Formula1 chat

The new Lotus Formula 1 team have signed their first driver but are keeping his name under wraps, according to team principal Tony Fernandes.

The aviation entrepreneur made the announcement on Saturday but did not name his new recruit. "Public announcement soon. The dream continues," he said. Jarno Trulli has been linked with the Malaysian-backed team, whose technical director Mike Gasgoyne worked with the Italian at Toyota.

F1 veteran Trulli, 35, is currently out of contract, with Toyota pulling out of F1 after eight unsuccessful seasons. Malaysian motorsport star Fairuz Fauzy has been linked with a reserve driver role with Lotus. The team are one of five new outfits due to make their debuts in 2010, with Toyota and BMW bowing out. Between 1958 and 1994, Lotus won 79 races and list world champions Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Emerson Fittipaldi among their former drivers.

The reformed franchise has been funded by Malaysian companies Tune Group and Naza Group and will have a budget of £55m for next season. Lotus are aiming for a roll out of the new car in mid-February to test it before the season opener in Bahrain in March.

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In-depth interview - Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne

Lotus F1 Racing team principal Tony Fernandes and design chief Mike Gascoyne talk about how the team came into being, the pressure of having such an historic name and their hopes for their first season back in F1.

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Lotus want experienced drivers - Gascoyne

Mike Gascoyne reveals there is plenty of work to do to get the Lotus team ready for the 2010 F1 season and says they have held talks with some experienced drivers to fill their two seats.

Trigger wrote:

GrumpyBodger wrote:Sorry lost me there Tash.
Mercedes buys Brawn & Button was the last thing I heard.
Fireworks between him & Hamilton to be expected no doubt?
Where does Mr. Brawn stand though?
John

I wonder if it was part of the deal having Mercedes buy up Brawn and have Button on his wanted pay salary at Mclaren for an all British drivers team. Apparently Mercedes also want Brawn to have two German drivers!!! Oh well it was good for Brawn while it lasted, now the Germans have em. Come on Lotus F1, sign Kimi and Rubens!

I heard button was off to maclaren, n well erupted, what a sell out, brawn made him, he fails all next year! humph, i'm heading to be an out lotus fan now, see who brawn get n i might stick with them i don't no....

I've totally lost the Plot here.

1. Mercedes has bought Team Brawn along with Button?
2. So Mercedes is now an F1 Car Manufacturer & well as being an Engine Supplier?
3. There is no question 3
4. So Mercedes will continue to supply Engines to McLaren?
5. Ross Brawn now without a team or is he part of the Brawn package bought by Mercedes?
6. Hamilton is driving alongside Button for Mercedes & not for McLaren?
7. Who will drive for McLaren?
8. And where does this leave Rubinio? (the World's best loser)

Am I right on any of those points
Question 3. maybe

Have a good Weekend
John

GrumpyBodger wrote:I've totally lost the Plot here.

Mercedes now own Brawn and want two German drivers for 2010. Mclaren, who have a long term contract with Mercedes-Benz have signed Jenson Button to drive alongside Lewis Hamilton (think this was part of the Mercedes/Brawn deal). Ross Brawn is still at Brawn and I assume still has 'some' ownership left in the team. The Worlds best loser Rubens Barrichello has been signed by Williams for 2010.

Thanks for the enlightenment Chris.
Cheers
John

See this web reference if you're interested in seeing an interview with Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8359642.stm

Schumacher's manager confirms the driver met with bosses at new F1 team Mercedes
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (CP) – 3 hours ago
FRANKFURT, Germany — Former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher met with Mercedes bosses amid speculation the driver may come out of retirement to join the new F1 team.
"I know that Michael spoke with Dieter Zetsche and Norbert Haug at the season's finale in Abu Dhabi," Willi Weber, Schumacher's manager said on Sunday.
Zetsche is the CEO of Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, and Haug is vice-president of motor sport at Mercedes.
Mercedes has taken a majority stake of Brawn GP - which won the Formula One championship this year - and will race under its own name in 2010.
The new team has not announced its driver lineup for next season, but has retained Ross Brawn as its chief. He was closely linked to Schumacher's success at Ferrari.
Schumacher retired in 2006 after winning a record seven F1 titles. He abandoned plans for a temporary comeback this year with Ferrari because of a neck injury from a motorcycle crash.
Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, said two days ago that a comeback was "highly unlikely at the moment."
Mercedes is believed to want at least one German driver in its ranks.

He back hmmmm
Eddie

Who better for a first "shake down" Season. His experience together with Brawn should get the Car working nicely.
I wonder if Vettel will end up there soon? (I'm told that his Mummy's English though )

Oh & no thanks for sending your Windy weather down this way!

GrumpyBodger wrote:Who better for a first "shake down" Season. His experience together with Brawn should get the Car working nicely.
I wonder if Vettel will end up there soon? (I'm told that his Mummy's English though )

Oh & no thanks for sending your Windy weather down this way!

I'll tell you what ... IF Schumacher and Vettel were to ever drive for Brawn under Ross Brawn, it would certinaly be the best team on the grid, sorry Lewis and Jenson.

Mercedes, Brawn & Schumacher. Quite an imposing line up.
Other than that a practically fully developed Car (Brawn) apart from the Regulation changes.
2010 Will truly sort the Drivers out with the elimination of refueling stops & all of the associated Tactics.
But I wonder if it will be more interesting for us mere Spectators?

John

GrumpyBodger wrote:Mercedes, Brawn & Schumacher. Quite an imposing line up.
Other than that a practically fully developed Car (Brawn) apart from the Regulation changes.
2010 Will truly sort the Drivers out with the elimination of refueling stops & all of the associated Tactics.
But I wonder if it will be more interesting for us mere Spectators?

John

Yes you're right there John, although the cars will be a lot heavier at the start then should get quicker and quicker so could make the race develop as it goes on - maybe more interesting for us we'll have to wait and see, but at least we have a Lotus to look out for, two top Brit's in the same team, and a UK race - so all in all it should be good if at last we can see them overtaking each other.... then that will hold our interest
I visited the Mercedes engine plant in Brixworth (used to be Ilmor) recently on business. As you would imagine, the cleanliness and attention to detail is fantastic. Every machine is painted the same colour whether it be a Mazak, Wickman CNC, Hardinge or whatever, including the floors to match. In reception all is silver, black and white with a McLaren F1 car hanging from the ceiling above your head and huge trophies lining the walls. Everyone is in smart corporate wear. The display engine shows just how small it is, with lots of carbon fibre and a tiny clutch about the size of a saucer. Anyway, hoping to get some orders from them so I'll have an excuse to go there again.
Cheers,
Tim.

Hi Tim,

Yes yet another interesting F1 Season to look forward to.
Let's see if they can stick to Racing & cut the politics a bit. Maybe that new Boss will introduce some common sense into the Arena
You've reminded me of something to post on the 2010 Activities list.

Cheers
John

Who Goes Where In 2010
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 TBA 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 Lotus F1 Team
19 Heikki Kovalainen FIN Lotus F1 Team
20 TBA Campos Meta
21 Bruno Senna BRZ Campos Meta
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

Eddie King

Wot, No number 13???!!! Supersticious bunch of technofiles aren't they. Mind you, I was born on 13th May so I can't afford to be wary of No 13.

the83man wrote:

Wot, No number 13???!!! Supersticious bunch of technofiles aren't they. Mind you, I was born on 13th May so I can't afford to be wary of No 13.

I don't think they'll let you "play" with that one Mike; worth a try though, check out the Reg's I think maybe you'll just need a Helmet

Cheers
John