The Official 2010 F1 Megathread

[Jack Sparrow]

Re: And the conclusion is??

Maybe I'm not doing my homework, but I still have not come across anyone with certain knowledge or even a 2nd plausible theory of how Red Bull's suspected system actually worked. I only heard about the "slow pressure leaking" shock theory, which the scrutineers should have been able to find/confirm. Apparently they have not.

Whitmarsh was seemingly quite forthcoming in saying they were working on one and have stopped based on the FIA statement reinforcing the intent, if not the detail of the rule. But last I heard, Christen Horner flatly denied they had any such system.

And Red Bull had some vague but somewhat believable explanation of tire wear(probably setup?) and strategy that scuttled their race chances. Which holds some water when Bridgestone noted a huge disparity in tire wear amongst the teams and from one driver to another in the same team, with JB and Hamo being the most glaring example.

So the quesiton is still hanging AFAIK. Anyone have a link to a reliable source and definitive explanation?

I was wondering the same. When Vettel got pole in China and Horner was heard on the radio saying "what adjustable ride height", to me it felt like they had pulled off another pole minus whatever system they were using and not an emphatic cry of success due to never having a ride-height system which SpeedTV's announcers believed.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Irony......it's an everyday thing?

So, the rumors are that Tony George (FTG to some) and Bernie are truly on good terms and that Tony could very well be in the driver's seat now to broker and organize a US GP.

Now I realize that not very many here ever gave a $hit about CART/IndyCar, and you guys can stop reading now. But for those of us who lived and died with CART back in the day (1990's), TG was probably known as FTG.

So, how ironic would it be if Tony actually did bring F-1 to the US again? Oh, the irony of it all. :biggrin:

 

[Honcho]

Re: Irony......it's an everyday thing?

I lived and died on CART in the early 90's. I'd love to see a USGP return to Watkins Glen.:biggrin:

So, the rumors are that Tony George (FTG to some) and Bernie are truly on good terms and that Tony could very well be in the driver's seat now to broker and organize a US GP.

Now I realize that not very many here ever gave a $hit about CART/IndyCar, and you guys can stop reading now. But for those of us who lived and died with CART back in the day (1990's), TG was probably known as FTG.

So, how ironic would it be if Tony actually did bring F-1 to the US again? Oh, the irony of it all. :biggrin:

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: This will look wierd..........or not

....:

Anyone want to photshop 18" rimmed tires on to an F-1 car? I'm betting wierd will be an understatement. :wink:

Hmmm, after seeing the quick photo-shop on WindTunnel last nite, those dubs were kinda comical, but with a normal set of oversized BBS rims, it might not look all that weird afterall. At least that's my initial thought (hope). Lots easier than the recent wing changes. :tongue:

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Gettin' ready

Got a carton of Marlboros ready to go for this weekend's race. How 'bout y'all? :wink: Hoping those Red cars don't start smokin' so they can, like, at least finish the race, if not give that pretty boy Jensen a run.

Haven't been keeping up. What's the buzz on the updates and who's the odds on favorite? Is Hambone gonna get his act together finally? Massa gonna take it to Fred? Any chance Schumi's gonna break-thru to a 1/2 way decent showing?

 

[MetalSpikeRacing]

Mickey, says not to spec nothing to big for spain.
The Mercedez will have a longer wheel base and improve aero of course, But michael says that they still have a long way to go.

I really feel bad for Michael, I hope he gets competitive sonner rather than later.

-MSR

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Time to wake up

Guess everyone's still asleep: No comment on yesterday's 'boring' race?

No about the RB pace?
No :frown: over Sebass's continued bad luck?
No on what failed on Hamo's LF?
No about that washed up butt-head backmarker MS not moving over for the reining WDC?
No about Nico R. getting hopelessly lost out there?
No :wink: about how Flippy's season has gone off the track?
No about a Sauber making it to Q3?
No :frown::redface: for how the backmarkers will affect the Monaco Q?

OK, hit the snooze button one more time, but be up for Thursday's practice, OK?

 

[EK@ASU]

I wish I was able to catch the race but it was aired at 4:30 A.M. here in AZ.

I set my alarm and then just slept right through it somehow:frown:

Of course the lousy speed channel hasn't replayed the race for some reason either

 

[NSXrebel]

I wish I was able to catch the race but it was aired at 4:30 A.M. here in AZ.

I set my alarm and then just slept right through it somehow:frown:

Of course the lousy speed channel hasn't replayed the race for some reason either

I just finished watching the race. I download them from Racing-Underground, torrent site to any and all forms of racing. I have one more invite, but I'm only offering it to someone that can download and host the races to share with the rest of 'Prime community.


Great race by Mark Webber. Vettel just can't seem to get a break, though he still got on podium.

Alonso pleased the crowd for sure.

Button kept trying but couldn't get past Schumacher. He's still in the lead! :biggrin:

Great battle between Petrov, Kobayashi, and who was in the third car?

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Boring race was boring.

Schumi is done (I really had high hopes for him).

Button got held up but I agree with the commentators in saying Hamilton would have gotten by MS.

RBR will look back at this season and kick themselves in the ass for their unreliable but incredibly fast car.

What happened to Force India and Sutil? I really thought he would be in podium contention this season.

F-Duct banned for 2011.

Kubica possibly signin with Ferrari to replace Massa next season.

 

[Mike-san]

What's up w/ F-1 these days ? For such a long time, Weber was always around, but never on the podium. Now it seems he's a constant top three. Do the cars really make that much of a difference ? I guess so. Anyway, good for Mark. That guy is a public relations dream for Red Bull....He's got model looks, is humble, and now seems to have a chance to make a championship run.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: How about some cheese with that whine?

Jensen:

“”He turned in and if I didn’t back out of it we would have crashed,” he said. “So he didn’t really give me a lot of room there. There you go, you’d think with his experience he would know. It wasn’t really the right move.”

Button got held up but I agree with the commentators in saying Hamilton would have gotten by MS.

+1. Hamilton was in exactly that same position and got the job done when Vettel tried to go around the outside just as MS did with JB. Jens had the racing line at the apex but he let MS take it away from him. That was either a mental lapse or he needs to be more aggressive. Either way, he can't afford to lose out on those situations and hope to win another WDC. I'd like to see him add a bit more aggression/meaness/risk to his bag of tricks.

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Re: How about some cheese with that whine?

+1. Hamilton was in exactly that same position and got the job done when Vettel tried to go around the outside just as MS did with JB. Jens had the racing line at the apex but he let MS take it away from him. That was either a mental lapse or he needs to be more aggressive. Either way, he can't afford to lose out on those situations and hope to win another WDC. I'd like to see him add a bit more aggression/meaness/risk to his bag of tricks.

Agreed. Jenson's always been too prim and proper, he needs to learn how to play in the mud and get his hands dirty.

 

[Miner]

The race was boring. After the last few with rain to make things interesting, this seemed extra lame. Ferrari is a notch below red bull and mclaren, but Alonso is getting everything out of the car.

The WDC and WCC are wide open, somewhat of a tortise and hare story so far.

Miner

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Some teams are their own worst enemy

...somewhat of a tortise and hare story so far.

Yep, If the hares would just stop making mistakes, the tortoises wouldn't have a chance. But then, it would be even more boring. :frown:

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Better than sprinklers and wet races

For next year; Bridgestone going to stay? Michelin, Pirelli, Avon, even Kumho??? The return of the tire wars should really spice up the circus.

What a dilemma that would be for Macca. Unless Hamo could get some iron clad, "run-flats" by one manufacturer and Jens could have the more delicate tires by another manufacturer. Obviously that won't happen, but kinda funny those guys are so different in tire care; guaranteed one of them will be unhappy with the Macca tire choice.

 

[Ponyboy]

Quali should be interesting tomorrow. Where did Fezza get all this speed in practice?

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Fezza's speed. random thoughts

Both drivers' possible scenario for going fast: they were just happy to have both hands on the wheel and not have to operate the F-duct with their left hands.

Flippy's possible scenarios for motivation:
1. his back is up against the wall with rumors of getting dumped. :redface:
2. or.....he's relaxed because he knows Kubica won't want to play 2nd fiddle to Fred
3. he can always go with his manager Todt Jr. to start a new F-1 team

Fred's possible scenario:
1. he's still feeling the love from last week's crowd. :wink:
2. not a lot of high RPM stress on the engine, so it likely won't go ker-blamo.

Just got lucky on the initial set-up. The rest will catch up Saturday.

And last but not least: That old saw, "it's only practice." (just puttin' on a show for the sponsors and VIP's)

How many laps down will HRT be by midrace if they're still out there? I'm guessing 5. :tongue:

 

[Ponyboy]

Dude, someone is going to hit HRT on the 5th lap.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Well, duh.......

Dude, someone is going to hit HRT on the 5th lap.

Oh yeah, forgot about that being more probable. Probably be Hamo or Vettel because they won't see the HRT while drafting Fred.

Speaking of HRT, am I imagining things or is Senna indeed worse than Chandhok? If so, why?

 

[Ponyboy]

Granted Bruno is not in a mildly competitive F1 car, he's not done a whole to brag on.

Really looking forward to quali. I'm still hoping Schuey wipes the floor with them. Especially Caterpillars.

 

[ss_md]

Monaco is small and tight and always makes passing really difficult. For this race they should exclude the bottom 4 cars from the race or black flag the back markers before they are going to be lapped. Can you see a line forming behind the slow cars. If they don't do something this will be the first traffic jam during a F1 race.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re:Well, not really the first........

Can you see a line forming behind the slow cars. If they don't do something this will be the first traffic jam during a F1 race.

I think it was Hobbsy who said........or maybe I read it somewhere, that back in the early 90's there were up to 26 cars in the race (after Q when some were already sent home) and that they were up to 9 seconds off the pace.

Of course now, with all the scrutiny from the peanut gallery (like us) brought on by the internet, we (and the prima donna drivers) won't tolerate such "imperfections" and "inconveniences."

I dunno, it's always something.
If your boy uses a backmarker as a pick: good
If your boy trips over a back marker: bad
If your boy wins in the rain: good
If rain puts your boy in the gravel trap: bad

I think that, like rain, tire anomalies, and indiscriminate rule changes, back-markers are just one more part of the circus.

PS; Shawn, you think Schumi learned anything about the brake zone out of the tunnel in practice? Looks to me like he didn't ever get that figger'd out.

 

[NSXrebel]

Q1 just started for Monaco! anyone watching??
Alonso won't be out for qualifying after a crash in Practice.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: That was outrageous Flippy !!!

Flippy's balking Butt out of Rascasse was a cheap shot. With all the spotters they must have around the track, he had to know Jens was flying back there. He'll prolly say there was some confusion on whether he supposed ot pit or not, but that should be a 5 spot penalty, no matter what. Who's the ex-driver steward this weekend? He should speak up on that one.

Renault's a bit of surprise, no? Good work by Robert as well.

To all the Fred fans; tough luck. :frown: But it will be interesting to see if he can drive up to 5th like Schumi did when he started from the back.