[Sarbrienna]

nick is on tap to join JVRacing

[Svatudjw]

Anyone else find all this talk about Heidfeld and old Toyotas a bit depressing? It was more fun when we had Bridgestone and Michelin coming in partnering with existing teams and their drivers, splitting the field in two and ramping up to take it to the incumbent tyre manufacturer, mixing the field up and so on.

Control. Tyres. Are. Boring.

Yep, but they make the playground more equal and keep the costs down. Active suspension was interesting as well among many things but just too costly. People just don't seem to realise that these boring measures keep F1 alive and healthy. If we freed up everything, one could expect 1992 all over again but this time the car count would be considerably lower.

[Katrinsitter]

Its not a totally worthless situation butthe issue is how valuable can it be?

The control tyres are the most awful idea that f1 has ever come up with.

The car must adapt to the tyre that is forced on them and the driver then has to hope to god that his style suits it.

In the "good old days" when we had competition - remember it IMPROVES the breed - there were also boutique tyres. It is this situation that has allowed drivers to compete at their best head to head.

One of the best examples was the situation between Rindt and Stewart - Jochen had tyres that were 2 cm wider and they run at different pressure compared to Jackie. Imagine if they were both forced to used the same tyre and it was the sort that favored ONE driver. A mess.

And a mess is what we have now.

And exactly HOW will a 2009 car testing tyres for 2011 be of any use besides Heidfeld only being able to report back based on his style of driving?

It is a load of crap and if FOTA really had BIG ONES they would tell the FIA what to do and go out and make tyre deals with tyre companies themselves and make a stand.

I detest governing bodies without exception. Their power creeps until THEY become the reason for living! By all means have a body that will adjudicate issues based on a RATIONAL body of rules - something that we do not have now.

But at the end of the day it is the teams that have to pay the money and money talks while bs walks!

Schumacher would NEVER have been able to achieve his success with control tyres and all the buggery that it enforces.

Who cares what Heidfeld does? He is over the hill and there are a whole host of up and coming drivers that are far better than he ever was.

Driving an old car on 2011 tyres? Get real!

Or to put it another way:

Control. Tyres. Are. Boring.

I do like the way some can sum up in four words what it takes others whole rambling paragraphs to explain!

I sort of agree with both your points, but I also wouldn't want a return to the days where the circus would pitch up with everyone saying, "well this is clearly a Bridgestone track" and half the field are disadvantaged before they've even unpacked the flight cases.

Imagine how momumentally dull the sport would be if, say, Spa-Francorchamps was known to be a Brembo circuit rather than a Hitco one.

[DoctoBuntonTen]

Imagine how momumentally dull the sport would be if, say, Spa-Francorchamps was known to be a Brembo circuit rather than a Hitco one.

Have you been reading old Peter Windsor articles Dave?

[SaraKonradtt]

Heidfeld to Force India 2011

[Katrinsitter]

Have you been reading old Peter Windsor articles Dave?

Gawd no! His tedium and Matt Bishop's ego were the reasons I stopped buying F1 Racing!

[vvxtiopmx]

Heidfeld to Force India 2011

No thanks. Time to give Paul di Resta a run there. Nick should race for Renault.

[sitescools]

It's a shame because although he's not spectacular he has the quality to be in f1 ahead of some maybe even 10 drivers we see these days racing or at least trying to.

[Sarbrienna]

did you see the beautiful toyota car he is testing. FIA you are disgusting PUKES
All of this wasted because of a jealous TOAD!!

[vvxtiopmx]

did you see the beautiful toyota car he is testing. FIA you are disgusting PUKES
All of this wasted because of a jealous TOAD!!

It's last year's Toyota.

[Sarbrienna]

doesn't matter the whole program should have been picked up and present in F1 today. With the expenses to throw all this away is absolutely crazy.

[Donlupedron]

It's a shame because although he's not spectacular he has the quality to be in f1 ahead of some maybe even 10 drivers we see these days racing or at least trying to.

If you believe that then those 10 drivers should noy be iin f1.

This love affair that people have with Heidifeld's abilities remind me of the same emotion that existed with Jos Verstappen.

There is a reason why Heidfeld does not have a drive and it is because there is nothing special he brings and he has had his opportunity on f1.

There are just too many good drivers in the feeder series with great potential.

Bye, bye Nick!

[Donlupedron]

Or to put it another way:

I do like the way some can sum up in four words what it takes others whole rambling paragraphs to explain!

Well then you ignore the reasons why control tyres are a bad idea - boring is certainly not remotely a primary one or even accurate.

But thats what happens you want everything in soundbite.

[SaraKonradtt]

did you see the beautiful toyota car he is testing. FIA you are disgusting PUKES
All of this wasted because of a jealous TOAD!!

I'm sure I read somewhere (Probable this forum) that the 2010 Toyota will be used by HRT in 2011.

Also what engine is the Pirelli test car? Is Toyota runing the program paid by Pirelli or has Pirelli bought car + runing equipment?

[YonkFiorc]

I sort of agree with both your points, but I also wouldn't want a return to the days where the circus would pitch up with everyone saying, "well this is clearly a Bridgestone track" and half the field are disadvantaged before they've even unpacked the flight cases.

Imagine how momumentally dull the sport would be if, say, Spa-Francorchamps was known to be a Brembo circuit rather than a Hitco one.

I get what you're saying, but you must admit during the half-decade of the M.Schumacher monopoly, when he didn't win it tended to be Montoya, Ralf, Raikkonen or Alonso on a "Michelin circuit" that punctuated the usual order, which for me at the time was great.

And I personally wouldn't complain about a "brake war" but I guess I'm just a nerd like that

[horaAppagob]

Heidfeld to Force India 2011

Not sure where to put this, but I've just got a text from a mate who has said that Petrov may sign for Lotus for 2011, with Sutil moving to Renault and Heidfeld going to Force India. Liuzzi is wanted by Virgin, giving Di Resta a chance too.

However, he may have nicked the rumour from a Malaysian website which is reporting it today. Just thought it was worth sharing to give some hope to the Heidfeld fans on here.

[sleepergun]

Poor sod. Half a season of waiting for Schumacher to slip on a banana skin, and instead of getting rewarded with a drive with last year's championship-winning team he gets to plod round in an old Toyota testing rubber.

[mpzoFeJs]

I can see Heidfeld going to Force India only if Sutil moves on... presumably to Renault then.

[SeftyJokipl]

Once again Kimi holds the key to the driver market.

[horaAppagob]

An early return for Nick? How does this affect his tyre testing?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/86674