yup, the goathumpers strike again this is just a catch all thread for stuff that doesn't need a thread of it's own
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.
yup, the goathumpers strike again this is just a catch all thread for stuff that doesn't need a thread of it's own
oh please Oh Please OH PLEASE OH PLEASE... i've been good!!!
If ESPN reports are true, and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Tony Stewart and 2008 Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton are going to swap race cars at Watkins Glen International this summer, the track president wishes someone had told him.
Michael Printup told The Leader on Sunday that he’s been in discussions with both sides - brought together by common sponsor Mobil 1 - but nothing has been signed, and no date has been set.
“I met with both sides in January and haven’t heard back yet.“ he said. “We don’t have anything solid, we don’t have a date or anything and we were really confused (when the report surfaced).”
Mike Arning, Stewart Haas Racing’s public relations chief, told ESPN about the exhibition event at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday. After that, the Internet got a hold of the story.
Bringing a modern F1 car to The Glen has been a goal of Printup’s since Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon swapped rides at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2003. Until this year, there wasn’t a fourth party to bring everything together. Mobil 1 joined Stewart Haas Racing after the 2010 season, and has been a principal sponsor of McLaren-Mercedes for years.
When Printup took their reins of WGI in 2009, making a ride swap happen was one of his principle pet projects.
“I’ve been banging on this since I got here, I said we need to do this at this at The Glen. This would be fantastic if we could pull it together,” Printup said. “If there are no hiccups, Watkins Glen is ready.”
The most contemporary F1 car to visit The Glen was a 1994 Ferrari, driven by Jean Alesi in competition, that hit the legendary road course during a vintage racing weekend in 2002. The event will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first United States Grand Prix at The Glen, which is a year-long celebration organized by the International Motor Racing Research Center and the WGI staff.
The most logical date would be around the Canadian Grand Prix, which is scheduled for June 10-12 - the only time Formula One visits this side of the planet in 2011. However, The Glen is a hub of activity from April through October every year with tests, car clubs and spectator events, so nailing down one day that works for two races teams, the track and the sponsor is a hurdle.
Stewart was inducted in the inaugural class of Legends of The Glen in 2008 and has five wins at the historic road course, but has never driven around the full 3.4-mile grand prix circuit. Hamilton has neither driven around The Glen, nor has he piloted an American-style stock car.
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2008 Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton will enjoy his first taste of a NASCAR next month, with the Englishman set to trade places with Sprint Cup driver Tony Stewart at the legendary Watkins Glen race track.
As part of a demonstration run, Stevenage man Hamilton will step into Stewart’s Chevrolet Impala as the latter takes to the cockpit of 2010’s McLaren MP4-25.
From 2012, Woking-based McLaren – eight-times constructors’ title winners - will be supplying fuel injection systems to NASCAR.
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...didn’t Gordon switch with a driver at Indy a few years back?..as I recall he did fairly well
Will Tony fit into the tub?
I remember back in the 80s they had to make some mods for AJ Foyt's Indy tubs. The fabricators called them blubber panels.
I remember when AJ took a hammer to his Indy car, no reporter would interview that afternoon..........
yup, Montoya...
tooooo damn funny... but a good question.
thx, but no, this was the first i've heard of it
did you catch this??? From 2012, Woking-based McLaren – eight-times constructors’ title winners - will be supplying fuel injection systems to NASCAR.
I didn’t even know what this thread was about until I read some posts.
We took our kids to Watkins Glen in the mid 70’s and there was some practicing going on.
Vrooooooomm !
I was impressed.
He hasn’t changed much even today, LOL.
I’m thinking his Indy driver (Vitor Meira) at 140# is about half of AJ.
He’s always among the best scanner channels during Indy practice.
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ya gotta be sh!ttin me... Mark Webber unhappy with Ecclestone's 'fake rain' idea
Mark Webber has dismissed Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's idea to liven up grands prix with sprinklers to make tracks artificially wet. "No and no," Red Bull driver Webber told the BBC when asked whether the sport needed such measures and whether he was in favour of them. "It wouldn't be the most sophisticated way to make the show more entertaining," added the Australian. Mercedes GP boss Nick Fry was also unconvinced with the idea. "I think Bernie's putting forward some entertaining ideas but Formula 1 is about contending with the conditions that prevail at the time," said Fry. "I think that fiddling with those conditions artificially is not the nature of Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso believes his best friend in Formula 1, injured Renault driver Robert Kubica, will make a swift recovery from the injuries he sustained in a rallying accident. The Ferrari driver joined fellow F1 drivers including Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in sending a video of personal 'get well soon' messages to the Polish driver.
Full story: Formula1.com
Mercedes are already trying to salvage their season as the German team are two seconds off the pace of front-runners Red Bull and Ferrari in pre-season testing. Mercedes also struggled to pass mandatory crash tests needed to start the season with their new exhaust configuration.
Autosport
There has been more from Virgin driver Timo Glock as he recovers from appendicitis, including a message for McLaren driver - and fitness freak - Jenson Button. Glock writes: "Hi JB don't tweet so much about training can't do anything so get frustrated. Mega weather and I am just able to do a little walk how boring is this!!! My bike puts on rust already !!!!"
Full story: Virgin driver Timo Glock on Twitter
World champion Sebastian Vettel reckons there is no need to try to squeeze the Bahrain Grand Prix back onto the 2011 calendar. "The end of a season is already stressful enough, and we seem to have enough races," he said.
Turun Sanomat (in Finnish)
Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has backed Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's idea of spicing up the sport by introducing artificial wet races. Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "The idea is not as daft as it sounds. There is no difficulty in making suitable tyres."
Full story: Autosport
Williams driver Rubens Barrichello has revealed he has spoken to Sir Jackie Stewart after the 71-year-old Scot was taken ill on a plane on Wednesday. The Brazilian driver reported: "To my friends that got worried with Sir Jackie Stewart I can say that he is fine. He had a full check up and he feels good now."
Williams driver Rubens Barrichello on Twitter
Toro Rosso reserve Daniel Ricciardo is being lined up to make his F1 debut in the middle of 2011 if Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari cannot justify their places.
1) Barricello will always be one of my favorites of F1. His class, work ethic, and smile reminds me of my father.
2) Get well Jackie Stewart.
3) Ecclestone needs to stop running F1 like a traveling brothel.
LOL. My F1 buddies and I have been jokingly suggesting this for years. Gotta go check whether Bernie has some mikes installed in my TV room...
......I hope Ecclestone has plans to support the drivers family with enough money for the rest of their lives with artificial money...maybe artificial limbs if their lucky enough....I hope drivers suggest Bernie take up high speed driving with artificial sight. It’s time the drivers and manufactures take Bernie down a notch or two.
Michael Schumacher and Mercedes have finished quickest on their penultimate day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, with team-mate Nico Rosberg also having a turn on-track to record the third fastest time. Today saw the Brackley-based team introduce significant car upgrades including a new front wing with radical slits.
“We’re looking forward to going to Australia and being in a reasonably strong position. I’m not sure everybody has revealed their full hands yet, but it’s something to be seen in Australia.”
When asked if the silver arrows are now amongst the top three teams, the seven-time World Champion replied: “We’re all going to be excited to see about that in Australia…all we can say is that we’ve seen that our package seems to work reasonably well, but whether everybody is showing their true potential (here) is something we’ll find out in Australia.”
and the ground effects below the transmission
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