PCFormat Forum Archive

americantsm1 wrote:

Ferrari has ushered in Formula 1's radically new era of technical regulations by becoming the first team to unveil a bona fide 2009 car.

The reigning world champion squad released studio pictures of the car it is calling the F60 via an online launch on Monday morning, with the challenger getting its track debut in the hands of Felipe Massa at Mugello later in the day.

The car has been given the type number F60 in deference to the fact that Ferrari is contesting its 60th consecutive season of F1 in 2009, the only team to have participated every year since the inception of the world championship in 1950.

As will become a common sight on the first cars to be designed under the new technical framework, aerodynamic downforce has been drastically cut back on the new Ferrari and the chassis appears much cleaner without the plethora of aero appendages that have sprouted on cars in recent years.

The most visible differences on the new-look car are the wings, with the front wing much wider than previous year’s designs and the rear wing both narrower and taller, and the slick tyres that are being reintroduced in 2009.

Thanks to a regulation change thought up by the Overtaking Working Group, the front wing now features a flap that can be adjusted by the driver from the cockpit to offset the loss of front downforce when following other cars.

The diffuser has been moved rearwards, the suspension is less enclosed than before and the transmission and overall layout have been substantially revised to optimise weight distribution and aerodynamic efficiency within the new rules.

A Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) – developed in collaboration with the team's electronics partner Magneti Marelli – is centrally mounted on the engine and was fitted on the car for its shakedown run.

The Scuderia admitted before Christmas that it was behind schedule with its KERS programme, however, and was drawing up contingency plans in case the system wasn't ready to use at the opening race in Australia.

Ferrari heads into the 2009 season looking to defend its eighth constructors' championship success over the past decade, with Massa and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen both intent on claiming the drivers' crown.

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=44908

Frozenfireside wrote:Sorry mate but that's about the dullest article I've read in months.
I'm not insulting you, just the person who wrote that.

Honda in the mix in 2009 entry list

Tuesday 13th January 2009

Despite being up for sale Honda have not cancelled their entry for the 2009 F1 World Championship, according to the FIA.

Motorsport's governing body has released the list of entries for this year's campaign including drivers with only three slots still open, one at Toro Rosso and two at Honda.

Toro Rosso are still looking for a team-mate to Seb Buemi and are believed to be waiting on whether Honda will make the grid as they are keen to sign Jenson Button.

However, should the Brit remain with his team, Takuma Sato and Seb Bourdais are the two most likely candidates to partner Buemi.

Honda, meanwhile, are still looking for a new buyer before announcing their line-up with Button, Bruno Senna and Rubens Barrichello all keen on racing for the new owners.

2009 Entry List
1 Lewis HAMILTON (GB) McLaren
2 Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN) McLaren

3 Kimi RAIKKONEN (FIN) Ferrari
4 Felipe MASSA (BR) Ferrari

5 Robert KUBICA (PL) BMW
6 Nick HEIDFELD (D) BMW

7 Fernando ALONSO (E) Renault
8 Nelson PIQUET (BR) Renault

9 Jarno TRULLI (I) Toyota
10 Timo GLOCK (D) TOyota

11 Sebastien BUEMI (CH) Scuderia Toro Rosso
12 TBA Scuderia Toro Rosso

14 Mark WEBBER (AUS) Red Bull Racing
15 Sebastian VETTEL (D) Red Bull Racing

16 Nico ROSBERG (D) Williams
17 Kazuki NAKAJIMA (J) Williams

18 TBA Honda *
19 TBA Honda *

20 Adrian SUTIL (D) Force India
21 Giancarlo FISICHELLA (I) Force India

* The Honda Motor Company announced their withdrawal from Formula One on December 5th, 2008. The Honda Racing team has not withdrawn its entry from the 2009 Formula One World Championship. The FIA understands the team is now for sale.

Ron2K wrote:

Frozenfireside wrote:Sorry mate but that's about the dullest article I've read in months.
I'm not insulting you, just the person who wrote that.

It comes from ITV, who also provide us with James Allen commentary. What do you expect?

Frozenfireside wrote:

Ron2K wrote:

Frozenfireside wrote:Sorry mate but that's about the dullest article I've read in months.
I'm not insulting you, just the person who wrote that.

It comes from ITV, who also provide us with James Allen commentary. What do you expect?

True

You know what I think they should do with F1-make the cars thinner. Much thinner.
Ergo overtaking is much easier.

How many times do you see overtaking in superbike? Honestly.

Motoring.co.za wrote:Seven-times World champion Michael Schumacher is making a sensational return to Formula 1, Ferrari announced on Wednesday, as stand-in for injured Felipe Massa.

The German motor racing legend, who retired in 2006, will be on the grid for the European GP in Valencia on August 23, and possibly for the remainder of the season. It opens up all sorts of exciting prospects – but will for sure rekindle serious interest in F1.

"The Ferrari team plans to give Michael Schumacher Felipe Massa's car until the Brazilian returns to competition," Ferrari announced in a statement on its website carried by Italian news agency ANSA.

The statement added: "Michael Schumacher says he is available and in the coming days he will pursue a specific programme of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the European GP."

News of Schumacher's comeback to the sport he virtually made his own came 24 hours after the possibility had first been raised by his spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm – but several days after it was punted on motoring.co.za

"The whole thing will be considered by Ferrari. If it approaches Michael, then he will consider it," Kehm had told BBC Sport.

She added: "Usually, I would say he's not interested because he's fine with his life and he doesn't miss anything but now the situation is so different - it's very hypothetical - and Michael doesn't want to step into that (discussion)."

Schumacher, who is on Ferrari's payroll as an adviser, will be filling in for Massa, who is recovering from surgery following his horrific high speed crash in qualifying for last weekend's Hungarian GP.

Only this month the 40-year-old had made it clear, speaking at the German GP, that he was not interested in making a full-time comeback. But the offer of a temporary return to the Ferrari cockpit obviously proved too much to resist for Schumie who has recovered from a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident in February.