Most liked posts in thread: F1 - 2012

Steve · Sep 13, 2012

Uh, oh...which do you hate more? Here's Webber's take:

â€˜Wheel protection more vital than closed cockpitsâ€™ (GPUpdate.com)

13 September 2012

Mark Webber is highly supportive of any safety changes in Formula 1, but insists that all teams and governing body the FIA must consider the next step with extra care. Following the crash at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this month, both closed cockpits and greater wheel protection have been discussed in the paddock.

At Spa, three cars â€“ of Romain Grosjean, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso â€“ were launched into the air after the Franco-Swiss driver caused a chain reaction, for which he was banned from the next race at Monza. After the Lotus missed Alonsoâ€™s hands and head by a matter of centimetres, serious concerns were brought back into the spotlight.

â€œHead protection is a controversial subject and, unusually for me, I'm still on the fence on it,â€ Webber explains in a column for BBC Sport. â€œOpen-wheel, open-cockpit racing is what most racing drivers want to do - it requires incredible precision and they are the best racing cars in the world. You don't want to lose that, so we have to get this decision right. It's a big step for the sport. People are saying things like 'it's going to be ugly'. But you have to park that stuff.

â€œThe tricky thing is to decide what exactly you are protecting against. The Grosjean incident, and a similar one involving David Coulthard and Alexander Wurz in Australia in 2007, happened because of cars climbing over each other and being launched into the air. That also happened to me when I flipped in Valencia in 2010.

â€œSo should you shut off that option somehow by enclosing the wheels but leaving the cockpit open? Or leave the wheels open and create more cockpit protection? Personally, I feel stopping cars launching is a bigger priority, if only because I think that happens more often. Cockpit intrusion is rarer, but it still has to be taken seriously. In both cases, we have been lucky and we all know that luck will run out one day.â€

In America, all IndyCars now feature wheel protection to avoid high-flying incidents. Chillingly and coincidentally, the idea was heavily backed and developed by Dan Wheldon before the Englishman lost his life in an accident last October.
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Steve · Sep 21, 2012

FIA reveals first draft of 2013 calendar (GPUpdate.net)

21 September 2012

F1 governing body the FIA has released the first copy of the race calendar ahead of next season. Once again, Australia will kick-off the campaign and the final chequered flag will fall in Brazil. The schedule has been sent out to the 12 teams in Singapore.

There are few changes to the order of races, although the introduction of the Grand Prix of America in New Jersey is exciting all in the paddock. The Port Imperial street race will take place on 16 June which, as expected, will be one week after the event of Montreal. The Spanish Grand Prix will begin to alternate between Barcelona and Valencia.

Provisional Formula 1 race calendar for 2013:

Mar 17 - Australia / Melbourne
Mar 24 - Malaysia / Sepang
Apr 14 - China / Shanghai
Apr 21 â€“ Bahrain / Sakhir
May 12 â€“ Spain / Barcelona
May 26 â€“ Monaco / Monte Carlo
Jun 9 â€“ Canada / Montreal
Jun 16 â€“ America / New Jersey *
Jun 30 â€“ Great Britain / Silverstone
Jul 21 â€“ Germany / NÃ¼rburgring *
Jul 28 â€“ Hungary / Hungaroring
Sep 1 â€“ Belgium / Spa-Francorchamps
Sep 8 â€“ Italy / Monza
Sep 22 â€“ Singapore / Marina Bay *
Oct 6 â€“ Japan / Suzuka
Oct 13 â€“ Korea / Yeongam *
Oct 27 India / Buddh
Nov 3 Abu Dhabi / Yas Marina
Nov 17 United States / Austin
Nov 27 Brazil / Interlagos

* Subject to confirmation

The calendar will mark the second time Formula 1 has hosted a 20-race season.
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Nathan · Sep 24, 2012

No comments on the Singapore race?

My darn DVR cut out with 3 min to go. Dang this older technology, while I have it set to record all of the races I have to manually add time to each recording. I can't tell to expand the whole group of recordings. No, that would make to much sense.

And here I was avoiding all race media all day so I could watch the race in the evening.

ScottinBend · Sep 24, 2012

Not much to tell after Lewis fell out. Kind of a boring race. But I hate most street course anyway.....:biggrin5:

ScottinBend · Sep 24, 2012

And boy is Hobbs starting to really show his aging cranium......

minimark · Sep 24, 2012

Yep once Hamilton broke the race was all Vettel's, then it turned into an endurance race when others fell out leaving most teams just wanting to finish.

One exciting moment was when Michael's depth perception or something failed him again as he pile drives another in the rear... Not sure if something broke but it is becoming a trend for Michael. I do know that when one has all wheels locked up, there is no steering and the ability to drive around a problem...

Steve · Sep 24, 2012

I think it's hard to have a good F1 race on a tight street circuit. If Machett is right Singapore is even slower than Monaco. Most of the on-track passing either caused damage or threatened it, which doesn't entertain me at all.

I can't understand why they don't shorten that race a bit. If any track ought to host a longer than average race and threaten to end by hitting the time limit rather than max laps it should at least be an interesting one.

I was happy to see Schumacher acting genuinely apologetic after taking out Verne. He also seemed confused about how it happened...maybe Herr Brawn will help him figure that out.

Zapski · Sep 24, 2012

Geez that was a long race. I was kinda hoping for a boring procession with Hamilton in the lead, but that went out the window.

Feel sorry for Maldonado though, I had hoped he would be able to hang out near the front longer, and I was expecting a really aggressive dash to turn one, but he just couldn't really compete. Too bad about the early retirement too.

minimark · Sep 24, 2012

I was a bit impressed with Senna's run from the back considering what a premium there was on passing!

goaljnky · Sep 24, 2012

Although I have to say the one pass by Massa on [I don't remember who] had to be the pass of the season so far. No idea how he held it, or how he made it stick.

goaljnky · Sep 24, 2012

Last time I checked, lucky beats good every time. LOL.

minirab · Sep 24, 2012

You're right, Kimi's outside pass has to be the pass of the year.

Nathan · Sep 25, 2012

When did they start putting the Tooned logo on the back of the rear wing?

Steve · Sep 25, 2012

Hungary, I think.

Steve · Sep 27, 2012

Oh goodie, another potential night time street race, like Singapore... rrr:

Thailand moves closer to Formula 1 grand prix deal (AutoSport.com)

By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, September 27th 2012, 08:53 GMT

Thailand has moved a step closer hosting its first Formula 1 race after agreeing a deal in principle for a 2014 event.

After speculation earlier this year that the country was serious at bidding for an F1 race, a senior government official has revealed that he and representatives from Red Bull moved forward with their plans after meeting F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in Singapore.

Kanokphand Chulakasem, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), said that the provisional plan agreed with Ecclestone was for a night race to be held in Bangkok as early as 2014.

"It will be a city race like in Singapore and Monaco. It will be a night race like the Singapore Grand Prix," he was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

The discussions still have some way to go before becoming official, with Chulakasem stating that a race fee had yet to be agreed.

The Thai government has promised to fund 60 per cent of the total cost of the race, however, with the rest coming from local sponsors like Red Bull and Singha.

Red Bull driver Mark Webber attracted over 100,000 people during a street demo on the streets of Thailand in 2010.
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Steve · Sep 27, 2012

Here's hoping at least some teams ignore this option. So the broken noses aren't pretty, the solution is a "modesty" panel? That's just pathetic IMO.

Formula 1 teams will be able to hide stepped noses in 2013 (AutoSport.com)

By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, September 27th 2012, 14:47 GMT

Formula 1 teams will have the option of fitting a special panel to their cars next year to help hide stepped noses, the FIA has confirmed.

Following discussions between teams to come up with a solution to the ugly designs that would not entail a big redesign for next year, motor racing's governing body has rubber stamped new rules that will allow a special 'modesty panel' to be fitted.

In a version of the 2013 regulations that was published by the FIA on Thursday, it provided details of the panel that can be fitted to help cover up the step change between the low noses and high chassis of the current generation of cars.

The new Article 3.7.9 of the Technical Regulations states: "With the exception of an optional, single piece, non-structural fairing of prescribed laminate (whose precise lay-up may be found in the Appendix to the regulations) which may not be more than 625mm above the reference plane at any point, no bodywork situated more than
1950mm forward of rear face of the cockpit entry template may be more than 550mm above the reference plane."

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe said recently that the use of a panel was important because teams could just fit it over existing chassis designs, with some outfits reluctant to make big car changes for next year.

"We have agreed a rule that allows a 'modesty panel', which in effect means you can take the existing cars and exiting structures that have a step and put a cover there," he said at the Italian Grand Prix.

"The way it is managed is that the laminate and size of that panel is limited so that you cannot create an aero [advantage] out of it and also so that it plays no part in the forward impact."
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minimark · Sep 27, 2012

What's this I hear, Hamilton going to Mercedes?

minimark · Sep 27, 2012

Nathan said: ↑

Fixed that for ya.

Lewis Hamilton to join Mercedes in $100m move from McLaren

Lewis Hamilton will on Friday bring to an end one of the most controversial and long-running transfer sagas in Formula One history by announcing that he is leaving McLaren, the team he has been with over half his life, for rivals Mercedes in a three-year deal which could be worth as much as $100million (£61.6million).

Lewis Hamilton to join Mercedes in $100m move from McLaren - Telegraph
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Thanks, had a...

minimark · Sep 27, 2012

Hate it for Michael, but me feared that last run over would bring this about... Now we shall see if Lewis's arrogance can bring about a winning team at Mercedes....

My money is on not.

Nathan · Sep 27, 2012

Well this means Schumie is done now. Leaves up a nice seat at McLaren. Let the speculation begin!

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