F1 2014 thread

[Polish]

Record loss for Australian GP

The Victorian State Government has revealed it subsidised the 2014 Australian Grand Prix to the tune of £34.11m, the largest contribution in the event’s nineteen year history. When combined with the 2013 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, the Victorian tax payer has contributed a total of £40.52m.
Announcing the results today, Tourism and Major Events Minister Louise Asher cited reduced ticket sales and increased costs for the Formula One event as factors in the £5.29m subsidy increase over 2013.
"Our sales revenue is down $2million (£1.14million) and our expenditure is up $7.5million (£4.27million)," Asher said.
"The Australian Grand Prix Corporation tell me we can attribute the $2million approximate downturn in sales to the retirement of Mark Webber and again it's understandable when there's an Australian in the field that we get better sales."
Contradicting Asher's claim of a downturn in sales as a result of Webber's retirement from F1, and the fact the Minister is clearly not aware of Daniel Ricciardo, Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott estimated almost 315,000 people attended the 2014 race, the second highest attendance in eight years.
Justifying the event, the government claims it contributes £22.18m in economic benefits, and another £19.91m worth of media coverage for Melbourne and Victoria.
Formula Money suggests the Australian Grand Prix is about the seventh most expensive on the calendar, costing an estimated £21.6m for the rights to stage the event. Last month it was announced the Formula One Grand Prix would continue in Melbourne until at least 2020.

www.pitpass.com

Hmmmmm, wondering whats happening there.

 

[thestaggy]

Three car teams a sign of panic?



www.pitpass.com

This was bandied about when Prost and Arrows left the sport in successive seasons and Minardi was hanging on for dear life.

Smaller grids will be an eventuality. Just look at MotoGP a few seasons ago. 17 bikes, 3 manufacturers. They had to introduce a second tier to try and increase the number of competitors.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Record loss for Australian GP



www.pitpass.com

Hmmmmm, wondering whats happening there.

They've already threatened to pull out along with Canada and the UK. I won't be surprised in the least if they do. Bernie's fees are horrendous.

 

[Polish]

Can one say race tracks, just like drivers, can get old and time for retirement ?

 

[Grouter]

Can one say race tracks, just like drivers, can get old and time for retirement ?

No!

 

[thestaggy]

Can one say race tracks, just like drivers, can get old and time for retirement ?

No. I'd rather improve the safety of an old track than build a new track in a giant car park. Balls to the wall tracks like Zandvoort are terribly missed. Footage of Tunnel Oost, Bos Uit and Tarzan Corner. . .

 

[redspark]

Q&A with Lotus' Gerard Lopez

Last year Lotus scored a race victory, 13 further podiums and fourth place in the championship. Thirteen rounds into the 2014 season and they have just eight points on the board. That’s the bad news. The good news, according to team Chairman Gerard Lopez, is that they are confident of fixing things for 2015. They know what the E22’s problem is, their finances are sound, they expect to retain both drivers - and they have a new team principal on the way…

Q: Gerard, Lotus seem to be facing a drama every race weekend. When will the bad days end?
Gerard Lopez: As soon as we have better performance. We had a lot of issues at the beginning of the season with the drivetrain and then somehow midway through the season we’ve found out that we have some issues with the chassis, which are quite difficult to solve for this year. But it is good that we found out before we started to develop the next car, so for the rest of the season we try to save whatever can be saved - but yes, it will be a difficult season all the way to the end.

Q: Looking in from outside, one might assume Lotus has three problem areas: the engine, the drivers, and the finances. Which is the most pressing?
GL: Let’s start with the last one, the finances. We are actually publishing the annual accounts and this year we are pretty much breakeven - we eventually could make a profit. So I would say that we are one of the best teams financially speaking, so this part is the easiest to answer. Just wait till we publish our numbers in one or two weeks.

The drivers: we are not unhappy with them - we just gave them a car that is difficult to drive. As I just said, we’ve found out around midseason that we have a problem with the chassis - especially in slow corners - so the car is not good. That translates into confidence not being there and that makes the job difficult. We’ve seen Romain (Grosjean) last year at the level of Kimi (Raikkonen) and nobody was questioning him, and Pastor (Maldonado) is one of the few young drivers who has won a Grand Prix. So the drivers are good - we just don’t give them a good enough car to perform at their level. We are putting a lot of emphasis on next year - then let’s see.

More: http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2014/9/16331.html

I must say, Lotus (including the Renault GP era) has always been one of favorite teams and it is rather sad to see them struggling this season.

 

[Polish]

More: http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2014/9/16331.html

I must say, Lotus (including the Renault GP era) has always been one of favorite teams and it is rather sad to see them struggling this season.

I think after crashgate many lucrative doors closed for them.

 

[Polish]

'You can't turn the car when it's in the air'

In a race where Lewis Hamilton was forced to do it the hard way and Sergio Perez had the Force India pit wall holding its breath, ESPNF1 rounds up the best radio soundbites from the Italian Grand Prix.

"Yeah, you're right, I forgot."

Vettel confesses his failure to test the overtake button in FP2 is not down to any technical problem with his Red Bull.

"I just made a slight mistake and you can't turn the car when it's in the air."

Nothing gets by Max Chilton, it seems. The Brit gives Marussia a pearl of wisdom after his bounce across the kerbs at the Roggia chicane ended with retirement in the gravel.

"Do not tell me the gap!"

Nico Rosberg shows signs he is feeling the strain of Lewis Hamilton's charge as the Brit continues to eat away at his lead before the pit stop window.

"Checo, I can't say enough how good a job you're doing. I know I'm asking the impossible."

Sergio Perez gets high praise indeed from race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase as he fights tooth and nail to hold off the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button despite being told to conserve fuel.

"Did you see what he did to me!?"
"I did, but that was brilliant!"

Sergio Perez is furious with former McLaren team-mate Button forcing him wide at the Roggia chicane, but Lambiase is more focused on the Mexican's brilliant driving to reclaim the position through the subsequent Lesmos.

"Vettel doing 29.6, you are eight tenths quicker. Let's get him."

Simon Rennie shows he and Daniel Ricciardo have no fear of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel as the Australian stalks his team-mate for fifth.

"I've got no brakes. Is it last lap!?"
"No, no. Two laps to go."

Daniil Kvyat gets the one answer he probably didn't want to hear after losing his brakes. Remarkably, the Russian goes on to finish the race.

"Thank you guys. I'm so happy, so happy for this result, especially to be here in Italy."

Felipe Massa lets the emotions pour out after claiming his first podium since early 2013.

"Nice work Lewis, get in there pal. Beautifully recovered, mate."

Peter Bonnington congratulates Lewis Hamilton after he battled back from a terrible to claim his sixth victory of the season.

Read more at http://en.espnf1.com

 

[Polish]

FIA bans driver performance radio communications

The FIA has banned communication between teams and their drivers relating to the performance of the car.

As part of the push to improve the overall product the FIA has acted to ban communications which appear to make driving in F1 seem too easy. The 2014 title fight between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton this year has seen various examples of each driver being fed information about where the other is quicker in relation to their own lap times, something which is commonplace up and down the grid.

Radio messages can also advise drivers where to make changes to aid car performance but FIA race director Charlie Whiting has written to all teams to say these messages will be banned with immediate effect. The FIA is citing Article 20.1 of its Sporting Regulations which states: "The driver must drive the car alone and unaided."

The message from Whiting read: "In order to ensure that the requirements of Article 20.1 of the F1 sporting regulations are respected at all times FIA intends to rigorously enforce this regulation with immediate effect. Therefore, no radio conversation from pit to driver may include any information that is related to the performance of the car or driver."

This has been prompted due to fears the amount of communication between drivers and their race engineers during races makes it seem like drivers are 'puppets' behind the wheel. One example which gained attention this season was Rosberg asking his race engineer for "driving advice" in Germany - a request not limited to the German but a majority if not all F1's drivers.

Teams will still have the freedom to advise drivers on pit-stop strategies and safety issues, and should ensure dramatic radio conversations remain for TV purposes. The ban is expected to be discussed further in Singapore to clarify what is and is not permitted.

http://en.espnf1.com

 

[redspark]

I think after crashgate many lucrative doors closed for them.

That must be it. When ING walked away, that was the beginning of the end

 

[Polish]

That must be it. When ING walked away, that was the beginning of the end

Its still a reputable team with capable members. Kimi got a lot out of that car. Methinks somewhat of a slump, just like Williams was in before this year and currently experienced by even some of the top teams.

 

[thestaggy]

Its still a reputable team with capable members. Kimi got a lot out of that car. Methinks somewhat of a slump, just like Williams was in before this year and currently experienced by even some of the top teams.

Yeah, it just how the sport works. The decline of Jordan is a good example of how a once competitive team can suddenly just go tits up almost overnight. Frentzen throws his hat into the title race in 1999 and by the start of the 2002 season they are counting pennies and forced to take on a driver as a favour (Sato due to Honda engines).

 

[Polish]

FIA publishes 2015 calendar

2015 Formula One calendar
15 March Grand Prix of Australia
29 March Grand Prix of Malaysia
5 April Grand Prix of Bahrain
19 April Grand Prix of China
10 May Grand Prix of Spain
24 May Grand Prix of Monaco
7 June Grand Prix of Canada
21 June Grand Prix of Austria
5 July Grand Prix of Great Britain
19 July Grand Prix of Germany
26 July Grand Prix of Hungary
23 August Grand Prix of Belgium
6 September Grand Prix of Italy
20 September Grand Prix of Singapore
27 September Grand Prix of Japan
11 October Grand Prix of Russia
25 October Grand Prix of USA
1 November Grand Prix of Mexico
15 November Grand Prix of Brazil
29 November Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi

http://en.espnf1.com

 

[Willie Trombone]

Formula e Beijing
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a1b0c5aa#/a1b0c5aa/1

6am-7am = Quali
10am = Race

 

[Polish]

Formula e Beijing
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a1b0c5aa#/a1b0c5aa/1

6am-7am = Quali
10am = Race

stream ?

 

[Willie Trombone]

This: http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/guide/television.aspx

says ITV4 will run the broadcast.

So this: http://www.filmon.com/tv/itv4

Should have it?

or fox sports:
http://www.stream2watch.me/live-tv/fox-sports-live-stream

Should be able to watch with the above.
We were talking about Renault - I see they are well represented in Formula E.
Can't wait for tomorrow's race. Very cool to have quali and race on the same day Call me impatient.

 

[Polish]

None of the links worked for me

 

[Willie Trombone]

doesn't work for me

None of the links worked for me

You need a new ISP

Click link
Wait for 8 or so second count-down
Click tiny X:
http://gyazo.com/522a83eee2156b7d92676cfc9b312b98
Click second tiny X:
http://gyazo.com/ffbb16264e26d80a3ca49c151db07c28
Streaming starts
Click any other tiny X's that appear over the image.

Final result:
http://gyazo.com/6749531b7cd8d1a4c41d9b95466f752f
I use adblock so that's what I see - without adblock it might be different.

Did you try the above with the fox sports link?
Can't help if you can't tell us what's 'not working'.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Race about to start in 10 mins
Watching on fox sports.
Nico Prost on pole in a Renault. Ho Pin Tung starting from the pits.

Also just found fox sports on Mashup in XBMC (under sports - Buzzy's sports)

10:03 and we're going through the grid. Start your engines!
Uh... can't hear you!

Jarno Trulli last on the grid after a gearbox change. Nothing new lol.
Formation lap - one stalled car so far... wups - 3 now including Trulli lol... ok, recovery just in time for Trulli.

Formation lap is rather silent - if they got rid of the background music it would sound like an elevator race HAHAHA.