F1 General News and Discussion thread 2011

[bpratt]

Good point, if you are a decent driver down in a tail end team, it could be a good option to do their 'F1 apprenticeship' as the Ferrari number two.

Build up speed and then make yourself an interesting option for a bigger team elsewhere.

[Mothers Worry]

Button leaves the door open for Ferrari move

From thef1times.com:

Button leaves the door open for Ferrari move

Monday 30th May 2011 

Jenson Button has hinted that a move to Ferrari would be a welcome one as he's always dreamed of driving for the Italian outfit.

He told the Guardian that he's managed to drive for two of his three dream teams, Williams and current employer, McLaren, but he admitted the third was Ferrari.

"As a kid you are very excited about racing for the red team. There were three teams I always wanted to race for when I was growing up, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams," he said.

"I've got to drive for two of them, which is great, which as an eight-year old kid I didn't expect to do.

"Ferrari is obviously a team I haven't raced for. I've won the world championship and I would love to win the world championship again."

Despite earlier saying that he would happily retire at McLaren, a team he enjoys, he backtracked slightly, saying he doesn't plan very far ahead: "I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't plan too far ahead," claimed the 31-year-old.

Meanwhile, he added that team-mates don't worry him, which is clearly true given his move to McLaren, pitting him against Lewis Hamilton, but partnering Fernando Alonso would be a different story as he is clearly the focus of the team.

"It's not team-mates I'm afraid of, at all. I love the challenge of team-mates. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it's interesting to work them out. But I don't know what will happen in the future."

Well Butters, since Alonso has just resigned with them into the distant future there is only the possibility of one seat opening up at the team..... and Massa has been a bit on the nose lately.

You never know your luck in the big city.

[Ian G.]

Yeah,the Button story has had a big run on the O/S Forums but a Month or 2 back it was Hamilton that was moving,whatever the truth there are many Drivers lining up for Massa's seat  and i'm sure,(if Mark is telling the truth in the BBC interview on a "cryptic offer" to drive for them)that Ferrari has penciled in Mark as a possible or probable.

[Oldtony]

First time I saw a media outlet saying that Driver X was going to Ferrari next year it was Stirling Moss!
Never happened, nor did at least 90% of the rumoured shifts to Ferrari the I have read in the past 50 years.
It's a beat up, and every F1 driver worth his salt loves taking the P***s out of reporters, bloggers and others suckers with that same old story.

[Mothers Worry]

I'm sure with two world champions in a team and both in the hunt for the WDC there a lot of gamesmanship going on OT.

Button: We're going to fight to the very end

From thef1times.com:

Button: We're going to fight to the very end

Tuesday 31st May 2011 

Jenson Button is keeping a positive attitude as he believes that, despite a 68 point deficit to Sebastian Vettel, everything is still to play for.

The 2009-world champion says he isn't going to give up until the very end, citing the unpredictable nature of the sport which can see a driver suffer a bad run of races.

"There's so much that can still happen," said the McLaren driver.

"We could all just give up now and not bother, or we could fight until the end, which is what we're going to do.

"It's swings and roundabouts. He could get very unlucky for the next few races, so we're not going to give up."

Though Button has admitted it will be difficult, looking back at his championship year in which he won six of the first seven races, currently one more than Vettel, but his results tailed off later in the year as Brawn GP's development rate couldn't match Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

"We didn't have the resources, and we weren't really willing to spend the money," he added of the 2009 season.

"So we had a great car at the start of the year, but we didn't keep it throughout the year, and these guys will.

"They've had a very quick car for two years now, so it's going to be difficult."

At the moment if I had to put my money on anyone at McL to do the business it would have to be Button over Hamilton. Hammers isn't having a fun time at all at the moment.................

[Ian G.]

First time I saw a media outlet saying that Driver X was going to Ferrari next year it was Stirling Moss!
Never happened, nor did at least 90% of the rumoured shifts to Ferrari the I have read in the past 50 years.
It's a beat up, and every F1 driver worth his salt loves taking the P***s out of reporters, bloggers and others suckers with that same old story.

Agree 100% Tony but i think the Mark/Ferrari whispers are real,or at least they were last year.His knowledge of the RB operation negates his age and it will cost RB many $ to keep him away from other Teams even if he does retire.
I read a book,many years ago, that Moss signed(or at least verbally agreed.) to join Ferrari but the uproar that followed caused him to back out. Reverse of the Ford buying Ferrari deal.

[Jiji_the_cat]

watch this space.

Peres in a Ferrari from 2012.

the rumor started last week. i think it makes sense.

[Ian G.]

Yeah,another possible,i'm sure we are due for a lot of driver movements for next season & 2013.If Toro Rosso is indeed sold then that will create more uncertainty,even Mark & Kobayashai have been linked to a "new" Team which many take to be Abu Dahbi financed & renamed Toro Rosso.
The trouble with rumours,whispers & speculation is that sometimes they turn out to be factual.

[Ian G.]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92327

Hamilton looking to change teams.?

[bpratt]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92327

Hamilton looking to change teams.?

Interesting article, but I really can't see LH moving to Red Bull for as long as Vettel is there, as LH won't play second fiddle to anyone, let alone Vettel.

There's more chance of Hamilton going to Mercedes GP when Schumacher retires again, than him going to either RBR or Ferrari.

[MartinJones]

If F1 should have other tyre makes than I believe that there should be more than 2 makes involved.

[Ian G.]

If F1 should have other tyre makes than I believe that there should be more than 2 makes involved.

Only new around here myself but welcome Martin,F-1 goes in cycles so we may have more than 1 tyre supplier in the future.The only thing was the Firestone-Goodyear battles nearly bankrupted Firestone so the manufacturers are wary of another tyre war.
Friend i used to work with attended Montreal,great race despite the rain,he feels Hamilton & Mark are both on the move  but probaly not next season,more likely 2013.

[Jiji_the_cat]

Bernie threatens to Suit over engines.

Bernie is so unhappy with the new engine regulations that he says, he may "have to sue the FIA." "The new engine is not F1, it doesn't sound anything like F1".
The race promoters believe these new engines will take away what people want. (I tend to agree). And therefore wont be able to sell tickets and wont be able to pay bernie.

And on another note

Ecclestone facing corruption charges.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was questioned by Munich prosecutors in April on suspicion of being involved in the mysterious $50 million payment to the jailed German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky.

The affair surrounds the sale of formula one’s commercial rights to CVC some years ago, with 80-year-old Ecclestone insisting that he will ultimately be “exonerated” of “any wrongdoing”.

But it is only on Wednesday that the Briton will learn whether he has been charged and summoned to court, according to the Guardian.

The Times quotes him as saying: “I have done nothing so I have no idea what charges they could bring.

“I have done what I had to do at all times during this investigation and I have cooperated fully with the people in Germany. As far as I am concerned there are no problems.”

If a charge is brought, it would likely relate to ‘aiding and abetting’ the deliberately wrong valuation of the commercial rights by Gribkowsky, who was then the chief risk manager of BayernLB bank.

London’s Telegraph said it believes Ecclestone has been asked to cooperate by supplying evidence about Gribkowsky on the promise of a lighter sentence such as a monetary penalty.

“As long as it’s not too much. I’m only joking,” he said.

The newspaper also asked Ecclestone if he was aware Tuesday was the six-month deadline for either releasing or charging Gribkowsky: “I’ve not heard anything,” he answered.

[Mothers Worry]

STR: Driver line-up decision at end of year

From thef1times.com.au

STR: Driver line-up decision at end of year

Monday 11th July 2011   

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost has said that the outfit's 2012 driver line-up won't be known until the end of the current season.

Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi had been under pressure to perform or else face being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo, however Red Bull negotiated with Hispania to secure the Australian a drive, securing the current line-up at the team.

Whilst they may be safe this season, their 2012 prospects remain up in the air, with Ricciardo likely to replace one of them.

Tost explained the reasons behind his Friday role at Toro Rosso and his seat at Hispania, which saw him replace Narain Karthikeyan.

"At the start of the season, Ricciardo was out for us on Friday mornings for 90 minutes to learn the different racetracks, how the team works, how to give technical feedback, how to work with the engineers, even how to conduct himself for marketing activities and press work," said Tost.

"Now he's been offered the chance to race, and I can see only advantages in this. Participating in FP1 is not the same as doing a complete race weekend, so he will be much better prepared for next year."

Tost admitted the teams driver line-up for next year remained a mystery with Red Bull the one's to make a decision.

"He can't drive for Toro Rosso because we have two race drivers who are doing a good job. What our driver pairing will be in 2012, I don't know yet. This will be decided by Red Bull at the end of the season."

[bpratt]

Just a little heads up, 7mate has a show on this Saturday 16th entitled "Great Grand Prix Racing Heroes" on at 1:28 through to 2:30pm.

Details of :-

Trace the careers of twelve of the greatest F1 drivers of the 1970s and 1980s, including seven World Champions.

Hopefully an interesting hour show.

[kevrulezz]

Cheers for the tip, I was disappointed they spent so much time on Hunt until I realised they have an entire hour per driver, There is another one on tomorrow afternoon at 1pm, this time focusing on Jackie Stewart, today's will get a repeat at 1am Sunday 17th (early tomorrow morning) for those who may not have seen this in time. The Jackie Stewart one also gets repeated early Monday morning.

I haven't seen almost all the footage shown or knew what happened during the races covered so this is all rather interesting to me.

[Mothers Worry]

Shame I had to work. And I forgot to put a recorder on for it.

[Jiji_the_cat]

i've seen half (kids )  Figured it was a 1hr series. so far i like it, and i will set the pvr now for the 2nd epsiode.
Thanks for sharing the info.   

[Mothers Worry]

Teams to discuss return of in-season testing

From thef1times.com:

Teams to discuss return of in-season testing

Friday 15th July 2011

Discussions about the possible return of in-season testing have begun, with the measure likely to make a comeback next season if an agreement can be reached.

FIA president Jean Todt has been pushing for testing to return in some form, saying without it, young drivers have very little chance of experiencing a Formula 1 car away from the simulators.

The Frenchman called the move from unlimited testing to no testing 'crazy', but the teams have concerns about the potential costs involved in its return.

Williams technical director Sam Michael says the matter is now up for discussion among the Sporting Working Group.

"That [testing] is being reviewed in the Sporting Working Group right now and we had a meeting at Silverstone about it. There has not been a vote yet. All they have done is put a few ideas out there about what you could potentially do, which might involve doing an extra young drivers' test during the season," he said.

"It's just being discussed. There's not been any agreement or votes or anything. Now it's been discussed the teams will go away, discuss it internally and think about it. We haven't done anything more than that."

[Ian G.]

As expected "things" between Mark & Vettel are not hunky dory so will be interesting to see if RB sticks by Mark.
Also as expected Pirelli Executives,worried about the PR effects of their tyres shredding after a handful of laps, have acted.
http://racingnewsflash.com/