2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

On top of Flibster's list, Autosport are claiming Nico Rosberg's race seat at Williams is a done deal and will be announced a lot sooner than last year's line up to give him time in the car. Sato has an offer from Midland but is likely to hold out for a slot in Aguri-san's Honda B team. Wouldn't be surprised if Anthony Davidson gets the second seat there if it comes off.
 
No such thing at Monaco. :D

It's the 'jewel of the F1 crown' as numerous people say - I disagree but it's the most expensive GP to attend tbh.

Simon/~Flibster
 
rpstewart said:
On top of Flibster's list, Autosport are claiming Nico Rosberg's race seat at Williams is a done deal and will be announced a lot sooner than last year's line up to give him time in the car. Sato has an offer from Midland but is likely to hold out for a slot in Aguri-san's Honda B team. Wouldn't be surprised if Anthony Davidson gets the second seat there if it comes off.
Click to expand...
Also going with that there is another nifty going around at the moment.

1) The indian press are reporting that williams is going to give hurymurylitherian (Karty - how do you spell his name???) a drive next year as they need the money.

IMO though this would be a load of tosh!
 
anyone know what Tiago Monteiro as it would be a shame to lose him

Good news about the 2nd Honda team, apparently operating out of Arrows' old place? Lots hope they can get it together for 2006!
 
leaskovski said:
Also going with that there is another nifty going around at the moment.

1) The indian press are reporting that williams is going to give hurymurylitherian (Karty - how do you spell his name???) a drive next year as they need the money.

IMO though this would be a load of tosh!
Click to expand...

There are plenty of rumours going about that Williams will be taking on a paying driver for testing and Fridays. They have a huge hole in their budget to fill, notwithstanding Jenson's donations they've lost both BMW & HP sponsorship and acquired a £15+ million bill from Cosworth.

Of the established pay drivers, Narian K probably has the best potential for bringing extra funding.
 
JV out of a drive in 2006?

For the second time in three years, 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve could be about to find himself without an F1 home.

Although the French Canadian last year signed a 2005 and 2006 contract to drive for Sauber, the Swiss team has been bought and taken over by BMW.

While that does not affect the status of Peter Sauber's legal agreement, the Munich based carmaker did not choose the 34-year-old, and therefore might not want him at Hinwil.

To sidestep its contractual obligation, then, BMW could simply pay Jacques his modest $3m retainer to do little more than gardening next year.

It is believed that Alex Wurz (McLaren tester) and Heikki Kovalainen (Renault RDD driver) are further up BMW's wish list to be Nick Heidfeld's BMW teammate in 2006.

Villeneuve told 'f1total.com' that there has been no dialogue between himself and likely 2006 BMW principal Mario Theissen. "I find that surprising," he told the German language internet website.

Jacques added: "I always adhere to my contracts, so I would be surprised if (BMW) did not see it the same way."

Villeneuve added that he had not been advised when he might be required for pre-2006 winter testing, which is set to kick off in late November.
Click to expand...

Yeah...right JV - so your last 'race' for BAR being done by Sato is sticking to your contract when you didn't want to race...

Mr Pot - meet Mr Kettle
 
Toyota ahead in V8 engine race

With four months to go until a new era dawns in formula one, Toyota might just be the car in front when it comes to the V8.

The rumour mill insists that while its rivals might be struggling for reliable miles, the fledgling Toyota 2.4 litre V8 is leading the pack.

"We seem to have done more kilometres than the other teams," the Cologne team's president John Howett agreed, "so we seem to be in a good position."

More of an unknown for 2006, however, is the team's switch from grand prix pacesetter Michelin to Bridgestone, even if the Japanese marque is delighted about the restoration of tyre change pitstops.

Howett told 'Speed TV': "It was very hard to decide to move, but ultimately we think Bridgestone will recover. The V8 engine might require different characteristics from the tyre, which could be more favourable for Bridgestone.

"We may have made the wrong decision, but at the moment we're confident that it will add something to the package."
Click to expand...
 
Aguri - Not honda 'B' team

Former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki has denied that the team he hopes to power onto the F1 grid next year will be Honda's 'B' arm.

Notwithstanding earlier media observations to the contrary, the ex-Arrows and Ligier driver - who even raced once for Jordan in 1994 - said 'Super Aguri F1' would be independent.

"We are not Honda's B-team by any means," the 46-year-old added at a Tokyo press call.

Even so, he remained tight-lipped about potential sponsorship, but did reveal that Honda would be a key ally.

Asked about commercial sponsorship and funding for the 2006 season, that will have to - at least - eclipse $100m, Suzuki said: "I can't make specific comments until we've received the FIA's approval."

'Super Aguri' do already have the ability, however, to attempt to woo Japanese driver Takuma Sato, who has been dumped by Honda's works team.

"We are at a nice stage in talks with Takuma," Suzuki confirmed.
Click to expand...
 
Rosberg signs for WilliamsF1

Nico Rosberg has signed to drive for WilliamsF1, partnering Mark Webber, in 2006.

Frank Williams: I believe I am only one of many in Formula One who is genuinely excited about the prospect of Nico Rosberg.

"Given the attention he commands, I am delighted he is making a contribution to Formula One history and has signed with us for next season.

"His natural talent in the cockpit is equally matched by his intelligence out of it, demonstrated by his depth of technical understanding and communication of data over the months spent as a test driver this season," a team statement said.

"Despite his youth, his wealth of experience reflects the early start made by contemporary drivers and it is significant to note that Nico has recorded more race starts by the age of 20 than his father...recorded in an entire career."

Nico Rosberg: "I am really looking forward to starting work at the end of this month and learning as much from the team as I possibly can.

"I have always wanted to become an F1 driver and be a great F1 driver."

The announcement will no doubt signal the end of Antonio Pizzonia’s relationship with the Grove team.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...

Good as a test driver - race driver?? Not sure about that.
 
Flibster said:
Hmmm...

Good as a test driver - race driver?? Not sure about that.
Click to expand...

Beaten to it.. It was on the news this morning but Autosport have only just put it on their site, which is unlike them.

I think it's a good move on Williams' part, he's going to be cheap for a start and you don't get a Williams test deal if you can't deal with the engineers. As for his credentials as a race driver his season in GP2 underlines that he's quick, a bit of a slow start allowed Heike K to build a lead in the championship but Nico clawed him back quickly once he got the car sorted to his liking.

Could be another make or break year for Webber, he's not really shone this year and if he doesn't get on top of Nico (fnar ;) ) he could be in bother for his future with the team.
 
Rosberg is a good choice. He is a good driver and i expect him to do well. Hopefully he will score more points than Button just to prove a point :D

The ink used when Jenson signs for Williams : 1p
The cost of Jenson paying off his contract : £10,000,000 (Estimated)
The look on Jensons face when Webber finishes in front of him in the last two races : Priceless!
 
New Formula 1 team Super Aguri has appointed former Arrows and McLaren engineer Mark Preston as its technical chief, according to autosport.com.

Preston had previously considered starting his own F1 team, but is now overseeing Aguri Suzuki’s new project, which will be based in former Arrows premises at Leafield.

“I can confirm that I am Chief Technical Officer, but I cannot say more than that," Preston told autosport.com.

"I am putting together a team of staff and work is underway."

Suzuki admitted at his team’s launch that getting two cars on track in time for the start of the 2006 season will be a daunting task.

He has already lined-up a supply of Honda engines and Bridgestone tyres, and is hoping that BAR and Honda will provide some additional help.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Little bit of info about GP Masters

14 confirmed for GP Masters

The organizers of the GP Masters - to be held at Kyalami next weekend - have confirmed the names of the 14 drivers who will take part in the inaugural event.

Rene Arnoux (France)
Eddie Cheever (USA)
Christian Danner (Germany)
Andrea de Cesaris (Italy)
Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil)
Alan Jones (Australia)
Stefan Johansson (Sweden)
Jan Lammers (Netherlands)
Jacques Laffite (France)
Nigel Mansell (UK)
Hans Stuck (Germany)
Riccardo Patrese (Italy)
Patrick Tambay (France)
Derek Warwick (UK)

Four-time World Champion, Alain Prost, has opted to withdraw from the event.

The race will run alongside a Minardi F1x2 event, which will see drivers such as Johnny Herbert, Tarso Marques, David Saelens, Zsolt Baumgartner, Patrick Friesacher and Champ Car race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, racing with 'celebrity' 'teammates' on board.

It's worth noting that Christina Aguilera is one of several acts supporting the race weekend - as is Diana Ross and The Violent Femmes. Bet the Minardi boys would enjoy strapping 'Ms Dirty' in the back of one of the two-seaters.
Click to expand...
 
France to celebrate 100 years of Grand Prix with ticket deal

The new date for the 2006 Grand Prix de France, 14-16 July, was officially announced by the FIA last week at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

The 2006 Grand Prix de France will coincide with the French independence day weekend, thus offering race fans an 'historic' three-day racing weekend.

"We could not have chosen a more prestigious date than the July 14 to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Grand Prix de France", said Jacques Regis, President of the Federation Française du Sport Automobile. "Given the superb 2005 season, next years' Grand Prix promises to be even more spectacular than ever and full of surprises."

Ticket sales for this once in a lifetime event go on sale Monday, 7 November on the official website, or through the international ticket sales hotline +33 1 41 57 31 97.

Tickets purchased before 10 March 2006, benefit from a 10% discount.

Memo to Bernie: Got that... "100th anniversary of the Grand Prix de France", that's Grand Prix, the term you claim to own, yet you're only 85.
Click to expand...
 
BAR-Honda clocks 415kmh

BAR-Honda test driver Alan van der Merwe clocked an average speed of 415kmh at Mojave airport in California last Friday.

Although unofficial, the F1 speed record attempt - moved from the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah due to heavy rain - proved the team's claim that 400kmh could be cleared by an aerodynamically-tweaked grand prix car.

Friday's runs up and down a runway were billed as a 'shakedown' of parts ahead of a May or June 2006 return to Bonneville for an official effort.

'It was an encouraging day,' said BAR's deputy technical director Gary Savage, 'and we are confident that we can achieve this speed ... at Bonneville.

'(But) we know that its salt surface is a much more difficult proposition.'
Click to expand...
 
Foster's, F1 and 'A1'

Speculation is mounting that Australia's international beer brand, Foster's, is steering a course away from F1.

It was earlier reported that the brand's title sponsorship of the British grand prix would be withdrawn, and that the Melbourne race was also in doubt.

Reports had indicated that Foster's may turn to international surfing contests. The latest news, however, appears to indicate that motor racing is still on the radar.

At the Eastern Creek (Sydney) track, Foster's announced that it would sponsor Team Australia - run by 1980 F1 champion Alan Jones - throughout the 2005/6 'A1' season.

'This renews an association I had with Foster's when I was driving Formula One,' said Jones.

'This is truly a momentous announcement.'

Significantly, Foster's usually sponsors either a driver or a circuit - indeed, it is sixteen years since the blue and yellow logo has been seen on a race car.

The Australian public, however, is unlikely to show similar portions of enthusiasm for 'A1', because it is not broadcast on free to air TV.

For the record, Nicolas Lapierre dominated in Sydney, with 51,000 spectators attending the three day event.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom