F1: 2009 Malaysian GP

**tidus1203** · April 6th, 2009 04:50 PM

While magaling naman si JB para sakin the best driver in the field is still Fernando Alonso. If only he can have a good car again...

**Horsepower** · April 6th, 2009 05:06 PM

Yeah, Alonso is good. Would've been perfect if he doesn't whine like a girl. heheheh

**BoyFerrari** · April 6th, 2009 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by jeff1101

Virgin GP?? Parang ang pangit pakingan. From what I heard Mr. Branson is interested in acquiring an F1 team not just sponsoring it. That means either he starts a new team or (heaven forbid) buys Brawn GP.

Actually, it was just a rumor that Branson wanted to buy the Honda Team after he was contacted by Bernie if he was interested to bid for it. When he came into the picture, he learned that there was already a management buyout in the works, courtesy of Ross Brawn. So instead of bidding for Honda altogether, he just decided to pay as a sponsor "for the time being" to see if the car will go the distance. Branson said that if Brawn will keep on winning races, he might decide to buy the title sponsorship and call it Virgin GP. So Branson is still in the "wait-and-see" mode right now.

Being a title sponsor is much cheaper, than paying for the entire team and running it yourself. And besides, Branson is busy right now with his Virgin Space Hotel project.

Also, Branson is not really on a shopping mode for an F1 Team. Otherwise, he should have snatched the ProDrive Team early on, or preempt the USF1 Team in 2010. But all is not lost. After this season, Red Bull will be putting Torro Rosso up for sale.

By the way, "Virgin GP" may not be as bad as it sounds. In the 90's, Michael Schumacher became a world champion for the Benetton Team. Imagine driving a car that was better known for fashion wear and lingerie.

Originally Posted by jeff1101

It could be that his talents were under appreciated because of all the mediocre cars he was getting and that his time only really shone with cars like the Brawn.

Put Lewis Hamilton on a Force India car during his rookie year, I'm not sure if he will be as popular as he is now.

**BoyFerrari** · April 6th, 2009 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Horsepower

While other teams were waiting for two hours under the rain for the possible restart of the race...

They could not have been waiting under the rain for a restart for 2 hours. The FIA rules mandate that a grand prix cannot run for more than 2 hours.

**BoyFerrari** · April 6th, 2009 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by CVT

JB is one of the better drivers in the rain.... Remember when he won 1st place, I think in 2006, in one of the GPs in Europe under heavy rain?...

Jenson Button's first grand prix win on the Honda car, was just a lucky break. Because everyone else crashed out.

**Monseratto** · April 6th, 2009 07:00 PM

Remember Honda engines won a total of five World Championship, including all 3 for the late great Ayrton Senna.

Honda May Rue Formula One Exit as Brawn GP Secures Another Win

April 6 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co. may have been too hasty in quitting Formula One, according to Bernie Ecclestone.

Facing slumping global sales, the No. 2 Japanese carmaker sold its F-1 operations for an undisclosed sum to former team principal Ross Brawn a month ago to save 20 billion yen ($200 million) a year.

While Honda counted just one victory from 53 races in three years, the Brawn GP team has won both Grands Prix this season through driver Jenson Button, including yesterday’s rain- shortened Malaysian Grand Prix.

“They’d spent an awful lot of money, hadn’t gotten anywhere and probably didn’t realize the potential,” said Ecclestone, who runs Formula One’s commercial operations, in an interview in Kuala Lumpur. “I’m sure if they had, they wouldn’t have gone because all this would’ve been Honda otherwise.”

Brawn isn’t so sure. The Briton, who has engineered the transformation after Honda hired him 17 months ago, said the automaker had reasons beyond finance for dropping out. Tokyo- based Honda forecast profit will plunge 87 percent this fiscal year to 80 billion yen as vehicle sales in the U.S. in February fell to the lowest level since December 1981.

“I’m sure they were very frustrated at having to withdraw,” Brawn, 54, said in an interview. “I’ve had many notes from senior people at Honda, so they are frustrated because obviously the team has moved forward, but it was a necessity for their business.”

Honda motor spokeswoman Tomoko Uchida declined to comment.

‘Open Doors’

Following the victories in Australia and Malaysia, Brawn said he has changed his focus from survival -- he laid off 270 employees last week, about one third of the payroll -- to building on the successes.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group Ltd. agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to display its logo on the cars last week, while other “well-known” companies are considering endorsing the team, Brawn said, without disclosing details.

“Obviously the results of the team were great because they’ve enabled us to open up a lot of doors,” said Brawn, who helped Michael Schumacher secure seven world championships at Benetton and Ferrari.

There is one source of concern. Rivals including Ferrari contend that Brawn GP’s cars have illegal diffusers and are appealing rulings by race stewards that backed the team. The appeal will be held in Paris this month and, if upheld, could see Brawn GP stripped of its wins.

“We’ll have to see what happens with the court of appeal, but what they’ve done for now is good obviously,” the 78-year- old Ecclestone added.

Rubens Barrichello, Button’s teammate, was runner-up in Australia and was fifth yesterday to stay second in the driver standings. The Brackley, England-based team is 8 ½ points ahead of Toyota in the constructors’ championship, a scenario Honda may not have thought possible after finishing fourth, eighth and ninth in the past three seasons.

“It’s a pity that they’re not part of it,” Brawn added.

**jeff1101** · April 6th, 2009 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by BoyFerrari

Jenson Button's first grand prix win on the Honda car, was just a lucky break. Because everyone else crashed out.

Well he'd still be good in my book if (as you mentioned) everybody else crashed and he didn't.

**CVT** · April 6th, 2009 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by jeff1101

Well he'd still be good in my book if (as you mentioned) everybody else crashed and he didn't.

BoyFerrari and jeff1101,- Bros.,- I like the way that you both said it.....

However, I am not taking it away from JB.....

7808:spam:

**BoyFerrari** · April 7th, 2009 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Monseratto

Remember Honda engines won a total of five World Championship, including all 3 for the late great Ayrton Senna.

Remember also that Cosworth engines have won more grand prix titles than Honda, including the one that made Michael Schumacher a world champion for Benetton. And where is Cosworth now? Kicked out in the dust.

That's how it is in Formula 1. If your useful value has already been siphoned, you get thrown away if you don't keep performing at the top level. There is no love lost for Cosworth. There is no love lost for Honda.

Bernie is just being melodramatic, because all he thinks about is money. He believes that a car manufacturer can better sustain a team in the long run, compared to private individual financing.

**BoyFerrari** · April 7th, 2009 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by CVT

BoyFerrari and jeff1101,- Bros.,- I like the way that you both said it.....

However, I am not taking it away from JB.....

7808:spam:

Yes, of course. Crashes are part of the race. A win is a win. Come to think of it, even Michael Schumacher won the 2005 Indianapolis Grand Prix when there were just 6 Bridgestone cars on the grid (4 of them were backmarkers). Selecting the correct tyres, is also part of the race. It was not Michael's fault that the opponents brought the wrong Michelin tyres for the race, right?? But a win is a win. Hollowed win, but still a win on the record books.