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MW was fired for sharing the Merc engines in 09, leading the way to losing their constructor's status with them. So I read once anyways. On the internet.
MW was fired for sharing the Merc engines in 09, leading the way to losing their constructor's status with them. So I read once anyways. On the internet.
By "sharing" do you mean letting Brawn and Force India get equal spec engines?
Ron Dennis has today stepped down as chairman and chief executive officer of the McLaren Technology Group.Dennis has been involved with McLaren since 1980, but after 36 years a decision has been taken by the majority shareholders to place him on gardening leave until his contract expires in January.Dennis last week tried unsuccessfully to seek a High Court injunction to prevent such a move from taking place.The 69-year-old remains on the boards of both McLaren Technology Group and McLaren Automotive Ltd, as well as being a significant shareholder in both companies.Dennis currently holds a 25 percent stake in the McLaren Group, with a further 25 percent owned by long-time business partner Mansour Ojjeh, and the remaining 50 percent in the hands of Bahrain sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat.Prior to this move Dennis had been involved in a two-year behind-the-scenes power struggle, most recently making a last-ditch takeover bid with a Chinese consortium worth a reported £1.65billion ($2.05 bn).With that failing, Ojjeh and Mumtalakat then launched their own countermeasure to remove him from office.A statement claimed Dennis intends to honour his commitments to the group before launching a new technology investment fund later next year.Dennis said: "I am disappointed that the representatives of TAG and Mumtalakat, the other main shareholders in McLaren, have forced through this decision to place me on gardening leave, despite the strong warnings from the rest of the management team about the potential consequences of their actions on the business."The grounds they have stated are entirely spurious; my management style is the same as it has always been and is one that has enabled McLaren to become an automotive and technology group that has won 20 Formula 1 world championships and grown into an £850million a year business.
"Throughout that time I have worked closely with a series of talented colleagues, to whom I will always be extremely grateful, to keep McLaren at the cutting edge of technology, ."Ultimately it has become clear to me through this process that neither TAG nor Mumtalakat share my vision for McLaren and its true growth potential."But my first concern is to the business I have built and to its 3500 employees. I will continue to use my significant shareholding in both companies and my seats on both boards to protect the interests and value of McLaren and help shape its future."In addition I intend to launch a new technology investment fund once my contractual commitments with McLaren expire."This will capitalise on my expertise, my financial resources, together with external investment to pursue the many commercial opportunities I have been offered in recent years but have been unable to take up while being so committed to the existing business."Originally on Autosport.com
The Lola chassis Justin Wilson drove to earn his first Indy car victory will undergo a full restoration before it is auctioned off with all proceeds benefitting the Wilson Children's Fund.
The incredible gesture from KV Racing IndyCar team owner Jimmy Vasser and Dan Petit, who owns the Lola chassis, is the latest effort to help the Briton's widow Julia and their daughters Jane and Jess after Wilson was killed in a racing accident at Pocono in 2015.
Driving for RuSPORT, Wilson piloted chassis No. B04/00-01 in seven races, earned poles at Portland and Mexico, and claimed his first and second Champ Car wins in 2005 at Toronto and Mexico. The restoration project will be led by his close friend (and current KV team manager) Chris Mower, who ran Wilson in F3000 and again on his Champ Car debut with Conquest Racing in 2004.Once the chassis arrives in Indianapolis, Vasser and Mower will seek assistance from volunteers within the IndyCar community to inspect, refurbish and reassemble the car to the exact condition and livery Wilson used in Toronto.
Vasser and Mower also plan to assess its ability to be restored as either a static display vehicle (minus engine) or a running Champ Car, complete with a 2.65-liter turbocharged Cosworth V8. In either state, the car is expected to generate significant interest once it is ready for auction.
Like the project itself, the story behind the chance occurrence that led to Vasser's decision is thoroughly amazing.
"We've had a display car at one of my auto dealerships for a while now – a roller without the engine – and it's been done up in the old orange 'Champ Car' livery," Vasser told RACER. "I don't know why, but I got a bug to go look up the history on the car and wrote down the chassis number. I sent it to Jeremy Shaw, who keeps track of all the old Lola Champ Cars, and he got back to me and my jaw hit the floor. Turns out we've had Justin's Toronto and Mexico winner all along – the car he won his first races with – and didn't even know it."
The idea to turn the car into a restoration project benefitting the Wilson Children's Fund was the next revelation for the 1996 CART champion.
"I thought about Julia and the girls and figured the car must be worth a lot more if we restored it back to its original state when Justin won those two races," Vasser added. "So I called Mower and we began to put a plan together. I figured if we get the car moved from the West Coast to Indy, we would probably get a lot of mechanics and team guys who worked with Justin or maybe just want to help his family come and help restore it and do something really cool for a good cause."
Vasser's friends at Chip Ganassi Racing volunteered to transport the car to Indy, and with the Lola due to arrive in the coming weeks, Mower will pin down the exact location of where the restoration will take place.
"Once it's in town, we'll establish the place where it will be renovated, and then put a call out for all the local mechanics who would like to make their time available," Mower said. "I don't think it will take that long. Other than painting and whatever needs to be done with refurbishing and assembly, it shouldn't take more than a month."
Vasser has spoken with fellow KV Racing co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, who also owns Cosworth, about donating an engine if the chassis is up to the task.
"We know the car had a pretty good crash before it was retired, so once we get a look when it's stripped bare, Kevin and I talked, and if the chassis isn't damaged to the point where it shouldn't be a runner, the ultimate goal would be to get it back out on track again," Vasser said. "We've already lined up a test driver if we can do that."
Justin's younger brother Stefan Wilson, who made his Indy 500 debut in May, would climb into chassis No. B04/00-01 if the car becomes a runner, and even if it is better served for a museum or private collection, Vasser says the winning bidder will have a one-of-a-kind Champ Car."When I looked in the cockpit to get the chassis serial number, I was also blown away by what was still inside: Justin's seat and his custom steering wheel – with his molded hand grips – have been there the whole time," he added. "So I spoke with Stefan, and he says he'd be honored to test the car if we can get it to that point.
"He's probably the only one who could fit right in Justin's seat and drive the car. But whether the new owner gets to drive it or not, they'll still be getting Justin's first Champ Car winner, with his seat, and his steering wheel. It's going to be an incredible deal for somebody."
If you're a veteran IndyCar mechanic who'd like to volunteer for the restoration project, send me an email here.
Nico is an intelligent man and I have been impressed by his dogged determination (something he does share with his famous father) and his ability to bounce back after being drubbed by Hamilton. He must know that he does not have the same kind of talent as his team-mate, but he is committed to winning in a different way.
I heard a fascinating story the other day from someone who knows these things about Michael Schumacher, who explained one day that the reason that he worked so hard was because he knew deep down that Mika Hakkinen was a quicker driver and so Michael was trying to beat him by other means.Nico knows Lewis is a faster driver, but he just doesn’t accept that this has to mean Lewis will always win. Brain power and hard work can beat natural talent.
if anyone has a glitch in the last race doe, it will be rosberg. @LH44 is #blessed
All ROS would really have to do is keep everyone but HAM behind him. That's a relatively stress free race for him. Barring any pit stop issues or freak accident, I'd bet the odds are low for HAM.
ROS is usually 2nd when HAM wins. If he plays it safe ROS is champ. But if he gets greedy in trying to win the last race to cap off a championship then it could bite him if he collides with someone or goes off track.
Mercedes has an option to go to Formula E in 2018.
Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd is likely to enter the FIA Formula E Championship in 2018 after an option agreement was signed between Formula E Operations Ltd and Mercedes Grand Prix on Tuesday.
As revealed by Motorsport.com in August, the all-electric series has been looking to expand its participating teams from 10 to 12, and Mercedes has been evaluating an opportunity to join the championship during the last year.
Formula E must, however, get the backing of the 10 existing teams in order to expand the grid in season five.
“We have been watching the growth of Formula E with great interest,” said Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.
“At the current time, we are looking at all the options available in the future of motor racing, and we are very pleased with an agreement that secures us an opportunity to enter the series in season five.
"Electrification will play a major role in the future of the automotive industry - racing has always been a technology R&D platform for the motor industry, and this will make Formula E very relevant in the future.”
Mercedes engineers and hierarchy have attended Formula E races in previous seasons, and an initial plan to partner with a team, much in the same way that its German rivals Audi and BMW did, is believed to have gone through several feasibility and operational evaluations.
Common ground between F1 and FE
Mercedes and Formula E share a major partner – Qualcomm. The wireless technology giant is an official partner of both and is believed to have had a significant involvement in ensuring that Mercedes has the prospect of racing in Formula E.
Talking about the reservation for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd (MGP), Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We are delighted to confirm that we have reserved one of our two new entries in season five for MGP.
"Formula E wants to become the platform where car manufacturers test and develop the technologies that they will then introduce on their road cars.
“Having the chance to include a brand like Mercedes in our championship in the future would be a major boost to achieve that objective,” he continued.
“Formula E is becoming an exciting mix of consolidated manufacturers like Renault, Citroen-DS, Audi, Mahindra or Jaguar, and new futuristic brands like Faraday Future, NextEV, or the likes of major component manufacturers like Schaeffler and ZF.
"Mercedes would be a great addition to that growing line-up.”
Two Mercedes-contracted drivers have entered Formula E this season, with Felix Rosenqvist and Maro Engel competing with Mahindra and Venturi respectively.
Venturi is known to have spoken to several well-known OEMs over the summer about a potential partnership.
Nissan, Volvo/Polestar, Porsche and Mugen are also known to be interested in joining Formula E in some capacity over the coming years.
By "sharing" do you mean letting Brawn and Force India get equal spec engines?
MW could have blocked Brawn from using the Merc engine per their contract. By opening the door, Merc found a good team/facility to purchase for a very good price. Honda dumped a ton of money into Brackley before they pulled out end of 2008.
MW could have blocked Brawn from using the Merc engine per their contract. By opening the door, Merc found a good team/facility to purchase for a very good price. Honda dumped a ton of money into Brackley before they pulled out end of 2008.
And that's the thanks MW gets for being nice. Totally fucked McLaren.
All ROS would really have to do is keep everyone but HAM behind him. That's a relatively stress free race for him. Barring any pit stop issues or freak accident, I'd bet the odds are low for HAM.
Especially without the threat of rain.
Originally Posted by Tim2179
And that's the thanks MW gets for being nice. Totally fucked McLaren.
I'm not sure how that fucked McLaren? They've never been competitive in a championship that a Mercedes powered competitor won.
11-15-2016, 08:34 AM
Re: The Official Formula 1 2016 Season Thread
