1302 replies to this topic

[Redliner]

Kimi has never used those muscles before in his life so he doens't know what to do, lol.

[mads]

[kngrsll]

[1357]

Hilarious. That's why they call him the Iceman.

[Redliner]

Heikki

[DrDickAction]

[vietlol]

heikki

[_R_]

and you wonder why Kimi didn't want to do sponsor days

[mads]

is anyone watching the testing times today? jesus christ Virgin is failng hard

[vietlol]

di grassi crashed or nearly crashed though

but yeah they suck

[Redliner]

So why wasn't Prodrive handed a spot? Bad blud with Bernie?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

So why wasn't Prodrive handed a spot? Bad blud with Bernie?

I don't think they applied for a spot since they weren't allowed a customer chassis. It seemed to me that they were more interested in running an off-the-shelf F1 team than being a constructor.

[shallow777]

I don't think they applied for a spot since they weren't allowed a customer chassis. It seemed to me that they were more interested in running an off-the-shelf F1 team than being a constructor.

What do you guys think of the whole customer car question?


Seems to me it would be a good way to reduce costs all around. If your development money can be offset by fees from customers it would help keep new technology at the forefront with a lower cost penalty. To me it is the same thing as Bernie wanting teams to run three cars, but this would be a bit more interesting at least.

[Redliner]

If you can buy a customer engine, why not a customer chassis?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

What do you guys think of the whole customer car question?


Seems to me it would be a good way to reduce costs all around. If your development money can be offset by fees from customers it would help keep new technology at the forefront with a lower cost penalty. To me it is the same thing as Bernie wanting teams to run three cars, but this would be a bit more interesting at least.

Financially I think it is a solid idea but I would be against including the customer teams in the WCC just because to me the constructors championship should be a contest of which team engineers/builds the best machine.

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Dry running today:

LATEST TIMES
1 Webber Red Bull 1m19.299s
2 Alonso Ferrari 1m20.115s +0.816
3 Button McLaren 1m20.394s +1.095
4 Hulkenberg Williams 1m21.432s +2.133
5 Schumacher Mercedes 1m21.437s +2.138
6 Kubica Renault 1m21.916s +2.617
7 Sutil Force India 1m21.939s +2.640
8 Kobayashi Sauber 1m22.228s +2.929
9 Alguersuari Toro Rosso 1m22.564s +3.265
10 Di Grassi Virgin 1m23.504s +4.205
11 Kovalainen Lotus 1m23.521s +4.222
All timing unofficial. Updated: 15:48 GMT

[_R_]

If you can buy a customer engine, why not a customer chassis?

isn't Dallara building a chassis for Campos?
I don't understand how that's not considered a customer car...

[rlolz]

I don't think they applied for a spot since they weren't allowed a customer chassis. It seemed to me that they were more interested in running an off-the-shelf F1 team than being a constructor.

I thought it had to do with all the new teams being forced to use cosworth engines?

[rlolz]

isn't Dallara building a chassis for Campos?
I don't understand how that's not considered a customer car...

Because Campos isn't taking delivery of a pre-built pre-tested design, developed by a different team on the grid.

[kngrsll]

why are there strong teams and weak teams in any form of motorsports with a spec formula (GP2, so on)? yes, building a chassis is hard as hell, but extracting the most from it and the team is another matter entirely. I think customer cars are a good idea with limitations.

[Redliner]

why are there strong teams and weak teams in any form of motorsports with a spec formula (GP2, so on)? yes, building a chassis is hard as hell, but extracting the most from it and the team is another matter entirely. I think customer cars are a good idea with limitations.

Yep - I think in the past F1 has allowed teams to purchase from other teams as well. The first 2 or 3 Williams cars were just Brabham cars at the time before he got Patrick Head on-board. So I'm not sure I see anything wrong with customer chassis's.

[DrDickAction]

Yep - I think in the past F1 has allowed teams to purchase from other teams as well. The first 2 or 3 Williams cars were just Brabham cars at the time before he got Patrick Head on-board. So I'm not sure I see anything wrong with customer chassis's.

Funny then that williams was making the biggest stink about customer cars this last go around.

[_R_]

Because Campos isn't taking delivery of a pre-built pre-tested design, developed by a different team on the grid.

so in theory, if prodrive wanted, they could've asked Lola to build them a chassis, and asked Mercedes for an engine?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

so in theory, if prodrive wanted, they could've asked Lola to build them a chassis, and asked Mercedes for an engine?

nobody else on the grid is running a lola chassis, i don't see why not.

[_R_]

The Campos Meta team has confirmed that Jose Ramon Carabante has taken full control of the Spanish outfit, with former Midland, Spyker and Force India boss Colin Kolles being appointed as team principal instead of team founder Adrian Campos.

After weeks of speculation about the future of the team, it was announced on Friday that a deal had been reached with Campos to make Carabante, who was already a shareholder in the team, the new majority owner.

Carabante said he has secured a deal that will see the team competing in the 2010 championship.

"I would like to thank Bernie Ecclestone, who worked tremendously to support our efforts to keep the team viable," said Carabante.

"The whole rescue operation has been a race against time with the goal of always having the team run two competitive cars at the first Grand Prix of the F1 season in Bahrain.

"We have a lot of hard work still ahead of us but we are excited about making our F1 debut and looking forward to a competitive season."

Carabante said the team's base will remain in Spain and that Kolles will also act as managing director to ensure the team is fully operational and ready to make its Bahrain debut next month.

Kolles added, however, that the team needed to find 'extra funding' to guarantee its presence in Bahrain.

"I could not resist this tremendous challenge and am very excited to join forces in this new team," said Kolles.

"Over the next ten days we will review the entire operation, find the extra funding to ensure the team will make the first race in Bahrain, announce the line-up for 2010 in due time and make the operation viable under Jose Ramon Carabante's new ownership."

The team has a contract with Brazilian Bruno Senna, with rumours having linked Jose Maria Lopez with the second seat, despite the Argentinean having a contract with the US F1 squad.