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Nick_L

By Nick_L
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Headache

Headache

Posted
Posted

Say what?

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Exor reveal F1 plan

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and an Italian invesment firm linked to Ferrari are working on a possible bid to take control of Formula 1.

"Exor and News Corp will approach minority partners and key stakeholders in the sport," a joint Exor and News Corp statement read.

"There can be no certainty that this will lead to an approach to F1's current owners."

F1 is owned by the private equity firm CVC Partners.

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JPR

JPR

Posted
Posted

I can't really think of a polite response to that news so I won't, can safely say not a fan of the idea though.

Hopefully they'll get stumped trying to work through the ownership structure. :blink:

f1-company-structure1.jpg

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myoozikk

myoozikk

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So the Senna movie is INCREDIBLE!!!

If I'd say one thing please don't watch the version that's out there. It's the meat of the movie but it's raw & missed the polish that makes it so special. Seeing the onboard footage on a big screen & the sound of the cars on a cinema system is awesome.

Some of the never seen before driver briefing footage is electric & funny. As well as what you know it really fleshes out the story with bits I certainly never knew. Interviews with all the key players, Prost, Ron Dennis, Sid Watkins, loads of journalists from the time.

All I'll say is after the set up of the movie watching the onboard footage of the final lap is very hard.

As for the actual screening WOW!!!

Jackie Stewart was there & helped introduce the film with James Allen. Martin Brundle & Mark Blundell were both there with Martin giving a incredible story about racing with Senna. I wish I'd recorded it. Prof Sid Watkins was there & deservedly got a standing ovation. Some of Senna's lotus mechanics & his team boss at mclaren were there. (theirs names escape me unfortunately) also there was Senna's old Karting team mate. All with incredible stories, I'd kill for an afternoon having a beer with these guys. Finally the writer & director of the film did a great Q&A. Really informative & interesting. They really did out their heart & soul into this film. F1 fan or not go see this film!

Here's the only other pic I took... (not that interesting sorry)

6a401eba.jpg

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Sidewaysbob

Sidewaysbob

Posted
Posted

Right, has everyone had enough chocolate and wedding cake ? Good, then I'll begin.

Welcome back to Europe and round four of the F1 world championship. It’s always good to be back in Europe with the crowds and the history and the whole, “this in where motor racing began vibe”. Except we’re in Turkey which has no history, no vibe and no punters in the stands usually.

Which is a shame really, because i rather like this circuit because I think Tilke just about got this one right with its majestic sweeping turn 8 into the daring do turn 9 and 10 before the balls out fast run through turn 11. The rest of the track is a bit Mickey Mouse and all over the show, but turns 8 onward are a real test of daring drivers and fast cars. That’s the sort of thing I like.

So it’s about carrying the speed through the twisty bits and keeping up the momentum for the long straight after turn 10. That’s where the race is won or lost, well I think it is, so it must be true. This year it’s seems to be all about keeping the tires alive longer than the other chaps. If you can push at the end of the race whilst others are hanging on for the line, you stand a good chance of getting some points, maybe even a win. I expect Turkey to be similar to China, in that teams with fresh rubber are going to have the advantage.

So “what’s been happening these last three weeks then?”, I hear you ask.

Well News corp. Have confirmed they’d quite like a slice of the F1 action, along with an Italian investment company that counts FIAT as a major client. Ferrari is obviously in more trouble than we though. Ho ho. It’s all at the “well, how much is it worth then? “, stage of negotiations. Personally I don’t think the likes of Murdoch should be allowed to get their avaricious hands on the sport. Before you know it, it’ll all be about cheers leaders and five minute breaks after 15 laps for adverts and stuff. Less racing and more razzamatazz, if you think DRS and KERS is terrible, wait for the increase in wings size to increase advertising space.

McLaren have been grumbling about the Redbull car yet again. Asking pointed questions about the use of engine mapping to change the exhaust characteristic during qualifying. Mostly they’re annoyed they didn’t think of it first.

Talking of annoyed about not thinking of things, Ferrari are apparently bringing a whole new car, with new wings front and rear to sort out the lack of down force issue. Yet the team is still talking down its chances here, "But our car has a lot to recover: we've had wind tunnel problems and other problems in our methodology” said the chief designer, Nikolas Tombazis. Ferrari doesn’t normally admit they’ve got things horribly wrong, so I’m guessing things must really be bad.

The boys at Williams wish they just had to contend with a lack of down force. The car has been an utter dog thus far, frightening the likes of Lotus and Virgin at the back of the grid. Things have got so bad they they’ve fired (sorry, accepted the resignation of) Sam Michael and hired the disgraced former head of engineering at McLaren, Mike Coughlan. He, you may remember, got caught half inching the blue prints of the 2007 Ferrari before the FIA found out and Max started throwing his weight around. Coughlin’s been over in America for the last few years waiting for the fall out to subside. Now he’s back, let’s see if he can bring anything to the once great Williams team. Personally I think this is the same as sticking a plaster on the hulk of the Titanic and claiming it’s all going to be fine if the band could just start up again please. Firing your team manager and engineering chief after 3 races is never a recipe for success.

Talking of rubbish circuits run by morally questionable dictatorships, Bahrain has been given until to the 3rd of June to either shoot all the peasants or clean its act up and join the rest of us in the 21st century. I think Bernie might move this date back and back and back until either everyone is dead, or it really is unacceptable to have a Grand prix in the middle of a revolution.

Over at Lotus and Trulli has revealed that the reason he’s not won a GP yet this year, is because the power steering in his car is a bit rubbish ... No Jarno, you are a bit rubbish and should stick to wine making and leave the real driving to the professionals. Apparently the lack of power steering “hampers his ability to feel what the car is doing” it’s going forward really really slowly Jarno hahahahaahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ha

Lotus F1 (the green ones) have also announced that they now have the rights to Caterham cars (the ones that look like a lotus) and will be building F1 Caterhams and selling them now. Maybe they can give one to Trulli and see if he’s any faster in that !

Whilst HRT are up for beating Virgin this time out, a feat i think might well be doable as Virgin continue try to learn the Russian for “can we have some money please, comrade” I really think we’ll be seeing the back of Virgin before we wave goodbye to the HRT underdogs. Things are not looking at all rosy for the Virgin boys who may have been a bit premature in taking the Russian Roubles.

Kubica has finally left hospital, but there’s still no word on a future return.

Finally Mickey Schumacher believes that “Mercedes will be fast in Turkey”. He won’t but Nico might.

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p1nseeker

p1nseeker

Posted
Posted

So the Senna movie is INCREDIBLE!!!

If I'd say one thing please don't watch the version that's out there. It's the meat of the movie but it's raw & missed the polish that makes it so special. Seeing the onboard footage on a big screen & the sound of the cars on a cinema system is awesome.

Some of the never seen before driver briefing footage is electric & funny. As well as what you know it really fleshes out the story with bits I certainly never knew. Interviews with all the key players, Prost, Ron Dennis, Sid Watkins, loads of journalists from the time.

All I'll say is after the set up of the movie watching the onboard footage of the final lap is very hard.

As for the actual screening WOW!!!

Jackie Stewart was there & helped introduce the film with James Allen. Martin Brundle & Mark Blundell were both there with Martin giving a incredible story about racing with Senna. I wish I'd recorded it. Prof Sid Watkins was there & deservedly got a standing ovation. Some of Senna's lotus mechanics & his team boss at mclaren were there. (theirs names escape me unfortunately) also there was Senna's old Karting team mate. All with incredible stories, I'd kill for an afternoon having a beer with these guys. Finally the writer & director of the film did a great Q&A. Really informative & interesting. They really did out their heart & soul into this film. F1 fan or not go see this film!

Here's the only other pic I took... (not that interesting sorry)

6a401eba.jpg

Awesome. Hope it gets shown here in Lincoln. :)

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Dom B

Dom B

Posted
Posted

So the Senna movie is INCREDIBLE!!!

If I'd say one thing please don't watch the version that's out there. It's the meat of the movie but it's raw & missed the polish that makes it so special. Seeing the onboard footage on a big screen & the sound of the cars on a cinema system is awesome.

Some of the never seen before driver briefing footage is electric & funny. As well as what you know it really fleshes out the story with bits I certainly never knew. Interviews with all the key players, Prost, Ron Dennis, Sid Watkins, loads of journalists from the time.

All I'll say is after the set up of the movie watching the onboard footage of the final lap is very hard.

As for the actual screening WOW!!!

Jackie Stewart was there & helped introduce the film with James Allen. Martin Brundle & Mark Blundell were both there with Martin giving a incredible story about racing with Senna. I wish I'd recorded it. Prof Sid Watkins was there & deservedly got a standing ovation. Some of Senna's lotus mechanics & his team boss at mclaren were there. (theirs names escape me unfortunately) also there was Senna's old Karting team mate. All with incredible stories, I'd kill for an afternoon having a beer with these guys. Finally the writer & director of the film did a great Q&A. Really informative & interesting. They really did out their heart & soul into this film. F1 fan or not go see this film!

Ditto.

Was really impressed with the film, the filmmakers and all the guest speakers. I was expecting Jackie Stewart and Martin Brundle (who were both excellent, especially Brundle who I thought would never stop talking) but the loudest applause was rightfully reserved for the surprise appearance of Prof Watkins. The guy has done so much for the safety of the sport, and was really close to Senna and obviously emotional just after the film ended. It was really good of him to appear despite recent illness.

So yeah, really good evening all round - I got no photos cos my phone is shit and it was too dark, but I had the pleasure of shaking hands with Sir Jackie and Terry Fullerton and just generally mingling with amazing people with amazing stories. :-)

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Sidewaysbob

Sidewaysbob

Posted
Posted

yeah, maybe tell them in a few years, or make a joke about how you've had to forge them owing to Jensen and Lewis being a bit busy right now. Something like "team cut backs to pay for the rear casting that cost soo much and didn't work, means you have to sign the cards yourself these days" etc depending on just how F1 the bride and groom are.

No worries. :)

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rafaqat

rafaqat

Posted
Posted

I think even without the autographs it's a nice gesture, having those autographs adds extra 'oomph' to the sentiment though, I reckon. So I'm gonna go ahead as planned and not tell them.

How close to the signatures are you? Just wondering worst case scenario you get found out in the future? I'd be a little hurt probably if someone had told me they'd got signatures and then found out they'd forged them!!

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gospvg

gospvg

Posted
Posted

Lewis keeps his pretty similar, and I think my one of Lewis is bang on; Jenson's ones are all over the place, so I should get away with it.

Wow you forger :)

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kiroquai

kiroquai

Posted
Posted

I once wrote to an F1 team and got a hand-written letter back with signed cards!

Okay, yes, it was in 1994 and it was Pacific (Bertrand Gatchot FTW!), but yeah. I was 12 at the time and I imagine they were astonished that anyone gave a shit!

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mexos

mexos

Posted
Posted

I wrote to Williams, Arrows & Leyton House for a school project. They all sent me letters on headed paper and a shit load of cards & bits & bobs. I still have my Leyton House car sticker somewhere, it was so nice i didn't want to use it. :wub:

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JPR

JPR

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I can't remember it properly but my dad wrote to Mercedes for me back in the Group C days and they sent me a Sauber Mercedes press pack, must have been 1990 as it had team pictures including HHF and Schumacher and a copy of this. Must try and remember where the press pack is kept and dig it out.

I love Leyton House, they let me sit in the car as they where working on it before the Silverstone qualy, was an amazing day.

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kiroquai

kiroquai

Posted
Posted

bob: I believe Newey's first full design was the 1988 March/Leyton House - the one pictured is the 1990 car I believe (although the '89, '90 and '91 cars were very, very similar).

JPR: Oh man, Group C! I recently bought the Duke Video season reviews ('83 - '89) and they really were amazing machines.

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Sidewaysbob

Sidewaysbob

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You'll be wanting to check out my Flickr page then, as i have just returned from the Donnington Group C last weekend. With a gazillion pictures of Jag XJR-9's and a 16, the Sauber Merc C11 and the Aston AMR1. which all sounded and looked fantastic.

the links at the bottom of the page.

Oh and don't forget this saturday is the Spa 1000km ILMC race. it's on Europsort from 2.45pm till 7pm ish. All the runners and riders from Le Mans this year will be there with a 55 car grid.

So you can watch the Turkish GP qualifying from 11am till 2 pm have a beer, talk to any family that are near by then settle down for the last 4 hours of the ILMC race.

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kiroquai

kiroquai

Posted
Posted

Oh man, awesome pictures bob - great cars, and captured brilliantly too. Amazing to think that it's over twenty years since the Group C cars were running around Donnington in anger...

This weekend is great for me. For the past five weekends I have been travelling around the country with the missus; this weekend she's away staying with her ex workmate and I have the entire time to myself to chill out and watch the Formula One and Spa 1000km. Add in that I booked Friday afternoon off to go to the Banbury beer festival and you get good times indeed 8)

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