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2008 Formula 1 Season Thread

Oh bugger...now I have to go to Italy...not the best place for a McLaren fan...
 
vikiradTG2007 said:
Because of the blithering idiots that run Formula 1... who knows?

Bernie has turned into a money-grabbing moron when he sold Brabham.
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He's running a business, what do you expect him to do? He is successfully managing to fill an 18 race calendar so clearly his business plan is a good one.
 
THE REAL STIG said:
Oh bugger...now I have to go to Italy...not the best place for a McLaren fan...
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Go to Germany. Oh wait... that's not quite right either.


Go to Spa.:mrgreen:

Peter3hg said:
He's running a business, what do you expect him to do? He is successfully managing to fill an 18 race calendar so clearly his business plan is a good one.
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No longer so succesfully. The race promoters of the "traditional" races are feeling the heat and can't pay any longer.
 
vikiradTG2007 said:
Go to Germany. Oh wait... that's not quite right either.


Go to Spa.:mrgreen:



No longer so succesfully. The race promoters of the "traditional" races are feeling the heat and can't pay any longer.
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And you don't think there will a replacement lined up? If some circuits can't pay, Bernie will find places that can like the Donnington/Silverstone situation.
 
Peter3hg said:
And you don't think there will a replacement lined up? If some circuits can't pay, Bernie will find places that can like the Donnington/Silverstone situation.
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The big risk he's running though is losing the traditional venues and the effect that will have on fan interest and therefore ratings, and therefore the whole sport. Then there's also the issue of the manufacturers not being able to race in the markets they'd like to (North America being a prime example). He's making short-term gains without considering the long-term effects.
 
I find it interesting, on the official site poll, that most people seem to want kubica to win over massa then hamilton last. 38%-36%-25% respectively.
- im completely with them and am glad the whole hamilton hype is really just the British media.
 
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Nick echoes a lot of people's thoughts:

Heidfeld wants permanent steward return

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, October 16th 2008, 07:04 GMT

BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld wants to see a permanent steward reappointed to oversee penalties in Formula One in the wake of the ongoing controversy about the Japanese Grand Prix.

With the German at a loss to understand why some of the three penalties issued in Fuji were handed out, he admits he now does not understand what actions will be punished and what will not be.

When asked in Shanghai about whether he was worried that from now on any mistakes on track put him at a risk of facing sanction, Heidfeld said: "Until the last race I wasn't, but in the last race I think penalties were not justified.

"I did not see the race in full, I only saw the highlights quickly afterwards, but the one on the start with (Lewis) Hamilton was for me not worth a penalty at all. It is just racing. What did he do (wrong)?

"The other one with (Sebastien) Bourdais was also not understandable. The one that is acceptable, maybe arguable, but you can at least follow what they may be thinking, is the one that (Felipe) Massa got for turning around Hamilton. In my view it does not need to be given, but okay it could be. The other two I don't understand."

Heidfeld felt that the renewed questions about the consistency of stewards' decisions meant it was worth considering reinstating a permanent steward.

Last year, permanent steward Tony-Scott Andrews stood down from his position at the end of the season. That led to a restructuring of the organisation, with FIA president Max Mosley's representative Alan Donnelly providing a permanent advisory function to the three stewards appointed at each event.

Heidfeld said that the matter would likely be brought up in the regular Friday night drivers' briefing with F1 race director Charlie Whiting.

"I am sure it will be asked and discussed what was going on there," explained Heidfeld. "As I have said before and, as we had last year, I would like to see it come back where we have one guy, like Tony Scott-Andrews.

"I was on the receiving side also, I think Bahrain a few years ago I did not agree with (a penalty), but it was a lot more consistent and for me a lot better than what we have had this season.

"The consistency was a lot better last year, and it is easier than if there are just some guys who are coming to a few races. They don't have the insight compared to a guy who is always there.

"It is not that easy to (keep) consistency because each accident is different in each case, but I don't understand what happened there (in Fuji) and I don't even think you (the media) do."
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Source
 
mclarensmps said:
Just read this article :cry::
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=36274
This is not good news at all :\
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Too right, but is there anyone who didn't see it coming? Tragic though it is, the Williams story looks to be heading the same way as Brabham - race winners to DNQ candidates in four years (in the days when that was still a possibility) and extinction in seven. The minute Williams lost the BMW engines, it was effectively game over - the customer deal with Toyota looks to be more of a stay of execution, and the team can only sit back and watch as Kubica and co deliver the goods for they who were once Sauber. The continuing deterioration of Frank Williams can't be helping, either. There are parallels with Jordan as well - as soon as BAR took the sole supply of Honda engines, they took off and Jordan crashed. Never mind that the now-works Honda team is scrapping it out with Jordan's reanimated corpse at the back of the field...

There's one major hope for Williams. If the ex-Minardi team that is Toro Rosso can make the jump up the grid...

Devon said:
https://pic.armedcats.net/a/an/anonymous/2008/10/15/113102.jpg
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Ye gods. Did someone say "Caesar's Palace"?

fbc said:
Hype? Hamilton is very talented, he's proved that already. Don't blame the driver for the media hype.
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I'll bet also that the Polish media have been banging the drum for Robert Kubica, but because all the articles will be written in Polish, I have no way of checking. And I'd like to see the reaction in the German media when Sebastian Vettel won at Monza.
 
fbc said:
Hype? Hamilton is very talented, he's proved that already. Don't blame the driver for the media hype.
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i agree 100%. Hamilton is insanely talented. His style of driving is dynamic and exciting. He pulls off overtakes that others wouldn't and don't consider. His participation has in a way revitalized the excitement on the field; hopefully next years rule changes will help more.

my comments were more directed towards the ridiculous amount of media hype, as you said, towards lewis; i bet they go through his garbage... :blink: I don't want to know who he is dating (nicole schw....)or that his dad crashed a porsche GT and left it in the grass. He drives a G wagon, etc etc etc.. I'm also tired of the obvious commentators bias - james allen... I would like to see more about other drivers though.

Ironlord said:
I'll bet also that the Polish media have been banging the drum for Robert Kubica, but because all the articles will be written in Polish, I have no way of checking. And I'd like to see the reaction in the German media when Sebastian Vettel won at Monza.
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kubica gets a good amount of coverage, ive seen a few articles in a american magazines about him. no one else so far though. If only we got complete field coverage. All drivers are pretty interesting, as long as its pertinent.
 
Sorry guys, I posted the FGP news in a seperate thread. Thought it was big enough to warrant it's own thread.

Anyway, as I said elsewhere I think it would be bad for the US, and particularly Canada to accept a 2009 spot now. It's like saying you're happy to settle for seconds. Plus I'm sure Bernie has something up his sleve.

Also, as much as it sucks to see the old tracks to/take a break (note: I am new to the sport), I agree he must have the correct business practice going to sustaine an 18 race schedule. Besides, between F1, Golf and Soccer/Football there aren't really any additional major sports on a worldwide scale.

Also, THROUGH THE HOTEL?! :?
 
Can you help a brother out? I am struggling (longer than 30 seconds I consider a struggle :p)
 
The petrol is leaking on the floor, probably something to do with Felipe Massa spilling petrol everywhere in Singapore.
 
FIA seeks answers over French GP

Friday, 17 October 2008 09:37

The FIA has revealed that the French federation's decision to cancel its 2009 grand prix came as a surprise to the governing body.

Less than a week after the provisional 2009 Formula 1 calendar was agreed by the World Motor Sport Council, the FFSA announced that it would not be promoting the French GP for financial reasons and that the event would therefore be cancelled.

But the FIA says it was not consulted on this decision and now wants answers from the FFSA.

"The FIA secretary general has written to the president of the FFSA today to seek an urgent clarification of the situation of the French Grand Prix," an FIA spokesperson told the Reuters news agency.

"Up until today we have heard nothing and we are gravely concerned."

The apparent loss of the French GP brings next year's F1 schedule down to 17 races, with the Canadian GP having already been removed from the calendar.

Despite cancelling the 2009 race, the FFSA said it was working on six potential sites to hold the race from 2010 onwards.
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Source

So it's ok for the FIA to cancel a GP and not tell the organisers, but when it happens to them they're not happy...


FIA opens tender for standard engines

Friday, 17 October 2008 08:55

The FIA has dramatically indicated that it will implement standard engines in Formula 1 by opening a tender for the supply of single engines for three years from 2010.

FIA president Max Mosley has suggested in recent weeks that introducing a 'single make' engine rule could be the key to massively reducing F1's spiralling costs.

But the manufacturers teams have been strongly opposed to the prospect, arguing that constructing their own engines is an essential part of their involvement in F1 - and that they would have to reconsider their future in the world championship if standardised engines were introduced.

Mosley is due to meet the Formula One Teams' Association next week to discuss proposals for cost cuts, and it was thought that proposals for future rules would follow this meeting.

However today's announcement from the FIA suggests that the decision to switch to standard engines after next season has already been taken.

"The FIA will today open the tender process for the appointment of a third party supplier of engines and transmission systems to be used by competitors in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship," said an FIA statement.

Mosley had previously suggested that his preference was for the teams to use identical engines and gearboxes, but with the option for manufacturers to put their own individual branding on the units even though they would be the same as those used by all their rivals.
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Interesting...
 
I don't really care about standardising parts in motor racing (it makes the V8 Supercars interesting), but you can't do it with Formula 1 engines; it's just not right! It's the very embodiment of competition between the manufacturers and if you take that away, what are they to compete on?
 
From Force India official website:
Force India will retain both Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella next season, team owner Vijay Mallya said on Friday.

"I've made it quite clear I'm happy with Adrian and Giancarlo and they will continue through 2009," Mallya told a news conference in China.

German Sutil joined the team last season, where they were still racing under the Spyker name.

Veteran Fisichella is currently in his first season with Force India after leaving the Renault team.

Both drivers are yet to score a point this year.
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