NOTICIAS 2008 Votos Opciones

[`]

Super Aguri's future in doubt again

By Steve Cooper Wednesday, April 16th 2008, 10:03 GMT

Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson, Super Aguri, Bahrain 2008Super Aguri face a race against time to make next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix after the investment group buying the team chose to reconsider their options at the very last minute, autosport.com can reveal.

The Japanese outfit were due to ink a deal this week with automotive investment group Magma, which was working on behalf of Middle Eastern backers Dubai International Capital.

Honda's senior board had personally rubber-stamped the Magma-led buyout of the team because they felt the proposal offered the best opportunity for the team to prosper and grow into a full constructor ahead of the 2009 season.

However, the Dubai investors are now reconsidering the level of investment they are willing to sink into the Formula One operation.

Magma CEO Martin Leach has written to Super Aguri informing them of the Dubai group's decision to rethink their financial commitments.

While the Leafield-based team are still making preparations to attend next weekend's race at Barcelona, the lateness of the decision has left them requiring crucial funds and spares to contest the weekend.

Team principal Aguri Suzuki is engaged in talks with Honda's senior management in Tokyo in a bid to find a practical solution within the next 48 hours.

[`]

Vettel tipped for RBR switch in 2009

By Steven English and Steve Cooper Wednesday, April 16th 2008, 10:03 GMT

Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso STR3, BarcelonaRed Bull protégé Sebastian Vettel is likely to switch to the firm's A-team for next year after impressing the team's bosses in the first three races of this season.

The 20-year-old has yet to finish a race this year, but his pace so far has contributed to an increasing wave of approval from Red Bull's senior racing management.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitted that it's likely Vettel will switch from Scuderia Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing for the 2009 season.

"I think so, yes," he told this week's Autosport. "He's a special one and he is very developed for his age. He can be very aggressive in the car but he's also technical and well trained.

"Red Bull has been with him for eight years and we have a contract for another couple of years."

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost praised Vettel's ability and believes he has the potential to fight for victories next season.

"He is one of the best young drivers so far," Tost told Autosport. "He's been racing for 15 years so from the driving side he's very mature. But he's also really clever and I think this is a key to his success.

"Sebastian is on a much higher level than many other drivers ­both in and out of the cockpit.

"He knows he can do the job if we provide him with the right car. He has already reached a very high level and it depends which car he will get for next season but he can become a front runner."

Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger believes the hype is justified and admitted that Vettel reminds him of Michael Schumacher.

"Michael saw him in karting and felt his potential, and that's been confirmed," Berger told Autosport. "In some ways they are similar, the calm, systematic approach, consistently improving throughout the weekend, and delivering at the end of the day.

"You don't feel the film is too quick for him. He remembers everything he does in the car and explains it to the engineers in a good way. I can be a bit critical of guys but I hardly find anything where he's missing, except experience.

"He keeps his feet on the ground and he's very confident but not arrogant. The team all like him, he's the hero. We're equal for both drivers but Sebastian has been in the team a bit longer and the guys all like him."

But Berger also admitted that, while Vettel has a Red Bull contract, he doesn't know which team the German will race for next season.

"For the next three years he has a contract with Red Bull, not Red Bull Racing," he added. "But I don't know where he'll be next year."

[`]

Rosberg latest to criticise tyre warmer ban

By Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, April 16th 2008, 07:49 GMT

Nico Rosberg, Williams, Barcelona test, 2008Nico Rosberg is the latest of a group of drivers to express concerns about the ban on tyre warmers in Formula One next season, labelling as "ridiculous" the way his car handled on cold slick tyres.

Blankets to warm tyres up will be outlawed from next season and that, combined with the fact that cars will generate a lot less downforce due to new regulations that will come into play, is likely to make driving tricky until the tyres are up to the right temperature.

Several teams have been testing the new slicks with simulated 2009 aero configurations at Barcelona this week, and some drivers reckon downforce levels are down by 40 to 50 percent with those settings.

Grand Prix Drivers' Association president Pedro de la Rosa said on Monday the speed differential between cars already up to racing speed and temperature and those running on cold tyres was a worry for next season.

"The first lap is very slow, and that's the danger," said McLaren test driver de la Rosa.

"There are cars which are up to racing speed and you are coming out of the pits very slowly. You are like a mobile chicane."

Bridgestone has introduced a new, softer compound for this week's test after running with the slicks for the first time at Jerez in December.

Drivers seemed to be generally happier with the new tyres introduced in Spain, but the difference in track temperature from December to April will have also played a role in making the driving on cold rubber easier.

Rosberg said that completing the first lap on cold tyres was a matter of "survival".

"First of all it's still not good. It's still not right," Rosberg told autosport.com at Barcelona after testing the slick tyres. "You can't run tyres like this next year. That's my opinion, definitely not. It's ridiculous. Running out of the pits it's ridiculous.

"It's not racing, it's survival. It's just survival out there, and that's ridiculous, it's not racing.

"They have to do something on the tyres to improve that. It's not the way it should be. You can have cold tyres, but not like that."

Rosberg, who had also sampled the slicks in the first test in Jerez, said the new compound made things easier.

"Yeah, but it's 20 degrees hotter (at Barcelona). There's going to be races with where we won't have these temperatures," he added.

The Williams driver said the GPDA is likely to urge for changes in order to improve the situation.

"That's what the GPDA is for. I'm sure we'll try to push something. I'm not saying tyre warmers, but I'm sure we'll try to have an influence all together."

Honda driver Rubens Barrichello was also critical of the regulations, and believes they are also likely to be bad for the show.

The Brazilian said the tyre blankets ban was a step backwards for the sport.

"It's a bit too early to say things but I follow what de la Rosa said," Barrichello told autosport.com. "Without the blankets racing might be a bit boring, because then people will want to go as long as possible, as you are going to lose three seconds out of the pits.

"We may have crashes on the out lap because people may be trying things and I just don't think that's nice.

"What we could do then is make harder tyres with a little bit of blanket. Off the top of my mind, if the FIA supplied a tyre blanket with a maximum temperature. Let's say 50 degrees. Anything better than none.

"You could go to Malaysia and it would be better. But if you have a safety car with a tyre like this...

"As racing drivers we know we can get used to things, so it's not a problem. But I think for the show it's not going to be nice. It's just not needed. We are going back. It's going to be like Champ Cars."

Bridgestone is expected to test slick tyres again this season in July.

[tenista]

Me ha parecido entender, no se en que radio, que La Sexta podria quedarse tambien con los derechos de la GP2 y empezar a televisar dichas carreras a partir del Gran Premio de España.

¿Alguien, sabe algo?, ¿Gran Yossiiiiiiii?.

[ScuVi]

Me ha parecido entender, no se en que radio, que La Sexta podria quedarse tambien con los derechos de la GP2 y empezar a televisar dichas carreras a partir del Gran Premio de España.

¿Alguien, sabe algo?, ¿Gran Yossiiiiiiii?.

Eso mismo he leido en el Marca, hace un rato mientras me tomaba una caña. Me parece raro que vayan a retransmitir ya desde esta temporad, más que nada por que los derechos de ese campeonato ya deberían estar dados, no?

[KIT]

Bueno pues estoy deacuerdo con Pedro, Rosberg, Rubens y cia... me parece una estupidez lo de los calentadores, que seguramente cuestan menos que un plafón publicitario del box.

Encima es algo que pone en peligro la seguridad de los pilotos (algo por lo que aboga la FIA a diestro y siniestro) me parece de risa la verdad y una oviedad el hecho de mantenerlos... aunque la palabra obviedad y maFIA son totalmente contrarias.

Bueno pues ya tiene currele Pedro como presidente de la GPDA, a defender a sus asociados.

En cuanto a Vettel y Red Bull... pues yo le he visto buenas cosas a Bourdais, con un poco de suerte hubiese destacado más y queda muchísima temporada, aunque de todas formas me parece un paso natural entre los pilotos de Toro Rosso y Red Bull.

[`]

Comunicado de Aguri Suzuki
"El equipo Super Aguri F1 Team confirma que ha sido informado por el Magma Group, potenciales compradores del equipo, que sus inversores ya no están interesados en la operación de compra.

"Con un profundo pesar, Aguri Suzuki se ve ahora obligado a reconsiderar el futuro del equipo, aunque las negociaciones con otras partes continúan su curso."

L.S. © CAPSIS International
Super Aguri Honda

[Rafa_Granada]

Mal pinta el asunto para Super Aguri... Quizás es el momento que esperaba Agag para hacer una oferta a la baja.

[ShoJin]

Lo de Super Aguri es un auténtico calvario.

Y es una lástima, porque creo que Aguri Suzuki ha conseguido un equipo con carisma, lástima que los patrocinadores no le apoyen.

Ojalá no desaparezcan, porque Super Aguri, a pesar de ser un equipo cliente, ha demostrado que le interesa la competición, y la mejora. El año pasado, cuando empezó a cosechar buenos resultados, los otros se le echaron encima, intentando quitarle sus logros. Esto tal vez pudo facilitar el desastre económico de este año.

Ya veremos qué futuro le espera.


Postdata para Yossi: ¿Estas noticias no estarían mejor en el topic dedicado a Aguri Suzuki?

[KIT]

También yo espero que se salven!!!

Hace años que no aparecia un equipo con espiritu unicamente deportivo y pasión por la competición... solo ese detalle es digno de admirar.

[revolutionman]

Super Aguri, el nuevo MINARDI.
Esperemos que no en todos los sentidos (me refiero a su definitiva extinción como tal Minardi).

Sinceramente, ojalá todos los equipos fueran del estilo de Super Aguri. Es auténtica pasión por la competición del motor. No es el ganar a toda costa, pero sí el competir con toda la ilusión y la determinación, cosechando modestos pero loables resultados. No entiendo a los patrocinadores.

[tenista]

Yo tampoco, pero el mundo esta lleno de "cerdos materialistas".

[`]

[AC99]

La que ha liado...

Me imagino que en estas carreras será más comprensivo con los errores de los demás, no?

Recuerdo a Pedro contando como vino Schumacher y le explicó cómo debía comportarse cuando él le doblase. ¿Aceptará este tipo de consejos de otros pilotos de dos ruedas?

Saludos!

[ScuVi]

Madre mia como ha entrao!! Igualito, igualito que con el Ferrari!! Tó cruzao!!

Este se pensaba que estaba jugando a los bolos y ha dicho "a por el strike"

Eres grande Yossi, de donde co*o sacarás las fotos!! Por que eso es una secuencia completa de un cámara, no? Q joio este Yossi

[tenista]

Solo esta probando, ya se lo tmara en serio. A Lorenzo, le habrian crujido por esa maniobra

[KIT]

Los pilotos (de cualquier especialidad) estan hechos de otra pasta... no quieren perder ni al parchís.

Y a cualquier cosa que se suben.... a fondooo!!!

Sí, sí como se llama en argot motociclista... un "strike" con todas las de la ley!!!

Leia no se donde.... ... que Schumahcer tras la carrera decía "por un par de caidas no me voy a arrugar, porque la caidas forman parte de esto"

[Mike]

Desde luego... es que no le han dicho nunca que los experimentos en casa y con gaseosa ??

Esto me recuerda a cuando Rossi se subió a un F1

[ABCV]

Bueno, debatiendo sobre el caso Super Aguri creo que es una gran p**** que Magma a última hora se tire atrás. Realmente eso se puede saber desde hace una semana cuando dijeron que no iban a estar en los tests de Montmeló.
Aguri para mi nada se parece a Minardi. Minardi era mucho mas simpática por los años que aguantaron en la cola de la parrilla incluso sirviendo de iniciación para pilotos como Alonso, Webber, Trulli, Fisichella, Gené, Adrían Campos, Pérez Sala, etc.
En cuanto a las soluciones de Aguri, pues es complejo el tema. A mi se me ocurre una que dudo que a la familia Honda le agrade que sería bajar a Davidson y traer un piloto con pasta sin mirar la calidad. En este perfil encajan pilotos como Yamamoto, Roldán, Yoong, Karthikeyan, Chandhok, Bruno Senna, etc.

[ABCV]

Madre mia como ha entrao!! Igualito, igualito que con el Ferrari!! Tó cruzao!!

El crusaito