Let the drama comence

[MADDOG-99]

It seems to me that the rest of the season is going to be a bit messy. All the teams and drivers (with a few exceptions) are now scrabling to sort out who is going to driveing for who and other contractual issues, not to mention all the testing of new parts etc in time for next season and the winter testing.
Now Michael has done his job for the year everything else is probubly goin to go a bit mad and there will shurely be plenty of news to keep us all intrested.

is anyone aware yet of any other preposed shake ups in the next few weeks???

 

[LoudMusic]

I heard they're invoking a new rule that says cars are only allowed to have three tires.

 

[MADDOG-99]

Yeah and no fuel to make it safer

 

[kensei]

I read about BAR (in Japanese F1 mags) possibly dumping Button for the last 2 races of the season depending on what happens with the appeals on the contract dispute. If it goes in favor of Williams he is out of there and Ant Davidson is in. I highly doubt this though, as BAR wants to finish 2nd in the constructors and beat Renault. Ant is fast but unproven in actual races, Button has been solid in the points all season and is BAR's best chance to beat Renault.

Other than that nothing new I've heard. I'm glad to see Ralph Schumacher back in the car, not that I love the guys, but it is nice to see him back none-the-less.

 

[Dirkiyo]

It's a fact, "SILLY SEASON" has started!

And why did Renault kick out Jarno trully for that freakin' Villeneuve?
every driver changes teams......so that isn't the argument.....like renault says, but could it be because he was talking openly about the fact that he was leaving?

 

[Sleek Stratos]

...And why did Renault kick out Jarno trully for that freakin' Villeneuve?

Actually, he seems to have something else in mind. Don't know why he'd choose Sauber if indeed Renault gave him an opportunity.

I'm looking forward to seeing JP in a McLaren though, so long as it holds together for him.

 

[TwinTurboJay]

I think they should make nascar drivers switch with f1 drivers, and vice versa...that would be funny....a bunch of f1 cars bunched up in a big circle with bubba giving the finger out the cockpit ! And having a Euopean driver in a nascar wishing he was driving a golf ball instead

 

[kensei]

It's a fact, "SILLY SEASON" has started!

And why did Renault kick out Jarno trully for that freakin' Villeneuve?
every driver changes teams......so that isn't the argument.....like renault says, but could it be because he was talking openly about the fact that he was leaving?

Renault wants the points. They want to beat BAR for 2nd in the constructors. Jarno, since being f$%ked over by Renault, is forming his own protest/payback and not driving to be in the points. So can him outright and get JV who will fight for points the last three races (how many he will get is another story).

Why JV? I bet he is cheap and no one else wants him or has any contract with him for 04, he does show moments of driving skill here and there and he is race proven. Anyone else Renault could get for the last three races would either be expensive to buy for three races or isn't race proven. JV makes perfect sense....

...though Jarno Truili is a better driver! I love the fact he is screwing over Renault who screwed him over. If any doubts Jarno's race speed go watch the entire Monaco 04 weekend. Enough said.

 

[Blake]

Monaco was a great race 👍

If the end of the year's a silly season I'd hate to see what they're calling next year. Thta'll be really weird. What does everyone think of the proposed rule changes?

 

[usernamed]

meh, they don't sound all that great. They're really going out of their way to make it fair for teams other then Ferrari. 1 engine for 2 Grand Prix? That's a bit too far...

 

[kensei]

meh, they don't sound all that great. They're really going out of their way to make it fair for teams other then Ferrari. 1 engine for 2 Grand Prix? That's a bit too far...

How are the new rules favoring Ferrari in any way. other than Ferrari being able to take advantage of them due to their organized organization. If the other teams haven't been standing around looking like f3000 teams and actualy work on their organization structures and their engineering they too could take advantage of things the way Ferrari does.

I agree that the 1 engine rule per 2 GPs is bad, worst actually than whant they have now.

 

[usernamed]

You didn't understand my post, re-read it.

I said the FIA are changing rules to make it "easier" for team other then Ferrari.

 

[kensei]

You didn't understand my post, re-read it.

I said the FIA are changing rules to make it "easier" for team other then Ferrari.

Sorry, I'm used to hearing people whine about how Ferrari cheats and F1 actually stands for "Ferrari-one"...etc etc.

 

[Blake]

I'm not in favour for reduced aero either

 

[Pistachio]

I realy don't think Ferrari have improved THAT much since last year. I think it is more Williams and McLaren are just sucking royaly, and the mid fielders are doing as well as you would expect.

 

[MADDOG-99]

Agree,
they lack the motivation and self belief to sucseed.
7 years of punishment have nocked it out of them some what.

 

[Eagle]

21 years didn't knock it out of Ferrari...

Silly season really seems somewhat over to me, it kicked off back around the Nurburgring, but how many seats are left to fill? Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Sauber, Toyota are all confirmed, there's still some speculation left for BAR and Williams and I don't honestly know about the lower teams, but I'd say the JV and Trulli confirmations pretty much kill the rumours that were still floating around.

I think reduced aero could be a boon, focusing on mechanical grip and allowing the cars to run closer together will promote passing and makes things more interesting. Reduced engines... not exactly a fan but I'm sure they'll still look pretty freaking fast flying past me on the main straight in Melbourne. The new proposals for better wheel tethers and specialist debris reduction coatings for things like front wing end plates and turning vanes earn a 👍 1 engine for 2 weekends? Yeah... ok... if you say so.

 

[usernamed]

Brigatore is considering leaving Renault for '05

 

[heero 12]

Changing the cars to make them safer and more cost effective? You mean castrating the sport right?

 

[SouL]

One of the commentators for SPEED mentioned that the new aero proposals for next year would mean that the cars will only be able to have maximum downforce settings similar to the settings they used at Monza. Add to that tire compounds that will have to be about 4 times as hard as the ones currently in use because they're also limiting the number of tires allowed per weekend.

 

[Eagle]

I think that's a wise idea as well, it'll slow speeds sure, but it'll get rid of a lot of the marble effect.

 

[heero 12]

Why don't the drivers protest by not driving? I'm sure they're pissed, and it's not like the big names are gonna starve. They could also protest by still driving the cars the way they do now, I'm sure after the 4th or 5th accident the FIA would change the rules back.

 

[Blake]

The sport will not be the same. I'm actually thinking if they reduce the engine size we might see a revisit to the turbo era in a few years? Seems unlikely but the sport will probably lose even more money if people just aren't interested in the sport.

 

[millencolin]

reduced aero and harder tyres - tops idea

v8 engines - not cool. the v10 is linked to modern day f1, the v8 belongs in other categories (champcar, IRL, v8supercars etc etc).

 

[GilesGuthrie]

With regard to rule changes, Bernie Ecclestone had it right when he said "Everybody cries about it for six months, and then nobody cares. It's all forgotten. you just get on with it."

I like some of the ideas that are in place. I'm personally not in favour of the restrictive engine regulations, becuase I don't believe that they will reduce costs or reduce the advantage of spending huge amounts of money. For me, it would be a better idea to have freer engine regs, so that manufacturers could go spend millions researching ideas that don't work.

It remains to be seen which rules get chosen.

 

[Blake]

I will be broken if they go to V8's. Though it's not too bad because V8 supercars get 600hp out of their engines no trouble, I'm sure if they put enough money into it (see it doesn't fix the problem Bernie) they'd be able to get pretty close to what they're getting today anyway.

 

[Eagle]

They will, just like no one thought they could get over 800BHP when they moved from 3.5L to 3.0.

I don't think freeing up the regulations is the solution either. Ferrari aren't going to take gambles that don't pay off, and the have enough money to design new engines without ever worrying. They haven't adopted any of the 'revolutionary' ideas like twin-keel chassis, and now they stand to benefit as a result as the regulations lift the cars and ruin such ideas.

Nothing will really curb spending.