Silly season 2010

[ISLAMATRON]

Kimi says McLaren is the only option.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79831

[richard_leeds]

... the words "for sure" have become so overused ...I can guarantee that those words will crop up in almost every interview conducted in English.

I wouldn't call it English. It's that International English - an amalgam of British, American and other-world-motivational-management speak.

Its not just F1. I first noticed it in tennis interviews, notably Martina Navratilova and Ivan Lendl. It used to be the preserve of non-native English speakers so I thought it a colloquialism from the Balkans that was lost in translation?

Nowdays I give up hope. heh-ho .. the perils of empire, the whole world takes on and distorts the language. I wonder what the Romans thought of the Gauls' rendition of Latin? Must have been a worry for Genghis Kahn, Alexander the Great, and Shi Huangdi?

[zgred]

Rumors and Facts

AT&T Williams F1 Team [*** Renault, ** Toyota]

*** Niko Hulkenberg
** Rubens Barrichello
** Nick Heidfeld

According to autosport:

Frank Williams confirms Cosworth switch

(...)
"We've finished our contract with Toyota and we've moved on to a British engine manufacturer Cosworth with whom we have won many world championships in the past,"
(...)
Williams also revealed that the team will confirm its driver plans for next year on Monday, with the team set to confirm Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg.

"We will announce our drivers for next season on Monday," he said. "[Nico Rosberg] will be leaving and we just thought it was quite a long time.

"There are a few things going on at Williams for next season, with our engines, so we thought we can do better. Nico is German and Mercedes need at least one German driver to sit before their engine."

[richard_leeds]

"There are a few things going on at Williams for next season, with our engines, so we thought we can do better. Nico is German and Mercedes need at least one German driver to sit before their engine."

Rosberg to Brawn or McL or FI? If the quote is accurate and Merc are placing a German in one of the teams then the destination might be read as inferring Merc favoured team?

[zgred]

Add this whisper to the equation and things get messy in Maca-Merc-Brawn front.

Mobil en route to Brawn?

The latest whispers about sponsorship in Formula 1 suggest that Exxon Mobil is going to switch its Mobil sponsorship from McLaren to Brawn in 2010, as part of the Mercedes-Benz-ifaction of the World Championship winning team.
(...)

[zgred]

CAMPOS CONFIRM BRUNO SENNA FOR 2010

(...)
The Brazilian, though, won't have to wait long as Campos Meta CEO Enrique Rodriguez de Castro has confirmed he will race for them next season.

"For Campos Meta 1, it is an extraordinary honour to be returning the name Senna to Formula 1," de Castro said.
(...)

[mx_tifoso]

In an autosport interview poor Kobayashi said he doesn't have the money to race in GP2 next year, and that if there is no F1 race seat in 2010 he'll have to go back and work at his fathers sushi restaurant.

[raceman]

In an autosport interview poor Kobayashi said he doesn't have the money to race in GP2 next year, and that if there is no F1 race seat in 2010 he'll have to go back and work at his fathers sushi restaurant.

what a shame! Kob is a brilliant driver and that he has proved it on more than one occasion in F1. I wish he should get a drive for next year for full season

[vasia]

Kobayashi very likely to get a Toyota drive next year. Also likely at Toyota for next year is Kovalainen.

[WhiteBlue]

This is what I could imagine

Brawn GP

- Jenson Button
- Nico Rosberg


Red Bull Racing

- Sebastian Vettel
- Mark Webber


Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

- Lewis Hamilton
- Nick Heidfeld


Scuderia Ferrari

- Felipe Massa
- Fernando Alonso


Panasonic Toyota Racing shut down news on 8.11.2009
Sauber/Quadback

- Kimi Reikkonen
- Takuma Sato


AT&T Williams F1 Team

- Rubens Barrichello
- Nico Hülkenberg


Renault F1

- Robert Kubica
- Timo Glock


Force India F1

- Adrian Sutil
- Vitantonio Liuzzi


Scuderia Toro Rosso

- Sébastien Buemi
- Jaime Alguersuari


Campos F1

- Bruno Senna
- Pedro de la Rosa


Lotus F1 Team

- Jarno Trulli
- Christian Klien


Manor Grand Prix

- Anthony Davidson
- Kamui Kobayashi


Team USF1

- Jacques Villeneuve
- Graham Rahal

[axle]

I think you mean 8/11 not 8/10 for Toyota
Personally I'm hoping for a massive budget cut rather than a pull out of Toyota...either way we have a situation where a big team of people could be out on their ear.

[ESPImperium]

I think you mean 8/11 not 8/10 for Toyota ;)
Personally I'm hoping for a massive budget cut rather than a pull out of Toyota...either way we have a situation where a big team of people could be out on their ear.

I think that the Toyota budget will be cut from arround $300million down to arround a figure closer to what Renault operate with, arround $250million or so. Unless Panasonic Toyota Racing can secure some new investment or more likley sponsorship some how, and i think that if they put Kimui in a seat, thats a shure fire way to get that extra $50million back from at least 2 or 3 Japaneese based sponsors, posibly Seiko Epson copreration meaning that the Seiko watch sponsor logo and the Epson printer logos could be placed on the car, id recon that a £35million deal would work well there.

Personally, if Toyota were to get a top class driver to put beside Kimui, id say that that would bring some extra sponsorship as well, so if they were to give Kimi the extra £2million a year that ive heard that the deal hinges on, if they get him and pay him accordingly, i recon that it would be worth it with sponsor earnings.

[WhiteBlue]

I think you mean 8/11 not 8/10 for Toyota
Personally I'm hoping for a massive budget cut rather than a pull out of Toyota...either way we have a situation where a big team of people could be out on their ear.

Point taken and corrected. Toyota could use their Cologne facility for other things than F1. But surely a lot of hardship for many people if they pull out. Considering what you hear from Japan these days there is very little chance they stay.

[richard_leeds]

Panasonic Toyota Racing shut down news on 8.11.2009

What is significant about 8 Nov that makes you sure they'll announce on that date?

While we're on the subject of crystal ball gazing, I'm not convinced all the new teams will make it to the first race.

[ESPImperium]

Panasonic Toyota Racing shut down news on 8.11.2009

What is significant about 8 Nov that makes you sure they'll announce on that date?

While we're on the subject of crystal ball gazing, I'm not convinced all the new teams will make it to the first race.

Im not convinced that all the new teams will make it as well. I think that Campos have made it as they wouldnt sign a driver and not turn up, Manor GP, soon to be rebranded Virgin Media F1 will amke it. Lotus i think will make it, just. Leaving USF1, the outfit im not 100% convinced that will make it, something says to me that its not gonna work. Leaving Sauber-Ferarri, who i think will have a Brawn-eske rise. But not as spectacular i feel. I think that Quadbak will be bought out by Peter Sauber and another investor.

Theres many smaller stories to unfold, such as the Mercedes & McLaren relationship story for one, and the second being if USF1 make it, if they can get out of the Cosworth deal to use Toyota power.