Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Well, we will just have to agree to disagree on this.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Absolutely correct, he also pays tax in several other countries, and we all know mark will always disagree.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Well a grump a day is common place for good old Mark.;)

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Nope, it is a grump an hour for me atm. Hate this time of year, it always makes me so depressed. Anyway, back on topic. Updated list of drivers for next season.

Caterham: TBA & TBA
Ferrari: Sebastien Vettel & Kimi Raikkonen
Force India: Sergio Perez & Niko Hulkenberg
Lotus: Romain Grosjean & Pastor Maldonado
Manor: TBA & TBA
McLaren: Fernando Alonso & Jenson Button
Mercedes: Nico Rosberg & Lewis Hamilton
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo & Dannil Kvyat
Sauber: Marcus Ericsson & Felipe Nasr
Toro Rosso: Max Verstappen & Carlos Sainz Jr.
Williams: Felipe Massa & Valtteri Bottas

Apparently, Manor GP is the Marussia team from last season. Apparently that was the name of Marussia when founded in 2010 before being known by other names. No idea whether they will get the extra funding and bump up the pits from the 2 points scored last year by Marussia.

Also Caterham have been given permission to race in 2015 with their 2014 cars while a buyer for the team is found.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Manor is what was rebranded Virgin, before becoming Marussia and eventually went out of business. Officially their entry has now lapsed and certainly Sauber are pressing very hard for their share of Marussia's prize money. Even if Marussia are able to re-enter it will be with a new entry and, as a result, it's not clear that they would be due any prize money from this season.

Personally I think they had a smaller operating budget than any other team, missed three races and still beat two teams so they should be rewarded accordingly, but reading between the lines I think they are, sadly, done.

Caterham appear to have a slightly better chance, but it still doesn't look good. Kobayashi has moved on to another series as well.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Ferrari have confirmed Esteban Gutierrez as test and reserve driver.

I guess he has recent experience of a bad car with a Ferrari engine, but even so...

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Final calendar has been announced now. It sees the return of the Korean GP.

15 March: Australia
29 March: Malaysia
12 April: China
19 April: Bahrain
3 May: South Korea TBC
10 May: Spain
24 May: Monaco
7 June: Canada
21 June: Austria
5 July: Britain
19 July: Germany
26 July: Hungary
23 August: Belgium
6 September: Italy
20 September: Singapore
27 September: Japan
11 October: Russia
25 October: USA
1 November: Mexico
15 November: Brazil
29 November: Abu Dhabi

Korean GP is on there as a provisional race. Also some rule changes. The double points is scrapped. In the event of a race being suspended, the pit exit will be shut and cars are to proceed slowly to the pit. The first car into the pits must go to the exit remaining in the fast lane and form the front of a queue.

And in what must be a first, any equipment and/or personnel on the track after the 15 second warning has been given, the driver of the car concerned must then start the race from the pit lane. Failure to do so will result in a 10 second stop and go penalty.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Thanks for the excellent updates Mark.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

The Koreans don't seem to think they'll be able to manage it ...

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20141204001228

... but it looks like Bernie has put it on the calendar so that Korea can't sue him for leaving them out ...

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/187393.html

Long story short it won't happen, which is good because it adds an extra, expensive, fly-away race and it's not even a good one.

---------- Post added at 10:26 ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 ----------

I thought this was an interesting little story as well http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...ts-new-f1-team

Haas serious about buying as much as he possibly can rather than making it himself. He's right in that this is the way for a small or start-up team to get by, but I thought the point of his operation was to sell his machine tools. Not much of a marketing ploy to say that all your stuff is made by other people! Still, I think the decision to base in Oxford, either at or near Marussia's factory is encouraging as it will presumably offer some of their employees new jobs.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

2 people leave Ferrari after a new Team Principal arrived at the team.

Wasn't this Pat Fry the whole spark of this spying thing between Ferrari and McLaren?

---------- Post added at 13:41 ---------- Previous post was at 13:38 ----------

Also, nothing has been mentioned yet about the pre season testing next year? I seem to remember the dates being known in advance but cannot see them up on the site.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Are you thinking of Nick Fry?

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Possibly. Didn't really take too much notice of that whole spy thing.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Nick Fry was head of Honda who became Brawn and are now World champions Merc AMG. He apparently met both Mike Coughlan and Nigel Stepney after they'd been suspended/sacked by their teams, McLaren and Ferrari respectively in the aftermath of the affair, and had to deny publicly that he'd also received information.

Pat Fry was at McLaren during the affair, but as far as I know had no involvement with it, and the fact that he ended up at Ferrari probably confirms this.

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Gene Haas has bought the Marussia factory to use as his European base

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...ussia-factory/

Re: Formula 1 2015 Season thread
 

Lotus possibly on the brink?

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-f1-entry-list