Formula 1 Predictions

[glojo]

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.

I was concerned about last years unreliability, simply because it was happening mainly to the one driver. Montoya's problems were usually self inflicted.

When Sato kept blowing up his Honda engine we eventually all blamed the driver.

Fingers crossed that this was a one off and things improve next week. I still do not like this two race rule for the engines. It detracts from what Formula 1 is all about. We saw tremendous reliability this week-end and was it only BMW that had an engine failure?

John

 

[lotusmark2]

We saw tremendous reliability this week-end and was it only BMW that had an engine failure?

John

Think the Super Aguri failed in the pits (or stalled and would not restart)

 

[glojo]

Think the Super Aguri failed in the pits (or stalled and would not restart)

Bet that was one of my sacked failures

John

 

[glojo]

Think the Super Aguri failed in the pits (or stalled and would not restart)

Did Coultard's engine die at the end of the race and if so will he have to replace it thus loosing ten places on the grid?

John

 

[lotusmark2]

Did Coultard's engine die at the end of the race and if so will he have to replace it thus loosing ten places on the grid?

John

Dont think so, think it ran out of fuel on the slow down lap
edit.. classified as 10th

 

[glojo]

Dont think so, think it ran out of fuel on the slow down lap
edit.. classified as 10th

That is what I thought and I cannot find anything to say otherwise.

The Daily Mail run with the story. The slow down lap is after the completion of the race, so I guess because the race had finished?? AND IF it really happened, would go back ten places?

John

 

[lotusmark2]

IF it really happened, would go back ten places?

John

THey would only drop 10 if they changed engine which they would not do for a fuel issue so dont think DC has any issues for this weekend.......that said I could always be wrong

 

[blassberg]

i heard he did blow up and loses 10 but i can't find it on itv-f1 or bbc or f1.com

 

[lotusmark2]

Just read the Red Bull site and he did not blow up, no mention of it at all. Even has DC's comments on the race etc and no mention

 

[glojo]

Just read the Red Bull site and he did not blow up, no mention of it at all. Even has DC's comments on the race etc and no mention

I also logged onto their site and was amazed at the quality of some of hte pictures.

I am certainly NOT saying his engine blew.

Like yourself and blassberg I have searched here there, and everywhere for confirmation of the Daily Mail report.

I never, never take one journalists report as being fact. Hence my asking the question, I will carry on looking because it might effect some contestants predictions. I will have to commence hte old psychological warfare procedure and spread mis-information

Seriously though this report can be found in Mondays edition of the Daily Mail. It is NOT me spreading rumours.

John

 

[Mr E]

Summary of regs on engine changes.....

When a new engine is installed, it is sealed by the FIA to ensure that no major movng parts can be changed.

After the first event, the engine is subsequently sealed in parc ferme (max 2 hours after race end) to ensure that the engine cannot run between events; these seals are removed at 0900 on the first day of the event.

If the change is made prior to qualifying - start 10 positions back. If change made after qualifying - start from pit lane.

So is an engine is damaged during the wind-down lap (where the car needs to go directly to parc ferme / under control of marshals) the driver will pick up the 10 place penalty as it is a change to the sealed engine.

The only time when there is no penalty for change of engine/car is where a driver cannot finish due to events "outside of the control of the driver/team".....

 

[glojo]

Far be it for me to gossip...


But.............................

David Coulthard is bracing himself for an arduous weekend in Malaysia after a frustrating Bahrain Grand Prix.

Coulthard was on course for a points finish when a tyre problem caused severe vibrations and forced the Red Bull driver to slow down in the opening race of the season.

That dropped him to 10th and to make matters worse, his Ferrari engine blew up just after the chequered flag, bringing him a 10-place grid penalty at Sepang this weekend.

Formula One rules demand engines last two races, or the penalty is imposed.

If an engine breaks during a race, the resulting retirement is deemed penalty enough but as Coulthard had just crossed the line, he can now start no higher than 11th in Malaysia.

He said: "It's hard on the small teams. The penalty, fair enough everyone understands why, but it's not the same for all.

"It is like Chelsea losing a man - being down to 10 men is not as tough for them as it would be for a smaller team.

"But you can't do anything.

"For race two, even if I stick it on pole I am 11th and the chances of being on pole are quite slim."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Montoya is now reported to be concerned about his engine and fingers crossed that he is not also going to suffer

Juan Pablo Montoya has been exonerated of all blame for his failure to match Kimi Raikkonen's performance in Bahrain. However, it may be of little consolation as the offending engine could yet cost him ten grid slots this Sunday in Malaysia.

Although Montoya, who was P5, started the Bahrain GP well ahead of Raikkonen, who was at the back of the grid owing to his qualifying shunt, he finished two places behind his team-mate after what appeared to be a lacklustre performance from the Colombian.

Montoya, though, blamed his McLaren MP4-21.

 

[Mr E]

Pit-Car Comms on flags:

The pit will tell the driver about any flags as they will receive info directly from race control - on Sunday's in-car footage you heard FA asking about blue flags....then half a lap later the pit came on with "Blue Flag"....

Interestingly, was watching the A1GP from Laguna Seca - Jos Verstappen got penalised twice......took his first drive-through and then, on the second, just stopped the car in the pit and walked off........

Must admit, haven't watched much of it but seems an interesting idea - identical cars with limited setup variances. Down to the skill of engineers and drivers, not rule interpreters, lawyers, accountants and sponsorship agents.

 

[Mr E]

And finally.....

The whinging and whining at Ferrari has started already......the new concord agreement (I think) only puts money back into non-works teams. So McLaren-Mercedes, BMW, etc, would get no money back from the sport, but Red Bull would (for example). The idea is to reduce the financial burden on smaller teams.

However, Ferrari complain that they are not a manufacturer's "works" team and so should be paid by F1 for turning up.

Will be interesting to see how this turns out - politics indeed......

 

[glojo]

took his first drive-through and then, on the second, just stopped the car in the pit and walked off.........

Hi Mr E
Is there not a ruling about stop go penalties. I thought that after a number of these the driver is disqualified (black flagged) more really for the safety of everyone. Red haze tends to over-ride brain and the driver\rider might feel aggrieved at the officials decision and go on to do something silly.

I see it has not taken long before Ferrari are accused of cheating.

This time though not by Ron Dennis, or Frank Williams.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt has insisted that the team are not cheating as sniping continues in the pitlane over the 248 F1's controversial rear wing.

Several teams are believed to have complained about the wing, claiming it deflects - a clear breach of the rules.

"I'm not happy. I know exactly what that wing does and it is not what I would expect," complained Renault's Pat Symonds.

Attempting to play down the furore, Todt responded: "It is good when people start to take an interest in Ferrari again. It demonstrates that we are back at the top again."

"If the FIA say there is a problem then our technical team will come to me, but the FIA has no problem."

Was it McLaren that had the 'flexi' wing that above a certain speed simply 'distorted' under pressure.

As if Ferrari would cheat??

Even more relevant...

As if the FIA would do anything about it?

If BAR were still in existance I bet they would be interested?

John

Edit:

Heidfield has been reprimanded for his driving this week-end. I must confess that I was impressed by the skill shown by both drivers.

Still who am I

Nick Heidfeld may have enjoyed his tussle with David Coulthard at the Bahrain Grand Prix, however, the Sakhir race stewards didn't and have reprimanded him for forcing the Scot off the track.

15 laps into the 57-lap race, Heidfeld took 12th place off Coulthard when he won what he called a "particularly exciting battle" by pushing the Scot wide and slipping through.

However, the Sakhir race stewards weren't as impressed and following the race reprimanded the BMW drive for his aggressive driving.

A statement issued by the FIA said: "The Stewards, after hearing the explanation of both the drivers and viewing video recording of the incident, determine that the driver Nick Heidfeld was involved in an incident as defined by Article 52 of the 2006 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations in that he forced the car driven by David Coulthard off the track.

"The Stewards accordingly reprimand the driver of car number 16 Nick HeidfeldNick Heidfeld may have enjoyed his tussle with David Coulthard at the Bahrain Grand Prix, however, the Sakhir race stewards didn't and have reprimanded him for forcing the Scot off the track.

15 laps into the 57-lap race, Heidfeld took 12th place off Coulthard when he won what he called a "particularly exciting battle" by pushing the Scot wide and slipping through.

However, the Sakhir race stewards weren't as impressed and following the race reprimanded the BMW drive for his aggressive driving.

A statement issued by the FIA said: "The Stewards, after hearing the explanation of both the drivers and viewing video recording of the incident, determine that the driver Nick Heidfeld was involved in an incident as defined by Article 52 of the 2006 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations in that he forced the car driven by David Coulthard off the track.

"The Stewards accordingly reprimand the driver of car number 16 Nick Heidfeld

 

[scumbag]

right. after last weeks race, and listening to 5 lives commentary. the ferrari isnt up to much and so needs light fuel to really peform. altho in fairness, 2nd aint bad.

the renault is well balanced and seems a good package. all round.

but it seemed to me, most people missed some geezer who started at the back, finished 3rd with only one stop! now i may be stupid, but that seemed to be one hell of a drive. coz he seemed to finish not too far off the winners, who used 2 stops for his race.

so, where the mclarens runnning fast, or did they restrict the engines for last race and let them loose at the next?

i am putting my money of the woking boys again.

 

[Ian B Walker]

I agee with you. My money would be on the McLarens this time round. Imagane if you will, what would have happened it Kimmy had started nearer the front. Using the fuel load as he did with one stop, would initially have moved him down the grid. As the race progresed he would have had the lighter car and been able to open a lead when the others went to top up for the second time. 22 to 3rd isnt shabby is it?

 

[lotusmark2]

I'm not so sure, I'll stick my neck out on this one and say 3rd is as good as Mclaren will do this weekend

 

[wallingd]

If Kimi does as well as he did last week he'd have a lead as big as MS used to have - what was it, 30secs? 1 min+?

 

[blassberg]

'ccording to bbc teletext (page 361) DC has a 10 place penalty...