F1 - General discussion and 2016 Season

[Polish]

Ok so really enjoyed this race.

Great track, the Russians did a good job. I initially though t it would indeed be Valencia type boredom but despite not too much action the race was fairly entertaining imo.

Great drive Lewis, tough luck Nico, costly mistake. At least the WC is still fairly open. And how the F do you stay on one set of rubber for 52 laps (or more if they were already used in quali) and make numerous fastest laps where these tyres should be completely shot is beyond me. This could pave new strategies in the future.

Bottas has pretty much cemented himself into the very #1 driver classification and did what was expected. Still not sure why he slipped up letting Rosberg past but ah well.

Tough luck for the local Kvyat, he looked so well at one stage and then didn't.

 

[Polish]

Massa is p!ssing me off. He is wasting that car. Inexcusable to get stuck in 11th place in the second fastest car on the track. Still can't understand why they re-signed him for next year.

Yes correct, there is now way that car should have issues challenging anyone up to about 5/6th easily. He is juts not getting out of it what he should be.

Bottas is not a very aggressive driver, but he maximizes.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Ok so really enjoyed this race.

Great track, the Russians did a good job. I initially though t it would indeed be Valencia type boredom but despite not too much action the race was fairly entertaining imo.

Great drive Lewis, tough luck Nico, costly mistake. At least the WC is still fairly open. And how the F do you stay on one set of rubber for 52 laps (or more if they were already used in quali) and make numerous fastest laps where these tyres should be completely shot is beyond me. This could pave new strategies in the future.

Bottas has pretty much cemented himself into the very #1 driver classification and did what was expected. Still not sure why he slipped up letting Rosberg past but ah well.

Tough luck for the local Kvyat, he looked so well at one stage and then didn't.

Pirelli clearly brought the wrong tyres but with a new track, and no knowledge of track evolution, it was understandable. I guarantee you they won't make that mistake next year.

By Bottas' own admission, he didn't expect Rosberg to lunge from so far back. You can see he turns in to take the corner but then has to turn out again to avoid contact.

Still, a surprise track (unlike the snorefest that is Valencia). Once Pirelli bring the right tyres next year (probably the soft and super softs) it should spice things up again.

 

[Polish]

And congrats to Mercedes on their Constructors title.

Nice, for a team that is but a few years in F1. Well done Ross Brawn

 

[thestaggy]

Yes correct, there is now way that car should have issues challenging anyone up to about 5/6th easily. He is juts not getting out of it what he should be.

Bottas is not a very aggressive driver, but he maximizes.

I could maybe understand him struggling to pass (with the speed in that car he should eventually find a way through) the Red Bulls, Maccas and Ferraris (well, at least Alonso) as they have superior drivers, but getting stuck behind a Force India in fuel save mode? That just ain't gonna cut it.

I'd tear his contract up for next year and have a look at Button or Vergne.

 

[Polish]

I could maybe understand him struggling to pass (with the speed in that car he should eventually find a way through) the Red Bulls, Maccas and Ferraris (well, at least Alonso) as they have superior drivers, but getting stuck behind a Force India in fuel save mode? That just ain't gonna cut it.

I'd tear his contract up for next year and have a look at Button or Vergne.

Unless, that said, he was spiteful about the Quali fukk up and as such decided to park the car outside the points for the team.

 

[Polish]

And now for the dreaded 3 week wait until USA.

 

[Agent_Smith]

And now for the dreaded 3 week wait until USA.

I know! Realised that I have golf AGAIN that day, but then saw that it's a 21:00 race so all good! Only thing is, I fly to JHB the next morning at like 06:00! Still, not missing it. Dig that track.

Think it will be another Merc dominated race, with Williams (well, Bottas ) claiming the third podium spot!

 

[Polish]

Yes, most likely.

Would be nice if the middle order of familiar faces and ex world champions would actually race each other as well.

 

[Polish]

Mercedes unlikely to end engine unfreeze opposition

Toto Wolff says Mercedes is unlikely to waver on its opposition to a proposed lift on engine freeze regulations when the proposed rule change goes to the F1 Commission later this year.

In Sochi the sport's Strategy Group, which includes the top six teams, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone, voted by a majority to allow in-season engine development - though Mercedes, Williams and Lotus are believed to have voted against the proposal, with the latter due to become a customer next season. However, for it to be implemented for 2015 it needs a unanimous vote from the F1 Commission, a body which includes Mercedes.

Mercedes executive director Wolff says his opposition to the proposed change has nothing to do with the manufacturer's current position of dominance but because the team wants to protect the stability of F1.

"We have already voted against it in the Strategy Group and I don't think we will change our mind in the next month or whenever the meeting will take place," Wolff said. "We have rules and we have governance, and the governance is in place in order to avoid quick, knee-jerk decisions being made that upset stability, upset the commercial setup and I strongly believe you cannot change rules in October for the following year just because you think they don't suit you.

http://en.espnf1.com

ahem....cough cough.....ullschit !!!!

 

[Polish]

Ok, who is the young man on the left ?

 

[web]

Ok, who is the young man on the left ?

the one who likes lots of fun in the bedroom ?

 

[Polish]

View attachment 157592

the one who likes lots of fun in the bedroom ?

yebo

 

[stixx]

yebo

Good ol' Max

 

[Willie Trombone]

I bet that one was a relief for the Ham
Anyway - I've been hearing talk of Rosberg having lost the championship already. Seriously. Just one DNF for Hamilton in the US and the tables will be reversed with two races to go.

 

[Polish]

I bet that one was a relief for the Ham
Anyway - I've been hearing talk of Rosberg having lost the championship already. Seriously. Just one DNF for Hamilton in the US and the tables will be reversed with two races to go.

Exactly.

Having said, it is time for Nico to pull himself together and deliver at this crucial part. I am not a Lewis fan but if you have to ask me, he has shown somewhat better performance this year.

Nico 4 wins against Lewis 9 wins does say something.

Still the double points last race may juggle things.

 

[Polish]

Prost furious about Bianchi crash

Four-time world champion Alain Prost says he is livid with the circumstances surrounding Jules Bianchi's accident at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Bianchi remains in a critical but stable condition in a Japanese hospital with severe brain trauma suffered after colliding with a recovery vehicle in the wet at Suzuka. The truck was recovering Adrian Sutil's Sauber when the accident occurred, with only double-waved yellows being used rather than a safety car to slow the race to a crawl, something Prost cannot understand.

"I don't want to make any polemics with the FIA, because I have a lot of respect for what has been done in terms of safety over the past 20 years," Prost said. "It is cars and tracks [that have been improved] and there was only one thing left: it was this ****ing truck on the track. I was furious. I was really shocked by the accident.

"You have the procedure, but the weather conditions were getting worse and worse with more and more water, so visibility was very bad. So you cannot have the same decision according to the procedure if the weather was good or bad. That is why I say I am not convinced. In this condition, especially with all the experience they have in terms of safety, they should have zero risk."

http://en.espnf1.com

Really, Alain, such wise words ? :wtf:

I've seen cars left at the side of the track and nobody complained when nothing happens.

Make a meaningful contribution at least.

 

[thestaggy]

Prost furious about Bianchi crash



http://en.espnf1.com

Really, Alain, such wise words ? :wtf:

I've seen cars left at the side of the track and nobody complained when nothing happens.

Make a meaningful contribution at least.

Recovery vehicles have been on the track for decades while the cars are still circulating. Freak accident is all it is.

We should prepare for a new era of stop-start races, US style.

 

[Polish]

Recovery vehicles have been on the track for decades while the cars are still circulating. Freak accident is all it is.

We should prepare for a new era of stop-start races, US style.

Do you think that would work ?

 

[Agent_Smith]

Do you think that would work ?

It will work from a safety perspective, but from a viewing aspect, it would be a killer!

This is just the conspiracy theorist in me talking, but it could potentially open up an entire range of 'Piquet-esque crashgate' scenarios. Consider the following situation:

Alonso is 20 seconds behind Rosberg and is needing to catch and pass him. Suddenly, Raikkonen's car grinds to a halt in a difficult to recover place on the track. Safety car deployed as Alonso dives into the pits for brand new tyres and Rosberg stays out. Alonso emerges on new tyres and right behind Rosberg after safety car deployment.

As said, it's a conspiracy theory, but a potential loophole, for teams that may choose to risk it.

EDIT: Not even necessarily in a difficult to recover section of the track. With the new reg about mandatory SC deployment when marshals are on track, 'breakdown' could happen anywhere...