F1 2010 Preview

[ignis]

but

To-days rumour is

http://msnsport.skysports.com/story/0,1952...5764598,00.html

It has been in the air for some time......... It appears that they want Sebastian Vettel

but cannot get him till 2011, so need a driver for 1 year..

[schlog]

F1 KING Michael Schumacher IS BACK!

What a sensation. Will he win races?

He will relight the fire

[Mosha]

Almost final schedule. Just waiting for Korea. Brazil to Abu Dhabi could be a logistics nighmare.

2010 FIA Formula One World Championship

14/3 BHR Bahrain

28/3 AUS Australia

4/4 MYS Malaysia

18/4 CHN China

9/5 ESP Spain

16/5 MCO Monaco

30/5 TUR Turkey

13/6 CAN Canada

27/6 ESP Europe (Valencia)

11/7 GBR Great Britain

25/7 DEU Germany

1/8 HUN Hungary

29/8 BEL Belgium

12/9 ITA Italy

26/9 SGP Singapore

10/10 JPN Japan

24/10 KOR Korea*

7/11 BRA Brazil

14/11 ARE Abu Dhabi

*Subject to the homologation of the circuit.

Note: The races in Australia and Abu Dhabi will start at 1700 local time, in Malaysia at 1600 local time, in Canada at 1200 local time, in Singapore at 2000 local time, and in Japan at 1500 local time.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Mosha

[Mosha]

F1 KING Michael Schumacher IS BACK!

What a sensation. Will he win races?

He will relight the fire

A different set of stewards to convince this next season. Jean Todt is using ex F1 drivers.

[rixalex]

rixalex. My daughter is now out of hospital but returns once a week for a scan as she still has headaches and dizziness but at least she is back at university now, everything is looking good, once again mate thanks for your concern.

Good to hear David.

Hoping that the new year brings her full recovery.

And, bit early i know, but, whilst i'm in the mood, may i wish all you guys and gals a happy and healthy New Year!

[wackysleet]

rixalex. My daughter is now out of hospital but returns once a week for a scan as she still has headaches and dizziness but at least she is back at university now, everything is looking good, once again mate thanks for your concern.

Good to hear David.

Hoping that the new year brings her full recovery.

And, bit early i know, but, whilst i'm in the mood, may i wish all you guys and gals a happy and healthy New Year!

Cheers mate and the same to you and the rest of the posters here.

David.

[rixalex]

Has anyone any good memories of great racing that they have attended recently or sometime ago, any little anecdotes, anything.

Nothing is springing to mind i'm sad to say. How about you get us started mate?

[TBWG]

Rosberg to Lotus!!!!!! Kimi in a Williams?

See this report ~~~~~~~ http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_new...es_art_id=39673

TBWG

[Mosha]

I can understand Niko, but Kimi?

[TBWG]

Rosberg to Lotus!!!!!! Kimi in a Williams?

See this report ~~~~~~~ http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_new...es_art_id=39673

TBWG

Well thats that rumour dead in the water (mind you it was a bit far fetched).........Lotus announce Jarno and Heikki as their drivers ~~~ http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80563

TBWG

[Mosha]

Well this ones a good one 1st they get Schumi, and then they lose a sponsor.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80574

[TBWG]

Virgin goes all the way!

See .... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80582

TBWG

[Mosha]

Pushing the bounds of what is possible? He has heard of the FIA hasn't he?

[TBWG]

HI

Looks like Schuey is coming back...... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80623

Not a great fan of his, but an opportunity to see how he compares with current crop of hotshoes!

TBWG

[Mosha]

..and Nico says http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5774881,00.html

[TBWG]

Somehow I think this is all going to end in tears...................................................

Ferrari chief admits to Alonso concerns

Saturday 19th December 2009

Luca di Montezemolo admits he had concerns about Fernando Alonso's ability to be a team player.

The Spaniard signed with Ferrari in late September having long been linked with a move to the Scuderia, but di Montezemolo concedes that while Ferrari have had their eye on Alonso for some time they were uncertain if the driver would fit in with their team dynamic.

"We have been watching him since 2007," explained the Ferrari chief.

"He is an extremely talented driver, quick and good at working with a team, while being totally focused on winning.

"I spoke about [Alonso's ability to be a team player] with (Stefano) Domenicali maybe 1000 times, not 100, 1000 times, and I spoke with Alonso.

"I told him: 'If you come to drive for us, you drive for a team, you drive for a group, you don't drive for yourself.

"If you want a team, then you do your own team, fantastic, like John Surtees. In Ferrari we want to put you in the best condition to win. If not, we will never hire you," he added.

TBWG

[Mosha]

...and he still signed him? I hope they've got a good supply of teddies.

[F1fanatic]

That's what makes next year so fascinating! We've got Fernando and Massa together in one team and Button and Hamilton in another - both teams are likely to end in tears as neither Button or Massa are likely to easily accept being the 2nd driver ....

Not to mention if Schui comes back.... assuming he will only come back if Mercedes are able to offer a race winning car, the year could be a classic!

[Donnyboy]

Michael Schumacher is back for 2010

[Donnyboy]

That's what makes next year so fascinating! We've got Fernando and Massa together in one team and Button and Hamilton in another - both teams are likely to end in tears as neither Button or Massa are likely to easily accept being the 2nd driver ....

Not to mention if Schui comes back.... assuming he will only come back if Mercedes are able to offer a race winning car, the year could be a classic!

im looking forward to it all as well, the drama on and off the track

[TBWG]

Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes

By Andrew Benson

Seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to race for Mercedes next year, BBC Sport understands.

The German, who will be 41 on 3 January, has signed a contract and the deal will be announced imminently.

Schumacher will partner compatriot Nico Rosberg in the team that won the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2009 in its former guise as Brawn.

The German newspaper Bild is reporting that Schumacher signed a one-year deal and it is likely he will have the option to continue beyond 2010 if his returns goes well.

Schumacher will reportedly earn £6.2m after signing up to reunite with Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who masterminded all seven of his titles, the first two with Benetton in 1994-5 and the subsequent five with Ferrari from 2000-4.

Mercedes are known to want German rising star Sebastian Vettel in the long term, but the 22-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2012.

Rosberg, who signed for Mercedes shortly after the season ended, has already warned Schumacher he faces a tough task getting back up to speed with F1 but said he would welcome him as a team-mate.

"It will not be easy for him," Rosberg was quoted in German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung.

"When you stay away from F1 for a long time, it takes time to get used to all the test sessions again. It's not simple.

"I have no idea if it (a comeback) is true or not, but if he did join that would be an absolutely fantastic move."

Schumacher was forced to call off a planned temporary comeback as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa last season because of a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident last February.

But Schumacher is known to have had medical checks recently and it must be assumed he has been given the all clear as he would not want to face the same embarrassment again.

He signed a revised contract as a consultant for Ferrari, but he told Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo last week that he was "very close" to concluding a deal to race for Mercedes.

Ferrari have had to release him from his contract to enable him to race for Mercedes.

His comeback is the most high profile in F1 since Austrian Niki Lauda came out of a two-year retirement for the 1982 season to race for McLaren.

He's not at the peak of his game, but he's still good enough to win races

Eddie Irvine

Lauda, who was 33 at the time, went on to win a third world title in 1984.

Juan Manuel Fangio is Formula 1's oldest world champion, the Argentine won a fifth world championship at the age of 46 before retiring.

Nigel Mansell won the 1994 Australian Grand Prix at the age of 41, having stepped in as a substitute for Williams for four races following the death of Ayrton Senna.

Schumacher has been training hard in preparation for a return and, assuming his neck is fully healed, is not expected to have any problems with fitness.

His former team-mate Johnny Herbert told BBC Radio 5 live: "The fitness side is very, very important, but the way Michael keeps himself in shape - he brought the physical aspects of F1 up a couple of notches - it isn't going to be an issue.

"I don't know of anyone that has gone out of F1 and come back and actually achieved something by coming back. Alain Prost wasn't the same when he came back but because of Michael's mentality it is different."

Another former team-mate, Eddie Irvine, told the BBC last week that he expected Schumacher would win races, even though he would not be as powerful a force as before.

"The speed will be there, though he won't be as fast as he was seven years ago," Irvine said.

"He's not at the peak of his game, but he's still good enough to win races as he has such an immense talent. It's still four wheels, a steering wheel and an engine and there's never been anyone better than Michael."

Irvine said he thought Schumacher would be at a disadvantage in wheel-to-wheel racing compared to the younger generation of drivers such as 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

"Lewis isn't going to back off, but Michael will have to because he'll be 41," Irvine said.

The BBC's F1 commentator Jonathan Legard believes Schumacher can compete with the likes of Hamilton and Button if he is given a competitive enough car.

"He wouldn't do something unless he knew he could do it justice," he said. "If Mercedes are any good he'll be in the top four, maybe even pitching for the Championship."

Schumacher's decision brings his career to a neat conclusion - Mercedes, for whom he was racing in sportscars at the time, paid for his F1 debut with Jordan in 1991 but he has never raced for them in F1.

TBWG

[ignis]

On BBC News on TV... Michael Schumacher has signed for 2010 with Mercedes F1

[Mosha]

http://sport.onet.pl/0,1248769,2101205,,f1...,wiadomosc.html

I've posted the link to show a, I didn't make it up and b, I haven't lost me marbles.

It's in Polish. but it claims the moobile road block Ralf is wanted by Renault. Now as the year draws to a close, this has to win the award as the daftest rumour of the decade.

[TBWG]

USF1 I know Bernie has been stirring it up as only he can and that Pete Windsor is saying all is progressing well, BUT, there is no smoke without fire ...

I originally thought they where a realistic entrant, But Windsor is a PR man and I would have expected a lot more self promotion etc for the team. Maybe Bernie not speak with forked tongue this time!

TBWG

[TBWG]

Hi F1 fans

Current 2010 driver situation

2010 Entry List

No Driver Nat Team

1 Jenson Button GB Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

2 Lewis Hamilton GB Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

3 Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes Grand Prix

4 Michael Schumacher GER Mercedes Grand Prix

5 Sebastian Vettel GER Red Bull Racing

6 Mark Webber AUS Red Bull Racing

7 Felipe Massa BRZ Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

8 Fernando Alonso ESP Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

9 Rubens Barrichello BRZ AT&T Williams

10 Nico Hulkenberg GER AT&T Williams

11 Robert Kubica POL Renault F1 Team

12 TBA Renault F1 Team

14 Adrian Sutil GER Force India F1 Team

15 Tonio Liuzzi ITA Force India F1 Team

16 Sebastien Buemi SUI Scuderia Toro Rosso

17 TBA Scuderia Toro Rosso

18 Jarno Trulli ITA Lotus F1 Racing

19 Heikki Kovalainen FIN Lotus F1 Racing

20 TBA Campos Meta 1

21 Bruno Senna BRZ Campos Meta 1

22 TBA US F1 Team

23 TBA US F1 Team

24 Timo Glock GER Virgin Racing

25 Lucas di Grassi BRZ Virgin Racing

26 TBA BMW Sauber

27 Kamui Kobayashi JAP BMW Sauber

So not a lot of seats left especially if Jaime Algesuire is in the other Lollo Rosso seat, of the remainder Renault & Sauber I suppose in theory should be the best available.... Time will tell!

TBWG

[Mosha]

Given what I have just posted #12 scares the shit out of me. Merry Christmas guys.

[TBWG]

Anyone else think that Renault is going to turn into a fiasco for 2010. Must admit that I don't know much about the new 75% shareholder but a venture capital company running an F1 team?

Allied to that the first appointment a Sports management executive as team boss sounds an odd move, but then I am biased in favour of Dave Richards who seems to be thwarted whatever F1 return route he tries to take.

TBWG

[Mosha]

Venture Capitalists, don't they buy companies and sell them off piece by piece? How much am I bid for this nose cone?

Edited December 27, 2009 by Mosha

[carmine]

Schumacher would not have signed for any team unless the car was fantastic and his team mate was ordered to play second fiddle

Alonso is not a team player and never will be. Won't be long before the toys start getting thrown out the pram.

Button will struggle to settle in a team so firmly based around LH

Best bet...That Mercedes must be soooooooooooo good for Schumi to comeback...8th title.

....how's Rosberg going to cope with being continually told to slow down and let him pass

[Mosha]

1st post in this thread this year. So 1st off, Happy New Year folks. Now as for Mercedes, I don't think Nico will easily be persuaded to play 2nd fiddle.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/155650/1/rosb..._dangerous.html