Fantasy team thirteen (for Formula 1 of course)

I writing this on a plane going on holiday, reading an article in Autosport magazine about American Indy Car/Nascar/Grand-Am team Chip Ganassi Racing (the team won championships for Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti in Champ cars/Indy cars). Last season Chip Ganassi Racing won the big three races in America, Daytona 500, Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400. And my theory will be what if? ... If Chip Ganassi Racing was the thirteen team in Formula one?

So this is a fantasy, so there will not be another USF1 team. If I'm acting god Chip Ganassi Racing wouldn't be in Formula one until 2013 when possibility of the engines reducing from the 2.4 litre V8s to 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder turbos. My thoughts will be:

• Time to build a team?

• Budget?

• Are they going to build their own chassis or are manufacture going to build the chassis?

• Drivetrain (engine)?

• Sponsors?

• Drivers?

• End of first season?

First of all you need time, to build the right team. Such as chassis, drivetrain, people, base (North Carolina more than likely, also you need a base in Europe) contracts and so forth. You need time to build a Formula 1, need more time to preperate such as a new team like Lotus Racing last season (six months to get ready). So a new team to get ready for a first season you need more than 18 months. So the FIA needs to confirm this team in Sept 2011 to get ready for the 2013 season.

Second is budget, a team like Virgin Racing had the budget in the range of £40million. While a established team such as Williams has a budget around £65million. So for a team like Chip Ganassi Racing a budget of £55-60million will be good for a first season to compete with.

Next is chassis, in the states a team like Chip Ganassi Racing uses Dallara in Indy and for Grand-Am they use a Riley chassis for that series. For Formula one they could goto Dallara chassis or Lola or even ask Former Toyota F1 team to build he chassis. But I doubt that Ganassi will build their own chassis. So more than likely someone else to build their chassis.

Engine deal could a mind-field in this part. With the 1.6 litre four cylinders turbo coming in, it could be any guess. Return of BMW, Honda, Porsche or Toyota (if they ever come back), looking at Mercedes, Renault or Cosworth. Or how about Ferrari, this might shout Ferrari having a customer engine deal with Chip Ganassi Racing with selling Ferrari brand in America giving more profit. So more than likely a Ferrari 1.6 litre turbo in the back of the car.

Sponsors, I wouldn't be surprise that Chip Ganassi Racing will bring in his usual sponsors coming into Formula one which are usually sponsoring his teams in Indy/Nascar/Grand-Am such as Target, Engerizer and Telmex, wouldn't be a surprise there.

Drivers, I doubt it you will see the likes of Dario Franchitti or a driver who got Grand Prix experience such as Juan Pablo Montoya they will possibly too old being in a Formula one car. But I wouldn't doubt that a driver like Graham Rahal or a Charlie Kimbell coming into F1. Or even with sponsorship with Telmex bringing in Sergio Perez. Driver line up more than likely with Graham Rahal and Sergio Perez.

So with a budget of £60million, Dallara chassis, Ferrari engines, big sponsors, Rahal and Perez as drivers. So the end of debut season my fantasy perdition: possibly a few points for Rahal and Perez. And a top 10 in the constructors championship for Chip Ganassi Racing. Now focusing onto their second season into Formula one, focusing getting top 10 finishing more considency.

Maybe we do more fantasy racing into these blogs once and a while. Bye for now.

Gone on Holiday for a week

Right no blogging on Motorsport for a week on Holiday, so nothing to write until next week. Oh well at least the start of F1 test next week. Oh by the way have you seen my twitter site yeat is: twitter.com/jonnyh5onracing. Bye for now.

How to improve Formula 1 testing for 2012 for Young drivers (just an idea)

I'm doing something different this week. Note this is an idea I have thought of it from the past week. This is because when looking at footage from the Autosport International Show from people such as Martin Brundle talked about Formula 1 needs testing to improve for young drivers (Youtube clip below, mid way through).

So here's my idea:

Not this season a head but maybe for 2012 season. My own concept on how to improve testing, but mainly for testing for young drivers or hasn't driven for over last three years.

• Move testing dates in general from mid January to the end of February. Instead of having four weeks in February (15 days of testing) before a season now, you can have six weeks (23 days of testing).
• Before every Grand Prix (minus back to back grand prix and Monaco grand prix as-well) on the Thursday there should be a new two hour practice session for young drivers who haven't been in a grand prix race before such as Ferrari test driver Julies Bianchi (who can go into this practice session, still be driving in GP2 still), rookie drivers such as last season for example Vitaly Petrov and Drivers who ain't race a grand prix for three seasons such as last season for example Pedro de la Rosa can go into this as-well (note only for the first four races of the season for driver like Pedro de la Rosa, or over seven Grand Prix's for a rookie driver). This may also help with teams with limited budgets as-well such as Virgin and HRT for example.
• But you still keep in-season testing ban throughout the season (such as going to Mugello and test in-between two weeks until another Grand Prix).
• Then at the end of the season testing go to place like Abu Dhabi or Barcalona to do a week of testing (or two weeks) for young drivers test as-well.

I don't know if my idea is good one or a bad idea, just my opinion at the end of the day. This might improve testing in general. That's all, bye.

Some new racing colours

As the title says some new racing liveries came out this week. First one is Lotus Renault showing there new livery this season at the Autosport International Show at Birmingham this week in classic 1970s JPS Lotus livery (can't show pictures, here a link to show) Meanwhile in Motogp with Ducati, the first Motogp team to show there bike at Italian ski resort Madonna di Campiglio, debut of new Ducati rider Valentino Rossi with 2011 Duke (link here for pics) which is quite realistic to see Rossi in Red in my opinion.

Also here's some interviews from the Autosport International Show. First is the Virgin Racing team for almost 20 minutes with new Virgin Racing driver Jérôme d'Ambrosio, and Virgin Racing Technical Director Nick Wirth. And another interview from former Minardi Team boss Paul Stoddart.

Bye for now.

F1 on ice!. plus HRT News

Latest News at HRT has confirmed that Narain Karthikeyan driving for the team in 2011. So Tata (who own both Jaguar and Land Rover) are bring in the money, good luck Narain for this season. THe other driver for HRT? maybe GP2 drivers Josef Král or Davide Valsecchi possibly. In my opinion, HRT drives this more like eBay, highest bidder wins the seat.

Meanwhile found a clip of a Red Bull car (Toro Rosso driver Sébastien Buemi) on Ice! This was a promotion for the Canadian Grand Prix last year. And its winter I thought I will show you it, enjoy.



Bye for now.

If I was at Force India being Vijay Mallya? and Snetterton and Narain Karthikeyan?

Happy new year folks, first blog of 2011. Interesting thing at Force India, they haven't confirmed any drivers yet. The four main drivers competing for the two race seats this season are Adrain Sutil, Vitantonio Luizzi, Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg. I'm going to talk about each drivers positives and negatives they will bring to the team.

Adrain Sutil brings good results to the team for the past four years, despite the car he has driven are woful (minus this years VJM03 car), he also brings sponsorship from Medion. Minuses for Sutil, driving at the same team for the past five years could be stail for Sutil may needs a new challenge (may wait till 2012).

Vitantino Luizzi (pervious driving for Red Bull and Toro Rosso) brings F1 experience, were testing is limited. While Luizzi minuses are his results this season, were Sutil has been outpacing Luizzi. The only Result Luizzi has done well was Korea (were he finished 5th place).

Paul Di Resta positives are the backing of Mercedes, winning the DTM champion last season, while some of his times this season matches Luizzi. While his minuses is his F1 experience is limited.

Williams refugee Nico Hulkenberg, positives pole at Sao Paulo and talented driver. Negative, talented driver posable being a test driver at Force India, while he should be driver, if his a test driver, why not a test driver at Mercedes?

If I was Vijay Mallya? I pick Sutil and Hulkenberg for their talent, but the likely happening will be Sutil and Di Resta because of sponsorship and Mercedes. Time will tell for Force India in a few weeks time.

While at HRT they are going to sign Narain Karthikeyan? If this going to happening its due to sponsorship which is a shame. Karthikeyan hasn't been in a F1 car for five seasons. I didn't rate him at Jordan neither. Not the talented driver but an exciting driver to watch, If I was going to pick an Indian driver why not Karun Chandhok, did drive well at HRT until Sakon Yamamoto got his drive. As for Karthikeyan time will tell what happens this season for HRT.

While at Snetterton, MSV showed what will be likely what the track will lock like this season with a 3D F2 car below. That's all. Bye.