F1 2008

Well, apparently Alonso isn't that keen to go back to Renault

linky

Maybe part of his posturing to get a better exit package off McLaren?

Autosport take on the driver market here:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63599

Thanks dpat

Well, it's been confirmed that Spyker have changed their name to Force India link

Apparently there's going to be a 10 year freeze on engines from 2008 http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=41179

Will they freeze the drivers too I wonder

As per FIA's bulletin yesterday:

[bold]2008 Formula One calendar[/bold]

March 16 Australia (Melbourne)
March 23 Malaysia (Sepang)
April 6 Bahrain (Sakhir)
April 27 Spain (Barcelona)
May 11 Turkey (Istanbul)
May 25 Monaco
June 8 Canada
June 22 France
July 6 Britain (Silverstone)
July 20 Germany (Hockenheim)
Aug 3 Hungary (Hungaroring)
Aug 24 Europe (Valencia)
Sep 7 Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
Sep 14 Italy (Monza)
Sep 28 Singapore
Oct 12 Japan (Fuji)
Oct 19 China (Shanghai)
Nov 2 Brazil (Interlagos)

I don't like this ending the season ot Brazil business.

I got used to (and quite fond of) the season operner being a middle of the night Aussie GP, and the finale being a middle of the night event at the wonderful Suzuka.

Originally Posted by Ralf S.

I think McLyin' will have a big advantage next year. The common ECU is made by them and that story has a bit of subterfuge and politicking all of its own.

As I understand it, the best tenders were from Magneti Marelli and from a Microsoft consortium "Microsoft MES".

The Marelli bid was tipped to win, being considered in many quarters as the best. But it was deemed less desirable as Marelli obviously have strong links with Fiat (and therefore Ferrari) and the FIA wanted to avoid anything that might generate complaints that one team is more favoured by them than any other <yawn!!>

Microsoft MES won it.

A few weeks later after a lot of digging around and rumour, Microsoft MES were "outed" as being a Microsoft/ McLaren consorium. Typically <sigh!> McLyin' only came forward and confirmed it AFTER the truth came out and there was no way of denying it. The FIA admitted to being "surprised" that MES was actually a McLyin' subsidiary.

When you consider what the ECU will do:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/55980

and the fact that a lot of other teams including Ferrari, Renoort and BMW are already having all sorts of trouble with the ones they've been given, I think next year is going to be firstly a McCheatin' whitewash .. and secondly, so full of "electronic cheating" and "eavesdropping/interference" controversy that it makes the FIA ban ECUs altogether and bring back contact points and carburettors!

It all sucks.. and once again it's "Honest Ron" and his band of thieves at the centre of it. No wonder the FIA hate them...!


Ralf S.

Well after getting the Ferrari Cheat and tactics technical book from Nigel........

Quote from Autosport Article

"The company, which operates from the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, operates independently from the McLaren F1 team. It has been developing, manufacturing and deploying advanced electronic control and data systems for more than 15 years, also working within F1 with several teams."

So your comments a little Biased to say the least...

Gilbert mate, writing and saying "we operate independently" though they work in the same office is a bit like Clinton saying "I didn't have anything to do with Monica Lewinsky"

Originally Posted by BigFoot

Gilbert mate, writing and saying "we operate independently" though they work in the same office is a bit like Clinton saying "I didn't have anything to do with Monica Lewinsky"

Just because something is latched onto your genitals does not mean you have anything to do with it

Originally Posted by BigFoot

Gilbert mate, writing and saying "we operate independently" though they work in the same office is a bit like Max Mosley saying "I didn't have anything to do with Jean Todt giving me a blow job"

Good point BF

Gary

Originally Posted by Gary Slegg

Well, apparently Alonso isn't that keen to go back to Renault

linky

Well the Cars average and the Rookies had a year to practice, of course he's not Keen.

Originally Posted by BigFoot

Will they freeze the drivers too I wonder

Should freeze the bloody FIA

I can't imagine the Singapore race being done at night...I really can't, they are either going to strap some lights on the cars (in which if one crashes the marshals will have to get their flash lights out) or they are going to light the whole entire circuit, pit and run off area's!! environmentally friendly FIA.....yeah? I would like to see it

Well its done at Le Mans - yes the cars have lights but on the properly lit areas of the track they are not needed. The Le mans track is also about 7 miles long some of which is out in the countryside isnt lit that well.
On a shorter street circuit there is likely to be pretty good lighting.
Seems like a good proposition to me as night racing at Le Mans can be pretty exciting to watch

It will be akin to the way things are done stateside for the night time NASCAR and IRL events, with the whole track area being floodlit. It works well, the drivers don't find it too much more of a challenge, the cars are able to run even faster in the cool air, and the fans have an amazing atmosphere to savour.

IMO it should be welcomed.

But they are 'locking' engines for environmental reasons with the emphasis on the Mental not the environ....... as in environMENTAL