2006 Formula 1 season thread

[habsfan]

The new F1 season is getting closer and closer all the time, 65 days away as of this post. Anyways i just thought i would post up some info about next season that some people may not have seen just yet.

2006 Driver's Line Up(formula1.com)

Renault:
Fernando Alonso
Giancarlo Fisichella

McLaren:
Kimi Raikkonen
Juan Pablo Montoya

Ferrari:
Michael Schumacher
Felipe Massa

Toyota:
Ralf Schumacher
Jarno Trulli

Williams:
Mark Webber
Nico Rosberg

Honda:
Rubens Barrichello
Jenson Button

Red Bull:
David Coulthard
Christian Klien

BMW Sauber:
Nick Heidfeld
Jacques Villeneuve

MF1:
Tiago Monteiro
Christijan Albers

Toro Rosso:
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Scott Speed


New Car Release Dates
(http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=106476)

14 January - Toyota
16 January - BMW
23 January - Ferrari
25 January - Honda
27 January - Williams
31 January - Renault
3 February - Midland

Red Bull has run its new car already and will be testing with it, but will not officially launch until the eve of the first Grand Prix of the season in March. Squadra Toro Rosso will do the same. McLaren and Super Aguri are the only two other teams with no confirmed launch plans.


Upcoming Testing Dates
(http://www.f1racing.net/en/tests.php)

20 January Jerez
20 January Silverstone
19 January Silverstone
19 January Jerez
18 January Silverstone
18 January Jerez
17 January Silverstone
17 January Valencia
17 January Jerez
16 January Valencia
15 January Jerez
14 January Jerez
13 January Jerez
12 January Jerez
11 January Jerez
10 January Jerez

[habsfan]

Super Aguri set to enter Formula 1
(http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=106611)

It looks like we will see 22 drivers lining up during the openingrace in Bahrain on 12 March. It is expected that the FIA will give F1's new team Super Aguri green light to enter the sport.

"The FIA has received official notification that all the competing teams have approved the late entry of Super Aguri to the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship," a spokesperson of the FIA told Reuters. "We have also been informed that the required financial guarantee will be presented to the FIA early next week. A formal announcement of the new team's entry will be made on receipt of the guarantee."

The Japanese team, based in the old Arrows factory in England, is planning to race four-year-old F1 cars. Formula 1 did not have 11 teams on the grid since the Arrrows team folded halfway the 2002 season.

[/////AMG]

2nd person to post in this thread, woohoo!!

PS. McLaren Mercedes = teh win!

[benyl]

Remember the days when you had to qualify to make the grid... Money talks I suppose. What are the rule changes this year?

[habsfan]

the biggest rule changes are obviously switching from 3.0L V10s to 2.4L V8s, new "knockout" style qualifying(http://www.formula1.com/news/3770.html), tire changes allowed again...ill try to find a link with a good summarization of the changes.

EDIT: here we go http://www.formula1.com/insight/rule...gs/13/995.html

[BigMass]

With the constant nerfing of F1 cars (power, aero, etc), how long before a Radical or something not restricted by rules will be able to lap a track faster than an F1 car?

[R!zz0]

I hope Michael Schumacher wins. the guy is my idol man. Highest paid athlete in the world.

[habsfan]

let's hear some predictions for the upcoming season. Ferrari will be competitive this year, Mclaren as well. Renault less so, i think Honda will usurp their spot among the front runners. the dark horses of the season? Toyota is due to finally see some results and BMW Sauber could surprise us all here and there.

my prediction for drivers champ:
Kimi Raikonnen
Michael Schumacher
Jensen Button
Rubens Barrichello

all separated by minimal points, i'd say 40 or 50 points will seperate the top 5 or 6 drivers. Button and Barrichello could swap places too, that will be interesting to watch.

constructors championship:
Honda
Mclaren
Ferrari
Renault

after this will be a logjam, most likely led by Toyota, then either RBR or BMW Sauber, Williams, Toro Rosso, Midfield, and finally, Super Aguri.

i can't wait to see how far off my predictions probably are

[ryder_23]

w00t w00t i cant wait for it to start...

I think ferrari will be much much more competitive, especially with there v8 (which i think they'll be running right habsfan?)

I like how they brought back the tire changes, defintly "speed" things up. well maybe not speed wise, just drivers might not be driving as conservativly, and manufacturers can go with something that may wear quicker, but grip that much more .

Predictions:

Drivers

M. Schumacher
Kimi
Button
Barichello

Constructors

ferrari
mclaren
Honda
Renault

hehe, we have similar predictions.

[habsfan]

^yea pretty close haha

and yea Ferrari will definitely be running the V8, they would have zero excuse not to lol. the only teams that could get away with running a restricted V10 would be poor startup teams like Super Aguri, MF1, maybe STR

[iceburns288]

Originally posted by benyl
Remember the days when you had to qualify to make the grid... Money talks I suppose. What are the rule changes this year?

No, I'm absolutely positive some teams wouldn't make it.

[JAYMEZ]

I watched a few last year , I think im going to try and watch this season. Ive always liked Mclaren

[rage2]

I cheered for different teams over the years. Mostly McLaren back in the Senna days, followed him and cheered for Williams for 3 races. Started cheering for Schumacher @ Benneton which introduced me to my favorite smokes, Mild Sevens lol. After 1994 and the beginning of the Schumacher Chop when he clipped Damon Hill, I started cheering for Williams, especially when Villeneuve came on board. After his departure, I've been a McLaren man. No love for Ferrari, cuz of Schuey. Not a big fan.

This year is Montoya's year!

[Team_Mclaren]

My prediction:

drivers:
- kimi
- montoya
- button

Constructor:
- Mclaren
- Honda
- Ferrari

I can dream

[V_boy]

I hope Ferrari takes it back and for Schumacher to earn his wage.... but I would like to see kimi take it

[frostyda9]

Constructors:

1)McLaren
2)Ferrari
3)Honda
4)Toyota

Drivers championship:

1) M Schumacher
2) Kimi
3) Button
4) JPM

[ryder_23]

Originally posted by rage2
Started cheering for Schumacher @ Benneton which introduced me to my favorite smokes, Mild Sevens lol.

The system works

[/////AMG]

McLAREN GO ORANGE

When McLaren hit the Jerez circuit for their first day of winter testing on Wednesday, don't expect to see the usual black-and-silver livery.

Instead the team will be running in orange.

Test drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett will be at the wheel of two interim MP4-20's, which will be running in an orange livery, prior to the launch of the new Team McLaren Mercedes livery in mid-February.

According to a team press release: "The orange is synonymous with the origins of McLaren, as the team ran its Formula One and CAN-AM racers in the colour for a number of years starting with the M5A in 1968."

Wednesday will be the first of 28 days of intensive on-track test days currently scheduled for the team in Valencia, Barcelona, Imola and Jerez leading up to the opening race of the 2006 World Championship, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on Sunday 12th March.

Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya will be starting their programmes during the week commencing Monday January 16.

[habsfan]

yea i saw that, cool looking cars. they should run that scheme during the season too, nice and flashy.

[Alpine Autowerks]

Originally posted by BigMass
With the constant nerfing of F1 cars (power, aero, etc), how long before a Radical or something not restricted by rules will be able to lap a track faster than an F1 car?

..in the late 70's at long beach street circuit the 250cc shifter karts were quicker than the F1 cars