Most liked posts in thread: F1 - 2009

Oh yeah, I forgot about that, are they back on Speed for the rest of the season?

 

Watched that Massa interview.....he doesn't sound so good to me. I know there's always a little lost in his version of English, but it seems to me like he's having even more trouble than usual expressing thoughts and answering questions.

 

Schumacher prepares for comeback by karting (f1.gpupdate.net)

 

Best Buy and YouTube linked with US F1 (uk.eurosport.yahoo.com)

 

No real shock here. I'm disappointed because I thought it would be entertaining, but I figured the odds were less than 50:50 Schumacher would actually make it to the grid anyway. The real surprise for me is their choice of Badoer to fill the seat! I'm sure they have their reasons, like he's already on the payroll and maybe it's a 1-race deal and they have someone more interesting in mind after Valencia.....
opcorn:

 

Only slightly related to F1, but during a 4-week break I think that's close enough. If F1 doesn't return to Indy, Grand-Am may. They've announced a test there for a few of the Rolex DP and GT cars on both the F1 and the MOTO-GP configurations (I don't follow MOTO-GP but it looks like the their version of the course is the F1 course run in the opposite direction plus an interesting set of mostly tight corners in place of oval turn 1).

F1 config:


MOTO-GP config:


If F1 had been able to use the MOTO-GP alteration in 2005, they could have avoided that whole Michelin tire debacle.....

Rolex Series to Hold Special Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (grand-am.com)

I think the F1 version of the circuit would be a good addition to the Rolex series. Not so much for the Koni cars.....though the MOTO-GP version might work.

 

Not sure how the NASCRAP link makes this "not surprising" since to me the F1 version of the Indy circuit seems rather anti-NASCRAP.....but that's just one opinion. And by the way, stop reminding me of things I'm trying to forget! rrr: I actually like watching both Grand-Am series' (good, close (and usually clean) racing in both) so I'm trying to ignore the unpleasant odors emanating from that unfortunate connection (searches in vain for holding-nose emoticon).

Watched ALMS this weekend; yet another great race. They explained some major, interesting classification changes for next season. There's a good explanation at the ALMS site (here) but it's basically a rework based on reality (like the fact that no one is running GT1 cars anymore) and making things look more like the European Le Mans series. In a nutshell, there'll still be four classes, but they'll be LMP, LMPC (Challenge), GT and GTC (again, Challenge). Check out that article for the full explanation.

In F1 news, Renault won their appeal and will race at Valencia. Also, though some have speculated Massa will return as early as Monza, he says he's targeting his home race in Brazil.

 

Did anyone take notice of Luca Badoer's performance last weekend? Poor Luca. Broke the pit lane speed limit four times, qualified last (about 1.5 sec behind the slowest car ahead of him), pulled over to let Grosjean pass him in the pit lane, for which he was given a drive-thru....or maybe that was for crossing the pit exit line shortly after....

He's confirmed to drive again at Spa but I bet they'll replace him after that. Will they give the seat to Gene?

 

I understand some of the logic behind the rule, but there ought to at least be a compromise in the form of exemptions like Nathan mentioned. They need to go back to the drawing board and start over though. My favorite version is the one I've heard Steve Matchette mention a few times. Keep the off-season testing limit as-is and then add test sessions on race weekend Fridays, at the track. Even if they do this, they should still allow exemptions for extra sessions for new drivers, etc.

 

KERS thoughts anyone?

The FOTA gang said a while back that they put it to a vote and decided none of them will use it next year, but FIA left it in the regs. Since then Norbert Haug (Merc) has been talking about how they'd like to keep it and use it on the McLaren in 2010, and Williams say since they were booted out of FOTA the agreement doesn't apply to them and they're looking into using it next year even if they don't manage to get it onto their car in '09. Now Renault have said their current car is to the point where it's a sound platform for development of their 2010 car....and, coincidentally (?), they're reintroducing KERS for Monza "as part of a raft of new updates planned for their car." Strange wording that, eh?

I personally think it was a strange bit of tech to push onto F1 cars, but if nothing else it works as a way to change the dynamics of a race both strategically and on the track. They should have implemented it differently though, maybe giving the development project to one company to build a standard kit. It would still be up to each team to consider the weight and integration issues vs performance and decide whether to use it from one race to the next, or whether to use it at all for that matter.

It seemed like a terrible idea at first, but I get the feeling minds are changing now that 1) the systems are maturing a bit and through some of the teething problems and 2) they're starting to come to grips with how it's actually being used by the drivers as opposed to how they could only imagine it working before the season started.

I'm sure FOTA felt it drove the last nail in the KERS coffin when they voted to drop it, but I wonder.... One of these days someone is probably going to remember that the FIA have already floated the idea of allowing teams to double the KERS output in '10 or '11....