F1 Silly Season 2011
 

I think its time for a thread for the new season.

And things just got weird.

Group Lotus (which is the Lotus that owns the street car manufacturing division) has now entered into a title sponsorship with the Renault team. Team Lotus (the Lotus Racing team that raced in F1 last year) is of course up in arms over the name. Renault also sells engines to the current Team Lotus, though that may change now.

The deal is all sorts of weird and complicated crap. Looks like Renault has completely sold off their remaining shares of the team to Genii Capital, who will now be co-owners with Group Lotus of the old Benetton/Renault racing team. Renault will still get major branding rights for years to come.

So, it looks like we'll have Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus Renault on the starting grid next year (well, assuming there won't be a huge legal slapfest).

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin.../12/11592.html
http://adamcooperf1.com/2010/12/08/r...h-group-lotus/

Car looks hot though. Black and Gold JPS style livery.

The JPS scheme is still one of the hottest IMHO. This is pretty good.

Holy hell that's an evil looking car!

But I thought the 2010 Lotus guys lost the rights completely to the Lotus name for 2011? This is entirely too confusing. It must be F1, only in F1 would two teams want the same name and then both use it, thus totally ruining the benefits of a recognizable name. :unamused:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88645

The team orders ban has been removed for next season, though the FIA claims they can still punish if the orders damage the sport in any way.

I want to try to use team orders during auto-x next year...hmmm..

I personally don't ahve a problem with team orders. Mostly due to the fact that enforcement of the policy is a joke and has been wildly inconsistent. F1 is a team sport, so no issue IMO.

I wonder how many teams will be running kers this season? I am glad they lifted the ban on team orders. As long as the order is not to wreck other competitors i am cool with it.

I think I remember reading that Williams was going to use KERS next year. Not sure who else will.

Wasn't kers supposed to be compulsory in 2011? I thought I remembered one of the commentators saying that at some point.

Karthikeyan has a seat once again, thanks to HRT

http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/01/07/k...n-at-hispania/

Finally... F1 feed will be in HD!

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2...sion-coverage/

The Group Lotus v. Team Lotus debacle went to court yesterday. The judge threw out a summary judgment application filed by Group Lotus, and set a court date for March 21st to start the trial.

That's after Bahrain, so both teams will at least start the year with the Lotus name.

And, of course, both sides are spinning yesterday's court hearing as a win for their side.

http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/01/24/t...re-successful/
http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/01/25/g...h-the-outcome/

Ferrari has unveiled their 2011 car, the Ferrari F150 (yes really)

Article:
http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsp...ory/39070.html

More pictures:
http://www.f1technical.net/gallery/v/Ferrari/F150/

Movie:
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/videos/70...-in-maranello/

Top google image search result for ferrari f150

I bet it buffed out.

The new Team Lotus T128

Few more pictures: http://www.f1technical.net/news/15884

And Mercedes has released one teaser render of their new car.

The W02

Lotus Renault has unveiled the R31

http://www.f1technical.net/news/15886

Sauber C30

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin...1/1/11685.html

You know it's a pretty field when the Ferrari is the ugliest car out there!

Yeah, all the new cars are really very nice looking. Even the Sauber, which might be the plainest looking of them all, still looks very good. Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Williams and Mercedes all have their official unveiling tomorrow.

I like that the best liveries are on the slowest cars. Will make it much easier to catch every detail :lol:

Exactly. :lol: A Ferrari is mostly just a red blur, so it doesn't matter how good it looks parked.

I'm looking forward to the Team Lotus and Group Lotus/Renault battle. I hope Kovalainen can get the T128 into fighting form.

The RB7 was announced this morning.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89185

Nothing too crazy. Livery looks more or less the same, and all the new bits for the new years regs seem to be in place.

And the STR6. The engine cover doesn't have the same sharp angle of the RB7.