Formula 1 Thread

#201
#201
Laura said:
How so? That is exactly what happens race after race. :snoring: :snoring: :snoring:
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Not true. We've had four race winners this year, and up until the the last two races, an extremely close log jam of the four drivers at the top of the points. Hamilton has pulled away a bit, but these things are cyclical. I don't expect Ferrari is sitting on their hands giving up.
 
#204
#204
Godfatha said:
By the way, happy to see an F1 thread and at least a fan or two here in the forums. I usually hang around the F1live.com forums during quali to get some F1 conversation.
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Oh yeah, there's a few of us around here!

I just started watching F1 this year and am still in the learning process. doozer and hohen are your more experienced F1 fans around here.
hohenfelsvol said:
Tiddy - Interesting youtube video of Sabine Schmitz who drove around Nurburgring quicker in a cargo van then most could do in a sports car. Thought you might like:

YouTube - Top Gear Ford Transit Nurburgring
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That sounds sweet... but having dialup, I fear it'd never load for me being 8+ minutes long. :banghead2: Thanks, though!
 
#205
#205
tidwell said:
Oh yeah, there's a few of us around here!

I just started watching F1 this year and am still in the learning process. doozer and hohen are your more experienced F1 fans around here.

That sounds sweet... but having dialup, I fear it'd never load for me being 8+ minutes long. :banghead2: Thanks, though!
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Next time you are on someone else's computer with DSL go to you tube and type in her name. Fun to watch.
 
#206
#206
The latest chapter in the Alonso/Hamilton non-saga... they will not speak about each other unless the other is present. :wacko: Seems a bit silly, but the reasoning makes sense...

"We get on really well," said Hamilton when asked to put the record straight at a news conference organised by sponsor Vodafone.

"Obviously him being Spanish, the media in Spain are trying to twist things and I think its the same with the British media," he said.

"We are very, very supportive of each other. Obviously we are very competitive, we both want to win but we have a great deal of respect for each other," he added. "We've never had a fallout.

"Even after I won at the weekend, he came up afterwards and said congratulations.

"It's just at the moment we feel it's better if we speak about each other when we are both there because he can read something in the papers that someone might have twisted that I have said," added Hamilton.
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autosport.com - F1 News: Hamilton, Alonso form pact of silence
 
#207
#207
Allowing flexi-wings and more on the proposed 2011 regulations...

The FIA is considering a radical plan to allow flexi wings in Formula One if teams reject its push for a standard chassis in the future, autosport.com has learned.
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This makes it sound like the F1 Car of Tomorrow...

As well as that, the FIA wants an overhaul of car regulations too. The governing body has made no secret of the fact that it believes a standard chassis would be the best way of reducing costs and improving the show.

"We believe that a standard chassis is the best solution," wrote Mosley in his letter. "The competition would then be between drivers armed with rival, fuel-efficient drive trains but otherwise in equal cars. Painted differently and with different sponsors, the cars would look as different as they do today to anyone but an expert.

"But if the teams want to continue to make individual chassis, we need some proposals which really do meet the four agreed objectives of road-relevance, safety, cost reduction and improving the show. We also need to ensure the survival of the independent teams."

Mosley acknowledges that teams are unlikely to accept plans to adopt a standard chassis, but he believes that only a radical alternative solution will be of any benefit.

"One example of radical change would be to permit moveable aerodynamic devices," added Mosley.

"Immense time and effort is currently going into making bodywork which moves enough to enhance performance, however slightly, but not enough to excite the interest of the regulator or rival teams. This is not satisfactory; it is wasteful, expensive, ultimately pointless and contrary to sporting fairness.

"With moveable aero devices, both active and passive, designers would have an incentive to build a car which the driver could adjust to optimise performance when following another car. This would facilitate wheel-to-wheel racing.
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autosport.com - F1 News: FIA considers freeing up aero rules
 
#208
#208
Interesting things going on at Ferrari... :ermm:

The Modena district attorney in Italy has opened criminal investigation against Ferrari stalwart Nigel Stepney, after the Maranello outfit filed a formal complaint earlier this week.

The team would not divulge the nature of their complaint or what Stepney is accused of, but a team spokesman has confirmed to autosport.com that the Briton is at the centre of investigation.

"Ferrari have taken action against Nigel Stepney, and there is now an investigation," the spokesman said, adding that Stepney is still an employee of Ferrari.

Ferrari refused to offer any additional information, saying they will refrain from making any comment on the matter while the investigation is ongoing.

Stepney had hoped to be able to take a sabbatical this year, but that request was declined by the team who instead gave him a new factory-based role.

Speaking to Autosport magazine earlier this year, he said: "I am looking at spending a year away from Ferrari.

"I'm not currently happy with the situation within the team - I really want to move forward with my career and that's something that's not happening right now.

"Ideally, I'd like to move into a new environment here at Ferrari - but if an opportunity arose with another team, I would definitely consider it."
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Rumours over the last 48 hours have hinted at a possible sabotage attempt on Ferrari's cars prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, although this has not been confirmed by the team.

But Stepney's lawyer Luca Brezigher told Gazzetta dello Sport that he was unaware of what the legal enquiry was looking into.

"I can only say with certainty that Stepney is formally investigated, but the charge against him at the moment is rather unspecified," he said.

"From what I've learned, many types of offences can be identified, such as aggravated damage or sporting fraud, but I'd rule out sabotage.

Stepney has been uncontactable and is believed to be away on holiday at the moment.

Brezigher, who confirmed that Stepney's apartment in Serramazzoni had been searched, said that he expected the investigation to last at least one year before any formal charges were considered.
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autosport.com - F1 News: Ferrari's Stepney faces criminal enquiry
autosport.com - F1 News: Stepney lawyer rules out sabotage claims
 
#209
#209
These 'Paddock Life' articles from each GP are pretty good...

There were also a few tales to tell - not least for Anthony 'Boy Scout' Davidson who got propositioned in his car at some lights by a very large local.

The guy leaned over to the car's window and said to the Super Aguri driver and his passenger, team truckie Barney Downer: "Can I get inside you boy scouts tonight?"

The pair made a very sharp exit. But the nickname has now stuck.
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:eek:hmy:

Robert Kubica was not the only absentee from the BMW Sauber team at the United States Grand Prix.

Kubica's race engineer Mehdi Ahmady is half Iranian, and America's political issues with the Middle Eastern country meant he was not granted a visa to get into the country. US immigration had little sympathy with what Ahmady had been through in Canada, or that he was clearly only coming to Indianapolis to do his job.
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Geez... :blink:

autosport.com - the Daily Grapevine: F1: Paddock Life - Indy edition
 
#210
#210
Stepney speaks!

The Briton is currently on holiday in the Philippines with his family and told The Sunday Times that he was confident he would be cleared of all allegations against him.

"I have confidence I'll be cleared by the legal process that is now taking place," he said. "It is just part of a dirty tricks campaign and everything is in the hands of my lawyer, so we'll wait and see what happens."
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autosport.com - F1 News: Stepney says he has done nothing wrong
 
#211
#211
tidwell said:
Allowing flexi-wings and more on the proposed 2011 regulations...

This makes it sound like the F1 Car of Tomorrow...

autosport.com - F1 News: FIA considers freeing up aero rules
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While I think it would improve racing, I would hate to see F1 turn into a spec series. Part of the fun of it is seeing how the teams approach the aero differently. Now if the back marker teams wanted to share technology, or if the top teams wanted to provide a customer chassis, I would not be against that.
 
#212
#212
Yeah, the manufacturer battles is another great thing about F1.

Some of the smaller teams already get engines from the larger teams (How long has that been going on? Forever?), I'd imagine chassis would be the next step? Although I'm like you, I wouldn't want to see that, on any level.
 
#213
#213
More (detailed) news about the 2011 regulations. Looks like they scrapped the common chassis idea.

With an initial idea for a standard chassis having now been abandoned, with only an FIA-supplied floor now being considered, earlier plans to allow moveable aerodynamic devices are now being put in place.

An FIA document, detailing the progress of the work on framing chassis rules, said: "Front and rear wing settings maybe electronically controlled, but within set limits defined from time to time by the FIA.

"This is to allow much reduced drag along the straights to improve fuel efficiency and yet retain the downforce required around corners, under braking and under acceleration so as to retain overall lap times. Failsafe design, as used on aircraft, will be mandated."
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They're really pushing for the flexi-wings, along with... in race ride height adjustments. :wacko:

But more radical than that proposal is one to make it mandatory for the ride height of the car to be adjusted during races to ensure that cars can easily overtake their rivals.

The document added: "A turbulence sensor complete with an aircraft type back up system (for robustness) will be supplied by the FIA.

"When travelling in high turbulence levels such as those generated by the close presence of a leading car, the ride height of the car, both front and rear, must be altered in response to the output of this sensor (within a set range, at a set rate, and with appropriate hysteresis, determined from time to time by the FIA) to compensate for the degradation in performance.

In free stream the car is to return to a baseline ride height. The purpose is to allow for full compensation for downforce losses due to being in the wake of another car."
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autosport.com - F1 News: FIA presses ahead with flexi wing idea

That link shows several of the proposed regulations as well as proposed cost reductions.

Link to the full documents of the regulations: Formula One 2011: Regulatory framework discussion documents
 
#215
#215
#216
#216
Hamilton was the fastest in the final practice before qualifying, just clear of Massa.

Alonso was all he way down in 8th after only getting to run the final two minutes... McLarens have had a couple of problems this weekend after being so reliable all year so far...

Qualifying starts in a few minutes on Speed and should be good with the top two teams looking as close as they've been in a few races. :rock2:

autosport.com - F1 News: Hamilton fastest in third practice - France
 
#217
#217
Well.. once qualifying is over, we'll know the winner of the race tomorrow. :birgits_giggle:
 
#218
#218
:p

Massa wins the pole by .070 seconds over Hamilton.... looks like Ferrari really is back. Raikkonen qualified third.

Alonso didn't even complete a lap in Q3 before having engine problems. Not sure if he'll have to change it yet and start 20th, but not good either way.

Good chance of rain tomorrow apparently, so that'll make things even more interesting all through the field.

autosport.com - F1 News: Massa beats Hamilton to France pole
 
#219
#219
Turns out Alonso only had gearbox problems and will retain his 10th place starting position.

There was some concern that Nick Heidfeld would have to miss the race tomorrow due to back pain. He quit practice early yesterday, but he's apparently fine for tomorrow after getting checked out this morning.

Possible reason Ferrari has slowed off of McLaren's pace the last few races; their wind tunnel was shut down two months ago.

The Maranello-based tunnel - one of the oldest in Formula One - was brought to a standstill by a fault in the rolling road two months ago. And with no second facility to fall back on, the team had to stop work until the problem was rectified.

Ferrari claim the age of their wind tunnel was not a factor in its malfunction

Costa added: "In terms of the failure, I have to say that we analysed the structure of the wind tunnel to see whether the problem was due to the fact that it was an older one, and I can tell you that that was not the case," he said.
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autosport.com - F1 News: Ferrari: no plans to replace wind tunnel
 
#220
#220
[Rant on]Tomorrow's French GP begins at 8AM EST. Instead of showing it live on Speed, it will be tape delayed until 1PM EST on FOX. Is it so bad to show the race live? Sure, it's a better, more convenient time for everyone on this side of the world, but I'd like to see the freakin' race LIVE. They showed qualifying live for goodness sake. I'll have to avoid virtually every motorsports website that I frequent tomorrow morning as to not see how the race turned out. This is ridiculous.[/Rant off]
 
#221
#221
tidwell said:
[Rant on]Tomorrow's French GP begins at 8AM EST. Instead of showing it live on Speed, it will be tape delayed until 1PM EST on FOX. Is it so bad to show the race live? Sure, it's a better, more convenient time for everyone on this side of the world, but I'd like to see the freakin' race LIVE. They showed qualifying live for goodness sake. I'll have to avoid virtually every motorsports website that I frequent tomorrow morning as to not see how the race turned out. This is ridiculous.[/Rant off]
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word.
 
#222
#222
tidwell said:
[Rant on]Tomorrow's French GP begins at 8AM EST. Instead of showing it live on Speed, it will be tape delayed until 1PM EST on FOX. Is it so bad to show the race live? Sure, it's a better, more convenient time for everyone on this side of the world, but I'd like to see the freakin' race LIVE. They showed qualifying live for goodness sake. I'll have to avoid virtually every motorsports website that I frequent tomorrow morning as to not see how the race turned out. This is ridiculous.[/Rant off]
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:birgits_giggle:
 
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