- Formula 1 - Season 2009 -

[genius83]

Sato rules out third-driver role at Red Bull

The chances of Takuma Sato making a return to the Formula One paddock for the 2009 season grew even slimmer on Wednesday, after the former Super Aguri racer announced he is no longer in talks with Red Bull about the possibility of becoming their reserve driver.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/8981.html

Jerez day four - Alonso puts Renault back on top

Renault’s Fernando Alonso stormed to the top of the timesheets on Wednesday as this week’s test at Jerez continued. Alonso clocked a best lap of 1m 19.945s around the Spanish circuit to finish over three-tenths of a second ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/8982.html

Exclusive interview with Force India's Vijay Mallya

As he talks about his Force India Formula One team, Vijay Mallya's eyes are sparkling again. Indeed, after a troubled 2008 season and a management shake-up over the winter, the whole team seems renergised. And while the recent launch of the new VJM02 lacked the pomp and ceremony of that of its predecessor, there's clearly a feeling that the car - and the team's new partnership with McLaren-Mercedes - could well put them on the road to success...

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/3/8983.html

[genius83]

The full statement from FOTA

The full press release of the Formula One Teams' Association's statement, outlining their plans for F1.

The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) today outlined its roadmap for Formula One at a press conference at which senior management figures from all 10 current Formula One teams shared the stage together.

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5009531,00.html

[genius83]

More woes for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton dismal reliability at Jerez continued on Thursday as his McLaren broke down out on track.

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5008798,00.html

looks like Mr "I can't believe I am world champion" Hamilton is having some serious troubles with the new MP4-24.

[UncleKracker]

@genius83

Seems like FOTA are listening to me regarding the revised points system:-)

What i was trying to say is that, given how teams have had winter testing disrupted, its hard to predict who is looking good for the start of the season. Renault has been quick in two tests now in the hands of Alonso. At Ferrari they clearly have some issues, and the British and Mclaren fans will have you believe that they are sand bagging.
BMW, Toyota, Red Bull and Renault look good so far. If anyone is sand bagging winter testing, I would say its BMW.

Seems we will need all of lefty`s wisdom for the start of the season for our fantasy league game.

[beglar_begi]

oh sure... take your digs at lefty... he got me out of a few tight spots last season and some of them were on the yahoo F1 league if you know what I mean...

But indeed the uncertainty of this coming season is a little unnerving... I keep wondering if Kubica is going to be able to get the BMW to race the way he did last year... of course the performance was relative to the performance of his rivals who were driving in far superior cars.

Who knows... perhaps ice man is hungry again after his hibernation that lasted a full year... I have not yet heard of him having taken part in a 24 hour (Le Mans-esque) snow mobile race... only the nose knows (and lefty)

[genius83]

@UK
I must admit that you are right about the point system revaluated but the problem is still their what happens if the tie occurred just like last season how to decide the winner of the championship.

@beglar
This is what makes things excited the uncertainty about the performance of different teams in the season opener GP. As for the lefty's help I wish he could hit the jackpot in the season opener.

[UncleKracker]

@beglar_begi

We, at least genius83 and i have at no stage said anything against the esteemed lefty except praise, and i can safely without a fear of contradiction that genius83 like me is looking forwards to all of lefty`s wisdom and guidance at least for the first 3-4 races.

On a lighter note( lefty of course being the more important thing to discuss) I think BMW look quite good so far. There is another driver who looks in pretty good shape, but i do not want to mention his name for fear of black magic from all Ferrari and Mclaren fans:p

I wouldn't discount, Raikkonen, ever. He is mega fast in the right car, but again let me say the "right car" In-season testing ban is going to kill him more than anyone else with his extremely limited ability to develop a car, and inability to adopt his driving style to a car not suited to his.
For now, I think Ferrari, and Alonso fans are looking at the Mclaren situation with glee. Next week`s Barcelona test shall reveal a lot.

@genius83

Nothing will happen. If there is a tie they go back to counting the most number of second places and third. Just because we had one season where we, as in a huge population felt that the wrong man won. No need for a knee jerk reaction.

p: s Hamilton has crashed out of the final day of Jerez test. This after he had to stop on track in the morning and missed most of what was a wet session.

Raikkonen is putting in some very fast laps in the Ferrari, in its09 race trim in the low 1:20s

[UncleKracker]

Brawn GP takes over Honda Racing

Ross Brawn has taken control of the former Honda Racing outfit in a move that secures the survival of the tenth team in Formula One.

After months of speculation about the future of the Brackley-based outfit, following Honda's decision to quit grand prix racing last December, a 100 per cent buyout by Brawn has resulted in the team being renamed 'Brawn GP'.

A statement issued at midnight on Thursday said that Brawn had reached agreement with the Honda Motor Company to take ownership of the team. It was also confirmed that the outfit will be powered by Mercedes-Benz engines.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73577

[beglar_begi]

@UK & genius

its all tongue in cheek guys

Looks like the team formerly known as Honda F1 (I think they should go with that name seeing how it worked for prince for a while) is a sure thing for this season. I found it interesting how Ross Brawn and nick fry refused bernie ecclestone's offer of a 100 million pounds sterling to help with the management buy out... instead they were able to convince honda to fork out the 100 million to help with operating costs (not sure if i read that on this forum or somewhere else)... I'm glad either way...

[genius83]

@UK
Although I would say that it is not possible to have tie ups on all positions in case of tie up for the wins and points situation I want a clear winner and that is only possible with one way that is a tie breaker race. As for your saying that "Just because we had one season where we, as in a huge population felt that the wrong man won. No need for a knee jerk reaction." but that one season have pushed formula1 authority to revaluate the point scoring system and if you want difference between two drivers then used the MotoGP point scoring formula where the winner gets 25, 2nd place gets 20 and third place gets 15 that will solve the problem forever. If you really asked me of the point scoring formula I will like to use the formula that is being used in the 80's that is for first half of the season top eight are being considered eligible for the championship and for the last half top seven were eligible for the title. Only change needed is to cut the last half season's eligibility to top 5 drivers and that will make the sport more interesting then ever before.

As for team Brawn GP I wish they perform well.

[beglar_begi]

Brawn F1... it has a nice ring to it...

@genius

but what you suggest sort of alienates the other drivers in the last half dont you think? If you take the incentive away, even though it wont really make a difference because lets face it by the second half of the season there are only two or three front runners anyway, then resurgent performances like the one given by alonso late last season would be in vein.
I think they have opened the pandoras box with this points system debate... I wish they would agree on one and just follow it instead of tweaking it ever so often. There will never be a perfect system anyway.

[genius83]

@beglar
Well whether anyone from the middle of the pack perform or not the result will be the same that is yes Alonso performs but did that affect any things on the title fight the fight was still between the Ferrari and Mclaren before Alonso wins two GP and still between them after the two wins by Alonso. I am saying and what they have done in the past is simple give points to first 8 drivers at the end of every race in the first half while alot 7 (as they did in the past) or 5 (as I wanted) drivers race points during the last half now tell me what difference does this make on Alonso's result last season.

[genius83]

just to prove what I am saying these are the results scoring formula from the start of 80's

1) 1980 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Only the best five scores from the five seven races and the best four scores from the remaining eight races counted towards the championship.

2) 1981 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1).

3) 1982 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance.

4) 1983 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance.

5) 1984 FIA Formula One World Championship

Second drivers of teams that officially entered only one car were not eligible for points. This affected Jo Gartner (Osella-alfa Romeo) and Gerhard Berger (ATS-BMW) who finished fifth and sixth at the Italian Grand Prix. Their points were not redistributed. On 18 July, Tyrrell was disqualified from all races so far that season, and banned from competing in remaining races, because the team had run illegal cars.

6) 1985 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Best 11 results only counted towards the championship

7) 1986 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Best 11 results only counted towards the championship.

8) 1987 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Teams which entered only one car, such as Lola, did not score points for their second driver. Best 11 results only counted towards the championship.

9) 1988 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Best 11 results only counted towards the championship.

10) 1989 FIA Formula One World Championship

Points for top six finishers (9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1). Half points awarded for races stopped before half distance. Best 11 results only counted towards the championship.

So now all the above are the rules with their implimentation season mentioned.

[UncleKracker]

I think we are missing the point. For obvious reasons we dont want to admit that Raikkonen screwed up big time last year. Any driver who is paid as much as him, is there to do one job, win! If its a car that your team mate is doing well in, and you are considered to be the better driver, the faster driver, hyped up for years, then you must deliver unless you are in a car which is stuck in the midfield and going no where. He didn't win the title in 07 as much as Mclaren lost it. Lightening doesnt strike twice.
In the past we had Schumacher and Ferrari, who refused to let Rubens race him, not that Rubens would have beaten Schumacher to the championship. It resulted in Schumacher winning titles half way through the season, and FIA came up with a new scoring system which people want changed now.
The winner needs to be rewarded more for sure. A two points difference is not good enough everyone agrees.

I cant think of the tie break stuff. Firstly thats more Nascar-ish, secondly for arguments sake, what if one of the two guys has a mechanical problem in that race? His entire season goes down the drain.
I say keep the scoring system as it is with the only change being a bigger reward for the race winner, and at least for `09 everyone make sure Raikkonen stays away from the bottle if he has the car to fight at the front.

In 2008 the nicer guy lost the championship, but the deserving guy won it. As much as we hate him is irrelevant.

[nightsurfer]

I agree with UK, but, I believe Massa most certainly deserved it. No matter what people say, the way Hamilton finished the last race in 08 has a sense of cruelty to it.

Massa lost the C'ship in Singapore and that was not his fault, luck was against him.

[beglar_begi]

I don't see whats wrong with rewarding the guy who wins the most races but thats me (Ecclestonian theory)... I said it last year too the points system doesnt need a major overhaul but it seems like the FIA guys need to meddle with it in the name of progress.
people can make it as complicated as they want or as simple as they want.

@genius

Take into account the progress the cars have made over the years... i dont have it in me to dig up the number of cars that finished the race on average for every single one of those years with those rules but I am sure that number has increased now. More of the cars on the track want a share of the pie... anyway all this stuff about the points system seems moot at this point.

Here is a suggestion... and I mean it seriously... why dont you apply the point system you are suggesting to this season... you score them according to these rules... it would be interesting to see how the results differ...

And i mentioned Alonso because I misunderstood what you initially said... I thought you meant that you only wanted the top six drivers in the overall points standing to be given points when you meant the top six positions.

[genius83]

@UK, NS and beglar
Guys, I am not a fan of any driver even take it in the broader sense I hate all those players in all kind of sports which just only want to play because they have done something in the past and donot want to show what they are capable off. And here I am not saying that whether Lewis is capable or not but the way last race ended was ridiculus to say the least, may be he could won the title if he try to go as fast as possible but instead he backoff and that really have made me angry. Guys the looks of Ferrari pit garrage will ever be remember as a memorable scene.

beglar, as you have suggested that i should calculate the result I will do it and keep you updated during the season.

[genius83]

Button shakes down new Brawn car at Silverstone

Just hours after it was announced that the former Honda team will compete this season, Ross Brawn’s men were already hard at work shaking down their new car ahead of the season opener later this month.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/8990.html

[UncleKracker]

@genius83

Can you calculate a couple of the past  titles based on your formula and post the results here?

[genius83]

Ross Brawn Q&A: 'We've already met our biggest challenge'

Friday morning brought the news everyone had been waiting for - confirmation that the former Honda team will continue to race in 2009, under the new ownership of team principal Ross Brawn.

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/3/8991.html

@UK
As you wish sir I will calculate the result and post it here as soon as possible.