2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

Erp - just clicked on the wrong bit of the thread - and foudn that this is my 1003rd post in here... :eek:

'My goal is to repeat the title' - Alonso

Fernando Alonso, the Spanish driver of the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team and youngest Formula One Champion ever, goes to Bahrain with number 1 on his car, for the first time. How’s he feeling ahead of the race weekend?

Interview with Fernando Alonso
Fernando, what are your feelings as you approach the first race?
"I am happy. The team has done a good job with the car, the R26 seems very competitive, and we are ready to go to the first race to try and score a lot of points."

Have you been pleased with how winter testing has gone?
"Yes, I think we have done what we needed to. The car is ready to race: it has done a lot of laps, on all types of circuits and conditions. Now is the time to measure ourselves against the others in the first race. We have done the maximum possible, so I am relaxed going into the season."

What has the change to V8 engines been like for you?
"In terms of driving, I haven’t found any differences. I haven’t changed my style at all to adapt, because I am still trying to drive right on the limit."

And what is your opinion of the new Renault V8?
"I think the team at Viry has done a fantastic job. We started running on the track quite late with the V8, in mid-January, but we did it with an engine that was already capable of doing race distances. It was reliable, with good performance. There have been different philosophies about how to develop the V8, and Renault’s has worked well."

The tyre regulations have also changed for 2006. How have Michelin responded?
"Michelin has done a very good job developing the tyres for the new rules. I think they were under pressure when the rules changed, because people thought that they were not so competitive in 2004. But we are there. We have a super tyre now, it doesn’t matter whether the temperatures are high or low. I think we have good performance, and good consistency. I am confident that the Michelin will still be the best tyre in Formula 1 this year."

There will also be a new qualifying format to tackle in Bahrain. What are your thoughts about it?
"For the drivers, it will not change too much. I think the challenge is more for the teams and engineers, finding the right strategy and working very quickly. But last year, we had one opportunity for a quick lap; now, we have at least three occasions when we have to set a lap time. The drivers always have to do the maximum though, and there will be only one lap in each part of the session when the car is in perfect conditions. So it hasn’t really altered very much for our job."

Can you tell us a little about the challenges of the circuit in Bahrain?
"It is a unique circuit, because a lot of sand blows onto the surface from outside the circuit. This makes the feeling and driving style quite complex, because as you go into each corner, you don’t know what the conditions are like or how much grip you have. The high temperatures also make life difficult for the engineers with the cooling of the car. I think there are still some unknowns for the first race."

Are you ready to go racing again after a four month break?
"Personally, yes. After a whole winter off, I want to see the people in the grandstands, and feel the emotion of Formula 1 again. But also because Renault are the world champions, and the whole team is very motivated because of this."

Going into the first race, is there more pressure on you because you are world champion?
"I don’t think there is more pressure, but I am very proud to have number 1 on the car. It is the maximum you can achieve in all motorsport, one of the moments you dream about all of your career. I am excited to arrive in Bahrain with number 1 on the car, and I will be trying to enjoy this year to the maximum."

Who will be the favourites for the opening race?
"I think Renault are definitely up there. Honda, Ferrari, McLaren and Renault have been the four big teams in winter testing, and now we must check in the opening races. For sure, Renault are the ones to beat because we are the world champions, and I am confident we have done a good job."

Finally, do you think you can win the world championship again this year?
"Well, I want to! It is very difficult to win a championship, and you need a lot of things around you to have the chance. Last year, I started the season dreaming of maybe winning one race and getting regular podiums, but we won the title. In 2006, I know we have a competitive car in the R26, so my only goal is to repeat the title."
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Eddie Irvine Admits Plan to Start F1 Team

Former Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine has confirmed the longtime rumors that he plans on starting a new F1 team, with backing from partner Russian vodka magnate Roustam Tariko.

Irvine, who retired from driving after the 2002 season, was linked to a possible purchase of Jordan/Midland last year, itself owned by another Russian billionaire, Midland's Alex Shnaider.

With the new lower-cost regulation set to debut in '08, however, the Irishman believes he can enter the sport without buying a currently existing squad.

"We are looking at starting a team from scratch as there are no teams for sale at the minute," Irvine told the Irish Independent newspaper.

"Roustam wants to do it, we've got the money and I think it is an opportunity. Roustam needs the branding that F1 can bring him. He wants a Russian team and he wants to take his brand and turn them into world brands. It's not going to be easy. It is going to be very, very difficult. But if I go back into F1 I am going to be married to it for a long time. It is definitely a challenge I want to go with."

The Roustam-Tariko bid sets up a dispute for the last available spots in the sport's grid - the FIA has limited F1 participation to 12 teams - as David Richards' Prodrive outfit and Japanese financial conglomerate Direxiv have also admitted plans to join F1.
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Ecclestone says deal with GPMA imminent
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes a deal to avert the threat of a manufacturer-led breakaway could be agreed before this weekend's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Talks have been ongoing between Ecclestone and the five members of the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association (GPMA) to find a deal that would secure the future of F1, and it appears that a deal may now be imminent.

"I would be surprised if all the issues between us are not settled before the race in Bahrain," Ecclestone said in an interview with The Daily Express, before suggesting that the manufacturers may also agree to a raft of cost-cutting measures.

"What we can agree on the technical side is dependent on how much money they want to save but they will save a huge amount without adversely affecting the technical excellence of F1. It will remain the pinnacle of motorsport.

"But we cannot continue to look as if this sport is a battle of the biggest budget. That way, at current spending, is just not on and will ruin the sport and the companies.

"There is a point, probably long since past, when the cost of trying to win races and the championship outweighs the value of being successful.

"We can all see the benefits of cutting costs while continuing to allow some areas of research and development and I think there is a mood of conciliation now. They will certainly earn a lot more money on the commercial side, double what they got before."

A spokesman for the GPMA, which is made up of BMW, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Toyota, said: "Things appear to be going in the right direction."

The news of Ecclestone's confidence about a deal comes amid reports that he has once again offered the manufacturers two non-executive directorships on the board of his Formula One Administration (FOA) company, in a bid to ensure they have some input into the future of the sport.

This was one of the original ideas that was put forward in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the manufacturers and Ecclestone in December 2003. This deal subsequently collapsed.
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Now things start to get interesting - assuming that this does happen we end up with 22 of the possible 24 spots taken so as suggested in the previous post there's going to be a fight for the last spot. That is, of course, assuming that Renault don't pull out and Midland aren't available for sale. However if someone does take the final place the value of existing teams will increase as purchase then becomes the only access to the club.
 
rpstewart said:
Now things start to get interesting - assuming that this does happen we end up with 22 of the possible 24 spots taken so as suggested in the previous post there's going to be a fight for the last spot. That is, of course, assuming that Renault don't pull out and Midland aren't available for sale. However if someone does take the final place the value of existing teams will increase as purchase then becomes the only access to the club.
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Not to mention with both Prodrive and Irvine looking to get into F1 in 2008 - and space for only 1 team...

Would be nice to see 35 cars pre-qualifying and then 26 on the grid but they don't want that. :(

Also - with Ferrari declaring themselves a privateer - does that mean they get no say in the future of the sport? Or is the Toad going to start claiming that they're now a manafacturer so they can help choose who's on the board? ;)

Although the fact that Ferrari are able to Veto any potential rule change they don't like does play into their favor... :(

Simon/~Flibster
 
Murray Walker makes F1 comeback with Honda

He’s back! After a four year absence from the Formula One Paddock, Murray Walker is making a comeback with the Honda Racing F1 Team. The lure of F1 has finally proved too much for the broadcasting legend, who hung up his microphone for the last time in 2001 when he retired from the ITV-F1 commentary team.

Occasional visits to the Paddock reminded him what he was missing and after a well-deserved but brief retirement, he decided he couldn’t resist the draw of what promises to be the most exciting F1 season in years.

For 2006, the Honda Racing F1 Team asked 82 year old Murray if he would like to join the team and make a return to the sport he adores in the unique role of team ambassador. As a fully integrated member of the team, he will provide Honda’s VIP guests with an insight into the team’s progress and entertain them with his inimitable brand of F1 commentary. The much loved star will attend half of the season’s 18 Grands Prix and will make his debut in Honda Racing F1 Team colours when the F1 circus returns to Europe in April.

Commenting on his return to the F1 Paddock, Murray Walker said: ”I’m naturally delighted to be back because I’ve missed the fabulous sport of Formula One that I love so much, and what better way to be doing so than with the Honda Racing F1 Team. Their prospects for 2006 are looking very bright indeed, which is great news for their exciting driver line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.”

Nick Fry, Chief Executive Officer of the Honda Racing F1 Team, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Murray on board for the 2006 season. His retirement four years ago was a tremendous loss to F1 and he remains one of the best-loved characters in sport. His unfailing energy and enthusiasm is legendary worldwide and we are delighted to welcome him back to the Paddock. 2006 looks set to be a very exciting season for the Honda Racing F1 Team on and off the race track. Our marketing focus will be developing the team as a sports and entertainment brand and Murray will make an important contribution to that. If our testing promise translates to the race track as well as we expect it to, then our guests are in for a treat with Murray’s high-octane commentary.”
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Fabulous! Will be great to see him back again.

Sadly means I'm going to have to try and wangle a race invite with Honda I think. :D
 
A new sponsor for McLaren?

When McLaren unveiled its 2006 'bling' livery recently, there was much speculation as to the amount of red on the car.

With the team having lured Vodafone from Ferrari for a multi-year partnership starting in 2007, there had been speculation that a deal might be done whereby the mobile telecomms giant ended its Italian contract a year ahead of schedule and jump ship to McLaren with immediate effect, but this was not to be.

The red and silver had people confused.

This is now talk of a possible one-year sponsorship deal the Woking team has secured with Emirates Airlines, which, of course, has red as its corporate colour.

If our sources are correct, the deal will be announced later this week, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Previously, Emirates Airlines has shunned motorsport, in favour of other sports, with soccer being a favourite, indeed the Dubai airline has naming rights to the new Arsenal stadium.

Having previously avoided motorsport, it's understood that the airline was impressed with its involvement in the inaugural A1 GP series, which has directly led, apparently, to the McLaren deal.
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Iberian deal for Minardi F1X2 programme

It has been announced that the Minardi F1X2 Team and Best Lap F1 Events have entered into a formal agreement, which will see the Valencia-based company act as exclusive agent for the F1X2 Team in the Spanish and Portuguese markets. The arrangement was revealed during a special media presentation on Monday evening at the stunning Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia.

Best Lap F1 Events, which was formed last year by Enrique Leon, Carlos Molla and former Minardi driver, Marc Gene, plans to stage a series of F1X2 events in Spain and Portugal, and will look after all marketing, sales, organisational and operational aspects of the programmes within those countries. The arrangement takes effect immediately, with collaborative agreements already in place with the Valencia and Barcelona circuits.

"In Best Lap F1 Events, we have a team of professionals with a wide range of motorsport experience, and our aim is to make it possible for as many people as possible to experience the same sensations as those of us who are lucky enough to drive Formula One cars," comments Marc Gene. "We're certain that with this programme we will be able to give Formula One fans an absolutely unforgettable day."

Minardi F1x2 Team owner, Paul Stoddart, says, "Marc, Carlos and Enrique approached us last year regarding the possibility of setting up an exclusive arrangement to represent the two-seater programme in the Spanish and Portuguese markets. With their in-depth understanding of motorsport and undoubted business acumen, plus Marc's connections with Minardi, it just seemed like a natural fit between Best Lap F1 Events and the F1X2 Team. We're extremely pleased, and look forward to introducing new passengers to the thrill of Formula One performance that our unique fleet of eight two-seaters is able to offer."
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SCHU ‘CERTAIN’ 248 HAS TITLE POTENTIAL

Michael Schumacher is convinced that Ferrari’s 2006 car will enable him to challenge for the world title.

The 248 F1 has shown promising form in winter testing, although last week’s outing at Mugello was ruined by bad weather and many observers believe the car still isn’t a match for the Renault R26 and possibly the Honda RA106.

Schumacher, though, is sure the fundamentals are strong.

Speaking just before flying out to Bahrain, he said: “The consistency that we have shown during the winter demonstrates once again the reason why Ferrari is so surprising.

“I am certain that our 248 F1 has the potential to challenge for the title.

“Though we have not managed to run as many laps as we would have wanted to, owing to the weather, we will go into the season with high hopes.”

Schumacher conceded that Ferrari is not favourite to win the first few races, but expects the 248 to come into its own once the European season gets underway.

“Even if we do not win in the opening few races, we have, because of the work we have carried out, concrete ideas of the technical levels our car has to reach this season. This is very important.

“The ideal scenario would be to score some early points. In any case, we will be very motivated for Bahrain and Malaysia.”

Schumacher added that Ferrari’s decision to test extensively in Bahrain “can only be an advantage for us” as far as the season-opener is concerned.

Nonetheless he reckons Renault still has the measure of the field at the moment.

“Renault appears to be in the best form, followed by the other teams: Honda, Mercedes and Ferrari,” he said.

“I think it will be a tough season.

“The teams seem to be very close to each other in performance terms and so it will be a tight battle.
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Hope it whoops everyone once again, like only Ferrari know how ;) !
 
If anyone can tell me what font Honda use for their logo, or Red Bull use for the racing section of their logo...

It'd save me having to go through the library of 150'000 fonts at work...

Far far far too many...

Simon/~Flibster

[edit]
Found one for Red Bull now - was about 25'000 in - not 100 accurate but will do nicely for the time being. ;)

Just got Toro Rosso, Midland, Super Aguri and Honda left to do now.... :(
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Super Aguri excited before F1 debut

Super Aguri Formula 1 joins the elite group of teams in ‘the pinnacle of motorsport’ when it arrives for its first FIA Formula One Grand Prix in the Kingdom of Bahrain this week. It has taken only four months for Team Principal Aguri Suzuki to build an entirely new Formula One team - a feat that many doubted could ever be achieved.

The team conducted its only three-day test of the winter period in Barcelona last month where it successfully completed its systems programme and compound selection of Bridgestone tyres for Bahrain. Although bad weather hampered running during the team’s shakedown of the SA05 car at Silverstone last week, the 2006 aerodynamics package showed encouraging results. Both Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide have tested the SA05, albeit with very limited track time. The team has therefore completed only 598.2 kilometres during testing, with the shakedown of the SA05 race cars contributing a mere 30.3 kilometres. Despite this fact, the team is united in its pride and is looking forward to the challenge that lies before them.

Takuma Sato:
“I am very excited to be going to Bahrain with a brand new team. They have done a great job to ensure that we made it to the first race - and that is a fantastic achievement. We shook down the car with our 2006 aero package last week and although we did not get to do much running due to bad weather, the car worked well immediately. “It will feel very different starting the season in Bahrain. The circuit in Sakhir provides an exciting race, but it is demanding on the car, especially on the brakes due to the number of low-speed corners and the heat. We know that it will be a difficult start for what will be a very challenging year, but we are very much looking forward to it.”

Yuji Ide:
“I have been studying race simulations to learn the Bahrain circuit and the braking for the first corner looks challenging! I have never visited Bahrain, so I am excited to go. I am expecting tough conditions as it is my first F1 race but also because of the hot weather. I have driven in the heat at Sepang in Malaysia for Formula Nippon, but I know that dry heat will be very different. Whenever I race in hot conditions I am very careful to monitor my liquid intake and take care of what I am drinking for my re-hydration. The anticipation of my first Formula One race is nearly over and I am very excited about it.”

Aguri Suzuki, Team Principal:

“The first race of the 2006 F1 season is a milestone for Super Aguri Formula 1. It is an amazing achievement that we have put together an F1 team in only four months and I am very proud of everyone involved. As a new team we have many personnel who are new to Formula One and we are all very much looking forward to arriving in Bahrain. We know that we will experience very hot weather and high track temperatures, so a top priority will be looking after our tyres during the race. At our test in Barcelona we finalised with Bridgestone our tyre choice for Bahrain and the Honda engine has been running well. We know that we have a challenging year ahead, but we are determined and have great team spirit which we hope you will see this weekend.”
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Mercedes - engine is reliable

Mercedes motorsport vice president Norbert Haug has shrugged off concerns that his company's V8 engine may not be entirely reliable as F1 gears up for a very exciting first round of the new season in hot and sandy Bahrain.

"The start with the new MP4-21 at Barcelona on 23rd January was not trouble free and in the beginning we were not where we wanted," Haug admitted. "However, in the following five and a half weeks or about 40 days until the final test at Valencia on 1 March, our team showed what it's capable of, be it chassis or engine wise."

"During 28 test days, Kimi, Juan Pablo and Pedro covered a total of 8,692 kilometres which is on average one Grand Prix distance per day and therefore equates to a total of 28 Grand Prix distances in preparation for the first races," he added. "The lap time improved continuously throughout the tests and the long runs were OK compared to the fastest."

"Several times, our new V8 engine stood the strain of two race weekends and up to 50 percent more, on the circuits of Barcelona and Valencia as well as on the dynos at Brixworth and Stuttgart," Haug insisted.
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Hehe

Engines lasting 2 races: Renault, Honda, Williams, Toyota, BMW

Engines not lasting even one race: Mclaren & Ferrari & Everyone else. :D

Sato to crash, breakdown and take someone off the track first in 2006!
 
Ray-Ban extends partnership with Honda Racing F1 Team

The Honda Racing F1 Team is pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership with the world’s leading sunglasses and optical eyewear brand, Ray-Ban, for the 2006 season.


The Ray-Ban brand, which first entered Formula One with the team in July 2004 and operates in more than 100 countries across the globe, is synonymous with style, design, quality and distinction.

Ray-Ban’s partnership with the team has proved to be a powerful medium for promoting the brand’s iconic identity. For 2006, the distinctive Ray-Ban signature will continue to appear on the cockpit sides of the Honda Racing F1 Team’s RA106 race car throughout the season, along with a new prominent position on the helmet visors of race drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, and third driver Anthony Davidson.

All the eyewear models in the Ray-Ban collection show the brand’s careful attention to styling and design. For the 2006 season, Honda Racing F1 Team members will be wearing the Ray-Ban 4075 sunglasses model from its new Spring and Summer 2006 sun collection, which have a sporty, wrap-around design which is well-suited to the F1 environment.

Nick Fry, Chief Executive Officer of the Honda Racing F1 Team, commented: “We are delighted to confirm the continuation of our partnership with Ray-Ban at the start of a very promising season for our team. The Honda Racing F1 Team continues to provide a valuable platform for the Ray-Ban brand by enabling it to reach the global F1 audience and benefit from the appeal of our exciting new driver line-up of Jenson and Rubens, who are the perfect fit for Ray-Ban’s marketing programme.

Antonio Miyakawa, Executive Vice President Wholesale & Marketing of Luxottica Group, said: “We are thrilled to announce that Ray-Ban has just renewed its partnership with the Honda Racing F1 Team for the 2006 season. Winners choose winners and Ray-Ban is a winner all the way as its history proves. Honda also has a tremendous winning pedigree in many different motorsports and is totally committed to rediscovering its winning ways in Formula One. We are looking forward to starting the new season together with our partners at Honda Racing F1 Team.”
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Fears over Toro Rosso 'parentage'?

A rather bizarre joint press release from Red Bull and Toro Rosso, issued at the weekend, reveals that neither team will be having a launch - as such - this week.

Instead; "drivers and personnel from both teams will be available to answer questions from the media in the paddock at the Sakhir circuit on Thursday", while the liveries for both teams will be unveiled on Thursday evening, the eve of the first official practice session of the 2006 Formula One world Championship season.

"No interviews will be during this event," states the press release.

Scott Speed has already warned that the Toro Rosso livery will be "different".

However, this is not something that can be said about the car, for to all intents and purposes it is the Red Bull RBR1 with a few bits added on.

Thus far, the legality of the Scuderia Toro Rosso package has focussed on the engine, with the Italian-based team being the only outfit on the 2006 grid running a V10 powerplant. This, of course, goes back to an agreement reached in 2005, when, as Minardi, the team simply didn't have the finance to switch to a V8 engine.

With the agreement of its rivals, Minardi was given special dispensation to run with the Cosworth V10 this season, providing that the FIA can ensure that the playing field is levelled, and that the unit doesn't enjoy a power advantage over its V8 rivals.

This of course came before the Italian team was bought by Red Bull, a company which has no such financial problems.

Although the FIA believes that it has come up with technical restrictions which will restore the status-quo, it is ready to act should the Toro Rosso appear to have an advantage.

Pre-season, several teams, most notably Toyota and Midland have expressed their unease, and already some are predicting that we could see teams lodge protests should the Toro Rosso appear to punch above its weight.

However, little has been said of the STR1 chassis, other than Max Mosley recently telling journalists that it was perfectly legal.

The fact is however, that the car is a 'tarted-up' RBR1, and any protests that are lodged in the coming weeks will have more to do with its parentage than the legality of the powerplant in the back.

The STR1 is the RBR1 and no amount of crazy hype or zany liveries will alter the fact.
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Type_R said:
Hehe

Engines lasting 2 races: Renault, Honda, Williams, Toyota, BMW

Engines not lasting even one race: Mclaren & Ferrari & Everyone else. :D

Sato to crash, breakdown and take someone off the track first in 2006!
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I'd put Toro Rosso in the top list. The v10 cosworth is a pretty bullet proof engine.
 
Michael considers horse riding future
After driving for the Prancing Horse for the last eleven years, Michael Schumacher says there could still be equines in his life after Formula One.

The 37-year old German Ferrari driver, an avid horse riding fan, said in an interview with Bild that he could compete in western riding once he hangs up his helmet.

"I might go for a new kind of competition: I could do western riding," said Schumacher, whose wife Corinna has been practising the sport for many years.

Schumacher reckoned his wife was better than him.

"It's true, but this doesn't mean I can't learn," he said. "It's a sport to be taken very seriously. I don't know what I will do after F1. I have many hobbies which I'll finally be able to dedicate myself to, but I've always said the family will come first of all."

According to the German press, Schumacher has bought an estate in Switzerland, not far from his new house in Gland, over which he has built an indoor 3,200 square meter horse riding track which can host a 26-stall stable and is fitted with 1,400 seats.

He has reportedly named the estate after his wife: "CS Ranch".

Schumacher will attend the inauguration of the horse riding track at the end of this month with an international western riding competition taking place.
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<cynic>
F248 a bit of a donkey????
</cynic>
 
Trulli fears qualifying is too complicated
Italian driver Jarno Trulli believes the new qualifying system could prove too complicated for Formula One fans.

"At the moment I am not even thinking about it, I will just deal with it," Trulli told autosport.com in an interview.

"It is not a problem for me, we just have to do our usual thing which is to go out and do our best. I just expect it a bit more complicated. I don't know if people will like it," he added.

Qualifying will adopt a three-part, knock-out format for the 2006 season.

All drivers will be on track for the first 15 minutes, after which the slowest six cars will drop out and take positions 17-22. Another six cars will be eliminated in a second 15-minute session, while the 10 drivers remaining will fight for the top positions in the final 20-minute stint.

The drivers taking part in the final session will only be able to refuel their cars up to the same level of fuel used in qualifying. The rest of the drivers will be allowed to fully refuel their cars before the race.

Toyota driver Trulli believes it will not only be hard for spectators to understand, but also for drivers to get it right.

"I think it will be more complicated and a bit of a mess to find the right time to go out and the right lap, because the traffic is involved as well and there's also some strategy," he said.

"So it is quite a difficult thing to predict and also to understand from the outside."
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Looks like he's done his usual and gone to sleep again.... We've been saying it's too complicated for months!
 
^^^
Meow....
Saucer of milk - table 2... ;)

-----

Just finishing off creating the artwork for the 1st race thread of the year...

And the award for the laziest logo in F1 goes to....






.....BMW Sauber F1


Their name - in Ariel and the BMW badge...wow...that took all of oooh..2 mins to create...

On the plus side it only took 2 mins to create *as opposed to Super Aguri and Honda Racing*

Simon/~Flibster
 
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