F1 2009

[David Morton]

One of the strong rumours for next week: It look like Renault F1 might be the next team to follow in BMWs footsteps as the parent car company in France wants rid. Flav is trying to drum up funds for a management buyout.
But don't worry, Captain Whiplash, AKA mosely, says F1 can survive without the car manufacturers.

 

[David Morton]

fact: There is a testing ban at the moment. Any team needing to do any running such as Renault with their new guy Grosjean are limited to straight line speed tests on disused runways. Except Ferrari and Michael Schumacher who can test at Maranello facility using a 2007 car fitted with slick tyres from a GP2 car.
Very careful manipulation of the rules. :huh:

Have we been here before or am I dreaming.........

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

One of the strong rumours for next week: It look like Renault F1 might be the next team to follow in BMWs footsteps as the parent car company in France wants rid. Flav is trying to drum up funds for a management buyout.
But don't worry, Captain Whiplash, AKA mosely, says F1 can survive without the car manufacturers.

Not that I want to agree with Captain Whiplash, but I think F1 can survive without the big gun manufacturer's.Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman produced some fairly handy cars for instance, as did Brabham and Mclaren and none were big guys at the time... Yeehah the sport could evolve back to the glory days!!:thumbsup:

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Not that I want to agree with Captain Whiplash, but I think F1 can survive without the big gun manufacturer's.Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman produced some fairly handy cars for instance, as did Brabham and Mclaren and none were big guys at the time... Yeehah the sport could evolve back to the glory days!!:thumbsup:

also I love the old glory times, but modern f1 without big manifacturers and gp in the right countries will be not so different than gp2, that nobody follows.
The turning point will be the lost of silverstone and monza.
Then all will be definitely gone.I still think is unacceptable not to have any gp in France, and this is strange, cause France has really wonderful hookers, for the fetish Captain MM.

http://www.maxfisch.com/world.php#france

 

[David Morton]

"France has really wonderful hookers"

Paolo - is there no limit to your knowledge ??

I am in total awe.......Come sapere circa queste cose ??

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Fota teams agree to let Schumi test the F60
<HR style="COLOR: #666666; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #666666" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->The FOTA teams have made an unprecedented decision to allow Ferrari to break the testing agreement and let Michael Schumacher have a day’s running in a current F60.

Schumacher is already in action today at Mugello in an obsolete 2007 car, which pictures show is on slick rather than grooved tires. In theory they should be special Bridgestone ‘demo’ tires rather than pukka 2009 racing slicks.

However as we exclusively revealed earlier Ferrari wrote to the other teams requesting permission for Michael to have a one-day test in the new car. That would allow him to get a feel for slick tires and learn all about KERS and movable front wings before he goes to Valencia, thus giving him a much better chance of making an impact on his first weekend back.

To further complicate matters in addition to the test ban teams have either started or will about to start their mandatory two-week factory shutdowns, and clearly giving Schumacher a test could eat into that time – unless it happens in the next couple of days at Mugello. There is also the possibility of the team using the time to try new parts on the car.

However the FOTA teams have agreed to let the run go ahead.

FOTA Vice-Chairman and Toyota F1 boss John Howett told SPEEDtv.com: ‘I believe all FOTA teams have agreed to accept their request. The situation for Felipe is very unfortunate, and this is a sporting gesture which we are confident Ferrari will respect.’

It’s not known whether Williams and Force India, the two teams currently standing outside FOTA, have also agreed. Unanimity is required if it is to go ahead.

The curious thing is that Ferrari’s letter said that the proposed test was ‘in order to properly evaluate the possibility for his comeback.’

A cynical view might be that his test in the F2007 today would have been more than adequate to judge his fitness and any potential neck problems arising from his February motorbike crash, and that a run in the F60 was therefore not essential.

 

[David Morton]

Updates:
1.Massa is back in St Paolo this evening.

2.Nelson Piquet Snr is trying to buy Sauber and would be calling it Piquet F1.

3.Nelsihnio Piquet (the son) has bee fired at Renault F1 - but you already knew that anyway. I wonder if he will get a drive if his dad is successful.

4. Williams GP have blocked MS from testing the current car claiming Alguesairi is not allowed to test so it will be the same for MS. So he's borrowing a privately owned F1 Car and nobody will know.

5.They, Ferrari, are also keeping the factory open during the shutdown so he can use the Simulator. I guess that will be grounds for another appeal.......

 

[David Morton]

True to form the Sunday newspaper called The News of the World ran an exclusive scoop of an interview with Massa last weekend. It really is a shit newspaper with all sorts of stupid nonsense and big boobs and airbrushed pubes on every page (I'm not against big boobs incidentally) if you follow my drift. Well it seems the scoop with Massa was a figment of one of the journos imagination and no such interview took place according to a Ferrari press release. Just goes to show.
Oh yes - and Red Bull have joined Williams in objecting to MS testing a Ferrari this or any other week.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I'm with Williams and Red bull on this, Ferrari have test drivers ready to go, they don't have to use MS.
And if I was a Ferrari test driver I would be really pissed off that MS took my opportunity away.

The Ferrari forum is going ballistic over this, they want their hero back.

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

u forget Michael is a living legend.
One of the few today still alive.

All Germany interested in motorsport loves him (and dont say NO markus eh?..it is the same for me with ferrari eh eh),
Dont forget Germany recently lost also Bmw in f1.
If circus will loose the entire german world (pilots and teams)all will be definitely gone.
MS keeps a lot of interest that this formula 1 deeply miss.
This serie was and have to remain an european series,we cant continue loose the rapresnting of european contries there.
I am sure all will be ok till they will start cut something british.
Americans are really pissed off with our monkey show, for theme motorsport is different (and I personally like it more)
It is OBVIOUS it is only a commercial manouvering, and is less important what he will do with a crappy ferrari.
He is there again..at 40s, after some years lost in broke his bones with superbikes (he owns respect..many just talks..he kissed the asphalt several times before understand is better remain on 4 wheels)

Sure Pete.. we mangiaspaghetti worldwide want our hero back again, even if he talks german

 

[David Sturch]

Montreal is back on for 2010 and possibly an other race in the US. Detroit Grand Prix again?
Dave

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Was Detroit the one named USA-EST?

 

[Anthony]

Would there be F1 in the US if there weren't an American team next year on the grid, F1-US I think it is.

or am i being cynical.

Just started to follow NASCAR on SkySports and reports suggest people are staying at home due to ticket prices. How is Bernie going to price an F1 event over there, uk prices were, i think, £70 for trackside and silly money for a seat

 

[David Morton]

It's still not a done deal for MS to drive for Ferrari vice massa. MSs spokes person Sabine Kehm has indicated his neck injury from motorcycling may preclude sufficient
fitness. More very soon apparently.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Here is a scenario,
Ticket sales for Valencia are slow.
M.S. Announces his comeback.
Ticket sales for Valencia take off!
M.S. is ruled out for medical reasons.
The fans are disappointed, but the tickets are sold and Bernie is happy...
:lipsrsealed::lipsrsealed:

Yeah I know, my wife reckons I'm a cynic too.

 

[David Morton]

Rumour: Dieter Mateschitz - the guy who managed to completely destroy the A1 Ring circuit in Zeltweg, Austria - and affect a lot of people's livelihoods in the process, is rumoured to be attempting a take over of BMW/Sauber. He is the Red Bull drinks magnate.
There is another rumour in Zeltweg and Styria in general, and that is he will be ordered to reinstate the circuit back to how it was. Lets Hope.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

From F1.com



Schumacher adds karting to training programme


<!-- ArticleBodyStart -->Michael Schumacher took to the kart track with Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer on Wednesday, as he continued preparations for his planned Formula One comeback at the European Grand Prix. Subject to passing a fitness test, Schumacher will stand in for the injured Felipe Massa at Valencia later this month.

"Karting has a very good training effect,” Schumacher told his official website. “That is why today I just jumped into a testing day of the Tony Kart Team in Lonato (Italy). There is nothing better for my preparations at the moment - in terms of steering wheel forces for example karting is even more difficult than Formula One.”

Schumacher has already shed three kilos as he trains to ready himself for his first F1 race appearance since retiring at the end of 2006. And with warm weather predicted in Spain, the German said his day of karting should stand him in good stead.

“The fact that it has been boiling hot here is simulating the temperatures expected for Valencia,” he added. “Luca Badoer is with me, and together we found again today that karting is just an awful lot of fun."

Although Schumacher won’t get to test Ferrari’s current F60, he has been using a two-year-old F2007 running on slick tyres. He is expected to undergo medical tests next week to determine his race fitness. The only question mark surrounds the strength of his neck, which he injured in a motorcycle accident earlier this year.

“I have to admit that my neck pinches a bit,” said the seven-time champion this week. “We have to get a grip on that as health has priority.”

If he is passed fit, Schumacher will join Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen for first practice at the Valencia Street Circuit on Friday, August 21.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Interesting article by Mike Lawrence of Pit Pass.

Pitpass

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Interesting article by Mike Lawrence of Pit Pass.

Pitpass

Second effort, pitpass - the latest, hottest F1, GP2, GP2 Asia & A1GP news

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

No 'Come-back' - after all then.....

pitpass - the latest, hottest F1, GP2, GP2 Asia & A1GP news