GPWizard F1 Forum

F1 News & Discussions => General F1 Discussion => Topic started by: FW14B on March 03, 2010, 11:00:49 PM

Title: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 03, 2010, 11:00:49 PM
According to the official FIA entry list:


1  Jenson BUTTON (GBR)        VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GB)
2  Lewis HAMILTON (GBR)       VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GB)

3  Michael SCHUMACHER (D)     MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM
4  Nico ROSBERG (D)           MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM

5  Sebastian VETTEL (DEU)     RED BULL RACING (AUT)
6  Mark WEBBER (AUS)          RED BULL RACING (AUT)

7  Felipe MASSA (BRA)         SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (I)
8  Fernando ALONSO (ESP)      SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (I)

9  Rubens BARRICHELLO (BRA)   AT&T WILLIAMS (GB)
10 Nico HÜLKENBERG (D)        AT&T WILLIAMS (GB)

11 Robert KUBICA (POL)        RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA)
12 Vitaly PETROV (RUS)        RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA)

14 Adrian SUTIL (D)           FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND)
15 Vitantonio LIUZZI (I)      FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND)

16 Sébastien BUEMI (CH)       SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (I)
17 Jaime ALGUERSUARI (ESP)    SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (I)

18 Jarno TRULLI (I)           LOTUS RACING (MAL)
19 Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN)    LOTUS RACING (MAL)

20 TBA                        HRT F1 TEAM (ESP)
21 Bruno SENNA (BRA)          HRT F1 TEAM (ESP)

22 Pedro DE LA ROSA (ESP)     BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CH)
23 Kamui KOBAYASHI (J)        BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CH)

24 Timo GLOCK (DEU)           VIRGIN RACING (GB)
25 Luca DI GRASSI (BRA)       VIRGIN RACING (GB)


Note: The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in 2010.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 03, 2010, 11:04:13 PM
More on this from the autosport website:


Stefan Grand Prix's hopes of getting on the grid in 2010 as Team US F1's replacement suffered a blow on Wednesday night, when the FIA announced only 12 teams on its 2010 entry list.

Following weeks of speculation about the fate of the final slots of the grid, following US F1's uncertain future, the sport's governing body finally released the list of competitors for 2010.

Team US F1 was absent - with a note at the bottom stating the team had: "indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in 2010".

The FIA said no replacement could be considered so close to the start of the season.

"Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage," the FIA said.

"In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season."

The entry list also confirmed that Campos has been renamed HRT, and that BMW Sauber will retain the 'BMW' moniker for 2010 despite the German car manufacturer having pulled out of the sport last season.

The FIA also confirmed Sauber's team numbers - which has been uncertain for several months after it temporarily lost its entry. Pedro de la Rosa will be number 22, and Kamui Kobayashi 23.

Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Jericoke on March 04, 2010, 12:02:33 AM
Kind of interesting that 'BMW' is slotting in ahead of Virgin, but behind Lotus and Hispania.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: John S on March 04, 2010, 08:40:46 AM


Looks like Bernie's predication, last year, about not all the new teams making it to the races has come true once again proving he really does have his finger on the pulse of F1, pity the FIA can't say the same.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 04, 2010, 09:11:30 AM
Yeah, in this situation it seems Bernie was right.  Still questions must be raised about the whole selection process and whether Bernie had any say in that. 
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: littledave on March 04, 2010, 11:48:58 AM
Shame that. Waste of the Toyota chassis as well because next year it's all change!
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: david1275 on March 04, 2010, 08:51:25 PM
Does seem a terrible shame that they are ready to "Rock 'n' Roll" and they won't get a chance, and we won't get to see a 26 car grid.  :(
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Jericoke on March 04, 2010, 09:00:03 PM
Does seem a terrible shame that they are ready to "Rock 'n' Roll" and they won't get a chance, and we won't get to see a 26 car grid.  :(


I'd just like to know WHY the FIA has punted them.  Maybe there's a good reason (remember when 'BMW' was dropped in favour of Lotus because their backing turned out to be imaginary?).  However, as long as the FIA simply says 'thanks but no thanks', it smacks of conspiracy.

So far we only have Stefan's word that they're ready, which is equal to what Anderson offered up for USF1.

I want 13 cars out there.  I want to see if Toyota bailed on the sport at the exact wrong time like Honda did.  I want to see if Jacques Villeneuve has remembered how to race.  Most of all, I want to see the 'New FIA' Todt promised.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 04, 2010, 09:28:03 PM
I agree Jeri, it would be great to know why this decision was reached.  They say it was too late to bring in another team, but why when that team was allegedly ready to race and had it's gear in Bahrain.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: cosworth151 on March 05, 2010, 12:14:05 PM
Honda didn't leave at just the wrong time. If last year's car would have been run in its usual corporate method, and if it would have had a Honda lump in place of the Mercedes engine, they would have still been back markers.

Stefan bought a junk car & engine from last season, thumbed their nose at the entire system and said, "We're going to show up anyway, so you have to let us in." I'm just as glad that they won't be in. They have no supply or tech support for their car or engine, so they would be gone after the first few races, anyway. Better off without them from the start.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: John S on March 05, 2010, 01:17:03 PM
Honda didn't leave at just the wrong time. If last year's car would have been run in its usual corporate method, and if it would have had a Honda lump in place of the Mercedes engine, they would have still been back markers.

Not sure you are seeing straight about the Brawn designed car last year, with it's superior design advantage in the first half of the season it would still have won the races with the Honda power - it would even have done it with the cosworth lump in it! :P

I grant you the second half would have been more tricky but I'm certain they would have won the constructors title and pretty sure the WDC as well. Honda deserves credit for putting together the package that produced the car, Oh! and bank rolling it of course.
At least they left F1 with some dignity unlike the other Japanese team.

 
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Dare on March 05, 2010, 01:29:15 PM
I agree John with your Honda comments.On
certain tracks the Toyota wasn't a bad car and
don't forget they did win a pole last year.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Jericoke on March 05, 2010, 01:51:01 PM
I agree John with your Honda comments.On
certain tracks the Toyota wasn't a bad car and
don't forget they did win a pole last year.

How many of the current teams on the grid were built using the bones of an old team?

RBR can trace themselves back to Stewart.
STR goes back to Minardi.
Mercedes goes back to Tyrell.
FIF1 goes back to Jordan.
Even Ferrari got their start by using old Alfa Romeos when Enzo's old team quit racing.
(And lets not forget that Sauber was once known as Sauber...)

An F1 team has got to start somewhere.  So what if Stefan comes in last place this year?  VJ Mallya is quite open that he knew the Spyker was a POS, but the only way he could race F1.  Ferrari, for a team that brags about their long history in F1, missed the first ever race... they didn't have their supplies lined up yet.

So, if the FIA comes forward and says that Stefan doesn't have a great business model, I'll accept that.  (No need to slag the owners, but on the other hand that's exactly what they did to BMW.)  But if the only thing I hear is a competing team that missed THEIR first race complaining about Stefan's organisation, that's not really much to go on.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Andy B on March 05, 2010, 01:54:00 PM
Its been said that Stefan cannot race as they have missed all the testing but HRT have just announced that their first running will be in Friday practice!! :crazy: :tease:
Its all a bit smelly to me! :DntKnw:
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: cosworth151 on March 05, 2010, 02:11:40 PM
Stefan NEVER had an entry. Toyota returned their entry to the FIA.

All of the teams you mentioned had engine suppliers. Stefan doesn't. They have left over engines that no one even makes spare parts for any more. As soon as an engine goes ker-blammo, it's game over. Ditto the trans, suspension, etc.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 05, 2010, 02:18:07 PM
That is a good point about the Toyota engines.  Once gone I cannot imagine Toyota going out their way to make new parts out the goodness of their hearts, even to keep Nakajima on the grid.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Dare on March 05, 2010, 05:44:18 PM
Stefan NEVER had an entry. Toyota returned their entry to the FIA.

All of the teams you mentioned had engine suppliers. Stefan doesn't. They have left over engines that no one even makes spare parts for any more. As soon as an engine goes ker-blammo, it's game over. Ditto the trans, suspension, etc.

I wonder how many engines and gear boxes Stefan
received?I thought most teams just replaced engines
and gearboxes not rebuilt them.

In the beginning USF1 was asking to miss a few races
why couldn't Stefan have missed one or two races
then joined the F1 circus later?

Maybe it's just me but once USF1 was out why not give Stefan
a chance,the more teams the merrier.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: John S on March 05, 2010, 05:56:33 PM

Have you forgotten that Ferrari don't like "the Serbian Vultures" so as usual in F1 - what Ferrari wants Ferrari gets... ad infinitum.

The Presidency may have changed but the sentiment remains the same.  :crazy:



Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: cosworth151 on March 05, 2010, 06:06:49 PM
Quote
Have you forgotten that Ferrari don't like "the Serbian Vultures"

I guess even Ferrari can be right once and a while.  ;)
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Alianora La Canta on March 05, 2010, 08:27:44 PM
The FIA has no precedent to transfer the entry in such a short space of time without a reserve option. Stefan GP was not the reserve, so it needed to have bought USF1 or Campos to get an entry. It didn't, so it didn't. That's how it works.

F1 can be a brutal place, Zoran.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 05, 2010, 08:48:08 PM
Again good points Ali.

Zoran also did not help his cause a lot by kicking up so much fuss over the selection process.  Harsh but undoubtedly it did not work in his favour.  I doubt they'll have a look in for the 2011 selection.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: stealthhaggis on March 06, 2010, 09:01:24 AM
Did I not read that Stefan GP would offer their car up as young driver testing facility. Basically if they failed to gain entry, they were going to offer teams the chance to use their 2010 spec car to test their young guns out and see if they would be any good. A good idea and allows them to get some cash back from their purchase from Toyota. It is a shame they didn't get in considering they were further along than USF1 (mind you I was further along in my F1 preps than them!) and even Campos at one point.

FIA at their blinkered best. But then I guess Todt never forgave Villeneuve for not crashing out in '97 after he got in the way of his Ferrari, maybe if they had Ralf in the car rather than him SGP might have been on the grid? Nah, who needs some common sense when more controversy would be better eh?!
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 06, 2010, 09:18:15 AM
That would be a great idea if it happened, and a good opportunity for youngsters to gain actual experience of racing an F1 car.  The only problem is Bridgestone wouldn't let them use F1 standard tyres, or even GP2 level I believe, so the tyres wouldn't be fully representative of what they could expect to race on, which is just stupid.  But no money no deal, and no F1 slot, no deal! 
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: stealthhaggis on March 06, 2010, 09:27:57 AM
True on the tyres but obviously no slot means they are unrestricted to test as much as they like. If they were clever they would speak to Michelin about developing their new tyres for when they take over from Birdgstone!
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: FW14B on March 06, 2010, 09:56:51 AM
Interesting about the tyres, I read somewhere that Bridgestone might just carry on as they are still the best option.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: stealthhaggis on March 06, 2010, 10:09:00 AM
I thought they couldn't afford it any more? Oh well, just a thought.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: Scott on March 06, 2010, 11:02:55 AM
True on the tyres but obviously no slot means they are unrestricted to test as much as they like. If they were clever they would speak to Michelin about developing their new tyres for when they take over from Birdgstone!

Absolutely, or any other wanna-be F1 tire company...I'm sure there are a few out there.
Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: John S on March 06, 2010, 03:41:26 PM
Did I not read that Stefan GP would offer their car up as young driver testing facility. Basically if they failed to gain entry, they were going to offer teams the chance to use their 2010 spec car to test their young guns out and see if they would be any good. A good idea and allows them to get some cash back from their purchase from Toyota.

I'm not sure the FIA or some of the other teams will be too impressed by Zoran's test offer as it looks like he is just jumping on the bandwagon of Anthony Hamilton's (Lewis dad's) new venture.

Hamilton senior has I believe got FIA approval and will be re-using old chassis from grid teams to give rookies experience in F1 machines for some years to come. Because of this I can't see Bridgestone or any other tyre supplier breaking ranks to supply F1 standard rubber to the Serbian team for just one or at best 2 years without the nod from the FIA.


Title: Re: Stefan GP not given 2010 Grid Slot
Post by: stealthhaggis on March 06, 2010, 06:44:44 PM
Good point. Anyway, wasn't Zoran the baddie in A View to a Kill?! Maybe thats why the FIA don't like him?
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal
Menu Editor Pro 1.0 | Copyright 2013, Matthew Kerle