3530 replies to this topic

[kngrsll]

the purist in me doesnt like it, but the fact that i usually fall asleep during the race makes me like the idea.

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

http://www.timesonli...icle4943252.ece

"Recently, there have been lots of different quotes attributed to me. I've said things that have either come out the wrong way or been taken out of context, so people get a different feeling of what I've said when I haven't expressed myself correctly.

"I'm only human, and every now and then people make mistakes. Communication is so important in life and some of the things I've said were not meant to harm anyone. I don't feel like I've hurt anyone, and my family makes sure that doesn't happen."

Such a comment recently attributed to Hamilton quoted him as saying he felt he was a better driver than his hero, Ayrton Senna. "I never said that," Hamilton said. "I definitely wouldn't say it about Ayrton because he's my favourite driver.

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Bruno Senna is expected to test for Honda's F1 team next month.

"I see myself in Formula One soon, or at least I hope so," the nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton Senna is quoted as saying by Spain's Diario Sport newspaper.

It is unknown where the 24-year-old GP2 runner-up's Honda test will take place, but it is expected to occur sometime after the season ending Brazilian grand prix, which Senna will attend.

Along with Toro Rosso, Honda is among his best chances to make his Grand Prix debut in 2009.

The Brackley-based Honda team has not yet confirmed either of its current drivers, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, for next season.

It was rumoured at Fuji Speedway that an announcement could take place at Interlagos, which is set to stage the final race of 2009 near Senna's birthplace Sao Paulo early in November.

In related news, it is now believed that Danica Patrick, the popular female driver of the American open wheeler series IndyCar, is not scheduled to test for Honda's F1 team any time soon.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

bruno in, danica out..

[Redliner]

bruno in, danica out..

More cost cutting from Max Mosely is being recommended. Seriously, why dilute the sport? Why not just put budget caps on the teams? I'm not an auditor so I'm not sure, but would it really be that difficult to audit the teams?

F1 is looking more and more like spec-racing and that's killing me...

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

More cost cutting from Max Mosely is being recommended. Seriously, why dilute the sport? Why not just put budget caps on the teams? I'm not an auditor so I'm not sure, but would it really be that difficult to audit the teams?

F1 is looking more and more like spec-racing and that's killing me...

because he knows we'll take it sitting down regardless of how he dishes it..

if they ever go to spec-chassis/suspension then thats definitely the last straw for me. tho the radical changes he's proposing may just be a bargaining chip to force them to agree to a budget cap.

[Redliner]

Does anybody know if Force India has confirmed their driver line-up?

It's not impossible to think that Sutil will be headed to Honda with Bruno up for a test-ride next year. That would be optimum IMO. Heading straight to F1 is a bit much...he wasn't even GP2 champ this year

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Does anybody know if Force India has confirmed their driver line-up?

It's not impossible to think that Sutil will be headed to Honda with Bruno up for a test-ride next year. That would be optimum IMO. Heading straight to F1 is a bit much...he wasn't even GP2 champ this year

going by trends this would suggest senna would be fail..


GP2 champs:
nicoberg
louise
glock

GP2 runner ups:
heikki (can't win in a good car on a good day.. 1 win and 4 podiums with 16 races under his belt in a MP4-23 says it all.)
nelson jr.

[_R_]

Kimi Raikkonen, to next month be deposed as F1's world champion, is facing a long winter of on-track preparations for the 2009 season.

Ferrari Technical Director Aldo Costa has told a Finnish newspaper that the 28-year-old, who has struggled recently with the F2008 car, will take responsibility for a 'large part' of the team's test programme ahead of next year.

"Kimi will do approximately 9000 kilometres, or 30 Grand Prix distances," Costa is quoted as saying by Turun Sanomat.

"In one month's time he will drive many more laps than during the entire season," he added.

Raikkonen is hoping the sweeping new regulations for 2009 allow him to return to contention for the title.

"So much is going to change," the Finn said. "Around Christmas time we will see exactly how it is going and how much we have improved or not."

Since last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, Raikkonen has faced renewed claims that he is no longer fully motivated.

By finishing third in the Fuji race, the Ferrari driver dropped out of mathematical contention for the 2008 crown, but he seemed not to realise this when he faced the media.

Asked by a reporter for the French sports publication L'Equipe if he still rates his chances of winning this championship, Raikkonen answered: "There's always a chance.

"I saw last year that things can go right or wrong, so we keep pushing and trying."

A few days later, he defended his error.

"I didn't think of the title really after Spa, because that would have been the only way to control the point situation. Now it was just a matter of time when it was over," he explained.

[_R_]

Timo Glock and reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen have added their voices to the growing discontent about Lewis Hamilton's driving tactics.

As McLaren's 23-year-old closes in on his first title, the opposition to his often brash on-track style has grown louder, with Robert Kubica recently leading the way by using words including 'overconfident', 'aggressive' and 'dangerous' to describe some of Hamilton's moves.

The Pole, backed by his friend and Hamilton nemesis Fernando Alonso, is now quoted as saying by Sport Bild: "Hamilton makes up his own rules, particularly at the starts."

Toyota's Glock, aggrieved by a Hamilton manoeuvre at Monza last month, told the German broadcaster RTL: "In the next driver meeting, Jarno Trulli will ask (Hamilton) why he blocked him for two laps when he was a lap down (at Fuji).

"Jarno lost one and a half to two seconds, because Hamilton would not obey the blue flags," the German charged.

Raikkonen said this week: "What Hamilton did at the start at Fuji was not clean. He didn't give me a chance to turn into the corner.

"You have to learn how to find braking points when you are six years old in go karts. Obviously you should know how it goes at this level," the Finn added.

In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Hamilton tried to explain his rivals' unhappiness.

"They are my opponents, and if you are going for the championship as I am, it has to be expected that your rivals try to put maximum pressure on you even off the track.


"I have good friends among the drivers and I respect them all. I am also sure that they respect me as well.

"But clearly not everyone is going to publicly support me - and why should you praise your opponents?" the Briton added.

But even Hamilton's usually staunchest supporters, like triple world champion and legend Sir Jackie Stewart, were unimpressed with the McLaren driver's Fuji outing.

"This was not his finest hour," the Scot told rbssport.com. "His approach in that first corner was slightly arrogant to other drivers.

"Weaving in and out of other cars, as Lewis did in the run to the first corner, puts other drivers in the position of having to avoid his manoeuvre.

"The Japanese race demonstrated that Lewis is still very young, in only his second season, and although he comes across as very cool in interviews, he doesn't always have the same level of mind management when he's racing.

"Lewis Hamilton can still win the championship, but not if he drives the last two races the way he drove in Japan," Stewart added.

I don't know what to say... if everyone drove like Lewis around Lewis, he'd be pissed...

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

I don't know what to say... if everyone drove like Lewis around Lewis, he'd be pissed...

and we'd have about 10 cars finish each weekend.

[_R_]

and we'd have about 10 cars finish each weekend.

death race f1?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

death race f1?

[Redliner]

I can just imagine FA screaming in his helmet "NEMESiS!! I WILL GET YOU NEMESIS!!!" (ref. youtube video)

[Redliner]

http://www.theonion....nt/node/88084/1

Dude kinda looks like a fat Kimi

[F1]

FFSA cancels 2009 French Grand Prix

By Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, October 15th 2008, 18:23 GMT

The French motorsports federation announced on Wednesday that it will not promote the race in 2009 due to financial difficulties.

"For reasons related to the financial situation, the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile (FFSA) has decided to cancel the Grand Prix of France," said the FFSA in a statement.

"The FFSA would like to thank all customers who attended the Grand Prix of France and have supported this international event in recent years."

The French race was on the calendar announced earlier this month by the FIA for the 2009 season.

The decision leaves the 2009 calendar with 17 races after the Canadian Grand Prix was also absent from the schedule.

Better get Canada back now.

[Nacho]

Better get Canada back now.

Here we go......

[kngrsll]

Better get Canada back now.

that would be great... think they will get around to resurfacing the track now though??

[Shi]

I can just imagine FA screaming in his helmet "NEMESiS!! I WILL GET YOU NEMESIS!!!" (ref. youtube video)

[HighTachPres]

http://www.theonion....nt/node/88084/1

Dude kinda looks like a fat Kimi

what the fucking random

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Better get Canada back now.

and IMS...

apart from GP racing originally coming from france there's no other complelling reason to race at magny cours..

[_R_]

apart from GP racing originally coming from france there's no other complelling reason to race at magny cours..

sad but true fact: Magny Cours for some reason is a fun track for me in my F1 game... but watching it is a completely different story...

[Redliner]

sad but true fact: Magny Cours for some reason is a fun track for me in my F1 game... but watching it is a completely different story...

You're not the only one...I thought the same when playing it too. But every F1 driver I know of, has said it's a pretty boring track to drive.

[kngrsll]

so whats with this engine unfreeze??

Teams mystified by engine unfreeze

By Jonathan Noble Wednesday, October 15th 2008, 16:21 GMT

Leading Formula One teams say they are baffled about the decision by the FIA to equalize engines for next season.

Following a push by Red Bull Racing and Renault to even up engine performance, the sport's governing body announced in the build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix that power units would be equalized for 2009 providing cost cutting measures are introduced.

Although how the engines will be equalized has not been confirmed, representatives from McLaren-Mercedes and BMW-Sauber are not too happy about the move.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said: "We are a little bit mystified. All that talk about the five-year stability rule, the initiative was driven by cost-reduction and we have taken that cost reduction.

"To get the cost reduction, we have completely dismantled our engine development teams and, what we have now, is individuals that are focused and with completely different skill levels on reliability.

"These are guys that really understand the material properties and the characteristics of components that are under loads in engines. It's a completely different group of technologies, a much smaller group of technologies that are focused on reliability."

And Dennis queries how it can be possible to equalize engines for next season if the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) will likely bring out performance differential between teams.

"In reality, we love the challenge of KERS. We think it could be one of the best things ever because it's so challenging, it's so complex and so difficult to master. And it if is mastered well it could create a performance differential. But of course with that comes cost.

"The fear I have is that if we can't have the stability we were committed to in our engines, then what likelihood is there that we will have stability if there's a big differential about how well KERS has been implemented by the teams.

"From our point of view, we are completely receptive to giving everybody the opportunity to improve their engines, but whatever the decision is, it should be the same for everybody.

"We don't mind, we will adapt, we will re-resource, we will finance and we will do what's necessary to maintain our competitiveness as we will with KERS because we love the engineering challenge.

"Putting aside what it contributes to mankind, I want to make the point that this is not the way to save money. We'll embrace it, we'll do it, but from this time last year having five years of engine stability to be already looking at addressing some of those issues does our head in."

He added: "We're not negative to anything, but we are confused by the constant change in message. Are we saving money? Are we having a technological race? On the one hand we've got KERS, on the other we've got engines that are all the same. We're opening up engines that were sealed for five years. It's very confusing.

"Change costs money. We've got very good motor racing at the moment. It's so close and the others will catch up. If we have to do things, we'll do them, but let's do them against an absolute background of understanding about what we're doing and why we're doing it, because we're confused."

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen added: "The announcement of the FIA to allow something like engine equalisation doesn't say what will happen now, it just opens the door. In my view, there are several aspects to be taken into account.

"Firstly, it's a competitive issue - it changes the playing field. Secondly, if we open up something, it has to be open for everybody. Thirdly, if that isn't done carefully we will initiate another cost race and a technology race on an already very expensive engine.

"In my view, this has to be very carefully discussed within FOTA in the technical working group and the engine working group to come up with, if at all, something sensible."

Not all manufacturers are upset about the move to equalize engines, however. Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry told autosport.com that he welcomed the decision to help under-powered engines – of which Honda is believed to be one – get a performance increase.

"The FIA, since we have had the common ECU, clearly have a lot of information about the relative performance of the engines," he explained. "Although it was never intended with the frozen engine, there is clearly a disparity.

"So we are pleased moves will be made to pull it back together again. I am not an expert on what the FIA can see from the modules, but I am sure they have good information of the power characteristics. So to equalise the power curves is something that on the surface can be done."

[mads]

so whats going to happen theyre gonna unfreeze and everyones just gonna increase power again?

or are they all just going to have a limit?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

so whats going to happen theyre gonna unfreeze and everyones just gonna increase power again?

or are they all just going to have a limit?

just a temporary unfreeze for renault, toyo and honda ONLY.