is that your page???
Posted on 08/05/2009 7:57:45 PM PDT by Chode
This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.
is that your page???
Mark Webber is not expecting Valencia's quayside circuit to suit Red Bull as the team aim to return to the front at next week's European Grand Prix. F1 technical chiefs decided at the Canadian Grand Prix that a voluntary agreement not to run the Kers energy boost system this year would be dropped at the end of this season. Ferrari, Williams and Renault have already confirmed that they will run KERS next year, with other outfits now evaluating it.
Full story: autosport.com
Lewis Hamilton says he has received several unusual approaches from people asking to be his manager, but is unlikely to have anyone in place until after the end of the season. (Press Association)
I got back home from Canada in plenty of time to watch Brazil's first game in the World Cup against North Korea. To be honest, I expected something better, as their style of play was not that exciting. If I expected something better from the football, you could use the same words to describe how I felt about the Canadian Grand Prix. On the positive side, the car was much more competitive in Canada than in Turkey, which is a good basis on which to go to Valencia for the next race.
Full story: Felipe Massa's blog
There is still no official announcement about the Formula 1 tyre supplier next year. The biggest teams, a group which is believed to include Ferrari, McLaren and Renault, are in favour of a Michelin deal, a path that the FIA is also keen on taking, despite the fact that the deals would cost teams more money. Those seeking a less expensive deal seem to be supporting Pirelli.
Full story: Joe Saward's Grand Prix blog
Nico Rosberg says Mercedes' performance at the Canadian Grand Prix - where he finished sixth ahead of team-mate Michael Schumacher in 11th - should not be taken seriously. Rosberg reckons problems getting the tyres to work properly undermined the car's performance but believes the team will be back to form in Valencia.
Full story: Speedtv.com
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has renewed his attack on Formula 1's backmarkers, saying cars which are not up to standard should not be allowed to race in grands prix. His comments came after Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was slowed down by both Hispanias in the Canadian Grand Prix.
Full story: autosport.com
Sebastien Buemi says he's still smiling about his eighth-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix and has turned his attention to helping Toro Rosso overhaul Force India in the coming races.
Full story: tororosso.com
The assets of failed Formula 1 entrant US F1 raised $1.4m (£945,000) in an auction. Among the lots were a computer, a vacuum cleaner, a wheel rim and a mock-up of an F1 car chassis.
Full story: espn.com
Back in Europe now to start my serious London Triathlon training with Mikey. Gonna be a very tough week but got to be in tip top form.
tyre stuff...Gerhard Berger has dismissed questioning of Pirelli's suitability to be Formula 1's new tyre supplier as "nonsense".
Full story: espnf1.com
The FIA is powerless to stop the Pirelli deal if the F1 teams and Bernie Ecclestone want to go ahead with it, an unnamed team boss has told France's Auto Hebdo magazine.
Full story: autosport.com
Pirelli may use a Toyota car to do some tyre testing later this year.
Full story: paddocktalk.com
Formula 1 teams are facing a delay in the FIA's decision over who will occupy the final place on the grid in 2011.
Full story: espnf1.com
Tyre supplier Bridgestone is ready to become more aggressive with its tyre choices for the rest of the season, in a bid to make other events as exciting as the Canadian Grand Prix.
Full story: autosport.com
Felipe Massa is still smarting over Michael Schumacher's move in Canada, which saw the German close the door on him, effectively ending any chance of Massa scoring points.
Full story: PlanetF1.com
Mercedes-Benz has all but ruled out increasing its supply of customer engines for 2011.
Full story: autopsort.com
McLaren's three trophies sat glinting on a black table in Montreal's afternoon sun. The hospitality area was being packed up, the drivers were in their debrief, and a few guests were milling around watching Germany v Australia on the TV.
Yet the man who deserved to have those three trophies on his desk was back in the McLaren factory in Surrey.
 McLaren line up the silverware after a one-two in Canada
|
He is the design engineer who dreamt up the RW-80 or F-duct. He remains unnamed by the team, but it was his ingenious creation that won McLaren a one-two result at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The F-duct allowed McLaren to run more wing, meaning more downforce, yet not suffer from that on the straight. The car slid around less, allowing the drivers to keep the final set of tyres in good shape to the finish.
A couple of races ago, McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe told the BBC a little more of how the F-duct came about. The anonymous engineer came up with the idea a few years previously and had initially faced a lot of doubters within the company.
But with perseverance and the support of Tim Goss, project leader for this year's car, the inventor of the F-duct saw his creation being built into this year's chassis - and because of that, Canada may not be the team's last victory his season.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8745862.stm
F1-Stuff...Jenson Button sued Mercedes after they refused to give him the car he drove to world championship victory as a gift.
Full story: Mail on Sunday
Button believes his position in the championship, second just three points behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton, justifies his decision to join McLaren this season.
Full story: jensonbutton.com
Button will drive Alain Prost's 1986 McLaren-Tag Porsche MP4/2C at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on the first weekend of July.
Full story: gpupdate.net
The F1 season approaches the halfway stage with next weekend's European grand prix at the Valencia street circuit with both Ferrari and Mercedes arguing that it is not a cosy duopoly between McLaren and Red Bull. The claims by the Mercedes team principal, Ross Brawn, that his team are still in both the drivers' and constructors' championships appear a little far-fetched, but there is a feeling that Ferrari's Fernando Alonso could yet sneak below the radar to pose a real challenge.
Full story: The Observer Alonso had his first experience of Ferrari's Fiorano test track at the wheel of an F1 car on Friday as he completed a few laps in one of this year's F10s for "filming and promotional purposes".
Full story: Ferrari.com
Renault's Robert Kubica says he enjoys driving at Valencia, despite the Spanish street track's reputation for producing boring races.
Full story: Renault F1
Renault will have what chief engineer Alan Permane describes as "quite a nice upgrade" for the European GP at Valencia this weekend, with a new front wing and a new floor. Permane said he was "optimistic of a strong showing".
Full story: Renault F1
Formula 1 rookie Karun Chandhok has dismissed speculation about his future at cash-strapped Hispania and made clear that he is keen to be part of the team's plans for the future.
Full story: Reuters
Formula 1 tyre supplier Bridgestone has opted to bring a more extreme variation of tyres to the German Grand Prix as part of its push to try and help improve the show.
Full story: Autosport.com
Scot Paul di Resta will return to Formula 1 action for Force India at this weekend's European Grand Prix at Valencia, after sitting out the last three events.
Full story: Autosport.com
Nicolas Prost, son of four-time world champion Alain Prost, completed his first laps in a Formula 1 car at Magny-Cours on Saturday. The 28-year-old joined the Renault F1 team at the French track for the Renault F1 roadshow.
Full story: Renault F1
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve enjoyed a promising return to the second-division Nascar Nationwide Series, being a contender for victory in Saturday's race at Road America.
Full story: autosport.com
Ex-F1 driver Jan Magnussen enjoyed a solid top-division Nascar Sprint Cup series debut, finishing 12th on Sunday at Infineon Raceway, California.
Full story: autosport.com
F1 stuff... McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton has taken 86 points out of a possible 100 in the last four races to cement his lead at the top of the championship. Hamilton says of his performance: "I'd have loved those marks when I was at school!"
Full story: lewishamilton.com
Jenson Button says McLaren cannot afford to stand still in the title race and is hopeful the team can get their exhaust blown diffuser working at the next race in Germany.
Full story: jensonbutton.com
Teams have agreed to introduce a ban on running any parts that have not been raced before during any promotional days after both Ferrari and Mercedes ran new components while filming.
Full story: autosport.com
Renault team boss Eric Boullier says Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Buemi is on their list of potential drivers for 2011.
Full story: lematin (in French)
German magazines are reporting that an e-mail mistakenly sent to [Hispania team boss] Colin Kolles, was the reason that Bruno Senna had to sit out the British Grand Prix.
Full story: Joe Saward's grand prix blog
Michael Schumacher has been racing motorbikes in his time off after the British Grand Prix and Mercedes say they have given him his blessing despite his F1 comeback being abandoned last season because of a neck injury he sustained riding bikes.
Full story: express.de (in German)
Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi has revealed he was annoyed with Force India's Tonio Liuzzi in China, that he was a chatterbox at school and how his Dad brought him a motorbike when he was six months old.
Full story: formula1.com
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has issued a rallying call to his team. He told employees of the Italian marque: "Anyone who does not believe that we can win the world championship would do better looking for another job."
Full story: Ferrari.com
Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy will take part in first practice in Hockenheim for Lotus in place of either Jarno Trulli or Heikki Kovalainen.
Full story: Lotus Racing
Mark Webber has warned his rivalry with Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel could get even more intense. The Australian said: "If we're both still racing at the front, things could become more tense between us." He also added that he wished he had not made his views so public when Red Bull took the front wing from his car and put it on Vettel's at the British race weekend.
Full story: Mail on Sunday
Mercedes chief Norbert Haug says Michael Schumacher will concentrate on improving his results this season but will go for the title in 2011.
Full story: speedtv.com
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has joined forces with Italian race team Durango to submit an entry for the 13th slot on the grid next season, according to Durango team owner Ivone Pinton.
Full story: 422race.com (in Italian)
Jenson Button reckons it would be a good idea to hold a grand prix in Moscow after he drove a McLaren round the Kremlin in a demonstration event last weekend. Moscow officials hope to bring the race to Russia by 2012.
Full story: Reuters
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel took his F1 car for a spin through his mountainous hometown of Heppenheim in Germany on Sunday. The 23-year-old is targeting a win at this weekend's German Grand Prix but says of the race: "Unfortunately I have to share it with five other Germans."
Full story: sebastianvettel.com (in German)
Virgin technical director Nick Wirth is hopeful that Timo Glock will take up the year remaining on his contract and stay with the rookie team in 2011 despite rumours that Renault are interested in the German.
Full story: autosport.com
There were reports that Bernie Ecclestone wants to axe the Monaco Grand Prix. This is not a credible suggestion. He is probably in negotiation for a new contract with the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) and wants to increase the fees paid by the Monegasques.
Full story: Joe Saward's Grand Prix blog
Jacques Villeneuve confirms Durango commercial link
Jacques Villeneuve has distanced himself from reports that the son of controversial Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is an investor in his new team.
The former world champion released a statement on his website confirming a link-up with Italy-based Durango.
"There are a number of rumours circulating at the moment and I wanted to clarify a few things before this gets out of hand," said Villeneuve.
Villeneuve Racing will attempt to join the F1 starting grid in 2011.
Canadian Villeneuve, 39, added: "The team will be a joint venture with Durango, and based out of Italy. To be clear, right now all the money comes from corporate sponsorship and not from personal investors."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8841117.stm
Lewis Hamilton feels uneasy about his slender 12-point lead over McLaren team-mate Jenson Button going into this weekend's German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
Full story: Daily Telegraph
Hamilton believes Sunday's race could "give us a very good read on form for the second half of the season."
Full story: Yahoo/Eurosport
Renault's Robert Kubica has pointed to tyre choice as having the biggest potential to cause an upset in the chase for points in Hockenheim.
Full story: Yahoo/Eurosport
Aware of the rumours that drivers are queuing up to replace him as Kubica's team-mate next season, Vitaly Petrov has set his sights on being as close to the Pole as possible this weekend.
Full story: crash.net
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel has thrown his support behind fellow German Michael Schumacher following speculation that the veteran former champion may not see out the season at Mercedes.
Full story: Pitpass
Vettel hopes to put in a big performance at his local track. "Hockenheim is only half an hour from my home town. It's definitely something special. It adds an extra bit of motivation and hopefully I'll find an extra tenth of a second." (Press Association)
ECCLESTONE: DECISION DOWN TO TEAMS
By Ian Parkes, Press Association Sport
* * *
Ecclestone was naturally unable to comment on the specific incident [Masa letting the faster Alonso by] as he will be sitting on any WMSC meeting should the case be heard.
However, the 78-year-old was able to offer his thoughts on the proposal, as mentioned by former driver David Coulthard after the race, that it is time for the rule to be scrapped.
“I must confess I would agree with anyone who thinks that,” said Ecclestone.
“We make people call it a team, we say it’s got be a team.
“All the cars have to be exactly the same, the drivers wear the same overalls, so everybody has to look like a team - a team of people that are racing.
“I believe what people do when they are inside the team, and how they run their team is up to them. That’s my opinion.”
Given his power, Ecclestone is obviously in a position to suggest the possibility of the regulation being written out of the rule book.
“I don’t know, we’ll have to see. It’s something that needs to be discussed,” added Ecclestone.
“As far as I’m concerned a team is a team, and they should run it whichever way they want to run it.
“Nobody should interfere as to how they run their team.
does eccelstone have any say here?? isn’t it up to the FIA???
anyone see the end of the IRL race in edmonton yesterday?? that was a whopper...
The World Motor Sport Council administers the FIA Sporting Regulations over and above the Race Stewards.
And we could bring Flav back:
Briatore was forced to resign as team principal of Renault due to a race fixing scandal.[16] The controversy centered around an early crash involving Renault driver Nelson Piquet, Jr.'s car during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix of 28 September 2008. At the time, Piquet Jr. described the crash as a simple mistake, however, shortly after his acrimonious departure from Renault and criticism of Briatore nearly a year later in August 2009, allegations surfaced that Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed to help Renault team mate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race. After a Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) investigation, on 4 September 2009 Renault were charged with conspiracy and race fixing, and were due to face the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009. In return for immunity from punishment, Piquet Jr. had reportedly stated to the FIA that he had been asked to crash by Briatore and Renault chief engineer Pat Symonds. On 11 September, following leaks of Piquet Jr.'s evidence, Renault and Briatore stated they would take legal action against Piquet, Jr. for making false allegations, however, five days later, Renault announced they would not contest the charges, and that Briatore and Symonds had left the team.The day after the Renault announcement, Renault confirmed Briatore had resigned from the team, while Briatore himself stated of his departure that "I was just trying to save the team", "It's my duty. That's the reason I've finished."
.
Which all leads me to think about taking a pass at Elisabetta Gregoraci, in a rather dangerous bikini.
But alas, she is a new mother and Flavio is in the kitchen now, washing dishes and changing diapers, like all new fathers. How the mighty have fallen!
.
Sounds like the Ferrari card has been played!
i have no problem with scrapping the rule, but while it's in effect, pay up if you break it...
I don’t have a problem with paying for it, but the price should not be constructor points or driver points.
i thought it was ca$h fine... to me there are rules and there are laws, broken rules should take away ca$h, broken laws should take away places and/or points
I disagree. The infringement affected the driver points situation — that was their purpose — so driver points are entirely fair game.
The rule may be outdated, but it is still a rule.
What part of Alonso’s driving broke the rule? Did he issue “team” orders?
Why should constructor points be in issue, if the total points whole have been the same if there were no orders?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.