Ah, and that ^ is the answer to the other question, the one I didn't ask. I think you're right, it's in the Concorde Agreement or something else that the teams are obligated at some point. I'm interested in what Red Bull will do with all those people, technology and infrastructure if they pull out of F1. I imagine (and I'm hopeful) they won't just fire everyone, sell what they can and shutter the rest. I'd say there's a pretty good chance they'll restructure a bit to redirect those resources elsewhere... Some would characterize that as "if you don't start playing right we're going to take our toys and play with someone else." I don't care, they can do whatever they want, but I'm curious what they might be thinking. Mateschitz owns two race tracks now. They have over 1K highly trained people, tons of resources, including Adrian Newey, plus Ricciardo, Kvyat, Verstappen, Sainz, and I don't know how many reserve drivers on retainer. That's a potentially potent organization that might soon be looking for a way to be effective outside F1. Or, you know, Mateschitz could decide to just cut his losses and sell out. Who knows?
I'm pretty sure that's still a Red Bull contract thing but that doesn't mean Newey will ever go back to designing F1 cars. He said he'd lost interest due to all the restrictions, plus he might be enjoying life on that boat project.
This would be all so much simpler if Bernie would just....go! He must lead a very miserable life outside of his money.
Lotus signs agreement with worse engine maker Lotus has signed a letter of intent to secure less good engines for the 2016 season. The agreement to sell to Renault will allow the Enstone-based team to get rid of the powerful Mercedes motors it currently uses and replace them with the proven disappointment of French power units once described by Red Bull’s Christian Horner as, ‘Wah wah wah, these are rubbish, wah wah wah, it’s not fair.’ ‘Under Renault control and with Renault engines, we could realise the full potential of disappointingness,’ said an insider. ‘Especially in the hands of Mr Crashy.’ Sources say that if Renault power does not deliver the worse results the team is looking for, they are prepared to look at more radical options under a secret plan known as ‘Project Honda’.
F1 accidents to continue in 2016 Lotus is to retain Pastor Maldonado for a third season, saying that they believe the Venezuelan driver remains ‘on the money’. ‘We know we can bank on Pastor,’ said a team spokesman. ‘We love his great yen to pound the track at the Euro races and his pace, oh, it’s top dollar.’ The team admits that Maldonado doesn’t always return the car in one piece but they are confident he can ‘keep it in check’. ‘Yes, Pastor has made the odd paying-in slip,’ our source admitted. ‘But in the end, he always delivers. Usually in a plain black briefcase.’ ‘Of course there are critics who say we should let a younger, faster, less shitter driver have a go,’ our mole confessed. ‘But there are lots of reasons why Pastor should keep his seat. 20 or 30 million of them, in fact.’
If Red Bull quits F1. My bet is that they go sports car racing. Newey can start designing again. The RB organization can take it to the big manufacturers the way they did in F1. We could see RB win LeMans in a few years.
But what would they use for a power plant? Renault is right, when a team wins it's the team not the engine mfr that get's the good press, when they lose it's always the engine mfr's fault. No good deed will go unpunished. I'd love to see them do what TVR and Judd did and develop their own engines.
Two teams call on EU to investigate F1 · F1 Fanatic I'm OK with this. I'd prefer the sport to be more competitive, and want to see a full grid again some day. If it means shaking down some of the older teams a little, so be it. As it stands, the small teams don't have a chance to survive or compete for long.
There are paid pundits predicting (please pardon the alliteration :smile5: ) that Mateshcitz will start his own series. I can't imagine he'd want to spend that kind of money if his only motivation is advertising for his energy drinks company. Plus then what would be the point of also ponying up the money to run a racing team in the same series? If your team loses in its own series, wouldn't that suck worse from an advertising standpoint than losing elsewhere? But if they always win, wouldn't that smell bad? Another advertising black eye. I've been wondering whether he would take RB sports car racing but they're not a manufacturer of road cars. It seems like buying and racing a Ferrari or Aston Martin (or whatever) in most classes would have little to no difference in effect than just paying to be an existing team's title sponsor but would be much more difficult and expensive. Unless they want to build their own cars, and that leaves the non-spec prototype classes, which brings back the engine question. The difference, though, is there are less engine design restrictions compared to F1 and more options available. So, a sports car prototype racing team (or teams?)? I'd love to see them work with Nissan to take that front wheel drive thing they're working on and fix it. Seems like Adrian Newey and Ben Bowlbey might be an unbeatable design team..... But back to F1, they really do look stuck for 2016 unless they decide to take Ferrari up on a customer (read detuned) engine. They could do that as an interim solution though to carry them through 2016 while they work on their own engine or work with someone else on an engine for 2017.
McLaren has a new title sponsor. McLaren Formula 1 - Chandon becomes new official partner of McLaren Honda I think SNL said it best.... (don't worry, it's as SFW as SNL usually is, which is to say slightly NSFW but only for language) Watch Porn Stars: Moet & Chandon Champagne From Saturday Night Live - NBC.com Thanks Champagne!
Were McLaren contractually obliged to provide Alonso and Button some champagne - and they certainly weren't going to get it form the winner's podium.....
Max finally has a driver's license. Max Verstappen passes driving test on his 18th birthday (bbc.com)