Respect is Due

To all F1 drivers, mechanics and marshals. F1 is a very dangerous business, I've just been reminded just how dangerous by watching a video on youtube.com called 'F1 Perished Heroes' that documents the deaths in F1 over the last few decades.

The most graphic image on there is Tom Pryce in 1977 at South Africa, I had heard about this crash, but had never seen it, now I know why. The most harrowing image? For me the sight of Roland Ratzenburger in 1994 at Imola, when the car crashes it's plain to see that he is unconscious, which is bad enough, but then after they remove him from the car and start performing CPR on the side of the track is overpowering. I'd never seen it before as the UK didn't show practice or qualifying in those days, but I remember Murray Walker saying before the race that the law of averages had meant that we were overdue at that time for a death in F1 - of course we all know what happened that fatefull day.

Murray's comments strike a chord today, as we haven't seen a death in F1 since Jacques Villenueve's wheel came off when he hit a wall in Australia and struck a marshal, who sadly passed on.

I think that as the cars get safer and we see drivers walk away from big crashes, we tend to forget just how dangerous F1 really is.

I will not be providing a link to the video as I don't think it's something that should be thrown about lightly.

Ferrari To Lose High Speed Advantage?

The FIA has finally acted on the issue of 'Flexi Wings', well the rear wings anyway. From the Canadian Gp in Montreal, all of the cars' rear wings will have to have seperators between the upper and lower elements to make sure the gap between the two cannot be closed at high speeds.

Ferrari are consistently faster on the straights than anyone else, allegedly due to the gap between the two rear wing elements closing when the wing flexes at high speed. I guess we'll find out whether or not that is the case from Canada.

Whilst it's good to see that the FIA has taken action against this, is it not also time to look at the front wings? Although ITV's James Allen made a comment on Williams' performance at the British GP being down due to the fact that they were one of the few teams to be not running with Flexi Wings after the regulations had been clarified. So does this mean that front Flexi Wings are legal? If so can it not be made public knowledge?!

Alonso and McLaren

So we all know that Alonso is moving to McLaren next season, Kimi looks likely to be leaving for Ferrari or Renault, and if reports from Germany are to be believed JPM needs a succession of wins to save his seat. All this leads me to wonder if McLaren are deliberately sandbagging to make sure they have the number 1 on their car next season.

Let's face it, JPM has not lived up to expectations in F1 and everyone knew when it was announced that Alonso would move to McLaren, it would be him that moved on. Ron Dennis probably hoped that Kimi would stay at McLaren, but the unreliability issues over the last couple of seasons seem to have finished that likelihood.

New rumours are placing Montoya back at Williams next year - to replace Toyota-bound Rosberg? - Frank still admires JPM's racing ability, but whether he would put up with his temperament again is questionable!

If, as looks probable, Lewis Hamilton makes the leap into F1 next season, I wonder if the McLaren protoge would be allowed to race in a Williams Toyota/Lexus? I would hope so, I think it'd be good for him to race in a car that's not right at the front of the grid for a season or two before the step up into a McLaren race seat - all depends on Ron Dennis of course!

The Internet company Lost Boys are still waiting for an answer from Alex Schnaider regarding the sale of the Midland F1 team, personally I can't see him saying no - $100m is a lot of money to turn down!

Great Britain 2006

Not a spectacular race by any means, especially when compared to British Grands Prix of recent years. Alonso ran away with it, Ferrari pulled out a great second stop to overtake Kimi, who held off Fisico in the later laps.

Scott Speed made a dangerous lung on Ralf who managed to collide with Webber whilst trying to regain control of his Toyota - all three retiring from the race. Hopefully Speed will be penalised at least financially as this is the second time he will have been before the Race Stewards, let's not forget that Yuji Ide only caused one crash and he had his licence revoked.

Jenson Button had a nightmare weekend, mistakes in qualifying strategy meant that he started 19th on the grid and retired early on after making his way to 12th, behind a struggling David Coulthard. Rosberg did well to finish ninth, just out of the points.

I wasn't at all impressed with Alonso's driving prior to the restart, that kind of thing is dangerous and was just asking for an accident the way the cars were stacked up behind him, then he has the intelligence to accelerate then brake again, he should be fined for dangerous driving.

So onto the rumours, Williams have yet to confirm that they have signed an Engine deal with Toyota, which is now reported to be for three years and the engines may be badged as Lexus.

The two Red Bull teams are rumoured to be having a reshuffle with their engines. Allegedly they have asked Cosworth to consider changing the contract that is in place for next season, at the moment it is for the V10 to go in the Toro Rosso cars but Red Bull want them to change to the V8 and place it in the Red Bull Racing cars. But what about the contract with Ferrari to supply Engines? Well, apparently, the contract is with Red Bull, not Red Bull Racing, meaning that Red Bull can put them in either of their teams' cars. Therefore the contracts that are in place with Cosworth and Ferrari for next season are honoured, with a few tweaks, paving the way for Volkswagon to become the Engine supplier to both teams in 2008, according to F1 Live, the VW badge is currently prominent in Toro Rosso press releases, so this rumour seems quite likely.

Rosberg to Toyota?

Williams and Toyota have reportedly signed the long awaited deal that will see the Williams team use Toyota engines for 2007 and 2008. Having been rumoured ever since BMW announced their takeover of Sauber, this will leave Midland (MF1) with no engine from next season, will they switch to Cosworth power?

Rumours are that part of the Williams/Toyota deal is that to subsidise the cost of the engines Nico Rosberg will move to Toyota next season, I would guess to replace Jarno Trulli.

Alex Schnaider is considering a $68million offer for his team, after only having completed seven races under his own Midland Brand. The only thing known about the prospective buyers is that it's a Dutch Consortium.