2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

Renault R26 on schedule

Bob Bell, Renault's Technical Director, discussed testing progress in recent weeks, and gave an update on the new R26 ahead of Christmas.

Q: The team has completed three weeks of winter testing before Christmas. What have you learned?

Bob Bell: Our testing programme has gone very well. The drivers have noticed that we need quite a different set-up on the car, so we have worked hard to understand what is required, and give ourselves a solid baseline for our work with the new car in January.

Equally, we have done a lot of tyre development to begin adapting to the new regulations in this area, and we have reaped the benefits of a reliable package to conduct a lot of running and make good progress.

Q: Will Michelin's announcement last Wednesday, concerning their withdrawal from Formula 1 beyond 2006, have an impact on our work for next season?

BB: Not at all. We go into 2006 as world champions, and we are determined to defend those titles. I have no doubt that Michelin intend to do exactly the same. We have already seen enhanced collaboration between the Michelin teams this winter, and a rapid rate of tyre development. We are confident this will continue until the final round of 2006.

Q: You have announced that the R26 will run for the first time on January 10 at Jerez. Is everything on track?

BB: We are on schedule with the project. As always, the programme for producing the new car is very tight because we look to maximise our design time before production begins, and then running time once it is complete.

Indeed, for 2006 we have brought forward our first runs with the new car: this allows us to anticipate any issues that may arise when we run the V8 for the first time on track, and ensure we have a fully reliable package for the opening race in Bahrain.
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F1's Concorde Agreement made public

A copy of the highly confidential Concorde Agreement has been made public.

US news agency 'RaceFax Online' is offering F1's 100-page commercial agreement - albeit the expired 1997 version - to paid subscribers at racefax.com.

The agency said 'recent events' - no doubt the rancid political environment surrounding the renewal of a 2008-2012 Concorde - had inspired the decision to make the document public.

'We have been in possession of the Concorde for many years,' said the agency.
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Yes - I am trying to get a copy - should be interesting reading.
 
Flibster said:
Yes - I am trying to get a copy - should be interesting reading.
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Grabbed this extract - if the rest is worded like this, it could take some time to decipher.

Extract from the 1997 Concorde Agreement:

THE PRIZE FUND

3.1 The Commercial Rights Holder shall divide the Prize Fund into three (3) parts and pay the share due to the Competitor in accordance with the provisions of this Clause 3, as follows:

(a) twenty per cent (20%) according to final qualifying results;
(b) forty-five per cent (45%) according to race results;
(c) thirty-five per cent (35%) by way of fixed compensation.

Subject to Clause 6, the payments referred to in Clause 3.1 shall be distributed according to the following scale:

(a) Final Qualifying results (20%)

1st: 2.00% 6th: 1.30% 11th: 0.85% 16th: 0.60%
2nd: 1.75% 7th: 1.20% 12th: 0.80% 17th: 0.55%
3rd: 1.60% 8th: 1.10% 13th: 0.75% 18th: 0.50%
4th: 1.50% 9th: 1.00% 14th: 0.70% 19th: 0.45%
5th: 1.40% 10th: 0.90% 15th: 0.65% 20th: 0.40%

(b) Race Results (45%)

------ Distance ------
1/4 1/2 3/4 Finish
1st: 1.020% 1.020% 1.020% 5.440%
2nd: 0.780% 0.780% 0.780% 4.160%
3rd: 0.630% 0.630% 0.630% 3.360%
4th: 0.510% 0.510% 0.510% 2.720%
5th: 0.390% 0.390% 0.390% 2.080%
6th: 0.300% 0.300% 0.300% 1.600%
7th: 0.240% 0.240% 0.240% 1.280%
8th: 0.216% 0.216% 0.216% 1.152%
9th: 0.192% 0.192% 0.192% 1.024%
10th: 0.168% 0.168% 0.168% 0.896%
11th: 0.150% 0.150% 0.150% 0.800%
12th: 0.138% 0.138% 0.138% 0.736%
13th: 0.126% 0.126% 0.126% 0.672%
14th: 0.114% 0.114% 0.114% 0.608%
15th: 0.102% 0.102% 0.102% 0.544%
16th: 0.090% 0.090% 0.090% 0.480%
17th: 0.078% 0.078% 0.078% 0.416%
18th: 0.066% 0.066% 0.066% 0.352%
19th: 0.054% 0.054% 0.054% 0.288%
20th: 0.036% 0.036% 0.036% 0.192%

(Distances to be rounded up to a whole number of laps)

(c) Fixed Compensation (35%):

shall be divided into two equal parts of 17.5% each:

(i) one such part shall be distributed to the competitors in proportion to the number of FIA F1 Championship points scored by each competitor in the previous two half seasons; and

(ii) the other such part shall be distributed equally among the top ten competitors in the FIA F1 Championship for the previous two half seasons and if the top ten competitors represent less than twenty cars to the next highest competitor and so on until compensation has been distributed to twenty cars provided that no competitor shall be entitled to such distribution in respect of a number of cars other than that which it entered for the whole of the previous FIA F1 championship and in any event shall not be so entitled in respect of more than two cars.
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Yup - as I thought - It's Legalese...

:(

Will pass it through a colleague who understands that crap to translate for me.

Actually - read it through for a second time and it seems to make some sence... Looks a right pain in the arse to work out though.

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
Flibster said:
The rear end of that car is still astounding me...there is nothing there at all. :eek:
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You're not kidding! It looks like they've gone for the same kind of wheelbase and airbox size as a V10 car and then just cut away the dead space.

It backs up comments that I heard before the end of the last season that the designers would be concentrating on rear end downforce for the 2006 cars.
 
Ferrari postpone 2006 car launch

Ferrari has decided to postpone the launch of its new car, the 'F2006'.

The Maranello based team was planning a January 16 unveiling of the V8-powered racer at the factory, but faced the prospect of sharing the date with BMW Sauber, to launch in Spain.

Reportedly, Scuderia Ferrari will now unveil the next scarlet contender on Monday 23 January - exactly a week later.

Honda will then present its car two days later, followed by Williams on the twenty seventh. Toyota, though, will beat them all to it by officially presenting the TF106 on 14 January.

Renault will launch on 31 January, and Red Bull in Bahrain just ahead of the season opener. McLaren is heading for a January launch, and MF1 in February.

Red Bull-owned Scuderia Toro Rosso's new car intentions, meanwhile, remain basically unclear.
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Brunner leaves Toyota

According to the F1 grapevine, Toyota's chief designer Gustav Brunner has left the team.

The 55-year-old F1 veteran has worked at Cologne since the Japanese marque entered grands prix in 2002, but is thought to have not got along with technical director Mike Gascoyne since the Briton arrived late in 2003.

It is speculated that Brunner, who switched to Toyota from Minardi in the summer of 2001, did not leave voluntarily. In addition, no information is available as to a future employ for the Austrian.
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Gianfranco Fantuzzi to Manage Scuderia Toro Rosso

Scuderia Toro Rosso has received another boost to their growing team. Gianfranco Fantuzzi, formerly the logistics manager at the Toyota F1 team, has joined STR as the team manager. He will work with team principal, Franz Tost, who was signed away from BMW last month.
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Honda considered signing Newey

Honda Racing team principal Nick Fry has admitted that the team discussed a deal with design wizard Adrian Newey before he quit McLaren for Red Bull.

Newey, considered by many to be F1's leading car designer, was approached by BAR-Honda's technical director Geoff Willis in the summer according to January's edition of F1 Racing.

Willis is reported to have gone to Newey with the enthusiastic support of Honda Japan.

But as we know now, Newey plumped for the lucrative opportunity to express his ideas in the Red Bull Racing outfit.

"Geoff did have a few discussions with Adrian," Fry told the magazine, "but, in the end we concluded that there was no role for an individual like Adrian at Honda.

"Everyone at Honda understood that."
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No role for Newey? They don't want an Aero genius?

I think that Red Bull may have an ace up their sleeve with Newey when the new regs come into force in 2007 - Newey's always been superb when it comes to wide changes like that.

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
Richards planning Prodrive F1 team

Former BAR-Honda and Benetton team boss David Richards says he is considering a return to Formula 1 with his own team in 2008, but only if the sport becomes cost effective for small outfits once more.

Richards, whose Prodrive preparation company is planning an F1 facility in Warwickshire according to F1 Racing magazine, admitted his plans depend on the sport adopting Max Mosley's cost-slashing proposals for 2008.

"If the changes that Max [Mosley] is trying to bring forward in the next couple of years come to fruition, I firmly believe there will be room for small organisations to operate within F1," DR said in the January edition of the magazine, which goes on sale Tuesday, December 20.

"A small, nimble outfit can actually tip the balance in F1 and bring it back to where it rightfully belongs –where the fans are."

Richards was forced to watch from the sidelines this year after he was ousted from his post at BAR when Honda bought 45% percent of the team in the winter of 2004.

And he warned that manufacturers must not be allowed to take over Formula 1.

"The Toyotas won't be around for ever, though," he added.

"The car makers – for eminently valid reasons – use motorsport as long as its useful to them. Then they discard it. And the independent teams will be left to pick up the pieces.

"If Max isn't allowed to succeed in his crusade, then more fool F1."
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Everthing he's turned his hand to he's won at pretty much - got booted out at BAR sadly though.

Although him being in charge of the WRC isn't doing it much good at the moment.

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
Renault eye F1 exit?

Even with the 2005 world titles in the bag, Renault's new CEO - Carlos Ghosn - may be devising a Formula One exit strategy for post-'07.

Ghosn is a renowned cost cutter, and is reportedly concerned about the flagging sales of road cars in Europe - down 12 per cent.

Even in Spain, world champion Fernando Alonso's home market, the sales decline is 3.5%.

Renault's F1 president Patrick Faure told the 'Bloomberg' agency that the Enstone-based team must remain in the top-3 to stay on the race grid.

Ghosn is expected to present his 3-year Renault plan in February.

'(He) won't lose sleep about Renault staying in Formula One,' Kimio Kase, who has written a book about Ghosn's leadership of Nissan, said.

''He'll ... look to see if there is synergy between Formula One and Renault - which I don't think there is.'

Clearly, however, Faure is a fan of the F1 programme, and he said that Renault's involvement is more about 'reputation' and 'image' than mere car sales.

'Being world champion, we have a very good return on what we invest,' said the Frenchman. For the record, Renault's annual investment is about $300m, albeit less than rivals like McLaren, Honda and Toyota.
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Minardi founder leaves Faenza

Gian Carlo Minardi, who first sat on the F1 pitwall in 1985, has left his office at Faenza.

After selling his little Minardi team to Paul Stoddart for 2001, founder Gian Carlo stayed in Italy as an employee - looking for sponsors and courting young drivers.

But with the latest sale to Red Bull, Minardi - in a personal statement released to the Italian press - revealed that he could not find agreement for a continuing job at team 'Scuderia Toro Rosso'.

Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz said in October that the Faenza factory door would 'always be open' to the team's 'big father'.

But Minardi now says: 'There is a lack of common ground with the new owners to carry on.'

As the team's founder moves on, however, another former staff member - designer Gustav Brunner - could make his way back to Faenza.

With the Austrian's exit from Toyota, Red Bull - an Austrian energy drink company - might be seen as a logical destination. STR's team head, Franz Tost, is also from Austria.
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The Tortoise and the Hare

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has likened the 2005 season to one of Aesop's most notable fables - the Tortoise and the Hare.

Although his silver team missed out on either world championship, Ron's MP4-20 car - winner of ten grands prix compared to Renault's eight - was widely regarded as the quickest of the '05 season.

Indeed, Dennis - chairman of the Mercedes-powered camp - calls the year a 'very good' one.

'But I would like to call it the Tortoise and the Hare,' he told the Daily Telegraph 'paper.

'We did have the fastest car and we didn't win.'

In Aesop's fable, the Hare ridiculed the Tortoise before they embarked on a race. Because the speedy Hare took a mid-race nap, though, the moral of the fable is that 'slow and steady wins the race'.

However, RD stops short of describing Flavio Briatore's blue and yellow R25 package as slow.

'Credit where it is due,' Ron admitted, 'the package Renault brought to the opening races was extremely reliable and competitive enough to win.'
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Zanardi film to be made

A film will be made about the bittersweet career of former F1 and Champ Car driver Alex Zanardi.

The 39-year-old Italian told Autosprint magazine that the rights to his autobiography - 'My Sweetest Victory' - have been sold to a US company.

Zanardi, today a winning touring car driver, lost both his legs in a 2001 Champ Car shunt. He drove 44 grands prix for Lotus and Williams, including briefly at Jordan and Minardi.

Zanardi's best finish in F1 was a sixth place, but he won the US based CART series twice.
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They'll ignore his F1 years and the average american audience doesnt' even know F1 exists - they all play up the fact that he single handedly won the war with Japan and was the the voice of reason behind Brutus killing Ceasar...

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
Belgium website slings a right-hook at Midland F1

What is it with this team ? In the week that the team successfully take to the test track they've been sniped by the British press, and now a journalist working for the Belgian F1 World website has decided to publish what could be considered libelous comments about the team.

The full article can be found using the link below, but you'll need to translate it using Babelfish unless you can already read the native lingo. I've provided a literal translation, again below, to save you all the bother of hunting out Babelfish.

The essence of the article is that everything concerning Midland is fine on the surface but underneath, in the parts we the fans cannot see, things are not so rosy. The so called facts that point to this, according to www.f1world.be, are:

1. The M16 will not be a completely new car, but an adaptation of the 2003 car
2. That Toyota are using their engine supply agreement with Midland to block another Japanese competitor
3. That the team are only budgetting to spend $15million which will come from TV and driver sponsorship only, with no investment from the greater Midland group. Cited as evidence of this is the recent news that Baz Leinders turned down a drive due to not being able to come up with enough sponsorship
4. The Colin Kolles is the son of a Rumanian spy, and is facing charges of arms smuggling. Apparently a London judge is already deciding his fate
5. That Annouck Heinrichs has been sacked from the team and left the country on Friday

Strikes me that someone in Belgium has an overactive imagination and needs to cut down on the coffee !

We are attempting to get clarification on some of these points from Midland, but until we do let's have a look at them shall we ?

On the car front we already know that Dallara were involved in designing a completely new chassis, but now all that work has moved in-house. With the move from V10 to V8 engines, using a two year old chassis design would be nuts - wouldn't it ? In addition, how do they know specifically that it will be the 2003 chassis ? Sounds like pretty wild guesswork to me !

The Toyota engine story is old news. We've had a statement from Midland published right here on this site, and Toyota themselves have also admitted publically that they are not involved in any actions that would block Super Aguri.

On the finances front, we already know that budgets are set to increase for 2006. I think that last week in Jerez Midland did more days testing than they did in the whole of 2005 ! The signs that things are a lot more serious are there. Where the money is coming from and how much is, and always will be, a closely guarded secret and not really a productive subject to speculate on.

The Colin Kolles stuff I'm leaving well alone, but I would not blame Midland or Colin for personally pursuing a legal action for the comments made. We may even need to remove them from the MF1O forum, they are that bad !

We do know that Annouck Heinrichs was taken to the airport on Friday, but we don't know under what circumstances. This is one of the points we are trying to clarify with Midland.

Make of this what you will readers. One message board poster has already put forward the notion that the article was written by "a peed off Jordan fan" - I can't help but feel that there just might be a shred of truth in that statement.

More on this when we get some feedback from our sources at Midland.

Article URL:

http://www.f1world.be/f1nieuws.php?id=12511_0_2_0_C

Babelfish literal translation:

Excluding: Situation at Midland is completely differently than presumption does!

Midland have will drive coming season for the first time since the adoption of Jordan under its own name, among others Christijan Albers have been already confirmed for this as of the. These yielded it was announced that the new carriage in January is presented. The situation at Midland seems therefore reasonable well be but truth is completely differently.

There is total no talk of a completely new carriage with which Midland want take part in 2006, they will use of an adapted carriage of during 2003. this explains also enigzins why Midland voted against as only team concerning the accession of super Aguri to the formula 1. super Aguri have no right to tv-gelden the first two seasons but nevertheless them a real threat to Midland is. Kolles, team boss of Midland, will have zogezegd no objection against the arrival of super Aguri but then only when them 5 millions would pay dollar.

Financially are Midland of plan finish the season 2006 with 15 millions dollar to tv-gelden, two rijders who each 12 millions pay dollar and of the must lay down that 5 millions dollar. Concerning the zitje as third of the let among others bass Leinders yesterday still know that he does not discuss the offer because 5 millions dollar simply much too much money are.

Furthermore there is still the fact that Collin Kolles its truth name are actual Kollisnicz, zoon is of an ex Rumanian spion and the nonkel of it is one of the largest arms trafficking******which even recently still in London for the judge has had come. Kolles have let change its name then he in 1983, to Germany have moved.

Also in the field of dismissals falls there still what to tell concerning Midland. Annouck Heinrichs, persverantwoordelijke at Midland and ex-FIA, the alley has been sent out the day before yesterday. They feared in November already for its job but then said them at Midland that she did not have fear for its work. The bui which she felt hang then, appeared unfortunately for its, with some weeks delay nevertheless come.
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Not commenting at all on this one...

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
Toyota confirms Brunner departure

Toyota has confirmed that Gustav Brunner has left the team.

"Toyota Motorsport can confirm that Gustav Brunner has left the team," said a spokesman, this morning (Monday). "Toyota has made operational changes to its chassis department as part of a continuous improvement process which has seen the implementation of three chassis development project groups within its Formula 1 team.

"With three groups running in parallel, one focussing on the current car, one concentrating on the next stage of development and the third looking at advanced design, the position of Chief Designer has become obsolete."

The Austrian has been linked with a move to Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull owned team that bought Minardi, with which he spent much of his career.
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Just heard a good rumour from a reliable person as well..

Driving the 2007 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be....





Fernando Alonso...

:eek: :eek: :eek: :D

Just a rumour at the moment though - chap has been reliable in the past though.

No mention of teammate though *suspect Raikkonen to Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton to take his place at McLaren*

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
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Sod that above - just been confirmed..

Alonso will join McLaren in 2007

Alonso won the Formula One world championship with Renault in 2005
World champion Fernando Alonso will join McLaren from Renault in 2007.

The Spaniard is contracted to Renault for next season but his move will oust either Kimi Raikkonen or Juan Pablo Montoya at McLaren.

The moves comes just days after McLaren signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Vodafone.

"It's great that our strong belief in the strength and competitiveness of the package has been endorsed by the world champion," said team boss Ron Dennis.
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So he was running a little slower than normal...

Simon/~Flibscrooge
 
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