The Official 2007 SECCS Fantasy Formula 1 League!

[MattR]

McClaren #2 = Jeff Gordon!!!!!!

[sperry]

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by MattR

McClaren #2 = Jeff Gordon!!!!!!

Dammit you beat me.

[Nick Koan]

Jarno has a contract with Toyota next year (or 09), so I expect him there. There are also rumors that Timo Glock is lined up to join Toyota, though there is also talk of Nico Rosberg going there as well. I think Giancarlo will be gone from F1 next year. Gary Paffett is linked to the other Prodrive drive.

So,
McLaren - Lewis Hammilton, Fernando Alonso
Ferrari - Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen
Renault - Hekki Kovalinen, Nelson Piquet Jr
BMW - Nick Heidfed, Robert Kubica
Toyota - Jarno Trulli, Nico Rosberg
Honda - Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello
Williams - Timo Glock, Kazuki Nakajima
Red Bull - Mark Webber, David Coulthard
Toro Rosso - Team Sea-bass
Super Aguri - Taku and Ant
Prodrive - PDLR, Gary Paffett
Orange India - Adrian Sutil, Narain Karthikeyan.

[sperry]

No way Alonso is at McLaren next season. I'm surprised he's attempting to stick it out in '07 as it is. He obviously wants to be gone, McLaren seems like they would rather have Hammy, and with the Telefonica money and Renault's desperate need of a top-caliber driver, I've got to think Alonso will just go back there.

[Nick Koan]

I agree its probably more likely, but I don't think its a foregone conclusion just yet.

Plus, I couldn't figure out a team where Hekki would go (maybe Williams instead of Nakajima), and I think he'll stay in F1 next year even if he leaves Renault.

[skimonkey30]

Originally Posted by sperry

No way Alonso is at McLaren next season. I'm surprised he's attempting to stick it out in '07 as it is. He obviously wants to be gone, McLaren seems like they would rather have Hammy, and with the Telefonica money and Renault's desperate need of a top-caliber driver, I've got to think Alonso will just go back there.

Rumors are swirling that Alonso's manager has possibly found a loophole in his contract that allows him to get out of it because Mclaren was found guilty of violating the sporting code in the Stepney-Gate saga.

Another Rumor is that Alonso will suit up for BMW in 09 which is why Mario Thissen is not speculating on how long Nick Heidfeld's actual race contract is past 08

ahh silly season how I've missed you

[sperry]

Originally Posted by skimonkey30

Rumors are swirling that Alonso's manager has possibly found a loophole in his contract that allows him to get out of it because Mclaren was found guilty of violating the sporting code in the Stepney-Gate saga.

Another Rumor is that Alonso will suit up for BMW in 09 which is why Mario Thissen is not speculating on how long Nick Heidfeld's actual race contract is past 08

ahh silly season how I've missed you

I thought McLaren already said they'd be happy to release Alonso from his contract at the end of the season?

[Nick Koan]

I don't think that statement is official yet, and Norbert Haug keeps saying the contract is still valid and that Alonso will be driving for McLaren in 08.

[Nick Koan]

I don't know if its confirmed as fact yet, but there is a lot of buzz about the Skyker F1 team being sold,to Michael Mol (who is currently team principal and until a few weeks ago an exec at Spyker cars) and Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya. In other articles I've read, Mallya is the owner of many different companies in India including Kingfisher which currently sponsors Toyota.

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlin...02111545.shtml

Anyways, looks like Narain might be on his way back to F1.

[sperry]

As soon as I saw "Indian Billionaire" I though of Karthikeyan.

[skimonkey30]

new evidence??? Uh-oh

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlin...05182039.shtml

discuss

[sperry]

I saw that. The silly season would be complete if the 1st person ever to win the championship in his rookie season was stripped of the title due to his team cheating.

[skimonkey30]

From what I heard Varsha talking about this morning it sounds like De La Rosa and Alonso are bringing the new evidence in the Stepney Gate.

Apparently De La Rosa sent an email to Alonso detailing some secret ferrari setup info he got from Mike Coughlin

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/62097

[sperry]

Originally Posted by skimonkey30

From what I heard Varsha talking about this morning it sounds like De La Rosa and Alonso are bringing the new evidence in the Stepney Gate.

Apparently De La Rosa sent an email to Alonso detailing some secret ferrari setup info he got from Mike Coughlin

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/62097

Oh snaps! I think McLaren is fucked.

Also in F1 news, Q3 is finally getting rid of the goofy fuel credit nonsense:

F1's Sporting Working Group has agreed to rid the current qualifying format of the controversial phenomenon known as 'fuel burning' ahead of the 2008 season.

Because of the format's clash with the parallel parc ferme regulations, drivers currently approach the opening laps of the top-ten runout with the objective of simply burning fuel and earning 'credits' to add more fuel before the race.

Renault Technical Director Bob Bell remarked that the unrefined system is at the moment "a completely strange thing to do given we're all becoming eco-friendly".

The agreed solution for 2008 is twofold; the final Q3 session will be reduced from 15 minutes to a new (unknown) timeframe, and teams will no longer be able to replace burned fuel prior to Sunday's race.
Cliquez ici...


The tweaks effectively mean that competitors will have to approach the battle for pole position with an initial load of fuel for the race, plus an additional amount for qualifying.

Should drivers make an error on a flying lap, therefore, they will have to weigh up the benefit of another qualifying attempt with possibly compromising the desired strategy for the first stint of the race.

The revised format will now be sent to the World Motor Sport Council for approval.

It means Q3 times will be even slower than Q2, but it does make the rules a bit clearer, and adds that extra element of strategy, where staying out one extra lap means being that much faster and grabbing pole, but also means pitting one lap sooner in the race. Hell, what it really means is that the race *starts* when the pit lane opens in Q3.

Which asks the question, why not put the cars into Parc Ferme at the start of Q1? Meaning the cars have a fixed fuel load from the start of qualifying. Spyker could run light fuel and get themselves into Q2 only to run out of gas on the starting grid!

[sperry]

More on the DLR/Alonso emails:

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlin...07204845.shtml

If this goes down like it sounds like it will, it's going to SUCK for McLaren. They'll be DQ'd for all this season, and likely all next season. Their two new drivers likely have clauses in their contracts allowing them to leave the team if the team is found guilty of rules infractions, so say hello to two of the best drivers in F1 on the free market for next year. Lewis is going to lose his record breaking rookie championship season that he likely deserves, even if McLaren got tire/setup info from Ferrari.

And just to be devil's advocate, McLaren's use of setup info (if it really is just tire related data) would just be leveling the playing field since Ferrari really had an unfair advantage over everyone else 'cause they were the only competitive Bridgestone team before Michelin left the sport.

[Nick Koan]

I was just reading that article. This sounds pretty bad now for McClaren. I'm also wondering if this takes PDLR out of the running for the Prodrive seat next year.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by nKoan

I was just reading that article. This sounds pretty bad now for McClaren. I'm also wondering if this takes PDLR out of the running for the Prodrive seat next year.

I doubt DLR is going to be in any sort of real trouble. If the excerpts from the email are the most damming thing, it doesn't sounds like DLR or ALO had real "cheater" info, they just knew that it existed and didn't tell the FIA when they were asked.

Likely the FIA will give them a talking to, but I doubt they'll be excluded from next season.

[skimonkey30]

Mclaren has apparently been disqualified from the 07 and 08 championships according to first reports

more to come the F1 sites are updating right now

[skimonkey30]

Ok maybe not just yet......here is what i got from f1-planet


According to reports on the BBC, the FIA's World Motor Sport Council has proposed that McLaren are excluded from the 2007 and 2008 World Championships.


However, the corporation claims that the exact nature of the punishment which will be meted out is still being discussed.


As such, Lewis Hamilton's World Championship bid may yet be rekindled, with McLaren expelled from the Constructors' Championship but both Alonso and Hamilton permitted to compete for the Drivers' title.


The FIA has confirmed that a definitive verdict is now imminent.


ALL THE DAMN F1 SITES ARE DOWN!!

[Nick Koan]

Just read the news. Damn.

I'm curious to see what the final verdict is going to be.

[skimonkey30]

here it is

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,189...726904,00.html

Booted from 2007 Constructors Championship
Hamilton and Alonso can still compete for the Drivers Title
$100 million fine
2008 cars have to be examined prior to taking to the track

Mclaren is to hold a press conference in 30 mins

[skimonkey30]

totally seperate from the Stepneygate saga

but it looks like renault might be in trouble for espionage as well

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlin...13174203.shtml

[sperry]

Silly season. Indeed.

[Kevin M]

$100million???? Holy carp!