FIA Formula Two / FIA F2 - 2012 Season

[jondownunder]

8 confirmed so far:

Luciano Bacheta
Parthiva Sureshwaren
David Zhu
Plamen Kralev
Alex Fontana
Daniel McKenzie
Markus Pommer
Hector Hurst

For someone so PR savvy as Jonathan Palmer, I'm surprised to see a porn site sponsoring Pommer's car! - http://www.formulatwo.com/2012-drive...us-pommer.aspx

[Thundersports]

They need at least 15 to make any sense of it I can see this going the same way as Formula Renault...........

[JackN]

There's going to be a pretty strong/large entry list for the preseason test at Silverstone next Wednesday. And there are some decent drivers waiting in the wings.

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by JackN

There's going to be a pretty strong/large entry list for the preseason test at Silverstone next Wednesday. And there are some decent drivers waiting in the wings.

They're going to need to otherwise we could have British FF, BF3, Euro F3 and FIA F2 struggling to get grids into double figures (not to mention FRUK already cancelled). That would surely be unprecedented?

Pommer's sponsor is certainly interesting. I'm surprised that the FIA have allowed it. If you look in MSA regulations sponsors of that sort have to be approved by the governing body. Still, he was pretty quick at the Barcelona test for someone who has only finished 7th in German F3. He was (and Jack will correct me on this) nearly four tenths quicker than McKenzie.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by barnettracing

Pommer's sponsor is certainly interesting. I'm surprised that the FIA have allowed it. If you look in MSA regulations sponsors of that sort have to be approved by the governing body.

Advertising of that sort or website is not allowed to be televised in the UK even after the "watershed" of 9 pm. which will make live coverage of Silverstone interesting.

One complaint to Ofcom and there will be trouble. I know quite a few people who will delight in getting such an offensive service removed from his car.

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

Advertising of that sort or website is not allowed to be televised in the UK even after the "watershed" of 9 pm. which will make live coverage of Silverstone interesting.

One complaint to Ofcom and there will be trouble. I know quite a few people who will delight in getting such an offensive service removed from his car.

Yeah, I hadn't thought about the broadcasting terms. Saying that, whenever you watch motor racing on TV recognising sponsors is very hard unless their logo is literally plastered all over the car.

Also, how many people are really going to be watching the F2 round on British TV? I'm joking Jack, I'm joking...

[Valker]

I find i quite amusing that Pommer had the same sponsor two seasons in ATS F3 Cup and it never was an issue. But now he's in a British series it's suddenly something unbelievable. Cultural differences, huh?

btw, There's also a Nürburgring 24h team called Live-Strip.com Racing...

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by Valker

I find i quite amusing that Pommer had the same sponsor two seasons in ATS F3 Cup and it never was an issue. But now he's in a British series it's suddenly something unbelievable. Cultural differences, huh

I suppose it is a British-administered series but it's more that, by bringing Live-Strip.com to an FIA championship, it has given them a broader audience. I made no fuss about them in German F3 because I didn't know Pommer was sponsored by them then, it's not really a cultural differences thing.

Personally I find it quite funny, especially as I can imagine what Palmer's reaction was.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by Valker

I find i quite amusing that Pommer had the same sponsor two seasons in ATS F3 Cup and it never was an issue. But now he's in a British series it's suddenly something unbelievable. Cultural differences, huh?

btw, There's also a Nürburgring 24h team called Live-Strip.com Racing...

I find it funny too! Personally I don't mind if Pommer has half the Reeperbahn advertising on his car but UK television is heavily regulated, unlike newspapers, magazines and of course the Internet.

I might be wrong, but I suspect just one complaint to our regulatory body, will have consequences, especially for the broadcaster. Cultural differences? Yes, the UK TV regulators are very conservative, and we have a massive debate taking place at the moment over the ethics of media owners. In that context I see trouble ahead......

[bella]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

I might be wrong, but I suspect just one complaint to our regulatory body, will have consequences, especially for the broadcaster. Cultural differences? Yes, the UK TV regulators are very conservative, and we have a massive debate taking place at the moment over the ethics of media owners. In that context I see trouble ahead......

without wanting to go too off topic, we are and we aren't conservative. remember we've shown same-sex relationships for a long while, and we explore a lot of taboo issues on primetime viewing. just because historically we don't support the table dancing and shady industries doesn't mean we're conservative. remember nonsense like babestation exists on free to air television thanks to them being registered in the netherlands rather than the uk.

personally i think it's immensly negative for any of msv's brands to be associated with an adult industry. i mean, look at what this is going to do to their google searches alone.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by bella

personally i think it's immensly negative for any of msv's brands to be associated with an adult industry. i mean, look at what this is going to do to their google searches alone.

I agree.

I didn't say "we" are conservative as a nation, but that Ofcom is conservative by nature. It can only regulate what is within it's jurisdiction, so Babestation is not whereas Silverstone may well be. We'll see.

Editorial programmes can get away with a lot that would be banned in an advertisement.

[bella]

well, even then i think ofcom is fairly broadminded in a lot of aspects. if they weren't, the first same sex kiss between the guys in eastenders back yonder in the dim and distant 90s before the watershed wouldn't have been allowed. but i happen to agree with the stance on bringing that sort of industry into the public domain.

fwiw there's all sorts of scantily clad ladies at tuning shows and they get away with it. do they need any sorts of warning about adult material on the tickets?

(this is all a storm in a teacup but it says a lot that a sponsor causes more discussion than the driving talent, doesn't it?)

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by bella

fwiw there's all sorts of scantily clad ladies at tuning shows and they get away with it. do they need any sorts of warning about adult material on the tickets?

(this is all a storm in a teacup but it says a lot that a sponsor causes more discussion than the driving talent, doesn't it?)

I am all for bringing difficult issues into the public domain. I am old enough to remember a pal and wartime ex-platoon member of my father hanging himself in 1961 because of difficulties in coming to terms with his homosexuality.

Yes it's a storm in a teacup! But I am probably unusual in that I cringe when I see the victors of Grands Prix paraded up the steps of the podium next to a posse of scantily dressed grid girls. The whole sport really ought to move on and get over all this rubbish.

What will they do if Maria wins a race? Employ a troop of Dreamboys?

Anyway back on topic lol

[bella]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

Yes it's a storm in a teacup! But I am probably unusual in that I cringe when I see the victors of Grands Prix paraded up the steps of the podium next to a posse of scantily dressed grid girls. The whole sport really ought to move on and get over all this rubbish.

i don't mind so long as they're dressed in a classy manner - i think it's the spanish who have astoundingly beautiful girls (and some nice looking boys) in polo shirts and shorts? that's fine, that's attractive people representing a branding, the photographers love it and the brand itself comes out looking good. the f2 grid girls are nice too (see how i brought that back on topic there? ), pretty girls in nice dresses.

whats wrong is when you have a size 10 girl wearing size 8 lycra in six inches of makeup and ten inches of plastic heels handing out leaflets to kids or posing suggestively and what have you. what does that say to them?

(no disrespect to promotions girls, you ladies do an awkward job well and the vast majority of you are stunners)

/off topic

[Hawkwood]

Can Ofcom (or anyone else) do anything about Pommer's sponsor? Ofcom can't control things like Babestation much because they're Dutch registered, and this live-strip site is German (I just Googled it to find out for the purposes of this post), so surely it'd be the same problem?

Plus, this type of advertising has been in motorsport for years, though normally in Germany it seems (Playboy in DTM for example) lol

[bella]

it would depend where the tv station broadcasting aforementioned logo is based i guess - if they're uk owned then they can expect to hear from ofcom. if they're not, then the complain would have to be made to the relevant authorities in that country. the problem with boo.. babestation is that what they're doing is legal in the netherlands, though ofcom are apparently having a quiet word about it. i'm sure there's some sort of eu loophole that'll let them continue though.

[HaydenFan]

Originally Posted by Ostrogothicus

Can Ofcom (or anyone else) do anything about Pommer's sponsor? Ofcom can't control things like Babestation much because they're Dutch registered, and this live-strip site is German (I just Googled it to find out for the purposes of this post), so surely it'd be the same problem?

Plus, this type of advertising has been in motorsport for years, though normally in Germany it seems (Playboy in DTM for example) lol

Playboy Italy sponsored the LCR Honda bike for a few races in 2010 (?) in MotoGP. Had the bunnies as grid girls and everything.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by HaydenFan

Playboy Italy sponsored the LCR Honda bike for a few races in 2010 (?) in MotoGP. Had the bunnies as grid girls and everything.

I think it might be funny if Pommer wins and is interviewed by our esteemed commentator and spouts the usual media speak "Yes, my Live-Strip.com Williams performed really well today, she did everything I asked of her....."

I think Playboy has a different image? It always reminds me of extremely wealthy, rather old, gamblers with an implausibly beautiful young girl on each arm. The Pommer site by contrast is just plain seedy and exploitative, that's where they might come unstuck. I agree with Bella I'm surprised Palmer is happy with this plastered all over his car, but needs must I suppose.

[kipper]

Christopher Zanella returns for 2012. Also interesting to note that Dean Stoneman will be testing an F2 car this week.

[kipper]

In addition to the nine drivers already confirmed and Dean Stoneman's presence; the following drivers will be taking part in this week's F2 test:

James Cole
Mihai Marinescu
Kourosh Khani (formula Formula Renault BARC racer, also some appearences in Formula MRF)
Matheo Tuscher (2011 Formula Pilota China champion)
Jose Luis Abadin
Mauro Calamia (former Formula Renault Alps racer)
Dino Zamparelli (2011 Formula Renault BARC champion)
Axcil Jeffries (former Formula BMW Pacific racer)

[RF_Racer]

http://www.tsl-timing.com/f2/LiveTimingf2.html

[RF_Racer]

FIA Formula Two newcomer Markus Pommer led the way in the official pre-season test held today at Silverstone.

The German driver, who makes the step up from German F3 this season, set the fastest time in both the morning sessions at the British track. He saved his best until last though, recording the day’s quickest time in the fourth and final session.

“The car has felt fantastic all day and we’ve hardly had to make any changes,” said 21-year-old Pommer. “The morning times were really good and we could have gone quicker but we didn’t want to push too hard too soon.

“During the third session we used worn tyres and concentrated on longer, race runs which went really well and the tyres didn’t drop off at all. The final overboost session was really good too and I’m feeling confident for the season ahead.”

Pommer was 0.375 seconds clear of the rest of the field, with returning Romanian Mihai Marinescu second fastest in both the final session and the day as a whole. Luciano Bacheta was third fastest.

2011 series runner-up Christopher Zanella ended the day in fourth place, his best time coming from the day’s opening session where he was P2, just 0.012 shy of Pommer in an extremely close session that saw him, Bacheta and Marinescu all within a tenth of the pace.

The reigning Formula Pilota China champion Matheo Tuscher finished the day an impressive fifth fastest, one place ahead of fellow Swiss racer Alex Fontana. European Formula 3 Open champion Fontana was the only man to interrupt Pommer’s stranglehold on P1 by setting the pace in the third session.

Iran’s Kourosh Khani also placed well on his first appearance at an official F2 test, having been fourth quickest in the third session before setting his best time in the final session to end seventh overall.

That put him ahead of ex-Formula Renault 3.5 driver Daniel McKenzie and Dean Stoneman – who made a welcome return to the championship he won in 2010 before being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Stoneman’s result of the day was fifth, where he ended both the second and third sessions.

Zimbabwe’s Axcil Jefferies was competitive on his debut, finishing the day in tenth overall. The returning James Cole was next up, ahead of fellow Brits Hector Hurst and Dino Zamparelli. Hurst had been fourth fastest in the second session of the day, with Zamparelli going third fastest in session three.

F2, Silverstone test results – Combined times:

1. Markus Pommer, 1:48.272s
2. Mihai Marinescu, +0.375s
3. Luciano Bacheta, +0.410s
4. Christopher Zanella, +0.584s
5. Matheo Tuscher, +0.786s
6. Alex Fontana, +0.842s
7. Kourosh Khani, +0.947s
8. Daniel McKenzie, +1.033s
9. Dean Stoneman, +1.077s
10. Axcil Jefferies, +1.265s
11. James Cole, +1.314s
12. Hector Hurst, +1.331s
13. Dino Zamparelli, +1.516s
14. Plamen Kralev, +1.596s
15. Parthiva Sureshwaren, +1.842s
16. David Zhu, +1.937s
17. Jose Luis Abadin, +2.003s
18. Mauro Calamia, +2.673s

[Valker]

No big surprises but McKenzie and Kralev were faster than I expected.

[Hawkwood]

Where have Khani and Jefferies been racing?
Nice to see drivers from new countries appearing.

[MikeHoyer]

Khani has been doing BARC Formula Renault among other things for the last few years.