, at how quickly the team has managed to get Hamilton back up to speed, in particular given the furore going on in the background. "If you had asked me in Barcelona (pre-season in March) whether I would accept a strong fourth (in Bahrain), be competitive with all the cars and fourth in the Constructors' (Championship), then I would probably have snatched your hand off," added Whitmarsh. "But being McLaren, we want to win. We've encouragingly made steps in the right direction. "There is no team that has improved race by race to the extent we have so far, but we need to keep pushing." MIKA; "The reason McLaren only talk about Lewis, is he's the only driver they have consistently able to score good points, people talk about Lewis not deserving to be in a McLaren, what about Heiki? At least Lewis delivered the goods (Title). Brawn talk up Jense, likewise Renault with Fernando, it's par for the course - get over it."
OZCUBAN Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Get over it," You Said it Mika and to reiterate, Get Over It There are good teams with some really good drivers way wouldn't they promote them its what its all about It what the sponsors want I personally hope McLaren get off and lets see this S*#t settled on the track where it should be, best driver wins (a good car helps ) minimal politics. Cheers mate Oz P.S got to go Family Guy is on LOVE THAT SHOW
smk819 Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Three race suspension for McClaran, but it will not be imposed if they are good boys for the next 12 months.
OZCUBAN Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Suspended three-race ban for McLaren Wednesday, 29 April 2009 12:10 Martin Whitmarsh leaves the WMSC hearing in Paris McLaren has been handed a suspended three-race ban by the World Motor Sport Council as its punishment for lying to race stewards in Australia and Malaysia. An extraordinary general meeting of the FIA's WMSC convened on Wednesday to discuss the controversy after Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's former sporting director Dave Ryan were found to have provided deliberately misleading evidence to stewards. The Woking squad's team boss Martin Whitmarsh appeared alone at the Paris hearing and the FIA said he admitted all five counts on which the team was charged with for bringing Formula 1 into disrepute. However, the WMSC said it had opted against a more severe sentence after being satisfied that there had been a "change in culture" at the team since it was engulfed by the controversy. The FIA added that the three-race ban would only be activited if the team breached the sporting code again over the next 12 months or fresh evidence connected to the case emerged. “Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate," an FIA statement said. “That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. "This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.” Hamilton was disqualified from third place at the season-opening race in Melbourne after the emergence of radio traffic between the driver and team disproved the statements the world champion and Ryan had made to race stewards following the race. The pair had said there had been no instruction to allow Toyota's Jarno Trulli past during the late-race safety car period after the Italian had gone off the track. They then stuck to their story when summounded to see the same stewards at the next race in Malaysia despite being played the radio transmissions which contradicted their statements. After the fresh evidence emerged, Whitmarsh suspended Ryan, who has since been dismissed, while apologising for his team's actions in the stewards office. A contrite Hamilton also held a press conference in Malaysia to apologise for his role in the deception, saying he had been instructed by Ryan to mislead stewards. Since the FIA announced the matter would be heard by the WMSC, McLaren has taken steps to ensure that the incident is not repeated in future and Whitmarsh wrote to FIA president Max Mosley to apologise for the controversy. Former team boss Ron Dennis has also stepped away completely from involvement with the F1 team to focus on McLaren's newly independent road car division. And while Dennis denied the move had anything to do with the WMSC hearing, it has been seen as one of the ways the team has shown it has embraced a new era. Oz Good now lets get it on
OZCUBAN Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 McLaren grateful for ‘very fair hearing’ McLaren has expressed gratitude for the “very fair hearing” it was given by the World Motor Sport Council after being handed a suspended three-race ban for lying to race stewards in Australia and Malaysia. The FIA said McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh’s “open and honest” approach at the hearing and his assurances that there had been a “change in culture” within McLaren as a result of recent events had persuaded the WMSC to suspend the sentence. In a statement issued shortly afterwards, the Woking team vowed to move on from the scandal that has engulfed it in recent weeks and to foster a “more cooperative” relationship with the governing body. “McLaren accepts the FIA World Motor Sport Council's decision and wishes to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for the very fair hearing they have given us this morning,” the statement said. “We now look forward with enthusiasm to continuing our efforts to develop a closer and more cooperative relationship between ourselves and the FIA. “We will also continue to focus our efforts on closing the performance gap that exists between our car and the fastest cars. “Following Lewis Hamilton's encouraging fourth place in Bahrain last Sunday, we are now optimistic that we will be able to play an increasingly competitive part in what is fast developing into a very exciting season of Formula 1 motor racing.” Whitmarsh once again admitted McLaren’s collective culpability and said steps had been taken to prevent any repeat occurrence. “I would like to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for affording me the opportunity to answer their questions this morning,” he said. “We are aware that we made serious mistakes in Australia and Malaysia, and I was therefore very glad to be able to apologise for those mistakes once again. “I was also pleased to be able to assure the FIA World Motor Sport Council members that we had taken appropriate action with a view to ensuring that such mistakes do not occur again.” Cheers Oz
MIKA27 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 McLaren had the asses handed to them finally. Of course they would be greatful for a 'very fair hearing' when they could have lost their sponsors should they have had to commence being absent for 3 races this season. Great posts OZ, I love reading someone elses work mate, good stuff. MIKA.
OZCUBAN Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 MIKA. Great posts OZ, I love reading someone elses work mate, good stuff. Somone elses work got that in one I prefer Modified £40 million budget cap and 13 teams for 2010 Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has revised its budget cap plans for 2010. Teams signing up for the optional cap must limit their spending to £40 million per year (£10 million higher than originally proposed) in exchange for greater technical freedom. This will not include driver salaries or, for 2010 only, engine costs. Thirteen teams will be accepted for next year’s championship and all must apply by May 29, 2009, stating whether they wish to compete under the budget cap or not. New constructors will be eligible for a participation fee and assistance with travel expenses from commercial rights holder Formula One Management. A new Costs Commission will monitor and enforce the budget-cap regulations. Those teams accepting the cap will be able to run moveable front and rear wings, and engines with no rev limit. They will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing. Other changes for 2010 confirmed for all teams include the expected ban on refueling and on the use of tyre warmers. The full statement from the FIA: 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship Applications to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship are to be submitted to the FIA during the period 22-29 May 2009. Teams must state in their application whether they wish to compete under cost-cap regulations. The maximum number of cars permitted to enter the Championship has been increased to 26, two being entered by each competitor. The FIA will publish the list of cars and drivers accepted on 12 June 2009, having first notified unsuccessful applicants. Cost Cap Regulations From 2010, all teams will have the option to compete with cars built and operated within a stringent cost cap. The cost cap for 2010 will be £40m per annum*. This figure will cover all team expenditure except: Marketing and hospitality; Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes; Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA; Engine costs (for 2010 only); Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship; Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship. * For the purposes of these Regulations, the financial year is 1 January to 31 December. A new Costs Commission is being set up to monitor and enforce these cost-cap financial regulations. The Costs Commission will consist of a Chairman and two other Commissioners, appointed by the WMSC for terms of three years. One Commissioner should be a finance expert and the other should have high level experience in motor sport. The Chairman should have appropriate experience and standing in motor sport or sports governance. All members of the Costs Commission shall be independent of all teams. In addition to the payments which it already makes to the top ten teams in the Championship, Formula One Management, the commercial rights holder, has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to the new teams. This includes an annual payment of US$10 million to each team plus free transportation of two chassis and freight up to 10,000 kg in weight (not including the two chassis) as well as 20 air tickets (economy class) for each round trip for events held outside Europe. To be eligible for this, each new team must qualify as a “Constructor” and demonstrate that it has the necessary facilities, financial resources and technical competence to compete effectively in Formula One. To enable these cars to compete with those from teams which are not subject to cost constraints, the cost-capped cars will be allowed greater technical freedom. The principal technical freedoms allowed are: 1. Movable wings, front and rear. 2. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit. The teams will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing. Changes applicable to all teams It was confirmed that from 2010, refuelling during a race will be forbidden in order to save the costs of transporting refuelling equipment and increase the incentive for engine builders to improve fuel economy (to save weight). It was also confirmed that tyre blankets will be banned and that the ban on other tyre-heating devices will be maintained. Full details plus information on further amendments to the 2010 Sporting and Technical Regulations will be available shortly on www.fia.com. By exception, if supported by the Safety Commission, the FIA WMSC may approve the issue of the Formula One Super Licence to persons judged by the Council to have met the intent of the qualification process. OZ I love the refueling aspect of the sport will be sad to see it go it also adds to the strategy of the race. Still signing up to the budget cap opens up a raft of development opportunities for teams that have fallen down the ladder a bit, they might say lets cut our loses and sign up.To in my opinion the better option" Development" but they will have to be well managed i would imagine. Lets see what develops Cheers Oz
OZCUBAN Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 F1 teams handed £40m budget cap Formula One budgets are set to decrease from next year Formula One teams will be encouraged to operate within a £40m budget cap from 2010 under new cost-cutting measures announced by governing body the FIA. Those who comply will gain greater technical freedom and unlimited out-of-season testing. Expenditure such as driver salaries, engine costs (for 2010 only), fines, penalties and marketing and hospitality will not come under the £40m budget. The maximum number of cars in the championship will rise from 24 to 26. At the moment there are 20 cars, two for each of the 10 teams, but the budget cap could attract new entrants and F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has stated that he envisages up to three new teams in 2010. The sport has not seen 26 cars on the grid for 15 years. F1 MOLE Much of the discussion in F1 has been about how high the cap should be set F1 Mole After announcing a £30m cap in March, the FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has increased that figure by a further £10m, with the formation of a new costs commission to police the regulation. There are no fixed penalties for teams who exceed the £40m budget cap but the costs commission will judge the degree of the misdemeanour and advise the FIA, who will determine any penalty. Teams will have be free to chose whether to be governed by the cap but those that opt out face certain restrictions. Any team operating within the budget will be allowed to use movable front and rear wings and, crucially, an engine not subject to a rev limit. Those teams will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing, with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind-tunnel testing. The £40m figure will cover all team expenditure except: • Marketing and hospitality • Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes • Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA • Engine costs (for 2010 only, and specifically designed to retain the current manufacturers within the sport) • Any expenditure the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the championship • Dividends paid from profits relating to participation in the championship Ecclestone has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to any new teams. There will be an annual payment of $10m (£6.75m) to each team, plus free transportation of two chassis, freight up to 10,000kg in weight, as well as 20 economy-class tickets for each race outside Europe. The WMSC has also confirmed the ban on refuelling during races, to save on costs of transporting refuelling equipment and increase the incentive for engine builders to improve fuel economy, and on tyre warmers. Any team wishing to compete in next year's championship must notify the FIA between May 22 to 29 and state whether they wish to compete under the cost-cap regulations. Ferrari are one the biggest spending teams in F1 Ferrari are believed to be the most stringent opponent of financial limitations, masterminded by FIA president Max Mosley. The Formula One Teams Association (Fota) will discuss the new proposals in London on 6 May having, in January. It unanimously agreed to a series of cost-cutting measures - including limits on expensive testing and a cheaper engine for smaller teams starting in 2010. F1 is one of the biggest-spending sports in the world but the global recession has had a tangible effect, with Honda pulling out of the sport in December and Renault introducing wage reductions. The decision to remove revs limits from engines looks to run counter to the FIA's stated aims of making F1 relevant to the future direction of road-car development and promoting sustainability. But an FIA spokesman told BBC Sport that it was a temporary measure in a transition period in which the sport needed to balance the need for short-term economic viability against long-term environmental sustainability. It is believed that engine supplier Cosworth, which has not been in F1 since 2006, can supply an engine at an affordable cost that revs to 20,000rpm and would outperform this year's engines, which are limited to 18,000rpm. Oz Different tilt on same subject Cheers Oz
MIKA27 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Posted May 1, 2009 In light of the new budgets as from 2010, I believe it will be a good thing as this in turn brings additional interests to the sport such as new teams that may not have been able to afford or justify the current cost trends that is currently in F1. The new budgets also give a fair advantage to all teams on the grid and as such, dominant teams of old no longer have the upper hand and have to actually work for a podium such as Ferrari this year (Who haven't a podium as yet this season). As for engines, I have mixed feelings about that because I think the only great advantage which should be allowed for teams is for each team to source their own engines and stick to the supplier of their choice. Cosworth make great engines which is a good thing should all teams be made to use the same engines however on the flip side, one should draw the line and at least allow teams to use engines of their choice provided they all fall into spec.
MIKA27 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Posted May 1, 2009 NEXT RACE - 10th May Grand Prix of Spain Length : 4.655 Profile : Time difference: GMT +2 No of Laps: 66 Race Distance: 307.104 km Lap Record: 1:21.670 - K Raikkonen (2008) Address : Circuit de Catalunya Km2 Carretera de Granollers Montmello Barcelona Tel: (34) 93 571 9700 Fax: (34) 93 572 3061 History : One of the most advanced circuits on the grand prix calendar, the Circuit de Catalunya is modern but also has character. There are a variety of corners, a short straight and a long pit straight. The circuit was first used in 1991 and was also the centre piece of Spain's Olympic year in 1992. The circuit and its facilities are constantly upgraded by progressive management. Last year enlarged run off areas were built at several locations, together with a modification at Nissan. Demanding fast corners and a long high-speed straight makes this a real test.
OZCUBAN Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Hi Mika All the stuff I didn't mention, good post mika, The one engine policy doesn't sit well with me,as does refueling ban. We will see what happens May be the economic downturn has put the car makers in a position of more power, the F.I.A seems to be more wary about demanding to much, as teams try to keep big time sponsorship. The survival of the sport is what is the most important thing for me as long as don't try to hobble it. Cheers Oz
OZCUBAN Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Hi Mika Love Catalunya You are right a good test should be a good indicator for 'form' this year,apart from what we know already Wish it was this week
MIKA27 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Posted May 1, 2009 Hi MikaAll the stuff I didn't mention, good post mika, The one engine policy doesn't sit well with me,as does refueling ban. We will see what happens May be the economic downturn has put the car makers in a position of more power, the F.I.A seems to be more wary about demanding to much, as teams try to keep big time sponsorship. The survival of the sport is what is the most important thing for me as long as don't try to hobble it. Cheers Oz That's spot on OZ. I hope the F1 sport is not tarnished or ruined by too many rules and regulations where sponsors pull out due to politics. Too many people stress over drivers and teams doing the wrong thing to bring the sport into disrepute, however I equally believe the politics can do just as much damage if not more. I'm a fan as are we all and I just want to watch a race and enjoy the battle. Regards, MIKA.
OZCUBAN Posted May 2, 2009 Posted May 2, 2009 Senna remembered Michael Schumacher may statistically be the greatest Grand Prix driver who ever lived, but to many who watched Ayrton Senna's career no-one can equal the brilliant Brazilian. Senna's greatness does not lie in statistics, impressive though his career record is. It is embodied in the irresistible force with which he dominated an era of Formula One. Senna's death on 1 May 15 years ago changed F1 forever, but his life also had an indelible effect. The same moment that you are seen as the best, the fastest and somebody that cannot be touched, you are enormously fragile Ayrton Senna In many ways, it was a negative one. Senna's single-minded pursuit of success led to an uncompromising driving style that verged on dangerous, an approach since followed with conspicuous success by Schumacher. But, to many, Senna also redefined what was possible in an F1 car. He had a rage to win married to an ability that some would argue has never been equalled. Senna dominated his cars every bit as forcefully as he did his rivals, employing a unique driving style to drag them to levels of performance their designers scarcely believed possible. Perhaps the ultimate example of this was in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix in 1988, when Senna was in his first year at McLaren-Honda as team-mate to Alain Prost. Then it was Prost who the other drivers measured themselves against, and establishing primacy over the Frenchman was initially Senna's number one goal. Monaco, where Senna went on to win a record six times, gave him a chance to demonstrate his superiority. CAREER STATISTICS Races: 162 Wins: 41 Poles: 65 Drivers' titles: 1988,'90, '91 Teams: Toleman, Lotus, McLaren, Williams Born: 21/3/60 (Sao Paulo, Brazil Died: 1/5/94 (Imola, Italy) In qualifying, he set pole position with a lap 1.4 seconds faster than Prost managed in an equal car, and afterwards spoke in ethereal terms of an almost supernatural experience in reaching beyond his conscious self while driving. The rivalry between Senna and Prost grew into the bitterest the sport has ever seen, and each man to a degree became defined by it. But Senna had marked himself out as something special long before he went head-to-head with his greatest rival. His potential was obvious even before he reached F1. In 1983, the Williams team gave the then up-and-coming Formula Three driver a test in their Grand Prix car, and within 40 laps he had taken it around Donington Park faster than its regular drivers, including reigning world champion Keke Rosberg. Unfathomably, team owner Frank Williams did not offer Senna a contract, and it was to take him another decade before he had the chance to sign him again. Instead, Senna moved to the midfield Toleman team and immediately made waves, being denied victory in torrential rain at Monaco, his sixth Grand Prix, only when the race was stopped before half distance because of the poor conditions. His ability was already frightening his rivals, to the point that one said it was appropriate Senna's name had laxative connotations because that was the effect he had on him. At the end of the year, showing the single-mindedness which was to become familiar, Senna walked out on a three-year contract with Toleman and joined Lotus, then one of the top teams. Senna and Prost fought out a battle of such intensity that onlookers feared for their lives His first win came in only his second race with them, Senna using all his peerless ability in the rain to make his rivals look flat-footed at the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix. Five more wins followed in three years at Lotus, but Senna saw the team's decline coming before most, and moved in 1988 to form a super-team with Prost at McLaren. For three years - two as team-mates and one after Prost left to join Ferrari - the two fought out a battle of such intensity that onlookers feared for their lives. It certainly drove Senna to new extremes. After one particularly frightening incident, Prost told Senna that if he wanted the title badly enough to die for it, he could have it. Senna did sometimes appear to be putting his ambition ahead of his instinct for survival, most notably at the Japanese Grand Prix in 1990, when Senna secured the second of his three titles by driving into the back of Prost's Ferrari at 160mph, taking them both out of the race. Throughout all this, Senna's breathtaking talent was in vivid relief. But if his driving was captivating enough, he was equally remarkable out of the car. F1 Mole Senna was blessed with the good looks of a romantic hero, and his dark eyes were mirrors to a soul of complexity and surprising vulnerability. This combination was made all the more powerful by his willingness to discuss the risks inherent in his job. Deeply religious, Senna seemed sometimes to be overwhelmed by fatalism about the danger of his chosen profession. His charisma was magnetic - he could hold in spellbound silence a room of hundreds of hard-bitten journalists - and his intellect, expressed with poetic eloquence in several languages, was formidable. "You are doing something that nobody else is able to do," he said. "(But) the same moment that you are seen as the best, the fastest and somebody that cannot be touched, you are enormously fragile. Because in a split second, it's gone. "These two extremes are feelings that you don't get every day. These are all things which contribute to - how can I say? - knowing yourself deeper and deeper. These are the things that keep me going." When Senna joined Williams for the 1994 season, his position as the king of F1 was unquestioned. The team had dominated F1 in 1992 and '93, and Senna was expected to canter to the title. But Williams' car initially had a serious design flaw, and only Senna's super-human ability put it on pole for the first race in Brazil. In the race, though, he was flat beaten by Schumacher's superior Benetton, and Senna suffered the ignominy of spinning in his chase of the German. Anyone wondering how much of that performance Senna dragged from within only had to look at his team-mate Damon Hill, whom Senna had lapped by half distance. Senna went to Imola trailing Schumacher in the championship and desperately needing to win. Already it was clear that one of F1's great rivalries was in the offing, the young pretender challenging the supremacy of the veteran master, who was determined to hang on to his position. But as Senna headed into the Tamburello corner at 190mph, with Schumacher just over a second behind, something went wrong. The Williams speared off the road and hit a concrete wall, still travelling at 137mph. As fate would have it, a front wheel was knocked back towards the cockpit and Senna's helmet visor was pierced by a suspension arm. If the wheel had missed him, he would have stepped from the wreck unhurt. Oz Senna was a true Motor racing Legend and died in a way that creates legends.... Was sadly missed
MIKA27 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Posted May 4, 2009 Many drivers have lost their lives in F1 and hopefully with all the latest in safety, no one else ever will. There is always an element of danger whilst driving at such high speeds and under heavy G forces. If one good thing has come from the deaths of these drivers, Sennas included, that would be the safety of todays and tomorrows champions. An interesting link which shows the safety impimentations to F1 throughout the years: http://atlasf1.autosport.com/news/safety.html
MIKA27 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Posted May 4, 2009 Brawn to lose out on Honda winnings Brawn GP look set to miss out on as much as £20m in prize money that was owed to the Honda team for their ninth-place finish last season. It initially seemed that the Brawn team - who maintained most of its Honda characteristics - would be entitled to the winnings, but F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has indicated this is not the case. Speaking to The Independent, Ecclestone is reported to have said that the Honda winnings "will not be paid to Brawn" and might not "be paid out at all". The FIA have classed Brawn GP as a new team, and thus they are not necessarily entitled to the winnings. Under the Concorde Agreement, which binds all teams to racing in Formula One, the money should be split between the teams that remain in the sport. But Ecclestone admits that in the case that the teams cannot come to an agreement on wheather the money should be given to Brawn or split between the teams, then "we can keep it". The 68-year-old also admitted that he was not particularly enamoured by Brawn GP's change of name. "I opposed the name Brawn," he said. "[it's] not a good name, doesn't mean anything to the public, better being Honda than Brawn," he added. MIKA: Bernie is a tosser, that's all I have to say. A midget with 'Little man syndrome' who does noting positive to F1.
MIKA27 Posted May 7, 2009 Author Posted May 7, 2009 Kimi hopes to end year-long winless streak It may be hard to believe, but it is more than a year since Kimi Raikkonen last tasted victory in Formula One. Everyone thought Raikkonen would dominate the 2008 season after he won the Spanish Grand Prix - his second victory of the year - on April 27. Unfortunately it all went downhill for the Finn from there as he failed to win another race. He eventually finished the season in third place - well adrift of the top two. His bad luck and poor form seem to have spilled over to this season and he finds himself 12th in the Drivers' Championship with just three points from four races. Despite the long drought, Raikkonen insists he hasn't lost his "lust for winning". "It's a bit more than a year ago that I won my last Formula One race," he told the official Ferrari website. "At Barcelona in 2008 I had my best weekend with Ferrari: pole position, victory and fastest race lap. Since then I came very close several times - I'm thinking of Magny-Cours, Montreal and Spa - but for one reason or the other I could never make it. "Having said that, a driver never loses the lust for winning and I want to have that feeling again as soon as possible." Ferrari will be introducing several upgrades to their car for this weekend's race and Raikkonen hopes it will kick-start their campaign. "I really liked hearing from the team that the new aerodynamic package's first signs are positive. It will be really interesting taking the car out during Friday's free practice sessions. "We drove on this track back in March this year, but it's always really difficult to understand from the tests who's really strong in the field. Furthermore many cars have changed quite a lot since then. With the new aerodynamic package we'll have more downforce compared to the first four races, but also almost all of the others will show up with some updates. We'll see who has done better work."
MIKA27 Posted May 7, 2009 Author Posted May 7, 2009 Donington Park gets a reprieve Donington Park remains the host of the 2010 British Grand Prix, for the time being at least. The North West Leicestershire District Council on Tuesday gave Simon Gillett a two-month reprieve to prove that Donington Park will be ready to stage the race next year. The council agreed to the deadline as Gillett is due to face Tom Wheatcroft, the track's owner, in court. Wheatcroft is suing Gillett's company Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd for £2.47million in back rent, as well as seeking a forfeiture of the lease, throwing the British Grand Prix into jeopardy. Gillett and Wheatcroft now have until the end of June to settle their differences and put their names to a Section 106, in layman's terms a legal document by which all parties must adhere to. The primary measure on this occasion in order to satisfy a number of parties is an Event Management Plan as Gillett is hoping for the race to become the first "public transport grand prix". Due to Donington's limited access, Gillett is planning to restrict on-site ticketing, and instead impose a number of park and ride schemes around Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Explaining why he failed to pay Wheatcroft, Gillett said: "We have an agreement of ongoing works here. "There was a way we allocated funds over a period of time during the winter, which we used elsewhere. "Everyone has their spats in a business relationship. We're not unlike a lot of businesses at the moment where we have our issues. "But we're resolving those, and I would say you will see some positive news coming out on that very soon. It's not going to jeopardise the project." In typically bullish style, Gillett is adamant there will be a British Grand Prix at Donington Park in 2010. "We're 110% committed to making sure it happens, 100% confident it will," asserted Gillett. "It would be lovely if a few people got behind us, but for the moment we'll keep doing it on our own."
MIKA27 Posted May 10, 2009 Author Posted May 10, 2009 Button: I thought two-stopping would cost me Jenson Button has admitted that he thought the plan coming from the Brawn GP pitwall to switch him to a two-stop strategy would cost him any chance of winning Sunday's Spanish GP. Fortunately for the Englishman, he was wrong. Button started the Barcelona race from pole position and on a three-stop strategy. But, as he closed in on his first pit stop, the decision-makers on the Brawn pitwall opted to swap him to a two-stopper while keeping his team-mate Rubens Barrichello on the initial strategy. And despite going along with the call, Button admits he thought he had been handed the short straw as a heavy car would allow Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel to close up on his Brawn. "We were both going in that direction but they switched me to two stops to cover all our bases. Three stops was the quicker strategy, we thought. I wasn't sure about going to two stops because when I put the fuel on board it felt very heavy," he said. "I didn't think I would come out ahead of Felipe and Sebastian but I did. So I put my head down and concentrated on going as fast as possible." Brawn's decision, which raised a few eyebrows amongst the media, handed Button the Barcelona win with him taking the chequered flag by 13 seconds over Barrichello "Coming back to Europe and winning at Barcelona, a circuit I have always found tough, is great and gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season," he said. As a result of his latest win - his fourth of the season - Button now holds a 14-point over Barrichello in the race for this year's Drivers' Championship title. "It is a dream come true so far this season, even when times are tough we seem to be able to get the wins. When it goes well it goes well, last year when it went bad it went bad," he added. "I feel on top of the world at the moment. The team have done a great job and with this package you could see we have got our advantage back again, and thanks to Mercedes as we couldn't do it without them."
MIKA27 Posted May 10, 2009 Author Posted May 10, 2009 Rubens: I won't tolerate team orders Rubens Barrichello has threatened to quit Formula One if he senses team orders coming into play in his fight for the title with team-mate Jenson Button. For the fourth time in five races this season, Button stood on the top step of the podium, spearheading a Brawn GP one-two at today's Spanish Grand Prix. It was the ninth successive race a driver has won from pole at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, although this was no routine run from start to finish as in the past. Instead, there was an undercurrent of discontent from Barrichello at the prospect Button had been favoured ahead of himself. After being passed by third-on-the-grid Barrichello on the run down to the first corner, Button then spent the first 18 laps behind the Brazilian. When he pitted, he had been informed by his team the lap previously that he was being switched from a three-stop to a two-stop strategy as boss Ross Brawn attempted to cover all bases. There was no such call for veteran Barrichello, who remained on a three-stop plan, which cost him the victory. Technical guru Brawn, who made the call to change Button's tactics, claims Barrichello lost out due to a third set of soft tyres that strangely lacked the pace of the previous two. The 36-year-old Brazilian, though, was clearly sore at what had unfolded as he said: "I hope the guys come back and tell me there was a small problem somewhere. "We were both on three stops, then they changed the strategy for him, which is good for him, and good for the team we were one and two, but I'd like to understand why we changed that (the strategy). "We'll have a meeting, and then we'll have some answers." In light of Barrichello's experiences at Ferrari where he was clearly a number two driver and forced to bow to team orders, Barrichello then definitively outlined his position. "If I get a whiff of team orders I will hang up my helmet on the spot," asserted Barrichello. "I'm very experienced and if that happens I won't follow any team orders any more. I'm making it clear now so everybody knows." Despite the problems he endured at Ferrari, Barrichello maintains the culture within Brawn is far different. "We've a much more friendly situation, so I'm not blaming this or that, and there's no way I'm going to cry and say I should have done this or that," insisted Barrichello. "It's in my own best interests to learn what went wrong today because I have the ability to have won the race, but I didn't. "Jenson is on a flier, is doing very well, and obviously there's a bit more pressure on my side because he has won four races and I've won nothing. "But I'm there working, and I won't stop working because this is a great car. "It was not that long ago people were putting flowers on my grave and saying thank you very much for the job I'd done. "But I'm here, very much alive and happy, and I'm going to make it work as I did a few years ago, but in a more friendly atmosphere." Button, and in particular Brawn, both fervently dismissed the idea team orders had come into play. "We both work closely together within the team, and there's a very good atmosphere," insisted Button. "We're all here to win - it went my way today, and it may go his (Barrichello) way in Monaco. That's the way it is. "He had a problem on his stint, I didn't, I made it work and I won the race, but then it could swing around at the next one. "That's the way we go racing, the way it should be, and the way it has been for most teams in Formula One. "I don't ever want to go down that avenue of talking about that because it is so far from the situation within our team." As for Brawn, when asked whether team orders had perhaps crossed Barrichello's mind, he replied: "I hope not because we're not (doing that). "I think you saw at the first corner there are no team orders as Rubens made a great start to get past Jenson. "I'd love to see Rubens win a race and his crew win a race because it would be great for the team. "But there's no priority being given." MIKA: I like Rubens but this is not good PR from him. Sure he is sore over comming second but considering his F1 days seemed over and out as from last season, he has a second life given to him which he should make the most of and not complain. This is not Ferrari days where he DID play second fiddle and he was told so too. I truly believe Rubens will win a race this season.
OZCUBAN Posted May 13, 2009 Posted May 13, 2009 Ferrari to quit if 2010 rules don't change Tuesday, 12 May 2009 16:18 Ferrari has delivered a stark warning to the FIA that it will quit Formula 1 in 2010 if the £40 million budget cap comes into force as planned. The sport’s most iconic and successful team has been at loggerheads with the governing body since the optional cap was ratified earlier this month, with its president Luca di Montezemolo branding the regulation unworkable and likely to create a two-tier championship. Now following a board meeting at its Maranello base on Tuesday, Ferrari has upped the stakes in the teams’ stand-off by joining Toyota and Red Bull in threatening to walk away from the sport at the end of the season if the 2010 rules stand. “The Board considers that if this [the optional budget cap] is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 – would come to a close,” a statement issued following the meeting said. “The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA’s endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula 1 are the priorities for the future. “If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula 1 World Championship.” While a number of teams have been open to the idea of a budget cap for some time as a means of bringing costs in the sport firmly under control, the Formula One Teams’ Association has expressed its anger at the unilateral way the cap has been introduced and the way in which it will function. Teams have been presented with the option of either running under the cap in exchange for technical freedoms or continuing to spend freely but within the current rules constraints. The FIA has set a May 29 deadline on squads to sign up to the 2010 season, with their entries to state whether or not they will run under the cap. However, the FOTA teams think the two rules will create a two-tier championship in the sport, thus damaging F1’s image, and senior figures such as Williams’s Patrick Head believe the technical freedoms of running within the cap will be so great that squads outside it will never be able to bridge the gap. Ferrari, currently one of the sport’s biggest spending outfits, said it had been dismayed at the way in which the FIA had gone about implementing the cap, claiming the governing body has also bypassed its agreement with the Scuderia over rules stability. “The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams,” it said. “The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula 1 over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. Ferrari has been the only team to compete in every season of the world championship since its inception since 1950, with the Italian squad holding the majority of records including most race victories, pole positions and drivers’ and constructors’ crowns. The Italian squad’s statement concluded by appealing to its fans to understand the reason for its threat to quit the sport, adding that Montezemolo was charged with finding alternative avenues for its motorsport involvement. “Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision is coherent with the Scuderia’s approach to motor sport and to Formula 1 in particular, always seeking to promote its sporting and technical values,” the statement added. “The Chairman of the Board of Directors was mandated to evaluate the most suitable ways and methods to protect the company’s interests." After the World Motor Sport Council passed a revised version of the FIA’s budget cap last month – which raised the limit by £10m and excluded drivers salaries and marketing costs – Montezemolo wrote to FIA president Max Mosley expressing his displeasure with the plans. Mosley responded by saying that while it would be sad if F1 lost Ferrari, it would not be a fatal blow. “The sport could survive without Ferrari,” Mosley told the Financial Times. “It would be very, very sad to lose Ferrari. "It is the Italian national team.” The sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone, however, said he would intervene to ensure the row between the two parties didn’t get out of hand and, speaking on Tuesday, said he was sure it wouldn’t get to the stage where the Italian marque walked away. “Ferrari are not stupid,” Ecclestone told The Times. “They don’t want to leave Formula 1 and we don’t want to lose them, so we’ll get to grips with it.” Oz I personally do not want to see Ferrari leave it will be detrimental to the sport as a whole I think that it is up to the F.I.A to sort this out maybe increase the cap what we do not want to see is a two tiered racing in formula 1 cheers Oz
MIKA27 Posted May 18, 2009 Author Posted May 18, 2009 I think you are right OZ... I believe the FIA really need to take drastic measures and look into this because since 1950, Ferrari have been in the sport of F1 and to lose them would be terrible. RBR and Toyota are also complaining about the cap, so a review of this issue is required.
Politicianssuck Posted May 19, 2009 Posted May 19, 2009 Flav: Slow guy & a retiree to decide the title Flavio Briatore believes the FIA's decision to approve the design of the Diffuser Three's cars means that this year's Drivers' title will be decided between a "driver who was almost retired" and another "good" but slow driver. Earlier this week, the FIA's Court of Appeal declared the rear diffuser design of the Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams' cars to be legal, leaving their rivals with little choice but to copy the design or risk being left behind. But redesigning their cars will take time and with no testing taking place this season, getting the design up to scratch could also take weeks. And as such Briatore reckons the FIA have condemned Formula One fans to a season where the title won't be decided by the best drivers. Rather, he says, it will be left to Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello to fight for the crown. "The drivers in our teams have been and are World Champions, while the Championship is now fought between a driver who was almost retired and another one who is a good guy but a paracarro (the Italian saying for being as slow as a milepost at the side of a road)," Briatore told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "I don't know where credibility has ended up with all this. To make up the gap we have to those teams is impossible." Briatore has also slammed the decision to approve the design based on that fact that it will now cost the seven rival teams millions in order to incorporate it. "Just when there's talk of setting a budget cap to 30 million, we've spent 15m for KERS and 10m more for the diffusers. We're left with five to travel and to pay the employees." MIKA: I don't actually have much to say about this guy which says alot about what I think of Flav. One word..... "Tosser!" Spot on Mika.
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