2010 new teams discussion

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ardius
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I don't know much about F3 cars, what is the thing jutting out of the side of all of them for? Is it an air intake, and if so, why not put it on the top?
 
PJ-FFL
I don't know much about F3 cars, what is the thing jutting out of the side of all of them for? Is it an air intake, and if so, why not put it on the top?
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Its an air restrictor, it controls the flow of air to the engine and hence limits the power output and stresses put on the engine. It helps equalise the performance of all the engines in the series (as there are multiple engine manufacturers in F3, its not a spec series).
 
Ardius
Video of Lopez' testing today in a F3 Dallara:

Says to me he is as confirmed as we can get at USF1 without a team press release. Good luck to him, he will certainly need it. Especially when he can manage to go the wrong way with a car he put on pole position!:

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Wow. That one belongs on failblog.
 
I shouldn't waste my time talking about Windsor's thoughts but I'm interested to know what others think anyway:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80730

So, do we think Windsor is correct or am I right in rolling my eyes at another peice of bile from this nitwit?
What is he doing going on about making it out like its a European decision? I didn't know anyone other than F1 teams close down for August!

Also, I thought they brought this rule in so employees wouldn't go insane and they could see their families once in a while (ya know, seeing as they are away most of the year?). Not sure why it annoys him so and I don't see the connection to it negatively affecting the US.

I don't like the feeling he is purposefully throwing out words like this when he full well knows there is a bit of Euro vs US war of words going on over his team. We really don't need to bring nationalism into the sport like this....
 
I was unaware that europe shuts down in August (or at least everyone seems to go on vacation in that month). And seeing Ardius claims otherwise i did a quick google and found this http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/europewide_debate/412601.stm and not just that it seems i can find a good bit of info on the subject.

From a US point of view i can see where he is coming from. We tend to work through most of the holidays with most companys only giving holidays off and not the day before like Xmas eve. Taking 2 weeks off for the holidays seems odd from an American point of view. And the month of August is also an odd thing since it seems a good portion of people seem to take there holiday during that month.

But for the factory's closing down for a month i don't understand. I can understand the teams taking a break for a month that are on the road all year but the guys working at the factory most likely live close by and they more then likely see there family every night.
 
Well we got reports of a machinist at McLaren working non-stop for several days as an example of them being determined to sort out their car last season. I think that says it all really, its a high pressure sport which as Windsor says has little time available already.
Some would argue it doesn't really help as it just puts more pressure on the remaining work hours but otherwise, is there really much time for any of the team to use their hoilidays otherwise? All they get is Christmas from what I can see.

And I really had no idea about the August shutdown, I don't know anyone here who doesn't work in August unless they are using their holidays. The only thing I knew about was the teams agreed to one, but I didn't know it was a European-industry wide practice.
 
NapoleonMikey
I was unaware that europe shuts down in August (or at least everyone seems to go on vacation in that month). And seeing Ardius claims otherwise i did a quick google and found this http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/europewide_debate/412601.stm and not just that it seems i can find a good bit of info on the subject.

From a US point of view i can see where he is coming from. We tend to work through most of the holidays with most companys only giving holidays off and not the day before like Xmas eve. Taking 2 weeks off for the holidays seems odd from an American point of view. And the month of August is also an odd thing since it seems a good portion of people seem to take there holiday during that month.

But for the factory's closing down for a month i don't understand. I can understand the teams taking a break for a month that are on the road all year but the guys working at the factory most likely live close by and they more then likely see there family every night.
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To be honest, I wasn't even aware that Europe 'shuts down' in august. The period between mid June and late august is the most popular holiday time for family's because that's when children are off school.

The notion that Europe shuts down in august is utter nonsense as far as I can tell.
 
Half of Italy shutsdown over August... not sure why... but try buying a sofa in August and they'll add 4 weeks to your lead time automagically!!!

C.
 
Hmm...2 English fellows who dont know the rest of Europe is taking holiday why they still work? I smell a conspiracy here. I'm starting to think you guys should confront the mainland because I think they are leaving you out of there vacation schedule and letting you guys continue to work why they come take a vacation in England where all the shops and industry's are still open. ;)
 
Continentals going on holiday in England, now there's irony for you. :dopey:
 
If that's so, I think A1 can be now unofficially be called dead. Such a shame.
 
Crashbroke23
If that's so, I think A1 can be now unofficially be called dead. Such a shame.
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Teixiera has only been linked to the role. He still has to win out over the others. If he does, I hope he doesn't use the team to give A1GP drivers a run.
 
As opposed to a pay driver?
 
TheBigMan045
As opposed to a pay driver?
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Teixeira's idea was to use a rotating system. Once a driver had achieved a certain level within A1GP, he (or she) would be promoted to Formula 1 - but only for so long as it took for another driver to achieve the same things. So no matter how well that driver was actually doing in Formula 1, they would eventually always be replaced by another driver. Whoever had been in the seat for longer would be the one to be replaced. Teixeira was intending to use Formula 1 as a reward for success in A1GP at the same time as trying to use Formula 1 to boost A1's credibility.

And pay drivers aren't nearly as bad as they used to be. Look at Vitaly Petrov, one of Campos' two options: of all the drivers in GP2, no-one has risen from the back to the front of the grid faster than he has. Drivers now need to ascend through the ranks of the lower formulae, and while they do pay for their seats, they are not untalented.
 
Stevisiov
Continentals going on holiday in England, now there's irony for you. :dopey:
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My favourite destination actually. Specially in August, because where else in Europe will you find hotels working, policemen patrolling, or even airplanes flying? Good gracious, if it wasn't for BA and Virgin we wouldn't be able to travel at all. Remember, we shut down in August here. If we don't supply the house until July 31st we won't even have bread to eat!

:dopey:
 
Virgin have apparently paid Cosworth an extra one and a half million pounds to rebrand the Cosworth CA2010 as a Marussia ... something that as yet to be announced. Marussia is one of Virgin's partners, a fledgling Russian supercar manufacturer. Marussia's first car doesn't look too bad, either:

Marussia.jpg
 
Unlikely because:

FIA
The cost to each team taking up this option will be an up-front payment of £1.68M (€1.97M) and then £5.49M (€6.42M) per season for each of the three years of the supply contract (2010, 2011, 2012).
This price is based on four teams signing up and includes full technical support at all races and official tests, plus 30,000 km of testing. The annual cost will reduce if more teams take up the option, for example to £4.99M (€5.84M) per team with eight teams.
It will further reduce if less than 30,000 km of testing is required. Neither engine nor transmission will be badged.
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http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2008/Documents/team_principals.pdf

I'm going to assume this means the "tender engine" which is the Cosworth cannot be rebadged.
This makes sense as its probably part of the deal with the FIA, otherwise what would be the point for Cosworth? They want the exposure, unless Virgin paid off Cosworth for the trouble.

And that car is disgusting, looks like someone crashed a Lambo head on with a wall.
 
Hun200kmh
My favourite destination actually. Specially in August, because where else in Europe will you find hotels working, policemen patrolling, or even airplanes flying? Good gracious, if it wasn't for BA and Virgin we wouldn't be able to travel at all. Remember, we shut down in August here. If we don't supply the house until July 31st we won't even have bread to eat!

:dopey:
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Germany :sly:
 
Hun200kmh
Tell that to Peter Windsor, he says you guys shut down in August. :lol:
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And how many Formula 1 teams are based in Germany?

None of them. USF1, Campos, Ferrari and Toro Rosso are the only teams based outside of Great Britain.
 
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And how many Formula 1 teams are based in Germany?

None of them. USF1, Campos, Ferrari and Toro Rosso are the only teams based outside of Great Britain.
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Toyota and part of BMW was.....they never had a problem.

In any case, it still makes Windsor's comments redundant in this case, I mean, he's referring to like its a disadvantage to his team?
I don't really get where he was going with that and why he mentioned it.
 
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And how many Formula 1 teams are based in Germany?

None of them. USF1, Campos, Ferrari and Toro Rosso are the only teams based outside of Great Britain.
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That is irrelevant for Mr. Windsor, he doesn't seem to regard the UK any higher than what he calls "most of Europe".

"We're all complaining a little about everything closing down for the New Year but - believe me – America is currently much more industrious than the UK," Windsor wrote on the US F1 website's blog.

"Here, at our home base, we were quiet on Christmas Day (naturally) and then again today. The UK – and most of Europe – basically shut down on December 18 and will not stagger back to life until January 4. That's 16 valuable days lost in the too-short life of the F1 European winter.

"And that's not all: remember the August F1 shutdown that was introduced for the first time in 2009? Well, it's happening again in 2010. Understand that most of Europe closes for August and you kind of understand the decision. Unless you're American, that is."
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:rolleyes:
 
I think that Winsdor's point is that where Europe shuts down for eighteen days over Christmas and the New Year, America only closes shop for four. That gives USF1 the luxury of being able to have a different developmet timetable than the other teams.
 
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I think that Winsdor's point is that where Europe shuts down for eighteen days over Christmas and the New Year, America only closes shop for four. That gives USF1 the luxury of being able to have a different developmet timetable than the other teams.
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Yes, that is his point but I'm not annoyed at that - I don't even know if thats true either (again, I know people who work up to Christmas Eve, then there are some bank holidays that are given depending on where Christmas falls). It could be that the F1 teams work up to the 23rd, but whatever.

I'm more annoyed at his remarks about it being a frustration that they have to shut down in August, as if its some disadvantage to a US team in particular and has no benefit? I especially don't like the way he is wording it in a way that would provoke more America vs. Europe comments. I can understand doing the PR to promote the team as an American effort and the benefits and such, but that statement read a little too much as an insult really. Almost feels like he's playing to those sentiments on purpose, which is obviously not good, but I guess yet more nationalism in F1 is not surprising.
 
I'm doubting the seriousness of these new teams, mainly Campos. My friend Fernando Rees who I have mentioned many times had an offer from them if he would pay a certain (extortionate) amount of money.
 
Alex.
I'm doubting the seriousness of these new teams, mainly Campos. My friend Fernando Rees who I have mentioned many times had an offer from them if he would pay a certain (extortionate) amount of money.
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Not surprising though, considering how dire it will be in terms of sponsors in the current economic climate.

Anyway, as expected, Lotus poach some key members from Toyota, following Trulli and Gascoyne:
http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/formula-1-news/226435/gass-and-pisanello-follow-trulli-to-lotus/

I think its safe to say at the moment that Virgin and Lotus are looking to be the safe bets out of the 4, with the majority of the experience and money residing in these teams. I've heard Virgin also poached some Renault members following Lucas Di Grassi too.
 
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