For all you Button fans, this is an interesting rumor I just picked up off a pay site I'm on.

:thumbsup:
i'd love to see williams-honda return to bite bmw on the bum.

Williams have been a real let down ever since Damon Hill left.
And I think Michelin have said they are giving every spectator at the US Grand Prix a full refund.

After missing from the board i see that this thread was only a partial success, somewhat like Renault's Alonso. Won the champtionship but the constructors is still very much up for grabs. Alot has happened since i last posted and while i won't do a season run down yet i'd say it has had its highs and lows but damn it has been good. Here's hoping for a nice japanese race and i'm still holding out for the Button win. Not likely to happen, yet what a great place to do it if they do.

I'll be back for pre race predictions after qualifying, in the hope to revive this thread before then end of the season. So that next season (reportedly going to be the even longer) this thread hits the ground running. I'll even try and started it a week or two before then we can all make pre season predictions.

Happy racing till next race weekend.

^ glad you're back. Kind of lost interest in this thread but not the season.

Its been fun and kind of quirky.

I've also enjoyed this season quite a bit.

Imola, Istanbul and Spa stand out as races.
Unfortunate to see Sato languish. I thought he would do better.

First time in a loooong time there were 3 contenders for the driving championship. If it weren't for bad luck, Montoya and Raikkonen would have given Alonso a good run. Good to see Montoya come on so strong at the end of the season after injury, and very happy to see McLaren back at the front.

2006 should be even better.

Announced today that Honda bought BAR.

Honda bought BAR. That's great news, best news i heard all day and i heard it here. Thanks Craven, it is also nice to be back.

Powerclown - it is a shame about Sato, but i still think he done well, not sure if he will get a drive next season. I hope he does but looks unlikely at the moment. If you know something i don't then please share, or give a random prediction of a team.

BMW going solo from williams should also make next season interesting.

Interesting.

I guess this explains why Jenson Button was so insistent on staying with BAR? I've always liked Honda as a company ever since the days of Ayrton Senna driving a Lotus-Honda, plus I think their road cars are outstanding, having owned 4 of them.

So, will the 06 car be called a Honda, a Honda-BAR, or a BAR-Honda???

What do you guys think about this?

Yes, Williams is s-c-r-e-w-e-d, but after a season like this one, can it really get any worse for them? Sad.

Prediction for Sato or Suzuka?

I thought I read that Sato was going to become a test driver for BAR...errr..Honda. In other words, I think his F1 career is over, unfortunately. I think they're wasting the seat on Barrichello.

As for Suzuka, I'm going with Montoya for the win.

Sounds and interesting propect, in my mind this smells like the work of Eddie Irvine and his Russian connection.

Looking at the Honda BAR take over, I think that they will be known as Honda and only Honda. I understand that they have bought out BAR so therefore own 100% of the company, no need to share the name.

Maybe I spoke too soon. Sato to drive for Honda's '2nd' F1 team makes sense.

Anthony Davidson in the 2nd seat...not a shabby team at all.

I wonder if Honda is re-thinking their interest iin Sato after his miserable performance at home in Suzuka. Real disappointing - I really thought Sato would turn out to be the best Japanese driver ever in F1.

Too bad Villeneuve had to run Montoya off the road so early in the race. Not the brightest guy, Villeneuve.

What can you say about Raikkonen? What a race for this guy. I see him as the fastest guy out there, bar none. All he needs is a reliable car, and he could be WC for the next 5 years. I also enjoyed Alonso passing ShoeMaker on the OUTSIDE of the 130-R turn, at what, 180mph? That was great. :thumbsup:

Sato is a maniac!

Alonso is a special driver.... I first noticed him in his first season when Schumacher (at the time the unquestioned master) lapped him, and he had the audacity to unlap himself.

Kimmi is a great driver, but give him and Alonso the same pace, and Alonso is a better driver in my opinion. It isnt a coincidence that Alsono has the most reliable car in F1

Its just good for the whole sport though, to have two genuine young stars coming though, to be fighting for glory for many years to come... and dont think we've seen the last of Schumacher either. I think the great one might have one more championship in him, for the sake of his pride.

Yep, I agree - it's good for the sport. Don't forget Montoya in that group as well. He would have been in the championship this year had it not been for his injury. 3 wins this year for Montoya. As for ShoeMaker, I see a rocking chair, a dishwasher, and a house of screaming kids in his future.

---

Poor Sato-san:

"Sato disqualified from Japanese Grand Prix..."

Too funny. :lol:

Excellent race. I agree that Sato will find it difficult to find a car for next season.

Both Alonso and Kimmi drove amazingly well. For me Montoya had the crash of the day, me thinks he likes to crash, he has been doing it alot this season.

I still think that michael will still be back up there next season, remember he is third in the drivers championship.

Time to revive this thread again, after the last race of the season.

I thought China was an interesting race, in great part because the teams were forced to revise their strategies completely due to the prolonged Safety Car outings. made it a little more interesting for those behinds Alonso, not that he was really under threat at any point in time. It did make for some interesting pit maneuvers overall.

In the end, a slightly frustrating end to the season, although it did have some highlights. For me: Klien pulling off fifth, showing the potential Red Bull is on their way to realizing. Schumie showing that he isn't what he has been (both by having Albers run into him, and then his spin-out on lap 23), and neither is his car. Renault in general, showing a superior car, team and driver effort.

I enjoyed the last race of the season, and look forward to the next one. What about you?

I got up real early in the morning to see it live and was disappointed, i take what you mean by strategies but still no overtaking, boring.

Give me a japanese race every weekend.

I don't want to go cold turkey, 4 months with no F1. It's a sad time of the year. Roll o next year and next season, lets hope that the new V8 engines won't spoil the racing in the future.

No, not the best GP of all-time...The most interesting thing about the race was the Honda's bizarre, new paint scheme. I'm beginning to wonder what Honda sees in Jenson Button. Very poor showing from him. Sato proves definitively that he should never have left karts. How can a guy who won a record 12 wins (from 13 races!) in F3 turn out to be such a bust in F1? Schumacher lucky to be alive after what he pulled just before the Start. That was the strangest damn thing I've ever seen anyone do in F1. Alonso is The Man. Much respect for this guy.

I also enjoyed Klien's drive to 5th. He's a good driver, and the car went surprisingly well in the race. He reminds me of Fisichella 5 years ago. Klien has a lot of potential and I hope he does well. He should have got the Honda seat over Barrichello, as Rubens is finished as a driver. He's at Honda for one reason: to rat out all of Ferrari's little secrets to Honda's engineers.

Nico Rosberg just confirmed at Williams for 06? Say it isn't so...


You. Gee. ELL. Why?
http://images.f1racing.net/large/52959.jpg


Yes! I will jump the start by 3 seconds, and shoot into the lead!!
http://images.f1racing.net/large/52955.jpg


I should do it...I should do it!!! Who will know I poured sugar into Alonso's gas tank...
http://images.f1racing.net/large/52976.jpg


The Master of Understatement
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