Formula 1 Predictions

[wallingd]

Qualifying

I thought "Dropzone" was this:

http://62.168.142.47/~lemon/games/screenshots/full/dropzone_02.gif

"3, 2, 1 - Happy New Year"

Freshness to the format - that's what we all need

 

[glojo]

Didn't you just love the arrogant smug look that Schumacher senior gave when he said how, "We understand the qualifying rules!!"

What a pity the royal 'We' did not include his brother.

I personally like this new qualifying even though we are only half way through it. Shame about the lead McLaren, but that's motor racing.

It was JAMES ALLEN. What an absolute plonker!!!!

John

Edit
Congratulations to schumacher Snr, he certainly seems to have understood qualifying.

Blowed if I understand the fuelling?

If you cruise around for 8 laps, then do you get compensated for EIGHT FLYING laps???

I do however believe this qualifying is better.

 

[lotusmark2]

Great Quali system!! 100% better, lets hope the race follows suit with some racing and overtaking!

 

[Rumble]

Nice that the qualifying is split into three sections so the adverts can fit in between without disrupting viewing!

 

[saorbust]

Loved it - great stuff.

Now lets hope for a red 1st....

 

[glojo]

Loved it - great stuff.

Now lets hope for a red 1st....

Massa is not allowed to win

Great qualifying

John

 

[Dave Lewis]

Massa is not allowed to win

Yep, he certainly seems to be pushing Schumacher. He HAD to go out again and get the pole. It should work well for them this season. Wake the old man up a bit after last season! So far, I like the new qualifying.

 

[barrie013]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how can we get them to stop saying 'p1' instead of first, and using that horrible american expression 'rookie' ?...or is it only me that gets irritated by this...?

 

[glojo]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how can we get them to stop saying 'p1' instead of first, and using that horrible american expression 'rookie' ?...or is it only me that gets irritated by this...?

Rookie is a horrible term and I agree, Nigel Mansell's 'rookie' year in America being the perfect example.

I just wish that Formula 1 drivers got behind the wheel on merit and not on a bank balance?

I do not like these jacket and jeans wearing pundits. Mark Blundell is just about okay, but I keep looking for the other persons make-up to run down off his face and onto his stupid jacket.

Going back to the racing.

I respect what david Coulthard has achieved at Red Bull, but these 'experts' kept telling us how David much prefered qualifying where he could build up to a fast lap, instead of the one lap, all or nothing qualifying that we saw. Now we have this new very entertaining qualifying.... we are now hearing how David Coulthard struggled with the new qualifying

It is like listening to Football managers blaming referee's for a teams poor performance. I believe we will continually hear about BACK-MARKERS!!! or slow cars ruining the perfect lap. This is motor racing and it is down to the crew on the wall to work the car into space and also the driver to get that space.

I personally believe this new qualifying is the most entertaining I have seen in years.

The last qualifying section though I find confusing, why not simply say:

At the start of the session you put the fuel into the car that you will start the race with? Full stop, no confusion.

Plodding round for eight laps, completely off the pace and being compensated for eight flying laps seems wazzo?? why bother going out? It is simply to take advantage of a silly rule. Will they admit this? Will top teams modify the engine management by putting another button onto the steering wheel for lean running, perhaps using only a few cylinders?

Saorbust
What is your take on just this one qualifying session?

John

 

[wallingd]

Well done Rosberg! He's a fighter - got his dad's genes. Look out for him.

 

[glojo]

Well done Rosberg! He's a fighter - got his dad's genes. Look out for him.

In this one race has has clearly shown potential, perhaps even more than his father.

Tactics were a HUGE part of this excellent race, mega respect to McLaren, last to third, then of course the Renault... wow!!!

Button, Button, Button, how did his drive compare to Kimi Raikkonen's.

In my opinion both Raikkonen and Rosberg were the drivers of the race.

Hopefully future Grand Prix will be as entertaining.

John

 

[wallingd]

using only a few cylinders?

This is amuch under-utilised feature in vehicles fulll-stop, never mind F1.

 

[blassberg]

a couple of pics of my TAce

nice one Fudge. Enjoy Jerez. Ferry to Santander? Long ride thru Spain?

 

[blassberg]

Personally I don't think Jenson's going to win a race. Like Henman didn't win Wimbledon. Far from being a criticism, I think both are top world-class sportsmen just not near enough to the best. Jenson was unfortunate that Ferrari had such domination - but 3 other drivers won a race each in his best year. Last year was a setback - this year will be similar to his good year. A number of podiums but no wins. Hope I'm wrong as I'm a fan.

Few things I didn't understand at the weekend...
Kimi did better than Montoya despite a terrible start position
Schuey and Alonso set fastest laps after filling with fuel
Live timing (f1.com) kept going off!
Why Jenson has start line troubles - even Montoya completely drove round him
Why the Toyotas did so badly
Super Aguri pitlane panto
No blue flags
Naughty words from Giancarlo
How Alonso kept Schuey out on his pitlane exit

 

[glojo]

No blue flags

I agree with most of your points, but regarding the blue flags, I'm not sure we should rely on Alonso, or any other driver. We as an audience might not see blue flags, remember the ridiculous amount of safety laws that have come into Formula 1. Is it possible that Marshall's now have to make sure they cannot be hit by a driver? (so they will be harder to see) Grav, can you comment? I thought in Formula 1 te driver gets a visual cockpit warning of any safety type flag?

It was unusual to see this great young driver getting so up tight, and sadly I think it is a great example of how silly road rage is. The drivers in front were there to race, they certainly did NOT deliberately get in his way, nor did they appear to hold him up. When I saw him waving his hand in the air, the so called offending vehicle was some considerable distance in front. As soon as he got anywhere near to a car, they were the complete professional, pulling over to allow him free passage.

I thought it reckless of Massa, that was pure bad driving, although he done well in qualifying, top marks to him, but again a lesson to all those htat think it acceptable to allow the 'red mist' to take charge of hte brain! (Have you noticed how I continually hit the 'h' key before the 't' key? (Got it right htat time doh!!)

Ecclestone hasn't changed. He thinks qualifying is perfect and doesn't need fine tuning? I think qualifying is a huge, huge improvement, the best format for more years than I care to remember, but fine tuning could make it even better?

John

 

[blassberg]

hi John - agree with all of that - and I do remember now they said that the drivers would have known - didn't realise how though. In car notification sounds a good idea although Aguri radios stopped working hence the pit queue apparently and DC couldn't focus due to the heidfeld encounter flat spot - which doesn't sound very healthy or safe...

 

[blassberg]

oh and how did Alonso not pile into Massa? That was closer than an Australia / South Africa world record one-day cricket match.

 

[Rose Chap]

Shames Raikonnen's races are already starting to be affected by his unreliable engine!

Mercedes F1 engines haven't been reliable since they were banned from having exotic materials in them. I seem to remember Ferrari were the team who complained...

Anyway, I thought Fischicella's language to be quite spicy, but at least it reassured me that it really is the pit to car we're listening to, and not some sanitised made for TV gimmick.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Shames Raikonnen's races are already starting to be affected by his unreliable engine!

Mercedes F1 engines haven't been reliable since they were banned from having exotic materials in them. .

But it wasnt his engine that let go on Saturday, it was his rear suspention / spoiler that caused him to start at the back

 

[Rose Chap]

But it wasnt his engine that let go on Saturday, it was his rear suspention / spoiler that caused him to start at the back

Yes, just realised this I was getting my facts confused! Apologies all.

It would be a shame if Raikonnen's season was hampered by unreliability though, regardless of the cause.