F1 World Championship 2009 Thread

[CrashG]

Well it may not be that bad if they're thinking of using the part I did in red.

[san.W10]

thats the new layout/addition :p

[CrashG]

Oops, didn't realize that it was the part they plan on using. Also glad they're not doing away with this great track.

Edited December 8, 2009 by CrashGordon

[Subject Delta]

That would add a fair chunk, probably 15-20s to the laptime so they'd have to reduce the amount of laps

[ahmz]

F1 set to adopt new points system

By Matt Beer - Thursday, December 10th 2009, 18:52 GMT

Formula 1 is set for a radical alteration to its points system in 2010 if the World Motor Sport Council approves an F1 Commission proposal to give points to the top 10 finishers in each race.

In today's Commission meeting, chaired by Bernie Ecclestone and attended by FIA president Jean Todt, a new scoring system was put forward which will award 25 points to each race winner, 20 for second place, 15 for third and 10 for fourth, before descending 8-6-5-3-2-1 for fifth through 10th positions.

The change has been proposed to take into account the increased field for 2010, when the addition of the new entrants will take the grid up to 26 cars, its highest figure since 1995.

Assuming it is approved by the WMSC, the change would be the first revision to the points system since the number of scoring drivers per race was increased from six to eight in 2003.

The F1 Commission also agreed that its Sporting Working Group sub-committee should develop "detailed proposals to improve the show" that would take effect next year, and that "the FIA and FOM will further collaborate to enhance the communication and promotion of the championship to the media and its worldwide fanbase."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80521

[san.W10]

1. 25

2. 20

3. 15

5 points difference :o , they could have kept it to 2points difference.

Whitmarsh to become FOTA chairman

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has been voted in as Luca di Montezemolo's successor as the chairman of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), AUTOSPORT can reveal.

Following a meeting of the Formula 1 Commission in Monaco on Thursday, team principals then got together for a FOTA gathering to discuss plans for next year - which included the election of new senior officials.

Sources have confirmed that Whitmarsh was ratified as the new chairman, and he will take over the mandate from di Montezemolo whose one-year term ends later this month.

AUTOSPORT also understands that Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has been made chairman of FOTA's Sporting Working Group, with Ross Brawn remaining as the chief of its Technical Working Group.

It is also understood that teams unanimously approved plans for the common car launch that will take place in Valencia on the final weekend of January.

Teams will now spend the next few weeks working out the details of the launch - which will include over how many days it will take place on and its exact format.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80519

[simonlang]

f1 turning more and more into champcar :p

[Subject Delta]

I think the new points system is fairly good, you get better rewarded for winning, and allocating points up to 10th I feel is fair considering how many new teams there are. Also good news on the Whitmarsh appointment at the head of FOTA, he's a very professional and level headed guy.

[CrashG]

At least it's not some sort of Gold, Silver, Bronze medals. :laugh:

With the number of teams now they did need to do something. This seems like a logical solution and it'll also help the lower teams have a decent chance of picking up at least a few points.

[Subject Delta]

The medals idea was one of the stupidest ideas in the history of Formula 1, and I am glad they shelved it :p

[CrashG]

You, me, and probably a WHOLE lot of other people too. :laugh: That was just a silly idea.

Those of us that follow the sport know that every team is trying to better their cars every few races.

Example A: Just look at what McLaren did with theirs over the duration of the season. It may have not been the best at the start, but it was a lot better toward the mid-late season, and how the Brawn slipped backwards.

[simonlang]

since 2 days you can basically read in every german newspaper now that michael schumacher will drive for mercedes in 2010.

that would be a sensation :D

[Subject Delta]

Example A: Just look at what McLaren did with theirs over the duration of the season. It may have not been the best at the start, but it was a lot better toward the mid-late season, and how the Brawn slipped backwards.

Yep, its estimated that they gained about 2.7s of performance over the course of the season. Any other year, that rate of gain would probably have lead to 2004 like levels of domination for McLaren, nonetheless an impressive effort. I feel the change in regulations has made potential performance gains huge, and is a good reason why some teams performances fluctuated so wildly during 2009, but I can see it settling down a bit more in 2010.

since 2 days you can basically read in every german newspaper now that michael schumacher will drive for mercedes in 2010.

that would be a sensation :D

I just can't see it happening in all honesty. Apart from the fact that he is likely to pen an advisory deal for Ferrari, I just don't think he has anything left to prove, when some of the other greats like Mansell made returns it turned into a damp squib, and although Michael is in far better shape than Mansell was when he made his return, I don't think it would be as glorious as his fans may hope.

[san.W10]

Schumacher speculation intensifies

Speculation about Michael Schumacher's potential Formula 1 comeback with Mercedes has moved up a gear after German newspaper Bild reported today that a deal had been agreed.

Although Bild did not quote any sources, it said it had learned that a one-year deal had been concluded and that a contract would be signed imminently ready for an announcement next week.

Both the Schumacher camp and Mercedes declined to comment on the report.

Rumours that Schumacher would end his 14-year association with Ferrari to join Mercedes' new works team have been rife since the end of the 2009 season.

Mercedes has already signed Nico Rosberg for its new project formed from the Brawn team, but was unable to keep hold of world champion Jenson Button, who left for McLaren. Although Nick Heidfeld was initially favourite for the vacant seat, this would leave Mercedes starting its high-profile new venture without a previous race-winning driver in its line-up.

Seven times champion Schumacher was a Mercedes protege before reaching F1 and it was once thought inevitable that he would eventually end up in a Mercedes-powered F1 car. He also enjoyed huge success with Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn at both Benetton and Ferrari.

Schumacher last raced at the top level in 2006 but came close to a comeback to deputise for the injured Felipe Massa at Ferrari this summer before discovering that neck damage from a motorcycle crash had not fully healed.

Mercedes GP CEO Nick Fry indicated earlier this week that the team was unlikely to announce its second driver until the new year.

"We might say something before Christmas but it's more likely to be the beginning of January," Fry said.

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/80554

[simonlang]

im pretty sure it will happen. it was on every german tv channel yesterday. some reported nothing else for more than 30minutes!

[Antaris Veteran]

Lotus F1 sign Jarno Trulli and Hekki Kovalainen

Lotus F1 have confirmed Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen as their drivers for the 2010 Formula 1 season.

Trulli joins the new Malaysian-backed team from Toyota, while Kovalainen moves after he was left without a seat due to Jenson Button's move to McLaren.

The pair have signed three-year deals, with Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy named as the third driver.

"[The team] shows our seriousness to be a world championship contender," said Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes.

"Trulli will bring us a lot of experience to develop the team, and Heikki is a young driver but has phenomenal experience so I think we have two fantastic drivers with Fairuz as well."

Trulli was without a team after Toyota announced they were pulling out of the sport in November.

But the 35-year-old Italian - who won one grand prix for Renault in 2004 - has worked with Lotus's technical director Mike Gascoyne before, most recently when they were both at Toyota.

But despite his excitement about joining one of the most famous names in Formula 1, Trulli was cautious about overestimating expectations for the forthcoming season.

More @ BBC Sport

[san.W10]

Mosley: I could have averted pull-outs

Former FIA president Max Mosley believes he might have kept BMW and Toyota in Formula 1 had he visited the manufacturers' bosses to explain the reasoning behind his budget cap plan.

In the second of two articles for the Daily Telegraph, Mosley gave his view of the crisis that gripped F1 when the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) threatened to split from the FIA world championship earlier this year during a disagreement over future rules and governance.

BMW and Toyota announced in subsequent months that they were pulling out of F1. Mosley thinks the companies' boards were misinformed by their F1 teams and regrets not explaining the FIA's position in person.

"Mistakes? There was perhaps one major error on my part," Mosley wrote. "During the period between the two WMSC decisions in March and April, I should have taken the trouble to visit each of the car company CEOs individually and explain exactly what we were doing and why.

"Had I done this I think BMW would still be with us and, just possibly, Toyota. It would have been easy to demonstrate that with the cost cap, they could have had the same for far less. But this was never a message their team principals were going to give them."

He denied suggestions that he had been keen to usher the manufacturer teams out of F1.

"The loss of BMW and Toyota (as well as Honda) is sad because it was so unnecessary," said Mosley. "The only light relief has been the Ferrari suggestion that this was all a plot (by me) to get rid of the manufacturers.

"To believe this it is necessary to assume that the bosses of BMW and Toyota were lying when they gave the need to save costs as their reason for leaving. You also have to believe they needed to hide the truth for some mysterious reason."

Elsewhere in his article, Mosley reiterated his belief that FOTA would never have been able to go through with its breakaway plan.

"FOTA's announcement might excite gullible elements of the media and frighten the commercial rights holders and their banks, but that's as far as it would go," Mosley wrote.

"This is because a breakaway would result in two rival championships. The official FIA Formula One World Championship and a new FOTA championship.

"The latter would have had all the top teams and drivers except for Williams and Force India, while the former would have the contracts, the name Formula One and the tradition. Formula One Management (i.e. Bernie Ecclestone) could not join the breakaway even if he wanted to, because of his commercial agreements with the FIA.

"Knowing that the breakaway would fail completely without circuits and TV coverage, the race promoters and TV companies would have had FOTA and the major manufacturers in a hopeless negotiating position."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80570

[Subject Delta]

Lotus F1 sign Jarno Trulli and Hekki Kovalainen

More @ BBC Sport

Good move IMO, signing experienced drivers.

Mosley: I could have averted pull-outs

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80570

Even on his way out the guy is still full of s***. I personally agree with FOTA that it is mosely's behaviour that has forced BMW and Toyota out. Hopefully with him gone, Formula 1 can prosper in an atmosphere of cooperation again, with less incidence of poor penalties and red favouritism.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes

Seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to race for Mercedes next year, BBC Sport understands.

The German, who will be 41 on 3 January, has signed a contract and the deal will be announced imminently.

Schumacher will partner compatriot Nico Rosberg in the team that won the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2009 in its former guise as Brawn.

His spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said she could not make any comment.

Schumacher's decision will reunite him 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.

The German newspaper Bild is reporting that Schumacher has signed a one-year deal.

Mercedes are known to want German rising star Sebastian Vettel in the long term, but the 22-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2012.

Schumacher was forced to call off a planned temporary comeback as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa last season because of a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident last February.

But Schumacher is known to have had medical checks recently and it must be assumed he has been given the all clear as he would not want to face the same embarrassment again.

He signed a revised contract as a consultant for Ferrari recently, but he told Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo that he was "very close" to concluding a deal to race for Mercedes.

Ferrari have had to release him from his contract to enable him to race for Mercedes.

His comeback is the most high profile in F1 since Austrian Niki Lauda came out of a two-year retirement for the 1982 season to race for McLaren.

Lauda, who was 33 at the time, went on to win a third world title in 1984.

Schumacher has been training hard in preparation for a return and, assuming his neck is fully healed, is not expected to have any problems with fitness.

His former team-mate Eddie Irvine told the BBC last week that he expected Schumacher would win races, even though he would not be as powerful a force as before.

"The speed will be there, though he won't be as fast as he was seven years ago," Irvine said.

"He's not at the peak of his game, but he's still good enough to win races as he has such an immense talent. It's still four wheels, a steering wheel and an engine and there's never been anyone better than Michael."

Irvine said he thought Schumacher would be at a disadvantage in wheel-to-wheel racing compared to the younger generation of drivers such as 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

"Lewis isn't going to back off, but Michael will have to because he'll be 41," Irvine said.

Source: BBC News

Hell yes.

[Subject Delta]

I hope Lewis and Jenson paste him all over the road next season.

[KiHu]

I hope Lewis and Jenson paste him all over the road next season.

Like Jansen Van Vuuren in the 1977 South African GP got pasted?

[Subject Delta]

His name was Janson Van Vuuren, and no I don't want him to be walloped by a car and killed :/ I just want him to be soundly beaten by the McLaren pair.

[brentaal]

His name was Janson Van Vuuren

If you're correcting someone, at least do it right.

[san.W10]

:woot:

if he's going to Merc., then there WAS some kind of politics in MS retiring.

i hope MS is as good as he was.

Jean Todt as FIA pres. :p , Brawn as MS's team boss :p :p, German Team ...... where are the anti-MS?

[KiHu]

:woot:

if he's going to Merc., then there WAS some kind of politics in MS retiring.

i hope MS is as good as he was.

Jean Todt as FIA pres. :p , Brawn as MS's team boss :p :p, German Team ...... where are the anti-MS?

Why anti Microsoft in a Formula one thread?