The F1 Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

In the meantime, we can only speculate over the forces at work here. What was the motivation for the S Times article? It was written by the paper’s Arts Editor so it seems reasonable to suppose that the ’source’ quoted was someone sympathetic to the fortunes of the threatened BBC4 channel.

Says quite a lot

 

[Kenny]

http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/06/22/lawsuit-filed-over-25m-austin-bernie-payment/

 

[Kenny]

Never seen this Blog before. Some good stuff, like the Stewards explain why Hamilton, Button and Fernando escaped punishments in Canada http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/06/13/stewards-explain-why-button-hamilton-escaped-penalties/

 

[The Bear]

You can usually get copies of all the stewards decisions via pdfs on a Sunday night on the FIA website Kenny, under On-Event and Post-Event Information in the MediaCentre section:

http://www.fia.com/en-gb/mediacentre/f1_media/Pages/home_page.aspx

Unfortunately they don't archive them though unless you have a press login (I think).

 

[Kenny]

Cheers Mr Bear

 

[The Bear]

FIA rule changes afoot.

Changes for Valencia GP:

With immediate effect, it will no longer be possible to reprogram the ECU configuration between Qualifying and the Race in the expectation that this will discourage extreme ECU setups for Qualifying - previously electronic access to the ECU under parc fermé conditions had been explicitly permitted.

Changes for Silverstone GP:

When the driver lifts his foot fully off the throttle pedal, then the ECU maps must be set up so that the engine [to all intents and purposes] closes the throttle – previously it was possible to configure the engine maps to leave the throttle open and reduce the engine power by other means. Furthermore, when the driver lifts fully off the throttle, the ECU maps must be configured to cut off the fuel supply to the engine – this is intended to prevent so called “hot blowing” where the energy of the exhaust gas is increased by combustion.

Back to Valencia:

The European Grand Prix will, like Canada, feature two DRS activation zones with a single detection point.

The FIA are currently experimenting with the idea after collecting insignificant data from the Canadian Grand Prix due to much of the race being run without the system.

Though when it was finally activated as the track dried, it produced easy overtakes, with the second zone allowing the active drive to open a further gap.

This caused some controversy, but the FIA are keen to see if the European GP has a similar effect.

The detection point will be between turns 7 and 8, with the first of two activation zones after turn 10, running to turn 12.

The second zone will start 35 metres after turn 14, running to turn 17.

http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/03715

That looks quite an advantage when you look at the map in the above link.


Also the two Pirelli tyre compounds will be Soft and Medium.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I missed free practice as I was out all day - anything noteworthy?

 

[Nando]

McLaren apparently struggling with the medium compound tyre.

Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren looked very close when running the soft compound, and Mercedes not too far behind.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Thanks mate.

Purely as a racing fan, I hope we see a different pole-sitter tomorrow. I have the utmost respect for what Vettel has done this season, but it's all getting a little predictable.

 

[Carrotdude]

Me too, DW, but I don't think anything will change. He is very very fast and the Red Bull seems to be able to pull out an advantage over the others with low fuel and when they can use the DRS as much as they like in qualifying. He's not sneaking the poles he's been destroying everyone else.

 

[Psychowolf]

Does anyone like Valencia?. I personally don't like the circuit at all and wouldn't miss it for a second if it was removed from the calendar. Just feels an utterly poor excuse for a street circuit with annoying walls that give the impression there are more corners than there actually are. The pit lane entrance is also just a terrible design. Can't think of 1 feature of the track I like.

Onto the actual race, hope Alonso or Hamilton can atleast KERS their way past the Red Bulls at the start. Alonso has been good at that so far this season so more of the same please.

Only 2 weeks till Silverstone too . Anyone know any good places to stand?. Have general admission this year. Sat at Farm the last couple but this year they've decided to add a roof and double the price so gone for general admission.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Valencia is a terrible track, yesterday's quali was incredibly dull.

 

[Psychowolf]

Really was poor wasn't it?. Made worse by fact 2 drivers didn't even set a time in Q3 and only Webber improving his time in the last 5mins. I'm almost not looking forward to the race, but I live in hope of something exciting.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

This is also set to be the first race where Pirelli have got it wrong, there is far too much of a disparity between the option and the prime tyres. I think we're looking at a shootout for second place at best, with so few overtaking opportunities and the general reliability of RBR I just can't see Vettel being caught.

 

[Psychowolf]

That's why I'm hoping someone can get past Vettel by the first corner otherwise can't see him being caught either. He could yet make another mistake but going by the weekend so far, he doesn't half bounce back well. Hope Lewis has a quiet but good race though. I like his style and the fact he goes for gaps but he could really do with a nice quiet uneventful race today.

 

[Nando]

I like the track, it should be much better today.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I can't see what this track brings to the calendar at all. This is worse than Magny-Cours which is going some.

 

[The Bear]

This is such a dull race. No reason for it with Barcelona on the calender either. I hope it gets dropped for one of the new tracks. The new USA one hopefully. Depends on what length contract Valencia have with Bernie though.

As for Pirelli, the increased gap between Option and Prime was a conscious decision they took a couple of GP ago, giving better durability on the Primes but less performance. I have no problem with it as it means you get the possibility of a real banzai drive from midfield if you are on Options while the top order are on Primes, a la Webber in Malaysia. It also generates a nice undercut for the final pitstop when most people switch compounds to get them to the end.

 

[Nando]

Think it's worked well, DRS zone has done what it should do, plenty of midfield battles mixed in with a variety of strategies.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Has it?

One Button overtake and Ferrari messing up a pit stop. That's the sum total of today's highlights. Awful race.