F1-2018 Pre-season

[ASFE]

FIA president Jean Todt believes Ferrari should lose its right to veto Formula 1's rules, as part of the long term shake-up that is going on right now.

Επιτελους ας το κανουν και πραξη....

Ferrari
has long had the right to stop the implementation of regulations it is not happy with – and last used its veto in 2015 when it blocked plans to introduce a maximum price for engines and gearboxes.

It has long been known that the issue of Ferrari's privilege would be up for discussion as part of a new-look F1 that owners Liberty Media are planning from 2021.

But speaking to media in London this week, Todt believes that the veto – which Ferrari has had since the 1980's – is past its sell-by date.

"The veto was at the time of Enzo Ferrari, and he was isolated in Maranello," explained Todt. "That was the only team supplying engine and chassis against some other teams that were all powered by Ford.

"So at this time, it was decided that being away from what is called the silicon valley of motorsport, they needed to have a protection. That is the story about the veto.

"But personally, I feel now I am not in favour of that. Times have changed."

Todt also reiterated his stance that the last time the veto was granted to Ferrari – as part of bilateral agreements that were agreed for the 2013-2021 period – he was a lone voice against it.

"I was the only one against. The only one," he said. "I remember it was a meeting in Paris at the Place de la Concorde, in the FIA headquarters. It was the commercial rights holder. All the teams were there.

"And I said what is the position of the veto for Ferrari? They said 'it was fine for us'. So it would have been inappropriate for me alone to say that I am against the veto right to Ferrari. The only thing is we modified the wording of it. So that is part of the answer."

The veto tweak involved Ferrari only being allowed to block rules if it could prove that they were against the team's best interests.
Income stream

Although against Ferrari retaining the veto, Todt does believe that it is correct the Italian team receives increased income because of the attraction it brings to F1.

"For me, is it normal that Leonardo DiCaprio gets more money than a TV series actor? Yes, it is normal. So, again that is life. The better you are, the more money you should get.

"In this kind of activity, I feel it is normal they get more money. It used to be they were getting more money with worse results. Now they get more money with among the best results, so it makes sense."
Ferrari could leave

Todt's stance about Ferrari comes against the backdrop of threats from its chairman Sergio Marchionne to leave the sport if 2021 rules are not in his team's favour.

Although many are sceptical that Marchionne would see through in pulling Ferrari out of F1, Todt does not dismiss the chance totally.

"They may leave. And honestly, that is their choice," he said. "They are free. Definitely I hope they will not leave. But it can always happen. You have seen big competitors leaving. Coming back. But again. It is their choice.

"Knowing those people who are smart business people, who are rational people, in a way, now, that is why we also we want to reduce the costs.

"I feel that a company like Ferrari, racing should not be spending. It should be at least equal and even should be revenue – business revenue.

"That would be much more healthy than what it has been over the years, where it is too much of spending and that is why it puts very often teams under difficulties.

"At the moment I am sure now – it is about six to seven teams who are struggling in F1. So it is not acceptable to have the pinnacle of motor sport where 60-70 percent of the field are struggling to survive.

[George_Prix]

FIA president Jean Todt believes Ferrari should lose its right to veto Formula 1's rules, as part of the long term shake-up that is going on right now.

Επιτελους ας το κανουν και πραξη....

Λογικα πραγματα που σκεφτεται και ο καθε υγιης φιλαθλος. Μακαρι να της κοψουν το νταβατζιλικι της Ferrari και αν δεν της αρεσει ας φυγει και ας πουλαει τα αυτοκινητα και τα ρουχα της χωρις να διαφημιζεται στην F1. Δε λεω, θα μας λειψει το κραξιμο που της ριχνουμε για λιγα χρονια, αλλα αργα ή γρηγορα θα επιστρεψει στο χωρο με την ουρα κατω απο τα σκελια και μετα ολα θα ειναι πιο δικαια στην F1

[aroutis]

Vettel hints Ferrari rivals' long-run pace deceptive

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel believes Mercedes and Red Bull's strong long-run pace in winter Formula 1 testing could prove to be deceptive.
Analysis of the testing times suggested Mercedes had a clear edge on race pace at Barcelona, with Ferrari potentially falling behind Red Bull having been the champion team's main rival in 2017.

But Vettel says the fact Mercedes and Red Bull did race simulation entirely on the medium tyre means their performances might not be representative.

Ferrari dominated the top end of the timing charts at Barcelona with times set on shorter runs with Pirelli's softer compounds, while there were hints that Mercedes was struggling with tyre temperature on the softer types.

"Our competitors – Mercedes and Red Bull – used one type of tyre for their race distance simulations, which is something you can't do in a grand prix," said Vettel.

"This has an impact on the strategies and ultimately on the result."

He insisted Ferrari had had a strong pre-season and would head to the Australian Grand Prix in as a good a shape as its main rivals.

"I think we're starting from a good base with our SF71H car," Vettel added. "Now we'll have to work on development to further explore and improve its potential.

"I have a lot of confidence in our team, I know how skilled and committed the guys in Maranello are.

"We, too, did a good job in terms of mileage, totalling some 4323km of running. I have a personal best of 188 laps in one day, which is 875km and a total of nearly 3000km.

"We did not experience any major issues with the car, and I had fun driving it.

"I can't wait to be in Australia, because once we get on track there, we will all be driving and racing under the same conditions.

"And, as I said before, I have confidence in our car."

[gallahant]

Θα συμφωνήσω με τον Τοντ για το θέμα του βέτο. Διαφωνώ στο να φύγει η Φερράρι. Δεν θα είναι οι μόνοι που θα φύγουν πάντως εάν καταντήσει spec series το πρωτάθλημα. Δεν έχω πειστεί επίσης για το κατά πόσον είναι θετική η εμπλοκή της Λίμπερτυ Μίντια.

[aroutis]

Θα συμφωνήσω με τον Τοντ για το θέμα του βέτο. Διαφωνώ στο να φύγει η Φερράρι. Δεν θα είναι οι μόνοι που θα φύγουν πάντως εάν καταντήσει spec series το πρωτάθλημα. Δεν έχω πειστεί επίσης για το κατά πόσον είναι θετική η εμπλοκή της Λίμπερτυ Μίντια.

Εγώ θέλω να φύγει η Ferrari εφόσον δεν τα βρεί με τη Liberty Media.
Στη τελική, nothing lasts for ever.

- - - Updated - - -

Greg Maffei, CEO of Formula 1 owner Liberty Media, is taken aback by how "noisy" Formula 1 is. Not in terms of engine noise, but rather in terms of business being conducted in public rather than private.

Liberty Media is currently negotiating a new set of rules with the teams, with the American media conglomerate eyeing sweeping changes such as new engine rules, a more equal distribution of wealth and a budget cap from 2021 on.

As Maffei tells Racer, these plans have led to "some public discord" and negotiations have been "noisier" than Liberty Media expected. "And there will be more of that as we go through the period when we move up to renewing the Concorde Agreement for 2020, and looking for a new relationship, or a different relationship, going forward," he said.

"That's probably the part that is a little bit of a surprise, how noisy all that is. Most of us are used to conducting business like that in private," said Maffei, whose comments will surely have been received with a chuckle by Formula 1's former kingpin Bernie Ecclestone—or anyone who's followed the sport prior to Liberty Media's 2017 takeover—as public politicking has long been a staple of Formula 1's off-track entertainment.

Ferrari Quit Threat
In fact, Maffei had barely vented his surprise (or annoyance) about teams conducting business in public or the heads of both Ferrari and McLaren publicly spoke on Formula 1 politics.

Speaking to Road and Track, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne was inevitably asked about his threat to pull Ferrari out of Formula 1 and said, "I don’t know how to answer your question ... I never announced I was quitting. I said if we cannot reconcile our differences, we will leave. We’re not in a position today to say that we have exhausted all discussions. We have been in a dialog with Liberty. I am hopeful that, by the end of this year, we will have found a way to go forward beyond 2020."

Although Marchionne did add he hopes "it doesn't get there" as far as a Ferrari exit is concerned, his answer is sure to keep the "will they, won't they" storyline going a little while longer.

Deadline Disagreement
McLaren's Zak Brown, meanwhile, called on governing body FIA to get more involved and back Liberty Media. "The FIA is their partner in the future of F1, and I think we need to quickly see them put on the table [the plans for the future]", he told Motorsport.

Although Maffei for his part admitted it would be nice if things are settled sooner rather than later, he also told Racer that "it doesn't really need to get fixed until 2020" and "there is not a hard deadline yet." Brown, however, has urged Formula 1's stakeholders to press on and pulled Ferrari into it.

"I agree with Sergio Marchionne, who is vocal at this time. We need to see the vision put on paper to the teams."

"In the first half of the year [2018] we need to have 2021 locked down because the big teams, such as ourselves, are going to need to adapt to these potential new rules and that takes time."

Ah, Formula 1: Can't agree on the rules, can't agree on how to disagree about the rules.

[BlueChris]

Vettel hints Ferrari rivals' long-run pace deceptive

Δεν έχει άδικο σε αυτό που λέει και το διάβασα και αλλού το θέμα. Από εκεί και πέρα το παιχνίδι παίζεται πάλι στην προσπάθεια της MB να πιέσει την Pirelli να αλλάξει τις μαλακές γόμες γιατί πάλι φέτος όπως και πέρυσι το θηρίο τους διαλύει τα πισινά λάστιχα. Από εκεί και πέρα ελπίζω η Ferrari και ακόμα και η Renault(για κινητήρες μιλάω) να μπορούν και αυτοί να πατάνε το ρημάδι το κουμπάκι τους στο qual όπως η MB μπας και σταματήσει αυτό το αστείο και πάντα η ΜΒ να βγαίνει πρώτη γιατί αν πάλι τόχει μόνη το κουμπάκι εεεε μην τον είδατε τον παναή πάλι.

Για μένα ο καλός είναι αυτός που έχει καλή απόδοση στις βασικές γόμες που είναι η Soft και η Medium... όλες οι άλλες γόμες δεν είναι για πολλά πολλά.

[haHa]

Δεν έχει άδικο σε αυτό που λέει και το διάβασα και αλλού το θέμα. Από εκεί και πέρα το παιχνίδι παίζεται πάλι στην προσπάθεια της MB να πιέσει την Pirelli να αλλάξει τις μαλακές γόμες γιατί πάλι φέτος όπως και πέρυσι το θηρίο τους διαλύει τα πισινά λάστιχα. Από εκεί και πέρα ελπίζω η Ferrari και ακόμα και η Renault(για κινητήρες μιλάω) να μπορούν και αυτοί να πατάνε το ρημάδι το κουμπάκι τους στο qual όπως η MB μπας και σταματήσει αυτό το αστείο και πάντα η ΜΒ να βγαίνει πρώτη γιατί αν πάλι τόχει μόνη το κουμπάκι εεεε μην τον είδατε τον παναή πάλι.

Για μένα ο καλός είναι αυτός που έχει καλή απόδοση στις βασικές γόμες που είναι η Soft και η Medium... όλες οι άλλες γόμες δεν είναι για πολλά πολλά.

Τα medium δεν ειναι και τοσο βασικη γομα: ειναι η 2η πιο σκληρη και η 2η λιγοτερo χρησιμοποιουμενη γομα.

[aroutis]

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...indy-500-debut

Fernando Alonso contemplated a 2018 without Formula One in the months after contesting last year's Indy 500.

McLaren allowed Alonso to compete in the famous oval race after it became clear Honda had failed to deliver the team a competitive or reliable engine for the 2017 F1 season. The Spaniard wants to claim motorsport's unofficial triple crown, which includes the Monaco Grand Prix (an event he has won twice) as well as the Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours, which he will make his debut at later this year with Toyota.

His Indy 500 ended 21 laps from the finish when his engine failed. The two-time world champion admits it was hard to return to the F1 paddock after his adventure at Indianapolis.

"Yes, I did think about the possibility of changing series and stopping Formula 1," he said in an interview being published in the next edition of the F1 Racing magazine. "After I did the Indy 500 last year, when I came back there were a couple of races in Austria, Silverstone, when I thought, 'Maybe next year I could try a different series; I could do full commitment to the triple crown and do Indy and Le Mans and maybe that's the best thing'."
Honda's failures at the start of 2017 prompted fears among McLaren bosses that Alonso would quit on the eve of the season, as revealed on the Amazon documentry series 'Grand Prix Driver'. However, Alonso says it was the idea of his career finishing on such a negative note that ultimately stopped him from walking away.

"But I felt it was not the time for me to step out -- not right now, not after these results, not with this feeling. I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life and that I would have this bad taste for the rest of my racing career.

"So definitely I still want to succeed. There is unfinished business for me and McLaren together. And I think this year is the time all these things will change. I feel pretty sure about that."

[Antonisss]

Τα φετινά medium θεωρητικά είναι τα περσινά soft. Και με αυτά μια χαρά race pace είχε ο Bottas στο simulation που έκανε. Το αν κάνει deceptive κατά τον Vettel όλο το run επειδή στο πρώτο του στιντ έβαλε medium και όχι soft για να είναι "νόμιμος", ε τι να πω, μυαλό έχουμε όλοι, συμπεράσματα μπορούμε να βγάλουμε

Όπως και να χει, οι μάσκες θα πέσουνε 17-18 Μάρτη

[ASFE]

Κλασική Ferrari...

Mekies, the FIA's safety delegate and deputy race director for Formula 1 and F2, will start at Ferrari in just over six months, on September 20. He will report to technical director Mattia Binotto.

After last year's Marcin Budkowski case – when the former head of the FIA's technical department left to join Renault – the matter of gardening leave was discussed by the teams in a Strategy Group meeting.

It was agreed that 12 months would be an appropriate minimum wait for former employees of both the FIA and the F1 Group.

The fact that this deadline has been broken so soon after it was agreed has angered McLaren.

"We very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Motorsport.com.

"Especially after it was agreed by all teams at the last Strategy Group meeting that no key technical FIA employees would be employed by a race team within 12 months of leaving the FIA.

"Ferrari went against the gentleman's agreement, and the FIA has not enforced it."

Other teams are known to have expressed similar views in private, although they have yet to comment publicly

[aroutis]

Επειδή δεν είμαι σίγουρος ότι όλοι γνωρίζουν ποιός είναι ο Marcin Budkowski

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/41522130

Spoiler:

Former FIA technical chief Marcin Budkowski has joined Renault as their executive director.

The move is deeply controversial because Budkowski knows many of the design secrets of the top teams.

In his role at F1's governing body, the 40-year-old was responsible for liaising with teams to ensure the compliance of their cars.

Renault said he would "oversee all the activities in the development and production of the chassis".

Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul said Budkowski's role was "non-technical" with a "wider management responsibility".

He said there had been a "gap to be filled" at the team's chassis technical base in Oxfordshire following the departure of team principal Frederic Vasseur towards the end of last year. Vasseur is now at Sauber.

Abiteboul said: "There is lots to do and I just needed some help from someone who can work alongside me, particularly on the development of the Enstone team."

Abiteboul said he hoped to reach an agreement with the FIA that would assuage the other teams' concerns about intellectual property rights.

"He could be available early next year," Abiteboul said, "but we have had constructive discussion with the FIA and we are close to an agreement on a date that would make everyone comfortable. We are talking about early April, although nothing has been absolutely confirmed yet."

Budkowski resigned in September and the FIA said he would serve a period of three months' gardening leave before being released from his contract.

This period was too short, according to many of Renault's rivals, who convened a meeting at the Malaysian Grand Prix to discuss the issue.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: "It's not a great situation. Marcin is a very capable guy in a privileged position in the FIA.

"Every team has been going to him in that role, for the last three years, asking: 'Is this legal and is that legal?' He's been privy to very intimate details and to find him going back to work within a competitive team in a three-month period is far too short and nowhere near industry standard.

"Three weeks ago we were talking about our rear-suspension layout with him. Before that he was in a wind tunnel with another team. He sent out a technical directive the day before he left.

"There is an element of knowledge in his head and that's why there needs to be a period of gardening leave.

"In our team, the top guys are anywhere between six and 12 months. Three months is just crazy."

Mercedes technical director James Allison said: "The relationship the teams have with the FIA relies on the teams being candid and anything they discuss being confidential. The main foundations of the relationship with the FIA are built on that.

"If an FIA employee leaves and joins a team, you would wish to have a somewhat longer notice period than three months. I think that everyone on the FIA and teams' sides would say that. That isn't the situation today and I guess we will just swallow it and get on with it."

Horner said he expected the situation would be discussed at the next meeting of the strategy group of leading teams, FIA and F1 commercial rights holder.

His views are shared by the bosses of many of the other teams.

Αν η FiA θέλει να γίνει πραγματικά κάτι για το poaching, ας σταματήσει τις μπούρδες περί gentlemens' agreements και να κάνει enforce το διάστημα του gardening leave.

[Antonisss]

Κάτι άσχετο, για όσους είχαν συνδρομή στο F1 Access για live timing, τα credentials σας δουλεύουν κανονικά? Προσπάθησα χτες να μπω να δω τιμή ανανέωσης και όλο μου πετούσε εσφαλμένα στοιχεία. Πάτησα forgotten password, μου έστειλε προσωρινό, πάω να μπω, πάλι τα ίδια.... Έφτιαξα καινούριο account και μπαίνει κανονικά. Μήπως κάνανε reset τη βάση δεδομένων?

[haHa]

Κλασική Ferrari...

To περιεργο ειναι οτι η Φερραρι και αλλες ομαδες διαμαρτυροταν οταν πηγε να γινει κατι παρομοιο(να αρχισει πριν τους 6 μηνες) με τη Renault.
Οτι βεβαια η Ferrari δεν τιμαει το gentleman's agreement, δεν ειναι κατι μη αναμενομενο. Μη αναμενομενη ειναι η αντιδραση απο τα παπαγαλακια.

- - - Updated - - -

Κάτι άσχετο, για όσους είχαν συνδρομή στο F1 Access για live timing, τα credentials σας δουλεύουν κανονικά? Προσπάθησα χτες να μπω να δω τιμή ανανέωσης και όλο μου πετούσε εσφαλμένα στοιχεία. Πάτησα forgotten password, μου έστειλε προσωρινό, πάω να μπω, πάλι τα ίδια.... Έφτιαξα καινούριο account και μπαίνει κανονικά. Μήπως κάνανε reset τη βάση δεδομένων?

Εγω μπαινω κανονικα με το παλιο username.

[Antonisss]

Χμμμμμμ

Clara Ivascu (Formula 1)

Mar 16, 14:02 GMT

Hi there Antonios


Thanks for the message, we've just changed the sign in page last night but we have to make a pit stop before everything is back on the right track again. We're still working on making sure everyone gets to log in as soon as possible.

I'll give you the green light when its good to try again. Shouldn't be long now.

From the Pit

Clara

Team F1

[aroutis]

Δεδομένου ότι πλησιάζει πλέον και η Μελβούρνη, έχει πλέον ανοίξει και το αντίστοιχο thread.