F1 World Championship 2010 Thread

By Dan~
in The Sporting Arena

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129 members have voted

  1. 1. Which team will win the Constructors Cup?

    • McLaren
      48
    • Mercedes GP
      11
    • Red Bull
      29
    • Ferrari
      36
    • Williams
      1
    • Renault
      2
    • Force India
      1
    • Toro Rosso
      0
    • Lotus
      1
    • Campos
      0
    • US
      0
    • Virgin
      0

  2. 2. Who will be the world champion this year?

    • Jenson Button
      11
    • Lewis Hamilton
      33
    • Michael Schumacher
      13
    • Nico Rosberg
      1
    • Sebastian Vettel
      10
    • Mark Webber
      21
    • Felipe Massa
      8
    • Fernando Alonso
      26
    • Rubens Barrichello
      1
    • Nico Hulkenberg
      0
    • Robert Kubica
      3
    • Vitaly Petrov
      2
    • Adrian Sutil
      0
    • Vitantonio Liuzzi
      0
    • Sebastien Buemi
      0
    • Jaime Alguersuari
      0
    • Jarno Trulli
      0
    • Heikki Kovalainen
      0
    • Bruno Senna
      0
    • Jose Maria Lopez
      0

  3. 3. Who will be the world champion this year? Continued

    • Timo Glock
      2
    • Lucas di Grassi
      2
    • VOID VOTE (Because of Neowin's restrictions, select this if you choose not to select the above two drivers
      125

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Grand Master

Shibby

Posted
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The virgin car looks very simple. ?I think thats probably part of the reason why they look like they're going to be fine making the races. ?They've got the people with the knowhow and it seems by going for a basic simple car they can atleast say we've got there. ?It'll will be a few seasons before the car starts to look complicated and gets faster, they're probably going to be at the back most of the time, but that isn't a problem for me.?

Experienced

Buio

Posted
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Btw, Fisichella signed for Le Mans, now that he couldn't find a F1 seat for 2010.

Slightly off-topic, but apparently Jean Alesi is going to race Le Mans Series in same team as Fisichella. Which is somewhat ironic, because I consider Fisichella somewhat of an Alesi 2.0, promising/rated driver but never really successful despite a long career in F1.

Grand Master

Shibby

Posted
Posted

Lotus should be fine. ?They've got a car that is clearly running and they can show up, there doesn't seem to be big shouts about money either.

They've done pretty well, they've used other companies to help build parts of the car, therefore they've got a more complete car. ?They've also got Mike Gascoyne as a Director, so they've got experience in running and designing an F1 car.

Virgin while they may have a dud car because it's been all CFD design, they've got Nick Wirth whos got experience with F1 as well.

I think both teams will be fine. ?Although I'm not sure about Virgin long term future.

Grand Master

Subject Delta

Posted
Posted

Agreed, I am not sure about the idea of designing a car completely in CFD with no other testing, it is a bit questionable. Still, I guess nobody expected them to be frontrunners this season so the only way they can go is up.

Mentor

san.W10

Posted
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US F1 seeks permission to miss races

US F1 co-founder Ken Anderson has admitted that he is in discussion with the FIA to reach an agreement that will allow for the new team to miss the first four races of the 2010 Formula 1 season.

While rival Campos now looks likely to make the start of the season after Jose Ramon Carabante took control of the project and installed Colin Kolles as team boss, speculation that US F1 has fallen behind in preparations and is struggling to secure the necessary funding has intensified in recent weeks.

In an interview with the New York Times yesterday, Anderson revealed that US F1 was unlikely to make it to Bahrain on March 14, and was seeking to miss the Australian, Malaysian and Chinese Grands Prix as well.

"We're working with the FIA to clarify how many races we can miss," Anderson told the newspaper. "In an ideal world, we can miss the first four races and show up in Barcelona."

Despite recent revelations that the Concorde Agreement includes a clause allowing teams to miss up to three races before officially being deemed to have failed to participate, the FIA made it clear earlier this month that new teams would breach the regulations if they missed any event.

Anderson indicated however that he believed the governing body sympathetic to USF1's predicament and wanted to assist him in ensuring it made the grid.

"I guess anything's possible," he said when asked about incurring fines for missing races. "But what would be the point of that? Why would they give us a franchise and just, the first time there's a bump in the road, yank it and put it out of business?

"That's definitely not the message that I'm getting from them. They want to help us, not shut us down."

Anderson insisted that both co-founder Peter Windsor and investor Chad Hurley, who co-founded YouTube, are still involved with the project. Windsor told AUTOSPORT's Grapevine column earlier this week: "I am still with the team", while the latter responded with: "Peter is still here at the moment, not sure what he is up to, stay tuned."

But the American revealed to the NYT that the project's progress was dependant on sponsorship falling in to place soon: "We have a timeline in place that if we get a decision quickly, that triggers funding and we're good to go.

"If it takes another week or two to make a decision, it keeps backing up," he added.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81616

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

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I can't take US Farce 1 seriously any more. The FIA ought to force them to give up their 2010 championship entry and hand it over to Stefan GP.

As to the poll: I voted for Mercedes GP/Schumacher.

Mentor

san.W10

Posted
Posted

Alonso happy to uncover 2007 'spygate'

Fernando Alonso says he was 'very happy' to help Formula 1's ruling body, the FIA, uncover the spy saga that hit the sport in 2007.

McLaren was excluded from that year's championship and fined $100 million after it was discovered the team was in possession of Ferrari technical data.

Alonso was driving for the British team at the time and he collaborated with the FIA in making the spy row public.

Speaking in an interview with the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, the two-time champion said he was happy to help the governing body.

"With the spy history I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Alonso told the newspaper. "But I was very happy to help the FIA discover everything."

Alonso left McLaren before the end of his contract after a torrid season in which the Spaniard was very critical of the team's approach to the championship.

The two-time champion suggested he was not being treated equally to then rookie team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

The Ferrari driver believes McLaren will have learned lessons from that year, and is hopeful world champion Jenson Button will have no problems this year, having joined Hamilton at the team.

"We'll see," Alonso said. "Obviously I don't know how McLaren is now but if he arrived in my time then, for sure, it would be very tough for him. But, hopefully, it's now better for Jenson because I learned a lot from that season and McLaren did as well."

He added: "At the time McLaren and Ferrari were fighting each other and it was very close. In the end I think we had the better car but we finished second and third. Unfortunately we did something wrong."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81650

didnt he sort of blackmail McL?

i think he demanded priority or he'd tell FIA...

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
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FIA inspects US F1's ability to join grid

Team US F1 is the subject of an FIA inspection on Wednesday about its state of readiness for the new season, AUTOSPORT has learned, amid fresh doubts about the American outfit's hopes of competing in 2010. Less than 24 hours after a senior staff member at the Charlotte-based operation revealed the troubles the team is in, high level sources have told AUTOSPORT that the FIA is now taking a detailed look at the team.

AUTOSPORT understands that FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting is visiting US F1's headquarters to get an update on its progress for 2010 - and just how ready it is to compete this year.

The visit, which has not been officially confirmed by either US F1 or the FIA, comes in the wake of speculation that team backer Chad Hurley is trying to complete a deal with either Campos Meta or Stefan GP to merge operations and keep US F1's ambitions on track.

On Tuesday, Hurley was singled out as the man one senior staff member at US F1 believes is key to brokering a deal to help it survive.

"We feel Hurley and Parris Mullins [adviser to Hurley] have our best interest [at heart] and also feel Hurley has no intention of abandoning us even though the media has said he's gone with Campos," the staff member told AUTOSPORT.

"With all this talk about where US F1 is at, it's been missed that there are 60+ people who have had to suffer through this for the last two months. All of us left jobs and many of us travelled cross-country for this opportunity.

"In a meeting between the employees, Windsor and Anderson, Windsor put the question up to the employees: 'Who here doesn't think we'll make Bahrain?' I think he might have meant it somewhat rhetorically, but he was answered nonetheless, and 100 per cent of the staff raised their hands. He was visibly shocked.

"But having said that, throughout the turmoil, the team has really come together and we're all committed to the project; precious few have left in spite of the uncertainty of whether we'll be paid this Friday. I've never seen such dedication."

The FIA declined to confirm the inspection is taking place.

When contacted by AUTOSPORT an FIA spokesman said: "We have no comment to make, at this stage."space.gif

Source

Dear Mr. Todt: End this farce already. USF1 are never going to make it to the grid.

Mentor

san.W10

Posted
Posted

Team US F1 shuts down operation

Team US F1's Formula 1 hopes appeared to be over on Tuesday, with high level sources revealing to AUTOSPORT that the outfit has now effectively closed down.

Against the backdrop of weeks of uncertainty about the future of the American team, which had been struggling to get a car ready for the start of the season, sources have revealed team personnel have now been informed they are no longer required as the operation could not continue in its present guise.

AUTOSPORT understands that shortly before lunchtime, production manager Dave Skog informed those staff who had remained at the team during its recent troubles that they were being put on unpaid leave - even though they remain technically employed.

That move, which has not yet been officially confirmed, effectively brings an end to the F1 dreams of team principal Ken Anderson and sporting director Peter Windsor who had hoped to create a genuine American grand prix team unless a fresh cash injection can be found.

It is understood that neither Anderson nor Windsor were present at the factory while the announcement was made, and neither was available for comment about the latest situation.

Calls to the factory switchboard have also gone unanswered, with a message stating that the number is temporarily not working.

The failure of Team US F1 to make it onto the grid means that there is now a vacancy for the Serbian outfit Stefan Grand Prix, which has been sitting on the sidelines for several months.

US F1 will need to be officially withdrawn from the championship if Stefan GP is going to have a chance of getting a late entry - although such a situation may be possible if FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting's inspection visit to the American team's factory last week showed that the outfit was not capable of competing.

It is also not clear what US F1 investor Chad Hurley will now do. The American YouTube co-founder, who had invested in the team, has been linked with potential deals with both Stefan GP and Campos Meta in recent weeks - and it is possible he may choose to remain in F1 through involvement with another team.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81819

Team US F1 still looking for 2011 entry

==================================

Lopez's manager slams US F1 boss

Jose Maria Lopez's manager Felipe McGough has criticised US F1 team boss Ken Anderson, saying he is the main culprit for the American squad failing to reach the Formula 1 grid.

"The main culprit of all this is Ken Anderson," McGough told Argentina's Corsa magazine in a telephone interview.

"These people fooled the FIA, FOTA and all the teams, FOM, all the employees they hired, 'Pechito' Lopez, and Milos Pavlovic, the other driver they had signed to be in the project.

"It's not that they fooled us only. The situation of US F1 in Europe is some sort of scandal amongst teams because it makes F1 looks very bad. Argentina is just a small part of the problem, but it's a very, very big for Formula 1."

McGough said he was not aware of any problems with the team when Lopez signed a deal to race with it.

He added: "We signed the deal just 48 hours after the FIA sent an inspector to Charlotte and confirmed that the project was fully underway."

McGough said Lopez had been finally released from his contract and was now set to become Hispania Racing's reserve driver.

"We spent all day talking with the team," he added. "We finally managed to get released from the contract with the US F1 team. We had a meeting with Ken Anderson, with Chad Hurley's representatives, with Peter Windsor and with team's lawyers.

"It was a very complex situation because they had not breached the contract, but we knew they would not make it to Bahrain. So we had to find a solution so Jose Maria would not be tied to the team and he could find an alternative.

"And that's what we achieved after a lot of hours of negotiation."

McGough claimed Anderson or sporting director Peter Windsor had promised to travel to Argentina to apologise and to offer an explanation about the situation.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81826

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
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The full FIA Formula 1 2010 entry list:

1  Jenson BUTTON (GBR)        VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GB)
2  Lewis HAMILTON (GBR)       VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GB)

3  Michael SCHUMACHER (D)     MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM
4  Nico ROSBERG (D)           MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM

5  Sebastian VETTEL (DEU)     RED BULL RACING (AUT)
6  Mark WEBBER (AUS)          RED BULL RACING (AUT)

7  Felipe MASSA (BRA)         SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (I)
8  Fernando ALONSO (ESP)      SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (I)

9  Rubens BARRICHELLO (BRA)   AT&T WILLIAMS (GB)
10 Nico H?LKENBERG (D)        AT&T WILLIAMS (GB)

11 Robert KUBICA (POL)        RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA)
12 Vitaly PETROV (RUS)        RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA)

14 Adrian SUTIL (D)           FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND)
15 Vitantonio LIUZZI (I)      FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND)

16 S?bastien BUEMI (CH)       SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (I)
17 Jaime ALGUERSUARI (ESP)    SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (I)

18 Jarno TRULLI (I)           LOTUS RACING (MAL)
19 Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN)    LOTUS RACING (MAL)

20 TBA                        HRT F1 TEAM (ESP)
21 Bruno SENNA (BRA)          HRT F1 TEAM (ESP)

22 Pedro DE LA ROSA (ESP)     BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CH)
23 Kamui KOBAYASHI (J)        BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CH)

24 Timo GLOCK (DEU)           VIRGIN RACING (GB)
25 Luca DI GRASSI (BRA)       VIRGIN RACING (GB)

Source: Autosport

So much for StefanGP's hopes to get onto the grid.

HRT F1 Team = The team formerly known as Campos Meta.

Grand Master

Crazysah

Posted
Posted

Karun Chandhok to race for HRT

The newly-rebadged HRT team have confirmed that Karun Chandhok will race for them this season. Chandhok, who has previously tested for Red Bull, will be the second Indian driver in the history of the world championship.

The announcement was made during an official presentation in the Spanish city of Murcia on Thursday. During the event the team also unveiled their car for the 2010 season.

?I am very pleased to use the Murcia site to officially unveil our car livery,? said team principal Colin Kolles. ?We also complete the driver?s team line up with the Indian Karun Chandhok at the wheel of the car for our first-ever season. We have been very impressed with Karun?s performance in GP2.

?Everything is now in place after an impossible race against time to register the team's name and I truly believe that we have an excellent platform to build on and move forward for a strong 2010 performance. Now, we need to work together. We need to learn together and keep developing as a team.?

Chennai-born Chandhok was crowned the Asian Formula Renault V6 champion, with seven wins and nine pole positions in 2006. Over the next three seasons, he competed in the GP2 series, winning two races. Last year, he finished 18th in the GP2 standings, after clinching third-place at the British event.

The 26 year-old will partner Brazilian Bruno Senna at the squad.

Ramon Luis Valcarcel, President of the region of Murcia, Carlos Gracia, President of the Spanish Motorsport Federation and HRT team owner Jose Ramon Carabante were all in attendance at the event.

Yay for another Indian!

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