Grand Prix Rejects

This Could Be You wrote:Team: Hesketh Racing
User: TCBY

G Upgrade: N
H upgrade: Y
D upgrade: N
M upgrade: N

Engine upgrade: N

Autosport wrote:Arnoux frustrated at Theodore

Theodore driver Rene Arnoux has expressed his frustrations with the team after a fourth consecutive failure to escape Pre-Qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix. "We're not understanding the car at the moment... to be honest with you, it drives like a boat."

Rest of the article unreadable as someone is sitting on it

Autosport wrote:Unrest at McLaren

Despite a strong opening race, McLaren have made a poor start to the 1980 season - failing to score since Argentina. Sources close to the team have said that current team boss Teddy Mayer is "literally pulling his hair out" in an attempt to steady the listing ship. The news comes as major backer Marlboro is reportedly planning a major investment into US open wheel racing, possibly at the expense of Woking outfit.

La Gazetta dello Sport wrote:Mondadori to replace Surer at ATS

Incomprehensible Italian rambling. Your mate Vinny down the pub said it's about Formula One, but he cant tell you much more as he's not been to Italy since he was 3 and his mum forbids Italian in the house as it reminds her of his long lost dad

J.O.U.R.N.A.L. wrote:Project Four Merge with McLaren, Ron Dennis New Boss

According to sources in both organisations, the Formula 2 team Project Four Racing will merge with Marlboro Team McLaren. Officially, the merger will only be executed by the end of 1980, but the leading structures are changing with immediate effect.

Teddy Mayer, supposedly at the behest of title sponsor Marlboro, will make way for Project Four Racing team owner Ron Dennis at the top of McLaren. Talented Wembley-born designer John Barnard is expected to start working on the 1981 McLaren chassis soon.

Autosport wrote:Arnoux to be shown the Theodoor?

Rene Arnoux could come under fire from team boss Teddy Yip after making disparaging comments about the team at the Spanish Grand Prix. Following another failure to pre-qualify on Friday morning, Arnoux said:

"Teddy [Yip] convinced me there was a project, there were goals, there was a plan...if there is, we need it now.I feel like I'm driving a misfiring Renault 12 around a Carrefour on a Saturday morning trying to find the last parking space."

It remains to be seen how the team will treat Arnoux after publically speaking out against them. Autosport approached Thedore for a comment.

La Gazetta dello Sport wrote:Colombo steps down as driver

After four races and four failures to pre-qualify, Alberto Colombo has relinquished driving duties for his own Riviera team. The official announcement is that he's looking to "highlight young talent" but sources close to the team say that money is fast running out, with lira in such short supply that espresso rations have been halved.

Autosport wrote:Luciano Sighinolfi's mechanic taken to hospital following start-line crash
Italian Luciano Sighinolfi's mechanic was taken to hospital after he was involved in a start-line accident at the 1980 Belgian Grand Prix, article obscured by the guy reading on the train

Autosport wrote:Matarazzo suspended for one race, Gaillard to sub for Monaco

FISA ruled today that Aresnio Matarazzo is suspended for one grand prix after starting the Belgian Grand Prix despite having failed to qualify. The Italian, after his teammate withdrew from the race after a starting line incident seriously injured an Osella mechanic trying to restart his car, took to the track from the pitlane. He was black flagged and disqualified from the event.

"I thought I had the light after Luciano withdrew." Matarazzo replied, and gave no further comment.

Osella will have Formula Two driver Patrick Gaillard run in place of Matarazzo for the Monaco Grand Prix. Osella declined to give further comment on the starting line accident and Matarazzo's disqualification.

Guy Ligier wrote:Whilst Patrick is doing hard work to get his physical strength back and we give him all our support, we think he will not be able to handle Monaco, thus we would like to evaluate Jean-Pierre Jarier for this race

L'equipe wrote:Eh which patrick?

Autosport wrote:Startline Calamity at Zolder

The start of the Belgian Grand Prix was marred by an accident which saw Osella mechanic Mario Rossi rushed to hospital. Rossi, 32, raced onto the grid to try and restart Luciano Sighinolfi's car after the Italian appeared to have stalled on the grid. However, Sighinolfi managed to find a gear and accelerated away, with Rossi still holding onto the starter motor he'd managed to insert into the back of the Osella. Despite Sighinolfi coming to a stop shortly after, thanks to the marshal's signals, the acceleration of the car propelled Rossi forward onto the tarmac.

Whilst the incident was being cleared up, Arsenio Matarazzo in the second Osella pulled out of the pits and joined the race. He managed to race for 20 laps before the stewards caught wind of his appearance and was shown the black flag, however, Matarazzo decided to ignore the flag and managed to finish the race, albeit 6 laps down. To make a bad weekend worse for the Osella team, Matarazzo was promptly disqualified from the race and handed a one-race ban from FISA.

J.O.U.R.N.A.L. wrote:McLaren Withdraw From FOCA, "No Intention of Associating with FISA"

In a statement to the press, new McLaren team principal Ron Dennis announced that he had informed Bernie Ecclestone and the other FOCA team owners of his decision to withdraw McLaren from the constructor's association with immediate effect. He confirmed that this decision would not see McLaren move towards the FISA bloc but instead being independent from either faction.

"We have found effective manufacturer associations that will permit Marlboro Team McLaren to operate as a fully independent entity within the sport," Dennis explained, "therefore freeing our operational procedure from political necessities that may not actually serve our organisational targets."

Bernard C. Ecclestone wrote: ‘Independent’… my arse. If you’re not with us, you’re against us.

Formula One World Championship 1981 rules wrote:1.3.4.1 Constructors entered into the 1981 Formula One World Championship may only compete in Championship events sanctioned by FISA.
1.3.4.2 FISA will not sanction any non-championship Formula One events.

Autosport wrote:Balestre: No non-championship races
FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre confirmed that non-championship races will not be a staple of the Formula One calendar in 1980 for the first year since the category's inception. Speaking in Paris, Balestre reiterated that the terms all teams agreed to when registering for the 1980 Formula One World Championship outlaw non-championship events.

Motorsport Magazine wrote:BRDC Int'l Trophy Thrown Into Doubt
With FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre confirming the prohibition of non-championship events, this year's running of the BRDC International Trophy may not go ahead as planned. Despite this, the BRDC have insisted that the event will "go ahead as planned", with tickets currently on sale. The event is scheduled to be held between the Mexican and San Marino Grands Prix on 18th June.

Guy Ligier wrote:What is this non championship races bullshit? You know how hard it is for us FISA teams to get a proper income. You don't see how all of us are struggling to keep up with FOCA teams? Guess we should reconsider our loyalties, perhaps...

Autosport wrote:BRDC International Trophy declared "unsanctioned pirate race"
In the latest twist in the Formula One paddock, FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre stated that the BRDC International Trophy is a "pirate race" and will not be sanctioned by FISA.

Furthermore, the FISA President also declared that any teams that take place in the event will be disqualified from the Formula One World Championship.

Autosport wrote:BRDC Int'l Trophy to run as Formula Libre event
After pressure from sponsors, the BRDC have announced that the International Trophy will go ahead as a Formula Libre event and not a Formula One race. In response to allegations that this was a political move to defy FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre, a spokesperson said that "[The BRDC's] hands were tied with sponsorship contracts".

Autosport wrote:While the BRDC International Trophy was of happenings at Silverstone, the eagle-eyed may have noticed a particular omission from the FOCA-led lineup.

One source states that on the weekend of 17-18 June, Ken Tyrrell, several staff and both drivers were present at the headquarters of an undisclosed car company regarding its future plans. Whether this was indeed the case or it's yet another journalistic canard, we're yet to discover.

Stay tuned for more news from the 1980 Formula One season!

Autosport wrote:Jones: Aggressive Defending Cost Me Win

World Champion Alan Jones had to settle for second in last weekend's San Marino Grand Prix after a race-long tussle with Williams team-mate Gilles Villeneuve. However, after the race, the Australian appeared to accuse Villeneuve of dangerous driving.

"There were a few times where I had a run on [Villeneuve] and he cut across to block me" said Jones. "It's quite aggressive driving really... not only did it cost me the win, but it could have ended up letting down Frank [Williams] and the rest of the team".

Heading into the French Grand Prix Jones trails Villeneuve by 8 points in the World Championship, with Brabham driver Nelson Piquet in between them.

Auto Racing Sporting Enquirer wrote:New engine supplier for F1?

According to this author's sources, a leading F1 team has grown unsatisfied with their engine supplier and are on the verge of bringing a big-name international car manufacturer into the sport. article obscured by oil