2006 Australian Grand Prix - Race 3/18

[Dutch Guy]

I would have a guess at Michael leaving Ferrari and going to another team for 1 more year before retireing.

I thought he repeatedly said he will end his career at Ferrari?

Oz track removes Schu bump

Shame, that is one of the interesting bits, same as the wall in Canada just before the main straight, that always catches a few drivers, that will propably be next on the list to be replaced by a long run-off area

 

[rpstewart]

I thought he repeatedly said he will end his career at Ferrari?

That was my understanding too. It's not like he needs to do a Damon Hill or a Nelson Piquet and keep going beyond his prime to top up the pension fund.

Red Bull is the only team that would have the money / balls / desire to try and tempt him I think but even that's unlikely. It would be an admission that he's past it to move down the grid at this stage of his career.

 

[SKILL]

I really hope raikkonen doesn't go to Ferrari, and I can't see why he'd want to considering the performance of their 2005 car and the current performance of their 2006 car...

Alonso and Raikkonen both at McLaren could make for some very good races, or maybe a renault - mclaren swap, alonso for raikkonen

 

[1ofaKind]

Isn't it pretty much par for the course that Flavio pays his drivers bugger all compared to the other teams??

Therefore I just can't see Kimi taking a big pay cut (he's on decentish money at Mclaren now?) to go to Renault. Imagine if he stayed. Wheel to wheel action each week - loads of repair bills and 40-50million a year in wages!!

I think Button hasn't got much choice but to stay at Honda - he's got to pay Frankie boy 5m a year for the next 3 years so he needs the big money contract.

Schuey I think (though I sort of hope not) might be a face for either Ferrari or some up and coming new team (Audi,VW etc).

Perhaps he can join the F1 commentary team and either bore us to death or just talk plain garbage as they generally do - not so much Brund's but James Allen :|

 

[Flibster]

Exit Gascoyne from Cologne?

The word on the street on Tuesday was that there has been a major shake-up at Panasonic Toyota Racing with our sources saying that technical director (chassis) Mike Gascoyne has departed the team. We contacted Gascoyne to see if there was a story. He is saying nothing at all beyond "No comment" and by default one must assume that there is a problem because in normal circumstances Gascoyne would swat away such rumours. What is not clear is why this may have happened because the team was looking up with Ralf Schumacher's third place in Australia and there was no obvious sign of tension. The first three races have not been easy for Toyota and Gascoyne's driving ambition is not always guaranteed to go down well with people who are used to more coroporate ways. Having said that, corporations tend to lumber along slowly and that rarely works in F1.

We expect that once the story begins to leak out there will have to be some kind of reaction from Toyota.

 

[Zip]

I thought he repeatedly said he will end his career at Ferrari?

It doesn't have much to do with this but an interview he did for a TV show down here he said something like "My priorities have now change, i still love racing but i love to spend time with my family." Then he went on a rant how he thinks he might be able to win the championship if Ferrari manages to sort out the problems with the car because its not competitive enough

 

[rpstewart]

Gascoyne out at Toyota huh?

Now am I not right in thinking that there's a big name team who're short of a technical director at the moment? Perhaps a move to the Woking area might be on the cards?

 

[Bennah]

Mike Gascoyne would be a good adition to McLaren, I hope he does go to them if he does or has already left Toyota.

Shame that they are sorting out the 'Schumacher' bump. It would definatly be good if they kept it there for next year. See what the drivers would do to avoid what JPM and Schummy did this year.

Also, the wall at Canada, is great too. 'Champions Wall' isnt it called? Didnt Button plant his car into it last year?

These types of things, make racing exciting imo, not long huge run off points.

Didnt like it when they changed Monaco. They changed the swimming pool complex part so its just some kerbs instead of a jutting out wall or something along those lines.

 

[Duke]

When they were in their prime they were great but IMO they continued too long.

Villeneuve has been an irritation for a while now (Hockenheim 2005 for instance) and M. Schumacher is only good if he wants to be and has a car he can win in, when pushed or irritated he just loses it.

I will not miss them at all, there are plenty of other drivers that can offer a lot more enthusiasm and exitement.

And please do not rolleyes me, I doubt I am the only one that thinks this way about MSC and JV

Yep totally agree, especially with JV.

 

[rpstewart]

Confirmation of what we heard earlier.

Mike Gascoyne has left Toyota
Technical director Mike Gascoyne has left the Toyota Formula One team as part of a major management and technical reshuffle of the Japanese squad.

Sources have confirmed the news to autosport.com and further suggested that Pascal Vasselon is being lined up to replace Gascoyne as technical director, with other changes expected to take place in both Cologne and at Toyota Motorsport in Tokoyo.

Despite scoring a podium at the Australian Grand Prix, Gascoyne has had a strained relationship with senior team management, which intensified following their troubled start to the season.

Furthermore, a senior official at Toyota Motor Company suggested recently that the company is looking for a replacement for Gascoyne, and once a new technical director was found, the Briton would be released.

Gascoyne's contract was up for renewal in the next few months, and the Briton apparently was not eager to remain at the Cologne-based outfit. However, the option to renew the contract or termintate it was entirely on Toyota's side.

According to a report on grandprix.com today, Gascoyne would not comment on his departure.

Furthermore, Toyota did not issue any comments either, and the team's press and marketing department - usually one of the most attainable in the F1 paddock - has gone underground, with not a single person (of the many working for the department) reachable by phone or mobile.

Gascoyne joined Toyota in 2003 after a successful spell with Renault/Benetton. His salary at Toyota was reportedly the highest a technical director had ever earned, prior to Adrian Newey's move to Red Bull this year.

Vasselon has joined the Cologne-based team last year afer heading the Formula One project for Michelin.

 

[rpstewart]

Ferrari begin testing at Vallelunga
Ferrari began testing at the Italian Vallelunga track today, with both Marc Gene and Luca Badoer carrying testing duties for the Maranello squad.

Under clear blue skies and warm temperatures, Badoer worked on development of the V8 engine, with new components, driving a 248 F1. Gene, at the same time, was driving a modified F2004 fitted with a restricted V10 engine, and was carrying tyre development work for Bridgestone.

Badoer covered a total of 150 laps, with a best time of 1:13.388. Gene ran a total of 113 laps, the fastest being 1:13.052.

Gene will be replaced tomorrow by Michael Schumacher, who will join Badoer at Vallelunga for continued testing work.

Will this mob never learn??? They admitted that the poor pace of the 248F1 was due to the tyres so why the **** are they insisting on developing tyres that suit a 2 year old car??? No wonder they don't work on a 248F1.

That then leads to another question - is the V8 that bad that they can't get enough mileage to use 248 chassis for both testing and racing?

 

[Vertigo]

Will this mob never learn??? They admitted that the poor pace of the 248F1 was due to the tyres so why the **** are they insisting on developing tyres that suit a 2 year old car??? No wonder they don't work on a 248F1.

Because the F2005 was designed to run on harder tyres intended to run qualifying and a full race distance. The F2004 chassis was designed to run softer, shorter-life tyres which bear much greater resemblance to this year's rubber.

Saying things like "Will this mob never learn?" about a team which has recently won six constructor's titles in a row is not really credible tbh.

 

[Richard T]

Will this mob never learn??? They admitted that the poor pace of the 248F1 was due to the tyres so why the **** are they insisting on developing tyres that suit a 2 year old car??? No wonder they don't work on a 248F1.

That then leads to another question - is the V8 that bad that they can't get enough mileage to use 248 chassis for both testing and racing?

either they are short of chassis or engines..... they left 2 chassis in the wall down under!!

 

[Bennah]

Will this mob never learn??? They admitted that the poor pace of the 248F1 was due to the tyres so why the **** are they insisting on developing tyres that suit a 2 year old car??? No wonder they don't work on a 248F1.

That then leads to another question - is the V8 that bad that they can't get enough mileage to use 248 chassis for both testing and racing?

Abit backwards a little I think. Looks to me that, they want to do a load of testing on thier engine so they test it thier recent car 248 F1. When it comes to Bridgestone though they give them a 2 year old car to do testing on the tyre's, they then start to blame Bridgestone for the lack of performance and poor race results. Why dont they just use the tyre testing on the 248 F1 too?

Actually, maybe they are the 2004 V10 restricted car to work out how the Torro Rosso over took them very easily back in Aus

Is the 248 F1, Ferrari's current 2006 car?

 

[Dutch Guy]

Will this mob never learn??? They admitted that the poor pace of the 248F1 was due to the tyres so why the **** are they insisting on developing tyres that suit a 2 year old car??? No wonder they don't work on a 248F1.

The way I read that was the Ferrari was testing with the new car (248 F1 Bennah) and that they did testing work purely for Bridgestone on the old car, not testing how they should set up the car with the tyres but perhaps different tyres for Bridgestone with all the data going to Bridgestone and not Ferrari?

But maybe they really don't have enough V8's to do testing, who knows

 

[Bennah]

Cheers

I would have thought, a team with Ferrari would have had a few V8's spare. Surely they would have taken atleast an engine each to Aus spare for the drivers? Maybe 2 each. Surely they could have used one of them. I know it sounds easy and it isnt but you would have thought, a team like Ferrari who have won a lot of races, drivers championships and constructions would have had an engine going spare

 

[rpstewart]

Toyota: Gascoyne has been suspended
Toyota Motorsport has this morning confirmed that technical director Mike Gascoyne has left his position at the Formula One team, but the company said the Briton has been "suspended".

Reports emerged yesterday that Gascoyne had left Toyota after more than two years, following a period of strained relationship with the senior management and as part of a major reshuffle at the team.

A Toyota Motorsport spokesman effectively confirmed this morning the deteriorating relationship between the sides.

The spokesman said: "Due to a fundamental difference of opinion with regard to the technical operations of its Formula One team, Toyota Motorsport has suspended its Technical Director Chassis, Mike Gascoyne, until further notice.

"Toyota Motorsport will not make any additional comments on this matter at this time."

So, not doing any work but still under contract. I think he's not got long to run on his contract but it's likely to still be enough to prevent him going to another team and having a real effect on next years car.

 

[Bennah]

Hm, so he has been suspended due to some reason, not working for them anymore but cant go any other team as he is still under contract Shame...

But if his contract is up in the next few months, maybe he can go to another team then or he might stay away till next year. Spend time with his family etc.

 

[rpstewart]

Whatever happens he's on gardening leave for a while - at least it's the right time of year for it

That in itself is not a bad thing, when Adrian Newey left Williams he spent about six months staring at the technical regulations before going to McLaren so the 1999 car was virtually designed in his head before he got there.

 

[Dutch Guy]

Whatever happens he's on gardening leave for a while - at least it's the right time of year for it

Not a bad deal really, I'd like to get a 6 figure salary while messing around in my own garden