F1 links: Drivers react to new rules

19th March 2009, 23:49 by Keith Collantine 11 Comments »

"Comparing only the fastest times that each team demonstrated sees Brawn GP still leading the field, with an eight tenths advantage over their nearest challenger Williams, with Toyota in third."

Brundle: Don't punish F1 drivers for 'having a go'

Martin Brundle: "All I hope is that if young drivers are challenged to go for it, they don't then get penalised for having a go, which we have seen in the past.”

Schumacher 'astonished' by new rules

Michael Schumacher: "I doubt the same goes for the new rules given out on such a late moment prior to the season – something which to me is really, well, astonishing, as in all the years, when the majority wanted to have a rule change for a good reason, they always said that would not be possible in a short term or so late before a season. I cannot imagine those changes to help F1, especially regarding the new system to find the champion. I cannot see how it makes sense to eventually have a world champion who has less points than the driver coming in second, even if I also think it is a good move to try to strengthen the winner's position."

Buemi’s Diary

"We have both been invited to the Governor’s Cocktail Reception, but Monsieur Bourdais (as he says I can call him) promised he would let me go alone, so I could do all the interviews and get all the publicity, as it is my first grand prix. He really is a gentleman. That must be why he chooses to live in Switzerland. I think I’m going to enjoy being a Formula One driver."

F1 change 'could improve racing'

Mark Webber: "I'm not too bothered about it because I think it will change. It's like saying Coventry can play with 30 players against Manchester United with 11. Or in tennis, we'll lower the net for you because you don't have as good a racket, and we'll put it back up again for the other guy."

'Worried' Trulli: It seems F1 wants to die

“It seems to be 'that Formula 1 wants to die,” the Toyota star told Italian newspaper La Stampa, “and we will all have to go and race in some other championship.'

Wins vs Points

"The new points system would have changed past champions – this doesn't matter. Previous champions took advantage of the points system in place at the time they competed, so judging their results using a different system isn't a valid argument."

Lewis Hamilton voted UK’s favourite brand ambassador

"Lewis Hamilton has been voted the UK’s favourite brand ambassador in a poll of 2,000 consumers undertaken by UTalkMarketing."

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11 comments on F1 links: Drivers react to new rules

Loki said on 20th March 2009, 0:29

I just read Buemi’s diary, for some reason it’s written so that I couldn’t help but think Bourdais was completely having him on!

“When I get to the hotel, my team-mate Sebastien Bourdais is there. He tells me that as I’ve got here so late, I shouldn’t worry about getting up early for the first technical meeting at the track tomorrow and he will tell me everything the engineers say. I think he is really nice to do this and we will get on really well.”

Translation: If you don’t turn up to the first technical meeting, you’re screwed. For the season.

“He is giving me lots of little tips and also mentioned that the FIA’s Charlie Whiting doesn’t mind at all if you are late for the Drivers’ Briefings.”

Translation: Never be late for Charlie Whiting’s Driver Briefings. You never know when you might be penalised.

“Monsieur Bourdais (as he says I can call him) promised he would let me go alone, so I could do all the interviews and get all the publicity, as it is my first grand prix. He really is a gentleman.”

Translation: I can’t be bothered.

It’s cruel, but the diary is written like a naive youngster, bless!

- Keith Collantine said on 20th March 2009, 8:33
  
  Yeah it’s a spoof, but a well-written one!
  
- Luke said on 20th March 2009, 16:20
  
  found this quite entertaining, you can always count on the media guys at red bull for a little bit of fun. Is it me or it is really easy to image Monsieur Bourdais being just like this.
  
Arun said on 20th March 2009, 6:19

why can’t the teams breakaway? get organiser company for the races, lesser ticket cost so more money for the organization, someone to police the teams with the leader chosen democratically, and since the track won’t have to pay the sultan of brunei’s fortune (err 199 mil) to hold a race, better tracks, better spectacle, money from the media, and currently no concorde agreement. I think things can’t become better than present to break away from the idiots’ clutches and give the motor racing fans a real treat!!!
Why can’t they do? money? legality? non-agreement within the teams? Maybe this could make you wear the thinking cap while we all are experiencing the ‘a crescendo as we long for it all to begin’

Would love to hear your thoughts on this Keith! May be a seperate blogpost if you find it very interesting.

- DGR-F1 said on 20th March 2009, 8:23
  
  Who has Mr Branson’s phone number? I think he could be a major organiser of the calibre and fanaticism required to get a new World Series rolling, and could use his contacts throughout the world to promote it and find the extra sponsorship required.
  All the teams have connections with their country’s Motoring Associations, and most now have long term deals with sponsors, so I am sure they could push for better deals with the circuits all by themselves.
  I hope that we see at least one walkout/strike by the drivers this season over the sudden rule changes, and I hope that Max and Bernie have to spend so much time in conference with FOTA representatives that they never see the racing for themselves….
  …..I wish!
  
Arun said on 20th March 2009, 9:13

I too wish they never see the awesome cars this year!! Mr. Branson, or Deitrich, someone,..plz…

Arthur954 said on 20th March 2009, 14:28

These recent decisions by Max-Bernie are so crazy , its hard to believe they have not been done without the deliberate intention of splitting FOCA. Lou has been getting extra money from Bernie, and Uncle Flav has business interests in common with Bernie. They must have known that these decisions were coming.
And now the next surprise is the signing of the Concord agreement coming soon.

Really I have lost all my faith in the F1 governing institutions.I now support 100% a breakaway series, a kind of FOTA 1 GRAND PRIX or whatever they want to call it. For the first time in years, everyone was working together for the improvement of the sport, and all of a sudden everything is blown to pieces.
Bernie and Max are too smart to have done such an absurd thing. There must be some scheme behind what they have done

The Limit said on 20th March 2009, 14:47

I agree with Martin Brundle. These rule changes are one thing, but these drivers need more faith in the stewards decisions during races in order to be more aggressive. There is no point going for more points if they will be taken off due to a penalty, and as Martin pointed out, we saw several cases of that in 2008, not all of them involving Hamilton.
Every driver in the sports history has attained their
status as F1 drivers by being aggressive on track, for taking risks, and to be frank, that is what the fans want to see also.
I can see these new rules going the same way as the
grooved tyres and aero appendages, out the window! It is just a case of Ecclestone and Mosley window dressing, pretending that they are helping to aid racing when infact they are hindering it! Less rules and less fools please!

Chaz said on 21st March 2009, 20:14

Most wins to win doesn’t have my vote…

Chris said on 21st March 2009, 23:02

The issue with the number of wins deciding the championship is that recklessness and inconsistency can be rewarded with the title of being the F1 campion. In my opinion this is totally wrong and the driver with the best overall performance should win.

Thankfully the new system has been delayed for a year till the 2010 season, so this years championship will be decided as before. When it does come into play in 2010, they are talking of implementing an Olympic Medal system, whereby most golds wins but in the event of a tie, silvers then bronzes are taken into account.

Still i would rather see it not used at all and the tried and tested scoring method continue!

Arun said on 22nd March 2009, 3:30

I badly wanted to ask Keith that calculating mathematically, won’t the 12-9 rule or even 14-10 for that matter give more gap to winners so, if there is a two way fight in later parts of season, ppl will still go for overtaking to reduce the gap with leaders. Making wins as only choice to championship will only create mad racing. If you say Thierry Boutsen didn’t want to get more points or win and be contented with what he has, I don’t know why a team would still keep a driver that doesn’t have ‘racing’ DNA.