2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

[Flibster]

Ferrari to Test at Bahrain for Nine Days

One month before the 2006 grand prix season kicks off at the very same circuit, Bahrain will burst into formula one action on Monday morning.

Ferrari, Honda and Scuderia Toro Rosso are now set up in the circuit's garages, ahead of a rare and controversial offshore test.

Honda and 'STR' will test until Thursday, while Ferrari stay on for a mammoth nine day session in the Gulf State.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) arrived in Bahrain on Saturday, and Honda's Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Anthony Davidson are also in town, according to reports.

"It is important that we test here," said Brazil's Barrichello, "to make sure we are as strong as we can be."

Button, too, has been quoted as saying Bahrain will be the 'most important test of the year', even if other teams argue that it is an expensive and logistically troublesome way to prepare for the new season.

 

[Flibster]

Berger won't test 'STR' car

New formula one team co-owner Gerhard Berger has denied suggestions that he could test the Scuderia Toro Rosso car.

Although the 46-year-old Austrian contested 210 grands prix - winning ten - between 1984 and 1997, he ruled out leaping into the new STR01 racer's cockpit.

"Not at my age," Berger laughed to Switzerland's Blick newspaper. He also revealed that the STR deal with Dietrich Mateschitz was not his only opportunity to return to the grand prix pitlane since hanging up his BMW chief's hat in 2003.

Berger said: "I received many offers to become a director in large teams. But I am an entrepreneur, so I want to have some fun too."

He said his fifty per cent purchase of Toro Rosso was hashed out over a drink in Salzburg with his long time friend, Mateschitz. "Didi said to me, 'I want to buy half of your (shipping) company'," Berger told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport,

"I replied 'then I want to buy half of Toro Rosso. So we did it!" Berger will definitely attend the opening grand prix of 2006, in Bahrain.

 

[Flibster]

Toro Rosso to respect V10 restrictions

Scuderia Toro Rosso have said they will respect any move by the FIA to further cut back the performance of their V10 engine this season , even though they think they currently have no advantage over their V8 rivals.

The Red Bull junior team's boss Franz Tost has said his outfit will have no choice but to accept any action taken by the FIA - who have made it clear that a final decision on the 'equivalency' formula between V10s and V8s may not be made until the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

It comes after continued concerns from rival teams, especially Midland F1, who claim that V8 engines may be at a disadvantage compared to the V10 Cosworths that are being run by Toro Rosso this year.

Tost told autosport.com: "It is the FIA who regulates these things and I respect its decisions. From the figures its states, and from what I can see, our V10 is not in front.

"The V8s are in front by far. I can talk for Cosworth and we are not at an advantage - although it is up to the FIA to regulate. Should it decide that other figures would be appropriate to realise the equivalency formula, then we will respect that."

Tost has also not ruled out the possibility of the FIA actually waiting until after the Bahrain Grand Prix to decide on whether the performance of the V10s needs to be cut back or whether the current rev limit and air intake stipulation are enough.

"It can happen after Bahrain, but currently there is nothing more to add. I just follow what the governing body says."

At the Midland launch earlier this month, team principal Colin Kolles said that there would likely be problems if Toro Rosso outqualified his cars in Bahrain.

 

[Flibster]

Hockenheim demise is imminent

F1's 2006 calendar could drop to just seventeen grands prix this week, with Hockenheim now believed to be financially unable to run a German GP.

With Belgium's axed Spa Francorchamps reducing the schedule from nineteen grands prix last week, it is now expected that Hockenheim's July 30 date may be imminently scrapped.

The local 'Mannheimer Morgen' newspaper in Germany has now quoted a participant of recent crisis meetings at the circuit as saying that, 'without new money', Hockenheim does not have the means to continue organisation for the race beyond February.

Hockenheim mayor and circuit chief Dieter Gummer, however, reportedly rejected the claim, saying that a solution to the crisis is still being worked on.

 

[Flibster]

Rivals Becoming Unsympathic to Free Spending Red Bull

Red Bull could have become formula one's biggest spender, according to Flavio Briatore.

Like rival team McLaren, the Italian's Renault camp has experienced the sour end of what he calls Red Bull's recent 'shopping tour' for talent.

Briatore, 55, reckons Red Bull - run by owner of two F1 teams, billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz - is offering 'extravagant' wages to those switching to his F1 camp.

''In the past we all thought Ferrari spent the most money,'' Flavio told Auto Motor Und Sport.

''Maybe we have to reconsider that.''

Earlier this month, Briatore also hit out at Red Bull for 'betraying' fellow Michelin teams in the vote on '06's tyre rules.

He continued: ''They got a lot of sympathy in their first season, but they start to lose that.''

 

[Flibster]

But does this also hold true for TV cameres? If it does surely it'll backfire and the director will be more likely to avoid showing the McLaren due to the glare etc it'll generate at bright races.

Steve

Possibly...

Try taking a photo of the surface of a mirror *not the reflection* ...now imaging that moving at 200mph..

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Information, Development Flow May Stop if Fernando Falls Behind

Renault says Fernando Alonso will be supported 'equally' until the final grand prix of 2006, before he switches to rival McLaren.

It is, however, a sentiment not shared totally by the 24-year-old Spaniard, who says his French-owned employer is likely to freeze him out - and favour Giancarlo Fisichella - if he drops out of title contest.

"In that situation," Fernando told the Spanish 'Sociedad Espanola de Radiodifusion' radio network, "I would expect information and developments to not be the same (as teammate Fisichella) so that I cannot take them to McLaren."

Alonso, however, added that if he is again fighting for the championship, then he is likely to get full support.

But Renault's Bob Bell, team technical director, said both Alonso and Fisichella can expect total support, no matter how developed the season is.

He insisted: "That is what you have to do if you are serious about winning championships."

 

[Flibster]

Toyota to Launch 'B' Car by May

Toyota did not join three F1 rivals at the Bahrain winter test this week for financial and logistical reasons, Mike Gascoyne has explained.

Honda racer Jenson Button has been reported as being surprised that more of F1's eleven teams did not accompany his employer, plus Ferrari and Toro Rosso, in flying into the Gulf region.

But with mere weeks until the circus reconvenes at the Sakhir circuit for the opening grand prix, Gascoyne - Toyota technical director - says it did not make sense to test in Bahrain.

"Naturally," said the Briton, "those teams will get some useful information by testing there.

"But the reality is that it is still just one test, and logistically it means compromising your tests before and after (travelling to and from Bahrain)."

Toyota's other argument, however - the cost - doesn't really seem valid when the Cologne based team intend to launch a 'b' car as early as May 2006.

Gascoyne, at least, denied that an all-new Toyota car - the TF107 - could be ready and racing by the end of the year.

"The plan is to test the TF107 in January next year," Mike added, also admitting that a second wind tunnel will soon be operational.

Toyota must have money to burn!

3 cars in 1 year...

Anyway - more of the Bahrain revision bodywork..

 

[Flibster]

Oris renews its sponsorship with Williams

WilliamsF1 confirmed today that Oris SA of Switzerland, the premium timepiece maker, has again renewed its sponsorship engagement with the team to take the partnership into the long term.

Oris initially joined Williams’ sponsor community in 2003 as the team’s official watch partner. Intending to bring its long established and unique timepieces to the attention of new markets and consumers, the Swiss-based company developed a collection of Formula One inspired watches, including the Limited Edition WilliamsF1 Team Chronograph, with its strap design mirroring that of an F1 tyre’s vertical tread. This proved to be its most successful and best selling watch of 2003.

Having achieved such results from its partnership, Oris upgraded its sponsorship at the start of 2005, while today’s extended contract is a clear indication of the mutual benefits the sponsorship brings. The partnership’s shared synergies of precision mechanical engineering and the importance of split second timing will now continue to provide the basis for the fourth year of association.

The forthcoming season will see the Oris branding make a departure from its traditional location on the car’s rear wing endplates as it is re-positioned to the WilliamsF1 FW28’s front wing endplates as well as the drivers’ and pit-crews’ fire suits. The team’s race drivers, Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg, will also fulfil an ambassadorial role for the brand as Oris produce two new Limited Edition driver chronographs.

Following Oris’ decision to broaden its relationship with Williams, Ulrich Herzog, Chairman and CEO of Oris SA, Switzerland, commented, “We have enjoyed a definite strengthening of brand awareness and image since we became an on-car sponsor of the WilliamsF1 Team. We trust that with the team’s strong efforts to be one of the top teams in 2006, and with the new position of the Oris logo on the front wing endplates, we will experience a further boost to our image and our sales.”

Frank Williams, Team Principal of the WiliamsF1 Team, confirmed, “This announcement follows a long line of new sponsorship and renewal confirmations for the team. Oris have been a long standing partner so I’m delighted that they are achieving such positive results through the relationship and are continuing their support of the team.”

 

[Flibster]

Ecclestone doubts Rossi will switch to F1

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone doesn't think Valentino Rossi will make the switch to car racing - because his contract with Yamaha in MotoGP is too good.

Although Ecclestone is sure that Rossi joining F1 would be great for the sport, he believes that ultimately Ferrari may not be able to offer the financial rewards that he is currently getting in motorcycle racing.

"Yeah, if Valentino can get the job done and make it into Formula One, then it's a good thing for everyone concerned, and good for F1," said Ecclestone.

"But we've not spoken lately so I don't know what he wants to do, really. Whether he's happy just messing around on four wheels or wants to take it further I don't know.

"But I understand that it might be a bit difficult for him to leave such a lucrative contract as he is currently in."

Ecclestone's comments come amid reports that Ferrari have demanded an answer from Rossi in the next few months about whether or not he wants to join them in 2007.

Sources close to Valentino Rossi were quoted in this week's Motorcycle News as saying that Ferrari want a decision soon so they can plan for their future.

A close friend of Rossi told the newspaper: "Valentino is now really close to moving to F1.

"Ferrari are pushing harder than ever to get him into their car in 2007. They have told him they need an answer in the next two or three months, but his mind may be made up earlier.

"This is a dangerous time for motorcycling fans because you can see that now he is thinking about moving to F1 more seriously than ever."

 

[Flibster]

Ferrari steal the show in Turin

From techno beats to string quartets, Turin's Winter Olympics opened tonight with hundreds of dancers drawing spectators on a glitzy trip through Italian history, with a nod to Botticelli, Fellini and Ferraris.

Rollerbladers, red flames shooting from their helmets, sped across a stage. Cows danced and men in lederhosen played alpenhorns while the Stadio Olimpico built by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1933 rocked to modern beats.

But it was a red Ferrari, symbol of Italy's postwar industrial power, that stole the show.

The team's test driver Luca Badoer steered an all-red Formula One car - with the Olympic rings on the engine cover and rear wing, along with Italy's flag on the nose cone - screaming on to the stage, completing five tight turns as fireworks shot into the sky.

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi opened the Games and IOC President Jacques Rogge encouraged athletes to play fair.

"Please compete in a spirit of fair play, mutual understanding and respect and, above all, compete cleanly by refusing dope," he told athletes massed around him centre stage.

"Our world today is in need of peace, tolerance and brotherhood. The values of the Olympic Games can deliver these to us," he told a crowd where US first lady Laura Bush and Cherie Booth, wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, sat side-by-side among monarchs, heads of state and other dignitaries, including Ferrari president and Fiat CEO, Luca di Montezemolo.

For the first time, eight women carried the Olympic flag.

Oscar-winning actress Sophia Loren, the epitome of Italian beauty and style, was joined by Chilean writer and activist Isabel Allende and Wangari Maathai Kenya, the winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace prize for her environmental work to promote peace.

Passion

Marco Balich, executive producer, said: "We worked around the passionate way the Italians approach things, good and bad. The way they drive, the way they eat, the way they dress."

It was passionate - certainly when Kenya's one competitor and Italy's team entered to all but a standing ovation - and a celebration of sport and all things Italian. Hundreds danced in their seats, rang cow bells and waved torches as athletes marched to 70s and 80s music on to the stage.

Spectators gasped when volunteers dressed in blue, green, yellow and pink, formed the shape of a ski jumper, equipped with jet-black skis. Inching across the stage, the volunteers made the jumper hunch up, jump and then slowly open up on landing.

The Italian theme, racing through Dante to futuristic art, heralded the entrance of eight past Italian Winter Olympic champions, who relayed the torch between each other.

It was a surprise choice to send Italian former cross country skier Stefania Belmondo to light the flame.

The athlete, who recently gave up competitive sport to have a family, carried the torch to spark a volley of fireworks that travelled up a spire to light the Olympic cauldron.

That followed a reading of Dante's "Divine Comedy" and a gilted fairytale scene of opulent dining and fanciful characters in carriages reminiscent of Italian director Federico Fellini.

Men and women in powdered wigs ambled around Renaissance-style geometric gardens. Tall princesses in huge skirts surrounded the stage, their skirts lifted to reveal girls swaying on small swings.

Soft music accompanied the portrayal of Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus", when Roberto Bolle of La Scala Ballet School, burst on the stage to a techno soundtrack.

Bolle, more used to portraying princes in the "Nutcracker" or "Swan Lake", wore a white bodysuit and an orange Mohican and danced with the statue of Futuristic Man by Umberto Boccioni.

Acrobats in silver climbed a vertical net to form a dove. Yoko Ono called on all to spread the word of peace before Peter Gabriel sang her husband John Lennon's "Imagine".

Only showman tenor Luciano Pavarotti could finish it all off with a flourish, singing "Nessun Dorma" before massive curtains fell to draw the ceremony to a close.

 

[Flibster]

'It Definately Has Less Horse Power with Tendancy Towards Oversteer'

F1 test action at Jerez (Spain) concluded on Friday and Saturday.

Both days, however, turned out significantly wet, although on Saturday it was at least deliberate as Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren) and Heikki Kovalainen (Renault) conducted wet Michelin running.

On Friday, however, the rain had stopped in the afternoon, leaving Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella, and Kovalainen, topping a field of twelve, including McLaren, BMW Sauber, MF1, Williams and Toro Rosso, whose Scott Speed tried the new V10-powered STR01 racer for the first time.

"It definitely has less horse power," the Californian rookie said, "and the car tended to oversteer."

MF1's technical director James Key also admitted that the speed of the Midland team's new 'M16' 2006 car leaves a little to be desired.

He conceded: "There are a few issues to resolve on the performance side."

Many F1 teams now move to Valencia, where McLaren's chrome livery will debut, but running will also take place at Barcelona and in Bahrain, scene of the first grand prix in March.

 

[Flibster]

ITV - split screen advertising?

Hot on the heels of the news that British Broadcaster ITV are reshuffling their presentation team for F1 comes a strong rumour that from this season onwards they will no longer break for adverstisemenets in the conventional manner.

Instead they will continue to show the race in a 'split screen' while the ads roll. It remains to be seen how much truth there is in this rumour and whether or not this is a direct result of the much criticised adverstisement break taken a handful of laps from the end of last year's San Marino GP when Michael Schumacher and Alonso were locked in a titanic battle for the lead.

 

[Flibster]

MotoGP star on verge of F1 switch

Multiple MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi is on the verge of deciding to switch full time to F1 in 2007.

After the flamboyant Italian tested at the Valencia group test recently, the 'Motorcycle News' publication quoted a friend of Rossi's as saying that the 26-year-old is 'very close' to saying yes to Ferrari.

But just as the seriousness of his F1 foray escalates, Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper said that Rossi's switch very much depends on what Michael Schumacher decides to do.

The press report said Maranello based Ferrari, undoubtedly interested in also signing Kimi Raikkonen, would not 'risk' taking on two entirely new drivers next year, if Schumacher finally retires.

La Gazzetta's article is the latest in a wave of new headlines speculating about Rossi's future, with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone - for one - musing that it might be difficult for the rider to abandon his lucrative status on two wheels.

World champion Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, told the Spanish 'Sociedad Espanola de Radiodifusion' that he doesn't think Rossi is capable of winning in F1.

"He did do quite well (at Valencia)," said the 24-year-old, "but we don't know exactly what setting his (Ferrari V10) engine had."

 

[Flibster]

Ecclestone: Schumacher key to market

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes that former champion Michael Schumacher holds the key to the driver market this year.

With speculation suggesting that Schumacher is eyeing a two-year extension to his current deal with Ferrari, Ecclestone believes that the German's final decision will have a big say on movements elsewhere on the grid.

"Everything revolves around Schumacher," said Ecclestone in Gazzetta dello Sport. "If he quits, and I don't think he will, Raikkonen will go to Ferrari.

"Otherwise Kimi, who in my opinion is the fastest driver in F1 today, will have to stay at McLaren, thus forming a super-pairing with Alonso. Or maybe he could go to Renault where, with Briatore, he'll be able to become World Champion as well."

Ecclestone believes that Schumacher's Ferrari team will be back on the pace this year, following their disappointing 2005 campaign, and he even thinks that the title could be heading Maranello's way.

"The way testing is going, it seems like Ferrari is about to have a great year," he added. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if the title would again go to Michael Schumacher, who might be getting old but still goes extremely quick. I also see McLaren and Renault doing well."

Ecclestone also believes that the sport as a whole will provide more of a spectacle in 2006 - especially because of the new knock-out qualifying system.

"I think with the new qualifying, Saturdays will be back to being exciting and lively. In the last few years, with just one car on track at the time, I got bored. And sometimes, I'm not joking, I risked falling asleep.

"Now there won't be time to catch your breath, the drivers will always be totally busy and the public will have fun, I'm sure."

 

[Richard T]

ITV - split screen advertising?

Hot on the heels of the news that British Broadcaster ITV are reshuffling their presentation team for F1 comes a strong rumour that from this season onwards they will no longer break for adverstisemenets in the conventional manner.

Instead they will continue to show the race in a 'split screen' while the ads roll. It remains to be seen how much truth there is in this rumour and whether or not this is a direct result of the much criticised adverstisement break taken a handful of laps from the end of last year's San Marino GP when Michael Schumacher and Alonso were locked in a titanic battle for the lead.

now that is better ITV

Now get rid of Allen

 

[rpstewart]

Toyota must have money to burn!

3 cars in 1 year...

Anyway - more of the Bahrain revision bodywork..

I've said it before - i they could get more power from burning pound notes instead of petrol they would do.

There must be a limit somewhere when Mr Toyota says enough is enough and reins in the spending. They've been at this for 4 (?) years now with a single podium and a single pole to their name and to be quite honest I don't see either of their current drivers winning a race on merit. Granted they're both past winners but both have a tendancy to either go to sleep or go off in a huff mid race.

It seems to me that they may have gone down the Japanese route of getting the engineering package sorted without the human side being fully complete. 2007 may bring a change to the driver line up but one does have to wonder if the board and sponsors will support the kind of expenditure that would necessitate without some solid results this year.

 

[Richard T]

I've said it before - i they could get more power from burning pound notes instead of petrol they would do.

There must be a limit somewhere when Mr Toyota says enough is enough and reins in the spending. They've been at this for 4 (?) years now with a single podium and a single pole to their name and to be quite honest I don't see either of their current drivers winning a race on merit. Granted they're both past winners but both have a tendancy to either go to sleep or go off in a huff mid race.

It seems to me that they may have gone down the Japanese route of getting the engineering package sorted without the human side being fully complete. 2007 may bring a change to the driver line up but one does have to wonder if the board and sponsors will support the kind of expenditure that would necessitate without some solid results this year.

they should install James Allen in the cars as well. With all the hot air that comes out of his mouth they'd go supersonic!

 

[Dutch Guy]

ITV - split screen advertising?

Hot on the heels of the news that British Broadcaster ITV are reshuffling their presentation team for F1 comes a strong rumour that from this season onwards they will no longer break for adverstisemenets in the conventional manner.

Instead they will continue to show the race in a 'split screen' while the ads roll. It remains to be seen how much truth there is in this rumour and whether or not this is a direct result of the much criticised adverstisement break taken a handful of laps from the end of last year's San Marino GP when Michael Schumacher and Alonso were locked in a titanic battle for the lead.

Here in Holland they record when there is a break and if something exciting happens during the ad break they show it quickly when the broadcast resumes, works very well.

 

[Richard T]

Here in Holland they record when there is a break and if something exciting happens during the ad break they show it quickly when the broadcast resumes, works very well.

Well it seems that is beyond the technical capabilities of ITV Well they do do it......but just badly

Its the timing and frequency of the ads that the problem