2006 Bahrain Grand Prix - Race 1/18

[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.

 

[Type_R]

Superb pics mate - well done for taking them!

 

[fuz]

Once again another track of legends replaced by another Tilke creation.... if they left Fuji alone I wouldn't have complained as much but its current layout isn't the most inspiring. Just hope they can find a way to keep Suzuka on the calendar.

 

[rpstewart]

Fuji to host Japan GP from 2007

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.

 

[Dutch Guy]

Superb pics mate - well done for taking them!

I agree, very nice pics

 

[Alibaba99]

Considering the large number of teams based in the UK (including one of the Japanese ones) why are we seemingly continuing to fight to even keep one race in this country?

 

[LoNeStaR*]

Was a pleasure to take the pictures and upload onto this thread. Had a great weekend with good views of the track on everyday.

 

[rpstewart]

Considering the large number of teams based in the UK (including one of the Japanese ones) why are we seemingly continuing to fight to even keep one race in this country?

The simple answer is that the UK was on to a loser as soon as tobacco advertising was banned however the truth I fear is somewhat more complex, even if you leave out the Bernie hates Silverstone argument.

His bowlcutedness Mr Ecclestone owns the commercial rights to F1 to the point where he charges circuits to host GPs - to the tune of about $10million per race. That sum gives a circuit the right to host the race, provide the facilities and generally cater for short rounds every whim and fancy. In return he takes all the TV money, trackside advertising revenue and event sponsorship. All the event promoter gets is the gate money and anything which can be made from catering, hospitality etc.

In the UK 60000 at £100 a time barely covers what it costs to host the event, let alone make enough profit to maintain the facilities. Yet you have governments and corporations falling over one another to cough up the dosh to get a GP for the prestige, tourist value etc. Malaysia is a prime example of hundreds of millions being poured into facilities and yet even giving the tickets away they're lucky to half fill the place. There's no way that anyone in this country would subsidise what is in effect a minority sport to that level so we're left with a single race while the teams trot from tiger economy to tiger economy while Bernie quietly lines his pockets.

 

[rpstewart]

I really should have suggested a solution in my previous post, so here goes.

Why should tracks pay to host GPs? Simple, they shouldn't. Bernie's income from hosting contracts is a pittance in comparision to the TV revenue so why not contract tracks to host races for nothing. Bernie can keep the TV & advertising money but by removing a huge commitment from the tracks they can re-invest the gate money into the facilities, keeping them up to date and generally removing the usual threats of "the track's not up to standard".

It would fit with F1's new cost cutting image too

 

[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

 

[Stormrider]

Was a pleasure to take the pictures and upload onto this thread. Had a great weekend with good views of the track on everyday.

really superb photos. You got some good ones of Villeneuve's car going boom.

Fuji - please no, Suzuka is so much better.

 

[Richard T]

really superb photos. You got some good ones of Villeneuve's car going boom.

.

agreed.... thanks for sharing

 

[Flibster]

Schu pens new Ferrari deal - report

According to reports in the German press, Ferrari's Michael Schumacher may have now signed a new two-year deal to stick around in F1 until the end of 2008.

After missing the Bahrain win by a paltry 1.2 seconds, the 37-year-old is almost certain to line up at the scarlet team next year alongside McLaren defector Kimi Raikkonen, the reports said.

Schumacher's manager, Willi Weber, would not confirm the rumour when pressed by Bild newspaper.

"We will not be making any statements on this issue before the summer," he said.

"But it is clear -- positive results will not impact negatively on Michael's important decision."

Bild also quoted a 'McLaren insider' as reporting that Kimi Raikkonen has already decided to leave the team.

 

[Richard T]

booooooooooo


Hey Simon..... whens the next thread going up?

 

[Flibster]

Massa 'lost control' in Alonso incident

With Ferrari saying it would investigate an incident that nearly wiped Fernando Alonso out of the Bahrain race, principal Jean Todt reports that team debutant Felipe Massa 'lost control' of his car.

'But, overall, I think he did a very good job,' said the Frenchman.

'Felipe was able to match Michael (Schumacher) in qualifying, even though he lost control of the car when he was driving behind Alonso in the race.

'He also lost a lot of time in the pits, but afterwards lapped at the pace of the leaders.'

 

[Flibster]

Hey Simon..... whens the next thread going up?

Today...

 

[Richard T]

Today...

woohoo!!

Do you think Massa's spin was all his fault? Looked like is broke away real quick to me

 

[Dutch Guy]

With Ferrari saying it would investigate an incident that nearly wiped Fernando Alonso out of the Bahrain race, principal Jean Todt reports that team debutant Felipe Massa 'lost control' of his car

It looked a lot like the rear brakes locking up though, but perhaps the brake balance was moved to the rear a bit too much?

 

[Flibster]

Massa's spin was unusual - immediately upon locking his wheels it went sideways. Personally I also would have expected it to go the other way as well *To our right rather than our left*
As he was going in a straight line the slide should have been in a straight line. It's almost as if all the weight was over the front wheels and the rear end went very light, one wheel locked up and that was it. It happened extremely rapidly.

Also - after the pitstop he had there was nothing resembling the same speed from him.

Anyhoo...bit of a nice story...

Donations to help Honda Truckie

Mechanics up and down pitlane are uniting to support an injured colleague.

Chris Mays, a truckie for Honda, is in intensive care after a motorbike crash, according to the Telegraph newspaper, and his insurance company is refusing to pay out.

Mechanics from many rival teams are donating a day's pay, with some drivers contributing race suits and helmets to be auctioned.

 

[Richard T]

agreed a nice story... hope the truckie gets better soon