Honda announcing new F1 team tomorrow

[iGav]

With Aguri Suzuki, after acquiring Menard Engineering (formerly TWR Racing).

I wonder how long it'll be before Toyota do the same? McLaren are rumoured to have a B-Team lined up for '07 and Red Bull already have 2 teams.

More cars though = more fun in my opinion. All good and thumbs up from me!

Rinky dink link

Thoughts?

 

[liketom]

the more teams sign up the better for us the viewers

 

[Malcster]

Will be interesting to see what happens if for example Red Bull Team B are holding up Red Bull Team A Are team orders banned now? i forget, might see some 'timely' pitstops

 

[iGav]

Are team orders banned now?

Judging by McLaren's and Renault's behaviour for much of the season, you'd think that they weren't

 

[Malcster]

Exactly I like the idea of more cars, but more cars and this new qualifying is gonna get interesting, chances of getting a good clean lap... pretty slim!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Where will they get the money to run a second team?

Toyota has enough I suppose, but the teams are constantly complaining about cost issues - running a second team is hardly consistent with claims that it's getting too expensive to compete in F1.

Still, the more cars on the grid the better.

 

[iGav]

Toyota has enough I suppose, but the teams are constantly complaining about cost issues - running a second team is hardly consistent with claims that it's getting too expensive to compete in F1.

The whole costs issues were total bollocks aimed at nothing more than trying to curb Ferrari and Bridgestone's advantage... that's all.

It'd be cool to see a 26 car grid again, but hopefully if we are blessed with new teams (26+ car grids) in the future then the FIA doesn't see fit to bring back pre-qualifying.

Also, lets hope Bernie/GPA come to some sort of agreement, F1 momentum is growing nicely, and it'd be a shame to see the series fatally wounded by greed.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

The whole costs issues were total bollocks aimed at nothing more than trying to curb Ferrari and Bridgestone's advantage... that's all.

I think that's true (with the exeption of Minardi and Jordan), but the point is nobody can possibly continue to take that argument seriously (if anyone ever did) now that they've nearly doubled their commitment.

It'd be cool to see a 26 car grid again, but hopefully if we are blessed with new teams (26+ car grids) in the future then the FIA doesn't see fit to bring back pre-qualifying.

Pre-qualifying would be pretty lame, but with 26 cars I can already hear faster drivers whining about backmarkers and blue flag shenanigans.

 

[iGav]

I think that's true (with the exeption of Minardi and Jordan), but the point is nobody can possibly continue to take that argument seriously (if anyone ever did) now that they've nearly doubled their commitment.

The whole cost cutting argument was always crap, it didn't really even affect Jordan or Minardi because they never tested anyway.

I do wonder how long it'll be before Toyota get a Jr. team? they're the spending kings by far, even recently ponying up even more millions of $$$ for another wind tunnel.

Pre-qualifying would be pretty lame, but with 26 cars I can already hear faster drivers whining about backmarkers and blue flag shenanigans.

I think it depends on the quality of the new Jr. teams, I can't imagine Honda will be happy with their B team being 2 seconds of the pace, and IF the FIA allow off the shelf chassis's to new teams, then we might actually see an entirely competitive grid all within 1-1.5 seconds of each other, which would be just dandy.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

of the new Jr. teams, I can't imagine Honda will be happy with their B team being 2 seconds of the pace, and IF the FIA allow off the shelf chassis's to new teams, then we might actually see an entirely competitive grid all within 1-1.5 seconds of each other, which would be just dandy.

Interesting point - I'm curious whether Honda B will use the same chassis as A. I'm also curious what kind of tech transfer will take place between Red B and Torro Rosso. The ex-Jaguar outfit clearly has better hardware, so why not just run 4 of those cars, with the extra two being built by the ex-Minardi guys instead of designing their own car?

 

[iGav]

Interesting point - I'm curious whether Honda B will use the same chassis as A. I'm also curious what kind of tech transfer will take place between Red B and Torro Rosso. The ex-Jaguar outfit clearly has better hardware, so why not just run 4 of those cars, with the extra two being built by the ex-Minardi guys instead of designing their own car?

I think I'm right on this, but currently a team has to design it's own chassis they cannot share a design with another team. Think Ferrari and Sauber in '04.

Also, a team can only enter 2 cars, so even though Honda and Red Bull effectively own 2 teams each, they'll need to separate the operations of those teams, and produce 2 different cars for each team, although I suspect they'll be reasonably close with only minor details differentiating them from one another so that the FIA will approve them.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Also, a team can only enter 2 cars, so even though Honda and Red Bull effectively own 2 teams each, they'll need to separate the operations of those teams, and produce 2 different cars for each team, although I suspect they'll be reasonably close with only minor details differentiating them from one another so that the FIA will approve them.

Hmm, seems a bit silly though, doesn't it?

Red Bull and Honda will likely get all their engineers together and design a car as usual. Then they will introduce a number of irrelevant changes in order to create a second "different" car "designed" by the B team in order to comply with the rules.

Having four cars will give the teams the benefit of trying two different yet similar cars to see which works better, so from a data collection standpoint it is productive. But having to have "different" cars just because chassis-sharing is illegal is a stupid idea, IMHO.

 

[cantthinkofone]

As long as there isn't 50 cars on the track at once like NASCAR. And its all about advertising. 20 cars is plenty with the speeds these guys get up to. Some parts of the track are just way to narrow for even 5 cars.

I dont know Honda's past, but they dont seem to be doing to well. I know the people of japan weren't to happy with the news about Sato.

I just wish Ferrari would get back in the game. Oh most ashamed to wear my hat around town with all the NASCAR hats(NASCAR, yank yank).

 

[iGav]

It's official then... Super Aguri F1

And Bridgestone have already offered them the tyres. hahahahahahahaha.

 

[MOFS]

It's official then... Super Aguri F1

And Bridgestone have already offered them the tyres. hahahahahahahaha.

I think its certain that Bridgestone will be the sole suppliers for 2007. It was inevitable following Indianapolis - if that fiasco hadn't happenned then we might be seeing Michelin then but not now. Seems a bit strange having "factory" and "works" teams now in F1 tho' - hope it ends up being more like MotoGP than Touring Cars.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Just because Michelin is on the outs with the FIA and Mosely is shouting " only 1 tire supplier" doesn't necessarily mean anything.

This thread shows that other tire suppliers may be interested, and I'm not so sure that all the Michelin teams are eager to start from scratch with Bridgestone.

Still, Mosely will have a lot of power over how many tire suppliers there are. Nice "election", Max. That was about as democratic as North Korea.

Seems like this new team really has the odds stacked against it though - it's almost November and yet the team still exists only on paper, with Takumikaze Sato the only probable driver as yet...

Maybe 2006 is a bit of a stretch?

 

[iGav]

it's almost November and yet the team still exists only on paper, with Takumikaze Sato the only probable driver as yet...

Maybe 2006 is a bit of a stretch?

You know, when you put it like that... it does doesn't it.

I bet Max will fix it though, a lick of paint on a Honda '06 chassis, and a few spanners and screw drivers in their own pit garage, and I think they're set.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

You know, when you put it like that... it does doesn't it.

I bet Max will fix it though, a lick of paint on a Honda '06 chassis, and a few spanners and screw drivers in their own pit garage, and I think they're set.

I feel you're right - I think the FIA will relax their rules on chassis-sharing a bit, but Super Aguri F1 will still need a lot of help from BAR if they hope to be on the grid in '06. A Honda engine, chassis, aero package and maybe paying drivers (paid for by Honda of course).