Very interesting as Ferrari have always maintained they would never have an Italian driver on the team (testing excluded).
Geri
F1 2009 season
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Re: F1 2009 season
Giancarlo Fisichella on Thursday realised a life-long dream by signing for Ferrari.
Fisichella has signed for Ferrari for the final five races of the Formula One season after being released from his current contract with Force India, and will be the team's reserve driver in 2010.
The 36-year-old replaces Luca Badoer after his torrid time in the European and Belgian Grands Prix in which he qualified at the back of the grid and was last of those that finished.
With Ferrari this week confirming Felipe Massa requires plastic surgery after his horror smash in Hungary and will not return until next season, the team desperately needed a more experienced driver as stand-in for the remainder of the year.
Following extensive discussions between the two teams over the last 24 hours, Force India owner Vijay Mallya reluctantly agreed to part with Fisichella.
It means the 36-year-old will become the first Italian to drive a Ferrari at the team's home race at Monza - the next round of the season on September 13 - since Ivan Capelli in 1992.
"I'm over the moon," said Fisichella. "I can still hardly believe the fact we are realising the dream of my life, and I want to thank Ferrari and its president, Luca di Montezemolo.
"I am also very grateful to Vijay for allowing me this opportunity to drive for Ferrari.
"It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous.
"I hope in turn I have helped Force India grow and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions.
"They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best."
It has been a remarkable week for the Roman in which he started from pole and finished second in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
Now being able to look ahead to the final five races with Ferrari, Fisichella added: "I'll do my best to reward the team for the great opportunity I have been given.
"I know it will not be easy, but I will always try and get the best result possible."
Expressing his sympathies towards Badoer, who has spent the last 12 years with Ferrari, Fisichella said: "I want to say I feel sorry for Luca.
"I know how much he cared about racing a Ferrari at Monza because an Italian will always give his maximum to drive a red in front of our fans."
Explaining his decision to release Fisichella, Mallya said: "For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream, and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this."
Mallya dismissed speculation a deal for Fisichella had been agreed with Ferrari in return for money apparently still owed for engines used last season.
"We would like to stress we have not agreed any financial settlement with Ferrari," added Mallya.
"This agreement has been made in good faith and for the good of Giancarlo and the sport in general.
"A competitive Italian driver in a Ferrari for Monza is a positive story for Formula One, which can only help raise the sport's profile in these difficult times."
Mallya is convinced his team will continue to be strong for the remainder of the season, with reserve driver Vitantonio Liuzzi expected to replace Fisichella.
Mallya stated: "For Force India, this sport is a team effort and removing one part, even a major one, will not significantly affect our performance.
"The competitiveness of the team seen in Belgium was a result of hard work in the factory and wind tunnel, and we have further developments coming for the final races.
"So we are confident this momentum can be sustained. We are now looking forward to a strong finish to the season."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is convinced Fisichella will play a significant role through to the end of the year.
"We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season," said Domenicali.
"Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career, that he is fast and competitive, and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race."
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Fisichella has signed for Ferrari for the final five races of the Formula One season after being released from his current contract with Force India, and will be the team's reserve driver in 2010.
The 36-year-old replaces Luca Badoer after his torrid time in the European and Belgian Grands Prix in which he qualified at the back of the grid and was last of those that finished.
With Ferrari this week confirming Felipe Massa requires plastic surgery after his horror smash in Hungary and will not return until next season, the team desperately needed a more experienced driver as stand-in for the remainder of the year.
Following extensive discussions between the two teams over the last 24 hours, Force India owner Vijay Mallya reluctantly agreed to part with Fisichella.
It means the 36-year-old will become the first Italian to drive a Ferrari at the team's home race at Monza - the next round of the season on September 13 - since Ivan Capelli in 1992.
"I'm over the moon," said Fisichella. "I can still hardly believe the fact we are realising the dream of my life, and I want to thank Ferrari and its president, Luca di Montezemolo.
"I am also very grateful to Vijay for allowing me this opportunity to drive for Ferrari.
"It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous.
"I hope in turn I have helped Force India grow and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions.
"They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best."
It has been a remarkable week for the Roman in which he started from pole and finished second in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
Now being able to look ahead to the final five races with Ferrari, Fisichella added: "I'll do my best to reward the team for the great opportunity I have been given.
"I know it will not be easy, but I will always try and get the best result possible."
Expressing his sympathies towards Badoer, who has spent the last 12 years with Ferrari, Fisichella said: "I want to say I feel sorry for Luca.
"I know how much he cared about racing a Ferrari at Monza because an Italian will always give his maximum to drive a red in front of our fans."
Explaining his decision to release Fisichella, Mallya said: "For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream, and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this."
Mallya dismissed speculation a deal for Fisichella had been agreed with Ferrari in return for money apparently still owed for engines used last season.
"We would like to stress we have not agreed any financial settlement with Ferrari," added Mallya.
"This agreement has been made in good faith and for the good of Giancarlo and the sport in general.
"A competitive Italian driver in a Ferrari for Monza is a positive story for Formula One, which can only help raise the sport's profile in these difficult times."
Mallya is convinced his team will continue to be strong for the remainder of the season, with reserve driver Vitantonio Liuzzi expected to replace Fisichella.
Mallya stated: "For Force India, this sport is a team effort and removing one part, even a major one, will not significantly affect our performance.
"The competitiveness of the team seen in Belgium was a result of hard work in the factory and wind tunnel, and we have further developments coming for the final races.
"So we are confident this momentum can be sustained. We are now looking forward to a strong finish to the season."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is convinced Fisichella will play a significant role through to the end of the year.
"We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season," said Domenicali.
"Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career, that he is fast and competitive, and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race."
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Re: F1 2009 season
Well I'll be damned!!! After decades of always saying they would never have an Italian driver, they have now had a change of heart.
Good luck to Fisi!!
Geri
Good luck to Fisi!!
Geri
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Hickiefan
- Rob Kearney
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Re: F1 2009 season
Don't recall them every saying that TBH... though the pressure will be sizeable! Good luck Fisi!gERI wrote:Well I'll be damned!!! After decades of always saying they would never have an Italian driver, they have now had a change of heart.
Good luck to Fisi!!
Geri
Qui me amat, amet et Leinsterum meum.
Re: F1 2009 season
Bring it on .... so looking forward to this now!Hickiefan wrote:Don't recall them every saying that TBH... though the pressure will be sizeable! Good luck Fisi!
Re: F1 2009 season
Badoer is Italian!gERI wrote:Well I'll be damned!!! After decades of always saying they would never have an Italian driver, they have now had a change of heart.
Good luck to Fisi!!
Geri
Re: F1 2009 season
Hamilton on pole for today's Grand Prix... if he's on a two-stop, then the Brawns could be dangerous.
Would like to see Lewis win though.
Would like to see Lewis win though.
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Bosco
- Mullet
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- Contact:
Re: F1 2009 season
both Force Indias are ahead of himaisling7 wrote:Bring it on .... so looking forward to this now!Hickiefan wrote:Don't recall them every saying that TBH... though the pressure will be sizeable! Good luck Fisi!
Re: F1 2009 season
Lotus in F1 return
15/09/2009 - 09:46:43
The historic marque of Lotus is to return to Formula One for the first time since 1994.
Motor sport’s world governing body, the FIA, have granted Lotus the 13th slot on the grid from next season.
Although the team is based in Norfolk, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory, it is funded via a partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs.
Lotus, which competed in F1 from 1958 through to 1994, was awarded its place ahead of BMW Sauber and Epsilon Euskadi following an intensive selection and due diligence process conducted by the FIA.
Despite what the FIA describe as “an impressive application” from BMW Sauber, the fact the German manufacturers are withdrawing from the sport at the end of the year, left “uncertainties regarding the future ownership of the team”.
However, the FIA noted that considering BMW Sauber’s application is “of high quality”, they “would constitute a competitive participant in the championship”.
The FIA added: “As such, it has awarded BMW Sauber the ’14th place’ in the championship, meaning that it will be entitled to fill any vacancy that arises on the 2010 grid.
“In addition, the FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams.
“The FIA will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first grand prix in 2010.”
It is Lotus, though, who will definitely be on the grid next year, spearheaded by team principal Tony Fernandes, who is the founder and CEO of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, owner of the Air Asia airline.
Mike Gascoyne also returns to F1 as the team’s technical director, with 20 years experience in the sport after working with Jordan, Renault, Toyota, and most recently Force India.
The team will use the RTN facility in Norfolk, which was built by Toyota for its initial Formula One programme and then used by Bentley for its successful Le Mans programme.
However, the team’s future design, research and development, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose built at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit.
Lotus, who used eight different engine suppliers during their previous 37-year stint in the sport, have agreed a deal with Cosworth.
The team contested 491 grands prix, winning 79 en route to seven constructors’ titles, helping Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi become world champions.
"It's all fun and games 'till someone loses an eye, then it's just fun you can't see" - James Hetfield
Re: F1 2009 season
Renault admit race fixing charges
Motor Sport : Flavio Briatore has resigned as the team principle of Renault. The news comes as the team have decided not to contest the recent allegations made against them, that they conspired with then driver Nelson Piquet Junior to cause a crash at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Renault's director of engineering, Pat Symonds, also resigned and has been offered immunity by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in return for full disclosure of the facts.
The team were charged by the sport's governing body of fixing the race by ordering Piquet, who has since left the team, to stage a deliberate crash that helped team mate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Renault could be thrown out of the sport after admitting their guilt.
"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," Renault read in a statement released this afternoon.
"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team. Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 21st, the team will not make any further comment.”
The accident, at a point on the track where cars cannot be swiftly removed, came just after Alonso had refuelled after a very short first stint. The safety car was then deployed, to the Spaniard's advantage.
Renault had accused Piquet of making "false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jnr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season".
Piquet junior was dropped by Renault in August after he had failed to score a point in 10 races.
FIA) president Max Mosley said Piquet had been offered immunity from prosecution by the governing body if he told the truth.
The offer is similar to one made to McLaren drivers in 2007 when that team was being investigated over Ferrari documents found in their possession. McLaren were fined a record €70 million in that affair.
Alonso told reporters at the Italian Grand Prix last week that he had been unaware of any plan cooked up by his team in Singapore and Mosley agreed there was no indication of his involvement.
"I am very surprised. I cannot imagine these things or this situation," said Alonso.
Motor Sport : Flavio Briatore has resigned as the team principle of Renault. The news comes as the team have decided not to contest the recent allegations made against them, that they conspired with then driver Nelson Piquet Junior to cause a crash at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Renault's director of engineering, Pat Symonds, also resigned and has been offered immunity by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in return for full disclosure of the facts.
The team were charged by the sport's governing body of fixing the race by ordering Piquet, who has since left the team, to stage a deliberate crash that helped team mate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Renault could be thrown out of the sport after admitting their guilt.
"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," Renault read in a statement released this afternoon.
"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team. Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 21st, the team will not make any further comment.”
The accident, at a point on the track where cars cannot be swiftly removed, came just after Alonso had refuelled after a very short first stint. The safety car was then deployed, to the Spaniard's advantage.
Renault had accused Piquet of making "false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jnr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season".
Piquet junior was dropped by Renault in August after he had failed to score a point in 10 races.
FIA) president Max Mosley said Piquet had been offered immunity from prosecution by the governing body if he told the truth.
The offer is similar to one made to McLaren drivers in 2007 when that team was being investigated over Ferrari documents found in their possession. McLaren were fined a record €70 million in that affair.
Alonso told reporters at the Italian Grand Prix last week that he had been unaware of any plan cooked up by his team in Singapore and Mosley agreed there was no indication of his involvement.
"I am very surprised. I cannot imagine these things or this situation," said Alonso.
"It's all fun and games 'till someone loses an eye, then it's just fun you can't see" - James Hetfield
Re: F1 2009 season
Well done Jenson and the entire Brawn F1 team. Ross Brawn has long been one of my favourite people in F1 (could have something to do with being the brains behind Schumi's title wins!) and I couldn't be more delighted for him.
#LiveLifeLoveLeinster
#BeSeenBeHeardBeBlueBELIEVE
I'm a Book Mark and damn proud of it. Storm 1:08 forever
#BeSeenBeHeardBeBlueBELIEVE
I'm a Book Mark and damn proud of it. Storm 1:08 forever
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sarah_lennon
- Jamie Heaslip
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Re: F1 2009 season
Shame Jenson is in danger of disappearing up his own backside. "I am It"
Ici, ici, c'est Dublin 4
Re: F1 2009 season
Got to say that I can understand why he might be a bit like that at the moment. He's been the forgotten man of British motorsport for a long time now and especially for the past couple of years when all the British media can see is Lewis.sarah_lennon wrote:Shame Jenson is in danger of disappearing up his own backside. "I am It"
Actually thought it was very funny yesterday -all through the race they referred to him as Button and when it became obvious that he was about to become world champion they suddenly started calling him Jenson! Martin Brundle is a total prat.
#LiveLifeLoveLeinster
#BeSeenBeHeardBeBlueBELIEVE
I'm a Book Mark and damn proud of it. Storm 1:08 forever
#BeSeenBeHeardBeBlueBELIEVE
I'm a Book Mark and damn proud of it. Storm 1:08 forever
Re: F1 2009 season
Great to see Brawn winning. It was so humbling to see Ross Brawn in tears afterwards considering how many times he has engineered world titles for Schumacher, it really meant something to him to win for his own team.
Its a by-pass. You've got to build by-passes.
Re: F1 2009 season
Yes but only a test driver apart from the odd time theres been an injury. They always said it would be too much pressure to have an Italian driver racing for them. I guess LDM must have had a change of heart.Schumi wrote:Badoer is Italian!gERI wrote:Well I'll be damned!!! After decades of always saying they would never have an Italian driver, they have now had a change of heart.
Good luck to Fisi!!
Geri
Geri