Some people in the CART and Indy newsgroups are now saying that Da
Matta to Toyota is a done deal and will be announced this week. The
story is that Toyota are buying his release from Newman Haas in return
for providing the team with free IRL engines. (Whether this signals a
complete move to the IRL by Newman Haas or a second IRL team doesn’t
seem to be clear, but then that isn’t really a matter for here.)

Neither is it clear whether Cristiano will be drafted straight in to
next year’s race team or expected to spend a year testing. Seeing as
Massa seems to have comprehensively blotted his copybook, I suspect
the former is now more likely.

David Betts (dav…@motorsport.org.uk)

"In the end it’s always a matter of more accelerator and less brake" – Frank Gardner

British Racing Green: http://dbetts.motorsport.org.uk/brg

I’ve been thinking about how I’d improve F1…

Here’s what I’ve come up with.

Completely remove the front wing – the rear wing can stay,  it doesn’t have
so much of an affect in allowing a car to follow another round the bends.
As I basically want to see more dicing in the races, I believe getting
closer to the car in front on the bends would help this.
And not that much of a loss of adverts on the cars.

Two races – the best bits of F1 is IMHO is the start and the first few laps,
and possibly the end.  So do the best bits twice, just like they do in WSB,
say two one hour races.
I’m not sure what this would do to F1 costs, the richer teams may want to
have a car for each race, I’d not allow that, then you’d have to have a
robust car, otherwise you’d lose points.

Improve qualifying – have Superpole, each car goes out on track on it’s own
and has a go a doing a fast lap.  Points awarded for Superpole, that way
drivers that are good in qualifying but not necessarily in the race (JPM)
can score points for there effort.

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, just a few of my thoughts.

Duane

Martin Brundle Quotes: http://members.tripod.com/~vidcad/martin_b.htm

–
+——————————————————————-+
| David A Crick <dcr…@freeuk.com>  PGP: (SEP-2002 KEY) 0x4E88C3B1 |
| Damon Hill Tribute Site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/4236/ |
| M. Brundle Quotes: http://members.tripod.com/~vidcad/martin_b.htm |
+——————————————————————-+

Hello!!

Do anyone knows whats located inside the litle horisontal pice just
above the airintake just behind the driverseat? I would guess that
there is some cameras, since it seems to be pictures from that
position during tv broadcasts.

Do anyone knows for sure what that pice are used for.

Thanks!!

StigM
Trondheim
Norway

Just read an interesting little snippet that’s turned up on Ananova
http://www.ananova.com/sport/story/sm_662488.html

The basic jist is that F1 needs to do something, as if the next season
starts as F1 is today – red cars romping into the distance, and no-one
near – then F1 is likely to start suffering a major switch off.

I have to say, from an entirely personal point of view, that I have
never experienced a season that has left me so uninterested. I’ve not
felt the need to watch every race live. I’ve not bought a motor sport
magazine this year. I cannot remember a year when I actually nodded off
during the Belgian GP.

I think I’m probably away for the next couple of GPs, and I really do
not care. That’s worrying.

–
Stephen M Baines

"That’s as fast as our car goes and we are going as fast as our car goes.
That’s it. There’s not much you can do about it," said Montoya. Montoya’s
mood of resignation was shared by McLaren for whom David Coulthard was
fourth. At least the Scotsman finished.

"Nobody had a chance against the Ferraris," said Norbert Haug, Mercedes
technical director.

The mood was shared by many drivers.

Reported by www.formula1.com

There will undoubtedly be another 1-2 win by Ferrari at Monza.

Ron

Any use to you lot?

>From a competitions newsgroup:-

From: "Russell, John J" <hjr64…@GlaxoWellcome.co.uk>
Date: 03 September 2002 15:54

I realise it’s a bit early for Saturday swaps, but these tickets are for
Sat 7th Sep, and I am unable to go, is anyone interested ?
Goodwood Revival Meeting – The star drivers of yesteryear (Stirling
Moss, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Phil Hill, Derek Bell etc.) battle it
out with the stars of today (David Coulthard, Damon Hill, Jason Plato,
Will Hoy etc.) in classic racing cars and bikes, worth over £20 million
. Competitors and spectators will be sporting 1950′s period dress (not
compulsory). See www.goodwood.co.uk for further details. One spare pair
of tickets for Saturday 7th September, worth £25 ea, any offer’s ?.

–
Emma                            http://altgallery.shows.it
The Chocolate Monster           http://chocmonster.rules.it

NOT the Brian Lawrence statistics but following his method as well as I can
based on the lap chart available.  As is apparent, the clock has gone back
to 1958.  With all the current fuss about passing (lack thereof) I though it
would be interesting to compare; I was surprised by the results.

Lap Place  Passer (Passed)
=================================
2        1       Musso   (Brooks)
2        3       Hawthorn (Gendebien)
2        5       Gregory (Lewis Evans)
2        6       Lewis Evans (Brabham) – I think
2        8       Allison (Schell)
3        1       Brooks (Musso)
3        9       ?  (Schell)
3      12       Bonnier (Trintignant)
4        1       Musso (Brooks)
                         Gendebien drops to last after a spin)
5        1       Brooks (Musso)
5        7       Gregory (Brabham)
5        9       Schell (Salvadori)
8        5       Salvadori ( Brabham?)
8      11      Gendebien (de Felippis)
11      4      Salvadori (Allison)
11    10      Gendebien (Godia?)
13      6      Schell (Brabham?)
13      7      Trintignant (Brabham? who expired shortly)
16      8      Gendebien  (Gregory – also)
18      7      Gendebien (Trintignant)
19      5      Schell (Salvadori)
21      6      Gendebien (Salvadori)
23      7      Trintignant (Salvadori)

That’s 24 passes – a bit over the current era average of 17.  The 17 number,
though, is a bit skewed by some really astonishing events (51 passes at Spa
in ’97 !?!)

Lap chart from Automobile Year 1958.

Keith

These were Autosport/Mark Hughes’s driver ratings for the Hungaroring (points
out of 10):

9  M Schumacher
8  Coulthard, Räikkönen, Montoya, Massa, Fisichella, Trulli, Irvine, Webber,
    Salo
7  Villeneuve, Panis, de la Rosa, McNish
6  Barrichello, Heidfeld, Sato, Button, Davidson
5  R Schumacher

The following received or equalled their best rating of 2002:

M Schumacher (8), Webber (12), Trulli (6), Salo (5), McNish (2), Massa (5),
Irvine (2), Davidson (2)

And the following received or equalled their worst rating of 2002:

Barrichello (2), Button (2), R Schumacher, Heidfeld (2), Davidson (2)

   2002         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 GBR FRA GER HUN BEL Tot  Avg. Change
======================================================================
 1 M Schumacher 9 9 9 8 9 7 8 9 7   9   8   9   7   9 117  8.36  +0.05
 2 Fisichella   8 8 7 9 8 9 9 9 5   7   –   8   9   8 104  8.00
 3 Räikkönen    8 8 7 8 8 8 6 8 8   8   9   8   9   8 111  7.93  +0.01
 4 Webber       8 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 8   8   8   8   7   8 109  7.79  +0.02
 5 Barrichello  8 7 6 9 8 9 6 8 8   9   7   8   8   6 107  7.64  -0.13
   Montoya      8 8 8 6 8 8 8 9 7   9   8   7   5   8 107  7.64  +0.02
   Coulthard    9 7 7 7 8 7 9 8 9   7   8   6   7   8 107  7.64  +0.02
 8 Button       7 9 8 9 8 8 7 7 7   7   8   6   7   6 104  7.54  -0.04
 9 Panis        7 7 6 6 8 8 7 7 8   8   7   8   8   7 102  7.29  -0.02
   Trulli       8 7 8 7 7 7 8 8 8   7   6   6   7   8 102  7.29  +0.06
   Salo         7 8 8 7 8 8 7 7 6   7   7   7   7   8 102  7.29  +0.06
12 Frentzen     6 7 7 8 8 8 8 6 6   9   –   6   –   –  79  7.18
13 R Schumacher 7 8 7 8 6 8 7 6 7   8   6   9   8   5 100  7.14  -0.17
14 Heidfeld     7 8 7 7 8 7 7 7 7   8   7   7   6   6  99  7.07  -0.08
   Villeneuve   7 7 7 8 6 8 8 8 6   8   7   6   6   7  99  7.07  -0.01
16 De la Rosa   7 7 7 7 6 7 7 7 8   7   7   6   7   7  97  6.93  +0.01
17 Sato         7 6 7 8 5 7 5 7 8   8   6   8   8   6  96  6.86  -0.06
   McNish       7 7 7 7 6 7 6 6 6   7   7   8   8   7  96  6.86  +0.01
19 Irvine       7 5 7 7 7 7 6 7 6   6   8   6   7   8  94  6.71  +0.09
   Massa        8 7 4 8 7 6 4 7 7   6   5   8   8   8  94  6.71  +0.09
21 Bernoldi     6 6 6 5 6 6 6 7 7   8   –   6   –   –  69  6.27
22 Davidson     – - – - – - – - –   –   –   –   6   6  12  6.00
23 Yoong        5 6 5 4 6 5 4 6 6   5   5   4   –   –  61  5.08

Note: I don’t necessarily agree with these ratings, I’m just posting them to give
_you_ the chance to disagree.

After the last GP I was asked what the overall rating from the last three seasons
showed. Here’s an updated table:

                 Pts    GPs   Avg
==================================
 1 M Schumacher  400    48    8.33
 2 Häkkinen      268    34    7.88
 3 Webber        109    14    7.79
 4 Coulthard     373    48    7.77
 5 Alonso        130    17    7.65
 6 Räikkönen     236    31    7.61
 7 Montoya       233    31    7.52
 8 R Schumacher  359    48    7.48
 9 Trulli        352    48    7.33
10 Barrichello   350    48    7.29
11 Fisichella    341    47    7.26
12 Salo          215    30    7.17
13 Frentzen      303    43    7.05
14 Villeneuve    338    48    7.04
15 Heidfeld      330    47    7.02
16 Herbert       118    17    6.94
17 Button        331    48    6.90
18 Zonta         117    17    6.88
19 Sato           96    14    6.86
   McNish         96    14    6.86
21 Verstappen    231    34    6.79
22 Panis         210    31    6.77
   Irvine        318    47    6.77
24 Gené          115    17    6.76
25 Massa          94    14    6.71
26 De la Rosa    294    44    6.68
27 Wurz          113    17    6.65
28 Alesi         223    34    6.56
29 Enge           18     3    6.00
   Davidson       12     2    6.00
31 Diniz          95    16    5.94
32 Bernoldi      166    28    5.93
33 Burti          81    15    5.40
34 Mazzacane     112    21    5.33
35 Marques        73    14    5.21
36 Yoong          76    15    5.07
37 Zonta           5     2    2.50

Note that there has been some variation in marking (some 10s, some 0s).

–

Brian Lawrence
Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK
Brian_W_Lawre…@msn.com

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Can anyone tell me roughly when F1 cars ceased to have onboard starters? It
strikes me as pretty silly to spend so much money on building and racing F1
cars, only to throw it all away if the car stalls on the grid.  If I was a
sponsor, I wouldn’t be happy watching my investment being pushed off the
track by the marshalls for the sake of an electric motor and a battery……

–
Neil McDonald

.