Motors The Official bit-tech F1 2010 Thread - Post season washup

Exactly, they've won everything else . I agreed that it doesn't really fit the company image though...maybe Suzuki branded? Bentley? Skoda F1 has an interesting ring to it

Vettel finished today's testing nearly half a second ahead of Hamilton, followed by Massa, Buemi and de la Rosa.

 

Lamborghini maybe, but none of the other brands fit. Bentley is only suited to LM, trouble is Audi have got their foot firmly in the LMP1 doorway. No room for another, maybe LMP2 though.

 

After all the talk of Campos earlier, it's looking possible that USF1 could throw in the hat as early as tomorrow.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/02/17/us-f1-set-to-abandon-f1-bid/

 

Also, Campos said they'd announce a saviour today...
Quadbak investments, maybe?

 

Testing day two about to get underway.
Autosport running Commentary

 

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5956816,00.html

 

Villeneuve linked to Stefan GP
http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/81566

 

Oh FFS. And he's had more time than anyone else to raise the capital and get a team together. If Manor / VR and Lotus can do it, why can't USF1 and Campos?

Axe USF1 and Campos now, Get Stefan GP in and someone get Dave Richards on the phone.

 

The worst part about it being that even IF Campos Meta finds a "saviour", they'll not be racing again next year. I'll cost WAY too much for them to get up to speed at this late stage. Everyone can see right now how hard it is for new teams.

 

Prodrive Chairman Richards tells the FIA "Should've picked us, and not the other two loser teams"... or something like that

 

fair enough if you ask me he's totally right, and I don't like Dave Richards very much.

 

and he has a point, i would have rather seen prodrive on the grid than any of the new teams.

its politics once again, why have another UK based entry? give the spanish or the americans a grid slot, think of all the new fans it could bring in and more to the point money! So now were looking at 1/2 of the new teams not even racing

Prodrive was a better prospect than nearly all the new teams but imo didnt fit in with the politics side

 

Agreed. Also If I recall they were rumoured to be doing a deal with Mercedes for engine supply, rather than the Cosworth/FIA option.

 

Hate F1 politics. When it effects the outcome of a race its gone too far. Best example is all the crap about pulling out in front of another car in the pit. Its one set of rules for one team and another for others when it came to punishments.

 

Yup.
ProDrive were IIRC correctly not given a slot because they said they didn't want to use Cossie engines, as they had a 90% sealed deal with Merc for an engine.
It was a sad day when they the spots away. I really wanted Lotus AND ProDrive on the grid.

 

Looks like Campos might actually have a saviour, though. In the form of their majority shareholder, who looks set to buy out Adrian Campos's share

 

what will the team now be called? Possible the shortest team name in history?

 

No idea what the team will be called. Nothing official released yet.

Either way. Weather man predicted some drying for today, with clear, dry runnings for tomorrow.

[url='http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/180"]Link to today's testing commentary[/url]
and while we're at it:
[url='http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/181"]Link to tomorrow's testing commentary[/url]

 

Sounds like gremlins are creeping out for Lotus and Virgin - something that USF1/Campos/Stefan will all have to contend with in a race environment.

I'm not convinced they should even be allowed to compete if they haven't even got a shaken down car with a few miles under its belt before 1st practice of the 1st race.

 

I don't think they are, Krikkit.
Shakedown is first 100km of the car when it's fresh off assembly line. It's more of a safety thing than anything else.
So i would assume (knowing well what assumption really is) that they aren't allowed to race before successful shakedown.

But yes - looking at the amount of issues that Lotus and Virgin seem to be sorting out one-by-one, I can't help but feel a bit worried for the newcomers that aren't racing.
I'm sure it'd be a bit better for Stefan GP, but then - look at MercGP, Williams and other older teams - they're also sorting out issues left right and centre.