Subject Delta Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Fair play to Fisi. Although Massa will be back in 2010 it would be amusing to see him and Alonso reunited at Ferrari next season xD When he is on his game, Fisi is an awesome driver, but so far he has never produced the consistancy to make it into the champion's circle. Will be interesting to see what he achieves, although if he gets on the podium at Monza, the scene of an italian in a ferrari on the podium will be immense. Best of luck to him (Y) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 two guys wud be be cross now. but mark gene wud be the one more ****ed. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Ferrari reckons Fisichella will boost team Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says his team can now look forward to its home grand prix at Monza next week full of confidence after securing the services of Giancarlo Fisichella.Fresh from its first victory of the season in Belgium, Ferrari has been boosted by the arrival of Fisichella - who will be Kimi Raikkonen's team-mate until the end of the season. Di Montezemolo says the Italian was hired because of his talent and his nationality - ahead of what will be an emotional race in home ground for both the team and the former Force India driver. "I chose Fisichella for several reasons, starting with the fact he deserves it, that he's on great form and that he is an expert driver," di Montezemolo said in a television interview with TG1. "On top of that, we all wanted to have an Italian driver in our car for Monza and lastly, because it takes the long term view, as he will be our third driver [in 2010]. "It is an important moment, coming off the back of a great win with Kimi Raikkonen. We also have the good and important news that Felipe Massa is recovering well and will be more than ready for the first race of next season. "I wish to thank Luca Badoer who, once again has been so amenable towards Ferrari. Therefore, I look forward to Monza with confidence and especially with great pleasure at having Fisichella in the team." Di Montezemolo said he was also looking forward to the return at the start of next season of the injured Massa - who was told this week that he would be unable to race again in 2009. "The good news that Felipe will race again, that he is recovering and that he will be very ready to race next season is a further plus, after what was a terrible August for us," he said. "What with his accident, all the uncertainties and, unfortunately, Michael Schumacher's fitness difficulties, when we would have liked to see him in our car. However, bit by bit, we are putting everything right again. Victory is the best medicine." http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78298 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Rossi was in frame for Ferrari drive Valentino Rossi has revealed that he did speak to Ferrari about the possibility of racing for the team at the Italian Grand Prix.The MotoGP champion had considered a switch to F1 with Ferrari a few years ago before committing himself to motorbikes - and was once again linked with a move as the Maranello-outfit sought a replacement for Luca Badoer as stand-in for Felipe Massa. However, Rossi said that the lack of preparation on his neck and the limited opportunity to get mileage in the car, allied to his current title battle in motorcycle racing, meant he decided to turn his back on the idea. "We spoke with Domenicali, but we had two big problems," he said during preparations for this weekend's MotoGP race at Misano in Italy. "The first one is the neck, because I don't know if I would be able to finish the race with my neck. Monza is not very strong for [hard on] the neck, but anyway it still needs great effort. "And also, because we're fighting for the [MotoGP] championship, for sure the race at Monza would be a big stress and it's better to stay in MotoGP." Rossi said that even prior to speaking to Domenicali he had already been reluctant to take on the opportunity of an F1 race because of the lacking of available testing. "We had already decided before, that to go into a Formula 1 race without testing the car is more risky than fun," he said. "It's not possible to arrive over there and do all the work to understand the car in just three days." http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78319 ---------------------------- Renault summoned by FIA's WMSC Renault has been summoned to appear before an extraordinary hearing of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council to answer charges that it caused a deliberate crash in last year's Singapore Grand Prix.The team's representative have been asked to appear at the hearing, which takes place in Paris on September 21. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78321 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Being summoned by the FIA to the WMSC means that they clearly think Renault have a case to answer, which is actually pretty worrying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazysah Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Any updates on who is taking Fisi's place at Force India? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Pretty sure its Vitantonio Liuzzi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Force India confirms Liuzzi Force India has confirmed reserve driver Vitantonio Liuzzi will replace Giancarlo Fisichella from the Italian Grand Prix this weekend... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78401 -==-=-========================== Mercedes set to buy into Brawn GP Brawn GP's Formula 1 future is poised for a major boost, with Mercedes-Benz close to a deal to take equity in the team.With the world championship leaders already having secured sponsorship funding for the next few years, as revealed by AUTOSPORT last month, the team's outlook now looks even better following discussions with the German car manufacturer. Reports first emerged about the plans this morning in The Daily Telegraph, and sources have confirmed to AUTOSPORT that talks are at an advanced stage for the car company to take a shareholding in the team. It comes on the back of Mercedes-Benz's increased profile as a customer engine supplier over the past season - with the team set to provide power-units to McLaren, Force India, Brawn and, perhaps, Red Bull Racing in 2010. The move is not, however, an attempt by Mercedes-Benz to move away from its long-standing commitment to partner McLaren - and it is instead believed to be part of the car manufacturer's attempt to increase its presence in F1. A McLaren spokesman told AUTOSPORT that the team had no qualms about Mercedes-Benz's plans for expanding its involvement with its rivals in the sport. "Mercedes-Benz's engine supply contract with McLaren is a very long-standing one - it's in its 15th consecutive year, in fact - and it will continue to run for many years to come," said the spokesman. "However, we're supportive of our partner's plans regarding engine supply of other teams in Formula 1, and we were delighted earlier this year that a Mercedes-Benz engine supply deal was able to be done with Brawn, thereby saving that team from likely extinction. "Force India, too, has blossomed as a result of its engine supply/engineering consultancy collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and McLaren - as Giancarlo Fisichella's impressive second place in the recent Belgian Grand Prix showed all too clearly. "Both McLaren and Mercedes-Benz remain extremely satisfied with our Formula 1 collaboration, which has netted three drivers' world championships and one constructors' world championship as well as dozens of grand prix victories. "As ever, we'll be aiming to add to that win tally together at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix - although we never under-estimate our opposition and the competition will undoubtedly be tough." Mercedes-Benz itself denied that the plan was for a full-blown buyout of Brawn, but did not rule out an equity-type deal. "It's our policy not to comment on rumours and we want to point out that we have longstanding contracts with McLaren," a spokesperson for the company told The Daily Telegraph. Mercedes-Benz is poised to confirm its engine plans for 2010 at the Italian Grand Prix, although there is fresh uncertainty now surrounding whether or not Red Bull Racing will make the switch from Renault to Mercedes-Benz. Although the deal had appeared to be all but done in recent weeks, sources suggest that the contract has not yet been signed - and it is not impossible that the team could actually stick with its current partner for another year. Williams is looking at changing its engine supply deal for next year, having asked Toyota to be released from its contract, and had been expected to switch to Renault. However, there remains a chance the Grove-based outfit could be in the running for a Mercedes-Benz deal if Red Bull Racing opts not to take it. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78399 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Interesting move that, and a good one for brawn as it should guarantee their survival. Also, Mercedes engines are the hot ticket at the moment, as arguably the best engines in F1. Sure Brawn will be pleased with this turn of events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Frank B. Subscriber² Posted September 8, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted September 8, 2009 Santander to announce Ferrari deal Ferrari will announce its sponsorship deal with Spanish banking giants Santander at Monza on Thursday, confirming a deal that was first revealed by AUTOSPORT in July last year. Ferrari is to hold a press conference ahead of the Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and the president of the Bank of Santander, Emilio Botin. The Santander alliance comes amid continued speculation that Spaniard Fernando Alonso is also on his way to Ferrari, although it is not known if an announcement about the Maranello team's 2010 driver plans will be made at Monza this weekend. Ferrari has already stated that it is waiting for Felipe Massa to be fully fit for the start of next season, and it has a contract with Kimi Raikkonen too - although there is a chance this could be bought out. Santander entered Formula 1 in 2007 with the McLaren team, on the back of its signing of Alonso, and its contract with the Woking-based team runs until the end of this year. News source: Autosport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 If Ferrari are signing Alonso, then I hope for their sake that they sign him as team leader, because otherwise I can't really see it working out, it will just be the McLaren situation all over again. And I can't see Massa settling for second best either, so unless they also swap Massa out I can't see an Alonso move working that well. Still, I would be surprised if the move doesn't happen in all honesty, its been on the cards for a while now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.mcman Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 If Ferrari is signing Alonso I want Kimi to go back to McLaren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Can't see that happening, I would imagine if he leaves Ferrari he will probably leave F1 altogether Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 so it was piquet who started all this crash crap. :D Race-day meeting key to Renault case A meeting between Nelson Piquet, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds hours before last year's Singapore Grand Prix is central to the race fixing allegations surrounding the Renault team, AUTOSPORT has learned.With the FIA's World Motor Sport Council due to meet on September 21 for Renault to answer charges that the team caused a deliberate crash in Singapore last year to help Fernando Alonso win, sources have confirmed for the first time background details of the case. AUTOSPORT understands that key to what happened in the race is the discussion that took place in one of Renault's offices at the Singapore track on the Sunday, where race tactics were discussed between Piquet, team principal Briatore and director of engineering Symonds. Sources claim that in evidence submitted to the FIA by Nelson Piquet, the Brazilian driver says he was asked by Briatore and Symonds to crash deliberately early in the race so as to help Alonso win. Piquet says that he agreed to do so because he felt uncomfortable about his situation at the team, with Renault having not renewed his contract for 2009 at that time - and Briatore was stalling on making a firm commitment. Piquet suggests that he only went ahead and caused the accident because he felt he would be rewarded for his actions. In his evidence, Piquet claims that he was taken aside by Symonds after the first meeting and instructured that he should crash on lap 13 or 14, shortly after Alonso's scheduled first stop, at Turn 17. The reason this part of the track was singled out was because there were no cranes present there to lift the car away, so any accident would virtually guarantee a safety car. Piquet's claims have, however, been denied by both Briatore and Symonds in documents that are believed to have been submitted with the FIA. Although they confirm that the meeting between the three of them took place, both suggest that it was Piquet's own suggestion to cause an accident. Sources claim that the Singapore race-fix matter came to light on July 26 - the day of Piquet's last race for Renault in Hungary - when his father Nelson contacted FIA president Max Mosley to make him aware of what had happened. Piquet Jr. then visited the FIA's headquarters in Paris on July 30 to present a statement to FIA representatives, believed to be stewards' advisor Alan Donnelly, and external investigators from the Quest agency. Following Piquet's testimony, the three stewards from the Singapore Grand Prix, plus two external investigators from Quest, were flown to the Belgian Grand Prix to conduct interviews with Renault representatives. A report in Italian magazine Autosprint also suggests that telemetry data from Piquet's car has emerged as another reason why the matter has gone to the WMSC. At Turn 17 where Piquet crashed, normally the rear wheels of the Renault would lose grip on the exit - requiring the driver to ease off the throttle briefly. However, on the lap he crashed, Piquet kept accelerating even though the rear wheels had lost grip. Briatore is reported to have claimed that he was: "a victim of extortion by the Piquet family. "I confirm the meeting with Piquet on Sunday morning, but nothing like that was ever talked about. I also remember that Piquet at Singapore was in a very fragile state of mind. Besides that, there are the audio recordings where I express disappointment when I see on the screens that Piquet had crashed." Symonds is also reported as saying: "It's true, during the Sunday meeting with Piquet the issue of deliberately causing a SC deployment came up, but it was proposed by Piquet himself. It was just a conversation." Renault has said it will not comment on the matter officially before the WMSC hearing later this month. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78446 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 His dad contacted the FIA first and he then gave his side of the story. What is strange about the above report is it says both Briatore and Symonds said it was Piquet's idea yet in the quotes at the bottom Briatore denies it was discussed at all where as Symonds is quoted as saying it was Piquet's idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 If the team are blaming piquet, and piquet is blaming the team, it is becoming all to clear to me that there is a case to answer, which to me is absolutely shocking to say the least. And personally my money is on the team, Formula 1 drivers are competitive animals and there is no way one of them would volunteer to deliberately crash to help another, even a team mate. Something about this truly stinks. Also, if there is telemetry evidence it strikes me as odd that nothing has came to light before, guess the FIA don't examine telemetry unless they need to. This has opened up a 10 gallon bucket of s*** and I get the feeling a pretty serious punishment may well be heading the way of Renault :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Santander signs five-year Ferrari deal Spanish banking giant Grupo Santander announced on Thursday it will be the Ferrari team's sponsor for the next five years.The company, currently sponsoring McLaren, said it will be Ferrari's "main" sponsor from next season. The deal was announced in a press conference at the Monza circuit on Thursday, when Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo was joined by Bank of Santander president Emilio Botin. "We are very happy to have a new partner like Santander, with whom we are beginning a very important and long term collaboration," said di Montezemolo. "We share common values, such as striving for excellence, a passion for competition, an international approach and, last but by no means least, the colour red. These values will make this a fruitful partnership, noteworthy around the world." http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78459 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlibbyFlobby Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Don't know if anyone has seen this yet but Nelson Piquet Jrs statement regarding the deliberate crash is up: At the time of this conversation I was in a very fragile and emotional state of mind. This state of mind was brought about by very intense stress due to the fact that Mr Briatore had refused to inform me of whether or not my driver?s contract would be renewed for the next racing year (2009) as is customarily the case in the middle of the year (around July or August). [...] After the meeting with Mr Symonds and Mr Briatore, Mr Symonds took me aside to a quiet corner and, using a map, pointed me to the exact corner of the track where I should crash. This corner was selected because the specific location of the track did not have any cranes that would allow a damaged car to be swiftly lifted off the track, nor did it have any side entrances to the track, which would allow a Safety Marshall to quickly move the damaged car away from the track. Therefore, it was felt that a crash in this specific position would be nearly certain to cause an obstruction on the track which would thus necessitate the deployment of a safety car in order for the track to be cleared and ensure the safe continuation of the race. Mr Symonds also told me which exact lap to cause the incident upon, so that a strategy could be devised for my team mate Mr Fernando Alonso. [...] During these discussions, no mention was made of any concerns with respect to the security implications of this strategy, either for myself, the public or other drivers. The only comment made in this context was one by Mr Pat Symonds who warned me to ?be acreful, which I took to mean that I should not injure myself. I intentionally caused the crash by letting go of control of the car just before the relevant corner. In order to make sure I would cause the incident during the correct lap, I asked my team several times via the radio to confirm the lap number, which I would not normally do. F1 Fanatic Personally I see nothing he could gain from lying. The statement is quite detailed too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 If that is true, the pit to car radio will display clear evidence of it. The worrying thing is, he would have little to gain from lying with all the technology that could uncover his lies. Renault are in deep trouble here. Piquet could also be, depending on whether the FIA could prove whether it was his idea or the team's to crash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Ferrari boss: Alonso will join us one day Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says Fernando Alonso will sooner or later drive for the historic Italian squad not in 2010 tho. -------------------------------- lewis tops prac.1 -------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 fp1 fp2 sutil fastest in fp2 & fisi last :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Q & A with Max Mosley on Renault's case http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78489 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 The most interesting part of that case is how little most of the team, including Alonso himself apparently knew. The result of the race cannot be changed, that has been confirmed by Mosely. Also, from that Q and A it sounds like the telemetry data is indeed pretty damning. For me, when you are a Formula 1 driver accelerating when your car is running out of control is simply unthinkable. If Renault can provide evidence of Piquet accelerating when his car is out of control, then all I could say is that he would be driving in an implausible way that defies logic and the natural instinct to slam on the breaks. I don't know why but I have a really sneaky feeling that there is actually something to this, I am just glad that Alonso is seemingly not in on the loop, as he is a brilliant driver and any other blip on his record after 2007 would be disastrous for his career. Will be waiting with bated breath on this one, its a really murky picture for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
san.W10 Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Briatore: Renault did nothing wrong http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78513 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Briatore isn't actually going to just stand up and admit his guilt is he :laugh: he's probably hoping Bernie will somehow step in and save him. If the telemetry data is as damning as Max is saying, Renault aren't going to have an easy time escaping from this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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