Canadian billionaire aims to buy Aston Martin, report says
LONDON -- Canadian billionaire and Formula One team owner Lawrence Stroll has formed a consortium to take control of U.K. sports-car maker Aston Martin, a British magazine reported.
Stroll has used connections he has made as owner of the Racing Point F1 team and through his son, F1 driver Lance Stroll, to form the group to take a major stake in Aston Martin, Autocar magazine reported.
Any listen to the Bernie Eccelstone episode of Beyond the Grid? He mentions how he helped get Jean Todt to Ferrari, but specifically how he wanted to get a non-Italian there, because, as he put it, with an Italian in charge, it's the same as no-one in charge.
To me that doesn't look like a track that will produce exciting racing at all. Qualifying might be electric, but as wide as these cars are, I think the excitement will end after Saturday
They seem comically large to me, but I will probably get used to them. Curious how the larger wheel impacts the aero. Seems like the wheel makes up a really big portion of the frontal cross section.
All 10 Formula 1 teams have voted in favour of keeping the 2019 tyre compounds in place for the 2020 season, the FIA has confirmed.
The 2020 prototype tyres introduced by Pirelli did not receive an awful lot of love from the drivers who tested the new rubber out in the second half of the season and finally at the two-day tyre test in Abu Dhabi following the conclusion of the 2019 season.
Following a vote on Monday, the 2019 tyres are staying put for next season.
‘After having tested and analysed new specification tyres for 2020, a vote for the specification of the tyres for the 2020 Season was carried out according to Article 12.6.1 of the technical regulations,’ the FIA said in a press release.
‘The vote resulted in a unanimous decision to keep the 2019 specification tyres for the 2020 season by the Formula 1 teams.
‘The FIA would like to thank both Pirelli and all the teams for their work and collaboration to improve the tyres for the 2020 season and beyond.
‘In any case, the lessons leant will be invaluable for the further improvement of the tyres in the future.’
Both Haas and Alfa are b-teams just like Toro Rosso (aka the new Alfa).
Especially Haas get more standard parts designed for Ferrari than Alfa (see front wing differences at the start of the season) or Alfa is more like a test bed for Ferrari.
Haas has made their choice since joining F1 that they first need to establish themselves as a midfield team with the help of Ferrari, and then move forward.
I hope they both stay strong and avoid becoming a new Williams
Στάλθηκε από το SM-J710F μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk
Gene Haas doesn't like spending lots of money to finish mid-field. I give them one more year of being a B-team before he either pulls the plug or finds a buyer in Penske.
If you think about it, Haas was just like Ferrari but without the speed. They went in the wrong direction with the aero of the car like Ferrari did, except Haas never recovered. It was so bad that at the end if the season, Steiner said that they should have listened to their drivers more, the two guys we all think they should dump. It also kinda brings home my point about people, as in Ferrari's case, even with resources, if you get it wrong you pay dearly:
Magnussen
Even in Bahrain in qualifying, we qualified… I can’t remember, sixth of something, up there. Then in the race it just completely fell apart.
“So from there on it was a little bit of panic in the team.
“We couldn’t really focus on… kind of find the real root of the problem. We were looking a lot at tyres and blaming the problem on tyres issues whereas in fact it was a little more simple.
“We just had aero issues, unstable aero and the whole platform just not being strong enough and consistent, stable enough."
If you think about it, Haas was just like Ferrari but without the speed. They went in the wrong direction with the aero of the car like Ferrari did, except Haas never recovered. It was so bad that at the end if the season, Steiner said that they should have listened to their drivers more, the two guys we all think they should dump. It also kinda brings home my point about people, as in Ferrari's case, even with resources, if you get it wrong you pay dearly
You guys really think these B teams ever stand a chance if they're using an A teams engine? I feel like if Haas all of sudden pulled something amazing next year, Ferrari would just delay upgrades for them ? Mercedes and Renault too. I can only see B teams that use Honda engines having a chance since there's no Honda racing team.
I dunno, Renault has a pretty good history of rival teams doing better with their engines than the "works" Renault team :laugh:
As a "get your feet wet" start up team, Haas has sweet deal with Ferrari support because it's more than just engines.
Red Bull has some very talented people, to pull off that Honda switch and achieve as much as they did was no small feat. I just don't think the Haas team is that deep, in fact they lost an engineer at season's end.
If Haas can't get better talent on the R&D side I don't see the team's fate changing. And like others, I wonder how long Haas can hang in there, it takes a long time to assemble and keep the right group of people. Without some success to draw sponsors, Haas will run out of time and money.
Vietnam circuit got an extra corner (below) while we were sleeping.
*shrugs shoulders* Not like I was in love with the original design. I hate seeing hairpins before the main straight though, so I suppose it's.... better?
It seems almost a given that Verstappen will leave Red Bull after 2020. Ferrari could tank again next year but I don't know it that would be enough for him to stay at RB. He will be sought after, for sure.
Verstappen had better take notes though, being disruptive and burning bridges (Max, why piss off Ferrari?) doesn't pay off long term.
As Alonso continues to look for a way back, his history stands in his way:
There have been rumors that Liberty Media looked into the possibility of Fernando Alonso joining Red Bull Racing for the 2020 season.
“We immediately said we have no need for Alonso,” Marko told Auto Bild. “It won’t work because our engine partner Honda won’t have it either. The name Alonso makes the hair on their necks bristle.”
We have to give Max a car in 2020 with which he can become world champion. Otherwise, he will be gone,” said the Austrian. “Right now things are really going on behind the scenes. It will be decisive weeks.”
It seems almost a given that Verstappen will leave Red Bull after 2020. Ferrari could tank again next year but I don't know it that would be enough for him to stay at RB. He will be sought after, for sure.
Verstappen had better take notes though, being disruptive and burning bridges (Max, why piss off Ferrari?) doesn't pay off long term.
As Alonso continues to look for a way back, his history stands in his way:
There have been rumors that Liberty Media looked into the possibility of Fernando Alonso joining Red Bull Racing for the 2020 season.
“We immediately said we have no need for Alonso,” Marko told Auto Bild. “It won’t work because our engine partner Honda won’t have it either. The name Alonso makes the hair on their necks bristle.”
We have to give Max a car in 2020 with which he can become world champion. Otherwise, he will be gone,” said the Austrian. “Right now things are really going on behind the scenes. It will be decisive weeks.”
Hmm.. but where does he go? If he wants to be competitive, it has to be either Merc or Ferrari. I don't see Ferrari wanting him- they already have a young upstart type and it seems like a LEC/Max team would be rife with conflict (even worse than now). Which basically means Merc replacing Bottas with him. Possible, but he seems more of a hothead than Merc would want under Hamilton. Decent chance that Hamilton will be going for a record 8th championship that year and adding Max to the mix might create a lot of unnecessary drama.
I never liked Alonso and don't see why there is always a push to get him back in the sport. He did 17 years in the sport, let's just be done with him. Plenty of young talent out there that deserves a shot rather than someone who at 38, probably won't be as competitive. Remember, he hasn't been on the podium since Hungary in 2014.
Let's break Russell from his contract at Williams and get him into a RBR car. Shoot, even Norris could do great things at RBR... the charm and charisma both of these rookies have is intoxicating.
I didn't either. Especially after that one season with McLaren and his threats during Spygate. I thought he was toxic.
Then McLaren/Honda came along and beat him up every. single. weekend, and he kept getting up. We watched the spirit of a WDC slowly break over those four years, and that added character, I think.
I like him now.
edit. I had forgotten about my internal struggle when he went to Ferrari. That was at the point when I had the lowest opinion of him. I've been a Ferrari fan for 30+ years, and I thought, "How can I cheer for the Scuderia if he's one of their drivers???"
I beloeve Hamilton will want to end his carrer in Ferrari trying to get them on top again.
That means Vettel will either retire or go back to Red Bull for a last year.
I dont think Alonso is really an option as Honda might well be on the right track but is still not at Mercedes level. So Alonso will not be happy once again.
Verstappen is really fast, maybe the fastest right now, but cracks when his teammate performs better than him. He was trying so hard to beat Ricciardo in qualifying that crashed most of the times. On the other hand, he performs better with weaker teammates, so Ferrari will not be an option if Leclerc stays there. So I m guessing he will drive for Mercedes.
The thing is that the only man who can take full advantage of the new 2021 aero regulations is in Red Bull. So in my opinion, that's the team to get championships then.
Στάλθηκε από το SM-J710F μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk
I beloeve Hamilton will want to end his carrer in Ferrari trying to get them on top again.
That means Vettel will either retire or go back to Red Bull for a last year.
I dont think Alonso is really an option as Honda might well be on the right track but is still not at Mercedes level. So Alonso will not be happy once again.
Verstappen is really fast, maybe the fastest right now, but cracks when his teammate performs better than him. He was trying so hard to beat Ricciardo in qualifying that crashed most of the times. On the other hand, he performs better with weaker teammates, so Ferrari will not be an option if Leclerc stays there. So I m guessing he will drive for Mercedes. The thing is that the only man who can take full advantage of the new 2021 aero regulations is in Red Bull. So in my opinion, that's the team to get championships then.
Στάλθηκε από το SM-J710F μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk
This is a very interesting take and one I hadn't thought about. :thumbup:
With new regulations it's going to come down to who can engineer the best car the fastest and Adrian Newey is the aero visionary of our time.
Ferrari can't find their azzes with the lights on and Mercedes has been known to struggle but eventually get it right. That leaves and opening fir Red Bull to possibly exploit.
Horner and Marko don't want Alonso either. Remember last year when Alonso started an argument with both of those men about being called to race for Red Bull? Alonso is a bomb, no way he goes to Red Bull, Honda nor the team want him. Too toxic.
Vettel says he isn't done and will look beyond 2021 but Ferrari is probably done with him. Vettel going home to Red Bull would make Marko (who brags that Vettel stays in touch with the team) and Horner happy. In the right environment and being number 1 Vettel would perform better. The pressure of the red car was too much.
Vettel could mentor Albon and I agree with the earlier assessment. Albon is good but nothing like Vettel, Hamilton or even Leclerc and Verstappen, he doesn't have their outright speed or thier race pace early in his career like they did. Albon is a longer term project that may or may not pan out.
For me, when Alonso went to McLaren it was just a continuation of what he's always been and done, a primadonna that's disruptive when times are tough.
Alonso only wants to come back to a top team but it's also telling that McLaren has made it clear they're happy with Norris and Sainz and wish Alonso well on his search :laugh:
Alonso is a champion, a true talent who can place a car higher than it deserves on track, what he's not is a teammate and someone who is going to help you progress. He'll blast you, the team, everybody.
There's no denying that Alonso was better than Vandoorne but Vandoorne told the story of how Alonso operated. The knock Vettel gets is that he doesn't like to be challenged from a teammate, it rattles him. Alonso is the same and Verstappen is looking to share that trait.
If Alonso wants to go to a top team, he poses challenges, not for his driving, but his personality. Red Bull will have difficult days and Alonso would have them on blast when they faltered. Horner and Marko already know all that so it won't happen, Ferrari know that too and probably cringe at the thought of Alonso in front of a microphone in red and Mercedes' phone is probably ringing nonstop and have the pick of the litter and don't need him.
I don't see where he fits. This may be the craziest silly season in decades, it would take some major moves and retirements to shake out something for Alonso. Can't see it today but as U posted, much can happen in a year.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Ask a question
Ask a question
VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum
84.4M posts
1.5M members
Since 2001
A forum community dedicated to all Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, builds, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, new releases, and more!