The F1 Thread (6 Viewers)

[el gwapo]

re: The Official F1 Thread

I don't think Lewis will be going to Ferrari anytime soon. As an English driver in an English team with predominantly English crew, I think he feels a lot more comfortable in there. If he becomes World Champion money from Vodafone, Mercedes and possibly Emirates will flow into his pockets.

As for Alonso, I think he's been unfairly isolated here, he was held up early in the final session by Hamilton. I don't think he'll move to Ferrari, maybe Renault I guess their tire and car problems will be fixed by next year, the disappointing early season has led them to being the 08 car extra early.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Two things:
1) Honda suck because their new wind tunnel hasn't been calibrated properly.
2) Spyker are considering selling all or part of the team (which would make someone the fourth owner in as many years). But honestly, what did they expect? To be fighting for podiums? If that's what you want, you don't sign Christjian Albers ...

 

[el gwapo]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Honda's fall from grace must be beyond than just a wind tunnel "miscalbration", I mean I thought Mclaren had it bad last year. To go from Grand Prix winner to the main competitor of Scuderia Toro Rosso and being smashed by its feeder team Super Aguri.

Eddie Jordan's old team has been in dire straits ever since the start of the century. Credit to the old Minardi team they've gone forwards ever since 2000 somewhat under Stoddart and even more so under Berger and STR.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

You'd be surprised what a dodgy windtunnel could do for you. You'd be getting bad data on almost every aspect of your car, and since they use so much power, they aren't turned off (doing so and then turning it back on ould use even more power than simply keeping it on), so they'd never know for sure. It doesn't help that Shuei Nakamoto is a terrible designer, or that Honda itself have decided to run the team as a committee ...

 

[Cape]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Honda is barely being smashed by Super Aguri. You must remember that the truck load of points (3) came from the Canadian GP, when Sato pitted under the safety car, took the option tyre and did 1 lap on the option tyre and then pitted for the preferred tyre again. Which shows how easily he was able to overtake Alonso.

Honda is on the way up though, Jenson drove from dead last on the grid in Turkey, to 13th place with only 1 retirement. On paper it might not be much, but when you consider how crap the Honda has been this season, its a pretty good drive.

We'll see what their so called "Japan special" brings for them, for Fuji I've noticed Nick Fry has been expectionally quiet this year

Ok, thats enough of me being nice to Honda

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Then be nice to Spyker. It looks like they're being sold - again - this time to Spyker director Michel Mol and Indian businessman Vijay Mallya (Kingfisher Air, so Toyota will need a new secondary sponsor). I don't know what Spyker was expecting; you can't really expect to be seriously competitive in your first year of Formula One and if there's one thing I've learned all semester, it's that constantly restructuring the way the have been - going from Jordan to Midland to Spyker and now Mol/Mallya - restricts the team as it can't develop past its first year, which is when they can see an upswing of sorts.

 

[Team 1A]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Maybe they got what they wanted all along. Quick exposure to the name Spyker. Worked well

 

[M-turkey]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Newsflash: McLaren excluded from 2007-08

The World Motor Sport Council has decided to exclude McLaren-Mercedes from the 2007 and 2008 Formula One world championship.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/62312

http://www.planetf1.com/

 

[Cape]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Wow

I don't know what else to say really

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Remember Stepneygate's predecessor, the row involving Ferrari and Toyota when the Japanese team came into posession of some Ferrari data?

More specifically, remember what happened next? If you can't, that's the right answer: nothing happened. Ferrari took no action.

Now in 2007, McLaren are a serious threat to Ferrari, and a senior employee of the team is found with technical data (which came from a Ferrari technician). And looks what happens: they scream blue murder at the original deciison and make the FIA do a backflip, which all but secures them the Constructors' Championship (and effectively ruins the 2007 season).

They're essentially saying they're the only ones allowed to be competitive! They no longer have Schumacher, and so do everything they can to win. But with so many teams implicated - Honda rated a mention, and McLaren dragged Renault into the proceedings somehow - the entire constructors' championship should be considered null and void. When Toyota had the Ferrari data, they were not a threat to Ferrari on the track, so the Prancing Horses did nothing. But when a team that can possibly beat Ferrari falls into a similar (admittedly larger) trap, they throw the book at them.

Shame, Ferrari, shame.

 

[Cape]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Before you go on your anti-ferrari cusade again.
Read the WMSC verdict, here

 

[M-turkey]

re: The Official F1 Thread

It does seem I jumped the mark with my post, as did the many f1 websites I quoted (i usually just autosport, i guess i should of waited for itv to report it)

Still $100 million isn't something to laugh at.

 

[Team 1A]

re: The Official F1 Thread

McLaren in possesion of Ferrari data and yet you say shame to Ferrari?
Personally Im glad McLaren was stripped of their points (being a past McLaren fan myself), and hopefully it will send some sort of message that this crap won't be tolerated.
If this is all we hear about imagine all the crap that goes on behind closed doors that will never see the light of day

I guess Alonso and De la Rosa just lost any chance of ever being re signed to McLaren lol. I also hear that Alonso may sit next year out to finish his contract at McLaren. If not back to Renault for Alonso, as we know Fisichella is living on borrowed time Kovalainen is beating him in the World Championship and he is only a rookie!

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

I'm saying shame to both of them. Ferrari only ever resort to the legal stuff when their championship comes under threat. Never mind that Toyota had similar data elsewhere years ago, Ferrari simply dealt with it discreetly. Now that McLaren have it and are a genuine force, Maranello is making a song and dance about it.

I don't know Alsonso would want to sit next year out, though. The problem is that someone would be called in to take his place ... and then they might get a permanent job and Alonso would have nowhere to go. Same sort of thing happened to Mika Hakkinen. No, if Alonso goes, it would probably be back to Renault, though I believe he favours Fisichella as a team-mate ... probably because he doesn't want to be partnered with someone who could possibly beat him.

 

[RUB!X]

re: The Official F1 Thread

because he doesn't want to be partnered with someone who could possibly beat him.

QFT

 

[Team 1A]

re: The Official F1 Thread

Unless some money changes hands Kovalainen won't be leaving Renault. I don't think Briatore would be letting Kovalainen get away just for Alonso's return, after all Alonso can't keep on top forever.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

There's reports Alonso has gone over to Ferrari, replacing Massa for next year (who now has no drive), but these are only rumours taken from a source I wouldn't trust as far as I could kick. If it's true, I guess it's not unexpected: rats are always the first one off the ship when it starts to sink ...

 

[RUB!X]

re: The Official F1 Thread

"The FIA should be renamed 'Ferrari International Assistance'.
Ex-Minardi boss Paul Stoddart is dissatisfied with the FIA's neutrality after the F1 spy scandal.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

re: The Official F1 Thread

"The FIA should be renamed 'Ferrari International Assistance'.
Ex-Minardi boss Paul Stoddart is dissatisfied with the FIA's neutrality after the F1 spy scandal.

Oh, Paul Stoddart is never happy. Even when absolutely everything is going his way, he's still unhappy because there's nothing to complain about.

 

[Team 1A]

re: The Official F1 Thread

I hear Toyota and their massive cheque book may grab Massa.

I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for Alonso. On the outer from McLaren and now looks to be out of the championship.

I didn't really want Hamilton to win the championship in his first year, just makes the rest of them look even more stupid.

And poor old Webber Unluckiest F1 driver? Haha