So it' clearly been a while since we've updated our blog, but so much has happened in the last two weeks that, in all honesty, where do I start?
The first I suppose has to be the decision taken by Jenson to join McLaren, a rumour so fantastic for me that a permanent fixture to my work pin board is the Metro newspaper's article of an F1 Dream Team in the pipeline some 3 and half weeks ago. But in my excitement at an all British team, something we havent seen since Lotus' pairing years ago, I forgot to really think about this pairing properly. Yes both Brits have PR'd themselves in the obvious fashion saying how excited they are to become team mates in 2010, but what's the real story and what will the real partnership hold? Bernie Ecclestone has given his view that he thinks this was a good move, but many F1 experts have disagreed. Two British world champions, with completely different F1 careers so far. Lewis being used to being in the limelight, championing his way up the motorsport ladder at great speed and Jenson, someone who seemed permanently at the back of the grid in a car not worthy of his driving ability. But give the guy a decent car and look what he can achieve. Having his world titled stripped of him by another Brit was always going to be a massive kick in the face for Lewis and knowing his inability to play as part of a team, I am somewhat nervous for McLaren next year. But what's really exciting? Put these two incredibly capable drivers in the same car and let's really see what they can do. A question on most lips since Jenson's title win is who is the better champion and what greater way to answer this question than to put them side by side as equals. I am nervous and excited and that is exactly what F1 should be about.
The other major piece of news to talk about is the buy out of Brawn something I have to say I was totally not expecting. I know David is going to blog more on this particular point, however I am waiting with baited breath as to whether the legendary Michael Schumacher is going to make a return to the sport. I mean its textbook... the one man that saw him to championship after championship was Ross Brawn and now that the team has been taken over by Germans, why wouldnt he? It's almost a little too good to believe but I would love him to make a reappearance alongside Jenson and Lewis.
The rules and regs changes next year are extensive and although my light bedtime reading consists of the actual official rules, printed off from the FIA website, I'm still trawling my way through with some confusion to their decisions. No refuelling? The welcomed abolishment by all drivers of the useful/useless KERS system? It's all going to make for an intersing season that's for sure.
So this was supposed to be a short post with the promise to write more when I have time this week but I think there may be many more F1 changes this week that I'll need to physically quit my day job just to keep up!
Looking forward to the driver confirmations however and I'll be back with a more in depth review of the 2010 season when all those decisions have been made. Until then, it's back to page 79 of the 2010 Technical Regulations....
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Despite Brundle's oft-voiced opinion to the contrary, I'm really looking forward to no re-fuelling next season. Qualifying over the past few seasons hasn't given an impression of true relative performance given cars in the final session have been in different fuel loads. Next season, all cars will be starting with the fuel to last the race so will weight the same (give or take a little depending on how economical they can be).
ReplyDeleteManaging fuel during the race will be vital for the driver...blasting past people of a rich setting will only be feasible for so long. I'm old enough to remember the days where race leaders resorted to trying to push their cars over the line after running dry. Exciting stuff.
Since your post the Mercedes majority buyout of Brawn has been well publicised. I have to admit to being a bit disappointed, I rather felt that Ross Brawn had "sold out" too soon - the excitement of the new team doing so well, with the World Championship to their name was all the more because of how quickly it happened for the new team. But of course F1 is big business and money talks, bearing in mind that there have been several casualties with team withdrawals on the basis of financial reasons, its a smart move from Brawn to assure the teams future. It has come at a price though, Jenson Button has gone, and to be honest all the talk of him being disloyal are rubbish - with Mercedes strongly hinting at their preference for an all German driver line up, did they really expect Button to hang around? I hope that the deal with Mercedes doesn't dilute the enthusiasm of the Brawn element of the team - although I fear that the takeover may end up being just that, and we will see very little of Brawn as it was.
ReplyDeleteDavid