Comments on: BMW Sauber sold to Swiss and Arab investors

By: john g

john g — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:40:03 +0000

so what exactly does this mean for the sauber team? they are now owned by a consortium of investors whose interest in racing is unknown, and they don’t have an entry into next years championship.

a group that bought a team with no engines, for probably close to $60m, who did not have an guaranteed place on the grid, and who are not entitled to the significant amount of monies owed BMW, had they signed the concorde agreement, do not fill me with confidence for the future of the Hinwil guys, given brawn bought honda for a pound with a guaranteed entry onto the grid and a deal with mercedes… you can’t help but feel that the top BMW board simply don’t understand F1 and royally screwed this whole thing up.

By: Lee Gilbert

Lee Gilbert — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:33:07 +0000

I would rather have 28 cars ad 14 teams on the grid than the idea of allowing some teams to race 3 cars!!!!!

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:31:18 +0000

Don’t forget this company (team!) is run by German. No offence but these guys are ruthless.

Look at Rover as a case in point and remember who owns Mini.

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:18:37 +0000

yeah, they will replace Renault on the grid next year….this thing is all sorted before that hearing in Paris.

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:16:22 +0000

Immunity from what….think about it. The FIA aren’t going to fine them. If the race was fixed then there reputation is going to stink so unlikely they will work again in F1.

However, if Flav is guilty or his reputation is tarnished that will lose him an awful lot of money.

By: Baktru

Baktru — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:44:01 +0000

BTCC is a whole other beast though. Open wheel racers, like F1 cars, are quite fragile too. Just a slight nudge can easily be enough to cause damage that at the least means an extra stop in the pitlane. Touring Cars, DTM cars, etc. can handle some bumps a lot more easily. If the cars are so easily damaged, it is only normal that one will only try overtaking if it’s pretty certain it can be done.

By: James Allen

James Allen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Good spot, thanks

By: MartinWR

MartinWR — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:29:55 +0000

With the greatest respect, shouting is generally regarded as bad form.

By: C.M.

C.M. — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:29:06 +0000

Exactly my thoughts. FIA’s actions seem very wrong to me. 3 people involved and 2 of them get immunity. It means that there’s only 1 left to get punishment, if it comes. Mosley is targeting only Briatore. Doesn’t even care what part did other 2 guys play. Let’s see how it all ends, most I wanna hear what part did Symonds play in all this.

By: MartinWR

MartinWR — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:22:37 +0000

It’s a nice thought, I agree, but drivers have been giving it absolutely all they’ve got for some years now, and overtaking is still as near impossible as makes no difference. Regrettably, all the wishful thinking in the world won’t cure this problem. The 2009 rule changes completely failed to increase overtaking. Nothing but the elimination of aero, turning these upside-down aeroplanes into cars again, is going to change things. But that isn’t going to happen.

The only obvious way forward is to dramatically reduce down-force, and increase mechanical grip with bigger (slick) tyres and wider track, and keep going in that direction until a useful compromise is reached. More power would be good too. Unfortunately any movement in that direction will inevitably slow down F1 cars to the point they are slower than cars in lesser formulas, even though still demanding greater skills of their pilots. Clearly that wouldn’t do. F1 not only needs to be the pinnacle of motor sport, but it needs be seen as such by being visibly the fastest formula.

So F1 is stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Over the years aero technology has gradually, imperceptibly, squeezed the fun out of Grand Prix. And if you don’t believe that, take a look at some F1 videos from a couple of decades back. Believe or not, the drivers actually diced with each other occcasionally! It was actually fun, once in a while. A bit like the dicing that still goes on in many of the lesser formulas, not to mention the BTCC.