The Motorsport Thread

[BagJob]

That new qualifiying system sounds complicated.

As I understand it, drivers who are in the top ten are allowed to top up by the amount of fuel they used in the final 20 minute session. This means that the fuel they start the race with will be the same amount of fuel they started the final qualifiying with...but! If they do a lap during that session that is over 110% of the time of their fastest lap then they are docked some fuel, an amount the FIA call 'litres per lap'. Presumably that rule doesn't apply to 'in' and 'out' laps although it doesn't say.

Tyre changes during the race are back in and drivers qualifiying outside the top 10 can refuel before the race as they wish.

[Lu tze]

Isn't she slowly dying from hepatitis, because she refused treatment?

I'd make a pun pointing out that the word 'hepatitis' contains the word 'tit', but firstly it's not funny when you think about it and secondly, I'm sure it's been done before. Many many times.

Purely for educational purposes. She has Hepatitis C. She is not dying from Hepatitis C. She has chosen to decline combination therapy of Ribavirin and Alpha Interferon because the side effects of treatment are not pleasant and as she is symptom free at the moment and evidently has suffered little liver damage as yet, and until fibrosis or the formation of scar tissue in the liver has advanced to a stage whereby permanent damage (cirrhosis) is imminent then she must feel that the interuption to her career outweighs the benefit of treatment just yet.
Depending on the genotype of the virus, she will have to undergo between six months and 48 weeks of treatment under the current regime but may be waiting for improvements in treatment techniques in the future.

Hepatitis C is only transferable through blood to blood contact.
It's most common route of transmission is blood transfusion or needle sharing.
Sex is extremely unlikely to be a transmission route.
Treatment has, on average around a 80% success rate depending on severety of damage already existing in the liver.

[TOCMFIC]

The new qualifying rules are cool, but overly complicated because Max is an arse.

From watching the ITV preview show (god I love bit torrent), everyone is on track for the first 15 minutes. This will easily be the highlight I think as 20 cars fight on track. It's gonna be madness! Can't wait:)

Then the slowest six are booted. So that'll leave us with 16 cars. Then another 15 minutes of madness. Then another 6 are booted, leaving ten. THEN THE TIMES ARE RESET. Then the final ten have 20 minutes to set a time. This is going to lead to some weirdness as, the way I see it, a driver could set a time SLOWER than the person in 11th place, and still be tenth. When it comes to reading the results online or in the paper, it's going to be massively confusing.

There is this weirdness with the fuel. The way I read it when I saw it in F1 magazine or somewhere is whatever fuel they use in the final top ten shootout, they can replace.

They should just drop the whole idea, and do what they do in Aussie V8 Supercar (pretty much the best racing series on Earth IMO. The Bathurst 1000 last year was the greatest race I've ever seen in ANY series.) They  have a regular qualifying session. Due to the size of the field, it's actually split into two different sessions, with half the field in each one. Then once both sessions are done, they do a top ten shootout which is pretty much the same as single lap qualifying in F1 was. This sets the top ten.

Now in F1, there's the treasured TV window of an hour. So they could either run a half hour session, then have the top ten do their thing. Or not televise the 60 minute session, or have morning practice set the times, then run the top ten shootout for the TV audience. Having ten drivers go out, they could space them better, giving more time for ad breaks so we didn't miss anything etc... Plus it would eliminate the "Oh good grief, like I care where the Jordan qualifies", since you know that, slow or not, every car you see is at the sharp end.

Max said a few years ago, when they said about introducing various touring car style rules "This isn's touring car, it's the pinnacle" yada yada yada. Yet they keep fucking with the format of qualifying. I can't remember if it was David Richards or someone else, but someone suggest having two short sprint races with reversed grids to set the grid for the race. I think that'd be fantastic. I mean in most touring car series, they have a sprint race which sets the grid for the longer race. European Touring Car reversed the top 8 on the grid (so the winner starts 8th, second place 7th etc...) And I think BTCC did it with reversing the top ten. (Don't remember for sure.) I just think it's about time Max realised that a lot of series are making inroads (Aussie V8's for example had their first overseas event last year, in China) and F1 has to compete. They need to think (and I hate to use the phrase) outside the box to make the show interesting. While this new qualifying format is certainly unique, is it really going to lead to anything interesting come race day? I mean the whole point of qualifying is ridiculous if you think about it. "Let's put the cars in order of fastest to slowest, then complain about the lack of overtaking."

Just my two cents. My wife thinks I should try and become head of the FIA:)

I should really start my website up again, but I'd have to build an audience from scratch again, and that depresses me...

[BagJob]

Well it was a great race today. That second pit stop for Alonso was awesome. I didn't think he had any chance whatsoever of leap-frogging schumi. Brundle was saying how Schumacher was doing the fastest sector times and you could see Alonso in traffic, waving his arm around like a Spainiard in traffic. I was thinking Schumacher would probably extend his lead by a couple of seconds if anything then they come out the pits side by side and Alfonso nips in front. Superb stuff.

Raikkonen shat all over Montoya from a great height by finishing third, Button looks like he has a realistic chance of pinching his first win this season. Good to see the Torro Rosso going well and pissing all the other teams off in the process. Would be funny if they could win a race at one of the quick circuits like Monza, although realistically they won't. Massa made a clumsy mistake but I think he'll be able to challenge Schumacher at some races. In all a great race and now I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season.

[TOCMFIC]

Just got done watching the race. Holy crap, what a great race. Whatever it is, whether it's the tyres, the V8's or whatever, if the first race is any gauge, it's gonna be a good season.

Awesome drive from Fernando. Really put Scum in his place coming out the pits.

I'm a big Montoya fan, but Raikkonen owned his ass in spectacular fashion.

And Nico! Fucking hell! There's a future champ!

[TOCMFIC]

Oh yeah, and what the fuck... Toyota... Half a billion dollars for that! That was the most pathetic performance I've ever seen from a team with anywhere close to that budget. Absolutely pitiful.

Apparently there's gonna be an "inquest" into it. An inquest? I think they should be holding a wake...

[BagJob]

Oh yeah, and what the fuck... Toyota... Half a billion dollars for that! That was the most pathetic performance I've ever seen from a team with anywhere close to that budget. Absolutely pitiful.

On the one hand I feel sorry for them, but then I remind myself that these are the people who employ Ralf Schumacher.

Was a good debut from Nico "Martin's driver of the day" Rosberg. The fact that he got fastest lap was the most impressive thing and bodes well for Williams and Cosworth.

[TOCMFIC]

Well Cossie have the most horses in their engine right now. 800 by some reckoning. Compare that to the Merc's, which is believed to be one of the weakest, down at 750 or so.

As for Toyota, I don't feel sorry at all. If they can spend half a billion and only do that, they have no right to be in F1. Williams are a privateer now, running a customer engine, and both drivers scored points. There's no excuse for being so pathetic. Perhaps it's a hard time adjusting to the Bridgestone tyres (they did have some trouble in winter testing) but honestly, that was atrocious.

And to think I thought Super Aguri were going to be the joke team. (Albeit Ide did try to kill his pitcrew...)

[gazzyk1ns]

Just saw the highllights - great Allen moment when Massa spun within inches of Alonso, who had to slam on the brakes and weave around him instinctively - "He'll have definitely lost some time there." Yeah, cheers for that James. It's strange though, he never realy irritated me before everyone started going on about it. Maybe I was just ignoring him, I dunno.

What were the lap times like in comparison to last year's? They never got around to saying in the highlights. Less power vs. changeable tyres... about the same? Slightly faster?

[Ambient Sheep]

What were the lap times like in comparison to last year's? They never got around to saying in the highlights. Less power vs. changeable tyres... about the same? Slightly faster?

About a second or two slower I think.  That's what they said in the early stages anyway, don't know if that was still true later on when fuel loads got burnt off a bit and tyres settled in.

A lot of the speed clawback is not so much due to the changeable tyres (although that is a factor, and the only one that James bothered to mention), but mostly due to the cars now being quite a lot slimmer, neater at the back and thus more aerodynamically efficient.

Why are they slimmer?  Well, 'cos the V8 engine being smaller means that the rear of the car can narrow in a lot sooner; the fact that it needs less cooling means that the sidepods (where the radiators live) can be smaller - this is quite visible on most of the cars; and the fact that it needs less fuel means the fuel tank (which lives between the engine and driver) can be smaller too, so the engine can be a bit further forward, thus further helping the aerodynamic packaging at the rear.  (This is one reason the front wings on the cars are so utterly mental this year, by the way, because they have to try and balance the improved aero at the back with equal amounts of aero at the front.)

There's also something else about them optimising the aerodynamics for minimum drag rather than maximum downforce this year.  I'm not sure I have this 100% straight, but it's along the lines of...given that they have 200 less bhp, and also less torque, they don't NEED quite so much sticking power to keep the thing on the road and stop the wheels spinning, so they've designed the aero to be more about low-drag than max-downforce, which is another reason the speeds aren't so far off this year.  In previous years they'd sacrifice some of their potential straight-line speed in order to get more downforce to help the cars stick round corners.  If that makes sense.

Talking of wings and aero, I meant to bung this up earlier - apparently there are grumblings about the legality of Ferrari's rear wing...but since the FIA have apparently pronounced the way it flexes as "legal", looks like everyone will be rushing to copy it...


By the way, I agree that it's absolutely hilarious about Toyota.  All that bragging about being the first out with their new car last November, then their brand-new aero package coming out a couple of weeks ago, and it completely fucks up.  But then, as BagJob said, this IS the team that employs Ralf Schumacher.

[gazzyk1ns]

... the fact that it needs less cooling means that the sidepods (where the radiators live) can be smaller - this is quite visible on most of the cars;

Yeah, I noticed it - on some, they seem to wane to almost nothing as you get further to the base of the car. I'd not made the connection to the switch to the smaller engine (I knew they were moving from V10s to V8s, but didn't realise until the highlights tonight that the reduction in displacement was so drastic) though, I assumed it was simply part of the latest aero-fad. Makes a lot of sense. Heh, I told you I was a depressingly casual fan :)

There's also something else about them optimising the aerodynamics for minimum drag rather than maximum downforce this year...

Yes, the ITV highlights did point that out (although I had to infer the additional stuff you typed, which I've not quoted... you know how dumbed-down it is). I suppose it's just an exaggeration of them having the multi-foil rear wing, with loads of guerny* flaps, at Monaco; compared with the minimal rear wing at Monza? I mean, obviously in the past they were deliberately going for the straightline speed at the expense of some cornering grip, whereas now they're simply able to capitalise on the reduced downforce demands, but the principle is the same, isn't it? Yes it is, in a way, I've just tied myself into several knots and not been coherent. Bed.

*I don't know how to spell that, and wiki wasn't forthcoming. I think they got banned a season or two ago, too, didn't they?

[TOCMFIC]

I believe you spell it Gurney, just like Dan.

I guarantee by the end of the season, they'll have clawed back a second of the lost time with aero.

As for the Fezza wing, would need to see onboard shots from it to see if it flexed. On the US coverage, there was some debate over the legality of Renault's mirrors believe it not. Charlie Whiting, FIA technical delegate (and Ferrari's bitch I have to say) tends to frown upon anything on the car that flexes, and if you watch the mirror on the Renault, they REALLY do. Of course they provide no addition to grip, and are a safety device, but they really do flex like crazy.

Still a great race. Will be downloading a copy of it to burn to DVD for posterity. I think it was the best season opener since 1989 when Nige won in his first Fezza outing.

For those into older F1, the legendary movie "Grand Prix" is coming out on DVD in September! About fucking time!

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It's standard practice for teams to set up the spare car for the number 1 driver but anyone else reckon that Renault's is just set up for Fisichella?

If there's one thing drivers should learn, it's don't be the number 2 driver for Briatore. Verstappen, Herbert, Button, Trulli, Fisichella all mysteriously had very bad luck under him- regular car failures and bad set up.

[TOCMFIC]

The spare car usually alternates unless there's an explicit contractual number one in the team. I would think Renault's alternates. Ferrari's obviously doesn't:) In fact if I recall, it's actually written into Schumacher's contract.

Speaking of the kraut bastard, what does everyone reckon he's going to do at the end of the year? Opinion seems split between retirement, and a stint with another team. (I think everyone agrees that he's done with Ferrari. At least from what I've been reading around and about.)

[TOCMFIC]

Oh fuck... I just read the news that the press are reporting that Scum has signed for two more years with Fezza...

Cock... Guess he's going to finish raping the sport and steal the "oldest bastard to ever win" award from... Well let's say Fangio...

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Don't be sad. It'll be amusing watching Alonso, Raikkonen and Button gradually become better than him as his ability wanes. I personally think he'll call it a day before it becomes too obvious rather than struggle on. He may have another season after this one but no more than that. Much as I dislike him, it's important to have a bad guy- when he goes I'll need someone else I want to lose. Perhaps it'll be Alonso- metronomic and treats other drivers like idiots when he's out there. He's more likeable as a person than Raikkonen but then Kimi turns into someone else when he's in a car.

[BagJob]

Wow! What a spectacularly dull race the Malaysian GP turned out to be.

It could've been a decent race but for too many engine failures and the actions of Klein.  Don't think I'll bother watching the repeat for this one.

Barricello was woeful again. Montoya below par and again, Button just didn't have the race pace to challenge for the win. Still, it was good to see Massa coming from the back of the grid to beat Schumacher.

[TOCMFIC]

Don't be sad. It'll be amusing watching Alonso, Raikkonen and Button gradually become better than him as his ability wanes.

Since he got owned by Massa in Malaysia, I wonder if that'll come sooner:)

Yes, Malaysia was dull. I actually watched it live, which given the timezone differences, it's one about 4-5 races I watch live. Had to be a lemon didn't it.

Bored to see Fisichella win as I don't rate him. What is it with drivers winning after losing someone close to them? Berger did it when his Dad died. Schumacher did it when his mum died. Now Fisi did it when a close friend died. Apparently death is a motivator to win races...

I can't take any enjoyment from the race. My favourite team had two engine failures. (Williams.) Despite not being a fan of Jenson I was hoping he'd win, but he failed as always.

After the excitement of Bahrain, it was crap. It was like the end of the season last year. You had a fantastic race in Japan, then a piss poor one in China.

And that Ferrari wing looks illegal to me. Moveable aerodynamic devices are illegal. It's an aerodynamic device and it moves. Fuck Charlie Whiting for dragging his heels.

[PAGATRON]

Take a look at this

your welcome to FLAME me if you've seen this before.

[Ambient Sheep]

Wow, no I hadn't.  Great stuff.

[BagJob]

Looks like something from the old Arrows team. Presumably the people standing so close are already deaf or have serveraly limited hearing (especially that idiot on right of screen who is the only one without fingers in ears). Otherwise I don't see (or hear) how they could stand so close with out wearing huge industrial ear defenders.

Anyway thanks for posting the clip - shows how hot an engine runs. Am I right in thinking that F1 engines can't be started from cold? I remember reading something about how they have to pump boiling water round the cooling system for several hours just to get the thing warm enough to start. Perhaps someone with more technical knowledge can elaborate.

[PAGATRON]

I thought it was the the opposite I'm sure I've seen the Williams guys put ice in the raidators before a start of a race.

But that clip is impressive sets my mind back to the Turbo era with flame constantly coming out the back of cars to think they stay that hot for around an hour.

[Timmay]

Holy FUCK! Those exhausts were getting red hot!! Definately time to heed the advice to not open the radiator cap when the engine's warm.

[Ambient Sheep]

You're both right.  They do have to do some sort of complicated heating thing to get them started - at room temperature the tolerances don't match and the pistons wouldn't move (or would move very nastily and terminally).  I only read that about three years ago myself, and I was absolutely amazed.

But equally, once the cars have been driven round the circuit and then parked up on the grid, they need to put dry ice in the radiators to keep them cool enough that they don't overheat and damage.

It's probably how well done this delicate balancing act is, that determines whether or not they go Ka-Boom in the middle of a race or not.

[Lu tze]

Fuck me and Mrs Tze.
I think she may be willing to pay for Silverstone this year.

[TOCMFIC]

The guys near the engine probably had earplugs in. If you look in the pits these days, in the garages, most people have them in.

[RFT]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Tlike needs shooting for what he's done to fuji. and that it's now going to host the japanese GP? ach.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Got a circuit plan?

(I'm also unhappy about this- I love Suzuka as it makes a change from all the tracks that are Estoril/Catalunya shaped.)

[RFT]

[Ambient Sheep]

Rumour has it that Suzuka will still be on the calendar as a "Pacific" or "Asian" GP.  It just means that Honda have to pay Bernie Ecclestone a larger wodge for having it on the calendar, that's all.