Ummm, try about 15 years plus F3000 and F3 before that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Petronas
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Ummm, try about 15 years plus F3000 and F3 before that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Petronas
Ahh how about no?Quote:
Originally Posted by EfiOz
3 years of top level performance in Formula One... 1997, 1999 and 2000
Williams will come back with either Cosworth, Lexus or another mainstream manufacturer.
I really hope its with VW or Hyundai though...
Ever wondered just how long it takes to design and construct a brand-new F1 car? Well, McLaren have helpfully published a 'design timeline' of their new MP4-21 charger as it evolved from a mere concept to a state-of-the-art motor car ready for the 2006 season.
First engine design meeting: August 2004
Engine specification first issue: October 2004
Layout work started on MP4-21: April 2005
First design meeting: April 2005
Gearbox simulation: Mid April 2005
Car specification first issue: May 2005
First scheming of gearbox: May 2005
First dyno test for V8 engine: June 2005
Windtunnel work commences: Early July 2005
First drawing for gearbox: July 2005
Datum sheet Issue, final dimensions: August 2005
First track test for V8 engine: September 2005
Gearbox production begun: September 2005
Chassis manufacturing begun: October 2005
Car mock-up ready: Chassis – November 2005; Initial engine – November 2005; Final engine – December 2005
First chassis ready for bonding: December 2005
FIA test on first chassis: December 2005
First car build started: December 2005
First car build finished: January 2006
First track test of MP4-21: 23rd January 2006
Cars depart McLaren Technology Centre for first race: Friday 3rd March 2006[/quote]
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Belgian Grand Prix organisers have agreed a deal with Bernie Ecclestone to bring Formula One back to Spa-Francorchamps in 2007, just days after this year's race was cancelled.
This season race was scrapped earlier this week when race organisers conceded defeat in their bid to renovate the track in time for the September 17 grand prix.
But, according to Belgian broadcaster RTBF, Spa has renegotiated their deal with Formula One commercial rights holder Ecclestone, securing a new deal to run from 2007 to 2011.
The new arrangement has yet to be set in stone though, as it must yet be ratified by the regional Wallonian government.
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Max Biaggi looks set to get more time behind the wheel of an F1 car with Midland seemingly very keen to see how the Italian runs.
Biaggi, better known for racing on two wheels and not four, was in action for the MF1 team in Silverstone recently where he was watched by team boss Colin Kolles.
"Maybe he will have another try in Spain," Kolles told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Kolles, a Romanian national, would not confirm or deny any possible test role for Biaggi but did say they were still working on the idea.
”I hope this situation will become clearer in the following days."
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Fernando Alonso says he doesn’t believe Valentino Rossi will be able to make a successful switch from MotoGP to Formula One should the motoracing Champion decide to move.
Valentino Rossi has been linked with a move to Formula One for a while now but has not publically agreed to join any team yet. Alonso believes Rossi has about the same chance at achieving success in F1 as he would have if he attempted to enter MotoGP.
"No, I don't think so." Alonso told the Cadena SER radio station when asked if he though Rossi would win races in Formula One.
"It's like if I would try racing motorbikes,"
“I could participate, have fun but I could never beat the likes of Pedrosa. I couldn't beat people that started racing mini-bikes when they were only a few years old."
Alonso has also said he would love to leave Renault, and join McLaren, as the 2006 World Champion, and therefore will be doing his utmost for his French based team this season.
"The motivation is high again this year. And the perfect leaving present would be to win the Championship again," he told The Sunday People.
"Renault have been like my family from the moment I started F1.
"This respect we have for each other is fantastic and we need to the maximum again this year."
Alonso and his Renault team have been in blistering pre-season form lately, showing everyone that they are the team to beat this year and determined to defend their Championship title.
why only against schumey's car, wouldn't Massa's be the same? What a surprise Red Bull didn't sign haha.
F1 to Continue, No breakaway series.
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The threat of a Formula One breakaway has receded after five rebel teams submitted their entries for the 2008 season.
The sport's governing body, the FIA, had set a deadline of March 31 for teams to confirm for 2008.
Four of the five teams threatening a split - who together form the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association - signed up last night with the fifth confirming this morning.
The GPMA - Renault, BMW, Mercedes, Honda and Toyota - have called for a greater say in the running of the sport and a bigger share of its revenues.
A statement from the association said "significant progress" and been made in discussions with F1 rights holder Bernie Ecclestone.
It added: "The teams look forward to beginning discussions with the FIA in order to finalise the regulations for 2008.
"The GPMA members are united and remain committed to improve the sport for the benefit of all stakeholders."
This was an interesting read.
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Ron Dennis has finally revealed the details behind McLaren's shock capture of Fernando Alonso.
According to Dennis, despite frantic efforts to contact Flavio Briatore, it took six weeks before Alonso was able to inform the Renault boss that he had signed a deal with McLaren. With a face-to-face meeting "impossible" to arrange, contact was eventually only made via the telephone.
The apparent breakdown in communications between the pair, formerly depicted as having enjoyed a 'father and son relationship', hints at one crucial factor in Alonso's shock defection.
Speaking to F1-Racing magazine, Dennis remained coy on the events leading up to Alonso putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with his team. He refused to say who instigated the talks between the two parties, or when first contact took place.
However, from Dennis' admission that the triumphant press release of 19 December which announced Alonso's capture was issued - against Briatore's wishes - immediately after the Spaniard had spoken to the Renault boss it can be assumed that negotiations were completed in the first week of November.
Briatore has strenuously denied having any role in Alonso's transfer and according to Dennis the driver was represented by "his manager Luis Garcia Abad, his lawyers and family. On our side it involved one key director, which was Martin [Whitmarsh], plus Nobert [Haug] and some other Mercedes-Benz board members. And, after Fernando had signed, but still prior to any public announcement, it also involved a few of our sponsors' senior board members. So, within 24 hours of him having inked his signature, I'd say roughly 25 people knew."
Remarkably, despite the obvious dangers of a leak, the story was kept quiet for the six weeks in which Fernando then failed to make contact with Briatore.
"They all understood the commitment I'd made to Fernando that his signing would have to remain confidential until he'd had the opportunity to inform Flavio," Dennis told the magazine. "Equally, it was understood that, as soon as he'd informed Flavio, I'd inform our drivers - because, obviously, I wanted them to hear it from me, and, equally obviously, one way or another, it would leak. And then, after I'd told our drivers, there would be a press release.
"But four weeks went by, and, owing to factors outside Fernando's control, he couldn't manage to meet Flavio to tell him the news. He tried quite a few times, but a meeting proved impossible to arrange. In the end, after six weeks of trying, and being very keen to inform Flavio before the news was leaked, Fernando had to inform him by telephone."
There's no explanation for why Fernando and Flavio were unable to meet, although the apparent breakdown in their relationship will be inevitably regarded as a partial explanation for Fernando's shock decision to leave Renault.
Once Briatore had been informed, Dennis moved into news-management mode. First to be told of the news were his drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Juan-Pablo Montoya.
"It was late in the evening when Fernando advised me that'd he broken the news to Flavio. Despite the late hour, I decided that I should telephone our drivers immediately. That was particularly hard on Kimi, because he was in Finland and therefore three hours ahead of UK time. But he took it fine, as it happens."
Kimi's sanguine reaction will no doubt be seized upon by those in the paddock who are already convinced that the Finn has opted to leave McLaren at the end of the season for Ferrari.
The Colombian, on the other hand, appears to have responded with a fiery burst of that famed Latin temper.
"His reaction was, well, predictable. His initial reaction was curt - maybe he thought his 2007 seat had just disappeared. But that isn't necessarily the case, of course."
Yet Montoya's disappointment must have paled alongside that of Briatore's.
"Flavio telephoned me and asked me to delay the press release by a week, but I was in an impossible position," says Dennis. "By that time, a large number of people knew. Keeping it secret was no longer realistic. I didn't want the news to go public via a leak. So the next day we sent out a press release."
Go Paul, The paddock isn't the same without you!
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Paul Stoddart and the Minardi name are set to return to Formula One in 2008 as the former F1 team boss has already lodged an entry with the FIA.
Last week the FIA stipulated that any teams wanting to race in 2008 had to submit an entry by March 31 2006, which Stoddart has now done.
"I've lodged myself an entry as European Minardi F1 team Limited," the Australian told Reuters on Tuesday.
The Australian is also confident that he will be ready to compete in 2008 as not only did he retain the Minardi name when he sold to Red Bull but he also retained his 2004-specification PS04B cars.
"We've got the cars we ran in Melbourne last year, we've got the team and we've got the facility," said Stoddart, whose team would be based at Ledbury, England.
"We'll see what happens...it might not happen but I miss F1 too badly at the moment.
"I might not get a slot but it will be interesting to see who does.
"We are in a better position than anyone, other than a current F1 team, to compete."
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Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners has completed its acquisition of the Formula One Group.
The news comes just days after the European Commission gave the go-ahead to the deal, subject to CVC selling its Spanish subsidiary Dorna, which promotes the MotoGP championship.
The EU's stipulation came because of concerns that having one parent company in control of both Formula One and MotoGP rights might reduce competition in the sale of television rights in Spain and Italy, where both championships attract big audiences.
Alpha Prema, a newly-formed company and subsidiary of CVC, will now control Formula One's commercial rights after completing a buy-out of the SLEC holding company, which was previously owned by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Bavarian bank BayernLB.
Ecclestone is expected to remain at the helm of the business as chief executive, while his family trust, Bambino Holdings, will retain an unspecified stake.
"We are pleased that we have now completed our investment in Formula One, and look forward to working with Bernie Ecclestone and his team to further develop and grow the business," said CVC's Donald Mackenzie.
Alpha Prema's first task as F1's commercial rights holder will be to finalise a deal with the sport's manufacturers to lay to rest the threat of a breakaway championship.
However, with the five dissenting manufacturers - BMW, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes and Renault - officially confirming their entry for the the 2008 world championship on Monday, those talks would now appear to be a mere formality.
great news jason.....whr did u get all this info anyways?.....neways sepang is a great circuit...drove on it a few times already on track days......goodluck schumiiiii
is some1 gunna update the F1 tipping ladder?
Yeah, I'll be doing it tomorrow afternoon (friday), real busy catching up on stuff this week.Quote:
Originally Posted by chicken8
ok cool.
love you loooong time!