Jamie1807 146 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 A month away from the first race, testing started a few days ago in Valencia where Red Bull and Ferrari have unsurprisingly dominated.Red Bull Racing: Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/561.htmlMcLaren Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button - Car still to be launched.Ferrari: Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/555.htmlMercedes: Michael Schumacher & Nico Rosberg - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/562.htmlLotus Renault: Robert Kubica & Vitaly Petrov - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/559.htmlWilliams: Rubens Barrichello & Pastor Maldonado - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/564.htmlForce India: Adrian Sutil & Paul Di Resta - Car still to be launched.Sauber: Kamui Kobayashi & Sergio Perez - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/558.htmlToro Rosso: Sebastian Buemi & Jamie Alguersuari - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/563.htmlTeam Lotus: Jarno Trulli & Heikki Kovalainen - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/launches/2011/557.htmlHispania Racing: Narain Karthikeyan & TBA - Car still to be launched.Virgin Racing: Timo Glock & Jerome d'Ambrosio - Car still to be launched.Good luck to Livingston born Paul Di Resta who makes his Formula One debut after years of racing and winning in the DTM's.If it's half as good as last season we're in for a cracking 20 races. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antwilhar 4 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I'm really looking forward to seeing Paul Di Resta's debut season. I just hope Force India give him a reasonable car to drive with. It'll be interesting to see if the lord Michael Schumacher can up the pace this year and challenge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orangeclement 570 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 i know you should never look at times when its first testing etc but Force India had the 3rd fastest lap time set by Di Riesta i believe so looks as though they have taken another step forward development wise , love reading the forums about this as everyone seems to think Mclaren will walk it and the havent even seen the car yet deluded Hamiltonites they seem to forget that Jenson will have some input into te car as well so most likely taking the car backwards again looking forward to a close season and hopefully have 4/5 teams all similar pace etc and fighting for the podiums not so sure about the manufactured overtaking business though ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Force India are now an established mid-grid team, but have the potential to push for podiums as well as Williams, Renault, Mercedes.I think Michael Schumacher will be much better than he was last year, he was starting to improve near the end of last season, now I might sound biased as Michael Schumacher has been my hero since I started watching F1 at the age of 4, but he shouldn't be written off I bet he's still a fantastic driver, but if he can win will come down to what the Merc is like this year.I'm a big fan of Bruno Senna who's joined Lotus Renault as a reserve driver, I'd like to see him get a chance in a decent car. The team he was with last year Hispania Racing was just an utter shambles, and I think they'll be like this again this season.I sometimes think if I had never gave up on kart racing, I could have progressed and with a bit of luck be sharing the same grid as Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Massa, Alonso, Schumacher, Barrichello etc etc. I guess it's just a what could have been.Can't fucking wait! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappa 24 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Will be supporting Seb, as usual. Hopefully Massa and Schumi have a good year too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Massa needs to have a good season, and I hope he does. If he doesn't he is out of Ferrari.There was some talk of Mark Webber and Felipe Massa swapping places at the end of last year, but that wouldn't have worked well, Webber doesn't like being 2nd to Vettel, he would hate being 2nd to Fernando Alonso. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy2212 151 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Cannae wait As always i'll be shouting like fcuk at the tele for a McLaren win!!! The McLaren MP4-26 gets revealed tomorrow at 11am fuck yer F150 and RB7! Keeping saying it every year but i really want to go to a race, maybe this year! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 KERS is back this year, I'm not a great fan of them.Hopefully it's not like the 2009 season when McLaren and Ferrari who both had KERS were both dogs of a car.Formula One need a strong Ferrari and McLaren Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 A lot of people say that Michael Schumacher is an average driver and doesn't deserve any of his seven world titles, including Stirling Moss and I'm sorry Moss, you may have been a great driver, but where's your World Championships?!A good car does help, but could a team stick an average joe driver put into a good car is going to consistently deliver championships, race wins, poles, podiums like Schumacher did? Not very many.Michael Schumacher is a fantastic driver and a great champion: Fast and ruthless, very similar to one of Schumacher's heroes: Ayrton Senna, now Schumacher gets a lot of flak for some of his controversial decisions, Senna also did stuff like this. I can't remember which GP it was, but at the start Senna drove Prost straight off the track taking them both out of the race and Senna won the Championship, if that was Schumacher I'd presume he'd be getting a lot of hate from a lot of people worldwide, but as it was Senna nobody gave a shit. Fangio, Senna and Schumacher are the best 3 Formula One drivers of all time IMO.Could anyone truthfully say if they were in Michael Schumacher's position when he made these decisions that they wouldn't of tried it as well? It's easy saying they wouldn't if someone else has done it, but if push came to shove a lot of people would try the same, I know I would. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham 3,465 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Hoping McLaren are up to pace more so than last year.What are all the rule changes, I know there's tonnes... Again.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRFC1 115 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Im looking forward to see how the Scottish lad does. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan 23 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 http://mclaren.com/livefromberlin/McLaren unveiling car for new season. Looks nice thats for sure Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Deacon 55,168 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I know Paul personally. In fact we are not far off related. My mums sister is married to his dads brother (uncle) so he is my cousins cousin.Met him a few times and he was very grounded. Seems a lot maturer than his age, really hope he does well. Obviously all the family are delighted for him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 I hope there isn't a lot of pressure put on Di Resta.He's a talented boy, but the best he can be hoping for is steady points finishes, he won't be challenging for wins and podiums so quickly anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Robert Kubica was injured competing in a Rally in Italy this morning.He's suffered a fractured right arm, leg and hand. It's unlikely he'll make the first F1 race of the season, so Bruno Senna will probably step in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy2212 151 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I know Paul personally. In fact we are not far off related. My mums sister is married to his dads brother (uncle) so he is my cousins cousin.Met him a few times and he was very grounded. Seems a lot maturer than his age, really hope he does well. Obviously all the family are delighted for him.Get me some free shit pens,lanyards etc and ask him for silverstone tickets in return i will positive rep you everyday for the rest of my life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Get me some free shit pens,lanyards etc and ask him for silverstone tickets in return i will positive rep you everyday for the rest of my life.He can tell Di Resta to bring me home a bollard from Monaco as well Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeReadyStu 70 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I've seen some pictures of Kubicas rally car, looks like a guardrail pierced right through the left side of the car Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 I've seen some pictures of Kubicas rally car, looks like a guardrail pierced right through the left side of the car Hit a church wall at high speed.Apparently he's lucky his hand hasn't been amputated Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeReadyStu 70 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hit a church wall at high speed.Apparently he's lucky his hand hasn't been amputatedYeah, I believe his manager said that if he was a normal person and not an F1 driver they would have just cut his hand off rather than trying to save it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Yeah, I believe his manager said that if he was a normal person and not an F1 driver they would have just cut his hand off rather than trying to save it.He's had problems before, he had a bad road crash in 2003 and was also in a massive F1 crash in Canada where he actually could have died, but was up and about walking in two days.Of course I feel sorry for him because he's a quality driver, but we get a chance to see Bruno Senna in a decent car, I'm a big fan of his. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeReadyStu 70 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 He's had problems before, he had a bad road crash in 2003 and was also in a massive F1 crash in Canada where he actually could have died, but was up and about walking in two days.Of course I feel sorry for him because he's a quality driver, but we get a chance to see Bruno Senna in a decent car, I'm a big fan of his.Yellow and Green helmet in a black Lotus, now where have I seen that before? An omen for the future perhaps Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Yellow and Green helmet in a black Lotus, now where have I seen that before? An omen for the future perhaps Who knows.He's quite a late comer to motorsport, although he was apparently shit hot at karting when he was little, he obviously stopped after his uncle's death and only returned to racing in 2004 at the age of 20.He never had a Lewis Hamilton or Nico Hulkenburg esque GP2 career, but was a solid driver who was always in the points, and last year in F1 was just a learning curve for him with shitty Hispania, I just hope his team-mate from that team Karun Chandhok can get a drive this season too.And who knows what the future may hold for little Senna? His uncle started off in a shit back of the grid team also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Bruno Senna: "So all I need now is a car... " Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Robert Kubica's Formula 1 career is under threat after his right hand was partially severed in a high-speed rally crash in Italy on Sunday.He also suffered arm and leg fractures after his car hit a church wall. Kubica who drives for the British-based Renault F1 team, had seven hours of surgery after he was airlifted to a hospital near Genoa. The 26-year-old Pole looks at least likely to miss the entire 2011 season, which starts in Bahrain on 13 March. Initial reports suggested he was in danger of losing his hand, although those fears were later played down. However, Professor Mario Igor Rossello, a specialist surgeon involved in the lengthy operation, said that it was too early to accurately assess the long-term implications of his injuries. Rossello told reporters he was "moderately satisfied" with the operation to rebuild the hand, but said that it would be several days before doctors could determine whether the hand would be "able to return to full function". He added: "The danger is, in five-seven days you can have vascular problems, and we could do surgery again to solve these problems." When asked what the best prognosis for recovery would be, Rossello replied: "One year. One year is the best provision." The doctor said he expected the driver to recover "enough functionality for him to resume his activity." He was operated on after reportedly being trapped in his car for more than an hour while specialist cutting equipment arrived in Peitra Ligure. Kubica also needed surgery in 2003 after a serious road accident as a passenger that left him with titanium bolts in his arm. Reports suggested that Kubica was 4.6km from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally on Sunday morning when his Skoda Fabia crashed. His co-driver Jakub Gerber escaped from the wreckage unharmed. It is understood a crash barrier penetrated the footwell of the car. Two-time world F1 champion Fernando Alonso was reportedly among the visitors at hospital as leading figures in the sport supported their stricken colleague. As the operation took place, Kubica's manager Daniele Morelli told reporters at the Santa Corona Hospital: "Surgeons are trying to re-establish the functionality of his right hand." He added: "Robert is very strong and he will do it." A statement from Renault said Kubica had been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand. The former driver for the BMW Sauber team regularly competes in rallies and was driving a week after a successful testing session in the new Renault car in Valencia , ahead of the season's opening grand prix in Bahrain. Kubica had been due to lead the Renault team alongside Russian Vitaly Petrov, who has a long-term contract after signing for the 2011 and 2012 season during the winter. The reserve drivers for 2011 include Bruno Senna - who raced for Hispania last season - and Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault as a replacement for Nelson Piquet Jr in 2009. It is likely that either of these drivers will be called up for the second pre-season test which starts in Jerez on Thursday. Kubica was an impressive performer last season to finish in eighth position in the drivers' table, securing second at Melbourne and a third in Monaco and Belgium. The Krakow-born star also suffered a bad crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007 and was forced to miss one race. He returned to the same track the following year to claim his first Formula 1 victory. Kubica's F1 colleagues have been sending messages of support. Britain's former world champion Jenson Button, who drives for McLaren said on his Twitter page: "Shocking news about Robert Kubica. I wish him a speedy recovery." Williams driver Rubens Barrichello tweeted: "I would like to ask you for your best wishes to Kubica. He is being operated right now. We all like him and he deserves all the best." Heikki Kovalainen, of Team Lotus, said: "All thoughts on Kubica tonight, he's a great guy, lets hope operations go well and he makes full recovery." Sebastian Buemi, of the Torro Rosso team, told his Twitter followers: "All my support to Robert Kubica. I am with you man" Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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