Hey! Where are you!?
Toyota pulls out of Formula 1
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80003
Toyota pulls out of Formula 1
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80003
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Formule 1
- Thread starter Kinga
- Start date
We are here. But I don't wanna talk because I am mad at Ferrari...
ok I am over it now. But Ferrari is kind of paranoid now, thinking that F1 is in some kind of war currently. Eh? Kind of shocking that Toyota thing and Bridgestone. And there is still possiblity that Renault leaves as well.
Bruno Senna at Campos Meta and it is rumoured that Nelson Piquet could go there.
And about engines, there's no engine supplier for Brawn and there's no supplier for Toro Rosso yet. And it's kind of interesting that Williams starts using Cosworth engines.
ok I am over it now.
But Ferrari is kind of paranoid now, thinking that F1 is in some kind of war currently. Eh? Kind of shocking that Toyota thing and Bridgestone. And there is still possiblity that Renault leaves as well.Bruno Senna at Campos Meta and it is rumoured that Nelson Piquet could go there.
And about engines, there's no engine supplier for Brawn and there's no supplier for Toro Rosso yet. And it's kind of interesting that Williams starts using Cosworth engines.
The One.
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Yees I'm also still here DIdn't have anything to say lately.. I heard about Toyota too
And I really agreee with Kinga about Domenicali..
I don't know about Renault, I thought that Caubet made it pretty clear that they will continue to 2010 but now they say that Renault's future will be announced later this year and they have postponed their decision :huh:
DIdn't have anything to say lately.. I heard about Toyota too And I really agreee with Kinga about Domenicali..
I don't know about Renault, I thought that Caubet made it pretty clear that they will continue to 2010 but now they say that Renault's future will be announced later this year and they have postponed their decision :huh:
Oh, I'm mad at Ferrari too but I'm just too nervous that there isn't any announcement yet!!!! Kimi!!!!!! Tell us!!!!! I can't take this anymore!!!
Yes, Hanna, I don't know about Renault either. What would happen to Kubica, yesterday I heard that his manager is in talks with McLaren. :bugeyed Though we don't know it for sure, all these news are maybe just speculation.:doh::mello:
Yes, Hanna, I don't know about Renault either.
What would happen to Kubica, yesterday I heard that his manager is in talks with McLaren. :bugeyed Though we don't know it for sure, all these news are maybe just speculation.:doh::mello:Kinga, Hanna, do you know about that Britain GP? F1 won't go to Donington next season because they didn't get enough money but it seems like Ecclestone negotionated with Silverstone and gave only two days to think about this. Hope there will be Silverstone next season because it's my favourite track and my first race I watched was Silverstone GP in 2003.
^^^I dunno. I haven't read or heard anything about that.
Kimi's Abu Dhabi column is up on his official website, in Finnish. So no need to post the English translation for you guys. :cheeky:
in the news section:
http://www.kimiraikkonen.com/
I think it speaks for itself!!!! He even wrote "Racing is everything!" in English!
:clapping::wild:unk:
I :angel: that we don't have to :timer: that long and then... :cheers:
Kimi's Abu Dhabi column is up on his official website, in Finnish. So no need to post the English translation for you guys. :cheeky:
in the news section:
http://www.kimiraikkonen.com/
I think it speaks for itself!!!! He even wrote "Racing is everything!" in English!
:clapping::wild:
unk:I :angel: that we don't have to :timer: that long and then... :cheers:
The One.
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No I haven't heard about that. I don't have any bond to neither of the tracks so I'm fine with whatever the decide..
LOL everytime I read Kimi's blogs I must wonder does he really write them himself. It doesn't sound like the language he would use and some of the blogs are very long
That's really what I want too. One more Championship.. that would be perfect.
:timer:
Yes, but he's too young. Only 30. I think he will drive at least 2 more years.
Winning the WDC once more and he can quit! I'm OK with it too!
After F1 career he could start driving rally seriously. That would be awesome. And he likes driving it, hope he gets good contract in Formulas that he could drive rally as well.
But thinking that some drivers quit in early 30s... when is Barrichello going to quit?!
But thinking that some drivers quit in early 30s... when is Barrichello going to quit?!
After F1 career he could start driving rally seriously. That would be awesome. And he likes driving it, hope he gets good contract in Formulas that he could drive rally as well.
Yeah, I will follow his career in rally too! (Maybe I would visit Rally Finland! :wink
I think he would be awesome if he gets a good drive which is likely. He already has/had some good offers. He impressed team principals and fantastic rally drivers too. I liked his attitude during the rally events he participated at. He was much more relaxed and open. Good question. It's his luck that they wanted an "old fox" as a team-mate for rookie Hülkenberg.
The One.
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:bump
Bernie Ecclestone, 79, makes Tatler list of most eligible singletons
He is 79 years old, barely five feet tall and even his closest friends would struggle to say he possesses movie star good looks.
Yet Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One boss, has made it on to Tatler's annual list of most eligible singletons, where he is ranked alongside such bright young things as Prince Harry, Emma Watson and model Lily Cole.
Mr Ecclestone, who is single again after splitting from his 6ft 2in wife, Slavica, is the oldest person on the Little Black Book list by several decades. However, as the magazine put it: "A 79-year-old billionaire - what's not to like?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...-Tatler-list-of-most-eligible-singletons.html
lmao :rofl:
Bernie Ecclestone, 79, makes Tatler list of most eligible singletons
He is 79 years old, barely five feet tall and even his closest friends would struggle to say he possesses movie star good looks.
Yet Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One boss, has made it on to Tatler's annual list of most eligible singletons, where he is ranked alongside such bright young things as Prince Harry, Emma Watson and model Lily Cole.
Mr Ecclestone, who is single again after splitting from his 6ft 2in wife, Slavica, is the oldest person on the Little Black Book list by several decades. However, as the magazine put it: "A 79-year-old billionaire - what's not to like?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...-Tatler-list-of-most-eligible-singletons.html
lmao :rofl:
The One.
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Raikkonen's management visit McLaren
Kimi Raikkonen’s management team visited McLaren’s Technology Centre on Wednesday as guests of Martin Whitmarsh, itv.com/f1 has learned.
Steve and David Robertson were seen in conversation with the McLaren team principal while walking around parts of the squad’s Woking base.
Former world champion Raikkonen has been heavily linked with a return to McLaren since reaching an agreement with Ferrari to end his contract with the team a year early so that it could make room for Fernando Alonso.
But although the Robertsons’ McLaren visit suggests McLaren is indeed making a serious bid to re-sign the Finn after his three-year stint at Ferrari, itv.com/f1 understands that other candidates remain in the running for the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2010.
Raikkonen has made it clear since his Ferrari departure was confirmed that he is only interested in remaining in Formula 1 next year with a team that will give him the chance to challenge for a second world championship.
Amid speculation that disagreements over money had slowed the progress of his initial talks with McLaren, Raikkonen told reporters at the season finale in Abu Dhabi said he wouldn’t be compromising on any deal just to stay on the grid.
"I have options and I still want to be here [in F1], but everything needs to be perfect," Raikkonen said in Abu Dhabi.
"I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100 per cent happy with.”
The 30-year-old has previously hinted that he could take a sabbatical from F1 or switch to the World Rally Championship if he does not secure a drive he is happy with before next season.
Raikkonen has appeared the most likely driver to become Hamilton’s 2010 team-mate for weeks, although Whitmarsh has previously not ruled out the prospect of Heikki Kovalainen retaining his drive despite his disappointing results this year.
The possibility of new world champion Jenson Button joining Hamilton in an all-British line-up has also been mooted with the star yet to agree a new contract at Brawn.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=47410
------------
There's also been rumours (again) that Schumi has still not closed the door to return F1 one day as a driver, what you guys think about that? I personally wish he doesn't make a comeback, I just feel like his time has gone already.
Kimi Raikkonen’s management team visited McLaren’s Technology Centre on Wednesday as guests of Martin Whitmarsh, itv.com/f1 has learned.
Steve and David Robertson were seen in conversation with the McLaren team principal while walking around parts of the squad’s Woking base.
Former world champion Raikkonen has been heavily linked with a return to McLaren since reaching an agreement with Ferrari to end his contract with the team a year early so that it could make room for Fernando Alonso.
But although the Robertsons’ McLaren visit suggests McLaren is indeed making a serious bid to re-sign the Finn after his three-year stint at Ferrari, itv.com/f1 understands that other candidates remain in the running for the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2010.
Raikkonen has made it clear since his Ferrari departure was confirmed that he is only interested in remaining in Formula 1 next year with a team that will give him the chance to challenge for a second world championship.
Amid speculation that disagreements over money had slowed the progress of his initial talks with McLaren, Raikkonen told reporters at the season finale in Abu Dhabi said he wouldn’t be compromising on any deal just to stay on the grid.
"I have options and I still want to be here [in F1], but everything needs to be perfect," Raikkonen said in Abu Dhabi.
"I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100 per cent happy with.”
The 30-year-old has previously hinted that he could take a sabbatical from F1 or switch to the World Rally Championship if he does not secure a drive he is happy with before next season.
Raikkonen has appeared the most likely driver to become Hamilton’s 2010 team-mate for weeks, although Whitmarsh has previously not ruled out the prospect of Heikki Kovalainen retaining his drive despite his disappointing results this year.
The possibility of new world champion Jenson Button joining Hamilton in an all-British line-up has also been mooted with the star yet to agree a new contract at Brawn.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=47410
------------
There's also been rumours (again) that Schumi has still not closed the door to return F1 one day as a driver, what you guys think about that? I personally wish he doesn't make a comeback, I just feel like his time has gone already.
The One.
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^ Yeah I hope you're right.
Another update on Kimi's situation..
Manager: McLaren or nothing
Kimi Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson confirmed to MTV3 he met the McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh on Wednesday.
- We'll continue our discussions but that's all I have to say. Nothing has been decided yet, Robertson said.
Robertson didn't start to speculate how long McLaren and Räikkönen can lengthen their discussions about next season.
- We don't have any deadline. We'll keep on negotiating until things work out, Robertson says.
- Kimi has made it clear that he wants to go to team where he can win races and championships. With that said, McLaren is his only option if he wants to continue in F1, Robertson told MTV.
Robertson also confirmed that he hasn't been negotiating with other teams - and is not willing to do so.
- McLaren has been the only option for awhile now. The plan is that Kimi will continue in F1 on McLaren. If that doesn't happen, he will not drive in F1, Robertson says.
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/f1/2009/11/995657
Another update on Kimi's situation..
Manager: McLaren or nothing
Kimi Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson confirmed to MTV3 he met the McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh on Wednesday.
- We'll continue our discussions but that's all I have to say. Nothing has been decided yet, Robertson said.
Robertson didn't start to speculate how long McLaren and Räikkönen can lengthen their discussions about next season.
- We don't have any deadline. We'll keep on negotiating until things work out, Robertson says.
- Kimi has made it clear that he wants to go to team where he can win races and championships. With that said, McLaren is his only option if he wants to continue in F1, Robertson told MTV.
Robertson also confirmed that he hasn't been negotiating with other teams - and is not willing to do so.
- McLaren has been the only option for awhile now. The plan is that Kimi will continue in F1 on McLaren. If that doesn't happen, he will not drive in F1, Robertson says.
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/f1/2009/11/995657
I want to hear the announcement that Kimi WILL drive for McLaren!!!!!!
NOW!!!!!
I cannot wait any longer, this waiting is killing me... Kimi can't leave like that! No way!!!
:doh::scratch:
:timer::timer::timer::timer::timer:
NOW!!!!!
I cannot wait any longer, this waiting is killing me... Kimi can't leave like that! No way!!!
:doh::scratch:
:timer::timer::timer::timer::timer:
The One.
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Button enjoys factory tour - report
Jenson Button's future remains in doubt with The Guardian reporting the 2009 Formula One world champion went on a tour of McLaren's factory in Woking on Friday.
Button, who has stalled on signing a deal with the Brawn GP team, and his manager Richard Goddard were reportedly shown around the facility by McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh.
A spokesman for McLaren told The Guardian: "Having just arrived at Heathrow, Jenson made a small detour to Woking to say hello."
Goddard has been talking to Brawn about a new deal for 2010 but as yet nothing has been agreed.
Goddard added: "As I've said many times before, Jenson wants to drive a car which is capable of winning the next world championship.
"We've been talking about possible terms for 2010 with Brawn for months and we're not being difficult or unreasonably expensive in our demands for Jenson.
"In fact we've given up quite a lot of negotiating ground in our discussions with them.
"I think it's also important that Jenson wants to feel valued in whatever situation he finds himself next season."
http://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/....Button_enjoys_factory_tour___report/?ref=rss
:timer::timer::timer::timer::timer:
Jenson Button's future remains in doubt with The Guardian reporting the 2009 Formula One world champion went on a tour of McLaren's factory in Woking on Friday.
Button, who has stalled on signing a deal with the Brawn GP team, and his manager Richard Goddard were reportedly shown around the facility by McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh.
A spokesman for McLaren told The Guardian: "Having just arrived at Heathrow, Jenson made a small detour to Woking to say hello."
Goddard has been talking to Brawn about a new deal for 2010 but as yet nothing has been agreed.
Goddard added: "As I've said many times before, Jenson wants to drive a car which is capable of winning the next world championship.
"We've been talking about possible terms for 2010 with Brawn for months and we're not being difficult or unreasonably expensive in our demands for Jenson.
"In fact we've given up quite a lot of negotiating ground in our discussions with them.
"I think it's also important that Jenson wants to feel valued in whatever situation he finds himself next season."
http://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/....Button_enjoys_factory_tour___report/?ref=rss
:timer::timer::timer::timer::timer:
OMG!!!! Big, big news today!!!! :bugeyed
Mercedes takes over Brawn
Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has taken over the Brawn Formula 1 team and re-named it Mercedes Grand Prix after buying a 75.1 per cent stake in the squad.
The German car giant will retain its role as McLaren's engine supplier until at least 2015, but will sell its 40 per cent stake in the squad back to the team over the next two years.
"Mercedes will compete in the F1 world championship next year starting with its own factory team," said head of Mercedes cars, Dr Dieter Zetsche.
"This is possible by the agreed acquisition of 75.1 per cent of Brawn GP, 45.1 per cent from Daimler and 30 per cent from our partner Aabar Investments. The rest will be with the current share - Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and other members. The interests of Daimler are aligned therefore it will be a true Mercedes-Benz team.
"Ross Brawn will continue to be the team principal and thereby we are maintaining his strength. Just like the engine team at Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, the new Mercedes Benz grand prix team will be co-ordinated by Mercedes Benz Motorsport which is as everybody knows headed by Norbert Haug."
The team will be run out of Brawn's current headquarters in Brackley, rather than from a new facility.
Team principal Brawn said that he could not have imagined such a partnership happening 11 months ago when Honda announced it was pulling out of F1, leading to a winter of uncertainty for the squad that was soon to become Brawn.
"Both I and my fellow directors at Brawn GP are incredibly proud of our staff, drivers and everyone associated with our team and thank them for their commitment, outstanding teamwork and their focus on achieving results in sometimes difficult circumstances," he said.
"The senior management group will remain in place to lead our team and on behalf of everyone at Brawn GP, we are honoured to be representing such a prestigious brand as Mercedes-Benz in Formula One next year and will be working together to do our best to reward their faith in our team."
The deal means that Mercedes will compete in Formula 1 as a full factory team for the first time since Juan Manuel Fangio won the world title in 1955.
Neither driver has yet been announced for the new squad. 2009 driver Rubens Barrichello has already joined Williams for next season while Jenson Button has yet to decide on his future.
AUTOSPORT understands that Nico Rosberg will be one of Mercedes' drivers, while the company's motorsport chief Norbert Haug said on Sunday that discussions have taken place with former BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80174
Mercedes renews McLaren's engine deal
McLaren will retain its engine supply deal with Mercedes-Benz for at least another six years, despite the German car company's new involvement at Brawn GP.
Mercedes-Benz ended weeks of speculation about its future F1 plans on Monday when it announced that it was buying a controlling stake in Brawn.
Its switch in focus to Brawn had led to speculation that it could turn its back on McLaren entirely when its current deal ended in 2011.
However, following discussions over the last few weeks, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have reached agreement for an engine supply deal until at least the end of 2015. The terms of the deal mean that there are options for the commitment to extend beyond then too.
With Mercedes switching its main focus to Brawn GP, it has also been announced that the McLaren Group will purchase the 40 per cent shareholding that Daimler AG currently has in the team. This will take place in a phased process to be completed before 2011.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80172
Q & A with Mercedes GP chiefs
Q: Can you tell us if the look and feel of the Brawn will change to be Silver Arrows next year?
Dieter Zetsch: The answer is yes. :bugeyed Without any detail so far of how this will look, we are on the way to develop that, but it will clearly be Silver Arrows.
Q: Could you comment on driver line-up?
DZ: Not yet, we are working diligently on that topic but there is no final decision there therefore I cannot comment on it.
Q: Will you continue to supply Mercedes engines next season to McLaren?
DZ: Yes, we will and not only next season but we agreed that we will do that ultimately - of course, for a price - to 2015.
Q: You mentioned that McLaren has agreed to buy out the shareholding - is there any other penalty clause that you have to honour?
DZ: There is no penalty whatsoever. There are contractual obligations that we will of course fulfil, but there is no penalty.
Q: There has been a lot of speculation that the new Mercedes team may field two German drivers next season?
DZ: What we would like to see would be the best drivers in the two seats. We certainly would not be opposed if one were German, but that is not a pre requisite which we would give the team.
Norbert Haug: I read some speculation and I understand this because we could not give this information earlier. But this will be an international team for Mercedes-Benz is a global player. If you look back in our history we have very often been criticised for not having a German driver, so we were always open and we took the driver decision always together with McLaren. This will be the same in the future. We want to have the best ones and we definitely do not want to have the pure German team (So, I hope that they don't want Rosberg and Heidfeld there... they can have Rosberg and Button, so McLaren with Kimi and Hamster!!!!) - it's an international Silver Arrows team and we want to have the best drivers in the car.
Q: It seems to be general knowledge that Nico Rosberg has already been hired and that because you've hired him you might be running scared of taking on Jenson Button?
DZ: First of all, we have just announced that we will acquire a share in the Brawn team so we haven't done anything so far. Whatever could have been done would have been done by Ross Brawn, so with that I would like to leave the speculation of drivers.
Q Would you not want to have Jenson Button in the team next year?
NH: We are in negotiations but all the accurate information is around and we are talking. That's why we are not able to announcement driver line-up. We cannot comment on the drivers.
Q: Has Ross Brawn given you a commitment for a certain number of years that he will stay in change?
DZ: Yes, he has made a certain commitment and that was very valuable to us.
Q: Can you put a figure on how much this is costing Daimler?
DZ: No.
Q: What about commercial sponsors?
DZ: The only thing we can say is that a number of discussions are underway which are promising.
Q: Ross Brawn is committed - will Nick Fry remain in his current role?
DZ: Without going through the entire team in general I think the team has proved that it can be very competitive and successful, so from a shareholders perspective, there's no reason to change a winning team.
Will the team remain in the UK?
DZ: Yes. That is obviously a great advantage because Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines are close neighbours and this is logistically highly welcome.
You said there is no reason to change a winning team and Jenson Button is a key element as a winning driver. There's confusion as to why someone is asking for a salary that is smaller than some world champions are getting hasn't been snapped up?
DZ: It seems that you have more information than I do.
To continue with that, the negotiations between Button and Brawn have been with Ross, but now Mercedes is in charge that presumably changes the financial landscape - will that mean you take over the negotiations?
DZ: No. It's very similar to what we used to have in our partnership before. Very clearly, Ross Brawn is the team principal he runs the team together with his management team. I am involved as the responsible guy in Mercedes Motorsport, but he is the boss of the team and we have to report to Stuttgart so we are co-ordinated. So in reality if you have discussions and you are a racer you will not find most of the time five different names on the list, you will find two or three so you come to agreement. Very clearly Ross Brawn is the team principal, we are co-ordinated and that's it.
Norbert, when will you be able to name your drivers?
NH: I would rather hope next week, but don't kill me if it [takes] a couple of weeks longer.:no::bugeyed:scratch::doh:
What are the strategic objectives?
DZ: First of all the brand of motor racing goes back to motor racing. You do motor racing in order to promote your brand in the world market – there's no other platform in sport - or perhaps even beyond - with such a strong presence around the globe and in emerging markets. With the history of Mercedes we have the best opportunity to use that programme for the improvement of our brand.
You mentioned McLaren branching into road cars as being part of the reason – were the big scandals that the team was involved in a factor?
DZ: We are looking forward. We gave you the clear information, we had a very successful common history with four championships and many victories and now we continue as engine partner.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80175
I'm so nervous. I nearly had a heart attack today... at least 3 times...:doh:
Mercedes takes over Brawn
Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has taken over the Brawn Formula 1 team and re-named it Mercedes Grand Prix after buying a 75.1 per cent stake in the squad.
The German car giant will retain its role as McLaren's engine supplier until at least 2015, but will sell its 40 per cent stake in the squad back to the team over the next two years.
"Mercedes will compete in the F1 world championship next year starting with its own factory team," said head of Mercedes cars, Dr Dieter Zetsche.
"This is possible by the agreed acquisition of 75.1 per cent of Brawn GP, 45.1 per cent from Daimler and 30 per cent from our partner Aabar Investments. The rest will be with the current share - Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and other members. The interests of Daimler are aligned therefore it will be a true Mercedes-Benz team.
"Ross Brawn will continue to be the team principal and thereby we are maintaining his strength. Just like the engine team at Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, the new Mercedes Benz grand prix team will be co-ordinated by Mercedes Benz Motorsport which is as everybody knows headed by Norbert Haug."
The team will be run out of Brawn's current headquarters in Brackley, rather than from a new facility.
Team principal Brawn said that he could not have imagined such a partnership happening 11 months ago when Honda announced it was pulling out of F1, leading to a winter of uncertainty for the squad that was soon to become Brawn.
"Both I and my fellow directors at Brawn GP are incredibly proud of our staff, drivers and everyone associated with our team and thank them for their commitment, outstanding teamwork and their focus on achieving results in sometimes difficult circumstances," he said.
"The senior management group will remain in place to lead our team and on behalf of everyone at Brawn GP, we are honoured to be representing such a prestigious brand as Mercedes-Benz in Formula One next year and will be working together to do our best to reward their faith in our team."
The deal means that Mercedes will compete in Formula 1 as a full factory team for the first time since Juan Manuel Fangio won the world title in 1955.
Neither driver has yet been announced for the new squad. 2009 driver Rubens Barrichello has already joined Williams for next season while Jenson Button has yet to decide on his future.
AUTOSPORT understands that Nico Rosberg will be one of Mercedes' drivers, while the company's motorsport chief Norbert Haug said on Sunday that discussions have taken place with former BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80174
Mercedes renews McLaren's engine deal
McLaren will retain its engine supply deal with Mercedes-Benz for at least another six years, despite the German car company's new involvement at Brawn GP.
Mercedes-Benz ended weeks of speculation about its future F1 plans on Monday when it announced that it was buying a controlling stake in Brawn.
Its switch in focus to Brawn had led to speculation that it could turn its back on McLaren entirely when its current deal ended in 2011.
However, following discussions over the last few weeks, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have reached agreement for an engine supply deal until at least the end of 2015. The terms of the deal mean that there are options for the commitment to extend beyond then too.
With Mercedes switching its main focus to Brawn GP, it has also been announced that the McLaren Group will purchase the 40 per cent shareholding that Daimler AG currently has in the team. This will take place in a phased process to be completed before 2011.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80172
Q & A with Mercedes GP chiefs
Q: Can you tell us if the look and feel of the Brawn will change to be Silver Arrows next year?
Dieter Zetsch: The answer is yes. :bugeyed Without any detail so far of how this will look, we are on the way to develop that, but it will clearly be Silver Arrows.
Q: Could you comment on driver line-up?
DZ: Not yet, we are working diligently on that topic but there is no final decision there therefore I cannot comment on it.
Q: Will you continue to supply Mercedes engines next season to McLaren?
DZ: Yes, we will and not only next season but we agreed that we will do that ultimately - of course, for a price - to 2015.
Q: You mentioned that McLaren has agreed to buy out the shareholding - is there any other penalty clause that you have to honour?
DZ: There is no penalty whatsoever. There are contractual obligations that we will of course fulfil, but there is no penalty.
Q: There has been a lot of speculation that the new Mercedes team may field two German drivers next season?
DZ: What we would like to see would be the best drivers in the two seats. We certainly would not be opposed if one were German, but that is not a pre requisite which we would give the team.
Norbert Haug: I read some speculation and I understand this because we could not give this information earlier. But this will be an international team for Mercedes-Benz is a global player. If you look back in our history we have very often been criticised for not having a German driver, so we were always open and we took the driver decision always together with McLaren. This will be the same in the future. We want to have the best ones and we definitely do not want to have the pure German team (So, I hope that they don't want Rosberg and Heidfeld there... they can have Rosberg and Button, so McLaren with Kimi and Hamster!!!!) - it's an international Silver Arrows team and we want to have the best drivers in the car.
Q: It seems to be general knowledge that Nico Rosberg has already been hired and that because you've hired him you might be running scared of taking on Jenson Button?
DZ: First of all, we have just announced that we will acquire a share in the Brawn team so we haven't done anything so far. Whatever could have been done would have been done by Ross Brawn, so with that I would like to leave the speculation of drivers.
Q Would you not want to have Jenson Button in the team next year?
NH: We are in negotiations but all the accurate information is around and we are talking. That's why we are not able to announcement driver line-up. We cannot comment on the drivers.
Q: Has Ross Brawn given you a commitment for a certain number of years that he will stay in change?
DZ: Yes, he has made a certain commitment and that was very valuable to us.
Q: Can you put a figure on how much this is costing Daimler?
DZ: No.
Q: What about commercial sponsors?
DZ: The only thing we can say is that a number of discussions are underway which are promising.
Q: Ross Brawn is committed - will Nick Fry remain in his current role?
DZ: Without going through the entire team in general I think the team has proved that it can be very competitive and successful, so from a shareholders perspective, there's no reason to change a winning team.
Will the team remain in the UK?
DZ: Yes. That is obviously a great advantage because Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines are close neighbours and this is logistically highly welcome.
You said there is no reason to change a winning team and Jenson Button is a key element as a winning driver. There's confusion as to why someone is asking for a salary that is smaller than some world champions are getting hasn't been snapped up?
DZ: It seems that you have more information than I do.
To continue with that, the negotiations between Button and Brawn have been with Ross, but now Mercedes is in charge that presumably changes the financial landscape - will that mean you take over the negotiations?
DZ: No. It's very similar to what we used to have in our partnership before. Very clearly, Ross Brawn is the team principal he runs the team together with his management team. I am involved as the responsible guy in Mercedes Motorsport, but he is the boss of the team and we have to report to Stuttgart so we are co-ordinated. So in reality if you have discussions and you are a racer you will not find most of the time five different names on the list, you will find two or three so you come to agreement. Very clearly Ross Brawn is the team principal, we are co-ordinated and that's it.
Norbert, when will you be able to name your drivers?
NH: I would rather hope next week, but don't kill me if it [takes] a couple of weeks longer.:no::bugeyed:scratch::doh:
What are the strategic objectives?
DZ: First of all the brand of motor racing goes back to motor racing. You do motor racing in order to promote your brand in the world market – there's no other platform in sport - or perhaps even beyond - with such a strong presence around the globe and in emerging markets. With the history of Mercedes we have the best opportunity to use that programme for the improvement of our brand.
You mentioned McLaren branching into road cars as being part of the reason – were the big scandals that the team was involved in a factor?
DZ: We are looking forward. We gave you the clear information, we had a very successful common history with four championships and many victories and now we continue as engine partner.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80175
I'm so nervous. I nearly had a heart attack today... at least 3 times...:doh:
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Gosh what is taking them SO LONG!?? And what about this one, I hope to GOD it's not true. (it's from another talboid mag, again..)
Jenson Button agrees to join McLaren on three-year, £6m-a-year deal
Jenson Button has agreed terms to join McLaren on a £6m-a-year deal and could sign his formal three-year contract to partner Lewis Hamilton in an all-British line-up within the next few days.
The Guardian understands that the world champion has turned his back on Brawn following protracted negotiations and will almost double his salary with the Woking-based team. The 29-year-old was given a guided tour of McLaren's factory last Friday and, although neither the team nor Button's management would confirm the deal tonight, sources close to McLaren hinted: "I think Jenson liked what he saw and they liked him too."
In switching to McLaren Button will be going against advice from Formula One grandees including Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Martin Brundle, all of whom feel he might be biting off more than he can chew taking on Hamilton on his home turf in equal cars.
But for Button the prospect of going head-to-head with a close friend and the man regarded by many in the pit lane as possibly the fastest of all will just be part of the challenge of defending his title. It is unlikely either Hamilton, who earns about £12m a year at McLaren, or his father Anthony, who has managed the 2008 world champion since his days as a teenage kart racer, will have been consulted on this beyond the normal deployment of good manners. McLaren have always had the resources and philosophy required to field two fully competitive cars and have always sought the strongest possible driver line-ups they could engage.
The decision by the newly crowned world champion to leave the team built from the ashes of Honda by Ross Brawn came on the day it was officially announced that Mercedes-Benz had switched allegiances from McLaren and purchased a controlling interest in Brawn GP. They will field their cars under the Mercedes banner in 2010.
It had been widely thought that Button would remain with the team alongside Nico Rosberg, the preferred Mercedes nominee, for 2010 following Rubens Barrichello's move to Williams. But there are suggestions that Button was never at the top of the Mercedes wish list. In fact, on Sunday Norbert Haug, the Mercedes motor sport vice-president, hinted that the company was already in talks to sign Nick Heidfeld from BMW, raising the possibility of two Germans going head-to-head with two Englishmen for next year's championship. Nick Fry, Brawn's chief executive, played down those rumours tonight, saying: "I can confidently say that [speculation] is totally incorrect – Mercedes is an international company. Clearly a German driver would be nice for them but we don't need two German drivers, that's not the intent."
He added: "I hope Jenson is still with us next season. We've been together for a good few years now and we have succeeded in winning the world championship together and we want Jenson to be with us. But we have to recognise that Formula One is not divorced from the rest of the world. We have worked within a budget [and] if we spend in one area then we cannot spend in another area."
Rest of the article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/16/jenson-button-joins-mclaren-contract
Jenson Button agrees to join McLaren on three-year, £6m-a-year deal
Jenson Button has agreed terms to join McLaren on a £6m-a-year deal and could sign his formal three-year contract to partner Lewis Hamilton in an all-British line-up within the next few days.
The Guardian understands that the world champion has turned his back on Brawn following protracted negotiations and will almost double his salary with the Woking-based team. The 29-year-old was given a guided tour of McLaren's factory last Friday and, although neither the team nor Button's management would confirm the deal tonight, sources close to McLaren hinted: "I think Jenson liked what he saw and they liked him too."
In switching to McLaren Button will be going against advice from Formula One grandees including Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Martin Brundle, all of whom feel he might be biting off more than he can chew taking on Hamilton on his home turf in equal cars.
But for Button the prospect of going head-to-head with a close friend and the man regarded by many in the pit lane as possibly the fastest of all will just be part of the challenge of defending his title. It is unlikely either Hamilton, who earns about £12m a year at McLaren, or his father Anthony, who has managed the 2008 world champion since his days as a teenage kart racer, will have been consulted on this beyond the normal deployment of good manners. McLaren have always had the resources and philosophy required to field two fully competitive cars and have always sought the strongest possible driver line-ups they could engage.
The decision by the newly crowned world champion to leave the team built from the ashes of Honda by Ross Brawn came on the day it was officially announced that Mercedes-Benz had switched allegiances from McLaren and purchased a controlling interest in Brawn GP. They will field their cars under the Mercedes banner in 2010.
It had been widely thought that Button would remain with the team alongside Nico Rosberg, the preferred Mercedes nominee, for 2010 following Rubens Barrichello's move to Williams. But there are suggestions that Button was never at the top of the Mercedes wish list. In fact, on Sunday Norbert Haug, the Mercedes motor sport vice-president, hinted that the company was already in talks to sign Nick Heidfeld from BMW, raising the possibility of two Germans going head-to-head with two Englishmen for next year's championship. Nick Fry, Brawn's chief executive, played down those rumours tonight, saying: "I can confidently say that [speculation] is totally incorrect – Mercedes is an international company. Clearly a German driver would be nice for them but we don't need two German drivers, that's not the intent."
He added: "I hope Jenson is still with us next season. We've been together for a good few years now and we have succeeded in winning the world championship together and we want Jenson to be with us. But we have to recognise that Formula One is not divorced from the rest of the world. We have worked within a budget [and] if we spend in one area then we cannot spend in another area."
Rest of the article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/16/jenson-button-joins-mclaren-contract
Motsey
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wow that is soo cool an all brittish line up at mclaren and both champions, hope it goes ahead! I live 5min down the road from Mclarens new place and always seeing people from the team that ive seen on tv around woking
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Wow that must be cool! But I must say, I hope this all-Brits team doesn't happen because that might mean Kimi would have to leave F1 and I don't want thatwow that is soo cool an all brittish line up at mclaren and both champions, hope it goes ahead! I live 5min down the road from Mclarens new place and always seeing people from the team that ive seen on tv around woking
Don't you prefer the Hamster-Kimi team a bit more, too? haha :cheeky:
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Räikkönen negotiating about move to rally
A reliable source has told MTV3 that F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen has been negotiating with rally team Citroën.
Räikkönen's options are to drive the whole season on Citroën's factoryteam or in a team run by Petter Solberg.
Red Bull, which is Citroën's factory team's sponsor, is ready to pay Räikkönen twice as much as to 6-time world champion Sebastien Loeb. It's said Loeb earns 5-6 million euros in a year.
Räikkönen has also continued negotiations with F1 team McLaren. Even if he continues in F1, Kimi wants to try his wings in rally. This option has been discussed with Solberg's team.
- They have been in contact with us and asked the possibilities to drive a few rallies next year, Petter Solberg's team boss Ken Reese confirmed to MTV3.
Though even Solberg's own plans are still a bit open at this point. It's not confirmed yet whether the team will drive with Ford or Citroën.
- First, Petter is trying to get financing to get drive and only after that we can bring another car to the team. It's starting to get urgent to us and Kimi, Reese says.
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/f1/2009/11/998772
A reliable source has told MTV3 that F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen has been negotiating with rally team Citroën.
Räikkönen's options are to drive the whole season on Citroën's factoryteam or in a team run by Petter Solberg.
Red Bull, which is Citroën's factory team's sponsor, is ready to pay Räikkönen twice as much as to 6-time world champion Sebastien Loeb. It's said Loeb earns 5-6 million euros in a year.
Räikkönen has also continued negotiations with F1 team McLaren. Even if he continues in F1, Kimi wants to try his wings in rally. This option has been discussed with Solberg's team.
- They have been in contact with us and asked the possibilities to drive a few rallies next year, Petter Solberg's team boss Ken Reese confirmed to MTV3.
Though even Solberg's own plans are still a bit open at this point. It's not confirmed yet whether the team will drive with Ford or Citroën.
- First, Petter is trying to get financing to get drive and only after that we can bring another car to the team. It's starting to get urgent to us and Kimi, Reese says.
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/f1/2009/11/998772
Motsey
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Wow that must be cool! But I must say, I hope this all-Brits team doesn't happen because that might mean Kimi would have to leave F1 and I don't want that
erm... not really im a guy so wouldnt go on looks i know he won it on 2007 but last season he was so poor :agree
k maybe it was the car but I would prefer hamilton and button not just because there britts but also great drivers hamilton is so exciting to watch with his aggresive and at times crazy driving and button well he just won the champion that says it all but we will see how he gets on without the tactical skills of brawn who is a master n helped schumacher win soo many championships plus F1 is all change next season with loads of new rules so we will have to see but it should be exciting still
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Wow, are you really saying Kimi isn't a good driver?? " im a guy so wouldnt go on looks " :bugeyed
Oh, man. Kimi is probably the best driver in F1 atm! He just happens to have a team who supports the other driver (Massa that is) but can you really name another driver who could do such a good job when the team has stopped developing the car, like Ferrari did this season? As soon as Massa was out of game they just quitted it but Kimi kept on going even though he's car was a mess.
And about Hamilton's driving style, imo it's just plain rude and selfish. He think he's the only man on the track. It's possible to be aggressive and fast driver without being so stupid.
Oh, man. Kimi is probably the best driver in F1 atm! He just happens to have a team who supports the other driver (Massa that is) but can you really name another driver who could do such a good job when the team has stopped developing the car, like Ferrari did this season? As soon as Massa was out of game they just quitted it but Kimi kept on going even though he's car was a mess.
And about Hamilton's driving style, imo it's just plain rude and selfish. He think he's the only man on the track. It's possible to be aggressive and fast driver without being so stupid.