F1 2007

[Nick Koan]

Drivers:

Ferrari: Kimi Raikonen, Felipe Masa
Renault: Giancarlo Fisichella, Heikki Kovalainen
McLarren: Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hammilton
Toyota: Jarno Trulli, Ralf Schumacher
Honda: Jenson Button, Reubens Barachello
BMW: Nick Heidfield, Robert Kubica
Williams: Alex Wurz, Nico Rosberg
Red Bull: David Coulthard, Mark Webber
Toro Rosso: Vitantonio Luizzi, Scott Speed
Spyker MF1: Christijan Albers, Adrian Sutil
Super Aguri: Takuma Sato, Anthony Davidson

Races:
1 Australia ING Australian Grand Prix - 18 March
2 Malaysia Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - 08 April
3 Bahrain Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix - 15 April
4 Spain Gran Premio Telefónica de España - 13 May
5 Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco - 27 May
6 Canada Grand Prix du Canada - 10 June
7 United States United States Grand Prix - 17 June
8 France Grand Prix de France - 01 July
9 United Kingdom British Grand Prix - 08 July
10 Germany Grosser Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland - 22 July
11 Hungary Magyar Nagydij - 05 August
12 Turkey Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix - 26 August
13 Italy Gran Premio Vodafone d'Italia - 09 September
14 Belgium ING Belgian Grand Prix - 16 September
15 Japan Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix - 30 September
16 People's Republic of China Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix - 07 October
17 Brazil Grande Prêmio do Brasil - 21 October

[tysonK]

I'll drive for Midland they have cool looking cars.

[sperry]

Here are my "predictions":

Ferrari: Michael Schumacher, Fillepe Massa
Renault: Giancarlo Fisichella, Stephane Sarrazin
McLaren: Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen
Toyota: Jarno Trulli, Ralf Schumacher
Honda: Jenson Button, Reubens Barrichello
BMW: Mark Webber, Robert Kubica
Williams: Alex Wurz, Nico Rosberg
Red Bull: David Coulthard, Vitantonia Liuzzi
Toro Rosso: Scott Speed, Jeff Gordon
Midland: Christijan Albers, Nick Heidfeld
Super Aguri: Takuma Sato, Sakon Yamamoto

[Nick Koan]

Stephane in a Renault?

I predict he will be doing a lot of the development test driving for Prodrive during 07, and potentially a drive in 08.

There is also a rumor that Sebastian Bourdais has been approached by a few teams as well.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by nKoan

Stephane in a Renault?

I predict he will be doing a lot of the development test driving for Prodrive during 07, and potentially a drive in 08.

There is also a rumor that Sebastian Bourdais has been approached by a few teams as well.

Bourdais will never drive a french F1 car.

And the Sarrazine and Gordon picks were "silly", you know, like the thread topic suggests.

[Nick Koan]

Yeah, the rumors are with Bourdais and BMW IIRC.

[MikeK]

Rumours that Webber might move to Renault: Linky McLink

[Pat R.]

I can't see Kimi staying at McMerc. They're the reason he drinks.

[Nick Koan]

There have also been rumors that Ferrari is trying to keep Kimi at McLaren if Schumi stays another year (and he won't drive for Ferrari due to that).

Bottom line, they're saying "If we can't have him, Renault can't either."

[sperry]

Originally Posted by nKoan

There have also been rumors that Ferrari is trying to keep Kimi at McLaren if Schumi stays another year (and he won't drive for Ferrari due to that).

Bottom line, they're saying "If we can't have him, Renault can't either."

You'd think Ferrari would want to keep Kimi and Alonso split up. That way both McLaren and Renault would have to be on their game to put two people ahead of Ferrari. If Kimi stays at McLaren, and McLaren also gets Fernando, if McLaren is on their game with the cars, Ferrari is gonna get spanked!

[Nick Koan]

Two interesting articles

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=126225

Super Aguri offers Albers a seat
03 August 2006

The Super Aguri team has offered MF1 Racing driver Christijan Albers a seat for next season his manager revealed to F1Racing.net. Albers is showing a strong performance this season at Midland and together with team mate Monteiro he is pushing the team forwards.

Media speculation suggests that Super Aguri and Albers were in talks for next season. Albers' manager Lodewijk Varossieau confirmed to F1Racing.net: "We have received an interesting offer from Super Aguri team boss Daniel Audetto indeed. It is an offer we will consider but Christijan has already told me he would prefer to stick with Midland as the team has been improving very well during the season."

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=126202

'Raikkonen signed five-year deal at Ferrari'
03 August 2006

According to Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat, Ferrari has exercised its option on Kimi Raikkonen to race for the Italian team next season. This means the Finn would have signed a five-year-contract.

The story is based on the Finnish tabloid's reliable sources, which are close to Kimi Raikkonen. According to the source Raikkonen's contract is worth around 160 million euros and thus the 26-year-old would earn 32 million euros a year.

Michael Schumacher said in Hockenheim he will announce his future plans in Monza and it is very likely that Raikkonen's plans will be announced shortly after Schumacher's decision was announced.

[sperry]

I'd love to see Kimi in a Ferrari... but I think Shumi's in for one more season. If he's close to a championship this year, but doesn't get it, he'll be back w/ Ferrari, and I don't think there's room for Kimi and MSC on the same team.

However, if Ferrari pulls off the amazing and Michael comes from behind to win the driver's championship, I see him possibly retiring from the top.

[skimonkey30]

Mark Webber to Red Bull

http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/head...07171700.shtml

[Nick Koan]

Cool beans. He said his new team was going to start with "Re..."

[Pat R.]

And Kimi goes to Ferrari.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Pat R.

And Kimi goes to Ferrari.

So I guess Massa is screwed if MSC decides to stay for another season

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by Pat R.

And Kimi goes to Ferrari.

Possible, but there's nothing firm in there to prove he's signed.

[Nick Koan]

http://www.crash.net/news_View~t~Ren...~id~136907.htm

Heikki Kovalainen gets the second seat at Renault.

Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr. join as test drivers. Flav stays on as team principal.

The Renault F1 team has confirmed that Heikki Kovalainen will race alongside Giancarlo Fisichella in 2007.

Kovalainen, who was runner-up in the GP2 series in 2005, has impressed the team this year, having acted as their official third/reserve driver. The Finn has completed over 28,000 kiolmetres of testing for Renault since 2004 and the regie now reckon he is ready to step-up and race in F1.

"Everybody at Renault is very optimistic about our driver line-up for 2007 and beyond. We have taken the conscious decision to build for the future, without compromising the stability of the team in the short term," said team boss, Flavio Briatore.

"Giancarlo [who was confirmed back in June] is a proven force in Formula 1 and Heikki is already fully integrated into the team. After seeing performances in testing this season, we have very high hopes for him."

Kovalainen meanwhile added that he is over the moon with this chance and having spent two seasons testing, he should be more than prepared to compete at the pinnacle of the sport. While he is looking forward to 2007, he noted that his priority at the moment is to do all he can to help Renault defend their 2005 titles.

"I am thrilled to get the opportunity to race with a world champion team like Renault," he confirmed. "I have been a member of the Renault Driver Development programme since 2002, when I had the distant ambition of one day becoming an F1 driver. It is a fantastic feeling to have finally achieved that.

"My two seasons testing for the team, as well as my time in GP2, have allowed me to build my technical knowledge and to understand what it takes to win in Formula 1. I have also had the opportunity to show the team what I can do, and it is a great motivation to know that they believe in me. It will be a fantastic feeling to line up on the grid in Melbourne, but that is still a long way off. At the moment, I am totally focused on helping Renault win the 2006 championship."

[sperry]

Awesome news for Kovalainen! The weird thing though, is that Renault has no "big name" driver... Fisi's the man, don't get me wrong, but w/o an Alonso, Schumacher, or Raikonnen... Renault just feels like a mid-pack team to me. A mid-pack team with a rediculously fast car.

I think 2007 is going to be one hell of a wildcard season with all the driver changes. I'm really curious to see if Schumacher signs on again... I guess we'll know on Sunday!

[Tahoe C5]

BTW I heard Paul Tracy and Kurt Busch will be driving a Scion powered H2 for the WWF!!!!

[skimonkey30]

Originally Posted by Tahoe C5

BTW I heard Paul Tracy and Kurt Busch will be driving a Scion powered H2 for the WWF!!!!

wtf??

Well this weekend should be interesting at Monza with the ferrari announcement. I'm sure they will announce three drivers since schumi still apparently hasn't made up his mind

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by Tahoe C5

BTW I heard Paul Tracy and Kurt Busch will be driving a Scion powered H2 for the WWF!!!!

I don't get it.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by skimonkey30

wtf??

Well this weekend should be interesting at Monza with the ferrari announcement. I'm sure they will announce three drivers since schumi still apparently hasn't made up his mind

I'm starting to think that the result of the Monza race directly effects MSC's decision to stay or retire... if he wins the race and gains enough points to have a real shot at winning the championship this season, he'll probably retire next year. If he's pretty much out of it this season, I think he'll be back looking for #8 next year, since he's still competative.

[skimonkey30]

Originally Posted by sperry

I'm starting to think that the result of the Monza race directly effects MSC's decision to stay or retire... if he wins the race and gains enough points to have a real shot at winning the championship this season, he'll probably retire next year. If he's pretty much out of it this season, I think he'll be back looking for #8 next year, since he's still competative.

so what you are saying is he will be back no matter what??

[sperry]

Originally Posted by skimonkey30

so what you are saying is he will be back no matter what??

If he retires Jan 2007, I'm pretty sure he won't be racing much next year.