F1 World Championship 2009 Thread

[Woj]

Pre-race weights & provisional grid

Below is the provisional grid for the British Grand Prix with each car's weight.

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 666.5 kg

2. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 657.5

3. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 659.5

4. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 658

5. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 652.5

6. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 657.5

7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 661.5

8. Timo Glock, Toyota, 660

9. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 654

10. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 654

11. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 675

12. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 689.5

13. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 695.5

14. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 682.5

15. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 665.5

16. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 668

17. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 687.5

18. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 692

19. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 666

20. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 672.5

[Subject Delta]

If Aston Martin decide to join F1, I think it'll save a bit of face for the sport, and it might still bring in some of the British viewers.

I doubt it somehow, They will only be racing using the Aston Martin name, it won't be a true manufacturer team like Ferrari or Renault.

If the breakaway does happen, I'd like to know where the teams that stay will get their engines from. I'm sure that Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, BMW, and Toyota won't be providing anything for them.

Also yesterday during practice 2 on Speed, they said that Monaco will not hold a race if Ferrari isn't racing in F1. So there's one track, I'm sure Canada and possibly US races will be back if the breakaway happens.

The major sponsors will go where the teams/drivers go.

Also are we going to see a return of the "tire wars" and V10's or V12's if the split happens?

I believe cosworth have a tender to supply the engines, they will be supplying the 3 new teams next year.

As for engine wars, personally I doubt that will return in earnest, my guess would be that they decide the engine formula to be used (preferably V10 IMO) and enable development as before (kinda like it was in 2004 before the 2 race limit was introduced), instead of freezing the design.

Also, tyre wars is another interesting one, but with Bridgestone contracted to supply F1, my guess would be they would probably keep the single tyre supplier (presumably they'd ask Michelin or Goodyear to do it) to cut costs.

[84Mark]

Flawless from Vettel - shame Button couldn't pinch 5th in the final lap.

[.mcman]

Trophies for the second and third place are pretty lame. Imagine if McDonalds sponsored this GP... :wacko:

[Subject Delta]

Astonishing performance from Vettel today, he simply crushed everyone including his own team mate, staggering how much of a performance advantage he had. I know Brawn have had some good days, but for me that was the most dominant win of the season so far.

If Red Bull and Vettel carry on performing like that the second half of this season is going to become very interesting. Also interesting to note that the regulations have failed to make overtaking any easier, despite the fact the cars can follow more closely, IMO that will always be a problem because of how close the cars are in performance terms in the modern age.

Quiet a few interesting things to chew on coming out of this weekend, not least waiting with baited breath on the outcome of the FIA/FOTA war

[Konstanov]

I doubt it somehow, They will only be racing using the Aston Martin name, it won't be a true manufacturer team like Ferrari or Renault.

Never know, Aston Martin used to make the DBRs. They can always change their mind later.

[Woj]

F1 resolution found, says Mosley

An agreement has been reached between Formula 1's governing body and the teams to prevent a breakaway series, says FIA president Max Mosley.

The two parties had been engulfed in a bitter row over planned budgetary and technical changes for the new season.

But it appears a resolution has now been found and, as part of the deal, Mosley has agreed not to stand for re-election as president.

"There will be no split. We have agreed to a reduction of costs," added Mosley.

"There will be one F1 championship but the objective is to get back to the spending levels of the early '90s within two years."

F1 surpremo Bernie Ecclestone added that he is "very happy commonsense has prevailed", following a meeting of 120 members of the FIA in Paris aimed at resolving the crisis.

Ahead of the meeting, FIA president Max Mosley had insisted that he would not step down as part of the price of any potential agreement and might even seek re-election as head of world motor sport.

He hit out at what he described as "wholly unjustified criticism" of the FIA, adding: "It is for the FIA membership, and the FIA membership alone, to decide on its democratically elected leadership, not the motor industry and still less the individuals the industry employs to run its Formula 1 teams."

However, it appears Mosley has now agreed to step down when his fourth term as FIA president ends in October, while writs that had been threatened against Ferrari and the other teams in the Formula 1 Teams Association (Fota) - McLaren, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull Racing, Toro Rosso and Brawn GP - are likely to be shelved.

"It's come as a bit of a surprise, given that Fota were planning to meet in Bologna on Thursday to discuss their plans for the breakaway championship," reports BBC sports news correspondent James Munro in Paris.

There has clearly been a trade-off (between Mosley and Fota)

BBC sports news correspondent James Munro

"But what we got today after a meeting of World Motorsport Council was an impromptu press conference and Max Mosley began by saying there will be no split, there will be one championship.

"He said that over the course of the negotiations he had been able to secure guarantees from the teams who were threatening to get away that they would try to reign back the levels of their spending to the levels they were spending in early 90s.

"It was him that had come up with the idea that next season all teams would have a budget cap of about ?40m, but there has clearly been a trade-off as he has also agreed to do what he says was always the plan - stand down as president of the FIA this October."

More to follow. >

Source - BBC

[Miuku.]

Max Hardcore leaves a great legacy - crapped Formula 1 and completely destroyed Rally Championship.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Finally this row is resolved. Thank $deity.

Now let's concentrate on the actual racing, shall we?

[Subject Delta]

Max Hardcore leaves a great legacy - crapped Formula 1 and completely destroyed Rally Championship.

One thing though that is often overlooked is the way Max revolutionised safety in F1. That is something he deserves great credit for, and one of the better legacies he will leave for his follower.

I am glad they have resolved the issues though, a breakaway wouldn't have helped anyone and I am also glad that the idea of capping budgets has finally been shelved for a more sensible cost saving solution

[san.W10]

thank god Max Mosley wont be the nest Pres. of FIA. :D :woot:

so jus 3 new teams joined?

26 cars :D

wow

[digitalsoft]

Really happy that Mosley will be leaving! Best news for F1.

[revvo]

Finally!

Now, Bernie has to leave, then bring back the F1 to Montreal ffs!

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Finally!

Now, Bernie has to leave, then bring back the F1 to Montreal ffs!

CBE won't leave Formula One before they have to carry him away from the paddock in a coffin.

[Gravity Blue]

Cant even wait for his leave. Hate his idea of putting the budget cap, racing is all about getting maximum power to your cars nd compete with others, if everyone will have the same budget resources, everybody would race at the same level...

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

Toro Rosso, Red bull and brawn engines TBA ? Surely they will stick with currents ? lol

3 new teams all using cosworth... lulz ^.^

[CrashG]

That's good news and that some common sense was used. I didn't really want to see a breakaway series, but if that's what had to happen to keep the essence of what F1 is (and always should) be about, then so be it. Glad they got things worked out.

[Subject Delta]

Toro Rosso, Red bull and brawn engines TBA ? Surely they will stick with currents ? lol

3 new teams all using cosworth... lulz ^.^

I'd be surprised if Brawn don't keep the Merc deal (if the FIA let them) they have probably got the best V8 engine in F1 in their car, something I would imagine they would like to keep as Barrichello in particular thinks it has contributed a lot to their performance this year, hell I think Jenson pulled off 3 back to back wins with a single engine... if true, impressive.

As for RBR and STR, can't say what STR are going to do but RBR also appear to be having a fair bit of success with their engines.

The other strange thing, I don't know if the deal has worked this niggle out yet, but I believe that part of the issue the current teams had was that the cosworth engine wasn't going to be de-tuned due to budget constraints, if that isn't changed it could infer a significant performance advantage, but I presume it really must be

[Shibby]

Well Brawn might go for a Ferrari engine. The mclaren engine might be better if you want more mechincal grip, while the ferrari might be better if you want the aero to work harder, I say this because the mclaren car seem to be after more mechincal grip, so no doubt the engine requires slight changes compared to the other teams

[Subject Delta]

Incorrect, if anything the Ferrari engine needs more cooling, which means more drag.

[Mike]

Brawn wanted the Ferrari engine but didn't have the time to modify the car to work with it so they went with the Merc engine as it was easier to fit to their car.

[Subject Delta]

Well it certainly says they earnt a coup there. Winning 3 races back to back is a serious achievement on one engine, the Mercedes guys have done a wonderful job of turning their engine reliability around.

[san.W10]

Mosley 'urged' to stand for re-election

FIA president Max Mosley has revealed that he is under pressure to stand for re-election from other members of the sport's governing body, after admitting that he does not expect to receive the apology he demanded from Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) president Luca di Montezemolo on Thursday.

...

"They made the mistake of dancing on my grave before I was buried," Mosley told the newspaper. "It's no good the teams getting a PR agency to claim I am dead and buried when I am standing here as large as life. I am under pressure now from all over the world to stand for re-election.

....

"I don't really expect Luca will apologise or withdraw in the way that he should," Mosley told the newspaper. "Yet, on the other hand, within the motorsport world nobody takes him seriously. He's seen as what the Italians call a 'bella figura'.

"He's chairman of Fiat but the serious individual who runs it is Sergio Marchionne, and I don't suppose he takes much notice of Luca.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76602

Max is right, Luca di montezmolo doesnt act like a president :D

always whining when not winning. look at Merc/McLaren, toyota or BMW pres. :p

[Shibby]

No it's just Max being Max. I'm sure the teams are sighing. I think they've met the terms agreed before the split occured. In all honestly FOM should get rid of the FIA, the FIA seem to be causing most of the problems.

[Subject Delta]

If max stands for re-election, we just end up back at square one. The contract he made with the teams becomes invalidated, and they pull out. Max really needs to look past his own arrogance and do what is good for Formula 1.