Official F1/Motorsport thread

[Richard.John]

The one and only.....Mr Mika Hakkinen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7777657.stm

[Darwock]

Regarding Honda...

Much as I hate to give the Irish twat any credit, Eddie Jordan always warned this would happen. Bernie & Max pandered to the big car manufacturers at the cost of losing the privateer teams, and as Jordan said the car manufacturers (with one notable exception) don't have any particular passion or loyalty to the sport - for them it's all about cold hard cash. I'm not saying the teams are run that way but it's the decision makers at the companies who matter. The minute it looks unprofitable they will drop out.

That's what the sport became unfortunately - if FOA hadn't pushed so hard to turn it into the billion pound industry it is now we might still have Tyrrell, Stewart, Jordan, Arrows around to keep the grid full.

[Senna]

Yep, so true.

I love the independent teams, they just have a bit more character and different public face to them.

F1 is still an amazing sport, but the future is uncertain and I really feel it might be good in the long term for Honda, Toyota etc go back to the good old engine supplier / technical help relationship we had only a few years ago.

Good old school evolution.

[Richard.John]

The future of F1 revealed.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72459

Refueling banned for 2010 is a big one, along with standard engines will not be mandatory, so it seems. The manufacturers must offer their engines to other teams cheaply as a compromise. Standardised transmissions will be introduced though for 2010.

EDIT: Not really talked about much, but I wonder what the impact the new financial reality will have on driver retainers? Will the teams be able to justify such huge salaries in the future if the total team budgets are being slashed by the degree indicated by the FIA .

[vanpeebles]

Meh I don't understand the backlash at big makers. They always been around but as said usually engine makers.

To a certain extent F1 should be self funded to keep the teams in it. Old legends like Lotus etc should never have been allowed to fade away. Apart from Ferrari(if you like em) etc theres no real reason for people to support a team.

[CMcK]

No refuelling! Great news. Lets see the racing happen on the track instead of in the pits.

[Roddie]

I'm surprised they're banning tyre warmers in 2010, I thought they'd thrown that one out the window. I'm guessing that refuelling ban doesn't mean the end of pitstops if they are still to change tyres.

[CMcK]

Damn never thought of that. Maybe the reduction in downforce will make cars easier on the tyres and they will last longer?

[Shez]

I remember they brought refueling back to make racing more competitive - This one could have the exact opposite of what it is trying to achieve.

[cutmymilk]

Pfff, pit stops and fuel strategies are all part of the game.

[Richard.John]

Fuel stops are dangerous, so I never understood why they brought them back in '94. thye turned marathons into to short sprints. The secret to a certain Germans success I would wager.

[Senna]

Significant changes overall then.

No refuelling - excellent news, as LONG as the proposed aerodynamic changes for next year do improve overtaking. Don't really want to be watching a car stuck behind the other because of 'dirty air' for an hour and a half.

2010 - changes to the race distance perhaps. No no no. Grand Prix racing has always been an endurance sport, and its current 1h30min average length is just about right. This can only mean proposals to shorten the race distance. If it means cutting it to 45min like Moto GP then that would be the wrong move for F1.

Also, bring back the old 1hour, 12 laps qualifying rule, steel brakes and manual gears

[Sigourney Beaver]

Thank God. Early 90s style F1 with nice safe cars.

[Roddie]

Also, bring back the old 1hour, 12 laps qualifying rule, steel brakes and manual gears

The current qualifying system is excellent, the old system that they still use in MotoGP is boring as hell.

[VR46]

Whatever qualifying system you use, all the (front of the grid) action is usually in the last three minutes anyway.