F1 2012

[LE Greys]

Well, it should be interesting no matter what. The Regenmeister may well be back, and is third on the grid. I wouldn't want to rule him out, but Alonso seems to stand a good chance. Still, I wouldn't put it past the McLarens to spring a surprise. Provided we don't have another Adelaide 91, of course.

Just a question, post-Schumacher, who is the Rainmaster these days?
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BBC are better for filler content; Sky are better for commentary. Simples.

I'd agree with that.

 

[Lampshade]

BBC are better for filler content; Sky are better for commentary. Simples.

I disagree; Ben Edwards is possibly the best current motorsport commentator.

Well, it should be interesting no matter what. The Regenmeister may well be back, and is third on the grid. I wouldn't want to rule him out, but Alonso seems to stand a good chance. Still, I wouldn't put it past the McLarens to spring a surprise. Provided we don't have another Adelaide 91, of course.

Just a question, post-Schumacher, who is the Rainmaster these days?

I love how people still refer back to Adelaide '91 as the prime example of a rain affected race - Malaysia '09 anyone?

There's no true Rainmaster at the moment, just a few drivers who are good in the wet - Button, Hamilton, Alonso, Perez, Vettel and Webber.

 

[Bungle73]

Sky have MB, case closed methinks.

 

[GNER 91128]

Hoped for the win but I'm very happy with 2nd and 4th!
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[David]

The punishment for Maldonado was a bit harsh IMO, but he does have previous. He uses his car as a weapon (Spa last season (against Hamilton) and Monaco this year, against Perez), plus being involved in race ending incidents for Grosjean, Hamilton and now Perez. That's a pretty bad record for someone only halfway through his second season in F1.

If Pastor is deemed to be a dangerous driver, then how many more incidents does he need to be involved in before the stewards (or the FIA) ban him for a race?

 

[Lampshade]

The punishment for Maldonado was a bit harsh IMO, but he does have previous. He uses his car as a weapon (Spa last season (against Hamilton) and Monaco this year, against Perez), plus being involved in race ending incidents for Grosjean, Hamilton and now Perez. That's a pretty bad record for someone only halfway through his second season in F1.

If Pastor is deemed to be a dangerous driver, then how many more incidents does he need to be involved in before the stewards (or the FIA) ban him for a race?

Michael Schumacher served a two race ban in 1994 for less than that, he was disqualified from the 1997 championship for what was essentially, a light tap that didn't affect Villeneuve in any way, yet Maldonado decides to play dodgems on many an occasion and escapes with time penalties and fines :?

 

[LE Greys]

Michael Schumacher served a two race ban in 1994 for less than that, he was disqualified from the 1997 championship for what was essentially, a light tap that didn't affect Villeneuve in any way, yet Maldonado decides to play dodgems on many an occasion and escapes with time penalties and fines :?

There have been drivers with far worse records than this, Rene Arnoux and Andrea de Cesaris spring to mind, but that was in a different era when it was accepted that cars crash into each other sometimes. Really, Maldonado needs to be reminded that F1 can be dangerous and that argy-bargy is not an acceptable tactic, and a suspended ban or at least a grid-drop would be a good way of doing this, for now at least. If someone gets a reputation as a car-wrecker, then a contract with a top team is unlikely, and he really needs to think of his career.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Michael Schumacher served a two race ban in 1994 for less than that, he was disqualified from the 1997 championship for what was essentially, a light tap that didn't affect Villeneuve in any way, yet Maldonado decides to play dodgems on many an occasion and escapes with time penalties and fines :?

A light tap, from the outside line, that put Schumacher out of the race and could have put Villeneuve out (if he had hit anything but the side pod) in the last race of the season, where he only needed to beat Villeneuve to be world champion.

Does that sound familiar? Think back a further two years, it was Adelaide, he only needed beat Damon Hill, in the last race of the season to be world champion, where Hill went for the inside line.....

I have not thought much of Maldonado since last season. He is prone to these stupid errors of judgement. I think the authorities need to do something to persuade Maldonado to calm down, but what that would be I don't know.

 

[David]

Andrea de Crashiris

Corrected for you!

Maldonado is a good driver. You don't run at the front and get a win in F1 if you can't drive a car very well (unless most of the field drops out), it is that he is over aggressive.

Anyway, despite F1 cars being roughly 300kg lighter than Indycars, be thankful they don't take off as easily as them. Just imaging the carnage someone like Pastor would create if that was the case! hock:

 

[Heinz57]

Results from todays qualifying (times from Q3). Q1 was in the dry. Rain started almost imediatly in Q2 with all drivers starting on inters. By the end it was probably worse than Silverstone. By Q3 the rain had stopped but there was alot of standing water on the track with alot of drivers opting for the full wets.

1 - Alonso - 1:40:621
2 - Vettel - 1:41:026
3 - Schumacher - 1:42:459
4 - Hulkenberg - 1:43:501
5 - Maldanado - 1:43:950
6 - Button - 1:44:113
7 - Hamilton - 1:44:889
8 - Webber - 1:41:496*
9 - Di Resta - 1:44:889
10 - Raikkonen - 1:45:811

*Webber originaly qualified third but takes a five place grid penilty due to a gearbox change before the session started.

Hamilton was top of Q2 but the McLarens realy struggeled for pace in Q3 due to the water. This is the first time this year that Button has out qualified his team mate.
Massa was knocked out in Q2 only managing to score 14th place on the grid.

So, it looks like its set to be an interesting race tomorow. Too bad we'll only get to see the highlights because Aunty Beeb hasn't got this one. We havn't realy had many good races this year, only Silverstone. They've all been on Sky.
How long do you reckon it will be until Bernie realises he's made a hudge mistake in giving broadcasting rights to sky, and he's losing out on millions of viewers and ultimatly money? Boy won't his face be red when he realises this one.

 

[chris89]

At last Button has qualifed decently this time.

Sadly i won't be watching the race, As i will watching the Tour De France and hopeing that Bradley Wiggins & Christopher Froome both finish.

Chris

 

[Lampshade]

Just a heads up, if you're on Virgin Media or Sky but haven't got Sky Sports, it's free for this weekend only

Probably realised their viewing figures are too low to be viable.

 

[Bungle73]

Just a heads up, if you're on Virgin Media or Sky but haven't got Sky Sports, it's free for this weekend only

Probably realised their viewing figures are too low to be viable.

If you have the HD pack (on Sky) you don't need a subscription to Sky Sports.

I want to know what happens if Sky decide that the viewing figures aren't high enough to justify continuing to broadcast Sky Sports F1, and don't want F1 anymore?

 

[Lampshade]

If you have the HD pack (on Sky) you don't need a subscription to Sky Sports.

I'm only on VM, I use a Freesat dish to watch the races live on RTL. At least this weekend means I don't have to spend half an hour setting the damn thing up

I want to know what happens if Sky decide that the viewing figures aren't high enough to justify continuing to broadcast Sky Sports F1, and don't want F1 anymore?

My guess is they'll lower the tariff at first i.e. allow VM to sell it as part of a cheaper package, maybe allow BT Vision to offer it or offer 'Free F1 for six months to all new subscribers'. Either way it'll take a lot for Sky to just ditch it.

If they do, Channel 4 will have a bargain.

 

[Heinz57]

I want to know what happens if Sky decide that the viewing figures aren't high enough to justify continuing to broadcast Sky Sports F1, and don't want F1 anymore?

If that does happen Bernie will probably give full rights back to the beeb. They have half rights at the mo. And they did of course have the full rights before. Plus everyone seems to be happy with the coverage. So I reckon thats what they'll do.

 

[GNER 91128]

I'm pleased with that Quali result. Alonso P1 and Michael P3. It's about the percentage game for Ferrari here as it seems that they don't have the car for the dry which is what the race will, more than likely be. I also see Michael falling back too as Mercedes haven't developed well at all.

Still no doubt we'll see plenty of that artificial racing that people seem to love these days with cr@p tyres and drs.

 

[Heinz57]

I hate KERS and DRS. Its a stupid video-game-like boost.

Its like a real life version of Mario Kart.

Would it be too much trouble for F1 to go back to proper racing like it used to be?

 

[GNER 91128]

I hate KERS and DRS. Its a stupid video-game-like boost.

Its like a real life version of Mario Kart.

Would it be too much trouble for F1 to go back to proper racing like it used to be?

I guess to the powers at be it probably would be, but apparently it's what the people want.

 

[Liam]

I hate KERS and DRS. Its a stupid video-game-like boost.

Its like a real life version of Mario Kart.

Would it be too much trouble for F1 to go back to proper racing like it used to be?

I don't mind KERS, but DRS is awful. It has taken away all of the great battles we used to see on track. Remember Alonso v Schumacher at Imola in 05 and 06? Silverstone would have been good between Webber and Alonso had DRS not made it far to simple to pass. Webber would probably still have won as Alonso's tyres had gone, but he would have had to work a bit to get past.

 

[Bungle73]

The reason KERS and DRS were brought it is to address the problem of having races where you got cars following each other round and round for 2 hours with nothing happening. These past 2 years with both employed we've seen more action then we've seen for ages. F1 has been more exciting than it's been for years!
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Red Bull under investigation for illegal engine mapping, and could be be forced to start from the back of the grid!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18943608

 

[YorkshireRider]

Im not so sure that Schumacher will fall back today, there car suits this track, ive even got a sneaky feeling he may win today.

 

[ole man]

Hope so, Schuy is the reason i came back to F1

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Red Bull have been on the brink of 'cheating' a few times this season, so it is no surprise they weren't penalised this time (as they hadn't been before), but it is nice to see the stewards doing something in the race which is correct, I half expected them to let it go again.

 

[LE Greys]

Red Bull have been on the brink of 'cheating' a few times this season, so it is no surprise they weren't penalised this time (as they hadn't been before), but it is nice to see the stewards doing something in the race which is correct, I half expected them to let it go again.

It's really the old question of why the tarmac runoffs are in place. Yes, I know that gravel can flip the cars over, but it seems a bit strange when the most effective line out of a corner can be right off the circuit like that. I'm sure there's a better way to stop drivers from overtaking right off the circuit than penalising them for doing so.

 

[Liam]

I'm sure there's a better way to stop drivers from overtaking right off the circuit than penalising them for doing so.

There is!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_Paul_Ricard#The_track

The 'blue zone' is as safe as tarmac, but increases tyrewear, the red zone is the same but with even more tyrewear. The 'red zone' usually requires a tyre change.

This is also used extensively at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

 

[LE Greys]

There is!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_Paul_Ricard#The_track

The 'blue zone' is as safe as tarmac, but increases tyrewear, the red zone is the same but with even more tyrewear. The 'red zone' usually requires a tyre change.

This is also used extensively at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Yes, that sounds quite neat.

The other thing that emerged was Vettel getting rather annoyed with Hamilton for unlapping himself. I can see his point, especially if he thought Hamilton was going to block him and let Butting overtake, but I reckon he ought to think about the situation if it was the other way round. The stewards probably called that right as well, even though it's really academic as Hamilton didn't finish in the end.

 

[Heinz57]

The F1 will also be going to Paul Ricard next year, with the return of the French GP. I'm looking forward to it. Paul Ricard has been known to hold fantastic races in various formula.

Its nice to see a 'new' circuit on the calender* that wasn't designed by Herman Tilke. It seems all new races have circuits designed by him. Circuits that are carbon copies of each other and offer boring races with no over taking.

F1 is always looking for ways to make better races and improve overtaking. Well step one would be to stop using his circuits. His older ones like Bahrain, China and Turkey are good. Its the newer ones like Singapore, Valencia etc that I don't like.

*Of course Paul Ricard isn't new as such. Its an old circuit and has hosted F1 before. But its new to the calender next year. So you get what I mean.

 

[andrew bell]

Yes, that sounds quite neat.

The other thing that emerged was Vettel getting rather annoyed with Hamilton for unlapping himself. I can see his point, especially if he thought Hamilton was going to block him and let Butting overtake, but I reckon he ought to think about the situation if it was the other way round. The stewards probably called that right as well, even though it's really academic as Hamilton didn't finish in the end.

When Christian Horner asked about Hamilton unlapping himself to Sky earlier, Johnny Herbert (one of the race stewards at some grand prix, not this one as the steward was Derek Warwick) said there is no rule saying a car can not unlap himself and at that current stage of the race Hamilton was the fastest car out on the circuit therefore he has no case to answer for, and I do agree with it. Why should the fastest person on the track not be allowed to overtake another car?

To me it seems like if Red Bull don't get their way they throw the toys, blanket, cushion and dummies out of the pram and cause a fuss. Also Vettel's overtake on Button, I called out straight away its illeagel and should be a drive through, just so pleased the stewards agreed with it

 

[priscilla.flor]

The stewards finally doing there job correctly.

 

[Heinz57]

When Christian Horner asked about Hamilton unlapping himself to Sky earlier, Johnny Herbert (one of the race stewards at some grand prix, not this one as the steward was Derek Warwick) said there is no rule saying a car can not unlap himself and at that current stage of the race Hamilton was the fastest car out on the circuit therefore he has no case to answer for, and I do agree with it. Why should the fastest person on the track not be allowed to overtake another car?

Can't agree with you more. Why should he not be alowed to unlap himself? It did certainly make for some excitment when he wheeled them back in and took the lap back.

To me it seems like if Red Bull don't get their way they throw the toys, blanket, cushion and dummies out of the pram and cause a fuss. Also Vettel's overtake on Button, I called out straight away its illeagel and should be a drive through, just so pleased the stewards agreed with it

It was right for Vettel to be awarded that penilty when he overtook Button. He deffinatly gained an advantage by running off the circuit - which to me looked deliberate. Probably trying to make it look like Button shoved him off the track so he would get the penilty instead.

Doesn't it remind you of a certain other team that has red cars and wins alot? Whenever something didn't go right for Ferrari they would march down to the stewards and complain. If that didn't work they would start launching appeals and court cases.

Quite often, thanks to the Ferrari International Assistance it would work.