2006 Spanish Grand Prix - Race 6/18

Flibster · 15 May 2006 at 19:22

Superman Returns with Red Bull

Red Bull Racing are set to continue the team's tradition of recent years and promote the new Hollywood blockbuster "Superman Returns" at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The team would not confirm the news, but autosport.com understands an agreement has been made that will see the cars painted with special livery to promote the Warner Bros movie.

In previous years, Red Bull - and Jaguar Racing before that - promoted in similar fashion the movies "Terminator III", "Ocean's Twelve", and "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith".

"Superman Returns" is directed by Bryan Singer, director of smash hits "X-Men" and "Usual Suspects".

The movie, a remake of the famous comic "Superman", stars Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor.

Spacey, two-time Academy Awards winner, is also expected to be a guest of Red Bull at Monaco.

Flibster · 15 May 2006 at 19:23

FIA rejects move against engine freeze

Motor racing's governing body has rejected a move by teams to try and scrap an engine freeze in Formula One from 2008, as predicted by autosport.com earlier today.

The move looks set to increase tensions between the manufacturers and the sport's governing body with less than six weeks to go before regulations effectively need to be finalised.

At a Sporting Working Group meeting last week, eight out of the 12 teams planning to enter F1 in 2008 voted in favour of a move to reject plans for engine homologation in the sport. They subsequently claimed that the engine freeze concept had been killed off.

But in a fax sent to the teams by FIA president Max Mosley on Monday, a copy of which has been leaked, the governing body has made it clear that it will not accept the wishes of the teams on the matter.

Mosley insists that the engine freeze concept, which was originally suggested by Renault in early 2005, forms an integral part of his plans to dramatically reduce costs in F1.

He makes it clear that the teams that lodged their entries for 2008 effectively accepted the proposal when they submitted their application to remain in the sport.

"The 2008 Formula One World Championship is a competition for cars with homologated engines," said Mosley in the fax. "The purpose of homologation is to reduce drastically the cost of engine development and prevent an unacceptable escalation of performance.

"By entering the Championship, a team accepts the regulations as published and, equally importantly, is entitled to rely on them when deciding whether or not to enter. A major factor in deciding whether or not to enter is the cost of competing. No responsible governing body could agree to rule changes which increase the cost of competing once entries have been accepted.

"There can therefore be no question of abandoning engine homologation or making any other change to the 2008 regulations which would significantly increase the budgets of the teams which have agreed to compete."

Mosley makes it clear that the FIA will only approve tweaking of the 2008 Sporting Regulations by the teams - and does not accept that the last-minute vote taken at the SWG meeting has any grounds to be carried.

Teams can change the proposed Sporting Regulations through a simply majority up until June 30, although the modifications then need to be approved by the F1 Commission and the FIA's World Motorsport Council.

"Fine tuning of the Sporting Regulations is possible on proposal of a simple majority of competing teams, provided the process is complete before 30 June 2006 in accordance with the published rules. Thereafter, any change which could affect the design of the cars will require the same unanimous agreement as a change to the 2008 Technical Regulations.

"In the absence of acceptable proposals for improvement to the homologation regulations, the existing rule of total homologation for three years will stand. If the hoped-for reduction in costs does indeed occur, it is self-evident that homologation will continue in 2011 and beyond, subject to any minor modifications which may appear necessary in the light of experience."

The FIA's stance against the SWG's wholesale rejection of engine freezing is in contrast to its acceptance of tweaks to the engine homologation rules that were agreed by Cosworth, Ferrari and Renault at a meeting at Maranello earlier this year.

"The FIA is always willing to listen to and implement constructive proposals for improvement to the engine homologation or any other rules, particularly any which promote useful research (for example the so-called Maranello proposals)," added Mosley in the fax.

"But only if budgets are not increased, safety is not compromised and the agreed periods of notice are observed."

The teams who are against the engine freeze concept are pushing for a different set of engine rules, which include a limit on the number of power-units a team can use during the season and homologation of certain parts.

They are hoping that specific rules can be framed from these proposals prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, but it remains to be seen whether the FIA will accept this move because it is so intent on sticking with its engine freeze concept.

The FIA's move to reject plans to scrap the engine freeze will likely come as a disappointment to several team bosses, who had made calls at the weekend for the decisions made by the SWG to be supported by the governing body and the F1 Commission.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said: "When you look at the process that unfolded last Wednesday, I was encouraged by the fact that it was a democratic process and all the people who went there worked hard.

"If that is the way we build the future, by a democratic process of evaluating all the options that unfold, then we will have a very good F1. But it has to be democratic through the whole process and that is what I hope will happen."

He added: "I share the view that there seems to be some uncertainty about how it will unfurl. Hopefully if it is a recommendation of the experts then it should be seen as that – and expert opinion should be followed."

Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt made it clear in Spain, however, that he was under the impression the SWG vote would count for nothing with regards to the engine freeze. His team was one of four that voted against the proposal at the meeting.

"If you read the rules of 2008, the engine rules are already written and it's a freezing of the engine for 2008, 2009 and 2010," said Todt. "If you compete in the championship you have to accept the rules in which you are competing. It's written down."

Flibster · 15 May 2006 at 19:34

And finally for today *maybe* a sad rememberance...

20 years since Elio de Angelis died

Formula One's last 'gentleman player', Elio de Angelis, died 20 years ago. The Italian was killed during testing at the Paul Ricard Circuit on 15 May 1986. Elio de Angelis was born in Rome, Italy, on 26 March 1958.

De Angelis raced for the Shadow Team, Lotus and Brabham. In 1986, the year Elio died, he drove the Brbham-BMW BT55 car. During tests at Le Castellet in France, the rear wing of the BT55 came off while driving at high speed, making it lose downforce on the rear wheels and causing the car to cartwheel over a barrier and catch fire.

The impact did not kill the Italian, but, tragically, he could not get out of the car unassisted and the lack of marshalls on the French circuit - or indeed anyone who could have assisted - and a 30 minute delay before an emergency helicopter arrived meant he died of asphyxiation from the smoke. His only other injuries were a broken collar bone and light burns on his back.

Today it has been 20 years since this accident and the young, popular F1 driver died.

Elio de Angelis

Code:

Nationality		Italian	
Active years		1979 - 1986	
Team(s)			Shadow, Lotus, Brabham	
Race starts		109	
Championships		0	
Wins			2	
Podium finishes 	9	
Pole positions		3	
Fastest laps		0	
First Grand Prix	1979 Argentine Grand Prix	
First win		1982 Austrian Grand Prix	
Last win		1985 San Marino Grand Prix	
Last Grand Prix		1986 Monaco Grand Prix

Elio de Angelis (born 26 March 1958 in Rome, Italy; died in Marseille, France 15 May 1986) was a Formula One driver who participated between 1979 and 1986. He raced for the Shadow, Lotus and Brabham teams. He was killed during testing at the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet in 1986. He is sometimes referred to as Formula One's "last gentleman player," and although he was probably not the most talented driver ever, he was certainly among the most popular.

Having driven for Shadow in his debut season in 1979, he switched to Lotus in 1980 and - at the age of 20 - nearly became the youngest Grand Prix winner of all time when he finished a tantalising second at the 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

He left Lotus at the end of the 1985 season when it became clear the team's efforts were being focused on his prodigiously-talented team-mate Ayrton Senna. (De Angelis's replacement in the team was Johnny Dumfries, who owed his place almost entirely to the facts that he would accept being subordinate to Senna, Senna would not tolerate the much more competitive Derek Warwick as a co-driver, and that Dumfries came from a rich Scottish family; Dumfries lasted only one season in Formula One before himself being replaced by Honda-backed Satoru Nakajima.) De Angelis's drive for 1986 was with Brabham - another famous name now in decline - as a replacement for twice World Champion Nelson Piquet (Piquet had left for the Williams team because Brabham boss Bernie Ecclestone would not match his salary demands).

The 1986 Brabham-BMW, the BT55, was a radically-designed car, with a very low ride height. However, it could not arrest Brabham's swift decline, and it quickly became clear that 1986 would not be the year the team recaptured its glory days of the early 1980s. Nevertheless, De Angelis pushed his hardest to help develop the car. During tests at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, the rear wing of the BT55 came off while driving at high speed, making it lose downforce on the rear wheels and causing the car to cartwheel over a barrier and catch fire. The impact did not kill De Angelis, but, tragically, he could not get out of the car unassisted and the lack of marshalls on the French circuit - or indeed anyone who could have assisted - and a 30 minute delay before an emergency helicopter arrived meant he died of asphyxiation from the smoke. His only other injuries were a broken collar bone and light burns on his back.

De Angelis was the last driver to die in an F1 car until Roland Ratzenberger at Imola eight years later. His place in the Brabham team was taken, ironically, by Derek Warwick - allegedly because Warwick was the only unemployed F1 driver who did not contact Ecclestone immediately afterwards asking about the drive.

As well as his considerable skill as a driver, De Angelis was also concert-standard pianist who famously once kept the drivers entertained for an entire evening in the midst of the mid-80s driver's strike.

To this day De Angelis holds the following records:
Most Consecutive 5th Place Finishes (3) – set at 1985 Great Britain
Most 4th Place Qualifications, Finishes, and Fastest Laps (2) – set at 1985 Portugal
Most 12th Place Qualifications, Finishes, and Fastest Laps (1) – set at 1979 Great Britain,
Most 5th Place Finishes (17) – set at 1985 Europe
Most 5th Place Finishes in a Season (6) – set at 1985 Europe

Bennah · 15 May 2006 at 19:55

R.I.P Elio de Angelis...

Back to other news... Honda vs. McLaren this year... Honda feeling that they will come above McLaren at the end of this season standings.

I say, no chance to that. McLaren have been hit and miss but they CAN challenge for race wins and top 3 placements, Honda looks like they could do this but certainly NOT a race win with thier current performance. Barring a crazy race like the one in the USA last year, Honda will not win a race this season. Im very very confident about that.

Honda, go ahead of McLaren is rubbish...

Time to show all the Honda guys that McLaren will be far better off at the end of the season that Honda.

Flibster · 15 May 2006 at 21:21

I like this poll..

How boring was the Spanish GP?

Very boring
5.68%

Very, very boring
1.35%

Very, very, very, boring
3.24%

Very, very, very, very boring
77.57%

I enjoyed it
12.16%

rpstewart · 16 May 2006 at 11:02

Briatore calls for tyre rules changes
Renault boss Flavio Briatore has called on the FIA to make a radical change to next year's tyre regulations in Formula One, amid fears that Ferrari may have an automatic advantage if the rules stay the same because of their intimate knowledge of Bridgestone's current tyres.

With Michelin's withdrawal at the end of this season likely to leave Bridgestone as F1's only tyre supplier in 2007, Briatore is worried that there will not be a level playing field for those teams switching over to the Japanese manufacturer's rubber.

He is concerned that Ferrari's long-standing relationship with Bridgestone, and deep understanding of their grooved tyre products, will hand the Maranello outfit the edge if the tyre rules stay the same.

His concerns grew at last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix when he found it 'strange' that Ferrari were so much better than any of the other Bridgestone teams.

"If we are all on Bridgestone next year, then if you use them already you will surely have an advantage," said Briatore, when asked by autosport.com about why he had called for a look into Ferrari's pace.

"I believe what the FIA and Bridgestone need to do is to change the compound and change the construction completely. I don't think it is fair to give an advantage to some teams - whoever those teams are. I don't care if it is just Ferrari. I believe we need to have equal possibility to do our job."

There are suggestions that Bridgestone are planning to revert their tyres back to similar specifications that were used in 2004 – ironically Ferrari's most dominant campaign of recent years.

Briatore thinks that such a move would be wrong and believes that Bridgestone should be forced to make all new tyres that are completely different in their characteristics to anything that they have produced before.

"If we decide to go with one manufacturer, it must be in the right way," said Briatore. "We want to slow the cars down. Max (Mosley) has the possibility to control the speed of the car through the tyres. It is cheaper for us but we need to be fair.

"We need to make sure that somebody working with Bridgestone for the last five years, that they do not have the advantage."

And Briatore even believes that a switch to slick tyres next year, rather than in 2008, would be one way to ensure that Bridgestone's current teams cannot carry forward any data they currently have.

"For me it would be fantastic," explained Briatore about the idea of using slicks. "Whatever we do we need to do it quickly because we need to design the car.

"I am completely open to whatever the rules are. We need to be correct and we need to make sure that no one has an advantage. I don't ask for anything special for us, I want the competition to be fair and the tyre is so predominant.

"And it is not only me that thinks this. Everybody in Michelin has the same problems. I think even my friend Ron Dennis thinks like this."

When asked whether he has spoken to Mosley about his concerns, Briatore responded: "I think Max knows this already. I don't think it is so difficult."

Briatore is currently weighing up whether to continue with Renault next year, and would likely only commit his future if he was sure that the team would be competitive.

The guy's got a real point!

When was the last time you heard an Italian playboy speak this much sense?

Dutch Guy · 16 May 2006 at 12:11

Renault made the decision to stay with Michelin, they could have changed already, their choice :confused:

And they can test in the winter with Bridgestone can't they, it all sounds a bit OTT

Easy fix would be to reduce the wings by 50% and let them use slicks to increase the mechanical grip

Flibster · 16 May 2006 at 12:40

So much for democracy

As revealed in its report on the inaugural meeting of the Sporting Working Group, things did not go well for the FIA, indeed the assembled teams voted out all of Max Mosley's proposals for 2008, including a three-year engine 'freeze'.

At the time, questions were raised of how Mr Mosley would react, to what is a democratic decision, even if it isn't the decision he wanted. The answer wasn't long in coming, and just hours after we appeared to have peace in F1, it seems as though a whole new argument is about to break out.

In a faxed message to the teams, Mosley states that "the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship is a competition for cars with homologated engines", adding that "in the absence of acceptable proposals for improvement to the homologation regulations, the existing rule of total homologation for three years will stand".

In other words, the democratic vote of the SWG has been thrown out by the sport's governing body, even though the engine freeze proposal, like many of the others, only ever had four teams in favour.

The contents of the fax sent to the teams can be seen below:

The 2008 Formula One World Championship is a competition for cars with homologated engines. The purpose of homologation is to reduce drastically the cost of engine development and prevent an unacceptable escalation of performance. By entering the Championship, a team accepts the regulations as published and, equally importantly, is entitled to rely on them when deciding whether or not to enter. A major factor in deciding whether or not to enter is the cost of competing. No responsible governing body could agree to rule changes which increase the cost of competing once entries have been accepted.

There can therefore be no question of abandoning engine homologation or making any other change to the 2008 regulations which would significantly increase the budgets of the teams which have agreed to compete.

Fine tuning of the Sporting Regulations is possible on proposal of a simple majority of competing teams, provided the process is complete before 30 June 2006 in accordance with the published rules. Thereafter, any change which could affect the design of the cars will require the same unanimous agreement as a change to the 2008 Technical Regulations.

In the absence of acceptable proposals for improvement to the homologation regulations, the existing rule of total homologation for three years will stand. If the hoped-for reduction in costs does indeed occur, it is self-evident that homologation will continue in 2011 and beyond, subject to any minor modifications which may appear necessary in the light of experience.

Without homologation, the engine suppliers and car manufacturers involved in Formula One would continue to spend collectively in excess of €1 billion each year on development. This blatant waste of money is clearly unsustainable, particularly when some of the enormous costs involved are being passed on to the independent teams.

The FIA is always willing to listen to and implement constructive proposals for improvement to the engine homologation or any other rules, particularly any which promote useful research (for example the so-called Maranello proposals), but only if budgets are not increased, safety is not compromised and the agreed periods of notice are observed.

Flibster · 16 May 2006 at 12:41

BRDC is in the money

No doubt Bernie Ecclestone will be delighted to hear that the financial situation at the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) is not quite as bleak as some would have us believe.

Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid report that the BRDC made a £15m profit in 2005, following a £471,000 loss in 2004.

The main reason for this amazing turnaround in fortune is due to the £22m paid to the BRDC by Interpublic, which ended its contract to promote the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in December 2004.

The windfall from Interpublic has allowed the BRDC to pay off a total of £3.1m in bank loans, leaving it with around £22.6m in cash.

Dutch Guy · 16 May 2006 at 13:13

Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid report that the BRDC made a £15m profit in 2005, following a £471,000 loss in 2004.

The main reason for this amazing turnaround in fortune is due to the £22m paid to the BRDC by Interpublic, which ended its contract to promote the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in December 2004

In other words: without the payment by Interpublic they would have a loss of £7m

Flibster · 16 May 2006 at 21:35

Webber urges teams to act on safety

Mark Webber has urged Formula One teams to now act urgently on making promised improvements to testing safety after they agreed last week to do everything they could to help.

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association held talks with team managers prior to last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix to discuss ways of improving safety, and Webber is now hoping action is taken soon.

He believes that fellow drivers should not allow the momentum behind improvement to die down - and that they would be 'stupid' to not have the situation sorted by the start of winter testing later this year.

"We need to get on with it," he said after the team manager's meeting. "Everyone agrees that we are a bit light on it, and that is a step in itself.

"I think we cannot go into November this year without improvements. The drivers would be stupid. We have to get on with it and make a stance and do it properly."

Webber wants the teams to begin working in co-operation with the FIA to achieve the kind of levels of safety, specifically medical response teams, that the GPDA believe are lacking.

"I think the teams and the FIA have got to sort something out," he explained. "We are trying to be adults about it, there is a bit of a weakness and we need to get on top of it. It has gone on a little bit too long.

"We have been a bit lucky and we might be lucky for another 25 years which would be great, brilliant. But there is going to be a nasty little moment one day in November at four in the afternoon, and will the guy be alright? We don't know. That is what we are worried about."

And Webber has rejected claims by McLaren boss Ron Dennis that levels of safety at tests are at an acceptable level – and that it was impossible to guarantee the kind of coverage that there is a Grand Prix meetings.

"Every month we wait we are getting closer to that big shunt," he claimed. "That is the way it is. We have been brilliantly fortunate.

"Ron doesn't want anyone to get hurt. He has obviously got his opinion, which is fine, but my opinion is different. In racing, safety is more than adequate, it is brilliant, but at tests you just have to stop at the side of the track and see that there are just good Samaritans looking after you."

When asked whether he believed drivers would be willing to part-fund some of the necessary improvements, Webber said: "We haven't spoke about it, but I personally would be happy to do that."

Flibster · 16 May 2006 at 21:37

Briatore still coy on F1 future

Renault boss Flavio Briatore has said that his future at the team is unlikely to be influenced by the French car manufacturer's decision to commit long-term to Formula One.

Although doubts about the team's immediate future in the sport have been alleviated with them committing to F1 until 2012, Briatore has still said that he remains undecided about his future plans.

He has made it clear that he is only interested in doing what is best for the team.

"I don't want to talk too much about my future," he said when asked about what impact Renault's decision would have on his own decision. "What is important is the team.

"I had a commitment with Renault when I signed. I promised Renault to win the championship within four years. I did not guarantee them a second title - I only guaranteed one.

"So let's see what happens in the future. I don't think the issue is Briatore staying at Renault or not. The issue is that I want Renault to be competitive."

Briatore's comments come after Renault F1 president Alain Dassas said on Sunday that he did not want to 'envision' the possibility of Briatore not renewing his contract with the team on the back of their new commitment to the sport.

"I expect Flavio to take his decision as quickly as possible, but the fact is that we are committed for a long period of time, the fact is that we have stated clearly that we want to have a driver who is ready to give top performance," he explained.

"What interests Flavio, but you should ask him, is that he wants to be at the top of the races. So if we give him the means to be at the top, I think he will be happy to sign. But, again, I am not Flavio, so you should ask him."

Speaking about the GPMA decision to sign up with Ecclestone, Briatore said: "We lost six years in negotiations and that is a lot. Every year we were getting a worse deal and at some point we had to stop.

"I am happy for Renault. It is important for F1 to have a team like Renault."

Flibster · 16 May 2006 at 21:38

Has anyone noticed Volkswagen's sponsorships?

Red Bull Racing is due to use Ferrari V8 engines in 2007 and Scuderia Toro Rosso will presumably switch over to Cosworth V8s, the two Red Bull teams will not go on leading separate lives forever, particularly when the rules for 2008 will allow them to share chassis and engines.

The big question that everyone is asking is which engines the team will use when that happens.

There are some who believe that Red Bull will buy Cosworth Racing but it is also worth noting the developing relationship between Red Bull and the Volkswagen group.

Red Bull is backing the VW Tuaregs in Rally Raids, Skoda in the World Rally Championship, Seat in the World Touring Car Championship and Audi in DTM. There is clearly a policy for the two companies to work together and ultimately it may be that Audi will come to F1 with Red Bull when the company restructuring is further along its path.

The company is cutting 20,000 jobs over the next three years as well as trimming production capacity and reorganizing its component supplies but strong unions mean that further reduction is going to be tough and so the best way to improve the figures is sell more high-margin luxury cars.

The company is currently making money with Audi and with its Czech brand Skoda (which has lower labour costs) but is losing money with the VW and Seat brands.

At the moment Audi is busy trying to win the Le Mans 24 Hours with a diesel engine. The engine division at Audi Sport is headed by engineer Ulrich Baretzky, a BMW-trained engineer who worked for BMW Motorsport between 1982 and 1986, ending up as the Project Leader in F1. He has been head of race engine design at Audi since 1993. His team of engineers have been very successful in all the formulae that they have entered and are quite capable of producing F1 engines if the budget is available.

Flibster · 20 May 2006 at 23:17

The F1 Video's

They're kind of in some form of order... Not great but it'll do.

The 2003 Video's

Safety Focus - Expenses

Literally two hundred thousand individual items are designed and manufactured by the team each year. This video gives you an insight into Formula One expenses.

14mb Realmedia file - Linky

Safety Focus - Crash Barriers

A Grand Prix track is always made safe by a combination of different building measures. This video gives you an insight into Formula One crash barriers.

12mb Realmedia file - Linky

Safety Focus - F1 Engines

The propulsion of a Formula One car is spectacular, from 0 to 100 in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 350kph. This video gives you an insight into Formula One engines.

14mb Realmedia file - Linky

Safety Focus - Electronic Driver Aids

When the two BMW drivers go out on the track they both have an electronic co-driver. This video gives you an insight into Formula One electronic driver aids.

12mb Realmedia file - Linky

Ralf Schumacher in Shanghai

After the completion of the 2003 Formula One season BMW WilliamsF1 driver Ralf Schumacher took time out to visit the Shanghai, the site for the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix. This video gives you an insight into his time in China as well as the new Shanghai circuit..

15mb Realmedia file - Linky

Flibster · 20 May 2006 at 23:43

The 2004 Video's

Safety Focus - Tyres

Formula One tyres are unique, hand-crafted items. The product of extensive research. This video gives you an insight into the what has been called the black gold of Formula One.

11mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Fitness

The fitness of each Formula One driver ensures that they can stand up to the challenge. This video gives you an insight into the subject of physical fitness.

11mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Centre of Gravity

If the centre of gravity isn't right, the car won't be competitive, let alone be able to win. This video gives you an insight into what it takes to get the centre of gravity right.

11mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Crash Tests

The safety of the modern Formula One driver is in large part a function of the strength of his car. The crash tests required by the FIA makes sure that the monocoque remains intact in an accident, thus protecting the driver.

12mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Setup

No matter how well designers and engineers have worked on the aerodynamics, centre of gravity and chassis. No car is ideal for every track straight from the factory. This video gives you an insight into setup.

13mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Pitstops

Every bit as much as the drivers on the track, the mechanics who carry out pit stops battle for tenths of a second. This video gives you an insight into the world of a Formula One pitstop.

13mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Steering Wheel

Welcome to a Formula driver's command centre. This video gives you an insight into the Formula One steering wheel.

12mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Logistics

Everything on time and in the right place. This Allianz video gives you an insight into what makes up Formula One logistics.

12mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Seat

A Formula One driver's seat has to not only be comfortable but also safe. This Allianz video gives you an insight into what goes into making a F1 seat.

16mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Materials

Researching the best design goes hand in hand with the search for the optimal materials. This Allianz video gives you an insight into the materials that make a F1 car.

16mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Oil

It's Oil that lets mechanical parts run smoothly, and a good oil means better performance. This Allianz video gives you an insight into the F1 oils.

18mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Hungarian Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Hungarian Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

20mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Track Development

This year no less than two new circuits were built: Shanghai & Bahrain. This Allianz video gives you an insight into developments in track design.

17mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Belgian Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Belgian Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

20mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Brakes

Brakes are one of a Formula One car's most remarkable components. This Allianz video gives you an insight into Formula One brakes.

17mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Italian Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Italian Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

19mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Strategy

Having the right race strategy has been the key to many victories. This Allianz video gives you an insight into what goes on behind the scenes with a teams race strategy.

17mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Chinese Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Chinese Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

19mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - F1 Helmets

Drivers aim to have the best possible protection when they are behind the wheel of their cars. Part of this protection is made up by their helmets. But they are no ordinary helmets.

18mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Japanese Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Japanese Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

20mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Safety Focus - Engines

0 to 100 in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 350 km/h. Formula One engines have changed over time and this video gives you an insight these powerful engines.

13mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

2004 Brazilian Grand Prix Preview

Here are some interesting facts regarding the Brazilian Grand Prix, presented in this video from Allianz.

13mb Realmedia file - [Linky]

Flibster · 20 May 2006 at 23:47

If you *like most normal people* hate realplayer..

You need this...Real Alternative

All the video's are either Realmedia or WMV....

Will do 2005 and 2006 tomorrow.

Simon/~Flibster

Vertigo · 21 May 2006 at 09:08

Is anyone else getting fed up with Eddie Jordan.

All he seems to be doing at present is whinging about the FIA's selection process for the 12th team from 2008 onwards.

To my mind, Jordan should have been excluded from the start as he's already had a shot at it and sold his team. As evidenced by the number of applicants, many people would give their eye teeth to get into F1 yet Jordan was there and sold his team for a pile of cash. Now he wants another go? Get lost Eddie.

Flibster · 21 May 2006 at 12:37

Vertigo1 said:
Is anyone else getting fed up with Eddie Jordan.

All he seems to be doing at present is whinging about the FIA's selection process for the 12th team from 2008 onwards.

To my mind, Jordan should have been excluded from the start as he's already had a shot at it and sold his team. As evidenced by the number of applicants, many people would give their eye teeth to get into F1 yet Jordan was there and sold his team for a pile of cash. Now he wants another go? Get lost Eddie.

Yup - he's a personality thats needed in F1 - but his constant whining over the past few years *even more than Stoddart's - as his had a purpose of keeping the smaller teams in F1 - Jordan's was just about HIS team* has really wound me up.

In case no-one knows what this is about - the news item will follow.

Flibster · 21 May 2006 at 12:38

Jordan questions FIA's teams selection

Former team boss Eddie Jordan has questioned the way in which the FIA selected teams for 2008, after his own application for a return to the sport was turned down.

Jordan claimed he is not bitter about having his application rejected in favour of David Richards' Prodrive operation, but said he is disappointed the FIA has not fully explained how it made its decision.

He believes the lack of explanation is confusing for outfits hoping to make the move up to F1, because it does not allow them to focus on the areas that they may need to improve to convince the governing body to give them a chance.

"Personally, I am surprised there were 22 applications for 2008 as I can't imagine a new team coming fifth in the championship now," said Jordan in his exclusive column in June's edition of F1 Racing, which is available in the shops next week.

"I entered the '08 process because I believe that, with controlled costs and level playing field, we could return to our heyday.

"But I was turned down: fair enough, I've had my chance and others deserve theirs. But I'm sure many applicants were disappointed not to know what the selection criteria were.

"In the past if you wanted to build and race a car you could turn up and try pre-qualifying. If they don't even know the criteria, how will young teams like Carlin ever get their chance?"

F1 Racing also reveals the full list of the 11 new teams who made their applications to join F1 in 2008.

As well as the known entries of Direxiv, Prodrive, Jordan, European Minardi, AMT Promotions (Carlin Motorsport) and BCN Competicion, there are details of the other five outfits who have not previously been confirmed in public.

These include Craig Pollock's Baram F1; the ALK Group, run by Kane Khan and Adam Kiten; North Western, entered by law firm Lennox Bywater; Filmty Interactive, backed by North American digital technology company Eye2Buy; and Luxrace Tech, guided by director Boris Barnes.

Flibster · 21 May 2006 at 12:40

Mosley toys with drivers swapping idea

FIA president Max Mosley has resurfaced his idea of swapping drivers among teams after every race, although Mosley is under no illusion this plan will ever be implemented in Formula One.

Writing in his exclusive column for F1 Racing, Mosley is attempting to make the point that Formula One is not run solely based on his own wishes, but rather as an equitable democracy.

"Critics who claim the contrary are invariably people who haven't bothered to investigate," Mosley writes, while taking another dig at Michelin, "such as the tyre company executive who attacked us for going to a single tyre supplier for 2008 without realising that we did this at the unanimous request of the teams and car manufacturers involved in F1."

And to prove his point, Mosley lays out his idea for drivers swap - an idea he says "would never get through the FIA's democratic procedures."

Mosley has already suggested the idea publicly in 2002, when the FIA was looking into various ideas to improve the spectacle of Formula One, following a dominant year by Ferrari and Michael Schumacher.

"With my scheme, the world championship would work in an entirely different way," Mosley explains in his latest F1 Racing column, Grip 'n' Spin.

"For simplicity, let's assume there are 12 teams and 18 races. Each driver would drive each car once, so that after the first 12 races all 24 drivers would have driven the car of each team once.

"At this point, the leading driver would nominate the six different teams for which he'd drive in the last six races. The driver lying second in the championship would then make his choices, and so on.

"The order in which each driver drove for each team would be decided by lot for both the first 12 races and the last six races. Points for drivers and teams would be awarded as now.

"It would be fascinating, wouldn't it, to see how Michael Schumacher would get on in a McLaren or STR, or Kimi Raikkonen in a Renault or Midland; not to mention the current STR, Midland or Aguri drivers having a go in the top cars? Each race would feature whole new combinations.

"And, most important, no one could even say that a driver won the title because he had the best car or that a car won because it had the best driver. A lot of illusions would be shattered."

According to Mosley, under his scheme car development and testing would be carried out by test drivers - similar to today's Friday third drivers - who in turn will become the "pool of drivers that the next race drivers would be drawn" from.

He also suggests the drivers would be paid "a modest basic fee" by the sport's commercial rights holder and would make up their riches from personal sponsorship.

But Mosley admits the idea is widely regarded as "impractical, or even fairly mad," and he adds: "I don't suppose it will ever happen, and it's only one of a number of things I'd do if I could.

"Perhaps it is as well that it isn't just down to me."

No...no, no no no no no...NO!