F1 in 2012

[drd23]

And that would be the answer to your question in post #32 MWNN.

Once to was revealed that Kimi was looking to get back into F1 with Williams, it was always just a matter of where the sponsorship would come from.

I'll be happy to have my favourite driver back in F1 if/when its announced

 

[BomberFletch31]

I'll be happy to have my favourite driver back in F1 if/when its announced

And as a Williams fan I'd be absolutely delighted if Williams were to hire Raikkonen. So once again Williams will have a World Champion in their driver line-up

 

[hammertime#8]

Has there ever been 6 World Champions on the same grid?

 

[Golding]

So where to for Rubens now? HRT? Virgin?

 

[Punchy Bassett]

So where to for Rubens now? HRT? Virgin?

Wherever he goes can take Maldonado with him

 

[ManWithNoName]

Wherever he goes can take Maldonado with him

Maldonado's done exceptionally well. Out driven Rubens this year, which is a phenomenal job considering Rubens' experience and the dog of a car he's driving.

 

[Simple Jack]

8 other teams would take Maldonado in a heartbeat.

He paddles to work in a canoe made of money.

The fact that he is a decent driver is secondary but doesn't hurt his case.

 

[BomberFletch31]

8 other teams would take Maldonado in a heartbeat.

He paddles to work in a canoe made of money.

The fact that he is a decent driver is secondary but doesn't hurt his case.

Agreed. Earlier this year I bagged Maldonado for being a pay driver, and thought that he would be a mobile chicane. His performances this year have made me eat my words. I would still prefer to see Hulkenberg in that seat, because I think he is a better driver than Maldonado, but I wouldn't mind if Maldonado keeps his place there - obviously, he brings in more money than Hulkenberg.

Barrichello, by contrast, is just about finished. He's had a good career so far, but being beaten by a rookie is never a good look. I think the time for him to hang up his helmet has come.

 

[Sven]

The Formula 1 Commission is understood to have approved the F1 name-change applications that were part of the agenda at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, today.


From 2012 Team Lotus will race under the Caterham name, Renault will become Lotus and Virgin Racing will be known as Marussia, in deference to the team's principal investor.

also some news that should improve HRTs performance....

HRT will have a KERS system in 2012, having renewed and extended its collaboration with Williams until the end of next year.



HRT has used a Williams gearbox this season and the new deal provides for greater technical collaboration aimed at improving HRT's performance level.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Why doesn't every team change their name. Just to make it really stupid.

 

[Simple Jack]

So we're going to have no Renault named team next year. Interesting for a team that won back to back WDC only a few years ago.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Rubens has basically confirmed he won't be at Williams next year

"Working so hard to have a competitive car next year"

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Barrichello, by contrast, is just about finished. He's had a good career so far, but being beaten by a rookie is never a good look. I think the time for him to hang up his helmet has come.

I remember watching the '93 South African GP (Barrichello's first race), that's crazy!

 

[Sven]

The test calendar has been issued for 2012, and as expected includes an "in season" test

7-10 Feb 2012 Jerez
21-24 Feb 2012 Catalunya
1-4 Mar 2012 Catalunya
1-3 May 2012 Mugello

The Mugello test is after the 4th Grand Prix of the year (Bahrain 22 April) and before the Spanish Grand Prix (13 May)

 

[Sven]

Blown diffusers not yet illegal for 2012....

interesting article http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-blown-exhaust-saga-set-to-heat-up-again/

Reportedly, with an unlikely ally in the form of McLaren, Red Bull is pushing back, arguing that the designs of their 2012 cars were too far advanced when the latest FIA clampdown was issued.

The new problem has arisen because Red Bull and McLaren refused to approve the revised clampdown rules ahead of the recent F1 Commission, with those rules needing to be agreed before they can be ratified by the FIA in December.

HRT is the joker in the pack, with rumours in the paddock that the non-FOTA Spanish team might break the current peace by protesting the legality of the current exhaust layouts.

I can't remember exactly when I brought up the issue of the FIA declaring blown diffusers illegal (must have been around the Valencia GP timeframe) but the issue is very unclear because the legality has never been tested in a court.

The FIA declared blown diffusers illegal under a wierd interpretation of the rules:

Q: This issue arose shortly before the Spanish Grand Prix. Was it initiated by the FIA or did it come from an F1 team?
A: The matter was initiated by the FIA when facts concerning some quite extreme, and hitherto unseen, engine mapping began to emerge. We were concerned that exhaust tailpipes were being positioned and engine maps created with the primary objective of improving the aerodynamic performance of the car. Prior to that it had been assumed that any aerodynamic benefits were incidental to the primary purpose of the engine and its exhausts, i.e. that of generating torque.

Q: Why did you decide to act?
A: We decided to act as, not only did we consider such extreme mapping to be arguably illegal, but also if such freedom was left unchecked it would result in the teams incurring significant further development costs during the season.

Q: Is the off-throttle blown diffuser illegal under the 2011 technical regulations?
A: We certainly consider them to be questionable, however, the key is whether or not we consider any particular engine map to have been created for any other reason than the generation of engine torque.

looks like this issue has some legs, yet again....

 

[ManWithNoName]

Just what F1 needs. A fight in the public arena about technical regulations. The fans love that.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Work suspended on Circuit of the Americas.

http://assets.circuitoftheamericas....115/CoTA_Construction Release_111511_1400.pdf

Organizers of Circuit of The Americas, a premier motor sports racing and entertainment venue being developed in Austin, Texas, are suspending further construction of the project until a contract assuring the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will be held at Circuit of The Americas in 2012 is complete

 

[Simple Jack]

There are also rumours afoot that Ricciardo will be at Caterham with Kova next year and if he beats him will be at RB in 2013. http://www.toilef1.com/Debriefing-de-PVV-A...habi-Vrais.html

I think Trulli has a contract but so did Karthikeyen and Heidfeld.

 

[ManWithNoName]

What's Glock got to do with it? You're thinking of Trulli.

 

[Simple Jack]

What's Glock got to do with it? You're thinking of Trulli.

You're right, getting my chicane drivers mixed up.

I think Trulli has a contract as well.

 

[OzBomber]

So with RBR parts, will Lotus be able to compete with the mid range teams? If this is true then that's pretty good news. I'd back him to be able to beat Heikki, but it will be tough.

 

[Sven]

Just what F1 needs. A fight in the public arena about technical regulations. The fans love that.

For the few of us that can remember, my favourite public battle was between FISA and FOCA in the early 80s surrounding skirts.

someone famously put "FISA + FOCA = FIASCO" onto one of the buildings and the rest is history....

 

[Simple Jack]

So with RBR parts, will Lotus be able to compete with the mid range teams? If this is true then that's pretty good news. I'd back him to be able to beat Heikki, but it will be tough.

By the end of next year they may be on the gearbox of the Torro Rosso.

STR have been progressively lacking improvement more and more the further away they get from the Newey designed race winning car of '08 and Caterham (Lotus) have been getting better and better this year.

imo they're already half way to the mid-field battle. They have seperated them from the 'new teams' and are almost getting to the back of the midfield.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Austin's gone. Organisers promised Bernie the full sanction fee by July 31, didn't pay, then came out insisting they wouldn't pay anything until after the first race. Bernie quite rightly told them to f*** off.

 

[drd23]

The teams (in particular the manufacturers) cant be too happy with that, but its an understandable decision.

Surely this would make the NJ/NY race more likely to occur, to give the teams access to the US market?