2009 Formula 1 Season

So is it now Formula Ferrari

 

A1GP

 

here we go........

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76529

 

until he actually retires, all bets are off.

 

If you go to Ferrari.com and Ferrari TV theres an interview where Luca de Montezemola answers the fan's questions, F1, Le Mans etc

 

Ten's Channel One makes it to the regions this week, at last.

 

Valentino Rossi has indicated he might be willing to switch to Formula One in 2011 if Ferrari run a third car.

At the press conference with Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone in Paris last Wednesday, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo told reporters that part of the peace deal was an indication that the works teams are prepared to field three cars apiece.

Multiple MotoGP champion Rossi, an Italian, has tested Ferraris before and a few years ago openly considered replacing Rubens Barrichello at the Maranello outfit.

The 30-year-old remains under contract to Yamaha for 2010, but amid the FOTA-FIA war, it was rumoured that wherever Ferrari was headed in the near future, Rossi could be part of the plans.

"I am quite happy about it, it could happen in 2011 -- why not?" he is quoted as saying by Italian media.



Rossi indicated that Ferrari running a third car in Formula One could be his opportunity to switch to four wheels.

"In 2010 I have a contract with Yamaha so it would be difficult or even impossible. What's more, Ferrari do not have a third car and I have taken no decision about changing sport," he added.

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Source: GMM
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Welcome to the 21st century!

 

Although this year's rules are to now remain essentially in place in 2010, the proposed ban on in-race refuelling will still be introduced.

As peace between Formula One Teams' Association and the FIA was declared last Wednesday, the World Motor Sport Council agreed that ‘the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations’.

But as teams had already begun the foundations of their 2010 cars based on the impending refuelling ban, that rule will be introduced as scheduled, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh told Formule 1 Race Report.

"I am certain that the refuelling ban is coming in," the Briton said.

"We all agreed that at an early stage, because it is fundamental to the design of the car."

Whitmarsh admitted that McLaren is one such team that has now finalised the basic concept of the 2010 car on the basis of a much larger fuel tank.

He also said some other elements of the 2010 technical regulations are still yet to be finalised.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

 

Rossi to F1, maybe and Kimi gets his hearts desire and goes rallying.
Silly season comes earlier and earlier.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76623

 

September 11 2009 could be the date on which Fernando Alonso is revealed as a Ferrari driver for the next five formula one seasons.

The Spanish newspaper Diario AS claims that the sport's best-known secret may already be scheduled for official confirmation on the Friday of the Italian grand prix at Monza.

The report believes Ferrari has not decided which of the team's contracted 2010 drivers, Felipe Massa or Kimi Raikkonen, will be ushered aside to make room for the former double world champion, who currently races for Renault.

AS said Ferrari intends to hold its major end-of-season event at Valencia in November, not only to welcome Alonso, 27, to the team, but also its new 2010 Spanish sponsor Santander.

The report said Alonso could be the "surprise guest" at the event, but would have to wear casual clothes because of his Renault contract through December 31.



Source: GMM

 

Mark Webber has admitted that the destiny of the 2009 F1 World Championship crown will likely be decided by performances on Saturday afternoons after losing a shot at British Grand Prix glory due to qualifying woes – and he insisted that despite still being in search of his breakthrough grand prix success, he should not be written out of contention.

He may have yet to triumph after no fewer than 129 starts in the top flight and has mounted the rostrum on only six occasions, but four of those appearances have come this year, with runner-up spots in China, Turkey and Britain and third place in Spain, meaning the current campaign is the one in which the Australian has come the closest yet to tasting victory champagne.

That run of strong results has left Webber a challenging fourth in the points standings approaching the halfway stage, 28.5 markers shy of runaway early-season pace-setter Jenson Button, but only 5.5 adrift of the sister Brawn GP of Rubens Barrichello and 3.5 away from his own Red Bull Racing team-mate Sebastian Vettel, a man who has twice ascended the top step of the podium over the opening eight races.

It has been comfortably the finest start to a season the New South Wales native has ever enjoyed at the highest level, despite still having to contend with the after-effects of a broken leg sustained during his annual outdoor charity adventure Pure Tasmania Challenge last November. Moreover, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is adamant that the battle between Webber and Vettel is wide open, with not so much of a hint of team orders – and the man from Queanbeyan reckons that both are now set to give Button and Brawn GP a very hard time of it indeed.

“I'm getting some pretty good results,” the 32-year-old told Sky Sports. “I've had very consistent Sunday afternoons, [but] Saturday is crucial, we know that, in terms of how tight it is between the four of us, and especially in the last few events.

“I'm still very confident that I can haul some good points in the future. Whether that's enough to be consistently ahead remains to be seen, [but] I'm out there and I'm very happy with my performances so far this year.

“It doesn't take much to turn things round, so I'm looking forward to the Nürburgring – it could be mixed conditions – and then we've got Budapest. There are some good races coming up which will test us again, and I'm looking forward to it.”

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/149203/1/webber_acknowledges_qualifying_crucial_to_2009_f1_glory.html

 

Very spewworthy

Lewis Hamilton does not regret the events of 2009, because the reigning world champion believes the challenges have developed his character and helped him mature.

Until this season, marred by the 'lie-gate' scandal and the uncompetitive MP4-24 McLaren, the Briton's career largely consisted of a series of plaudits and successes.

"Hard times help to build your character," the 24-year-old told Germany's Sport Bild. "In the last few months I've grown up a lot because I learned how to deal with setbacks.

"In that way this year has probably helped me in a personal sense more than any other before it," said Hamilton.

Not only is he for the first time in his racing career at the wheel of an uncompetitive car, Hamilton's personal image took a major hit when he and now sacked McLaren manager Dave Ryan were caught lying to stewards in Australia and Malaysia.



Asked how he would handle the same kind of situation now, Hamilton answers: "I would take a step back and listen to my instincts. The doubts I had, about whether I should be lying, I would take much more seriously."

As for his 2009 car, Hamilton believes a podium later this season is a possibility, but is much more focused on mounting a serious title challenge in 2010.

"It doesn't really interest us anymore where we are at the end of the championship. We have to do everything we can now to make sure we have the best car in the field next year," said Hamilton.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

 

The sweeping changes introduced this season have Jacques Villeneuve firmly aiming for a Formula One seat starting next year. The current regulations are much to his liking – in fact, he requested such changes for years while still an F1 driver.

"In my opinion today's cars are better to watch, and they will be even more so next year," he told Autosprint. "They will be more fun driving them, especially with the fuel-stop ban. You can see them sliding more without electronic aids - this way the show is better."

"I've been saying it for ten years: ban pitstops, get back to slick tyres, and get rid of electronics," Villeneuve said.

The 1997 World Champion, who left the sport in 2006, has been seen in the paddocks of Grand Prix venues over the last several weeks. The French Canadian is presenting himself as an experienced candidate, ready, willing and able to play a major part.

"I'm a racing driver and I always will be," he declared. "Driving is the only thing that interests me, and all the mess that's happened helps me. With the test ban, we experienced drivers are handy. I can't say what will happen, but I'm giving it a go."

Villeneuve has renewed his interest in Formula One because he considers the current regulations as a return to his early days in the sport: "Yes, because the human aspect is counting again, as it did in the past. The work is more like the way I remember it."

"When I left, F1 wasn't fun anymore. Or rather, driving still was, but the atmosphere outside was bad.

You'd spend your half hour with your race engineer after which the computer would prepare your set-up. And they'd tell you: 'shut up and drive'. I'm the type of person that always speaks out, but towards the end everything became very difficult," he explained.

Jacques Villeneuve is renowned for speaking his mind - a quality that got him into trouble at some points of his career although events and the passage of time proved him right on certain matters.

The bottom line is that the former Williams, BAR Honda, Renault and BMW Sauber driver wants the sport to be spicy, not sanitized.

"No one speaks out. In my opinion that's also what loses fans," Villeneuve stated. "People want to see gladiators, instead they all sound like they love each other. In reality everyone wants to beat everyone else."

In regards to his Formula One prospects, Villeneuve is negotiating on his own with high hopes of signing a contract for next season.

"I am talking seriously with teams – new but also older ones," he confirmed to FlagWorld.com. "Serious propositions are effectively on the table, but nothing has been confirmed."

Daniel BASTIEN
© CAPSIS International

 

Oh gawd, the madman runs amok again!

It would appear that the arrogance of one wretched man is likely to destroy Formula One, as the rest of us, sponsors, teams, drivers and fans look on helpless.

In two brief statements - one from the FIA, the other from the teams' alliance - it was today made clear that Formula One's future can be measured in months, maybe even weeks.

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=38359

 

this is just amazing, isn't it?

 

I have been ignoring this all. As the article says fans are helpless.

We can't do anything about it. The structure of the FIA means you have to be a old fart within it to do anything and if you're in it your probably on Max's side. The FOTA going alone is still the best for F1.

 

brilliant, so long as Ferrari end up racing on the Gold Coast who cares ??


oh yeah, they already are in A1GP

 

FRI Practice 2 22:00 Results
SAT Practice 19:00 Results
SAT Qualifying 22:00 Results
SUN Race 22:00 Results

 

FP1

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 14 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1:33.082 19
2 22 Jenson Button Brawn-Mercedes 1:33.463 0.381 18
3 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:33.745 0.663 21
4 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:33.795 0.713 23
5 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Mercedes 1:33.839 0.757 26
6 4 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:33.840 0.758 23
7 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:33.902 0.820 26
8 15 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:33.909 0.827 13
9 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:33.952 0.870 25
10 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.148 1.066 16
11 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:34.221 1.139 25
12 23 Rubens Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes 1:34.227 1.145 17
13 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.483 1.401 14
14 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:34.694 1.612 23
15 8 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:34.738 1.656 24
16 11 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:34.827 1.745 27
17 12 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 1:34.878 1.796 28
18 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.893 1.811 26
19 10 Timo Glock Toyota 1:34.911 1.829 23
20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:35.092 2.010 6

 

Go Mark, Please let this be his weekend.

 

FP2

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:32.149
2 15 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:32.331 0.182
3 22 Jenson Button Brawn-Mercedes 1:32.369 0.220
4 14 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1:32.480 0.331
5 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:32.511 0.362
6 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:32.585 0.436
7 23 Rubens Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes 1:32.664 0.515
8 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:32.774 0.625
9 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:32.872 0.723
10 8 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:32.992 0.843
11 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:33.012 0.863
12 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:33.052 0.903
13 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:33.128 0.979
14 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:33.161 1.012
15 10 Timo Glock Toyota 1:33.172 1.023
16 4 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:33.182 1.033
17 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.724 1.575
18 12 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 1:33.903 1.754
19 11 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:34.025 1.876
20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Mercedes 1:38.877 6.728

 

top 16 covered by 1 second. amazing.

 

Horse would be 3 secs ahead of them

 

The head of the local state Victoria has confirmed the government would pull its backing of Melbourne's Formula One race if a breakaway depletes the grid of its star names.

"I want value for money for Victorian taxpayers and that means that you want all of the competitors, you want all of the race teams," Labor Premier John Brumby is quoted as saying by the Australian news agency AAP.

"We won't be paying for half an event, simple as that. So I hope that they can resolve this, I'm sure that they can. I think it's very early days," he added.



Brumby's comments follow Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Ron Walker saying Max Mosley should end the dispute by quitting as FIA President.

Walker, who was in London for talks with Bernie Ecclestone this week, is a known close ally of the F1 Chief Executive.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International