July 23, 2010
F1 Practice: Germany 2010
If practice sessions are anything to go by, and they usually aren't, Sunday's race at Hockenheim is going to be all about two numbers: 3 and 2.
Three is roughly the number of seconds faster per lap that a car shod in the Bridgestone super-soft tires can expect to be in relation to the hard compound rubber.
Two is roughly the number of laps that the super-soft tires will give you before they give up and go south.
This disparity could very well make for some interesting racing come Sunday. Remember that a driver is required to start the race on whatever tire compound he used when he turns his fastest qualifying lap. Will someone make a bid for pole on the super-softs, get pole, but then have to change his tires after only a few laps? Or will someone, lets say Gandalf Kobyashi, run almost the entire race on the hards, then zip into the pits, come out on the stickies, and cause havoc in the standings? It's not impossible that we might even see two or three stops this race if the hards can't stand the gaff.
But then, as if intended to throw everything into a cocked hat, the teams are going to have to deal with the weather, too.
It rained quite a bit during the first practice session however, making the track treacherously slick. Lewis Hamilton discovered just how bad it was when he began skidding one way, deftly caught his McLaren, then had the car overcorrect underneath him and go galumphing over the curbs, through the grass and into the tire barrier on the outside of Turn 3. Unfortunately, he hit at a relatively shallow angle and the car wound up rotating around the point of impact, the left-rear wheel. In the process, it broke the suspension on three corners of the car, tore up the bodywork something fierce, damaged the rear wing and diffuser, tore off the nose, and generally beat the thing into a pulp. Reportedly, the undertray was ripped to shreds too, just to make things worse. However, and here's the important part, the actual chassis and monocoque weren't damaged. All the team had to do was hang replacement parts onto the framework of the chassis, scrape the gravel out of the cockpit, and the car was good as new... after a few hours of white-knuckled work by the McLaren mechanics, of course. Much to everybody's surprise, Hamilton got back on track with 15 minutes left on the clock in P2.
The 2008 World Driver's Champion wasn't the only person having problems with the track. Pretty much everybody had at least one or two moments where they did some agricultural driving, and by the time the practice session was over it looked like the track's dry line was about 10 feet to the outside of the curbing on some turns.
While it's not supposed to rain on Sunday, it IS expected to do so during the Quals session... which, along with the question about the tires, throws us another curveball. Will teams set their car up for the wet weather, hoping to improve their qualifying position, but compromise their setup for the race? Remember, once a car takes to the track at the beginning of Q1, it is in what is called parc ferme condition, meaning that they can't be worked on at all without petitioning Race Director Charlie Whiting. Whiting does not approve of such things unless it's a matter of a broken part, for example, and then it can only be exchanged like-for-like. This means no adjusting the setup from wet to dry before the race.
Conversely, a team could go for a dry setup, hurting their qualifying position (and making it easier to wreck the car!) but improving their speed on race day. Or, of course, they could go for an in-the-middle setup and screw themselves on both days... I don't expect anybody would do that, but it's an option.
So many questions hanging out there, all to be answered on Saturday morning! See you then!
Three is roughly the number of seconds faster per lap that a car shod in the Bridgestone super-soft tires can expect to be in relation to the hard compound rubber.
Two is roughly the number of laps that the super-soft tires will give you before they give up and go south.
This disparity could very well make for some interesting racing come Sunday. Remember that a driver is required to start the race on whatever tire compound he used when he turns his fastest qualifying lap. Will someone make a bid for pole on the super-softs, get pole, but then have to change his tires after only a few laps? Or will someone, lets say Gandalf Kobyashi, run almost the entire race on the hards, then zip into the pits, come out on the stickies, and cause havoc in the standings? It's not impossible that we might even see two or three stops this race if the hards can't stand the gaff.
But then, as if intended to throw everything into a cocked hat, the teams are going to have to deal with the weather, too.
The FIA: Masters Of The Obvious
The Legendary Announce Team described it as "changeable," which doesn't make it sound like so much of a much, but we discovered something about Hockenheim today that I didn't know previously: it doesn't drain very well. Rivers of water were running across the track during most of P2, even though it didn't rain much at all during the session.It rained quite a bit during the first practice session however, making the track treacherously slick. Lewis Hamilton discovered just how bad it was when he began skidding one way, deftly caught his McLaren, then had the car overcorrect underneath him and go galumphing over the curbs, through the grass and into the tire barrier on the outside of Turn 3. Unfortunately, he hit at a relatively shallow angle and the car wound up rotating around the point of impact, the left-rear wheel. In the process, it broke the suspension on three corners of the car, tore up the bodywork something fierce, damaged the rear wing and diffuser, tore off the nose, and generally beat the thing into a pulp. Reportedly, the undertray was ripped to shreds too, just to make things worse. However, and here's the important part, the actual chassis and monocoque weren't damaged. All the team had to do was hang replacement parts onto the framework of the chassis, scrape the gravel out of the cockpit, and the car was good as new... after a few hours of white-knuckled work by the McLaren mechanics, of course. Much to everybody's surprise, Hamilton got back on track with 15 minutes left on the clock in P2.
The 2008 World Driver's Champion wasn't the only person having problems with the track. Pretty much everybody had at least one or two moments where they did some agricultural driving, and by the time the practice session was over it looked like the track's dry line was about 10 feet to the outside of the curbing on some turns.
While it's not supposed to rain on Sunday, it IS expected to do so during the Quals session... which, along with the question about the tires, throws us another curveball. Will teams set their car up for the wet weather, hoping to improve their qualifying position, but compromise their setup for the race? Remember, once a car takes to the track at the beginning of Q1, it is in what is called parc ferme condition, meaning that they can't be worked on at all without petitioning Race Director Charlie Whiting. Whiting does not approve of such things unless it's a matter of a broken part, for example, and then it can only be exchanged like-for-like. This means no adjusting the setup from wet to dry before the race.
Conversely, a team could go for a dry setup, hurting their qualifying position (and making it easier to wreck the car!) but improving their speed on race day. Or, of course, they could go for an in-the-middle setup and screw themselves on both days... I don't expect anybody would do that, but it's an option.
So many questions hanging out there, all to be answered on Saturday morning! See you then!
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July 19, 2010
F1 on TV: Grand Prix of Germany 2010
What do you do when you've got two Formula 1-quality race tracks in a country, neither of which are willing to shell out the cash to Birdy Ecclestone to own the GP outright? You alternate the tracks, of course. They did that in Japan for a short time, bouncing between Fuji and Suzuka, but the idea originated in Germany. Last year the German Grand Prix was run on the Nurburgring Jr track. This year, however, it comes back to Hockenheim. Let's take a look at the map:
In its original format, the circuit didn't have a turn at Turn 2, instead charging out into a forest, then returning and joining the modern track at the Hairpin. It was a frighteningly fast track that had the ability to reach up and kill even the best F1 driver ever. Of course, that's too dangerous for today's racing, and rightfully so, and the track owners let Hermann Tilke get his hands on the layout. Now it's just another track.
However, it's a track that the new-spec cars have yet to run on with slick tires, since they raced at the Nurburgring last season. What's really surprising is that Bridgestone has decided to bring the super-soft and the hard rubber compounds to Hockenheim. Now that might make a driver's choice of tires very interesting. The asphalt on the circuit isn't known as being particularly abrasive, but it doesn't baby the rubber, either.
In fact, the whole circuit is sort of like that: it's very much in the middle of the circuits on the calendar as far as difficulty, downforce settings, tire wear, top speed, yadda yadda yadda. I suppose if you want to see just how good your car is, there probably isn't a much better place to find out.
Of particular interest to the fans this time around will be the reception of one Slappy Schumacher and the other German drivers (Nico Rosberg, Seb Vettel, Adrian Sutil, Timo Glockenspiel, Nico Hulkenberg), not to mention two (technically) German teams (Mercedes, BMW-Sauber). Should be raucous.
Well, we'll find out just how raucous the fans get starting Friday from 7am to 840am with SPEED's coverage of the 2nd Practice session. The next day, SPEED brings us Quals, from 7am to 830am.
I'm pleased to say that this will be the final race of the season to be broadcast on FOX, though to be fair, it appears that most of their problems with the Canadian coverage was due to the race being done live. The last two races have been pretty decent, though wayyyyyyyyyy too many commerical breaks for my taste. Anyway, this race will be Sunday from 11am to 1pm, with a replay Tuesday on SPEED, also from 11am to 1pm.
All times, of course, are Pond Central.
In its original format, the circuit didn't have a turn at Turn 2, instead charging out into a forest, then returning and joining the modern track at the Hairpin. It was a frighteningly fast track that had the ability to reach up and kill even the best F1 driver ever. Of course, that's too dangerous for today's racing, and rightfully so, and the track owners let Hermann Tilke get his hands on the layout. Now it's just another track.
However, it's a track that the new-spec cars have yet to run on with slick tires, since they raced at the Nurburgring last season. What's really surprising is that Bridgestone has decided to bring the super-soft and the hard rubber compounds to Hockenheim. Now that might make a driver's choice of tires very interesting. The asphalt on the circuit isn't known as being particularly abrasive, but it doesn't baby the rubber, either.
In fact, the whole circuit is sort of like that: it's very much in the middle of the circuits on the calendar as far as difficulty, downforce settings, tire wear, top speed, yadda yadda yadda. I suppose if you want to see just how good your car is, there probably isn't a much better place to find out.
Of particular interest to the fans this time around will be the reception of one Slappy Schumacher and the other German drivers (Nico Rosberg, Seb Vettel, Adrian Sutil, Timo Glockenspiel, Nico Hulkenberg), not to mention two (technically) German teams (Mercedes, BMW-Sauber). Should be raucous.
Well, we'll find out just how raucous the fans get starting Friday from 7am to 840am with SPEED's coverage of the 2nd Practice session. The next day, SPEED brings us Quals, from 7am to 830am.
I'm pleased to say that this will be the final race of the season to be broadcast on FOX, though to be fair, it appears that most of their problems with the Canadian coverage was due to the race being done live. The last two races have been pretty decent, though wayyyyyyyyyy too many commerical breaks for my taste. Anyway, this race will be Sunday from 11am to 1pm, with a replay Tuesday on SPEED, also from 11am to 1pm.
All times, of course, are Pond Central.
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July 13, 2010
Top Gear Gets A Visitor
Casual fans of the BBC TV show Top Gear are familiar with the segment "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car," where some celebrity shows up and takes an inexpensive vehicle around Top Gear's own racetrack. The top star currently is musical artist Jay Kay, lead singer of the group Jamiroquai, with a 1:45.8 in the Chevrolet Lacetti, known as the Suzuki Forenza here in the States (for the record, the fastest lap around the track was put in by a RN Sea Harrier, :31.2; the fastest car was Renault's 2004 F1 car, the R24, with a :59.0, driven by The Stig).
What those who aren't particularly familiar with the show don't know is that, occasionally, they manage to score real racers for a lap around the track, known as "F1 Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car." Such luminaries as Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Nigel Mansell, Mark Webber and Damon Hill have turned laps, with all coming behind The Stig's 1:44.4.
Last night, they snagged Rubens Barrichello.
It's remarkable how not tall Barrichello is, particularly standing next to 6'5" Jeremy Clarkson. He's very small. I knew that F1 drivers are usually short, but it's still a shock every time one sees that fact. Anyway, in his day job, he drives a F1 racer, capable of 205mph on the right track, with enough grip to pull 5Gs in the turns or under braking. But what is he driving for this lap?
A Suzuki Liana, the same as every other F1 driver. Rubens' reaction?
He drove the same line that The Stig takes around the track, unlike just about every other F1 driver, who tend to go a lot wider through the turns to keep their speed up.
And what was the result?
more...
What those who aren't particularly familiar with the show don't know is that, occasionally, they manage to score real racers for a lap around the track, known as "F1 Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car." Such luminaries as Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Nigel Mansell, Mark Webber and Damon Hill have turned laps, with all coming behind The Stig's 1:44.4.
Last night, they snagged Rubens Barrichello.
It's remarkable how not tall Barrichello is, particularly standing next to 6'5" Jeremy Clarkson. He's very small. I knew that F1 drivers are usually short, but it's still a shock every time one sees that fact. Anyway, in his day job, he drives a F1 racer, capable of 205mph on the right track, with enough grip to pull 5Gs in the turns or under braking. But what is he driving for this lap?
A Suzuki Liana, the same as every other F1 driver. Rubens' reaction?
He drove the same line that The Stig takes around the track, unlike just about every other F1 driver, who tend to go a lot wider through the turns to keep their speed up.
And what was the result?
more...
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July 10, 2010
F1 Quals: Great Britian!
Hoo-boy, is this gonna be an ugly race tomorrow. Let's take a look at the grid:
Another RedBull one-two, but at least in the past someone has been able to challenge them a little bit. Not here, not today. Today, Seb Vettel and Mark Webber dominated Silverstone completely and utterly. When you have the only cars turning sub-1:30 laps and the nearest competitor is almost 3/4th of a second behind, you know you're doing something right. Nowhere on the circuit did the RB6 seem to have a weakness that somebody could possibly exploit for some momentary gain. The only thing that appears to be able to do them in on Sunday is mechanical difficulties, and while that may be a thin reed to cling to, you'd best believe that it's possible. During Saturday's final practice session, Vettel was having a routine lap when his nose fell off.
You can see that the wing is askew and actually dragging on the ground. It's hard to spot, but the nosecone of the car is actually separated from the chassis right where the arrow is pointing. The mounting points for the top of the nose failed, and while Red Bull have replaced both the mounting points and the mounting pins on Vettel's and Webber's cars, it can't be a big confidence boost for the drivers. Kind of like how Seb Buemi must have felt when the wheels blew off his car.
Behind, very far behind, the front row we find the usual suspects... except for one. Jenson Button doesn't much care for Silverstone. Certainly it's his home circuit, and yes indeed he likes driving here he says, but he's had a dog's luck at this place. "The car is undriveable," was the call over the radio, "there's no rear grip." The best the reigning World Driver's Champion could manage was 14th, and he may have been lucky with that.
Sharp-eyed readers might notice that Bruno Senna's name is missing from its usual place at the bottom of the timesheets. It appears that HRT is in something of desperate financial straits at the moment, if rumors are to be believed. Creditors are reportedly baying at their door, and in an attempt to get some fast cash they sold his seat for this race only to former SuperAguri driver Sakon "Admiral" Yamamoto. At least, that sure seems to be the way it looks; Senna is physically healthy, and other than his sponsors not paying their bill to the team, there's no obvious reason that he wouldn't be driving. I have a bad feeling about this.
Now, about the new "Arena" portion of the Silverstone Circuit. Reviews are mixed, all in all, with some drivers loving it, while others just can't stand it. What nobody likes is how slippery the new surface is, and how bumpy the tarmac is. Particularly bumpy is the spot where the old layout meets the new. What was supposed to be a fairly fast bend now has an incredibly rough patch right in the middle of it. Just watching cars cross it is scary enough, I can't imagine how it feels to be in the car when it goes over this washboard at speed... with an unsprung suspension, no less. The Legendary Announce Team's tech wonk, Steve Matchett, says that cars all up and down the pit lane have been suffering damage from the bumps, the track surface already has gouges taken out of it, and it seems quite possible that Vettel's amazing removable nose trick may have been aided by the vibrations caused. Should make for some interesting times tomorrw, all in all. We'll be here after the race with F1U! See you then.
Another RedBull one-two, but at least in the past someone has been able to challenge them a little bit. Not here, not today. Today, Seb Vettel and Mark Webber dominated Silverstone completely and utterly. When you have the only cars turning sub-1:30 laps and the nearest competitor is almost 3/4th of a second behind, you know you're doing something right. Nowhere on the circuit did the RB6 seem to have a weakness that somebody could possibly exploit for some momentary gain. The only thing that appears to be able to do them in on Sunday is mechanical difficulties, and while that may be a thin reed to cling to, you'd best believe that it's possible. During Saturday's final practice session, Vettel was having a routine lap when his nose fell off.
You can see that the wing is askew and actually dragging on the ground. It's hard to spot, but the nosecone of the car is actually separated from the chassis right where the arrow is pointing. The mounting points for the top of the nose failed, and while Red Bull have replaced both the mounting points and the mounting pins on Vettel's and Webber's cars, it can't be a big confidence boost for the drivers. Kind of like how Seb Buemi must have felt when the wheels blew off his car.
Behind, very far behind, the front row we find the usual suspects... except for one. Jenson Button doesn't much care for Silverstone. Certainly it's his home circuit, and yes indeed he likes driving here he says, but he's had a dog's luck at this place. "The car is undriveable," was the call over the radio, "there's no rear grip." The best the reigning World Driver's Champion could manage was 14th, and he may have been lucky with that.
Sharp-eyed readers might notice that Bruno Senna's name is missing from its usual place at the bottom of the timesheets. It appears that HRT is in something of desperate financial straits at the moment, if rumors are to be believed. Creditors are reportedly baying at their door, and in an attempt to get some fast cash they sold his seat for this race only to former SuperAguri driver Sakon "Admiral" Yamamoto. At least, that sure seems to be the way it looks; Senna is physically healthy, and other than his sponsors not paying their bill to the team, there's no obvious reason that he wouldn't be driving. I have a bad feeling about this.
Now, about the new "Arena" portion of the Silverstone Circuit. Reviews are mixed, all in all, with some drivers loving it, while others just can't stand it. What nobody likes is how slippery the new surface is, and how bumpy the tarmac is. Particularly bumpy is the spot where the old layout meets the new. What was supposed to be a fairly fast bend now has an incredibly rough patch right in the middle of it. Just watching cars cross it is scary enough, I can't imagine how it feels to be in the car when it goes over this washboard at speed... with an unsprung suspension, no less. The Legendary Announce Team's tech wonk, Steve Matchett, says that cars all up and down the pit lane have been suffering damage from the bumps, the track surface already has gouges taken out of it, and it seems quite possible that Vettel's amazing removable nose trick may have been aided by the vibrations caused. Should make for some interesting times tomorrw, all in all. We'll be here after the race with F1U! See you then.
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July 09, 2010
F1 Practice: Britain! Cancelled
I've often said that the only reason I watch practice sessions is to get used to the circuit. Well, maybe I'll watch a bit of it later, but for now there will be no coverage of Friday's 2nd Practice from Silverstone. To be honest, life has gotten in the way... worked this morning, then went to lunch with Ph.Duck and three of my relatives (distant but close, if that makes sense), and in a short while The Librarian should be coming over. By the time she moseys off, it'll be late and I'll be exhausted.
See, currently there's no air conditioning at Duck U. Last year the chiller system for the U shuffled off this mortal coil. The Powers-That-Be brought in a temporary unit (really neat, actually; mounted on a semi-trailer) and ordered a permanent replacement unit to be delivered in May of this year.
The manufacturer failed miserably. It didn't show up until just a few weeks ago, and it has been VERY hot and humid around Duckford recently. In fact, it hit 91 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Unfortunately, that was in the store. And on Tuesday, we got our big shipment of used books for the Fall semester. Of course, the freight driver refused to deliver the 73 boxes into the store (like he was supposed to) because the loading dock is a little short. So guess who got to do it? Ugh.
As a result, this four-day week was very long, very uncomfortable, and very very draining. So I suspect that I'll be asleep fairly early.
Quals in the morning, THAT I'll be all over like a cheap suit on rice.
Or something like that.
See, currently there's no air conditioning at Duck U. Last year the chiller system for the U shuffled off this mortal coil. The Powers-That-Be brought in a temporary unit (really neat, actually; mounted on a semi-trailer) and ordered a permanent replacement unit to be delivered in May of this year.
The manufacturer failed miserably. It didn't show up until just a few weeks ago, and it has been VERY hot and humid around Duckford recently. In fact, it hit 91 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Unfortunately, that was in the store. And on Tuesday, we got our big shipment of used books for the Fall semester. Of course, the freight driver refused to deliver the 73 boxes into the store (like he was supposed to) because the loading dock is a little short. So guess who got to do it? Ugh.
As a result, this four-day week was very long, very uncomfortable, and very very draining. So I suspect that I'll be asleep fairly early.
Quals in the morning, THAT I'll be all over like a cheap suit on rice.
Or something like that.
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July 05, 2010
F1 on TV: Grand Prix of Great Britain 2010
People say that Monaco is the soul of Formula 1, and surely that's where the big deals usually get done in the sport. After all, who in their right mind would turn down a fully-paid business trip to Monte Carlo on F1 weekend? Right, nobody.
But if Monaco is the soul, the home of the British Grand Prix is the heart of the sport. Silverstone was the site of the very first official World Championship F1 race in 1950, and most of the teams are based within easy drive of the track. Heck, Force India's site is located literally across the street from the entrance.
But with Birdie Ecclestone in charge of track choices, the heart has changed. Let's take a look at the track map:
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce the Silverstone Arena Circuit layout. The original, familiar layout used to follow the green more-or-less horizontal line from Abbey to Brooklands. The new Arena layout is about 780m longer, and was created so the circuit could host a round of the MotoGP motorcycle championship when it looked like F1 would be moving to Donington Park.
I'll be curious to hear the driver's opinions on the new section. It looks like it'll make the track a little faster overall. The stretch from Abbey to Turn 13 will probably be a flat-out sweeper, and the run from 14 to Brooklands probably won't require any braking in the least. All of this might add three more opportunities for passing (13, 14 and the reduced-radius Brooklands), or it might just end up doing nothing. I suspect the latter, but we'll see.
Still and all, Silverstone still has my favorite conglomeration of turns, the Maggots-Becketts-Chapel complex, so I'm happy. Probably F1's ultimate high-speed rhythm sequence, if I was given access to one place on the F1 calendar, even if it wasn't a normal spectator spot, I'd choose the inside of Becketts, pretty much right where the number "04" is on the map. Seeing the cars change direction on a dime like they do there must be an awe-inspiring sight. For the record, second choice would be at the crest of the hill of Eau Rouge, third would be inside the tunnel at Monaco. Fourth would be somewhere on the pit wall of any race. But I digress.
For a relatively high-speed circuit, the usual setup for the cars sees a medium level of downforce. There's just enough tight turns to make it worthwhile to go a little slower on the straights. "Ya gotta go slow to go fast" isn't just an overused aphorism, it's also the truth. Stowe, Vale, Turns 13 and 14, and the M-B-C complex all scream for a ton of grip. So you crank on a bit more wing and smirk when you slotcar through the turns while everybody else slops around. Still haven't heard about the tire compounds that Bridgestone'll will be bringing, but I'd guess supersoft/medium. I don't remember the track surface as being particularly abrasive.
Well, we'll find out beginning Friday morning, from 8am to 940am, with SPEED's coverage of the 2nd Practice session. Quals airs from 7am to 830am Saturday morning, also on SPEED.
The race, however, will be from 11am to 1pm on Sunday. This will be the third of four FOX races, so check your local listings, just in case. All times are, as usual, Pond Central time.
Hopefully Mark Webber won't go for any more unscheduled flights... though Silverstone is an old RAF base, let's leave the airshow stuff to the Red Arrows.
But if Monaco is the soul, the home of the British Grand Prix is the heart of the sport. Silverstone was the site of the very first official World Championship F1 race in 1950, and most of the teams are based within easy drive of the track. Heck, Force India's site is located literally across the street from the entrance.
But with Birdie Ecclestone in charge of track choices, the heart has changed. Let's take a look at the track map:
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce the Silverstone Arena Circuit layout. The original, familiar layout used to follow the green more-or-less horizontal line from Abbey to Brooklands. The new Arena layout is about 780m longer, and was created so the circuit could host a round of the MotoGP motorcycle championship when it looked like F1 would be moving to Donington Park.
I'll be curious to hear the driver's opinions on the new section. It looks like it'll make the track a little faster overall. The stretch from Abbey to Turn 13 will probably be a flat-out sweeper, and the run from 14 to Brooklands probably won't require any braking in the least. All of this might add three more opportunities for passing (13, 14 and the reduced-radius Brooklands), or it might just end up doing nothing. I suspect the latter, but we'll see.
Still and all, Silverstone still has my favorite conglomeration of turns, the Maggots-Becketts-Chapel complex, so I'm happy. Probably F1's ultimate high-speed rhythm sequence, if I was given access to one place on the F1 calendar, even if it wasn't a normal spectator spot, I'd choose the inside of Becketts, pretty much right where the number "04" is on the map. Seeing the cars change direction on a dime like they do there must be an awe-inspiring sight. For the record, second choice would be at the crest of the hill of Eau Rouge, third would be inside the tunnel at Monaco. Fourth would be somewhere on the pit wall of any race. But I digress.
For a relatively high-speed circuit, the usual setup for the cars sees a medium level of downforce. There's just enough tight turns to make it worthwhile to go a little slower on the straights. "Ya gotta go slow to go fast" isn't just an overused aphorism, it's also the truth. Stowe, Vale, Turns 13 and 14, and the M-B-C complex all scream for a ton of grip. So you crank on a bit more wing and smirk when you slotcar through the turns while everybody else slops around. Still haven't heard about the tire compounds that Bridgestone'll will be bringing, but I'd guess supersoft/medium. I don't remember the track surface as being particularly abrasive.
Well, we'll find out beginning Friday morning, from 8am to 940am, with SPEED's coverage of the 2nd Practice session. Quals airs from 7am to 830am Saturday morning, also on SPEED.
The race, however, will be from 11am to 1pm on Sunday. This will be the third of four FOX races, so check your local listings, just in case. All times are, as usual, Pond Central time.
Hopefully Mark Webber won't go for any more unscheduled flights... though Silverstone is an old RAF base, let's leave the airshow stuff to the Red Arrows.
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June 29, 2010
"That's What Test Drivers Are For."
"Eh?"
Well, it amused me to no end...
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June 26, 2010
F1 Quals: Europe @ Valencia 2010
Red Bull and McLaren are the only teams to have claimed the top spot in qualifying this season, and in the first two practice sessions, neither showed much in the way of continuing that streak. Will this be the first race this year where one of those two worthies aren't on pole? Let's look at the provisional grid for Sunday's Grand Prix of Europe, Valencia style:
Nope. Vettel came up off the mat and slugged his way to his first pole in a while, much to the annoyance of his teammate, Mark Webber. There appears to have been a huge wedge driven between their relationship; they completely ignored each other in the time just after the session and during interviews. It used to be that they would shake each other's hand, joke around, that sort of thing. That could prove telling later in the season.
The surprise of the session has to be the performance of Williams. They got both of their cars into Q3 for the first time this year, and last year's winner here, Rubens Barrichello, was outqualified by his substantially less experienced teammate. Nice job, guys.
For a while there, Robert Kubica looked as if he would be the one to punt the traditional to the curb. Alas, it was not to be, as the oomph of the big teams came out late in Q3. Still, for a minute there... ah well, so it goes.
Most amusing to me was the struggles of one Slappy Schumacher. He only just managed to get out of Q1, and as can be seen above, didn't accomplish the task in Q2, finishing quite low in the session. His teammate, Nico Rosberg, also failed to make it out of Q2, making one wonder if Mercedes has "lost the plot" all of a sudden. One could argue that they never actually had the plot, but that's for another day.
Force India hasn't lost the plot, but they have lost the spending war. As the other big teams have made huge improvements (blown rear wings, moving their exhausts, etc etc etc), FI hasn't been able to spend the cash to do the same. The result, of course, is that they're no longer likely to make it to Q3. Darn shame, that.
And in the battle of the cripples, Lotus continues their dominance. Please note that all the new teams would have made the race under next year's 107% rule, by a couple of seconds to boot. So much for that.
Race tomorrow on Fox, meaning I won't be watching it until 11am Pond Central time... F1U! will be sometime thereafter. See ya then!
Nope. Vettel came up off the mat and slugged his way to his first pole in a while, much to the annoyance of his teammate, Mark Webber. There appears to have been a huge wedge driven between their relationship; they completely ignored each other in the time just after the session and during interviews. It used to be that they would shake each other's hand, joke around, that sort of thing. That could prove telling later in the season.
The surprise of the session has to be the performance of Williams. They got both of their cars into Q3 for the first time this year, and last year's winner here, Rubens Barrichello, was outqualified by his substantially less experienced teammate. Nice job, guys.
For a while there, Robert Kubica looked as if he would be the one to punt the traditional to the curb. Alas, it was not to be, as the oomph of the big teams came out late in Q3. Still, for a minute there... ah well, so it goes.
Most amusing to me was the struggles of one Slappy Schumacher. He only just managed to get out of Q1, and as can be seen above, didn't accomplish the task in Q2, finishing quite low in the session. His teammate, Nico Rosberg, also failed to make it out of Q2, making one wonder if Mercedes has "lost the plot" all of a sudden. One could argue that they never actually had the plot, but that's for another day.
Force India hasn't lost the plot, but they have lost the spending war. As the other big teams have made huge improvements (blown rear wings, moving their exhausts, etc etc etc), FI hasn't been able to spend the cash to do the same. The result, of course, is that they're no longer likely to make it to Q3. Darn shame, that.
And in the battle of the cripples, Lotus continues their dominance. Please note that all the new teams would have made the race under next year's 107% rule, by a couple of seconds to boot. So much for that.
Race tomorrow on Fox, meaning I won't be watching it until 11am Pond Central time... F1U! will be sometime thereafter. See ya then!
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June 25, 2010
F1 Practice: Europe @ Valencia 2010
I dunno folks, I just dun. Other than Felipe Massa bringing out a red flag by spinning and stalling, there just wasn't much to talk about during Friday's 2nd Practice at Valencia. Oh, sure, there was a little incident right at the very end when Slappy Schumacher slowed down to crawling speed without looking in his mirrors, causing Lewis Hamilton to have to take immediate evasive action or end up perching his McLaren on top of the Mercedes, but even that ended up as a non-event. Hamilton did the old "what the hell?" gesture with his right hand, Slappy apologized afterwards, and all is right with the world.
Except that HWMNBN ended up on the top of the timesheets. Great for the promoters, good for the people of Valencia, annoying for everybody else. Well, perhaps we'll have more interesting things to speak about after quals in the morning...
...otherwise it's gonna be a looooooong weekend, and not in a good way.
Except that HWMNBN ended up on the top of the timesheets. Great for the promoters, good for the people of Valencia, annoying for everybody else. Well, perhaps we'll have more interesting things to speak about after quals in the morning...
...otherwise it's gonna be a looooooong weekend, and not in a good way.
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June 23, 2010
Red Hot F1 Rules Changes!
Hold on to your seats, boys and girls, because it can't get more exciting than this! The FIA has made some changes to both the Sporting and the Technical Regulations for the 2011 F1 season, and everything is going to be thrown into a cocked hat!
Okay, no, not really, but there's some important stuff in there.
First off, and least important of the bunch, the FIA World Council has granted Dutch-born Chinese-registered driver Ho-Pin Tung a provisional Super License, based on his career resume. Now, I've seen Ho-Pin Tung race a few times and to be brutally honest, we may just have the second coming of Fast Yuji Ide here. I can't imagine any team wanting to take a shot at him, but stranger things have happened before... like Yuji Ide. Anyway, the granting of a Super License to someone who hasn't technically qualified for one isn't unheard of; you may remember I mentioned last season that that was probably how Slappy Schumacher would be allowed to take over Felipe Massa's seat.
In response to Lewis Hamilton's qualifying session at Canada, where he did Q3 on so little fuel that he had to push the car back to the pit lane, the rules now state that a car has to be driven back to the pits. What happens if the car has a breakdown after quals? Who knows? The rules don't say.
The minimum chassis weight has been increased from 620kg to 640kg. I haven't heard any reason for this, but I assume it has something to do with the jumbo-sized fuel bladder needed for a no-refueling race. That's nothing but a guess though, so don't take it as gospel, fact, or even anything even slightly informed.
After Slappy Schumacher's little tete-a-tete with HWMNBN in the last corner at Monaco, where he passed under Safety Car conditions, the FIA decided to clarify the rules. To whit, now it is explicitly verboten to do what Slappy did, as opposed to the way it was written previously which allowed for "differing interpretations" of the rules.
Now on to the big stuff. We knew that Bridgestone was no longer going to be the tire provider for F1 next year, but nobody knew who'd be taking their place. I personally was rooting for Hoosier Tires, if only because I'd love to hear some of the drivers try to pronounce "hoosier", but it was not to be. Instead, the FIA went with the safe choice of Pirelli. Don't get me wrong: calling them "safe" isn't a knock. Pirelli has been making racing tires for decades and that experience has got to serve them in good stead. Maybe the FIA got free copies of the Pirelli Calendar?
The FIA has also decided to do away with the "F-Duct" system for next year. Eh, no big loss in my book, though it was a clever idea. They've also brought around a whole new set of rules for "movable bodywork," meaning the adjustable front wings that we've had for a couple of seasons. I'll let the FIA press release explain it:
From 2011, adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps. The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated. The FIA may, after consulting all the competitors, adjust the time proximity in order to ensure the purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.
Who the what now?
In plain english, after the second lap of the race a driver can use moving wingthingies when he's closing in on another car. It can be used until the driver hits the brakes, at which point it's disabled until the FIA's electronic sensors reenable it. Basically, it's another attempt to make passing easier... kinda like KERS, except this time it's only the trailing car that can use it.
Unless the leading car is also close behind another car of course, but we won't get into that right now. My head hurts enough as it is.
Finally, in response to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo's incessant bitching about the backmarkers being a hazard to all the fast cars (which is his way of saying "my drivers can't figure out how to pass them"), the FIA has decided to reinstitute the fabled 107% Rule. Now, many of my readers are looking puzzled right now, while some old hands at the F1 Circus (Pete, Flotsky) are probably high-fiving their cats. Grab a cup of coffee and I'll explain.
Once upon a time, there were lots of teams trying to race in F1. In fact, there were so many that invariably there weren't enough spaces on the grid for them. So, the F1 nabobs created a "pre-qualifying" round where the teams would have to qualify to qualify. To do so, a driver would have to set a time within 107% of the fastest lap. In other words, if the fastest lap was turned in at 1 minute, 40 seconds (or 100 seconds), if you couldn't do at least a 1:47 you weren't even allowed to race. This made it quite possible to have only one car in a team make the race, or (very rarely) have a star not be able to make it for one reason or another. With much of the detritus cleared away, you'd then go off and qualify with whomever was left... and if there were more than 26 cars, the 27th and below were booted.
So now, even though we've got less than a full grid of 26 cars, if a HRT (say) can't get within 107% of the fastest lap in Q1, they won't be allowed to race... except for certain circumstances. Y'see, the FIA reserves final judgement in this matter, so if they want to, they can allow a car in if it showed speed in one of the three practice sessions. So stop annoying your cat.
Okay, no, not really, but there's some important stuff in there.
First off, and least important of the bunch, the FIA World Council has granted Dutch-born Chinese-registered driver Ho-Pin Tung a provisional Super License, based on his career resume. Now, I've seen Ho-Pin Tung race a few times and to be brutally honest, we may just have the second coming of Fast Yuji Ide here. I can't imagine any team wanting to take a shot at him, but stranger things have happened before... like Yuji Ide. Anyway, the granting of a Super License to someone who hasn't technically qualified for one isn't unheard of; you may remember I mentioned last season that that was probably how Slappy Schumacher would be allowed to take over Felipe Massa's seat.
In response to Lewis Hamilton's qualifying session at Canada, where he did Q3 on so little fuel that he had to push the car back to the pit lane, the rules now state that a car has to be driven back to the pits. What happens if the car has a breakdown after quals? Who knows? The rules don't say.
The minimum chassis weight has been increased from 620kg to 640kg. I haven't heard any reason for this, but I assume it has something to do with the jumbo-sized fuel bladder needed for a no-refueling race. That's nothing but a guess though, so don't take it as gospel, fact, or even anything even slightly informed.
After Slappy Schumacher's little tete-a-tete with HWMNBN in the last corner at Monaco, where he passed under Safety Car conditions, the FIA decided to clarify the rules. To whit, now it is explicitly verboten to do what Slappy did, as opposed to the way it was written previously which allowed for "differing interpretations" of the rules.
Now on to the big stuff. We knew that Bridgestone was no longer going to be the tire provider for F1 next year, but nobody knew who'd be taking their place. I personally was rooting for Hoosier Tires, if only because I'd love to hear some of the drivers try to pronounce "hoosier", but it was not to be. Instead, the FIA went with the safe choice of Pirelli. Don't get me wrong: calling them "safe" isn't a knock. Pirelli has been making racing tires for decades and that experience has got to serve them in good stead. Maybe the FIA got free copies of the Pirelli Calendar?
The FIA has also decided to do away with the "F-Duct" system for next year. Eh, no big loss in my book, though it was a clever idea. They've also brought around a whole new set of rules for "movable bodywork," meaning the adjustable front wings that we've had for a couple of seasons. I'll let the FIA press release explain it:
From 2011, adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps. The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated. The FIA may, after consulting all the competitors, adjust the time proximity in order to ensure the purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.
Who the what now?
In plain english, after the second lap of the race a driver can use moving wingthingies when he's closing in on another car. It can be used until the driver hits the brakes, at which point it's disabled until the FIA's electronic sensors reenable it. Basically, it's another attempt to make passing easier... kinda like KERS, except this time it's only the trailing car that can use it.
Unless the leading car is also close behind another car of course, but we won't get into that right now. My head hurts enough as it is.
Finally, in response to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo's incessant bitching about the backmarkers being a hazard to all the fast cars (which is his way of saying "my drivers can't figure out how to pass them"), the FIA has decided to reinstitute the fabled 107% Rule. Now, many of my readers are looking puzzled right now, while some old hands at the F1 Circus (Pete, Flotsky) are probably high-fiving their cats. Grab a cup of coffee and I'll explain.
Once upon a time, there were lots of teams trying to race in F1. In fact, there were so many that invariably there weren't enough spaces on the grid for them. So, the F1 nabobs created a "pre-qualifying" round where the teams would have to qualify to qualify. To do so, a driver would have to set a time within 107% of the fastest lap. In other words, if the fastest lap was turned in at 1 minute, 40 seconds (or 100 seconds), if you couldn't do at least a 1:47 you weren't even allowed to race. This made it quite possible to have only one car in a team make the race, or (very rarely) have a star not be able to make it for one reason or another. With much of the detritus cleared away, you'd then go off and qualify with whomever was left... and if there were more than 26 cars, the 27th and below were booted.
So now, even though we've got less than a full grid of 26 cars, if a HRT (say) can't get within 107% of the fastest lap in Q1, they won't be allowed to race... except for certain circumstances. Y'see, the FIA reserves final judgement in this matter, so if they want to, they can allow a car in if it showed speed in one of the three practice sessions. So stop annoying your cat.
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June 21, 2010
F1 on TV: Europe 2010
Yes, that's right, we're coming up to the Grand Prix of Europe. The title of the race was created as a way to get two Grands Prix into one country without confusing the two. Perhaps not oddly, for quite some time the Grand Prix of Europe was in Germany... unsurprisingly, since the biggest star in the sport at the time was Slappy Schumacher. The title moved across the continent to Spain after HWMNBN became the cock of the walk, which is where we find it now, in Valencia! Let's look at the track map...
Back in 2008 when the layout was first used, we had such hopes for this circuit. It was a new street circuit, and those always prove interesting, right? Yes, well, not so much... it turned out to be another Hermann Tilke snoozefest. Unless, of course, you count the death of a bird as excitement. In 2009, we had such hopes for the circuit, what with the new aero rules and all. Yes, well, not so much. It turned out that the Tilke ooze had stuck, and we got nothing but red-hot pit stop action.
So we should be expecting more of the same for 2010, right? Well, normally I'd say yes, but I have a little secret. You see, Duck U Vice President of Operations "The Screwdriver" was in Valencia one week ago, and he went on a little souvenir hunt for yours truly. He got to see the barriers being put in place around the "twisty bits" complex, which he found highly interesting, and his intent was to bring back a poster for me. He didn't get it however, as it was raining the entire time and the poster would have turned to soggy paper.
So we know that it's not impossible that we could get rain, and as we sit here on Monday the F1 website says it'll be foggy at racetime. Other weather-related websites are suggesting that it'll be clear and hot, but we'll go with F1's legendarily accurate (*snort*) weather forecasting for now. Because that's about the only way we'll got a non-snoozer of a race in Valencia.
Oh, it's not a bad layout, all things considered. It looks like it should be a winner, and visually it has its moments, like the bridge between Turns 9 and 10, but in reality? It's a dog. It's very wide for a street circuit, which should provide a lot of passing opportunities, but there just aren't many. In some ways, it's very much like Canada's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, in that it's a high-speed layout (a high-speed street circuit?) with lots of very low-speed turns. The difference, of course, is that Canada doesn't have a technical section, whereas the "twisty bits" in Valencia definitely qualifies.
Bridgestone is sending the Supersoft and Medium compound tires along, just like Canada, and we all know how well that turned out. A big difference, though, will be the surface of the track. Where Canada was brand-new, Valencia has a well-used (though not by F1 cars), somewhat rough, asphalt. Combined with the higher air temperatures, that should make it easier for the tires to come up to a useful grip level. To counteract that, however, you get the oil and other crap dumped on the road by everyday traffic. Call it a wash, at least to start the weekend.
TV coverage of that weekend begins with SPEED's live broadcast of Friday's Second Practice, from 7a to 840a. Saturday brings us plausibly live coverage of Quals, from 7a to 830a.
Sunday, we'll see the 2010 Grand Prix of Europe from Valencia, Spain, on your local Fox affiliate, from 11a to 1p Central Pond time. That's about 4 hours worth of tape delay... aren't we lucky? To make matters better, Legendary Announce Team chief honcho, The Varsha, will not be participating in this weekend's activities, as he'll be anchoring SPEED's coverage of one of the Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions.
Of course, the F1U! team will be all over this race like a cheap suit... don't miss a syllable of it!
Back in 2008 when the layout was first used, we had such hopes for this circuit. It was a new street circuit, and those always prove interesting, right? Yes, well, not so much... it turned out to be another Hermann Tilke snoozefest. Unless, of course, you count the death of a bird as excitement. In 2009, we had such hopes for the circuit, what with the new aero rules and all. Yes, well, not so much. It turned out that the Tilke ooze had stuck, and we got nothing but red-hot pit stop action.
So we should be expecting more of the same for 2010, right? Well, normally I'd say yes, but I have a little secret. You see, Duck U Vice President of Operations "The Screwdriver" was in Valencia one week ago, and he went on a little souvenir hunt for yours truly. He got to see the barriers being put in place around the "twisty bits" complex, which he found highly interesting, and his intent was to bring back a poster for me. He didn't get it however, as it was raining the entire time and the poster would have turned to soggy paper.
So we know that it's not impossible that we could get rain, and as we sit here on Monday the F1 website says it'll be foggy at racetime. Other weather-related websites are suggesting that it'll be clear and hot, but we'll go with F1's legendarily accurate (*snort*) weather forecasting for now. Because that's about the only way we'll got a non-snoozer of a race in Valencia.
Oh, it's not a bad layout, all things considered. It looks like it should be a winner, and visually it has its moments, like the bridge between Turns 9 and 10, but in reality? It's a dog. It's very wide for a street circuit, which should provide a lot of passing opportunities, but there just aren't many. In some ways, it's very much like Canada's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, in that it's a high-speed layout (a high-speed street circuit?) with lots of very low-speed turns. The difference, of course, is that Canada doesn't have a technical section, whereas the "twisty bits" in Valencia definitely qualifies.
Bridgestone is sending the Supersoft and Medium compound tires along, just like Canada, and we all know how well that turned out. A big difference, though, will be the surface of the track. Where Canada was brand-new, Valencia has a well-used (though not by F1 cars), somewhat rough, asphalt. Combined with the higher air temperatures, that should make it easier for the tires to come up to a useful grip level. To counteract that, however, you get the oil and other crap dumped on the road by everyday traffic. Call it a wash, at least to start the weekend.
TV coverage of that weekend begins with SPEED's live broadcast of Friday's Second Practice, from 7a to 840a. Saturday brings us plausibly live coverage of Quals, from 7a to 830a.
Sunday, we'll see the 2010 Grand Prix of Europe from Valencia, Spain, on your local Fox affiliate, from 11a to 1p Central Pond time. That's about 4 hours worth of tape delay... aren't we lucky? To make matters better, Legendary Announce Team chief honcho, The Varsha, will not be participating in this weekend's activities, as he'll be anchoring SPEED's coverage of one of the Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions.
Of course, the F1U! team will be all over this race like a cheap suit... don't miss a syllable of it!
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June 15, 2010
Random F1 Picture
Yes, there's a car under there.
"Peetshtop."
"Peetshtop."
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June 12, 2010
F1 Quals: Canada 2010
FINALLY!
For the first time this season, a Red Bull is not on pole. It took a last-gasp lap from Lewis Hamilton to kick them out of the first spot on the grid, done on the super-soft tires and with so little fuel on board that Lewis had to literally push the car back to the pits, but they did it.
But then, this is Formula 1 so there just had to be speculation that Hamilton would be penalized for running out of fuel. Since he did not return to the pits within X amount of time, he was in violation of Article 15.1 in the Sporting Regulations. In theory, he could have had his fastest time ruled invalid. Instead, he was reprimanded and given a $10000 fine; chump change in F1 terms.
However, this won't be a McLaren walk in the park. Both Webber and Vettel are on the "hard" compound (actually the medium rubber), which is the tire that the teams universally prefer this weekend. The softs are a smidge faster, but are dying off after about six or seven laps while the hards are more durable. Bridgestone is saying that the teams will pretty much have to stop twice for tires this race, that there's no way a car can stretch the tires to last the whole distance. Of course, there's rain forecast so that might throw everything into a cocked hat, but at the moment I'd have to lean towards the Red Bulls.
A laugh and a shot to the ribs to Slappy Schumacher who couldn't do better than 13th and just as easily could have been a lot farther down than that. It might not get much better from now on as it sounds like Mercedes has run out of cash for developing the 2010 car. In F1, if you're standing still, you're falling behind. Wave bye-bye to Slappy for this year, kids.
A special "yahoo!" goes to the Force India team. Both cars in the top 10, which might be the first time they've done that (I'm not sure about Spa, last year). Certainly it's the first time this year! I knew they were fast.
But today goes to McLaren and Hamilton! Nicely done, lads.
For the first time this season, a Red Bull is not on pole. It took a last-gasp lap from Lewis Hamilton to kick them out of the first spot on the grid, done on the super-soft tires and with so little fuel on board that Lewis had to literally push the car back to the pits, but they did it.
But then, this is Formula 1 so there just had to be speculation that Hamilton would be penalized for running out of fuel. Since he did not return to the pits within X amount of time, he was in violation of Article 15.1 in the Sporting Regulations. In theory, he could have had his fastest time ruled invalid. Instead, he was reprimanded and given a $10000 fine; chump change in F1 terms.
However, this won't be a McLaren walk in the park. Both Webber and Vettel are on the "hard" compound (actually the medium rubber), which is the tire that the teams universally prefer this weekend. The softs are a smidge faster, but are dying off after about six or seven laps while the hards are more durable. Bridgestone is saying that the teams will pretty much have to stop twice for tires this race, that there's no way a car can stretch the tires to last the whole distance. Of course, there's rain forecast so that might throw everything into a cocked hat, but at the moment I'd have to lean towards the Red Bulls.
A laugh and a shot to the ribs to Slappy Schumacher who couldn't do better than 13th and just as easily could have been a lot farther down than that. It might not get much better from now on as it sounds like Mercedes has run out of cash for developing the 2010 car. In F1, if you're standing still, you're falling behind. Wave bye-bye to Slappy for this year, kids.
A special "yahoo!" goes to the Force India team. Both cars in the top 10, which might be the first time they've done that (I'm not sure about Spa, last year). Certainly it's the first time this year! I knew they were fast.
But today goes to McLaren and Hamilton! Nicely done, lads.
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June 11, 2010
F1 Practice: Canada 2010
It's no secret that Friday practice sessions aren't really very exciting. I watch them mostly to get myself refamiliarized with the layout of the circuit and how the cameras are placed, so I'll know where we are at any time during the broadcast ("Ah, there's that Allianz sign with the small tear, this is Turn 5"). But, by the Holy Shifter of St Fangio the Quick, was this a bloody dull practice! Seb Vettel had the fastest lap, followed by HWMNBN and Nico Rosberg, but McLaren's duo of Hamilton and Button could only manage 9th and 11th, respectively.
The biggest news out of the session was the track itself. Over the past two years, the organizers resurfaced the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the result that it's incredibly slippery. Lewis Hamilton went so far as to say that it was like being on an ice rink. Of course, part of that is because the track is only used for a few race weekends a year. The other part is that it's been raining all week in Montreal, and whatever rubber that's been laid down on the surface has been washed away. The drivers are discovering that you have to allow three laps minimum to get the tires up to racing temperature when at some places, like Monza or Turkey, they're ready before your first lap is done. The Legendary Announce Team's new voice from the pits, Will Buxton, said that he saw a Toro Rosso come in after five or six laps and the tires still looked brand new.
Low heat equals low grip. Low downforce settings on the car (Canada is second only to Monza in the low downforce category) also equals low grip. Combined with a slippery surface, we saw a lot of cars wobbling all over the place. And don't think it's going to get any better as the weekend goes on. We're looking at rain both Saturday and Sunday. Sweepers, man your brooms, there's gonna be a lot of carbon fiber scattered around the Ile Notre Dame after the race.
Finally, I wanted to show y'all what I was talking about when I mentioned that the cars came awfully close to the Wall of Champions. How close?
About that close.
For Montreal, that's a lot of run-off space, by the way. Most of the circuit is lined with walls, much like Monaco. There's about a foot of space between the edge of the track to the walls; if someone hits them, you get a ping-ponging effect that almost always guarantees a Safety Car. In fact, this is the place the Safety Car was invented.
Quals tomorrow afternoon via tape delay, thanks to ARCA and Craftsman Truck Series races. See you then!
The biggest news out of the session was the track itself. Over the past two years, the organizers resurfaced the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the result that it's incredibly slippery. Lewis Hamilton went so far as to say that it was like being on an ice rink. Of course, part of that is because the track is only used for a few race weekends a year. The other part is that it's been raining all week in Montreal, and whatever rubber that's been laid down on the surface has been washed away. The drivers are discovering that you have to allow three laps minimum to get the tires up to racing temperature when at some places, like Monza or Turkey, they're ready before your first lap is done. The Legendary Announce Team's new voice from the pits, Will Buxton, said that he saw a Toro Rosso come in after five or six laps and the tires still looked brand new.
Low heat equals low grip. Low downforce settings on the car (Canada is second only to Monza in the low downforce category) also equals low grip. Combined with a slippery surface, we saw a lot of cars wobbling all over the place. And don't think it's going to get any better as the weekend goes on. We're looking at rain both Saturday and Sunday. Sweepers, man your brooms, there's gonna be a lot of carbon fiber scattered around the Ile Notre Dame after the race.
Finally, I wanted to show y'all what I was talking about when I mentioned that the cars came awfully close to the Wall of Champions. How close?
About that close.
For Montreal, that's a lot of run-off space, by the way. Most of the circuit is lined with walls, much like Monaco. There's about a foot of space between the edge of the track to the walls; if someone hits them, you get a ping-ponging effect that almost always guarantees a Safety Car. In fact, this is the place the Safety Car was invented.
Quals tomorrow afternoon via tape delay, thanks to ARCA and Craftsman Truck Series races. See you then!
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June 07, 2010
F1 on TV: Canada 2010
Yep, that's right: F1 on TV. You know what that means... it means we're in that four-race stretch where Formula 1 is shown on a major network, but tape-delayed. Whee. Except for this week as the F1 Circus has returned to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Ile Notre-Dame, a manmade island in the St Lawrence River, in Montreal. And this will be an interesting study in F1 racing for more reasons than one. "Why", you may ask, "is that?" All will be revealed in due time, Sparky, but first! It is time for... the track map!
Montreal is what I'd call a "classic track", meaning that it's not a Hermann Tilke "Adventure" circuit ("You are in a maze of little twisty passages, all alike"), and here's where it gets interesting. You see, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was off the calendar in 2009, meaning that this'll be the first time the new-spec cars will have been here. Last year, every race was an exciting voyage of discovery as to how the low downforce, slick tire-shod chassis ran on each track. Of course, this year the teams have a years' worth of experience on most of the circuits, with two exceptions. One exception is the new layout in South Korea, a Tilke circuit. The other exception is Montreal. Exciting!
This circuit is well known as being murder on brakes. Turn 10 is the true killer here. You see, F1 brakes are designed to run at ridiculously high temperatures: 1000ºC. From Turns 1 thru 7, that's not a problem, the carbon brake discs stay right where they're supposed to. But then comes the run from Turn 7 to the hairpin Turn 10, which is nearly as slow as Monaco's Loews Hairpin. The catch is that, during that high-speed sprint, the brakes cool dramatically then, when the driver stomps on the "stop in a hurry" pedal, the heat builds up so rapidly that a thin layer of the carbon disc actually melts, or "glazes" the brakes, reducing the stopping efficiency, and of their ability to dissipate heat. That means you have to apply more force to the brakes to slow down, which increases heat buildup, which means more glazing. Repeat 70 times. This means that over the length of the race, the brakes get too hot. This is the only circuit where I've seen a brake disc actually explosively shatter. The run from Turn 2 to 6 has a similar effect, though reduced, as does the streak from 10 to the Turn 12/13 chicane.
If there's one spot on this circuit that people remember, it's that chicane. Cars routinely come within a few inches of the outside wall as they come out of it, and the curbs are... um... aggressive. If you catch too much of the curb on the inside of 12, you get thrown into that wall, which is lovingly emblazoned with the slogan Bienvenue au Québec.
Because of all the drivers that have left their suspensions here, it's known as the "Wall of Champions."
We'll find out who'll be the lucky driver to join the list beginning on Friday with LIVE coverage of Practice Session 2 on SPEED from 1pm to 240pm. We'll get Quals on serious tape delay because of NASCAR stuff on Saturday from 330pm to 5pm, also on SPEED.
The race itself will be LIVE on Sunday from 11am to 1pm, but on your FOX affiliate. Check your local listings for times in your area, as they do have to option to move it around. Also, don't expect any pre-race coverage, and next to no post-race stuff either. For that, keep it here for F1U! There will be a replay on SPEED on Tuesday, from 11am to 1pm. (All times Pond Central)
Luckily for all of us, the Legendary Announce Team will be providing their usual sterling analysis for the race. Don't miss it, it'll be a blast!
Montreal is what I'd call a "classic track", meaning that it's not a Hermann Tilke "Adventure" circuit ("You are in a maze of little twisty passages, all alike"), and here's where it gets interesting. You see, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was off the calendar in 2009, meaning that this'll be the first time the new-spec cars will have been here. Last year, every race was an exciting voyage of discovery as to how the low downforce, slick tire-shod chassis ran on each track. Of course, this year the teams have a years' worth of experience on most of the circuits, with two exceptions. One exception is the new layout in South Korea, a Tilke circuit. The other exception is Montreal. Exciting!
This circuit is well known as being murder on brakes. Turn 10 is the true killer here. You see, F1 brakes are designed to run at ridiculously high temperatures: 1000ºC. From Turns 1 thru 7, that's not a problem, the carbon brake discs stay right where they're supposed to. But then comes the run from Turn 7 to the hairpin Turn 10, which is nearly as slow as Monaco's Loews Hairpin. The catch is that, during that high-speed sprint, the brakes cool dramatically then, when the driver stomps on the "stop in a hurry" pedal, the heat builds up so rapidly that a thin layer of the carbon disc actually melts, or "glazes" the brakes, reducing the stopping efficiency, and of their ability to dissipate heat. That means you have to apply more force to the brakes to slow down, which increases heat buildup, which means more glazing. Repeat 70 times. This means that over the length of the race, the brakes get too hot. This is the only circuit where I've seen a brake disc actually explosively shatter. The run from Turn 2 to 6 has a similar effect, though reduced, as does the streak from 10 to the Turn 12/13 chicane.
If there's one spot on this circuit that people remember, it's that chicane. Cars routinely come within a few inches of the outside wall as they come out of it, and the curbs are... um... aggressive. If you catch too much of the curb on the inside of 12, you get thrown into that wall, which is lovingly emblazoned with the slogan Bienvenue au Québec.
Because of all the drivers that have left their suspensions here, it's known as the "Wall of Champions."
We'll find out who'll be the lucky driver to join the list beginning on Friday with LIVE coverage of Practice Session 2 on SPEED from 1pm to 240pm. We'll get Quals on serious tape delay because of NASCAR stuff on Saturday from 330pm to 5pm, also on SPEED.
The race itself will be LIVE on Sunday from 11am to 1pm, but on your FOX affiliate. Check your local listings for times in your area, as they do have to option to move it around. Also, don't expect any pre-race coverage, and next to no post-race stuff either. For that, keep it here for F1U! There will be a replay on SPEED on Tuesday, from 11am to 1pm. (All times Pond Central)
Luckily for all of us, the Legendary Announce Team will be providing their usual sterling analysis for the race. Don't miss it, it'll be a blast!
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May 29, 2010
F1 Quals: Turkey 2010
Over the past few years, Turkey has been Ferrari's sandbox, but then BrawnGP came along last year and kicked sand in their faces. Now the Red Bullies have arrived on the scene, looking for a fight. Will Ferrari stand up for themselves? Will McLaren or Mercedes finally kick Red Bull out of the top spot on the grid? Let's take a look at the provisional lineup:
Yeah, like anybody is gonna kick Red Bull off of pole. Though to be honest, it looked like Lewis Hamilton had it cold at the end of Q3. He was maybe 20 seconds behind Webber on the track, and when Webber turned in the fastest sector 1 time of the day, Hamilton bettered it. Webber set the fastest sector 2 time, but Hamilton had been crusing there all day. It seemed that for once we'd get a non-Red Bull car on pole.
Then Slappy Schumacher had to go and ruin it for us by spinning off on Quad-8 and making a fine try for the barriers, coming up just a few feet short. Unfortunately, he was between Webber and Hamilton on track, meaning that when the local yellow flag came out, Hamilton had to slow down... but Webber didn't. So long, pole hunt. Obviously we don't know that Lewis would have been faster than the Red Bull driver, but it looked like it would have been close.
As far as Ferrari's sandbox went, it looked more like Ferrari's litterbox. Massa could only manage a lackluster eighth, while HWMNBN screwed up on his final two laps in Q2 and was bumped out. So much for "no more mistakes." For some reason, I am not unhappy with this result.
So there's our grid... and Webber is suddenly looking like he's in the clear for a three race winning streak. Will it pan out? We'll see tomorrow! Come back on Sunday for the F1 Update!
Yeah, like anybody is gonna kick Red Bull off of pole. Though to be honest, it looked like Lewis Hamilton had it cold at the end of Q3. He was maybe 20 seconds behind Webber on the track, and when Webber turned in the fastest sector 1 time of the day, Hamilton bettered it. Webber set the fastest sector 2 time, but Hamilton had been crusing there all day. It seemed that for once we'd get a non-Red Bull car on pole.
Then Slappy Schumacher had to go and ruin it for us by spinning off on Quad-8 and making a fine try for the barriers, coming up just a few feet short. Unfortunately, he was between Webber and Hamilton on track, meaning that when the local yellow flag came out, Hamilton had to slow down... but Webber didn't. So long, pole hunt. Obviously we don't know that Lewis would have been faster than the Red Bull driver, but it looked like it would have been close.
As far as Ferrari's sandbox went, it looked more like Ferrari's litterbox. Massa could only manage a lackluster eighth, while HWMNBN screwed up on his final two laps in Q2 and was bumped out. So much for "no more mistakes." For some reason, I am not unhappy with this result.
So there's our grid... and Webber is suddenly looking like he's in the clear for a three race winning streak. Will it pan out? We'll see tomorrow! Come back on Sunday for the F1 Update!
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May 28, 2010
F1 Practice: Turkey 2010
It appears that the previous talk about the circuit at the Istanbul Otodrom becoming bumpy in its age didn't go far enough. It's hideous, particularly on the first two apexes of Quad-8 (or, as one e-mailer to the Legendary Announce Team named it, "Diabolica," a play off of the famous "Parabolica" at Monza). The braking zone for Turn 12 is also infested with molehills growing into mountains.
Felipe Massa had a bad, bad time with Turn 8 today, losing the car twice in two laps at the same place on the bend. In fact, he just was having a bad time in general. I'm starting to wonder if the rumors that he's not the same driver he used to be before the Spring Incident... aren't true. He hasn't even come close to winning a race this season; heck, other than the Ferrari domination of Bahrain where he finished second, he's not come close to the front of the pack this year at all. It's a shame... while I can't say that I much like the guy (he does drive for Ferrari, after all), having your career curtailed through no fault of your own just isn't very fair.
Speaking of unfair, the last time HRT's Bruno Senna raced at Turkey, his GP2 car was totaled when he ran into a dog on the circuit. Which isn't quite as bad as hitting a cow, like these rally drivers did, but still pretty bad.
Late in P2, Red Bull's Mark Webber blew an engine. Not so bad, really, as it only had about 30 miles left in its scheduled lifespan anyway. Meanwhile, his teammate, Seb Vettel, got a new chassis. The past two races, he's been complaining about the car not feeling right; turns out there was something wrong with the floor/undertray. The team could not fix it, so brand new car for him... which, in his tradition, he has named "Randy Mandy." She joins "Kate," "Kate's Dirty Sister," and "Luscious Liz" on the list.
Jensen Button headed the timesheet in P2, followed by the two Red Bull drivers and Lewis Hamilton. Massa was 10th.
Ferrari has a new livery for this race:
This will be their 800th Grand Prix start. Nobody else is really even close, as they're the only team to have participated in all 60 seasons of F1. That's a lot of races... and makes the fact that Rubens Barrichello is closing in on his 300th start (near the end of this season) all the more impressive.
Quals in the morning. See you then!
Felipe Massa had a bad, bad time with Turn 8 today, losing the car twice in two laps at the same place on the bend. In fact, he just was having a bad time in general. I'm starting to wonder if the rumors that he's not the same driver he used to be before the Spring Incident... aren't true. He hasn't even come close to winning a race this season; heck, other than the Ferrari domination of Bahrain where he finished second, he's not come close to the front of the pack this year at all. It's a shame... while I can't say that I much like the guy (he does drive for Ferrari, after all), having your career curtailed through no fault of your own just isn't very fair.
Speaking of unfair, the last time HRT's Bruno Senna raced at Turkey, his GP2 car was totaled when he ran into a dog on the circuit. Which isn't quite as bad as hitting a cow, like these rally drivers did, but still pretty bad.
Late in P2, Red Bull's Mark Webber blew an engine. Not so bad, really, as it only had about 30 miles left in its scheduled lifespan anyway. Meanwhile, his teammate, Seb Vettel, got a new chassis. The past two races, he's been complaining about the car not feeling right; turns out there was something wrong with the floor/undertray. The team could not fix it, so brand new car for him... which, in his tradition, he has named "Randy Mandy." She joins "Kate," "Kate's Dirty Sister," and "Luscious Liz" on the list.
Jensen Button headed the timesheet in P2, followed by the two Red Bull drivers and Lewis Hamilton. Massa was 10th.
Ferrari has a new livery for this race:
This will be their 800th Grand Prix start. Nobody else is really even close, as they're the only team to have participated in all 60 seasons of F1. That's a lot of races... and makes the fact that Rubens Barrichello is closing in on his 300th start (near the end of this season) all the more impressive.
Quals in the morning. See you then!
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May 25, 2010
F1 on SPEED!: Turkey 2010 and Formula 1 Returns to the USA!
First off, Birdy Ecclestone announced today that the city of Austin, Texas will be hosting the US Grand Prix beginning in 2012. A purpose-built facility will be created for the event, the first time a F1-level track has been built in the US. Good job, Birdy!
Now, onto the current season! F1 makes its way to Istanbul this week, home of the only Hermann Tilke circuit that's worth a darn. Let's take a look at the map.
There are three turns on this track that are memorable. Turn 1 has been compared to a junior version of Laguna Seca's famed Corkscrew, though without the radical elevation change (and wouldn't a flock of F1 cars negotiating that be something to see?). Turn 11 has jokingly been called "Faux Rouge", as it's a high-speed kink on a hillside, just like the original Eau Rouge at Spa-Francopants.
But it's Turn 8 that elevates this circuit from "okay" to "great." A four-apex corner (which I've called "Quad-8" for years), it's a blisteringly high speed/high risk bend. Get it right in qualifying, and you're on pole. Get it wrong, and you're headed towards the very distant catch fencing... backwards. Nobody's quite made it there yet, but some have given it a mighty effort... I seem to remember Christian Klein a couple of years back coming within a couple of car-lengths. Backwards. Quad-8 is probably Tilke's finest creation.
Of course, Turkey is certainly his best track, too, and it's all due to the land it's on. Unlike Malaysia, China, Bahrain, etc etc, the Istanbul Otodrom (I don't care what they call it now) is built on terrain that features hills. Hills mean elevation changes, and that means it actually feels like you're going somewhere. Drivers love that, which is one of the reasons that Spa is so popular.
All is not sweetness and light in Turkey, however. Just like the circuit at Shanghai, drivers believe that the track is getting bumpier as it ages, particularly at Quad-8. It's hard enough to make that turn successfully, I can only imagine how grumpy an uneven surface will make the drivers.
Fortunately, we won't HAVE to imagine it, for SPEED will bring us their usual fine coverage beginning with 2nd Practice on Friday, live, from 6am to 740am. Quals follows the next day, from 6am to 7am... at least, that's how the schedule reads. To be safe, set your VCR for 730am.
The 2010 Grand Prix of Turkey comes our way LIVE on Sunday, from 630am to 9am, with a replay on Tuesday from 11am to 130pm. Hopefully my VCR woes will be gone by then, otherwise it'll be another late F1 UPDATE!. However, rest assured that we WILL be here for you!
Now, onto the current season! F1 makes its way to Istanbul this week, home of the only Hermann Tilke circuit that's worth a darn. Let's take a look at the map.
There are three turns on this track that are memorable. Turn 1 has been compared to a junior version of Laguna Seca's famed Corkscrew, though without the radical elevation change (and wouldn't a flock of F1 cars negotiating that be something to see?). Turn 11 has jokingly been called "Faux Rouge", as it's a high-speed kink on a hillside, just like the original Eau Rouge at Spa-Francopants.
But it's Turn 8 that elevates this circuit from "okay" to "great." A four-apex corner (which I've called "Quad-8" for years), it's a blisteringly high speed/high risk bend. Get it right in qualifying, and you're on pole. Get it wrong, and you're headed towards the very distant catch fencing... backwards. Nobody's quite made it there yet, but some have given it a mighty effort... I seem to remember Christian Klein a couple of years back coming within a couple of car-lengths. Backwards. Quad-8 is probably Tilke's finest creation.
Of course, Turkey is certainly his best track, too, and it's all due to the land it's on. Unlike Malaysia, China, Bahrain, etc etc, the Istanbul Otodrom (I don't care what they call it now) is built on terrain that features hills. Hills mean elevation changes, and that means it actually feels like you're going somewhere. Drivers love that, which is one of the reasons that Spa is so popular.
All is not sweetness and light in Turkey, however. Just like the circuit at Shanghai, drivers believe that the track is getting bumpier as it ages, particularly at Quad-8. It's hard enough to make that turn successfully, I can only imagine how grumpy an uneven surface will make the drivers.
Fortunately, we won't HAVE to imagine it, for SPEED will bring us their usual fine coverage beginning with 2nd Practice on Friday, live, from 6am to 740am. Quals follows the next day, from 6am to 7am... at least, that's how the schedule reads. To be safe, set your VCR for 730am.
The 2010 Grand Prix of Turkey comes our way LIVE on Sunday, from 630am to 9am, with a replay on Tuesday from 11am to 130pm. Hopefully my VCR woes will be gone by then, otherwise it'll be another late F1 UPDATE!. However, rest assured that we WILL be here for you!
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May 16, 2010
F1U: Monaco is... delayed
Due to recording problems (i.e. the audio sounding like someone is crinkling the cellophane wrapper off a cigarette pack in your ear), it's 7pm Pond Standard Time and I have yet to finish the race. For you guys I suffered through the first 36 laps... and got a headache from all the static. Downloads are about an hour from being complete (they were late getting posted at my F1 source), and that puts it square in the middle of the broadcast of the last episode of The Pacific... the only thing that could keep me from watching F1.
So the F1U! for Monaco will be posted tonight, but late... maybe 11pm or midnight, local time. It's still comin', though. Enjoy the suspense.
So the F1U! for Monaco will be posted tonight, but late... maybe 11pm or midnight, local time. It's still comin', though. Enjoy the suspense.
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May 15, 2010
F1 Quals: Monaco 2010!
It was an action-packed Saturday in The Principality today, but did someone knock Red Bull off pole for the first time this season? Let's take a look at the provisional grid for Sunday's Grand Prix of Monaco!
Well, the answer is "no." Mark Webber turned in the only sub-1m14s time of the entire weekend with only eight seconds left to go in Q3. That fended off a last-ditch charge from Robert Kubica, who had sat in the top spot for the first nine minutes of the session. The two of them then threw fast lap after fast lap at each other in a quick game of "Can You Top This?" Eventually, the Renault couldn't.
A sharp-eyed reader will note the glaring "No Time" next to HWMNBN's entry on the grid. That's because he had a little run-in with the armco during Saturday's practice session. He pretty much left the right side of his car at Massanet and Ferrari never even attempted to repair it, opting instead to build up a new chassis for the race. Considering how the damaged car looked, that's probably a good decision.
HWMNBN's teammate at Ferrari, Felipe Massa, ended up fourth on the grid, but that might not stand. As the traffic built up in Q3, he slowed down to get a gap between himself and the cars ahead. That's quite normal and usually a good idea, particularly around a track like Monaco, where free space is at a premium. The problem arises when you do it without looking at your mirrors. If Massa had bothered, he would have seen Jenson Button coming up behind him on a rather torrid hot lap. Of course, the Mercedes driver had to stomp on the brakes to keep from impaling the Ferrari; only then did Massa accelerate away, and he never made an attempt to get off the racing line. Expect a five-spot penalty at least for the Brazilian driver, which I'm sure will be cold comfort for Button.
As previously noted, the Renault was surprisingly quick around Monaco; might we see our fifth winner out of six races, or will one of the Red Bull drivers join Button as a double-victor? Find out on Sunday!
Programming note: Sunday is graduation day at Duck U., and I'll be working at the Bookstore from 9am to 2pm or so because of that. The F1 Update!, therefore, won't be up until later in the evening... I won't get to watch the race until mid/late afternoon. I'll keep you guys waiting as little as possible, though.
UPDATE 1045pm: Massa escapes with no penalty. A member of the media asked Jenson Button if the Ferrari driver was a "plonker." Button's response: "That's your word, not mine." Hmmm... think ol' Jense is a bit peeved at this decision?
Well, the answer is "no." Mark Webber turned in the only sub-1m14s time of the entire weekend with only eight seconds left to go in Q3. That fended off a last-ditch charge from Robert Kubica, who had sat in the top spot for the first nine minutes of the session. The two of them then threw fast lap after fast lap at each other in a quick game of "Can You Top This?" Eventually, the Renault couldn't.
A sharp-eyed reader will note the glaring "No Time" next to HWMNBN's entry on the grid. That's because he had a little run-in with the armco during Saturday's practice session. He pretty much left the right side of his car at Massanet and Ferrari never even attempted to repair it, opting instead to build up a new chassis for the race. Considering how the damaged car looked, that's probably a good decision.
HWMNBN's teammate at Ferrari, Felipe Massa, ended up fourth on the grid, but that might not stand. As the traffic built up in Q3, he slowed down to get a gap between himself and the cars ahead. That's quite normal and usually a good idea, particularly around a track like Monaco, where free space is at a premium. The problem arises when you do it without looking at your mirrors. If Massa had bothered, he would have seen Jenson Button coming up behind him on a rather torrid hot lap. Of course, the Mercedes driver had to stomp on the brakes to keep from impaling the Ferrari; only then did Massa accelerate away, and he never made an attempt to get off the racing line. Expect a five-spot penalty at least for the Brazilian driver, which I'm sure will be cold comfort for Button.
As previously noted, the Renault was surprisingly quick around Monaco; might we see our fifth winner out of six races, or will one of the Red Bull drivers join Button as a double-victor? Find out on Sunday!
Programming note: Sunday is graduation day at Duck U., and I'll be working at the Bookstore from 9am to 2pm or so because of that. The F1 Update!, therefore, won't be up until later in the evening... I won't get to watch the race until mid/late afternoon. I'll keep you guys waiting as little as possible, though.
UPDATE 1045pm: Massa escapes with no penalty. A member of the media asked Jenson Button if the Ferrari driver was a "plonker." Button's response: "That's your word, not mine." Hmmm... think ol' Jense is a bit peeved at this decision?
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