lmao maz :)

You just made my day too, Alfy! Thanks!

Looks like Kobayashi will be driving! And I find that great news!

http://www.worldcarfans.com/10912162...r-2010--report

Extremely great news! He'll add a whole lot of spice to the soup.

Paul.

Now let's get Sato a seat!

I'm heavily disappointed with Lotus' driver choices. Trulli and Kovalainen are as dull as Toyota's car lineup.

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/80599

The poster is especially amusing...

Umm were to begin. Guess I should start by asking you, who gave you privilege to post articles about any F1 news. From my understanding, me and aln are the only one's atm who have special privilege to post.

So i am going to ask you very nicely and tell me who gave you the right to do so? their are special guidelines that you must follow, to order to post in the best thread in the world. This isnt like the other threads that you find on this site, where a random joe can just post what ever.

So in the future, you will either A. have to call me , B. Email me, or C. pm me. reason why is, i like to controll what is being posted. IF anything negative you find against the MEssiah, i would like to be the first one to know.

My reason behind that is, hamilton fans here are very sensitive ppl. I should know, i am one of those sensitive hamilton fans.

Like last season when hamilton wasnt doing well, hmm let me rephrase that, WHEN HAMILTON CAR WAS NOT DOING WELL (Because the messiah never makes mistakes, and if ppl think that, they are very i dont know, DELUSIONAL) every day i would cry my self to sleep, it got so bad that i broke with my GF , which is also my cat. But that story is for antoher day.

But if you find anything negative agains ferrari, you dont need my persmission.

Alfy, who gave you permission? :rollingla

oh please dont mind aln. he is very modest, he just doenst want to hurt your feelings.

come to think of it, i felt really bad lion. so i am going out of the limb here, and share with you a pic that i taken at brazil. this pic was taken after he defeated massa (cough cough polo) for the championship. he invited me to his atfter party. also dont ask me who those 3 other ppl are, because i dont know.


https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1261002390

umm you must didnt read the memo . for starters, that whole video was photoshopped. no way that the messiah gravel pitted his car. i think he would know where the pit stop is, and sure isnt in the sand. so please stop posting vids that are completely photoshopped by ferrari fans.

^^ umm yah, i think you have a good future with us here.

Thanks for the humor in between the news stories. You guys are awesome.

Paul.

np maz, anythign to make ppl laugh :ylsuper:

Lovely christmascard from Bernie this year! (As always)

http://www.worldcarfans.com/10912202...christmas-card

Report: Formula One heading to Rome
Sunday 20th December 2009

Bernie Ecclestone has agreed a deal which would see Formula One come to the streets of Rome, according to course planner Maurizio Flammini.

A Rome grand prix, raced through the streets of the Italian capital much like that of Monaco, has been in planning for over a year and a half.

And Flammini, the creator of the idea, has revealed they have now been given the green light by the Formula One supremo.

"The agreement with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to give life to the Rome Grand Prix has already been done and signed," he told Sky Italia.

"The appropriate course still has to be defined."

Italy already has a grand prix on the world championship circuit, in Monza.

There were fears when plans for a Rome grand prix were first mooted that it would replace the historic track which has been a more or less permanent fixture in the Formula One calendar since 1922.

However, the mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, insists it will serve as a second Italian grand prix.

"We think the Rome Grand Prix would be very important and we are in favour of it," he said. "And it's not true that it is an alternative to Monza.

"Monza is a grand prix on the circuit, and the grand prix of Rome is integrative to that of Monza, it's not a replacement.

"We have calculated that there will be an income of one billion euros a year with this grand prix and Rome needs to renew its tourist appeal.

"Not only the past, archaeology and monuments, but also the future, something which is aimed at families and youngsters."

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,189...+International

They said 2012 or at the end of the 2011 season...
We will also need an under-pass on the cristoforo colombo... that's gonna suck traffic wise.
Who cares though!
I want to meet at least you al, alfy and paul :)

Roma, here I come :wiggle:.

Unfortunately it seems like I can never get away from this company to which I'm tied :(

Paul.

What began as a wild rumour has slowly edged towards near-fact: Michael Schumacher is returning to the formula one grid.

The hardening speculation has been all but confirmed by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, with whom the 40-year-old German won five of his seven world championships until 2006.

The Italian told international reporters at a Christmas dinner on Friday that, during a conversation with Ferrari adviser Schumacher earlier this week, "he told me there is a very strong possibility" he will race a Mercedes next year.

Montezemolo joked that, after Schumacher renewed his consultancy contract for three additional years at Monza in mid September, the German set to be Nico Rosberg's 2010 teammate is the Ferrari legend's "twin".

"There's another one who looks like him, 40, 41 years old, German, same name and decided to do a new career," he said.

Montezemolo confirms that some of Ferrari's passionate Tifosi will not appreciate the news that Schumacher will be wearing silver in 2010.

"They think Michael is a traitor. But I will explain to them it is not Michael but another one. The real Michael is still with Ferrari."

Schumacher's return is set to be announced either shortly after Christmas, or at the beginning of January.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/10912192...rcedes-in-2010

While I've been all over the US, I've never really left the US before except the British Virgin Islands & Canada (does Canada really count? :)) and I no longer have my traveling companion anymore. So, I don't think this will happen for me. I have never seen a GP live. I've had opportunities to be at USGP during the 80's & 90's when I was a turn marshall (corner worker here in the US). But, it was so much easier to just watch it on TV.

Ecclestone expects two new teams to fold
http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=354037:F1

USF1, Campos, say they will race in 2010
http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=354064:F1

Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes

Seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to race for Mercedes next year, BBC Sport understands.

The German, who will be 41 on 3 January, has signed a contract and the deal will be announced imminently.

Schumacher will partner compatriot Nico Rosberg in the team that won the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2009 in its former guise as Brawn.

His spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said she could not make any comment.

The German newspaper Bild is reporting that Schumacher signed a one-year deal and it is likely he will have the option to continue beyond 2010 if his returns goes well.

Schumacher will reportedly earn £6.2m after signing up to reunite with Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who masterminded all seven of his titles, the first two with Benetton in 1994-5 and the subsequent five with Ferrari from 2000-4.

Mercedes are known to want German rising star Sebastian Vettel in the long term, but the 22-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2012.

Schumacher was forced to call off a planned temporary comeback as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa last season because of a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident last February.

But Schumacher is known to have had medical checks recently and it must be assumed he has been given the all clear as he would not want to face the same embarrassment again.

He signed a revised contract as a consultant for Ferrari, but he told Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo that he was "very close" to concluding a deal to race for Mercedes.

Ferrari have had to release him from his contract to enable him to race for Mercedes.

His comeback is the most high profile in F1 since Austrian Niki Lauda came out of a two-year retirement for the 1982 season to race for McLaren.

Lauda, who was 33 at the time, went on to win a third world title in 1984.

Juan Manuel Fangio is Formula 1's oldest world champion, the Argentine won a fifth world championship at the age of 46 before retiring.

Schumacher has been training hard in preparation for a return and, assuming his neck is fully healed, is not expected to have any problems with fitness.

His former team-mate Eddie Irvine told the BBC last week that he expected Schumacher would win races, even though he would not be as powerful a force as before.

"The speed will be there, though he won't be as fast as he was seven years ago," Irvine said.

"He's not at the peak of his game, but he's still good enough to win races as he has such an immense talent. It's still four wheels, a steering wheel and an engine and there's never been anyone better than Michael."

Irvine said he thought Schumacher would be at a disadvantage in wheel-to-wheel racing compared to the younger generation of drivers such as 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

"Lewis isn't going to back off, but Michael will have to because he'll be 41," Irvine said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/8427552.stm

Damn this is good news! The next season will be so exciting!

I am so looking forward to seeing the racing next year with a lot of cars on the grid.

All of this drama makes this F1 championship like the big brother of racing...

Now alfy must photoChop something because the real Holy Messiah is back! I think that hamilton will be faster though, age is age.

SPEED Extends With Formula One

SPEED™ REACHES MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT ON FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™
DEAL EXTENDS RELATIONSHIP DATING BACK TO NETWORK’S ORIGIN
ADDITIONAL WEB RIGHTS GRANTED TO SPEEDtv.com

SPEED and Formula One Management have reached an agreement to extend a relationship that dates back to 1996, the network’s first full season on the air. SPEED will continue to offer its long-running live coverage of the FIA Formula One World Championship, including live coverage of qualifying and practice sessions.

Continued at: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/artic...h-formula-one/

As a Silver Knight (color soon to be revised when McLarens new livery will be revealed) I am ashamed to admit that the false prophet might actually challenge the Messiah.

Whoever has the faster car of them will take the most victories the next years. I believe the drivers are on par, age or no age. With equal cars I believe we will witness battles mortal eyes are not meant to see (one or the other crashing out, or both)

Alfy, get chopping :)

For the purposes of our discussion here, false prophet doesn't quite fit. I think King works better.

USF1 Website Goes Live
http://www.usgpe.com/index.html

USF1 website shows monocoque construction

Date 2009-12-25

By Motorsport.com/GMM

USF1 has launched an official website, including a video showing progress on its 2010 car.

The new American entry's sporting director Peter Windsor recently denied Bernie Ecclestone's claim that it might not contest next year's world championship.

"F1 has not only survived the global recession, it is expanding still further, with new races in new countries and a 26 car grid," said part of the welcome message.

A video posted to USF1's official Youtube channel, meanwhile, shows the progress at the Charlotte headquarters, including the construction of the car's monocoque.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=354124:F1

Lol

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....that's awesome!!!

Post #1 has been edited to reflect the current team drivers.

You misspelled Heikki in post #1. Sorry for being an ass :)

Rosberg: It was Schumi who made F1 dangerous

The on-track hostilities might still be more than two months away yet, but it seems that tension may already be in the air at Mercedes Grand Prix – with comments made by Nico Rosberg at the end of the 2009 campaign suggesting that his F1 2010 team-mate Michael Schumacher is responsible for legitimising many of the questionable driving tactics seen in the top flight today.

Rosberg has already expressed his belief that compatriot Schumacher could find things tough on his return to the grand prix grid following a three-year absence when the starting lights go out in Bahrain in mid-March [see separate story – click here], and now it has emerged that the 24-year-old previously pinned the blame for some of the lax driving standards in the modern era firmly at the door of the record-breaking seven-time F1 World Champion's infamous 'win-at-all-costs' approach.

“It is Michael Schumacher who started this, like at Spa, when Mika Hakkinen tried to overtake him and he ran him off the track,” the German is quoted as having said by F1 Fanatic shortly after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2009 season finale, alluding to the race ten years ago when the Kerpen native squeezed his Finnish rival virtually onto the grass as they diced for the lead at 200mph, effectively offering him the choice of either backing off or else causing a huge accident. “When the guy behind has made a decision [to pass] and the guy in front then moves over, it is very dangerous. You cannot do that. That was the first time I remember it being a dangerous issue.”

Schumacher has ever been a controversial and divisive figure in the paddock, with few in any doubt as to his talent and none disputing his outstanding success – but a good many more dubious about the somewhat devil-may-care manner he has adopted in order to achieve it, as he has run right to the edge of the limits and rules, and occasionally beyond. Governing body the FIA has more often than not turned a blind eye.

Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve have both been on the receiving end of the 40-year-old's decidedly strong-arm tactics when he is determined to get what he wants, and comparisons have been drawn with the sheer, cold-blooded ruthlessness displayed by fellow multiple title-winner Ayrton Senna. Parking his Ferrari in the middle of the track in the dying moments of qualifying at Monaco in 2006 is another example. It is, Rosberg contends, a dangerous precedent – with others having since looked, learned...and emulated.

“[Rubens] Barrichello, [Mark] Webber and [Kamui] Kobayashi did exactly the same thing [at Interlagos],” he continued. “With Webber, [Kimi] Raikkonen lost his front wing, with Kobayashi, [Kazuki] Nakajima had a massive 'off', which could have been much worse – you can really hurt yourself, marshals and others in that sort of accident. With Barrichello, Lewis [Hamilton] ran into the back of his tyre. That was the third time – and it is not allowed to happen.”

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/155650/...dangerous.html

I did that on purpose. Just to see if there was any life out there and if anyone was paying attention. :p:

A couple of articles popped up that I thought were interesting, but I won't post them in full. If they sound interesting to you, read them at your leisure.

F1 designers call for track changes
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.a...47588&PO=47588

The real reason why car manufacturers are pulling out of F1
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=39728 also,
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...0103-lner.html

USF1 Roundup
 

Lopez closing on USF1 deal, Rossiter for second seat?

Date 2010-01-04
By Motorsport.com/GMM

Jose Maria Lopez looks set to secure one race seat at USF1, and the other may go to the British driver James Rossiter, according to reports from Argentina.
The publication Corsa revealed that Argentine Lopez, who has not raced a single seater since GP2 in 2006, has recently done two days to re-acclimatise at the wheel of a F3 car.
It is said that sponsors on the car, including to promote Argentinean tourism, the Top Race V6 series and the company Kwan, will all accompany Lopez to USF1.
His manager Felipe McGough, also working closely with the Automovil Club Argentino, confirmed that the deal with F1's new American team is still on.
"In the last weeks we made much progress, but the holidays were a complication. All is well.
"They are sensitive contracts. We must have patience. The idea is that the team makes the announcement," he said.
In late November it emerged that Lopez, 26, had penned a deal conditional on the completion of his $8m sponsor package.
Other reports said the team's sporting director Peter Windsor is already working on obtaining a Super License for the Argentinian touring car driver, and is confident of the outcome due to his Renault test duties of some years ago.
Moreover, Lopez is scheduled to travel to Britain and Austria in the next few days for physical training, before travelling to Charlotte for seat fittings and official team events at the end of January.
It is believed the delay in the finalisation of the contract is to organise bank guarantees to cover Lopez's sponsor funds.
According to lavoz.com.ar, Lopez said: "I think that on about the 25th (of January) I am going to go to North Carolina for the official presentation of the team, and if need be some checks on the car before the official February tests in Valencia."

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=354326:F1

US F1 laments summer shutdown

By Pablo Elizalde Monday, January 4th 2010, 13:44 GMT

US F1 factoryUS F1's sporting director Peter Windsor says his team is frustrated by the mandatory summer shutdown imposed in Formula 1 since last year.
Since the rule was introduced, all teams have been forced to shut down their factories during the August break in order to reduce costs.
Windsor said his team, which will make its F1 debut this year, will follow the rules and shut down its factory too, but reluctantly.
"We're all complaining a little about everything closing down for the New Year but - believe me – America is currently much more industrious than the UK," Windsor wrote on the US F1 website's blog.
"Here, at our home base, we were quiet on Christmas Day (naturally) and then again today. The UK – and most of Europe – basically shut down on December 18 and will not stagger back to life until January 4. That's 16 valuable days lost in the too-short life of the F1 European winter.
"And that's not all: remember the August F1 shutdown that was introduced for the first time in 2009? Well, it's happening again in 2010. Understand that most of Europe closes for August and you kind of understand the decision. Unless you're American, that is.
"As in Australia, August for Americans is just another working month in which some people maybe take a week or two away. There's no nationwide shutdown, as such – not of the type that regularly afflicts massive F1 teams like Ferrari.
"For years all of their suppliers have been shutting their doors for the month of August – and for years the European teams have been complaining that the situation has been growing worse, not better."
He added: "There was an F1 team meeting vote in the early fall about whether the 2009 F1 August shutdown had been a 'success'. I was impressed to hear the McLaren guys say that it was a waste of time and that most of their staff had found it all very frustrating, but sadly these were lone voices: the majority of the teams, led by Red Bull, it seemed to me, are firmly committed to the summer shutdown. And so shut down we will."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80730
This one is the talk of the European press.

Ex-Renault boss Flavio Briatore has F1 ban lifted

Former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has had his lifetime ban from motorsport overturned.

The Italian was banned by the sport's governing body, the FIA, for his part in Nelson Piquet Jr's deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

That decision has now been overturned by the French high court.

Briatore's representatives argued that procedures adopted during the investigation were against the FIA's international sporting code.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/8440675.stm

A street race in Rome

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns22012.html

The plan seems to be to use sports grounds along the Via Tre Fontana at the northern end of EUR for the paddock area.

All things considered, it is a great idea — particularly if it does replace the Istanbul race, which is a waste of time and money for all concerned.

An interesting article that contains alot of pre-war Italian Formula One history.

I think is pretty lame that cedes is using the RB name for their car. sounds like a redbull name.

http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/12/medium/8695710.jpg

The 2010 Mercedes GP car will be launched on January 25, according to a report in Germany's Sport Bild weekly.

It emerged shortly after Christmas that the unveiling event would take place late this month in Stuttgart, probably at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Unterturkheim.

In its latest edition on Wednesday, the magazine also revealed that the car will be called the 'Mercedes-Petronas RB1', with the 'RB' standing for team boss Ross Brawn.

Meanwhile, it is claimed that whether Michael Schumacher or Nico Rosberg will conduct the first test day with the car at Valencia on 1 February is yet to be decided.

I feel sorry for Nico in that whole thing, coming from a team where he was definitely the #1 driver, to a team where Schumacher has such a history with both the engine partner, as well as the team principal. I wonder if Schumacher has the #1 clause in his contract again.

yah me too, its must be hard to have a teammate that will pretty much take the show on his team.

^^I'm sure it will be. BUT, looking at it from another perspective, this is the best opportunity for old Nico to show the world what he's got. Really, if he can take the fight to Mike and straight up beat him from time to time, it's going to really increase is worth in the F1 paddock. On the other hand, if Nico gets his ass handed to him on a "silver" (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) platter, then hey...what did we expect, I can think of a whole lot worse people to get an ass kicking from. Better Nico get beat by MS than somebody like....uhhhh, I dunno... Alex Yoong for example.

OH, didn't really address the #1 status issue..., but I can't see Brawn holding Nico back if he out qualifies MS

F1 has been getting better and better over the last few years. I've long been a fan since the early days of ABC Wide World of Sports coverage and attended several US GP's including Watkins Glen, Long Beach, and Dallas. There were several years where the racing turned into a parade, but they've returned to a racing with a passion.

Last year I tried something new that took watching the F1 races to a whole new dimension. Imagine the difference between listening to a radio broadcast of an F1 race vrs an HD broadcast in 1180i on a 52" LCD screen......Thats the level of difference it made.

What I did was joined an rFactor F1 league and ran a simracing series on the same tracks as the F1 races. Simraces were scheduled a couple days after the actual race so about the time the televised race rolls around I already had 100 or so laps in at that track.

Not only were lap times very similar, with proper setup so were shift points, braking points, passing areas, even pit strategy and tire selections.

Watching the race after running laps gives you almost an on-board sensation when they flip to onboard cameras.

Of course if you're not that into F1 then it wouldn't be much interest to you.

My gosh, you are about as old as I am if you saw that show. The problem was the only thing they broadcast was the Monaco GP. (BTW, I was watching the day the guy tumbled off the ski jump.)

i reallly hope nico does really well. i remember last year, he kept on saying that he just needs a good car. so there shouldnt be a excuse for him not to do well with the cu rrent team. unless if he means a good car (the car that breaks down the most ) ferrari lol

thats cool. last year i done something different. I blinded folded my self and imagine the race , by hearing the sound of the cars. ALso imagined Kimi making lattes while driving, hamilton swinging his light saber around. Oh cant forget alonso, putting on makeup while he drives.

this year i am going to the extra mile, ill sim the whole race by using my hotwheels.

Notice that the Ferrari's didn't break down until Michael left the team.

I'll do you one better and do it with HO slot cars. I do have enough track that I can do a resonable sim of the tracks.

I know what you mean. I have been addicted to Silverstone GP circuit on Forza Motorsport. I have been driving around a thousand laps now since I have been at it for a long time. When it is the Silverstone GP I can recognize everything so much easier and the understanding for lines is so much greater. It is lovely.