F1 - General discussion and 2017

I've got the same annual! Found it over 15-years ago on sale in a bookstore.

I've lost count of how many times I've read it.
 
[video=youtube;Eb1k2wNfTUc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb1k2wNfTUc[/video]

Billy Monger horrifying crash in formula 4 last Sunday at Donington....poor kid lost his legs
 
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Does anyone know if the Alonso driven Indy will be televised or streamed anywhere that we can view?
 
Polish said:
Does anyone know if the Alonso driven Indy will be televised or streamed anywhere that we can view?
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I haven't seen any official announcements but it is being seen as a big deal for both F1 and Indy so I am pretty sure that Liberty Media, The Indy Rights Holders and Broadcasters such as SKY are talking about it.

It might even get a live stream on youtube, and I recall hearing that Indy themselves stream all events.
 

McLaren-Honda needs answer for test boost - Vandoorne


Stoffel Vandoorne says McLaren and Honda must get to the bottom of why their final day of testing in Bahrain was so good if it is going to move its campaign forward.

After a difficult Bahrain Grand Prix weekend and restricted opening day of running in the in-season test, Vandoorne managed to set the fourth fastest time and complete 81 laps on the final day in what was McLaren's best outing of the year.

The situation was slightly puzzling for the outfit because the engine was the same specification as the one that had hit trouble after two laps on the first day.

But rather than get carried away with the positive turn, Vandoorne says there is no feeling of celebration after just one decent day of running.

When asked by Motorsport.com about whether he felt McLaren had needed some good news after a run of difficulties, Vandoorne said: "I don't think we need one day like, I think we need it to be all the time like this.

"So yeah, it was good but there is no guarantees that the next time it will be good again.

"So I think we need to learn carefully what we've done today and hopefully carry that forward to the next event and see some improvements. Days like this are how it should be."
Set-up progress

Vandoorne said the full day of testing had at least finally allowed McLaren to work on better understanding its chassis, which should help it make progress in the forthcoming races.

"I think from the team's point of view it was very good to go in different directions," he said. "There were some new bits that we wanted to try out: some quite fundamental things which we had to learn about. So we've actually been going left, right and center with the setup.

"That was good for the team to see where the performance comes from and also good for me to know which direction the car is performing better. So a productive day."

He added: "I think the baseline of the car is pretty strong, during the weekend I actually felt comfortable in the car and chassis is behaving well. I think over the next few races we will bring some more bits to the car and eventually we will get strong.

"But we know that our biggest deficit is still the power and there is a lot of lap time to be gained with that so, hopefully we can from our side bring new pieces to the track, bring them to the car and show that the car is going in the right direction. We need to see when the power unit will make a step forward."
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Mario Andretti livid over critical Alonso Indy 500 column


Four-time IndyCar champion, Indy 500 winner and Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti has angrily refuted a recent opinion column in the U.S. media that suggested Fernando Alonso entering the Indy 500 is not a big deal.

Last week, it was announced that two-time F1 World Champion Alonso would skip the Monaco Grand Prix this year in order to drive an Andretti Autosport-Honda in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.

However, a recent opinion column by Jenna Fryer in the Associated Press, titled “SO WHAT THAT ALONSO IS RACING THE INDY 500?”, suggested that the presence of Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Ricky Taylor or Jordan Taylor would have been more beneficial than Alonso to the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Mario Andretti, who explained to Motorsport.com last week why he expects Alonso will excel as a rookie at Indianapolis Motor Speedway believes Fryer’s opinion showed “a basic misunderstanding of the motives of everyone involved in this project.”

He told Motorsport.com: “I really resent the fact that the story is giving the impression that this is just a publicity stunt. Don’t get me wrong, it is great publicity for IndyCar, but that is just a by-product of a totally legitimate and valid attempt by a great champion, Fernando Alonso, to try and win the second part of the Triple Crown.”

Andretti said that his son and team owner Michael Andretti and McLaren CEO Zak Brown, “would never have agreed to this project without 100 percent confidence that Alonso will be a strong contender” at Indy in May.

He said: “Quite honestly, I think she [Fryer] owes Alonso an apology, because the initial motivation for this whole thing came from him; he wants to do it, and would never do it just to help any series gain publicity or to gain publicity for himself. He doesn’t need it.

“He’s doing this as a pure racer and follows a great tradition of some of the best F1 drivers trying to win Indy – some succeeded, some didn’t – and I find it reassuring that Indy still carries that aura, a feather in the cap, as it were.”

Andretti said that circumstances had provided a rare opportunity for a current F1 driver to compete at Indy.

“Fernando may not have this opportunity again while he’s at the top of his game,” he said. “He’s not retired from F1, he’s not some kinda has-been or reject who can’t find an F1 ride. This has arisen at the right time because he’s still one of the very best.

“I mean, that story said he hadn’t won for three years. Well, come on! Everyone knows that’s how Formula 1 works – you can’t win if you don’t have one of the very best cars, and right now he doesn’t. But I bet you every single one of his peers in F1 would say Alonso is one of the best if not the best in F1 right now.

“And now here he is with an opportunity in arguably the best team for Indy because of its policy of openness and data-sharing, and a team that’s won two of the last three Indy 500s.

“So given his F1 situation, where this season is looking like it’s lost already, he and the team are saying, ‘Let’s get something out of our partnership and continue our work together.’ That’s how serious Alonso’s shot at Indy is – it has the backing of not only Honda, of course, but McLaren. Shame on anyone who questions the objective, the motivation behind this deal.”
Alonso “a great champion”

Andretti said that he’s confident Alonso’s actions over the next five weeks would prove that criticisms of his motives are without foundation.

He stated: “He’s so enthusiastic about this chance that he’s going to be at Barber this weekend just to integrate with the team, learn what IndyCar is all about, and so on. His determination is to – just like we said – maximize this opportunity. He’s not just arrive-and-drive. If this was just a publicity stunt, it would not be handled so professionally.

“No one is denying that if Tony Stewart came back, that would be big news. If Jeff Gordon at last was able to take a shot at Indy, that would be big. And Danica, too – I know she’d attract fans.

“But to denigrate what Alonso is trying to achieve is inappropriate and ignores the facts. He’s not going to be there to 'sell some tickets for Indianapolis Motor Speedway,' as that story says.

“It’s an unjust and, quite honestly, very parochial view to say, ‘Who is he? What’s he done on an oval?’ He’s got better credentials for racing at Indy than any rookie for the past couple of decades!

“Give this great champion some credit rather than question his objective or his judgment.”
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Date set for Alonso's first Indy 500 test

Two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso will begin on-track preparations for his highly anticipated debut in the Indianapolis 500 between the Russian and Spanish Grands Prix.

The test session will take place on Wednesday, May 3rd, lasting from 9am to 5pm (ET). Official practice for the race will get underway less than two weeks later on the 15th of May.

Alonso will be piloting a McLaren-entered Honda that is being prepared by Andretti Autosport, who have won two of the last three 500s.

The 35-year-old will be skipping the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix in order to take part in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 as part of his desire to complete the triple crown with victories in the Indy 500, Monaco GP and 24 Hours of Le Mans. He has already won Monaco twice before in both 2006 and 2007.
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Montreal circuit undergoes changes for Canadian GP

The Gilles Villeneuve Formula 1 circuit is undergoing upgrades in preparation for this year's Canadian Grand Prix.

Due to the changes to the technical regulations which have resulted in faster cars this year, the safety features of most F1 circuits have needed tweaking.

While the layout of the Montreal circuit will not be altered, the safety features of the track will be revised.

Most of the guardrails and some 5,000 tyres will be removed and replaced by TecPro barriers.

These red-and-white barriers made of polyethylene are filled with plastic, foam and sometimes sand, and offer a significantly better energy dispersion when a car slams into them.

The FIA has also asked for the the traditional gravel traps to be replaced by portions of asphalt as seen at other F1 tracks.

The infamous "Wall of Champions" - the concrete wall that's located at the exit of the last chicane – will have its angle modified, as the FIA has deemed it was dangerous.

Cranes, payloaders, trucks and graders are in now action at Turns 1 and 2, 5, 13 and 14. Later, work will begin at Turns 7 and 8, and 10.

A SAFER barrier - used in most NASCAR and IndyCar oval tracks - will replace the old steel guardrails at Turn 5.

The promoter expects to have the work finished by mid-May.

The Canadian Grand Prix takes place on June 9-11.
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Heavyonthemagick said:
Who is Jenna Fryer anyhoo...
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A previously little known American who saw an opportunity to be come well known to thousands world wide.
She had her 15 min and can slip quietly back into obscurity whilst Alonso enjoys his new found fan base in the USA when they see his driving abilities vs her media hype.
 
Zyraz said:

McLaren-Honda needs answer for test boost - Vandoorne




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I must admit my hopes shot right up seeing him in fourth. The benefits of in-season upgrades to engines being allowed could be felt soon. That's IF they can replicate that spec again
 
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