2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 14:44

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 14:44

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 14:45

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 14:54

Top award for FIA President, Max Mosley

FIA President, Max Mosley, has been awarded France's highest award, the prestigious, Chevalier dans l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, in recognition of his contribution to motor sport and road safety

The presentation was conducted on Monday evening by French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy and French Sports Minister Jean-François Lamour at a special ceremony in the French Foreign Ministry at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris.

The ceremony was attended by a group of family, friends and colleagues from the automotive industry and the world of motor sport, including Bernie Ecclestone, Jean Todt and Dietrich Mateschitz.

Eh????

Most hated man in motorsport gets France's highest award??????

:confused:

rpstewart · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:04

Those are some good shots Simon, again another team moving away from just a set of mugshots.

It's a nice looking car too, plenty of detail work. The front wing looks weird though, has been designed by someone who's allergic to rulers?

I'm surprised at the size of the number though, you'd have thought that Renault might want to make more of a song and dance about carrying #1 but I suppose space is money in this game.

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:07

MF1 sews up schmutter deal

MF1 Racing has announced a 2006 partnership with Cesare Attolini, one of Italy's leading traditional tailors.

Founded in the 1930s by Vincenzo Attolini in Naples, Attolini's bespoke attire has become synonymous with sartorial elegance. The family firm, now run by a third generation of master craftsmen, proudly creates garments that "are an introduction to the wearer himself".

"Formula 1 is as much about style as technology," said MF1 managing director Colin Kolles. "Attolini embodies elegance and tradition, two qualities which have been consistent in the World Championship since its inception, and we are pleased to have formed this association."

Lots of small sponsorship - is this car going to look like the williams from a few years ago? Logo's loaded into a cannon and fired at the car?

Dutch Guy · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:10

rpstewart said:
I'm surprised at the size of the number though, you'd have thought that Renault might want to make more of a song and dance about carrying #1 but I suppose space is money in this game.

Yeah, didn't even notice it until you mentioned it

Flibster said:
Eh????

Most hated man in motorsport gets France's highest award??????

Bah, politics

rpstewart · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:12

Biaggi mocks Rossi over spin
Max Biaggi has mocked Valentino Rossi for his spin in a Formula One car at Valencia yesterday, the MotoGP outcast saying he could offer the champion some advice.

Rossi began a three-day test at Valencia yesterday with Ferrari, but due to bad weather, the Italian only ran one installation lap - spinning halfway and ending his day on a shuttle back to the garages.

Biaggi and Rossi have had an acrimonious relationship on and off the track, and the two clashed numerous times in motorcycle racing's top category.

Rossi had previous mocked Biaggi for his inability to sort out technical issues on his bike, specifically the suspension chattering under cornering, and now it's payback time.

"This time I've beaten him," Biaggi told Gazzetta dello Sport. "He mocked me about the bike's chattering? Well, as soon as I got on a current F1 car, the Midland, I did ten laps in the wet at Silverstone, on a real track which I had never seen before, while he didn't even reach the tenth turn at Valencia.

"If he says he needs to ask for my advice on the bike's chattering, then I reply I could explain to him how not to spin an F1 car. Whenever he wants..."

The 2006 mind games have started I see, shame neither of them actually have a drive this year.

Richard T · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:16

Flibster said:
Eh????

Most hated man in motorsport gets France's highest award??????

le ****

No swearing. Read the FAQs

rpstewart · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:17

Dutch Guy said:
Yeah, didn't even notice it until you mentioned it

If you think that's bad go try and find it on a 2003 Williams - the only number is on the front wing between the supports under the nose cone, it's totally invisible unless your standing immediately in front of the car.

Richard T · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:20

rpstewart said:
I'm surprised at the size of the number though, you'd have thought that Renault might want to make more of a song and dance about carrying #1 but I suppose space is money in this game.

just found it!!!

tiny aint it

Dutch Guy · 1 Feb 2006 at 15:21

rpstewart said:
If you think that's bad go try and find it on a 2003 Williams - the only number is on the front wing between the supports under the nose cone, it's totally invisible unless your standing immediately in front of the car.

It's just so annoying to not be able to see which car of a team is driving around, at least Ferrari had yellow stickers on the spoilers of one car a while ago but now you have to look at the helmet to see who it is.

Richard T · 1 Feb 2006 at 16:08

Dutch Guy said:
It's just so annoying to not be able to see which car of a team is driving around, at least Ferrari had yellow stickers on the spoilers of one car a while ago but now you have to look at the helmet to see who it is.

After a few races you'll know who's who.... does take a while sometimes.
Its worse when there are new boys with new helmet designs.....

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 16:24

Fisichella makes Renault pledge

Giancarlo Fisichella insists he has the backing of Renault and wants to stay with the reigning F1 champions.

The 33-year-old Italian, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has promised to fight for his future despite suffering a disappointing 2005.

"I am looking forward, my contract is until 2006 but my target is to be with them in the future," said Fisichella.

"My target is to race with them. The team is happy about last year, they believe in me, I believe in them."

Fisichella joined Renault last season but found himself overshadowed by Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the world championship.

Alonso has since announced he will join McLaren in 2007, but Fisichella, who finished fourth in the driver standings with only one win all season, says he is not aiming to follow in the footsteps of his team-mate.

"I haven't spoken to Renault about the future. Most of my problem last year was bad luck," he said.

"I don't need to show anything, I just need to win. I think the team is just concentrating on winning the championship with two cars."

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 17:36

Swiss reject racing law

The Swiss federal government has rejected plans to allow motor racing competitions in the country.

The Upper House of the Swiss Parliament (known as the Bundesrat) has decided against cancelling the ban on racing which has existed since 1955. The argument put forward was that such an event would increase pollution and impair the quality of life in Switzerland.

The politicians also argued that a Formula 1 race would offer little economic benefit.

Aaaah...nice to see the Swiss *aka - the other white race...* being as bizarre as normal.

Increase pollution and impair the quality of life??? W...T...F...

The fact that they've got a F1 team based there has nothing to do with it, and that Peter Sauber was voted Swiss personality of the year *which says a lot about the place really...*

Hmmmm...ok..

Richard T · 1 Feb 2006 at 21:10

ROSSI STARS AS ALONSO SETS PACE

Valentino Rossi was the star of the show in testing at Valencia on Wednesday despite world champion Fernando Alonso ending the day fastest of all.

Rossi, who failed to complete a lap for Ferrari on the opening day of the test, managed 50 on his second attempt and set the ninth quickest lap of all in a V8-powered F2004.

The Italian's time, although not the quickest, was impressive for someone of his lack of experience and more than fast enough to establish him in such exalted company.

Crowds of locals turned up to see the new world champion once again prove the pace of the new R26.

The Spaniard was joined by Heikki Kovalainen, who was sixth fastest in the sister Renault.

Jenson Button was second fastest in the new Honda, the Englishman less than a tenth away from Alonso's pace.

Michael Schumacher was third fastest and the leading Bridgestone runner in the new Ferrari 248 F1, which is beginning to reveal some of its true pace.

Juan Pablo Montoya got into his stride for McLaren in fourth place. He was also the last of the men to break into the 1m12 barrier, as team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was sidelined with a bad cold.

Rubens Barrichello was fifth fastest in the second Honda as he concentrated on long runs.

Jacques Villeneuve produced another solid run in the new BMW F1.06 while working on set-up and new aero parts. Toyota's Ricardo Zonta was eighth.

David Coulthard took over from Christian Klien at Red Bull to go tenth ahead of Alex Wurz in the interim Williams-Cosworth FW27C. Team-mate Mark Webber was 13th as he put more miles on the new FW28.

Gary Paffett was 12th for McLaren, Jarno Trulli 14th after a spin while BMW's tester Robert Kubica brought up the rear.

Wednesday's testing times from Valencia

1. ALONSO Renault 1m11.291s
2. BUTTON Honda 1m11.327s
3. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m11.831s
4. MONTOYA McLaren 1m11.978s
5. BARRICHELLO Honda 1m12.062s
6. KOVALAINEN Renault 1m12.113s
7. VILLENEUVE BMW 1m12.619s
8. ZONTA Toyota 1m12.660s
9. ROSSI Ferrari 1m12.856s
10. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m12.883s
11. WURZ Williams 1m12.925s
12. PAFFETT McLaren 1m12.937s
13. WEBBER Williams 1m13.050s
14. TRULLI Toyota 1m13.078s
15. KUBICA BMW 1m13.332s

is Rossi a god or what??

only a sec off the shues time :eek:

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 21:32

ashtray_head said:
is Rossi a god or what??

only a sec off the shues time

In a car that's faster than the 2006 car. Stick him in the 2006 car and lets see what he can do. *Biaggi has already giving him a kicking in the press about spinning the car

*

He's in the F2004 with a V8 in the back - so it's got the '04 aero package which is much more capable at keeping the car together than the 06 aero packages.

The V8 is meant to be 1.5-2 seconds a lap slower than the V10 - and the V10'd F2004 lapped 2.8 seconds faster than the time Schumacher managed today - so....he's 1.8s off the pace..if my maths holds up *which it rarely does*

Although - who was saying the MP4-21 was slow?

3rd day of full running on a car they've yet to build up a base setup on and it's in the 1:11's.

You can tell which cars have been running for the longest though - they're at the top - shame that generally testing times me diddley squat.

Simon/~Flibster

Flibster · 1 Feb 2006 at 21:38

Biaggi doesn't mind teaching Rossi F1

Max Biaggi said he doesn't mind explaining to his biggest rival in MotoGP, Valentino Rossi, how to drive a Formula One without spinning it.

In his first public test Valentino Rossi wasn't able to complete a decent lap with the Ferrari F2004 at Valencia. After 10 corners the Italian spun the car into the gravel and was unable to continue testing that day.

Biaggi enjoyed Rossi's performance and told Gazzetta dello Sport:
"This time I have beaten him. I got into a current F1 car (Midland) and did ten laps at the wet Silverstone track without any problems. I had never driven that track before. At Valencia he didn't even manage ten corners."

"I don't mind explaining to him how not to spin an F1 car. Whenever he likes..."

Genius!

Richard T · 1 Feb 2006 at 21:41

Flibster said:
In a car that's faster than the 2006 car. Stick him in the 2006 car and lets see what he can do. *Biaggi has already giving him a kicking in the press about spinning the car *

He's in the F2004 with a V8 in the back - so it's got the '04 aero package which is much more capable at keeping the car together than the 06 aero packages.

The V8 is meant to be 1.5-2 seconds a lap slower than the V10 - and the V10'd F2004 lapped 2.8 seconds faster than the time Schumacher managed today - so....he's 1.8s off the pace..if my maths holds up *which it rarely does*

Simon/~Flibster

c'mon Simon there aint many sports stars that could do that

Arc · 1 Feb 2006 at 21:53

Flibster said:
Aaaah...nice to see the Swiss *aka - the other white race...* being as bizarre as normal.

Increase pollution and impair the quality of life??? W...T...F...

The fact that they've got a F1 team based there has nothing to do with it, and that Peter Sauber was voted Swiss personality of the year *which says a lot about the place really...*

Hmmmm...ok..

And Schuey lives there

.

The Swiss government just hate cars though (road and race), thats the overridding problem that motorsport faces in that country.

In saying that, it aint exactly a poor country so the economic benefits of an F1 GP probably wouldnt be as much for them as it would be for a so called develeoping country.