Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
This does seam strange having in mind that everyone pointed their fingers at Bridg. blaming them for Ferrari's misfortune. If we know that Bridg. has been developing their tyres strictly for demands of Ferrari cars, can it be than that tyres are not to be blamed at all?
BTW, Red Bull bought Minardi and they'll have 2 teams next season but that isn’t as much surprising as the fact that they are sticking with Michelin even though they’ll be using Ferrari engines.
Williams is switching to Bridgestone? It's official? Where was I when this was announced?
Something I don't understand...currently, 70% of the teams run on Michelin tires, right? And, everybody knows that the tires have a lot to do with the design of the car. So, my question is, why would, all of a sudden, 2 teams switch to a tire manufacturer that should take a huge chunk of the blame for Ferrari's dismal season.
Also, if there is going to be a single tire supplier past 2008, why not have the other three teams (actually, just one that matters) switch to Michelin? I can, kind of, understand Toyota's choice (and, subsequently, BAR-Honda's), but why others?
Is it possible that Ferrari is controling FIA and F1 that much? Even after this season?
I, personally, am not happy with this. In the past, I've had both Bridgestone and Michelin tires (snow and all-season tire versions from both companies) and have found Michelin to be, by far, a better tire. I know that this has nothing to do with the above...just stating why I didn't like the news.
-------
As for the Minardi/Red Bull team, it was only a matter of time before PS made a deal with somebody. It was obvious that he was way too unhappy with F1's politics.
BTW, great move as it was deal with Cosworth now will be ruined by switching to Bridgestone. If Cosworth knew this I doubt that they'd signed the deal. (my opinion)
They are not stating that officially but the procedure they suggest indicates that there’ll be sort of contest for 2008 which Bridgestone will naturally win.
Situation is chaotic but it seams that Michelin said goodbye to Toyota and Williams before they "decided" to switch to Bridgestone...
Last edited by manchild on 13 Sep 2005, 08:16, edited 1 time in total.
Tires, like cars, are under constant development. There are many factors that determine a tire's characteristics, some relevant ones being budget, and valid testing. With the addition of more teams, Bridgestone will have a larger pool of information to develop tires. As well, it has to be assumed that with more obligations to more teams, Bridgestone's budget will be larger than now. Additionally, the suits at Bridgestone have suffered an embarassing year, and they most likely have decided to expand the F1 racing budget. The next year's tires will definitely be more capable than this year's.
As a side note, Bridgestone and Toyota have combined to deliver an all Japanese car. Chassis, engine, and now, tires. This is part of the way towards an ultimate Japanese goal, a Japanese GP champion in a Japanese car, with Japanese engine. Don't be surprised to see BAR weight the advantages of going Japanese tires, too.
f1.redbaron wrote:Williams is switching to Bridgestone? It's official? Where was I when this was announced?
Just noticed this in your post... where were you than? [-X
I think that this whole sudden confusing about tyres is actually due to a race between Michelin, Toyota and Williams public relations; something like - “She didn’t dump me, I dumped her…”. Everyone is in a hurry to say that it was their decision and not decision of now former partners.
Manchild, I hope it's not too boring.. lol
Actually, I'm 54 years of age, and I've done a lot, and seen a lot. Make no mistake, I still feel a profound passion and love for motorsport, to me there's not much that compares. But I've also had what some call life-changing experiences. I've even laid on the ground, felt the life slipping from me, and said to myself, "So this is how it feels to die". It all adds a different perspective, and you learn to separate passion from the really important things in life.
But I've also seen drivers succeed, and drivers die. The loss of Senna still affects me to this day. I had the great honor of watching Gilles Villeneuve race before he went to F1, and his loss is unspeakably tragic, I practically, still, worship him and everything he did.
You must realize that Formula One is a multi-billion dollar business, with major players involved. And when big money is involved, money talks. Yes, I do agree and believe that Shu has committed deliberate wrecks (some call them shunts) in attempts to capture the title. In this day where sports try to teach children about fair play, it's unacceptable. But I must ask you, or anyone else, what would you do for twenty million dollars? In some places and people, you can arrange to have someone killed for a lot less than that. What's the monetary difference between winning the world title, and not? I'm not hinting that Shu is willing to kill someone to win the title, and in the incidents he has placed a competitor's chances of winning in jeapordy, it was on a low speed section, in turns. As well, he didn't invent that tactic, if you watched Prost and Senna battle, it was done before.
We're living this life for just a short time, so enjoy each moment. As well, and I hope you agree, we share a deep passionate love for racing. So enjoy it, be happy you are watching something very wonderful and great. Please don't allow hatred and anger to creep in and soil what makes you happy.
Racing is wonderful, racing is what brings us happiness, so be happy, enjoy.
Dave (and other Canadians on this forum), I have a question for you .
How close can us mortals get to the pit lane? I've already bought the tickets for the next Canadian GP (front row, Grandstand 1 ), but I still don't think that's close enough.
Does anybody know if there is a way to gain pit access?
I’m not sure if this is a question for me but let me answer it anyway.
Well, I’m surprised that Tomba didn’t acquire press pit pass since he runs one of the major F1 technical sites. That seams to me like best way to get all the action. How to get press pit pass is explained on FIA site http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Accredit ... edure.html.
Tomba, for next season make sure you get one for your self as a journalist/webmaster and another for your girlfriend as photographer. I’m not joking, you fulfill all demands but the application must be sent ASAP.
Other methods are - being employee of some VIP guest company or close to officials in Montreal, sneaking in, accidentally finding a pass some drunk VIP lost on the party night before or be soooo sexy that you charm Bernie (if Slavica isn't there )
Last edited by manchild on 12 Sep 2005, 10:46, edited 1 time in total.
Haha... that's how we got into E3 in the United States.
My old roommate bought a website maybe a month before E3... we'd make up some articles about the latest games and my roommate would post them on the webpage (my other roommates took articles from other sites). Then we'd send it in to the authorities and we got some passes.
For the next year we updated the website maybe a week before deadline... and we got a forged business license (don't ask). We were fully "members of the media"
Bring back wider rear wings, V10s, and tobacco advertisements
If F1 is switching to a single supplier even though the one that is supposed to be leaving is said to be the better tyre, it could very well pay to use Bridgestone early and more than likely gain an advantage to a team that runs on Michelin's until 2008. Fickle things these tyres and the tyre related performance is just as important as aerodynamics as you all know. So yes they teams that change will be getting slated for it now but I'll bet they will be the teams getting praised for their inspired early switch if they start winning races and the teams that switched late start to flounder. Just a thought.
"Whether you think you can or can't, either way you are right."
-Henry Ford-
), but I still don't think that's close enough. 
)