Schu

Well, what about Bernie? Ticket sales++

Bernie doesn't make any cash from the ticket sales. He bleeds everything else dry but he leaves that revenue stream for the tracks.

Fixed ;)

I suppose the Alonso fans will be able to flog their tickets to the Schumacher fans if their man isn't there. That should help to ease the hole in their wallets after shelling out to attend the race.

It's going to be good for Spa, that's for sure. Ticket sales will skyrocket, I hope.

A brave move from Schumacher, considering the deck is stacked against him with Raikkonen having experience with the F60 and with Valencia, while Schumacher hasn't driven an F1 since april 2008. I also suspect Raikkonen will be re-motivated by having to face Schumacher in the same time. While as a McLaren fan I now see the fight with Ferrari becoming harder, as an F1 fan I'm excited to see Raikkonen and Schumacher in the same car and also to see Schumacher racing Hamilton and Vettel. If Schumacher performs, maybe even wins a race, that would really be historic. OTOH, Raikkonen may also soundly beat him, at least at first as Schumacher is still adjusting back to F1 and especially at the unknown (for MS) Valencia. It's nice to see that Schumacher now agrees to race without clear #1 status.

The idea of Raikkonen on a $ per point base isn't that bad IMO. It did motivate Piquet sr again, at Benetton in 1990, after 2 dreadful years at Lotus where he occasionally got beaten by Nakajima sr.
But I think McLaren will not drop Kovalainen, unless maybe they can get Rosberg or if they take the opportunity to sign Heidfeld.

Lets keep this to McLaren chat.

I don't hope there will be any slaughtering. As an F1 fan, I want hami and Schumi to race wheel to wheel and not give an inch to each other. Whoever come out on top, I can live with that.

But talk is cheap, I know, and hamilton meets schumi on track I'll likely start yelling "RIP HIS HEAD OFF!!!!" or something of the like...

when we say slaughter, we mean fair racign, but i just think, hamilton would run rings around schumi in this current state of affairs.

Who knows who will "destroy" who? lol

I hope Lewis has the upper hand, but we shouldn't really discount Michael so fast, though it seems improbable he will come back at a level where he left off, but who knows?

Lewis already has some respect from Michael http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIucDSQU5WA

Whatever happens, it's going to be good to see, and I wait in total anticipation!!!

I can't wait!

Well i have ambivalent feelings about his comeback. Offcourse i cant wait to see that level of determination again. He always did what was necessary within the rules or even outside. Only alonso and hamilton has that do or die instinct i think, but not on the same level as schumacher.
And offcourse im sure it will be a gain for the sport. That said!. Why on earth does he want to return. All he can do is, dissapoint. People's expectations are already through the roof. Why ruin his perfect history.

On the other hand its gonna be nice seeing some battles between him and lewis, as thoose cars are not to far apart level wise. The same exciment as in the old days, im still not gonna get. As someone else mentioned. My hate towards ferrari dissapered with Jean Todt. Afterwards i actually started to like the guys and respect them. Especially Massa, how he handled defeat last year was champion worthy. Ofcourse i still got pleasure out of seeing that fat ferrari guy change face as he found out they lost.

Sorry for the off topic.

Williams say they are gonna use their KERS next year if they've finished developing it and say they are not bound by FOTA's gentlemens agreement.

This bodes well for McLaren who can then go on to use KERS if they wish.

Any news on further developments at MTC, despite the shut down I can't believe they will rest on their laurels. Is this the beginning 'post Hungaroring' of a development cycle or a peak I wonder. I think the former.

they have already said that there will be updates for valencia that are in the pipe line.
all i know is that they had an aero test the wednesday before hungary that they were very pleased with the results, so guess that will be from where those updates come. the shut down dosnt really matter all that much, there is still the usual two weeks production time between races.

But surely Mclaren are bound by FOTA's 'gentlemans agreement'?

Where, if I may ask, did Williams say this?

Williams may or may not honour the agreement made by the organisation that kicked them out, but McLaren surely will.

source of this test?

I don't know if it bodes well for Mclaren, they have to know now if they are going to use it or not as this will influence the design of their 2009 challenger.
Do you have a link to Williams statement that you referenced in your post?

Wasnt there an agreement between FOTA teams to not use KERS in 2010?

They actually introduced some components to the car based on the results of the aero test you mentioned. They were receiving parts up until Saturday morning, at least that was what was reported.

Yes - for 2010.

http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modul...c=8&catid=0

So,Mclaren is gonna screw the others and will have KERS in 2010? Nice unity

lol you´re afraid of McLarens KERS

HUH? where did you get that?...and how?

A Williams spokesman said that Mercedes is reviewing it's 2010 KERS policy....A Williams spokesman is saying what Mercedes is doing with regard to Mercedes internal policies.

I think that will be due to Haug pushing it last weekend saying the teams might now want Kers. By god, Merc want Kers, they want to sell their Kers, but they will toe the Fota line, thou I suspect they will try and alter that from the inside.

If you use it next year you will have to come down from the pedestal to Ferrari level.You know,f-cking everyone over.

I can't find the latest(hungary) team debrief on youtube... I want it, NOW!

Well sure, but it is till a Williams spokesman telling his version of what Mercedes is doing. Haug is trying to keep Brixworth opened and profitable - rightly so as that is his responsibility to the many employees there; I'd be disappointed in him as a manager if he didn't plant seeds such as this (part of his job is to be a cheerleader for his companies successes), but it is not definitive proof that Mercedes is in a rethink of its 2010 KERS stance.

When I read a statement from a Mercedes or McLaren spokesperson that they are rethinking their KERS policy for 2010 then I'll believe it.

At least it sounds reasonable that Mercedes is rethinking the abolishing of KERS.
As a company they have at least to try to make a profit, and whenever that's not possible to minimize their losses. Therefore they are selling their engines to as many buyers as possible and if they would find buyers for a Mercedes engineered and built KERS unit - even better. Even a huge company as Mercedes is hit by the financial crisis and reports from last year were not too positive about their engagement. It was probably no coincidence they started to sell engines to customer teams afterwards.

I can quite imagine that this is the best approch to keep Mercedes as profitable as possible and therefore in F1. BMW just showed how not to do it.

Transcript here:
http://www.mclaren.com/latestnews/mclaren-...php?article=332

McLaren would be stupid not to use KERS as it seems their implementation is the most effective. KERS is being used as a scapegoat for poor performances by a lot of teams. I don't agree with it. I think it's possible to have a car with sound aero and KERS. With McLaren increasingly getting grips with the new aero regulations and the relaxed regulations for KERS in 2010 which allow DOUBLE the power, it would be very effective.

If Williams say they are going to use it then I think it paves the way for any team to use it if they wish.

If all teams stick to the gentlements agreement and not use it, but then Mercedes are the first to break away from this agreement then yes Mercedes will be down to Ferrari's level in terms of honouring agreements.

With Williams claim they will use it, it makes the KERS gentlements agreement null and void frankly.

AFAIK McLaren will have new front suspension for Valencia.

I would like to see a Brawn vs Mclaren fight first.

for that to happen, brawn need to to make progress lol

i dont think mclaren have much to worry about even if merc did drop out. the future of mclaren is all about building the road car brand, and promoting it with f1 as per ferrari. i wouldnt be surprised to see mclaren become an emgine manufacturer in 2013 if the engine regulations are appropriate. they already own the licence for an old indy turbo they were at one time considering developing for the road.

I share your view that there is less for Mclaren to worry about with regards to Merc calling it quits, for one they own 40% of Mclaren so what form will the pulling out of F1 take, sell Mclaren shares?

What a twist.

Hungarian Grand Prix Debrief

thanks, a little more celebration would have been ok

Thanks, is it me or does the sound keep cutting out?

its not you.
i think they let the trainee have a go in the edit suite .. seamless is not the phrase that springs to mind

That de-brief is the best one ALL season..

w00000000ttt!!!!!

I wish I could personally thank those factory guys..

J

Guys are there any regulations or rules that dictates the location and or shape of the fuel tank in a F1 car?
The reason rationale behind the question is that if no such regulation exist and Mclaren does not use KERS next season, maybe they space for KERS could be used to extend the fuel tank in next years car.

Anyway, it is not a bad idea to have this thread back in the first page.

i must say i dont know of any reg that dictates the shape etc of fuel tank. all i know is that it should be safe and pass the FIA safety inspection in terms of fire insulation, leakage, strength etc.
i was actually thinking of the same thing i.e. if mclaren remove the KERS equipment from the car, it sort-of gives them a head start on teams that do not have KERS (in terms of space in the sidepods). ofcos they will need more room and they will have to extend the car by the 15cm. my question is, if they (mclaren) dont need the whole 15cm (e.g. if they only need to extend it by 10cm in order to fit the biger tank) will the regs allow them to have a smaller car than the other teams?

i dont see why not, the current 09 cars i believe have at least that overall variation.
i dont think kers uses all that much volume in the great scheme of things though, not in the area that the fuel tank must be situated.

Isn't the driving motor connected to the aft of the crank, "within" the petrol tank?

Well, last we was hearing about the MP-25 was that it was going in a totally new direction. I wonder if the current success with the MP-24 hasn't given them pause for thought thinking it might not be such a flawed design after all and might be worth continue to develop?