Official Racing Thread

[TheQuickening]

Interesting to see is the change to V8 engines really so difficult to the other teams as Williams says. Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari and BMW may not have a lot of experience about V8 engines, but they have more money and resources for developement than Cosworth, which is not as big in F1.

The change to the V8 engines is primarily to in an effort to reduce speed and try and better equalize the competitiveness between the teams.  The bigger, richer, (usually) factory-based teams, like Ferarri and McLaren and BAR Honda, obviously have more funding available for things like aerodynamic design and wind tunnel testing and engine development than the smaller, private teams (like Minardi and Jordan) do.  It's why they've made the rule changes regarding limiting downforce and wing design and such.  In the end, whoever adapts the best will be the team(s) that remain competitive.

[ctz]

Raikkonen won again in Istabul... Surprising to see Mercedes-Benz engines last too races in a row. The first time this season? What is not so surprising, Montoya screwed up in the last lap again.

Finnish TV channel had interviewed Ferrari's technical director, Ross Brawn, he said it straight up that  Ferrari would like to have Raikkonen rather than Alonso after Schumacher quits.

[TheQuickening]

Looks like those rumours I had heard about and posted previously DO have some merit to them (i.e. Ferarri wanting Raikkonen).

Fuck I missed the race!!!  :evil:  :evil:  :evil:  The clinic I was in didn't have the right channel and by the time I got home the replay was already done!!!           And yet, somehow I'm not surprised that Alonso won again.  I really wanted to see the new track that they built in Istanbul, too.      

EDIT:  Saw Sportscentre last night. Said Alonso got second.  Actually Raikkonen won the race.

[amuse]

Jenson Button had a great race today and the silly BAR Honda team showed some potential. Too bad Jenson Button's future is still a mess right now ... . I'd rather see him stay at BAR than be stuck at Williams

..and Montoya is a noob.

[ctz]

German magazine Bild told that Raikkonen would have a pre-contract with Ferrari and may be switching places with Schumacher already in the next season.

This rumour was shot down pretty quick by Ferrari, Raikkonen and McLaren, but that is what they usually do with rumours It would be very interesting to see this rumour becoming true.

[amuse]

Interesting race at Monza today. Raikkonen has to be the unluckiest driver ever with engine and tire reliability problems. He has the fastest car and is the fastest driver this season but he can never seem to have a trouble-free weekend. Montoya was lucky his left rear lasted for the final few laps of the race. Alonso should have no problems winning the championship this season. Flavio must be stroking his penis right now in excitement


Poor BAR though. They had a great start but their car struggled as the race went on

Next weekend is Spa. Great track for a great race

[ctz]

Italian GP in Monza today.

Montoya won at last, but it was a close call though I kinda hoped him not to finish, just seeing Raikkonen in press conference with Alonso. Too bad Raikkonen had problems with tires too, it would have been interesting fight for second place.

[TheQuickening]

Belgian Grand Prix:

BUWAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Fuck I LOVED it when Montoya crashed and took himself out of the race with only, what, 5 laps to go?  That was THE BEST!!!!  He had lead like, 85% of the race, then he fucks himself over!!!        I'm not laughing with him, I'm laughing AT him!!! :damnfunny  :lmao:  :damnfunny

Good on Raikkonen for biding his time, and making his move while Montoya was in the pits to build up a lead that couldn't be overcome.  With Alonso getting second, the race for the drivers' championship is still on!!!



Other F1 tidbits I recently heard:

 - Red Bull Racing is BUYING OUT the Minardi team!!!        Come next season RBR will field a team of 4 cars!!!  I could be wrong, but I think that this might be history making in the world of F1 racing.  To my knowledge, NO F1 team has ever fielded more than 2 cars in one season, if for nothing else due to the major costs at having to design, develop, test, and build the cars.  Granted, NASCAR and IRL both have had teams (past and present), that were able to field teams of more than 2 cars.    Then again, the race tracks/courses they run are nowhere near as difficult/challenging as ANY F1 circuit.  Since they only/predominantly race around in circles, they don't have to spend as much time, effort or money on things like aerodynamics and gear ratios for changing elevations.

 - Yet another chapter in the upsoming off-season game of "musical drivers".  Looks like Nick Heidfeld is done with Williams.  With Button coming over next season from BAR, and Mark Webber's position within the team apparently secure, it looks like Heidfeld will go and take Felipe Massa's spot over at Sauber next year when they're taken over and become the BMW factory team (remember that Massa's going over to Ferrari next season).

[amuse]

Good race.

Montoya crashing out was the highlight of the race. In fact, him crashing out of any race is always fun to watch . He fucks Raikkonen over time after time by letting Alonso get more points in the race. The driver's championship is still opened but Alonso has pretty much won it. His car is reliable and fast enough to let him finish him up in the points without taking many risks, while Raikkonen has to push like hell to win and hope his car can last.
Sato drove like an idiot and rammed Schumacher pretty hard since the rear wing and suspension were broken. I think he has a 10 spot grid penalty for next race. During the race, ITV interviewed Sato and he just said "no grip.. couldn't brake". Well no shit samurai, the track was wet.

(I don't hate Sato. He's a good driver but just a bit too aggressive at times) :p

[TheQuickening]

Yeah, one of the criticisms of Sato is that he's sometimes too aggressive, almost to the point of being reckless.  Schumacher was pissed at him and rightfully so.

I think the 10-spot penalty was actually for this race, he changed his engine, didn't he?  I remember hearing someone did.

[Mayo]

I'm a NASCAR fan.

Carl Edwards for me. [Mainly since he's from my hometown.]

[amuse]

Nope the gird penalty is for next race. Fisi was the one with the engine change. :p
http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3586/747.html

Pizzonia was only fined because they didn't know Heifeld might miss out on Brazil too at the time.

[ctz]

- Red Bull Racing is BUYING OUT the Minardi team!!!        Come next season RBR will field a team of 4 cars!!!  I could be wrong, but I think that this might be history making in the world of F1 racing.  To my knowledge, NO F1 team has ever fielded more than 2 cars in one season, if for nothing else due to the major costs at having to design, develop, test, and build the cars.  Granted, NASCAR and IRL both have had teams (past and present), that were able to field teams of more than 2 cars.    Then again, the race tracks/courses they run are nowhere near as difficult/challenging as ANY F1 circuit.  Since they only/predominantly race around in circles, they don't have to spend as much time, effort or money on things like aerodynamics and gear ratios for changing elevations.

I guess the Minardi (or whatever the team's name will be) will still be a independent team, which is only owned by Red Bull Racing. I guess the team's role is to be some kind of farm team for Red Bull.

I think it's kinda interesting from Red Bull to buy Minardi, I would have expected this from Ferrari or other bigger teams.

[TheQuickening]

I guess the Minardi (or whatever the team's name will be) will still be a independent team, which is only owned by Red Bull Racing. I guess the team's role is to be some kind of farm team for Red Bull.

I think it's kinda interesting from Red Bull to buy Minardi, I would have expected this from Ferrari or other bigger teams.

I dunno, the way I heard it, they will no longer be a separate team.  RBR will be a single team, with 4 cars next year (like I said, this is the way I've heard it, I could be wrong).  As far as to why one of the bigger teams like Ferrari didn't buy them out, who knows?  It may have just been something they hadn't considered doing.

[amuse]

BRAWN ADMITS TO F2005 FAILINGS
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=34069

"we fucked up"

[ctz]

I guess the Minardi (or whatever the team's name will be) will still be a independent team, which is only owned by Red Bull Racing. I guess the team's role is to be some kind of farm team for Red Bull.

I think it's kinda interesting from Red Bull to buy Minardi, I would have expected this from Ferrari or other bigger teams.

I dunno, the way I heard it, they will no longer be a separate team.  RBR will be a single team, with 4 cars next year (like I said, this is the way I've heard it, I could be wrong).  As far as to why one of the bigger teams like Ferrari didn't buy them out, who knows?  It may have just been something they hadn't considered doing.

I don't know about the rules changes nest season, but I think it's in the rulebook that a team can't have more than two cars in a race. Big teams have a third car in practices though.

[TheQuickening]

I guess the Minardi (or whatever the team's name will be) will still be a independent team, which is only owned by Red Bull Racing. I guess the team's role is to be some kind of farm team for Red Bull.

I think it's kinda interesting from Red Bull to buy Minardi, I would have expected this from Ferrari or other bigger teams.

I dunno, the way I heard it, they will no longer be a separate team.  RBR will be a single team, with 4 cars next year (like I said, this is the way I've heard it, I could be wrong).  As far as to why one of the bigger teams like Ferrari didn't buy them out, who knows?  It may have just been something they hadn't considered doing.

I don't know about the rules changes nest season, but I think it's in the rulebook that a team can't have more than two cars in a race. Big teams have a third car in practices though.

In any case, we'll just have to wait and see.  Whatever the end result, I just hope it makes for good racing competition.

[TheQuickening]

Brazilian Grand Prix -

Congradulations to Fernando Alonso Diaz on becoming, at the tender age of 24 years, the youngest EVER Formula One World Champion!!!

Well, all he had to do was finish on the podium or make sure he didn't place more than 5 points behind his nearest competitor, Kimi Raikkonen, in this race.  In clinching the title today, Alonso has broken Michael Schumacher's streak of 1813 consecutive days as world champion. Sure it would have been more dramatic if Alonso had actually WON the race that nailed the championship for him, but what the hey,  he's STILL DA CHAMP!!!

On a bit of a downer, Montoya was the one who won today's race.         I would've preferred Raikkonen to win, IF one of the McLaren's had to win.  But whatever, at least Montoya's win is going to be forever overshadowed by Alonso's Championship run.

While the Driver's Championship is now wrapped up, with the 1-2 finish for McLaren, they have now taken the lead in the Constructor's Championship from Renault.  And with 2 or 3 races STILL to come, the season sure as hell ain't done yet!!!



Rumours mentioned during the broadcast:
Nick Heidfeld has chosen to sit out the rest of the current F1 season.  This is apparently he's pissed that team Williams chose to bench him during the last race and instead had Antonio Pizzonia compete in the race.  Doesn't seem like Heidfeld really cares at this point about what Williams does with him.  He's leaving at the end of the season anyway and joining the soon-to-be new BMW factory team (currently the Sauber team).

Sato Takuma's future at BAR Honda is in question.  It hasn't been confirmed whether or not his contract will be renewed.  If it's not, Jordan-Midland is apparently REALLY interested in bringing him on the team to bring some experience.

It doesn't appear like Ford-Cosworth will be supplying Red Bull Racing with engines next year as it currently does.  With Cosworth seemingly now going to be an exclusive partners with team Williams, Toyota is rumoured to be the new engine supplier for RBR.  If this is the case, Toyota apparently has at least ONE condition for the deal.  This condition is that they be allowed to bring in a driver of THIER choice (amongst their choices, Sato Takuma) to take one of the FOUR driver's spots that there will be in the soon to be expanded RBR team.

[Naxo]

Oeoeoeoe oe oe oe CAMPEÓN!!!!!!

Youngest racer and first spanish to win in F1!!!

[amuse]

Did anyone watch A1GP? There's absolutely no coverage in North America. I'll watch a bit of it through streaming tv when Star Sports shows it ... tape delayed