Formula 1

[Philipnet]

Michael Schumacher not competing at Valencia

Michael Schumacher has had to abandon his planned Formula 1 return due to the neck injury he sustained in a motorcycle accident earlier this year. The seven-time world champion was set to deputise for Felipe Massa at Ferrari from the next race in Valencia onwards, but said on Tuesday that medical tests had showed his neck wasn’t strong enough to withstand the physical demands of racing an F1 car.

“Yesterday evening, I had to inform Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and team principal Stefano Domenicali that unfortunately I'm not able to step in for Felipe. I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however, much to my regret it didn't work out. “Unfortunately we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck which occurred after the private F1 day in Mugello, even if medically or therapeutically we tried everything possible.”

He admitted to being “disappointed to the core” to have had to call off the plans. “I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans which crossed fingers for me,” he said. “I can only repeat that I tried everything that was within my power."

[Dirk Gently]

Renault accused of cheating...an it appears they BLOODY DID!

N.Piquet Jr went on record saying he was asked to deliberately crash in order to improve the chances of Alonso winning in Singapore last year, which is what happened.
N.P.Jr was threatened with court proceedings but today Flavio Briatore & Pat Symonds have resigned & this in most peoples eyes suggests guilt!

From the Guardian On line:-

Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have stepped down from their posts after Renault decided not to dispute allegations that the team ordered former driver Nelson Piquet Junior to crash deliberately at last year's Singapore grand prix.

Renault are due to appear before a meeting of the FIA world motor sport council on Monday which will convene in Paris to discuss what penalties should be imposed on the team as a result of the race crash.

In a statement Renault said: "The Renault team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore grand prix." "It also wishes to state that its managing director Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering Pat Symonds have left the team. Before attending the hearing before the FIA world motor sport council in Paris on 21 September the team will be making no further comment."

This has been a fast-moving saga which has run from the first tentative rumblings of speculation, fuelled by the embittered Piquet who was dropped from the team last month, through to the loss of these two leading players, Briatore and Symonds.

Renault now look set to bow their heads and submit whatever punishment the FIA chooses to mete out to them, although the French team's parent company will be hoping that by shedding these two senior staff members they will successfully have taken the sting out of any penalties. The FIA could equally suspend the team from the world championship, although insiders believe if that were to happen then Renault might withdraw from the sport after the remaining four races of 2009.

The CEO and president of Renault Carlos Ghosn had earlier told L'Equipe that the parent company would not react "in hot blood" to the allegations that were made against the Formula One team. "Above all we don't want to make a premature judgement one way or the other," he said.

The FIA had charged Renault with "conspiring with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore grand prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso."

Following the crash, which took place on a part of the circuit where no cranes were available to lift Piquet's car over the barriers, the safety car was deployed. Alonso was the only driver to have pitted before the incident, and consequently he emerged in the lead after the rest of the field refuelled after the safety car came out. Alonso went on to take the chequered flag at Formula One's first night race – his first after rejoining the team following a season with McLaren in 2007 – and at a time when Renault were considering quitting the sport because of the huge expense involved at a time when domestic car markets were struggling.

McLaren were excluded from the manufacturers competition for using technical data obtained by illegal means, so Renault had better get something worse for risking peoples life's or that "be harsh on McLaren, be lenient on Ferrari & treat everyone else the same" rule looks like being fact.

[Philipnet]

Mosley's on record saying:

Mosley said that if Renault were to be found guilty, a severe penalty would be warranted and the World Motor Sport Council could go as far as banning the team from Formula 1 for all time.
“It could be anything up to disqualification,” he said.
“Because that's what's set out in the [International Sporting Code].
“Disqualification means you are out, finished.
“Out. Total. Exclusion forever, gone, finished.
“That is the worst that could happen.”

[Philipnet]

I pop in this forum and all I see at the top is football.
Football bloody football .

Anyone would think that there hasn't been another BRITISH FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPION!!!

I ask you!


Where's Tim when you need him?

[Philipnet]

Oh, oh, oh

It's starting ...

[Philipnet]

* cough *


Was it really 2010 when we last discussed F1 on these forums???

[Dirk Gently]

Where's Tim when you need him?

I've been enjoying the fact that Red Bull are no longer doing a Ferrari/Schumacher & are no longer winning everything*. Also Enjoying the fact that the Brackley team are winning a lot...well all except Canada where Ricciardo got his maiden victory (even if it did take Hamilton failing to finish & Rosberg having a 'kers' failure).


*Oh to hear Adrian Newey complaining that his car is no longer the best is somehow like music to my ears.

[Philipnet]

Now that's (the British GP) what I call a Victory!

[Dirk Gently]

It was indeed a victory that the English should be really happy with.