F1: Hungary

[Duke]

Few bits of news.. starting with the most interesting one

Alonso hit with two-second quali penalty

Fernando Alonso has been punished for dangerous driving following an altercation with Robert Doornbos in Friday practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The world champion will have two seconds added to his fastest lap time in each segment of Saturday’s qualifying.

Alonso gesticulated angrily at Doornbos after the Red Bull third driver held him up on a new-tyre run on Friday afternoon and then appeared to brake-test the Dutchman going into the first corner.

The two drivers were summoned to the stewards’ office to give their versions of the incident, and Alonso was later called back a second time.

After lengthy deliberations the stewards handed the Spaniard two time penalties of one second each for separate offences.

The first was for “unnecessary, unacceptable and dangerous” driving in the incident with Doornbos, the other for overtaking under a yellow flag.

The penalties mean that Alonso will be hard pressed to make it past the knockout qualifying stages on Saturday, and is likely to start from the middle of the grid or below.

That will seriously dent his chances of a good result given that overtaking is notoriously difficult at the Hungaroring (though it is marginally easier than it used to be after changes to the circuit layout in 2003).

Amazing how quickly things have turned around

Wurz replaces Webber at Williams

Alex Wurz will partner Nico Rosberg in the 2007 Williams race line-up after the team sensationally announced on Wednesday that it will not be continuing its relationship with Mark Webber beyond the end of this season.

Wurz will step up from his current role as the team’s test and reserve driver, which he has held since joining the Grove-based squad from McLaren at the end of last year.

Webber’s future is unclear – but with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen now seemingly set to team up at Ferrari, Fernando Alonso’s vacated Renault seat is wide open for the Flavio Briatore-managed Australian to secure.

Explaining Wurz’s promotion, team owner Frank Williams said: “Alex brings us important technical continuity and understanding of the car and as well as being an excellent communicator with our engineers, he is ultra-competitive during the Friday ‘full tank’ practice sessions.

“Alex will be a great racing driver for us as he is one of the few men I have seen in a wheel-banging confrontation with Michael Schumacher and come out on top!”

Williams also confirmed that Rosberg will be kept on for 2007 after a sporadically impressive rookie campaign convinced the team of the 21-year-old German’s potential.

“Retaining Nico for next year was not a tough decision,” Williams said.

“He has shown great promise so far in his debut season and I know he will build on this with every race.”

Rosberg welcomed the opportunity to build on his experience with the team.

“Stability and continuity are very important for me in the early stages of my Formula 1 career, so I am really pleased that we are now set for next year and that I will continue to work with Alex," he said.

“I have learnt a lot from the team and I hope I have contributed my fair share too, but now we have the basis to step it up for the remainder of this season and next.”

The team made it clear that Webber will definitely see out the season, ruling out a repeat of the Montoya/McLaren scenario whereby the Colombian was replaced by Pedro de la Rosa two days after his shock announcement that he would be switching to NASCAR.

Frank Williams paid tribute to Webber for his stalwart efforts since joining the team in 2005.

“As much as taking great pleasure in confirming Alex and Nico for next season, I must also commend Mark Webber for his contribution to the team over the past two seasons, as he has been a credit to himself and Williams and has never let up in his pursuit of competitive success,” Williams said.

“I know Mark will give his all until the end of the season and we wish him well in his future arrangements.”

 

[xolotl]

Alonso seems to be loosing his cool.

Still, the season is getting exciting. If MSC comes first and Alonso is DNF then MSC will be ahead in the championship. Exciting stuff.

 

[Berger]

Alonso is a noobie and if he continues like this hes going to damage my Fantasy F1 challenge for the title, he needs to get his act together and get some 2nd place finishes behind Massa with Schumi in 4th spot or something


On Topic: He seems to be letting this get to him too easily, hes got a point cushion still and by getting mad hes only hurting himself.

 

[Zip]

Micheal Schumacher will be hungry for another win after his taste last round


Ill get my coat

 

[JRS]

Heh, reckon Alonso seemingly is juuuuust starting to get a little bit annoyed at how this season is going. Can't see Michelin making a big push with them leaving at the end of the season, and Renault won't be too happy to see Alonso take a no' 1 sticker over to Mclaren.

Hehehehehehehe. Forza Ferrari!!!!

***edit***

Zip, get out

 

[Vertigo]

Still, the season is getting exciting. If MSC comes first and Alonso is DNF then MSC will be ahead in the championship. Exciting stuff.

No, he'll be a point behind.

Renault are obviously having a bit of a torrid time lately, what with Ferrari's resurgence, tyre problems and the mass damper issue and Alonso is starting to let the stress show.

Can't say I feel any sympathy tbh, what goes around comes around and I bet they didn't feel sorry for their competitors when they were winning everything in sight earlier in the season.

 

[Arc]

Its definetly making the championship run in a lot more interesting .

Alonso is cracking under the pressure, Renault seem to have lost pace and Michelin have lost interest. The mass damper system is now legal so all the teams there were using it prior to the German GP can use it again.

Assuming he makes it to the 2nd qual session then he'll start mid way in the pack, just has to watch he doesnt get caught in a first corner incident as he really does need the points now. Things are definetly looking up for Schuey and Ferrari.

 

[hominid]

Here's the link to the video of what he did to get the penalty

What he did was wrong IMO, but where did they pull that penalty from?

 

[Vertigo]

Its definetly making the championship run in a lot more interesting .

Alonso is cracking under the pressure, Renault seem to have lost pace and Michelin have lost interest. The mass damper system is now legal so all the teams there were using it prior to the German GP can use it again.

Nope, it's swung the other way.

Following the uncertainty in Germany the FIA said that, pending their appeal against the stewards' decision, they'd not seek to retrospectively punish anyone who used mass dampers in the meantime. In light of this Renault planned to use them in Hungary.

What's happened now is that Charlie Whiting has sent a letter to the teams explaining the FIA's reasoning for outlawing them in the first place. On receipt of this letter Renault have now decided against using them until the appeal takes place, presumably because they can now see more value in the FIA's viewpoint.

 

[xolotl]

No, he'll be a point behind.

Damn, you're right as well. 11 point gap instead of the 9 I thought.

Still, the battle for third is looking good too.

Massa 50
Fisichella 49
Raikkonen 49


Only a point between them!

 

[Duke]

Renault opts not to use mass dampers in Hungary

Renault has decided against using the its controversial mass damper system in Hungary this weekend, following the move whereby the scrutineers at the Hungaroring ordered Toro Rosso to remove its own version of the device.
This in turn follows a letter sent by the FIA's technical delegate, Charlie Whiting, to all the teams on Wednesday. In the letter, Whiting explained why the FIA believes the system to be illegal.
Having previously said that it would run the system in Hungary, Renault has now chosen not to.
"Following the FIA's Technical Directive on Wednesday, we have reviewed our position and will not now be running the mass damper," a Renault spokesman told Pitpass ahead of this morning's free practice session.

 

[laissez-faire]

I have to admit for some reason I am a big MSchu fan, I used to hate him when Hill was around, but it was about Monaco 1997 that I started supporting him. So this is all pleasing me!

 

[Creature]

So a glory hunter then

 

[Type_R]

Ive been supporting MSC since 1994 and to all those who call MSC a cheat, how sore a looser do u see Alonso now! The boy is falling apart, and he isnt even behind in the Championship yet!

Can't wait for this race!

 

[Creature]

Ive been supporting MSC since 1994 and to all those who call MSC a cheat, how sore a looser do u see Alonso now! The boy is falling apart, and he isnt even behind in the Championship yet!

Can't wait for this race!

I don't see him as a sore loser, just someone who's loosing his cool.

 

[Over Clocker]

Ive been supporting MSC since 1994 and to all those who call MSC a cheat, how sore a looser do u see Alonso now! The boy is falling apart, and he isnt even behind in the Championship yet!

Can't wait for this race!

Alonso loosing his cool doesn't make MSc any less of a cheat though!

 

[Kol]

Schumi is getting the same punishment as Alonso! Interesting.

Thing is - why is it worse under red than yellow? With red, it's not like you are still racing, unlike yellow where it could still be for position.

 

[Memphis]

Ive been supporting MSC since 1994 and to all those who call MSC a cheat, how sore a looser do u see Alonso now! The boy is falling apart, and he isnt even behind in the Championship yet!

Can't wait for this race!

So defend Michael getting the same penalty. You don't pass under yellows, you don't pass under reds.

Fernando is loosing his cool, yes. He isn't falling apart. He wouldnt have won a world championship if he couldn't handle pressure. Lets not forget all of Michaels past infringments!

 

[Stormrider]

What a bizzare set ot circumstances. Both title contenders getting 2sec penalties.
Is the some strange FIA fix in to get the title race decided at the last race or something?

 

[Memphis]

What a bizzare set ot circumstances. Both title contenders getting 2sec penalties.
Is the some strange FIA fix in to get the title race decided at the last race or something?

Haha, conspiracy theorists crack me up .