Is there another twist to come in the driver market? A new rumour has linked Raikkonen to Red Bull for 2010, though that scenario would mean Mark Webber being bought out of his contract for next year.
Raikkonen to Red Bull in F1 2010 as McLaren talks stall? (Crash)
"It is understood that Webber's unwillingness to end his collaboration with Briatore – one of the leading architects of the 'Singapore-gate' race-fixing scandal that has rocked F1 of late, and for which the Italian was banned indefinitely from all aspects of FIA-sanctioned competition, driver management included – has not gone down well at the energy drinks-backed outfit, with suggestions that the German Grand Prix winner could be side-shifted across to sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso to make way for Raikkonen."
Romanian stop for Renault Roadshow (F1.com)
"The French team will host a two-day event in the Romanian city from Saturday, with Romain Grosjean and third driver Lucas di Grassi both set to put in appearances."
Briatore destroyed me too, claims Bourdais (Crash.Net)
Sebastien Bourdais: “There was a story with Flavio when the French [motor sport] federation decided to try and help a new and coming French driver to make it to F1. But he only proposed a management contract with no guarantees. Unfortunately I had to decline the offer, because it was never going to work. It was crazy."
Brawn calls for aero clampdown (ITV-F1)
Ross Brawn: “I still think we’ve got the ratio of tyre grip and aerodynamic grip wrong. I think we’ve got far too much aerodynamic grip and not enough tyre grip. We really want a lot of tyre and mechanical grip and we want to diminish dramatically the aerodynamic grip, and then I think you’ll get cars that can race with each other more effectively. These cars are better than we had last year, for sure. But we’ve still got cars which rely heavily on aerodynamic performance, and because they do, it’s very difficult to create a package whereby one car can follow another.”
Senna convinced he’ll be in F1 next year (Autosport)
"Pretty high, in the 90s [per cent]," Senna said about his chances of being in F1 next year. "I'm happy about it. It's been a very tough year. Sometimes I found myself feeling a bit far away from F1. But we were slowly trying to get back into it.
Massa to wave chequered flag at Brazil (F1 Technical)
"Felipe Massa, who is still recovering from his accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix, will wave the chequered flag at the Interlago Circuit."
"Jean Sage, the former sporting director of the Renault F1 team for many years, has died at the age of 68 in Annecy, France."
These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. You can see my Delicious profile here.
Nik
9th October 2009, 0:12
Red Bull would be mad to throw out Webber for Kimi.
Brawn wants less aero, more tyre grip – I completely agree but I wonder how much is to do with RBR’s sensational aero grip?
Poor Senna, imagine what he could have done this year in a Honda that would have been as good as the Brawn, except lacking a little in engine performance?
And great to see Massa back :D
KNF
9th October 2009, 9:29
They can start by getting rid of the double decked diffuser, Brawn was smart in exploiting this loophole which he pointed out the year before and it’s time they closed this.
Remember the earlier races before nearly every team had their own version? Wasn’t there more overtaking going on?
And on Kimi going to RBR… hasn’t he had enough of engine blowups and disintegrating suspensions when he and Newey were both at McLaren in 2002 – 2005?
Nitpicker
9th October 2009, 10:44
Wasn’t there more rain and crazy-worn tyres?
KNF
9th October 2009, 13:59
Oh yeah, forgot there were tyres which went off really quickly or didn’t generate enough grip, which resulted in complaints about how Bridgestone went about their tyre selection.
This year they managed to recover a large amount of the downforce of the 2008-spec cars. I might be mistaken about the DDD, but if they went to early GP2-style aero like what some of the posters here propose, it might help somewhat…
Patrickl
9th October 2009, 21:56
Yeah, I alson remember cars follwing each other closely through the first half of the season. Especially Lewis and Button were chasing cars for a whole lap at least.
It seems the cars have become a lot more dependent on aero again. Compare the wings from the beginning of the season to the current ones. Day and night difference and it’s easy to see why following closely is again impossible.
I guess the only way the make sure they don’t become too dependent on aero is to use standard wings or at the very least to seriously reduce the number of elements.
Nitpicker
9th October 2009, 10:43
Ross argued to restrict the aero regs a long time before Red Bull started winning races.
DanThorn
9th October 2009, 10:49
Diffusers have a minimal effect on the turbulance from the rear of the car. Larger diffusers coupled to strictly governed ground effects, with smaller, basic wings on top and fatter tyres would probably be a good place to start.
AP
9th October 2009, 16:01
BS….they cause significant muck much more now they are DD.
The regulations that were created(in spirit) and adhered to by by RBR, Ferrari, etc were awesome and didn’t create much turbulence…
The aero designers I belive also design the cars to be aero slipery but also dirty for the cars following on purpose…why would I design a car to allow you my competitor to get close enough to pass me..I would make sure I created enough vortex’s in my trail to disrupt your airflow.
they really need to loose all the barge boards, wing mirrors, DD diffusers, all wheel covers, all shark fin covers, matter of fact all winglets on any part of the car..any part.
You have a front wing, splitter, body, diffuser single as per this years regs without the loop hole, rear wing. and to stop wing mirrors have a FIA spec mirrors and mounting points.
Prisoner Monkeys
9th October 2009, 1:10
I doubt Raikonnen will go to Red Bull. But if he did, I’m sure they’ll get rid of Webber before they even consider releasing Vettel.
Rikadyn
9th October 2009, 1:44
Get rid of the wings completely. there, less aero grip.
Nitpicker
9th October 2009, 10:47
It’s Formula One, not Formula Ford. Brawn’s argument was reducing aero grip so it is more equal to tyre grip, not obliterate downforce entirely.
Michel S.
9th October 2009, 18:02
No wings, but with ground effect allowed, using a standardized under-body.
Kovy
9th October 2009, 1:57
Nooooo I want Kimi at McLaren!
And Webber at Toro Rosso? He should at least talk to McLaren if this happens. I wouldn’t mind seeing him there.
Tom
9th October 2009, 13:35
yeh, i’d rather see webber retire in a decent team rather than dwindle at the back in a useless car. would be a pity for it to end this wy. i hope kimi goes back to mclaren. and i wouldn’t be surprised if vettel ends up at mclaren (some how). i think he should take any opportunity to be in a true top team.
richard s
9th October 2009, 5:20
Hope Webber isn’t making a mistake here. Yes Kimi at Mclaren. Hope it happens but perhaps it wont if Kimi is after the money and doesn’t want to race Lewis.
OK another change of subject. The crash net article on Bourdais resonates with me on 2-levels (crikey).
The title of the article is a bit misleading and is just spinning the story to get more hits. The interesting part is here (sorry long c&p):
That makes me think about Button. And reminds me that I do not know the details of how and why a particular driver is failing. Bourdais is a “champion” after all (and there have been a few good articles around on why he is lucky to be a one). Some are gifted enough to drive anything and perhaps they are the true stars of F1. (Who are they?)
But I believe him here and he has gone up in my estimations for saying it in this way.
Nitpicker
9th October 2009, 10:51
I believe he is right, but it is also about what you are used to. It is a big step from Force India to Ferrari, the Ferrari generates more downforce, and has more rearward brake balance due to the KERS recharging. Put Kimi in a Force India and I bet he won’t be as quick as Fisichella was until he got used to it.
Patrickl
9th October 2009, 21:52
Fisichella needs to learn to drive with KERS. I can imagine this is a big difference. He’s having trouble handling the car under braking. Exactly where KERS has it’s biggest impact.
Who knows, Lewis and Raikkonen might have been struggling with KERS for first half of the season too …
Tmax
9th October 2009, 7:12
Just getting a Feeling that Newey might want his old days again. Kimi nearly won him 2 WDC had the mercedes engine proven to be little more reliable.
It would be interesting to see Kimi with Vettel. I am not surprised if Brawn Button talks breakdown and Raikkonen/Rosberg pair up at Brawn and Vettel/Button at Red Bull.
Intresting days in F1 driver segment. A full scale reshuffle would kind of shake up the grid a little bit.
yelrom
9th October 2009, 8:46
y wdl they get rid of webber, he has been fast and consistent and because vettel is very skilled and talented webber has been up with him most of the season. for me i wld be very dissapointed if they dropped webber.
steph90
9th October 2009, 8:56
Yey Massa back :):) neven if it is waving the flag, it’s still a nice touch.
Latest quote from Kimi’s manager
“We are talking with several teams and Red Bull is not among them,” Robertson added.
Just what you want to believe really, look at Schuey return first it was ruled out then it was happening…we just have to wait and see.
mp4-19b
9th October 2009, 9:02
Yeah! Raikkonen is going to Red Bull & Susan Boyle to Mclaren :P
Luca
9th October 2009, 10:13
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che tremano d’amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!…
e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All’alba vincerò!
vincerò, vincerò!
Andrew White
9th October 2009, 11:25
It seems Raikkonen won’t be going to Red Bull after all…
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091009095324.shtml
PinballLes
9th October 2009, 11:47
I hope Mark pulls his head out and wakes up to himself. It would be an absolute tragedy for Mark to loose his drive at Red Bull because he is sticking by someone that has all but proven he is dodgy. It would be a real shame. I don’t understand why Mark feels he has to stand by Flavio.
PJA
9th October 2009, 12:15
I think changes still have to be made so cars can run closer and so increase overtaking.
When they were coming up with this years regulations Brawn pointed out there was room for things like the double diffuser and the airflow conditioners on the side pods. I am only surprised that 2010 regulations weren’t tightened up earlier this season after the whole double diffuser saga.
slr
9th October 2009, 15:59
I don’t see Raikkonen going to Red Bull. I doubt we’ll see Red Bull competitive in 2010.
James_mc
9th October 2009, 16:19
I like how RB got a “for sure” in :-)
Maksutov
9th October 2009, 18:59
Well, for Webber to lose an F1 seat would be total madness and disappointment.
As far as I know Webber did not say that he insists on staying with Briatore, but he did say that he will handle his OWN management himself from now on:
The 32-year-old (Webber), who drives for Red Bull, must now sever those ties before the next Superlicences are issued early in 2010, but indicated he will now handle his own affairs instead of finding a new manager.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090924150438.shtml
Wesley
9th October 2009, 21:58
I don’t see Raikonnen going to Red Bull…..but,I am all for it.Two of my favorite drivers on the same team would be sweet!However I wouldn’t want it to cost Webber his seat.
MH
10th October 2009, 5:01
yes exactly, Raikonnen is too good to miss and Webber been pretty competitive as well..
Liquid
10th October 2009, 10:36
David Coulthard to race a Red Bull Racing F1 Car on the streets of Mumbai tomorrow!
http://www.isport.in/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=763:david-coulthard-will-soon-drive-red-bull-f1-on-bandra-worli-sea-link&catid=58:f1&Itemid=182
Nicole H
12th October 2009, 16:12
Realllly want Kimi at McLaren 2010 :)
Please support the “Kimi for McLaren” facebook group!!
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=Kimi+for+McLaren&init=quick#/group.php?gid=143357582986&ref=search&sid=536036515.3915160001..1