2009 Official Formula 1 thread

[coolmazda5]

Que?

I love when they come up with this news. But if really true, I would say to Schumacher to let go, give the opp to other drivers, he already proved what he needed to...

 

[Shadow102]

I think it would be cool to see schumacher in the seat again at least it wouldn't be some stupid rookie getting in peoples way and causing crashes like so many of them have been doing lately.

 

[aMaff]

I think it would be cool to see schumacher in the seat again at least it wouldn't be some stupid rookie getting in peoples way and causing crashes like so many of them have been doing lately.

I don't know, that Alguersuari guy didn't do too bad. He managed to at least stay out of folks' way and keep his nose clean

 

[Shadow102]

I don't know, that Alguersuari guy didn't do too bad. He managed to at least stay out of folks' way and keep his nose clean

That's about all he managed...that's like saying "yeah I am good at being slow"

 

[FlyinHawaiian]

Actually, I would like to see Shumi step in just so we can see what that Ferrari is truly capable of. Obviously he would have something to prove, per se, as a poor performance might tarnish his reputation (Michael Jordan, Brett Farve anyone?). Somehow, though, I could see him really fighting and garnering some interest back into this season, which has, IMO, become slightly lackluster after the inital Brawn Surge.

Please no Alonso... I don't wanna have to abandon my Tifosi status!

 

[coolmazda5]

BMW to quit F1 at end of season

The German car manufacturer, who took over Sauber in 2005, have cited "current developments in motor sport" as the reason for their decision.

BMW are the second major manufacturer to leave the sport in eight months after Honda's withdrawal in December.

BMW had given themselves three years to win the world championship and won their first race in 2008 but have amassed only eight points this season.

The team, who currently have Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld as their drivers, held a meeting on Tuesday where they made the decision to quit the sport.

BMW began the season determined to challenge for the world championship but the car they designed to meet 2009's major technical regulations has been uncompetitive.

"Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years," said team boss Mario Theissen.

"But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective.

"We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing."

Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1's commercial rights holder, believes the team's inability to match their title ambitions is behind their withdrawal.

"It has not quite been like that so perhaps that's why they've [decided] to stop," Ecclestone told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"When you consider how much money they've spent and the results they've got, it's probably not such a good investment.

"They were quite sure that they were going to win the championship within three years, and I was hoping they would."

However, the sport's governing body, the FIA, said it was not surprised by BMW's decision given the difficult global economic climate.

"The FIA regrets the announcement of BMW's intended withdrawal from Formula 1 but is not surprised by it," a statement said.

"It has been clear for some time that motor sport cannot ignore the world economic crisis.

"Car manufacturers cannot be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula 1 when their survival depends on redundancies, plant closures and the support of the taxpayer."

The BMW Group have decided to divert their resources into other areas, although they plan to stay involved in other strands of motorsport.

"Of course, this was a difficult decision for us, but it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment," said Dr Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the board of management of BMW.

"Premium will be increasingly defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead.

"We are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability.

"Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us."

BMW's takeover of Sauber in 2005 saw them enter their own team in 2006 and in their debut season they were fifth in the constructors' championship before being promoted to second in 2007 after the exclusion of McLaren-Mercedes.

They put up a strong challenge in 2008 with Kubica scoring their first win at the Canadian Grand Prix and the team finished third behind Ferrari and McLaren.

BMW first entered Formula 1 as an engine supplier to Brabham in 1982 and the first victory of the pairing came in 1983 when Nelson Piquet won in Brazil on the way to claiming the drivers' crown.

But BMW pulled out as an engine supplier in 1987 before returning in 2000 as engine partners to Williams.

The duo were together for six years and ended up as constructors' championship runners-up in 2002 and 2003, while winning 10 grands prix and taking 17 pole positions.

Following their decision to withdraw from Formula 1, BMW will now focus on the touring car series, Formula BMW and the American Le Mans series.


Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8173865.stm

 

[FlyinHawaiian]

Another one bites the dust...

 

[tiagotiago]

Autosport magazine is confirming that Schumacher WILL replace Massa. Supposedly there was a comment in Ferrari's website, Schumi's statement, as seen in autosport:

The most important thing first: thanks God, all news concerning Felipe are positive. I wish him all the best again," said Schumacher.

"I was meeting this afternoon with Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.

source: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77418

Trying to access the Ferrari website right now returns a "Pitstop" message.

...so we really are going to see Schumi vs Raikkonen in the same equipment, tough Kimi has the upper hand in physio and car knowledge... the last races shoud be very interesting.

 

[FlyinHawaiian]

I just got a text on it!!! Omg omg omg omg omg omg

yessssssss

 

[coolmazda5]

Autosport magazine is confirming that Schumacher WILL replace Massa.

1st race at Valencia, Aug 23 it seems.

Anyway, that is stupid, I think he has a more important job as the Stig in Top Gear

 

[coolmazda5]

Schumacher Cancels F1 Comeback

Don't call it a comeback, because Schumi ain't coming back. Michael Schumacher's called off an eagerly-anticipated Formula One comeback with Ferrari because he hasn't recovered from a neck injury sustained in a motorcycling accident earlier this year. Sorry Felipe!

So who'll replace Schumi, who in turn was set to replace the injured Felipe Massa, at Valencia? We're told veteran Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer has been handed the chance to compete in next week's European Grand Prix.

Badoer, the Maranello main test driver since 1998, hasn't competed in an F1 race since the 1999 Japanese Grand Prix for Minardi, but the team says he has been given the Valencia drive as reward for his work at the team

Source:
http://jalopnik.com/5334645/schumacher-cancels-f1-comeback?skyline=true&s=x

 

[coolmazda5]

Booh, too much excitement too soon...

 

[coolmazda5]

Big Schu to Fill: Ferrari's Luca Badoer hasn't raced in ten years, never scored a poi

With Michael Schumacher now confirmed to have canceled his comeback due to a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident, Ferrari has been left with no choice but to put one of its veteran test drivers into Felipe Massa's seat until the injured Brazilian is ready to return to active duty. The trouble is that while other teams use the test driver position to groom up-and-coming drivers for the race seat, Ferrari's approach has been to use older, more experienced drivers past their prime.

Rather than give the seat to Marc Gen, who continues to race actively for Peugeot at Le Mans and last raced in a grand prix in 2004, Ferrari has decided to award the seat to Luca Badoer, its senior test driver. While testing the Ferrari California last summer, we had a chance to talk with Badoer on his way to the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix and found him to be a good-natured and affable individual. Still, while his development skills are unrivaled, his actual Formula One race experience leaves something to be desired.

It's been ten years since Badoer last started a race – the longest gap in F1 history – and he rejoins the field as the oldest driver on the grid, narrowly eclipsing his former team-mate Rubens Barrichello at 38. Although he moved to F1 after winning the Formula 3000 title in 1992, in his four seasons and 48 grands prix in the big league (all with Italian teams, incidentally), he failed to score a single point (let alone a race win) and famously broke down in tears alongside his car after it failed to take him to a fourth-place finish at the 1999 European Grand Prix. Ten years later, he's looking to improve his record, and we'll be watching to see how he does.

Source:
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/12/big-schu-to-fill-ferraris-luca-badoer-hasnt-raced-in-ten-year/

 

[FlyinHawaiian]

I'm so pissed about that... I was really hoping to see him race again

 

[coolmazda5]

REPORT: Bernie wants F1 in NYC, 0-60 already has the plans

Formula One impresario Bernie Ecclestone has made no secret of his desire to see his series make a stop in the Big Apple Manhattan, in point of fact. To that end, our friends at 0-60 thought they'd help him out by drawing up a suggested courses in fact, in an oddly prescient move, they had already done so, publishing the fantasy circuits in the pages of their Winter 2008 issue.

In any case, with Ecclestone reportedly reaffirming his interest in the Big Apple today, 0-60 has decided to publish the story and the routes online. The routes through Central Park are inspired, although we suspect that more than a few of NYC's anti-car intelligenstia would take issue with that notion

[0-60 Via Autoblog]

 

[coolmazda5]

Yeah, if it is not brought to more suitable "circuits", I see that happening

 

[DayOh257]

Forget that. NYC would be too much trouble. There are plenty of permanent tracks that would suit F1, NOT including at Indy.

I'd like to see something on the West Coast. Could you imagine running at Laguna?!? LOL

 

[aMaff]

The problem is that there are very few tracks that have the "facilities" that are "required" to run a formula 1 race. I guess what I'm getting at is that they're kind of the spoiled brat children of motorsports.

 

[tiagotiago]

The problem is that there are very few tracks that have the "facilities" that are "required" to run a formula 1 race. I guess what I'm getting at is that they're kind of the spoiled brat children of motorsports.

Yes, combine that with the fact that many tracks loose money hosting an F1 event (the magnificent Spa lost a few million in this years race,besides getting into trouble for "noise pollution") and it's very evident why classic tracks like Laguna Seca...err "Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca", Watkins Glen, and others don't see the point of upgrading their facilities; you'd have to be crazy to spend money to be able to host an event that will make you loose more money!

...at least we're getting the race in Montreal back!

 

[Shadow102]

The problem is that there are very few tracks that have the "facilities" that are "required" to run a formula 1 race. I guess what I'm getting at is that they're kind of the spoiled brat children of motorsports.

At this point its not even the lack of facilities its the premium bernie charges to host an f1 race. Its the reason f1 is run in places that are just plain stupid (middle east and a lot of asia). Australia has wanted a race for years, north america has been trying to get a lot more races, ect. For a good amount of proof look up the schedule that FOTA had set for their breakaway series.