<<TriniTuner 2009 F1 Thread>>

[Freelander]

man must be eating then drinking malox

[plex]

Mercedes could join Honda and BMW in dropping the expensive series

Mercedes-Benz could be next to drop out of F1

The value of Mercedes' involvement in F1 is still the topic of debate within parent company Daimler, board member Helmut Lense insists. Earlier this year, Lense was quoted as suggesting that Mercedes should be pulled out of the sport in favor of more worthy projects.

Now, in the wake of fellow German automaker BMW's decision to withdraw at the end of 2009, he reveals that uncertainty about the Mercedes engagement is still debated internally.

"This discussion will surely continue to heat up in light of BMW's withdrawal," Lense told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper.

Immediately after the BMW announcement on Wednesday, however, a Mercedes spokesman said the marque regretted the decision but insisted it "does not have any influence on our Formula One engagement".

Motorauthority

[Silvermike]

it would be awesome if LH is out of a drive in 2010

[noshownogo]

^^LH would get a drive with another team i'm sure, but i'd give anything for MS to put the beat down on him in his debut with a new chassis on a new track.

Lewis crossing the finish line at the Spanish GP communicating to his team over radio:

"where is the reset button on this bloody steering", "I want a rematch, I can't finish behind MS...noooooooooooooo! Daddy do something..."

[teems1]

^^LH would get a drive with another team i'm sure, but i'd give anything for MS to put the beat down on him in his debut with a new chassis on a new track.

Lewis crossing the finish line at the Spanish GP communicating to his team over radio:

"where is the reset button on this bloody steering", "I want a rematch, I can't finish behind MS...noooooooooooooo! Daddy do something..."

har har, that sounds like something piquet jr would say before lewis.

[noshownogo]

Schumacher return hit by neck injury

(CNN) -- Michael Schumacher's comeback to Formula One later this month has been placed into doubt because of a lingering neck injury.

The seven-time world champion is due to replace stricken Ferrari driver Felipe Massa in the European Grand Prix in Valencia later this month, but his spokesperson Sabine Kehm told ZDF television in Germany that the injury could wreck his return.

"He's still not absolutely certain that his neck will hold up. His return depends on medical examinations which have yet to take place. Only after these tests will it be clear if he can drive," Kehm was quoted on the station's official Web site www.zdf.de.

"Michael is 100 per cent committed to his return," added Kehm, who is regarded as one of Schumacher's inner circle.

Schumacher himself flagged up the problem on his own personal Web site www.michaelschumacher.de.

"All in all, the training is going pretty well, although I have to admit my neck pinches a bit,

"We have to get a grip on that as health has priority. That's the clear arrangement made with Ferrari and, by the way, with my wife (Corinna), too."

The 40-year-old picked up the injury in a motorcycle spill in February and he was troubled by the niggle while testing the 2007 Ferrari last weekend.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/08/06 ... index.html

[JoKeR1980]

Ferrari have turned to test driver Luca Badoer to fill the void left by Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa.

Ferrari have been rocked by news that seven-time world champion Schumacher will now not be able to race for them because of a long-standing neck injury.

The legendary German driver had been set to replace Massa, who has been sidelined after suffering serious head injuries at the Hungarian GP.

However he announced on Tuesday that he would now not be able to return to action after failing to overcome his own injury.

Ferrari have now asked the 38-year-old Badoer to fill in for the rest of the season.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said: "In agreement with Stefano Domenicali, we have therefore decided to give Luca Badoer the chance to race for the Scuderia after he has put in so many years of hard work as a test driver."

Badoer made 51 starts for Ferrari between 1993-98 having previous raced in the Italian F3 Championship and won the Formula 3000 intercontinental title.

[JoKeR1980]

Ten Facts About Luca Badoer
Tuesday 11th August 2009

Luca Badoer holds the dubious distinction of having the most race starts without a single point but that could all change when he replaces Felipe Massa at the European GP...


01. Badoer made his F1 debut back in 1993 with Scuderia Italia, the first of four Italian teams he would race for. Minardi, Forti Corse and now Ferrari being the other three.


02. The Italian holds the rather dubious distinction of being the driver who has competed in the most grands prix - 48 - thout scoring a single World Championship point. His best finish was a seventh place in the 1993 San Marino Grand Prix back in the days when only the top-six would score.


03. The closest he ever came to scoring points was at the 1999 European Grand Prix when he was lying in 4th place with only 13 laps remaining. Sadly, the gearbox of his Minardi gave up on him and he was famously caught by television cameras weeping next to his stricken car on the side of the road.


04. Badoer also on six occasions failed to qualify for a grand prix: At the European and Monaco grands prix in 1993, and for Australia, Europe, Spain and Britain in 1996.


05. He first joined Ferrari in 1997 as a test driver, which means he is officially their longest-serving test driver. He has holds the distinction of completing more laps in a Ferrari car than any other Italian driver.


06. He almost raced for Ferrari in 1999, mid-way through his one-year stint with Minardi, as the Scuderia sought a replacement for Michael Schumacher, who broke his leg in the British GP. The team, though, instead opted for Mika Salo.


07. Ten years later, Badoer is finally getting his chance to race for Ferrari and once again it's because one of their regular drivers, Felipe Massa, is injured.


08. The last time Ferrari had an Italian driver was in 1994 when Nicola Larini competed for the Scuderia in the Pacific and San Marino GPs. Ferrari are rumoured to have an unwritten policy against hiring Italians as the pressure put on the drivers by their home country is too much.


09. When he lines up on the grid at the European GP, Badoer will officially become the oldest driver in this year's Championship as he's a year, four months and two days older than Rubens Barrichello.


10. Badoer was Ferrari's second choice to replace Massa as they'd earlier asked Michael Schumacher. A neck injury, though, put an end to German's return.


But hey, at least Badoer can say he was asked ahead of Ferrari's second test driver Marc Gene...

[Maserati]

really a pity, so much anticipation to see him back in the drivers seat.

[noshownogo]

i think the F1 season over for me

[dmitc]

i think the F1 season over for me

me too

[teems1]

i think the F1 season over for me

me too

yall suck

McLaren and Ferrari are making a resurgence, Brawn and Button are losing their grip on the WCC and WDC, Spa is around the corner!!

[MG Man]

Force India gonna pwn everybody

[Monk BANzai]

Force India gonna pwn everybody

schumi is old....tho i soooooooooo wiched he came back..then hamie wuda bounce him, injure his neck and that was that......hahahahahaha

pwned by a b......(e hel lwrogn with this keyboard jed?)...

[Maserati]

Force India gonna pwn everybody

The mere fact that India is in the name says they will fail. Then drink Indian Tonic and burn the team headquarters to the ground upon losing.

[MG Man]

boy I soooo tempted to bawl out Amitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab

[Maserati]

Cut-price deal for Canadian GP rescue

The price tag for taking Formula One back to Canada has plummeted by $100m for a new five-year deal, according to local reports.

Last year, negotiations with the Montreal race organisers ended when Bernie Ecclestone's demands for a $175m five-year agreement were unanimously turned down by the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.

Now, after the F1 chief executive said talks are back on track to restore the Canadian round at the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for 2010, the national Globe and Mail reported that the proposed new deal is for just $75m for five years.

The newspaper said Ecclestone's hand was forced due to the economic recession which lowered revenue expectations, but also suggested that the recent signing of the amended Concorde Agreement - which renewed the sporting and commercial considerations of F1 until 2012 - contributed to the matter as "it is thought the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) pushed hard for a return to Canada.

Following the Concorde Agreement renewal, FOTA had indicated its focus was now on "racing at the best tracks, in front of the biggest audiences and expanding F1's reach."

The Montreal destination is renowned for its sell-out weekends, year after year. That fact was further highlighted this season when the Turkish Grand Prix took place in front of largely empty grandstands, as was the case in China.

The Globe and Mail also said the 78-year-old was pressured by his bosses at CVC, the majority owners of F1's commercial rights, to keep carmakers happy and committed to the sport.

"It seems CVC decided to appease them with a quick return to North America, which did not host an F1 race this year for the first time since 1958," said the report.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

[Freelander]

WOOHOOOO ^^^ pack yah suitcase from now aarif its gonna be a an amazing weekend in montreal

[JoKeR1980]

the quotes are from the Sun so...


Ferrari are reportedly set to dump Kimi Raikkonen at the end of this season, offering the Finn a massive pay-off to step aside for Fernando Alonso.


Rumours of Raikkonen's pending dismissal began last season when poor results and what appeared to be a lack of motivation on the 2007 World Champion's behalf grabbed headlines.


The speculation grew this year as the Finn competed in his debut World Rally Championship event, even revealing that rallying could be his future line of work when his current Ferrari deal expires at the end of 2010.


According to The Sun, a Formula One insider has revealed that the Scuderia are intent on dumping Raikkonen, offering him a massive pay-off.


'They say the Italian giants have told the 2007 World Champion he can have half the value of his 2010 contract - thought to be worth £25million - to end it one year early,' the tabloid has reported.


Should Raikkonen part ways with Ferrari at the end of the season it would pave the way for Alonso's arrival with the double World Champion believed to already have a contract for 2011.

[dmitc]

^^ from what i understand the Sun is not a credible source

[Maserati]

their page 3 is good though

[noshownogo]

The Sun loves hearsay and will quote Joe blow on the sidewalk

But i also expect Kimi out and Alonso in because where else would FA fit in? The puzzle seems to be coming together for the Spaniard, this is a progressive move for him and his technical ability is exactly what Ferrari wants. After Schumi he is technically the best driver on the grid.

[noshownogo]

Team Renault have been granted permission to race in this weekend's upcoming Valencia GP after winning appeals made by the F1 team.

Renault admitted unsafe conduct, the Court decided that the penalty was too severe and replaced it with a reprimand and a US$50,000 fine.

[JoKeR1980]

^ i knew it....they dare not have that race without Alonso...esp since Schumie couldn't make it

[Maserati]

lol and in Spain too!

would have been riots
and loss of revenue too I would imagine

[Alpha_2nr]

After Schumi he is technically the best driver on the grid

As if.


He's good, and he's an aggressive driver...but he's only rewarded when he has a good car

I'd still say Kimi is a cut above him. Take a look from back in his Mc Laren days..........unlike Fred...who actually got the limelight stolen from him by Hammie (and at some points Hammie was doing better than Fred).


Fred? Best driver on the grid? And Hammie gave him a challenge in the same car?

[noshownogo]

By technically I meant what the other teams have been saying around the paddock...

That FA can assist with car development because of his knowledge, McLaren, Ferrari and Renault have said it.

Putting Kimi behind the wheel and getting live feedback must be frustrating, if his interviews are an indication of his communication to the team via radio

[teems1]

By technically I meant what the other teams have been saying around the paddock...

That FA can assist with car development because of his knowledge, McLaren, Ferrari and Renault have said it.

Putting Kimi behind the wheel and getting live feedback must be frustrating, if his interviews are an indication of his communication to the team via radio

talking to media != talking to team

he's a good car developer, otherwise he wouldn't have won WDC in 07.

[Alpha_2nr]

Putting Kimi behind the wheel and getting live feedback must be frustrating, if his interviews are an indication of his communication to the team via radio

Kimi + Beer FTW


no seriously, I think that "approach" he has during interviews is part of what makes him a good driver. Compare him, to say, Hammie...and you'll see my point.

[Maserati]

Kimmi for the most part emotionless