358 replies to this topic

[crashcarson15]

Pretty sure it's pronounced 'Simone.'

[Mr. Aware Eagle]

Hathaway Browne, on April 2, 2012 - 09:34, said:

On the upside, decent looking track, nice undulations. I'd certainly would have voted for that as a F1 venue if Texas and New Jersey hadn't come along.

Man... you just put the idea of my hometown getting an F1 race.  I wouldn't be able to handle the awesomeness of it all.

I unfortunately wasn't able to go to or watch the race this weekend.   And on top of that there aren't any Indy or F1 races the 15th.  Bummer.

[Hathaway Browne]

rvrdgsfn, on April 2, 2012 - 19:42, said:

Solve your problem with France.... Replace Bahrain, keep Belgium, makes sense to me. Besides, Bahrain may get the axe.... Again

http://planetf1.com/...-To-Axe-Bahrain

Capital idea! Although Bernie would never go for it..... but then he does own Paul Ricard so he's quids in regardless.

crashcarson15, on April 2, 2012 - 21:47, said:

Pretty sure it's pronounced 'Simone.'

Thanks. I thought so. Dunno why they kept calling him Simon. Unless they believed there would be confusion with Simona de Silvestro...

Mr. Aware Eagle, on April 2, 2012 - 23:43, said:

Man... you just put the idea of my hometown getting an F1 race.  I wouldn't be able to handle the awesomeness of it all.

Speaking as one who doesn't live too far from Silverstone, let me tell you that the awesomeness never gets old.

[DolphinManatee]

New IndyCar Speedway Aero Kit:

http://www.indycar.c...-positive-marks

[Hathaway Browne]

More I see the new car, the more I'm glad they never went with the Delta Wing.

[rvrdgsfn]

Newman Haas could be back for Indy 500

http://auto-racing.s...man-haas-racing

One of the most successful teams in open-wheel racing could be set for a return at the series' signature event next month.

Multiple sources have confirmed to SPEED.com that the Carl and Bernie Haas-owned team, which was forced to withdraw from the IZOD IndyCar Series last December due to a sponsorship shortfall, is in negotiations to run Formula One veteran Jean Alesi in a Lotus-powered entry at the 96th Indianapolis 500.

The Lotus brand ambassador had initially been linked with Lotus partner team HVM Racing for his IndyCar debut. It's believed that with a modest budget on offer and the limited appeal of pairing HVM's Simona de Silvestro with a rookie for the 500, HVM passed on the chance to run the 47-year-old Frenchman.

[Hathaway Browne]

^That'd be great if it does happen. Although I'm not a huge fan of the notion of Jean Alesi driving.  


Talking of Lotus - well this came out of nowhere....  

Quote

Lotus F1 team committed to name despite end of title sponsor deal

Lotus has terminated its title sponsorship deal with sportscar manufacturer Group Lotus, AUTOSPORT can reveal, but remains wholly committed to keeping the famous name in Formula 1 for the future.  On the back of financial uncertainties for Group Lotus, which was recently sold by Proton to Malaysian automotive conglomerate DRB-Hicom, Lotus F1's team owner Genii Capital has ended its formal relationship with the marque.  AUTOSPORT understands that Genii owner Gerard Lopez recently agreed a deal for the title sponsorship deal, which was originally put together in 2010, to be cancelled, as well as an old option that Proton had to buy 50% of the team annulled.

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/98628


You couldn't make it up.

[rvrdgsfn]

BTW, its a crying shame about Lotus, I've always loved the black & gold livery. Guess its back to team Renault.

Other big news in F1

France isn't more about if, but where... for F1

http://formula-one.s...-french-gp-host

Prime minister Francois Fillon, however, has earmarked Paul Ricard — the well-known test circuit at Le Castallet near Marseille — as the host.

But it was Magny Cours that hosted the French Grand Prix between 1991 and 2008.

The local Nievre department's president Patrice Joly last week accused Fillon of "bias in favor of Le Castellet" for the 2013 deal.



Korea may be replaced with Argentina...

http://formula-one.s...gentina-in-2013

Argentina looks set to replace Korea on the 2013 Formula One calendar.

That is the claim of Italy's Autosprint magazine, reporting that the Argentinean national government will sign a three-year contract next month.

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said last month that the 2013 Argentine Grand Prix, last held at the ageing Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez in Buenos Aires in 1998, will take place on the streets of the coastal city of Mar del Plata.

[Hathaway Browne]

rvrdgsfn, on April 6, 2012 - 18:42, said:

BTW, its a crying shame about Lotus, I've always loved the black & gold livery. Guess its back to team Renault.

They won't be going back to the Renault name. La Reggie seem to be happy enough as an engine supplier for the moment.

Genii claim they have the right to use the Lotus name in F1 until '17 so that's what they intend to do. However there's talk a "big American IT company" is soon to be announced as a title sponsor (replacing Lotus Cars). Whether or not that means a change in livery is anyone's guess. Microsoft Lotus-Renault anyone?

Personally I would have been happy if Dany Bahar of Group Lotus had not been so petulant and let Lotus Racing continue as they were. Then, in an ideal world, Genii Capital would have purchased SAAB and brought that name into F1 with the team currently-known-as-Lotus-and-formerly-known-as-Renault.

rvrdgsfn, on April 6, 2012 - 18:42, said:

France isn't more about if, but where... for F1

What's the lesser of two evils there? Magny-Cours is in the middle of nowhere but has all the facilities, whereas Paul Ricard is near the Med but doesn't have a great deal of facilities (yet) for the fans.

While it didn't look like it'd be a great circuit layout, I would have like to have seen them build the Circuit Flins-Mureaux in Yveline, just outside of Paris.
http://www.apexcircu...nch_grand_prix/

rvrdgsfn, on April 6, 2012 - 18:42, said:

Korea may be replaced with Argentina...

I'd be sad to see Yeognam go. Its far from perfect, but there's something about it that seems to appeal to me. Plus I love the notion of the city eventually springing up around the track.

I'm still sceptical about Argentina. Especially if they are supposed to be on next years calendar. On the upside it could provide another South American round of Indy as well.

[rvrdgsfn]

So now here's the million dollar question that everyone watching F1 is thinking....

Will the race in Bahrain happen? IMO, I hope not, its tragic what's going on in that country & I don't see any good coming from this.

[Hathaway Browne]

Well I was certainly shocked to hear this morning that the FIA agreed that the race will proceed.

No doubt Bernie's got the teams by the short and curlies again and forcing them to attend.

I can't understand why they didn't have a contingency plan - Qatar and Dubai also have (boring) tracks. I'm sure they'd be thrilled at the chance to step in.

[rvrdgsfn]

Uncle Bernie strikes again, most of the race fans are already saying they won't watch Bahrain. I just don't think the outcome of this looks good but then again, this is the same Bernie that criticized Jenson Button for getting robbed on the beaches of Sao Paulo back in 2010.

Bernie is a moron, I'd wish someone would force him to retire already, crazy old buzzard.  

BTW, IndyCar is in Long Beach & 11 Chevy engines had to be replaced, holy crud!!!

Edited by rvrdgsfn, April 13, 2012 - 20:29.

[Hathaway Browne]

^11 engines?! Ouch that sounds costly. And I would have thought it'd be Lotus-Judd that would have had to change, not Chevy.

And as for Shanghai...  

Spoiler

What a great race! Plenty of overtakes and not just with DRS. And what a result! Glad to see Nico finally get his first win.

[raysox]

Rossberg killed in China, but the race from like 2nd to 9th was insane the last 20 laps or so! Also my boy Grosjean came home 6th!

One discussion that we can start is, what would be the effects if an American team ever opened up shop? Like, based in Austin with engines by like, Chevy. Is that even feasible?

[rvrdgsfn]

Not to sound biased, but oh man it was good to hear the German anthem & it was not Vettel standing on the podium. Rosberg was just amazing in that race, Kim also did well until the final laps & Jenson did rather well, so I'm pleased with the race.

As for Long Beach

Spoiler

IndyCar just finished with Will Power winning in Long Beach. I could see Will with the championship this year, Penske is just too strong this year. There was also a wreck that took place in the final lap. 8 of the 10 cars in the top 10 have chevy engines.  Dario had an awful day & he's not even in the top 10 in points. Onward to Sao Paulo

[oddball]

raysox, on April 15, 2012 - 16:36, said:

Rossberg killed in China, but the race from like 2nd to 9th was insane the last 20 laps or so! Also my boy Grosjean came home 6th!

One discussion that we can start is, what would be the effects if an American team ever opened up shop? Like, based in Austin with engines by like, Chevy. Is that even feasible?

You really should change your wording, because saying, "Rossberg killed in China..." is not exactly the most intelligent thing to say, especially on a board. I didn't watch the race, but I did know he won, but I thought to myself, "He died?"

[Hathaway Browne]

rvrdgsfn, on April 15, 2012 - 17:41, said:

Onward to Sao Paulo

I didn't see that race last season - the track plan doesn't look that inviting. It'd be great to see them racing at Interlargos.

raysox, on April 15, 2012 - 16:36, said:

One discussion that we can start is, what would be the effects if an American team ever opened up shop? Like, based in Austin with engines by like, Chevy. Is that even feasible?

An American team was included in the 2010 entry 'expansion' - USF1 ran by Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor. They had a factory in Charlotte, NC and planned one in Aragon, Spain for the European events. Quite a lot of hype but they failed to deliver. All they managed was some drawings of the car and little else.

Needless to say their licence was revoked. And has yet to be reallocated to another entrant.

I could see it working, if the right people were involved. The likes of Roger Penske or Chip Ganassi, just as an example.

However, as with USF1, they would need a base in Europe, or else it would get too costly, being away from the European testing. That is, unless they could get the FIA (and other teams) to test in the US at least once a season. They already have testing in Abu Dhabi, so why not Circuit of the Americas?

I remember about 10 years ago there was talk of Dan Gurney setting up an American team (Eagle F1 as I recall) - talk was of Ford engines and all the big name sponsors you'd expect. That was the last I heard of it though.

And when Ford purchase Stewart GP, before they went with the Jaguar branding, it was thought they could become the Ford 'superteam', but I think that might have been a more international affair, with the team still being based in Milton Keynes.

And, another question to add to the mix... who would you pick as the drivers? Plenty of candidates out there...

[epper]

Hathaway Browne, on April 16, 2012 - 10:58, said:

And, another question to add to the mix... who would you pick as the drivers? Plenty of candidates out there...

I've thought about this question too...without much of a resolution, which really illustrates how poor the american open-wheel driver development scene is. Some possibilities:

- Sam Hornish Jr.: Really hasn't adapted well to NASCAR, I'd love to see what he could do back in open-wheel
- AJ Allmendinger: If he would have stayed in open-wheel, he would be the perfect fit but I can't see him leaving a great ride right now with the Penske #22 Cup car.
- Kyle Busch: Rumored a few years back on the wish list for the aforementioned USF1 team.
- Graham Rahal: Surprised he hasn't made more waves after such a great debut in ChampCar.
- Marco Andretti: Tested for HondaF1 a couple years ago. His name makes him a big deal, but the guy wrecks so many cars and does so little with one of the best IndyCar teams. He's the Dale Earnhardt Jr. of IndyCar.

[rvrdgsfn]

epper, on April 16, 2012 - 11:27, said:

Hathaway Browne, on April 16, 2012 - 10:58, said:

And, another question to add to the mix... who would you pick as the drivers? Plenty of candidates out there...

I've thought about this question too...without much of a resolution, which really illustrates how poor the american open-wheel driver development scene is. Some possibilities:

- Sam Hornish Jr.: Really hasn't adapted well to NASCAR, I'd love to see what he could do back in open-wheel
- AJ Allmendinger: If he would have stayed in open-wheel, he would be the perfect fit but I can't see him leaving a great ride right now with the Penske #22 Cup car.
- Kyle Busch: Rumored a few years back on the wish list for the aforementioned USF1 team.
- Graham Rahal: Surprised he hasn't made more waves after such a great debut in ChampCar.
- Marco Andretti: Tested for HondaF1 a couple years ago. His name makes him a big deal, but the guy wrecks so many cars and does so little with one of the best IndyCar teams. He's the Dale Earnhardt Jr. of IndyCar.

All of these driver are good choices, I could even see Kyle as more of a James Hunt type of personality, Rahal has the talent as do Hornish & Allmendinger but they're also some new talent along the way, Alexander Rossi for example.

As for American teams, sadly Penske had his shot years ago but now dominates IndyCar with Ganassi & both have said no thanks. I think F1 needs a brand that is well known in America but also the world around, I would love to see ford get back into open wheel either as a engine supplier or even as a team. I mean, we are finally getting races here in the US, but honestly, you can't go around driving a Renault in the states (Nissan yes) but still.

[crashcarson15]

It's Graham Rahal.  Said it for the last couple of years, really.