Chevrolet is to join IndyCar as the series second engine manufacturer in 2012.
Links
Chevrolet revs up new engine for 2012 car (IndyCar)
Some very encouraging news from the IndyCar series that Chevrolet will be returning to the championship and supplying engines to top team Penske in 2012.
“What Ferrari did [in Hockenheim] was wrong because they had no respect for the public. They put a finger up to the watching world when that switch could have been done in a much nicer way.”
I’d like to know how Ecclestone thinks they could have done it with any greater subtlety than they did. Doing it in the pits was not an option because there was too great a risk of dropping Massa behind Vettel.
Interview with Red Bull’s Christian Horner (F1.com)
“They’ve raced each other all year, as that is the way we have chosen to go racing in Formula One. They both have the chance this weekend and we will back them equally with the same equipment and the same opportunities. However, if one finds himself in a situation where he can’t win – of course it will be their choice – but I am sure they will do their best for the team.”
Abu Dhabi GP – Conference 2 (FIA)
Adam Parr: “We have replaced all the sponsorship we have lost and we are in great shape for next year. I actually feel more positive about the future now than I have done for the a long time even though, funnily enough, we actually turned a profit as a company every year for the last three years and we will this year and we will next year. Financially I think we are in very good shape.”
Fernando Alonso waxes legs as F1 title race enters final lap (The Guardian)
“Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion, said tonight: ‘I’m surprised how he was able to take the pain of having his legs waxed. We noticed as we were walking in. Mark [Webber] pointed it out and was asking: ‘How far has it gone up?’ I was like: ‘Wow, they are shiny.””
Comment of the day
A bit more variety in Jenson Button’s radio comments would be appreciated by RFB:
I’m starting to think McLaren should sell a Jenson Button doll with a pull-string, making him say things like "Can’t get heat into the tyres", "There’s no grip, I can’t stop the car", "The tyres aren’t working, the car is undrivable", "There’s something wrong with the balance of the car"?óÔé¼?ª
RFB
From the forum
Danjwills asks Where will you be watching the last race of the season? Wherever you are, don’t forget to join in the F1 Fanatic live blogs!
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On this day in F1
Michael Schumacher curtailed his retirement to the return to the cockpit of an F1 car.
Driving 2007-spec Ferrari he headed the test attended by Heikki Kovalainen, David Coulthard, Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica, Jarno Trulli, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and others.
Who’d’ve though he was just 24 months away from announcing his return to F1 with a works Mercedes team?
Read more: Michael Schumacher fastest on F1 test return
Image © IndyCar
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
13th November 2010, 0:24
Mark and Lewis sharing opinions about Fernando’s legs…
oh boy…
I’d buy the Jenson doll tho :D! great idea!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
13th November 2010, 0:31
Making fun of a guy who waxes or shaves his legs is a time-honoured tradition. It’s only a problem when two or more guys challenge each other to a waxing duel, where the objective is to have your legs waxed without making a sound.
I’d buy the doll, too.
KNF
13th November 2010, 1:53
I’d buy a JB doll too…
*Pulls string*
“Traffic! Need blue flags!”
*Pulls string*
“No grip, no grip at all…”
*Pulls string*
“How did the car get so bad???”
Also, the pains Alonso goes through for that extra little bit of aerodynamic efficiency and weight distribution, I can imagine the technical conversation between him and the setup engineers…
Icthyes (@icthyes)
13th November 2010, 9:44
Apparently it’s a myth that shaving your legs gives you aerodynamic performance in cycling. The main advantage is if you get a cut, it’s easier to clean and put a plaster over it.
mtt90
13th November 2010, 12:14
QI?
(put in to bring the comment up to length)
xtophe
13th November 2010, 20:49
That and massage-oil is easier to use on a smooth skin.
Hare (@hare)
13th November 2010, 11:59
“There was 6 men with machine guns”
*Pulls string*
“There were 11 men with machine guns and an RPG”
*Pulls string*
“They didn’t nick the tyres though, I looked after them!”
infy (@infy)
13th November 2010, 7:55
Maybe its one of those things drivers do for good luck?
Mike
13th November 2010, 9:16
I bet Alonso has a Lewis doll as well…
I bet he’s giving voodoo a shot. :D
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
13th November 2010, 0:25
About Schumacher’s test in 2007:
maybe we all thought at the time it was an astonishing piece of driving, one that showed how good MSC was even with his retirement in the way.
But looking at those two he outpaced…
Fixy (@)
13th November 2010, 14:53
Badoer almost as fast as Schumacher!! I told you he’s one of the best!
dsob
13th November 2010, 1:30
Been reading the RBR press releases regarding the WDC.
Interesting.
Also saw Alonso in the gift shop today, buying a “Thank You” card.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
13th November 2010, 1:39
“Michael Schumacher believes he has rediscovered the joy of driving in Formula One again following a wretched comeback year.”
There are still many chapters left in the story of Schumacher’s life some of which we may see in 2011.
rci 808
13th November 2010, 2:20
I had a sandwich for lunch today.
GeorgeK
13th November 2010, 7:00
…and your sandwich has drawn more interest than Chevy’s announcement of returning to Indy car competition!
Seriously, a truly big deal for the moribund series in the U.S., maybe a turn in the corner of interest of race fans here.
DC
13th November 2010, 7:08
Yeah, that is a big deal. I had kind of relegated IndyCar as a whole into F3 category, except for the 500 which is still fairly respected. But with GM getting back involved, and with Penske no less, is really good news for that series. Of course, Penske is a big mover and shaker in GM, both with his equity investment and his dealers.
Scalextric
13th November 2010, 7:17
Ditto.
And GM is owned in large part by the American government/taxpayers so I’m now a part owner of Penske. Or something. I’ll let you know when my free tickets to Indy arrive.
BasCB
13th November 2010, 8:18
Concratulations with entering IndyCar with one of your investments!
I think it might be a success. After all, Ilmore has supplied those “chevrolet” engines before and they also were at the middle of bringing Mercedes into CART with Penske with huge success.
DeadManWoking
13th November 2010, 10:00
Yes but their Chevy Gen III Engine in 2003 was so bad that GM replaced it with the Chevy Gen IV which was supplied by Cosworth who was then owned by Ford :)
BasCB
13th November 2010, 8:20
I think it is another sign, that the series is getting back to life in years to come. Would any other Manufacturer jump in as well, now that we have at least 2 engines?
Maybe Fiat will bring in Chrystler or Hyundai could get in, it will surely be cheaper than F1.
rci 808
13th November 2010, 16:32
LOL.. My sandwich was more interesting than the 12 posts before mine! (which also has nothing to do with this topic)
BasCB
13th November 2010, 8:26
Quite a nice press conference. Adam Parr summed up what makes F1 exiting nicely right at the start, so the others just had to agree.
I liked those team managers talking about Schumi. Parr and Dominicali more or less not answering and Withmarsh and Horner both being honest.
I also think, that maybe those remarks from McLaren about supporting Button fully have not been about supporting him to really win it.
It seems he has more or less given up on winning the title internally after Spa (he indicated so much yesterday) and now we learn he has been using a new development suspension system since Korea, that is meant to be a development for next year.
Makes me wonder, how much of his slump in recent races has been to losing motivation to win it and how much might have actually been for testing new things for next years car.
BasCB
13th November 2010, 8:33
I think this link is interesting as it shows where Williams is going and supports what Parr tells us about the team being financially secure
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/247337/williams-reveals-technical-link-up-with-sainsbury-s/
Looks like Williams will not be going into car manufacturing, but instead head further on the road to using high tech engineering in the energy bussiness.
That fits well with Cosworth (building parts of wind turbines, aearpace and cars etc.), as well as their own Williams hydro engergy. Looks like their green vision makes a lot more sense than just painting the car in a phony way like Honda did.
As this is a business that is growing, a lot of companies are fighting to get into that market, and there is quite a big amount of money being made all over the world.
BasCB
13th November 2010, 8:34
It might even make a deal with Moldanado even more logical, as Chaves would want to use his oil money to get into some solar/wind or hydro engery bussiness as well for the future.
W154
14th November 2010, 2:49
Better keep an eye out for those Sainsbury delivery vans on the road. Drivers will no doubt be keen to impress SFW with their speed of delivery. Perhaps they can use them for mobile test beds for new wing developments.
Calum
13th November 2010, 8:35
The Jenson Button doll:
“we are the champions my friend!”
Julian
13th November 2010, 9:03
Seeming how its a round up, just like to say that the Australian GP has secured a Qantas sponsorship deal.
Bartholomew
13th November 2010, 14:59
“Chevy news”
I think this is great. I look forward to Ferrari and McLaren creating a second front of their war in the U.S. by having teams in Indy Car.
With all the Ferrari know how and being part of the Chrysler group, it is only natural.
McLaren maybe could associate with a leading US company to reduce their costs of racing. Ron needs to sell roadcars in the States and this could be an opportunity
Cheers!
UneedAFinn2Win
14th November 2010, 12:10
McLaren is negotiating or has already a deal to bring their standard ECU to Nascar for their new fuel-injected engines, so why not Indycar as well.