Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) Prodrive lodges F1 entry for 2010 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75671 Lola confirms 2010 F1 entry http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75676 So that's Prodrive, Lola, Campos Meta F1 and US F1... Isn't there only 3 additional places in 2010? If so, anyone know how it'll be decided? I have no idea how it's decided but my guess would be (and this is merely a guess). Lola and Prodrive will be accepted on the basis that both teams have had a significant degree of association with / participation in the sport in the past (Lola as a team and Dave Richards who is now the head of Prodrive, ex-principal of BAR racing). I am also confident that USF1 will be accepted because of how far along the team is and the fact that they have a well run outfit which has been in operation for well over a year. The car is development is very far along suggesting that they are the most serious of all the new bidders. The market is Spain is centred solely around Fernanodo Alonso and if he vacates the sport as rumours suggest, Campos Meta may find it difficult to get funding, also if he stays he is providing unprecedented competetion for Spanish business which will work against Campos Meta F1. What's more is I think they'll re-introduce the Qualifying cut off rule from the mid-90's so that all 26 cars won't be on the track during the race, maybe. Edited May 29, 2009 by Nicktendo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 I actually hope USF1 get that Danica chick in the car. Not that she'd be any good but it'd be good to get some more people watching the sport. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 It would get more people watcing but I can't agree with Danica being in the sport. Whilst F1 does get the very occasional questionable driver *sorry Piquet*, it's supposed to be the best drivers in the world, and she certainly isn't one of them! At the moment I also think Campos Meta are the most likely team to go. Like you say Nicktendo, Lola and Prodrive for their past associations, and surely US F1 to help bring the sport back to the America whilst it hasn't got a place on the calander. It was wasn't for the move towards cost cutting, I think we might have seen a return to Pre-Qualifying, however, I don't think F1 could justify flying teams and cars all over the world that aren't then going to take part in the race. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 I'm personally reluctant to write off any prospective competitor entering F1 from elsewhere, as any success or lack there of in other series seems to have a tendency to mislead. Buemi has only ever been a runner up elsewhere and yet he's already shown himself to be a precocious talent in F1. His teammate Bourdais meanwhile, despite 4 consecutive Champ Car championship wins continues to struggle desperately by comparison. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 I'm personally reluctant to write off any prospective competitor entering F1 from elsewhere, as any success or lack there of in other series seems to have a tendency to mislead. Buemi has only ever been a runner up elsewhere and yet he's already shown himself to be a precocious talent in F1. His teammate Bourdais meanwhile, despite 4 consecutive Champ Car championship wins continues to struggle desperately by comparison. Yeah I agree completely, Buemi has been frankly amazing this season both for his age, and expericence. Bourdais has been a massive disapointment, despite being a nice guy he's been truly out mastered by Buemi and Vettel last season. I would give most at least a chance, for instance Piquet was quick in GP2 but he's proved himself to be more than useless this season. Just because someone is quick or slow in another series doesn't mean it will directly translate into F1. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 Hopefully with these smaller teams entering the sport, F1 will go back more to how it was 5-10 years ago, when drivers like Alonso/Raikkonen etc... would almost do an apprentiship year in a smaller team less competitive team like Minardi/Sauber to prove themselves before then being taken up by a bigger team like Renault/McLaren. That doesn't really seem to be happening atm. Driver's like Sutil seem stuck at Force India, whilst the likes of Piquet and Hamilton [though he's somewhat of an exception] just walk straight into the big teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) Well, ProDrive, USF1 and the Campos team are the new entries to the F1 grid according to the BBC F1 website. Think they'll probably be only Force India competitive. But who knows. Edited May 29, 2009 by Emerald Emblem Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 30, 2009 Well, ProDrive, USF1 and the Campos team are the new entries to the F1 grid according to the BBC F1 website. Think they'll probably be only Force India competitive. But who knows. That'd be good though, get some overtaking going on at the back aswell as at the front Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 30, 2009 Where does the BBC website confirm those are the 3 new teams? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 30, 2009 (edited) In an article about the other F1 teams signing up for next season. They didn't mention Lola at all in it. Mind you I guess you can't call that confirmed. Edited May 30, 2009 by Emerald Emblem Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 30, 2009 I'm personally reluctant to write off any prospective competitor entering F1 from elsewhere, as any success or lack there of in other series seems to have a tendency to mislead. Buemi has only ever been a runner up elsewhere and yet he's already shown himself to be a precocious talent in F1. His teammate Bourdais meanwhile, despite 4 consecutive Champ Car championship wins continues to struggle desperately by comparison. Yeah Buemi has been mighty quick, and remember he's made 2 mistakes that have led to him DNFing. Not many people know it but Raikonnen had only competed in 21 races before entering F1. And no, that's not Formula 3, it was so other league; he got spotted in his 3rd race and 10 races later it was confirmed he'd leave for F1...how weird is that I'd be very happy with 2 or 3 teams down there competing with Force India, aslong as they're not horribly slow and it's as tight as it is now (as in, if a big driver makes a small mistake in qualifying he's out in Q1). It'd be a great way to monitor how quick some drivers in the weaker teams are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 30, 2009 (edited) Not many people know it but Raikonnen had only competed in 21 races before entering F1. His early career makes for legendary reading... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimi_R%C3%A4ikk%C3%B6nen Early career (until 2000) Räikkönen had a long line of success in karting from the age of ten. His first race outside Finland was in Monaco when he was 15 years old. During the race, the steering wheel broke, but he continued, informing his mechanic by frantically waving the steering wheel in the air on the home straight. Räikkönen's next Monaco race was also memorable; he was thrown on the wrong side of the safety fence in a first lap collision, but continued driving until running out of road. Undeterred, he lifted his kart back on to the track and continued to race. His mechanic thought Räikkönen had retired, but he eventually caught up with the other competitors and finished third. In 1998 he was 1st in Nordic (karting) Championship at Varna in Norway. In 1999, Räikkönen was placed second in the European Formula Super A championship. In the same year, he also competed in the Formula Ford Euro Cup. By the age of twenty, he had won the British Formula Renault winter series, winning the first four races of the year. In 2000, he won seven out of ten events in the Formula Renault UK Championship. Over two series of Formula Renault (1999, 2000), he won 13 out of 23 events — a 56% win rate. Sauber (2001) On the basis of these results, Peter Sauber gave the Finn a test with the Sauber Formula One team in September 2000 at the Mugello Circuit. After further tests in Jerez and Barcelona, Sauber signed Räikkönen for the 2001 season. However, some critics (including FIA president Max Mosley) voiced concerns over granting an F1 Super Licence to such an inexperienced driver: Räikkönen had only 23 car races to his credit. He was nevertheless granted his license and scored a championship point in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, his maiden Grand Prix. Räikkönen was asleep 30 minutes before the race. Räikkönen had a solid debut year, achieving four points-scoring finishes and eight finishes in the top eight. Completing the year with 9 points, Räikkönen, along with teammate Nick Heidfeld, helped Sauber to its best ever result of fourth place in the constructors' championship. Edited May 30, 2009 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 So, have they revealed what those "additional conditions" were that convinced Ferrari & co to continue? Any thoughts? Something as in "teams with lower budget can't use KERS" or something? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 So, have they revealed what those "additional conditions" were that convinced Ferrari & co to continue? Any thoughts? Something as in "teams with lower budget can't use KERS" or something? Na i think it's just stability in rules (ie. the FIA can't suddenly impose new rules like they tried to with the budget cap). Also i think the budget cap will NOT include driver salaries anymore when the FIA wanted that included. Could well have something to do with getting rid of the medal system and just changing the amount of points given to winners. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Driver salaries were never part of the budget cap. Same with marketing and hospitality fees, and some other stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Driver salaries were never part of the budget cap. I thought they were? Belgian commentators said so. <Cue Belgian commentators for the suckz0r-comments> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Driver salaries were never part of the budget cap. Same with marketing and hospitality fees, and some other stuff. I think they were. I remember davidson and crofty mentioning it during the race last week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 I'm sure I read that they weren't. Found it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8025566.stm Expenditure such as driver salaries, engine costs (for 2010 only), fines, penalties and marketing and hospitality will not come under the £40m budget. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Damn Belgian commentators! Just watch the BBC coverage online if your commentators suck so bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Just watch the BBC coverage online if your commentators suck so bad. Aslong as you don't get that bloody Legard 'Here's button..is it going to be good enough? YES! That's Button, from Rubens, From Massa...so we've got brawn, from brawn, for Ferrari. Now, here's Vettel coming down the left hander...still turning left...still turning left..and now right, he's REALLY ON A CHARGE NOW!'. I hate him so much it's untrue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 Hahaha. Yeah. Something about British commentators - first James Allen, now Legard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 No commentator in F1 can compare to Murray Walker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 31, 2009 I miss James Allen. FUCK. I never thought I'd say that 12 months ago... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
