Remember the end of the last tire war (Goodyear vs. Bridgestone)? It ended with a wimper, not a bang when goodyear withdrew. The next year, there really wasn't much of an "advantage". In 1998 (Goodyear's last year) Mika Hakkinen on Bridgestones defeated Michael Schumacher on Goodyears, 100 pts to 86 pts for the WDC. In 1999, an all Bridgestone year, Hakkinen retained his WDC crown with a 76 pts to 74 pts victory over Eddie Irvine's Ferrari, Ferrari having switched to Bridgestones that year. Of note is that Schumacher missed almost half the season with a broken leg suffered at the British GP. Had he not been injured, it is highly probably that Schumi would have won the WDC, on Bridgestones following the switch from Goodyears.

I say expect very little in the way of surprises next year when Bridgestone has it all to itself again.

Too bad, I really like tire wars.

 

Good point.

 

I always thought Mika was ultimately quicker than Michael. No doubt about Schumacher's talent . . . but I thought Mika was every bit his equal when it came to sheer quickness. Anyway, I hate to see Mika's very much deserved title defense discounted because of Schumacher's unfortunate injury, although I guess its fair to state what actually happened.

 

More on mass dampers & Hockenheim from Renault...PS is Pat Symonds.

Last weekend was the first race where you did not run the mass damper, and this coincided with the team’s worst performance of the year. Is it fair to draw a causal link between the two?
PS: This was not the only factor that contributed to our unsatisfactory result but it goes without saying that removing the mass damper degraded our performance, otherwise the component would not have been on the car throughout the season. After using the device for the first time in the final races of 2005, the design and development of this year’s car was optimised with it in place. The ride and the behaviour over kerbs of the R26 at the last race was certainly not as good as we have been accustomed to this year. But there were other factors at work as well.

What were they?
PS: We were aware before the event that tyre management at Hockenheim could be particularly difficult. It is a circuit that puts a lot of energy into the rear tyres, which can lead to blistering problems. As a result, we took compounds with the lowest chance of blistering, but in spite of this we had severe problems with rear blistering during the race – worse than any other Michelin runner. Equally, when using tyres designed to limit blistering, other compromises must be accepted: one is a reduction in grip, the other that the car balance can vary between new and used tyres. This proved to be the case, with the drivers suffering too much understeer in qualifying and oversteer in the race.

You have said that the team has worked calmly to implement solutions. What are they?
PS: Firstly, we received notification on Monday that the FIA will recommend to the Court of Appeal that teams who have used the mass damper in Hungary should not have retrospective penalties applied when the hearing takes place between before Turkey. In light of this, we will use the device again in Hungary. We have also re-analyzed the other updates added to the car in Germany. A new rear suspension geometry was introduced for this race and in light of the fact that our problems were focused on rear tyre degradation, we will probably revert to the previous specification until we can track test the evolution further. However, our substantial new aero package performed in line with our predictions and will be maintained for Hungary, where we hope to demonstrate its true effectiveness.

 

Actually...I think the ****** that thought it up was Flavio Briatore...Renault have been trying to get the other teams to go for this for about 3 years now. Personally as an attendee of both NA races, I LOVE IT!! To actually see a full day of running on Fridays would be fantastic...run them on Thursdays too and I would love it even more!

I follow all the testing that goes on when there isn't a race on and it will be nice to see them picking tyres & components for the race at hand instead of trying to think back...oh yeah, they picked those tyres 3 test sessions ago at Paul Ricard...

I think it should be a huge money saver for the team and it will give even the lesser teams the chance to test without running up substantial additional costs.

 

These are all very interesting ideas that seem to be in the best interest of the sport AND the fans. Gosh, wouldn't it be great if the NAM F1 group could become the official consultants of Formula 1? I would seriously love to hear the arguments against some of our proposals...

 

Ok, I stand corrected. As a fan, I too, would love to see more action on the Friday sessions. Also on Saturday and Sunday as well. I used to get up early and get to the track by 7:00 a.m. on race day to see morning warm-up (and if I was lucky wet/dry weather adjustments if the race and quali were to be run under different conditions). Alas no more, the mornings are for the hoi poloi: drivers' parade, lower formula sprints, pit girl oogling. There is still nothing like morning warm-ups at Spa, watching an F1 car materialize out of the fog and spray, brake heavily at the bus stop chicane and disappear once again into the mist, leaving only the tire tracks on the wet pavement and the wail of a Ferrari V-12 or Renault V-10 as reminders of what just transpired.

 

Alexander Wurz finally gets his full-time race seat with Williams for 2007. Good for Wurz! Now where will Webber go? Renault?

 

Michellin

 

i'm really hoping this isn't true. i'd much prefer kimi to go to renault if he isn't going to stay at mclaren. if it is true, i can't blame him though. seems like ferrari has the car all worked out now, plus he's probably getting lots-o-cash.

'Raikkonen signed five-year deal at Ferrari'

 

Look at it from Kimi's seat:
1. 32 million euros per year for 5 years
2. The most reliable team
3. Team with greatest Bridgestone knowledge
4. A chance to race against Michael in equal equipment, and show him up

I would say that next year is shaping up to be a barn burner already!

 

well, if you're gonna look at it from a rational, educated and informed perspective, i guess you're right.

 

I'm ever the optimist that Kimi will go to Renault. My reasons in response to your reasons :
1. Kimi has been quoted that it isn't about the money for him
2. The most reliable team? Ferrari? hmmm...ok...
3. Don't have a counter to that one...
4. a)If Ross Brawn is not there next year, Michael won't be there as well as a slew of others. b)based on what I understand about Kimi's personal makeup, I could see the challenge of not being on equal (Ferrari) equipment something that would be more exciting to Kimi. c)Equal equipment w/Michael at Ferrari? d)Teammate allowed to race Michael at Ferrari?

I think we should place a bet on the outcome of where Kimi goes...think of something we could wager...

 

oh man! it's on!

 

I think Kimi will either go to Maranello or stay at McLaren. He has nothing to fear by Fernando Alonso's arrival to the team. I'm pretty sure Webber will go to Renault...perhaps RedBull. And though it's likely that Ross Brawn will be leaving the sport next year. I don't think Michael will base his option to stay on Ross's departure no matter what their history is together. After all, Jean Todt is staying on.

 

Hey, I need to make some quick cash . . . how much are you willing to pony up? HaHa

Not certain I get your skepticism on Ferrari's reliability. I can't even think of the last time I saw a Ferrari parked on the side of the circuit. Granted, Renault's got a strong, dependable package . . . but I've never seen anything as bullet proof as Ferrari.

Placing Kimi at Ferrari will make my world complete . . . my favorite driver /my favorite team

 

I have to believe that Schumacher is having too much fun right now to quit. Considering this championship will not be decided by the time they reach Monza, I simply can't see him saying its over not knowing whether he has this title sewn up.

He probably should go out while he's on top, but my money says that he's going for 100 wins.

 

The planets are beginning to align now...

 

Ok, first I need to clear up the bet. I'm offering to bet with RedBird only as he spoke first in a way that made me want to take him on . Sorry, I'm not rich enough to bet the entire lot of you although I'm fairly certain that if I did, I would be quite well off following the outcome . Redbird, in reality I was thinking more along the lines of a $20 Starbucks or iTunes giftcard...something like that.

I'm not saying that Ferrari aren't reliable...I just don't happen to think in the last 2 seasons they've been as reliable as Renault...they definitely weren't last year. In terms of reliability I'd put Ferrari as #2.

Placing Kimi at Renault would make MY world complete...my favourite driver at my favourite team. At least we agree on the driver...

 

Kimi's performance last weekend should definitely up the ante a bit.....that is, if he isn't already locked into a contract.....but I figure he's already decided to wear red next year.

 

This story, is it a rumor? I checked the BBC F1 page and the F1 main site, didn't see anything about Kimi going to Ferrari. I'm currently in the process of launching a new F1 website (message board).

Looking for anyone who would want to write an article or two (in the future)

I'd love to see Kimi & MS going at it on the track. I've watched Kimi since the Sauber days and I always thought he'd end up at Ferrari.

 

http://www.f1racing.net/en/index.php


Who knows . . . they maybe trying too hard to out scoop the other sites

 

This just in...
Sounds like Webber could be going to Renault..."moving further up the grid" doesn't sound like Red Bull and I can't see it being McLaren ...

Redbird...the bet is off. Can't talk anymore, I need to now take my foot out of my mouth

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Williams says Webber’s ‘heart was elsewhere’
Thursday, 03, August, 2006, 21:02


Frank Williams has revealed that Mark Webber chose not to re-sign with the Grove-based team because he had the prospect of a better offer elsewhere.

Williams caused surprise on Wednesday when it announced that test driver Alex Wurz will partner Nico Rosberg in its 2007 line-up.

The team had been expected to keep its current pairing of Webber and Rosberg.

Its option to keep Webber for ’07 expired on Monday, and Williams explained that it was not taken up because the Australian was holding out for an opportunity with another team and would not commit to his current employers.

“We were surprised along with the rest of the world,” Williams told ITV Sport’s Ted Kravitz in Hungary on Thursday.

“We were confident Mark [Webber] was staying, but he told us that he had been given an opportunity – not a certain one, but certainly one that would in principle I think move him further up the grid at this time – and he felt he had to take it.”

Williams’ comments give further credence to speculation that Webber is chasing the vacant seat alongside Giancarlo Fisichella at Renault, the team run by Flavio Briatore, who, along with GP2 series boss Bruno Michel, is part of Webber’s management team.

Williams would not disclose whether he could have forced Webber to stay put under the terms of his existing contract, but said the 29-year-old’s “heart was elsewhere”.

“I wish to make no comment about contracts that were or weren’t in place – it’s irrelevant,” he said.

“We decided quickly that Mark was gone, it’s what he wanted very much and his heart was elsewhere.”

Webber’s no-nonsense, apolitical approach chimed perfectly with that of Williams and his co-owner Patrick Head, and the partnership, which began in 2005, seemed destined to bring success.

But Williams admitted it had foundered because the team had been unable to give Webber a sufficiently competitive car.

“We had hoped to have given him better than we have done so far and we have certainly not done anything like the job he expected nor we expected,” he said.

“But that’s how it was – he has made his decision and we have made another decision consequently. There is no looking back.”

Williams stressed that Webber and the team remain on good terms.

“There is no doubt about that and we intend to part on even better terms, we hope with lots more points for both of us by the end of the season,” he said.

“We are certain that we shall give him and the team every opportunity to improve throughout the remaining six races of the year.”

 

Webber is managed by Flavio... I think it's a strong possibility he's going to Renault

 

I may end up eating my words . . . but Alonso has just lost the championship.

He's lost the objective . . . and if he can't get his house in order soon the scale will tip further in Schumacher's favor.