Formula1

In all respect to their idea, but how is that possible? I thought it would be mandatory for a team to bring two cars to the grid to avoid these one-car-per-team cases that happened a lot at the beginning of the 90s.
 
I am honestly not sure how is that possible. But FIA has allowed them to run only one car this weekend and nobody protested so they are going on with it.

First it was suspected that they didn't have enough parts in Sochi to build 2nd car after Bianchi's crash, but both Marussia and FIA had stated that 2nd car was built in Sochi and scrutinized by FIA technical delegates together with other 21 cars to check that it conforms to the regulations. Just now on Sky they were talking about interview with someone from Marussia where they asked how long will they run with only one car and they said that Bianchi wouldn't want for those 2 points he won to go in vain so that they will field both cars in the next race in attempt to keep their 9th place in championship
 
Sorry, but this kind of logic is nonsense. If they'd really follow it, they'd run the second car in Sochi as well to have higher chances of remaining 9th.
 
I agree. My opinion is that Rossi (Alexander, their reserve driver) wasn't prepared for this race (no simulator work etc.) because nobody expected that he would need to substitute for Bianchi or Chilton. He couldn't be ready for this race and they didn't want to risk him, everyone else and their car with driver who is not ready for that race. It is 3 weeks until next race so there is enough time to get him ready for then.


Anyways...there are news regarding power units. In Singapore all 11 teams + all 3 PU manufacturers were unanimously agreeing for allowance of development on power units from 2015. onwards. It was a deal done and it only needed to be confirmed. Now, Mercedes, Williams and Lotus are against it so talks about it are still ongoing.
 
Buxton on twitter:
So Alonso confirmed to me on @NBCSN that he would not have @MercedesAMGF1 power in his 2015 car.
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If that is true that than rules out Mercedes, Williams, Force India, Lotus. There are still Mclaren (Honda), Ferrari, Sauber, Marussia (Ferrari), Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Caterham (Renault) or pause from F1
 
Just read, that there were allegedly 92g impacting on Bianchi during his crash. Not record, but usually neck breaking. Doctors say it is hard to believe he is still alive after such a crash.
 
Interlagos circuit has been completely resurfaced just in time for this years GP, while next year there will be new pitlane and paddock area, as well as (probably) new start/finish straight (on the straight between current T3 and T4) which will be stretched a bit and T4 will be made tighter a bit.

novo-interlagos-02.jpg
 
Whyyyyyyyyyyyy? The course is one of the most perfect courses on earth in its current configuration, especially with THAT first corner?!

I'm smelling a (straight) DRS zone as main reason here...:(
 
DRS currently is used on current start straight (including last right kink before pit entry) and on straight between T3 and T4. If those plans for 2015 really come through I expect to see DRS zones on same places as they are now.

Pits are definitely being moved to the new location because they are there from 70s if I am not mistaken and pit building is quite old, unsafe and cramped (same goes for paddock area). Start might remain on the same place as it is now as it is not that strange to have pits and start straight on different parts of the circuit (Long Beach is one of examples from when F1 was there, Mid Ohio in Indy too..)
 
well, if they were not pressed by FOM and FIA they wouldn't be doing anything. They were put under pressure to make some changes or loose the place in the calendar. And I would rather see a bit modified Interlagos than no Interlagos at all. And this is not that big change, just one straight is stretched for about 100-200m and corner after it made a bit tighter.
 
I bet there's nothing wrong with the existing pit area. If Monaco can retain a place on the calendar with its train-wreck of a pit area, then any circuit can.
 
Monaco is story on its own. Even there they had to make changes to the pits area before 2003 GP as there was virtually no place to store spare tires, wings, parts etc. Nowdays they have garages which are built just before GP and dismantled just after it.

But we all know that Monaco is in calendar just for its glamour: Race there is shorter than 300km (which is minimum for race to be counted as Grand Prix), there is no paddock area at the track, it is not that safe as barriers are millimeters from the track and yet there is no question if Monaco will have it's future in F1.

Other tracks have to conform to certain rules and it is being followed. It is stupid imo, but that is the way it is.
 
Caterham is almost certain to miss US and Brazilian GPs. Today was a deadline to ship their equipment to airport from which all F1 cargo flies together to Texas and their HQ is locked down by administrator who refuses to let anyone in or take anything out until current situation with their previous owner T.Fernandes not releasing shares to new owners who had bought them.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116487?


EDIT: Sam Michale, sporting director of McLaren is leaving the team (where he came in 2012 from Williams) at the end of this season. This is joke made to look like a statement from someone inside the team about the news that he will be dismissed from the team.

McLaren has announced that Sam Michael is to step down as sporting director at the end of the season because the team is now ‘more than crap enough’.

‘Before we brought Sam on board we were dangerously close to winning world championships,’ admitted a Woking insider. ‘Thankfully, with his experience of making Williams completely rubbish, we were able to become the disappointing team we are today with a level of mediocrity we could only get from Sam. Or perhaps a Peugeot engine.’

‘We are delighted with the soul-crushing dismalness we have achieved and that’s why it’s the right time for Sam to leave his role as sporking director,’ explained another high ranking source. ‘Of course, we are aware of what happened at Williams after Sam left. They became quite good. But hopefully our new Honda engine won’t work properly and we’ll be able to maintain this level of depressingly poor performance in his absence.’

‘We are sorry to see Sam Michael leave his role as spurting director,’ said an official McLaren statement. ‘In particular, team personnel will miss their regular games of trying to guess what the **** he actually does around here’.
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*Peugeot engines were used by McLaren in early-to-mid 90s when they were in pretty much the position they are in now.


EDIT2: Bernie has said that both Caterham and Marussia won't be in Austin.
 
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it's gonna be 3 car teams next season init? caterham and marussia are done, sauber probably too, this geezer not releasing the shares, what a nob jockey:CONF:

this mclaren statement funny as..:LMAO:
 
Peugeot only powered McLaren for one year (1994). I mainly remember them as the engine supplier to Jordan.

Sad to hear of Caterham's likely demise. Looks like Marussia could be going the same way and in all likelihood I think it's a matter of time for Sauber too. It's a shame because Sauber is a fairly prestigious name in F1 and they are a very likeable team, but they're always scraping along on a shoestring budget and seem to be on a downward trajectory now. They looked quite strong a few years ago with Perez and Kobayashi so it's sad to see them pointless now.

I think three car teams are an inevitability. The cost of running a team in F1 is a barrier to entry for potential new teams with modest resources. F1 needs to attract more works involvement as it's only the likes of Honda, Toyota, BMW, Ford (etc...) that could realistically afford to operate in F1 and even then that's debatable. Otherwise it will be 16 cars next year and maybe only six or seven teams running three cars in the future.
 
well, if contracts between FIA and FOM are being followed we would have at least few 3-car teams in Austin to satisfy minimum of 20 cars on the grid. Problem is that there is just no time to sort out shipment of additional equipment and to sort out how would points be awarded if 3rd car from one team gets into the points. But yes, next year we could probably see 3-car teams, although there is some talk that Marussia could find new investors + prize money for their 9th place this season.

@Jamezinho
There is Haas F1 Team that is entering the sport in 2016 and who are backed up by Ferrari (they are already calling themselves Ferrari's B team, something like Toro Rosso is to Red Bull). Also there is strong talk in last few days about Audi withdrawing from WEC and DTM and combining that money to enter F1 as a works team by buying either Red Bull Racing or Toro Rosso from Mateszich. They would have their own power units and team then (and they have quite a lot of experience with hybrid power from WEC). That would bring us to 5 PU manufacturers (Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, Renault, Audi). There are also talks that BMW might be looking to return to F1 as a PU supplier or as a works team.
 
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neither do I. But if they decide on that I can imagine they will be a team to beat in F1 in few years time. Wherever they came (someone from their Volkswagen Group) they soon got the results they came for. Audi had dominated for years in WEC, Volkswagen is currently team to beat in WRC and Seat were team to beat in WTCC when they were works team.
 
Audi would no doubt be a strong contender in F1, whether that be as an engine supplier or a full works team. Their experience with hybrid powerplants in WEC would be a huge advantage to them. I just don't see them leaving either series as they are important marketing tools for their brand. Of course, the prestige of F1 is even greater but it would be a gamble to quit two series they've enjoyed great success in.

If Audi enter F1 then they are replacing an existing team which doesn't boost the car numbers. Haas F1 will be a great addition but that still leaves us two teams down on 2014. Hopefully BMW can make a return as suggested, because I really don't like the idea of three car teams. Besides, what happens if some of the remaining eight teams cannot afford to field three cars?
 
is BMW considering coming back? didn't know that. hope they do, that'd be sweet. and the 3 car teams im not sure if it would be shit or great atm, less teams is less competitive but more drivers at the front. it will be like no midfield i guess. it probably would be shit, hope it stays as 2 car teams with some new entries.
 
BMW is still in "just a rumor" faze, but who knows...Honda was also "just a rumor" and they are coming back with McLaren in 2015.

About Marussia: today came out the news that Marussia has also went into administration. Sad to see those small teams (1st HRT, now Marussia and Caterham) to fall in that way when they were lured into the sport with assurances that there will be £40m budget cap per season. That budget cap never came, they can't be competitive if they spend that less than every other team and if they try to squeeze a bit more money than things like this happen.

And I am not going to miss HRT nor Caterham that much, but I will definitely miss Marussia if they drop out for next season. Of all those 3 teams that entered in 2010. they were the one that was best organized, had best results and they closed the gap to other teams more than both Caterham and HRT managed. And with driver like Bianchi at the wheel they were really looking good, often about a second faster than both Caterhams and Chilton. And in just few weeks they first lost Bianchi for at least this season, if not longer and now they are loosing it on the financial side as well.
 
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