[MadiMaama]

I cannot help but think with sorrow that Jules Bianchi would have been driving his number 17 next year for Ferrari..

[Fullrevs]

FIA have released their testing schedule for the 2016 season and it is shocking to note that there are only two 4-day sessions to be held at Circuit de Catalunya on March 1-4 and March 15-18. There will also be no in-season testing as there has been since the 2011 season. This omits out any chance of young drivers trying to impress F1 bosses and earn a seat.

This completely makes the GP2 series a waste of time. I think the last three GP2 champions have failed to get a F1 seat which is what the feeder series was for. A pity if you ask me.

[jfxavier]

Originally Posted by Fullrevs

FIA have released their testing schedule for the 2016 season and it is shocking to note that there are only two 4-day sessions to be held at Circuit de Catalunya on March 1-4 and March 15-18. There will also be no in-season testing as there has been since the 2011 season. This omits out any chance of young drivers trying to impress F1 bosses and earn a seat.

This completely makes the GP2 series a waste of time. I think the last three GP2 champions have failed to get a F1 seat which is what the feeder series was for. A pity if you ask me.

Apart from the young drivers, the in-season developments also will be hampered.
Even if some thursdays in the race weekends are converted to test days, will have to see if a "free" engine and aero component test will be allowed.

In another news,
Pirelli and Michelin have passed the first step of the FIA’s Formula 1 tyre supplier process, and must now present their commercial terms to Bernie Ecclestone.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/pi...-supplier-test

Both brands have satisfied the FIA’s technical and safety requirements, moving them on to approved bidder status.

The process now enters its most critical phase, as Ecclestone will choose a preferred supplier on the basis of commercial negotiations. He will then propose his ‘winner’ to the FIA for ratification.

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council will have the final say to rubberstamp the deal, and stipulate the terms on which it supplies the F1 teams in terms of sporting regulations.

The commercial rights holder, Ecclestone, will then complete terms with the successful tyre manufacturer.

[ashwin.terminat]

Looks like someone has taken Pastor Maldonado's crashing habits quite seriously!

http://hasmaldonadocrashedtoday.com/

[Hatari]

Red Bull & Renault divorce being finalised apparently. Will Mercedes actually give them the latest spec engine? Ferrari will not. Or do they have the patience do ride out another year?

Interesting times ahead.

[sajands]

Monza edges closer to new F1 deal

http://planetf1.com/driver/55667788/...to-new-F1-deal

[jfxavier]

FIA has rejected the tender applications for new team entries for 2016 & 17.

Source : http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fi...tries-for-2016

“Neither of the applications were able to meet the FIA's criteria for new teams, despite being given every opportunity to present their case,” an FIA spokesman told Motorsport.com.

“This round of applications is now closed.”

Although the FIA tender covered the period of 2016 and 2017, the decision not to award an entry now does not mean that a new team cannot come in before 2018.

If a major manufacturer, like Renault or even Audi, decides that it wishes to fast-track a move to F1 with its own entry then it is likely the FIA would be willing to open a tender again.

[sajands]

According to Lauda, MotoGP is better than F1 this year.

Niki Lauda has praised MotoGP for offering the "most incredible racing you can see" while Formula 1 is the "opposite."

http://planetf1.com/driver/55667788/...better-than-F1

[jfxavier]

According to Omnicorse, Honda has rejected the proposal from Renault that the FIA seemed ready to accept and would have allowed the two manufacturers to develop the power unit during the 2016 season, to retrieve the technical gap that separates them from Mercedes and Ferrari .

The issue was discussed in the last Technical Working Group that in the next two weeks should formulate final proposals for 2016: the current rule binds the four manufacturers to approve the power unit by February 28 , blocking any development in the course of the season.

Strange as it may seem Honda is behaving like they have something up their sleeve, or their pride is preventing them from taking any sort of favours from FIA. They are keeping all the F1 fans interested in the development game and the sport in general through one of the most lopsided seasons.

Source: http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/637...er-lo-sviluppo

[arun_josie]

Hulkenberg signs two-year deal to stay at Force India. With Ferrari signing Kimi Raikkonen for 2016, it looks like the driver movement between teams is not going to happen this time.

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...ay-force-india

[shyn]

Williams is keeping both, Bottas and Massa, for 2016.
http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...ipe-massa-2016
But what about Button and McLaren-Honda?
http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...on-button-2016

[Hatari]

Red Bull will lose an estimated and rumoured 88m euro in sponsorship for ditching Renault in 2016!

[myavu]

So the 2016 silly season is progressing nicely. For a change this time it is engines not drivers.

Now Mercedes Board has clearly objected the prospect of providing engines for RedBull starting 2016.

Since June 2015 Maurizio had loaded a truck full of Ferrari ICE to deliver at Milton Keynes door steps any time.

If that works out for next year it will be one of the hottest season recently to watch-out. Vettel in a Scuderia Ferrari and Riccardo in RedBull Ferrari.

Game on!

Cheers!

Vinu

[jfxavier]

Originally Posted by myavu

So the 2016 silly season is progressing nicely. For a change this time it is engines not drivers.

Another possibility is the 2016 Manor cars with a 2015 Mercedes engine in the back.

Manor was allowed to use 2014-spec Ferrari engines this season after it exploited a loophole in the regulations that required only concessionary permission to use such units.

Appendix 4 of the technical regulations was tightened up to keep all teams on equal footing, but looks like it is to be revised once more possibly bringing down the cost of the engines as well.

[polopm]

This article is excellent, well -analyzed and fetches us a deep insight of the problems faced by McLaren-Honda:
Why Honda engine is a nightmare for McLaren & the solutions


http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/34208407