A few interesting videos that are annotated to show steering wheel adjustments. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDO2I_AnZeU"]Annotated wheel adjustments - Qualifying lap, Fernando Alonso - Japan 2017 - YouTube[/ame]
Some of those adjustments are shifting the brake balance around to reduce wear on the rears. Apparently you want the rears working harder in the first half of the lap, the fronts in the second half. Something about evening tyre wear.
This awesome interview from the 2005 "race" at Indy reminds me why I used to wish they'd put Paul Stoddart in charge of F1. Obligatory language warning! Stoddart pauses his rant because he's about to swear...then they tell him it's okay... :biggrin5: (I don't know why it's on You Tube, it's only audio, unfortunately.) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY7IdWpqYXI"]Interview with Paul Stoddart during Indianapolis 2005 - YouTube[/ame]
Both apparently. Sky had Lewis do a really detailed interview before the last race about his qualifying lap. He pretty much called out every adjustment and what it was for, though in retrospect I guess he could have been obfuscating the details. I’ll see if I can extract it and post it here.
Here ya go, not the best... [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONIieL9GTSw"]HAMILTON 2017 JPN pole lap analysed with David VALSECCHI - YouTube[/ame]
I have even more respect for his driving after seeing that. Pretty amazing stuff. Although I did know smooth is fast. :arf:
That’s the clip. My brain inserted some slightly different things in there than what he said, but you know... beer and distractions while watching I’m just glad I don’t have to shift brake balance when I’m going to the store. Though I wonder how useful it would be when rallying....:idea:
I'm feeling sorry for Gasly. He was just a half point off the lead in the Super Formula championship so he dropped out of the COTA race (replaced by Hartley) to go to Japan and try to win it. But both of the final Super Formula races were cancelled because of a Super Typhoon. So, he missed out on three races in one weekend for the privilege of not being able to compete in the championship.
That sucks for him, but I think he made the right call. No way to foresee that coming. Mother nature is a tough old girl.
Just heard on practice #2 that our boys will not be behind the microphones next year. I hate to think who espn is going to get.
That's more than sad, it's worrying. On the other hand, someone said it might be just a US broadcast of the feed from Sky. That wouldn't be so bad (though not great) but I think it's very unlikely. The worry for me is that dropping the "old boys" is an effort to try to attract a younger crowd and they'll end up putting people at the mic who don't really understand the sport much less the history, etc. I read Liberty are working on a streaming deal, which sounds great to me, but they're working with Netflix, which does not. Despite the broadcast option(s) they choose, the announcers matter!
How do they decide who gets which grid position when two drivers post identical quali times? P4 Ricciardo 1:33.577 P5 Raikkonen 1:33.577
Whoever does it first? Maybe they don't post the extra decimals, but Danny Ricky Bobby might have been a tenthousandth faster. Vettel says his race pace is better than his qually pace, so if he can get the lead at the start or fairly quickly he might have a chance...assuming he doesn't blow another spark plug or something similarly stupid. Sainz was quick in the Renault - I'm telling you I think they missed a bet not signing Alonso to Renault, cause Big Mac's chassis might be a bit better than theirs, and if they have equal HP engines, they will be back on the grid again. Next season could shape up to be fun - with a resurgent Renault and Big Mac, plus the excellent Red Bull all running the same motor, and dark horse Honda in the Toro Rosso (Would Red Bull really allow the junior team to outrun the varsity?), Saubers with current Ferrari engines instead of last season's and Ferrari junior drivers....could be lots of interesting stuff to watch, but none of it means nothing if they can't be faster than the Mercs. Right now Mercedes still has half a second or more over everyone else.
Silver vs Red. Quali is one thing, but race pace is another. I think we may see a good race tomorrow. :fingerscrossed: