Rediscover Formula One

Bulgaria eyeing 2011 formula one season.

Formula One Addict — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:45:02 +0000

Recent years have seen unprecedented expansion by formula one administration in terms of both venues and teams involved in the championship. The newest nation to jump on the bandwagon is Bulgaria.

The officials from the Bulgarian Grand Prix committee will meet up with their FIA counterparts on 12th of July at the German Grand Prix. The European country might be able to strike a deal then, but the recession glooming over the world might just play spoilsport and not allow the Balkan country to host a grand prix in the 2011 season.

Lets see what conclusion this rumour goes to.

Sorry for the hiatus

Formula One Addict — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:45:24 +0000

Sorry for the small hiatus in posts, got some professional commitments to take care of.

Renault and F1 Racing

Formula One Addict — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:43:53 +0000

The following is a guest post :

It began early this year, with an announcement of plans to impose a £40m (just under $65 million) budget cap in order to encourage new teams to participate in Formula 1 Racing. On the surface, it seemed a good way to level the playing field, and bring in new blood, but the old guard of F1 took issue.

First Ferrari, then Toyota and Red Bull, and finally, on May 9th, Renault as well, declared their intentions to pull out of the racing series for 2010, with Renault’s Flavio Briatore stating that if the budget cap wasn’t addressed, his team would have, “…no choice but to withdraw from the world championship at the end of 2009.”

Why does the budget cap matter?

While none of the high-profile teams object to the concept of cost cutting, the concern over a budget cap is that it would essentially split F1 racing into two tiers – one comprised of the teams that can comfortably operate within the budget limitations, and one that cannot.
Further, it is expected that such a division would also cause a technological cap, where some teams are allowed to use race cars with engines without rev limiters, or to run cars with flexible wings, while others are not. In fact, the currently outlawed flexible rear wing has already been approved to next year’s teams working within the budget caps, and such a design modification could provide an edge of up to two seconds per lap to cars so fitted.

Explained Bernard Rey, the Renault F1 team president, while his company has always considered Formula One racing to be the cutting edge of motor sports, and the best venue for displaying technical achievements, “We remain committed to the sport. However, we cannot be involved in a championship operating with different sets of rules and, if such rules are put into effect, we will be forced to pull out at the end of this season.”

Other Concerns?

The FIA never made a public comment when Ferrari threatened to quit, and never openly addressed the other teams either. However, it has been rumored since Renault’s statement that the budget cap is not the only concern.
As Renault’s statement explained, there is general disgruntlement between FOTA (the Formula One Team’s Association) and the FIA. A specific point of contention is that FOTA offered proposals of its own, including several cost-saving suggestions that were to be adopted in stages between 2009 and 2012 – proposals that were essentially ignored by the FIA, just as FIA never discussed their cap proposal with the teams.

Since Renault’s addition to the list of teams threatening to leave F1, the rumor mill has been busy. One such rumor, printed in AutoSprint magazine, suggests that Flavio Briatore will buy the Renault team and enter it under his own name in 2010 and beyond. This may or may not happen, and could be related to the loss of ING as one of Renault’s leading sponsors, but one thing is certain: the face of F1 is changing, and the big names we know now, may not continue to dominate the sport.

Brabham Grand Prix is here amid naming problems

Formula One Addict — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:32:46 +0000

A German businessman by the name of Franz Hilmer applied for formula one entry for the 2010 season by the name of Brabham Grand Prix.

Meanwhile Brabham’s family werent too thrilled, infact they are currently looking at leal options saying that the German businessman is trying to misuse the goodwill their name has

“The family would like to make it clear that it is in no way involved with Brabham Grand Prix Ltd and was never consulted about plans to resurrect their historic name in F1,” a spokesman for the family said on Thursday.

“The family will take the necessary steps to protect their name, reputation and its goodwill.”

Another Spicy news item in the making

FOTA teams submit conditional entry for 2010 F1 season

Formula One Addict — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:17:46 +0000

After suspending Williams formula one team for submitting their entries for the 2010 formula one season, the FOTA teams officially submitted their entries for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Havent had time to go over all the details, so posting the official media release from FOTA here.

All FOTA Teams have today submitted conditional entries for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.
FOTA confirms all its Members’ long-term commitment to be involved in the FIA Formula One World Championship and has unanimously agreed further and significant actions to substantially reduce the costs of competing in the Championship in the next three years, creating a mechanism that will preserve the technological competition and the sporting challenge and, at the same time, facilitate the entry in the F1 Championship for new Teams. These measures are in line with what has been already decided in 2009 within FOTA, achieving important saving on engines and gearboxes.
All FOTA teams have entered the 2010 championship on the basis that:
1) The Concorde Agreement is signed by all parties before 12th June 2009, after which all FOTA teams will commit to competing in Formula One until 2012. The renewal of the Concorde Agreement will provide security for the future of the sport by binding all parties in a formal relationship that will ensure stability via sound governance.
2) The basis of the 2010 regulations will be the current 2009 regulations, amended in accordance with proposals that FOTA has submitted to the FIA.
All FOTA teams’ entries for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship have been submitted today on the understanding that all FOTA teams will be permitted to compete during the 2010 Formula One Season on an identical regulatory basis and that they may only be accepted as a whole.
All FOTA teams now look forward with optimism to collaborating proactively and productively with the FIA, with a view to establishing a solid foundation on which the future of a healthy and successful Formula One can be built, providing lasting stability and sound governance.

FOTA Suspends Williams F1 formula one team

Formula One Addict — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:15:17 +0000

In an expected action, the FOTA (Formula One Team’s Association) suspended Williams formula one team for registering for the 2010 formula one season as the standoff over budget proposals continues between the FIA and FOTA. Many mainstream teams have threatened to quit formula one if the current plans are executed. Ofcourse in complicated proceedings as such, the fact that Williams F1 team decided to register for the 2010 formula one season make the things more difficult for the teams against the budget cuts.

In an official media statement, the Williams formula one team had said :

Oxford, UK. 27 May, 2009. Following Monday’s confirmation that the team has submitted its formal entry for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Formula One Teams Association has today decided temporarily to suspend Williams F1 from membership of FOTA.

Frank Williams, Team Principal: “FOTA’s decision, although regrettable, is understandable. However, as a racing team and a company whose only business is Formula One, with obligations to our partners and our employees, submitting our entry to next year’s Championship was unquestionable. In addition, we are legally obliged under our contract with FOM and the FIA to participate in the World Championship until the end of 2012.”

F1 heads to Monaco as fear over future looms

Formula One Addict — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:39:29 +0000

Formula One’s survival is on the line. On one side are some of its biggest teams which bring millions to formula one and on the other side is Max Mosely who seems to be hell bent on implementing the proposed rule changes for the 2010 formula one season which introduce budgetary caps and a two tier teams system.

So now heading into Monaco which is one of the swankiest formula one grand prix, one wonders what next year would be like ? Would there be no Ferrari and Renault ? Its reported that 7 teams wont be filing by next week’s deadline.

So getting back to the GP, Brawn GP’s Jenson Button is on home turf (technically anyway). He would be poised to claim another win and win the season in record time. Lewis Hamilton is also hopeful of resurgence and is hoping that his McLaren would be able to perform. In an interview he was hopeful for a top 5 finish at this week’s event.

In other news Campos racing has applied for the constructor’s places in the 2010 formula one season. They are one of the first (the first?) teams to do so.

Anyway, this weekend is crucial for the survival and future of formula one. The gut feeling inside me says all will be solved though. Till then, Ciao !

Formula One 2010 without Ferrari : Bread without Butter !

Formula One Addict — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:44:50 +0000

Ferrari in an official statement of its website as well as media area threatened to quit formula one and not enter its cars for the 2010 formula one season if the arbitrary rules regarding F1 budget caps were implemented despite its and certain other manufacturer’s protests. In doing so Ferrari has become the third team after Red Bull and Toyota to threaten pullout. An official statement on their website really cements those intentions.

On a personal note, Ferrari have been the team that i fell in love with the first time I saw formula one and are my favorite team

To see Ferrari going out of formula one would be heartbreak. Ferrari has given a lot to the sport of formula one, money, merchandise sales, champions and most importantly millions of fans all around the globe. Hopefully the matter would be sorted out between the 2 parties and scarlet wouldn’t let the world of F1 pale for many more years. Another industry that shall be very adversely affected would be the sports betting industry. I guess most will move over from formula one betting and move onto NASCAR betting for more excitement. Speaking of NASCAR and (losers ?) , a post on Juan Pablo Montoya is due.

On the other hand, it might just be a bluff from Ferrari, but a well played one at that, lets see if the FIA can choose to ignore alleged most powerful team in F1.

The official statement from their media area follows :

FERRARI’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES

THE FIRST QUARTER RESULTS:

TURNOVER 441 MILLION EURO

TRADING PROFIT 54 MILLION EURO

FERRARI CONFIRMS ITS OPPOSITION TO THE NEW

TECHNICAL REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE FIA AND DOES NOT INTEND ENTERING ITS CARS IN THE 2010 F1 CHAMPIONSHIP

Maranello 12 May 2009 – Ferrari’s Board of Directors, chaired by Luca di Montezemolo, today analysed the first quarter results for 2009. Despite the current international economic climate, which has hit the automotive sector in particular, Ferrari’s figures were in line with the record levels reached in 2008.

Turnover for the first three months was 441 million euro compared to 455.7 million euro over the same period in 2008. The first quarter closed with a trading profit of 54 million euro compared to last year’s 59 million euro.

These results reflect the introduction of new models, in particular the success of the Ferrari California and the Scuderia Spider 16M, the constant growth in activities linked to the brand (e-commerce, licensing, merchandising and retail) and the company’s continuing efforts to maximise efficiency.

The Board of Directors also examined developments related to recent decisions taken by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile during an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 29 April 2009. Although this meeting was originally called only to examine a disciplinary matter, the decisions taken mean that, for the first time ever in Formula 1, the 2010 season will see the introduction of two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters.

The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 – would come to a close.

The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams. The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula 1 over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA’s endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula 1 are the priorities for the future. If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula 1 World Championship.

Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision is coherent with the Scuderia’s approach to motor sport and to Formula 1 in particular, always seeking to promote its sporting and technical values. The Chairman of the Board of Directors was mandated to evaluate the most suitable ways and methods to protect the company’s interests.

Photo : Copyright Ferrari SPA

Narain Karthikeyan sixth at Le Mans in Audi R10 TDi LMP1

Formula One Addict — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:34:09 +0000

Sorry for not posting about the race, had a big exam today. But good news for all Indian formula one and racing fans, it seems that Narain Karthikeyan is also keeping himself busy. He scored sixth place in his first ever Le Mans race in his Audi R10 TDi LMP1 car.

After the race Narain Karthikeyan was excited and was quoted as saying :

“It was a phenomenal experience for me to race in the LMS. The car is extremely technical, very challenging to drive, and race strategies are of crucial importance. There are 50 cars racing on the track at the same time, in 4 different classes of cars. The speed differentials between the various classes makes it very difficult to race, as you’re lapping cars all the time, which doesn’t allow you to get into a rhythm at all. I had a big scare towards the end of the race when Bruno Senna (nephew of 3-times F1 champion, Ayrton) had a huge shunt just in front of me at the super-fast Blanchimont corner.
Fortunately he wasn’t hurt, but his car was a total write-off. The list of world class manufacturers represented in this form of racing is staggering and the cars include those of Audi, Peugeot, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Chevrolet, and Mazda.
But unfortunately this season, last minute rule changes like the 30 kg weight increase & the new fuel usage restrictions, have slightly disadvantaged the diesel powered version of cars, allowing some of the petrol powered version of cars like the Aston Martins to have a slight advantage over diesel cars in the race pace.
The Peugeot is still super-competitive though as it’s a full factory funded team and has a much newer design than our Audi R10s, which started racing over 3 years ago, but our car is very reliable and should give us an advantage during the next race, which is the famous 24 hour race at Le Mans.”

FIA shuffles out formula one 2010 season rules

Formula One Addict — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:42:47 +0000

A lot of mixing and matching approach has been used by the FIA to come up with the 2010 formula one rules. One of the most biting issues, the budget caps has been confirmed by the FIA but with a twist.

The budgetary cap will be optional. The teams which do adhere to the budgetary caps get a lot of benefits. So most rich teams too may adhere to the caps. But we will get to that later.

Refuelling is again banned in formula one, last time it was so in the 1993 season after which to break the supremacy of the Williams F1 team, refuelling was introduced. I was too young in 1993, read it off another site(dont remember which) that it was so. But in the 2010 formula one season, teams shall be allowed to refuel their cars after the third qualifying. Also Tyre Warmers will be banned.
The FIA has increased the list of cars on the grid to 26, which translates to 13 teams. Probably Prodrive and USGP will launch their respective teams in the 2010 season. Bernie Ecclestone had told BBC Radio that he has a lot of people confirmed for next season (2010). So lets hold out for announcements with respect to new formula one teams.
The FOM will be providing financial assistance to all the new teams in the 2010 formula one season to offset the costs associated with starting and maintaining a new formula one team. The official statement from the FIA read :

In addition to the payments which it already makes to the top ten teams in the Championship, Formula One Management, the commercial rights holder, has agreed to offer participation fees and expenses to the new teams. This includes an annual payment of US$10 million to each team plus free transportation of two chassis and freight up to 10,000 kg in weight (not including the two chassis) as well as 20 air tickets (economy class) for each round trip for events held outside Europe.

To be eligible for this, each new team must qualify as a “Constructor” and demonstrate that it has the necessary facilities, financial resources and technical competence to compete effectively in Formula One.

The minimum weight for formula one cars will now be 620 kg from the 2010 formula one season. Alexander Wurz must be happy.

Budget Cap

Now for the main item, the 40m pounds budgetary cap. All teams who wish to register for the 2010 formula one season must do so by the 29th of May. In these applications they must also mention if they are willing to operate under the budget caps or not. So the budget cap is actually optional, but wait.

In case a team adheres to budget caps they get a lot of functional advantages like :

1. Movable wings, front and rear.
2. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit.

The teams who adhere to the budgetary cap will also be allowed unlimited out-of-season track testing with no restrictions on the scale and speed of wind tunnel testing.

Ferrari is already unhappy about the budget caps and Max Mosely has said that F1 will miss Ferrari if they decide to quit over the budgetary limit. But Bernie was quick to the defence of Ferrari saying that he would work to ensure that Ferrari are saved.

Also the 40 million budgetary cap does not cover the following expense of F1 teams :

Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes;
Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA;
Engine costs (for 2010 only);
Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship;
Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship.