The Official 2010 Formula1 Topic

[Supafly]

Get first-hand infos from here: http://www.formula1.com/

Man, I am sooo curious how this season's going to go! Schumacher (The real one, not Ralf :rofl: ) is back and we have a joined Mercedes/Brawn GP Team he is racing for, along with Nico Rosberg, who did so well last season.

Than there is Lotus back in the game, one of the most successfull teams in F1 history, and Ferrari, with Massa and Alonso, who will put in more than just fair competition against Mercedes, because they showed the departing of Schumacher from Ferrari as an advisor back to racing to the enemy, Mercedes was an offense to them.

The fun team to watch will be Virgin Racing, yet another of Richard Branson's little follies :1orglaugh But, hey, he is really successfull at space travel, etc, so maybe he will be in the race for good, that's the great thing about Formula 1. Who would have bet a dollar on Brawn GP before last season? And remember, Virgin was their first sponsor then and did very well by sponsoring the team.

Which is your favorite team? Your fave track?

Let's talk 'bout this :glugglug:

 

[Supafly]

Just read that F1 has lost around 10 percent of the sponsor money last year - will this go on dropping? Is this endangering the whole F1 business?

I think it'sa good chance to make some hard decisions about making rules that get more power-feedback into cars and such.

 

[Rey C.]

Favorite team? Well, McLaren has been home to many/most of my favorite drivers over the years (Fittipaldi, Lauda, Senna, Montoya, Hamilton), so I guess I'll go with them.

Favorite driver? Mr. Lewis Hamilton (sans the Pussycat Doll hottie).

Favorite track(s): Monaco, Montreal and Monza are my classic faves. But I was surprised at what a beautiful complex the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi was. If the Romans were still around to flaunt their wealth, I figure they would have built a track JUST like that. :bowdown:

They even have a scale model of it. I bet that model alone cost more than the average house in the U.S.

This should be a fantastic season! Some new faces (how many of the new teams will make it to the first race?). And some old faces in new places (will Mercedes heavily favor Schumacher over Rosberg? Will McLaren let Button race Hamilton?). As the start of the season draws closer, I'll be like a teenage girl on the night before prom. :nanner:

 

[Embryoyo]

How many teams did they loose between last year and this? F1 isn't cool anymore, it's all rules and crap...

I AM quite interested with the return of Schumacher though, I just don't know if it's enough to pique my interest.

 

[Rey C.]

How many teams did they loose between last year and this? F1 isn't cool anymore, it's all rules and crap...

I AM quite interested with the return of Schumacher though, I just don't know if it's enough to pique my interest.

Well, USF1 probably won't answer the bell. But even without that sad outfit, Formula One should actually pick up teams this year. BMW just became Sauber (again). Brawn became the works Mercedes team. Toyota left (their grand prix cars wouldn't GO, and their road cars won't SLOW ), but the other two new teams should make it to Bahrain. This season will be the biggest grid that F1 has had in several years.

As for "rules and crap"... that's how F1 has been since Day 1. Max "Spank My Ass, Mistress" Mosley is now gone from the FIA Presidency. So the politics should (hopefully) take somewhat of a backseat this year. Though better than Ballestre, I still couldn't stand that spawn of two Nazis. But even with the FIA trying to screw the pooch, the past 3 seasons have been some of the best since the mid/late 90's, IMO.

If you (truly) like formula car racing, you owe it to yourself to check out the first few races at least. There was a time when CART IndyCar came VERY close. But now days, F1 is without a doubt the pinnacle of motorsports (formula cars anyway).

 

[D-rock]

Every year it gets harder to continue to like and follow Formula 1. Some other racing league needs to be created that has all the good qualities Formula 1 used to have way back in the day without all the crap it does now.

 

[Rey C.]

To be honest, D-rock, I don't think that time ever really existed in Formula One. And the day that Colin Chapman put those John Player Special decals on the Lotus, the money train started rolling and the series has simply evolved into what we have now... for better or worse. On the good side, there is seldom a driver death now, and that used to be quite common. On the bad side, the stakes are so high that the (on track) fans have sort of been forgotten about by the commercial interests. I'm not in love with IMS, but the only reason there isn't a race there is because the Hulmans weren't go to pay Bernie's outrageous fees. Even as the crowds dwindled down since the first race, Indy still had one of the biggest turnouts on the F1 schedule. Montreal and Silverstone are lucky to be on the schedule. So I agree with you that the greed and avarice of some has harmed the sport. But they're still putting on balls to the wall races! :nanner:

I stayed with one company for maybe a bit longer than I should have simply because they sponsored a team and I was hoping to weasel my way into that side of the company... since I really do love racing. It's my one true vice. So unless they bring some slouch like Danica Patrick over, and try to convince me that she is a bonafide, worthy grand prix driver, I'll be watching F1 until they shovel the dirt on me. I used to feel pretty much the same way about CART IndyCar, but a certain winner of the Lucky Sperm Club pretty much screwed that all to hell.

 

[Supafly]

To me, this major crisis is really essentially weeds out the bullshit race by bigger sponsor cash to smart decicions and a good strategy and trust in new tech developments can make the difference.

Look at that KERS system that was the big new thing last season - they tried to tale that out of the game but it's on this year again, and that is what I love.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/08/19/f1-2010-rules-kers-to-stay/

First, it is helping the finetuning of that system for mass market - and then, it gives a nice twist to new strategies in races.

Second, the comeback of Michael Schumacher. I am a German, but i despise him. But you got to give him credit for the balls he got. He can really loose a lot in this season, being the legend and maybe getting his ass whipped by the young guns ^^

Third, yes there are tracks in the circuit that are super-intense, the ultimate being Monaco, but those new night-races are so good, too.

And its so great to spend the weekend on watching the countdown and pre-reports on the race and then seeing it happen live.

 

[Supafly]

Just been reading maybe Villeneuve might be back i the race this season, a lot of seats not yet taken if you check the F1 homepage

 

[somebadlemonade]

i don't really have a favorite team or driver, i like the competition
and my favorite course is monaco, i've always liked highly technical city courses, ones where the track ends on either side up against a berrier

 

[Johan]

Fave driver : Fernando Alonso
Hated team : Ferrari.
So I think I'm gonna support my 2nd fave driver : Sebastian Vettel.

Fave Tracks : Canadian Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix.

From what I've heard, Ferrari seems very very fast.
Mercedez, McLaren and Red Bull should be on top positions too.

Lotus, Virgin F1, Campos and USF1 will probably suck. Campos and USF1 may finallly not even participate. At least, they'll miss the 3-4 first races.

Things to keep an, eye on :
-Fernando Alonso driving for Ferrari. Probably the best driver of the championship with the best car.
-Michael Schumacher's return, at 41 : Will he be good. Could he get on some podium. Could he win a few races ?
-McLaren has 2008 and 2009 World Champs. Can they team up together or will they fight each other (like Prost and Senna did in the past). Wich one's gonna be the best ?

 

[ed007]

Money and winning is everything in sports and some will stop at nothing to win.
Sadly, we can see this in most all the top sports. :crying:

However, I'm a hardcore sports fans including Formula1.
I'll be supporting lewis hamilton. :thumbsup:

 

[Johan]

Bahrein's Grand Prix starting grid top 10 positions :

01 : Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
02 : Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
03 : Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
04 : Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
05 : Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
06 : Mark Webber (Red Bull)
07 : Michael Schumacher (Mercedez)
08 : Jenson Button (McLaren)
09 : Robert Kubica (Renault)
10 : Adrian Sutil (Force India)

A few hings to note :
-Vettel is ahead of the 4 big guys fro Ferrari and McLaren (Alonso, Massa, Hamilton, Button).
-Massa took, advantage on Alonso.
-Schumacher may need some time to be competiive,. For the moment, his team-mate Nico Rosberg, not a real top driver, is ahead of him...

 

[ed007]

Anyone brave enough to predict the winner of tomorrow's race? :shy:

 

[Vim Fuego]

Anyone brave enough to predict the winner of tomorrow's race? :shy:

1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Alonso

 

[Rey C.]

Anyone brave enough to predict the winner of tomorrow's race? :shy:

Not I. I think this will be one hell of a race, and one hell of a season. But other than Vettel looking incredibly strong, this one could go to any of the top runners. I think the soft tires are going to be a problem tomorrow. I also think the backmarkers could be a problem when the leaders try to come through.

All I know is I'm REALLY looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[ed007]

Race results

1. Alonso
2. Massa
3. Hamilton

I don't think Button is going to do very well this season. :2 cents:

 

[Rey C.]

Race results

1. Alonso
2. Massa
3. Hamilton

I don't think Button is going to do very well this season. :2 cents:

Kind of a boring race. For once, I agree with Schumacher about something. As they get it figured out, hopefully it'll get better. But the cars are SO heavy on full tanks that the guys are more worried about preserving their tires than racing for position.

Too bad about Vettel. I'm cheering for ABA this year: Anybody But Alonso.

 

[Supafly]

I think Alonso is pretty much running on hate rather than gas ^^

Vettel is going to play a big role this season, and I hope he makes i to first place.

 

[ed007]

Kind of a boring race. For once, I agree with Schumacher about something. As they get it figured out, hopefully it'll get better. But the cars are SO heavy on full tanks that the guys are more worried about preserving their tires than racing for position.

Too bad about Vettel. I'm cheering for ABA this year: Anybody But Alonso.

:hatsoff::hatsoff:

I agree with you and Schumacher. I didn't enjoy the race. I don't think the rules changes were a good idea. I hope I'm wrong but we could be in for a fairly dull season. But it's only the first race so let's wait and see.

I think Alonso is a very good driver but he does seem very nasty and I don't like him.