The Official F1 2009 Thread

[TDE30]

Okay. I was just reading this before you posted that, so it makes sense now. It's an interesting move, it seems that Mercedes was so convinced with Brawn's success this season that they figured they'd have better luck by making them their works team.

Thanks for clearing it up. If I still don't seem to understand it, just let me figure it out in 2010.

[Dave]

No. Read the damn articles, Trey.

Mercedes owns 40% of McLaren now. McLaren is buying back that interest.

Mercedes is buying 75.1% of Brawn.

Brawn is now the Mercedes Works team. (McLaren never really was). McLaren is now just a customer team using MBZ engines.

[TDE30]

Oh Jeezus. So, McLaren-Mercedes will still exist next season, but this is just a side venture with Mercedes? In effect, Mercedes is competing with themselves? I finally get what you are saying, it just seems odd for Mercedes to buy a team when they already have one. I guess this is sort of like RBR/STR, correct?

[Dave]

"This will be an international team for Mercedes-Benz is a global player. If you look back in our history we have very often been criticised for not having a German driver, so we were always open and we took the driver decision always together with McLaren. This will be the same in the future. We want to have the best ones and we definitely do not want to have the pure German team - it's an international Silver Arrows team and we want to have the best drivers in the car," Norbert Haug, in charge of 'co-ordinating' the new-look team, insisted to Autosport.

[Dave]

I think you are confused, Mr. Ely.

Silver Arrows = Mercedes GP (nee Brawn GP).

Mercedes bought Brawn - your post(s) seem to suggest Mclaren bought them.

[TDE30]

Trey - proofread your post. :-)

Macca and Silver Arrows will be:

McLaren
Hamilton and Button or Heidfeld

Silver Arrows
Rosberg and Button or Heidfeld.


Kimi can go drink and play in rally cars.

Heidfeld has a chance at being a second driver for McLaren?!?! Since when? That "Silver Arrows" name is also news to me as well, this article was referring to them as McLaren GP. Either name sounds kind of odd IMO. McLaren/McLaren GP is too RBR/STR-esque, and McLaren/Silver Arrows seems redundant.

Oh well, I'm still a Heidfeld fan, if he can make a move up the ladder, then I'm all for it.

[quickervicar]

My prediction:

McLaren: Hamilton & Button (Team Britton)
Mercedes (Brawn): Rosberg & Heidfeld (Team Blitzkrieg)

McLaren will be better than they were this season, Mercedes will be worse than they were-- both due to development time spent on the new car.

[E30Kaiser]

Kimi is going to be the highest paid rally driver next year probably, he really had no incentive to race for any team except a top one. In another year we will hopefully see him back if he isn't back this season. I love Kimi though so it won't be the same without him making faces when drinking that middle-eastern fruit juice stuff after a podium.

[z31maniac]

Brawn wasn't a fluke, they just started work on the 2009 car WAY EARLY then got another score on the diffuser issue. Button struggled, but Rubens was pretty consistent, IIRC.

Ferrari will most likely come out of the gate on a tear next year. They started working on the 2010 car early, plus they will have the best driver/developement driver in the paddock.

Alonso 2010 WDC.

[Dave]

Trey - proofread your post. :-)

Macca and Silver Arrows will be:

McLaren
Hamilton and Button or Heidfeld

Silver Arrows
Rosberg and Button or Heidfeld.


Kimi can go drink and play in rally cars.

[TDE30]

It is now McLaren GP if the rumors and speculations ring true. Button is in limbo between Brawn GP and McLaren. McLaren themselves have quelled comments that Heidfeld (or Glock) is their choice for Rosberg's teammate. Norbert Haug did comment on Heidfeld as a possible number 2 though, so there are plenty of mixed thoughts floating around the internet. They claim that the spot is open to Button and Räikkönen among others. With McLaren's 75.1% stake of Brawn, I have to wonder what next season will be like for McLaren GP.

As much of a fluke as I thought the first part of the season was for Brawn (my own opinion,) I'd hate to see them be a one-hit wonder next season.

Am I the only one thinking that if Button weren't such a twat about his 2010 salary, that he'd have secured a ride by now?

[Dave]

No more "Brawn GP".

What happens to JB? McLaren?

I think Kimi may be out of F1 now for sure.

[vlad]

I remember watching, wondering how/if he'd be able to launch it. Method as I recall: bounce it off the r3vlimiter, then engage the clutch like you're tap-dancing on the pedal. It worked!

I remember that race as well :up:

[quickervicar]

There's a petition started by local residents aimed at overturning that ruling. Over 34,000 signatures so far.

http://www.defendonsfrancorchamps.be...corchamps.html

[M-technik-3]

Sounds like the nail is in Spa's coffin :(

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5578145,00.html

Sad the track has been around since 1921.