Crown

Jose Ramon takes over Campos

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81606

Webber fastest in the dry

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81599

More on Jose Ramon Carabante's rescue of Campos Meta

www.jamesallenonf1.com/

At least Bruno Senna will race in F1

Button thinks the Ferrari cars look best

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81607 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Button is a very clever man!

 Alonso has said to a spanish newspaper "El Pais" that this F10 is the best F1 car he has ever driven!!! ... so I think this F1 Championship will be red :)

Day 4 live commentary

live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/181

Alonso says 2010 Ferrari is the best car he has ever had

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81623

Combined lap times from 3rd Test at Jerez

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81620

Day 4 lap times from 3rd Test at Jerez

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81618

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Perceptive analysis from James Allen on where the teams stand after the 3rd test in Jerez

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

Raikkonen may join Red Bull if/when Webber leaves at the end of 2010

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5970277,00.html

Brawn on progress at Mercedes

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5966030,00.html

Vettel expecting Barcelona to be revealing

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5963739,00.html

Webber on Red Bull's reliability

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5963002,00.html

Button on needing help from Hamilton

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5970439,00.html

Alonso on Ferrari's progress

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/2/10457.html

Hydraulic problems for Virgin Racing

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/2/10458.html

 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Interview with Alonso

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5973377,00.html
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

"Obviously I don't know how McLaren is now but if Jenson arrived in my time then, for sure, it would be very tough for him,"

And what's the main the difference in McLaren between then and now? That that disgrace to the sport that was Ronzo is, at least officially, no longer in charge of everything.

Although Alonso uses the phrase "for sure", he is nonetheless expressing his opinion on the subject and not stating facts.

As far as I remember, Alonso expected preferential treatment to Hamilton since he arrived at McLaren as a two-time World Champion whereas Hamilton (back then) was just a F1 rookie. McLaren have always said that they have had a policy of equal treatment towards their drivers.

I think that Hamilton was familiar with the people at McLaren since he had been groomed by them for many years. Alonso, despite being World Champion, was nonetheless in a new team. I also think being from a foreign country gave him a natural disadvantage versus a British driver. I'm not saying that McLaren was biased - just that Hamilton shares the same language, mentality and way of handling things as McLaren.

Imagine if a Spanish guy has a French girlfriend and then his next girlfriend is British. There will naturally be some cultural and linguistic differences and also a different way of thinking. There is necessarily some adjustment involved. Sometimes it works out fine, sometimes it doesn't work out. Unfortunately for Alonso, it didn't work out and he effectively lost 2 years of his career at Renault.

I assume your view is that, not only did Alonso not get preferential or equal treatment, but that he actually got worse treatment (i.e. that Hamilton got preferential treatment). If this is true, then McLaren behaved wrongly. If this is not true, then your anti-McLaren bias is ill-founded. It all comes down to whose story one chooses to believe.

AFAIK, Jenson Button has not arrived at McLaren expecting preferential treatment. He is expecting equal treatment to Hamilton. As such, I would not expect it to be "tough" for him in the way Alonso is describing. Jenson is a new guy in a new team. That will naturally involve adjustment whereas Hamilton is already well set in the team. But Button has no language or cultural obstacles to overcome.

I would hope that McLaren will give equal treatment to Button and Hamilton (as the 2009 and 2008 World Champions).

As you know, I like and respect all the teams and all the drivers.  I hope Alonso succeeds at Ferrari.  He seems happy there so I am happy for him.

I'm just looking forward to a good contest between the top drivers in competitive cars.  Basically, I just want to enjoy the F1 season no matter who wins.

-- 
  
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

very well summarized easy, i agree with you. But with about 8 drivers and 4 teams being very good for sure, i think we are inevitable going to see huge disappointments this upcoming season. Not everyone can simply be in the top.

JB will do just fine at McLaren, i think they have a solid team this year.

As for FA, he needs to cowboy the fukc up IMO! It will be very interesting to see how he performs this season, having no real excuses this time around. Massa will be tight competition for him! 

I am really looking forward to one of the tightest seaons in F1 this year. The drivers are of such different calipres and styles as well as age, it will be very exciting! 

indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 
_____________________________________________________________________
1984 BMW 323i 5spd 2.3L 141 hp (105 kW) More door. Black on black (parting out) 
1986 BMW 325e 5spd 2.7L 121 hp (172 lb·ft) Le Mans Blau on Tan leather.
1986 BMW 325is 5spd 2.5L 168 hp (164 lb-ft) White on Tan leather (parted out) 
2005 Ford Focus S, 5spd 2.0L 136 hp (120lb-ft) CD silver on grey (sold)
1986 Porsche 944, 5spd 2.5L 150 hp (168lb-ft) champagne gold on grown leather. (sold)

easy_rider911:

I assume your view is that, not only did Alonso not get preferential or equal treatment, but that he actually got worse treatment (i.e. that Hamilton got preferential treatment). If this is true, then McLaren behaved wrongly. If this is not true, then your anti-McLaren bias is ill-founded. It all comes down to whose story one chooses to believe.

Of course I don't believe in that BS about driver equality that Ronzo has tried to sell us for years. But I didn't believe in that even before Teflonso went to that cheating squad. Prost over Lauda, Senna over Prost, Hakkinen over Coulthard, Raikkonen over Monotoya, Hamilton over Teflonso (especially after the English press went nuts because his Golden Boy couldn't win in Monaco), Hamilton over Kovalainen and so on. Inequality between drivers has always been the policy at McLaren.

I understand your point gangajas

IMHO it all boils down to the fact that there's a very fine line between, on the one hand, a team throwing its weight behind a driver who is in a stronger position to win a championship than his team mate as the season progresses and, on the other hand, automatically preferring one driver to another (i.e. without linking preferential treatment to the championship points situation).

A good example of the former IMO was how Ross Brawn treated Button and Barrichello at Brawn (and also how Red Bull treated Vettel and Webber). A really bad example is how Ferrari treated Schumi and Barrichello. It was bad enough that 'team orders' were legal back then but Ferrari really treated Barrichello as nothing more than a Lieutenant to Schumi's General.

--
 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Fascinating blog from James Allen on Ferrari's views on the new entrants to F1 plus more problems at US F1

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

More gossip about the new entrants

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3261_5961910,00.html

Driver line up for the final test in Barcelona

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5976587,00.html

Chaos within US F1 - an insider spills the beans

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5976747,00.html

More on the explosive text from Ferrari

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3261_5976326,00.html

Trulli on whether Schumi could win an eighth title

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5973861,00.html

Alonso on the spygate affair

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81650

Kubica on progress at Renault

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81655

More on the US F1 insider's revelations plus whether Chad Hurley can save it

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81664

Technical personnel changed at Force India

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/2/10462.html
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

The whole text of Ferrari's explosive message is here:

http://www.ferrari.com/English/News/Pages/100222_GR_Per_chi_suona_la_campana.aspx

 

The Horse Whisperer - For whom the bell tolls 

Maranello, 22nd February - Only less than three weeks to go until the ultimate form of motor sport, the Formula 1 World Championship, gets underway, while celebrating its sixtieth birthday this year. For many of the teams, this coming week is a crucial one, as the bell rings to signal the final lap, with the last test session getting underway in Barcelona. It is one last chance to run the cars on track, to push reliability to the limit and to try and find some performance. That’s the situation for many teams but not for all of them. Of the thirteen teams who signed up, or were induced to sign up, for this year’s Championship, to date only eleven of them have heeded the call, turning up on track, some later than others, and while some have managed just a few hundred kilometres, others have done more, but at a much reduced pace. As for the twelfth team, Campos Meta, its shareholder and management structure has been transformed, according to rumours which have reached the Horse Whisperer through the paddock telegraph, with a sudden cash injection from a munificent white knight, well used to this sort of last minute rescue deal. However, the beneficiaries of this generosity might find the knight in question expects them to fulfil the role of loyal vassal. All this means, it is hard to imagine the Dallara designed car showing its face at the Catalunya Circuit, with Sakhir a more likely venue to witness the return of the Senna name to a Formula 1 session.

The thirteenth team, USF1, appears to have gone into hiding in Charlotte, North Carolina, to the dismay of those like the Argentinian, Lopez, who thought he had found his way into the Formula 1 paddock, (albeit with help from chairwoman Kirchner, according to the rumours) and now has to start all over again. Amazingly, they still have the impudence to claim that everything is hunky-dory under the starry stripy sky.

Next, we have the Serbian vultures. Firstly, they launched themselves into a quixotic legal battle with the FIA, then they picked the bones of Toyota on its death bed. Having got some people on board, around whom there was still a whiff of past scandals, they are now hovering around waiting to replace whoever is first to drop out of the game, possibly with backing from that very same knight in shining armour whom we mentioned earlier.

This is the legacy of the holy war waged by the former FIA president. The cause in question was to allow smaller teams to get into Formula 1. This is the outcome: two teams will limp into the start of the championship, a third is being pushed into the ring by an invisible hand – you can be sure it is not the hand of Adam Smith – and, as for the fourth, well, you would do better to call on Missing Persons to locate it. In the meantime, we have lost two constructors along the way, in the shape of BMW and Toyota, while at Renault, there’s not much left other than the name. Was it all worth it?

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Yet more rain expected in Barcelona

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5977232,00.html

Lopez may switch from US F1 to Campos Meta

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81667

Key joins Sauber (after leaving Force India)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81675

FIA inspecting US F1's ability to compete in F1 in 2010

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81677

James Allen's blog on Alonso

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

Andrew Benson's blog

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/02/f1_teams_ready_for_preseason_s.html
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Barcelona testing review

http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&id=47842

Ross Brawn says teams are evenly matched

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8541776.stm

Richard Branson (of Virgin Racing) hits back at Ferrari

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=47840

Schumi thinks Ferrari is the team to beat

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8540564.stm

McLaren tops combined table for all 4 days of testing in Barcelona

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81781

Massa thinks Ferrari has no advantage

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81782

Could Williams be a dark horse - Barrichello thinks Williams could surprise us

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81773

Jacques Villeneuve to have a seat fitting with Stefan GP

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81769

Stefan GP upset with FIA and US F1 (Ferrari won't agree to Stefan GP entering F1 while Mike Coughlan is in that team anyway)

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5986989,00.html

Max Mosley hits back at Ferrari's criticism of the new entrants policy

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5978719,00.html

New Campos head expects to be in Bahrain

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5979733,00.html

Q&A with Bridgestone's Hamashima

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5996681,00.html

Schumi says we haven't seen his qualification pace yet

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5986334,00.html

Mercedes rumoured to have developed a 'super diffuser' for Bahrain

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5996955,00.html

Kubica not expecting Renault to be on the podium in Bahrain

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5987289,00.html

More on Stefan GP's attempt to enter F1

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3261_5996406,00.html

Dietrich Mateschitz (owner of Red Bull) has no plans to hire Kimi Raikkonen for 2011 - has faith in Webber

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81788

 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Combined testing lap times for all 4 days in Barcelona

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Button expecting 'crazy' strategies in the race

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81798

Hamilton no longer managed by his father

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81801

Domenicali on Ferrari's competitiveness

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81804

BBC's Ted Kravitz on where the teams stand after the final test in Barcelona

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8543250.stm

More blogging from James Allen

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Simply incredible that the top 12 drivers in Barcelona were all within 1m 20.472 secs and 1m 20.973 secs. Just half a second separated them

This promises to be a very close, extremely hard-fought season  I can't wait till Bahrain

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Haha - here's a F1 article from The Sun. I can't believe the style in which it is written - deliberately easy to understand

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/motorsport/2873656/Michael-Schumacher-admits-he-is-scared-of-McLaren.html

 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Andrew Benson's blog:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/02/f1_teams_ready_for_preseason_s.html?scope=global&survey=no&surveyname=2009q3&site=andrewbensonblog&url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/02/f1_teams_ready_for_preseason_s.html&js=yes&uid=844ba8b3ae28d11034cca688b1f60b9639cf14f63000a18f42a906a525f49bd4#jump_more
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

US F1 seek to defer entry to F1 for a whole year!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8547335.stm

Campos Meta renamed Hispania Racing F1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8547064.stm

Webber says new teams situation in F1 is embarrassing

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5999893,00.html

Could Martin Brundle or Mika Hakkinen become Lewis Hamilton's manager?

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6000355,00.html

Branson hoping for fun in F1

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6000276,00.html

Domenicali on the situation so far

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6000047,00.html

New manager for Michael Schumacher - Sabine Kehm. Willi Weber no longer his manager

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6000363,00.html

Lopez's manager angry at US F1 boss

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81826

More blogging from James Allen

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Stefan GP entry rejected for 2010

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8544246.stm

Campos Meta becomes Hispania Racing F1 Team

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=47852

The short name listed by the FIA is "HRT-Cosworth" - very unfortunate choice of name - "HRT" stands for hormone replacement therapy!   They should just keep it as "HR-Cosworth"

Official 2010 entry list

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/3/10484.html

More blogging from James Allen

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

Karun Chandhok named as Hispania Racing F1 Team's other driver

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81842

McLaren confident of legality of their rear wing

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81836

Ken Anderson explains why US F1 is not on the Bahrain grid

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81830

Hamilton says racing with Michael Schumacher is different

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81837

Red Bull Racing & Ferrari seek FIA clarification on McLaren's rear wing design

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81832

Sir Jackie Stewart thinks Button and Hamilton fear Schumacher

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6002152,00.html

US F1 must re-apply for 2011

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6001811,00.html

This opens the door for Prodrive to re-apply for 2011

Jose Maria Lopez seeks exit deal from US F1 and entry to Hispania Racing F1 Team as a reserve driver

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6000454,00.html



 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Hamilton admits to mishandling his relationship with Alonso (while Alonso was at McLaren) but that the team gave them equality. Then what was mishandled? Was it something they said to each other?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8550027.stm

Anyway, I think Hamilton is just saying this to scotch any rumours that he and Jenson Button may not get along well in 2010.

Me? I will only believe it when I see it. Let's see how the current and former World Champions get along DURING the season as it reaches its climax in November! Right now, there is plenty of talk. The real proof is in their actions.

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

I can't wait for this season to begin Easy.

I'm salivating!!!!!    

Interview with Ferrari's Chris Dyer

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81844

Luca di Montezemolo rouses the Ferrari troops

www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81856

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

2010 F1 season preview - part 1

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2010/3/10486.html

2010 F1 season preview - part 2

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2010/3/10487.html

2010 F1 season preview - part 3

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2010/3/10488.html

 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

Slightly more info on Hamilton's recent admission of mishandling the situation with Alonso

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_6003602,00.html
 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

But since I've been here they do everything to give us individually the best package possible. I've never had more than the guy next to me, we've always had equal opportunity, which is the greatest thing in a team.

It's a proven fact that there were times when Lewis received updates for his car and HK didn't and most of the times the team gave him the best strategy. Once a liar always a liar.

He's is probably the best driver in F1 but it 'd great if he could keep his big mouth shut.

Luca di Montezemolo rallies the Ferrari troops

www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx

Fascinating - Planet F1's predictions for the 2010 F1 season

www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3261_6004845,00.html

Analysis of the impact of the 2010 rules changes

www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3261_6003781,00.html

 

 
RT Moderator - 997.1 Carrera S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection