2005 Brazilian Gran Prix

[Flibster]

2005 Brazilian Grand Prix

2005 Brazilian Grand Prix

 

[Flibster]

2004 Brazilian Grand Prix Results

 

[Flibster]

Current Standings

2005 Drivers Championship.

[b]Pos	Driver			Nationality	Team			Points [/b]
1	Fernando Alonso		Spanish		Renault			111
2	Kimi Räikkönen		Finnish		McLaren-Mercedes	86
3	Michael Schumacher	German		Ferrari			55
4	Juan Pablo Montoya	Colombian	McLaren-Mercedes	50
5	Jarno Trulli		Italian		Toyota			43
6	Giancarlo Fisichella	Italian		Renault			41
7	Ralf Schumacher		German		Toyota			37
8	Rubens Barrichello	Brazilian	Ferrari			35
9	Jenson Button		British		BAR-Honda		30
10	Mark Webber		Australian	Williams-BMW		29
11	Nick Heidfeld		German		Williams-BMW		28
12	David Coulthard		British		Red Bull Racing		21
13	Jacques Villeneuve	Canadian	Sauber-Petronas		9
14	Felipe Massa		Brazilian	Sauber-Petronas		8
15	Tiago Monteiro		Portuguese	Jordan-Toyota		7
16	Alexander Wurz		Austrian	McLaren-Mercedes	6
=18	Narain Karthikeyan	Indian		Jordan-Toyota		5
=18	Christian Klien		Austrian	Red Bull Racing		5
=20	Christijan Albers	Dutch		Minardi-Cosworth	4
=20	Pedro de la Rosa	Spanish		McLaren-Mercedes	4
21	Patrick Friesacher 	Austrian	Minardi-Cosworth	3
22	Antonio Pizzonia	Brazilian	Williams-BMW		2
=24	Takuma Sato		Japanese 	BAR-Honda		1
=24	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Italian		Red Bull Racing		1

2005 Constructors Championship.

[b]Pos	Constructor 		Points[/b]
1	Renault			152
2	McLaren-Mercedes 	146
3	Ferrari 		90
4	Toyota 			80
5	Williams-BMW 		59
6	BAR-Honda 		31
7	Red Bull Racing 	27
8	Sauber-Petronas 	17
9	Jordan-Toyota 		12
10	Minardi-Cosworth 	7

 

[Flibster]

First off...

Is is possible for a passing underboss to kick a don awake and ask them to move the following threads to the archive please. *or maybe for a passing Don to kick an underboss for the sheer hell of it and then move the threads...no preference as long as the threads get moved. *

http://www.ocukmods.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17463227 - Italian Grand Prix
http://www.ocukmods.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17465956 - Belgian Grand Prix

The reason this thread is appearing so early is mainly due to the fact that I've got 2 to do this weekend - F1 and A1GP

Any dontation for a new set on fingers and a new keyboard are greatfully received.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Incensed Intel may ignore F1

McLaren may miss out on a $50m sponsorship deal because computer chip maker Intel is reportedly furious with the FIA.

Britain's 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper suggested that even Toyota could lose its small existing deal because the governing body is now too closely tied with Intel rival AMD.

A Monza announcement of the 2006 McLaren deal was apparently delayed after Max Mosley appeared in the Friday press conference with the FIA's new 'technology advisor', AMD's Henri Richard.

AMD and Intel are locked in a legal dispute regarding alleged anti-competitive behaviour.

 

[Flibster]

BMW wanted Schumacher

BMW's Mario Theissen has revealed that he asked Michael Schumacher if he wanted to switch formula one teams in 2007.
"I would be negligent if I did not speak to the best drivers," the German answered. "I have, however, the impression that Michael wants to end his career with Ferrari."

Of course, the likely 2006 Hinwil-based BMW team principal knew that Schumacher, 36, would not really be interested. After all, a BMW-powered Sauber is not going to steer quickly to the front of the grand prix grid.

"I am expecting that Williams will have the stronger package next year," Theissen, referring to BMW's six-year team partner, continued. "This is a reality that we mustn't ignore."

 

[Flibster]

The V8-V10 question

'Engine equivalence' is a buzzword in F1 technical circles at the moment.

In a nutshell, manufacturers and most teams are desperate that their brand-new-for-2006 2.8 litre V8 power plants are not out-paced by a dusty old Minardi.

BMW's Mario Theissen is the most outspoken, particularly since the obviously well financed Red Bull snapped up Minardi and vowed to go ahead with Paul Stoddart's plans to stick with a rev limited V10 in 2006.

The German says the V10 option was mooted by the FIA as an 'emergency solution' for cash strapped small teams. At the moment, the detail of exactly how the V10 will be cut down by 200hp is lacking. "It is essential that the V10 restrictions will be defined so that if you want to win a race, you must have a V8," the BMW boss told Motorsport Aktuell. He added: "Otherwise, everyone has a V10 already on the shelf."

Theissen is worried that merely with a rev-limit, the V10 could still be more powerful - or have more torque - in the slower corners. There is a real fear, for example, that Scott Speed - in a 'Red Bull Rookie' car - drives through the field to win at slow circuits like Monaco or Hungary.

Dr Mario Theissen added: "The V10 must be limited so that not only maximum performance is compromised, but (so too is) the performance in the entire range."

 

[Flibster]

Toyota to build second tunnel

Clearly, Toyota is sparing no expense in the chase for F1 victory. The Cologne based team said it will build a second 50 per cent wind tunnel at the German HQ.

"The new (tunnel) will double-up as an aerodynamic research centre for other Toyota ... activities around the world," said executive vice president Yoshiaki Kinoshita.

Construction will begin next month, with the tunnel up-and-running by the start of 2007. More immediately, Japan-owned Toyota's F1 challenge is to beat Ferrari to third in the 2005 championship. "We are only ten points behind," Italian driver Jarno Trulli noted.

 

[Flibster]

This is interesting.

Fuelling high performance

It’s what victories are made of: in Formula 1, petrol is one of the most important components for good performance. In the laboratories of the petroleum companies, scientists are constantly searching for the ultimate formula for the best petrol to give their team a crucial advantage on the track.

The battle over seconds requires that refuelling must also be carried out rapidly. Twelve litres per second are pumped into the tank of a Formula 1 car during its pitstop. The tank is located below and behind the driver’s seat, and consists of a deformable Kevlar casing which protects the driver against fire in case of a crash. Only unleaded ‘super’ petrol compliant with EU standards is permitted, the same petrol available at the service station around the corner.

This was not always the case. Back in the founding years of Formula 1, the mixture was left up to the chemists. They brewed aggressive mixtures from substances such as benzene, methanol, acetone and nitrobenzene, some of which had to be drained from the engine immediately after practice and races. Without this precaution, the engine would not have survived the night. Later on, kerosene was used until the late 1960s, before the list of admissible additives was increasingly narrowed by the sport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l`Automobile (FIA), for the protection of drivers and mechanics.

WilliamsF1 Team Manager Dickie Stanford remembers:

“The petrol used to be dangerous for anybody who came into contact with it. Before each Grand Prix, we would therefore locate a hospital which was able to deal with burns caused by our petrol in case of an emergency.”

The petroleum companies experimented with more than 300 mixtures per season up until the early 1990s. It took until 1993 for the FIA to specify that Formula 1 petrol had to comply with all the safety and health regulations of the EU. The performance of the race cars remained entirely unaffected. This is because the development of the petrol, of which approximately 200,000 litres are used for research, tests and races each season, is still conducted on a highly professional level by the manufacturers. In their search for the best mixture and the extra shot of power for those crucial split seconds, the engineers can mix and burn petrol virtually, without actually having to produce the fuel. Some of the teams have developed their computer technology so that the virtual petrol can even be tested in a virtual engine.

In most cases, the ultimate formula is quickly found, although the realisation of it is far from easy. The demands on the petrol used to put the race cars on course for success are considerable: it should not only give the engine maximum power, but also be very light and economical to use, so that the car’s weight can be kept low and refuelling stops kept short. Perfect petrol is a competitive advantage which should not be underestimated. The fact that it allows driving one or two laps more than the competition can alone be decisive for the result of the race.

Consumption is one of each team’s best-kept secrets because it is the most important part of the race strategy. Experts estimate that a Formula 1 car uses approximately 70 litres per 100 kilometres. In Formula 1, as in everyday traffic, the amount of fuel used is heavily dependent on the style of driving. Cars consume the largest amount of fuel when accelerating. Driving with foresight requires less braking and, as a consequence, also requires less acceleration. This is where the potential for saving is greatest.

“When accelerating, the throttle should be opened in a measured manner and the gear should already be shifted up to the next higher one at around 2,000rpm,” Dr. Hartmuth Wolff of the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) recommends. “During long idle periods, it is worthwhile to switch off the engine. After only 30 seconds of the engine not running, the saved fuel has already exceeded the amount required for restarting the engine.”

The composition of normal service station petrol is specified by law. The FIA ensures that only the fuel permitted in Formula 1 is used. Each team must submit a sample of its petrol before the season. On Grand Prix weekends, the FIA technicians take random samples from the cars, which are then analysed and compared with the submitted fuel sample in a special laboratory on site at the race track. If the samples do not match up, the stewards can issue a penalty. In the worst case, the team in question can be disqualified.

Did you know... that a Formula 1 car is more fuel-efficient than a normal passenger car? While a 900bhp racing car uses 0.78 litres of petrol per bhp, a compact-class car with 75bhp uses 0.093 litres.

 

[Flibster]

RED BULL AIMS FOR TITLE GLORY

Red Bull Racing Sporting Director Christian Horner reckons his team can eventually overcome the mighty car manufacturers and become world championship contenders.

Horner said he wants to emulate the achievements of Benetton – the Italian clothing company that bought its own Formula 1 team and ultimately took Michael Schumacher to his first two titles in 1994/5.

"We won't be content until we are competing at the front, that's what racing is all about,” he told Sporting Life.

"That is very difficult for an independent team but not impossible.

“If a clothing company can do it 10 years ago then why can't a drinks company?”

Red Bull has brought in a large number of new staff since taking over the former Jaguar team at the end of 2005, as well as buying Minardi to run as a ‘junior’ arm from 2006.

Horner is confident that he now has “all the right ingredients” to turn RBR from regular points scorers into winners and title contenders.

“The foundations have been laid for the future and you can see with the personnel we have recruited in recent months they are all good people and from winning backgrounds,” he said.

“The rudiments are coming together very well."

 

[Flibster]

F1 BRACES ITSELF FOR BRAZILIAN RAIN

Formula 1 figures are preparing themselves for a second consecutive wet race, with many predicting that next weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix will be rain affected.

Until the Belgian Grand Prix, the entire 2005 F1 season had been dry, but the damp conditions turned Spa into one of the most incident filled races so far this year.

Most expect the Brazilian race to be a similar story.

“The weather can be unpredictable in Sao Paulo and I wouldn’t be surprised if we had some rain this year,” said Antonio Pizzonia, who stays with Williams for his home race.

Rain has played a big part in the last two Interlagos races, with Giancarlo Fisichella taking Jordan’s last ever win in the remarkable 2003 event, and Juan Pablo Montoya triumphing last season as the previously dominant Ferraris struggled in the conditions.

"Although the Brazilian Grand Prix has been brought forward in 2005, weather conditions might be similar to those we encountered last year - modest ambient temperatures interspersed with heavy showers,” said Michelin’s motorsport boss Pierre Dupasquier.

Drivers were amazed by how long the track took to dry at Spa last weekend, but Dupasquier warned them to expect more of the same at Interlagos.

“It is a particular feature of this circuit that small rivers form on the track surface,” he said.

“As a result, some parts of the circuit remain wet for quite a long time after the rest has dried."

But Jenson Button – who drove through the field to take a spectacular third in the rain at Spa – is looking forward to the weather shaking things up again in Brazil.

“The race is usually an exciting one with the weather quite often coming into play to liven things up a bit,” he said.

Superb.

Rain again - but in Brazil it's so much more fun.

Sadly they've improved the drainage at turn 3.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

BUTTON SET TO STAY AT BAR

Jenson Button has secured a deal to stay with the BAR-Honda team in 2006 after agreeing a £10 million multi-year deal, according to a report on Autosport's website.

Williams is reported to have accepted a cash deal to release the Briton from his commitments to the team.

The deal brings to an end the long-running dispute between Williams and Button.

Button publicly announced in July that he did not wish to switch teams despite having a binding contract to do so.

While Williams has refused to comment on the news, according to Autosport Button will pay not to drive for the team and will then be re-imbursed by BAR-Honda.

An announcement is expected before the Brazilian Grand Prix, and, should it happen it is likely to shake loose the driver market.

Nico Rosberg is considered a hot favourite to take Button's place in the vacant Williams slot but British hope Anthony Davidson and Antonio Pizzonia are also in the frame.

Button's confirmation alongside Ruben Barrichello in the BAR-Honda race line-up, puts Takuma Sato's position with the team in doubt, unless the Japanese driver is willing to accept a third driver role.

 

[Flibster]

Still no official news on Button..
As more and more media coverage is given over to 'Button staying at BAR', and ever more fanciful reports as to the terms of the deal, there is still no official word from any other parties involved.

The press officers for both teams appear to have mislaid their mobile phones, and are probably on holiday - maybe even together - as they fail to respond to media requests for any kind of information.

Maybe we'll just have to wait until the beginning of the new season to see which car young Jense is sitting in, assuming he doesn't change his mind in the meantime.

 

[Flibster]

93%....

Couldn't remember who the Liger was originally for..

Sadly - I was 3 when the 1981 race happened.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

It's official...

Button agrees deal to stay at BAR

Williams has confirmed that they have released BAR driver Jenson Button from the deal that would have seen him switch Formula One teams next season.

The 25-year-old Briton, who decided in July that he would rather stay with BAR, has been released after reaching a financial settlement with Williams.

"I would like to thank Frank Williams for accommodating a compromise to what was a binding contract," said Button.

"I regret the difficulties my decision has caused everyone involved."

Team owner Sir Frank Williams, who insisted over the summer that Button's contract was binding, expressed his relief that the saga was over.

"I am glad that we have brought this matter to a conclusion and we can return to what we do best, racing," he said.

With Williams ending their relationship with engine provider BMW, Button feels his title ambitions are best served while BAR, who have the full backing of Honda.

BAR have already recruited Brazilian Rubens Barrichello for 2006, with Takuma Sato making way for the Ferrari driver.

Button is believed to be paying up to £20m to Williams so he can stay at BAR and is thought the Briton will commit to the team on a long-term deal worth around £10m a season.

Only a year ago he tried to leave BAR in order to re-join Williams, with whom he got his F1 break in 2000.

And former team owner Eddie Jordan says Button is in danger of tarnishing his burgeoning reputation.

"If I was a team manager, I would be thinking how could I possibly sign a contract with Jenson when seemingly every contract he does sign he no longer wants to honour," Jordan told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I'm sure that's not Jenson and I believe somewhere in the background there is a management or a financial issue.

"But he must be very careful not to become tainted goods."

So - BAR is Barrichello and Button next year...

Poor ikkle Sato is out on his arse.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

well at least its over now..... but I agree with EJ on this as well

and Flib.....
93%....you need to get out more!

only a babe tho...

EJ for once is talkign sence.

I know - I spend far too long working on F1 related stuff at home..and I was very young - but went to my first GP at the age of 4 though.. Was standing behind a Lotus when it fired up - scared the hell out of me.


And now...BAR's side on things.

Button partners Barrichello at BAR in 2006

BAR Honda is delighted to confirm that Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will be racing together for the team in 2006. After three successful years with BAR Honda, Jenson and the team have concluded a multi-year extension to his current contract. From 2006 he will partner Rubens, who will join BAR Honda on 1 January and whose place within the team was confirmed last month.

Nick Fry, BAR Honda Chief Executive Officer: "We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2006 race driver line-up. We can now put the uncertainty of the past few months behind us and focus on the future, which looks very exciting indeed. We have made no secret of the fact that we wanted Jenson Button to remain with BAR Honda for the next few years and that we considered Jenson and Rubens to be our dream line-up for 2006 and beyond.

"Takuma Sato has been an extremely valuable and much-liked member of our team for four years in the roles of test driver, third driver and, latterly, race driver. He has made an enormous contribution to BAR Honda's development. Takuma's current contract reaches its conclusion at the end of 2005 but BAR Honda is in discussions with Takuma and his management regarding possibilities for the future."

Sporting Director Gil de Ferran: "I am very pleased that our team will feature one of the strongest driver line-ups in Formula One for 2006 and beyond. I know both Rubens and Jenson well and I have every confidence that they will work well together to develop our car and team whilst competing strongly at the race track. I have enjoyed working with Taku over the past year and I wish him well for the future."

Jenson Button: "I'm obviously delighted to confirm that I will be staying with BAR Honda for the next few years. Since I joined the team in 2003 we've shared some important moments in my career and the team's history. There are many more goals for us to achieve together - not least of all winning the World Championship. I want to be at BAR Honda to see that happen - and I believe that it will happen. 2005 has been a challenging year but we've bounced back from our problems and the team is much stronger as a result. I also have a new team-mate in Rubens Barrichello and I look forward to the two of us pushing each other, and working together to keep driving the team forward.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at the Team, at Honda and our tyre partner Michelin for their support over the past three years. The effort that has gone into building this team into what it is today has been relentless. It's been a privilege to be a part of BAR Honda and I am delighted that I will be part of its future. I look forward to achieving our next goal - our first win together - in the very near future."

 

[Flibster]

Here's the one everyones been waiting for...

Official statement from Takuma Sato

Following today's announcement that Jenson Button will partner Rubens Barrichello in 2006, Takuma Sato issued the following statement:

"I am not surprised by today's confirmation about next year but am obviously very disappointed with the news.

I have many thoughts about the situation and have my own opinions, but now is not the right time for me to comment.

I would like to thank all my fans and supporters for their continued faith and look forward to rewarding them with some good news soon."

 

[Flibster]

Aaaaaand Williams

Official statement from WilliamsF1

release him from his contractual commitment to the team for 2006 and beyond.

As consideration for the release from the terms of his contract, Jenson has agreed a financial settlement with WilliamsF1.

Button acknowledged the binding terms of his contract with WilliamsF1 and appreciated the efforts that had been made to find a resolution. He said, "I would like to thank Frank for accommodating a compromise to what was a binding contract and I regret the difficulties my decision has caused everyone involved."

Frank Williams wished Jenson well in the future and said, "I am glad that we have brought this matter to a conclusion and we can return to what we do best – racing."

 

[Flibster]

Fosters might pull out of F1

Australia's international beer brand Foster's is about to race away from formula one. The 'Brand Republic' publication said the company's long running association with grand prix racing will begin to evaporate when Foster's withdraws its title sponsorship of the British GP.

UK chairman and managing director of parent company Scottish & Newcastle, John Dunsmore, is reported to have remarked that the formula one connection 'no longer fits with (Foster's') core strategy'.

Foster's has a contract with the British grand prix held at Silverstone until 2010, but Brand Republic said it is likely to have an 'opt-out' clause.

Also in doubt is the title sponsorship of the Australian GP. Australian reports indicated that, with the beer market in decline, Foster's was likely to turn from grand prix sponsorship to, for example, international surfing contests.

 

[Flibster]

Klien's future at Red Bull not fixed yet

If statistics spoke for themselves, Christian Klien would be a dead-certainty to retain his Red Bull drive next to David Coulthard in 2006. The young Austrian, by the end of the year, will have driven 15 to Vitantonio Liuzzi's 4 grands prix, indicating that Klien is the favoured son of countryman and team owner Dietrich Mateschitz. It might not be so.

Mateschitz, the Red Bull magnate and billionaire, is probably a greater admirer of Italian Liuzzi. Whether 'Tonio' or Christian get the Red Bull or Minardi ride next season, then, is far from settled. He wondered in Motorsport Aktuell magazine: "You have to ask, how much potential does Christian have up his sleeve? With experience he gets better, because that is a big part of being a quality driver. Whether Klien is at 90, 95, 97 or 100 per cent of his potential, we do not yet know."

Liuzzi is definitely back in the game. Mateschitz reckons the 24-year-old's 'personality, charisma and natural speed' is perfect for Red Bull.

Demoting Klien to the 'Rookie' camp at Faenza, though, will not be done lightly, the energy drink magnate pledged. "In order to question his place in the team," the team owner admitted, "you must first also have a better alternative."