Billy@EnglishRacing

iTrader: (18)

I didn't even put that together, now i am just getting way to excited about something that will most likely never happen.

Aby@MIL.SPEC

iTrader: (161)

here is another webber tid-bit to fuel the fire.......webbers redbull contract is good through 2010!!

http://www.opinionspaid.com/op/blogs...t-f1-poll.aspx

just think, redbull having another multi-faceted racing driver on their payroll.....

Billy@EnglishRacing

iTrader: (18)

Bring on Kimi!

bluestreak

Pit Stop passes and fuel strategy was a big portion of all the passes that happened in F1 over the last few years. If you thought it was parade laps before wait until now.....

NO ONE has been seriously injured because of refueling rigs, this is more of an attempt to change the scope of racing that any safety measure. These rules suck just like almost all of the other recent changes.

The only thing is that YOU CAN'T PASS, because they went and allowed the stupid double diffuser. Remember in Q3 the guys put on brand new tires right before the last lap or two. Two laps is not going to make a Torro Rosso faster than a Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari or McLaren,. And even if it is slightly faster, it won't be able to pass because the driver and team are not as good and the diffuser will disturb all of the air. How much do you want to bet the last ten shooting for pole will be a combination of drivers from the teams I listed. Maybe even almost exclusively (not Torro obviously).

So the only result is what you mentioned, a bunch of guys who aren't great at passing vs a lot of guys are ARE great at NOT getting passed. And that's if the discrepancy is big enough which it won't be.

The cream will always rise to the top. McLaren and Ferrari have been building their cars since mid season last year, it would be a miracle if they are NOT head and shoulders over everyone. They went from back markers to regular front runners in exactly ONE HALF OF A SEASON. They will be back in front making all the rule changes look stupid once again.

The only savior is that Mercedes has combined with Brawn and Schumacher and Red Bull has Vettel and Newey. Better teams are the answer to better racing, not gimmicks and handicaps.

The worst part about all of this is that F1 keeps preaching about saving money, well they've had to redesign the cars two years in a row, how much money is being saved exactly? I'd bet testing the cars would have been a lot less expensive. Next year, what will they have to redesign next? Or what will be the new goal of F1 that costs more money? New safety, which amounts to less safety? More passing, which amounts to LESS passing? Slowing the cars down, which amounts to them getting faster?

It's retarded all the changes.

GG06MR

iTrader: (9)

^^^ No kidding. That's great news. Kimi would be a great addition to that team, and would certainly push Vettel a lot more than Webber. Red Bull obviously proved that they're going to let both drivers compete for the championship last year, so Kimi won't have to worry about getting 2nd hand equipment either.

KPerez

U raise a number of concerns but there are some facts that may explain some of the events to which U refer. Specifically, F1 like any racing venue, develops rules and regulations which are supposed to level the playing field for all entrants. When they made the vehicle changes for '09' season, all the teams met to discuss the new rule changes. At that time Ross Brawn interpretted the rules to allow a double diffuser. All the other teams ignored his interpretation of the rules and went ahead w/o the double diffuser. After the first race with Brawn's double diffuser, all of the other teams directly or indirectly questioned the legality of the double diffuser. FIA ruled that Brawn's interpretation of the rules, as written, did allow for the inclusion of a double diffuser. The other teams including Ferrari and McLaren scrambled to add theirs over the rest of the season. However, it is important to note that Red Bull did not have the double diffuser but still was competitive thanks to Newey's aero magic. What is UR point U ask? Every team whether it be NASCAR, 12 M yacht Racing, F1 is going to stretch the limits of rules and regulations as a means to increase their competitive edge. This will always happen and every team is looking to add another piece to their car to make it go tenths of second faster down to the gram. This is the nature of all racing. I agree with U that FIA in some of their rule changes has deviated from their main goal: make F1 the ultimate forum for automotive racing. For example, the requirement of a KERS system was inacted (not mandatory) for the '09' season so F1 could be "relevent to todays' car needs". KERS added tens of pounds to each car. By so doing, designers looking to reduce grams from the car and having Kubica loose another 7 lbs suddenly looks rediculous.
Bottom Line: FIA will continue to make rule changes for cars and racing; all teams will have to comply accordingly. Some of these changes will be good for F1(e.g., reducing costs, safety (e.g., strengtening the monoque) and leveling the playing field while others may do just the opposite and thus weaken F1 for a host of reasons. As long as the former outweighs the latter, F1 will continue to entertain all of its fans along with occasions of tears and frustration. Just some ramblings before we start the new season.

Later, Ken

KPerez

Red Bull is not going to participate in Valencia track day next week but rather has chosen to continue wind tunnel testing. One could argue the car is still under development and they are scambling to make final changes. Another suggestion is they do not want the other teams to see their car's refinements from last year and adjustments for the higher fuel load. Now this is totally speculative but Brawn Mercedes appears to be doing the same thing despite the fact they will be testing their car next week. Specifically, Ross Braw said in a recent interview, “We have two stages with the car. The one you will see in Valencia and a different car that you will see in Bahrain.” The car in Bahrain will be the Brawn Mercedes car, not the one displayed in Valencia.

Later, Ken

bluestreak

I'm with you, I know how the process went. But if F1 has all the teams (during a cutting cost rule making season, which also happened to be a making aero changes for more passing season) redesign the whole car which eliminated the cost cutting measures 1 fold, why then would they not just ban the diffuser to keep from #1 killing the purpose of the redesign therebey making passing harder again and #2 having teams back at the drawing board wasting more millions trying to redesign their cars once again eliminating the cost cutting measures 2 fold.

In the end they still ended up with a two team race and a season that was far more boring than the two previous seasons, which less passing and more money spent. That is utter rules failure IMO.

Only to ban testing which also puts the drivers more at risk having their safety only tested in simulators and having parts falling off like the one that almost KILLED Massa.

Only to ban refueling and have the teams redesign the cars yet again wasting more money and making their rules even more of a failure.

This will lead to even less passing, and then there will be another set of rules to create passing that will induce more costs while testing, which is just as important for driver safety as car performance, is still banned.

I don't see how there is any reasonable logic in that. Just ranting my opinion though. I love that there will be 4 really good teams this year and more WDC caliber drivers than we've seen on one grid in a long long time. But these rules are making it worse, not better.

grillpt

iTrader: (24)

This is nothing new... almost all the cars will change between now and the first race of the season. Also, RedBull skipped the first test last year too didn't they? That seemed to work out OK for them...

Billy@EnglishRacing

iTrader: (18)

Some details on the Ferrari F10 http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,1895...890241,00.html

Loser

iTrader: (9)

Not to mention that he OWNS Spa. No friggin way was he going to let Fisichella in a one-hit-wonder Force India change that.

I agree that WRC is as exciting as F1, but from the point of view of a spectator sitting at home, WRC can't capture the sense of competition as well as F1. Suzuka 2005 for example is one of my all-time favorites.

Ryan.Kauz

iTrader: (11)

Yet nobody brings up the fact that Ross Brawn was involved in the regulation planning sessions and had umpteen emails and documented cases where he brought up the possibility of a team interpreting the rule as he did.....

And the FIA did nothing.

Sooooooo is it his fault for bringing something up, being told "go nuts buddy" then going nuts?

Sure double-difuser equipped Brawns had an advantage. But it wasnt unfair and wasnt beyond expectations.

I'll ask Max Mosley about "gentlemens rules" next time he unchains one of his hookers and talks to me. But not before then.

KPerez

When U loose UR way, logic usually goes out the window...... FIA is a classic example....perhaps Todt can provide some clarity and proper direction....we will have to see if this happens.

Later, Ken

KPerez

Yes, Mosley, among other things, almost destroyed the FIA (Bluestreak may have wanted this to happen but would FOTA have been any better?)...go forth and never come back....now can Todt turn things around?

Later, Ken

bluestreak

The FIA is corrupt and crooked and the opposite of everything that racing stands for. From their complete bias of Ferrari with more champions ship rewards and Veto power over the rules, to just plain stupid rules, they don't deserve to be the governing body of the highest level of racing in the world. Destroy them!!!

lol.