FORMULA 1 2009

[Politicianssuck]

Hi all.

Just wished to create a thread/post regarding this seasons Formula 1 championship for everyone to contribute to should they feel the need to do so. Please feel free to post news, opinions etc.

I hope the Admin and moderators on this site do not mind my posting this, but myself being a huge fan of Formula 1, really wished to start this as I have noticed that the post made by 'patman24' was such a success, we have continued on from discussing Melbournes race to Malaysia etc.

I'm really looking forward to the next race where I'll have a CC in one hand and a scotch in the other. The next race will be in Shanghai.

Source: Planet F1

Length : 5.451

Profile :

Time difference: GMT +8

No of Laps: 56

Race Distance: 305.066 km

Lap Record: 1:32.238 - M Schumacher (2004)

Please excuse me if this has been mentioned before, there are a number of fine F1 podcasts available from iTunes, absolutely free. This is a great way to get an F1 fix whilst at work, and being paid for it!

[Politicianssuck]

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

Hi Oz,

Do you think that Bernie is pursuing this line of quantity over quality, simply to make up for the financial hit he has taken as a result of the split up from his wife of many years? Or am I being overly cynical?

[MIKA27]

Massa senses Ferrari's first podium of '09

Felipe Massa is convinced Ferrari will be back on the podium this weekend as he believes the Monaco Grand Prix will prove a turning point in the team's turbulent year.

After making the worst start to a Formula One season in his career, Massa finally ended his points duck with a sixth-placed finish in Spain nine days ago.

But even that was beset with problems as the Brazilian was ordered to slow down during the closing stages to conserve fuel as he faced the threat of running out.

It was a setback that immediately prompted Massa to concede he had no chance of winning this year's world title, a statement he has since retracted.

Instead, despite trailing championship leader Jenson Button by 38 points, Massa has now gone on the offensive ahead of F1's showpiece event in Monte Carlo.

"After the Spanish GP I read that I've raised the white flag for this season - this is not the case and I want that to be clear," asserted Massa.

"Obviously the situation in the Championship is very difficult, and it is quite realistic to say that catching up seems to be almost impossible, but that doesn't mean we've given up.

"We'll continue working on the car and will give it our all to win races and finish the Championship the best way possible. We showed last year we're not a team that gives up when there are negative results.

"I will fight and push with the whole team to improve things race by race. The time for a comeback always comes, and I'm certain it will - today more than ever - both in the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships."

As far as Massa is concerned, the time for that comeback will be on Sunday around the streets of the Principality.

"I really think the Monte Carlo race can be the turning point in our season," added Massa.

"After a start to the season we didn't expect, we've improved a lot, especially in the last race when we took some steps forward.

"For all these reasons I believe in the first podium of the season, and also in our recovery."

MIKA: Well, that's a no brainer. Historically speaking, if you can manage to get P1 in qualifying and have a good strategy and vehicle reliability, then the driver in P1 should win the GP at Monaco.

That's not to say that one can not over take at certain strategic locations such as the end of "Portier', 'Anthony Noghes' or 'Saint Devote'..

[MIKA27]

NEXT RACE - 24th May

Grand Prix of Monaco

Monte Carlo

Length : 3.3

Profile :

GMT +2

No of Laps: 78

Race Distance: 260.520 km

Lap Record: 1:14.439 - M Schumacher (2004)

History :

The Monaco Grand Prix is quite simply the most famous street race in the world.

The thriving heart of the city regarded as the "millionaire's playground" is transformed every year for probably grand prix racing's greatest fixture.

Formula One takes control of the busy streets and the harbour front of Monte Carlo to give the sport its most breathtaking event of the year.

A tight armco-barriered circuit, around the streets of Monte Carlo provides a magnificent spectacle. The cars charge past such landmarks as the Hotel de Paris, the Casino, and then through the tunnel and out around the harbour front.

The track is created overnight by a team of engineers who take over when the traffic stops. The circuit is interesting, tight and demanding, with little room for error or overtaking. But it is still regarded by many as the sport's jewel in the crown - but remember first practice is on Thursday not Friday.

[IceChant]

GL to us, watching good race today.

I like Monaco's GP very much, this track can show who's really good driver and who isn't.

[OZCUBAN]

Button takes sublime Monaco win

Jenson Button tightened his vice-like grip on the 2009 world championship with a dominant first Monaco Grand Prix victory on Sunday, leading team-mate Rubens Barrichello home in another Brawn 1-2.

The points leader was shadowed by Barrichello in the early laps but snuffed out the Brazilian’s challenge through superior management of the super-soft tyres as the rubber dropped off dramatically for several drivers in the first stint.

As Barrichello fell back on the worn rubber, Button pulled out a big cushion and thereafter controlled the race expertly from the front to increase his title lead over the Brazilian to 16 points.

And in winning five of the season's first six races the 29-year-old matched the records of Jim Clark (in 1965), Jackie Stewart (in 1969), Nigel Mansell (in 1992) and Michael Schumacher (in 1994, 2002 and 2004) – a doubly remarkable feat given the Brawn team’s troubled winter.

Ferrari, meanwhile, enjoyed by far its best race of 2009 so far, with Kimi Raikkonen taking third and Felipe Massa chasing him across the finish line in fourth.

Red Bull's Mark Webber finished just behind Massa after making good use of a long opening stint to leapfrog the Williams of Nico Rosberg.

However, given its Brawn-chasing form in recent races RBR may well consider this a disappointing result especially after Sebastian Vettel crashed out early on.

Brawn therefore heads to Turkey with its lead in both championships significantly strengthened – an outcome which in truth had looked a good bet right from the start of the race.

Both of its drivers made inch-perfect getaways, Button easily converting pole into the lead and Barrichello, for the second successive race, hooking things up brilliantly at the lights and outdragging Raikkonen down to Ste Devote.

Otherwise, while the usual jockeying took place on the short run down to the first corner, the grid order remained relatively stable and all 20 cars expertly navigated their way through the tight right-hander and up the hill.

This wasn’t exactly the scenario Lewis Hamilton had been eyeing to make big progress from the back of the grid, however.

Despite dropping from 16th on the 20th on the grid due to a gearbox change, the Briton and his McLaren team still decided to keep an aggressive fuel strategy rather than start from the pit lane where the MP4-24 could be brimmed up with fuel and potentially allow him to leapfrog cars during the pit stops.

The move immediately backfired as the world champion made no progress from 19th off the line and from there on in he was set fair for a long afternoon with few further overtaking chances.

Both Brawns, meanwhile, of course were in the perfect place on such a tight circuit and starting on the grippier super-soft tyres they pulled steadily away from Raikkonen, the Finn's Ferrari on the harder compound.

Barrichello initially kept his championship leading team-mate firmly in sight, meaning Button’s lead was just 1.7s after six laps.

However, the Brazilian was soon to suffer the same fate that was quickly developing on fourth-placed man Vettel’s similarly super-soft tyred Red Bull.

Despite starting with the lightest fuel load of any of the top 10 runners, the German’s rear tyres quickly went off and he dropped over 10 seconds off the front three.

His struggles became so severe that eight cars stacked up behind him as he toured around the twisty streets up to 3s off the pace, with Massa and Rosberg heading an increasingly frustrated queue of drivers.

Having made one failed move on Vettel at the harbourside chicane on the previous lap, Massa tried again on lap seven but the RBR driver positioned his car perfectly under braking and the Ferrari overshot the braking zone and straight-lined the corner.

Knowing he had to give the position back to Vettel, Massa slowed on the short straight towards Tabac – but misjudged the speed and only succeed in allowing Rosberg to muscle through too.

However, both Rosberg and Massa would finally be released from behind the increasingly slow Red Bull just two laps later when Vettel’s rear tyres totally gave up the ghost and he lost all grip.

After being powerless to prevent his two rivals and team-mate Mark Webber through, he headed for the sanctuary of the pit lane to take on the harder tyres.

Yet Vettel’s afternoon still ended soon afterwards when he slammed into the tyre barrier at Ste Devote.

While all this was going on Barrichello was now experiencing the same problems and started to fall behind Button at an increasingly fast rate of knots – allowing Raikkonen on the harder tyres to close onto his gearbox.

Logical wisdom dictated that Button should be suffering the same issues given as he was on the same tyres, yet the Briton was in total control of the situation and continued to lap some 1.5s faster than Barrichello.

Raikkonen, now climbing all over the back of the second-placed Brawn, was the first of the leading runners to stop on lap 14 to take on another set of harder tyres.

Brawn then covered this on the very next lap by bringing Barrichello’s fuel stop forwards so he could finally switch to the same tyres as Raikkonen and not lose crucial track position.

Button then followed a lap later on lap 16 having opened up a 15s advantage over Barrichello.

The Briton rejoined the track behind Rosberg and just ahead of Massa, the pair flying after clearing Vettel and having been homing in on the Barrichello/Raikkonen squabble before the duo's respective stops.

However, while Rosberg was initially the man banging in the benchmark times, he would lose fourth to his Ferrari rival as a result of taking on more fuel at his lap 17 stop (in a bid to minimise the time spent on the super-softs in the final stint) and Massa staying out two laps longer.

So with the front runners' first of two stops for the day out of the way, the long middle phase of the race settled into a more predictable pattern – although there were several intriguing cat and mouse games to keep drivers’ full attention on the tortuous wall-lined streets.

The first was between Button and Barrichello as although the race leader had by this stage opened up a 16s advantage on his team-mate, Barrichello attempted to try and exert some distant pressure, getting the gap down to under 14s early in the stint.

But in truth Button was simply controlling his lead and as the laps wore on, his advantage stabilised and then even steadily increased back up again as he wound up for his final stop.

Barrichello was in turn keeping a healthy distance ahead of the two Ferraris now they were all on the same rubber, with Massa in particular continuing to look racy behind Raikkonen.

Indeed the Brazilian was pushing so hard that his race engineer Rob Smedley had to tell him to on two occasions over the radio that the team had received warnings from race control about him taking too much kerb at the chicane and turn 15.

Another man showing good pace was Webber, the Australian having moved up to fifth through the pit stop phase after staying out longer than both Rosberg and McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen.

With passing the Ferraris on track going to be a tall order, the Red Bull driver’s only hope of improving his position was likely to come in the final stint when all three switched to the tricky super-softs.

However, with far more grip down on the track than in the early laps, the ‘option’ tyres held on for longer and the three drivers made a rather processional tour in to the finish behind the dominant Brawns.

In the end Button cruised to a brilliant victory 7.6s ahead of Barrichello, the Brazilian picking up the fourth Monaco runners-up trophy of his career.

Behind the top five, Rosberg couldn’t maintain his pace from the early laps during his long middle stint and eventually claimed a solid three points for Williams.

Fernando Alonso had a lonely drive to seventh in the Renault, the Spaniard’s car not having the pace to challenge for a higher position – although it did rather unhelpfully come to life in the closing laps and allow him to set some quick lap times.

The final point went to Toro Rosso’s under-pressure driver Sebastien Bourdais, the Frenchman narrowly beating Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella after both made great progress on one-stop strategies.

Toyota and BMW’s miserable weekends ended with the inevitable no-score, although the former's Timo Glock performed a minor miracle to finish 10th after starting from the pit lane.

Of course that option had been open to Hamilton and McLaren and they may wish they had taken it after coming home 12th.

Having made up little ground early on, the Briton struggled with understeer throughout the race after damaging his front wing after tagging Nick Heidfeld’s BMW at Ste Devote early on.

McLaren would still have scored some points with Kovalainen, but the Finn clouted the barriers after dropping his MP4-24 on the exit of the Swimming Pool.

Monaco Grand Prix result - 78 laps

1. BUTTON Brawn 1h40m44.28s

2. BARRICHELLO Brawn +7.7s

3. RAIKKONEN Ferrari +13.4s

4. MASSA Ferrari +15.1s

5. WEBBER Red Bull +15.7s

6. ROSBERG Williams +33.6s

7. ALONSO Renault +37.8s

8. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso +63.1s

9. FISICHELLA Force India +65.0s

10. GLOCK Toyota +1 lap

11. HEIDFELD BMW +1 lap

12. HAMILTON McLaren +1 lap

13. TRULLI Toyota +1 lap

14. SUTIL Force India +1 lap

15. NAKAJIMA Williams +2 laps

R. KOVALAINEN McLaren +27 laps

R. KUBICA BMW +50 laps

R. VETTEL Red Bull +63 laps

R. PIQUET Renault +68 laps

R. BUEMI Toro Rosso +68 laps

Fastest lap: MASSA 1m15.154s (lap 50)

Oz:I don't want to jinx Jenson's Title hopes but from my point of view I think that he has got it the bank, bar any injuries. The car seems to be very reliable,and the fact that he is driving the best in his career(out of his skin in fact! ) sign of a true champion that he has stepped up to the plate and has well and truly silenced his critics after spending years in the wilderness (character building they say)

Oz

[MIKA27]

Oz:I don't want to jinx Jenson's Title hopes but from my point of view I think that he has got it the bank, bar any injuries. The car seems to be very reliable,and the fact that he is driving the best in his career(out of his skin in fact! ) sign of a true champion that he has stepped up to the plate and has well and truly silenced his critics after spending years in the wilderness (character building they say)

Oz

Great post OZ!

I really enjoyed watching the Monaco GP, and I agree, it's great to see JB doing so well. It would be great to see him win the overall drivers championship however, anything can happen in F1 and there are still a great number of races to go.

What I wouldn't mind seeing is Rubens 'creeping' closer in points, hopefully RB wins at least a race this season as he too is deserving.

JB however finally has fate on his side with what seems to be not just a great drive but a great team who genuinely seem to care for their drivers.

[IceChant]

It was good race.

JB is having great year but I think it's the care and the team above anything else even that he's good driver.

[OZCUBAN]

Brawn budget safe for 2009 – Fry

Brawn GP CEO Nick Fry says the championship-leading team has no worries over its budget for the remainder of 2009, insisting it will be able to continue to develop its car as it wants to even if it didn’t secure another sponsorship deal.

After Ross Brawn’s management buyout saved the Brackley-based squad from closure over the winter following Honda’s sudden withdrawal from Formula 1, the new team owner admitted its current financial arrangement was a “medium-term solution” and it needed to find sponsors going forwards.

A high-profile tie-up with Richard Branson’s Virgin Group was subsequently sealed on the eve of new season in Melbourne, while the team has also announced several other smaller deals.

But while yet to secure a title sponsor or other major brands, Fry has confirmed that the team already has the budget it needs to keep developing the pacesetting BGP 001, and start work on the 2010 model, right through the season as it bids to claim the world titles.

“There is no issue whatsoever with funding through this year,” he said in Monaco.

“Even if we didn’t get another penny in sponsorship we’d be able to do what we need to do.

“We are using our money wisely and that means spending it on the performance of the car and the whole team, including Ross and I, going EasyJet – that’s how it should be, that’s what you do in constrained economic environments.

“But as far as development of the car goes we are in good shape.”

Brawn’s remarkable run of success in the opening third of the season has, according to Fry, naturally helped its attempts to entice new sponsors on board.

Indeed while revealing it has received a number of offers already, Fry says the team is in a position where it can afford to cherry pick the deals which offer the best long-term benefits.

“The beauty in our situation is that we don’t need to take the first deal that comes along; indeed we haven’t taken the first deal that comes along because we don’t need to,” he revealed.

“We want to do what’s right for three years and even five years out, and that’s what we are trying to do at the moment.

“If we can do that it will be wonderful for us because then we can get on with the racing and be working with partners that will be developing their brands alongside and we maybe relax at least on one front.”

He added: “What we are trying to do is get the best business proposition and that means hanging on a little bit and 1-2s at Monaco don’t harm the situation.”

While Virgin logos have been the major sponsor presence on the team’s car and Branson has attended several races so far in 2009, the tie-up has yet to progress to the “ two-stage deal” envisaged when it was announced in Australia.

Reports in the British press ahead of last weekend’s Monte Carlo race suggested rival teams had also been courting Virgin, with Brawn and Branson having yet reached agreement on a longer-term deal.

Asked about the latest state of its sponsorship search, Fry said talks with both Virgin and other potential sponsors remained ongoing.

“We are very close to several commercial agreements,” the team CEO said.

“I am sure other teams are interested in Virgin and I would expect them to look with others.

“But we are continuing discussions with Virgin and we are talking to many others as well.”

Oz

I think that Virgin will eventually sign with Brawn I think that the good will shared between them will go a long way well lets hope, if not I am sure there will be others queuing up, everybody loves winners

Cheers Oz

[MIKA27]

BRAWN GP would be crazy not to sign with Richard Bransons 'Virgin'.

Not only did Virgin save BRAWN GP which allowed them to contend this year but how great is Richard Branson as the head of such a fantastic brand.

[bikeguy1]

F1 fan here, just found this thread....all I can say is it's a much more exciting season than the last couple, and I'm pleased that the pecking order has changed. Here's to Button doing well!

[MIKA27]

F1 fan here, just found this thread....all I can say is it's a much more exciting season than the last couple, and I'm pleased that the pecking order has changed. Here's to Button doing well!

Welcome to the F1 thread bud.

It is refreshing to see the top dogs now being the underdogs (Ferrari, McLaren) and intermediate teams playing a greater and more successful role this season.

Being a fan, I'd watch F1 no matter what but I do feel that this season is a great deal more enjoyable than the past 5 seasons or so.

Enjoy the remainder of the season.

Mika.

[MIKA27]

BMW deny Heidfeld is on his way out

BMW team boss Mario Theissen has denied reports that this year's Championship will be Nick Heidfeld's last as a BMW driver.

Heidfeld joined BMW at the beginning of the 2006 season and has enjoyed mixed success with the German manufacturer. This year, though, there has been little to smile at BMW as the team's form has taken a sharp dip.

And as a result there have been rumours in the German that Heidfeld could be dropped at the end of the season even though he's the only BMW man to have scored any points so far this year.

Theissen, however, has denied these claims.

"First of all, I haven't read it," he told Autosport. "And even if I had read it I wouldn't make any comment and wouldn't react to it. As far as our present driver line-up is concerned I am not prepared to say anything negative.

"At the end of the day we can only talk about that when we are fast again and our driver line-up for the next year is traditionally decided in September."

MIKA: "I don't see why they consider getting rid of Nick seeing as Kubica isn't exactly living up to the huge hype and expectations of BMW.

The talk in the Paddock is that Kubica is the next big star and yet, Nick seems to be the guy bringing the car home safe by finishing races and getting points. This season not so much as compared to '08 season but what can one expect....

Continually running Nick with a tanker trucks worth of fuel doesn't exactly allow him to show anything in the races either, before considering driver line up changes, BMW should focus on their car and on being a little more creative with their race strategies...or at least not being so conservative with it all the time."

[MIKA27]

NEXT RACE - 7th June

Grand Prix of Turkey

Istanbul

Length : 5.338

Profile :

Time difference: GMT +3

No of Laps: 58

Race Distance: 309.396 km

Lap Record: 1:24.770 - JP Montoya (2005)

History :

Turkey is one of the newer countries on the F1 calendar with its spectacular all-purpose 5.338km track at the Otodrom.

The track is the brainchild of Herman Tilke, also responsible for Sepang, Bahrain and Shanghai.

The circuit features 14 turns and cars reach speeds of up to 320 km.

The race is one of the few on the calendar where the lap runs anti-clockwise.

The circuit should have plenty of character as it's built on four different ground levels.

[MIKA27]

Alonso 'tired' of F1 midfield

More hints of a team switch next season

Source: F1-Live

According to the Spanish press, Fernando Alonso is growing weary of life in the Formula One midfield.

With every passing day, the signs are growing stronger that the Spaniard will definitely leave Renault - perhaps at the end of this season - to join Ferrari.

In multiple press interviews now, the 27-year-old has spoken glowingly about the famous team, and on Sunday said he was "excited" to hear that a poll in an authoritative Italian newspaper showed that the country's fans want him to occupy a red car in 2010.

On the other hand, Alonso is increasingly downbeat about his current mount, the Enstone-built R29, even after boss Flavio Briatore promised him an improved package for Turkey and a race-winning car before the end of the season.

Briatore, blaming traffic in Monaco, said:"I think today Fernando could have easily competed with Ferrari and Red Bull, but not Brawn.'

In the pages of Spain's El Mundo, Alonso responded: "I am not going to spend the entire press conference responding to what Flavio has said or not said."

"We are going to introduce new pieces in Turkey but I think everything will stay more or less the same. It happened in Barcelona: everyone promised the world and everything stayed the same," said Alonso.

In Diario AS, he was quoted as continuing: "I am still very motivated, but I'm tired of being left behind."

MIKA: Fernando,Fernando..... All this guy seems to do is complain whenever he loses. He won back to back championships with Renault, moved over to McLaren where he under performed in comparison to his team mate, wasn't doing a great job and ran back to Flavio because he believed McLaren did not favour him.

Now, what is Fernando doing, complaining and looking for an escape.

[patman24]

Alonso sounds like the kid who always wants the best toys. I hope that he keeps whining and jumping ships, won't get him anywhere. I also can't wait to see him run on fumes again during practice to steal headlines. Then come race day, be a no show, no camera time battling in the midfield, blocking anyone trying to get pass him. Wherever Alonso goes, drama follows. Cocky little Spanish boy!

[MIKA27]

Now Flav has a sly dig at prospective teams

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has joined Ferrari in taking a swipe at the prospective F1 entry list for next season.

After losing their court bid to obtain an injunction against the FIA's proposed budget cap, Ferrari released a statement questioning the standard of the new teams who want to join the sport.

'Wirth Research, Lola, USF1, Epsilon Euskadi, RML, Formtech, Campos, iSport: these are the names of the teams, which should compete in the two-tier Formula 1 wanted by Mosley,' the statement read.

'Can a World Championship with teams like them - with due respect - can have the same value as today's Formula 1, where Ferrari, the big car manufacturers and teams, who created the history of this sport, compete? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to call it Formula GP3?'

Briatore echoed the sentiments from Ferrari, saying they don't want "F1 with a little bit of Formula Two and a little bit of GP2".

"We are devaluing Formula One," he told Spanish newspaper El Mundo. "It is not right that teams from GP2 race with us; it devalues F1's image and its technology.

"It is also being said that the constructors will withdraw, but with normal regulations, I do not believe that any constructor will leave. What we cannot have is F1 with a little bit of Formula Two and a little bit of GP2. The small teams have to have success on the basis of their results.

"I began with a small team, Benetton, and with clear regulations we competed with McLaren and Ferrari and won in 1994 and '95 with a budget 80 per cent smaller. We never asked for different regulations. We want a Formula 1 that is unique, with the best technology and the best teams and drivers."

MIKA: I can not believe I'm about to say this but for once Flav has a point which actually makes sense.

[MIKA27]

Max: I am willing to compromise but only if...

Max Mosley insists he is willing to compromise on his planned budget cap but only if it allows small, new teams to compete with the big name outfits.

FOTA met on Wednesday to once again discuss their stand against the 2010 regulations in the build-up to Friday's deadline for entries into next year's Championship. And, according to reports in the British press, it appears as if a compromise could be on the cards with a €100m budget cap and one set of rules for all teams.

Added to that there's more good news as Mosley, who previously stated that he would not back down on his cap, has revealed that he is willing to compromise.

"I am willing to compromise, but only if small and new teams can operate with much lower budgets and are not much slower than the others," Mosley the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"I am very optimistic about a solution. The big and small teams have very different interests and we have to protect everyone."

In another change of heart the FIA President, who a few weeks ago said that F1 doesn't need Ferrari, has now admitted that he hopes they sign up by Friday's deadline because the sport does need the Scuderia.

"Will Ferrari enter by Friday? I think so. I am optimistic and confident. Ferrari is very important for Formula One, but Formula One is very important for Ferrari as well."

MIKA: "100 million, I guess is ok. I assume that to run in F1,a team needs at least 40, and 60 mill gap between a big and a small team.

Funny how things change however when it used to be 300 mill between them.

The only thing though is that Ferrari still will not be pleased because 100 mill is not enough for Ferrari to win."

[MIKA27]

This reminds me of the discussions a few years back around the Concorde agreement when all the big teams were theatening to leave and start their own series unless the new terms were in their favour, allowing them more of the revenue and input on how things were run (or whatever the fuss was about). That threat came to nothing although now they seemingly still are annoyed at FIA's continuous changing of regulations, which was one things I think they were arguing about last time.

So, I believe it's just a rattle of swords. As long as Ferrari believe they can make more money from being in F1 that being out I am convinced they will stay.

Just my shot of Koskenkorva for the day

And spot on you are.

[IceChant]

I find all those problems funny sometimes but that what happens when so much money is involved.

[Ozz1113]

All I want is to see Jarno win a race this year. GL Jarno!

[MIKA27]

All I want is to see Jarno win a race this year. GL Jarno!

The way the season is heading thus far, it could be possible seeing alot of the midfielders are right up there with the very best and winning races.

Jarno is one of the great drivers and a great guy. I met him twice now from over the years of going to the Melbourne GP, in the paddock he always makes time for fans, signs autographs etc. If only more drivers were as giving.

[MIKA27]

Ruthless Brawn GP Not Ready To Let Up

Development work on BGP 001 continues apace

There appears to be no let-up from Brawn GP as they look to continue their relentless charge to both World Championships at the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend.

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello's 1-2 finish in Monaco means Brawn are a staggering 43.5 points ahead of second-placed Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship. Button is 16 points clear of team-mate Rubens Barrichello in the Drivers' standings.

Teams with Championship ambitions had high hopes of clawing their way back in the title race during the European season, but as yet they have failed to make up any ground on pacesetters.

Team principal Ross Brawn, wary that their rivals will improve, says development work on the BGP 001 continues apace and also revealed that they head to Istanbul will several updates to the car.

"After a week back at the factory in Brackley to reflect on our successes in Monaco, the team is now looking forward to our next challenge at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul this weekend," Brawn said.

"The Monaco Grand Prix was a wonderful weekend with Jenson and Rubens, the team and our engine partner Mercedes-Benz, performing at the top of their game to bring home our third one-two finish of the season.

"However, Monaco is a unique track and we know that our competitors will be very strong in Turkey this weekend. Development work on the BGP 001 car has continued apace at the factory and we will be bringing a new front wing to Turkey along with some aerodynamic updates and new rear suspension elements."

MIKA: Quite simply, Ross Brawn is a genius and Ferrari are feeling the pain of not having him on their team....

[MIKA27]

Mosley: F1 will die without new teams

FIA President Max Mosley has once again hit back at Ferrari's claims that the new teams who want to join F1 next season are not up to standard.

Ferrari as well as Renault team boss Flavio Briatore blasted the quality of teams and the Italian team sarcastically suggested that "it be more appropriate to call it Formula GP3?" if the likes of Wirth Research, Lola and USF1 sign up.

Mosley, though, is having none of it, warning that Formula One will die if new entrepreneurs don't enter the sport.

"No sport is healthy without new people coming in," Mosley told Germany's Deutsche Presse Agentur.

"Ferrari forget that the current BMW team started as Sauber, the current Williams team started with Williams buying March, [and] Tyrrell started a little team at the end of the sixties that was Honda and is now Brawn.

"Even Enzo Ferrari himself came along in 1948 and started from nothing. If you stopped those new entrepreneurs coming in, Formula 1 will die. You can't have just a lot of old men running it."

[MIKA27]

BMW duo looking forward to Turkey

After the disaster that was the Monaco GP, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica are looking forward to an improved performance in next week's Turkish Grand Prix.

BMW have endured a nightmare start to the season, but both drivers remain optimistic that they can improve in Turkey.

"The track in Istanbul is totally different to Monaco. It is a very modern race track with a couple of high-speed corners. Of course, we hope to perform better in Istanbul than in Monaco," said Robert Kubica.

Nick Heidfeld echoed the sentiments of his Polish team-mate.

"I hope our dismal performance in Monaco proves to be a glitch and that it was down to that particular circuit being unsuitable for our car. After all, there were signs of a forward trend at the previous race in Spain, and the next update is ready for Istanbul - also including a double diffuser," said Heidfeld.

The German admits he is a fan of the Turkish circuit and relishes the speedy sections of the circuit.

"The Istanbul circuit has some extremely good sections, particularly Turn 8, of course, which is quite a challenge - very long, fast and with several apexes. For the long straight with the right-hand kink you need a good top speed," he added.

MIKA: Perhaps this topics title should be... 'BMW Duo looking forward to driving a Turkey'. LOL - Love it."