The F1 Thread 2009 Season

Donington's Grand Prix hopes fade

Donington Park's hopes of staging the British Grand Prix from 2010 look to be over after the operators' latest fund-raising attempts fell through.

Earlier this month Donington launched a bond issue in an attempt to raise £135m, but that has now been withdrawn.

Silverstone is ready to step back in if guaranteed the British Grand Prix would remain at the circuit long-term.

Donington, whose operators are yet to comment, have missed several deadlines to provide financial guarantees.

In June, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said there would definitely be a British Grand Prix in 2012, and that it would be at Silverstone if Donington failed to come through.

But more recently he has backtracked and said it is not certain there will be a Grand Prix in Britain next year at all.

Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd, the company that operates the track, has faced legal and planning problems since being given the rights to stage the race.

Chief executive Simon Gillett was initially given a deadline of the end of September to demonstrate the funding was in place to carry out the planned multi-million pound revamp of the circuit and its facilities. That deadline was extended by a few days until 3 October.

Motor racing at Donington ceased in September so work could begin to prepare the venue for next year's race.

Silverstone has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1987, while Donington, which is synonymous with MotoGP, has held only one F1 race, the European Grand Prix in 1993

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Donington's Grand Prix hopes fade

I never knew Bernie backtracked on what he said about there being a British GP.
 
Rooney1987 said:
Donington's Grand Prix hopes fade

Donington Park's hopes of staging the British Grand Prix from 2010 look to be over after the operators' latest fund-raising attempts fell through.

Earlier this month Donington launched a bond issue in an attempt to raise £135m, but that has now been withdrawn.

Silverstone is ready to step back in if guaranteed the British Grand Prix would remain at the circuit long-term.

Donington, whose operators are yet to comment, have missed several deadlines to provide financial guarantees.

In June, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said there would definitely be a British Grand Prix in 2012, and that it would be at Silverstone if Donington failed to come through.

But more recently he has backtracked and said it is not certain there will be a Grand Prix in Britain next year at all.

Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd, the company that operates the track, has faced legal and planning problems since being given the rights to stage the race.

Chief executive Simon Gillett was initially given a deadline of the end of September to demonstrate the funding was in place to carry out the planned multi-million pound revamp of the circuit and its facilities. That deadline was extended by a few days until 3 October.

Motor racing at Donington ceased in September so work could begin to prepare the venue for next year's race.

Silverstone has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1987, while Donington, which is synonymous with MotoGP, has held only one F1 race, the European Grand Prix in 1993

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Donington's Grand Prix hopes fade

I never knew Bernie backtracked on what he said about there being a British GP.
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I believe that some of the companies contracted to do the improvements have been contacted about forming an investment consortium...
 
BBC website has a banner saying Button could join Mclaren next season... I dont think he will, but you never know
 
GloryHunter07 said:
BBC website has a banner saying Button could join Mclaren next season... I dont think he will, but you never know
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Yeh, here's the link

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Button in frame for McLaren drive

I guess you can see why, he's going to be much much cheaper than Raikkonen, and they are both World Champions

But then an all-British driver line-up, that's the bit you wouldn't be sure about


It might make Button seem a bit of a twat, but if there is any truth in this, then he should probably do whatever he can to make it happen...as I may be wrong on this, but you've got to expect McLaren to be stronger than Brawn next season.
 
The more important news is that Todt is the new president of the FIA. Whether he'll remain impartial when it comes to Ferrari matters is another question.
 
F-Red said:
The more important news is that Todt is the new president of the FIA. Whether he'll remain impartial when it comes to Ferrari matters is another question.
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FIA were never impartial when it came to Ferrari before so nothing will change!

Interesting news about Button though. I think it'd be a cracking move for him. And can you imagine not having a British GP with an all English McClaren team comprising the two most recent World Champions?! Bernie would be slayed!
 
I doubt it will happen would be good though. It'll be story to get the other parties to lower ther prices like Kimi and get Brawn to up theres.
 
Rooney1987 said:
I doubt it will happen would be good though. It'll be story to get the other parties to lower ther prices like Kimi and get Brawn to up theres.
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Kimi couldn't really give a shit if he has a drive next year or not, he's purely in it for the cash next season.

The prospect of an all British driver line up at McLaren is fecking tasty mind :drool:
 
EdWeatherall said:
Yeh, here's the link

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Button in frame for McLaren drive

I guess you can see why, he's going to be much much cheaper than Raikkonen, and they are both World Champions

But then an all-British driver line-up, that's the bit you wouldn't be sure about


It might make Button seem a bit of a twat, but if there is any truth in this, then he should probably do whatever he can to make it happen...as I may be wrong on this, but you've got to expect McLaren to be stronger than Brawn next season.
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I think it is just a bit of barganing on Jensons part, aparently this season he was paid 5 times less than Lewis, so i suppose he deserves a pay rise!
 
GloryHunter07 said:
I think it is just a bit of barganing on Jensons part, aparently this season he was paid 5 times less than Lewis, so i suppose he deserves a pay rise!
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Lewis is on around £10m a season at McLaren, i think Button was on £3m this year with Brawn
 
F-Red said:
Lewis is on around £10m a season at McLaren, i think Button was on £3m this year with Brawn
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According to the TV last weekend Lewis must be on £15m.. And the BBC article above said Jensen was on 10m before the pay cut so i doubt he was on the same as lewis.
 
Button would be mad to go to McLaren. He'd be the current World Champion, and it'd just end up with him being embarassed by his team mate again and again. Hamilton is on another level.
 
Ecclestone warns Silverstone over deal

By Jon Noble Saturday, October 24th 2009, 11:28 GMT

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has warned that he is not prepared to offer Silverstone a cut-price deal for the British Grand Prix just to guarantee the race a future.

With Donington Park's plans for the British GP close to failure, with the track having until midday on Monday to get its finances sorted, Silverstone has already opened talks with Ecclestone about a contract.

However, as AUTOSPORT revealed on Friday, the terms that have been offered to Silverstone are similar to those that the track rejected 18 months ago as commercially unviable.

That means that unless Ecclestone is willing to compromise on the finances, the race may not happen.

And Ecclestone told the Daily Express that it was not vital that the British GP was on the calendar in 2010.

"Silverstone have a contract in front of them," he said. "We've no commercial arrangement in place for a British Grand Prix for next year. That is why the race has an asterisk beside it on the 2010 calendar.

"If they can't make it work then don't do it. If that happens, there won't be a British Grand Prix. Simple as that.

"No-one is forcing them to take it. This is business. We have offered them a deal."

When asked if Silverstone could expect a discount just to keep the British GP on the calendar, Ecclestone said: "The contract they have is the contract we like. We are not prepared to charge less. Do we need a British Grand Prix? No.

"I want a British Grand Prix, of course, but we are not going to do special rates for Britain."
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autosport.com - F1 News: Ecclestone warns Silverstone over deal
 
Anyone see free practice today? The circuit looks fantastic, i had doubts of whether it would be a complete tack fest but i think it raises the bar for all circuits in the world now for both facilities and track.

Looks like the McLarens have a good set up this weekend & i expect them to score well.
 
It actually looks quite boring. I can't really see where anyone can overtake unless you have KERS.

It's a gorgeous track, though.

Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari: "The track has nothing special - just a main straight and tight corners, nothing else. It's a pity we couldn't run today. Hopefully we have a nice qualifying."
 
Hamilton smashing the qualifying, ridiculous speed in comparison to the rest of the field (with and without fuel for the race).
 
Hamilton pole, he looks like has has 4-5 tenths over the whole field around here.
 
Yeah a country mile ahead of them, if he gets a good start tomorrow i can't see him losing the race.
 
Tomorrows race looks set to be boring as shit, Hamilton could end up lapping the whole field as long as his car has no problems and the track doest seem to lend itself to much overtaking.

Hope I'm wrong mind, but just can't see much action coming.
 
R_Nick said:
Tomorrows race looks set to be boring as shit, Hamilton could end up lapping the whole field as long as his car has no problems and the track doest seem to lend itself to much overtaking.

Hope I'm wrong mind, but just can't see much action coming.
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He's not gonna walk away with it at all, them Red Bull's will be there all race and I suspect the Brawns have great race pace too. But looking at the track, other than the end of the long straight its not made for overtaking.

You have to wonder why these Tilke tracks keep getting built without the GPDA getting a say, he clearly knows very little about overtaking in a modern day F1 car and just likes to worry about an aesthetically pleasing circuit, occasionally he gets it right, most of the time the only chances of overtaking are at the end of long straights.
 
when it cmes to designing tracks I cant be alone in the thought that they have said for years that f1 cars generate enough downforce to drive on celing...

i want a big feck off loop the loop on the next circuit to get an f1 grand prix
 
What's going on with Ham? Macca say the car is fine but he's just not doing it; bizarre as he looks like he's driving it ragged, big lock up there as I'm writing won't help.

Not much action so far, only 'overtake' after the start was Alonso being pretty much let past his team mate.
 
Obviously was carrying that problem from early in the race, but even so what an incredibly dull event.
 
Leg-End said:
Obviously was carrying that problem from early in the race, but even so what an incredibly dull event.
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Macca confirmed about 5 or so laps earlier that there were no issues with the car, it's not been there all race.
 
Gutted about Hamilton, can't do much when the car isn't working fully. Looks like a coast for Red Bull now, Kobayashi though is looking good.
 
R_Nick said:
Macca confirmed about 5 or so laps earlier that there were no issues with the car, it's not been there all race.
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Maybe, but a brake issue is one that grows gradually from nothing, from Lewis comments there I would say he has had it from early in the GP and it explains why he couldnt pull away from the Red Bull's even though all the free practice and quali sessions indicated he would walk it.
 
Leg-End said:
Maybe, but a brake issue is one that grows gradually from nothing, from Lewis comments there I would say he has had it from early in the GP and it explains why he couldnt pull away from the Red Bull's even though all the free practice and quali sessions indicated he would walk it.
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Yea possibly, they said it was high brake pad wear, would affect his confidence in the car if he felt it and the team mightn't know from their sensors as early.
 
Our new champion And Webber provide us with a fantastic end to the race there; great driving from both of them.

:lol: at Vettel and dirty Kate!!
 
The only good thing about that race was that battle at the end. I am sick of them talking about what a fantastic venue this is, facilities etc, end of the day the circuit has a great first sector leading onto a back straight, and then after that its mickey mouse stuff.
 
:lol: quality from Button then 'you pit me on the outside you bastard' and then 'you braked early an I thought feck I shoulda waited' haha
 
Bridgestone to Cease Tire Supply to the FIA Formula One World Championship

Tokyo (November 2, 2009) - Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that it will not enter into a new tire supply contract with the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) series; the current contract is set to expire at the end of the 2010 season.

In addressing the impact of the continuing evolution of the business environment on its decision, the company focused on the need to redirect its resources towards the further intensive development of those innovative technologies and strategic products which support the company’s goals and further enhance the company’s reputation as a technology leader.

Over the years, the company has benefited directly from its involvement in Formula One racing. The lessons learned through Bridgestone’s successful participation have translated into innovations that can be applied to the design and manufacture of tires. In addition, its collaboration with F1 has contributed to increased brand awareness and the recognition of Bridgestone as a leader in the global tire industry. Having achieved these goals, Bridgestone is now poised to take its technological and brand building efforts to the next level.

Bridgestone is committed to supporting F1 and the series’ teams through the completion of the 2010 season. The company also expressed its sincere appreciation and gratitude to the management of Formula One, the F1 teams and support staff, and the F1 fans around the world for their enthusiasm and support for Bridgestone over the last 13 years.
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Bridgestone Corporation | News Release

bye bye Bridgestone, hello who?!
 
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