Formula 1 - 2010 season

[jarmo]

Somebody had to do it....



Without Kimi, F1 will be boring!

Let's all hope he signs with McLaren and is on the grid in 2010.....




/jarmo

[IzzyDutch]

Without Kimi F1 will be much quieter

Button has been sighted at the McLaren factory.. but that's probably just theatrics to push Brawn over coming up with more money, with McLaren to push Kimi and his management over for their offer which means lower money for Kimi.

Trulli signed at Lotus, which is a shame cause as far as I'm concerned he's one of the drivers that needs to retire (like Fisi). Crazy fool bringing over his pictures in the paddock as evidence that 'his front wing was before Sutil's front wing' 

Here's a sneak preview of the new teams' cars:

Manor F1 2010:
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/cars/400190/manor-grand-prix-sneak-preview.html

USF1 2010:
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/cars/397382/usf1-2010-car-design-revealed.html

Lola 2010 of 2011 zoals ze nu zeggen:
http://originalgaijin.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/30.jpg

Lotus:
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/imageBank/4/4012085298_ab3e9db34f.jpg

[Genesis]

Damn, it's a whole 4 months till the first race at Bahrain on 14th March.

[IzzyDutch]

Gonna be pretty exciting with many new cars/teams/colours and driver exchanges 

[Genesis]

Yeah. Not so sure about the refuelling bit though. Anyone here used to watch F1 pre 1994?

[elmir]

more gossip

With rumours of a Mercedes-Benz buy-in at Brawn GP making the rounds, Jenson Button's manager Richard Goddard says it's only fair the Brit gets a share of that if he stays on.

Despite winning the World title for Brawn GP this past season, Button is out of contract with the Brackley-based team and is struggling to agree a new deal that suits both parties.

Brawn have reportedly offered Button only ?4 million a year whereas the F1 Champion is looking for a return to the ?8 million salary he earned when Honda owned the outfit in 2008.

Negotiations between the two appear to have reached a deadlock, resulting in Button visiting McLaren's Woking factory on Friday night where himself and Goddard sat down to talk with team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

According to the The Times, McLaren have been instructed by Vodafone, their title sponsor, to secure the Brit's services, offering him the ?8 million that he wants.

However, Goddard says he cannot understand why Brawn aren't willing to pay Button that, especially with sponsors and a rumoured buy-in by Mercedes on the cards.

"Brawn have been saying for months that big sponsors are lined up for 2010 and yet they are simultaneously saying that Jenson's demands - which are way less than under Honda - are not affordable," Goddard told the Daily Telegraph.

"If they really can't afford him, then fair enough; I can quite understand Ross Brawn is reluctant to bankrupt the team for the sake of one guy.

"But if Brawn are going to sell the team, and there is going to be a big influx of money, then why shouldn't Jenson be making some of that?

"He was a major contributor to the team's success this year.

"We have got other irons in the fire.

"Ultimately, Jenson is a very loyal guy but at some point it stops being about the money.

"Let's face it, everyone likes to feel wanted."

But while the rumoured buy-in by Mercedes may be bringing money into the team, other reports claim the German manufacturer wants it spent on Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld, not Button.

story
http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5697376,00.html

[Genesis]

Very interesting. So Button will mostly be headed to McLaren and Rosberg and Heidfeld will drive for Brawn.
Mercedes will take over Brawn and sell their stake in McLaren.

Wonder what's going to happen to Kimi...

[Genesis]

Yup, it's official:

Mercedes take ownership of Brawn

German car giant Mercedes has bought the Brawn Formula 1 team in a move that is likely to see Jenson Button join McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate.

Mercedes will buy a controlling interest in Brawn, believed to be 75%, but will continue has McLaren's engine partner until at least 2015.

BBC Sport understands Brawn will be rebranded as an official Mercedes, all-German F1 team.

Nico Rosberg will be their lead driver, with Nick Heidfeld his likely partner.

More to follow.

[Genesis]

I think that perhaps nationality is taken a bit too seriously in F1.

Fisichella opting out of a competitive Force India car and joining Ferrari because they are an Italian constructor and sucking balls for the remaining season.
Mercedes passing over a World Championship winning Button and Kimi and opting for only German drivers.
McLaren keen to have an all British team.

Maybe F1 will be the new A1 GP.

[elmir]

not all that crazy if you think about it.
if (when) all their plans fail, they can then go and beg their respective governments for money to bail them out and help them compete.

their chances are so much better to get help if they're "pure" in their appearance.

[Genesis]

Mercedes take ownership of Brawn

Brawn will be taken over by Mercedes and be an all-German team

German car giant Mercedes has bought the Brawn Formula 1 team in a move that is likely to see Jenson Button join McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate.

Mercedes will buy a controlling interest in Brawn, believed to be 75% but is expected to continue as McLaren's engine supplier.

Brawn, who won both world titles in their debut season in 2009, will be rebranded as the Mercedes GP team.

Nico Rosberg will be their lead driver, with Nick Heidfeld his likely partner.

Neither driver has yet been confirmed, but Rosberg, who drove for Williams in 2009 is widely known throughout F1 to have already signed for Brawn.

Button, who won the drivers' title this year, has been trying to secure a pay-rise from his £3.5m salary but it seems Mercedes is not interested in keeping him on.

He and his manager Richard Goddard visited McLaren on Friday and Button is now expected to join McLaren for a salary around double what Brawn were offering.

Button's decision is understood not to be solely about money - sources say he considers McLaren might have a more competitive car than Brawn in 2010.

Mercedes Sports boss Norbert Haug said on Sunday that he was trying to secure a drive for Heidfeld, a former Mercedes protege who has driven for BMW since 2006.

"We are speaking with Nick Heidfeld as well," Haug told DPA.

"Mercedes-Benz supports the idea of signing an experienced and capable German driver. There is however no reason to finalise the driver situation too hastily."

It is believed Ross Brawn will stay on as team principal.

More to follow.


Guess you were right. Rosberg was already signed with Brawn.

[elmir]

Guess you were right. Rosberg was already signed with Brawn.

yeah, it was all a bit too strangely obvious.

interesting though, what no one bothered to pick up on, was that Nico is on a 8.5m a year retainer....and they signed him without problems, but when Button asked for 8m....they complained.

so after all, it wasn't all about the money.

[Genesis]

Unfortunately, Kimi looks increasingly likely to be without a ride for next year.
I wonder if he'll sit out or move to WRC. If he does move, I hope he comes back.

[elmir]

more details on this.
i wonder what they mean by "peaceful solution"

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed their take-over of Brawn GP but refused to comment on Mercedes GP's driver line-up.

Brawn GP started their relationship with Mercedes at the start of the season when they signed the German carmaker as their engine supplier.

A successful first season, which saw Brawn GP win both World titles, led to rumours that Mercedes were to become further involved in the F1 team, buying a 75 percent stake.

Those rumours were finally confirmed on Monday when Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche held a press conference to announce the team deal, which will see Brawn GP's name changed to Mercedes Grand Prix ahead of the 2010 season.

"Mercedes will compete in the F1 World Championship next year starting with its own factory team," said head of Mercedes cars, Dr Dieter Zetsche.

"This is possible by the agreed acquisition of 75.1 per cent of Brawn GP, 45.1 per cent from Daimler and 30 per cent from our partner Aabar Investments. The rest will be with the current share - Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and other members. The interests of Daimler are aligned therefore it will be a true Mercedes-Benz team.

"Ross Brawn will continue to be the team principal and thereby we are maintaining his strength. Just like the engine team at Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, the new Mercedes Benz grand prix team will be co-ordinated by Mercedes Benz Motorsport which is as everybody knows headed by Norbert Haug."

Zetsche also revealed that Mercedes would be giving up its 40 percent share of McLaren, however, that did not mean an end to their relationship.

Mercedes will continue to supply McLaren with engines as this makes remaining in Formula One "more efficient" by reducing costs by almost a quarter.

Meanwhile, Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug was full of praise for the "peaceful solution" that had been found in the ending of Merc's stake in McLaren.

As for Mercedes Grand Prix's driver line-up, Haug refused to give anything away, saying it would "still take a while" to finalise, adding "we have to address this with care."

But, according to rumours, Mercedes' take-over of Brawn GP spells the end of Jenson Button's days at the time while Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld will make an all-German line-up.

I have to say, they managed to cover this up pretty well. while we were all focusing on Kimi and Jenson, the real power players behind the scenes were using it as a smokescreen to get their work done in peace and quiet.

With hindsight, Jenson should have perhaps taken Ross' offer....

Can't help but think about Kimi.
If he isn't there next year, it will be a damn shame.

[Genesis]

i wonder what they mean by "peaceful solution"

McLaren weren't too pleased when the rumours initially started that Mercedes will buy Brawn. After all, Mercedes had a 40% stake in McLaren
(This will be bought back by McLaren for a rumoured ?300m by 2011). Mercedes also wasn't too happy about McLaren's upcoming road supercar,
the MP4-12C, which they see as competition. But now they seem to have worked out an agreement whereby Mercedes will supply free engines
and support till 2015 (In return for the 40% stake dilution).

With hindsight, Jenson should have perhaps taken Ross' offer....

Why should he settle for less? He's the current champion and McLaren are ready to offer him what he wants.
A far cry from the situation he was in at the start of the 2009 season.

Can't help but think about Kimi.
If he isn't there next year, it will be a damn shame.

What would be amusing is if McLaren by some quirk signed Kimi leaving Button without a good car.
Will the World Champion have to sit out?

[elmir]

good point, he is better off either way.

besides, Mclaren will have a good package for next year, they are a year ahead of Brawn with regards to engine integration, so he'll be able to deliver if he doesn't get swallowed by Hamilton's way of working...it is Lewis' team after all...

it just feels weird, i don't remember last time a world champion was treated with as little respect as Jenson has this year...

either way.
its going to be a good season.

Time to see if Brawn really are what they say they are or not....Nico should do well if the hardware is good, and I'm looking forward to that...this deal also explains the lack of sponsorship on the Brawn car all year round...they were too busy chasing the Merc deal to focus on commercial sponsorships for the next year.

its actually quite exciting.

[Genesis]

good point, he is better off either way.

besides, Mclaren will have a good package for next year, they are a year ahead of Brawn with regards to engine integration, so he'll be able to deliver if he doesn't get swallowed by Hamilton's way of working...it is Lewis' team after all...

it just feels weird, i don't remember last time a world champion was treated with as little respect as Jenson has this year...

I think there is a general (unsaid) feeling that Button won the Championship because the other cars were uncompetitive at the
start of the season etc. etc. Perhaps that accounts for the lukewarm response. You'd have thought that everyone would be
scrambling to sign him by now. There's also the fact that most of the top teams with the exception of McLaren already have top
drivers signed.

As to how Jenson gets along with Lewis, time will tell. I hope it's not a repeat of the Hamilton-Alonso fiasco ... in reverse.

Time to see if Brawn really are what they say they are or not....Nico should do well if the hardware is good, and I'm looking forward to that...this deal also explains the lack of sponsorship on the Brawn car all year round...they were too busy chasing the Merc deal to focus on commercial sponsorships for the next year.

Brawn was pretty average in the second half of the season, once the rest of the pack had caught up in terms of car performance. You
can never write off Ross Brawn though. Virgin will take up a 20% stake in Manor F1, intending to buy them out to later to create a
Virgin F1 team, so the deal with Brawn might be over.

[jarmo]

If Kimi doesn't drive in F1 in 2010, it just shows everybody how rotten this sport really is.

First he's replaced because a sponsor shows up with a pile of money and now he's gonna lose a seat because his passport is Finnish?



I thought F1 was about driving a car as fast as you could and winning races...





/jarmo

[elmir]

not in the recession its not. 

the rich need to stay rich in these times, no matter what.

nice guys do "finnish" last unfortunatelly.

[Genesis]

If Kimi is out and with Kovalainen already out, I don't think there will be any Finns racing in F1 next year.
Unless one of the new teams sign somebody on...