Formula One 2012

[ctjet]

If the french GP comes back and they hold it Paul Ricard, dont expect too much quality overtaking. That place is dullsville!

And to think they want to rotate it with Spa?! Get off the crack pipe Frenchie

[sh@un]

If they're so worried about noise, go back to V10's FFS

you need to face facts son- V10 GP engines are GONE.

good night Springfeld, there will be no encore...

[N1GTR]

Haha you KNOW i'll be living in hope of them coming back

[Owgasm]

2012 Melbourne F1 GP Tickets!!!!!! for CHRISTMAS@@@!!!!

WOOOOOOOOTTTTT

First live gp experience.

[Nee-san]

P R PAUL RICARD ! Something something boring for cars ? King of the Bar*

[-Jimmy-]

2012 Melbourne F1 GP Tickets!!!!!! for CHRISTMAS@@@!!!!

WOOOOOOOOTTTTT

First live gp experience.

Epic present man, enjoy.

[ctjet]

Im shocked how many people are fans of a sport they've never been too! How many other sports can boast a fan base like that?!

Must be powerful stuff to convert people through a TV set

[mad082]

Im shocked how many people are fans of a sport they've never been too! How many other sports can boast a fan base like that?!

Must be powerful stuff to convert people through a TV set

pretty much every sport. it all depends on how you look at it. if you ask how many f1 fans have ever been to some sort of motorsport event then there will be lots more. in the same way that you could ask how many soccer or footy fans have been to a club level game compared to the world cup.

[89CAL]

If the french GP comes back and they hold it Paul Ricard, dont expect too much quality overtaking. That place is dullsville!

And to think they want to rotate it with Spa?! Get off the crack pipe Frenchie

Agree, Spa is my favourite track on the calender, and the changeability in the weather over the circuit makes for some exciting races.

Why Paul Ricard? What about Magny-Cours? I don't even remember why they took it off the calender... Financial reasons I'm thinking for some reason?

[ctjet]

in the same way that you could ask how many soccer or footy fans have been to a club level game compared to the world cup.

In my opinion, soccer is still soccer. Seen footy in the minor leagues? Its the same shit as going to the MCG

Having seen V8 supertaxis in no way correlates to the insanity of speed and sound that is F1

Just because both categories have engines doesnt make it the same thing

[N1GTR]

Having seen V8 supertaxis in no way correlates to the insanity of speed and sound that is F1

Just because both categories have engines doesnt make it the same thing

So much "agree" for those two comments

The sound is just bullshit good. From our hotel room we could hear them building and dropping revs - it's that good, if only you could wake up to the sound everyday

[N1GTR]

Hill believes Raikkonen can be champion again

Damon Hill believes Kimi Raikkonen has "a couple more world championships" in him, and reckons returning to the sport at the age of 32 should not be a problem for the Finn.

Raikkonen left Formula 1 at the end of the 2009 season to compete in the World Rally Championship, but he will make his comeback next year after signing a two-year deal with the Lotus Renault team.

Raikkonen, regarded as one of the quickest drivers of his era, won the title in 2007 with Ferrari and has 18 grand prix victories to his name.

Former world champion Hill thinks Raikkonen's return is good for Formula 1, and he believes the Finn can still be champion again.

"It is great - and good luck to him," Hill told AUTOSPORT. "He is going to have to show that he has still got it, which he has got a good team to show that in, and he is still young.

"He has won a world championship already, and I had only just got into F1 at his age, so he has definitely got a couple of more world championships in him."

Hill, who retired from the sport at the end of the 1999 season, said he would also like to see a "titanic" battle for the titles next year, the Briton hoping Red Bull's rivals can push the team harder in 2012 after a dominant 2011.

"We want to see someone upset the applecart, although I think Adrian [Newey] is fantastic, and [sebastian] Vettel, [Mark] Webber and Red Bull Racing is a great team at the front - and they seem to be fun loving," he said.

"It is good to have that - but I know that they want to fight for it. They don't want it too easy. So a good titanic battle between three top teams would be fantastic to see."

Hill, however, said that despite Sebastian Vettel's dominance, the past season was thrilling.

He feels 2011 showed Formula 1 is in good shape, but he stressed the need to recognise the importance Europe has for the sport.

"Yes, I thought it was very exciting. It was a brilliant season. The sport is good, but there is still a lot that needs discussing. It is fantastic entertainment, but I just know that Europe and Great Britain is important to the sport.

"I think that is worth emphasising – it is not all about the bottom line. It is about going to place where people understand and appreciate the sport and they should not be denied access to it."

Autosport

[Roy]

Who is Damon Hill? Never heard of him

[tweety bird]

Robert Kubica has parted company with the doctor who has been in charge of his rehabilitation programme following his accident (pf1).

Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli has supervised the Pole's recovery since he was seriously injured in a rallying accident in February, but the two have now decided to go their separate ways.

"I wish Robert a speedy recovery and return to Formula One," Ceccarelli is quoted as saying on Sport.pl.

"We knew that at some point we would have different views on how to continue his rehabilitation. Robert will be working with someone else."

It remains unclear when exactly Kubica will return to Formula One, and Ceccarelli feels it is important not to rush things.

"I have not changed my opinion. I have often said that Robert will sit behind the wheel of an F1 car again in 2012, but he needs time. Nature must take its course, but his moment will come," he said.

interview with daniel ricciardo (aap).

Australia's rising Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo is set to take a new, aggressive approach into the 2012 season.

Armed with 11 races for tail-enders Hispania this year, the 22-year-old West Australian will move up when he partners former rival, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, at mid-field Torro Rosso.

Winning a permanent seat for Red Bull's second team is the key which Ricciardo hopes to use to unlock the door to the elite section of the F1 grid.

Torro Rosso sacked both their regular racers - Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari - at the end of the 2011 season to make way for the talented Ricciardo and Vergne.

One of the reasons Ricciardo was rewarded was the way he handled himself in the Hispania, failing to finish in just two races and consistently outpacing the more experienced Vitantonio Liuzzi.

But he said on Wednesday that he needed to take a bolder approach into next season to remain competitive and improve overall.

"I know I've got it but it's probably not consistent enough and at Formula One now it has to be as good as it can be," Ricciardo said.

"I think my actual starts are okay, the initial reaction off the line is fine.

"But a few times this year I got a good start and jumped the car off the line but maybe didn't go hard enough into the first corner or went for the safer inside line.

"I probably need a little bit more aggression which I guess will come with experience at this level."

Ricciardo said Vergne, his teammate when he raced for Tech 1 in the Renault 3.5 series, could prompt him to ditch his conservatism when the two line up together.

"He's got potential and he's quick," Ricciardo said. "We drive quite similar but he has probably what I don't have in the aggressive side.

"So maybe I can learn from him, at least in the junior categories that's been his style."

One key factor which Ricciardo is comfortable with - in contrast to his compatriot and Red Bull driver Mark Webber - is the Pirelli control tyre.

"I think they suit my style," he said. "There were more races this year I think where I had better pace than Tonio (Liuzzi).

"Definitely at (my first F1 race at) Silverstone I had very little idea and that was shown in the pace but from then on I learnt very quickly.

"It can sometimes be frustrating when they fall off a cliff and you're going four seconds a lap slower but most of the time I was making them last longer than my teammate," he said.

"I don't tend to grip the steering wheel very hard and I've got a bit of a smooth approach as well."

Ricciardo said it had been "a bit stressful" waiting to hear whether or not he would have a permanent seat next year, but he'd remained confident.

"I honestly believe I did a good enough job this year to be somewhere on the grid and that was the feeling I got from all the big guys at Red Bull.

"There were definitely some positive moments which kept them happy."

Ricciardo will fly to the Torro Rosso base at Faenza in Italy in a fortnight for a car seat fitting before pre-season testing begins at Valencia, Spain in February.

Q&A with Force India's Nico Hulkenberg

[Luke_ENR34]

Anyone here been to singapore F1 before? looking at getting tickets soon but not sure where to sit.

http://expedia.com/daily/travelshops/addon/circuitmaps/singapore.asp

Turn 3 does look good but $1800 for 3days is abit too much.

[Dani Boi]

Im shocked how many people are fans of a sport they've never been too! How many other sports can boast a fan base like that?!

Must be powerful stuff to convert people through a TV set

It's expensive to fly over and stay in a hotel when the F1 season is on. I'm lucky enough to be staying at someones house for free otherwise I would be looking at $800 for four nights accommodation If I had to pay that I simply wouldn't go.

[ctjet]

Anyone here been to singapore F1 before? looking at getting tickets soon but not sure where to sit.

http://expedia.com/daily/travelshops/addon/circuitmaps/singapore.asp

Turn 3 does look good but $1800 for 3days is abit too much.

My reasoning is this

You're probably not going to see the night race again the rest of your life. So pay it and enjoy yourself

You wont remember how much it cost in a year but you'll remember the weekend for 50 years

[sh@un]

I love the way the cars look under LED lights in HD broadcasts on a big-ass TV

good enough for me

[tweety bird]

Williams looking for new title sponsor after splitting with AT&T

The Williams team has confirmed it is looking for a new title sponsor after the end of its deal with telecommunications giant AT&T.AT&T, the largest telecommunications company in the United States and one of the biggest worldwide, had been the team's title sponsor since the 2007 season.

Williams has removed all AT&T branding from its website.

"I can confirm that the team's contract with AT&T reached its conclusion on 31st December 2011 and will not be renewed for the 2012 season," a team spokesperson said.

The Grove-based squad endured its worst Formula 1 season in 2011, scoring just five points on its way to ninth place in the constructors' championship.

A team source told the Reuters news agency that Williams was in "advanced negotiations" with another telecommunications company.

Williams is yet to name its second driver for the 2012 season, with Bruno Senna, Adrian Sutil and Rubens Barrichello believed to be in the running.

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado has already been confirmed for the upcoming season.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96881

looks like another tuff season for williams this year.

[ctjet]

I read somewhere that williams scored less than 1% of redbulls total points haul in 2011

... less than 1%

2012 is a big year for williams, another performance like that again and they'll never make it back