2006 European Grand Prix - Race 5/18

[Flibster]

Just saw the new sig.
It says "GPWC NOW" in it.
Does that mean the brake away is on

Sadly not....it's more a protest..

It's one of a series of sigs...

 

[Zip]

Sadly not....it's more a protest..

It's one of a series of sigs...

Snip

Ill be happy to show one of these off as my sig if im allowed

F1 has got far to many rules these days.
They might aswell walk around the track

 

[Flibster]

Ill be happy to show one of these off as my sig if im allowed

F1 has got far to many rules these days.
They might aswell walk around the track

Go for it - they'll on work for here though. Only got 150gb of transfer a month to go through.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Zip]

Thanks. Now lets see if it works.

And it does

 

[rpstewart]

Super Aguri replace Ide with Montagny
Frenchman Franck Montagny will race in the second Super Aguri car at this weekend's European Grand Prix, the team announced on Thursday.

Montagny will replace Japanese rookie Yuji Ide who, following advice received from the FIA this week, will only participate in testing days.

"We accept the advice offered by the FIA to allow Yuji to accrue the mileage he requires to improve in Formula One during our testing days only," said team principal Aguri Suzuki.

"The team has made every effort to ensure that Yuji settled into his new F1 surroundings and I think that he has coped incredibly well under the circumstances.

"I wish that I could have given Yuji more time in the car before the start of the season, but with the team being put together so rapidly we were unable to allow him the proper testing that he should have experienced.

"I will continue to look after Yuji's interests and support his continuing efforts within the team, including his path back to a Formula One race seat. As a result, Franck Montagny will drive for us in the second race seat at the European Grand Prix."

Ide has endured a tough start to his Formula One career, failing to match the pace of his teammate Takuma Sato.

Montagny had been originally signed by Super Aguri to be their third driver at the Nurburgring.

Not at all surprising really. The language is quite interesting though...

We accept the advice offered by the FIA to allow Yuji to accrue the mileage he requires to improve in Formula One during our testing days only

Is it just me or does that actually say "get that liability off our tracks before he kills someone"?

 

[Flibster]

Is it just me or does that actually say "get that liability off our tracks before he kills someone"?

Sounds like it to me.
He was very, very slow and all over the shop.

Not really wanted in a F1 driver

Montagny has ability, was the Renault test driver for a while - but hasn't driven the car yet.

 

[Dutch Guy]

I can't remember what the race was like last year, will it be another 'San Marino' or will we see some actual racing this weekend?

 

[Flibster]

New report reveals $4 billion value of F1

Formula One generated more than $4 billion (£2.17bn) in revenues in 2005, with more than $2.5 billion (£1.4bn) of this flowing to the teams.

The figures are revealed in a new report, The Business of Formula One, written by Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid and published by SportBusiness.

Over a quarter of the total revenues is made up by spending from the team owners, who are believed to have plunged more than $1.3 billion (£708m) into their teams last year. This came mainly from the car manufacturers and dwarfed the amount that the teams made in sponsorship, at around $880 million (£480m), the second largest revenue stream.

TV and video game rights were the next biggest source of revenue for the sport, bringing in an estimated $395 million (£215m), while ticket sales and race sanction fees almost balanced each other out at $285 million (£155m) and $280 million (£152m) respectively.

The indication is that despite its recent problems, such as the threatened breakaway series, Ferrari's five-year dominance and the Indianapolis fiasco, Formula One is still in great health.

The Business of Formula One report contains interviews with almost 100 of F1's top executives, including seven team principals, five team sponsorship managers and over 20 top sponsors. It also reveals for first time data such as the financial value of winning the world championship, the geographical spread of races since the first Grand Prix in 1950 and the total amount ever invested by the car manufacturers involved in F1.

Bernie Ecclestone has provided a foreword for the report and says: "F1 is an important and unique business and this report gets right to the heart of it. It shows you how to place the most effective investments and maximise returns. As the sport is moving forward at such a rapid rate this is invaluable. Well worth reading to stay in pole position."

 

[Flibster]

Support for Prodrive factory plans

In a written comment to Kenilworth Today, Warwickshire County Council's strategic director of environment and economy, John Deegan, has given his full support for Prodrive's plan to build its state-of-the-art F1 facility in the area.

"I've been working closely with Prodrive for the past two years and the announcement that their Formula One team will be based here in Warwickshire is fantastic news for the county," wrote Deegan. "Warwickshire is demonstrating again and again the tremendous skills base available and is becoming a major player in motorsport engineering and research.

"The news also comes as the best possible tonic for the county after last week's announcement from PSA Peugeot Citroen that it plans to close the works at Ryton," he continued. "Warwickshire County Council wishes Prodrive as many successes in Formula One as the company has enjoyed in rallying."

Town centre manager Joe Baconnet is also fully supportive of the plan: "It will place this area firmly at the heart of the future of the automotive industry," he said. "I sincerely hope that the development takes place as the potential impact on Kenilworth will be fantastic. Also, it may sway additional investment decisions. This sort of thing will only help Kenilworth."

However, as the question of planning permission for the new factory is considered, Prodrive will continue to operate out of its existing facilities.

 

[Flibster]

Schumacher 'not afraid' of Raikkonen

Michael Schumacher's manager Willi Weber says the seven-time world champion's decision to remain at Ferrari will not be influenced by Kimi Raikkonen's possible presence at the team.

Speculation continues to suggest that Raikkonen's deal to join Ferrari in 2007 has already been agreed, and that Schumacher may feel it too big a risk to go up against a top-line teammate on equal terms for the first time in his Formula One career.

But Weber has insisted that Schumacher has no fears about racing in the same team as Raikkonen.

"Schumacher isn't scared of anyone because he's a great fighter and he is still the strongest," Weber was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The first thing for a driver is to be faster than his teammate: Michael has always been that. Since he isn't afraid of anyone, I don't see why he shouldn't eventually accept the presence of Raikkonen next to him. But this is all theoretical."

Weber has said that he believes Schumacher will push for a two-year contract extension if he decides he wants to continue - and claims that a title success in 2007 will not make any difference to his future plans.

"Michael doesn't live by set schemes. He could go on or quit regardless of results," he explained.

Should Schumacher decide to hang up his helmet this season, Weber has said he would remain involved in the management of the German's post-F1 career – which could include a possible advisory role in motor racing.

"For years we've been talking about a future together after F1. Michael, after seven world titles, has still plenty of things to do thanks to his worldwide popularity. There are sponsors willing to follow him beyond his competitive career. And there are new partners who would come in for other operations once everything is sorted."

When asked whether there was a chance that Schumacher would remain involved in motor racing, Weber said: "Of course. Cars are his life and will continue to be that. I don't think Michael will ever manage a team or become a TV commentator, but I can see him in the role of advisor for someone."

And talking about the possibility of Schumacher doing a rally with Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt, Weber explained: "I'm sure Michael will always enjoy sitting in a racing car in front, perhaps, of an African track, but he'll do it for pure enjoyment, not for the competitive spirit. The professional role will stop once he quits F1."

 

[Flibster]

Bellm set to oversee Silverstone revamp

Former BRDC chairman Ray Bellm, newly returned to the club's board, has emerged as the man most likely to oversee the redevelopment of Silverstone, according to this week's Autosport.

Bellm, who quit as chairman last year following a dispute with then-president Sir Jackie Stewart, was re-elected to the BRDC board at the club's annual general meeting last Friday.

And he warned that the club had only two years to "get its house in order" before bidding for a renewal of its contract to host the British GP.

Silverstone's current British GP contract expires after the 2009 race, but Bellm said the circuit had to be in a position to present itself as fit for contract renewal by 2008.

"That gives us only about two years," he said. "This year's Grand Prix is almost here, and as soon as it has passed we're going to have to focus very hard on what comes next. Two years isn't very long."

But he believed that with Damon Hill as president, the club had a better chance of making progress than it did under Sir Jackie Stewart. Bellm, a Stewart critic, said: "Damon will be an excellent president. Jackie was too dominant and that led to friction."

Bellm said he believed the best approach for the club now was to restructure itself to allow Silverstone to be run in a more business-like manner, with the board looking more after members' interests and less after the circuit itself.

"If we can do that then Silverstone's problems become solvable," he said.

Bellm's re-appointment was one of several changes to the composition of the board. Ian Titchmarsh and Lord Beaverbrook join him as board members, replacing Alan Henry, Michael Ostroumoff and John Cardwell. Stuart Rolt remains chairman of the BRDC board.

Sir Jackie Stewart remains as a BRDC vice-president, along with Sir Jack Brabham, Martin Brundle, Ron Dennis, Sir Stirling Moss, Tim Parnell, Peter Scott Russell, John Surtees, Henry Taylor and Sir Frank Williams, Howden Ganley and Paddy Hopkirk.

 

[Flibster]

FIA looks to reduce car launching

Motor racing's governing body is to begin a series of new tests to investigate whether modifications to the design of Formula One cars could reduce the chances of cars taking off after crashes.

According to a report in this week's Autosport, Toyota and Red Bull Racing are helping in tests that will be conducted at the Transport Research Laboratory later this summer.

The research will simulate wheel-to-wheel and nose-to-wheel contacts, in a bid to evaluate whether changes to the design at the front of cars - including the nose, wheel and tyre geometry – could improve the situation.

The FIA Institute's Andy Mellor said: "There are two major concerns with car launching. One is for driver safety. The other is for protecting the crowd and race personnel.

"It has to be a priority keeping the cars away from spectators and marshals."

The tests will be carried out on a rolling road to simulate a car traveling at 110mph hitting another. Toyota and Red Bull Racing are providing carbon rear suspension.

 

[Flibster]

Lucky Lauda heralds safer F1

In a Formula One car of today, Niki Lauda thinks he would have walked away from a fiery crash at the Nurburgring that nearly killed him thirty years ago.

On 1 August 1976, the triple world champion crashed his Ferrari on the old 'Nordschleife' layout - a terrifying 23km loop that still nestles alongside the modern Formula One circuit.

'I believe that in a modern car nothing at all would have happened to me,' Lauda, now 57 and working for German TV at grands prix, said.

The Austrian, then 27, still bears the scars of the serious burns he suffered whilst trapped in his wreck. Later in hospital, he was read the last rites by a priest.

Lauda explained: 'In those days, if you were lucky, you broke your legs.'

 

[Flibster]

Merc wants Kimi to hang around

For a few reasons, Norbert Haug is hoping McLaren-Mercedes can churn out its best performance of 2006 at the Nurburgring.

Although the Woking-based team will not mark its 600th grand prix since 1966 this weekend, for engine partner Mercedes-Benz it is 72 years since Manfred von Brauchitsch debuted a Mercedes W26 'Silver Arrow' at the track.

The Stuttgart-based carmaker will also entertain staff and fans in a special grandstand.

However, there is another reason. Haug suggested to Germany's 'dpa' news agency that the team must start putting in race-winning efforts as soon as possible in order to convince Kimi Räikkönen to stick around next year.

'Naturally, successes will help us hold on to him,' said the German, no doubt referring to the Finn's irrefutable courtship by rival Ferrari.

To the 'sid' agency, however, Norbert Haug did not want to talk about speculation of an agreement now in place between Maranello and the 26-year-old star driver.

He quipped: 'I know that (at the moment) Kimi is under contract to us.'

 

[Flibster]

Renault, Red Bull, to join 'seamless' club

Renault and Red Bull are next in line to produce 'seamless shift' gearboxes, as the technology becomes commonplace in Formula One.

Ferrari and BMW-Sauber are also hard at work in designing versions, following the use of the first models at actual grands prix by McLaren, Honda and Williams.

A 'seamless' 'box is believed to be worth several tenths of a second per lap, with drivers able to change gear without the momentary 'blip' in power.

Red Bull's work on a new gearbox follows the acquisition of a specialist in the area from 'seamless' pioneer Honda. World championship-leader Renault, meanwhile, recently track-tested its soon-to-be debuted 'box.

It could be raced for the first time at Monaco, while Ferrari is thought to be heading for a 'seamless' debut in July.

 

[Flibster]

I can't remember what the race was like last year, will it be another 'San Marino' or will we see some actual racing this weekend?

*checks his files and locates it....*

2005 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX RACE FACTS - LAP-BY-LAP REPORT

Start aborted: Ninth-fastest qualifier Giancarlo Fisichella’s Renault stalls just before the red lights go out. The field sets off on an extra formation lap. The race distance is reduced from 60 laps to 59. Fisichella’s car is pushed into the pit lane.

* Lap 1: First-time pole position qualifier Nick Heidfeld is beaten on the drag to the first turn by Kimi Räikkönen. Jarno Trulli grabs third as Mark Webber tips Juan Pablo Montoya into a spin. Ralf Schumacher tries to avoid the mêlée but swipes off his nose. Ferrari team-mates Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher are forced wide. David Coulthard grabs fourth from Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Tiago Monteiro, Narain Karthikeyan, Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Patrick Friesacher, Christijan Albers, Giancarlo Fisichella, Takuma Sato and Ralf Schumacher – the latter two of whom both pit for repairs. Räikkönen is 1.9s clear by the end of the lap.

* Lap 2: Michael Schumacher passes Karthikeyan; Fisichella does likewise to Albers.

* Lap 3: Räikkönen still leads by 1,9s. Michael S passes Monteiro; Fisichella dispatches Friesacher.

* Lap 5: Barrichello scrambles past Button. Fisichella has dealt with both Jordans.

* Lap 6: The top two are 12 seconds clear of Coulthard. Montoya passes Button for ninth.

* Lap 8: Trulli loses third after serving a drive-through penalty – his crew had not cleared the grid within the 15-second limit before the start. He drops to ninth. Barrichello passes Liuzzi.

* Lap 9: Räikkönen sets fastest lap – 1m30.940s.

* Lap 11: Barrichello is the first driver to make a scheduled stop: he drops from sixth to 12th.

* Lap 12: Heidfeld peels in and rejoins in fourth. Villeneuve passes Karthikeyan.

* Lap 13: Räikkönen leads Coulthard by 19.9s.

* Lap 18: Räikkönen makes his first scheduled stop, as does Trulli.

* Lap 19: Massa, Liuzzi, Montoya and Friesacher pit. Montoya gets out ahead of Liuzzi, whom he had hitherto been shadowing.

* Lap 20: Coulthard, Michael Schumacher and Albers come in. Alonso takes the lead.

* Lap 21: Monteiro pits.

* Lap 22: Alonso laps in 1m30.816s and leads Räikkönen by 7.7s. Fisichella and Karthikeyan pit.

* Lap 23: Alonso and Button refuel on schedule. Coulthard serves a drive-through for speeding on his previous pit visit.

* Lap 24: Villeneuve pits.

* Lap 26: Ralf Schumacher pits.

* Lap 27: Sato pits.

* Lap 28: With all the stops complete, Räikkönen leads Heidfeld by 2.0s. Alonso is third from Barrichello, Coulthard and a knot comprising Massa, Michael Schumacher and Montoya. Liuzzi, Trulli, Button, Fisichella, Sato, Ralf Schumacher, Villeneuve, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Albers and Friesacher complete the order.

* Lap 30: Räikkönen runs wide at Turn 5 and cedes the lead to Heidfeld. Albers is handed a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags.

* Lap 31: Heidfeld pits and Räikkönen reclaims a comfortable lead, 15s clear of Alonso. Heidfeld resumes in fourth, behind Barrichello.

* Lap 33: Barrichello refuels and slips back behind Heidfeld.

* Lap 34: Räikkönen runs wide at Turn 1 while trying to lap Villeneuve, and locks up his front-right tyre in the process. Ralf Schumacher spins off at Turn 6 and becomes only the race’s second retirement.

* Lap 37: Friesacher makes his second stop.

* Lap 40: Montoya tries to pass Michael Schumacher around the outside of Turn 1. It does not work.

* Lap 42: Monteiro is served with a drive-through for ignoring blue flags.

* Lap 43: Räikkönen refuels and rejoins second, 10s adrift of Alonso.

* Lap 44: Alonso laps in 1m 30.711s. Massa and Liuzzi pit.

* Lap 45: Montoya and Trulli refuel.

* Lap 46: Alonso loses several seconds with a trip through the gravel at Turn 7. Michael Schumacher and Button pit.

* Lap 47: Räikkönen resumes the lead – but only just, from Heidfeld – as Alonso pits. Coulthard comes in too.

* Lap 48: Barrichello makes his third and final stop.

* Lap 49: Sato pits.

* Lap 50: Heidfeld and Fisichella pit.

* Lap 51: Räikkönen leads from Alonso, Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli, Massa – fresh from a jaunt through the gravel, Liuzzi, Button, Sato, Villeneuve, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Albers and Friesacher.

* Lap 52: Räikkönen is easing his pace with an apparent vibration from his right-front wheel. Alonso closes.

* Lap 54: Michael Schumacher runs wide through the gravel.

* Lap 55: Massa slows and pits to replace a damaged front-left tyre. He drops to 14th. Räikkönen still has 4.0s in hand on Alonso.

* Lap 57: Two to go and the gap between the leaders is down to 2.7s.

* Lap 58: …and 1.5s.

* Lap 59: Räikkönen’s front right suspension fails on the way into Turn 1. He’s out. Alonso scores his fourth win of the year by 16.5s from Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli, Liuzzi and Button. Räikkönen is classified 11th from Sato, Villeneuve, Massa, Monteiro, Karthikeyan Albers and Friesacher.

 

[Dutch Guy]

Thanks, reading that it looked like an exiting race, I remember Raikkonen's suspension failure, wasn't that because he had a huge flat spot on his tyre so bad it caused the suspension to vibrate?

 

[rpstewart]

Exactly right, I think it was the lap 34 incident mentioned above that caused the flat spot.

 

[Flibster]

www.formula1.com have finally revamped their gallery.

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/

Looks...well....

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Type_R]

www.formula1.com have finally revamped their gallery.

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/

Looks...well....

Simon/~Flibster

Looks...well....pants!