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2006 FIA Formula One World Championship Previous ] Next ] | ||
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The 2006 Formula One season is the 57th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on March 12, 2006 and it will end on October 22 after 18 races.
Background
The calendar initially was the same as that of 2005, with the Belgian Grand Prix scheduled on September 17. However, on February 8, the FIA announced that the Belgian National Sporting Authority (RACB) would withdraw Spa-Francorchamps from the 2006 season due to lack of time to complete improvements to the track. The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, offered his city's track as a possible replacement for the Belgian Grand Prix, but the FIA said that the Belgian race would not be replaced. The race continues to receive strong support from drivers and FIA President Max Mosley and it will return to the calendar in 2007.
2006 will be the last season season with two tyre manufacturers. The two current tyre manufacturers are Bridgestone and Michelin. On December 9, 2005, the FIA announced that from the 2008 F1 Season, there will be only one tyre supplier. Five days later, Michelin announced it will quit Formula One at the end of the 2006 season as it does not want to be in Formula One as the sole tyre supplier.
In 2005 two of the current F1 Teams were bought. Minardi were bought by Red Bull as a junior team to house their growing list of young talent looking for an F1 drive. Despite campaigns by Minardi fans the team was renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso. Sauber were bought by BMW after BMW's split with Williams. BMW opted to keep the Sauber name in F1 renaming the team BMW Sauber. Jordon who had been bought by the Midland Group in 2004 changed their name to MF1 Racing after a transition year in 2005. 2006 saw Japanese team Super Aguri F1, founded by former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki, enter at the last moment. Super Aguri notified the FIA on November 1, 2005 (ahead of the governing body's November 15 deadline) of their intention to enter, but the FIA's entry list stated they had not approved Aguri's entry . However, the team received the consent of the ten existing teams to compete and paid the $48 million bond. The team was confirmed by the FIA on January 26, 2006.
Between the 2005 and 2006 season the ownership of Formula One changed significantly. Until November 2005 the Formula One group was owned by an Ecclestone family trust and Speed Investments (a grouping of Bayerische Landesbank, JP Morgan Chase and Lehman Brothers). On November 25 CVC Capital Partners announced it was to purchase both the Ecclestone shares (25% of SLEC) and Bayerische Landesbank's 48% share (held through Speed Investments). By 30 March 2006 CVC had acquired all remaining shares. On 21 March 2006 the European Commission annonced approval of this deal, conditonal upon CVC relinquishing control of Dorna, promoter of MotoGP. On March 28 CVC announced the completion of the Formula One transaction . Ecclestone reinvested proceeds of his stake into the new Formula One parent company Alpha Prema.
Another Ecclestone victory involved the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association's proposal for an alternative World Championship. On March 27, the five car manufacturers involved lodged applications for the 2008 season, reducing the likelihood of a breakaway series. On May 14, GPMA members confirmed they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding, a move toward signing a new Concorde Agreement. Five days later, Bernie Ecclestone and CVC Capital Partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association which should see the five "rebels" continue racing in Formula One at least until the 2012 season.
Season review
Renault and Fernando Alonso established early leads in both the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships. The Spanish World Champion achieved six wins (including four consecutive victories) in Bahrain, Australia, Spain, Monaco, Britain, and Canada. Teammate Giancarlo Fisichella won his third career race in Malaysia.
After a disastrous 2005 season and slow start to the 2006 season Michael Schumacher won two consecutive races at Imola and the Nürburgring. During the final lap of his qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix, Schumacher came to a stop at the La Rascasse hairpin, resulting in yellow flags, meaning that other drivers could not go at maximum speed. After the session there were immediate complaints from the other teams claiming that this was a deliberate move by Schumacher to ensure he started in pole position - Alonso's lap was likely to beat Schumacher's fastest time. Although Schumacher insisted he had simply made an error, a stewards' inquiry stated, "We are left with no alternative but to conclude that the driver deliberately stopped his car on the circuit." The penalty was that Schumacher's qualifying times were all deleted, demoting him to 22nd position on the grid. He opted to start from the pitlane, and finished 5th.
In the British Grand Prix, Alonso became the first Spanish driver and the youngest driver (24 years, 10 months, 13 days) to get the Hat Trick, missing the Grand Chelem by a single lap. Schumacher won the United States Grand Prix (his fourth consecutive victory at Indianapolis and fifth career victory there) and the French Grand Prix. He also won the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, with Alonso finishing 5th.
Jenson Button achieved his first Formula One career victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alonso and Michael Schumacher failed to finish, although Schumacher was promoted to 8th place in the standings (having been classified 9th following a retirement three laps from the end) because of Robert Kubica's disqualification in his first race. The Polish driver had finished 7th in the BMW Sauber.
Felipe Massa won the next Grand Prix in Turkey, so for the second race in a row, Formula One had a debut winner. Fernando Alonso extended his lead over Michael Schumacher by two points after he managed to finish a tenth of a second ahead of the German in second place.
At Monza on September 10, 2006, Schumacher proceeded to reduce Alonso's lead to only two points by winning the Italian Grand Prix while Alonso suffered an engine failure in the late stages of the race. Despite a fourth-place finish for Alonso's teammate Giancarlo Fisichella and a flat-spotted tyre causing Felipe Massa to score no points, the race also saw Ferrari pull ahead of Renault for the first time in 2006. Polish driver Robert Kubica took his BMW Sauber to his first ever podium finish, in only his third race, but the race results were largely overshadowed by Schumacher announcing, during the post-race press conference, that he would retire at the end of the season. Afterwards he did say that he would hold a position in the Ferrari F1 team for 2007, though he did not disclose what.
Three weeks later, with his victory at Shanghai right ahead of Alonso, Schumacher drew level on points with him him at the head of the championship. Schumacher offically lead the World Championship for the first time in 2006 after the race, as he had won 7 races compared to Alonso's 6. Massa did not finish the race, and Renault gained again the lead in the constructors' championship thanks to Fisichella's third place.
A week later at the Japanese Grand Prix, Felipe Massa took pole ahead of Michael Schumacher in second and Fernando Alonso in fifth. Schumacher quickly took the lead and set about gaining a five second lead, which continued until after the second round of pit stops. However, Schumacher's engine failed with 17 laps to go, forcing him to retire and handing Alonso the win ahead of Massa.
With just one race to go until the championship was finished, the situation looked like this: If Alonso finishes in a point scoring position in Brazil, he will be world champion regardless of Schumacher's result, while Schumacher can only be world champion should he win and Alonso picks up no points, as Schumacher will have won more races. While the Constructors' championship was more open then the Drivers' championship, with Renault leading the way ahead of Ferrari with a nine point lead, so the French team had to get at least 10 points from Brazil to be safe.
Drivers and constructors
The following teams and drivers are competing for the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Team changes
This year, four prominent names in the sport have disappeared, with Minardi, Sauber, BAR and Jordan withdrawing, and one team entered at last moment, the Super Aguri. The Sauber name will remain, although only as a sentiment, as BMW now have total ownership of the team. Jordan became MF1 Racing, as Midland start afresh after a disappointing first season under the Jordan name. Late in the season, at the Italian Grand Prix, it was announced that Spyker would be purchasing Midland MF1 Racing. BAR had been bought and slowly taken over by Honda over the last couple of years and changed their name to Honda Racing F1 Team at the start of the season. Super Aguri F1 also entered their first season after having problems entering. They receive backing from Honda Racing including technology and engines, due to them running Honda driver Takuma Sato
Williams introduced numerous changes for 2006, particularly changing to Cosworth V8 engines after they and BMW split. Red Bull Racing (RBR) have Ferrari engines, replacing the Cosworth power which gained them seventh in the standings in 2005. Williams and Toyota changed tyre suppliers to Bridgestone, due to Michelin's desire to supply fewer teams in the championship. Despite this Toro Rosso who under the Minardi name ran Bridgestone tyres switched to Michelin in line with parent team RBR.
Driver changes
At The Start of the Season
- Renault retained both Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella but replaced test driver Franck Montagny with GP2 driver Heikki Kovalainen
- McLaren also retained both Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya but Alex Wurz left the team to seek a F1 Drive and the team promoted Gary Paffett to a permanent testing role. Pedro de la Rosa stayed with the team as a test driver.
- Ferrari kept Michael Schumacher but replaced long time team-mate Rubens Barrichello with fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa from Sauber. Massa had previously tested with Ferrari in 2003.
- Williams promoted GP2 World Champion Nico Rosberg to the second driver alongside Mark Webber. Alex Wurz joined the team as a third driver. India's Narain Karthikeyan has been signed as the second test driver of the team.
- Honda brought in Rubens Barrichello from Ferrari to replace outgoing Takuma Sato.
- Red Bull Racing decided to keep David Coulthard and Christian Klien as full time racing drivers. Liuzzi who had previsly shared the second drive role with Klein moved to new Red Bull owned team Toro Rosso. While Robert Doornbos became a test driver for the team.
- New Sauber owners BMW brought in German driver Nick Heidfeld from their old partners Williams. They retained Jacques Villeneuve. Robert Kubica was brought in as 3rd Driver.
- MF1 retained Tiago Monteiro and brought in old Minardi driver Christijan Albers to replace Narain Karthikeyan. They have a rotation system for the 3rd Driver.
- Toro Rosso bring in old RBR drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed and driver and old Sauber test driver, and Red Bull Junior Neel Jani.
- Super Aguri start the season with Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide an all Japanish driver line up. Franck Montagny from Renault is the third driver.
During the Season
- After the San Marino Grand Prix Super Aguri's Yuji Ide had his superlicence revoked by the FIA and could no longer race in F1. He was replaced by the team's reserve driver Franck Montagny for the next race.
- Super Aguri hired Sakon Yamamoto to be their 3rd Driver from the British Grand Prix onwards, filling the vacant seat, left by the previously promoted Montagny.
- After the United States Grand Prix Montoya announced he is moving to NASCAR next season and leaving McLaren. The next day McLaren announced that Montoya would be replaced in their driver line up by test driver Pedro de la Rosa, ending Montoya's 5 year F1 Career.
- Sakon Yamamoto and Franck Montagny switched places at Super Aguri from the German Grand Prix onwards.
- Robert Kubica replaced Jacques Villeneuve at the Hungarian Grand Prix, possibly due to Villeneuve's injuries after a heavy crash in the German Grand Prix. On the day after the Hungarian GP (7 August, 2006), BMW Sauber announced that Villeneuve left the team with immediate effect, with Kubica replacing him for the remainder of the season.
- German Formula 3 driver Sebastian Vettel became BMW Sauber's third driver from Turkey, replacing Kubica who was promoted to a full time race driver.
- On September 11, 2006, Red Bull Racing announced that the team's third/test driver, Robert Doornbos would replace Christian Klien for the final three races of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship.. For the races in China and Japan, Michael Ammermüller replaced Doornbos as third driver .
- For the Chinese Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix, Spyker MF1 announced that GP2 Series drivers Alexandre Prémat and Ernesto Viso would take over as the team's third driver respectively. While for the Japanese Grand Prix the third driver would be Adrian Sutil.
- During the test at the Silverstone Circuit during September, GP2 Series drivers Lewis Hamilton, Nelson Piquet Jr, and Adrian Valles performed test duties for McLaren, Renault and Midland F1, respectively. Franck Montagny also tested for Toyota.
Results and standings
In the 2006 Formula One calendar the Australian Grand Prix was put back to a few weeks to avoid a clash with the 2006 Commonwealth Games. For the first time, Bahrain hosted the first Grand Prix, Brazil hosted the last, Japan and China swapped their original dates.
Grands Prix
Drivers
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- Michael Schumacher did not finish the Hungarian Grand Prix but was still classified 8th for he completed more laps than those behind him
Constructors
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| Pos | Team | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | F.Laps | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Renault
|
R26 | Renault
|
M | 17 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 195 |
| 2 |  Ferrari
|
248 F1 | Ferrari
|
B | 17 | 8 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 186 |
| 3 |  McLaren
|
MP4-21 |  Mercedes
|
M | 17 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 105 |
| 4 |  Honda
|
RA106 | Honda
|
M | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 78 |
| 5 | BMW Sauber
|
F1.06 | BMW
|
M | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| 6 | Toyota
|
TF106 TF106B |
Toyota
|
B | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 7 |  Red Bull
|
RB2 | Ferrari
|
M | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 8 | Williams
|
FW28 | Cosworth
|
B | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 9 | Toro Rosso
|
STR01 | Cosworth
|
M | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |  Midland F1
|
M16 | Toyota
|
B | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Super Aguri
|
SA05 SA06 |
Honda
|
B | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rule changes
Engine
Significant changes to the Formula One regulations were introduced for 2006. In an attempt to curb the increasing engine power levels of recent years, the maximum engine displacement was reduced from 3.0 to 2.4 litres and the number of cylinders from 10 to 8. At similar engine speeds, the change was expected to cut peak power by around 200 bhp, which would equate to around three to five seconds on lap times at most circuits. (Scuderia Toro Rosso continued to use 3.0 litre 10-cylinder engines with a rev limiter, to avoid the costs of re-engineering their cars in a short period). Initial testing indicated the new engines were six seconds slower than their V10 counterparts, but early in the season it became obvious that despite the decrease in power, lap times were not far from 2005 figures.
Some engine suppliers indicated early that their smaller V8s can rev higher than the 19,000rpms normal for 2005-spec V10s. Northampton-based engine builder Cosworth has an enviable record of success with V8 engines. It claimed to have made further history by becoming the first manufacturer to have broken the 20,000rpm limit on track in December 2005.
Cost reduction
In the long run, the FIA intends to introduce greater restrictions on testing and the introduction of standardized electronics, tyres and brakes to reduce costs and entice more new private teams into the sport. Proposed new rules for the year 2008 led to 22 teams applying to race that season, but since currently only 12 teams can race at one time, 10 of those applicants were turned down.
Tyres
Tyre changes returned to Formula One in 2006. Each driver is limited to 14 sets of tyres per race weekend. This consists of seven sets of dry-weather tyres, four sets of wet-weather tyres and three sets of extreme-weather tyres. The thinking behind this is that the reduced engine size will offset any performance gain .
Qualifying
A new qualifying system consisting of three sessions of varying length has been introduced . A 15-minute session is held first, in which the six slowest cars from that session are eliminated and thus set in grid positions 17–22. After a five minute break, another 15-minute session is held with the remaining cars, and again the six slowest cars are eliminated and set in positions 11–16. These 12 eliminated drivers are placed in parc ferme, but may modify fuel loads as they see fit.
During a further five minute break, the remaining 10 cars declare their fuel loads to the FIA. A final 15 minute session then decides the top 10 grid positions. Teams are allowed to run their fuel load low by making as many laps as possible, and thus improve their times as the weight falls. This is an improvement for TV audiences because teams need to run as many laps as possible to lower their fuel loads. Following this session, the top 10 cars are placed in parc ferme and required to refill their fuel load to the level of that at the beginning of the final 20 minutes. Starting with the 2006 French Grand Prix, qualifying for final session was cut short to just 15 minutes, making all of the sessions the same length, and the ability for drivers to complete a flying lap after the chequered flag drop now applies in first two sessions as well .
A loophole was detected by the FIA, in that teams could declare a large fuel load but on the out lap "leak", or use a large quantity of fuel to lighten a car and permit a faster lap. The FIA decided to only count laps that are within 110% of the driver's fastest time, and allow teams to top up with the amount of fuel used for those laps.
Practice
Only one free practice session is held on Saturdays, for one hour, and it ends no less than two hours before qualifying begins, usually between 11.00 and 12.00, replacing the old system of two 45-minute sessions. Friday remains unchanged, with two one-hour sessions, starting three hours apart.
Mass Dampers
The tuned mass damper system has been used by several teams, notably Renault, during the latter part of 2005 and the 2006 seasons. The devices are located in the front of the car, in the nosecone, and their function is to reduce the extent to which the car bounces after riding a kerb. After the French Grand Prix, the FIA announced that the system would be outlawed. This had a particularly significant effect on Renault, as the team had effectively built their cars around the devices (and had introduced them as long ago as the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix). At the German Grand Prix, however, the Renault team submitted one of their cars for scrutineering by the race stewards, who ruled that the devices were acceptable. The FIA, in turn, launched an appeal against this decision, and on 23 August 2006 the FIA International Court of Appeal issued a statement upholding this appeal and rejecting the stewards' decision. The Court of Appeal stated that the system infringes part of Article 3.15 of the Formula One Technical Regulations, which states that:
Any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance:
- Must comply with the rules relating to bodywork.
- Must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom).
- Must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car.
The central argument, then, is whether the mass dampers function as aerodynamic devices or as a part of the suspension system. The FIA reasoned that because the devices do not "remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car", they are illegal. Following the ruling by the Court of Appeal, the system was officially banned before the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix.
Rumours and speculation
Teams
- McLaren was linked to a sponsorship deal with Intel to replace West, who withdrew their sponsorship at the 2005 Hungarian Grand Prix. However McLaren instead signed a deal with Vodafone as the team's primary sponsor for 2007, but has no main sponsor for 2006.
- Due to McLaren and Intel not reaching agreement, Intel instead signed to become a technological partner for BMW Sauber.
- Midland owner Alex Shnaider has sold his team, which he acquired for around £20 million, for a sum of around £68 million to a Dutch consortium led by internet entrepreneur Michiel Mol and sports car manufacturer Spyker Cars. The team has been renamed Spyker MF1 Team and will race in China with a new, orange livery, whcih replaces the silver, white and red colours of Midland.
Drivers
- Nelson Piquet, Jr. had been testing for BAR-Honda for a possible role as the third driver for the new Honda factory team. This never lead to anything and Piquet is now contracted to be Renault fourth driver for 2007.
- Before and during the 2006 season, there was much talk that Ferrari were considering signing up Valentino Rossi for the 2007 season, twenty-two years after the last motorcycle racer, another World Champion, Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto took part in the 1984 British Grand Prix. These rumours were fuelled by Rossi's testing programme for Ferrari at Circuit de Valencia and Fiorano. Other rumours also linked Rossi to Red Bull but on May 24, 2006, four days before the Monaco Grand Prix, Rossi stated that he will be staying in MotoGP for the foreseeable future, saying that he has more goals to achieve .
- Another Italian, 4 time 250cc class MotoGP World Champion Max Biaggi tested the Midland F1 car at Silverstone Circuit on January 18, 2006. Whether this was a one-off test with Midland F1 or the first step towards a seat with the team is unknown and Biaggi remained spending the year without racing. That rumour slowly cooled off because Biaggi signed a deal with World Superbike champions, Corona Alstare Suzuki. .
Races
- Following CVC's purchase of the control of the sport, rumors began over a possible second Grand Prix held in Spain, at Circuit de Valencia, perhaps due to the rising interest in F1 from Alonso's Spanish fans (the Alonsomania) after he won the 2005 Drivers Title. These rumors were confirmed on May 30: Michel Ligonnet announced construction work, due to finish in 2007. There was also a new F1 track considered at Sevilla, in the south of Spain, the Monteblanco Circuit, inspired by the old French circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet .
- According to reports, British investors will build an F1 track in Bulgaria near the seaside region of Kavarna. This is only speculation, but the project will more than likely go ahead in 2007.
Notes
- Toyota used the Toyota TF106 for the first six rounds of the championship (Bahrain to Spain), before switching to the new Toyota TF106B from Monaco onwards.
- Super Aguri started the first 11 races of the season with an updated version of the 2002 Arrows A23, the SA05. Germany was the first race where the Japanese team raced with their new car, the SA06.
- The Circuit de Valencia was reported to be bidding to host a world championship race in the future (a second Grand Prix held in Spain) probably Formula One edition of MotoGP Valencian Community Grand Prix.
- After twenty years, this is the last Japanese Grand Prix held at Suzuka International Racing Course. For 2007, this race was scheduled in Toyota's rebuilt Fuji Speedway, which hosted the 1976 and 1977 seasons). After the official announcement, there has been media speculation that Suzuka, supported by Honda, may retain a race under a resurrection of the Pacific Grand Prix title.
External links
- 2006 season at Formula1.com
- 2006 season at FIA.com
- 2006 season at ManipeF1.com
- 2006 season at GrandPrix.com
- 2006 season at Chicanef1.com
- iCal-Calendar with all races
Foot notes
- The FIA list of entered drivers as of December 2005
- CVC announcing the completion of the 2006 deal
- "Midland team bought by Spyker". formula1.com. 2006-09-09. Retrieved 2006-09-09.
- "Kubica replaces Villeneuve".
- "Villeneuve parts company with BMW".
- "Robert Doornbos replaces Klien at Red Bull".
- "Red Bull confirms Ammermuller".
- "Third drivers for Midland for the last three races".
- "New test drivers at Silverstone".
- ^ Offical rule changes to the 2006 season of Formula One
- ITV article on the qualifying tweaks of mid-2006
- FIA Formula One Technical Regulations For 2006 FIA.com (Page 11, Article 3.15: Aerodynamic influence). Retrieved 21 September 2006
- Article on the possibility of Valentino Rossi joining a Formula One team
- Article debunking the rumour on Rossi moving teams
- Article on Max Biaggi testing for Midland F1
- Website explaining the new track in Spain
- "Fuji signs deal for 2007".