Formula One 2018 - General Thread

[Mactech]

From very early days Le Mans has always had a 'balance of performance' either written in to the technical regulations on applied in forms of fuel restriction, weight penalty and or power restrictors.

The Porsche in post 486 gives a clue to where the performance of the cars would be if it were not for this 'framework'

My favourite era was the Group C format of the 80's when there was just a very simple set of regulations to which the car was built....and 2500 litres of petrol to cover as many laps of Le Mans as you could in 24 hours. It allowed manufacturers to develop a whole range of different solutions to the same problem from V12 7 litre production based engines to 3 litre turbo racing engines.

Everyone should experience the rumble of the Mercedes big V8 turbo at some point in their life....or the howl of the V12 Jags

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Is Le Mans on any free TV? I’ve scoured the major channels and can’t even find highlights anywhere. Hours and hours of various countries kicking balls around, but no Le Mans.

 

[Nat]

It's on Quest on our freesat if that helps.

 

[LTD]

Just under 2 hours left

 

[grober]

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Help spot whos who
WeatherTech 2018 Le Mans Spotter Guide

ALONSO is co driver in TOYOTA GAZOO LMP1 [ LE MANS PROTOYTPE] CAR 8

 

[bob6600]

Toyota have stayed in Le Mans as a hybrid team when others left - not their fault. However they didn't have a lot of choice as after so many years in the sport they do not have a victory (although very likely today).

Last night Alonso's team mate (Buemi) was caught speeding in a slow zone and had a 60 sec stop-go penalty leaving them nearly 3 minutes off the lead at one point. Alsonso then jumped in the car and clawed back 2-3 seconds a lap and when I tuned in this morning they were in the lead.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

It's on Quest on our freesat if that helps.

Thanks Nat. I’d never even heard of Quest before. I’m watching it now.

 

[GeeJayW]

Staying the course over 24hrs is not an easy gig at all and for sure Alonso can pedal, but by any measure a victory for Toyota #8 today would be a bit meh!

 

[grober]

Button currently fifth in car 11

 

[GeeJayW]

Button currently fifth in car 11

Was....

 

[grober]

Was....

BUTTON'S Car 11 finished 41rst *overall apparently ! PAUL DE RESTA 's car 22 retired
https://assets.lemans.org/explorer/...res-du-mans-2018-classification-after-22h.pdf
*5th in LMP1 must have been what I heard sorry.

 

[GeeJayW]

No worries. Unfortunately Button's car didn't take the chequered flag, it suffered engine failure about 40-mins from the end and is shown as retired in the final classification. The link you posted shows classification after 22hrs. A tough weekend for SMP Racing.

 

[bob6600]

Congratulations to Alonso. Even though No one was going to match the pace of the Hybrids, they still had to finish which was easier said than done.

Now that he has 2 out of the 3 'crowns' he wants, I wonder if he will concentrate on that next year rather than F1. I personally hope he sticks around in F1 for a couple more years at least

 

[AMGeed]

Red Bull finally ditch Renault engines for Honda in 2019

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[Dryce]

Red Bull finally ditch Renault engines for Honda in 2019

Torro Rosso are quite an asset for RB. Gives them a structure that feeds them drivers and allowed them to get close to Honda without having to totally burn their bridges to Renault.

I'm quite upset about McLaren though. It feels as if things can't quite go right for them. They took a much bigger risk going with Honda and while they got a pile of money for it they seemed to slip backwards and get damaged. And now they are set back quite a way. If RB make the Honda relationship work and get results next year then it will be very very poignant for McLaren.

 

[GeeJayW]

Perhaps a certain Mr. Newey has some ideas on how to make things work with the Honda engine?

 

[PRB]

Wasn't one of the problems for McLaren Honda packaging, with McLaren wanting a very low and narrow mid and rear section, very similar in fact to the problems they are causing with the renault engine

 

[Mactech]

So next stop Paul Ricard. A place I'm very familiar with having lost count of the number of Le Mans tests I have done there, it was at least 7 x 30hr epics in the Bentley era alone! I've been a regular there since the early '80s but actually have probably raced there on half a dozen occasions. But my hit rate of wins is over 50% the last being with Bentley's GT3 car in 2014.

It's the first F1 race visit in many years. I think Lewis will go well if he can stop the RF wheel locking into the 'Double Right' after Signes....
The circuit itself is in a fabulous location 1000' above the coast north of the lovely resort of Bandol. More charm and chic than Monaco and only 1/4 of the people So nice in fact that I've taken my wife with me on a number of occasions

 

[zipdip]

Well I still think that what Mercedes are doing is saving engines and parts,I get the feeling that they looked at the regulations and decided it was far better to hang in there at the start of this long F1 season,from now on i think we will see them open up a bit ,this course of action will go down well with the owners of F1 they need tight interesting races.

 

[GeeJayW]

Never been myself, but sounds like a great location. I hope it is a great race this weekend and would be happy to see Lewis go well.