FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[headless]

Which teams have/should given up on 2008 and are putting everything into 2009?

I think Williams have given up and putting their efforts in 2009.

[Denthúl]

BMW Sauber
Williams
Honda
Force India

Renault I would like to focus more on next year because I'd like to see them winning again, but they have the potential to fight for fourth place, so there's plenty of reason for them to focus more on this year.

[bud]

well im not sure anyone has put "everything" into 09 mode just yet as at the last tests im pretty sure everybody tested new components for this season. But we are not far off it for some teams!
But obviously Ferrari and McLaren are working on the 09 car but they still cannot drop the ball on this season for a second and it will probably remain that way until the final race in Brazil. Will this hurt them come 09? possibly but they both have the resources to manage both developmental challenges.

[KyrosV]

Force India should give up focusing on 2002

[Denthúl]

Force India should give up focusing on 2002

Force India are actually the most improved team compared to their previous season's performance

[headless]

Force India should give up focusing on 2002

Force India are actually the most improved team compared to their previous season's performance

They are but a little more improvement would help.

[al4x]

this sucks, teams giving up before half way off the season in some cases! surely its another vote for the budget cap?

i dont think renault have yet, hope it doesnt bite them

[Hanwombat]

Williams for sure and its a real damn shame

[Denthúl]

Force India should give up focusing on 2002

Force India are actually the most improved team compared to their previous season's performance

They are but a little more improvement would help.

Well, they've made up a second in performance relative to the other teams and they're using an updated version of last year's car whilst every other team now has a brand new car. I would say that, for a team that was the worst last year, that's a good achievement. If the seamless-shift gearbox brings the extra time they think it will, that's 1.3 seconds plus whatever extra there was in order to catch this year's new cars. If they carry on at that kind of rate, they will be in a position to take a few points next season.

[7UpJordan]

Williams started focussing too early. They haven't actually stopped working on the FW30, but they've been balancing a delicate act on when to develop the FW30 and when to develop the FW31. This has impaired the FW30's development rate and it is only just now they have discovered how to fix these aerodynamic problems that have affected them at aero circuits with some big upgrades which will be ready for the Belgian Grand Prix.

A bit too late in the season to be doing that considering how far behind they are, but I suppose they feel if they want to keep the sponsors happy they should try and end the season on a high to make up for what has been a tough time since Melbourne.

[McLaren Fan]

Ferrari.

[Hanwombat]

Ferrari.

[7UpJordan]

Ferrari.

For sure.

[Rivelution]

BMW is not giving up, they just had a bad race at Hungary.

Team principal Mario Theissen has insisted BMW Sauber will not be abandoning 2008 development work, despite their recent dip in form that saw them score just a single point in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, dropping them into third place in the constructors’ standings for the first time this season.

Theissen admitted he was mystified by the F1.08s lack of race pace in Budapest, where neither Robert Kubica, who finished eighth having started fourth, nor Nick Heidfeld, who came home 10th, were able to clock the lap times the team had predicted - on either Bridgestone tyre compound.

“The Hungarian GP turned out to be a race we virtually weren't involved in,” Theissen told the official BMW Sauber website. “We have not yet detected the reasons but we will analyse what happened. To do so, we will take a close look at the interplay of car, tyres, track conditions and temperatures. This analysis will be carried out at home in Munich and Hinwil, as we aren't allowed to go testing due to the testing ban prior to the next race.”

BMW Sauber’s excellent performances earlier in the season, including their maiden win and one-two finish in Canada, mean they are almost certain to finish at least third in the championship, as they are currently 55 points clear of fourth-placed Toyota.

With such a secure position in the standings, the German-Swiss team could be forgiven for switching their development efforts exclusively to their 2009 machine, but Theissen is adamant they will not throw in the towel on 2008 just yet.

“We won't reduce our development pace for the remainder of the season,” he continued. “Our goal for the remaining three European rounds and four overseas races is to build on the good results scored in the first half of the season. We still have several improvements in the pipeline that should help us return to the road to success.”

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/8/8203.html

[EwanM]

BMW is not giving up, they just had a bad race at Hungary.

Team principal Mario Theissen has insisted BMW Sauber will not be abandoning 2008 development work, despite their recent dip in form that saw them score just a single point in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, dropping them into third place in the constructors’ standings for the first time this season.

Theissen admitted he was mystified by the F1.08s lack of race pace in Budapest, where neither Robert Kubica, who finished eighth having started fourth, nor Nick Heidfeld, who came home 10th, were able to clock the lap times the team had predicted - on either Bridgestone tyre compound.

“The Hungarian GP turned out to be a race we virtually weren't involved in,” Theissen told the official BMW Sauber website. “We have not yet detected the reasons but we will analyse what happened. To do so, we will take a close look at the interplay of car, tyres, track conditions and temperatures. This analysis will be carried out at home in Munich and Hinwil, as we aren't allowed to go testing due to the testing ban prior to the next race.”

BMW Sauber’s excellent performances earlier in the season, including their maiden win and one-two finish in Canada, mean they are almost certain to finish at least third in the championship, as they are currently 55 points clear of fourth-placed Toyota.

With such a secure position in the standings, the German-Swiss team could be forgiven for switching their development efforts exclusively to their 2009 machine, but Theissen is adamant they will not throw in the towel on 2008 just yet.

“We won't reduce our development pace for the remainder of the season,” he continued. “Our goal for the remaining three European rounds and four overseas races is to build on the good results scored in the first half of the season. We still have several improvements in the pipeline that should help us return to the road to success.”

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/8/8203.html

Good that they are back in the mix. Also Rivelution... loving the classic Target Chip Ganassi CART pic!