Formula 1 Thread

#227
#227
tidwell said:
[Rant on]Tomorrow's French GP begins at 8AM EST. Instead of showing it live on Speed, it will be tape delayed until 1PM EST on FOX. Is it so bad to show the race live? Sure, it's a better, more convenient time for everyone on this side of the world, but I'd like to see the freakin' race LIVE. They showed qualifying live for goodness sake. I'll have to avoid virtually every motorsports website that I frequent tomorrow morning as to not see how the race turned out. This is ridiculous.[/Rant off]
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It's the suck, Tidwell. I would much rather get up at 730am and watch it live. I will wind up getting updates on F1's website with their tracker, but that detracts from watching the race. Oh well. Hopefully someday F1 will become mainstream in America again (not likely, but we all can dream) and showing the races at 1pm instead of 8am will contribute to that.
 
#228
#228
At least Fox is showing it in HD.

ABC continues to bite with it's HD coverage - would it kill them to show an IRL race in HD? Even Indy wasn't HD last year.
 
#229
#229
BTW - the French circuit is beautiful. HD seems to give a better feel for the speed - the camera angle through the chicane is outstanding.
 
#231
#231
They have 2 camera views that completely rock - the chicane and one where they come into a hard right-hander followed by a big sweeping left then another right.
 
#233
#233
As much as I griped about the tape delay (still sucks, by the way), the race was worth the wait! :rock2:
 
#234
#234
Pretty interesting race today in France.

Alonso put on a heck of a show today. Passing Rosberg early, stalking Heidfeld in the first stint, eventually passing Heidfield and Fisichella. That pass on Heidfeld going into one of the chicanes was great stuff. I'm not sure how he ended up back behind Heidfeld and Fisichella after the last pit stop, but he did. Lost more points to Hamilton.

Poor ol Hamilton... finally finished a GP worse than where he started and didn't lead for the first time in his F1 career. I guess he'll just have to settle for his 8th consecutive podium and extending his lead in the Drivers Championship. :lol:

Great battle between the Ferrari drivers. Raikkonen apparently laid down some blistering laps just before that last pit stop to make up a lot of ground on Massa, as well as using the quicker/shorter pit stop to gain time and eventually take the lead.

Four different drivers now have two wins apiece. Good stuff.

French GP Results, Drivers, & Constructors Championship Standings: autosport.com - F1 News: Raikkonen leads Ferrari 1-2 in France
 
#235
#235
The plot thickens in the case of Nigel Stepney.

First, he was dismissed by Ferrari...

Nigel Stepney, the engineer at the centre of a legal enquiry over possible sabotage at Ferrari, has now been dismissed by the Maranello team.

A Ferrari spokesman confirmed to autosport.com: "An internal disciplinary procedure has been completed and Nigel Stepney is no longer an employee of Ferrari."
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Now, enter McLaren...

McLaren have suspended a senior member of their staff amid suspicions that he unlawfully obtained technical information belonging to rivals Ferrari.

With former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney currently at the centre of a legal enquiry about sabotage of Ferrari's cars prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, there had also been talk of a possible espionage investigation.

That scenario was confirmed on Tuesday when McLaren issued a statement revealing that a member of their staff is now being investigated by Ferrari as possibly obtaining technical secrets from a Ferrari employee.

It has not been clarified yet, however, whether or not this affair relates specifically to Stepney.

"McLaren became aware on [today] that a senior member of its technical organisation was the subject of a Ferrari investigation regarding the receipt of technical information.

"The team has learnt that this individual had personally received a package of technical information from a Ferrari employee at the end of April.
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Ferrari confirms action taken against McLaren:

In a statement issued this evening, the Italian team said: "Ferrari announces it has recently presented a case against Nigel Stepney and an engineer from the Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team with the Modena Tribunal, concerning the theft of technical information.

"Furthermore, legal action has been instigated in England and a search warrant has been issued concerning the engineer. This produced a positive outcome.

"Ferrari reserves the right to consider all implications, be they criminal, civil or of any other nature, according to the applicable laws."

Autosport.com understands the search already took place today in the McLaren engineer's house, with police finding the incriminating material, which then led McLaren to suspend him.
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The poor schmuck in question:

Mike Coughlan, McLaren's chief designer, is the senior engineer suspected of espionage against Ferrari, autosport.com has learned.

The 48-year-old Briton is suspected of unlawfully obtaining technical material belonging to Ferrari in collaboration with Ferrari's Nigel Stepney.

In a search conducted by the police at Coughlan's house today, documents allegedly belonging to Ferrari were found, leading McLaren to suspend him while Ferrari said they reserve the right to pursue further legal action.
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Complete summary of Stepneygate and McLaren Espionage:

'Stepneygate' has sent shock waves through Formula One in recent days, and Tuesday's news that a senior McLaren employee is involved in obtaining stolen documents belonging to Ferrari has added yet another dimension to the story.

Ferrari and McLaren have had a highly charged rivalry for three decades now, but this latest episode is perhaps the strangest yet.
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autosport.com - F1 News: Stepney dismissed by Ferrari
Ferrari files 'leaked' to McLaren - CNN.com
autosport.com - F1 News: McLaren employee suspected of espionage
autosport.com - F1 News: Ferrari confirm action against McLaren man
autosport.com - F1 News: McLaren suspect is Mike Coughlan
autosport.com - F1 News: Analysis: the remarkable Stepneygate saga
 
#236
#236
just goes to show how serious these guys take their racing and how competitive the rivalry is between Ferrari and the other team.
 
#237
#237
Definitely!

Sure will be interesting to see if it was Stepney supplying the McLaren dude with the confidential technical information. It would make sense since he is (or was) unhappy at Ferrari and was already accused of the sabotage. What better way to stick it to them (other than the sabotage, which is dangerous) than to share their secrets with their bitter rival? I love this stuff.
 
#238
#238
The FIA has began their investigation in the matter.

The FIA said on Wednesday it had began its investigation, which will focus exclusively on the requirements of Formula One's regulations, leaving legal aspects aside.

"With the full cooperation of both teams, the FIA has initiated an investigation into matters involving Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes," said the governing body in a statement.
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autosport.com - F1 News: FIA begins probe on Ferrari espionage case
 
#239
#239
Another interesting twist...

Ferrari have revealed that they were tipped off about McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan possibly having Ferrari documents by someone outside of Formula One.

In a statement issued by the Maranello outfit on Thursday, Ferrari confirmed that the team swung into action after receiving the information, and began legal proceedings through the London High Court.
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autosport.com - F1 News: Non-F1 source tipped off Ferrari
 
#242
#242
Ferrari took the top two spots in the second practice, with Raikkonen out-pacing Massa by almost half a second.

Hamilton and Alonso could only manage 4th and 6th respectively with the Toyotas of Schumacher and Trulli placing 3rd and 5th. Just testing/practice, of course...

Button sat out the practice for Honda with back pain... Christian Klien replaced him.

autosport.com - F1 News: Raikkonen on top in practice 2 - Britain
 
#243
#243
Red Bull has one ugly car this weekend...

redbull.jpg
 
#244
#244
tidwell said:
Another interesting twist...

autosport.com - F1 News: Non-F1 source tipped off Ferrari
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Turns out that non-F1 source was someone at a print shop that Coughlan visited with the 500-700 pages of Ferrari documents in hand. The person noticed the Ferrari logo on the documents and contacted Ferrari... :wacko:

Yet another twist coming out today. Stepney and Coughlan both approached Honda about employment opportunities.

Honda Racing have become embroiled in the espionage scandal surrounding Nigel Stepney after admitting on Friday that they were approached by the former Ferrari engineer and McLaren's Mike Coughlan for jobs earlier this year.

"Nigel Stepney subsequently met in June of this year with Nick Fry and brought with him Mike Coughlan of McLaren, with a view to investigating job opportunities within the Honda Racing F1 Team.

"Honda would like to stress that at no point during this meeting was any confidential information offered or received. Nick Fry informed Jean Todt and Ron Dennis of the meeting and has offered to provide any information required by Ferrari and McLaren."
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autosport.com - F1 News: Stepney, Coughlan approached Honda
 
#246
#246
Hamilton wins his 3rd career pole in his first career race at his home GP. Beat Raikkonen by just over a tenth of a second. Raikkonen probably would've had it if he hadn't have ran wide just a bit in the last turn. Even then he took the pole for a moment from Alonso. Knockout qualifying rules.

Toyota backed up their practice times Ralf starts 6th.

autosport.com - F1 News: Hamilton grabs last-gasp British GP pole
 
#247
#247
FIA saying the Stepneygate issue should be resolved within the next month:

autosport.com - F1 News: Mosley hopes to resolve 'spy' row fast

And despite what Ecclestone said earlier in the week, the FIA isn't ruling out action against the McLaren drivers instead of just the team...

An FIA spokesman told autosport.com that the investigation into McLaren was ongoing, and said that punishments could include action being taken against both the team and drivers.

"We cannot rule out action being taken in both (the drivers' and constructors') championships," said the spokesman. "We don't know when exactly the investigation will be finished, but it will certainly be within the next few weeks."

Ecclestone told The Times: "If it (the information) was used, did it affect in any way the performance of the car and, if so, where? In that case they (the FIA) could take away constructors' points from the team.

"But there is no way it would affect the driver. It is nothing to do with the driver. He's got the car, he gets into the car, and he has no idea."
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autosport.com - F1 News: FIA not ruling out driver punishment
 
#248
#248
tidwell said:
Turns out that non-F1 source was someone at a print shop that Coughlan visited with the 500-700 pages of Ferrari documents in hand. The person noticed the Ferrari logo on the documents and contacted Ferrari... :wacko:

Yet another twist coming out today. Stepney and Coughlan both approached Honda about employment opportunities.

autosport.com - F1 News: Stepney, Coughlan approached Honda
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Was Jack Sells working at Ferrari at this time?
 
#250
#250
tidwell said:
[Rant on]Tomorrow's British GP begins at 8AM EST. Instead of showing it live on Speed, it will be tape delayed until 1PM EST on FOX. Is it so bad to show the race live? Sure, it's a better, more convenient time for everyone on this side of the world, but I'd like to see the freakin' race LIVE. They showed qualifying live for goodness sake. I'll have to avoid virtually every motorsports website that I frequent tomorrow morning as to not see how the race turned out. This is ridiculous.[/Rant off]
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Edited to reflect this week's GP. :banghead2:

At least they'll be shown live again at their normal early morning hour starting at the European GP at the Nurburgring (or at least I think/hope so).
 
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