Official F1/Motorsport thread

[ChrisF]

If Ferrari left, would they stop supplying engines to other constructors?

[Alastair]

You guys seem to be missing the point about Ferrari and how they make their money. Although the road cars are indeed profitable and they do indeed increase production and therefore hopefully profit year on year I get the feeling that most of their income is from merchandising. Have you seen all the hats, t-shirts, pens, wallets etc in every other shop? They make money out of all of those (the legit ones anyway). Being in F1 is all about raising the profile to sell other things alongside the road cars.

As RJ says:

...and their sole purpose in F1 is different to the others. For them, it's about pushing the brand forward with technology as the centre piece, and it no surprise that the road cars are the arguably the best of their breed. F1 has helped lift their brand enormously I feel.

I wholeheartedly agree with the bits in bold, however if their aim is to move forward the road cars from the tech and achievements in F1 then they'll surely be making some poor road cars next year

As for the engine questions, can't see why they'd bother unless it was contractual or very profitable.

[Richard.John]

Which is they are so pissed I suppose. The apex motorsport is dumbed down, as they see it. If you have the cash, spend it, is obviously their view. I think a fine balance is needed between, to some degree, reducing the outrageous costs, and finding a viable solution that allows the car makers to stay in the game. One thing is abundantly clear; sacrificing the history of the sport for a bunch of no names cannot be allowed. I am sure Ecclestone won't allow it to happen, as even he can see the potential for disaster.

[Wools]

"Wirth Research, Lola, USF1, Epsilon Euskadi, RML, Formtech, Campos, iSport: these are the names of the teams which would compete in the two-tier Formula One wanted by Mosley," it read.

"Can a world championship with teams like them - with due respect - have the same value as today's Formula One, where Ferrari, the big car manufacturers and teams, who created the history of this sport, compete?

"Wouldn't it be more appropriate to call it Formula GP3?"

I don't want Ferrari to leave the sport at all but considering the strings they used to pull at the FIA and their refusual a few years ago to split with them to form another (By deciding to wear a pair of golden handcuffs to the series) with the other manufactors, I don't really care what toys they're throwing out the pram.

Although they're part of Motorsport history, this years season has been the most exciting and refreshing the sport has enjoyed in years. It's destroyed the dominance of Mclaren, Ferrari and Renault, putting fresh faces and teams at the front all creating brilliant racing.

I don't want Ferrari and Toyota to leave but if that means less established teams and drivers pulling ahead, more drivers on track, Lola making a return to F1 and Kimi being made to look like he's sleeping, then I'm all for it.

[Dazzyman]

Ferrari is also very good for F1 with an estimated 52% of ticket sales sold to Ferrari fans.

This has all happened multiple times before though regarding Bernie and his m8 chucking their weight about. Its come to a head twice before in last decade around 1997 when he changed the rights to ownership of F1 to his own gain and you had Mclaren, Tyrell and I think it was Williams what ditched the agreement only to go back on it on 1998 and sign for payment while rest of teams signed. Same again happened in 2004 and Ferrari refused to even attend while rest of teams negotiated. Bernie went to Ferrari (as Ferrari where the spear head in making GPWC which was more about having a group of teams to fight Bernie at the time which then became GPMA) direct after and they signed an extension to 1997s original contract to run out in 2012 and then we had Jordan, Red Bull and Williams do the same. The rest of the GPMA signed an agreement to Concorde and then the GPMA was altered to FOTA which is all the teams basically fighting for terms against Bernie which is headed by Luca which came about in 2008.

Thing is what a lot of peeps dont reliase is 2010 was done and dusted and all agreed in 2008 with the rules with the FOTA thats why theirs uproar now as they have changed it.

[ChrisF]

Practice is on atm btw, for those interested in the racing part of F1...

[Alastair]

My work has decided in it's wisdom to block iplayer by proxy so all I now get is 'this is not available in your territory'

[Alastair]

First new official entry for 2010:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75501

Campos Meta 1

Reminds me a bit too much of Andreas Moda, look them up kids if you don't remember them, and who would!!

[NecronomiconUK]

Am I just stupid or isn't practice usually on Fridays? Fired up browser to watch it today and err, it was yesterday

[Alastair]

Never any action at Monaco on the Friday, forget the reason. Every other race you are right though.

[ChrisF]

Traffic reasons apparently. Just so the public roads aren't closed for 3 days in a row.

[TheForce]

correct, Fridays are for shopping in Monoca, otherwise those poor bastards will all die off starvation there...

[On The Edge of Insanity]

I thought it was so that the drivers could have a piss up on Thursday night!

[Alastair]

Practice is on now. Quali starts at 12:10 but the actual quali is at 13:00 I think.

I'm excited, love Monaco.

[ChrisF]

Oh dear!