Ferrari are Back! (to their old tricks again)

Photo by PH-Stop

My next blog post was to have been about my recent visit to the WTCC/F2 at Brands Hatch but having seen the debacle at the Hockenheimring on Sunday I felt compelled to write this rant instead!

For the first time in many a long year, I found myself actually agreeing with Eddie Jordan! (and that takes some doing).

We, the motor racing fans, who support and pay for the tickets, merchandise etc were robbed of a potentially classic race finish.

Ferrari's actions were totally indefensible and completely unnecessary.

Whether it had ended up a one two finish with Massa first and Alonso second or vice verse would have made absolutely no difference to the outcome of the constructors championship.

IF Alonso is to become World Champion once again does he really want to do it with race victories handed to him on a plate by a team mate?

IF he is the superior driver (he imagines himself to be), surely it would have been no problem for him to pass Massa with a LEGITIMATE move on the track?

It would seem that every time something does not go Alonso's way he throws a hissy fit like an adolescent schoolgirl.

Ferrari, like Renault beforehand, it would appear are prepared to pander to these outbursts.

If Massa really wants to become World Champion and is not just in Formula 1 to make money (like Eddie Irvine was in my opinion), he must now be regretting his recent decision to sign a new two year contract with Ferrari.

It is clear that all the time Alonso is in the same team, Massa will be expected to play second fiddle starting with the remainder of this season.

It was cringe worthy watching the pathetic farcical pantomime act put on my various Ferrari personnel post race to demonstrate that no team orders had been given. Even a casual observer of Formula 1 would have had no doubts as to what had just gone on.

Ferrari have been fined US $ 100 k and the matter has been referred to the FIA for further investigation.

Big deal.

The fine is a mere drop in the ocean for Ferrari with an annual budget which runs to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The FIA is now headed by ex Ferrari boss Jean Todt. Hmm, that'll be a very thorough and impartial investigation then I don't think.

The only sanction which would have any meaningful effect, to deter similar actions in the future and go some way to restore the sport's tarnished image would be a points deduction for both Ferraris.

Will it happen?

I think I have a greater chance of signing a Ferrari contract in 2013!

F1 2010 - How I see the season so far

I must apologise for the dearth of posts recently.


Unfortunately my day job is taking up far too much of my precious time at the moment!


Anyway, I thought now that we are already four races into the season I would share my thoughts on how things are going so far and take a look at how my 2010 predictions are panning out.


We've had boring Bahrain, amazing Australia, marvellous Malaysia and a captivating China so far. The common magic ingredient in the last three races has been rain.


Unfortunately I think we may revert back to boring again at Barcelona as it is unlikely to rain there..... as, wait for it, the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain! (groan).

My 2010 predictions are holding up quite well.

The BBC's Jake Humphrey is still as irritating now as he was in 2009 although he does seem to have toned down the EJ, DC nonsense a bit thank God. Perhaps someone smacked him around the head a few times with a baseball bat until he saw the error of his ways?

There have already been the obligatory complaints about alleged technical infringements including McLaren's rear wing and Red Bull's supposed ride height control but nothing on the scale of last year's double diffusers saga last year.

Relations between Massa and Alonso are already said to be strained although this is of course flatly denied by Ferrari. They were not helped when Alonso craftily overtook Massa on the entry to the pit lane in China. I don't remember even Schumacher having the nerve to pull a stroke like that on a driver from another team let alone a team mate. This one will run and run over the season.

My prediction that Schumacher would win a race this year is looking shaky so far although there are still plenty of races left to run. The Mercedes car is OK as evidenced by Rosberg's results, so the problem clearly lies with Schumacher himself. I still have a hunch that he will pull off a win maybe at Monaco where outright pace is only part of the story or maybe in Korea, a new track where everyone is on a level playing field.

Button is doing better than I thought he would at McLaren and is currently well matched with Hamilton. Last season Button started well but faded in the second half of the season. I still think he will lose his title but it will be a close run thing.

It is still a bit early to say who will be the best rookie driver of the year. Alguersuari seems to have got his act together in the last couple of races after a lacklustre 2009. Hulkenburg has not been overly impressive to date but will get better as the season progresses.

Lastly, my prediction that Lotus will be top of the new teams seems to be on track.

By they way, if you are a Twitter user, you can follow Mike Gascoyne, he posts regular updates from the pit wall during GP weekends which give an interesting insider's view of the on track action. (You can of course also follow me on Twitter too by clicking the icon in the side bar)

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to leave a comment - they are always welcome.

2010 F1 Teams and Drivers - Update

First of all, a Happy New Year for 2010 (albeit somewhat belated), to one and all!

Better late than never I suppose...

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about my views on the 2010 Formula 1 driver line ups that had been announced up to that point. Since I wrote that post there have been many developments, the most remarkable of them being the return of Michael Schumacher.

This post is an update to my earlier one....

McLaren

An all English line up of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

It looks like I'm not the only one who thinks Button will get a hard time in the new season. Former Ferrari man (and general loudmouth) Eddie Irvine has said "Button will be murdered by Hamilton".

I may have put it more delicately but it seems we are singing from the same hymn sheet!

Ferrari

Drivers are confirmed as Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

Some other F1 bloggers, have tipped Alonso to become 2010 F1 World Champion but I don't buy it.

I think Ferrari have made a huge mistake employing two drivers with a Latin temperament and previous history at the Singapore GP. There could be the mother of all rows if one or the other driver feels the team are treating the other more favourably. Another replay of the Alonso versus Hamilton debacle at McLaren.

Still it will be fun to watch the fights!

Mercedes

They have pulled off the major coup of enticing Michael Schumacher out of retirement to form and all German line up with Nico Rosberg.

Although I am not a fan of Schumacher, it will certainly help to spice things up in 2010. Schumacher and controversy usually go hand in hand.

It is a shame for Rosberg that he will be overshadowed, although not necessarily outperformed by his illustrious team mate.

In some respects it could do Rosberg a favour that all the hopes and expectations of the whole German nation will be pinned on Schumacher.

Sauber

The Sauber team have announced that their 2010 car will be launched at Valencia on 31st January and will confirm their driver line up beforehand.

Sauber have signed Toyota refugee Kobayashi. He had a couple of good races for Toyota at the end of last season and will be interesting to watch.

Will he be another Sato? Occasional flashes of brilliance spoiled by all too often, kamikaze style overtaking moves leading to numerous DNF's....

It would not surprise me if the second seat is filled by Nick Heidfeld who is still without a confirmed drive. The bloke has been around for years but has never set the world alight. Having said that, he does seem to have a knack of finding himself in the points somehow, although usually only in the lower paying positions.

Williams

A good blend of youth and experience in the form of Nico Hulkenberg and veteran Rubens Barrichello.

I just hope and pray that the Williams car will be competitive. The team definitely made progress last year. Bring back the glory days!

Red Bull

Business as usual at Red Bull with Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

I'm looking forward to seeing Vettel again. If the car is on the money he will definitely be challenging with Hamilton and Co for the Championship.

US F1

Still no drivers announced so far but it is highly likely they will be two pay drive rookies.

The team have been given special dispensation from the FIA to test their car next month at the Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama.

With two rookies on board, expect a lot of DNF's.

Campos

The only confirmed driver so far is Bruno Senna. The second seat is still open but it could be academic as the fate of Campos hangs in the balance.

According to reliable reports the team is currently seeking investors to ensure they have sufficient funding to make it to the grid. One investor linked to the team is said to be A1 GP boss Tony Teixeira.

Not a particularly good omen considering the financial state of A1 GP right now!

Manor/Virgin

Timo Glock will team up with F1 rookie Lucas di Grassi.

I am just wondering how long Richard Branson will remain interested in F1. I have a horrible feeling it will be another short term fad. Apparently the team will be run on one of the lowest, if not the lowest, budgets of all. It looks to me like Virgin are making the minimum investment possible which does not smack of long term commitment.

Renault

Renault managed to off-load a large proportion of the team to investors Genii at the tail end of 2009. Robert Kubica is confirmed for 2010. The second seat remains vacant but is unlikely to go to Grosjean.

Lotus

I am optimistic that Lotus will be the best of the new boys on the 2010 grid.

They have a good technical team and have recently signed two experienced drivers, both previous F1 race winners - Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen.

Force India

Force India have retained Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi for 2010. I really hope they have a good season but I worry that they will struggle to keep up with some of the new boys.

Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso have confirmed Sebastian Buemi but a question mark hangs over Jaime Alguersuari.

Buemi had some good performances in 2009 but Alguersuari made a lot of rookie mistakes.

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If you have enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to leave a comment. Your feedback is always very welcome.

2010 Formula 1 Teams and Drivers

Here are some thoughts on the 2010 F1 teams and drivers that have been announced so far...

McLaren

2009 Champion Jenson Button has signed for McLaren and will race alongside Lewis Hamilton the 2008 Champion.

I have a feeling he may well rue this decision come the end of the season.

At Brawn he was undisputed top dog but won't have this luxury at McLaren where Hamilton has (literally) grown up with the team.

In my opinion Button's weaknesses will become plain to see when up against Hamilton in the same car. If Brawn had not had the headstart over the other teams this year due to their clever interpretation of the technical rules, Button would not have become Champion.

Unfortunately for Button, if it does not work out at McLaren he has burnt his bridges with Ross Brawn and Nick Fry having left on less than amicable terms. Button seems to have a knack of doing this , another example being the situation with Frank Williams a few years back.

Ferrari

I am looking forward to seeing Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa spending the whol;e season squabbling!

Ferrari may regret taking on Alonso if they end up with a similar situation to the one McLaren found themselves in when he was paired up with Lewis Hamilton.



Brawn/Mercedes

The Brawn team will be rebranded Mercedes next year. So far they have announced only Nico Rosberg on their 2010 driver roster. He should do a solid job and could even possibly win his first GP if the car is up to scratch.

The second driver slot could go to Heidfeld making an all German line up. He is a consistant points scorer but will never set the world alight.

Sauber

Peter Sauber has managed to do a deal to salvage the remains of the BMW team and has been granted a 2010 grid slot. This is welcome news.

No drivers have been announced so far.

Williams



Williams have an interesting line up. Veteran Rubens Barrichello is paired up with German youngster Nico Hulkenberg. Whilst many were happy to write off Barrichello, Frank Williams obviously still sees potential. It is rumoured he is getting $ 6 million for the season!

I have seen Hulkenberg racing in A1Gp at Brands Hatch and he was the class of the field.

Obviously it is a big step from A1Gp to F1 but I think he will be exciting to watch if the Williams car is on the pace.


Red Bull

Red Bull retain the same driver line in 2010 - Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. If the car is on the pace in 2010, Vettel must be a serious contender for the Championship.


McLaren will have Hamilton and Button taking points from each other and Ferrari will have the egos of Alonso and Massa to control.


US F1


One of the newcomers to the grid in 2010. No drivers have been announced so far. I can't help feeling this team will be a flash in the pan. Maybe one season in F1 at the most before they gently fade away. I don't believe there is any real enthusiasm or appetite for F1 in the USA especially as there isn't even a US Grand Prix anymore.

Campos


Another of the new teams. They have signed the late Ayrton Senna's nephew Bruno. The famous surname will no doubt be a good selling point with their sponsors but may not necessarily bring track success!


Manor/Virgin


Newcomers Manor have paired up with Virgin and signed Toyota refugee Timo Glock as their lead driver. He should do a solid job.


Renault


Renault have signed Robert Kubica although I have severe doubts that they will make it to the grid at all in 2010. Renault are actively looking to exit F1 and are said to be in negotiations with potential buyers. A decision should be made by the end of this month.


Lotus


The last of the new teams. have not announced any drivers yet although there is a good chance that Jarno Trulli will find his way there.


Force India


Force India have retained Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi. I am hoping that they will continue to progress during 2010 although this could be difficult with the added competiton from the new teams.


Toro Rosso


Toro Rosso have confirmed Sebastian Buemi and are expected to retain Jaime Alguersuari. It will be interesting to see if both drivers are still with the team at the end of the 2010 season. There are a lot of young drivers in the Red Bull pool waiting in the wings to take their place...


Other posts you may like....

FIA Announce New Teams for 2010

Singapore Race Fix

BMW Pulls out of F1