Official F1/Motorsport thread

[Shez]

Such a disappointing race, never been a fan of Monaco - Was there more than one legitimate over take? Rosberg aside, I don't think there was apart from maybe Hamilton who I saw overtake a Toyota.

Button was supreme, but it says a lot about his attitude in previous seasons and a lot about how great the car is that he can now win at a canter. He's upped his game there is no doubt, and he seems to have Barrichelo's number (Barcelona was the turning point for me) but that car is a dream, it rides the curbs beautifully, not that he even has to attack the curbs.

I agree, he has one hand on the trophy already, and with a long term deal in the offing, it won't be much longer before Barrichello has to play second fiddle.

However, I have some hope for the next race and hopefully Button getting tested by someone other than his team mate - Ideally the Red Bull's and Ferrari's.

I'm not sure we will see Mclaren challenging just yet. Monaco is a freakish track with all the slow corners, and it hid some of the Mclaren problems.

Roll on Turkey.

[TheForce]

had a great motorsport weekend, I was at the Nurburgring for the 24h race there, they raced the F1 track combined with the Nordschleife, it was amazing to see, especially at night, glowing breakdisc, big flames from the exhaustpipes and lots of noice !
The whole atmosphere around the track was fabulous!

Monaco (just as Barcelona) is 9 out of 10 times a boring race to watch, but it was great to see Jenson taking the victory again! he really deserved it and I really hope he will be champion at the end of the year, that said I do hope Vettel with the RedBull will get up to speed on the real racing tracks to make it a bit harder for Jenson till the end of the year ! I have a feeling that RedBull will be really strong from next race onwards.

If Brawn will pull it off this year to take the championship, I think their the first ones after Williams in 1996 as a private team ? ...

[Richard.John]

Mclaren in 98 and 99 should be considered as privateer victories.

[Kieran76]

Williams have been suspended from the Forumla One Teams Association after signing up for the 2010 season.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8070270.stm

[NW2013]

Whatever next, "No girls allowed" (not referring to the pop group before anyone says it) signs on the pit garage doors?

[Dazzyman]

Wouldnt be suprised if couple more UK based teams follow suit.

[TheForce]

This was a great battle. last weekend and the 24h at Nurburgring, especially at the end of this movie:


I had a great weekend there, It's amazing to see (and hear) those cars going around this track, this movie is amazing to watch, those 2where in a class of their own in the beginning, I can hardly imagine how hard it must be to be on the limit in a 24h race on this track !

@Senna, this looks like those races we had with the F430 in Forza !!

great stuff, next year I'll be there again

[ChrisF]

Deadline for entry into 2010 is today then!

[VR46]

Yep, not sure what time, guess midnight tonight as not seen it stated anywhere.

/waits to be corrected. Again.

[ChrisF]

Probably is, isn't it... You often see teams entering at silly o'clock in the night. Plus, also, I think they can still enter even after the deadline, although they'd face a penalty if they do.

[Dazzyman]

Dunno what Toyota is up to

Toyota confirmed it will host the Japanese Grand Prix in 2010 at its Fuji Speedway circuit, in response to a report that it was considering withdrawing from the event.

"At Fuji Speedway, we are making preparations to host F1 next year," said a Toyota spokesman. "There is no truth to the report that we were considering withdrawing from hosting it," he said.

The influential Asahi Shimbun had reported that the world's biggest automaker was reviewing its plan to host the prestigious race as the global economic crisis continues to squeeze the auto industry.

"As the entire (Toyota) company attempts to cut costs, employees have increasingly voiced the view that the cost of hosting Formula One should also be reviewed," said the Asahi, citing unnamed company sources.

The report came only weeks after Toyota announced its first annual loss for the year to March 2009 and warned of another year in the red this fiscal year.

Toyota executives have repeatedly said they would review all expenses, ranging from material procurement to administrative costs.

Toyota-owned Fuji Speedway, in the foothills of Mount Fuji, is slated to host the Japanese Grand Prix in 2010 as the 16th leg of the 18-round Formula One series.

From this year, the Japanese race is expected to alternate between the Suzuka Circuit, owned by rival Honda, and the Fuji Speedway.

Fuji Speedway opened in 1966 and staged F1 races in 1976 and 1977.

Japan then did not host the celebrated race until 1987, when Suzuka hosted the event and continued every year until 2006.

But in 2007 and in 2008, the Toyota facility hosted the Japanese Grand Prix for the first time in 30 years, replacing the Suzuka.

[Dazzyman]

More news from Mosley...

Max Mosley has finally conceded that he is 'willing to compromise' over the controversial budget cap row that is rocking Formula 1.

The FIA President is optimistic that a solution will be in place by the stated 2010 entry deadline on Friday that will avert an impending crisis.

Following another meeting of FOTA - one publicly marked by the temporary expulsion of Williams from the organisation, in response to them becoming the first of the present incumbents to sign up to participation next year - it is understood that a resolution is now all-but in place.

Though current world championship leaders Brawn GP and traditional tail-enders Force India refused to agree to Williams' expulsion and look set to similarly submit their entries on Friday regardless of the final outcome of the dispute, it is believed that - thanks in large part to the stringent efforts of McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh- a scenario has been reached that FOTA is confident will prove satisfactory to Mosley.

The deal is centred upon a 100 million (£87.33 million) cap in 2010, dropping to Mosley's stipulated 45 million limit a year later.

They also want further concessions for the teams including one staff member per team, such as Red Bull Racing's highly-paid chief technical officer Adrian Newey, being excluded from the cap in much the same way as are drivers and bosses.

"I am willing to compromise," Mosley told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, "but only if small and new teams can operate with much lower budgets and are not much slower than the others. I am very optimistic about a solution. The big and small teams have very different interests, and we have to protect everyone.

"Will Ferrari enter by Friday? I think so. I am optimistic and confident. Ferrari is very important for Formula 1, but Formula 1 is very important for Ferrari as well."

[Dazzyman]

Dave Richards team have applied also for membership next year...

Prodrive on Friday submitted an application to world motorsport's governing body, the FIA, for entry in the 2010 Formula One championship.

Any teams that want to fill one of the 13 available places must inform the FIA by later Friday.

On Monday, Williams broke ranks with the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) by announcing that they intend to enter.

The nine remaining FOTA members are expected to make a united decision on whether to follow suit later Friday.

FOTA are in the middle of a heated row with the sports' rulers over FIA president Max Mosley's intention to introduce a voluntary 40 million pound budget cap from 2010.

Ferrari, who have been a feature of every season since F1 was launched in 1950, are threatening to pull out unless Mosley backs down on his controversial plans.

Both sides met on the sidelines of last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix with Mosley afterwards suggesting a compromise was in the air.

Prodrive chairman David Richards meanwhile promised that his team would not just be there to make up the numbers.

"With the help of Dar Capital, in raising the finance, coupled with our understanding of the latest proposals to assist new teams, we now feel the conditions are right to formally request the FIA for an entry," he said.

"The level of next year's cost cap has risen substantially since we originally considered entering.

"However everyone appears committed to major reductions in future years and when one takes into account the transition proposals for new teams we are confident that we now have the opportunity to be both commercially viable and competitive.

"As we have said all along, we don't want to be in Formula One just to make up the numbers."

[ChrisF]

Hollow threats then

Ferrari and the rest of the teams in the Formula 1 Teams' Association (Fota) have submitted conditional entries for the 2010 championship.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8072295.stm

[Richard.John]

Yes, but without the threats, Max would have followed through with is plan unchanged.