Official Racing Thread

[ctz]

It's a bit ugly... ok not a bit. It IS ugly  :evil:
I just hope it doesn't make passing toooo easy or else it'll  affect the defensive driving element in F1.

Defensive driving element? Is there anything like that in F1? It's already against rules to change drive line to prevent passing.

I've watched couple MotoGP races lately and the leader changes almost every lap and the race is exciting till the finish line.I would be happy if F1 ever gets even close to that, with or without the new wing

The new qualifying system sounds good to me. I wonder if they're gonna change the engine change rule... It was kinda stupid imo.

[TheQuickening]

I rather liked the "no changing engines" rule they had this year.  With thi srule, the engines have gotten more reliable, there have been FAR fewer engine failures this season than there were last year (when at least 2-3 engines would/could fail per race).  It's nice to see more of the cars that start the race, actally lasting for the entire, if not most of the race.

[ctz]

I think exploding engines are part of the fun But I don't like that if the engine is broken in a practice session, it'll affect to the race so much.

[ctz]

Former japanese driver Aguri Suzuki will run the 11th F1 team (Honda's second team) in 2006 named Super Aguri (). The new team will be japanese based, eventhough it's not sure if both drivers will be japanese or not.

It seems that japanese are really contributing to Formula 1. I hope it means more japanese drivers in the future.

News about Super Aguri @ Formula1.com

[flare]

Former japanese driver Aguri Suzuki will run the 11th F1 team (Honda's second team) in 2006 named Super Aguri (). The new team will be japanese based, eventhough it's not sure if both drivers will be japanese or not.

It seems that japanese are really contributing to Formula 1. I hope it means more japanese drivers in the future.

News about Super Aguri @ Formula1.com

Hope Takuma takes a seat in the new team. Didnt they call it Aguri-Honda?

[ctz]

Hope Takuma takes a seat in the new team. Didnt they call it Aguri-Honda?

I'll be disappointed if the team's name will be boring Aguri-Honda. I like Super Aguri!

Btw, this year's GP2 champion Nico Rosberg will be driving Williams next season.

[daigong]

Awesome, The Champ Car World Series has found a home in Edmonton for at least the next five summers.
http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story.asp?id=143442

and it will be aired on CBS (American TV) !!!

[TheQuickening]

Congradulations to Danica Patrick on her wedding to some lucky bastard. (She's 23, he is, quite possibly, the luckiest 40-year old physical therapist IN THE WORLD!!!)
Danica  Wedding article - Seattle Times (Nov. 23, 2005)

Also, Danica will be promoting a new line of snack cakes along with fellow racing babes Melanie Troxel and Leilani Munter.  *rawr*      

From left, Melanie Troxel, Danica Patrick, Leilani Munter promote snacks.

Danica's Official Website

[ctz]

Speaking of female race drivers, I read today that Katherine Legge crashed her Minardi in Formula1 testing session in Italy yesterday.

It would be nice to see some women driving in F1 series too.

[ctz]

Shocking News!

World Champion Fernando Alonso will be driving for McLaren from 2007.

I think this greatly increases the chances that Raikkonen will change team after next season. He might already have an unannounced pre-contract with another team, and that's why McLaren wanted Alonso. Two top drivers fighting for championship with equal car and technology would be nice though (like Senna and Prost at McLaren late 1980's).

[TheQuickening]

Shocking News!

World Champion Fernando Alonso will be driving for McLaren from 2007.

I think this greatly increases the chances that Raikkonen will change team after next season. He might already have an unannounced pre-contract with another team, and that's why McLaren wanted Alonso.

Well, remember that in one of my earlier "rumour" posts I mentioned that Ferrari only signed Massa as it's second driver for only one-year because they were looking to sign Raikkonen for 2007.  With the news about Alonso, it now looks more and more like the rumours I found were true.


In other F1 news, there are some rule changes coming to 2006.  Changes include a new qualifying format, the return of tire/tyre changing during races, and the new V8 engine.

The FIA has decided that starting in 2007, all F1 racers will be running on Bridgestone tires.  Apparently the original decision was to switch in 2008, but upon hearing the news that they were on the outs, Michelin decided to voluntarily withdraw from F1.*article here*
It's just as well with Michelin going, IMO.  I imagine that they're still receiving flak (at least from U.S. F1 fans) over the fiasco at this year's U.S. Grand Prix.  Plus, with everyone running the same rubber, it will put them all on more of an equal footing (so to speak).

[ctz]

Returning tyre changes is great, but I'd like to see more than one tyre supplier. I'm also a fan of last season's single lap qualifying system, but the new knockout doesn't sound bad either.

[JFC]

Cool, racing fans.  

I agree that allowing tire changes again is a good idea.  It sounds a bit safer when you consider how much wear and tear these tires go through in a race.  Granted, the "one set per race" idea definitely brought new ideas and strategies on race day, but I think tire changing is definitely a better idea.

[daigong]

Whoa! Paul Tracy to NASCAR!

[Lunatic]

I guess that the ones who caugh by surprise that moving of Alonso to McLaren were the Renault people. But I suppose that if they were about to leave F1 after these year...

To the new rules

Qualification system: I don't like the idea. I prefered the single lap. Having all cars in the circuit is again, for me, a bad idea, having the fastest lap in trouble because of other cars and all that.

Engines: OK. I find interesting, but again let's see if it really can make something to increase the competitivness of the race.

Tyres: Fine with the change since the rule of not changing was proving to be dangerous in some circuits

[Mugen]

what are they doing to the engines and tires?

i lost interest in F1 after Mika Hakinen stopped racing. (What happened to him anyways?)

Mika's rivalry with Shumacher was the best.

[Lunatic]

i lost interest in F1 after Mika Hakinen stopped racing. (What happened to him anyways?)

I think he was into another kind of racing in Finland. But I could be wrong.

Agree with the Mika/Michael rivalry but it have been better rivalrities in F1. For example Senna and Prost...

[ctz]

what are they doing to the engines and tires?

They change from last season's V10 engines to V8 engines. There's an option to use V10 engines with limited power. Tyre changes are allowed in 2006 and iirc tires are slicks again.

i lost interest in F1 after Mika Hakinen stopped racing. (What happened to him anyways?)

He started  driving DTM (German Touring car series) in Germany last year. He did quite well and even won a race in his rookie season. Hakkinen has also participated in Arctic Rally held in northern Finland.

[Mugen]

oh cool

Agree with the Mika/Michael rivalry but it have been better rivalrities in F1. For example Senna and Prost...

cant remember that one lol

[ctz]

Agree with the Mika/Michael rivalry but it have been better rivalrities in F1. For example Senna and Prost...

There's always hate in good rivalry. Senna and Prost had it and Schumacher and Hill kinda had it. They were rivals at track, but also enemies in the real life Schumacher and Hakkinen kinda lacked personal hatred towards each other. Or they covered it too well.