Formula One

[The Insider]

Guys,

We all know it's the silly season but we also know drivers getting seats is ALL about money, especially lower down the grid.

frosty,

I haven't heard anything about Petrov going to Caterham, thats a new on me, that said it wouldn't surprise me in the least, he has cash and isn't half bad really.

I haven't been around any of the F1 Teams and lads this year but I am due at the Force India factory next week to firm up some dates for working at European events with them this year, I will be doing some work with Virgin for the February tests, by that time I will have a better idea of whats going on, nothing like being in amongst it to pick up the gossip from the lads.

I had to refuse the position at HRT, I don't like Spain one bit and they are doing gruelling hours, I would NEVER be at home and with my folks getting on a bit now and my mum not so good I just didn't want to be permenantly that far away, I still have the offer to help out if and when they need me, all I have to do is make myself available.

Lotus "Ride Height" device??

Well the FIA have said it IS legal, I know they ran it at the young drivers test in Abu Dhabi last year, they are saying NOTHING about it, well who would if it will give an advantage, it all means nothing until it starts producing results and points but they must see potential in it to have taken it this far and all the noise now is everyone else is producing their own version, lets wait and see, I'm sure it will cause some controversy in Australia.

Adrian Sutil,

If you recall I spent a bit of time with Adrian in Spain just over a month ago, I CANNOT believe he deliberately attacked Eric Lux with a glass in China, he (Adrian) is such a descent, well mannerd and professional lad, however; Eric Lux IS A HORRIBLE character, I talk from experience in dealing with both parties in question and I'm sure there is a lot more to the story, as far as I know there was a drink thrown on Sutil and the act was recipricated, best say no more, it's a legal case.

Bitter End,

Thanks for the good wishes for 2012, I hope this year is less eventful than last, no more broken bones please, I have enjoyed all the threads with everyone who contributed over the last couple of years, if you look at the number of F1 posts it is currently running in second place to local news, can't be bad.

Lets hope there is plenty to talk about this season, I am positive there will be lots of politics and controversy, frosty has "The Iceman" back in game so that should have him buzzing, I'm sure he will do a job for Lotus, he will (with a little track time) be as quick as ever.

Happy 2012

TI

[The Insider]

Damon Hill joins Sky as a Pundit.

Eh??????????????????????????????????????????

He's garbage at the best of times in front of a camera and as for him being a pundit? well I will have to reserve my judgement on that one but I can't see him being great like Brundle is.

He says his role is to be controversial, as always we will have to wait and see, maybe I'm being too harsh and I will be made to eat my words.

I've dealt with him personally and found him totally unlikeable, maybe he thought the same about me, lets face it, I can't hold a candle to what he has achieved, my opinion on means NOTHING to him, I just don't like the bloke, he has the personality of a Rocking Horse crossed with a Garden Gnome.

Just saying like.

Bruno Senna:

Confirmed at Williams.......CASH IS KING.

That said, I wish him well, he is a thoroughly likeable young man with impeccable manners.

The great name lives on.

TI

[Govangirl]

Mmmm TI, what with Sir Alex and now Damon Hill, we are going to have to disagree again. Don't you dare diss Mr Springsteen and make it three!!!!

[The Insider]

GG,

Sorry to make it three in a row.

Mr Springsteen is also a garbage F1 Pundit, I like his music though

TI

[Govangirl]

[The Insider]

Circuit of the Americas:

Autosport is reporting today that contruction is now back "On Track" so to speak, and they are looking to complete the build by the August deadline.

This is a real surprise to me, I have talked at length with several people who were involved in trying to source finance for the project, they were all struggling and thought that it wouldn't happen, PLUS the local autorities had withdrawn their support, it's an odd one that, have to wait and see how it turns out.

Yesterday:

I was in "Motorsport Valley" all day on Wednesday, had to visit several people and two teams regarding work for this season.

My first (Team) port of call was "Sahara Force India" at Silverstone, I never really enjoyed my time at Jordan (as it was origionally known) but still have some great friends there, so it's ALWAYS great to drop n to see the lads.

Yesterday was a classic, I arrived in the truck bay at 3pm to be greeted by the Chief Mechanic, this was the conversation.

CM. TI, how are you'? Are you here for a while?

Me. I'm good, I'll be here for at least an our.

CM. Great, can you stand in for one of the lads in Pitstop Practice.

Me. You ARE joking?

CM. No, he injured his hand while cutting a tree down last night.

Me. Ehhh, alright then, what do you want me to do?

CM. Front left 'ON' if that's ok?

Me. Ehhh, ok then, thats my favourite side of the car.

CM. Great, 10 mins time in the Race Bays.

Thats when you know this is a small team, these lads are working with the minimum staff and are still a TOP bunch of blokes, they work bloody hard with little numbers.

We did thirty stops and they (the stops) are now so much quicker due to improved gun sockets, wheel nuts and the design of the uprights on the car.

You show up for coffee and a chat about the European Season's truck movements and Garage Build and end up getting roped into Pitstop Practice.

You couldn't write it.......

Next team was Marussia F1 at their new Banbury headquarters.

The Team Manager (Dave O'Neill) is an old mate of mine from Jordan, he was Chief Mechanic on the Test Team back then, he's a proper bloke.

I had a good look round, they now have a nice little factory with lot's of potential and if they can keep pushing it will end up being a tidy little team.

It HAS to be hard for all these new and smaller teams though, trying to find £60m EVERY year is NOT easy, I would think it's a question of survival.

Anyway, the bottom line regarding this season and work is, I should be at Marussia F1 for the Winter Testing next month and Sahara Force India for the European Season but that could change, it might be Marussia all year, not sure yet.

So it all starts next month, first test is Feb 7th at Jerez, what does this season hold in store for us all?

We will never know, but it's bound to be interesting.

Isn't It?

TI

[Frosty]

T.I., great to know that you're back in the thick of things.
Keep us informed, as you always do, and lets hope we can meet up this year, it was a huge disapointment that we missed each other last July.

Kimi is back on track next week, in a two year old Renault? It won't be the speed that he'll be getting used too, however I'm sure that he will need sometime to get a feel for the tyres that the Teams now use. I stated, last year, that I thought he should have been in the seat rather than Nick and I still stand by that judgement. He will bring a lot to the grid and I'm sure he will push the Lotus, pulling every last drop of speed out of it and onto the track. He may not give the Sponsors much time, or the mechanics too much feedback, but he will drive the backside out of the car and, hopefully, provide some fantastic duels plus brave overtaking moves.

Looks like the HRT Mob are admitting to critical delays on the unveiling of their new Race car. That should please Pedro?
Still no word on Trulli v Petrov or what RB will be doing, surely he just can't stop racing after 19 seasons in F1?

fROSTY

[The Insider]

AND SO IT BEGINS:

Formula 1 teams have been told that the reactive suspension system pioneered by Lotus has been banned for the 2012 season.

Sources have confirmed that a note was sent from the FIA to all teams on Friday evening indicating that the governing body was no longer satisfied the concept - which regulates ride height under braking - was still legal.

MAKE NO MISTAKE about this, "The Spags" have had a huge influence here, they have beed hammering the FIA behind the scenes because they don't have it and wouldn't be anywhere close on it for months.

Typical of how spineless the FIA are, last week they said it was legal, this week they have banned it, you can only shake your head in deibelief.

I think I did say the other week that it would be banned if "The Spags" couldn't get it to work.

TI

[bill]

I know you have a down on Ferrari T.I.,but according to Pitpass,,,,, "Ferrari already has it's own system".

[The Insider]

Bill,

The Italians have been working on it for some time now but are not as advanced as the Enstone are and I'm led to believe have not ran it on a car.

The FIA really confuse me, they give it (reactive ride height) a green light then ban it a week later.

So the games begin.

TI

[The Insider]

The Ice Man:

Spoke to one of my mates from Lotus last night in Valencia. he said Kimi was straight into it as if he had never been away.

It will take him a little while to adjust to the Pirelli rubber and the team, plus a few of the new toys that will be in this years car, but overall he was bang at it with no issues.

Might also take a few months to get his (race distance) fitness to exactly where it should be as well but he will definately add to the sport this year.

Rumour is he ACTUALLY cracked a in the garage yesterday but that's all it is at the moment...a rumour.

Might have been his breakfast coming back on him with all these left and right lateral G's at Valencia.

On a totally diferent note, DON'T expect to see Marussia doing any pre season testing (well the first two at least), I can't see them having the new car ready and they don't have the resources, the need or the cash to be in Jerez with last years old smoker, they would achieve NOTHING, it would be a TOTAL waste of time.

HRT, can't see them making it either but stranger things have happened, it will be a tough few months for both of these teams and it doesn't help one bit when the first few races are on the other side of the world......NIGHTMARE.

TI

[Frosty]

No problem Govangirl and Ags, it's my pleasure.( WRT your reply on my comments on '' The Boss'' )
I've just seen a picture of what, according to a leaked photo, the 2012 Caterham CT01 will look like?
It seems to me that, if this is the designers answers to the new regs., then the 2012 grid will be full of ugly cars with strange noses?!? Even the latest charger for Montezemolo's garage is being described in the same manner!
Ferrari, I'm led to believe, are changing to a pull rod suspension system for the first time in many years?
However, and T.I. may well confirm that, it is the side pods design that the Teams are concentrating on. Getting the air up onto the rear of the car( making up for the lost downforce from the banned '' blown diffuser '') seems to be the important factor. The exhausts, this year, will also, for most of the Teams, exit high up to help with this.

Kimi seems to have got back into the F1 groove pretty quickly, as T.I. has informed us. He'll be able to fit his steering wheel onto the new Lotus Renault in two weeks, then he can drive it around Jerez and that should give in a good idea as to where they are compared to other Teams?
With the new Regulations, it may well prove to be the correct time to return to F1, which he once dominated!

fROSTY

[The Insider]

HRT

Just off the phone to the lads in Valencia.

They reckon they WILL make the Jerez Test, it will of course be one car, I'm still not convinced but that's what they are telling me and I assume it WILL be last years car, all about getting the drivers track and team time to get a feel for each other.

Lets wait and see what happens.

This much I CAN tell you, these boys ARE working hard, it's just gone midnight here so it's 0100 down there and it sounded like they were still flat out in the background.

It's tough for them.

TI

[The Insider]

Volkswagon:

Lots of talk in the press again about VW entering F1 as an engine supplier and buying into a team.

My prediction is they will supply Red Bull with lumps AND buy into them.

Just so everyone knows, VW already supply RBR AND RB Europe with all their company vehicles, cars, vans, people carriers and mini buses alike, I can't see them going past the Fizzy Drinks giants, they are Austrain after all and we know how the Germans and Austrains like to stick together.

If I'm wrong I will be surprised, but it DOES (of course) hinge on VW producing a great F1 Engine, I would be even more surprised if these Germans (who are just the best in the world at all kinds of engineering) DIDN'T turn out a quality lump.

Only my opinion for what it's worth.

TI

[Frosty]

Just back from watching the launch of McLaren's MP4 - 27.
I have to eat the words of one of my earlier posts as this is a nice looking racing car?!? Let's hope it is a fast car too?

Rubens has , I believe, had a test run out in Florida in a KV Racing Team Indycar?!?
Is Jimmy Vasser an owner, I am led to believe that RB has impressed them, he completed over 90 laps of the Sebring Circuit.

A few more Teams launching their cars soon, so there is great interest at this time, prior to the first test which is just around the bend?

fROSTY