The Official F1 2009 Thread

[Hick]

Where are the top teams in respect to the two-races-per-engine rule? It was commented during the race in Belgium that both Spa and Monza are known engine breakers. For those teams going into this weekend with one race on their engine already, I would suspect some concern is lingering in the pits given this next circuit has you on full throttle 70+% of every lap.


Jon

that rule was changed this year.

they now have 8 engines and they can run them in any order they want. can swap out engines from practice to quali to race. as long as they dont go beyond the 8 engines there is no penalty.

[YAN-3]

you guys gear about Merc and Brawn deal and Merc buying 70% or something? also if, and a BIG if, but if Rosberg goes to Brawn, who is he replacing?

[Jon325i]

Where are the top teams in respect to the two-races-per-engine rule? It was commented during the race in Belgium that both Spa and Monza are known engine breakers. For those teams going into this weekend with one race on their engine already, I would suspect some concern is lingering in the pits given this next circuit has you on full throttle 70+% of every lap.


Jon

[Hick]

i hope fisi wins, but i doubt it. should be fun to see Renault with KERs and Force India with a good low downforce set up

[beybedba]

i would like hamilton to be in the top 5...but its also nice to see an italian winning it....

[E30Kaiser]

Predictions for Monza? I am hoping for Vettel to win, with possibly Heidfeld in the top 5.

[kishg]

Aside: anyone thinking of going to the Montreal race next season?

yup.. been going every year since 2000 until they dropped it.

[z31maniac]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

He wasn't going to have his contract renewed by Force India at the end of the year anyway. Mallaya want's another young gun in there with Sutil (why I don't know).

That's why Force India was so gracious (and I think it was the right thing to do) to let Fisi go, and fulfill his dream of driving for Ferrari, if only for a few races.

[E30Kaiser]

The only thing that prevents people from racing in F1 is the FIA Super License, so technically if the FIA was feeling charitable anyone could race if a team would let them. Thats why Red Bulls reserve driver at the beginning of the year was DC since Branden Hartley hadn't gotten his Super License yet.

[bwanac]

Aside: anyone thinking of going to the Montreal race next season?

[bwanac]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

There are no other drivers other than Fisi and Shcumacher if Massa does not make it back next season (that would suck by the way) ? I have only been following the sport for a few seasons and not sure where new drivers come from. I really do not think Schui will be driving again.

[Jon325i]

^^^ Good point. In last weekends' race the Speed commentators stated that Fisi is 35 now. By F1 standards, he probably has 2 or 3 years remaining as a driver is this league. Wouldn't surprise me if he moves on to some other form of racing afterwards.


Jon

[naplesE30]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

[Hick]

the only indian in contention that i know of would be karthikeyan. who briefly raced for jordan in f1 back in 2005.

karthikeyan was not too bad. he has been racing in A1GP for a while now, i think hes won a couple of times.

karun chandhok of GP2 isnt too bad either.

I think we will see Nico Hulkenberg and Vitaly Petrov in F1 next years. Nico is very fast, hes leaps and bounds above everyone in GP2. Petrov is good, but makes dumb mistakes

[E30Kaiser]

the new f1.com race edit is out for Spa, certain parts are hilarious like when Heidfeld is yelling at Webber, "Jesus Christ, Idiot!" or when Barrichello comes in at the end of the race, Brawn over radio, "Rubens, you're on fire." Engineer, "Rubens you are on fire, like properly on fire."