F1 2009 Season discussion/development thread

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7911490.stm

I dont know why people are blaming Fry around here, he has always done his best for the team, and to sink your own money into the team to try and rebuild it shows that imo he still wants the team to succeed, and with the Mercedes engine (which this article also mentions as a definite) at least they are partially there

Its all good news if they make it to the grid

I cant see how Bernie can invest in a team in this day and age, it would be dubious as hell imo (not to mention I wouldnt like to know he of all people is behind the scenes making critical decisions

RBS will not be renewing their sponsorship of Williams team - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7911039.stm

Williams still has RBS sponsorship until end of 2010 season so it isnt so bad - Im sure if Willliams can replace RBS in the interim then RBS will be thankful, but there is no pressing need for FW either way, the team has still got the contract for another 2 seasons
 
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I cant see how Bernie can invest in a team in this day and age, it would be dubious as hell imo (not to mention I wouldnt like to know he of all people is behind the scenes making critical decisions
In the news today ahead of the Melbourne Gp today, all teams other than Bernie Ecclestone's Honda have been demoted 10 grid spots. :D
Anyone attempting to overtake will be accused of jumping corners and driving too aggressively and then forced to take a stop go.

:p
 
I'm absolutely certain that McLaren got slapped down the way they did for the simple fact that they got caught rather than the 'crime' they committed in the first place. I'm sure sunama doesn't agree (after all, it's just yet another example to him of how Ferrari International Assistance operates), but that argument is probably best left in the locked threads from last season....[/SIZE]

I do actually agree with what you are saying, regarding McLaren and why they got such a heavy penalty (ie. caught for doing something dodgy and bringing the sport into disrepute).

Its sad that Ron Denis was unable to take control of the situation, call all his employees together and give them the "official story", which his employees should tell any investigators. He also went a step further and acted like a kid, when Alonso threatened to tell the FIA about what McLaren had been upto - Alonso would never had blabbed (as it may have damaged his chances of winning the title and Alonso is way too selfish to allow his own interests to be damaged) and Denis should've given him a rollicking in private for saying that.

It's all over now, so it doesnt really matter anyway.

I'm looking forward to Australia, though. At this stage I can't help but think that KERS is going to play into the hands of Hamilton, as he is the type of driver who likes to keep busy in the cockpit, pressing as many buttons as possible and will extract the maximum out of the device.
 
I wonder if Honda are paying for the shakedown / test, to make the team more attractive to buy, as they would be 'ready' to race?
 
In the news today ahead of the Melbourne Gp today, all teams other than Bernie Ecclestone's Honda have been demoted 10 grid spots. :D
Anyone attempting to overtake will be accused of jumping corners and driving too aggressively and then forced to take a stop go.

:p

HAHAHAHAHA

Nothing is beyond the realms of possibility with Bernie owning the team (if this is the case)

I wonder if Honda are paying for the shakedown / test, to make the team more attractive to buy, as they would be 'ready' to race?

Every little helps - but surely the cost of a test is peanuts compared to running it for 9 months or so, would it make that much difference?

If it is a management buy-out they will already know the relative performance of its car (mind you, I guess they havent actually got McLaren engines yet so maybe they dont?) - I could understand a fully external party wanting your suggestion more in regards to the results at the end of it rather than agreeing fully upfront
 
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What is it with the paranoia about Bernie on this forum?

Exactly, Bernie simply owns the commercial side of F1 - the rulemaking, stewards, high level decisions are all made by FIA appointed people. Last time I checked the relationship between Bernie and Max still isn't all roses.

The only possible conflict of interest that could arise would be Bernie giving much more airtime to 'his' cars (and therefore any sponsors) - but I don't think he'd attempt that as all of the companies who buy the world feed would be quite rightly peeved and probably throw up an almighty stink.

Although, it could all be a ruse to scupper the newly-found power that FOTA enjoys. hmm.
 
What is it with the paranoia about Bernie on this forum?

I would liken some of the people here, and an increasingly large percentage of F1 fans in this country, to football fans who aren't fans for the actual football, just for the drunken ****ing about and fights.

They have no clue how the sport actually works, who does what, what does what... it just allows them to have arguments and try to make it seem like they know what they are talking about.
 
I just have to wonder, given some of the stuff that gets tossed around. It honestly seems like some of you think Bernie is complete and utter scum.

Who bought the ailing Brabham team and returned it to championship-winning form? Bernie.
Who gave Gordon Murray his first big break as chief designer? Bernie.
Who was instrumental in bringing Prof Sid Watkins into the sport? Bernie.
Who transported medical equipment to the tracks in the early days of the Prof's involvement? Bernie.
Who helped bring about an end to the FISA-FOCA war? Bernie.
Who flew Prof Watkins out to help treat Frank Williams after his crash and paralysis in '86? Bernie.
Who has helped make F1 the richest motorsport in the world? Bernie.

Who is it that all the ****-slinging, accusations of bias and general hatred should be levelled at? Max "Whipping Boy" Mosley. And even then you have to remember just how much he has done for the sport (before the insanity crept in!).
 
He has been really good for F1 [BE that is] but sometimes,well the majority of the time he is so far up himself he believes his own hype.
 
Bernie's great and also Max isn't so bad! He's been banging on about the cost of F1 and need to cut costs, become more efficient etc... Well, if people had paid more attention to Max 3 or 4 years ago F1 would be in far better shape as we enter the first world recession in the modern F1 era.
 
I would liken some of the people here, and an increasingly large percentage of F1 fans in this country, to football fans who aren't fans for the actual football, just for the drunken ****ing about and fights.

They have no clue how the sport actually works, who does what, what does what... it just allows them to have arguments and try to make it seem like they know what they are talking about.

Ive only ACTIVELY followed the sport for 20 years - but no I dont have a clue how the sport is run :rolleyes:

I dont trust BE at all - I think he is as bad as MM just in different ways. If he wants a driver to really succeed, (so national tv audiences follow, a new GP is organised etc etc) then thats what happened. Look at how Alonso suddenly got a decent car at the right time - no doubt he is talanted but then of course Spanish audiences (live and televised) shot through the roof and then Valelncia happened a couple of years later. Yes I do think BE has a lot of back ground "interest" and influence where he probably shouldnt do

And Yes it would be HIGHLY dubious if the one person who makes the most out of F1 financially had a significant interest in one particular team. I cant see it NOT being a problem for the FIA and possibly the European Commission, it might not be a monopoly but there are definitely ways as the "owner" of the sport he could ....maximise ... the exposure in several ways unfairly.

Its also important to note that BE - as the "owner" (ok he isnt , but as good as) - has to be SEEN to be independant of the teams as well as BEING independant (ie a hidden investor could easily be seen to be while actually not being)

I just have to wonder, given some of the stuff that gets tossed around. It honestly seems like some of you think Bernie is complete and utter scum.

Who bought the ailing Brabham team and returned it to championship-winning form? Bernie.
Who gave Gordon Murray his first big break as chief designer? Bernie.
Who was instrumental in bringing Prof Sid Watkins into the sport? Bernie.
Who transported medical equipment to the tracks in the early days of the Prof's involvement? Bernie.
Who helped bring about an end to the FISA-FOCA war? Bernie.
Who flew Prof Watkins out to help treat Frank Williams after his crash and paralysis in '86? Bernie.
Who has helped make F1 the richest motorsport in the world? Bernie.

And how many didnt feather BE's own nest significantly? About 2 of those! You think Prof Sid Watkins wasnt bought in to "protect" the sport as a financial entity? Transporting of equipment was undoubtedly stipulated by PSW before he agreed to join, so wasnt done for any real meaningful reasons apart from allowing the sport to grow
 
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Afternoon

Ferrari is satisfied with the reliability, Colajanni: ''There's no problem that we cannot solve quickly.'' Two times the electronics hampered the work of the Scuderia, one of the failures was a copy of the problem that caused Raikkonen to DNF during the Spanish GP in 2007.

The fear that with all the new regulations the team would go the wrong way or that a competitor would get things spot on turns out to be unjustified. ''Neither is the case. We're on the right way. We're up there.''

One engine, with KERS, did 2,400 km. Another engine, not connected to KERS, covered the same distance.

Ferrari still unsure on their tyre usage: one engineers say: ''The tyre wear was less than the weight advantage of the decreasing fuel level. Therefore the times kept getting better the longer you stayed out on track.'' A proper assesment on the tyre usage can be made in Jerez and Barcelona.

Raikkonen has lost weight over the winter, he now weighs 66 kg. The new seems to suit suit Raikkonen's driving style. He reports a greater feeling for the car when he steers into a corner and says the car is "neutral"


Mclaren: There are rumours to be debuting a new rear wing solution in the final test of the year, but they will first test it at the air strip near woking
 
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