2006 F1 season preview

[BoyFerrari]

Japanese billionaires are known for their extravagance. This is also the complaint of the smaller F1 teams, they want to put a ceiling on how much should be spent on car maintenance and driver salaries so that they can be competitive as well. This is partly the reason for the "One-Tire-per-Race" rule this season. Minardi and the "poor" teams could not afford to change tires every 10 minutes unlike Ferrari.

[Isuzoom]

Ok lang for Red Bull to maintain 2 teams for marketing lang siguro, thats why pinag usapan bakit 2 teams sila. they are everywhere in the world talaga. me basketball pa!!

[pixelparadigm]

After Michael Schumacher lost this year's championship, gusto ko na sya ulit magchampion next year! But still, I would still want Kimi and his team to do their best to get the championship next year too.

[number001]

After Michael Schumacher lost this year's championship, gusto ko na sya ulit magchampion next year! But still, I would still want Kimi and his team to do their best to get the championship next year too.

With the rule change regarding changing tyres, you might find your wishes fulfilled! Looks like Bridgestone and Ferrari are back in business next year!

List of F1 teams using Bridgestone Tyres in 2006.

1. Ferrari
2. Toyota
3. Williams
4. Super Aguri Honda

[number001]

Suzuki announces new Formula One team: Super Aguri Honda files F1 entry with the FIA

Former Japanese star driver Aguri Suzuki announced Tuesday he would lead a new Formula One team next season with engines supplied by Honda. Suzuki, 45, said his "Super Aguri Formula 1" had submitted an entry form to the FIA last week.

"I'm filled with the desire to hoist Japan's flag on the podium as a constructor or team," Suzuki, who became in 1990 the first Japanese to score a podium finish in a World Championship round, said. "I have joined many races. If I look at them as mountains, F1 is like climbing Mount Everest. No one knows what will be waiting for us ahead ... but I will do my best," he said.

The team will be based in Langley in Oxfordshire in Britain and use the factory of disbanded Arrows team.

"We will use Honda V8 engines but the drivers are undecided," Suzuki told a news conference at Honda headquarters in Tokyo.

Suzuki said Japanese driver Takuma Sato, who was dropped by the BAR Honda team last season, could be one of the drivers. "We are in talks with Mr Takuma Sato and are also negotiating with several other drivers," he said.

Suzuki said the team was also negotiating with possible sponsors as "F1 is a world in which you can never have enough money."

Asked about news reports that Japanese Internet firm Softbank would provide financing, he said: "I would be grateful if such a major, wonderful company becomes our sponsor."

Suzuki also said he wanted to ask Bridgestone to supply tires. Further details of the team will be announced between late January and early February, he said.

While the team has Honda backing, Suzuki denied it was the Japanese automaker's second team, saying Super Aguri Formula 1 was original. Honda will own the BAR Honda team outright next year.

from: F1-live.com

[number001]

A little tidbit about the man behind this all-new F1 team.

Aguri Suzuki past and present: Former F1 driver turned team owner

Aguri Suzuki is the hot topic of conversation right now as the Japanese team owner announced today that he has filed an entry with the FIA for entry into the Formula One World Championship for next year. Suzuki is however no stranger to Formula One.

Suzuki competed in a single race in 1988 with the Larousse team before moving on to the Yamaha powered Zakspeed squad the following season. Despite being a fine looking chassis, it was not particularly effective and Suzuki was unable to pre-qualify the car all-season long. Team-mate Bernd Schneider moved on to Arrows and Suzuki moved back to Larrousse which was now Lamborghini powered.

The car was effective if not particularly reliable and Suzuki finished twice in the top six before securing a stunning podium for the team at the Japanese Grand Prix.

It would be the only podium of his 88 race career as he remained with Larousse in 1991 before a move to Footwork (Arrows) Mugen-Honda in 1992 and 1993. Suzuki competed in just one event in 1994 with the Jordan Hart squad and then five more races in 1995 with the Ligier Mugen-Honda team.

Suzuki would then move on to try and help promote Japanese driving talent via the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Project. Suzuki was back in a big way in the United States in 2002 as he teamed up with Mexican racer Adrian Fernandez to form Super Aguri Fernandez Racing.

With Honda on board to provide the power, Suzuki fielded a chassis for Roger Yasukawa in the 2003 IRL IndyCar series and this year for Kosuke Matsuura.

Now Suzuki faces his stiffest challenge yet as he looks to enter Formula One next year as a team owner. With Honda behind him again, Suzuki must now await confirmation of his entry into the championship which should be announced by the FIA in early December.

source: F1-live.com

[scarab]

...some grid updates based on a forwarded email
Ferrari Ferrari Bridgestone 5 Michael Schumacher Confirmed
6 Felipe Massa Confirmed

Williams F1 Cosworth Bridgestone 9 Mark Webber Confirmed
10 Nico Rosberg Confirmed

Honda F1 Honda Michelin 11 Jenson Button Confirmed
-formerly BAR 12 Rubens Barrichelo Confirmed

Red Bull Ferrari Michelin 14 David Coulthard Confirmed
15 Christian Klein Confirmed

BMW BMW Michelin 16 Jacques Villeneuve Confirmed
-formerly Sauber 17 Nick Heidfeld Confirmed

Midland F1 Toyota Bridgestone 18 Christijan Albers Confirmed
-formerly Jordan 19 -vacant- TBA (Monteiro / Sato / Davidson / Montagny)

Sc Torro Rosso Cosworth V10* Bridgestone 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi Confirmed
-formerly Minardi 21 Scott Speed Confirmed

Super Aguri F1 Honda Michelin 22 -vacant- TBA (Sato / Davidson / Matsuura)
-new team 23 -vacant- TBA

[number001]

...some grid updates based on a forwarded email
Ferrari Ferrari Bridgestone 5 Michael Schumacher Confirmed
6 Felipe Massa Confirmed

Williams F1 Cosworth Bridgestone 9 Mark Webber Confirmed
10 Nico Rosberg Confirmed

Honda F1 Honda Michelin 11 Jenson Button Confirmed
-formerly BAR 12 Rubens Barrichelo Confirmed

Red Bull Ferrari Michelin 14 David Coulthard Confirmed
15 Christian Klein Confirmed

BMW BMW Michelin 16 Jacques Villeneuve Confirmed
-formerly Sauber 17 Nick Heidfeld Confirmed

Midland F1 Toyota Bridgestone 18 Christijan Albers Confirmed
-formerly Jordan 19 -vacant- TBA (Monteiro / Sato / Davidson / Montagny)

Sc Torro Rosso Cosworth V10* Bridgestone 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi Confirmed
-formerly Minardi 21 Scott Speed Confirmed

Super Aguri F1 Honda Michelin 22 -vacant- TBA (Sato / Davidson / Matsuura)
-new team 23 -vacant- TBA

Minardi is again moving back to Michelins (from Bridgestone) since the parent team (Red Bull Racing) is on Michelins already/also.

[mazdamazda]

Not to mention that McLaren's primary sponsor is JOHNNY WALKER !!!! Where on earth does Johnny Walker get all that money ????????

JW is still not a "sponsor" per se... they are still "partners" according to McLaren.

I think they need to double/triple their annual spendings on F1 to be called a full sponsor (like West). AFAIK they will spend around $21M/year for this.

By the way, Diageo (JW's mother company) has a net income of around $2.5B and spends around $1.9B in marketing worldwide. So $21M is just a drop in the bucket for them.

You'll see more sponsor / partner changes in the near future as F1 teams are preparing for the eventual pullout of tobacco companies.

[number001]

from f1-live

"Ferrari, Midland, Williams and now Toyota are confirmed to be running Bridgestone tyres next season and should the new Super Aguri Suzuki team come to fruition, it too will run on the Japanese tyres."

List of F1 teams using Bridgestone Tyres in 2006.

1. Ferrari
2. Toyota
3. Williams
4. Super Aguri Honda
5. Midland