Alonso threatens to quit in 2010 if...

[truefan72]

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/03122008/58/alonso-threatens-quit-2010.html

...they adopt the stupid standardized engine rules.

I completely agree with his comments and will be right there with him leaving the sport as it will be pretty much a diseased carcass of the sport I used to like.

My only hope is for LH to win again in 2009 so that I won;t feel bad abandoning F1 by 2010.

[Bobby_Hamlin]

The thing is - and the idea of standardised engines doesn't appeal to me either - all the cost-saving exercises that are being implemented/mooted are designed to safeguard the very existence of Formula 1. I think you clearly need to retain the spirit of competition though and that would be removed with a standard engine, so it is a step too far.

But here we have Alonso complaining about a step backwards from 'futuristic' cars with driver aids. If he wants to compete to win against the best drivers then he ought to drive whatever the current formula is. Otherwise then certainly he should retire with his two championships and maybe he could take a 2005-spec car and drive it around a private test track all he likes.

I don't see why Hamilton winning again should make a difference - a lot of people suffered through some mind-numbingly boring seasons of Ferrari dominance (during which they made a mockery of the 'sport' at times) - why would a few extremely close championships where Hamilton winds up winning be a problem?

[ArrowsFA1]

Not so long ago Sebastien Loeb was saying (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72197) he would quit WRC if the FIA introduced Super 2000-specification cars.

[Knock-on]

I agree with some of what he says but am dissapointed he rue's the demise of drivers aids. I thought he would be happier :(

[Tazio]

I thought he would be happier :( I think Fred likes the idea of having the ability to improve the car over the course of the season. He makes the gadgets work IMO. I also don't think Fred won two championships on style points! I hope these latest rule changes don't destroy the art!

[ioan]

More of them should do the same.

[BDunnell]

Not so long ago Sebastien Loeb was saying (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72197) he would quit WRC if the FIA introduced Super 2000-specification cars.

I agree with Alonso's viewpoint about F1 and not Loeb's about the WRC (unless they introduce Group N, in which case I'm with him).

[Knock-on]

I think Fred likes the idea of having the ability to improve the car over the course of the season. He makes the gadgets work IMO. I also don't think Fred won two championships on style points! I hope these latest rule changes don't destroy the art!

Fred didn't win on style but driving agression IMHO. I would think that the move away from driver aids is right up his street :confused:

[Tazio]

Fred didn't win on style but driving agression IMHO. I would think that the move away from driver aids is right up his street :confused: Fair point.
I just feel like F1 is instituting drastic changes too rapidly! I hope I'm wrong :up:

[F1boat]

I agree with Fred and Loeb. The FIA World Championships are not charity foundations.

[BDunnell]

I agree with Fred and Loeb. The FIA World Championships are not charity foundations.

But at least one could die unless serious changes are not made to its technical regulations.

[fabricator/61]

When I first became involved in motorsport everbody with the exception of Ferrari used the Cosworth DFV and we had some exciting racing so whats the problem folks?

[jens]

I really don't understand, what was wrong with the 2002 rules that since then FIA has wanted to change them so much and so often.

Cutting costs? Well, have the budgets of teams decreased since 2002? No! So why bother?
The domination of Ferrari? In F1 there have always been some shorter or longer periods, when one team dominates. It doesn't mean this lasts forever, situations in F1 alter quickly. 2002 was simply one extraordinary year and it doesn't mean future would have been like that too.
Reduce speeds? This one I can understand to (some) extent and some compatible changes have been made.

Now with standard engines Max seems to have a radical idea about cutting costs - to get the biggest spenders (aka factory teams) out of F1. :p :

Here seems to be a discussion about WRC vs F1 situation.
Well, WRC is in a different situation and considering their current low, the changes are needed - arguably in 2010 we could see more manufacturers (maybe 6-7 instead of current 4), so that's a step forward. However, I don't see, how will the standard engine improve the state of F1 - it may actually diminish the amount of teams.

[Roamy]

When I first became involved in motorsport everbody with the exception of Ferrari used the Cosworth DFV and we had some exciting racing so whats the problem folks?
well this is fine as long as FIA allows any team that want to build their own engines can. I thought the supertech was the hot tech but they never kept the power up.

[call_me_andrew]

I agree with Fred and Loeb. The FIA World Championships are not charity foundations.

I thought they were. It's my understanding that the FIA is a non-profit organization.

[Tazio]

Loosely speaking---maybe Not for profit organizations :rolleyes:

[leopard]

Alonso threatens to quit in 2010

Double world champion Fernando Alonso would think about quitting Formula One if the sport adopted a standard engine from 2010

a big serious threat ...

[Knock-on]

I thought they were. It's my understanding that the FIA is a non-profit organization.


It depends on what you define as "profit"?

An awful lot of money moves around in Motorsport and some people have definitely profited through the FIA and their roles in the organisation.

[f1kid1987]

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/03122008/58/alonso-threatens-quit-2010.html

...they adopt the stupid standardized engine rules.

I completely agree with his comments and will be right there with him leaving the sport as it will be pretty much a diseased carcass of the sport I used to like.

My only hope is for LH to win again in 2009 so that I won;t feel bad abandoning F1 by 2010.

If this standard engine happen, say goodbye to F1 as we know it, becasue we might aswell call it A1GP,

[V12]

Good to see a driver with some principles at last. Hopefully this, combined with similar threats from Ferrari and Toyota, will be enough to blow this retarded idea completely out of the water for good.

[Tazio]

Good to see a driver with some principles at last. Hopefully this, combined with similar threats from Ferrari and Toyota, will be enough to blow this retarded idea completely out of the water for good.Fred (God Bless Him) has always had a propensity towards profundity.
When he was penalized 5 (or maybe 10) grid places for allegedly impeding Massa in qualifying for Monza 2006.
Mike was making his charge that almost won him the WDC. Speed TV reported it as being an unfounded claim. Flavio was livid :)
The video they showed didn't convince me that he had, or had not been blocked,
(a suggested ploy to keep the championship alive, for Mike, or at least delay the outcome of the season)
being a fan of the reds I was overjoyed. This was the race that Mike announced his retirement (quite eloquently)during the post race interview.
During the prerace show, Steve Varsha quoted Fred as saying “Even though I consider myself a sportsman, I no longer consider F1 a sport"
Sheer profundity!
When He is a chubby middle aged man almost every one of his detractors will look back fondly at this rascals contribution to The F1 World.
Providing there still is an F1 world, any world, or at least a matrix. :p :

[Tazio]

Fred didn't win on style but driving agression IMHO. I would think that the move away from driver aids is right up his street :confused: He says differently!

Alonso, champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, said Formula One was going backwards technically with recent regulation changes.

"In 2005 we had a V10 engine with 1,000 horsepower," he said. "That was what was exciting for the driver, motor racing at the limit.

"We have gone from the futuristic to cars without grip or electronic aids which look like something from the past."
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/03122008/58/alonso-threatens-quit-2010.html
Que pasa amigo?

[Knock-on]

He says differently!

Alonso, champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, said Formula One was going backwards technically with recent regulation changes.

"In 2005 we had a V10 engine with 1,000 horsepower," he said. "That was what was exciting for the driver, motor racing at the limit.

"We have gone from the futuristic to cars without grip or electronic aids which look like something from the past."
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/03122008/58/alonso-threatens-quit-2010.html
Que pasa amigo?

That was the quote I was on about.

It really surprises me that he feels this way although perhaps I'm not understanding him correctly.

I thought that drivers like Fred, Lewis etc would welcome the demise of drivers aids.

[Tazio]

Perhaps he just feared for what I voiced a concern about (and almost everyone else) why does the sport have to fix things that aren't broken!
It's painfully obvious that short of ruining the sport, F1 will continue to be more expensive every year. I was just thinking of this yesterday. How is requiring an engine to last 2 races, and a transmission 3 saving any more money than letting the team build cars that detonate at around 210 miles odo. To say nothing of the fact that the engines are not matched every race.
BS I want to see a new Ferrari "Lump" against a new take your pick every race. Let them limit revs if they are concerned about being too fast for safety reasons. What a bunch of pussies. Racing is a little dangerous! The real problem is the loss of tobacco revenue.

[V12]

On the topic of engines and cost saving - I wonder if anyone more in the know could answer me this, unless it is too hard to quantify that is.

What, roughly, accounts for more of a team's budget? The actual raw hardware and materials used to manufacture the engines (which they now get to use a bit less of with the engine-lasting-for-x-races fad), or the R&D required to develop an engine that can last that long while remaining competitive?