They will make a special F1 car for you:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Noxide
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They will make a special F1 car for you:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Noxide
They'll have to build an entirely new chassis.:laugh::laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by Duje
They made so much trouble for themselves.
Renault's title sponsor ING late on Thursday said it has terminated its contract with the French team "with immediate effect."
Mere hours after Spanish insurance backer Mutua Madrilena pulled its logos from the R29 for the same reason, the Dutch bank ING said it has also decided to end its association with Renault because of the Crashgate scandal.
It is believed that both sponsors cite a clear and serious breach of contract, due to clauses requiring the Enstone-based team to comply with FIA rules and regulations.
"ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship," a media statement issued late on Thursday read.
The statement went out to the world's media in the dead of the Singapore night, after team mechanics had throughout Thursday worked on the fully ING-branded cars in the pits of the Asian city-state's street circuit.
All team equipment as well as personnel and driver apparel also carried prominent ING branding as per usual on Thursday, the day before official practice for the weekend's Singapore Grand Prix begins.
Like Mutua Madrilena, ING had previously decided not to stay in Formula One beyond 2009.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen is back. The slow start to his 2009 campaign seems but a distant memory, and having taken four consecutive podiums, including an excellent win at August’s Belgian Grand Prix, Raikkonen is looking perkier than he has in a long time. But we’ll have to wait and see what the season’s four remaining races - and 2010 - have in store for the Finn…
Q: Kimi, towards the end of the season Ferrari are enjoying a successful streak. Why did it take so long and how frustrating was it to see the Brawns and Red Bulls win races, while you were sidelined in an uncompetitive car?
Kimi Raikkonen: Well, we weren’t in the right position at the beginning of the year, and we still don’t have the fastest car, but I think we’ve got the maximum out of the car. The people who are in front probably haven’t made any mistakes. What we need to improve? More downforce. Otherwise the car is pretty good. Downforce is what’s missing. When we achieve that, the car will be very fast.
Q: After taking victory in Belgium, at Monza you seemed to have your old fire back. How important was your win in Spa to you?
KR: One win doesn’t change my life. Does it make life easier when you win? I don’t think so. But it is always nice to win, even though the next race is the same old challenge again. If you win that’s nice, but people will forget that very fast. Many times it only takes one race and then people don’t remember that you’ve won. It was a good result for me and it was much welcomed in the team after the season so far.
Q: But didn’t winning help remind you that you haven’t lost it?
KR: No, I’ve never had doubts in that respect. You never lose that certain touch of how to drive a car. It was just a difficult 2009 season. But now we’ve proved that we can win. I think all these questions are more in the head of the people outside. It’s not about me or anybody in the team. And if you found me a bit more happy in Monza, believe me, there are many other reasons to feel happy than a race win.
Q: For a while you gave the impression that you could imagine more exciting places to be than a paddock on a race weekend. Are you friends again with Formula One racing?
KR: I think there are still more exciting places. Racing is the nicest thing in the paddock, and I am pretty sure that you wouldn’t see many drivers in the paddock if it wasn’t for racing. Take the racing out and I doubt that you would find any driver here. Racing is the main thing.
Q: You worked hard at the rally in Finland over the summer break. Could rallying be your future?
KR: I like it and I think it is a great sport, and good fun also. It is completely different to Formula One even though it is still driving. It might happen in the future, or it might not. But for sure I want to do more rallying, at least for fun. I will try to do it whenever I have the chance and it does not conflict with my other things. I think it is a great practice for Formula One and it gives me a good feeling.
Q: Ferrari have had their share of unlucky moments this season with a difficult car, a driver accident and now with a second reserve driver. How much has that upset the routine of the team?
KR: For sure it hasn’t been the easiest year for us, and it’s unfortunate that it’s happened, but we are getting back to where we should be. Sometimes times are difficult but then you have to make sure that you put all strength into getting back to where you belong. Sometimes in hard times you see what people are made off. That’s the good thing, as we are improving with every race.
Q: It’s common knowledge that you have a contract with Ferrari for 2010, but it seems the team have three drivers and only two cockpits. Are you interested in a drive? Will Ferrari have to make a decision by getting you all to play a round of musical chairs?
KR: I always can only repeat that I have a contract - and that has not changed. If they want to talk with me, we need to sit down to talk. I am fully committed, as otherwise I would not have signed the contract in the first place. Musical chairs… that would be a funny idea!
Q: The FIA found Renault guilty of deliberately causing an accident at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. What do you make of that? Are drivers that vulnerable to the influence of their management?
Well, it doesn’t matter what you do, some people are easier to be manoeuvred into something than others. That has nothing to do with Formula One. And a person with little experience is always more vulnerable than somebody who has seen it all. I would say that what happened is part of life and can happen everywhere.
Q: Ferrari were a bit unlucky at last year’s night race. Are you ready for another go, with a better result?
RK: Ha, it shouldn’t be too difficult to have a better result than last year. Hopefully we manage to do it. There should be some points in it for us. A podium would be great but we will only know that tomorrow after hitting the track.
Q: Who is your favourite for the title, and why?
KR: I don’t really care who wins. We cannot win, so for me whoever wins deserves it. For me Jenson (Button) is in the strongest position and I think it would be difficult for him to lose it.
I'm just going to wait and see what happens, because all these conflicting reports about who is going to race where is just confusing me.
My hero is now even cooler than ever before :wow::wow:
Anyway, listen to this arrogant idiot:
Q: Do you think this win has helped you to grow in maturity?
Lewis: Yeah, I definitely think I've grown in maturity: when you have somebody like Sebastian Vettel behind you - who is a great driver but doesn't have quite as much experience as I do - you definitely feel a bit more comfortable in that position.
What an @$$
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duje
I think Kimi just turned up the heat a little,hmm?Quote:
Originally Posted by Noxide
Btw I've been out of comission for lightyears..Can someone tell me what's new?
Confirmed....... Fernando Alonso to join Ferrari next season.:whee:
more on the story...
Ferrari have announced that double world champion Fernando Alonso will join them for 2010 from Renault, replacing Kimi Raikkonen.
Ferrari said the Spaniard had signed a three-year contract and that he would partner Brazilian Felipe Massa.
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali described Alonso, world champion in 2005-6, as an "amazing talent".
Raikkonen said: "I am very sad to be leaving a team with which I have spent three fantastic years."
The Finn, who won the drivers' title in his first year at Ferrari in 2007, is tipped to be join McLaren.
As part of the cascade of driver moves that will follow Alonso's switch, Pole Robert Kubica is understood to have already signed a contract to replace Alonso at Renault.
The 28-year-old's switch to Ferrari has been an open secret in F1 for weeks and BBC Sport understands he signed his contract as long ago as July 2008.
A Ferrari source says there are options to extend Alonso's deal, and that he will be earning an annual salary in the region of 19-25 million euros (£17.3-22.8m).
Raikkonen had a contract with Ferrari until the end of 2010, but the team have negotiated an early release. Italian Giancarlo Fisichella will be Ferrari's reserve driver.
Domenicali said: "Of course, we wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari.
"In his first year with us, he managed to win the drivers' title, thus making his contribution to Ferrari's history and he played a vital role in our taking of the constructors' title in 2007 and 2008.
"Even during a difficult season like this one, he has demonstrated his great talent, with several good results, including a great win in Spa and we are sure that we can share more good times together in the final three races of this season."
Raikkonen added: "With common consent, we have agreed to terminate the contract binding me to Ferrari to the end of 2010, one year ahead of schedule.
"I have always felt at home with everyone here and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team."
Ferrari's statement did not include any remarks from Alonso, who is in Japan ahead of this weekend's grand prix.
The most successful active driver in F1, Alonso signed his Ferrari contract as long ago as July 2008, according to sources close to the team.
Ferrari had been planning to announce it at the end of the season, but it had become such common knowledge that the Italian team have decided to bring that forward.
The move brings to an end Alonso's relationship with the Renault team, for whom he has driven in all but two of his eight years in F1.
He was cleared of any involvement in the recent race-fixing scandal, in which Renault were found to have asked his team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr to crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to aid Alonso's chances of victory.
Team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering director Pat Symonds left the team in the wake of Renault's decision not to contest the charges.
But an investigation by governing body the FIA found no evidence that Alonso, who did go on to win the race, knew of the conspiracy.
Alonso made his F1 debut for Minardi in 2001, moved to Renault as their test driver in 2002 and was promoted to their race team in 2003.
He became the youngest race-winner in F1 history when he won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix, and its youngest world champion when he won his first drivers' title in 2005.
He has since lost those two records to Sebastian Vettel, who broke the win mark in Italy in 2008, and Lewis Hamilton when he became world champion last year.
Alonso went on to win a second consecutive championship in 2006, beating Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in a straight fight, before moving to McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate in 2007.
Alonso signed a three-year contract with McLaren, but he left after one season following a tempestuous relationship with the team. Hamilton and Alonso finished the season tied on points just a point behind the champion, Raikkonen.
Alonso rejoined Renault for 2008, winning in Singapore and, with one of his best performances, the following race in Japan, but the team have been uncompetitive this season.
Source: BBC SPORT
Noooooo....Kimi leaving :(:(
And to go to McLaren!!!:mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by Duje
Next year I'll have to support Kimi for the drivers championship and hope Alonso comes second.
Lewis Hamilton on Friday said he was surprised that Felipe Massa is questioning the outcome of the 2008 world championship. The pair fought to the wire for last year's drivers' crown, but Massa told a Brazilian TV network that the crash-gate scandal made him feel "robbed" of the title.
"It is my title and what people say doesn't bother me," Hamilton told Bild. "I am a little surprised, because we had a very fair title fight over the course of the season.”
Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali commented: "There is no authority that can annul a sporting result one year afterwards, so we have to live with it."
Massa also told Globo that it was "not so cool" that Nelson Piquet Jr only admitted to crashing deliberately after he was fired by Renault. On Thursday, the pair shook hands at the Granja Viana kart track near Sao Paulo, where they are training for a forthcoming race.
Meanwhile, Massa insists he has no problem with Ferrari's appointment of Fernando Alonso as his team-mate next year.
The pair clashed infamously after the 2007 Nurburgring race, when following an on-track scrape they argued while waiting to go onto the podium. "Shortly after that, we got over it together," Massa said. "It's in the past. There are no problems between us."
He also said he does not fear the arrival of the Spaniard, who is regarded by some as the most complete current F1 racer.
"He is a great driver," he said, "but so were my two previous team-mates, Kimi and Schumacher. I am calm. Today Ferrari is a team well able to work with two drivers. Raikkonen didn't talk much but we got on together well. He was a great teammate and I hope that Fernando is too.
"You know that in Ferrari you will always have a good driver next to you.”
I wish these people would make up their minds already so that I know what gear to buy for next year :mad:
As expected, the confirmation of Fernando Alonso's move to Ferrari turned the key to kick-starting the 2010 driver market.
Much of the specialist Formula One media waited in vain throughout Tuesday for the announcement of Robert Kubica's move to Renault, but the French daily L'Equipe reports that the deal will actually be unveiled on Wednesday.
The hottest new rumour is that McLaren and Toyota are not alone in pushing for Kimi Raikkonen. Germany's Sport Bild reports contact between the Finn's management and Red Bull Racing, despite the fact that Mark Webber was recently put under contract for the 2010 season.
"We are negotiating even with teams that everybody thinks have no vacancies,” admitted Raikkonen’s manager Steve Robertson.
ill put money on hes at McLaren next season.
The bookies have already opened betting for who to get most points between raikkonen and hamilton
The head of Formula One's most historically committed team has hinted that it might reconsider its loyalty to the FIA-sanctioned series.
Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo was the chairman of the Formula One Teams Association, which threatened to pull out and race in a rival championship over a rules and commercial argument with the governing body earlier this year.
Ultimately, FIA President Max Mosley acquiesced and all the current teams signed a new Concorde Agreement, binding them to the official Formula One category for the next three seasons.
"We have a contract that finishes in 2012, so we have time to consider what to do next," Montezemolo said in an interview with Sky Italia's news channel TG24.
In the meantime, he said the sport "needs to renew, to revive the interest and to once again establish credibility with rules that do not change every day."
Montezemolo added that he does not like "this Formula One" of today, and vowed to organise "a day of work with the media, the sponsors and the organisers" in order to "improve" what he describes as an "extraordinary sport."
Aaawwwwww sweet. Kimi finally visited with Massa :laugh::laugh:
Attachment 31109
Jenson Button has joined the elite group of race drivers to have won the world championship. His fifth position in Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix was enough to clinch the title from Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello.
"Today was the best race that I've driven in my career and I'm really going to enjoy this moment," said Button. "This season has been a rollercoaster ride from the elation of the wins at the start to the hard graft in the second half of the season which has seen us grind out the results needed to take the titles.
"To everyone back at the factory in Brackley, thank you for all of your hard work and for producing such a fantastic car,” he continued. “It's going to take a while to sink in but for now I'm just revelling in the achievement of a lifelong dream."
Button is the tenth British champion following in the footsteps of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and the out-going champion Lewis Hamilton.
His string of six wins from the first seven races equalled a record set by Clark and Michael Schumacher and formed the foundation of his championship campaign. While his final win of the season came at Istanbul in June - pending the last round of the season in Abu Dhabi - since then he was able to score points on a regular basis much to the frustration of his rivals.
Click here to find out more!
Button has had his fair share of critics for his performance in the second half of the championship, but had he started the season with points paying finishes and ended the season with a string of victories, his success would have, arguably, been seen in a differing light.
He may not have the flair of some of his rivals and may not put the car right on the limit week in week out, but his Brazilian race was a very good performance and with more points than his rivals, he has achieved his career objective of championship success following many years of loyalty to Honda and its new successor, Brawn GP.
In view of his team having taken the constructors' crown as well, Button's title caps what has been a fairytale success story for the Brawn team, an outfit which came close to shutting its doors mere weeks before the 2009 championship began. The BGP 001 completed its first on-track testing only a month before the season's first race.
“I am so incredibly proud of the team and our drivers and it's so very special to have won the constructors' and the drivers' championships in our first year as Brawn GP,” said Ross Brawn. “It's really going to take a while for what we have achieved today to sink in. Jenson is a fantastic racer and he had a great race today, particularly after such a difficult qualifying yesterday. He knew what he had to do and did just that and is a very deserving world champion.”
I thought it may have been deleted posts.
Tried El Ds advice, I had it set at default 15- pages per thread, tried 5, 10, 25, 30...all with the same results, but a 50 page per thread setting has fixed this in that particular thread.
Yes indeed. That has everything to do with Formula 1 :blink:
Confirming rumours that had been in the air for several weeks, Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler AG announced on Monday that together with Aabar Investments, it will be taking over a 75.1% joint stake in this year's championship-winning team, Brawn GP. The transaction is pending the approval of the relevant European authorities.
Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and Mercedes-Benz Motorsport boss Norbert Haug also confirmed that starting next season, the team will be renamed Mercedes Grand Prix.
The "new terms and conditions for Formula 1," motivated the German carmaker's decision to invest in and run its own team.
"The 'Resource Restrictions' set by FOTA [Formula One Teams Association] and FIA effectively limit expenditure for the design, construction and running of the racing cars," read a Mercedes-Benz Motorsport statement. "In addition there will be a significantly higher income available for a Formula 1 team generated by the commercial rights of the racing series following the signing of the new Concorde Agreement."
Mercedes currently holds a 40% participation in the McLaren team; that portion will be bought back by McLaren over a period reaching until 2011, at which point the team will become independent. However Mercedes will continue supplying engines to McLaren until 2015 and the cars will retain their silver and red livery until then.
"The partnership between McLaren Mercedes has been in place since 1995 and ended its 15th joint Formula 1 season in 2009. The change to the form of cooperation is taking place by mutual agreement. Mercedes-Benz and McLaren will continue to cooperate with each other," the Mercedes statement explained.
Mercedes will now work on restructuring its F1 programme and look at additional ways to improve the cost reduction plans already in place.
"Due to the new Formula 1 environment, we will face the competition in the future on the most important motor sports stage with our own Silver Arrows works team," said Daimler CEO and Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche.
Click here to find out more!
"Our new Silver Arrow Formula 1 team is a great sporting and technical challenge and we will tackle this with sporting spirit and full of enthusiasm."
"It is our target to develop a model for our Formula 1 activities which will initially be run with significantly reduced budgets by Mercedes-Benz and which, in the foreseeable future, will be self-financing," indicated Mercedes-Benz Motorsport chief Norbert Haug.
Daimler AG and its partner Aabar Investments PJSC will control the team (45.1% and 30% respectively), while Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, along with other partners, will hold the remaining 24.9% in Mercedes GP; Brawn will continue as Team Principal and the current management group will remain in place.
However no drivers have yet been confirmed for the 2010 season - Rubens Barrichello has left the team and World Champion Jenson Button is still in talks regarding a contract renewal, with Mercedes GP or McLaren as options.
"Brawn GP has been through an incredible journey over the last 12 months," said Ross Brawn. "From fighting for our survival to forging a strong relationship with Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, winning both the constructors' and drivers' World Championships, and now accepting Daimler's and Aabar's offer to buy our team, which will secure its future.
"Both I and my fellow directors at Brawn GP are incredibly proud of our staff, drivers and everyone associated with our team and thank them for their commitment, outstanding teamwork and their focus on achieving results in sometimes difficult circumstances," Brawn continued.
"We are honoured to be representing such a prestigious brand as Mercedes-Benz in Formula One next year and we will be working together to do our best to reward their faith in our team."
Raikkonen rejects F1 for rallying
Noxide will be happy then :oQuote:
Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not be racing in Formula 1 next year after failing to find a drive.
The 30-year-old Finn had been trying to do a deal with McLaren but they would not offer him the salary he wanted, his manager David Robertson told BBC Sport.
"They couldn't afford him," Robertson said. "It wasn't in his interests to race for what they were offering so he's going to go rallying instead."
Robertson said he believed McLaren had already signed Jenson Button.
Raikkonen is trying to find a drive in the world rally championship, Roberston said, although nothing had yet been sorted out.
He made his world rally debut on his home Rally Finland last August, setting competitive times before crashing out.
"He wants to be back in F1 in 2011 but with all the money he has earned he doesn't want to go in a medium-type team for money," Robertson added.
"The same criteria would apply as this year - he'd only go where he feels he has a chance of the world championship."
Asked whether Button's appearance on the market had wrecked Raikkonen's hopes at McLaren, Roberston said: "If they hadn't gone for Jenson, they'd have gone for someone else."
Raikkonen, who won the world title for Ferrari in 2007, was forced out of Ferrari at the end of this season to make way for Fernando Alonso, despite already having a year left on his contract.
Raikkonen is being paid a sum believed to be in the region of 20m euros not to race for Ferrari in 2010, but still wanted to be paid what he felt was a fair sum to drive for another team.
Robertson would not confirm the Ferrari payment, describing the arrangements with Ferrari as "confidential".
Although he won the Belgian Grand Prix, Raikkonen's final season with Ferrari was a disappointment, with car that was never the fastest in the field.
He said: "Kimi wanted a winning car, only McLaren could supply that and he only had them in his sights. He didn't want another year like this one.
"But they had their issues with Mercedes, Santander and the FIA and from a financial point of view they are not the powerhouse they were. They couldn't afford him."
Mercedes announced on Tuesday that they were selling back their 40% shareholding in McLaren and buying the Brawn team instead.
Spanish bank Santander will sponsor Ferrari next year, although they will still retain a smaller presence with McLaren.
And governing body the FIA in 2007 fined McLaren $100m (then £49m) after they were found guilty of possessing confidential Ferrari technical information.
Asked how Raikkonen felt about the temporary end of an F1 career that started in 2001 and in which he won 18 grands prix, Robertson said: "He's one of those guys who moves on quickly - he just said 'now we concentrate on rallying'.
A McLaren spokesman refused to comment on Robertson's remarks.
NOT.
Actually I am extremely happy. I wasn't ready to support McLaren again. And now I can still support Ferrari and Kimi at the same time :)
Two potential options for a switch to the World Rally Championship for Kimi Raikkonen have already emerged.
Finland's Helsingin Sanomat reports that Norwegian team owner and driver Petter Solberg has confirmed that a space may be available for Raikkonen in his WRC team.
Citroen has also been mentioned this week by the press, with Spain's Diario Sport initially reporting talks regarding the French marque.
Click here to find out more!
France's Auto Hebdo has now followed suit, claiming that a Raikkonen/Citroen deal could involve the backing of the Finn's existing drinks sponsor Red Bull and a C4 WRC car.
Photo F1-Live.com
Zoom
Raikkonen now expected to join Citroen in 2010
Kimi Raikkonen's likely switch from Formula One to the World Rally Championship with Citroen in 2010 is moving ever closer.
The French marque's rally boss Olivier Quesnel said in an interview at the weekend that the reports about the 30-year-old's rally plans for next year are inspired by "more than a rumour".
"It is not signed and I have never even spoken with Raikkonen on the telephone," Quesnel told Radio-France. "But it is more than a rumour; it is a real possibility."
He added that the former Ferrari driver is an "incredible driver" who "did not become world champion by accident" in 2007.
Clickhere
Referring to the Finn's world rally debut in his native country earlier this year, Quesnel continued: "What he did there in a S2000 was amazing."
Quesnel revealed that Raikkonen would not race alongside Sebastien Loeb in the official Citroen team, but instead "in the junior team", albeit reportedly with a full specification C4.
A radical new points system is set to be introduced into Formula One next season after a meeting of the F1 Commission in Monaco on Thursday. The reassessment of the scoring has come about because of the greater number of teams likely on the grid in 2010.
At present the winner of each race gets 10 points, second place gets 8 and third to eighth get from 6 to 1 point. The proposed changes would mean the winner would get 25 points, with second to 10th being rewarded with 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1 respectively.
The F1 Commission represents teams, sponsors, promoters and suppliers of the sport, and the meeting was chaired by Bernie Ecclestone with FIA president Jean Todt also present. The changes are likely to be rubber-stamped by the World Motor Sport Council on Friday.
Last season Ecclestone tried to introduce a system where the championship would be decided by race victories rather than cumulative points, but the idea never got off the ground after an unenthusiastic response from teams and the public.
The new scoring, which sees a much greater difference in points between the leading drivers, will make a top-three finish more important while also offering rewards for more lower-placed cars.
Had it been operational in 2009 then Jenson Button would still have won the drivers' championship.
The Renault name will remain in Formula 1 next season following a deal with Luxembourg-based investment firm Genii Capital to secure the team's future. The announcement ends months of speculation that Renault would walk away from F1. Instead, it will retain a minority 25% shareholding and will also continue as an engine supplier.
"I am delighted to welcome Genii Capital as our new strategic partner," said Bernard Rey, Renault F1 team president, at a press conference in Paris. "I am sure that their enthusiasm and business expertise will create a new dynamic for the team, the staff, and our partners. Altogether, we look forward to competing again at the highest level in Formula One."
Genii Capital investment manager, Julien Nerguisian, told ESPNF1 that the team would continue under the Renault name in 2010 and possibly 2011 - although nothing has been confirmed beyond the end of next season. He added that in-depth details on the deal would not be made available to the press, and said rumours that Genii had taken a 75% share in the team did not come from Renault or his company.
Gerard Lopez, the boss Genii Capital, of was one of the early investors in Skype and also holds a stake in the driver management company Gravity. Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung, who is managed by Gravity, was a last-minute addition to Renault's young driver line-up earlier this month. ESPNF1 has been told that the team is evaluating him alongside a number of other drivers to partner Robert Kubica in 2010.
Renault's CEO Carlos Ghosn, who authorised the sale, has been sceptical about the team's involvement in F1 for some time. The team did itself no favours in its attempt to remain in the sport when it suffered the embarrassment of the race-fixing scandal in September.
Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes
There you go, what was expected, not liked but its good for F1 an be interesting to see how he gets on.Quote:
Seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher has come out of retirement and signed for Mercedes.
The German, who will be 41 on 3 January, was unveiled at the Mercedes factory in Brackley, Northamptonshire.
Schumacher will partner compatriot Nico Rosberg in the team that won the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2009 in its former guise as Brawn.
"After three years I have the energy back and I'm ready for some serious stuff," said Schumacher.
In an exclusive interview with the BBC he added: "I'm very motivated, thrilled and excited.
"I want to have fun out there and I feel as fresh as ever. I've recharged myself after a three-year break.
"The challenge is what I look for - I want to know it."
Schumacher retired at the end of 2006 but will now return to the sport he dominated after signing a three-year deal with Mercedes.
He will reportedly earn £6.2m after reuniting with Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who masterminded all seven of his titles, the first two with Benetton in 1994-5 and the subsequent five with Ferrari from 2000-4.
Schumacher was forced to call off a planned temporary comeback as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa in the summer because of a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident last February.
But Schumacher recently underwent medical checks and is confident he is back to full fitness.
"I wouldn't have entered all of this if I wasn't confident," Schumacher explained.
"That confidence comes from some serious training with my neck to make sure it can withstand what it couldn't in the summer.
"There is no further issue with the neck - 100%."
BBC SPORT: Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes
Hes just 5/1 third fav with bookies to win 2010 formula 1 championship :whee:
This is just silly
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Attachment 32184
Attachment 32185
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
Attachment 32265
Bernie Ecclestone is a MORON
Ecclestone made bigger headlines late Wednesday with his controversial proposal to install "shortcuts" at each circuit that each driver can use five times a race.
"You wouldn't get stuck behind a slower car," he explained. "It would be great for TV. I've tried to push the teams on this because I don't think the efforts to increase overtaking are working, but they haven't gone for it."
i would really like to know where can u install a schort cut in monaco, mann he is crazy, he should retire, the older he gets the more dumber are his ideas
Maybe they can build a bridge over the swimming pool. :laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by alex1369
I agree with you 100%
+Rep
How about an F1 fantasy league
http://fantasyf1game.net/
Open some time in February to create a league
General
With Fantasy Formula 1, you get to be the boss of your own formula 1 team (well...almost!). You get £90 million to spend on 2 drivers, a car and an engine. Then, during each race, your team collect points depending on how well they've done. You get points for race position, qualifying position, fastest lap and if both cars from your chosen team finish the race. After each race the league table is updated and the player with the highest score at the end of the season is the winner. Simple!
Sounds good to me!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul
Good stuff!
Thanks Paul
:wow::wow::wow::wow:
:whee::whee::whee::whee:
With March’s season-opener drawing ever closer and the first official test of the year set to kick off in just over a week's time, the teams are currently closeted in their factories, busily preparing for their 2010 campaigns. Over the coming weeks, however, they will all break cover and unveil their new cars to an expectant public.
After months of waiting, it’s always an exciting time, and with four brand new squads also joining the fray, you can guarantee there’ll be some surprises in store…
First up are Ferrari, who will take the wraps off their as-yet unnamed 2010 challenger at their Maranello factory next Thursday. Although they’ve already provided a sneak peak of an updated livery, complete with new sponsors Santander, their new car will be unveiled on January 28, with drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa both in attendance.
McLaren’s Mercedes-engined MP4-25, which will be driven by reigning world champion Jenson Button and 2008 titleholder Lewis Hamilton, will be revealed on January 29 at the UK headquarters of team sponsor Vodafone in Newbury.
Next up are BMW Sauber and Renault, who will unveil their 2010 cars at Spain’s Valencia track on January 31, the day before the first official test of the year kicks off. Although both have chosen to forgo the traditional glitz and glamour of a factory launch, team management and drivers will all be present.
Next in line are Mercedes. The former Brawn squad plan to showcase their rebranded ‘team’, and all-new driver pairing of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, on Monday January 25 at Mercedes’ Stuttgart museum, before unveiling their new car at Valencia when testing gets underway on February 1. Williams are also planning to debut their new car at the same test.
Red Bull and Force India are both expected to reveal their new challengers at the second official test of the year, at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on February 10.
As one of four new teams joining the 2010 grid, it’s understandable that Lotus are to wait until the second week of February to unveil their car. Technical officer Mike Gascoyne has revealed they plan to fire up their car’s engine for the first time on February 5, before launching it on February 12. It will then make its track debut at Jerez a few days later.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the new US team, have decided to break with convention and are planning to give their car it’s first run on home soil in the United States. The machine will make a low-key test debut at the Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama at some point in early February.
There’s still no official word yet from fellow newcomers Virgin or Campos. Toro Rosso are also yet to announce launch plans.
Current launch line-up at a glance:
January 28 - Ferrari, Maranello, Italy
January 29 - McLaren, Newbury, UK
January 31 - BMW Sauber/Renault, Valencia, Spain
February 1 - Mercedes GP/Williams, Valencia, Spain
February 10 - Red Bull/Force India, Jerez, Spain
Early February - US, Barber Motorsport Park, Alabama, USA
February 12 - Lotus
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This is last years' Brawn with this years' Mercedes Livery
More adjustments to the Formula One points system are being worked out ahead of the start of the season.
The old points system, which was replaced only a month ago, has been further revised by F1's sporting working group. The changes aim to increase the points awarded for winning over finishing second. The latest incarnation means a win would be worth 25-points, with a seven-point gap to second place which will be worth 18-points.
Although the new system still needs to be approved by the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council before it can be added to the 2010 regulations, it is thought that this should just be a formality.
Red Bull's Christian Horner believes that the increased gap between first and second places is a positive move.
"It is not because drivers don't want to take the risk, but if the points difference between a win and second is two points it is not the end of the world, whereas if it is a significant number it adds motivation for them to push each other very hard," he told The Sun.
Also discussed at the meeting were plans to award points for pole position and fastest lap, and although it was reportedly popular with some drivers, the plan was scrapped. Another rule to force drivers to make two mandatory pit stops in a race was also shelved, although drivers will still need to run both tyre variants during a race.
Formula One teams have agreed to change the tyre rules for 2010, by making the top ten drivers on the grid start the race on the same tyres they qualified on.
With the absence of refuelling, the amendment has been introduced to maintain a strategic element in the sport. It has been proposed by F1's Sporting Working Group (SWG) in order to improve the show, but will have to be rubber-stamped by the F1 Commission and the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.
The idea is that team's will have to decide between running a soft tyre compound, which should give a better lap time in qualifying but will wear out quickly during the race, or a hard compound, which will give a slower time over one-lap but should last longer. The addition of a heavy fuel load at the start of the race will mean that driver's who choose the softer, better qualifying tyre will have to be very careful in the early stages.
However, it has not been announced what will happen if the track is wet or damp on race day. It is most likely the teams will be allowed to change to the appropriate tyres, but those who qualifyied on the harder compound will lose the long first-stint advantage they would have gained in the dry. Ultimately weather forecasting will become even more important to the weekend's strategy.
It is the second last-minute change to the 2010 rules proposed by the SWG, after the group submitted a new points system for approval on Monday.
The new Ferrari F10.
Let's hope it's fast enough.
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