The 2012 Motor Racing Thread (F1 & More)

[Black Rose]

I like the British Touring Cars where for one of the 3 races in the weekend they reverse the finishing positions, so if you win in the 1st race you start from right at the back in the 2nd. Cue lots of overtaking.

 

But that's not as good at Truck racing

[Reilly]

Hi Katie.

 

But what we have to realise is that anything always gets pushed to the maximum, in this case, racing a car around a track, F1 is the culmination of pushing every technicality as far as you can go. With something so competitive surely the interesting parts to F1 aren't going to be extremely interesting, little technical and tactical shit that is actually pretty boring.

 

That said, I stopped watching this year because every race has been so fucking boring. Last year was the best season for formula 1 in a handful of years, and this year, nothings happened. I'll get around to watching highlights from today during the week.

[a_face_of_light]

I agree with you, it is pretty boring and like I said the racing is pretty dull as it mostly comes down to the length of your pit stops etc.

 

I like epic battles that have you on the edge of your seat like this:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfPM77TsGaA]YouTube - Rossi-Stoner Laguna Seca 2008 battle[/ame]

 

Which F1 doesn't really have, maybe if it was in the days of Senna etc then yes it looked pretty interesting from the clips I've seen as I was far too young to remember it but now it's just dull.

[Loki0012]

Alonso can still mke it you know

[busybeeburns]

 

Korean F1 Grand Prix given go-ahead after inspection

 

The Korean Grand Prix will go ahead on 24 October as scheduled after Formula 1 officials gave their approval on Tuesday following a track inspection. The FIA's technical delegate Charlie Whiting has completed a two-day inspection, with particular attention paid to the final layer of asphalt.

 

New aerial photographs show a completed main grandstand, while the pit and paddock areas are apparently finished. Much of the remainder of the circuit still resembles a building site.

 

The first appearance of F1 cars on the track is scheduled for 22 October, just 10 days after Tuesday's announcement.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9081589.stm

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

 

Korean F1 Grand Prix given go-ahead after inspection

 

The Korean Grand Prix will go ahead on 24 October as scheduled after Formula 1 officials gave their approval on Tuesday following a track inspection. The FIA's technical delegate Charlie Whiting has completed a two-day inspection, with particular attention paid to the final layer of asphalt.

 

New aerial photographs show a completed main grandstand, while the pit and paddock areas are apparently finished. Much of the remainder of the circuit still resembles a building site.

 

The first appearance of F1 cars on the track is scheduled for 22 October, just 10 days after Tuesday's announcement.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9081589.stm

 

Finally. They've been very lenient on South Korea here. Now it better put on a good race.

[deaths_friend]

look at that rain!!!

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

Wow that was a disastrous race for Red Bull. Felt sorry for Vettel - he drove supremely all weekend and was cruelly denied. He and Alonso have been sensational the past few races. Good performance from Lewis Hamilton and loved his enthusiasm to want to go racing when others didn't. He was the mind of the viewer today - just why the hell did the safety car have to stay out that long? Fuji 2007 - it was treacherous throughout but was allowed to go racing.

 

Oh and a big shout out to Michael Schumacher today - fantastic performance to finish 4th and two lovely overtakes on Kubica and Button.

[deaths_friend]

at this point i think one of the top 3, alonso, webber, hamilton, will end up being the champion. even though with this points system anything is possible.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

at this point i think one of the top 3, alonso, webber, hamilton, will end up being the champion. even though with this points system anything is possible.

 

There are only 3 people in this fight now. Webber v Alonso it certainly appears. Hamilton will need luck to win it but still he's only the equivalent of something like 8 points behind if it was last years points system. Webber's got the car to do it so he HAS to believe he is going to do it because the tools are right there for him. Also Brazil coming up - he dominated there last year. He should do well there.

[deaths_friend]

in australia we call Webber the DNF Maestro :laugh3:

[mc_squared]

There are only 3 people in this fight now. Webber v Alonso it certainly appears. Hamilton will need luck to win it but still he's only the equivalent of something like 8 points behind if it was last years points system. Webber's got the car to do it so he HAS to believe he is going to do it because the tools are right there for him. Also Brazil coming up - he dominated there last year. He should do well there.

 

I'm afraid Hamilton's two DNFs pretty much put paid to his chances.:(

[Reilly]

DNF maestro haha.

 

Now this thing about F1:

 

Jenson Button had never won a race and then wins the freaking championship, and Webber was nowhere before this season and now he's right up there.

 

It's like watching Everton suddenly challenge for the Premier league, can someone briefly explain why F1 has become so unpredictable? (And I do at least understand the points are different this season).

[mc_squared]

DNF maestro haha.

 

Now this thing about F1:

 

Jenson Button had never won a race and then wins the freaking championship, and Webber was nowhere before this season and now he's right up there.

 

It's like watching Everton suddenly challenge for the Premier league, can someone briefly explain why F1 has become so unpredictable? (And I do at least understand the points are different this season).

 

The different points system has definitely played a big part. I think it's great that it's become unpredictable, and hope it continues that way.:cool:

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

DNF maestro haha.

 

Now this thing about F1:

 

Jenson Button had never won a race and then wins the freaking championship, and Webber was nowhere before this season and now he's right up there.

 

It's like watching Everton suddenly challenge for the Premier league, can someone briefly explain why F1 has become so unpredictable? (And I do at least understand the points are different this season).

 

Well there is a number of reasons such as Webber and Button driving in cars that were below their standards. Both are truly fantastic racers, particularly Button who makes up for his relative lack of speed compared to his rivals with consistency and sheer guile. But the biggest reason for the likes of Webber and Button having been allowed to compete at the level they deserve was the vast radical aerodynamic rule changes/restrictions that came into play in 2009. This allowed every team in the paddock to start their cars from scratch because if they used their 2008 cars as a basis for 2009, it would be pretty much pointless because the car would be illegal. Then we saw Brawn GP (now Mercedes of course) and Red Bull dominate the season while McLaren and Ferrari who had dominated the previous couple of seasons really struggled badly as they had put all their efforts into winning in 2008 (which as we all know went right to the wire!) leaving the development of the 09 cars very late when Red Bull and Brawn started much earlier in 2008 (Brawn as Honda then). But being McLaren and Ferrari their mega resources made sure last year was just a blip. This years cars have developed from last years technical output (especially the Red Bull) albeit having to design around a full fuel tank.

[Reilly]

Why thank you! That always was a bit of a headfuck for me.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

A wet qualifiying gets under way in 25 minutes!

 

What can the title challengers do to stop Alonso from running away with it? One things for sure - Mark Webber hasn't done himself any favours saying 'Red Bull would rather see Vettel win the title'. Stupid thing to say at a stupid time. I question his mindset to win this title now. Advantage Alonso already.

[Black Rose]

I don't want to see Ferrari win the title after they cheated by giving team orders

[deaths_friend]

A wet qualifiying gets under way in 25 minutes!

 

What can the title challengers do to stop Alonso from running away with it? One things for sure - Mark Webber hasn't done himself any favours saying 'Red Bull would rather see Vettel win the title'. Stupid thing to say at a stupid time. I question his mindset to win this title now. Advantage Alonso already.

 

maybe if red bull had shown him the respect he deserves, it wouldnt have reached this point. they've treated him like a second rate driver for most of the season even though he has lead the world championship for a large part of the year.

 

him and vettel will be started from 3rd and 2nd respectively with some guy with a long name on pole. i fear that their rivalry might get in the way and one of them will do something stupid (most probably vettel)

 

race starts at 3am sydney time :( so im just going to hope for some good news when i wake up in the morning.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

With Hulkenberg thrown in the mix I think it could be a tasty affair!

 

Also disappointed Schumacher only came 8th. He looked mighty throughout so it was a mistake for Mercedes to keep him on slicks in the pits until the last moment. Didn't have the time or gap to warm his tyres up for his one run on slicks so only managed 8th. Could have easily managed 5th and with the same GENIUS strategy by Williams could have got pole. But overall - how great a story for Williams again. Let's hope they do justice tomorrow. Remember Juan Pablo Montoya was the last driver to win for Williams 6 years ago at this very same track. Fingers crossed!

[busybeeburns]

 

Jenson Button unhurt after armed men threaten him

 

Formula 1 champion Jenson Button has praised the quick actions of his police driver after armed men threatened him in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 

Button called him a "legend" for fleeing through traffic after six men brandishing machine guns approached.

 

Button, his manager and trainer all escaped unharmed as they were driven to their hotel after practice for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. Brazil's major cities have a bad record for serious crimes of violence. "Would-be assailants made an attempt to approach the car that was carrying Jenson Button" on Saturday, said the statement from McLaren. Button, 33, was quickly driven away by an armed policeman in the reinforced armoured vehicle provided by McLaren. Button's manager Richard Goddard and trainer Mike Collier were also in the vehicle.

 

Mr Goddard said: "We were about three or four minutes away from the circuit when the incident took place. I would suggest there were more than four or five guys, something along those lines, who emerged from a block of flats. I initially saw one guy carrying this piece of wood, a baseball bat kind of thing, but I didn't spot the one who had a gun until someone pointed it out. It was pulled, and that was it really. You didn't really have time to think about what was happening.

 

"You hear about these kind of things in Sao Paulo, and because they don't come home to roost, you don't think about them. But when it almost happens to you then it's fairly worrying."

 

He said they were lucky to have a police driver on hand to force his way through the traffic and get them out of what could have been "quite a frightening situation".

 

A McLaren spokesperson said: "The police driver of Jenson's vehicle reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel."

 

The spokesperson added the Sao Paulo authorities had also acted efficiently and would provide additional security for Button and other team members on Sunday.

 

BBC Formula 1 commentator David Croft said Button reported seeing six men all brandishing machine guns approach his car. The reigning world champion, who will start 11th on the grid on Sunday, described his driver as an "absolute legend".

 

Three years ago members of Toyota's F1 team escaped a similar situation when they were also approached by gunmen, Mr Croft said. Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker told the BBC that gunmen previously had attempted to attack him in the same area. He said: "There are parts of Sao Paulo which are extremely violent, and [the city] has extremes of great wealth and extreme poverty."

 

He said parts of the circuit were close to favelas, or shanty towns, where there was a lot of deprivation. He said: "I suspect that's where it happened to Jenson, and naturally the people who are in the favelas see these obviously very wealthy people driving away from the circuit and they know they've got a lot of money, and they know they've got watches and things on them and that's what they're after presumably."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11704802

[Space Cadet]

^Yikes :stunned: Glad he's ok.

 

 

...So Abu Dhabi could be quite an interesting race numerically, eh?

[Reilly]

Haha I like the surprise at how an F1 race might be interesting.

[Space Cadet]

^not surprised at all. Just happy and excited and trying to start a post-race conversation. :P

[Reilly]

Oh! Well I'll converse about F1 as much as I can. :anxious:

 

The cars tyres might spin and stuff. :anxious: