...pass the Kleenex...

 

Some new changes/news today in the F1 world...

Red Bull and Renault are working out a deal that they may supply engines to Red Bull for the 2007 season. Those engines will most likely go to the RBR team and not Toro Russo. As we know now... Mark Webber and DC will be RBR main team. Unk about the STR seats...

Doornbos will be replacing Klien for the last three races.

Midland becomes Spyker. the Dutch owned super car manufacture. Spyker MF1 Racing has signed Mike Gascoyne for the 2007 season as lead designer. It will be a full factory backed team.

Teams are off testing for the 3 week break for the next race, China.

 

[quote=goldcountrymini] Unk about the STR seats...

I believe the STR seats will be unchanged next year.................good news for Scott Speed! He just needs more seat time to progress to a higher calibar team.

 

Thought I'd submit a quick post from Italy . . .

Very fortunate to attend the Italian Grand Prix. Mere words can not do justice the experience, especially joining the Tifosi walking the
circuit. Forza Ferrari! Took in the pit walkabout on Thursday . . . Heidfeld rollerbladed right past me . . . Schumacher has now won every Grand Prix that I've seen in person . . .

Spent two nights in Monaco on the way here. Rented a Mini and drove the circuit six times! I've lived a dream (partially) . . . that is, without breaking any local laws or injurying anyone!

Funny problem rounding Rascasse. The tail got a little squirrelly on me, I corrected . . . over shot the apex . . . the thing popped out of gear and I just couldn't get it going again. Hmm . . .

 

Musta been an '07 model.

Monza, me green with ENVY. I've been to Spa, Magny Cours and Catalunya for Grands Prix, but Monza is still tops on my list (Suzuka is 2nd) of F1 venues I gotta get to before I die. Yea, you have been to the mountain, now get thee to Mecca (Maranello).

mgc

 

Been there Twas a shivery experience listening to an F1 echoing thru the hills. I have pics, but the damn thing was too fast...I'm no photographer! Then came the 460...mmmm!

Okay, why don't we think about a group tour to Monza in the next year or two? Sept/Oct is a great time of year in Italy.

 

 

F1Racing.net has an interview with Kubica (here). I love this bit.....

Q: You took over Jacques Villeneuve's place at BMW. He is out of Formula 1 and disappointed about the situation. Do you feel sorry for him?

A: If I would say yes, I would be lying.

 

...made a wrong turn driving into Perugia yesterday. Conveniently dove into a BMW/Mini dealership to turn around . . . thought I'd take a quick peak around . . . and there sat a GP JCW . . . #471 to be exact. The European seats are worth fantasizing about.

The car looks really much better in person than in the photos.

Have enjoyed a couple bottles of Jarno's Montepulciano d'abruzzo . . . Molto Buono Vino!

Many thoughts/impressions of Monza to share once we return home.

 

CutnThrust -- I'm so jealous. Great to hear you're enjoying yourself. I can't wait to see some photots of your trip. You better take a lot! Hopefully of the race as well.

meb - I'm down for a group trip to Monza. I think that'd be neat. I've been trying to talk the Mrs into Monza for next year, but I think it will have to wait. We'll see...

 

..........and I am stuck in the middle of OR. I am soooooo jealous !

 

Hee hee! Hey, it could happen to anyone, even an F1 World Champion!

 

Could happen? It did happen! hahahahahaha

 

Wow - nobody has anything to say about the Chinese Grand Prix?

I was a great, exciting race. I hope people didn't forget to set their VCRs and Tivos after two weekends off and the start of the NFL season and now the baseball playoffs (Go Padres!).

A great qualifying effort in the wet on substandard Bridgestones got MSchu to 6th on the grid, and he and Ferrari were able to position themselves perfectly as the track dried and the Bridgestone intermediates came into their own. Meanwhile, Renault made two mistakes by (a) changing Alonso's front tires to fresh intermediates at his first stop while everyone else, including his teammate, stuck with 4 worn intermediates, and then (b) mishandling Alonso's second stop into being way too long.

Now we go to Japan and Brazil to finish the season, with MSchu and Alonso tied in points (MSchu has more wins at this point, so he has a tie-breaker) and Renault up by 1 over the red cars in the constructor's championship. It should be a great finish, regardless of who you want to win!

 

One of the best races this year. Great effort by Schumacher. What were Renault and Alonso doing? - too many mistakes. Great pass by MS on Fisichella. Kubica was doing well until he and BMW decided to be the first to try the dry tires. Should make for a great end to the season. Can Renault hold off Schumacher?

 

I wish every race was in the rain . . . watching Hungary and Shanghai definitely put me in the camp wanting a return to the days of mechanical grip.

 

Incredible race

I was biting my nails until the end. Alonso was having problems but trying to hold off everyone. Then catching Schuey near the end of the race.

I think that makes 3 or 4 awesome races in the last 5

The rain and the tyres really makes a great show.

That dust up with all those cars at the end with Heidfeld spinning out was crazy. Stupid Aguri

Great celebration and win by Michael as usual He still has the skills to get it done. I would not be surprised if Masa does not perform next year that Michael will be asked back to fill back in for the sake of the constructors championship.

I think Kubica is the real deal and watch out for Vettel

 

Yes, what an entertaining race!! Did not think it was looking good for MS when Alonso had such a big lead, although Alonso lucked out when Kimi went out again with another fast but fragile car. Kimi must be the clear favorite for the title next year with a dependable and fast Ferrari strapped to him.

Wet races are the best ones to watch and the passes MS made on the Renault drivers were outstanding and shows the determination he's got that will win this years title. I'm not so much a MS fan as I am a Ferrari fan but the emotion Schumacher has after a win is enjoyable to watch. Unlike Kimi, as he will be standing atop the podium a lot next year.

 

I had forgotten about poor Kimi and his rotten luck. It goes to show that it takes more than talent to win in F1. What team you happen to land a ride with has at least as much to do with your success as your talent.

Not sure what to make of Kimi driving for Ferrari. I'd like to see someone more fun in the red cars - someone like Scott Speed who has a personality, loves what he does and is grateful to have the opportunity to do it.

 

I agree...........Kimi is a bore and Scott Speed would be a welcome sight at Ferrari. Even Valatino Luizi (?) or any of the Italians that have some emotion. Button would be good as he shows some personality. I personally was hoping Rubens B would be able to take MS spot after playing the #2 role for so long but I guess that was not to be. Anybody remember his great drive at Hockenhiem when he won for the first time? He was so happy! Ahhh.....Hockenhiem.........what great track that used to be.

But at least I can still get a laugh with my girlfriend trying to talk like Kimi after seeing any interview with him.

 

kimi may be boring when he talks but that's not his job. yes, f1 could use more personality for a more global (well, american) appeal but IMO kimi is very exciting when he's behind the wheel and that's where it really counts.

 

I disagree, Scott Speed is only just good enough to be in F1 in the first place, in fact I am not really sure that he qualifies as good enough. There are so many drivers that are in the wings ready to come up to F1 that he will have his work cut out to even stay in F1, let alone progress through the rankings.

If Speed was to go to a 'major team' the only reason that I can see would be that it was yet another attempt to popularise F1 in the US.

Personally I feel that the only way that F1 is going to become more popular / mainstream here is to have more races that are in similar time zones and have more exciting races - the Chinese GP was a classic example of a race that would retain US interest - maybe racing in countries during the traditional rainy seasons would be a good move ?

UK could have July, Belguim would be May Singapore would have to hold the race at 3:30 Local time etc. Add a race in Seattle and avoid California and any other desert 'kingdoms' and we would be all set ?

 

That's still pretty friggin' good in my book. Place Speed in a top tier car and he'll be a GP winner, maybe even a WDC. Look at Alonso and Minardi, Schumacher and Jordan, Damon Hill and Brabham. Once they were given competitive equipment they became winners.

 

Yeah I know it's not his job, and he is the driver to reckon with next year......but Mikka was at least somewhat personable. No doubt about it........like Hobb's says: "he got some set of attachments", does one Kimi-san.

I also disagree about Speed just being good enough because if he didn't have the talent or cred's, he wouldn't be there. I tend to think that the Europeans just like European drivers or better yet, non-American ones. Spend too much time over here as a driver and your chances of going to F1 seems to diminish.

 

Well I understand why people are looking at Speed and thinking that he deserves the spot. But on raw talent alone I feel that it is marginal. He has shown almost no signs of briliance this year. He really has been invisible the whole time. Now this is not the signs of a future champion IMHO.

Rather this is taking a very personable All-American star driver and dropping him into the B-Team, courtesy (I suspect) of Bernie to help to promote F1 in the USA.

Lets face it, Speed is probably drawing next to nothing from the deal, most of his income at his level is going to be personal sponsors and a small retainer (if he is lucky) from Red Bull as part of the search for a driver scheme. Someone is paying the bills and I sincerly doubt that it is Red Bull, I would bet money that this is a semi-orchastrated move to promote F1 in the US. The major winner in that little charade is Bernie.

I like Speed, I met him at the USGP, twice, he is a nice guy. But he is not the next Senna, nor is he the next Alonso, Schumacher (M), nor even the next Hill or Mansell. He is probably a good solid driver that may score some points next year assuming the team has better power plants.

he is not second-rate in an Andrea DeCrasherish kind of way, more in a Jean Alesi kind of way, the driver that never actually reaches his percieved value, but soldiers on regardless.