2010 Formula 1 Season - Official Discussion Thread

[amoljoshi]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82590


Virgin Racing to sell team to Stefan GP

Spoiler:

Following rumors, Virgin Racing have been unable to attract the required sponsors and hence they are reportedly in talks with Stefan GP for a team buyout. This news comes hot in the heels of USF1s failure to make the grid.
Bernie and management are set take stringent measures against Virgin racing for a reported breach in contract. The least expected is a fine worth US $1,000,000. It is unclear whether the FIA will apply iany sanctions.
Team and FIA officials were unable for comment

Off-Topic: show

APRIL FOOL's everybody

lol, I nearly believed in that news.

[phil1993]

Fauzy: I might race this year

Fauzy also mentioned that Lotus F1 Team Principal Tony Fernandes may place him in the car for a Grand Prix this season. "Tony mentioned that I might be driving in one of the races this year so we'll see how it goes - I think it would be great," 27-year-old Fairuz added.

[f1nut48]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82590


Virgin Racing to sell team to Stefan GP

Spoiler:

Following rumors, Virgin Racing have been unable to attract the required sponsors and hence they are reportedly in talks with Stefan GP for a team buyout. This news comes hot in the heels of USF1s failure to make the grid.
Bernie and management are set take stringent measures against Virgin racing for a reported breach in contract. The least expected is a fine worth US $1,000,000. It is unclear whether the FIA will apply iany sanctions.
Team and FIA officials were unable for comment

Off-Topic: show

APRIL FOOL's everybody

lol, I nearly believed in that news.

As crazy as the off-season seemed to be with USF1 & Stefan GP, that almost seemed plausible!

[shailf1]

Autosport forum :

Bahrain GP
- Alonso was having problems with his setup and Massa didn't want to share any tech info
- Alonso then used the "But i am number 1" card but not as direct as that
- Massa's response was to say "then you should be able to manage by yourself"

This was the beginning of the problem, It was resolved by Domenicali and Luca that both of them will share all technical and setup information and this was communicated to them both.

Australian GP
- Roles were reversed
- Massa had issues during practice
- Alonso simply stated that for whatever reason he was not having issues but his side of the garage didn't relay any useful info to Massa
- This is when things really deteriorated
- Each of Massa's and Alonso's engineers were waring with each other
- Massa's was angry because they said there was an agreement to share all info
- Alonso's was angry because they said they were disadvantaged in Bahrain so why should they give assistance to Massa
- The post race debrief was a very heated one
- Effectively we now have two teams within Ferrari, Team Massa and Team Alonso

Alonso has since called Luca to air his concerns in a very heated way.

Massa sees' Ferrari as his team and knows Alonso expects to be treated as number one, so Massa is not going to give him any easy goals by sharing info as it is his career on the line if Alonso destroys him on track.

Alonso expected to be a lot faster than Massa, apparently massa's performance in bahrain, particularly in setting up the car spooked him a little bit as he realised he will not be easy to beat.

This could be 2007 revisited, only this time in Ferrari instead of McLaren. Time will tell if Ferrari can manage this better.

For all the comments from the drivers about driving FOR Ferrari, they are not behaving that way. Alonso has to be careful, because if this behaviour destroys the team morale and he is pushed out of the team (unlikely) he will have no where else to go. He will be seen as a "team wrecker" if he is not number 1 and at the moment there is no room for number one drivers in any of the top teams. After Ferrari there will be nothing else for him.

Massa knows this, he also knows that he has to at least equal Alonso to be treated as an equal number 1 in the team, but sharing info wont do him any favours on the track only in the garage, but it is on the track where he will be measured.

Pains me to say all of this, although it was expected to some degree, i did not believe it would unravel so quickly, lets just hope it settles down quickly and doesn't derail the championship push.

Out of all the top 4 teams, there is a level of tension between all the drivers, maybe this is totally normal, they all see themselves as championship contenders, they are F1 drivers, so they are all selfish. The only team where this is less of an issue is at Merc, the car is not up to speed so they need to work together to get it there and Michael needs some help from Rosberg to get up to speed also so he is working very well with Rosberg.

Personally I think its utter rubbish, they both look happy but what do you think?

[phil1993]

Partly true I think, but its very exaggerated

[iceman1]

Personally I think its utter rubbish, they both look happy but what do you think?

- Alonso then used the "But i am number 1" card but not as direct as that

[Ferrariman60]

The Alonso-Schumacher battle will only reignite if Schumacher can start putting the car near the front row in quali or if he starts to challenge for podiums. As long as he's behind him, I think Alonso couldn't care less about Schumacher.

[sdutt]

Read this and let's talk again:
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/03/a ... stilities/

..dark look...

[JoostLamers]

Whitmarsh says they have a revised suspension ready for China.. So they can 'play' with the ride height

[megasyxx]

wanna bet that it'll be banned..........

[phil1993]

Simulated lap of the Silverstone Arena circuit on the layout that will be used from 2011

[sdutt]

Am not sure where to put this, but i found this video very good: using a guitar a person has ploayed Alonso's lap

[phil1993]

Bernie: Races will be dropped

F1 will shed some of its current races to make room for New York and Russia, according to Bernie Ecclestone.

The sport's chief executive said recently he is pushing for a street race in New Jersey in 2012, and he has now said in an interview with Bloomberg that he also wants Russia to have a Grand Prix.

Ecclestone, 79, said there are three potential sites for the race outside Manhattan, while Moscow or the resort city Sochi are the possible venues for Russia.

"We'll make a decision in the next couple of months" on the locations, said the Briton.

Ecclestone has often talked about expanding the calendar from its current 19 events to 20 or more, but he now says F1 will review its "traditional" European hosts, such as the two races in Spain.

"We're going to lose some races for sure, there are some races we can afford to lose without too much problem," he said. "I've spoken to the countries to see what we can come up with."

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 2839&FS=F1

IMO, Turkey, China and Spa are likely to be dropped.

[sdutt]

NOOO!!! Not SPA . It is clearly one of the best Grand Prix on the calendar.

turkey, china, valencia can be lost with not much tears shed

[phil1993]

Bernie won't shed Valencia because they're on a seven year contract and there is still Alonsomania. Maybe when he (Teflonso) retires, Spain will revert back to one race a season

China is only contracted until this year I think and Turkey next year. Not many people turned up to the Turkish GP last year so maybe that's one that might go.

Spa is struggling to break even let alone make a profit. It's pit buildings are quite good but for spectators its pretty poor. However, this should not impact on the suitability for a race. Its a great track that produces good racing. I think if anything, what's more likely to happen is Hockenheim to go completely whilst Nurburgring and Spa rotate (Germany are losing a lot of money every year)