Formula 1 - 2007 season

[John Daniels]

Massa seems to be a great driver..  Kimi needs to stop doing other things and start to focus his job as testing the car more. Basically IMO he's lazy for doing his testing job.. brilliant skills ain't far enough anymore. If Kimi's attitude towards testing and giving his 110% to his work doesn't change, Massa will tear him apart.


Best regards,
Jouni

[Skeletor]

Wonder if Kimi regrets leaving McLaren 


 

[KIKO2K6]

It's a testament to the gains in safety made since Senna's passing.

What kiled SENNA was the front suspension arm that hited his head,but you are right the cokpit is more safety after SENNA's acident.

[Tynia]

^^^ Talking about safety:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/59988

Kubica's crash data disclosed

By Mathias Brunner and Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, June 20th 2007, 11:27 GMT


Data from the Robert Kubica's horrific accident during the Canadian Grand Prix has been disclosed, showing the Pole survived a 75-G impact.

Kubica made contact with Toyota's Jarno Trulli when trying to pass the Italian, the BMW Sauber driver losing his front wing and going off track.

Data showed the Pole impacted against the wall at 230 km/h, and the G-forces on Kubica peaked at around 75 G in a millisecond.

The onboard accident data recorder (ADR) is built in the BMW Sauber car, placed behind the driver below the fuel tank. The device, roughly 15 by 15 centimetres big, is capable of logging data from the whole race.

The data was studied at Indianapolis by former Lotus engineer Peter Wright, now head of the FIA safety commission, together with his colleagues Andy Mellor and Hubert Gramling.

A report by them came to the conclusion that all the safety measures? - survival cell, enhanced crash boxes, HANS device, cockpit head rest and helmet -? worked perfectly.

"While we were completely shocked about the violence of the accident, we were over the moon to see Robert relatively unharmed and were very content about the behaviour of the chassis as survival cell," said BMW Sauber's technical director Willy Rampf.

"We are never doing any compromises regarding the chassis, never going nearly to the limit regarding weight for instance. We stay always on the safe side and that payed off.

"One must not forget that such a cell is quite complex, consisting of over 1,000 parts of carbon fibre, Kevlar, honeycomb structures and metal."

[Tynia]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/60219

Kubica passed fit to race in France ? ?? ? ?

Reuters, Thursday, June 28th 2007, 12:35 GMT


Polish Formula One driver Robert Kubica has passed a medical and will race in Sunday's French Grand Prix, his BMW Sauber team said on Thursday.

"I'm 100 percent fit," said the 22-year-old driver, who missed the last US Grand Prix after an horrific crash in Canada on June 10.

"I'm looking forward to this race and happy that I missed only Indianapolis."

Kubica was replaced at Indianapolis by 19-year-old German Sebastian Vettel, who scored a point on his debut but now reverts to his former role of test and reserve driver.

[Pinball Wizard]

Fuck!!!! 

Kimi Raikkonen was the underdog on this race...I never would have though that he could win this race...it messed up a my picks for the game!! 

Dickhead 

[jarmo]

Nice win for Kimi.

Finally the way it should be.




/jarmo

[jarmo]

McLaren suspend employee in Ferrari probe
Tuesday, 03, July, 2007, 17:15


McLaren has suspended a senior member of its technical staff after discovering that he received confidential information from a Ferrari employee earlier this year.

The British squad said in a statement that the individual in question ? who was not named ? was being investigated by Ferrari for industrial espionage.

The statement read: ?McLaren became aware on 3rd July 2007 that a senior member of its technical organisation was the subject of a Ferrari investigation regarding the receipt of technical information.

?The team has learnt that this individual had personally received a package of technical information from a Ferrari employee at the end of April.

?Whilst McLaren has no involvement in the matter and condemns such actions it will fully co-operate with any investigation.

?The individual has in the meanwhile been suspended by the company pending a full and proper investigation of the matter.

?No further comment will be made.?




Ferrari dismisses Nigel Stepney
Tuesday, 03, July, 2007, 10:54


Nigel Stepney, the Ferrari engineer at the centre of a legal investigation in Italy, has been dismissed by the team, according to reports in the Italian press.

Ferrari confirmed to ITV Sport at the French Grand Prix that it was carrying out its own inquiry into Stepney's conduct in parallel with the police investigation.

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport now reports that Ferrari's investigation is complete and the squad has formally ended Stepney's contract.

Stepney is currently on holiday in the Philippines, but is expected to return later this week.

He has maintained his innocence throughout the affair and is expected to give a press conference when he returns.

According to Gazzetta, Stepney's lawyer Sonia Bartolini was not surprised by Ferrari's decision, but says the British engineer will be able to prove that he has done nothing wrong.

Although few details have been released about the nature of the investigation, Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni told ITV Sport that it related to irregularities discovered at the Ferrari factory prior to the Monaco Grand Prix.




/jarmo

[jarmo]

McLaren moves to allay spy case concerns
Wednesday, 04, July, 2007, 13:41


McLaren has moved to allay concerns that it could have benefited from the confidential Ferrari information that was allegedly passed on to a senior member of its staff.

Yesterday McLaren announced that it had suspended an engineer, believed to be chief designer Mike Coughlan, after discovering that he had received classified technical information from a Ferrari employee earlier this season.

Ferrari subsequently confirmed that the case was related to the legal case it had instigated into its long-time engineer Nigel Stepney.

McLaren conducted an immediate investigation, and has now issued a statement saying it is satisfied that the information was not shared with other staff or used in any way on McLaren's own car.

"Following our statement of 3rd July 2007, McLaren has completed a thorough investigation and can confirm that no Ferrari intellectual property has been passed to any other members of the team or incorporated into its cars," said the McLaren statement.

"McLaren has in the meanwhile openly disclosed these matters to the FIA and Ferrari and sought to satisfy any concerns that have arisen from this matter."

The team added that the FIA, motor racing's governing body, was welcome to check the McLaren design to ensure that it had not benefited from the Ferrari information.

"In order to address some of the speculation McLaren has invited the FIA to conduct a full review of its cars to satisfy itself that the team has not benefited from any intellectual property of another competitor," the statement concluded.




I read that apparently he had all the designs/drawings for the F2007.

McLaren has a lot of explaining to do..... Just like Stepney.





/jarmo

[KIKO2K6]

WOA never seen' something like that on F1 !

FIA needs to do somethig about it !!!

With all the money from Mclaren 900millions dollars/Ferrari 600millions dollars  year... FIA needs to punisher Maclaren on the Constructer Championship.

[elmir]

Kimi cleaned it again....excellent result...
Status Quo has been restored....finally...

Him and Alonso gave Hamilton a solid lesson in how to drive an F1 race....
Bring on Nurburgring!!!!

[GypsySoul]

Wins Put Raikkonen Back in F1 Title Hunt



Kimi Raikkonen won the first race of the season and immediately felt the great expectations Ferrari has for him as Michael Schumacher's replacement. That pressure made the slump he experienced in the next three months all the more difficult for one of the world's highest paid athletes. But the Finn has won two races in eight days to revive his title chances and make his struggles a distant memory.

"The Iceman", as he is known because of his cool temperament, has a simple explanation for his latest victory over the McLarens.

"We were first and they were second."

After nine races, he is third in the standings but gaining on Lewis Hamilton, the sensational rookie at McLaren who has 70 points. Fernando Alonso, Hamilton's teammate, has 58. Raikkonen jumped over teammate Felipe Massa, 52-51.

Of the four, Raikkonen is the only driver with three victories.

Raikkonen came over from McLaren last year burdened with a lot of hope and disappointment. He was second in the season standings in 2003 and 2005, pushing Schumacher to the last race in 2003 and losing to Fernando Alonso in 2005.

McLaren and Raikkonen went winless in 2006, and it had been known since late 2005 that Alonso would move from Renault to McLaren in 2007.

After months of speculation, Raikkonen signed with Ferrari last September when Schumacher announced his retirement at the Italian Grand Prix.

Although Formula One salaries are closely guarded, Raikkonen is paid more than $50 million a year for three years, according to F1 Racing magazine.

Alonso reportedly earns $22 million despite his two world titles.

Schumacher started at about $25 million for Ferrari and went on to win five straight driving titles for the team.

It appeared that Ferrari was getting a return on its investment when Raikkonen had the pole position and then the victory at the Australian Grand Prix.

"Of course it is a special moment," he said after the win. "With a new team, everything new, and we can win in the first race so, it is ideal. At least people will not ask when you are going to win. ... I am really happy with the team, and how things are going with the people."

But Raikkonen and Ferrari couldn't build on the strong start. Two thirds followed the victory, a dropout at the Spanish Grand Prix due to electrical problems and three consecutive finishes out of the top three.

Raikkonen even had an engine problem and had to start 16th at the Monaco GP and finished eighth.

Massa looked to be taking over as Ferrari's top driver with two victories and four pole positions in eight races.

Then changes to the car began to show results and Raikkonen gained confidence after a good test at Silverstone ahead of the French Grand Prix.

"It wasn't that we lost something. Maybe we just didn't get everything out of the car," Raikkonen said.

Ferrari went 1-2 at the French Grand Prix with Raikkonen overtaking Massa at the second pit stop with Massa complaining of traffic problems.

Raikkonen was encouraged by the good form.

"We didn't expect to have the problems that we had in the last few races, so I think we are back where we expected to be," he said.

At the British Grand Prix last weekend, it was more of the same. After the second pit stop, he overtook Alonso, who also complained about traffic hindering his chances.

Alonso was also realistic.

"I think the Ferrari was a little bit too quick," Alonso said. "At the end, I don't think the result would change too much."

Raikkonen's modest winning streak is his best since he won in Hungary and Turkey in 2005. That is a good sign as Hungary and Turkey follow the next race in Germany on July 22.

He says it is just a matter of locations from now on in the eight races remaining in the season.

"We seem to have good speed right now, but I also think it depends a lot on the circuit conditions and the places where we go," Raikkonen said. "But I'm pretty happy now with the car."

? Copyright 2007 CSC Holdings, Inc.

[Pinball Wizard]

Formula One will not return to Indianapolis in 2008

Updated: July 12, 2007, 1:21 PM ET

INDIANAPOLIS -- Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix won't return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year after officials failed to reach a new deal.

Speedway CEO Tony George said Thursday he and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone agreed not to schedule the event for 2008. The only American-based race on the F1 schedule had been held at Indianapolis the past eight years, drawing some of the biggest crowds on the circuit.

"We did agree it was prudent to try and leave the door open for the future," George said. "My sincere hope is that we will have an opportunity to bring it back in the not-too-distant future."

George, who had set Thursday as the deadline for reaching an agreement to extend the contract with F1, said he did not believe a U.S. Grand Prix would be held elsewhere next year, but that such a decision would be up to Ecclestone.

George had said last month he was confident he could reach a new deal with Ecclestone after the two met during U.S. Grand Prix weekend in Indianapolis.

But Ecclestone repeatedly said F1 did not need to race in the United States, although he mentioned the possibility of moving the U.S. Grand Prix to New York or Las Vegas.

George said Thursday it was a "great disappointment" that F1 would not be returning to the 2.6-mile, 13-turn road course that was built inside the speedway's famous oval to attract the series.

"It's not fair to us, it's not fair to our customers, the loyal core of Formula One fans, to just go on indefinitely on hold," he said.

Attendance figures are not released at Indianapolis, but estimates have been around 125,000 each of the past six years. The inaugural race in 2000 drew more than 200,000.

The event was marred in 2005 when 14 of the 20 drivers pulled off the track just before the start over concerns about the safety of the Michelin tires used by seven teams. Afterward, George refused to wave the checkered flag or join Michael Schumacher in the winner's circle.

Last year's negotiations to extend the deal dragged into August before the two sides agreed to a one-year deal. Speedway officials had said they wanted a more permanent solution this time.

Despite F1's absence, the speedway could still be the site of three races next year as track officials expect to announce a deal with MotoGP, the international motorcycle racing series, next week.

Besides the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also is the site of NASCAR's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 29.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=6&id=2933630


Sad thing, the Indianapolis race always been a fun ace to watch, but I was kind of seeing it coming anyway, USA never loved F1, they rather watch those booooooooring IRL races...

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Gosh, they only started racing in 2000.  What a waste renovating the speedway when F1 didn't even stay for a decade.

[Tynia]

Another crash this season - not good  ?

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/07/21/dennis-lewis-is-fine/

Dennis: Lewis is fine
21 July 2007


Ron Dennis has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton has suffered no apparent injuries after a serious shunt in today's qualifying session at the Nurburgring. With six minutes to go in today's qualifying session, Hamilton suffered a big crash after his front right tyre appeared to fail. The young rookie was approaching the Schumacher-S flat out when his tyre yielded - his McLaren flying into the tyre barrier.

The session was stopped and it took around 30 minutes for the medical staff to take Hamilton away in a stretcher. He was conscious but looked seriously shaken, probably winded by the impact.

Ron Dennis confirmed: "Lewis is fine. There are no injuries or broken bones but he will be kept for a couple of hours observation just as a precaution. We had a gun failure - the right hand wheel was not on tight. But it was not a car failure thankfully, it was the gun's fault. It is far too early to say whether he can race tomorrow. Thankfully he did not lose consciousness. We'll make a decision about whether he can race after a couple of hours observation."

[Grouse]

haha omg what a crazy race!

[Drew]

I was beginning to think everyone was going to end up off track in the corner in that turn. 

[KIKO2K6]

Kimi Drunk 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VW2oAkjcJ4&mode=related&search=

[GypsySoul]

Gypsy note:? I copy n' pasted this so I have no idea what “ is

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=40208
Vettel replaces Speed at Toro Rosso
 
Sebastian Vettel will leave BMW Sauber to replace Scott Speed in a race seat at Scuderia Toro Rosso with immediate effect, it was announced on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old German has been released from his third driver contract by BMW and will take American driver Speed's seat for the remainder of the current season from this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Vettel, who became F1's youngest point-scorer when he stood in for Robert Kubica at the US Grand Prix, has been backed by STR owners Red Bull since the age of 12 and had been strongly linked to a drive at the team in recent weeks.

BMW boss Mario Theissen announced that the German carmaker would not block the move as it did not want to harm the young star's development.

“As our test and reserve driver Sebastian has carried out sterling work for us,” Theissen said.
“When he stood in for Robert Kubica in the USA Grand Prix he made history by becoming the youngest debutant to earn a world championship point.

“However, the current testing rules mean that he barely gets a chance to drive for us.

“Now he has been offered the opportunity to get inside a Toro Rosso cockpit.

“We have sponsored and coached Sebastian over a number of years.

“To place obstacles in his career path now would go against our concept of talent promotion.”

Theissen added that Vettel's strong Red Bull links made the decision to release him straightforward.

“BMW and Red Bull have a longstanding partnership in supporting Sebastian," he said.

"Toro Rosso is the sister team of Red Bull Racing, and in that context it makes sense for us to release him.

"In a sponsoring partnership the main thing is to use the best opportunities that present themselves to a young driver at any given time.”

Speed's departure brings to an end a turbulent relationship with STR after making his F1 debut with the team at the start of the 2006 season.

The relationship fractured further during the European Grand Prix weekend when reports suggested that the American would lose his drive immediately in the wake of a row with team boss Franz Tost.

Speed had become increasingly outspoken about his relationship with Tost and STR co-owner Gerhard Berger, revealing following the Nurburgring race that he had resigned himself to losing his drive and that both he and team-mate Tonio Liuzzi had received little support from the pair.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6923940.stm
Toro Rosso axe Speed for Vettel

Toro Rosso Formula One team have axed Scott Speed and replaced him with BMW's third driver, Sebastian Vettel.
The 20-year-old became the youngest driver to win F1 points when he drove for BMW Sauber in the US Grand Prix in place of the injured Robert Kubica.

Vettel raced karts for the Red Bull Junior team before driving for BMW in Formula Three.

Speed's future had been in doubt after an angry row with team chief Franz Tost after the European Grand Prix.

BMW team chief Mario Theissen said once the German driver received the offer, there was no way they could stand in his way.

"As our test and reserve driver Sebastian has carried out sterling work for us," he said.

"When he stood in for Robert Kubica in the USA Grand Prix he made history by becoming the youngest debutant to earn a world championship point.

"However, the current testing rules mean that he barely gets a chance to drive for us.

"Now he has been offered the opportunity to get inside a Toro Rosso cockpit.

"We have sponsored and coached Sebastian over a number of years.

"To place obstacles in his career path now would go against our concept of talent promotion."

[KIKO2K6]

KIMI like a monkey.



http://globoesporte.globo.com/ESP/Noticia/0,,MUL81227-1311,00.html