The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Hi, Grandprix here with the annual Formula 1 season preview. It has been an exceptionally busy winter for the F1 circus and a lot of behind the scenes politics that could have a dramatic impact on the future of Formula 1. First of all, a warning. This is long. You may want to read it in sections or something.
Okay, let’s have a quick look at the calendar for the upcoming season.
March 6 – AUSTRALIA - Melbourne
March 20 – MALAYSIA - Sepang
April 3 – BAHRAIN - Sakhir
April 24 - SAN MARINO - Imola
May 8 – SPAIN - Barcelona
May 22 – MONACO - Monte Carlo
May 29 – EUROPE - Nurburgring
June 12 - CANADA - Montreal
June 19 - USA - Indianapolis
July 3 – FRANCE - Magny-Cours
July 10 – BRITAIN - Silverstone
July 24 – GERMANY - Hockenheim
July 31 – HUNGARY - Hungaroring
August 21 – TURKEY - Istanbul
September 4 – ITALY - Monza
September 11 - BELGIUM - Spa
September 25 - BRAZIL - Interlagos
October 9 - JAPAN - Suzuka
October 16 - CHINA - Shanghai
It’s a 19 race season with numerous back to back weekends, making this season the most difficult for the teams, probably ever. The new race this season is in Turkey.
As I mentioned earlier, the teams have been really busy over the winter. The rule changes for the new season came quite late, meaning that a few teams will no doubt have some design issues. I’ll be going through each individual team and driver later on.
Let’s have a look at some of the major rule changes that will be affecting the cars this year. First of all, the rear wing has been moved forward by a small amount and there will be less ‘elements’ (parts of the rear wing) meaning a more unstable rear of the car, in effect, less grip. The front wing has been raised a fraction to make the front end more unstable. The overall adjustments have been equated to a potential 25% loss of grip. The recent testing times suggest a return to lap times of a couple of years ago.
Also affecting the teams this year, an engine will have to last 2 race weekends. On top of that, the tyres will have to last an entire race weekend. That means the cars will have to be very gentle on the tyres but also the drivers will have to be very careful on them. I’m not sure what the ruling is for punctures. The plus side to these new tyre rules is that it’s stopped the little bits of rubber collecting off the racing line, meaning that it won’t be so dirty offline, perhaps encouraging more overtaking.
Also, the qualifying has changed this year. It’s probably still not ideal for viewers but with the new rules in place, it’s probably the best one for now. Saturday will feature one lap qualifying and Sunday will also feature one lap qualifying. The times will then be added together and halved, giving an aggregate time. That time will determine the grid. Saturday will be low fuel qualifying and Sunday will be full race spec qualifying, with Sunday qualifying being 3 hours before the race starts.
Hopefully, I explained that without confusing anyone too much. Let’s have a closer look at the teams and drivers for this season.
FERRARI
They have been the dominant force for a number of years now with all the other teams playing catch up. Whether the Ferrari dominance is a good or bad thing depends on the individual. Ferrari have taken a gamble at the start of this season by modifying their 2004 to 2005 rules, with the 2005 car supposedly coming out around the middle of the season. However, with Ferrari off the pace in testing and worried about the competitiveness of their rivals, rumours abound that the 2005 car will be brought forward to Race 3. They may not be the team to beat at the start but they will probably be by the time the new car gets released.
M SCHUMACHER
The 7 times World Champion has had it pretty easy in recent times but could it all change this time around? He certainly expects a challenge this season but it depends on the competitive of Ferrari in the early going. He undoubtedly has the talent to string many fast laps together on tyres with not a lot of grip so you can never discount Schumacher from the final reckoning. Probably the favourite to take an 8th World Championship.
BARRICHELLO
It’s always the case when you are the second driver to Michael Schumacher. Everything seems to go horribly wrong for the likeable Brazilian when it comes to winning the World Championship but he is reliable and a regular podium finisher. Barrichello has the potential to beat Schumacher but doesn’t do it consistently enough. I want to see a big season from Barrichello this time around.
B.A.R
The rise to second best team in F1 has been dramatic but the key is solidifying their position. Testing suggests that the engine isn’t particularly reliable and the car has a few design issues that need to be resolved. They have managed to win the right to keep Button’s services for this year and a backroom shuffle has seen Honda buy an increased stake in the team, resulting in Dave Richards leaving the team. I think they might find it difficult to hold onto 2nd but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them win a race this year.
BUTTON
Button has logged his best season yet in the record books and was agonisingly close to a race win last season. With his recent team dispute behind him, hopefully he has the team fully behind him and he’ll be looking for a World Championship push. The rule changes should play into his hands as they promote a smooth style of driving to protect the tyres. A race win and a solid season would be my guess for his season.
SATO
Has a lot of raw speed but hasn’t quite harnessed it into consistent race pace. With Honda backing the Japanese driver, his future looks secure but he really has to start showing his true ability on a more regular basis and cutting out the errors if B.A.R and Sato are to challenge the front regularly. Hopefully, his engine will be more reliable this season.
RENAULT
I’d say Renault would be a little disappointed with their showing last season. The rumblings of discontent with Trulli last season probably unbalanced the team and now it’s time to put it all behind them and move forward. Testing during the winter have seen them at the top of the timesheets pretty much everywhere they have been and it’s time to deliver for real. Widely tipped to be Ferrari’s early challengers, I expect them to be there or there abouts when the awards are handed out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take the race win in Australia.
ALONSO
It was a quiet season for Alonso with him consistently getting the points and occasionally overshadowed by Trulli, particularly with Trulli’s race win in Monaco. He’s got a quick and consistent teammate this year and it’s time to deliver on his tag of being a future World Champion. Could this be his year? I really hope so because I’m a big fan of Renault, Alonso and Fisichella.
FISICHELLA
Speaking of Fisichella, he has returned to Renault after proving his credentials at Jordan and Sauber. He has been an underrated driver for far too long and now he’s got the car to deliver. I want to see Fisichella take a race win and be challenging hard for the Championship.
WILLIAMS
Where has it all gone wrong? They were Ferrari’s main challengers not so long ago but they’ve drifted back to midfield obscurity. They showed signs too late when Montoya won in Brazil in the last race of last season. They’ve gone into a rebuilding phase with a lot of backroom shuffling but reports recently suggest the car has design flaws, which will make it very difficult for the first few races. Let’s hope they get it all sorted quickly.
WEBBER
What’s not to like about Mark Webber? The likeable Australian has shown his consistent ability to get the most out of weaker cars and now he is at a front running team, or so he hopes. The early season may be difficult but if anyone is going to get the best out of a sub standard Williams, it’s Mark Webber. I would love to see Webber win a race but it may be a struggle.
HEIDFELD
I would say Heidfeld is probably the hardest driver to predict. His Sauber form was consistent with moments of brilliance and his testing form got him the drive for Williams but I feel this season may be a struggle and he’ll have to raise his game to keep up with his teammate Webber. I feel he’s in danger of getting lost in the shuffle.
MCLAREN
Along the same lines as Williams, where did it go wrong? I’d probably pinpoint the consistent unreliability of the car and engine in the early season and then when the new car got released, things improved but not by enough. It’s been a very quiet winter for McLaren but their speed has been there in testing. They’ve got arguably the best designer in F1 so I’m guessing that McLaren will be at the front end once again.
MONTOYA
Love him or hate him, this guy is quick. Probably not the best at getting the most of a poor handling car, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with the McLaren. The McLaren is well known for it’s good handling. His main fight will be for the Championship but he’ll want to keep an eye out for Raikkonen, as teammate battles are a big part of teams in F1.
RAIKKONEN
Reports of partying hard over the winter aside, Raikkonen certainly showed his ability last year by consistently beating David Coulthard and winning a race when it seemed unlikely. Hopefully, he has gotten over all the partying and is in excellent shape for the new season because this could be shaping up to be his best chance to take the World Championship.
SAUBER
Frosty relationships with Ferrari means that this will probably be their last season with Ferrari parts. I’ll be going into this in more detail later. Anyway, Sauber are serious about moving up in the world. This new car has been designed with the help of their new state of the art wind tunnel and will be looking for more consistent challenging at the sharp end of the field.
VILLENEUVE
Back into full time racing after spending most of last season on the sidelines, he got his chance to come back with Renault late last season. He later signed for Sauber. This is actually a big job for Villeneuve as he attempts to show that he’s still got that cutting edge. He found it difficult to get to grips with the Renault but he’ll benefit from working with the Sauber from the start. It’s difficult to know where he’ll be, but I guess regular points and beating Massa will be a good season.
MASSA
Testing with Ferrari has reportedly given him renewed confidence, a quick race pace and a general increase in ability. It’s time to put it to the test on the track competitively. He’ll be looking to beat his World Champion teammate, who is coming towards the end of his career, and show the big teams exactly what Sauber and Ferrari saw in his ability.
RED BULL RACING
Red Bull Racing were, to me, a big surprise when they bought out Jaguar. Obviously, the Jaguar head honchos are gone and the basic Jaguar team workforce are all still there. I don’t think anyone really knows where they are going to be the final shake up, so I think they’ll be looking for some kind of consolidation in the midfield and taking forward steps throughout the season. They have plans to be the new ‘Jordan’ team, having fun where possible but serious out on the track.
COULTHARD
Nearing the end of his career now, Coulthard seems a bit more relaxed in preseason and now he is no longer considered in a top team, perhaps the pressure is off. Coulthard’s season will consist of moving the team forward with his testing input and perhaps getting a few points for the team.
KLIEN/LIUZZI
Unable to commit to one driver for the whole season, Red Bull Racing have decided to give both of them a chance. Klien will start things off in Australia and will want to impress to keep Liuzzi out of the seat. Klien has the advantage of having a whole season behind him. For those who don’t know who Liuzzi is, he raced in F3000 if I remember correctly. There are concerns about his fitness however.
TOYOTA
Backed by a great deal of money and only showing glimpses of good form, this may very well be a make or break year for Toyota. Reports of Toyota pulling out because of poor performances always loom on the horizon. They have managed to snag two good drivers in the quest to finally break into consistent front running. They’ve got to find the form now or Toyota could be a thing of the past.
R SCHUMACHER
Some would say he’s crazy to take such a risky step but he made his decision to leave Williams and sign for Toyota. I don’t think he can expect any kind of front running and may not get as many points as he thinks. Toyota have been a consistent mystery so who knows? Maybe they will surprise us all.
TRULLI
A very public break up with Renault and questions about his race form remain with him. The best way to put the doubters behind him is to race Ralf Schumacher and try to beat him. With Toyota’s pace a mystery, it’s the best way to show his true ability and he’ll have to do that consistently.
JORDAN
This will almost definitely be the last year with Jordan named racing cars on the grid. Eddie Jordan sold his team over the winter to the Midland F1 group out of Russia and it is a little disappointing. Jordan always had the fans behind them and they were always invariably the underdogs. Jordan were late with their new car and testing form suggest that the pace isn’t there. They’ll be looking to avoid the wooden spoon this season.
MONTEIRO
It was only days before he signed for Jordan that I was talking with someone about the lack of Portuguese interest in F1. You’d probably struggle to recognise the name so here is some info on him. He spent a long time racing in France and raced in Le Mans in 1999. He had a spell in F3000 where he was lost in the pack and then had a year in Champ Cars. He eventually shone in the Nissan World Series where he finished second in the Championship. He’s apparently a better overall driver than his rookie teammate.
KARTHIKEYAN
Another graduate from the Nissan World Series, Karthikeyan is the first Indian driver in F1. Recognised as a wet weather specialist and a quick qualifier, everything suggests that when it comes to general racing, he is very ordinary. It’s certainly a big risk by the new Jordan owners to run two rookies but I guess they don’t have a great deal to lost at this point.
MINARDI
It seems like they are forever the underdogs and never expected to achieve anything. Always in a financial crisis, they are always there on race day and everyone wants to see them there and perhaps score a point or two. Paul Stoddart, the team owner, has become increasingly more vocal over the years and is always in a constant struggle to get off the back of the grid.
ALBERS
Another all rookie team in F1 as Paul Stoddart likes to try anyone and everyone before selecting his lineup. He is probably bringing a bit of money to the team and if I remember correctly, he spent a good few years in F3000. Unfortunately, that isn’t always a guarantee of speed. The only thing you can do at Minardi is wring the cars neck and try to show your worth.
FRIESACHER
Another graduate from F3000, he was pretty much the last driver to get a seat in F1. Again, he is probably bringing some money into the team and his aim will be the same as Albers, show your worth. It’s not impossible, just look at Webber’s success.
So, there is a rundown of the drivers and teams. The final part of the preview will feature the big rumblings behind the scenes that threaten the future of F1 as we know.
For those of you not aware of it, there is a group of people behind a rival F1 Championship, known as the GPWC. It is run by certain car manufacturers in a bid to cut costs and keep an even Championship in terms of racing and how the money is divided.
Recently, the GPWC have received a lot of backing from F1 team owners. At a team meeting set up by the FIA, the teams were asked to attend a cost cutting meeting to bounce around ideas. However, this was an attempt to stop the teams from attending a GPWC meeting outlining future plans. Ferrari attended the FIA meeting, while the other 9 teams attended the GPWC meeting. It was later announced that Ferrari had signed an extension with the FIA to be in F1 until 2012, past the current 2007 date when the old deal runs out.
It’s turned into Ferrari and the FIA against the other teams as the 9 teams have all pretty much given their backing to the GPWC. The continuing war behind the scenes continues as Minardi plan to run the 2004 car in 2005 because of financial concerns, lack of development facilities and late rule plans for 2005. Under current guidelines, every team has to agree to this. Everyone but Ferrari have agreed. Stoddart plans to take the FIA to court if they are disqualified and forced not to race. They will race under protest and the lawyers have already prepared a case. It looks likely that Ferrari will agree at this moment though.
Also, Stoddart plans to put his name in for FIA leadership when Max Mosley steps down and the war of words continues. It is an entirely messy affair that could come to a head in the next few months and years. With all the teams seemingly against Ferrari and the FIA seemingly behind Ferrari, this could be a particularly bitter season and could see the end of F1 as we know it.
I’d suggest for better information, check the following websites.
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=32049[/URL]
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=31970[/URL]
Well, that pretty much concludes the preview for this season. By all means, discuss this information and hopefully we’ll enjoy a close season of F1 racing. Any questions about this and any other F1 related info, just ask and I’m sure someone will know the answer.
I hope you enjoyed reading it, if you managed it all. Thanks for reading.
Grandprix
Okay, let’s have a quick look at the calendar for the upcoming season.
March 6 – AUSTRALIA - Melbourne
March 20 – MALAYSIA - Sepang
April 3 – BAHRAIN - Sakhir
April 24 - SAN MARINO - Imola
May 8 – SPAIN - Barcelona
May 22 – MONACO - Monte Carlo
May 29 – EUROPE - Nurburgring
June 12 - CANADA - Montreal
June 19 - USA - Indianapolis
July 3 – FRANCE - Magny-Cours
July 10 – BRITAIN - Silverstone
July 24 – GERMANY - Hockenheim
July 31 – HUNGARY - Hungaroring
August 21 – TURKEY - Istanbul
September 4 – ITALY - Monza
September 11 - BELGIUM - Spa
September 25 - BRAZIL - Interlagos
October 9 - JAPAN - Suzuka
October 16 - CHINA - Shanghai
It’s a 19 race season with numerous back to back weekends, making this season the most difficult for the teams, probably ever. The new race this season is in Turkey.
As I mentioned earlier, the teams have been really busy over the winter. The rule changes for the new season came quite late, meaning that a few teams will no doubt have some design issues. I’ll be going through each individual team and driver later on.
Let’s have a look at some of the major rule changes that will be affecting the cars this year. First of all, the rear wing has been moved forward by a small amount and there will be less ‘elements’ (parts of the rear wing) meaning a more unstable rear of the car, in effect, less grip. The front wing has been raised a fraction to make the front end more unstable. The overall adjustments have been equated to a potential 25% loss of grip. The recent testing times suggest a return to lap times of a couple of years ago.
Also affecting the teams this year, an engine will have to last 2 race weekends. On top of that, the tyres will have to last an entire race weekend. That means the cars will have to be very gentle on the tyres but also the drivers will have to be very careful on them. I’m not sure what the ruling is for punctures. The plus side to these new tyre rules is that it’s stopped the little bits of rubber collecting off the racing line, meaning that it won’t be so dirty offline, perhaps encouraging more overtaking.
Also, the qualifying has changed this year. It’s probably still not ideal for viewers but with the new rules in place, it’s probably the best one for now. Saturday will feature one lap qualifying and Sunday will also feature one lap qualifying. The times will then be added together and halved, giving an aggregate time. That time will determine the grid. Saturday will be low fuel qualifying and Sunday will be full race spec qualifying, with Sunday qualifying being 3 hours before the race starts.
Hopefully, I explained that without confusing anyone too much. Let’s have a closer look at the teams and drivers for this season.
FERRARI
They have been the dominant force for a number of years now with all the other teams playing catch up. Whether the Ferrari dominance is a good or bad thing depends on the individual. Ferrari have taken a gamble at the start of this season by modifying their 2004 to 2005 rules, with the 2005 car supposedly coming out around the middle of the season. However, with Ferrari off the pace in testing and worried about the competitiveness of their rivals, rumours abound that the 2005 car will be brought forward to Race 3. They may not be the team to beat at the start but they will probably be by the time the new car gets released.
M SCHUMACHER
The 7 times World Champion has had it pretty easy in recent times but could it all change this time around? He certainly expects a challenge this season but it depends on the competitive of Ferrari in the early going. He undoubtedly has the talent to string many fast laps together on tyres with not a lot of grip so you can never discount Schumacher from the final reckoning. Probably the favourite to take an 8th World Championship.
BARRICHELLO
It’s always the case when you are the second driver to Michael Schumacher. Everything seems to go horribly wrong for the likeable Brazilian when it comes to winning the World Championship but he is reliable and a regular podium finisher. Barrichello has the potential to beat Schumacher but doesn’t do it consistently enough. I want to see a big season from Barrichello this time around.
B.A.R
The rise to second best team in F1 has been dramatic but the key is solidifying their position. Testing suggests that the engine isn’t particularly reliable and the car has a few design issues that need to be resolved. They have managed to win the right to keep Button’s services for this year and a backroom shuffle has seen Honda buy an increased stake in the team, resulting in Dave Richards leaving the team. I think they might find it difficult to hold onto 2nd but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them win a race this year.
BUTTON
Button has logged his best season yet in the record books and was agonisingly close to a race win last season. With his recent team dispute behind him, hopefully he has the team fully behind him and he’ll be looking for a World Championship push. The rule changes should play into his hands as they promote a smooth style of driving to protect the tyres. A race win and a solid season would be my guess for his season.
SATO
Has a lot of raw speed but hasn’t quite harnessed it into consistent race pace. With Honda backing the Japanese driver, his future looks secure but he really has to start showing his true ability on a more regular basis and cutting out the errors if B.A.R and Sato are to challenge the front regularly. Hopefully, his engine will be more reliable this season.
RENAULT
I’d say Renault would be a little disappointed with their showing last season. The rumblings of discontent with Trulli last season probably unbalanced the team and now it’s time to put it all behind them and move forward. Testing during the winter have seen them at the top of the timesheets pretty much everywhere they have been and it’s time to deliver for real. Widely tipped to be Ferrari’s early challengers, I expect them to be there or there abouts when the awards are handed out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take the race win in Australia.
ALONSO
It was a quiet season for Alonso with him consistently getting the points and occasionally overshadowed by Trulli, particularly with Trulli’s race win in Monaco. He’s got a quick and consistent teammate this year and it’s time to deliver on his tag of being a future World Champion. Could this be his year? I really hope so because I’m a big fan of Renault, Alonso and Fisichella.
FISICHELLA
Speaking of Fisichella, he has returned to Renault after proving his credentials at Jordan and Sauber. He has been an underrated driver for far too long and now he’s got the car to deliver. I want to see Fisichella take a race win and be challenging hard for the Championship.
WILLIAMS
Where has it all gone wrong? They were Ferrari’s main challengers not so long ago but they’ve drifted back to midfield obscurity. They showed signs too late when Montoya won in Brazil in the last race of last season. They’ve gone into a rebuilding phase with a lot of backroom shuffling but reports recently suggest the car has design flaws, which will make it very difficult for the first few races. Let’s hope they get it all sorted quickly.
WEBBER
What’s not to like about Mark Webber? The likeable Australian has shown his consistent ability to get the most out of weaker cars and now he is at a front running team, or so he hopes. The early season may be difficult but if anyone is going to get the best out of a sub standard Williams, it’s Mark Webber. I would love to see Webber win a race but it may be a struggle.
HEIDFELD
I would say Heidfeld is probably the hardest driver to predict. His Sauber form was consistent with moments of brilliance and his testing form got him the drive for Williams but I feel this season may be a struggle and he’ll have to raise his game to keep up with his teammate Webber. I feel he’s in danger of getting lost in the shuffle.
MCLAREN
Along the same lines as Williams, where did it go wrong? I’d probably pinpoint the consistent unreliability of the car and engine in the early season and then when the new car got released, things improved but not by enough. It’s been a very quiet winter for McLaren but their speed has been there in testing. They’ve got arguably the best designer in F1 so I’m guessing that McLaren will be at the front end once again.
MONTOYA
Love him or hate him, this guy is quick. Probably not the best at getting the most of a poor handling car, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with the McLaren. The McLaren is well known for it’s good handling. His main fight will be for the Championship but he’ll want to keep an eye out for Raikkonen, as teammate battles are a big part of teams in F1.
RAIKKONEN
Reports of partying hard over the winter aside, Raikkonen certainly showed his ability last year by consistently beating David Coulthard and winning a race when it seemed unlikely. Hopefully, he has gotten over all the partying and is in excellent shape for the new season because this could be shaping up to be his best chance to take the World Championship.
SAUBER
Frosty relationships with Ferrari means that this will probably be their last season with Ferrari parts. I’ll be going into this in more detail later. Anyway, Sauber are serious about moving up in the world. This new car has been designed with the help of their new state of the art wind tunnel and will be looking for more consistent challenging at the sharp end of the field.
VILLENEUVE
Back into full time racing after spending most of last season on the sidelines, he got his chance to come back with Renault late last season. He later signed for Sauber. This is actually a big job for Villeneuve as he attempts to show that he’s still got that cutting edge. He found it difficult to get to grips with the Renault but he’ll benefit from working with the Sauber from the start. It’s difficult to know where he’ll be, but I guess regular points and beating Massa will be a good season.
MASSA
Testing with Ferrari has reportedly given him renewed confidence, a quick race pace and a general increase in ability. It’s time to put it to the test on the track competitively. He’ll be looking to beat his World Champion teammate, who is coming towards the end of his career, and show the big teams exactly what Sauber and Ferrari saw in his ability.
RED BULL RACING
Red Bull Racing were, to me, a big surprise when they bought out Jaguar. Obviously, the Jaguar head honchos are gone and the basic Jaguar team workforce are all still there. I don’t think anyone really knows where they are going to be the final shake up, so I think they’ll be looking for some kind of consolidation in the midfield and taking forward steps throughout the season. They have plans to be the new ‘Jordan’ team, having fun where possible but serious out on the track.
COULTHARD
Nearing the end of his career now, Coulthard seems a bit more relaxed in preseason and now he is no longer considered in a top team, perhaps the pressure is off. Coulthard’s season will consist of moving the team forward with his testing input and perhaps getting a few points for the team.
KLIEN/LIUZZI
Unable to commit to one driver for the whole season, Red Bull Racing have decided to give both of them a chance. Klien will start things off in Australia and will want to impress to keep Liuzzi out of the seat. Klien has the advantage of having a whole season behind him. For those who don’t know who Liuzzi is, he raced in F3000 if I remember correctly. There are concerns about his fitness however.
TOYOTA
Backed by a great deal of money and only showing glimpses of good form, this may very well be a make or break year for Toyota. Reports of Toyota pulling out because of poor performances always loom on the horizon. They have managed to snag two good drivers in the quest to finally break into consistent front running. They’ve got to find the form now or Toyota could be a thing of the past.
R SCHUMACHER
Some would say he’s crazy to take such a risky step but he made his decision to leave Williams and sign for Toyota. I don’t think he can expect any kind of front running and may not get as many points as he thinks. Toyota have been a consistent mystery so who knows? Maybe they will surprise us all.
TRULLI
A very public break up with Renault and questions about his race form remain with him. The best way to put the doubters behind him is to race Ralf Schumacher and try to beat him. With Toyota’s pace a mystery, it’s the best way to show his true ability and he’ll have to do that consistently.
JORDAN
This will almost definitely be the last year with Jordan named racing cars on the grid. Eddie Jordan sold his team over the winter to the Midland F1 group out of Russia and it is a little disappointing. Jordan always had the fans behind them and they were always invariably the underdogs. Jordan were late with their new car and testing form suggest that the pace isn’t there. They’ll be looking to avoid the wooden spoon this season.
MONTEIRO
It was only days before he signed for Jordan that I was talking with someone about the lack of Portuguese interest in F1. You’d probably struggle to recognise the name so here is some info on him. He spent a long time racing in France and raced in Le Mans in 1999. He had a spell in F3000 where he was lost in the pack and then had a year in Champ Cars. He eventually shone in the Nissan World Series where he finished second in the Championship. He’s apparently a better overall driver than his rookie teammate.
KARTHIKEYAN
Another graduate from the Nissan World Series, Karthikeyan is the first Indian driver in F1. Recognised as a wet weather specialist and a quick qualifier, everything suggests that when it comes to general racing, he is very ordinary. It’s certainly a big risk by the new Jordan owners to run two rookies but I guess they don’t have a great deal to lost at this point.
MINARDI
It seems like they are forever the underdogs and never expected to achieve anything. Always in a financial crisis, they are always there on race day and everyone wants to see them there and perhaps score a point or two. Paul Stoddart, the team owner, has become increasingly more vocal over the years and is always in a constant struggle to get off the back of the grid.
ALBERS
Another all rookie team in F1 as Paul Stoddart likes to try anyone and everyone before selecting his lineup. He is probably bringing a bit of money to the team and if I remember correctly, he spent a good few years in F3000. Unfortunately, that isn’t always a guarantee of speed. The only thing you can do at Minardi is wring the cars neck and try to show your worth.
FRIESACHER
Another graduate from F3000, he was pretty much the last driver to get a seat in F1. Again, he is probably bringing some money into the team and his aim will be the same as Albers, show your worth. It’s not impossible, just look at Webber’s success.
So, there is a rundown of the drivers and teams. The final part of the preview will feature the big rumblings behind the scenes that threaten the future of F1 as we know.
For those of you not aware of it, there is a group of people behind a rival F1 Championship, known as the GPWC. It is run by certain car manufacturers in a bid to cut costs and keep an even Championship in terms of racing and how the money is divided.
Recently, the GPWC have received a lot of backing from F1 team owners. At a team meeting set up by the FIA, the teams were asked to attend a cost cutting meeting to bounce around ideas. However, this was an attempt to stop the teams from attending a GPWC meeting outlining future plans. Ferrari attended the FIA meeting, while the other 9 teams attended the GPWC meeting. It was later announced that Ferrari had signed an extension with the FIA to be in F1 until 2012, past the current 2007 date when the old deal runs out.
It’s turned into Ferrari and the FIA against the other teams as the 9 teams have all pretty much given their backing to the GPWC. The continuing war behind the scenes continues as Minardi plan to run the 2004 car in 2005 because of financial concerns, lack of development facilities and late rule plans for 2005. Under current guidelines, every team has to agree to this. Everyone but Ferrari have agreed. Stoddart plans to take the FIA to court if they are disqualified and forced not to race. They will race under protest and the lawyers have already prepared a case. It looks likely that Ferrari will agree at this moment though.
Also, Stoddart plans to put his name in for FIA leadership when Max Mosley steps down and the war of words continues. It is an entirely messy affair that could come to a head in the next few months and years. With all the teams seemingly against Ferrari and the FIA seemingly behind Ferrari, this could be a particularly bitter season and could see the end of F1 as we know it.
I’d suggest for better information, check the following websites.
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=32049[/URL]
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=31970[/URL]
Well, that pretty much concludes the preview for this season. By all means, discuss this information and hopefully we’ll enjoy a close season of F1 racing. Any questions about this and any other F1 related info, just ask and I’m sure someone will know the answer.
I hope you enjoyed reading it, if you managed it all. Thanks for reading.
Grandprix
To go with this, here's all the stats and numbers to go with the info above:-
The 2005 season is almost here and the ten teams and 20 drivers are all in Melbourne for the first race of the season this Sunday. Here is a guide to the 2005 field.
Ferrari
First Grand Prix: 1950
Constructors titles: 14
Drivers titles: 14
Wins: 182
Pole Positions: 175
Best laps: 180
Points scored: 3292.5pts
Races: 704
Michael Schumacher (GER)
Born: Jan 3, 1969
Wins: 83
Points scored: 1186
Number of GP: 213
Pole Position: 63
Podiums: 137
First GP: 1991 (Spa)
World titles: Seven
Best result: 1st
Best championship finish: 1st
2004 championship position: 1st
Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
Born: May 23,1972
Wins: 9
Points scored: 451
Number of GP: 198
Pole Position: 13
Podiums: 57
First GP: 1993 (Kyalami)
Best result: 1st
2004 championship position: 2nd
BAR
First GP: 1999
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 1
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 186
Number of GP: 101
Jenson Button (GBR)
Born: Jan 19, 1980
Wins: 0
Points scored: 127
Number of GP: 84
Pole Position: 1
Podiums: 10
First GP: 2000 (Melbourne)
Best result : 2nd
2004 championship position: 3
Takuma Sato (JPN)
Born: Jan 28, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 37
Number of GP: 35
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 1
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result: 3rd
2004 championship position: 8
Renault
First GP: 1977
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 17
Pole Position: 30
Best laps: 19
Points scored: 509
Number of GP: 176
Fernando Alonso (SPA)
Born: July 29, 1981
Wins: 1
Points scored: 118
Number of GP: 51
Pole Positions: 3
Podiums: 9
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 4
Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Born: Jan 14, 1973
Wins: 1
Points scored: 116
Number of GP: 141
Pole Position: 1
Podiums: 10
First GP: 1996 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 11
Williams
First GP: 1973
Constructors titles: 9
Drivers titles: 7
Wins: 113
Pole Position: 128
Best laps: 127
Points scored: 2436.5
Number of GP: 450
Mark Webber (AUS)
Born: Aug 27, 1976
Wins: 0
Points scored: 26
Number of GP: 50
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result: 5
2004 championship position: 13
Nick Heidfeld (GER)
Born: May 10, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 28
Number of GP: 85
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 1
First GP: 2000 (Melbourne)
Best result: 3
2004 championship position: 18
McLaren
First GP: 1966
Constructors titles: 8
Drivers titles: 11
Wins: 138
Pole Position: 115
Best laps: 114
Points scored: 2867.5
Number of GP: 580
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
Born: Oct 17, 1979
Wins: 2
Points scored: 159
Number of GP: 67
Pole Position: 3
Podiums: 18
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position : 7
Juan Pablo Montoya (COL)
Born: Sept 20, 1975
Wins: 4
Points scored: 217
Number of GP: 68
Pole Position: 11
Podiums: 22
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 5
Sauber
First GP: 1993
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 174
Number of GP: 199
Jacques Villeneuve (CAN)
Born: April 9, 1971
Wins: 11
Points scored: 219
Number of GP: 134
Pole Position: 13
Podiums: 23
First GP: 1996 (Melbourne)
World titles: 1
Best result : 1
2004 championship position : --
Felipe Massa (BRA)
Born: April 25, 1981
Wins: 0
Points scored: 16
Number of GP: 34
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result : 4
2004 championship position : 12
Red Bull
First GP: 2005
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
David Coulthard (GBR)
Born: March 27, 1971
Wins: 13
Points scored: 473
Number of GP: 175
Pole Position: 12
Podiums: 60
First GP: 1994 (Barcelona)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position : 10
Christian Klien (AUT)
Born: February 7, 1983
Wins: 0
Points scored: 3
Number of GP: 18
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2004 (Melbourne)
Best result: 6
2004 championship position: 16
Toyota
First GP: 2002
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 27
Number of GP: 51
Jarno Trulli (ITA)
Born: July 13, 1974
Wins: 1
Points scored: 117
Number of GP: 130
Pole Position: 2
Podiums: 4
First GP: 1997 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 6
Ralf Schumacher (GER)
Born: June 30, 1975
Wins: 6
Points scored: 272
Number of GP: 127
Pole Position: 5
Podiums: 22
First GP: 1997 (Melbourne)
Best result : 1
2004 championship position : 9
Jordan
First GP: 1991
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 4
Pole Position: 2
Best laps: 2
Points scored: 279
Number of GP: 231
Tiago Monteiro (POR)
Born: July 24, 1976
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Narain Karthikeyan (IND)
Born: Jan 14, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Minardi
First GP: 1985
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 31
Number of GP: 321
Christijan Albers (NED)
Born: April 16, 1979
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Patrick Friesacher (AUT)
Born: Sept 26, 1980
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
The 2005 season is almost here and the ten teams and 20 drivers are all in Melbourne for the first race of the season this Sunday. Here is a guide to the 2005 field.
Ferrari
First Grand Prix: 1950
Constructors titles: 14
Drivers titles: 14
Wins: 182
Pole Positions: 175
Best laps: 180
Points scored: 3292.5pts
Races: 704
Michael Schumacher (GER)
Born: Jan 3, 1969
Wins: 83
Points scored: 1186
Number of GP: 213
Pole Position: 63
Podiums: 137
First GP: 1991 (Spa)
World titles: Seven
Best result: 1st
Best championship finish: 1st
2004 championship position: 1st
Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
Born: May 23,1972
Wins: 9
Points scored: 451
Number of GP: 198
Pole Position: 13
Podiums: 57
First GP: 1993 (Kyalami)
Best result: 1st
2004 championship position: 2nd
BAR
First GP: 1999
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 1
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 186
Number of GP: 101
Jenson Button (GBR)
Born: Jan 19, 1980
Wins: 0
Points scored: 127
Number of GP: 84
Pole Position: 1
Podiums: 10
First GP: 2000 (Melbourne)
Best result : 2nd
2004 championship position: 3
Takuma Sato (JPN)
Born: Jan 28, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 37
Number of GP: 35
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 1
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result: 3rd
2004 championship position: 8
Renault
First GP: 1977
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 17
Pole Position: 30
Best laps: 19
Points scored: 509
Number of GP: 176
Fernando Alonso (SPA)
Born: July 29, 1981
Wins: 1
Points scored: 118
Number of GP: 51
Pole Positions: 3
Podiums: 9
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 4
Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Born: Jan 14, 1973
Wins: 1
Points scored: 116
Number of GP: 141
Pole Position: 1
Podiums: 10
First GP: 1996 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 11
Williams
First GP: 1973
Constructors titles: 9
Drivers titles: 7
Wins: 113
Pole Position: 128
Best laps: 127
Points scored: 2436.5
Number of GP: 450
Mark Webber (AUS)
Born: Aug 27, 1976
Wins: 0
Points scored: 26
Number of GP: 50
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result: 5
2004 championship position: 13
Nick Heidfeld (GER)
Born: May 10, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 28
Number of GP: 85
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 1
First GP: 2000 (Melbourne)
Best result: 3
2004 championship position: 18
McLaren
First GP: 1966
Constructors titles: 8
Drivers titles: 11
Wins: 138
Pole Position: 115
Best laps: 114
Points scored: 2867.5
Number of GP: 580
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
Born: Oct 17, 1979
Wins: 2
Points scored: 159
Number of GP: 67
Pole Position: 3
Podiums: 18
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position : 7
Juan Pablo Montoya (COL)
Born: Sept 20, 1975
Wins: 4
Points scored: 217
Number of GP: 68
Pole Position: 11
Podiums: 22
First GP: 2001 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 5
Sauber
First GP: 1993
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 174
Number of GP: 199
Jacques Villeneuve (CAN)
Born: April 9, 1971
Wins: 11
Points scored: 219
Number of GP: 134
Pole Position: 13
Podiums: 23
First GP: 1996 (Melbourne)
World titles: 1
Best result : 1
2004 championship position : --
Felipe Massa (BRA)
Born: April 25, 1981
Wins: 0
Points scored: 16
Number of GP: 34
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2002 (Melbourne)
Best result : 4
2004 championship position : 12
Red Bull
First GP: 2005
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
David Coulthard (GBR)
Born: March 27, 1971
Wins: 13
Points scored: 473
Number of GP: 175
Pole Position: 12
Podiums: 60
First GP: 1994 (Barcelona)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position : 10
Christian Klien (AUT)
Born: February 7, 1983
Wins: 0
Points scored: 3
Number of GP: 18
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2004 (Melbourne)
Best result: 6
2004 championship position: 16
Toyota
First GP: 2002
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 27
Number of GP: 51
Jarno Trulli (ITA)
Born: July 13, 1974
Wins: 1
Points scored: 117
Number of GP: 130
Pole Position: 2
Podiums: 4
First GP: 1997 (Melbourne)
Best result: 1
2004 championship position: 6
Ralf Schumacher (GER)
Born: June 30, 1975
Wins: 6
Points scored: 272
Number of GP: 127
Pole Position: 5
Podiums: 22
First GP: 1997 (Melbourne)
Best result : 1
2004 championship position : 9
Jordan
First GP: 1991
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 4
Pole Position: 2
Best laps: 2
Points scored: 279
Number of GP: 231
Tiago Monteiro (POR)
Born: July 24, 1976
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Narain Karthikeyan (IND)
Born: Jan 14, 1977
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Minardi
First GP: 1985
Constructors titles: 0
Drivers titles: 0
Wins: 0
Pole Position: 0
Best laps: 0
Points scored: 31
Number of GP: 321
Christijan Albers (NED)
Born: April 16, 1979
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Patrick Friesacher (AUT)
Born: Sept 26, 1980
Wins: 0
Points scored: 0
Number of GP: 0
Pole Position: 0
Podiums: 0
First GP: 2005 (Melbourne)
Best result: --
Hi, Grandprix here with the annual Formula 1 season preview. It has been an exceptionally busy winter for the F1 circus and a lot of behind the scenes politics that could have a dramatic impact on the future of Formula 1. First of all, a warning. This is long. You may want to read it in sections or something.
Okay, let’s have a quick look at the calendar for the upcoming season.
March 6 – AUSTRALIA - Melbourne
March 20 – MALAYSIA - Sepang
April 3 – BAHRAIN - Sakhir
April 24 - SAN MARINO - Imola
May 8 – SPAIN - Barcelona
May 22 – MONACO - Monte Carlo
May 29 – EUROPE - Nurburgring
June 12 - CANADA - Montreal
June 19 - USA - Indianapolis
July 3 – FRANCE - Magny-Cours
July 10 – BRITAIN - Silverstone
July 24 – GERMANY - Hockenheim
July 31 – HUNGARY - Hungaroring
August 21 – TURKEY - Istanbul
September 4 – ITALY - Monza
September 11 - BELGIUM - Spa
September 25 - BRAZIL - Interlagos
October 9 - JAPAN - Suzuka
October 16 - CHINA - Shanghai
It’s a 19 race season with numerous back to back weekends, making this season the most difficult for the teams, probably ever. The new race this season is in Turkey.
As I mentioned earlier, the teams have been really busy over the winter. The rule changes for the new season came quite late, meaning that a few teams will no doubt have some design issues. I’ll be going through each individual team and driver later on.
Let’s have a look at some of the major rule changes that will be affecting the cars this year. First of all, the rear wing has been moved forward by a small amount and there will be less ‘elements’ (parts of the rear wing) meaning a more unstable rear of the car, in effect, less grip. The front wing has been raised a fraction to make the front end more unstable. The overall adjustments have been equated to a potential 25% loss of grip. The recent testing times suggest a return to lap times of a couple of years ago.
Also affecting the teams this year, an engine will have to last 2 race weekends. On top of that, the tyres will have to last an entire race weekend. That means the cars will have to be very gentle on the tyres but also the drivers will have to be very careful on them. I’m not sure what the ruling is for punctures. The plus side to these new tyre rules is that it’s stopped the little bits of rubber collecting off the racing line, meaning that it won’t be so dirty offline, perhaps encouraging more overtaking.
Also, the qualifying has changed this year. It’s probably still not ideal for viewers but with the new rules in place, it’s probably the best one for now. Saturday will feature one lap qualifying and Sunday will also feature one lap qualifying. The times will then be added together and halved, giving an aggregate time. That time will determine the grid. Saturday will be low fuel qualifying and Sunday will be full race spec qualifying, with Sunday qualifying being 3 hours before the race starts.
Hopefully, I explained that without confusing anyone too much. Let’s have a closer look at the teams and drivers for this season.
FERRARI
They have been the dominant force for a number of years now with all the other teams playing catch up. Whether the Ferrari dominance is a good or bad thing depends on the individual. Ferrari have taken a gamble at the start of this season by modifying their 2004 to 2005 rules, with the 2005 car supposedly coming out around the middle of the season. However, with Ferrari off the pace in testing and worried about the competitiveness of their rivals, rumours abound that the 2005 car will be brought forward to Race 3. They may not be the team to beat at the start but they will probably be by the time the new car gets released.
M SCHUMACHER
The 7 times World Champion has had it pretty easy in recent times but could it all change this time around? He certainly expects a challenge this season but it depends on the competitive of Ferrari in the early going. He undoubtedly has the talent to string many fast laps together on tyres with not a lot of grip so you can never discount Schumacher from the final reckoning. Probably the favourite to take an 8th World Championship.
BARRICHELLO
It’s always the case when you are the second driver to Michael Schumacher. Everything seems to go horribly wrong for the likeable Brazilian when it comes to winning the World Championship but he is reliable and a regular podium finisher. Barrichello has the potential to beat Schumacher but doesn’t do it consistently enough. I want to see a big season from Barrichello this time around.
B.A.R
The rise to second best team in F1 has been dramatic but the key is solidifying their position. Testing suggests that the engine isn’t particularly reliable and the car has a few design issues that need to be resolved. They have managed to win the right to keep Button’s services for this year and a backroom shuffle has seen Honda buy an increased stake in the team, resulting in Dave Richards leaving the team. I think they might find it difficult to hold onto 2nd but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them win a race this year.
BUTTON
Button has logged his best season yet in the record books and was agonisingly close to a race win last season. With his recent team dispute behind him, hopefully he has the team fully behind him and he’ll be looking for a World Championship push. The rule changes should play into his hands as they promote a smooth style of driving to protect the tyres. A race win and a solid season would be my guess for his season.
SATO
Has a lot of raw speed but hasn’t quite harnessed it into consistent race pace. With Honda backing the Japanese driver, his future looks secure but he really has to start showing his true ability on a more regular basis and cutting out the errors if B.A.R and Sato are to challenge the front regularly. Hopefully, his engine will be more reliable this season.
RENAULT
I’d say Renault would be a little disappointed with their showing last season. The rumblings of discontent with Trulli last season probably unbalanced the team and now it’s time to put it all behind them and move forward. Testing during the winter have seen them at the top of the timesheets pretty much everywhere they have been and it’s time to deliver for real. Widely tipped to be Ferrari’s early challengers, I expect them to be there or there abouts when the awards are handed out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take the race win in Australia.
ALONSO
It was a quiet season for Alonso with him consistently getting the points and occasionally overshadowed by Trulli, particularly with Trulli’s race win in Monaco. He’s got a quick and consistent teammate this year and it’s time to deliver on his tag of being a future World Champion. Could this be his year? I really hope so because I’m a big fan of Renault, Alonso and Fisichella.
FISICHELLA
Speaking of Fisichella, he has returned to Renault after proving his credentials at Jordan and Sauber. He has been an underrated driver for far too long and now he’s got the car to deliver. I want to see Fisichella take a race win and be challenging hard for the Championship.
WILLIAMS
Where has it all gone wrong? They were Ferrari’s main challengers not so long ago but they’ve drifted back to midfield obscurity. They showed signs too late when Montoya won in Brazil in the last race of last season. They’ve gone into a rebuilding phase with a lot of backroom shuffling but reports recently suggest the car has design flaws, which will make it very difficult for the first few races. Let’s hope they get it all sorted quickly.
WEBBER
What’s not to like about Mark Webber? The likeable Australian has shown his consistent ability to get the most out of weaker cars and now he is at a front running team, or so he hopes. The early season may be difficult but if anyone is going to get the best out of a sub standard Williams, it’s Mark Webber. I would love to see Webber win a race but it may be a struggle.
HEIDFELD
I would say Heidfeld is probably the hardest driver to predict. His Sauber form was consistent with moments of brilliance and his testing form got him the drive for Williams but I feel this season may be a struggle and he’ll have to raise his game to keep up with his teammate Webber. I feel he’s in danger of getting lost in the shuffle.
MCLAREN
Along the same lines as Williams, where did it go wrong? I’d probably pinpoint the consistent unreliability of the car and engine in the early season and then when the new car got released, things improved but not by enough. It’s been a very quiet winter for McLaren but their speed has been there in testing. They’ve got arguably the best designer in F1 so I’m guessing that McLaren will be at the front end once again.
MONTOYA
Love him or hate him, this guy is quick. Probably not the best at getting the most of a poor handling car, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with the McLaren. The McLaren is well known for it’s good handling. His main fight will be for the Championship but he’ll want to keep an eye out for Raikkonen, as teammate battles are a big part of teams in F1.
RAIKKONEN
Reports of partying hard over the winter aside, Raikkonen certainly showed his ability last year by consistently beating David Coulthard and winning a race when it seemed unlikely. Hopefully, he has gotten over all the partying and is in excellent shape for the new season because this could be shaping up to be his best chance to take the World Championship.
SAUBER
Frosty relationships with Ferrari means that this will probably be their last season with Ferrari parts. I’ll be going into this in more detail later. Anyway, Sauber are serious about moving up in the world. This new car has been designed with the help of their new state of the art wind tunnel and will be looking for more consistent challenging at the sharp end of the field.
VILLENEUVE
Back into full time racing after spending most of last season on the sidelines, he got his chance to come back with Renault late last season. He later signed for Sauber. This is actually a big job for Villeneuve as he attempts to show that he’s still got that cutting edge. He found it difficult to get to grips with the Renault but he’ll benefit from working with the Sauber from the start. It’s difficult to know where he’ll be, but I guess regular points and beating Massa will be a good season.
MASSA
Testing with Ferrari has reportedly given him renewed confidence, a quick race pace and a general increase in ability. It’s time to put it to the test on the track competitively. He’ll be looking to beat his World Champion teammate, who is coming towards the end of his career, and show the big teams exactly what Sauber and Ferrari saw in his ability.
RED BULL RACING
Red Bull Racing were, to me, a big surprise when they bought out Jaguar. Obviously, the Jaguar head honchos are gone and the basic Jaguar team workforce are all still there. I don’t think anyone really knows where they are going to be the final shake up, so I think they’ll be looking for some kind of consolidation in the midfield and taking forward steps throughout the season. They have plans to be the new ‘Jordan’ team, having fun where possible but serious out on the track.
COULTHARD
Nearing the end of his career now, Coulthard seems a bit more relaxed in preseason and now he is no longer considered in a top team, perhaps the pressure is off. Coulthard’s season will consist of moving the team forward with his testing input and perhaps getting a few points for the team.
KLIEN/LIUZZI
Unable to commit to one driver for the whole season, Red Bull Racing have decided to give both of them a chance. Klien will start things off in Australia and will want to impress to keep Liuzzi out of the seat. Klien has the advantage of having a whole season behind him. For those who don’t know who Liuzzi is, he raced in F3000 if I remember correctly. There are concerns about his fitness however.
TOYOTA
Backed by a great deal of money and only showing glimpses of good form, this may very well be a make or break year for Toyota. Reports of Toyota pulling out because of poor performances always loom on the horizon. They have managed to snag two good drivers in the quest to finally break into consistent front running. They’ve got to find the form now or Toyota could be a thing of the past.
R SCHUMACHER
Some would say he’s crazy to take such a risky step but he made his decision to leave Williams and sign for Toyota. I don’t think he can expect any kind of front running and may not get as many points as he thinks. Toyota have been a consistent mystery so who knows? Maybe they will surprise us all.
TRULLI
A very public break up with Renault and questions about his race form remain with him. The best way to put the doubters behind him is to race Ralf Schumacher and try to beat him. With Toyota’s pace a mystery, it’s the best way to show his true ability and he’ll have to do that consistently.
JORDAN
This will almost definitely be the last year with Jordan named racing cars on the grid. Eddie Jordan sold his team over the winter to the Midland F1 group out of Russia and it is a little disappointing. Jordan always had the fans behind them and they were always invariably the underdogs. Jordan were late with their new car and testing form suggest that the pace isn’t there. They’ll be looking to avoid the wooden spoon this season.
MONTEIRO
It was only days before he signed for Jordan that I was talking with someone about the lack of Portuguese interest in F1. You’d probably struggle to recognise the name so here is some info on him. He spent a long time racing in France and raced in Le Mans in 1999. He had a spell in F3000 where he was lost in the pack and then had a year in Champ Cars. He eventually shone in the Nissan World Series where he finished second in the Championship. He’s apparently a better overall driver than his rookie teammate.
KARTHIKEYAN
Another graduate from the Nissan World Series, Karthikeyan is the first Indian driver in F1. Recognised as a wet weather specialist and a quick qualifier, everything suggests that when it comes to general racing, he is very ordinary. It’s certainly a big risk by the new Jordan owners to run two rookies but I guess they don’t have a great deal to lost at this point.
MINARDI
It seems like they are forever the underdogs and never expected to achieve anything. Always in a financial crisis, they are always there on race day and everyone wants to see them there and perhaps score a point or two. Paul Stoddart, the team owner, has become increasingly more vocal over the years and is always in a constant struggle to get off the back of the grid.
ALBERS
Another all rookie team in F1 as Paul Stoddart likes to try anyone and everyone before selecting his lineup. He is probably bringing a bit of money to the team and if I remember correctly, he spent a good few years in F3000. Unfortunately, that isn’t always a guarantee of speed. The only thing you can do at Minardi is wring the cars neck and try to show your worth.
FRIESACHER
Another graduate from F3000, he was pretty much the last driver to get a seat in F1. Again, he is probably bringing some money into the team and his aim will be the same as Albers, show your worth. It’s not impossible, just look at Webber’s success.
So, there is a rundown of the drivers and teams. The final part of the preview will feature the big rumblings behind the scenes that threaten the future of F1 as we know.
For those of you not aware of it, there is a group of people behind a rival F1 Championship, known as the GPWC. It is run by certain car manufacturers in a bid to cut costs and keep an even Championship in terms of racing and how the money is divided.
Recently, the GPWC have received a lot of backing from F1 team owners. At a team meeting set up by the FIA, the teams were asked to attend a cost cutting meeting to bounce around ideas. However, this was an attempt to stop the teams from attending a GPWC meeting outlining future plans. Ferrari attended the FIA meeting, while the other 9 teams attended the GPWC meeting. It was later announced that Ferrari had signed an extension with the FIA to be in F1 until 2012, past the current 2007 date when the old deal runs out.
It’s turned into Ferrari and the FIA against the other teams as the 9 teams have all pretty much given their backing to the GPWC. The continuing war behind the scenes continues as Minardi plan to run the 2004 car in 2005 because of financial concerns, lack of development facilities and late rule plans for 2005. Under current guidelines, every team has to agree to this. Everyone but Ferrari have agreed. Stoddart plans to take the FIA to court if they are disqualified and forced not to race. They will race under protest and the lawyers have already prepared a case. It looks likely that Ferrari will agree at this moment though.
Also, Stoddart plans to put his name in for FIA leadership when Max Mosley steps down and the war of words continues. It is an entirely messy affair that could come to a head in the next few months and years. With all the teams seemingly against Ferrari and the FIA seemingly behind Ferrari, this could be a particularly bitter season and could see the end of F1 as we know it.
I’d suggest for better information, check the following websites.
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=32049[/URL]
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=31970[/URL]
Well, that pretty much concludes the preview for this season. By all means, discuss this information and hopefully we’ll enjoy a close season of F1 racing. Any questions about this and any other F1 related info, just ask and I’m sure someone will know the answer.
I hope you enjoyed reading it, if you managed it all. Thanks for reading.
Grandprix
Okay, let’s have a quick look at the calendar for the upcoming season.
March 6 – AUSTRALIA - Melbourne
March 20 – MALAYSIA - Sepang
April 3 – BAHRAIN - Sakhir
April 24 - SAN MARINO - Imola
May 8 – SPAIN - Barcelona
May 22 – MONACO - Monte Carlo
May 29 – EUROPE - Nurburgring
June 12 - CANADA - Montreal
June 19 - USA - Indianapolis
July 3 – FRANCE - Magny-Cours
July 10 – BRITAIN - Silverstone
July 24 – GERMANY - Hockenheim
July 31 – HUNGARY - Hungaroring
August 21 – TURKEY - Istanbul
September 4 – ITALY - Monza
September 11 - BELGIUM - Spa
September 25 - BRAZIL - Interlagos
October 9 - JAPAN - Suzuka
October 16 - CHINA - Shanghai
It’s a 19 race season with numerous back to back weekends, making this season the most difficult for the teams, probably ever. The new race this season is in Turkey.
As I mentioned earlier, the teams have been really busy over the winter. The rule changes for the new season came quite late, meaning that a few teams will no doubt have some design issues. I’ll be going through each individual team and driver later on.
Let’s have a look at some of the major rule changes that will be affecting the cars this year. First of all, the rear wing has been moved forward by a small amount and there will be less ‘elements’ (parts of the rear wing) meaning a more unstable rear of the car, in effect, less grip. The front wing has been raised a fraction to make the front end more unstable. The overall adjustments have been equated to a potential 25% loss of grip. The recent testing times suggest a return to lap times of a couple of years ago.
Also affecting the teams this year, an engine will have to last 2 race weekends. On top of that, the tyres will have to last an entire race weekend. That means the cars will have to be very gentle on the tyres but also the drivers will have to be very careful on them. I’m not sure what the ruling is for punctures. The plus side to these new tyre rules is that it’s stopped the little bits of rubber collecting off the racing line, meaning that it won’t be so dirty offline, perhaps encouraging more overtaking.
Also, the qualifying has changed this year. It’s probably still not ideal for viewers but with the new rules in place, it’s probably the best one for now. Saturday will feature one lap qualifying and Sunday will also feature one lap qualifying. The times will then be added together and halved, giving an aggregate time. That time will determine the grid. Saturday will be low fuel qualifying and Sunday will be full race spec qualifying, with Sunday qualifying being 3 hours before the race starts.
Hopefully, I explained that without confusing anyone too much. Let’s have a closer look at the teams and drivers for this season.
FERRARI
They have been the dominant force for a number of years now with all the other teams playing catch up. Whether the Ferrari dominance is a good or bad thing depends on the individual. Ferrari have taken a gamble at the start of this season by modifying their 2004 to 2005 rules, with the 2005 car supposedly coming out around the middle of the season. However, with Ferrari off the pace in testing and worried about the competitiveness of their rivals, rumours abound that the 2005 car will be brought forward to Race 3. They may not be the team to beat at the start but they will probably be by the time the new car gets released.
M SCHUMACHER
The 7 times World Champion has had it pretty easy in recent times but could it all change this time around? He certainly expects a challenge this season but it depends on the competitive of Ferrari in the early going. He undoubtedly has the talent to string many fast laps together on tyres with not a lot of grip so you can never discount Schumacher from the final reckoning. Probably the favourite to take an 8th World Championship.
BARRICHELLO
It’s always the case when you are the second driver to Michael Schumacher. Everything seems to go horribly wrong for the likeable Brazilian when it comes to winning the World Championship but he is reliable and a regular podium finisher. Barrichello has the potential to beat Schumacher but doesn’t do it consistently enough. I want to see a big season from Barrichello this time around.
B.A.R
The rise to second best team in F1 has been dramatic but the key is solidifying their position. Testing suggests that the engine isn’t particularly reliable and the car has a few design issues that need to be resolved. They have managed to win the right to keep Button’s services for this year and a backroom shuffle has seen Honda buy an increased stake in the team, resulting in Dave Richards leaving the team. I think they might find it difficult to hold onto 2nd but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them win a race this year.
BUTTON
Button has logged his best season yet in the record books and was agonisingly close to a race win last season. With his recent team dispute behind him, hopefully he has the team fully behind him and he’ll be looking for a World Championship push. The rule changes should play into his hands as they promote a smooth style of driving to protect the tyres. A race win and a solid season would be my guess for his season.
SATO
Has a lot of raw speed but hasn’t quite harnessed it into consistent race pace. With Honda backing the Japanese driver, his future looks secure but he really has to start showing his true ability on a more regular basis and cutting out the errors if B.A.R and Sato are to challenge the front regularly. Hopefully, his engine will be more reliable this season.
RENAULT
I’d say Renault would be a little disappointed with their showing last season. The rumblings of discontent with Trulli last season probably unbalanced the team and now it’s time to put it all behind them and move forward. Testing during the winter have seen them at the top of the timesheets pretty much everywhere they have been and it’s time to deliver for real. Widely tipped to be Ferrari’s early challengers, I expect them to be there or there abouts when the awards are handed out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take the race win in Australia.
ALONSO
It was a quiet season for Alonso with him consistently getting the points and occasionally overshadowed by Trulli, particularly with Trulli’s race win in Monaco. He’s got a quick and consistent teammate this year and it’s time to deliver on his tag of being a future World Champion. Could this be his year? I really hope so because I’m a big fan of Renault, Alonso and Fisichella.
FISICHELLA
Speaking of Fisichella, he has returned to Renault after proving his credentials at Jordan and Sauber. He has been an underrated driver for far too long and now he’s got the car to deliver. I want to see Fisichella take a race win and be challenging hard for the Championship.
WILLIAMS
Where has it all gone wrong? They were Ferrari’s main challengers not so long ago but they’ve drifted back to midfield obscurity. They showed signs too late when Montoya won in Brazil in the last race of last season. They’ve gone into a rebuilding phase with a lot of backroom shuffling but reports recently suggest the car has design flaws, which will make it very difficult for the first few races. Let’s hope they get it all sorted quickly.
WEBBER
What’s not to like about Mark Webber? The likeable Australian has shown his consistent ability to get the most out of weaker cars and now he is at a front running team, or so he hopes. The early season may be difficult but if anyone is going to get the best out of a sub standard Williams, it’s Mark Webber. I would love to see Webber win a race but it may be a struggle.
HEIDFELD
I would say Heidfeld is probably the hardest driver to predict. His Sauber form was consistent with moments of brilliance and his testing form got him the drive for Williams but I feel this season may be a struggle and he’ll have to raise his game to keep up with his teammate Webber. I feel he’s in danger of getting lost in the shuffle.
MCLAREN
Along the same lines as Williams, where did it go wrong? I’d probably pinpoint the consistent unreliability of the car and engine in the early season and then when the new car got released, things improved but not by enough. It’s been a very quiet winter for McLaren but their speed has been there in testing. They’ve got arguably the best designer in F1 so I’m guessing that McLaren will be at the front end once again.
MONTOYA
Love him or hate him, this guy is quick. Probably not the best at getting the most of a poor handling car, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with the McLaren. The McLaren is well known for it’s good handling. His main fight will be for the Championship but he’ll want to keep an eye out for Raikkonen, as teammate battles are a big part of teams in F1.
RAIKKONEN
Reports of partying hard over the winter aside, Raikkonen certainly showed his ability last year by consistently beating David Coulthard and winning a race when it seemed unlikely. Hopefully, he has gotten over all the partying and is in excellent shape for the new season because this could be shaping up to be his best chance to take the World Championship.
SAUBER
Frosty relationships with Ferrari means that this will probably be their last season with Ferrari parts. I’ll be going into this in more detail later. Anyway, Sauber are serious about moving up in the world. This new car has been designed with the help of their new state of the art wind tunnel and will be looking for more consistent challenging at the sharp end of the field.
VILLENEUVE
Back into full time racing after spending most of last season on the sidelines, he got his chance to come back with Renault late last season. He later signed for Sauber. This is actually a big job for Villeneuve as he attempts to show that he’s still got that cutting edge. He found it difficult to get to grips with the Renault but he’ll benefit from working with the Sauber from the start. It’s difficult to know where he’ll be, but I guess regular points and beating Massa will be a good season.
MASSA
Testing with Ferrari has reportedly given him renewed confidence, a quick race pace and a general increase in ability. It’s time to put it to the test on the track competitively. He’ll be looking to beat his World Champion teammate, who is coming towards the end of his career, and show the big teams exactly what Sauber and Ferrari saw in his ability.
RED BULL RACING
Red Bull Racing were, to me, a big surprise when they bought out Jaguar. Obviously, the Jaguar head honchos are gone and the basic Jaguar team workforce are all still there. I don’t think anyone really knows where they are going to be the final shake up, so I think they’ll be looking for some kind of consolidation in the midfield and taking forward steps throughout the season. They have plans to be the new ‘Jordan’ team, having fun where possible but serious out on the track.
COULTHARD
Nearing the end of his career now, Coulthard seems a bit more relaxed in preseason and now he is no longer considered in a top team, perhaps the pressure is off. Coulthard’s season will consist of moving the team forward with his testing input and perhaps getting a few points for the team.
KLIEN/LIUZZI
Unable to commit to one driver for the whole season, Red Bull Racing have decided to give both of them a chance. Klien will start things off in Australia and will want to impress to keep Liuzzi out of the seat. Klien has the advantage of having a whole season behind him. For those who don’t know who Liuzzi is, he raced in F3000 if I remember correctly. There are concerns about his fitness however.
TOYOTA
Backed by a great deal of money and only showing glimpses of good form, this may very well be a make or break year for Toyota. Reports of Toyota pulling out because of poor performances always loom on the horizon. They have managed to snag two good drivers in the quest to finally break into consistent front running. They’ve got to find the form now or Toyota could be a thing of the past.
R SCHUMACHER
Some would say he’s crazy to take such a risky step but he made his decision to leave Williams and sign for Toyota. I don’t think he can expect any kind of front running and may not get as many points as he thinks. Toyota have been a consistent mystery so who knows? Maybe they will surprise us all.
TRULLI
A very public break up with Renault and questions about his race form remain with him. The best way to put the doubters behind him is to race Ralf Schumacher and try to beat him. With Toyota’s pace a mystery, it’s the best way to show his true ability and he’ll have to do that consistently.
JORDAN
This will almost definitely be the last year with Jordan named racing cars on the grid. Eddie Jordan sold his team over the winter to the Midland F1 group out of Russia and it is a little disappointing. Jordan always had the fans behind them and they were always invariably the underdogs. Jordan were late with their new car and testing form suggest that the pace isn’t there. They’ll be looking to avoid the wooden spoon this season.
MONTEIRO
It was only days before he signed for Jordan that I was talking with someone about the lack of Portuguese interest in F1. You’d probably struggle to recognise the name so here is some info on him. He spent a long time racing in France and raced in Le Mans in 1999. He had a spell in F3000 where he was lost in the pack and then had a year in Champ Cars. He eventually shone in the Nissan World Series where he finished second in the Championship. He’s apparently a better overall driver than his rookie teammate.
KARTHIKEYAN
Another graduate from the Nissan World Series, Karthikeyan is the first Indian driver in F1. Recognised as a wet weather specialist and a quick qualifier, everything suggests that when it comes to general racing, he is very ordinary. It’s certainly a big risk by the new Jordan owners to run two rookies but I guess they don’t have a great deal to lost at this point.
MINARDI
It seems like they are forever the underdogs and never expected to achieve anything. Always in a financial crisis, they are always there on race day and everyone wants to see them there and perhaps score a point or two. Paul Stoddart, the team owner, has become increasingly more vocal over the years and is always in a constant struggle to get off the back of the grid.
ALBERS
Another all rookie team in F1 as Paul Stoddart likes to try anyone and everyone before selecting his lineup. He is probably bringing a bit of money to the team and if I remember correctly, he spent a good few years in F3000. Unfortunately, that isn’t always a guarantee of speed. The only thing you can do at Minardi is wring the cars neck and try to show your worth.
FRIESACHER
Another graduate from F3000, he was pretty much the last driver to get a seat in F1. Again, he is probably bringing some money into the team and his aim will be the same as Albers, show your worth. It’s not impossible, just look at Webber’s success.
So, there is a rundown of the drivers and teams. The final part of the preview will feature the big rumblings behind the scenes that threaten the future of F1 as we know.
For those of you not aware of it, there is a group of people behind a rival F1 Championship, known as the GPWC. It is run by certain car manufacturers in a bid to cut costs and keep an even Championship in terms of racing and how the money is divided.
Recently, the GPWC have received a lot of backing from F1 team owners. At a team meeting set up by the FIA, the teams were asked to attend a cost cutting meeting to bounce around ideas. However, this was an attempt to stop the teams from attending a GPWC meeting outlining future plans. Ferrari attended the FIA meeting, while the other 9 teams attended the GPWC meeting. It was later announced that Ferrari had signed an extension with the FIA to be in F1 until 2012, past the current 2007 date when the old deal runs out.
It’s turned into Ferrari and the FIA against the other teams as the 9 teams have all pretty much given their backing to the GPWC. The continuing war behind the scenes continues as Minardi plan to run the 2004 car in 2005 because of financial concerns, lack of development facilities and late rule plans for 2005. Under current guidelines, every team has to agree to this. Everyone but Ferrari have agreed. Stoddart plans to take the FIA to court if they are disqualified and forced not to race. They will race under protest and the lawyers have already prepared a case. It looks likely that Ferrari will agree at this moment though.
Also, Stoddart plans to put his name in for FIA leadership when Max Mosley steps down and the war of words continues. It is an entirely messy affair that could come to a head in the next few months and years. With all the teams seemingly against Ferrari and the FIA seemingly behind Ferrari, this could be a particularly bitter season and could see the end of F1 as we know it.
I’d suggest for better information, check the following websites.
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=32049[/URL]
[URL]http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=31970[/URL]
Well, that pretty much concludes the preview for this season. By all means, discuss this information and hopefully we’ll enjoy a close season of F1 racing. Any questions about this and any other F1 related info, just ask and I’m sure someone will know the answer.
I hope you enjoyed reading it, if you managed it all. Thanks for reading.
Grandprix