2005 Chinese Grand Prix

[Joe T]

Yeah, I heard it's likely to be Bahrain first on the calender.

 

[Trickle]

what a carp race
soooo not worth getting up for
was it the worst one of the year?

There have been one or two like that. They so desperately need to ditch the aerodynamics. Going back to bed... least I got the washing up done.

Pity after last weeks excellent Jap GP.

 

[Flibster]

We need Australia as the first race - it's a great race to start with - always a party armosphere there.

Bahrain doesn't have that...

Just did a google and found this...

The following dates have been allocated to the Formula 1 Calendar in 2006

[b]Date		Likely Race [/b]
12 March   
19 March	Malaysian Grand Prix
02 April	Australian Grand Prix
16 April   
30 April   
14 May		Spanish Grand Prix
28 May		Monaco Grand Prix
04 June   
18 June		Canadian Grand Prix
25 June   
02 July		United States Grand Prix
16 July   
30 July		German Grand Prix
06 August   
27 August   
10 September	Belgian Grand Prix
17 September   
01 October   
15 October   
22 October

Possibility of 20 races next year..

 

[Richard T]

Possibility of 20 races next year..

good for us but not the teams

 

[vanpeebles]

*wakes up* what did i miss?

 

[Richard T]

*wakes up* what did i miss?

absoluely nuttin

 

[Flibster]

*wakes up* what did i miss?

M.Schumacher making 2 mistakes...

Mistake 1 - moving across into the path of Albers on the lapout to the grid - totalling 2 cars.

Mistake 2 - spinning off - behind the safety car...

Montoya hitting a loose drain cover

Karthikeyan's accident

Alonso singing...badly...

Think that about it...

 

[Stellios]

Good solid race for Alonso, he really deserved the win.

No more Minardi sadly. I really liked that team too, probably one of the most dedicated teams on the pitlane IMO.

 

[//Mike]

What a totally ****ing fantastic race. I tell you all, they're plumbing new depths in crapness, especially after Japan last week. Sod's law is it then that the two champions are undeserving with respect to their rivals...

 

[Firestar_3x]

Eh?

Anyways, fantastic race shame its the end of season, good job we have the A1GP to watch now

 

[//Mike]

Eh?

Renault the best car on the grid? Nah.
Alonso the best driver on the grid? Nah.

Glad I didn't get up for this one...

 

[Flibster]

I think the last paragraph from Paul Stoddart says it all tbh.

Grand finale for Minardi

In the final race of an illustrious 21-year history of competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Minardi F1 Team did what it has always done, and raced as hard as it could in today’s Grand Prix of China. When the chequered flag fell on the concluding race of the 2005 Formula One season, drivers Robert Doornbos and Christijan Albers had claimed 14th and 16th places respectively. The afternoon was not without incident for the Faenza squad, however, and particularly Albers, who had to start the race from the pit lane in the team’s spare car after a collision with Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari while proceeding to the grid. He then had to make an unscheduled pit stop four laps from the finish when a wheel nut came loose. Doornbos had a less eventful race, climbing as high as 13th just before the second of his two scheduled pit stops, but like Albers, lost track position as a result of making his first stop immediately prior to the first deployment of the Safety Car. Doornbos did derive some satisfaction, however from finishing the race just two seconds behind the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello.

Robert Doornbos
“I said over the radio at the end of the race, ‘Thank you, Minardi, for giving me the chance to make my debut as a Formula One driver’. The race itself started spectacularly for us, and I think I did my best on cold tyres after the Safety Car incidents to pass both a Williams and Villeneuve’s Sauber a couple of times. I think I drove well and really enjoyed myself this afternoon. Let’s hope I can be back in Shanghai again next year and get a better result.”

Christijan Albers
“I think everyone saw what happened on the formation lap, and I think it was a shame for both of us. To be honest, we had bad luck all day. I had to start the race in the spare car, which is not to the latest specification – it lacks power steering, for example – and on different tyres. Unfortunately, I lost one lap almost immediately, when I came out from my first pit stop behind the leaders, who were behind the Safety Car by that time for Montoya’s incident. Still, that’s life, but it’s also F1. It’s hard, and you have to get used to it. It will just make me determined to push even harder next year.”

Gian Carlo Miinardi, Team founder
“I want to thank our Technical Director, Gabriele Tredozi, for everything he has done to make the Minardi name synonymous around the world with competing with dignity and to the maximum level possible, given the available technical resources. Over the years, we have experienced a number of problems, but we’ve been able to deal with them thanks to the passion that has always existed within this team. I want to thank all the guys, at the races and at the factory, for the effort they have put in over these last 21 years. I also want to thank all the drivers, who have helped to make this team great, and all the sponsors and fans, who have supported us unstintingly.”

Paul Stoddart, Team Principal
“The tally is 340 Grands Prix, 21 seasons, 37 drivers and one World Champion, with perhaps more to come. That’s a pretty impressive record by any standards, and I’m proud of each and every member of the Minardi team. Together with all of our colleagues back at the factory in Faenza, this team has a heart and soul second to none. The words, “Never has so much been achieved by so few with so little,” can never have been as justified as they are with Minardi. Given that the team has survived against all odds over the years, competing with both dignity and passion while contributing so much to the FIA Formula One World Championship, today is a sad day. To our current drivers, Christijan and Robert, and to all the Minardi drivers and team members over the years, thank you very much for a job well done.”

Sorry to see them go - imho not only the hardest working team in F1, but the most family like and the most fun.

Hope to see you back again Paul as well - someone who's not afraid to speak his mind is a rarity in F1.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Arc]

Watched it this morning then went back to sleep, surprised I never feel asleep during it . Damn Tilke track, dont let him near anymore circuits, it doesnt matter if you put in a straight thats longer than most runways, if the entry to it and exit arent good enough then there will be no overtaking.

End of Minardi, Sauber, BAR (although really just name change there) and Jordan, shame to see them go, especially Minardi who always tried and Sauber who could build a decent car and did well. Shame to see those V10's go, lets just hope they get the exhausts right to make the V8's sound impressive .

Ah well, lets look forward to next season, this one was good in some ways and bad in others. Funny listening to ITV though, Schuey having his worst year ever and finishes 3rd in the drivers table with Ferrari 3rd in the constructors, bet some of the other teams wish they could have a bad year like that .

 

[Stellios]

Im am absolutely gutted about Minardi leaving. They were easily the most passionate and dedicated crew in the pit lane. Hope to see Paul Stoddart back at some point.

Wont be the same next year without the smaller teams, Jordan is going to be the only slower car by the looks of it depending on how the rest shape up..

 

[Dutch Guy]

Wow, not the first time Shumacher fails horribly when he isn't the fastest, I'm amazed he still makes those mistakes (deffo time for him to replace the U in his name with IT)

As for Minardi, I can't find the words to describe how I feel.

 

[Flibster]

Got to admit - when I read the headline of this - I laughed my arse off.

Schumacher handed FIA reprimand

Michael Schumacher's dismal season ended with another poor result at the China Grand Prix and an official reprimand from governing body FIA.

Schumacher received the ticking-off after colliding with Minardi's Christijan Albers during the warm-up.

The seven-time world champion had to start the race from the pit lane with the spare car but then skidded out on lap 22 behind the safety car.

"The weird ending pretty much sums up our season," said the German.

"The only positive thing is that I am third in the championship. Let's look ahead to putting things right next season.

"I have to say I'm glad this season is over now. There can only be one target for us; to come back and fight for the title again."

The 36-year-old Ferrari star was left with his front left wheel hanging off after the collision with Albers.

Schumacher was driving slowly on the straight when he meandered into the path of the Minardi driver.

The Dutchman had no time to avoid a collision and bounced over the back of the Ferrari, ripping off most of its left-hand side.

Schumacher tried to get back to the pit in his damaged car but, with his left rear tyre shredded and smoke pouring out of the back, he was forced to abandon it.

"I was just warming up my tyres when suddenly I felt a big bang," he said.

"If you want to warm up your tyres usually you zig zag, especially when you have to go slow in order to save fuel.

"Then there was the collision. I have to say I have not seen the video yet, probably it was also partly my mistake because I do not know if he could see what I was trying to do."

Schumacher, who only won one race this year as his five-year reign as champion came to an end, was then making his way through the pack and was in 10th place when he ran into the gravel under safety car conditions.

"I spun simply because my tyres were completely worn and very cold," he said. "So when someone braked ahead of me I had to brake as well and went off the track.

"It was like I was on ice, everything went very fast. Me braking was enough to start me spinning, the tyres were so worn and cold.

"I don't think I could have finished the race on the tyres anyway."

With Juan Pablo Montoya also crashing out, Schumacher was able to secure third in the standings.

Ferrari also finished third in the constructors' table, with their solitary victory coming in the United States. In 2004, the team won 15 of the 18 races.

"A bad end to a very disappointing season," said Ferrari boss Jean Todt.

"Given that situation, we can say that third place in the constructors' and the same result with Michael in the drivers' is pretty much of a miracle.

"I hope we can put this season behind is as quickly as possible and to be back for the start of next season in a position to once again aim for the top."

 

[vanpeebles]

the baron von reds powers are faded and whats left fading fast, cant be much left longer in him!

 

[Flibster]

I think he now has more official repremands than any other person in the sport.

After the Villeneuve move he calmed down for a year or two as he was told - once more and you're out..

They did take all of his points away for that season though.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

And for those who though that Michelin withdrawing from the GP at Indianapolis was a stupid political thing...

Indy type track surface causes chaos in NASCAR race

Months after the Indianapolis debacle at Indianapolis, when seven teams withdrew from the United States Grand Prix, on the advice of tyre supplier Michelin, on safety grounds, NASCAR racers at Lowe's Motor Speedway at the weekend suffered an unbelievable number of failures, causing a number of yellow-flag periods, which, in turn, caused the event to over run.

"This is the biggest joke in racing I've ever seen,'' Kevin Harvick told reporters, after crashing out of the event. "It's terrible. Everybody is out there, knowing that at any moment their tyres are going to pop. It's pretty disgusting and pretty embarrassing for our sport.''

Things were so bad that at one stage, Tony Stewart radioed his pit crew and asked for a renewal of his life insurance policy.

It's now understood that the problem that caused the Goodyear tyres to suffer an inordinate number of failures is down to the track surface, which had recently been smoothed, using the same process used at Indianapolis.

 

[Over Clocker]

British woman gets F1 test chance
Britain's Katherine Legge will become the first woman in over a decade to test a Formula One car this week when she gets behind the wheel of a Minardi.
The Northamptonshire-born driver has been given the chance after winning three races in a successful United States' Toyota Atlantic season.

"I'm grateful to Paul Stoddart (Minardi boss) for the opportunity," said Legge.

Giovanna Amati competed in F1 in 1992, but she failed to quailify for three races and was replaced by Damon Hill.

Legge's performance in America has also landed her a Champ Car test.

She added: "These are two of the most powerful and challenging cars to drive in the world.

"Growing up in England, it was always a goal of mine to drive a Formula One car and at the moment I am just climbing the walls to get back into a car.

"Until I prove myself some more I know that both Champ Car and Formula One are out of my reach."

Indy Racing League driver Sarah Fisher drove several demonstration laps in a McLaren at Indianapolis in 2002.

But that run was a promotional exercise for a joint sponsor and did not constitute a test.


Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4355742.stm

Could be interesting