Ecclestone rekindles interest in F1 sale
F1 Fanatic round-up
In today’s round-up: Bernie Ecclestone’s comments on a Singapore floatation spark a market for sale of F1, as potential buyers are put on alert.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Ecclestone flotation talk puts potential F1 buyers on alert (James Allen)
“There also remains the issue of the 2013 Concorde Agreement. It is hard to see how any sale, either public or private, could take place until a new one is agreed and put in place, binding in the governing body, commercial rights holder and teams for a fixed period of five years or more.”
Ferrari are racing to pair Lewis Hamilton with Alonso again (Daily Star)
“Controversial Brit Lewis Hamilton could be in line for a sensational switch to Ferrari.”
Williams F1 & TRL Sign Simulator Training MoU (Williams)
“Williams F1 and TRL (the UK Transport Research Laboratory) have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on research regarding the application of advanced simulator-based vehicle training technologies. This will help to improve road safety, reduce vehicle emissions and increase passenger comfort and safety.”
Force India not taking sixth in constructors’ for granted (ESPN)
“Force India has vowed not to become complacent over its current sixth place position in the constructors’ championship.”
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Comment of the day
There’s been a great response to Keith’s article on the drivers will make their last F1 start next week. petebaldwin says:
If Williams have decided that Barichello isn’t going to race for them next season, it should be announced before the race so he gets a final send off.
It would be a shame for his career to end quietly after the season.
petebaldwin
From the forum
- Sam has a question about attending the Italian Grand Prix at Monza
- 2011 Macau F3 Grand Prix video
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On this day in F1
Jacques Laffite turns 68 today. The French driver made his F1 debut in 1974 and scored his first victory in the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp in 1977.
Like all of his six victories, it was achieved at the wheel of a Ligier, the team he started 132 of his 176 races for.
peteleeuk (@peteleeuk) said on 21st November 2011, 0:10
Some great non story reporting their from the daily star.
Point out one driver is good but not happy.
Point out one driver used to be good but isn’t any more.
Nothing links Hamilton to Ferrari, but we’ll gloss over that and stick it in a headline.
Daft, please don’t encourage them.
peteleeuk (@peteleeuk) said on 21st November 2011, 0:12
…there…
I hate people getting that wrong too. I’ll put it down to tiredness!
d3v0 (@d3v0) said on 21st November 2011, 1:39
I couldnt agree more, that “news” article didnt have one iota of actual fact to support the headline. Sheesh. I’d rather see lewis in a mclaren
ivz (@ivz) said on 21st November 2011, 4:47
What else do you expect from the media?
A said on 21st November 2011, 16:57
What makes the star think:
a) that Ferrari would want Lewis when in actual fact they’ve showed more interest in Vettel
b) that Fernando “this team is mine” Alonso would want a team mate who can actually challenge him
c) that Lewis would agree to move to anything slower than the mclaren having only shown interest in moving to red bull…
I can only see a young driver coming in to replace massa (as he himself did barracello) perhaps someone like perez who has some experience lower down the grid.
Julian (@julian) said on 21st November 2011, 8:07
The sad thing is that “news article,” as evidenced by the comments on the roundup, is going to be talked about more then the actual news article i.e: “the burnie floater”
d3v0 (@d3v0) said on 21st November 2011, 8:27
The floater is inevitable isnt it? Unless Bernie is the walking dead/immortal/vampire or some other mythical creature, his time is coming to a close. I hope the successor does not ruin my F1.
celeste (@celeste) said on 21st November 2011, 0:10
I have a conflict. On one hand I think there is a need to open seats for new talent… but Barrichello is one of the good guy, I wouldn´t to see him go.
That will xplain the recent love pact between the both… I wouldn´t mind… Ipm almost sure that they will hate each other again, but it will be really fun to watch… specially when Dominicalli orders one of the other aside for the other…
d3v0 (@d3v0) said on 21st November 2011, 3:40
Ferrari could not operate as they historically have liked to with a pairing such as Hamilton and Alonso. It did not even work with McLaren, a team that has historically allowed drivers as fast as possible to race each other.
In Ferrari, the climate would be even more different than in McLaren – we obviously know this. Fernando would want to be given #1 status (if not in contract then then after he was leading Lewis in the points after the first 3-4 races). Lewis would never allow such a fallacy in the contract, and likely would not allow team orders in the first 2/3rd of the season, let alone 3-4 races. Therefore, we could have turmoil as early as Monaco.
Worse yet, if the SF were to bring in Lewis who then outraced Fernando, team orders would fall on deaf ears.
Either way, it is an impossible thing to happen. I think maybe at this point the drivers are respecting each other a bit more following the 2007 fiasco, but teammates at Ferrari? Dream on.
85q said on 21st November 2011, 7:32
Mclaren drivers might be equal in the whitmarsh era but in the ron one? dream on.
d3v0 (@d3v0) said on 21st November 2011, 8:25
Are you really going to make me examine the Dennis years in their entirety?
1981: Watson and Decrasharis (who earned his nickname this year but was quick) – no clear #1/2
1982-3: Watson and Lauda, Both reasonably strong drivers. I think Watson actually ended up finishing ahead.
1984: Prost + Lauda – half point championship
1985: Lauda had a hard time keeping up this season, but was it motivation or was prost #1?
1986: Keke was a bit fat, but former champion.
1987: Okay, a clear #1/2
1988-90: Senna/Prost, need I say more?
1991-3: Senna/Berger I think driver performance more than team orders was at play here. Berger was strong and allowed to race.
1994-5: rebuilding years, weak results
1996-2001: Hakkinen/Coulthard. Starting out, I think McLaren wanted to see who was fastest. Traded blows, Mika got the upper hand, won two championships, and it went back to trading blows. Clear #1/2? You tell me. I think definitely, sometimes it was Coulthard giving way for hakkinen.
2002-4: Kimi/Coulthard: They raced, Kimi was faster.
2005-6: once again, orders, or faster? I didnt see every race these years.
2007: Okay, no one expected lewis to be that fast.
2008: Lewis/Heikki: Here is your Ron Dennis #1/2
Outsider said on 21st November 2011, 0:23
Its from the Daily Star people!..hardly the most credible source of news.
Ella (@ella) said on 21st November 2011, 0:30
Okay, I admit it, I did get a tad excited when I saw the headline but then any and all positive emotions dissipated as soon as I saw the Daily Star right next to it.
Still, Hamilton and Alonso as teammates again is kind of a mouthwatering prospect….
Well for me anyway.
Too bad it’s never going to happen again.
MGriffin90 (@mgriffin90) said on 21st November 2011, 0:51
A link to the Daily Star is disappointing..
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 21st November 2011, 6:51
It’s the round-up of Formula 1-related articles from a Sunday with no race on. Can you really blame Keith if there is a complete lack of anything happening?
gwenouille (@gwenouille) said on 21st November 2011, 8:34
Well, maybe there’s no need to pretend that something is happening ?
Dphect (@dphect) said on 21st November 2011, 12:32
Posting something that’s probably a load of tiffle though is quite confusing. I’d rather have either a quality story or no story at all, rather than what the Daily Star has spit out – which to me is a non-story.
RumFRESH (@rumfresh) said on 21st November 2011, 0:53
If Barichello wants a proper sendoff, he should just say Brazil will be his final race. I understand he doesn’t want to retire now but the security of his Williams seat is wearing away.
Ilanin (@ilanin) said on 21st November 2011, 12:11
I have a suspicion he knows Brazil will be his final race but he doesn’t want a “proper” sendoff, which is why it isn’t being announced. Can’t really blame him for just wanting to race without an additional thousand distractions.
sato113 (@sato113) said on 21st November 2011, 0:58
can someone photoshop Hamilton in Ferrari gear? or him driving a ferrari f1 car?
Gucha said on 21st November 2011, 5:48
http://i.imgur.com/AcgKA.jpg
It is official. =D
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 21st November 2011, 7:20
@sato113
Here you go: Hamilton in a Ferrari.
electrolite (@electrolite) said on 21st November 2011, 1:11
People are actually talking about that Daily Star link?
Completely agree with COTD, if Williams are going to drop him then at least come out with it now and let his fans make the most of it!
John H (@john-h) said on 21st November 2011, 1:12
It’s really up to Rubens to announce his retirement if he wants to go out with some grace. It would be nice if Williams told him before Brazil of course, so that he could ‘retire’ but having said that with all this Maldonado uncertainty perhaps they’re just not ready to finialise their drivers yet.
As for a daily star link being on here, well it’s a little disappointing. I presume it must be for a bit of fun?
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 21st November 2011, 7:58
It almost seems like fate he could bow out on home soul, the last race of the season
Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson) said on 21st November 2011, 1:41
Don’t do that to me daily star! I can’t think of a headline more exciting to me than that, and yet it’s based on..nothing.
But just imagine – Alonso & Hamilton at Ferrari..That is the ultimate, would be amazing to watch. Shame the chances of it actually happening are 0.001% before that headline, it was 0.
infy (@infy) said on 21st November 2011, 18:09
Just cant see Lewis learning Italian
George P said on 21st November 2011, 2:11
erm, I know Jacques Laffite’s carreer was a long one (and I could be wrong) but I’m pretty sure it was ’74 he started in not ’64
montreal95 (@montreal95) said on 21st November 2011, 12:38
You’re correct of course. He raced between 1974-1986. Seems unusual that he started F1 at the age of 30 but that was not uncommon those days.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 22nd November 2011, 0:53
Fixed the typo, thanks.
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve) said on 21st November 2011, 2:15
Happy Birthday PolishBoy!
BasCB (@bascb) said on 21st November 2011, 6:45
Yeah, Happy Birthday @polishboy808!
Fixy (@fixy) said on 21st November 2011, 13:41
Happy birthday @polishboy808! Have a nice one ;)
sato113 (@sato113) said on 21st November 2011, 13:02
happy bday polishboy!
George (@george) said on 21st November 2011, 18:03
Happy birthday @polishboy808 , you have a great driver to share it with too :)
wasiF1 (@wasif1) said on 21st November 2011, 2:29
Happy Birthday polishboy808.
I don’t think Hamilton & Alonso in Ferrari isn’t happening.
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 21st November 2011, 2:47
I don’t think Hamilton & Alonso in Ferrari is happening.
Eastman (@eastman) said on 21st November 2011, 2:51
You know it’s a slow news day in F1 when a story about pairing Hamilton and Alonso pops up.
AlonsoWDC (@alonsowdc) said on 21st November 2011, 3:33
Got no problem with that Ferrari pairing!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 21st November 2011, 3:55
Except that it’s a tabloid, and therefore cannot be trusted.
Besides, Hamilton won’t go to Ferrari simply because he wouldn’t be allowed to compete with Alonso.
BasCB (@bascb) said on 21st November 2011, 6:48
Haven’t read it yet, but i expect that the single new bit in it is the headline and story they made up to pull in readers!
I guess it would be fun to see the team succumb under infighting teammates if they ever did something like it. But I am equally convinced it will not even get close to a deal like that as you are PM!
gwenouille (@gwenouille) said on 21st November 2011, 8:39
FA wouldn’t allow LH to be his team mate at Ferrari.
I would even go further and think that he may have a clause in his contract protecting him from a pairing with LH. Is that possible ?
ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero) said on 21st November 2011, 11:00
It did happen in 1993, with Alain Prost barring Ayrton Senna from joining Williams.
TheBrav3 said on 21st November 2011, 15:45
This is a great interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZlOIIIA3co
the thing that always get me is that senna used those clause’ during his career to.