2005 German Grand Prix

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 10:59

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:00

2004 German Grand Prix Results

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:01

Current Championship Standings.

2005 Drivers Championship.

Code:

[b]Pos	Driver			Nationality	Team			Points[/b]
1 	Fernando Alonso		Spanish		Renault			77 
2 	Kimi Räikkönen		Finnish		McLaren-Mercedes	51 
3 	Michael Schumacher	German		Ferrari			43 
=5 	Jarno Trulli		Italian		Toyota			31 
=5 	Rubens Barrichello	Brazilian	Ferrari			31 
6 	Juan Pablo Montoya	Colombian	McLaren-Mercedes	26 
7 	Nick Heidfeld		German		Williams-BMW		25 
8 	Giancarlo Fisichella	Italian		Renault			25 
9	Ralf Schumacher		German		Toyota			23
10 	Mark Webber		Australian	Williams-BMW		22 
11	David Coulthard		British		Red Bull Racing		17 
12	Jenson Button		British		BAR-Honda		9
13 	Felipe Massa		Brazilian	Sauber-Petronas		7 
=16 	Tiago Monteiro		Portuguese	Jordan-Toyota		6 
=16 	Alexander Wurz		Austrian	McLaren-Mercedes	6 
=16 	Jacques Villeneuve	Canadian	Sauber-Petronas		6 
17 	Narain Karthikeyan	Indian		Jordan-Toyota		5 
=20 	Christijan Albers	Dutch		Minardi-Cosworth	4 
=20 	Pedro de la Rosa	Spanish		McLaren-Mercedes	4 
=20 	Christian Klien		Austrian	Red Bull Racing		4 
21 	Patrick Friesacher	Austrian	Minardi-Cosworth	3 
22 	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Italian		Red Bull Racing		1

2005 Constructors Championship.

Code:

[b]Pos	Constructor 		Points[/b]
1	Renault			102
2	McLaren-Mercedes	87
3	Ferrari			74
5	Toyota			54
5	Williams-BMW		47
6	Red Bull Racing		22
7	Sauber-Petronas		13
8	Jordan-Toyota		11
9	BAR-Honda		9
10	Minardi-Cosworth	7

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:02

And now...the F1 news...

Sponsors threaten F1 split - 19 July 2005
A lot of bank notes could fly out of Formula One's window if the political storm speeds ahead.

'A host of top-tier sponsors' have contacted GT, rally and A1 grand prix teams and are prepared to leave F1 should the threatened 'breakaway' split occur, brandrepublic.com reported Tuesday.

'The sponsors ... are keen to maintain their links with motor sport ... with less troubled championships,' it claimed.

Only Ferrari and Red Bull are committed to the existing series beyond 2007, with the rest - mainly teams with major car manufacturer partners - at war with Bernie Ecclestone and FIA chief Max Mosley.

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:03

Minardi to announce new second driver today

Chances are high that Robert Doornbos will be racing for the Minardi Formula One team this weekend, replacing Patrick Friesacher. It would make the Minardi team an all-Dutch team with current driver Christijan Albers and his country fellow Doornbos.

Paul Stoddart is the one that has to make the final decision, which is expected today. Robert Doornbos was already invited by the team to fit a seat. "It is great that the team let me Robert fit a seat, but they didn't confirm me the racing seat yet (for Doornbos). I do expect that the team will tell me today if he may race or not,"

xolotl · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:03

Keep up the good work flib.

I love Hokenheim as a track. One of my favourites over the year, must be becuase its a very high speed track.

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:04

I love this one.

ITV found guilty

F1 broadcaster ITV has been censured by the British television watchdog after cutting to a commercial break during the exciting climax to the San Marino GP. 'Ofcom' ruled that ITV breached Section 6.7(b) of the industry rules by returning after a nearly three minute break to the Michael Schumacher versus Fernando Alonso battle on the last lap.

"In retrospect," a statement cited ITV's defense, "the break should have been taken earlier but, at the time, it had been a difficult call to make."

ITV, who took over the F1 mantle from the BBC in 1997, had also been criticised for cutting to another break instead of airing Jenson Button's comments in the post race conference. Ofcom, though - despite the disapproval - took no action.

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:05

Alonso admits German tyre concern

Alonso holds a 26-point lead over Kimi Raikkonen in the standings
Fernando Alonso says Renault must solve the tyre problems that usually hit them at the German Grand Prix if he is to win Sunday's race at Hockenheim.
"In the last two years we had some problems with the rear tyres because of high temperatures and the tractions demands of the corners," he said.

"We need to analyse it to get the right balance between speed and durability."

Alonso said a hot-weather test in Spain last week gave him confidence he would be a contender for victory in Germany.

"The test team were working in Jerez (in Spain) last week in hot conditions, and they have done a fantastic job so far this year," he said.

"I am sure we can be very competitive, just like we were earlier in the year in the hot races at Malaysia and Bahrain (where Alonso won)."

McLaren will be very motivated to succeed at one of their home races, so we know it will be a big fight

Fernando Alonso

Alonso has a 26-point lead over McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, whose car is slightly quicker than the Renault.

But the Spaniard's confidence has been boosted by his performance in the last two races.

He took a dominant victory in France in hot conditions and followed that with second place at Silverstone, where he pushed winner Juan Pablo Montoya all the way.

"Like every weekend, we will be aiming to finish with our cars on the podium," the 23-year-old said.

"More than that is difficult to predict at this stage, until we have started running and seen how the balance of the car is.

"But my last two races were very strong, and I think that again in Hockenheim, the R25 will be very competitive.

"We have some new developments which will bring us a little more performance, and I think the characteristics of the circuit will suit us.

"Against that, McLaren will be very motivated to succeed at one of their home races, so we know it will be a big fight.

"We just need to do the maximum possible - from the start of Friday practice to end of the race, stay consistent, and take the biggest number of points that we can."

Baz · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:05

I disagree with you xolotl, it used to be good, then they spoiled it...

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:06

BMW strengthening Sauber aerodynamic department

BMW has moved quickly to strengthen Sauber's underfunded windtunnel programme and hopes to have the facility in Hinwil running much more than is currently possible as soon as there are engineers to run it.

The windtunnel is being used for development work on the current Sauber and to design next year's car, which will use the new BMW V8 engine, which ran for the first time in the back of a Williams last week.

The technical team is headed by former BMW engineer Willy Rampf and his position is unlikely to be under threat as he is well-connected in BMW circles. The aerodynamics department is headed by Britain's Seamus Mullarkey, a graduate of Imperial College, London, who worked at Robin Herd's design bureau in the early 1990s, on the Fomet 1 and Larrousse F1 cars before doing development work for the Forsythe CART team. In 1996 he moved to Galmer Engineering and a year later joined Jordan. In 1998 he became chief aerodynamicist at Sauber and has been there ever since.

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:07

xolotl said:
Keep up the good work flib.

I love Hokenheim as a track. One of my favourites over the year, must be becuase its a very high speed track.

It was good before HERMAN TILKE killed it...

Recognise the name? He's the pilock who designed Sepang, China, Bahrain, Turkey....

He cannot design a good race circuit..he can design one that looks good...but is crap for racing on..

Simon/~Flibster

//Mike · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:09

xolotl said:
Keep up the good work flib.

I love Hokenheim as a track. One of my favourites over the year, must be becuase its a very high speed track.

I think you must be the only one!

//Mike · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:14

Flibster said:
*Something about sponsors possibly looking outside of F1 because of the GPWC....*

Surely before the GPWC comes into effect in 2008, most of the teams will have been buggered on their sponsorship because of the total ban on tobacco advertising from 2006. Pretty much all of the major teams have their main livery sponsor as a tobacco company. Now, I know McLaren have sorted out a deal with Johnnie Walker, but if most of the other teams haven't sorted out deals yet, then as long as they have a contract with the new sponsors to continue into the GPWC then what's the problem?

Obviously there are many smaller sponsors for the teams, but surely the most important ones are the tobacco companies.

AndrewP · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:22

When did they change the track? I always remember it as a consistent curve all the way round, now it looks like its missing a chunk from the top right. (or bottom left as shown in the diagram above)

AndrewP · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:28

//Mike said:
Now, I know McLaren have sorted out a deal with Johnnie Walker

And how much longer before alcohol sponsorship goes the same way as tobacco? How does that work in Islamic countries (Bahrain, Turkey, Malaysia?)?

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:28

//Mike said:
Surely before the GPWC comes into effect in 2008, most of the teams will have been buggered on their sponsorship because of the total ban on tobacco advertising from 2006. Pretty much all of the major teams have their main livery sponsor as a tobacco company. Now, I know McLaren have sorted out a deal with Johnnie Walker, but if most of the other teams haven't sorted out deals yet, then as long as they have a contract with the new sponsors to continue into the GPWC then what's the problem?

Obviously there are many smaller sponsors for the teams, but surely the most important ones are the tobacco companies.

The tobacco ban starts on Aug 1st iirc...

Thats when McLaren are going to Johnnie Walker...

And the car will look like this...

http://www.mclaren.com/mediaroom/pressreleases/mclaren/images/jpm-jw-l.jpg

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/story/0 said:
Last week McLaren announced they were swapping fags for booze, and that on August 1 - the day after the Hungarian grand prix - the West cigarette branding on their cars will be replaced by Johnnie Walker whisky in a £15m-a-year deal with parent company Diageo.

Williams has reportedly secured a £30m three-year deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland, whose logos will sit alongside those of Hewlett-Packard, nicotine patch manufacturer NiQuitinCQ and Budweiser. Soft drink manufacturer Red Bull, meanwhile, has bought the Jaguar team, which will run bearing their logos.

There is widespread speculation that the BAR-Honda team will no longer resemble a cigarette packet come mid-summer. Last year Honda bought out BAT's 45% stake in the team and they could be racing in Honda livery by the end of the year.

Until BAR's future becomes clear, the team remain one of four that are tobacco-dependent. The Jordan team retain a deal with Gallaher, who may replace the B&H brand with Sobranie, Renault are sponsored by Mild Seven, and Schumacher's Ferrari carries the Marlboro livery on its rear wing and air-box.

Of these, Ferrari are best able to withstand the loss of tobacco sponsorship. Ferrari's $250m annual budget is made up of $72m from Marlboro, $45m from Vodafone, $33m from Shell, $15m from Fiat, $8.5m from Bridgestone and a fur ther $80m from 24 small commercial partners.

With such huge amounts at stake it is little wonder that lawyers are examining the legislation for loopholes.

Most glaring is the question of whether races staged outside the EU but broadcast within it will be covered. Mr Ecclestone has assiduously sought new markets for the sport outside Europe, and this year Turkey joins Shanghai and Bahrain on the racing calender. Istanbul's inaugural grand prix on August 21 will be the first test of the law.

A spokesman for the European commission suggested such races may be exempt. "The commission has no way of enforcing the law outside the area of its treaties ... the laws of the EU apply to the EU." This view was supported by BAR-Honda team principal, Nick Fry, who said last month that he believed the team could continue to race in Lucky Strike livery in August.

The Department of Health has also reserved judgment, pointing to a challenge to the legislation making its way through the European courts.

There are questions too for ITV, for which the sport is the centrepiece of its sports portfolio. They have been advised that races outside the EU in which tobacco brands are featured will not breach the Ofcom code, a view contradicted by the Department of Health. With so much money at stake, no one would be surprised if the issue was finally decided in the courts.

Teams that use tobacco

Ferrari - Marlboro, Vodafone, Shell
BAR - Lucky Strike, Honda
Renault - Mild Seven, Telefonica, Elf
McLaren Mercedes - West (to be replaced by Johnnie Walker), Siemens, Mobil
Jordan - Sobranie, Tata (consultancy services)

Teams that don't

Minardi - Fondmetal (Automobile technology), Allegrini (chemicals)
BMW Williams - Royal Bank of Scotland, Hewlett Packard, Budweiser
Sauber - Petronas, Credit Suisse
Red Bull - Red Bull
Toyota - Panasonic, Denso (interior car components), Intel

//Mike · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:31

AndrewP said:
When did they change the track? I always remember it as a consistent curve all the way round, now it looks like its missing a chunk from the top right. (or bottom left as shown in the diagram above)

Track was modified for the 2002 race iirc.

Flibster · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:33

//Mike said:
Track was modified for the 2002 race iirc.

Certainly was.

Dutch Guy · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:59

Yeah, I liked the old Hockenheim track, lots of long straights with 3 chicanes and the slow complex section, now it's crap.

@Flibster, there is a typo in the 2nd post, it says 2004 British Grand Prix instead of German Grand Prix

JRS · 19 Jul 2005 at 11:59

Yep. And in the process they destroyed a track where overtaking was actually possible even with current F1 car design.

2005 German Grand Prix

Man of Honour