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Post by René on Sept 28, 2024 9:38:12 GMT
Certainly there are times when the twenty best drivers in the world are all in Formula One, but often also on the grid are lesser talents who pay and drivers past their prime but still attractive to sponsors, whose value to the team is more budgetary. Chance always plays a part. Had James Hunt not seen and raved to Teddy Mayer about about a young Canadian who'd dominated Grand Prix drivers in a Formula Atlantic event, where would Gilles Villeneuve have gone? His talent was impossible to overlook, but immense talent is not a guarantee. Talented drivers not on anyone's radar in remote regional series who can no longer afford to race sadly walk away every year. Without a prominent venue, without a wealthy patron, Beethoven may have remained a supremely talented church organist in Bonn. Impossible to overlook!  These are the keys and pedals that 12-year-old Ludwig played on. A talent also impossible to overlook...   |
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Post by Carl on Sept 28, 2024 21:36:07 GMT
Carl,
I fully agree on your point.
The point I wanted to make was just that, In my opinion, the present FIA president can't hold a candle to anyone who has made it to Formula One; and so, he should refrain from trying to educate any of these young men in moral and manners.
Best,
M.
Mikael, You are absolutely right about Sulayem. He's way above his head and comfortable only when others come down to his level. I think much of the current situation derives from poison dwarf ecclestone and his private equity nazis, who stripped every asset they could from the sport and continue to delude themselves that they saved it. What remains is the domination of money... and the emirate states have tons. Best regards, Carl |
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Post by René on Oct 11, 2024 18:15:05 GMT
Interesting news today about Toyota returning to F1 as a technical partner to Haas.  From Grandprix.com: The deal will also involve Toyota branding on the Ferrari-powered Haas cars as of next weekend's US grand prix in Austin and beyond.
Team boss Ayao Komatsu says the deal has Ferrari's blessing.
Together with Gene Haas, I'd specifically like to thank Stefano Domenicali and Fred Vasseur on that front, said the Japanese.
Auto Motor und Sport said a new, Toyota-constructed front wing will debut on the 2024 Haas car in Austin. More and more parts will be added bit by bit, said correspondent Michael Schmidt.
The aim is that by mid-2025, all components will be supplied by Toyota, with the exception of the chassis and the drivetrain elements produced by Ferrari.“
This concept is completely new and sounds quite clever. Ayao Komatsu seems to be doing a good job in bringing the team to another level. So we’ll have a Haas-Toyota-Ferrari and an Alpine-Mercedes…  |
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Post by mikael on Oct 12, 2024 8:37:56 GMT
So we’ll have a Haas-Toyota-Ferrari and an Alpine-Mercedes…
Yes, in addition to the Aston Martin Mercedes.
As to Toyota, I could imagine that that would not be a big issue for them, as they - for their road sports cars - have a long history of employing engines manufactured by others (subcontractors). The spectacular 2000GT (of the 1960's) and LFA (of the 2010's) both had engines manufactured by Yamaha. Also, the swift, little Toyota 86 (of the late 2010's) had a Subaru flat-4 engine. (Actually, it may be more fair to say, that this car was actually a rebranded Subaru).
The spirit of Honda is different, I think. They have joined F1 mainly in order to learn something - not just to promote the brand.
For me, the most astonishing evolution remains to be the Alpine(Renault)-Mercedes; that I would never have guessed; I would have imagined that the motorsport-pride of Renault went deeper ...
The Yamaha-powered Toyota 2000GT
... and the also Yamaha-powered Toyota/Lexus LFA
The Subaru-powered Toyota 86 |
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Post by mikael on Oct 12, 2024 13:05:33 GMT
... and we also recently had an Alfa Romeo - Ferrari. That was, of course, a rather natural (and even a classic) combination; yet short-lived, sadly (it was nice to see Alfa Romeo back in F1, I think). But then again, this will, according to the plan, soon become a true factory Audi, with an Audi engine (as far as I understand). That will be interesting! (I wonder if they could experience an early "nightmare", in the way Honda did ...?)
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Post by René on Oct 12, 2024 14:45:37 GMT
But then again, this will, according to the plan, soon become a true factory Audi, with an Audi engine (as far as I understand). It won’t be a Mercedes engine for sure! |
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