<<2010 Trinituner F1 Thread>>

[JoKeR1980]

Felipe Massa has returned to the cockpit of a competitive Formula One car for the first time in six months.


Massa was among the first of the drivers on track on the opening day of the first F1 test of the season at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.


The Ferrari driver required life-saving surgery after an accident in qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix last July. The 28-year-old Brazilian, who now has a metal plate inside his skull to repair the fracture he sustained in the crash, has since made a superb recovery.


Although Massa has driven karts, and most recently a 2008-spec Ferrari in a private test in Barcelona, the moment he pulled out of the garage in the new F10 was his most significant since the smash.


Massa was joined on track by McLaren test driver Gary Paffett, Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa, Robert Kubica in his Renault, Rubens Barrichello for Williams, Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi and Nico Rosberg in the new Mercedes.


It is the first time a works Mercedes has been seen on a circuit since Juan Manuel Fangio won the Drivers' title for the team in 1955.


Mercedes now have a 75% stake in last year's Championship-winning team Brawn GP, with Michael Schumacher coaxed out of retirement to form an all-German line-up with Rosberg.


After a hiatus of more than three years, the seven-time World Champion is scheduled to make his return to action in the afternoon session.


Provisional morning times:


01. F Massa Ferrari 1:13.088 32 laps
02. P de la Rosa Sauber 1:13.247 27 laps
03. N Rosberg Mercedes 1:13.543 39 laps
04. G Paffett McLaren 1:14.018 34 laps
05. R Barrichello Williams 1:14.449 42 laps
06. R Kubica Renault 1:15.298 37 laps
07. S Buemi Toro Rosso 1:19.279

[JoKeR1980]

Michael Schumacher has made a very fast return to F1 action.

The German made his first timed run in a F1 car in over three years when he took the wheel of the new Mercedes at the start of the afternoon session on Monday in Valencia.

And he was immediately quick. Very quick.

Within just twenty laps of his return to action, Schumacher bettered the fastest time recorded by his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg during the morning.

There is, of course, no way of knowing what sort of fuel level Schumacher and Rosberg are carrying and conditions in Spain are said to have improved throughout the day. But it would seem as if the expectation that Schumacher would need time to readjust and reacclimitimse to the sport has been very quickly debunked...


Update: Schumacher has been recorded as making a lap timed in the 1:08s...But it's been deleted because he took a short-cut around a chicane...


Provisional Mid-Afternoon Fastest Laps Chart
1) Pedro De la Rosa Sauber 1:12.784
2) Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:12.842
3) Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:13.449
4) Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:13.543
5) Gary Paffet McLaren 1:13.846
6) Rubens Barrichello Williams 1:14. 449
7) Robert Kubica Renault 1:15.298
Sebastian Buemi Toro Rosso 1:19.279

[turbonator]

I thought that he would need some time to settle in (like 2-3 races into the season ). But anyways its Shumi so I shouldn't be surprised .

[Maserati]

not surprising..man damn competitive.

[dmitc]

love the red helmet, if nothing else this man knows how to f$%k with people emotions, a shade darker and tears would have ran down my eyes


and another pricless pic from yesterday's testing a bit ominous for ferrari imho even though massa toped the time sheet

[JoKeR1980]

Formula One will have a new points-system this season, granting a great reward to race winners, while the FIA has already ruled that as of next season the double-decker diffuser will be illegal.


The Formula One Commission met on Monday to discuss various aspects that would have an impact on this year's Championship, one of which is the points allocations.


It was decided that 'in order to further encourage the 'race to win', an adjustment to the points system' would be made.


Race winners will now receive 25 points with runners-up bagging just 18. Further points will be handed out in a descending order of 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1.


Teams have also had the number of dry weather tyres allocated reduced from 14 to 11, while 'cars having participated in Q3 must start the race on the same set of tyres with which their grid time was set.'


As for the double-decker diffuser, the device raised a great deal of controversy last season when it was first introduced, resulting in protests from the teams who missed the mark.


And although there is already some debate over whether teams will protest one anothers diffuser this season, there won't be next year as the Commission agreed to 'exclude' the 'double' decker.

[Freelander]

Times at 3pm: Massa 1m11.772; Kobayashi 1m12.056; Hamilton 1m12.256; Rosberg 1m12.899; Barrichello 1m13.377; Kubica 1m13.659; Buemi 1m14.862

watch meh boy kobayashi eh watch him

[teems1]

woot!

Hamilton on track.

Thankfully the MP4-25 is nowhere as bad as the MP4-24 was.

[JoKeR1980]

BOOGOON!


Fernando Alonso continued his impressive Ferrari debut, setting the fastest time of the week during the morning session at Valencia.

Despite being only 29 laps into his Ferrari career, and Wednesday's running is first opportunity to drive the new F10, Alonso quickly proved that he is going to be a force this season.

[teems1]

grrr. the ferrari seems fast.

i hope they were just doing some flying laps on low fuel for the spanish fans and press...

[JoKeR1980]

Nico Rosberg was the early pace-setter at Jerez on Wednesday morning, however, it was last year's runners-up Red Bull who caught the eye.


Debuting Red Bull's 2010 challenger at the Spanish circuit, Mark Webber put the new RB6 through its paces, completing just five laps in the opening hour.


The Aussie was slowest of the nine drivers in action although given that it's the car's first run, that's to be expected.


Rosberg, meanwhile, was quick out of the blocks, clocking a 1:20.927 to edge Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi by 0.104s while Williams' Nico Hulkenberg was third quickest.


Last week's Valencian pace-setter Fernando Alonso was fourth, finishing ahead of Kamui Kobayashi and Jenson Button.


Tonio Liuzzi, who was putting the first laps on Force India's VJM03, was also in action, completing six tours of the circuit to take seventh place ahead of Vitaly Petrov. Both drivers, though, were over four seconds off the pace.


Minutes after the first hour was completed the predicted rain began to fall, leaving Virgin Racing's Timo Glock inside his garage and without a lap time to his name.


Virgin had yet to venture out as work was continuing on their first-ever F1 car due to the fact that some parts only arrived at the track late on Tuesday night.


Unofficial Times
1. N. Rosberg Mercedes GP W01 1:20.927 11 laps
2. S. Buemi Toro Rosso STR5 1:21.031 +0.104 9 aps
3. N. Hülkenberg Williams FW32 1:22.243 +1.316 17 laps
4. F. Alonso Ferrari F10 1:22.895 +1.968 11 laps
5. K. Kobayashi Sauber C29 1:23.787 +2.860 7 laps
6. J. Button McLaren MP4-25 1:24.947 +4.020 5 laps
7. V. Liuzzi Force India VJM-03 1:24.968 +4.041 6 laps
8. V. Petrov Renault R30 1:25.440 +4.513 9 laps
9. M. Webber Red Bull Racing RB6 1:26.502 +5.575 5 laps

[Maserati]

more pics here
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/ ... 10418.html


and some nice photos here of the 2010 cars from various teams

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 508783.stm

[JoKeR1980]

WTF

FIA: Teams missing GPs will be in breach
Wednesday 10th February 2010

Less than 24 hours after FIA President Jean Todt said teams "can skip three races", the FIA has warned that if they do, they'll be in breach of contract.


The questions about skipping races have been raised in recent weeks, with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone saying he believes at least two of F1's newcomers, USF1 and Campos Meta, could miss the opening three races of the Championship.


Ecclestone was backed up Todt, the new head of the FIA, who stated quiet clearly that any and all teams can miss as many as three grands prix.


Speaking at a media briefing in Paris on Tuesday, Todt said: "In the last draft of the Concorde Agreement it's written that a team can skip three races."


And although the Frenchman may be the head of the FIA, motorsport's governing body on Wednesday released a statement contradicting Todt's and warning against missing a single event.


The FIA stated: "Following recent reports on the interpretation of clauses in the Concorde Agreement concerning the concept of a team's 'participation' in the FIA Formula One World Championship, the FIA wishes to make the following clarification:


"From a sporting and regulatory point of view, each team that has registered for the championship is obliged to take part in every event of the season.


"Any failure to take part, even for just one championship event, would constitute an infringement both of the Concorde Agreement and the FIA Regulations."

[noshownogo]

season ain't even begin and problems start already

[teems1]

USF1 and Campos are fuxed

all other teams have a car on track already.

[Maserati]

USF1 and Campos are fuxed

all other teams have a car on track already.

yup
they looking like they in trouble although they saying they will be on the starting grid.

[noshownogo]

they might be on starting grid with three wheels the way those two rushing

[JoKeR1980]

FIA ratify F1's new points system
Saturday 13th February 2010

The FIA has published the definitive sporting regulations for the 2010 Formula One season, with the proposed new points system among changes to get the green light.


The system, which sees the top 10 finishers awarded points in the order 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1, had already been agreed but received approval from the governing body's World Motor Sport Council on Thursday.


Another change from last season is that, with refuelling banned this season, the FIA will not publish the starting weights of cars ahead of grands prix.


Last season, it was possible to use the published weights to gain an insight into a chosen strategy and try and work out when cars would make their opening fuel stops.


Prior to the reversal of the decision, it had been hoped the weights could be used to work out which engines were the most fuel efficient.


The ban on fuel stops places a greater emphasis on quick tyre stops this year but the FIA has reacted by placing limits on what equipment can and cannot be used.


"Powered devices which assist in lifting any part of a car are forbidden in the pit lane during a race," a new rule says.


Finally, the ban on in-season testing which prevented Michael Schumacher from running ahead of his abortive Ferrari comeback last summer has been relaxed.


The rule states: "If a team declares that one of its current race drivers is to be substituted by a driver who has not participated in an F1 race in the two previous calendar years, one day of track testing will be permitted between the start of the week preceding the second event and the last event of the Championship."


However, the test must take place on a non-F1 track.


The first race of the season is in Bahrain on March 14.

[Maserati]

[Freelander]

both those cars look like pure sex!!!

[Maserati]

ent
that lotus with that British racing green wow

[Freelander]

that lotus is a model i have to invest in yes!

[MG Man]

that lotus is a model i have to invest in yes!

lemme know when u buying eh

[Freelander]

i would be buying de kit eh not a completed one

[MG Man]

yeah ah know

[Freelander]

http://jalopnik.com/5473765/report-usf1 ... ounder-out

REPORT: USF1 To Fold, YouTube Founder Out

According to a rumor published by a Spanish news outlet, US F1 won't make the first three races of 2010, forcing them to drop the entire season. Also, YouTube founder Chad Hurley's supposedly out as a financial backer. U-S-aww, crap.

The evidence suggesting the USF1 American-backed Formula One effort will succeed is now almost completely outweighed by evidence and chatter suggesting it's doomed, including YouTube founder Chad Hurley and business manager Brian Bonner reportedly walking away from the organization.

What makes us think USF1 could still be alive? They've yet to indicate the shop is closing. What do we have to indicate USF1 is folding?

* The last major announcement USF1 made was of the acquisition of driver Jose Maria Lopez, but that's still only one driver. They need two.
* They're the only team (other than the on-the-rocks Campos Meta) not to debut their car.
* Chad Hurley, YouTube founder and CEO, has possibly left the team in support of another struggling F1 effort. A source tells us he's also dropped a reference to USF1 from his Twitter bio.
* They don't have a test schedule and the first race is less than one month away.
* There's a rumor they won't make the first three races, which means they're out for this year.
* Brian Bonner, the head of business development for USF1, is reportedly no longer working there.
* The USF1 building is for sale, though they're just tenants there along with Robby Gordon Motorsports.

It's completely possible this is all just one big happy coincidence and the U.S. will soon be storming F1. It's also possible Max Mosley was meeting with those girls dressed like prison guards because he was hoping to get them to turn their lives around and start taking computer classes. Possible, not plausible.

lol i just love when the US fail at stuff

[Freelander]

and lotus takes it to the tires

[MG Man]

smiles while moving mouse on Lotus mousepad...sips drink from Lotus mug and sets it down carefully on Lotus coaster and takes notes with Lotus writing instrument....adjusts Lotus tie pin and rocks back to admire the 8 A1 Lotus Models Through History posters on the wall............dabs a drop or two of Lotus fragrance and walks over to display case to admire the Esprit, the other Esprit, the Europa, Elan, S37 and the other Europa.....
Picks up Lotus History book and puts Lotus: Best of British DVD in the DVD player
yes I need help.....

[JoKeR1980]

^

I needz me a SF accessorised life like datz

[MG Man]

lol me an de fella from de Lotus merchandise shop on first name basis......