2015 World Motorsports Discussion Thread

[Kiskaloo]

While I am excited to see Nissan in FIA WEC LMP1, I have to say their car is FUGLY:




I miss their old FIA Group C WSC entries like the R90 or (aborted) P35:

[boomer_gonz]

I have a Hot Wheel of the R90lying around somewhere.

Also I heard something along the likes that the car created so much downforce that they needed to order extra tires or some such.

[Kiskaloo]

Fernando Alonso will not take part in the Australian Grand Prix as he continues to recuperate after his accident in testing at Barcelona.

The FIA has also approved the application of Manor F1 (formerly Marussia) to compete in the 2015 Formula One season, which must be annoying to Force India, who tried to block their return so they could get a share of the monies Marussia had earned by finishing 9th in the CC in 2014.

[topgearbrzgt86]

I have a Hot Wheel of the R90lying around somewhere.

Also I heard something along the likes that the car created so much downforce that they needed to order extra tires or some such.

Not quite - since the car is technically a 1250bhp front-wheel-drive machine (that can send electric power to the rears), they need 14-inch wheels at the front and 9-inch wheels at the back to stop the car understeering.

Plus, with that amount of power, you are going to generate a lot of downforce quickly, but not a lot of mechanical grip - hence the big spoiler at the front, the big wheels at the front, and supposedly innovative way to get the car to grip.

Ben Bowlby explains it better than me, so I'll leave the explanation here.

[Kiskaloo]

With the start of the 2015 Formula One season just hours away in Melbourne, the Sauber F1 Team find themselves in a tricky spot with three drivers under contract to start the race, but only two cars, thanks to a successful legal challenge by Giedo van der Garde, whose driving contract was unilaterally severed by the team last season, but who has won a legal case putting it back into force. Speculation is rife that the end-goal is to force Sauber to sell the team to his father-in-law, Dutch industrialist Marcel Boekhoorn.

[Kiskaloo]

So based on Free Practice and Qualifying, Kara will be opening the champagne about Ferrari looking like the Ferrari of old again even if Mercedes are going to romp for a second straight year.

Seems the Renault engine is still junk (at least in the Red Bull - Torro Rosso seem to be able to make it work) and the Honda makes the Renault look like a Mercedes at the moment. 

[Alfisti]

Melbourne 2015:

Spoiler:

[MP5]

Melbourne 2015:

Spoiler:

What an utter circus this race was.

[Kiskaloo]

Melbourne 2015:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

[boomer_gonz]

So in other words, it was the Bristol of F1?

[ElfenMagix]

I would have loved to have seen it... alas...

[Kiskaloo]

The German Grand Prix has officially been cancelled, reducing the schedule to 19 races (joining Korea from the original 21-event provisional calendar published by the FIA). This will be the first time since 1960 there has not been an official Großer Preis von Deutschland.

[Professor Voodoo]

2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

Spoiler:

I was glad to see Eddie Jordan doing the podium interview.  What happened in Melbourne...putting a bad movie actor who clearly had no idea what he was talking about up there...should have never happened.

[Kiskaloo]

Audi switching from the World Endurance Championship to Formula One took another step toward completion after VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech's attempt to oust VW CEO Martin Winterkorn backfired and the Board of Directors instead recommended that Winterkorn's contract be extended. Piech will have to leave the Chairmanship in 2017 and Winterkorn is now well-positioned to succeed him.

As chairman of Audi, Winterkorn kept the brand in LeMans / WEC and returned them to DTM. He's also overseen VW's return to WRC and he also does not have the acrimonious relatioship with Bernie Ecclestone that Piech does (something that has said to have been a block to a VW group brand joining F1).

[Professor Voodoo]

Ferdinand Piech's attempt to oust VW CEO Martin Winterkorn backfired and the Board of Directors instead recommended that Winterkorn's contract be extended. Piech will have to leave the Chairmanship in 2017 

And now Piech has resigned.

[Kiskaloo]

And looks like FOX Sports 1 is continuing their live coverage of WEC. 

I'm also a happy camper that CBS Sports Network picked up BTCC, DTM, V8 Supercars, Blancpain Endurance and all the other racing series I used to watch on SPEED and were dropped when it became FOX Sports 1 (or went to FOX Sports 2, which I don't get).

So all I have to download now is GP3 and WRC (and even the latter is available delayed a few months on, of all things, our local MLB franchise channel).

[Kiskaloo]

2015 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Spa was a perfect track to let the cars really stretch their legs. As the only car in the 8MJ subclass of LMP1-H, the Porsche just screamed on the straights, leaving the 4MJ Audi and 6MJ Toyota looking like they were dragging anchors. At Le Mans, where the car will be able to harvest and use all 8MJ, it could be a major factor as it should be a bullet down the Mulsanne Straight.

The 2015 season is one for the record books and I am very seriously thinking of going to the 6 Hours of COTA this September because with the new rules changes coming next year, this year is the fastest prototype sports cars will likely ever be.

[Professor Voodoo]

The 2015 season is one for the record books... this year is the fastest prototype sports cars will likely ever be.

Motorsport.com has an article saying roughly the same thing.
I fear the FIA may be looking at sports car racing's growing popularity & manufacturer involvement as a threat to F1.  I hope they don't decide to torpedo their own ship like they did to Group C in the early '90's.  

Whatever rule changes arrive for 2016 I hope they consider a few steps to improve the aesthetics of the cars (step #1, get rid of those stupid dorsal fins).  Throughout the years sports car racing has given us some of the most attractive machines in automotive history but this current generation...while technically spectacular...is almost universally gag-inducing.

[Kiskaloo]

The 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans

It’s 01:30AM here at the Circuit de la Sarthe so I am heading to bed, but so far it’s been a pretty good race.

[Alfisti]

The 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans

It’s 01:30AM here at the Circuit de la Sarthe so I am heading to bed, but so far it’s been a pretty good race.

Using the reddit eurosport stream here at the moment, about to switch over to Radio LeMans since my ISP switches over onto peak data at 10am.

[PSVT]

The 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans

It’s 01:30AM here at the Circuit de la Sarthe so I am heading to bed, but so far it’s been a pretty good race.

So, so lucky.... I'm envious.

I'm also watching the race on Eurosport while listening to Radio Le Mans when away from the monitor.

[Kiskaloo]

Walking by the Plaza de Concorde today (home to the FIA), I heard in the wind whispers that Red Bull and Toro Rosso are close to signing a deal for Ferrari power for 2017 and beyond. The current contract with Renault ends in 2016.

[Kiskaloo]

[Professor Voodoo]

Okay, there's been a lot of proposals for making F1 more exciting but I don't think that's the right idea.

[Kiskaloo]

As we head into Spa, Scuderia Ferrari have re-signed Kimi for next season.

Also, this gives a sense just how loud F1 cars are - they're starting on the other side of the track and they're still deafening:

[Kiskaloo]

One of the few motorsports events I don't receive is WRC, which bites because it is 2nd on my list behind Formula 1. So normally I have to torrent the highlight shows to watch the events. But I just found out that http://redbull.tv carries said shows. And Redbull.tv is on my Apple TV so I can watch them on my TV as well as on the computer.

[Professor Voodoo]

As we head into Spa, Scuderia Ferrari have re-signed Kimi for next season.

Very disappointing for Hulkenberg I'm sure.  The years are running out on him to get into his dream ride.

Also, this gives a sense just how loud F1 cars are - they're starting on the other side of the track and they're still deafening:

I attended the F1 races at Spa in 1995 and 1999.
What struck me most was how much the engine mapping on deceleration smoothed out over that span of time.  In '95 the cars popped and backfired violently every time they came off throttle.
Just 4 years later that was gone.  The cars tached down smoothly with minimal backfiring.

[Kiskaloo]

As we head into Spa, Scuderia Ferrari have re-signed Kimi for next season.

Very disappointing for Hulkenberg I'm sure.  The years are running out on him to get into his dream ride.

I don't think he is going to do better than Force India, with whom he just re-signed. So I expect him to transfer to a factory LMP1 team in the WEC.

[Professor Voodoo]

I don't think he is going to do better than Force India, with whom he just re-signed. So I expect him to transfer to a factory LMP1 team in the WEC.

Hulkenberg has always had an escape clause in his contract if Ferrari or some other big team comes knocking...and Vijay Mallya isn't the type to deny him the chance if that happens (he let Fisichella out of his contract to go to the Scuderia in 2009) but I fear you're right.  Nico Hulkenberg is going to go down in history as one of the great 'what if' stories in Formula 1.

Or Force India could pull a Brawn in 2017 when the rules change...

[topgearbrzgt86]

I don't think he is going to do better than Force India, with whom he just re-signed. So I expect him to transfer to a factory LMP1 team in the WEC.

Hulkenberg has always had an escape clause in his contract if Ferrari or some other big team comes knocking...and Vijay Mallya isn't the type to deny him the chance if that happens (he let Fisichella out of his contract to go to the Scuderia in 2009) but I fear you're right.  Nico Hulkenberg is going to go down in history as one of the great 'what if' stories in Formula 1.

Or Force India could pull a Brawn in 2017 when the rules change...

I think a quote from one of my friends could very well describe poor Hulk's situation: "If F1 ever had a walking 'friend-zone', Nico Hulkenberg would be that person."

And for SFI to pull a Brawn in 2017 does sound pretty likely; if they watch the trends of aerodynamics and they can secure a non-Renault (or possibly non-Honda) power unit, as well as a brilliant investor (read: one with Gene Haas-level of money), we could be seeing Hulk' not only challenge for wins, but the championship as well.

And if that doesn't work, there's always the WEC, like Kisk said. (yea for him winning Le Mans )

[Professor Voodoo]

Renault has announced that they are ending their role as an F1 engine supplier.

CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed at the Frankfurt International Motor Show that Renault will stop providing engines to the F1 grid once its current contracts close, with its deal with Red Bull likely to conclude at the end of this season. 

"We have already alerted the F1 authorities and told them don't count on us as a provider of an engine - it's over," Ghosn said.

Marisa: (excitedly) Does this mean Toro Rosso is going back to Ferrari engines!?

No word on that, but negotiations to have Renault take over the Lotus F1 team are still ongoing...they just don't intend to be an engine supplier to customer teams anymore.

In other news; Alexander Rossi again looks close to making his Formula 1 debut, having just signed a deal to race 5 rounds for Manor F1.  Rossi will replace Roberto Merhi in Singapore, Japan, the USA, Mexico and Brazil...Merhi gets his seat back for Russia & Abu Dhabi

[Kiskaloo]

Renault has announced that they are ending their role as an F1 engine supplier.

CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed at the Frankfurt International Motor Show that Renault will stop providing engines to the F1 grid once its current contracts close, with its deal with Red Bull likely to conclude at the end of this season. 

"We have already alerted the F1 authorities and told them don't count on us as a provider of an engine - it's over," Ghosn said.

Marisa: (excitedly) Does this mean Toro Rosso is going back to Ferrari engines!?

Toro Rosso and Infiniti Red Bull Racing per current rumors.

No word on that, but negotiations to have Renault take over the Lotus F1 team are still ongoing...they just don't intend to be an engine supplier to customer teams anymore.

So they're going to follow Honda's lead on that one (not that anyone else wants a Honda engine at the moment)...

Lotus is said to be on the cusp of going under, so Renault taking a majority (believed to be 65%) is the only way they're going to be around in 2017...

[topgearbrzgt86]

Lotus is said to be on the cusp of going under, so Renault taking a majority (believed to be 65%) is the only way they're going to be around in 2017...

Yeah, it was reported that Renault would offer £65,000,000 for 65% of the Enstone team. Considering the financial problems they have, I'd say Lotus must accept Renault's (potential) offer in order for them to stay afloat.

[Professor Voodoo]

£65,000,000 for 65%

That's certainly more specific than anything I've yet read (highly believable though).  Where did you hear those numbers?

[topgearbrzgt86]

£65,000,000 for 65%

That's certainly more specific than anything I've yet read (highly believable though).  Where did you hear those numbers?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120532/

"AUTOSPORT sources have indicated the French car manufacturer (Renault) would take a stake up to 65 per cent, worth a total of £65million, with an initial down payment of £7.5million to be followed by equal installments over the following 10 years."

It is believable, but I'd take the word with some gold and a pinch of salt; they did say 'up to 65%, worth a total of [said specified amount]', but they will be looking for a majority.

[Kiskaloo]

Spoiler:

[Kiskaloo]

Romain Grosjean has been confirmed today as one of the drivers at Haas F1.

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/haas-f1-team-selects-grosjean-driver


And Renault have signed a Letter of Intent to buy a controlling stake of Lotus F1. The team is effectively bankrupt and Bernie Ecclestone also had to give the staff access to the Paddock Club so they could eat due to the team not being able to afford catering. Bernie also made the last round of payroll (the team are in arrears for this round). So if the deal with Renault falls through, I cannot see how the team can make the grid in 2016 even with re-signing Maldonado for his cash-flow (rumors are they did so because he could pay more this year to help the team catch up on their outstanding bills).

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/34377884
 

Sauber and Force India have also filed a formal grievance with the European Competition Committee claiming the current prize-funding deals with FOM are illegal.
  
 

Marisa: (excitedly) Does this mean Toro Rosso is going back to Ferrari engines!?

Might not be so lucky, Duracell. Rumors in the paddock at Suzuka was that Ferrari can only provide engines to Red Bull and Toro Rosso would have to run Honda power. I still don't see why Ferrari would want to help Red Bull, so perhaps the reality is the reverse, though Vettel might not have been joking at Singapore when he commented that if Ferrari helps Red Bull, the least Red Bull can do is loan them Newey to help design the 2016 car.

[Kiskaloo]

Mercedes have ended their engine supplier relationship with Lotus and will supply Manor with engines effective 2016. So that means Renault has to buy them or they won't be able to race.

Honda have ruled out supplying an engine to Toro Rosso, which means that unless the FIA allows an exception for Ferrari to supply five teams, they would be left out in the cold. However, but Red Bull is demanding an engine of identical spec to the one the factory team Haas are getting and and can force the issue via the F1 Strategy Group. Ferrari might not be able to supply five teams with such engines, however.

And McLaren have decided to not exercise their early termination clause and allow Jenson Button to complete the second and final year of his contract with the team for 2016. They also signed Chandon sparking wine on as a primary sponsor to replace Johnny Walker, who will be leaving at year's end.

[Kiskaloo]

So latest from Sochi is Torro Rosso are going back to Ferrari power.

(cue Marissa running around with her hands in the air)

As with Sauber, they will be running the 2016 engine, though one development cycle behind what the Scuderia has in their cars.

Red Bull are still trying to get the same spec engine as the factory, but Ferrari are refusing, offering the same engine as Sauber and TR will run. Red Bull are claiming they will pull out if they don't get it, but considering that would trigger a half-a-billion dollar penalty payment to Bernie, nobody believes that will happen.

Red Bull is evidently talking to Renault about keeping their contract for 2016 in place, but I don't see that happening if Renault buys Lotus because Renault said they would not supply another team and even a one-spec behind Ferrari engine will club whatever Renault has on offer for 2016. So, IMO, RBR will run Ferrari power next year in whatever form they are offered.

The other option is that RBR pull out and Christian Horner does a Braun and takes the team independent. I imagine that would not trigger the penalty clause and Horner could then sign his own deal with Ferrari.

Or he could sell the team to Renault, who did offer to buy RBR this year (and may be why they have yet to buy Lotus).

[topgearbrzgt86]

Red Bull are still trying to get the same spec engine as the factory, but Ferrari are refusing, offering the same engine as Sauber and TR will run. Red Bull are claiming they will pull out if they don't get it, but considering that would trigger a half-a-billion dollar penalty payment to Bernie, nobody believes that will happen.

Red Bull is evidently talking to Renault about keeping their contract for 2016 in place, but I don't see that happening if Renault buys Lotus because Renault said they would not supply another team and even a one-spec behind Ferrari engine will club whatever Renault has on offer for 2016. So, IMO, RBR will run Ferrari power next year in whatever form they are offered.

Yeah, if I were RBR, I'd take the 2016-minus one dev cycle-engine; it's better than the Renault engine they have now - and what they have in chassis, they'll pack more of a punch with that 2016 Ferrari engine than they would with a 2016 Renault engine, I presume.

[Kiskaloo]

The Bathurst 1000 is this weekend in Australia. In qualifying, Chaz Mostert had a monster crash at the Forest Elbow section, taking out the roof of a Marshal's Station when his car climbed the catch-fencing and breaking his leg on the gearshift lever.

[Kiskaloo]

Austin has been doing a decent impersonation of Sepang all weekend with torrential rain and lightning. Free Practice 2 was cancelled on Friday as was Qualifying on Saturday. They were able to get two Qualifying sessions in this morning, but Carlos Sainz Jr. decided to repeat his Russia performance and had a huge wreck in Q1 which delayed the start of Q2 long enough to put it into the teeth of the weather, so Q3 was cancelled and the gird was set on Q2 times.

This means Nico is on Pole with Lewis second. Vettel was fifth, but will drop 10 positions due to an engine change. So unless they run the entire race behind the Safety Car, it should be a pretty easy drive for Lewis to clinch his third World Driving Championship in a few hours.

[topgearbrzgt86]

Indeed, Lewis wins his third WDC, but he really had to work for it, after a pit error nearly cost him the win and the chance to seal the WDC; however, thanks to some unforced errors by Rosberg, #44 rallied back to win.

Also, well done to Seb to rally from fifteenth to third - classic Seb, as we've seen from him.

Other news - McLaren pull in some decent points (and a good improvement in pace), though a near-loss of power cost Fernando Alonso another 5th; Max Verstappen does his best Hungary performance impression, finishing in 4th; and after keeping the car on the track amidst all the wrecks (none Pastor-related, JSYK), Alexander Rossi finishes 12th in the US, his best finish of his short career so far (on the lead lap, no less - even though he was a full minute behind the leaders).*


*Give the man his due; he kept at it, straight to the end - he was 11th at one point in the race, so take that as you will.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/us-gp-hamilton-claims-third-world-title-wins-crash-filled-race/

[Kiskaloo]

As expected, Esteban Gutierrez was named Haas F1's second driver yesterday.

Kara may be exchanging her red F1 weekend outfits for green if the rumor that Force India will become Aston Martin F1 next year come true.

Today is supposedly decision day for what Red Bull Racing will do for 2016 and the latest rumor is they will sit out the season, returning in 2017 with their own engine, possibly with the help of Mario Illien of Illmore Engineering.

Toro Rosso has an agreement with Ferrari for 2016, however they cannot sign a contract until RBR makes their decision on what they will do.

Renault has still not bought Lotus, so they may yet continue as RBR's and Toro Rosso's engine supplier for next year. If that happens, I have to believe Lotus will fold at year's end as they're using Maldonado's 2016 money to stay afloat now and both of their cars failed in P2 in Mexico.

Manor (Marussia) is also looking like they may not be with us in 2016 as their two team principals have just resigned and both were instrumental in keeping the team in F1 for this season. A significant number of other team members have left, all of them evidently unhappy with the new ownership.

So we could be seeing an 18-car grid in 2016.

FIA President Jean Todt has evidently been in the absinthe again, putting forward a proposal for F1 customer teams the option of running IndyCar V6 turbos instead of the manufacturer-spec V8 hybrids. The FIA rammed through a change that dramatically reduced the price of the V8 engines the customer teams now run, however Ferrari exercised their veto power to kill it. Said customer teams, however, are not interested in being part of a "Formula 1.5" and the IndyCar engine manufacturers (Illmor-Chevrolet and Honda) are not interested in supplying an engine.




And finally, Daniel Riccardo may run a Dale Earnhardt Motorsports machine at a NASCAR Xfinity Series road race next year (Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio or Road America). Though if RBR pull out, he might run the entire season. 

[topgearbrzgt86]

As expected, Esteban Gutierrez was named Haas F1's second driver yesterday.

Kara may be exchanging her red F1 weekend outfits for green if the rumor that Force India will become Aston Martin F1 next year come true.

Today is supposedly decision day for what Red Bull Racing will do for 2016 and the latest rumor is they will sit out the season, returning in 2017 with their own engine, possibly with the help of Mario Illien of Ilmor Engineering.

Toro Rosso has an agreement with Ferrari for 2016, however they cannot sign a contract until RBR makes their decision on what they will do.

Renault has still not bought Lotus, so they may yet continue as RBR's and Toro Rosso's engine supplier for next year. If that happens, I have to believe Lotus will fold at year's end as they're using Maldonado's 2016 money to stay afloat now and both of their cars failed in Q2 in Mexico.

Manor (Marussia) is also looking like they may not be with us in 2016 as their two team principals have just resigned and both were instrumental in keeping the team in F1 for this season. A significant number of other team members have left, all of them evidently unhappy with the new ownership.

So we could be seeing an 18-car grid in 2016.

FIA President Jean Todt has evidently been in the absinthe again, putting forward a proposal for F1 customer teams the option of running IndyCar V6 turbos instead of the manufacturer-spec V8 hybrids. The FIA rammed through a change that dramatically reduced the price of the V8 engines the customer teams now run, however Ferrari exercised their veto power to kill it. Said customer teams, however, are not interested in being part of a "Formula 1.5" and the IndyCar engine manufacturers (Ilmor-Chevrolet and Honda) are not interested in supplying an engine.

And finally, Daniel Riccardo may run a JR Motorsports machine at a NASCAR Xfinity Series road race next year (Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio or Road America). Though if RBR pull out, he might run the entire season. 

Esteban to Haas: Easily the worst-kept secret in F1 When you put together the pieces (JEV in FE with Virgin Racing, K-Mag going into sportscars), you can see where it was gonna head.

Kara switching alliances to Aston: Hold on there, Kisk; Aston aren't returning back to the classic British Racing Green, if the deal with Sahara Force India goes through (which it most likely will) - apparently, the colors will be blue and gold. I kinda like those colors, myself. Double whammy when you have Perez and 24 Heures du Mans winner Hulkenberg on hand - they could do the job very nicely. http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/force-india-still-holding-out-for-aston-martin-deal

RBR sitting 2016: It could probably be the most likely course of action; it all depends on what Ron Dennis does, if he decides to block the offer for Honda to supply Red Bull as well. http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/honda-not-closing-door-on-red-bull-engine-supply

Manor folding?: Just when things were going well for Manor - I can understand fully why Graeme Lowdon and John Booth left, as well as Bob Bell; Stephen Fitzpatrick wants to sell the team on a profit, and that sort of stuff sickens me. You have a potential mid-field package on your hands, and you put in an adequate amount of money into the team; if you really are an F1 fan, you'd help the team stay afloat by taking huge deals - not coast and cash-in.

Danny Ric racing for JR Motorsports: Intriguing. Couldn't hurt to have Daniel Ricciardo (maybe Romain Grosjean too) race in NASCAR at the road courses. Always nice to see a potential Juan Pablo Montoya/Marcos Ambrose road-course ringer.

Also, IF - capital I, capital F - IF Red Bull do sit out 2016, never say never for Danny Ric.

[Kiskaloo]

World Endurance Championship - 6 Hours of Shanghai

Spoiler:

Have to say that overall, WEC this year has been fantastic. Most of the races were wet-to-dry affairs that allowed the Audis and the Porsches to show their respective strengths. And with Nissan coming to LMP1 and a ninth round being added in Mexico City, next year should hopefully be even better.

RBR sitting 2016: It could probably be the most likely course of action; it all depends on what Ron Dennis does, if he decides to block the offer for Honda to supply Red Bull as well. http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/honda-not-closing-door-on-red-bull-engine-supply

Well Honda desperately needs another team to help develop their engine because it is absolute junk. But I can't see RBR wanting it, frankly, if they have any chance to get something else. And does Honda want Mateschitz and Marko slagging their engine in the press like they have been doing to Renault?

[topgearbrzgt86]

Well Honda desperately needs another team to help develop their engine because it is absolute junk. But I can't see RBR wanting it, frankly, if they have any chance to get something else. And does Honda want Mateschitz and Marko slagging their engine in the press like they have been doing to Renault?

I definitely agree; the Honda engine is just plain-out junk.

Personally, I'd just ignore their whinging and take their race data, engine blow or not (if I were Honda), or shut up, sign the contract, after looking at the availability of every other engine - Mercedes say no, Ferrari say no, and Renault are looking to sign to take over Lotus - and brave 2016 with an engine, be it as bad as it is (if I were Red Bull). If the deal look good, fine - stick with Honda for '16. If not, go into a sabbatical and return in 2017. Also, the risks of building an engine with such little time - if you take the sabbatical, hypothetically - could end up with you looking worse than Honda.

Again, just my two cents here, but yeah.

So far, the McLaren side of thing says no, but the FIA is looking into what Honda said about supplying two teams in 2016 and force McLaren to play nice with Red Bull, and let Honda supply the latter.

[boomer_gonz]

Still waiting for the F1 team to say "We're putting in a V10 truck engine from Chrysler because fuck you!"

[Kiskaloo]

Red Bull Racing have officially terminated their contract with Renault in terms of providing complete power units as of the end of this season.

However, they have signed a new contract with Renault to provide them with the block of their Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) for 2016. This block will then be mated to a new head developed by Mario Illien at their Milton Keynes engine facility. Red Bull will provide their own internally developed ERS components. This new Power Unit (PU) will most likely be branded as Infiniti.

As for Renault, in addition to building the ICE for RBR and Toro Rosso, they are now expected to complete their purchase of the Lotus team, saving them from almost certain insolvency.


In other F1 news, Tavo Helmund, the man behind the current US and Mexican Grands Prix, is in the works for bringing a third F1 race to North America with an announcement expected in the next two weeks. It is believed that Bob Bell, who recently left Manor F1, will become the new Team Principle (perhaps bringing some other ex-Manor people with him).

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