The F1 Thread

[Law's Bus]

My Dad was a massive Gilles fan, it was quite something watching Jacques drive his father's car in a replica helmet at Goodwood.

Yes, I was there too - hanging over the fence of the assembly area whilst Jacques put on his father's helmet. He'd unzipped the helmet bag beforehand, and just peeping through was black and red. Made the hairs stick up on the back of your neck.

And apparently, it was an original not a replica.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

Gilles Villeneuve was a great driver who's talent was only hampered by occasional erratic moments and a team that gave him poor cars. That's perhaps being a bit kind as the Ferraris during that era varied between shoddy, unsafe and downright shit. Sometimes all three. Not that such minor details ever bothered the tifosi, of course, hence why at one point the Italian press and a lot of fans wanted him sacked from the team.

But Jim Clark was way better and for me the best racing driver ever, slightly ahead of Senna.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

This sounds like good news guys!!

SCOUSERS JOIN FERRARI

"The Ferrari F1 team fired their entire pit crew yesterday."

This announcement followed Ferrari's decision to take advantage of the British government's 'Work for your dole' scheme and employ some Liverpudlian youngsters. The decision to hire them was brought about by a recent documentary on how unemployed youths from Toxteth were able to remove a set of wheels in less than 6 seconds without proper equipment, whereas Ferrari's existing crew could only do it in 8 seconds with millions of pounds worth of high tech equipment.

It was thought to be an excellent, bold move by the Ferrari management team as most races are won and lost in the pits, giving Ferrari an advantage over every other team. However, Ferrari got more than they bargained for!

At the crew's first practice session, not only was the scouse pit crew able to change all four wheels in under 6 seconds but, within 12 seconds, they had re-sprayed, re-badged and sold the car to the Mclaren team for 8 cases of Stella, a bag of weed and some photos of Lewis Hamilton's bird in the shower

 

[Nando]

Who's staying up tonight then?

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

This sounds like good news guys!!

SCOUSERS JOIN FERRARI

"The Ferrari F1 team fired their entire pit crew yesterday."

This announcement followed Ferrari's decision to take advantage of the British government's 'Work for your dole' scheme and employ some Liverpudlian youngsters. The decision to hire them was brought about by a recent documentary on how unemployed youths from Toxteth were able to remove a set of wheels in less than 6 seconds without proper equipment, whereas Ferrari's existing crew could only do it in 8 seconds with millions of pounds worth of high tech equipment.

It was thought to be an excellent, bold move by the Ferrari management team as most races are won and lost in the pits, giving Ferrari an advantage over every other team. However, Ferrari got more than they bargained for!

At the crew's first practice session, not only was the scouse pit crew able to change all four wheels in under 6 seconds but, within 12 seconds, they had re-sprayed, re-badged and sold the car to the Mclaren team for 8 cases of Stella, a bag of weed and some photos of Lewis Hamilton's bird in the shower

WH another classic, you're on fire this week.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Who's staying up tonight then?

Probably, dependent on work and stuff, plus I have a meeting at 11am tomorrow and I've got an hour's walk to get there, so I can't go mad.

 

[Law's Bus]

Who's staying up tonight then?

Tonight? For P1 and P2? Red button stuff?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Starts at 1.30am I think.

 

[Nando]

I'll stay up for FP1 and fall asleep watching it. Hopefully that won't be the case on Sunday.

 

[Law's Bus]

Call me a lightweight, but I think I'll wait for qualifying. 5 am?

 

[Nando]

The programme does, qualifying itself starts at 6.

 

[Psychowolf]

I'm still undecided if i'm going to bed early and get up for P2 or late and watch P1. Looking like P1. Can't see myself doing both, will catch the other on iplayer tomorrow. Excited though . Just hope it turns out to be a great race.

 

[Nando]

Chandhok :facepalm:

 

[Psychowolf]

Not the best start to his Lotus career. Think he was distracted by the poor job of covering up the Shell logo in the grass.

 

[Nando]

Hmmmm...very interesting. 2 tenth between the top 5. Lovely.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The McLaren positions might be a little false as they used the moving wing and Red Bull didn't. Sounds like these new tyres are going to degrade pretty badly which should make things entertaining.

 

[Psychowolf]

Well just caught up with P2 on the iplayer. Looking good stuff so far. Really pleased to see the McLaren's at least be up there with the pace. Don't expect them to qualify there but seem capable of being involved. The tyres look like they'll bring some exciting races, during commentary it was said the common belief in the paddock was if someone can manage 3 pit stops they'll be taking a lot of points. Fear the Red Bulls have a lot more pace to offer though.

I was looking at times in the past the 107% rule has come in to effect and found very very similar times to what were posted today, and in both sessions, if the rule was in effect, only the virgins would have failed to qualify. Seems they have alot of work to do unfortunately.

Times I found we're both from Australia amazingly, and were (pole time - 107% time)
2002 : 1.25.843 - 1.31.852
2001 : 1.26.892 - 1.32.974

Obviously I could have worked the 107% rule on today's actual times, but they were so close I couldn't be bothered

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Maclaren have been keeping something up their sleeve. i'm not so much talking about the increased speed, but nore their results re tyre wear.

 

[Nando]

Red Bull were chewing their tyres up. McLaren set their fastest lap with the rear wing stalling device in use whenever they wanted, where as Red Bull's fastest lap was when the restrictions were enforced.

McLaren's fastest times were set over a 3 lap run in comparison to Red Bull's 5/6. Ferrari looked really consistent. Can't wait for 6 am.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Is the change in tyres really going to spice things up, or just add another pit stop, to last season? i really can't decide where i sit on this.
personally i would have preffered less pit stops, and more serious overtaking points built into each track.
I want to see the drivers duelling on the track, not for another 20 seconds in the pits. Maybe the world champion should be the pit crew that gets the fastest time for a tyre change. They are supposed to be racing, not doing synchronised tyre and fuel stops.