In the round-up: A decision on the future of the Turkish GP is expected in May.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
“The Turkish race organisers say a decision on its future will be made next month when Ecclestone meets Murat Yalcintas.”
Read more here: Turkish Grand Prix in doubt for 2012
Via the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app
DRS could be banned in Monaco (Autosport)
“Discussions will be held with teams and drivers at next month’s Turkish Grand Prix about the situation, with a final decision on what to do for Monaco being taken after that event.”
Team Lotus principals buy Caterham – confirmed (Joe Saward)
“Companies House reveals that Kamarudin Meranun and Anthony Francis Fernandes were appointed directors of Caterham Cars Group Ltd and Caterham Cars Ltd a little more than a week ago.”
Paul Di Resta: "The races have been great fun" (Force India)
“It’s all been relatively manageable. The races have been great fun, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, and hopefully getting some more performance. We’re not far away just now.”
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Comment of the day
Want an F1-style drinks system in your road car? Keith H explains how:
It’s easy enough to re-wire the windshield washer system to do that.
Just use a new reservoir, and re-route the hose inside your car to where you can reach it. Before you leave, poor your coffee in the reservoir and the engine heat will keep it warm for you.
Keith H
From the forum
Share your stories of how and when you got into F1.
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On this day in F1
The last San Marino Grand Prix at Imola was held five years ago today.
Michael Schumacher held on to win despite pressure from Fernando Alonso, gaining revenge on Alonso for his win at the track ahead of Schumacher one year earlier.
Calum (@calum)
23rd April 2011, 0:26
So, where does Caterham fit in the Lotus/Lotus family tree? :P
Group Lotus and Team Lotus, both owned by Chapman.
Lotus 7 car design sold to Caterham by Chapman.
Group Lotus still Group Lotus, but Team Lotus name is sold off.
Fernandes buys Team Lotus name, and uses it in 2011. His outfit race as Team Lotus-Renault.
Lotus Cars sponsor Genii owned (and named, and powered by) Renault F1 Team. Team name: Lotus-Renault GP
Lotus buy Caterham, who hold the design for the old ‘Lotus 7.’
However it is Team Lotus, not Group Lotus – who the road car manufacter – that buyout Caterham and the rights to produce the classic Group Lotus designed Road car!!
Confused!?!?
ajokay (@)
23rd April 2011, 1:29
Well, if Team Lotus lose the right to be called Team Lotus, then methinks Caterham will suddenly have an F1 team…
Mike
23rd April 2011, 5:39
It’s not as iconic a name, but I think it would be pretty cool!
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 8:41
This is Joe Sewage* remember?, he likes to make matter of fact articles from rumours so if they do turn out to be true then he gets to act all “I got there first!”, its how he keeps fit, by jumping to conclusions! :).
Lets wait until an official announcement.
Just in case he reads that, I mean no bad blood between bloggers by calling him Joe Sewage, its just what I do, I rename everyone in F1.
I’m particularly fond of McLarvit and Forsure Massa/Mosher.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2011, 9:05
Yes. Caterham split from Lotus years ago. While the Seven was originally a Lotus design, it has been manufactured exclusively by Caterham for some time now. Decades, I think.
Saward reckons that Fernandes intends to keep Caterham and Team Lotus entirely separate from one another and take the Seven to Asian markets – but I’m not so confident. We’re just weeks out from a final verdict in the court case, and all of a sudden Fernandes purchases a small sports car manufacturer with historical ties to the car company he’s locked in the legal dispute with? And he does it in such a way that it is a week before anyone finds out about it? Come on, that’s a massive sequence of coincidences that have to stack up on top of one another. Too many, if you ask me. Maybe it really is Fernandes’ intention to take the Caterham Seven global (and I applaud that – it’s a fantastic little car) … but you can’t deny that it’s also a convenient out in the event that he does lose the court case against Group Lotus.
After all, based on what we’ve seen from them, Team Fernandes want nothing more than to be taken seriously. They want to show themselves as being something greater than a passing folly. They want the credibility that comes with the Lotus name. And if they can’t have that, then they’ll take the next best alternative: ‘support’ from a car manufacturer. What sounds better – “Team AirAsia” or “Caterham Grand Prix Engineering”? Even if they just set Caterham up as a title sponsor the way Group Lotus do with Renault and call themselves “AirAsia Caterham Racing” or “Caterham Fernandes Grand Prix” or something.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 13:13
I guess Fernandes likes to have all the options covered, and doing a good deal at the same time.
Now that using Lotus cars is out of the question (at least for the time being) he can bring the joy of racing and sportscars to Asia with Caterham. That sounds like a good deal and whatever the background something to cheer for.
And as you say it gives him something in hand just in case. Nice angle of actually building a chapman car and being able to continue making comments along the lines of “continuing Chapmans original ideas”.
James
23rd April 2011, 0:28
It’s a bit of a double edged sword really. Turkey is a great race track in my opinion, one of Tilke’s better designs, but there just isnt a big enough crowd there. Unlike Spa, this track doesnt have heritage to use in it’s contract negotiations.
Less fans = less money for the promoters, the teams and for Mr E.
Increasing the fee would mean yet fewer fans attending as some of those that currently attend probably wouldnt want to stretch the money they’d spend on a ticket further.
However, on the flip side, assuming that Bahrain and Turkey stay on the calender next years, there would be 21 races, which I think is too much. 20 is already about as much as most fans want. Unfortunately, something has to give somewhere, the French GP, Indianapolis GP and San Marinian GP organisers could be the first of many to tell you that.
It makes you wonder which race will face the chop when the Russian GP needs to be slotted in.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
23rd April 2011, 0:39
i think the hungary race will be chopped, and spain will alternate between catalunya and valencia.
slr
23rd April 2011, 10:50
Trust me, Hungary is not going anywhere.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 13:16
Turkey will get dropped and good riddance. Yes, its a pretty nice track.
But sitting a mile off the action combined with horrible promotion has not done anything to make it a fan favourite for visiting.
Russia will be slotted in to adress the region a bit in a few years time. I guess Valencia will not be with us for many seasons as well.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
23rd April 2011, 0:31
where could you possibly use drs in monaco? either in the tunnel so you can properly screw up the chicane, or up beau rivage into massenet so you can launch yourself into the hotel. the main straight is too short to generate the drs effect into sainte devote.
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 8:42
Hahahaha
Come on Vitaly, you can make it, I believe in you!.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 13:24
LOL, but seriously it seems the drivers are actually afraid of something going wrong in qually, when they can use it all over the track.
From that autosport article, this sounds really daft:
Drivers afraid to take risks? Hello, this is racing!
wigster (@wigster)
23rd April 2011, 1:02
There arent any straights long enough to use the DRS during the race in monaco. The longest fat out bits are the start ‘curve’, the run up the hill after the 1st corner and under the hotel. Non of them are straight, and all of them commonly see accidents and overly late braking as it is without giving the cars less downforce when they’re trying to outbrake another car on the marbles.
During qualifying / practice it may be safe, but make a mistake almost anywhere and your in the barrier and the session stops for 10 minutes while the bits of your car are brushed up and collected. And finally if its not used in the race because no wheres long, straight or safe enough there’s no point in using it practice to get used to it for the race.
Fixy (@)
23rd April 2011, 10:38
I am with you, if it’s not used during the race that means there is no point where it’s safe to do so, so neither in Practice it should be used.
mateuss
23rd April 2011, 21:25
Why not allow free use of it then all trough the weekend? If its not going to work in the race as intended, then open up the rule so we see some exciting qualifying and exciting racing.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2011, 1:44
I found this part of the Saward article interesting:
It certainly lends credibility to the suggestion that Group Lotus terminated the licencing agreement with Fernandes because Fernandes went and used the Group Lotus name for something other than the team …
silencer
23rd April 2011, 2:41
such as?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2011, 3:19
Well, I don’t know what, exactly, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was – LR8 (“Lotus Racing 8”), an energy drink that Feranndes was planning on making and selling through the team.
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 8:48
At least Fernandes can’t be accused of coming to F1 and then selling out, his entire plan was to sell out from the get go.
:)
Best of luck to him, I wont be drinking that rubbish but I’m sure plenty of teens will find it delicious. I’ll stick to Evian and Stella Artois thanks.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
23rd April 2011, 9:11
That’s the dream combination, isn’t it?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2011, 9:32
LR8 never went to the market. The idea was that it would be the “official drink” of the team, and it would only be sold through the team. It wouldn’t see the conventional market the way the likes of Red Bull and Monster do. But the LR8 logos were pulled from the T127 halfway through the season, to be replaced by a tobacco-style self-censored design, a Rothmans-esque question mark. I suspect that if you look closely enough, the LR8 decals were pulled at about the same time Group Lotus started making noises about Fernandes being in breach of his licencing contract. The contract stated that Fernandes could only use the Lotus name for the team. Group Lotus’ argument in court likely centres around Fernandes’ plans to sell LR8, which was not an approved use of the name; Fernandes would counter that because the product was only intended to be sold through the team, he wasn’t actually doing anything wrong.
Watch closely: this is the latest picture I can find of a Lotus carrying the LR8 logo – it’s Heikki Kovalainen at Spa, which was held on the weekend of August 29. This picture, on the other hand, is Jarno Trulli at Singapore (there aren’t any clear shots of the car at the Italian Grand Prix), which was held on the weekend of September 26. Something changed in the space of a month. I don’t recall any explanation being given, but a quick check of the archives reveals this article about Group Lotus sponsoring ART Grand Prix in GP2, and this one about Fernandes establishing Team AirAsia, the very first signs that Dany Bahar was moving away from Tony Fernandes. And the date on both? September 21st, four days before the Singapore Grand Prix.
I will bet you anything that whatever happened, it happened in the month between the 2010 Belgian and Singapore Grands Prix.
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 9:37
I call it a continental breakfast.
LuvinF1
23rd April 2011, 22:17
Were they finally able to take all the toxic ingredients out of those brands?
Mike
24th April 2011, 6:54
@PM:
Ah, now that is very interesting, I think you may be on to something here.
@Sush:
Your comments are golden wrapped chocolate perfectness…. That’s the best description I can come up with.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 13:25
LOL Sush!
Fixy (@)
23rd April 2011, 10:44
Team Lotus should be the name of the Formula 1 team. Lotus Cars should be the name of the road cars company.
Anything else should not be called Lotus.
Oliver
23rd April 2011, 2:34
This Lotus thing is turning out to be one big mess. Something is seriously wrong somewhere, and with both organizations.
The longer the fiasco goes on, the more I feel both entities should get thrown out.
There are few saints in business, and fewer still, inthe F1 businees.
Both sides have obviously tried to exploit the arrangement at different times. It’s no longer about good versus bad, but looking more like crook versus crook, and may the side with fewer sins win.
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 8:52
You gotta admit, this mess is fun to watch though right?.
They shouldn’t be thrown out, this “war” that Bahar/Proton and Tony/AirAsia are having in trying to outdo each other is making a fascinating byproduct that is, increased manufacture of sports cars.
BRING ON THE WAR, I say.
Also, I love those Caterham’s, mentalist go karts.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
23rd April 2011, 3:08
I don’t mind leaving DRS for the Monaco GP for safety issue as I don’t think other then two places there is any more area where they will be able to use it. I guess the tyres are enough for providing the entertainment.
craig
23rd April 2011, 4:58
Any track with empty grandstands should taken off the schedule, good riddance.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
23rd April 2011, 8:14
is that why you watch? full grandstands?
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 8:52
one word F1Yankee, Pitbabes
or should that be two words?
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd April 2011, 7:51
don’t know about the whole DRS in Monaco thing. If you’re worried about safety then just set the length of it to be really short (assuming it’s in the tunnel) but then again there would be no point having it for such a short period of time.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 13:28
Apparently the drivers are worried to have to take risks during qualifying.
Really, we as fans can harldy want that much from them to have to actually take risks, can we ;-)
Quote from that article:
sam3110 (@sam3110)
23rd April 2011, 8:23
Istanbul has a good enough track and good enough weather to be used for testing, and then if we remove Catalunya from the testing schedule we might get more exciting races there too. Think of it, if testing included the fearsome Turn 8, some of the smaller teams may be able to fine tune the car to generate downforce levels to match Red Bull, throwing the season wide open again!
wigster (@wigster)
23rd April 2011, 9:24
One issue there would be that Turkey is a lot further away from team bases (mostly in the UK) then spain. It would mean team trucks driving all the way across europe and more expense and logistical issues with turkey not being in the eu too. Plus I doubt removing testing from barcelona would make races more interesting. I think its just one of those tracks!
Sush Meerkat
23rd April 2011, 16:26
the word R*de (the opposite of polite) seems to get a comment moderated, so some non swear words are flagged up, I guess because in a certain context they can be used as an insult.
That or maybe Keith’s servers can’t keep up with all your comments :D
Also I keep using Sush Meerkat, I should really use my newer “Sushi” account but I keep forgetting!.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2011, 16:58
Nope, I think I worked it out – I had too many links in it. Hopefully Keith will approve it soon.
JCF1 (@jcf1)
25th April 2011, 0:07
Once thought of Tony Fernandes as a real man who respected racing heritage and had good values. Slowly beginning to sense there may be more to him as a character, something perhaps more sinister lies beneath. Certainly some of his twitter outbursts indicate a side few would have thought the man posessed.