Well, no results for now, anyway. So the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours is coming up this weekend. Arrows finally have started to head over to France, no idea if they'll actually race. kevin + http://tullamarine.org
Formula1.com also says that M. Schumacher could win the whole thing if he finishes first. Is it really that possible to win the championship so quickly?
Yes. His nearest competitor is Rubens Barrichello on 32 points while he is on 86 points. Suggesting that Michael Schumacher wins at Magny-Cours, he'll have 96 points. There are only six more races after Magny-Cours, with a maximum of 60 points to be awarded. The title should be his outright if he wins and these happen at Magny-Cours: 1) Barrichello finishes at fourth or lower (perhaps even third, not sure how the tie-breaking procedure works) 2) Juan Pablo Montoya finishes lower than second. 3) Ralf Schumacher finishes lower than second (Ralf & Michael would be tied on points if Ralf finishes second at Magny-Cours and wins all the remaining races this year, with Michael garnering no points after a hypothetical win at Magny-Cours) Even if he doesn't clinch at Magny-Cours (I don't think he will), it would take a monumental collapse in form for both him & Ferrari to not win the driver's championship. No coverage on ABC Sports this weekend because of the British Open. kevin + http://tullamarine.org
At least I'm overseas with access to FSE. BTW, has anyone checked out Speedvision (or whatever its called nowadays), do they still have all the F1 coverage they used to or has it become the NASCRAP chanel yet?
I think they are still carrying it. However, in my area they're on the expanded cable package, if not the digital cable. Any thoughts on driver movements for next season? Irvine to ____ ? Villenueve to _____ ? kevin + http://tullamarine.org
An Austrian betting bureau already starting paying those who put their money on M Schumacher. Probably he won't win in France as he wants to clinch the title in Germany in the next race.
Same coverage they've always had. Friday second session, Qualifying and Race all live. (only the Monico, Canadian, Italian and US GPs are on ABC now)
Major, major developement..... The Arrows failed to qualify..... Fisichella was injuried duriing practice. So Frentzen will race for Jordan this Sunday if no one objects.
I really don't get Arrows. I know they risk getting thrown out of F1 if they didn't even bother to show up, but they travelled to France for two laps? You must be kidding me. This stuff with Arrows is a complete joke. Your top six: 1. Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams) 2. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 3. Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) 4. Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren) 5. Ralf Schumacher (Williams) 6. David Coulthard (McLaren) Also, as expected Button is out at Renault for next season, as he will be replaced by test driver Fernando Alonso. kevin + http://tullamarine.org
Too bad for Jenson, I hope he finds a decent ride. The reason Arrows made their two laps was so that they wouldn't be fined I think I heard $600,000 (which, clearly, would be a significant amount to them in their current financial straits) by the FIA for missing the race. They showed up, they purposely failed to qualify, and now they can go home.
What do you think about the rumors that Ecclestone wants to permit 3 cars per team next season? This would mean the end for small teams like Minardi or Arrows and also increase the danger of cheating (okay, motor sport slang: 'team order'). Ecclestone got the problem that he guaranteed 11 teams or 22 cars in the TV contracts. He's forced to act as the engine producers are thinking about an own F1 series from 2006 on.
Hmmm, that sounds like a bad move to me. They should bring in moves to lower the cost to run teams ASAP, otherwise there will be many more Pacfics, Simteks, Fortis.............One move to help this is to enforce the engine limit, so reliability is the main focus, and therefore engines would be cheaper and longer lasting. Putting lead in the wheels of the Ferraris would help the sport as a specicle as well .
Rumoured to be going to either BAR or Sauber. Perhaps even Toyota to replace McNish. I know that's the reason and I know they really had no other choice, but it's still a joke. It annoys me as someone sitting in front of a computer somewhere in the US, so I can't even imagine who Bernoldi and Frentzen must be feeling. What is everyone's thoughts regarding Hockenheim? Do you think Arrows will be there? Not to mention Orange wants out as the main sponsor of Arrows. I don't know how I really feel, but it all seems so... weird. Can you even imagine who a lot of these third drivers would be? kevin + http://tullamarine.org
I heard today on UK tv that Jaguar might be a possibility. Not a great step for Jensen (especially as Renault seem to be on the up) but i guess it's better than nothing.
Re: Question Someone earlier in this thread said that the Canadian, US, Italian & Monaco races are the only ones on US broadcast TV. News coming out of Magny-Cours is that Frentzen is not going to be racing for Jordan later today, so that leaves Takuma Sato as the only Jordan driver for today. kevin + http://tullamarine.org
Re: Re: Question Frentzen wouldn't be driving for Jordan anyway, having joined Arrows sometime ago. As has been said before, neither Arrows cars made the 107% cut (on purpose) and so won't be running. The other Jordan drivier that isn't running is Fisichella. He had an accident in testing for this weekend and suffered concussion so the course doctors declared him unfit to qualify and therefore race on sunday. Leaving just 19 cars to race.
Re: Re: Re: Question Frentzen had the offer of Jordan to drive for them in this single race as replacement for Fisichella. FIA already accepted but Frentzen denied after talking with his lawyers as he would have wasted his legal position against Jordan in salary matters (still a court matter after Jordan fired him last year).
So how did the race go? It sounds rather exciting and I'm really only referring to McNish's spinout towards the end, Raikkonen's mistake and... Michael Schumacher's championship win. Thoughts? Comments? Good result for Jenson Button. Perhaps he was motivated by his dumping by Renualt. kevin + http://tullamarine.org
Re: Re: Re: Re: Question You're right, I shouldn't have been so quick to jump down your throat. Even so, it was a ballsy move (some might say desperate) by Jordan to offer him a drive for today after they unceremoniously dumped him earlier. And it now looks like BAR are the front-runners for giving Button a ride next season.
It was almost guarateed that with a result like this (very favourable for Ferrari), Ron Dennis would moan moan moan. It's pathetic sometimes.
If Michael broke the rules when he overtook Kimmi, he has a right to be disappointed. Michael is the best driver since he started, but he's also one of the most controversial multiple title winners. I think he'll retire after next year. P.S. I think Jenson's future is due to be announced tomorrow (Monday).