2009 Formula 1 Pre-Season Thread

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

We don't have to watch the 2009 season anymore, we already know who's going to win!
 
But notice the ones after the hyperspace McLaren. The field is so mixed up it's just scary. And Hond.. Brawn GP seem to be doing rather well. I guess the developments in 2008 are showing
 
I like that the field is so mixed up. Makes things interesting, certainly makes me look doubly forward to Melbourne!
 
And it's not even the normally fast drivers as well. Sutil, Piquet faster than Kimi? Melbourne will be great
 
Joc? said:
https://pic.armedcats.net/k/ka/kata89/2009/03/09/brawnsponsors.jpg

:lol:
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If they get results, those sponsors won't stay for long. :)

EDIT:

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21231.html

Brawn to get backing from bwin?

The new Brawn GP team is reported to have landed funding from the Austrian online betting company Bwin Interactive Entertainment. This would explain why there was so many delays with Honda agreeing to sell the team as online gambling remains problematical in legal terms in many countries although others have concluded that it is impossible to control and have started to issue licences. Bwin is the biggest such company and has been listed on the Austrian stock exchange since 2000. It was founded in 1999 by Manfred Bodner, a US-educated Internet businessman, and Norbert Teufelberger a casino executive with the Austrian national gambling business. The company chairman is Hannes Androsch, who was Austria's Minister of Finance from 1970 till 1981 and Vice-Chancellor of the Republic of Austria between 1976 till 1981. He later held senior positions with the OECD and the International Monetary Fund.

The company has run into trouble in some countries where there are national monopolies running gambling. The company's two founders were arrested in France in 2006, but were released soon afterwards. The company is gradually building up a number of licences in different markets, often by buying local businesses and its revenues have shot from $1.9m in 2000 to more than $450m in the last published accounts. Since 2006 the company has been heavily involved in sponsorships in soccer, beginning with AC Milan and then moving on to AS Monaco and Real Madrid. The company offers sports betting, poker, casino games and soft games with most revenue coming from poker and sportsbetting. The company now also sells licences which provide licensees with marketing, finance and administration, corporate communications, controlling and IT services.

The firm is actively looking for business opportunities in Asia, where it has opened a subsidiary in Beijing, and in South America, where bwin has already launched operations in Mexico and Argentina.

On the surface the sponsorship in F1 would fit well as the company does offer bets on the F1 races. We have heard that the colour scheme would feature black and orange, which is the Bwin company colour.

It remains to be seen if the rumours are confirmed.
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EDIT 2: Final testing report:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73641

Heidfeld goes quickest at Barcelona

By Jonathan Noble Monday, March 9th 2009, 16:21 GMT

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, Barcelona testingNick Heidfeld led the way for BMW Sauber on the first day of the final pre-season group test at the Circuit de Catalunya on Monday.

Although the F1.09 has had a fairly low-key testing programme so far, Heidfeld's best lap of 1:20.339 saw him end the day more than half a second clear of Kimi Raikkonen.

Jarno Trulli was third quickest for Toyota, just ahead of Jenson Button, who was the talking point of the day after spending much of it at the top of the timesheets.

Just four days after the former Honda Racing outfit were given the green light to continue in F1, Button was consistently fast as he made his return to the cockpit for the first time since the end of last year.

The Brawn GP car caused a few raised eyebrows up and down the pitlane too, thanks to the design of its diffuser and some aero tweaks at the front end of the car.

Nelson Piquet was fifth quickest in the Renault, finally getting some decent running after a trouble testing programme so far, while Sebastien Bourdais completed the first public running for his new Scuderia Toro Rosso STR4 to set the sixth best time

Behind seventh fastest Mark Webber in the Red Bull Racing RB5 were Adrian Sutil in the Force India and Kazuki Nakajima in the Williams.

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen ended the day at the bottom of the timesheets - more than 2.6 seconds adrift of Heidfeld's best time.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:20.339 92
2. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:20.908 80
3. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:20.937 118
4. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:21.140 82
5. Piquet Renault (B) 1:21.662 124
6. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:22.158 96
7. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:22.246 115
8. Sutil Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:22.452 127
9. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:22.813 111
10. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:22.948 87

All Timing Unofficial
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With the times Button is putting up, if you're looking to advertise in F1, you'd be an idiot not to jump on what has to be an absolute steal and sponsor Brawn GP.
 
PaperBiro said:
I've jsut came across these driver profiles on the BBC F1 website, and they're worth a look, Martin's comments especially: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/drivers_and_teams/default.stm
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Lewis Hamilton said:
Apart from a house what is the most expensive thing that you own?
No comment.
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Oh come on, Lewis! Have some sport!



Lewis Hamilton said:
Tell us something about yourself that most F1 fans might not know
I'm a big online gamer.
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And the trend continues into the very reaches of F1. Seems like every racing driver is a huge nerd at heart. I don't think I've ever met one without some sort of fascination with electronics or games.
 
Sebastian Vettel said:
Who is the worst dressed Formula One driver?
I am not into men's clothes.
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:lol: :lol: WUT?!
 
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Barcelona - Day one
09.03.2009
Test in Barcelona.
March 9th ? 12th 2009
Day one ? Monday


Weather conditions: Sunny in the morning, overcast in the afternoon.

Temperature: Air: 10 ? 18 ?C, Track: 11 ? 23 ?C

Number of drivers participating: 10 from 10 teams

Fastest lap overall: Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:20.338 min

Circuit length: 4.655 km


Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.09-04 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 429 (92 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.338 min


Programme:
With the final pre-season test under way, the BMW Sauber F1 Team geared up to make its final preparations for the Australian Grand Prix. On the first day of the Barcelona test Nick Heidfeld concentrated on race related procedures, i. e. pit stop practice, to fine tune the working relationship between the driver, engineers and mechanics. Heidfeld also did a couple of practice starts.

?The weather was perfect for today?s programme?, Heidfeld said after completing 92 laps. ?We could try a lot of different set-up solutions and even do some aero work.?



What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Barcelona for three more days. Nick Heidfeld will be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.09 again tomorrow. On Wednesday and Thursday Robert Kubica will take over driving duties.
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:cool::cool:
 
Dogbert said:
With the times Button is putting up, if you're looking to advertise in F1, you'd be an idiot not to jump on what has to be an absolute steal and sponsor Brawn GP.
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Unless of course they are running the car underweight in order to appear fast and get some sponsors on board, you'd look quite a fool come Melbourne race day then.
 
Walsh_e said:
Unless of course they are running the car underweight in order to appear fast and get some sponsors on board, you'd look quite a fool come Melbourne race day then.
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Well, of course not having a livery saves a couple grams in stickers. :lol:
 
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