Townsend Bell to test Minardi

[daz 0]

Thank goodness for that!! Yoong was nothing more than a waste of a seat at every race. I don't think he has even came remotely close to scoring a point in the races so far...

Also have to admit that I've never heard of Zlobin either. But if u say he's half decent then by all means give him a go in the Minardi...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

As I said, he has the next test next week. Though Yoong is out Stoddart has managed to keep all the Malaysian sponsorship which is good, along with the new money coming in from Russia.

[nichosnz 0]

I'm glad he has kept hold of his Mayalsian mony we can't afford to lose 3 teams in two years.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

But that would give us 3-car teams, which I would really enjoy! But Minardi is not a team whom I want to cave, there cant be a proper grid without a Minardi.

[nichosnz 0]

That is true, we need Minardi.

I still haven't made up my mind about 3 car teams. The smaller teams will find it harder to score points then, even the mid-fielders. And the FIA seem reluctant to change the scoring system to address this, as it would interfere with history.

[nichosnz 0]

Although that history point is rubbish. The points system has changed over time. 2nd to 5th places has never changed though

For Drivers:

1950-1960 8 points for win

1961-1990 9 points for win

1991-present 10 points for win

1950-1959 1 point Fastest Lap, 0 for 6th

1960-present 0 point Fastest Lap, 1 for 6th

1950-1990 Best x races count for championship (some years this was split into first and second half)

1991-present All races count toward championship

For Teams: no constructions championship 1950-1958

1958-1961 8 points win

1962-1990 9 points win

1991-present 10 points win

1958-1959 0 point Fastest Lap, 0 for sixth

1960-present 0 point Fastest Lap, 1 for 6th

1958-1978 Best x races count for championship (some years this was split into first and second half)

1958-1978 Top finishing driver in team scores CWC points only (points do not filter down, top 5/6 drivers score CWC points)

1979-present All races all drivers count toward championship

Note drivers and teams scoring different for wins in 1961, and the number of scores that can be counted differs for teams and drivers in 1979-1990

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I never knew theyve changed that much, where do you get all this info!?

[nichosnz 0]

I finally found it all in one book once I'd stopped looking, due to gathering it over time from various books. The book that had it all was Grand Prix Data Book 1997. 1997 was the third edition 1990 and 1995 appear to be the first two editions. I don't have figures for the first or third editions but the 2nd printed 2000 copies. It is written/compiled by David Hayhoe and David Holland and published by DUKE (the same DUKE as the motorsport videos).

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Ill have to see if I can find that somewhere..

[nichosnz 0]

I did a search on the web with google for "grand prix data book" and there were a few hits for the first two editions but most were for the 3rd (1997) edition and none for more recent editions. So I emailed DUKE asking if there are any more recent editions, no response yet I assume I'll have to wait until after the weekend.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

It usually takes companies such as Duke to reply up to a week.

[nichosnz 0]

Well I have to wait until after next weekend then.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Went looking for the book a in a few different books stores yesterday, one had it but I didn't have the money to pay for it, it was in the region of $30USD!!

[nichosnz 0]

Is that a lot of money for a book in the US?

Most of the Ferrari or Formula One books I have cost between NZ$60-NZ120 that is approximatly US$30-US$60.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

No, I'd say its a few dollars above average. But I was prepared to pay around $15, so I didn't have the cash with me. Im reconsidering, because for me $30 is still a good deal of money

[nichosnz 0]

Actually the most expensive F1 books in NZ are the retro Autocourse books, they go for about 120-150% the cost of a new one at about US$60-US$75. Where a new one is US$50.

[daz 0]

Sounds like a very interesting book nichosnz. I'll have to have a look around here as well. Allthough even if I do find it, most F1 books and magazines are hellishly expensive here - thanks mostly to our worthless currency. For instance - a magazine like F1 Racing or Autosport generally sells for between R90 to R100 (About US$9) and a decent F1 book can go right up to about R700 (US$65). To put it in perspective - a beer in a pub here costs about R7 (US$0.65) so you can see how much more expensive it is to read than drink......

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Nice comparison daz! In California F1 Racing Magazine is also real expensive, around $8-9 because its brought in from England. And by the time its on the shelves, the new one is released in England!

[nichosnz 0]

In NZ we get the Australian edition of F1 racing so keeps the price down a bit at NZ$10 (US$5). But Autosport comes for England also and is surface freight NZ$13.50 (US$6.75) and is very late, like yesterday I just bought the European GP review edition dated 27 June. If I got the air freight edition I could get it 11 days late for NZ$19.50 (US$9.75). But when I finally get me a job again I will re-subscribe as then I would get it for about US$7.20 but only 5 or 6 days late.

And BTW a domestic beer in a pub costs on tap (I think, I don't drink beer) NZ$3.50 (US$1.75).

Good luck daz I have no idea what youre chances are, but mine is the only one, or the one of only a few in NZ. I had to get it mail order and even then NZ delivery was not an option. So I had to get it sent to my Aunties house in England, then wait for my Grandparents to vist and bring it back with them.