2006 Bahrain Grand Prix - Race 1/18

[Flibster]

Thank you Jos for loweringt he tone of the show...

"It's *poo* really"
"You can't say that!"
"I don't care cos it is *poo*"

 

[Flibster]

Rosberg thrills dad with brilliant debut

Nico Rosberg won the praise of champions on Sunday after a sensational start to his Formula One career in Bahrain.

The 20-year-old Williams driver recovered from a first corner tangle to roar back to seventh place and set the fastest lap in the process.

His father, Finland's 1982 champion Keke, led the plaudits.

"It was unbelievable, to have a fastest race lap under normal conditions in your first ever Grand Prix I don't think anybody has ever had that. Phenomenal," he told Reuters.

"I think it's the best performance of any young driver that I've seen for a very long time," enthused three times champion Jackie Stewart.

"I can't remember a performance in a first Grand Prix that was so impressive," he told Reuters. "I had a sixth place in my first Grand Prix but he came from the back and I certainly didn't get fastest lap.

"His judgement, the manner in which he went about it...it's a rare commodity today but as a racing driver he knows how to pass and carries it out."

Germany's Rosberg seemed nonplussed by what he had achieved.

"It's great that I was able to add some excitement to the race," he told reporters. "It's very special for me on my debut and it was fun also to drive. The car felt great and the overtaking was a lot of fun.

"I always heard that it was impossible to overtake in F1 but it worked out fine for me."

The youngster made a mistake at the first corner - he said he had expected Nick Heidfeld in the BMW Sauber to leave him more room, and lost 45 seconds on a slow lap back to the pits.

He rejoined at the back of the field, a position that would have disheartened most newcomers.

Instead, Rosberg showed all the fighting qualities that brought him the GP2 title at the same desert circuit last year, overtaking Red Bull's Austrian Christian Klien on the last lap.

"Nico's race was stunning after the early error," said Williams co-owner Patrick Head.

"We could tell he was pretty good from the testing last year and whatever, but that sort of fighting quality you only actually see in the race.

"Nico obviously has massive potential. We've made very certain that our contract is good and safe," he added, alluding to the contract battle last year between Williams and BAR, now Honda, over Briton Jenson Button.

Rosberg said he was sure his watching father would have packed up and gone back to his hotel after the early incident.

Keke, renowned as a real fighter in his heyday, said he was made of sterner stuff.

"He always thinks I'm so negative. I'm not, I'm pragmatic - those first corner incidents are the ones you do not want to have," the former champion said.

"But he had a fantastic day after that and I'll buy him dinner tonight."

 

[Flibster]

Jos is not a happy bunny....

Surprised his helmet didn't go flying..

 

[Flibster]

Renault confirm Faure steps down

Renault confirmed on Monday their Formula One director Patrick Faure was stepping down.

Faure will be replaced by 59-year-old Alain Dassas, a former Renault financial director, the team said a day after Fernando Alonso's victory at the season-opening Grand Prix in Bahrain.

"Together with Alain Dassas, our objective is to maintain the successful momentum of the Renault F1 Team," Carlos Ghosn, chief executive at Renault, said.

He called Renault's double Formula One victory in 2005 "a historic event," which was the fruit of investment and the determination of the entire F1 team.

Alonso made a perfect start to the Formula One season with victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.

Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, starting from a record-equalling pole position on an all-Ferrari front row, had to settle for second after a thrilling battle with his young rival.

Alonso, the 24-year-old Spaniard who last year became Formula One's youngest champion, made sure of his ninth victory after emerging from his final pitstop just as the 37-year-old German was about to go past.

Alonso has signed a contract to join McLaren in 2007.

 

[Flibster]

Mosley predicts great F1 season

FIA president Max Mosley believes Formula One is heading for one of its most competitive and exciting seasons for years, judging by the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The close fight at the front of the field between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, allied to further promise from McLaren and Honda, has left Mosley upbeat about the sport's prospects for 2006.

"I think it was an excellent start to the season," he said. "Qualifying worked and the race was really exciting. In fact, it was as good as you could have. It is really looking very promising for the year ahead."

When asked whether it was good for the sport that Ferrari were also back up there, Mosley said: "The old firm are back in business. They were as quick as Renault and Renault were as quick as they were.

"I am sure we are going to have several winners early in the season, and not just Renault and Ferrari. I think a Honda win will happen and for Jenson Button that first win will free him up and allow him to win even more.

"It is probably the most promising start to the season we have had for years. It was exciting and I am looking forward to a great season."

 

[Flibster]

An engine failure after the flag

David Coulthard will start Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix from near the back of the grid after his Ferrari V8 blew on the slowing down lap in Bahrain.

"Even if I get pole in Malaysia I will start 11th," said the Scot, whose Red Bull Ferrari team neglected to mention the detail in its post-race press release.

Failing to get a single engine through two complete race weekends results in a ten-position qualifying penalty at the next event.

BMW Sauber's Jacques Villeneuve will also start ten places back in Sepang, after his V8 expired spectacularly without warning in Bahrain.

It is now the subject of an analysis back in Munich.

Meanwhile, F1's new permanent steward made his debut reprimand in Bahrain, scolding BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld after a dice with Coulthard.

The FIA's Tony Scott-Andrews ruled that Heidfeld had wrongfully forced the Red Bull driver off the track after completing a pass.

Thats not really a surprise. I'm more surprised that 3 Ferrari engines still survive...

 

[Flibster]

Massa sparks Ferrari inquests

Felipe Massa's troubled Ferrari debut has sparked off a flurry of investigations at the team.

The Brazilian, who had started from a career-best second on the grid, nearly took out race winner Fernando Alonso at one stage when he dramatically spun.

"We need to find out what caused it," said technical director Ross Brawn, who did not want to rule out driver error.

Then, when Massa pitted for new tyres, mechanics struggled to operate a rear wheel gun, resulting in a stop of nearly a minute.

Ross Brawn admitted: "The back-up system didn't work either. We're going to have a careful look and see what caused this error."

 

[Flibster]

Deleted lap was the key.

The FIA's new '110 per cent' qualifying rule may have cost Michael Schumacher victory in Bahrain.

Ferrari's veteran driver had expected an extra 2.75 kilos of fuel to be added to his car prior to the race -- which would have been enough for one more lap before his decisive last pit stop in the heated duel with Fernando Alonso.

But, after getting held up in traffic on one 'top ten' qualifying flyer on Saturday, the FIA deleted the lap - and therefore the fuel allocation - because it was not within 110 per cent of his pole position.

''Maybe that extra bit would have been enough to stay ahead,'' principal Jean Todt said.

Schumacher himself was more adamant, reporting that the FIA omission was the 'decisive factor' in the loss to Alonso.

 

[Flibster]

FIA to leave V10s alone - for now

Although a storm of controversy whistled through the Bahrain paddock, F1's governing body has vowed to stick with the current restrictions for V10 engines.

Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed scored no points in their Toro Rosso cars, but their V10 grunt allowed them to beat a BMW, a Honda and both Toyotas - all major players in the V8 brigade.

"(Toro Rosso) have about 720 horse power," Max Mosley said in Bahrain. "The best new V8s are about 760."

"We have the ability to further limit the performance of the V10s, but for the moment we don't feel the need."

 

[Flibster]

Rosberg could have reached podium

Nico Rosberg could have finished on the podium in his debut Grand Prix if he had not got caught up in a first corner incident that damaged his front wing.

That is the view of Williams technical director Sam Michael, who believes that Rosberg could have done even better than his strong run to seventh if he had stayed out of trouble early on.

"On pure maths, from subtracting where he finished behind to where he was behind (after his pitstop to repair the wing), he should have finished in a solid third," explained Michael.

"Whether he would have run with Michael (Schumacher) or Fernando (Alonso) I don't know, but he would have been within 10 seconds of them. Whether he could have even beaten them I don't know, but he would have been third."

Michael admitted that he was one of many at Williams who were left surprised by Rosberg's strong performance - which included several great overtaking moves and the fastest lap of the race.

"I think he surprised everyone," explained Michael. "There was just that moment at the first corner. He should not have been there and it was all his fault.

"Nick (Heidfeld) was not there to give him space, but then he came on the radio and very clearly said he was coming in for a front wing. There was no messing about or panicking about what happened.

"He came in, we then had a problem with his pitstop on the front jack and lost another 10 seconds there, so he lost about 45 seconds all up. But he got his head down and did a perfect race from there."

Rosberg backs up the belief that he would have done even better if he had not been caught up in the first corner incident – but he has no complaints about his performance.

"If you don't lose 25 seconds early on then of course you can score more points, but if and when is always easy to say," he explained. "Unfortunately I lost it like that in the corner. I haven't watched it properly on TV but it was probably my fault.

"I am very pleased though. I was quick and getting the fastest lap of the race is special on my debut. So, with the two points, I am very pleased."

Talking about his great moves on the Red Bull Racing cars, Rosberg said: "They told me on the radio that I could catch them and that is the way it is.

"I could not see the times they were doing but they said, 'push, you are catching them at one second per lap'. I thought, 'Whoa, here go,' although I thought it would be very difficult to pass them. In F1 I always heard it was impossible to pass but in the end I got there and went straight past, so I am very happy."

When asked about father Keke's reaction to his debut, Rosberg said: "I think he was happy. I am sure after the first corner he packed up and went to the hotel and watched it there, but maybe he came back after that. I am sure he was happy."

 

[Flibster]

Coulthard calls for engine rule re-think

David Coulthard has called on the FIA to re-examine the penalties for changing an engine after the heartbreak of his power-unit failing after the chequered flag in Bahrain.

The Red Bull Racing driver had endured a frustrating afternoon at Sakhir, mostly affected by a major flat-spot on his right front tyre that dropped him to 10th overall, but it got worse after the chequered after he suffered an engine problem.

With a new power-unit needed for this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, Coulthard is facing the prospect of starting from the back of the grid before the action has even begun.

Coulthard bumped into FIA president Max Mosley immediately after the race in Bahrain to express his disappointment about the situation, and later called on the sport's governing body to consider a change to the 10-place grid penalty system.

"I saw Max and jokingly said you need to sort this out," explained Coulthard. "For me I was 14th on the grid and, if you give me 10 places, then I am at the back. I am not driving a McLaren and I cannot go from there to third place.

"I understand the regulations to try and make people use less engines, but I think there should be a handicap penalty based on a performance at a GP. Maybe it could be percentage to the fastest time, but just 10 places is wrong. The guys at the front only ever get to just outside the top 10 whereas we always have to go to the back."

Looking back at the race, Coulthard admitted there was some encouragement in seeing teammate Christian Klien get to the chequered flag - even though his own race was a disappointment.

Klien's performance was the first time the RB2 had completed a full race distance following the troubled pre-season testing build-up.

"I think it is important after all the difficulties that we had to get one point," added Coulthard. "It is kind of like we have got the first part of the job done.

"For me, my race was not very enjoyable. I really felt like I was learning about the car because it is the longest runs I have done with it, so I had a bit of a journey into the unknown.

"I never really felt comfortable all weekend and, to add insult to the rest of it, I flat-spotted my front when I was battling with Nick Heidfeld right down to the metal in the wheel.

"My visibility was zero and I had the conversation with the team, was I better pitting and getting a new set of tyres versus staying on track? With hindsight being a wonderful thing maybe I should have pitted and put new tyres on."

 

[Flibster]

Gascoyne perplexed by Toyota's problems

Toyota's technical director Mike Gascoyne has admitted the team are perplexed by their poor pace at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Japanese team, one of Formula One's biggest spenders, left Bahrain with nothing to show for after a dismal performance both in qualifying and the race. Ralf Schumacher finished in 14th position and teammate Jarno Trulli down in 16th.

Toyota were the first team to launch their 2006 car and were optimistic they could be fighting for wins this season.

Gascoyne said the problem in Bahrain was the lack of grip.

Toyota have switched from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres this year, but both Ferrari and Williams, also on Bridgestones, enjoyed a competitive weekend.

"We're a little bit perplexed," said Gascoyne. "In winter testing, we knew we were struggling with the tyres a little bit, but we had a performance level that was similar to Williams - we actually expected to be slightly quicker.

"But we've simply been unable to find any grip this weekend. Our used race tyres look brand new. There is no wear – we simply don't seem to be able to get the tyre into an operating window.

"All the Bridgestone runners have struggled with that over the winter. We expected it to be much better here because of the ground temperatures – and for Williams, it clearly was. But for us, the drivers said they had absolutely no grip.

"It's very difficult to understand – the drivers say that, coming out of the corner, the traction control cuts in and the wheels just sit there, there's no grip. The lack of pace is just very difficult to understand.

"We know we improved the car and we back-to-backed the aero package and we know it's significantly better. We were reasonably confident but we just haven't made the tyres work."

Gascoyne said Bridgestone had also failed to find an explanation for the problems, but the Briton said the Japanese company was not to blame.

"Bridgestone are perplexed and hopefully, given data from all their runners, they'll be able to tell us where we're going wrong," he added.

"It was clear all last year that we were very gentle on tyres and very often, we ran softer compounds than others because we could get away with it. It just seems that now we just drop out of the operating window of the tyre.

"We need to go back and start testing. We need to be running softer, because this compound is what Ferrari run. It's not like you can't make this work. Clearly, we have no grip – it can be made to work, we aren't doing.

"It's not a problem of Bridgestone, they're trying to help us cure it. I don't know what's wrong – it's very clearly a problem and it's hard to understand.

"We're not there because we've got no downforce, and the drivers say the same. They describe the car as very disconnected with no grip, but there's nothing wrong with the car.

"It's a very strange comment from a driver – he's not saying it's under-steering like a pig, they say it's okay, it's nice but it just has no grip."

Toyota will have no time to test before the next race, with the Malaysian Grand Prix taking place next weekend.

 

[Flibster]

Mmmmm...

Totty....



That Ferrari bint almost makes me want to support them...*and I'm not talking about Ferrari.. *

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Renault apologise to Fisichella

The Renault team have apologised to Giancarlo Fisichella for the problems that he suffered during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

"We have apologised to him for what happened yesterday," said director of engineering Pat Symonds. "The engine problem he had suffered in qualifying had not gone away, and his performance was seriously compromised.

"He lost some fifty horsepower, and in fact drove a really excellent race. But he was eventually halted by an hydraulic leak."

The Italian qualified down in ninth place on Saturday and struggled in the race until he finally had to retire on lap 30.

"Last year, I won the first race then had a difficult season," Fisichella said. "This year, I hope it will be the other way round - a bad race then a lot of good results."

 

[Flibster]

Hey guys, 1st off awsome posting Simon bloody nice work been following your posts for some time now

Im a McLaren fan and bloody hell kimi did a great job real pleased for him.

My question is was McLaren running the car detuned? i think i remember reading about they had something like 60hp missing? was that confirmed? If so surely they have got the fastest car as kimi lap times wasn't far off

Cheers.

McLaren during the race were running the full power of the engine as far as I am aware - they may have turned the fueling and revs down a bit as they have another tough race this weekend *mental note - start on new thread tomorrow... *

They ran the detuned engine in the freee practice sessions as it's still not the most reliable engine in F1.

They aren't the most powerfull engine in F1 anyway - they give away something around 20bhp to the Cosworth which is the most powerful at the moment with around 750bhp.

Kimi was something special this weekend - didn't see much of him but he did the job - probably did the best he could as well - couldn't really see him getting any higher without failures. He was also lucky that certain other drivers had issues. He did get held up quite a lot by Villeneuve though - although BMW seem to be continuing where they left off - BBQ time...

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Simon??? ...... get that underground network of secret agents going

[MrBurnsMode]
Fly my pretties...Fly!!
[/MrBurnsMode]

 

[Flibster]

McLaren to investigate Montoya's problems

McLaren will begin investigations this week in a bid to get on top of the minor engine problems that marred Juan Pablo Montoya's Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.

The Colombian suffered from engine mapping issues that left him down on power compared to teammate Kimi Raikkonen when the engine was in certain modes - and that played a part in his disappointing start to the campaign.

McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh has said the team are hoping that they get time this week to track down the problem and resolve it before the action gets underway in Malaysia on Friday.

"I think we had some issues over the weekend with Montoya's engine," explained Whitmarsh.

"We have a number of different modes of operation with the engine. We have economy, super economy and full mode and certainly in the lesser modes of control there was something in the engine that we were trying to track down all weekend that gave him a slight element of disadvantage.

"It's the same engine this weekend but we have got a bit more time to study it now. We cannot change the mechanics of the engine but we are allowed to change the software and the mapping.

"With a bit of detailed analysis maybe we can find something there to give him more confidence in the operating regimes of the engine."

 

[Flibster]

First of The Chequered Flag webcasts from the BBC is now available:

Stream, download or podcast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sport/formulaone/podcast.shtml

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Love the Villeneuve shots.

Looks like you had a really good seat.

Anyway...

Fuji to host Japan GP from 2007

It has been revealed that Fuji Speedway will replace Suzuka as host of the Japan Grand Prix from 2007.

According to The Yomiuri Shimbun, Bernie Ecclestone has signed a "multi-year" deal with the Toyota owned circuit, which hosted the Japan event in 1976 and 1977. Suzuka, which has hosted the Japan Grand Prix since 1987, is owned by Honda.

Fuji re-opened in 2005 following an extensive overhaul, and Toyota made no secret of its desire to win the rights to host its home Grand Prix.

Bernie Ecclestone has said that with three teams currently competing in F1, it is not impossible that Japan could play host to two rounds of the World Championship, however, this would appear to buck the current trend, where both Italy and Germany look set to lose one of two races.

 

[Flibster]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

<breathe>

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<breathe>

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Suzuka is one of the few great circuits we have left, Fuji on the other hand is virtually flat with very little of interest other than a straight almost a mile long.

Had to go and look up the design - been so long since I've seen it...

Should have known...

It's a bloody Tilke!!

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Simon/~Flibster