Gentlemen, start your engines.....(F1)

Willi Weber, Ralf Schumacher's manager, says that he is close to a deal to put Ralf at Renault F1 in 2005. One has to be a little sceptical about such a deal given that it is not entirely clear why Renault would want an expensive driver like Ralf when there are other cheaper youngsters available. Ralf has had a lot of opportunities to be successful with Williams but has so far failed to put together a proper title challenge.

Williams, while being very polite about the situation, does not appear to care very much about Ralf as his idea of his own worth is rather more than the team seems to think and the gap between the two figures is more than $5m a year.

Toyota is willing to do a deal with Ralf on the right terms and it may be that Weber's comments are designed to get Toyota to accept terms which the team does not wish to accept.

Renault has been expected to drop Jarno Trulli at the end of this year and the original plan was to replace him with Mark Webber. The Australian, however, is at the top of the Williams list and in recent weeks there have been signs that Renault might put France's Franck Montagny into the second car in order to try to drum up more interest (and money) in the F1 programme in France.

Jordan?
He reckons he will be getting measured up for a Williams or Toyota suit next year (story here)
Funny guy!

what do you guys think they should do about qualifying?

i thin they should bring back the old system of 3 timed laps....but keep the park ferme and one engine rule. that will give teams a chance to respond and alter strategy etc...much more interesting.

After all, all these new ideas to close the gap with ferrari has made no difference. In fact, I think it has only widened the gap as Ferrari seems to have made the most of the new rules and still has the best strategies.

The only reason why last season was so close was because of Kimi's consistency, still I thought that if he had won, it would have been a joke to crown someone who only won one race the champion and give second place to the winner of 6 races

[edit] edited to narrow page from being 7 foot wide [/edit]

Edited by kbannon

F1 is boring as hell these days, and all about money... For a bit of decent racing you need to look in the direction of touring cars, and Aussie V8 Supercar Cup. Rallying is going the same way as F1, especially with rumours of many of the big manufacturers pulling out!

Or just get the MotoGP on the telly and get someone to remind you to blink every now and then.

I started to watch the (recorded) ITV1 qualifying for this w/ends GP, and I must say that it was the most inrestinzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

do I really want to get up at 06:45 tomorrow for the race?



Oh yes - meant to add that the NASCAR Busch race today was very very good - had some overtaking - remember when that happened in F1? - and the ALMS 12hr race - on as I type - is GREAT!!!

Who needs F1?

Edited by thepits

 

Well.. the FW26 looked much better under JPM.. not sure about RS though - looked pretty lack lustre right up to the failure.. shame the track temp didn't stay hotter and those Michelins might have clawed in the Bridgestones a tad better - perhaps old Frank shoudl switch to Toyo

Real shame for Webber - he's starting to makea real impact as we thought he might... it's also great to see MS still into his driving and winning... he looked seriously over-joyed today.. good on him.

Great stuff for Button - Jacques who? - go get 'em boy.. JB's dad is a bit of a rogue isn't he..? as to DC moaning - well he is the second most experienced driver out there behind MS and has some insight into things one would say.. MS doesn't need to complain - old Ross and Jead Todd do that for him.. I think DC was the first driver to congrat' Button on camera.. it was solid drive by DC. Webber's poor start ultimately helped Button & JPM - otherwise both Ferrari's may have got away with RB pulling behind MS into turn 1.  Had MW sat in third then a quick gap wil undoubtedly have emerged..

It's easy to forget how good DC can be.. he has real skills - particuarly in the wet. Unfortunately the quick pratice/qualifying means that it takes DC almost a dozen laps in a race to get his line sorted out and then he stars to post quickest sectors.. unfortunately he then only has a narrow window before the tyres start to leave him.. The McLaren def needs sorting out and i's unfair to put this all on DC & Kimi. If I recall rightly - DC's actual race performance last season were actually solid - it was his grid position that let him down. DC may be off-form and will take time to adjust - it's hard for a lead driver to have to give way to a new upstart, who happens to be run the ragged & getting the points..

DC has always been about averages.. so was Damien but we supported him because he won. DC's style isn't much different & I'm sure he could match his old F3000 rival RB anytime on a level playing field... don't get me wrong - I think RB is great but he's only truly fast on a small number of the circuits on the calendar - Silverstone being one of them. RB is top 5.. yes but JPM is has better potential. JPM is the only driver that I knwo has really scared MS since his debue... probabaly only MS, JPM and Alonso have that 'edge' required... Button may have it but it's going to take time for him to push that extra 10% along with BAR.

Much more enjoyable than Australia... looking forward to JPM and FW26 shaping up. Webber for Williams in 2005 - I'm almost hoping BAR let Button down so we see a Buttom/Webber Williams line up in 2005.. I hope Frank doesn't try something too racial such as bring in Rosberg or Picquet junior in...? Frank often brings out new talent but rarely hangs onto them for long - instead he needs a storng hand.

Does anyone have the sector splits for JPM? Where was he slow/quick?

MB

 

 

 

Edited by M BLUR

I thought the race, like many others in the last 12 months, was predictable and tiring. there was very little race action, in terms of overtaking, etc.

The racing needs something to spice it up (properly) such as a pit-stop ban during the 2nd & 3rd quarters of a race (or altogether) or perhaps a surprise reverse grid.

From what I saw there was a lot of empty seats there. This seriously needs to be addressed to reverse the downward trend in viewing stats. This is the pinnacle of motorsport. It should feel like it, and not like the corporate monster it is becomming. I see better racing on my local track with teams racing in Formula Vee's.

I correct myself. Jenson Button provided a bit of overtaking entertainment whilst moving up the field.

It depends on what touring cars you watch, ETCC is close & No vauxhalls ( or Opels), Aussie V8 is Ford & GM so that is same group along with opel etc, Always watched F1 but first race my father took me to was eTCC at Silverstone, everything from 3200 Capris, CSl`s to Fiat 500 abarths, was amazing