In-season testing solution... Stefan F1!

[teabagyokel]

Never keen to be out of the news, Zoran Stefanovic has come up with a possibly good idea in order to worm his way into the F1 fraternity.

Stefanovic, the Serbian crackpot has secured a deal to run Toyota's stuff from Cologne! He intends to offer F1 teams a chance to allow its drivers to test in an F1 car in order that the Grosjean/Alguersuari/Badoer/Fisichella farces would not continue. This is, of course, to fund Stefan F1's 2011 F1 team.

Some people don't give up, but he may be onto something. Unless Todt bans it!

 

[FB]

Not so different to Ferrari letting Schumie run in an '07 Ferrari fitted with "GP2 Slicks" (yeah, right). Your probably right though TBY, doubtless it will be outlawed no matter how sensible.

 

[Cancer Cowboy]

Stefanovic, the Serbian crackpot has secured a deal to run Toyota's stuff from Cologne! He intends to offer F1 teams a chance to allow its drivers to test in an F1 car in order that the Grosjean/Alguersuari/Badoer/Fisichella farces would not continue. This is, of course, to fund Stefan F1's 2011 F1 team.

Some people don't give up, but he may be onto something. Unless Todt bans it![/font]

Oh my god, i almost chocked when i read "serbian crackpot".

He may be on to something, and its actually not a bad idea. And its a potential "cash-cow". But...
If he rents out a car for young drivers to test (or their teams), that means he's not actually doing any tests for himself or?
Wouldnt it be a better spent of money to start working on a car for 2011?

 

[Brogan]

The idea has its merits.

Untested drivers get some valuable track time and the team gets feedback on the car.
They'd need drivers anyway to do this so it's a nifty way of getting some additional funds.

The problem is, how many young drivers (or teams) will be willing, or able, to pay for the 'privelege' of driving a potential competitor's car?

 

[teabagyokel]

Ahh, Brogan, depends on whether they can run a 2007 car on GP2 slicks, doesn't it. (Look, it must be a 2007 Ferrari, or it wouldn't have 5 on the front nose cone?)

The only problem I have with this plan is that Stefanovic must be incredibly stupid optimistic if he thinks that bullying Bernie Ecclestone will get him a grid place in 2011.

And, it will likely be banned if the words Zoran or Stefanovic are anywhere near it...

 

[fedupwithuserids]

As long as the track does not need a FIA license I don't think Todt can ban it, but I don't think that will be the end of it.

Most likely teams and drivers taking advantage of it will be pulled up and receive penalties by the FIA.

If the FIA actually thought through new rules before forcing them onto the teams, things would run a lot smoother. Hopefully Todt is not just a puppet and things will head in the right direction.

 

[bogaTYR]

Stefan GP

it seems a serb with the name zoran stefanovic has bought the technical knowhow of toyota F1 and has re named the operation stefan GP. they will operate from the former toyota HQ in germany.

if one of the new teams don't make it to the grid, then this outfit might be there.

 

[Brogan]

Merged

 

[bogaTYR]

hmmm....

anyone called zoran sounds like deep sh*t to me

 

[Speshal]

I think this probably has more legs than the Serbian plan

Anthony Hamilton is planning to run a fleet of 2009-spec Formula 1 cars in an effort to help young drivers gain mileage in current grand prix cars without being constrained by the testing restrictions.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81095

 

[Cancer Cowboy]

LINK

Stefan GP sent a container of equipment to Bahrain. What the hell is going on?

Offtopic : Been away for a while, had a car crash. I'll be more active from now

 

[Brogan]

This is all very interesting
I wonder which team they think it is they'll be replacing

Hope all's OK Cowboy.
Don't forget to join in our first official F1 2010 game: F1 Teammate Prediction 2010

 

[Cancer Cowboy]

This is all very interesting
I wonder which team they think it is they'll be replacing

I think its like when someone has a party and you're not invited.

"Fine. I'm going to come anyway"

 

[snowy]

Hope you are much better and fit for the new season Cowboy. It promises to be a doozy.

The Beeb writes:

The keener F1 aficionados among you will have heard by now of the mysterious Stefan GP team, which a Serbian businessman called Zoran Stefanovich is hoping to set up. They don't have an entry for 2010 but are pressing ahead with plans which seem to revolve around taking over the design and cars of the former Toyota team. The latest news from Stefan GP is that they say on their website that they have shipped a container of equipment to Bahrain for the first race. They must know something we don't, obviously - and the word on the street is that F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has told them to expect to race because he thinks one of the new teams will not make it.

Bernie may be the boss of F1 but even he can't wave a magic wand and get the FIA to accept a team without a prior application and deposit of X million$.

I suspect they are hoping to get a private test after the show has moved on...

Have they got a car with a current valid crash test certificate? ...I very much doubt it.

 

[teabagyokel]

Bernie may be the boss of F1 but even he can't wave a magic wand and get the FIA to accept a team without a prior application and deposit of X million$.

Not sure.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Here's a thought.Since Stefan F1 aren't on the entry list for 2010 they are quite entitled as free citizens of mother earth to build an F1 car to the 2010 rules and test it until the sun turns supernova if they so wish. What would happen then, if at the 11th hour Campos or whoever goes boobies skyward and Stefan get the nod to join the grid? They could potenetially have hundreds of hours / miles of testing under their belts when compared to the others.

Obviously so long as the car passes the crash test (and I assume they agree to have the Cosworth lump in the back, or has that rule gone the same way as Max?) and they meet the financial requirments etc there wouldn't be anything to stop them.

 

[Brogan]

Interesting point c_a_t.

I wonder if that is accounted for in the FIA's convoluted rules and regulations?

 

[teabagyokel]

FIA Regulations regarding Late Entries

Article 28.5 a. If a grid slot opens up before the start of the season, late entries will be allowed if:

i. The team in question has been accepted unanimously by the other teams
ii. The team in question has not tested more times than the alloted time granted by the FIA
iii. Their application has been recieved by the FIA on the night of a lunar eclipse
iv. Their application has been supported by a crowned monarch of a state with a Formula One race or if the Commercial Rights owner has assessed his [the monarch's] disposable income and declared him "loaded"
v. They have the support of a Nobel Laureate in either Economics, Literature or Physics
vi. One of their grandfathers had a wooden leg
vii. Their country of origin does not start with an F
viii. Their team principal's name does not rhyme with Clavio Ni-atoré
ix. The President of the FIA has an outstanding debt to the applicant and
x. The Applicant is deemed not to be a Fit and Proper Person to run a Premier League Football Club

b. If the President so decides point a. can be utterly ignored
c. If the Commercial Rights owner is less than 5 foot 5, point a. can be completely ignored
d. If there is a full moon overhead on the night of the appeal, the applicant must be granted entry.

 

[Boyle]

Oh teabag, you made me think that was a serious point!

 

[Brogan]

I got to iii before I realised it was a wind up