I wish that after Michael retires, they actually release that contract for the public. It would be a great read!
Yeah right. It would look like reading a legal document only this one is about the size of War and Peace
Plus do we really need to know that Ferrari must put Micheal into 4-5 star hotels that has a mattresses with a goose down pillow top, wants his wake up call at 7:42:12 AM, His Orange juice served in a frosted beir stein served at 34-37 degrees F, Etc............
If that is what has made him the best F1 racer ever, then I am sure it would be good thing to know. Once Michael retires, parts of the contract are boud to leak out and it will be good for the fans to know because what it said that contract is really the foundation of the current F1 program at Ferrari.
i love Button and would love to see him at Ferrari. Kimi I personally can't stand, although i believe that Todt said that that is who he wants. just my .02
Well according to JB, sounds like it's not gonna happen! and certainly sounds like he wouldn't take a Ferrari second seat. I really don't think that there's anyone out there more compatible with MS than RB. I also like Kimi - he's all business and doesn't act like an a@@ and blame everyone when something goes wrong. Having been to Finland numerous times, I really like those folks. Malc - where were you yesterday?? Carol Jenson Button says he would not move to Ferrari or any other team unless he can win the world championship with them. BAR-Honda hope to keep hold of the Briton, but he could leave for Williams next year and he was linked with a shock move to Ferrari over the weekend. But he said: "If Ferrari are the sixth best team next year I have no reason to move apart from a nice company car. That's not really enough, is it? "I want to be with the best team, whoever that is." A clause in Button's contract gives Williams first option on the Englishman in 2006. However, Williams have been forced to seek a new engine partner after BMW's decision to buy Sauber, meaning Button could opt to stay with BAR. He has developed Michael Schumacher-like skills to lead this team BAR boss Nick Fry BAR boss Nick Fry believes his team can offer Button the world title chance he craves. "We are very hopeful that Jenson is going to stay with us," he said. "Honda are a company that has won 11 world championships. At the end of the day he knows they are completely determined to win. "We will give him the best chance to be Formula One world champion - there is no doubt." Button finished fifth in Sunday's Grand Prix, earning high praise from his boss. "He has developed Michael Schumacher-like skills to lead this team," said Fry. "He did fantastically well this weekend, demonstrating that he is a true champion." He added: "If he was to stay with us for the rest of his career he would be more than welcome, we would love it."
Thanks for that info! Maybe Button is trying to play hard ball by not showing any eagerness to join Ferrari. This may give him the upperhand in contract negotiations. Remember a team is only as good as its last season's performance. So if the rest of the 2005 does not go too well for Ferrari, it may be hard for them to attract a driver on their terms. Jean Todt made a very interesting comment this weekend stating that next year is a whole new game because of the V8 engines and that everything could change.
Yes, it seems my better half is showing an interest in F1. looks like we may even go to Silverstone next year (though to be blunt, it looked rather boring on Sunday). So she insisted that we gave it full attention and not sharing it with the internet (tut tut women!) I can only hope she shows the same interest for the Fcar! Regarding Imperial83's comment on next season and V8's. I am sure Ferrari/Bridgestone are working on that already. But we are only half way through this season, I am still hoping! My wife did comment yesterday when I thought JPM was JB passing Alonso, that I should calm down a bit, it is only a sport! I hate Renault and do not mind admitting it. It was nice to see McLaren do so well, especially KR, what alot of bad luck that guy has had recently, and then to finish on podium, what a driver.
Every team is already at work for next year (Except Minardi). The team that will really have an advantage is the ones that get a car out on track first. I honestly feel that Ferrari should take there losses now after the last 2 races and start to concentrate on 06. Another team that seem to have lost there way is Sauber. Anyone noticethat they ran a Ferrari style chin wing at Silverstone. With poor results to show for it.
Ferrari have already started work on the next year's car but there is this little issue of no concrete rules for next year. next year's rules and regulations have not been finalized so it is hard to develop a car without parameters. This is exatly what happened in the end of 2004. Ferrari started developing the F2005 based upon 2004 regulations and then retro fitted the F2005 to match the new regulations. In F1 timing is everything and Jean Todt knows this better than anyone. Jean todt and Ross Brawn have been very intelligent not to hit the panic button and make the factory work 24/7 to figure out a solution. Needless to say, knowing the work ethic and determination at Maranello, the F2006 will probably be one of the best to come out of the F1 program in recent history. That having been said, there are still 8 races left in this season. There is a two week gap between Silverstone and Hockenheim. Ferrari are not going to quit anytime soon.
Agreed on Ferrari throwing in the towel. Unless Kimi and Alonso get personally injured in an accident, there is no way for Michael to clinch it this year. Sauber are very disappointing this year. I thought they'd do way better given their new wind tunnel, supercomputer, Michelin tires and a world champion, yet they suck. And as every year they go backwards mid year due to stalling in development. I think the fact, that they already sold to BMW compounds the problem: Motivation is probably taking a dive. Well, I'll switch my allegiance over to Red Bull Ferrari next year anyway.
But Ferrari can take the V8 and put it into a F2005 and at least test out the drive train portion of the car and try a few tweeks to the aero package and get a jump on the competition in this aspect. While dyno testing is great to test componets and see what kind of power the engine produces. The dyno cannot show the stresses the engine will go thru while cornering, braking, Pit stops, Etc. Just getting an engine and transmission onto the track early can give the team more of an headsup and get the bugs out of the way early. then they can concentrate on the chassis and be 100% ready at the first race.
Why develop a V8 engine compatiable with the F2005?!?! The rules will change completely. The V8 engine and transmission has to be designed to complement the F2006 and the 2006 rules. My point is that all components have to be designed together keeping the entire package in mind. It would be a waste of time to develop a V8 to run in the F2005. I understand that the earlier the car is "debugged" the chance there is for continued improvement. But this is only possible when the rules are ironed out and concrete.
From Crash.net BAR-Honda team leader, Jenson Button has refused to confirm or deny reports that he will join Ferrari in 2006. According to British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mirror, the Englishman 'has been sounded out about signing a two-year deal to replace Rubens Barrichello' and he has been 'told he could take over as the team's number one when Michael Schumacher retires'. The 'paper adds that the £20 million offer is part of a 'master-plan' backed by F1 bosses, to try and 'scupper the threat of a breakaway series' by bringing the 'powerful English-speaking media' on side... While this all sounds rather far-fetched, Jenson for one was at least enjoying it. "Yeah, I read that Saturday morning as well," said the Brit, when asked the 'story' following his storming performance in qualifying to line-up on the front-row of the grid. "A nice piece!" he added. "I can't say anything on my future next year though. I'm just living in the moment which is pretty good." Pressed on it further though, and asked if he would deny it, he said: "I won't, but I cannot talk about my future next year. That's it. I am not going to say yes - or no." Realistically however, it seems more likely that Jenson will either stay with BAR in 2006 - or go to Williams. F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone believes that Williams is probably the more likely. "If I was a gambling man, my money would be on Jenson with Williams next season because it looks as if he cannot get out of his contract with them - even if he wanted to," Mr E. told the Daily Express. "It wouldn't be the worst move he has made."
Simple you dont have to design the engine to for F2005 just adapt the F2005 to run the engine that way you can get the issues with the 2006 engine and transmission out of the way. It is not a 100%solution but it is better than not doing anything.
That can be done without even building the new V8 engine using computer models and simulations. The only concrete way of developing the new V8 is to wait till the rules and regulations are finalized. Build a V8 engine to those specifications. Either way I trust Jean Todt and Ross Brawn to be smarter than both of us combined and with more F1 experience than either one of us. They don't like being dehind and I am sure they will know what to do.
I believe Honda has already adpated the current BAR to fit a V8 and had it on the track sometime last month IIRC.
If I were JB I believe I would stay with BAR Honda. They have a much better chance for next year than Ferrari appears to have.
Franklin, I respectfully disagree. A guy like Button would jump at the chance to drive the Ferrari. Ferrari made and is Formula One Grand Prix racing. The opportunity to be a part of both is a chance of a lifetime. One very few, if any, would pass up. Afterall, Ferrari picks it's drivers. Not the other way around. If you think that Ferrari doesn't have much of a shot next year, I'd offer the comparison of the 2004 to 2005 Renault's and McLaren's. It's staggering what a team can do from one year to the next. I'm quickly learning that not alot can be done within the same year, though! i.e. the '05 Ferrari.... Again, JMO. Dane
While computer simulation is a start of any new design by modeling stress loads and thermal characteristics. You still have to take it from a digital form and then apply it to a functioning object. With a clean sheet design such as this V8 will be. The more time you can test it the better off you will be. What you learn at an early stage can be refined upon, and applied to the actual 2006 race engine. In other words test it till it fails then improve on the weak areas then kill it again This way you can get the 2 race reliability that is required and get horsepower at the same time.
The point is that even the two race per engine rule is up for debate before the 2006 rules are finalized. So what is the point of developing a V8 engine that last for two race weekends when just one race weekend will suffice. A computer cannot tell you what to do and how to design a component to maximize performance. Technology can only tell you whether or not a component will perform and at what level.
