SILLY SEASON 2009/2010

Motorsport was truly awesome in UK during the early-mid 1990s. You had Murray commentating the F1 and he also commentated the golden age of the BTCC. Fantastic.
 
I prefer the 80's when you had tracks like Dallas literally falling apart during the race. LOL!

But back on topic, I don?t see how any F1 team can really say one driver isn?t favored over another. You know Lewis will be favored over Jenson, and they both must know it too.


- I just feel bitter over the entire Merc buying Brawn and Jenson not getting his due. Of course who knows what else was going on behind the scenes.
 
According to Helsingin Sanomat, one of the largest finnish newspapers, Kimi's managers are still in negotiations with mercedes.
Hmm, it may be a respectable newspaper, but I've only ever heard Finnish F1 scoops coming from Tarun Sanomat or sometimes MTV3, so I'm not convinced about that quote. Someone on Autosport speculated a few hours ago that it could be a mangled translation of the quote AMuS had from Haug earlier, something along the lines of "Kimi has my number if he wants to call", which I think is more likely as there isn't really any background reference to this paper when it comes to F1 news.

So basically who knows whats happening, every other story seems to be contradicting each other.

Thought I'd add in my 2 cents on the Red Bull 2011 option....well as this Silly Season has shown, anything is possible. It could very well happen. But when you read articles relating to it, its always just speculation from journos, never any specific scoop from a source. I reckon this is because IIRC the only drivers out of contract next year from the "top" teams are Webber and Massa, and obviously Ferrari isn't going to be an option. Raikkonen says he would return in 2011 if it was with a top team, only one feasible seat is theoretically available, so journalists put 2 & 2 together. However, there is no guarantee that it will actually happen, probability is that other drivers who didn't take a year out will also be looking for a top seat, and of course Red Bull may decide to keep Webber for another year if he performs well. And, no one has come forward claiming they have a source that says Red Bull are interested, aside from that wackjob on the Autosport forums.

BTW James Allen posted today in his Raikkonen article quite an interesting theory he had on those 'Kimi to Red Bull for 2010' rumours I metioned a couple of months back.
Raikkonen may want to come back in 2011, but there may not be many winning seats available. Massa?s contract will be up, but I can?t see them going back over that road with Kimi. The most obvious choice for me would be Red Bull. I think the rumours this Autumn about Raikkonen possibly taking Mark Webber?s seat next year were based on Kimi?s people shaking the tree to see if anything came of it.
It could well be possible actually, from their viewpoint it would be worth a try when Webber went through that patch with no points, and the rumours didn't originate from Red Bull as Christian Horner shot it down as ever being an option. If Allen is right (and of course, its only speculation), it would at least show that they were interested in Red Bull, although its another matter if Red Bull were interested or not, especially at the price that Raikkonen is asking.

Eeesh, that was a long post! Only 5 hours a week of lectures/seminars gives you plenty of time to follow the Silly Season, I tell you! :lol:
 
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I very much hope that Kimi signs with Mercedes, because otherwise I don't think he would ever come back to F1, and I don't want that.
 
Spanish radio sources Onda Cero and Radio Marca are reporting that a deal is imminent between Force India and... Pedro de la Rosa? http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091119090502.shtml

Umm.... I find this one hard to believe. Unless they got a rookie in seat #2, but even then I don't get this. I mean, did both Sutil and Liuzzi leave them or what? I'll believe it when I see it.
 
Williams sells stake in team
By Jonathan Noble Friday, November 20th 2009, 08:48 GMT



Frank Williams and Patrick Head have sold an equity stake in their Formula 1 team to an Austrian investment company.

Williams and Head have been the sole co-owners of Williams since it was formed in 1977 - and there has long been resistance to selling off a part of the company despite frequent speculation linking the team with numerous manufacturers.

However, Williams announced on Friday that a deal has been reached with an Austrian investment company led by investor Toto Wolff for him to have shares in the team. He will also sit on the company's board.

As well as his business activities, Wolff is a part-time racer ? having competed in recent years in the FIA GT championship and the Austrian Rally Championship ? in which he finished runner-up last year.

Frank Williams is expected to speak later today about the motivation behind the selling of shares.
 
^ It's sad, to be honest, but if they can guarantee the future of the team this way, so be it. At least they haven't sold the stakes to someone totally uninterested in motor racing.
I thought this would be happen rather sooner than later, Frank and Patrick are not really young guys anymore. :(
 
Oh, for heavens sake - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

Michael Schumacher is poised for a sensational return to Formula 1 with the new Mercedes team, according to BBC Sport pundit Eddie Jordan.

Mercedes want the seven-time champion as their lead driver after taking over title-winning Brawn, Jordan says.

"The possibility is being actively pursued and I believe it is going to happen," said Jordan.

Schumacher's spokeswoman Sabine Kehm told BBC Sport a return was "highly unlikely - but never say never".

The plan is for Schumacher to be a stop-gap before Mercedes can prise German rising star Sebastian Vettel out of Red Bull.....[and so on]

I'm not taking Eddie Jordan's word for it, his "sources" say that Button was forced out of Mercedes, despite every interview with Fry and Brawn saying they wanted to keep him. Stranger things have happened, but I suspect that this is just wishful thinking and speculation more than anything else.
 
Hehe, if this happens I eat my arm...
 
Jose Maria Lopez supposedly has been offered a contract to USF1 pending him getting more sponsorship money: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80273

autosport said:
AUTOSPORT understands that Lopez has 70 per cent of the funding required to become the team's first confirmed driver and is confident of securing the remainder with a contract with US F1 in place.

"Up until now we have dealt with this over the phone, and given the progress, we went to visit the team personally and talk to Peter Window and Ken Anderson about it," said Lopez. "We verbally agreed a deal that will be completed next week."

Windsor confirmed that he was very keen to finalise a deal with the 26-year-old.

"Until we sign the contract we can't reveal any details about the negotiations," he told Lopez's website. "I can say I have a profound respect for Jose Maria as a driver and a person. He would be a great driver for out team because he brings knowledge and mileage in an F1 car, apart from the extra motivation because he never had the chance to race and show his skill.

"I would be very happy if he raced with us next year. He's not just another driver on the list. Jose is more than that. He is a driver we are interested in and we want him to be with us. Things can change very quickly in motorsport. It would be inappropriate for me to say anything else.

"We would like to sign the contract as soon as possible."

I just don't know. He's a good touring car driver, winning the TC2000 the last two years, but he hasn't been racing open wheel cars since 2006. We'll see if he can get the money, but a very interesting choice for USF1.
 
So they aren't just going for American drivers regardless of talent, like we thought.
They're going for rich drivers regardless of talent.
 
So they aren't just going for American drivers regardless of talent, like we thought.
They're going for rich drivers regardless of talent.

Yeah, we all feared that these new teams would be "national teams", USF1 signing at least one American who brings sponsors, Campos a Spaniard who brings sponsors... But the candidates seem to be short of money; USF1 wanted to have Jonathan Summerton but he doesn't have enough backing, and Campos said that the Spanish sponsors are not paying enough so he's unlikely to sign de la Rosa.
So the American team will sign Lopez who would be nowhere near F1 without money, and Campos is still waiting to see whether Petrov's Russian, or Maldonado's Venezuelan sponsors can pay more.

Quite sadly, the era of the pay-drivers is obviously back.
 
^ I'm not complaining, to be honest. Should give us some hilarious moments yet again. And backmarkers getting in the way have always produced great moments at the front of the field.
 
Any chance the pundit himself will announce that he will be a TEAM PRINCIPAL again ?

That old fart....
 
Well to be fair, these are brand new teams who were courted by the FIA under the auspices that there would be a budget cap in place so they would not be "snowed under" by the multi-hundred million Euro budgets the major teams were spending.

Now that FOTA successfully blocked that and can spend whatever they can get their hands on, I'm not surprised that these new teams are looking at "pay drivers" to help provide additional revenue necessary to at least try and stay relevant in 2010, which will be critical for them to secure additional funding for the 2011 season (and extend any single-year sponsorship deals).
 
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^ I'm not complaining, to be honest. Should give us some hilarious moments yet again. And backmarkers getting in the way have always produced great moments at the front of the field.

I hope that new teams will be like in old days, not like Honda, BMW or Toyota - they will not run away after couple bad seasons. I mean teams like Minardi or Arrows, they were at the back but there was love in what they did, not just marketing.
 
Quite sadly, the era of the pay-drivers is obviously back.

Well, if I have to choose between pay drivers on the shitty teams, (and remember, USF1's guy has actually been reasonably successful in touring) or that idiotic two tier system, I'll take the pay drivers.
 
Hmmmm Finally some time to add my thoughts to these shenanigans.

Button to McLaren:
This will either make or break Button's career. The problem with Button is that he is very car dependent and car-setup dependent. If Mclaren gives him a car that suits him then he will be a match for Hamilton, maybe even better than him. If it's difficult to drive then Lewis will smash him.

The problem arises that Lewis and Jenson have opposite driving styles. Its almost Senna vs Prost mkII. One is very aggressive and oversteery (Lewis), the other silky smooth and doesn't slide (Button). Back in the day that meant that if Prost could get the car dialled in, he won. If he couldn't Senna won. I think it will be much the same next year, especially given the ban on refuelling. Lewis may destroy his tyres whereas Button won't. Personality wise it should be a lot easier to handle than Alonso and will be fantastic seeing these two guys give their all.

Lastly, massive respect to Button for doing this. He may have burned a few bridges but to leave a team where you are number one and take on perhaps the fastest driver in the sport at a team you don't know for LESS money, that takes balls!

Kimi!
On one hand, I am cursing Kimi and his stubbornness, because I think everyone wants to see Kimi on the grid. On the other hand, I have great respect for what he is doing. He is one of the few drivers that simply loves driving. There are a few on the grid that wouldn't drive if they can't drive F1, I hate that attitude. I can't wait to see him do more rallies.

However those thinking that he will shoot straight to the top of the WRC are mistaken. I think even if he got a works Citroen drive (highly unlikely) he would be way, way off the pace. If Petter Solberg is going to run a second car in certain rallies next year, he would be far better off giving it to Marcus Gronholm than Kimi.

Michael Schumacher
He won't come back. The fat, blind Irish git is just trying to keep himself in the headlines. "I used to run Jordan y'know", fuck off Eddie!!!!
 
Mercedes are to confirm their first driver at 1pm CET today - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80309. I guess this is Rosberg - although there is little need to actually confirm it!

Its interesting, I thought they wanted to confirm both drivers at the same time. Could be good news for Raikkonen fans if things are taking longer to sort out than they anticipated last Monday.


Ooh, and theres a rumour about Kobayashi to Renault on a couple of French sites, bringing Panasonic sponsorship, which would be awesome, but I'm not getting excited until I see something more reliable. Probably just another silly rumour.
 
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