The FIA have done a dramatic U-Turn just nine days before the start of the 2009 F1 Season. FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) sent out a statement saying the FIA’s actions were illegal as any new regulations needed to be unanimously agreed by all teams entered into the 2009 Formula One World Championship. A number of high profile driver including McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Renaults Fernando Alonso spoke out against the most races wins takes the championship rule change. This doesn’t mean that it won’t happen, it just means that it won’t happen in the upcoming season but the plans are now earmarked for introduction from 2010 when the budget cap is supposed to come into force. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that one shouted down before the start of the 2010 season as well. Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley have all but loss the faith of FOTA and many are calling for both of Formula 1’s head honchos to retire! In testing news, Ross Brawn’s new F1 team is still exceeding expectations at the top of the timesheets, even Williams got in on the action, Kazuki Nakajima setting the fasting lap of the week beating Jenson Button’s time of 1:17.844 by almost 4/10ths of a second on the final day of testing. While McLaren improved massively on day four of testing to post their first time in the 1 minute 17 second bracket in the hands of Heikki Kovalainen. No-one knows how Ferrari compares as they have been testing privately but I expect them to be quick, how quick we won’t know until next weekend in Melbourne, hopefully they won’t be so fast they run away and hide!
Plymouth Argyle are now in serious danger of relegation after their 9th home defeat of the season to Burnley. The visitors beat The Pilgrims 1 – 2 to demote Plymouth to 21st just two points off the relegation zone. Plymouth have a very rough run in to the end of the season and need to beat Blackpool and Barnsley to have any chance of survival this season and hopefully picking up some stray points here and there. I believe that regardless of whether we get relegated or not, manager Paul Sturrock’s position has become untenable and needs to leave voluntarily at the end of the season as I doubt that Paul Stapleton will give him the boot as they are such good friends. I simply don’t believe that Sturrock is the manager he was when he lead us to successive promotions. A shake up is definitely needed at Home Park as things aren’t good!
