F1 Fanatic round-up: 27/1/2010

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The server move has finally been completed this morning so hopefully you’ll notice some immediate improvements in the site’s loading speed and reliability.

This is only the start of the developments on the site, however – we have several more changes coming soon which will hopefully make it run even better.

We have one lingering problem from the change that we’re aware of at the moment – the forum isn’t available at the moment. Sorry to all our forum users, we hope to have it back as soon as possible.

Technical stuff aside, on with today’s round-up:

Links

Campos insists 2010 F1 preparations on track (USA Today / PA)

Head of strategy Daniel Eisen: “Bahrain is a test, it’s not a first race for us. The cars are very advanced, we have a driver under contract and our intention is to be in Bahrain for the first race. Everybody’s worried and that’s logical because the season is long and we’re the new ones. But first things first, we want to be there with the best of everything, especially the cars.”

La livr?®e 2010 Renault F1 se d?®voile (Confidential Renault, French)

Renault blogger Confidential Renault claims to have a picture showing the team’s intended livery for 2010. It looks very similar to the version that was rumoured in the French press before last year’s Japanese Grand Prix (see below).

Rumoured Renault livery, 2009

Comment of the day

Here’s Hairs’ take on Jose Maria Lopez joining US F1:

Lopez is no worse than any of the people Toro Rosso have incompetently flung onto the F1 scene only to throw back out again a few months later. With this singing, Windsor and Anderson are finally admitting that;
a) TheyÔÇÖre not operating from a position of unassailable genius
b) They have to get as far as the grid before they can do anything else
c) TheyÔÇÖre not going to be able to flog the entry to someone else at a profit.

None of those things are good for the teamÔÇÖs Ego, but theyÔÇÖre all signs that hard truths are being faced and rhetoric is being replaced with hard nosed decision making. ThatÔÇÖs a good thing. Fact remains they should have hired this guy and a Team Principal about five months ago, though.
Hairs

Happy birthday!

It’s TNFox’s birthday today so happy birthday to you!

On this day in F1

Rene Arnoux scored his first F1 victory 30 years ago today, in the second round of the 1980 world championship. He also won the next race at South Africa in his Renault but struggled to pick up points from then on and ended the season sixth in the championship.

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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30 comments on “F1 Fanatic round-up: 27/1/2010”

  1. Hairs, I could not agree with you more

  2. Keith,

    New server looks far more reliable and faster, even with Mobile version. Hoping it will continue that way!

  3. I hope Renault livery will be like that. Really beautiful!

    1. Agree !! very very nice.

  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TNFox.
    When we will have our forum back?

    1. First I’m checking whether there are any other problems arising from the server change. There appear to be some corrupted characters and a couple of missing pages.

      1. We also have a problem where some people are not able to see the new site, which I need to fix before sorting the forum problem.

        1. Interesting update: I run a dual boot WinXP/Win7 machine. The site loads fine under WinXp, FF 3.5, IE and Opera (even changing “Identify as..” setting under Opera).

          But on Win7, it doesn’t load at all (showing the “Ctrl-F5” page). Earlier today, it showed blank pages under FF, and yesterday’s site under IE. Tried downloading a new browser (Opera 10.10) and same deal – Ctrl-F5 page.

          Will do some more testing and get back to you….

          1. Very Very weird. Under Win7, I can get in under other user logins. Have now got success by using CCleaner (freeware junk removal, see http://www.piriform.com) to delete all cookies, autocomplete entries, saved files from the browsers.

            This is strange because I know IE didn’t have any cached files before I attempted to use it this morning, and I used the in-built “delete temporary files” this afternoon to solve the local cache error.

            So, if like me you were having trouble getting in and nothing is working, download CCleaner (windows only) and delete everything IE or your other browsers (listed under the “applications” tab) have saved on the hard drive and try again.

        2. Have only just managed to get on the main site (have been trying all day). Also the forum is still down for me but I understand that’s not just me. Is there anything I can do to my pc settings to ensure the site loads everytime? (I run XP pro).

  5. Wooooooooo Weeee aaaare the Chaaammmpeeeooonns off the Wuuuurrllld…….

    (end childish section)

    1. Well done old bean. I’d never get a mention, because I never end the childish section ;) I’m rather like the Lemur from Madagascar in that particular way.

  6. Happy Birthday TNFox

    Any idea when the forum will be back up Keith?

  7. That Renault picture has been around for a while.

    1. “Rumoured Renault livery, 2009”

      I was about to write “we the hell is the rumoured livery showing a 2007 spec car.”

      I claim rubbish.

      1. Its in a preview article for the 2009 japanese Gp

  8. Schumi_the_greatest
    27th January 2010, 12:55

    keith one suggestion id have for the site is to do with the comments.

    ive seen you comment on james allen’s blog a few times and 1 feature he has on his site is the ability to reply directly to another persons comment, saves you having to type @joe bloggs and then coopy & pasting what they said!

    no biggy but would be a welcome addition i think keith

    1. You can reply to other people’s posts like that on this site too…see.

  9. It’s TMFOX Keith ;-)

    But thanks :)

    1. Happy Birthday TMSquirrelPig

  10. A worthy COTD, Hairs, and happy birthday TNFOX

    That Renault “scoop” is most likely fake, but I really hope it does come out like that.

  11. Wow the site loads so quickly now :)

    I hope the Renault livery is something like that, looks amazing!

  12. Eje Gustafsson
    27th January 2010, 15:58

    Have to echo others. Site loaded blazingly fast I figured it was on a new faster server before I even read it was. Kudos. Good job.

    Teams. Campos. Second driver might not be annonced until eve of the Bahrain race. Well I guess then they will actually only start with 1 car is my take on that. So we will not see 26 cars in the first race.

    USF1 Not sure why everyone is so harsh on them. Sure they not made a great amount of noise but they seem to have the facilities and the expertize, not announced any drivers until recently. A pay driver as the first one is of course worrying. Just because Bernie say he have doubts but this is the same guy that said so many utterly stupid things I don’t believe half of his claims. After all it was him that was bent that Donnington would be on the 2010 calendar and refused for longest time to even talk to Silverstone (who already have a functional track) and gave Donnington extension after extension while they really didn’t have their stuff together never figuring out it was doomed from get go. Talk about cost cutting but yet want a track that is not ready for F1 to be made in short time ready for F1 needing 600million in investments and this in a economic bad times and from what I seen no track is making money on the ticket sales. Their fee to FIA/FOA is more then what ticket sales are expected to bring in. Many races can only be held because government subsidization. What is wrong with that picture?? What investor would want to give Donningpark 600million to host a venue that will LOOSE money? It’s ludacris. Bernie have no touch with reality.
    But yeah USF1 I think they will scramble to be able to get 2 cars on the grid so Campos might not be the only team that only have 1 car on the grid in the first race. Talk about new teams. I not seen much real from Lotus besides they have drivers and a staff. Where are all the pictures of car design, manufacturing plants etc? If there is 23 cars on the starting grid in Bahrain F1 will do good. I do not believe we will see a full 26 car grid on the first race. If I’m wrong I will be happy but believe strongly there will be at least 1 car missing on the grid (an not necessary because of a Fri/Sat crash but because there is only 1 car and enough spare parts to keep that car in the race).
    I believe that at least one of those three might come to the race with 2 cars but if there is a crash will only be able to start the race with 1 car because of lack of spare parts.

    1. Would Bernie allow teams to race with only a single car though? Knowing Bernie, the contract is for two cars and two drivers, and you are sent to the back of the class if you don’t produce them…..
      Also, are Renault legally allowed to call themselves Renault if they don’t own all the team? And the livery will have to show this too, won’t it?

    2. we have seen many photos of Lotus, their design, scale models and their team base.

  13. Whoa!…I clicked and then..BOOM..sites up!Thanks for the upgrade Keith.I pray for no more dreaded “error 500” messages.

  14. Great job Keith.
    I wasn’t able to access the site for most of the day but
    it’s awesome now. It made me realize just how dependent
    I am on you and your site.

    Keep up the great work!

  15. Keith,When I entered the site first,it goes to an error page saying pree CTRL and F5.I did it and still didn’t work.

    1. Presumably you’re able to see it now though?

Comments are closed.