2011 Formula 1 Season Thread

Necx0 said:
I love the fact that Ricciardo is on the grid, two Aussies on the F1 grid, when was the last time that happened?? But the whole thing stinks to high heaven. Narain was obviously only there because of the money he brought to the table, now he has been outbid, yet is back for the Indian GP. I mean for fuck's sake, all this chopping and changing drivers doesn't do anyone any good.

I really wish there was some way to ban personal sponsorship. Make it so the drivers are banned from bringing money to the team. Unfortunately it would be nigh on impossible to enforce.
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I wouldn't say he was "outbid". Ricciardo's a bloody good driver and deserves to be in Formula One (but hopefully in a better car than a HRT). I say good on Red Bull for supporting young drivers through the ranks and bringing them to the sport, especially when so many great talents sadly miss out due to nothing more than a lack of funding.
 
http://www.vivaf1.com/reliability.php

Z2pFW.png

*Other - includes events outside the scope of the car reliability such as accidents, collisions or disqualification.

Notes:
Sauber completed 116 laps in Australia but were later disqualified. These laps do not appear in the laps completed section.
Pastor Maldonado (Williams) retired with an engine misfire in Malaysia; this is recorded as an engine failure in the statistics above
Timo Glock (Virgin) failed to start the Turkish GP ater suffering gearbox problems on his out lap
 
I've been traveling for work for a couple of weeks so I've missed out on a lot of news and things. Not sure where else to ask this, but RU is down?
 
Suspense said:
Any hints why or how long it's expected to be down?
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I read somewhere that it's a server upgrade (third hand info) but I cant find anything official to substantiate it. You'd think they'd have a 'brb' or something on their page rather than a 'offline'.
 
Hell yeah
The Williams-Renault partnership that dominated Formula 1 for much of the 1990s will be revived next year after the Grove squad secured a supply of the French manufacturer?s engines.

Renault, whose involvement in F1 is now purely in the capacity of an engine manufacturer, will supply Williams with its existing V8 engines in 2012-2013 with a view to extending the relationship into the sport?s new V6 turbocharged engine era, which begins in 2014.

The engine deal, which will succeed Williams?s current one with Cosworth, reunites the former champions with its most successful partner after a 15-year-gap, the original relationship between 1989 and 1997 producing four drivers? and five constructors? championships with drivers including Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Damon Hill.

Team owner Frank Williams expressed his pleasure at securing Renault?s return but stressed that the team ? enduring their worst ever F1 season but undergoing a period of technical restructuring ? must focus on improving their current fortunes going forward, rather than reminiscing about their glory days.

?We are delighted and excited by our new partnership with Renault,? he said in a statement.

?This reunites the F1 team with a leading car manufacturer and complements our new relationship with Jaguar. At the same time, we are grateful to Cosworth: they have been a fair and reliable partner both on and off the track for the past two years and we look forward to working with them across our business in the future.

?Our previous relationship with Renault was one of the most successful in Williams? history but we will not allow ourselves to dwell too much on the past. We must look to the future and continue to re-build our on-track reputation, which I am hopeful that today?s announcement will help us to do.?

Provided that Renault also retains all of its existing engine customers into next season, the firm will be making engines to four different teams ? the French manufacturer already a supplier to world champions Red Bull, Team Lotus and its former works squad Lotus Renault GP, which is now wholly owned by investment firm Genii Capital.

But despite the bulging customer roster, Renault Sport F1 president Bernard Rey says the addition of Williams from 2012 fits in with the company?s objectives in the sport and believes the reviving of the legendary partnership also sits well with the Grove team?s ongoing internal work.

?Renault remains in Formula 1 to achieve success in a cost efficient way and the partnership with Williams has great potential to add to the results we have notched up over recent years with our other partner teams,? Rey said.

?Williams has recently taken several important steps, both commercially and technically, to update its operations and we feel that this partnership is another important step in its rigorous plan. It reiterates how determined the team is to achieve results, which matches perfectly with our own objectives.

?From 2012 onwards the fact that we will have four partners puts us ahead of other engine manufacturers in terms of market share, but off track it will also enable us to further use Formula 1 as a marketing platform for our parent company, Renault, to try to bring a bit of this association to our fans and our customers worldwide.

?Of course there?s also a great pride in reviving the Williams-Renault name. Together, we produced racing cars that are recognised for their technical innovation and it is still Renault?s most successful period in F1 to date. It?s a hugely exciting opportunity for both Renault and Williams.?

Although the Mercedes-Benz V8 is still considered to be the most powerful in F1?s current ?frozen? engine era, Renault?s power plant is considered particularly driveable and the French manufacturer have enjoyed huge success with world champions and runaway 2011 points leaders Red Bull.

Williams have used independent manufacturer Cosworth?s engines since ending a three-season relationship with Toyota at the end of 2009.
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MOTORLOON1993 said:
Hell yeah
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No, more importantly

McLaren partnership and new base for Virgin said:
Virgin have signalled the seriousness of their intent to become real Formula One contenders by announcing a new, long-term technical partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies.

It will see the Anglo-Russian team benefit from access to McLaren facilities, knowledge and capabilities, such as their test rigs and driver-in-the-loop simulator, supply chain experience and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) techniques, including race strategy tools. McLaren management and production staff will also be embedded within the Virgin team.

?Our technical partnership with McLaren is very exciting indeed,? said Virgin team CEO Andy Webb. ?McLaren is one of the most prestigious and successful marques in Grand Prix racing history, with an enviable record of success over many years. We can benefit enormously from McLaren?s far-reaching techniques and capabilities and I have no doubt that this partnership will see us take the technical steps necessary to make a significant leap forwards.?

Earlier this year Virgin parted ways with previous technical partners Wirth Racing Technologies (WRT) and technical director Nick Wirth. However, the team have now acquired WRT?s Formula One business, including its leading-edge technical centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK.

The Banbury premises will continue to be utilised by Virgin for the next two years, during which time the team will progress their plans to develop a tailor-made new facility more suited to the team?s long-term Formula One tenure and allowing all elements of their operation to come together on one site.

?When we undertook our detailed review of the team in the first half of 2011, it was clear that our bold ambitions for the future would need to be matched with some equally bold steps towards achieving them,? continued Webb. ?I am delighted that in a relatively short space of time we are now in the fantastic position of being able to make these two very important announcements, which will enable us to make some dramatic strides forward with immediate effect.

?Our acquisition of the WRT Formula One business ensures continuity of technical infrastructure for the period ahead, which means that the transition to working with our new technical partner can begin immediately and is not frustrated by logistical considerations. Our three-centre operation has served us well in our formative years, but our ambitions for the future will rely on the full might of the team coming together under one roof.?

Former Renault technical chief Pat Symonds has played a major part in determining Virgin?s future technical direction and he will continue in the consultancy position that he has occupied with the team since February. Virgin?s existing agreement with engine suppliers Cosworth also continues.

?With Pat Symonds? continued involvement in the technical programme, we are confident that we have made all the right moves towards a successful future for Marussia Virgin Racing and we now head into one of the most important events for our team, the British Grand Prix, with renewed confidence and a great deal of excitement about the future,? added Webb.

Commenting on their new partnership with Virgin, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "During the period in which we were agreeing this deal, our experience of dealing with Andy and his team was extremely positive and we recognise that he and his colleagues are very serious about making developments that will lift the competitiveness of their cars over the coming months and years. We wish them well.?

Virgin made their F1 debut at the start of 2010. They lie 12th in the 2011 constructor?s standings and have yet to score their first championship point.
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Source: F1 Site

I'm actually really happy about this. It could mean we could soon have another midfield competitive team in F1.
 
It's definitely a good change, but I don't think we will see immediate change in their pace. Probably not even for 2012. Stuff like that takes time.

Team Lotus did similar things last year, and they didn't exactly jump straight to top10 results.
 
Also, HRT sold.

Spanish investment company Thesan Capital has taken a controlling stake in the Hispania Formula 1 team.

The firm takes over the team from previous owner Jose Ramon Carabante.

A statement from HRT said Thesan would work to strengthen the team and give it a more Spanish character.

"The Spanish investment group will lead the development of Hispania Racing in the upcoming years, maintaining the current team and directors, which is one of the main assets of the company, and will try to develop and search for opportunities to optimise and improve the performance of the team in the upcoming seasons, alongside progressively making the team more Spanish and definitively settling the team in Spain," said the statement.

"The Thesan Capital team, who consider the acquisition of Hispania Racing as an opportunity to enter a sector with great prospects of growing, will work with the aim of strengthening the strategic management of the group."

Hispania entered F1 at the start of the 2010 season. It had initially been created as Campos Meta 1, but during a troubled gestation period shareholder Carabante took full control, with founder Adrian Campos departing and ex-Jordan/Midland/Force India team boss Colin Kolles coming in to run the squad. AUTOSPORT recently revealed that Kolles is set to step down from his role in the coming months.

The squad has been at the back of the field for most of its Formula 1 life so far, although it has made progress under the direction of former Williams, Red Bull and Honda designer Geoff Willis, and is now often matching nearest rival Virgin.
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AUTOSPORT.com

Apparently sold for less than Fernando Alonso's wage. :p
 
Virgin is basically doing what Force India is doing with the switch from Ferrari to Mercedes power and this could help, but as said before not an immediate change. Could mean more money being pumped in for them and HRT being sold was the right move. Make fun of them all you want, but they are matching Virgin's performance. With a halved budget... This is going to be intresting with Geoff Willis at the helm of being the technical director. Seat might just get involved with HRT... Also, sadly Cosworth is going to have to bow out again as a engine manufacturer.
 
Huayra said:
Virgin is basically doing what Force India is doing with the switch from Ferrari to Mercedes power and this could help, but as said before not an immediate change. Could mean more money being pumped in for them and HRT being sold was the right move. Make fun of them all you want, but they are matching Virgin's performance. With a halved budget... This is going to be intresting with Geoff Willis at the helm of being the technical director. Seat might just get involved with HRT... Also, sadly Cosworth is going to have to bow out again as a engine manufacturer.
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Yea, it was a sad attempt
 
anyways it's good news for d'ambrosio! i hope he keeps his seat for next year!
 
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Also the Daily Fail reports...

Daily Mail said:
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...lverstone-ready-use-escape-route-McLaren.html

If Hamilton suffers at Silverstone he is ready to use escape route out of McLaren

Lewis Hamilton, frustrated at driving an uncompetitive car for a third consecutive season, could be competing in his last British Grand Prix for McLaren next weekend.
The 26-year-old has a break clause in his ?75million contract that allows him to leave McLaren in December ? 12 months before the end of his five-year deal ? unless he is world champion or the team win this season?s constructors? championship.

...

Hamilton would not be short of suitors.

Three weeks ago, he met Red Bull team principal Christian Horner at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. McLaren attempted to dismiss the meeting as a courtesy visit to Horner?s paddock home, but the reality is that Mark Webber?s contract with Red Bull ends this year and Hamilton would be an obvious replacement.

Mercedes, who have a strong bond with Hamilton through their association with McLaren as engine suppliers ? and erstwhile partners before they sold the majority of their shares in the Woking-based team 18 months ago ? will also have the British driver on their radar.
...

Lotus Renault, short of a team leader since Robert Kubica suffered serious injuries on a rally before the season began, could make a pitch for Hamilton.
Hamilton?s comparative lack of success since winning the world championship in 2008, his second season in F1, has stretched his patience.
Last week he admitted: ?It would suck if I won only one world championship. It would feel like a waste of so many years. I?m here to win. It?s all I care about, it?s what I live for.?
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Anyone care to comment or dismiss...?
 
So excited about the Williams Renault link up. I hope its brings back some of the classic livery it would be amazing to have it back in F1. I hope that Renault see Williams as a more serious F1 competitor due to their long term commitment to F1 and as such help push the team up the grid. I would probably say that Williams is far more committed than the Lotus Renault GP team and there are constant rumours about whether that team will leave Formula 1 in the future. Perhaps this is a sign that they are not committed and the actual Renault Company not Genii Captial which owns the F1 team are looking for a partner in F1 if/when Lotus Renault leave. What do you guys think? I reckon this may actually be the case for another reason which is that Williams would not choose an engine supplier who would treat them as second class customers, indeed of all the Cosworth teams they arguably have the strongest relationship with Cosworth. We can also see this in the past when BMW split with Williams after which they chose to run Toyota engines for a while. Why would that be? The BMW engines were certainly better, my conclusion is that Williams would never agree to a deal that would essentially make them subordinate to any other team. Any thoughts?
 
Can't trust that stuff. I'm not a huge Lewis fan, he moans and complains. Like any other driver, but he does it week in and week out. He's good and has a lot of heart, just he says a bit too much of things he should keep to himself. Outspoken is the proper term. I think he still sees himself as an image of Aryton Senna, which he is not...
 
The Sunday Times had a scathing piece on how Lewis alienates everyone by his unprofessional behaviour since he sacked his father as a manager. Something about Ice-T standing in the way of Lewis' engineers at the Canadian GP, HAM making the contact with Horner through the catering staff (!!) and him wanting to leave McLaren, but Red Bull not wanting him. Sadly, the Times has a paywall so i can't link it to you - any Times subscribers here?

EDIT: This video indeed will make HAM unpopular with McLaren's staff, if he really brought Ice-T into the pits. On the other hand, this might become one of the most favourite videos in backbencher design departments. There are some nice shots of the McLaren's rear around the 1:20 mark.
 
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