F1 News: Schumacher Dangerous, Force India to Skip 1st Test, F1 Needs to Learn from NASCAR

What Happens When It’s a Day for Interesting Statements

12:04am EST —

Newey says Schumacher as dangerous as ‘Crashgate’:
At Autosport International, Red Bull designer Adrian Newey said, “Schuey deliberately colliding with Hill and Villeneuve much more dangerous than Crashgate,” according to Maurice Hamilton.  My analysis is available at F1B through the headline link.

Virgin Racing Will Support a GP3 Team Under Manor Banner:
Virgin Racing team principal John Booth will oversee a GP3 team called Manor Racing, according to the official F1 website.  GP3 is a new racing incarnation, implemented as a feeder series to GP2 and will run the same schedule as GP2.  The best driver of the Manor GP3 team will receive a test with Virgin Racing as a prize and can view a contract with Manor as an entry into the Virgin Racing driver development program.  While there is no word yet on who those drivers will be, all GP3 drivers will compete in “a standardised, all-new Dallara chassis combined with a 280bhp Renault engine and with a six-speed longitudinal sequential Hewland gearbox. Pirelli will supply tyres to the series and GP2 supplier Brembo will manufacture brakes.”

Force India Will Miss First Test:
According to Adrian Sutil, in an interview with the official F1 website, Force India has added its name to the list of teams (Red Bull, USF1, LotusF1) who will not attend the first test session of 2010 in Valencia, just over two weeks hence.  “To make a clear statement about how good we have been in interpreting those new regulations we will have to wait until the first test in Jerez, where I will drive the VJM3 for the first time,” said the German driver.  While yesterday’s news update discussed the various launch dates and testing schedules for the teams, it does not seem to be a shocking development that some teams will not attend all of the test sessions.  This is not unusual, not matter how illogical it might seem from time to time.

Jarno Trulli Suggests F1 Learn from NASCAR:
Quoted at Crash.net from a Reuters article, new LotusF1 driver Jarno Trulli struck back at those calling for continued rules changes (specifically Bernie Ecclestone and his shortcut idea, as discussed at F1B) to make “the show” more interesting in F1, as “[NASCAR] have been very clever and very good in making sure that they keep the rules very consistent over the years and not changing them too much, otherwise people at home will get confused.”  While those facts may be a bit shaky, as this occasional NASCAR watcher seems to remember lots of rules changes to better the action for fans, the marketing success in that stock car series should certainly be considered by those in charge of F1, instead of the reactionary and occasionally confused-looking public relations campaign currently employed by F1.

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