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2008 Formula 1 Season Thread

*hint-hint* to max and bernie, time to gracefully bow out...

I like the involvement of FOTA in the politics of F1 now, this should be a sign to the FIA and FOM, that they are not doing a good job. With many of the teams and principals, race organizers and the public so disgruntled with "mad max" and the greedy swishy haired dwarf, you think they would have been resigned by themselves.

this idea of standardized engines is the last straw. how can the FIA and FOM continue to say that they are aiming for standardized engines to reduce costs for teams, and to prevent cheating on the engines, that the teams have been complaining about. When the teams are telling them to shove their ridiculous BS, or they will quit.
 
I surely hope, Ferrari's very real threat to Max and Bernie doesn't have to be implemented. That would surely be a very sad, angry and abhorrent thing to happen.

Formula 1 should be the pinnacle of motor sport; a no-compromise event where, the best teams and the best drivers in the world race the best cars in the world. Ever since Formula 1 started a major part of it has always been the teams. Although the driver's have been idolised, it's the teams who we support for. Even when drivers go elsewhere, we're loyal to our team. And the way the teams express their skills is through their cars.

And how can these teams race when the engine is standardised? It'll all be up to the drivers. So what are the teams for, eh? The FIA may as well bulit a bunch of POS go-karts themselves, for the drivers.

Bah, I'll stop ranting on, but I will say this to Maxicunt and Bernfag:

'FUCK YOU!'
 
I hope the teams leave and start a Grand Prix series that isn't riddled with scandals, inconsistency and bullshit. Seriously, I do. Call it Formula Not Shit or something.
 
mclarensmps said:
I can't say I'm unhappy about this. I'm glad Ferrari are taking this stand, and I support them on it, for a change.
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I fully agree with you on this matter. Oh, and Gman, the BBC website report on everything. What's more impressive is that it made it onto BBC Breakfast this morning.
 
Nereid said:
I fully agree with you on this matter. Oh, and Gman, the BBC website report on everything. What's more impressive is that it made it onto BBC Breakfast this morning.
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Maybe so, but I actually found that article listed on BBC's Latest News RRS feed, which usually reports important currant affairs throughout the world.

Finding 'Ferrari make F1 engine row threat' among 'North Korean leader 'in hospital'' and 'Global shares recover lost ground ' was a pleasant shock to me.
 
I so wish for the FOTA to say FUCK YOU F1 and go their own way with their own league leaving max and bernie standing around with tracks and no teams.
 
You know if F1 wants to keep costs down they can all just buy like, 1999 chevy metros!

TX3721AB.jpg


Heres the ferarri

C0730.jpg


Heres the McLaren-Mercades!

And i hear you can get a running example for only 3 thousand dollars! :lol: Nice and cheap for the pinnicle of motorsport.
 
lol. kimi would fall asleep at the wheel, lewis would be blasting rap music, and felipe - well he would continue looking overly serious going the 40 mph around corners.
 
mclarensmps said:
I can't say I'm unhappy about this. I'm glad Ferrari are taking this stand, and I support them on it, for a change.
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I'm with you 100% on this.
 
I was going to make a post last night about the threats of the likes of Toyota leaving the sport. I was going to post something along the lines of 'who gives a shit?' I've always been against the increased manufacturer involvement because it was painfully obvious ten years ago that with their unlimited budgets they could spend and spend and spend, and then wonder why on Earth the sport is so expensive, and then leave when they dont get the returns. Along the way, teams such as Minardi, Jordan, Sauber, and Williams who can't match the level of increased budgets and spending are cast aside and either fold, get taken over or are pitifully slow with no prospects for the future. We've seen that. It's still happening, and it's destroying the sport.

The seeds for this were planted back in the late nineties. Ford took control of Stewart, Mercedes increased their involvement with McLaren, Renault took over Benetton, and Honda took over BAR. Ecclestone encouraged this as he wanted to see a manufacturers war but he can't have looked too far ahead into the future where we are now. It should never have happened. Strict controls were needed then to ensure that the big car giants could not take over entire teams as their enormous budgets would push the little teams out. Restrict the manufacturers to supplying of engines, and let the teams deal with the chassis and finding the sponsors to make it happen.

So here we are at the end of the 2008 season, roughly ten years later. The world is in a financial crisis not seen since the 1930's (lest we forget Capitalism only works when there is continued investment and growth, otherwise the system fails). People are keeping an eye on their spending habits and it's affecting the bottom lines of the car companies. Suddenly they can't afford to be spending $500 million a year on their F1 program.

The FIA know this and have attempted to take steps to try to cut the costs (two race engines, long life gearboxes, changes to the format, etc). However, it's not enough. They have some smart guys working on this, but does anyone really believe that by introducing standard aerodynamics and engines the costs will be cut to the levels that are required? Not according to Ron Dennis who says that the money will simply go elsewhere (drivers for instance).

So whether manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda should go is open to debate. There are pros and cons to both, but by introducing standard controls and pushing those teams out (hopefully not Ferrari, but thats another issue), it could open the way for smaller teams such as Prodrive to make the step up into a cheaper Formula. Unfortunately with such a proposal, at best we're looking at years (plural) and at worst decades.

So we keep the teams, which means not introducing the dramatic engine changes that's causing such an upset. Do they just find other ways to spend the money and we never achieve anything? I appreciate the need for cost cutting and when the FIA say that the levels of spending are unsustainable, they're absolutely correct. I deplore the idea of standard engines as much as anyone here, so hopefully another solution is found, but I can't help but feel that no matter what happens, for the moment the future is bleak.
 
On a lighter note... Aussies...

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/71805

The Who to play Australian GP concert

By Steven English Wednesday, October 29th 2008, 09:45 GMT

Legendary British rock band The Who will perform a concert in Albert Park at the end of next season's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

American band Kiss played a post-race gig after the conclusion of last year's race and an estimated 65,000 fans stayed on to see it. Race organisers are hoping for an attendence at least as big for The Who.

"Few bans can lay claim to being among rock royalty, but British rock gods The Who must surely feature on any list of the best bands of all-time," said the Australian GP's acting CEO Zara Lawless.

"If you thought last year was big, I urge you to get along to next year's grand prix to be part of an event that people will talk about for years to come."

Pete Townshend of the band said: "This is a special occasion for us to come and be with you guys at the time if the grand prix. Kiss did it last year and we hear they played to big crowds, but we hope to see an even bigger crowd when we hit Melbourne in March."

Anyone with a ticket for the grand prix will be admitted to the concert at no extra cost.
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If you're going to the GP, just make sure you don't get hit by a flying bit of guitar.
 
Sooo... these were my pre-season wishes back in February :D

Joc? said:
I'd like Williams to do better than they did last year. Maybe a couple of podiums if things turn out to be lucky... - well, they did get two podiums but I expected a much, much better season by Williams :(

I'd like to see a battle at the front, not one person running away with it. - No comment :lol:

I'd like less controversies - I'd like this season to be worth remembering because of the racing not the scandals. I think there was more racing than last season, but... the stewards... :rolleyes:

I'd like to see wet races again, at least 3 or 4. - Thank you, clouds. ;)

I'd like BMW to snatch a win. -Thank you, Lewis! :D

I'd like Honda to do better. - Ooops... :|

I'd like to read more sensible and less biased stuff in the press, be it British, Spanish or Hungarian. - They will never get better I think.

I'd like to have a bloody good time at the Hungaroring in August - I will be there again! :) - Done :D
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I'll be hoping, of course, for good results from Renault,
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Alonso FTW!!!! Best-scoring driver in the field from Belgium onwards. :D


but the battle at the front is still going to be a McLaren-Ferrari see-saw job.
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Well whaddayaknow? Obvious, really. But I didn't expect it to come down to the wire LIKE THAT... with the championship literally decided by the last few yards of the last race.
 
Breaking News: F1rejects.com is back online.
They haven't finish the review yet, but at least the site is now back.
www.f1rejects.com
 
Revised McLaren role for Dennis?


Ron Dennis could step as McLaren team boss in the next few months, handing the position over to someone else in the organisation.

Speaking in the wake of Lewis Hamilton's World title victory in Brazil on Sunday, Dennis revealed his job title could change as he turns his attention to "several ambitions" that he still wants to fulfill.

"Nothing that will unfold over the next few months will be as a result of Sunday," said Dennis, speaking in a press conference on Monday.

"I have still got several ambitions I want to fulfill, but you will most definitely see me at grands prix and it is something I like too much to take out of my life. You will see me on the pitwall, I will be at races.

"I think over the next few months I will make it abundantly clear what I am doing and why I am doing it, but it would have taken place no matter what. Don't read too much into it."

Should Dennis step down his role as team boss will most likely go to McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who has long been groomed as the Brit's replacement.
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Source

I'm happy that Dennis stayed on for 2008 (there were a lot of rumours at the start of the year regarding his future) and it's great that Hamilton was able to win the championship, and it's certainly a much better note on which to step back if that is Dennis's intention. He's made a fantastic contribution to the McLaren organisation, having resuscitated a team that, in the late 70's was dying under Teddy Mayer's leadership and built it into the supreme empire it is today.

Martin Whitmarsh is the obvious replacement having been a McLaren director for the last 20 years I think and has taken on an increased role in recent years. A lot of the day to day running of the team is his responsibility, and the team appear focused, united and I think Whitmarsh has a bright future with hopefully many more championships to come.
 
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