yeh, and also the strain it puts on there body's, reading Murray Walker's book, he tells of his experience in the two seater mclaren and after 4 laps he could not go anymore...tough work out there
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yeh, and also the strain it puts on there body's, reading Murray Walker's book, he tells of his experience in the two seater mclaren and after 4 laps he could not go anymore...tough work out there
lol i saw that too, nice bit of handbrake-ageQuote:
Originally Posted by Hondavirgin
mind you, Murray Walker is over 70 years old.....but i agree, pi$$es me off when you hear people saying you don't have to be fit or strong to drive an F1 car, when they're some of the fittest sportsmen ever, definately not easy things to drive.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackosimm
This is from a european website about F1
Webber fears BMW too slow
February 22, 2005
MARK Webber is worried his new BMW will lack the speed to keep up with the pacesetters at next month's Australian Formula One grand prix.
With local expectations raised even higher for Webber as he makes his Williams debut in Melbourne on March 6, the Australian driver played down his early season hopes.
"We need to have more pace in the car. It hasn't come out as well as we would have hoped for so far," he said.
"But it's a long season, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"We're hoping to win in Melbourne but we're not sure if that's realistic. The other teams are better prepared.
"We've aimed aggressively but we thought the new car would be faster."
Webber's move from Jaguar to Williams last year was seen as the next step toward, fulfilling his early billing as a potential grand prix winner.
Despite his concerns over the speed of the BMW FW27, he is expecting a lot more from himself this year after finishing 16th, 10th and 13th in the drivers' championship in his first three seasons in Formula One.
"Absolutely. Williams is a team clearly at the top of the game, they have a huge history in the sport and set very aggressive goals," he said.
"There's no point saying we'd be happy with fifth or sixth, because we won't be.
"I was aiming to get in the top eight last year, it's not good enough. I'm aiming for podiums now.
"I drove the Williams a few times last year and it was absolutely miles faster than the Jaguar.
"I was doing lap times I could only dream of in the Jaguar."
Webber, 28, is testing the FW27 in Valencia in Spain before flying out to Australia later this week for the opening race of the year.
He drove 81 laps yesterday, setting a personal best lap time of 1min 11.672sec, but his fears about the car's pace were confirmed when McLaren Mercedes driver Pedro de la Rosa flew around in 1:09.023.
Originally from the ACT, Webber revels in racing in Melbourne, where he finished fifth on his F1 debut in 2002 in a Minardi, but is mindful of keeping a lid on the hype.
"Each year I get there later and later. It's important to focus on the simple things and do the job and not let the occasion get out of control," he said.
"But I'm very lucky to have a home race, some guys don't.
"Rubens (Barrichelo) I know loves racing in Brazil but is sometimes a little embarrassed by the facilities. But I can only be very proud of the event in Melbourne.
"It's a great way to start the year.
"Once the helmet is on, I could be anywhere. But when it's off, I really know I'm at home and really enjoy it.
"The parade lap, when you wave to the crowd and they wave the Australian flags and shout your name, that's very special for me." Webber announces his arrival in Australia in spectacular fashion when he drives his BMW FW27 across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.
AAP
Sauber sides with F1 rebels
From correspondents in London
February 22, 2005
SWISS-based Sauber has sided with major Formula One car manufacturers in the battle for the sport's future.
A team spokesman said this morning (AEDT) that at the end of last week Peter Sauber signed a memorandum of understanding presented by the carmakers, who are planning their own series after the current commercial agreement expires in 2007.
Sauber's decision leaves only privately-owned Jordan and Red Bull, who had also reserved judgment after a meeting near London last week, still uncommitted.
Williams' partners BMW, Renault, McLaren's part-owners Mercedes, Toyota, Honda and Minardi have all signed up to the rival manufacturers' memorandum.
Champion Ferrari stands alone in agreeing a unilateral deal with Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) to extend the existing agreement to 2012.
Sauber has used Ferrari engines since 1997 and its decision is likely to signal a break with the FIAT-owned company.
But the manufacturers have offered affordable engines from 2006 for the independent teams that sign up to their vision of the future. BMW has already said it has been in talks with Sauber.
Agence France-Presse
My fellow Australians, boo Ralf Schumacher!
Webber can't win title: Ralf
February 20, 2005
MARK WEBBER has no chance of becoming the Formula One world champion this year or next, according to Ralf Schumacher.
The younger brother of Germany's seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher claims that the Williams team for which he drove the past six years is no longer a top contender.
Schumacher, who has joined Toyota for the season starting at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in two weeks, said Williams was not capable of building a car to win the world championship this year or in 2006.
Speaking to the Kilner Stadt Anzeiger publication, he ridiculed any suggestion that Webber or his new team-mate, German Nick Heidfeld, would be in the hunt for the title in the next two years.
"I do not think BMW Williams have a championship-winning car this season," said Schumacher, who won six GPs in his time with the British-based team.
The relationship between Schumacher and the team deteriorated after some early success and Williams was pleased to see him join Toyota, feeling that he had not been worth his pay packet reputed to be about $15 million a year.
Williams had already known for a year that Schumacher's team-mate, Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, was moving to British rival McLaren this year, and was equally happy to see him go.
Webber has joined Williams for his fourth season in F1, having made his debut with Minardi in 2002 and the past two years raced with Jaguar, which will reappear in Melbourne in 10 days as Red Bull Racing.
Webber's fifth place in his first race remains his best finish from 50 GP starts and he has pinned his faith on Williams to provide him with a car in which he can achieve his first podium and possibly a victory early this season.
Fellow Australian Alan Jones was the Williams team's first world champion in 1980 and Webber is keen to emulate his feat.
Williams team principal Sir Frank Williams has already lavished praise on Webber for his total commitment to success, something he privately felt Schumacher and Montoya lacked.
The design and construction of the team's new FW27 model car has been overseen by an Australian engineer, Sam Michael, who was educated in Canberra a short distance from where Webber grew up at Queanbeyan.
Michael is also supervising pre-season testing of the $A50 million car in Spain and will call the tactical shots throughout the 19 GPs during the year.
Despite Montoya winning the Brazilian GP at the end of last season, Williams finished the constructors' world championship fourth.
Schumacher claimed Williams was now a long way from being a serious rival to the all-conquering Ferrari team which has seen his older brother win the past five drivers titles.
"I did not know I was driving for a top team (at Williams)," Ralf Schumacher said.
"It did not seem that way in the six years I was there.
"The high expectation levels at BMW Williams were totally unrealistic.
"Apart from the engine there was not much quality there and the optimism could not be justified." The Toyota team he has joined is entering its fourth year in F1 and is yet to achieve a podium finish.
AAP
lol ralfs sounding a little upset somebody took his seat....
he's just a sore loser. So unlike his Brother
Could you imagine being in the same business as your brother and your brother was Michael Schumacher?Quote:
Originally Posted by zigengt
THe amount of pressure and the question, So why aren't you like your brother?
Just seems perfect for one of those crazy things to happen, like Ralf snaps and destroys Michaels chance of winning another title or something.
I read that articel on Ralf yeah, as has been said, sounds like someone's a bit annoyed he's not driving for a top line team anymore. Well, second line team, obviously no-ones on the same level as Ferrari!
lol yeah, lot of pressure being the brother of the best and being so far away from him
Webber not up to speed
By Trevor Grant
March 2, 2005
BRITISH driving ace Jenson Button has thrown a wet blanket on Mark Webber fever in Melbourne, querying whether the Australian has the goods to make it to the top in Formula One racing.
Button, a teammate of Webber, damned him with faint praise, describing him as a hard worker whose talent was inferior to the likes of Renault driver Fernando Alonso.
Asked whether he saw Webber as a championship contender, Button, No.1 driver for BAR-Honda, said: "He was a test driver at Bennetton when I was there. I think he works very hard but it's difficult to know how quick he is.
"People ask, 'Is Mark going to challenge for the championship?' His best finish is in a Minardi three years ago which was fifth. It's difficult to know what to think.
"He's a very different driver to Alonso. For me, Alonso is more naturally talented. But I don't think he works hard enough at it.
"That's just from the outside. I don't really know what he gets up to but that's what people say."
Webber, jumping straight in the hot seat at Williams after serving time at back-of-the-grid outfits Minardi and Jaguar, finds himself under huge pressure to perform this week.
Already the Williams' team bosses have signalled the car, which has struck aerodynamic problems, is not ready to win this week.
Ironically, it would have been Button in that seat if his off-season bid to cross to Williams had not been barred by authorities.
As with Webber, he is still to register his first Formula One race victory but the confident 25-year-old Briton, who finished third in the drivers' championship last year with 10 podium finishes, believes he has a great chance of ousting Ferrari's Michael Schumacher as world champion in 2005.
Speaking when BAR-Honda recently launched its 007 car for the 2005 season, Button said if the car proved as fast as expected he could topple Schumacher, hinting the seven-time world champion was now more vulnerable to challengers.
"I saw him make a few mistakes towards the end of (last) season. And when he made one mistake there seemed to be a second one. It's going to help everyone if Michael is making mistakes," Button said.
"He's won more than anyone in the world, but he makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect. We need to capitalise on it."
Although he has concerns about the changes in regulations this year, Button said the new rules – making engines and tyres run for longer and reducing downforce by 25 per cent – would also help narrow the gap between Ferrari and the rest.
"I think the new regulations have really opened the door for teams like McLaren, Williams and ourselves," he said.
"When you are set in your ways as Ferrari has been over the last few years it's always easier to progress. But when you've got to change so dramatically it changes things.
"So that can help us. Plus we've really moved forward with the car."
At the same time, Button said he was concerned about having to run on one set of tyres for the entire race (exceptions will apply for punctures or tyres that have run over debris on the track).
"I'm not happy about it. I think pitstops and tyre changes are part of the excitement of Formula One. Now the car is more difficult to drive," he said.
"People go 'Wow, that's good, it will make it more exciting'. But it doesn't.
"On the last 15 laps of the race, the car is pretty undriveable. It's a really difficult situation to run one set of tyres throughout the race.
"But not just that. We've got less downforce on the car so it is more prone to sliding at the rear.
"So it is going to over-heat the tyres earlier." Asked whether the fans will enjoy a better spectacle as a result, he said: "Yeah, as long as it doesn't get to the point where it's dangerous."
Herald Sun