Official Formula 1 thread!

VW: F1 is not on the agenda for at least five years 11 Mar 2002


Future Volkswagen Group boss Bernd Pischetsrieder has reiterated that VW are not planning an entry into the FIA Formula 1™ World Championship, following a resurrection of rumours that the automobile manufacturer planned to invest in the sport last week.
Pischetsrieder, who takes over from incumbent company head Ferdinand Piëch in April, has firmly stated that VW will not compete in F1 for at least five years, should they decide to race at all. It had been speculated that they were behind the acquisition of the Prost team's liquidated assets, using their Skoda brand, until Charles Nickerson's Phoenix Group stepped forward.

"Formula One is not an issue for us," he was reported as saying by German publication Welt am Sonntag. "It is not on our agenda, at least for the five next years. Such a commitment costs a lot of money and requires significant capacities in terms of management and engineers. Believe me, I know what I am talking about."

Pischetsrieder had been at BMW when they were preparing to enter the sport as engine partner to the Williams team, and this combined with his passion for Formula One has fuelled several rumours that VW were considering investing in the series over the past year.


Both Skoda and Audi have been speculated as possible brands that could be used to launch VW's entry, despite the company's repeated denials that they are planning to set up their own team.

"F1 is not part of our actual priorities, due to the time and cost needed," Pischetsrieder said in December. "On the other hand, with a lower investment and better chances of success in a highly-publicised competition, we will again be present at the next Le Mans 24-hours for a third straight win for Audi in 2002.

"Automobile competition is an important thing to consider," he continued. "For us, we will benefit from a better co-ordination. I believe strongly in co-ordination between the different marques to rationalise the investments and improve effectiveness."


Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw, who is involved with the Phoenix Group's efforts to piece together a new team from Prost's former assets, has said that he expects the outfit to take part in this year's championship. However, it is believed that an official entry is yet to be lodged and no formal announcement has revealed when a twelfth team can be expected on the grid.

Place No. - Driver ------ Team ------ Time
1 ---- 5 - Schumacher R - Williams
2 ---- 6 -- Montoya ------ Williams - +39.700
3 ---- 1 -- Schumacher M - Ferrari -- +1:01.700
4 ---- 15 - Button ------- Renault -- +1:09.700
5 ---- 7 -- Heidfeld ----- Sauber ---- +1 lap
6 ---- 8 -- Massa -------- Sauber ---- +1 lap
7 ---- 25 - McNish ------- Toyota ---- +1 lap
8 ---- 11 - Villeneuve --- BAR ------- +1 lap
9 ---- 10 - Sato --------- Jordan ---- +2 laps
10 --- 17 - de la Rosa --- Jaguar ---- +2 laps
11 --- 20 - Frentzen ----- Arrows ---- +3 laps
12 --- 24 - Salo --------- Toyota ---- +2 laps
13 --- 9 -- Fisichella --- Jordan ---- +3 laps
r ---- 16 - Irvine ------- Jaguar ---- +56 laps
r ---- 22 - Yoong -------- Minardi --- +56 laps
r ---- 21 - Bernoldi ----- Arrows ---- +56 laps
r ---- 23 - Webber ------- Minardi --- +56 laps
r ---- 12 - Panis -------- BAR ------- +56 laps
r ---- 14 - Trulli ------- Renault --- +56 laps
r ---- 3 -- Coulthard ---- McLaren --- +56 laps
r ---- 4 -- Raikkonen ---- McLaren --- +56 laps
r ---- 2 -- Barrichello -- Ferrari --- +56 laps

The second race of the season on Sepang. (Malaysia)
M. Schumacher had pole position and Montoya started as second. In the first curve Montoya and Schumi drove together and Montoya got Schumis frontwing under his car and lost important positions. Schumis situation was even worser, he drove to the box and was wide away from the field, except Frenzen because he was also in the box and he was after Schumi. Montoya got a penalty after the crucial scene in the first curve. IMO it shouldn´t have been a penalty, because both of them was bound to the crash. And as Niki Lauda said: Proporly none of them should have a penalty and if one of the got it the other also should have it. But in the reality none of them should have a penalty for that scene, only look at the start crash in Melbourne, that scene was way more crucial and none got a penalty. Even Michael Schumacher said in the press conference that it shouldn´t have been a penalty. But the race was not finished with that. Ralf Schumacher dominated the race from start to goal and his only little threat was Barichello and his engine explode. Rakkonen got also the same destiny. And this was not Mclaren´s day, also Coulthard got problems with his car and didn´t finish the race. Montoya made it to the second place in the end, and he deserved it. M. Scumacher was very lucky in the end when he got the third place. Sensation Jenson Button got problems with his car on the last lap and leaved the third place to Schumi. (Button were fourth in the end) Two Saubers was in the points. (Both Heidfeld and Massa) Now we have an exciting fight in the top of the Championship!!! (M. Schumacher, 14 points. Montoya, 12 points. R. Scumacher 10 points)


Hope to see more exciting F1!


Any comments?

Originally posted by Sheva Milan fan
Ralf Schumacher dominated the race from start to goal and his only little threat was Barichello and his engine explode.

I disagree...
Ralf didn't dominate the race from start to goal!
After Rubinho got crashed on his engine, then Ralf could dominated the race.

Bodat you misunderstood me when I said Ralf dominated the race from start to goal. I ment he dominated the race with his tactic. In the end he would be nr.1 even if Barichello wouldn´t crash. Because he was only a few seconds after Barichello when he have made his first and only boxstop, and Barichello had one stop left so Ralf would be up front again with about 20 seconds. Sorry if I said it wrong......

Yes the unlucky barrichello Oh well,It seems this season the Ferrari-Williams rivalry is going to go all the way.Ralf is a fine driver quite consistant it's great I love Schumy but it's good for F1 I hope the youngsters like Raikkonen and Heidfeld can have great years again.

The battle have already been starting......


Seeing the Malaysian GP result with 1th and 2nd place is taken the Williams duo, Ralf and JPM makes the battle of the season is very interesting. My hat off to them they could win that result in history's team in GP. The Williams team is likely to take over The Ferrari's authority in FIA Championship if they can either both competitive cars and run consistenly. Ferrari should be paying for attention of on this no matter what, if they don't want this season will be waste for certain.

Forza FERRARI

Russian Grand Prix for 2004? 22 Mar 2002


Moscow will play host to the first Russian Grand Prix in the summer of 2004, according to reports in the British media.
The BBC say they have been told by Formula One™ chief Bernie Ecclestone that the deal for the race should be signed within a month, once a few minor legal problems have been dealt with.

A joint announcement with Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov had been expected today, but was reportedly cancelled at the last minute.

Work on the Russian circuit, to be located at Nagatino on a bend in the Moskva river, a few kilometres south of Moscow's city centre, has yet to begin and will cost a projected $100million.


The architect in charge of the project, Hermann Tilke, who was also behind the spectacular Sepang circuit in Malaysia, said earlier this week that construction could start "any day".



Source: www.f1.com

I miss Senna... :'(

I too, I think every F1 fan miss him, he was a great driver. But it was a terrible crash, I can still remember it.

Happy Birthday David Coulthard 27 Mar 2002


McLaren ace David Coulthard turns thirty-one years old today. The 2001 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runner-up was born in Twynholm, Scotland, on 27th March 1971.
He was soon fighting his way up the British motorsport ladder, although he says that when he was younger he had planned to make his career alongside his father and brother in the family haulage firm.

However, the Scot's talent was soon obvious and some high profile successes quickly brought him to the attention of motorsport's elite who persuaded him to abandon his plans for business.

Coulthard won both Junior Formula Ford 1600 championships in 1989, and also managed third place in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival. The following season he joined Paul Stewart Racing and competed with some success in the British Vauxhall Lotus Challenge and GM Lotus Euroseries.


The Scot also scooped the highly-prized McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award in 1990, which gave him the opportunity to test a McLaren MP4/5 and have his first tase of Formula One™.

1991, 1992 and 1993 saw Coulthard move up the ladder to British Formula Three and then International Formula 3000, and also win a coveted test drive with the successful Williams team in '93 - all being the proving grounds for many a young driver trying to break into F1™.

In 1994 he was given the opportunity to race for Williams from the Monaco GP, following the tragic death of Ayrton Senna at Imola, and he finished eighth overall in the FIA Formula One World Championship™.



Williams eventually let him go in favour of Jacques Villeneuve for 1996, despite his third place in the 1995 FIA Formula One World Championship™ and maiden victory at the Portuguese GP, and so he moved to McLaren.

He won his second Grand Prix, in Australia, that year with the Woking-based team, but was asked to relinquish a third victory in the European Grand Prix to new team mate Mika Hakkinen.

One win in the 1998 San Marino GP left him unable to challenge for the title, but two wins the following year (in Great Britain and Belgium) saw him improve his reputation.


The Scot's fifth season at McLaren in 2000 saw him finish third in the FIA Formula One World Championship™ once again, after strong start to the year where he took victory in Great Britain, Monaco and France. But technical problems for McLaren gave Ferrari's Michael Schumacher his third title instead.

However, after two years of watching his Finnish team mate take the championships (1998 and 1999) Coulthard launched his strongest bid for the title yet in 2001. He eventually finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher but had looked an obvious contender in the early races, and also very much carried the team when Hakkinen foundered.

He renewed his contract at McLaren for an impressive seventh season in 2002, but currently the year is not going his way. He has failed to finish the opening two rounds in Australia and Malaysia, after experiencing technical problems, and has already relegated himself to having an "outside chance" of overall victory as a result.

The third race of the year in Brazil is his opportunity to fight back.

Source: www.f1.com

Coulthard hoping to repeat history
Brazilian GP - McLaren - Preview [28/03/02 - 04:03]




David Coulthard/Brazil 2001

he West McLaren Mercedes team travels to Brazil for round three of the FIA Formula One World Championship, which takes place this weekend at Sao Paulo's famous 2.677mile / 4.309 km Interlagos circuit. McLaren has an illustrious history at the Brazilian Grand Prix, having won the event ten times, more than any other Formula One Constructor.

This year's race marks the 30th anniversary of the inaugural Brazilian Grand Prix, which was held in 1973 at Interlagos. Since then the event had switched venues between the Sao Paulo track and Jacarepagua, which is located near Rio de Janeiro, until the race returned to a redesigned Interlagos in 1990.

McLaren first took victory here in 1974, with local hero Emerson Fittipaldi at the wheel while last year saw David Coulthard took his dramatic first Brazilian Grand Prix win at the Interlagos circuit in an eventful rain-affected race. After a disappointing start to the year, failing to finish either the Australian or Malaysian GP's, the Scot is aiming to gather some very valuable world championship points here on Sunday, hopefully with a repeat of last's years victory.

"Although I have a difficult start to the 2002 season, the West McLaren Mercedes team does have a package that is capable of winning races and we have all been working hard to increase reliability,” he said. “Of course the desired outcome for me in Brazil would be a repeat of last years result, however I am primarily focusing on opening my points tally for 2002. Interlagos is a physically demanding track, in particular on your neck, as we mainly race and test on clockwise circuits."

After the Malaysian Grand Prix, West McLaren Mercedes third driver Alex Wurz flew directly from Sepang to undertake an intensive five- day testing program at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. David Coulthard joined Alex in Spain for three days of the session, however teammate Kimi Raikkonen had a break from the car after race two. The young Finn also failed to finish in Malaysia, however he currently sits on four world championship points and is looking forward to his first Brazilian race as a McLaren driver.



Kimi Raikkonen

"I am looking forward to the Brazilian Grand Prix, although it is a tough race,” he said. “The track provides a number of good overtaking opportunities, in particular under braking as you enter the first corner. Although last year's result was not the highlight of my year, I really enjoyed the race. The country is full of real racing fans and the long queue of race goers waiting to get into the Interlagos circuit on race day was amazing. There appears to be a genuine passion for the sport and that is great to see."

"The West McLaren Mercedes team has been working hard following the unsatisfactory result in Malaysia in a bid to marry competitive performance with reliability. We have again demonstrated in testing this week in Barcelona that we have the capability to achieve the complete package, and we now must translate this into the race environment in Brazil,” explained Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's managing director. “The Interlagos track is punishing for both the drivers and cars, with the heat, uneven surface and anticlockwise direction all having an impact. The uphill slope of the pit straight is also an influencing factor, it is important to qualify well so that you have the advantage of not having such a steep gradient from which to make your start."

"Interlagos with its long uphill straight, twisty infield section and extremely bumpy surface is a very challenging circuit for the drivers, the chassis and the engine,” added Norbert Haug. “Following the engine failures in the last Grand Prix our main target was to achieve reliability again, and we have worked very hard on this in Stuttgart as well as in Brixworth."

Source: http://www.f1-live.com

Rain for round three?
This weekend's weather forecast [28/03/02 - 09:20]




David Coulthard/Interlagos 2001

fter rain in Melbourne and the extreme heat of Malaysia, the Formula One teams have been met with more wet weather in Sao Paulo ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. With raining falling already this week, the chance of further storms over the three day weekend are high with humidity currently sitting at 94%.

Maximum temperatures aren't expected to climb over the 30 degree centigrade mark, however overcast conditions are definitely on the agenda for all three days. For day one tomorrow, the opening practice sessions of the weekend, the weatherman has predicted a high of 28 degrees with a low of 19 and cloudy skies overhead.

For qualifying, the conditions should remain the same, humid, warm and the possibility of rain. For race day the temperature should drop by a degree or two, but despite clearing up slightly from the rain here yesterday, the overcast conditions are expected to stay. We will bring you all the live action from the Interlagos circuit with pictures from the event and up to date reports to accompany the live timing of every session.


Source: www.f1-live.com

1. M. Schumacher
2. R. Schumacher
3. Coulthard
4. Button
5. Montoya

I´l be back with my comments later!

Brazil loses its glamour? 03 Apr 2002


Formula One™ racing may be one of the fastest moving sports in the world, but some of its long-standing traditions remain. One of those is the presence of the glamorous 'grid girls', who stand in front of each car before the start of the race.
The girls in Brazil have always been a particular favourite with the F1™ racing photographers, but they were left somewhat disappointed this year, due to a distinct lack of the usual lovely ladies.

According to reports, race organisers were unable to find a sponsor to fund the grid girls and their costumes. There have even been rumours that the photographers are planning a collection from their own pockets to ensure the girls' return next year.

Michael feels for Barrichello
''I am lost for words for what happened to him.” [04/04/02 - 09:07]




Rubens Barrichello

eigning world champion, Michael Schumacher feels sorry for teammate Rubens Barrichello after he was forced to retire from his home grand prix at the Interlagos circuit on Sunday. While Michael went on to win the latest challenge of the 2002 championship season, Rubens was forced to give up his dreams of finally achieving a good result on home ground.

Barrichello has not had a good start to the 2002 championship season, the Brazilian driver retiring from all three events run to date. In Australia he retired on the opening lap after securing pole the day before when the Williams of Ralf Schumacher collided with his Ferrari. In Malaysia he suffered an engine failure in his F2001 but his retirement in Brazil was the hardest to take, the DNF marking the eighth time he has failed to complete the 71 lap event.

"I am really sorry for Rubens," said Michael. "I am lost for words for what happened to him. For the second race in a row Rubens made a great start and once again he was not rewarded for it. He had fought his way into the lead before something failed. It really does seem as though his home race is not a lucky one for him. But Rubens is going very well this year and soon he too will have the new car and that means both of us will be very strong and competitive for the rest of the season."






F1 needs Juan Pablo Montoya
“Montoya is a real ‘daredevil'” [04/04/02 - 08:15]




Juan Pablo Montoya/Williams

or the third time this season a Williams driver has had a coming together with a Ferrari, Ralf with Rubens Barrichello in Australia and Juan Pablo with Michael Schumacher in the next two events, Malaysia and Sepang. While fans continue to debate who was at fault, especially for the first lap incident at Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, the main consensus is that the Colombian driver was too overeager to get back past the Ferrari and hence the contact was made.

Others believe, including Juan Pablo, that Michael Schumacher illegally blocked the Williams from getting past by changing direction on the racetrack. Stewards refuted this claim and classed it as a simple racing incident and nothing further.

BMW boss Gerhard Berger doesn't want to be pulled into the ‘who's at fault' debate however the Austrian admit that Montoya can be a daredevil at times, but only in a way that's good for the sport. He also stated that Michael Schumacher was aware that Juan would be planning to attack with all his might on the Interlagos circuit.

"Montoya is a real 'daredevil'. This sport needs someone like him,” he said. “That's why he is so popular in this scene - because in private he's a nice guy and in the car, he gives everything he has. This is why we signed with him. Montoya has respect for his sport. He would never want to harm himself, or others. Michael knew that this attack would come in Brazil. He defended it with all his might. A racing accident."