2010 Formula 1 Season - Official Discussion Thread

[harrisv48]

Former co-owner and boss Gerhard Berger: Toro Rosso Needs ‘Good Second Driver’
I think Rings a Bell for Ralf

source: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... nd-driver/

[harrisv48]

Lopez closing on USF1 deal, Rossiter for second seat?

source: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 4326&FS=F1

[phil1993]

Former co-owner and boss Gerhard Berger: Toro Rosso Needs ‘Good Second Driver’

So why would ringing Ralf help?

Ralf was past it in 2004 and got gradually more mediocre every year. In 2007 in the Force India test he was slowest of the drivers including De La Rosa, Fisichella and Klien.

Sauber set to race under BMW name for 2010

[phil1993]

Rosberg: Schumacher made F1 dangerous

The on-track hostilities might still be more than two months away yet, but it seems that tension may already be in the air at Mercedes Grand Prix – with comments made by Nico Rosberg at the end of the 2009 campaign suggesting that his F1 2010 team-mate Michael Schumacher is responsible for legitimising many of the questionable driving tactics seen in the top flight today.

Rosberg has already expressed his belief that compatriot Schumacher could find things tough on his return to the grand prix grid following a three-year absence when the starting lights go out in Bahrain in mid-March, and now it has emerged that the 24-year-old previously pinned the blame for some of the lax driving standards in the modern era firmly at the door of the record-breaking seven-time F1 World Champion’s infamous ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach.

“It is Michael Schumacher who started this, like at Spa, when Mika Hakkinen tried to overtake him and he ran him off the track,” the German is quoted as having said by F1 Fanatic shortly after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2009 season finale, alluding to the race ten years ago when the Kerpen native squeezed his Finnish rival virtually onto the grass as they diced for the lead at 200mph, effectively offering him the choice of either backing off or else causing a huge accident. “When the guy behind has made a decision [to pass] and the guy in front then moves over, it is very dangerous. You cannot do that. That was the first time I remember it being a dangerous issue.”

Schumacher has ever been a controversial and divisive figure in the paddock, with few in any doubt as to his talent and none disputing his outstanding success – but a good many more dubious about the somewhat devil-may-care manner he has adopted in order to achieve it, as he has run right to the edge of the limits and rules, and occasionally beyond. Governing body the FIA has more often than not turned a blind eye.

Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve have both been on the receiving end of the 40-year-old’s decidedly strong-arm tactics when he is determined to get what he wants, and comparisons have been drawn with the sheer, cold-blooded ruthlessness displayed by fellow multiple title-winner Ayrton Senna. Parking his Ferrari in the middle of the track in the dying moments of qualifying at Monaco in 2006 is another example. It is, Rosberg contends, a dangerous precedent – with others having since looked, learned...and emulated.

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http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/01012010/23/schumacher-made-f1-dangerous-says-rosberg.html

Alonso: Don't favour Schumacher

According to recent reports, it appears that the new star of Ferrari, Fernando Alonso and the 1996 world champion, Damon Hill, has made reaching to the new head of the FIA, Jean Todt, the following message: "You can not allow Michael Schumacher uses foul play on the track. "

Schumacher, who turns 41 today, is ready to return to F1 again the hand of his teacher, Ross Brawn, after retiring in 2006.

The race fans can not wait to see the German legend fighting against the new generation of drivers like Lewis Hamilton.

But the Spanish champion, Alonso, has issued a reminder in which Schumacher describes as the dirtiest driver in F1 history - after a series of clashes, accidents and underhand tactics existed on its way to the seven world titles. Alonso has pointed the finger at Schumacher for his deliberate collision with former champion Jacques Villeneuve.

Despite his actions, Michael has managed to avoid punishment. Now is Hill, who was lying on the track for the German in a bitter duel, which has expressed concern over the possibility of special treatment to the Kaiser.

The current President of the FIA, the Frenchman Jean Todt, was the head of Schumacher's Ferrari and a few days ago said it was the German was "like a son" to him. Hill published in the Daily Star: "The suspicion was that Michael was always a bit of favoritism by the FIA.

"I think the FIA will have to be very firm and with both feet on the ground to ensure that no suspicion in the next season."

Todt said later: "It would be inappropriate of me to discuss the decisions."

And the chief executive of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said: "He may be champion again, but there are at least five drivers who could beat him."

The reactions, once assimilated Schumacher's return, follow one another and it seems that nobody is indifferent to the return of German. Michael will be a fierce rival in the fight for the title and his rivals know it. Has not yet started the preseason and has already begun psychological warfare.

USF1 slam summer shutdown

US F1's sporting director Peter Windsor says his team is frustrated by the mandatory summer shutdown imposed in Formula 1 since last year.

Since the rule was introduced, all teams have been forced to shut down their factories during the August break in order to reduce costs.

Windsor said his team, which will make its F1 debut this year, will follow the rules and shut down its factory too, but reluctantly.

"We're all complaining a little about everything closing down for the New Year but - believe me – America is currently much more industrious than the UK," Windsor wrote on the US F1 website's blog.

"Here, at our home base, we were quiet on Christmas Day (naturally) and then again today. The UK – and most of Europe – basically shut down on December 18 and will not stagger back to life until January 4. That's 16 valuable days lost in the too-short life of the F1 European winter.

"And that's not all: remember the August F1 shutdown that was introduced for the first time in 2009? Well, it's happening again in 2010. Understand that most of Europe closes for August and you kind of understand the decision. Unless you're American, that is.

"As in Australia, August for Americans is just another working month in which some people maybe take a week or two away. There's no nationwide shutdown, as such – not of the type that regularly afflicts massive F1 teams like Ferrari.

"For years all of their suppliers have been shutting their doors for the month of August – and for years the European teams have been complaining that the situation has been growing worse, not better."

He added: "There was an F1 team meeting vote in the early fall about whether the 2009 F1 August shutdown had been a 'success'. I was impressed to hear the McLaren guys say that it was a waste of time and that most of their staff had found it all very frustrating, but sadly these were lone voices: the majority of the teams, led by Red Bull, it seemed to me, are firmly committed to the summer shutdown. And so shut down we will."

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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80730

[harrisv48]

Giancarlo Fisichella linked to Sauber drive

source: http://en.espnf1.com/sauber/motorsport/story/6030.html

[sdutt]

Giancarlo Fisichella linked to Sauber drive

source: http://en.espnf1.com/sauber/motorsport/story/6030.html

keeping fingers crossed

[sdutt]

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 side comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/712.html

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 front comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/711.html

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 overhead comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/713.html

[Tom Vandenhove]

Court overturns Briatore's F1 ban

Spoiler:

By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, January 5th 2010, 14:22 GMT

Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore has won his court action in France against the FIA over his indefinite ban from involvement in motor racing.

The Italian was told on Tuesday by the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris that his case had been successful.

French media quoted the decision as saying that the FIA's decision on 21 September had been "irregular".

"The court ruled the sanction was illegal," the judge told the Paris court.

Briatore was awarded 15,000 euros in compensation. He was banned from Formula 1 for life after being found guilty of race-fixing charges.

The Italian said before he started legal action that he had been the victim of a personal vendetta.

"In this case, the FIA has been used as a tool to exact vengeance on behalf of one man," he said.

"This decision is a legal absurdity and I have every confidence that the French courts will resolve the matter justly and impartially."

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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80743

[sdutt]

French court overturns FIA ban on Briatore

A French court has overturned the indefinite ban from Formula One racing placed on former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore by the FIA. Briatore was handed the penalty last September for his role in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix race fixing scandal.

An internal investigation by Renault suggested that Briatore, driver Nelson Piquet and former executive director of engineering Pat Symonds conspired for Piquet to deliberately crash out of the event to enhance the race prospects of Renault’s lead driver, Fernando Alonso.

An FIA enquiry then saw Briatore barred from FIA-sanctioned motorsport indefinitely. However, the Italian subsequently challenged the methods used in the FIA’s case, leading to Tuesday’s decision by the Tribunal de Grand Instance in Paris, which also overturned the five-year ban given to Symonds.

The same FIA enquiry also saw Renault given a two-year suspended Formula One ban, while Piquet was granted immunity from punishment by the sport’s governing body for his cooperation.

Neither Briatore nor the FIA has yet made any official comment on Tuesday’s news.

[cheng.damien]

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 side comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/712.html

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 front comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/711.html

2010 regulation changes - 2009/2010 overhead comparison
http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2010/0/713.html

Good stuff, looking forward to seeing how the 2010 cars look like.

[Tom Vandenhove]

Appointment Boullier good news for Ho-Pin Tung?

Spoiler:

05/01/2010 [Translated with Google]
Are the opportunities for Ho-Pin Tung in a race seat suddenly rose Eric Boullier now been appointed by Renault team boss? The Frenchman is also director of Gravity Sport Management, the management office with the 27-year-old driver from Velp connected. Boullier itself still leaves a bit in the middle.

Asked whether the second driver from the Gravity-stable will come, Boullier said: "The second rider will at least be able to finish in the points and Robert Kubica have to challenge. I can not say whether a driver from Gravity-the barn will be or not, but I can assure you that for a Gravity-driver will be more difficult to be selected, because it really will have to show he is worth the second race seat. "

Tung tested in December before the Renault in Jerez. Other candidates for the seat are Romain Grosjean and former BMW driver Nick Heidfeld.

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http://f1.gpupdate.net/nl/formule-1-nieuws/225641/aanstelling-boullier-goed-nieuws-voor-tung/

Bringing Tung in Formula 1 would be the worst thing ever. Take Heidfeld, he's experienced and knows how to work with Kubica

[phil1993]

Raikkonen tips Vettel for the title

Mercedes GP have offered Nick Heidfeld the test driver role

[swca92]

[quote="Tom Vandenhove
Bringing Tung in Formula 1 would be the worst thing ever. Take Heidfeld, he's experienced and knows how to work with Kubica[/quote]

It would be a laugh more than anything, Kubica would embarrass him.

[phil1993]

Yeah, like the way Kubica trashed Heidfeld in 2007 and 2009.....

[JoostLamers]

Bringing Tung in Formula 1 would be the worst thing ever. Take Heidfeld, he's experienced and knows how to work with Kubica

Dude, too early, what was your first reaction on Toshiba's announcement to replace Glock.. Maybe he'll do well, I think he can do as well as Piquet jr. Who did much better than Grosjean..