2005/2006 F1 Silly Season Thread

[jackosimm]

Fire away boys!
I dont have anything myself, just keen to hear whats the latest rumours in this 'off track' silly season

[j3z3z]

i heard jense take it from qball thats all.... (most likely 99% true) JK

[^^v]

would be interesting to see schumi run a team...

[18/02/06 - 14:41]

F1 grapevine on full throttle
News about Schumacher, Hockenheim and more...




Zoom
Michael Schumacher

The grapevine is whispering that Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn might buy Renault and run their own Formula One team, according to Eddie Jordan.

The former team owner, who gave Germany's Schumacher his big break in 1991, told F1 Racing that he has heard about the idea 'being discussed' by the pair.

"Team Schumacher Audi F1 or Team Schumacher Volkswagen F1 would immediately attract a huge following in Germany - and worldwide," the magazine quoted him as saying.

BusinessF1 magazine, meanwhile, has reported that Honda paid Super Aguri's entire $48 million mandatory FIA bond.

Fans of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, at last, can rest easy -- despite all the disquieting headlines, the running of the 2006 race is apparently safe.

At a press conference, mayor and circuit boss Dieter Gummer assured Germany and the world that - financial problems aside - Hockenheim will host the Formula One world in July.

American race negotiations are also clearly going on, with F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone telling Autosprint that the States' annual date could shift in 2007 from Indianapolis to Las Vegas.

The farcical '05 Indy event could not have occurred at a worse time, with the contract set to expire this year.

On the subject of switches, McLaren has turned the tables on Red Bull in the wake of the energy drink-owned outfit's poaching of key engineers Adrian Newey and Peter Prodromou.

It is reported that Rob Taylor, Red Bull's chief designer, has accepted the offer of a McLaren job and will start work at Woking soon.

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

[jackosimm]

c'mon VW!

[LUD02C]

I've always said Renault will leave F1 within 5 years.
I got 3 years (incl this one left)

There new board of directors hate the money going to F1 development and WRC etc.
Bunch of hippies ruin everything.

[jackosimm]

Why'd they decide to pull the plug when there basically on top

[^^v]

i remember hearing one of the Renault reps saying they'd stay in f1 as long as they're competitive ... ie fighting for wins/championship...
so in other words as long as they're getting a return on their investment...

[jackosimm]

Yeah I thought that too, the publicity their getting with their success is sure to keep them going, until they begin to drop pace

[sleepyf1]

not much news regarding the silly season atm. most of the news is about testing and the lead up to the season opener in Bahrain

but here is something. According to the German media, Renault look to be separating from the GPWC and signing up with Bernie's 2008 Concorde.

read on though...there is more to this rumour

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=27144

[LUD02C]

22 Reasons To Look Forward To 2006...
Friday March 03 2006
There are numerous reasons to look forward to this year's Formula One World Championship. Planet-F1 found 22. Take a look...

1 belongs to someone new, Fernando Alonso.

2 World titles up for grab.

3 World Champs on the grid this season: Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve.

4 rookies competing: Nico Rosberg, Scott Speed, Yuji Ide and Tonio Liuzzi.

5 "new" teams in the paddock: BMW, Honda, Midland, Toro Rosso and Super Aguri.

6 teams using Bridgestone tyres: Ferrari, Midland, Toro Rosso, Super Aguri and Toyota and Williams who changed from Michelin in the off-season.

7 sets of tyres for each car to burn per weekend.

8 the turn at Turkey's Istanbul circuit.

9 0' angle 2.4 litre V8 engines will be used this year.

10 past race winners wanting more: Alonso, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Montoya, Schumacher, Ralfie, Trulli, Barrichello, Coulthard and Villeneuve.

11 teams chasing glory: the most since Arrows went under in 2002.

12 qualifying victors seeking pole: Alonso, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Montoya, Ralfie, Trulli, Barrichello, Button, Coulthard, Heidfeld, Villeneuve and Schumacher, who needs one more pole position to beat Ayrton Senna's record of 65.

13 doesn't appear on the grid, therefore...

14 goes to Coulthard even though he's the 13th driver.

15 countries represented on the grid.

16th (and final?) season for Schumacher.

17 grands prix named after their host country: only Europe isn't.

18 races on this year's schedule but it would have been...

19 had Belgium not been axed.

20 drivers raced last season.

21 will be disappointed this year, though, as...

22 drivers chasing the ultimate prize, the World title, which belongs to Fernando Alonso this season...

[Omotesando]

Haha really funny stuff! Well done.

Although, with no.3 - I actually thought David Coulthard was a past World Champion as well? No? :O So that will make it 4.

Unless I'm mistaken, but if my memory serves me right he was world champion before right?

[sleepyf1]

lol great stuff.
If this was a competition you would have won hands down