Wonder how Rosberg would be doing..
Quitter...
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Wonder how Rosberg would be doing..
Quitter...
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I desperately need to catch up with all that's happened in this last week, other things have been keeping me away from following the daily goings on.
As a slight aside, I've just finished sorting through some old motorsport 'photos and came across this one, taken in 2002 at Albert Park.
https://i.imgur.com/UkMp0LU.jpg
It was on this date 16 years ago that a certain Mark Webber made his F1 debut, and that with an Australian owned team - businessman Paul Stoddart bought the Giancarlo Minardi owned outfit in 2001 and then sold it to Red Bull in 2005 from which Torro Rosso was born. There were other debuts that race weekend; drivers Allan McNish, Takuma Sato and a certain Felipe Massa along with team debuts from Toyota and Renault (formally Benetton, Renault having last raced as a works team in '85). Prost were due to be there however they folded that January. Minardi are probably most well known for giving Fernando Alonso his big break and were also popular with race fans, they were always the underdog and were respected by other teams given their budget limits, even if they never once scored a podium in their entire history. They were the perennial back-markers yet much loved, and when they sold out a giant left the sport for good.
I spent pretty much all of 2002 in Oz and was in Melbourne especially for the race, both my brother and I had 3-day tickets (I think his may have been free as he'd spent the two previous months helping to set up the marquees and grandstands) and I still remember the shrill V10s to this day. There were only 8 classified finishers on race day, Minardi's Alex Yoong was 7th and Mark Webber 5th - the 'photo shows MW completing his last lap to rapture of the crowds. It didn't matter where you were born as it genuinely felt like everyone became Australian for those last few laps, there had been so many retirements that it was clear the race wasn't over until the chequered flag was waved, and when it was Albert Park erupted.
It was Australian Paul Stoddart's first race as a team owner, Australian Mark Webber's first race as an F1 driver, at Albert Park in Australia for the first race of the 2002 season. I've witnessed Lewis Hamilton win at Silverstone however it was that lowly 5th place that will stay with me forever.
What an excellent post CS, thanks for that. Memories indeed, and a great insight into a byegone era, never to be repeated - V10 engines in Formula 1. Rumour had it that the BMW would rev to 20k. Imagine that.
At the other end of the scale, the F1 thread spoiler has appeared to once again proclaim his blinkered love for Lewis Hamilton.
Give it a rest, Andy. You spoiled last year's thread with your mis-spelt gibberish, fawning over Hamilton and adding nothing to the thread.
Added nothing, except state who was actually the fastest driver and fasted car during the Barcelona testing, and by what margin. Pretty important if people didnt already know.
But perhaps in future I should run my post via the Mods as get their imput on the value my posts offer. Would that be you? If so can I mod your input or are you simply going to continue to link stuff written by others and continue to whinge about LH and his Fanboys and Girls?
Alternatively just place me on ignore, as I did with Cilla. It really works you know.
You really should make a bit of an effort. Have your carer proof-read your posts before you click on "Submit Reply".
Last week's test proved nothing. Pre-season tests prove very little anyway, as nobody outside of the individual teams knows what fuel levels, or even ballast the cars are running, or what their run plans are. The weather added a further layer of obfuscation, and all that was achieved was shakedown and aero runs. The results were irrelevant and probably misleading.
And if I placed you on "Ignore" I'd miss howlers like "I've got a vintage Porsche". Now that really was funny. But apart from the comedy value of your pomposity, your F1 "contributions" really only detract from the thread. You are tiresome and tedious.
It will not be available in the UK:
Quote:
F1 TV Pro will be available in the US, Germany, France, Mexico, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, and “much of Latin America,” according to the series. Broadcasts will be available in four languages: English, French, German, and Spanish. A “less expensive” tier, called F1 TV Access, will be available with live audio and statistics and delayed access to video of each race.
from https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/27/1...source=twitter
Oh dear, you cannot help yourself can you. :unconscious:
Firstly you seem to have overlooked my "Not sure how conclusive...." statement!! I did however post two facts - LH and Mercedes were quickest. These might not mean anything to you, but I doubt the other teams and drivers would agree with you. It certainly demonstrates that Mercedes and LH are on form. So perhaps you should stick to providing facts, rather than the usual gossip, rumour, supposition, bigotry, etc, you often served up. If this fails I am sure you can continue with your zero value add personal attacks and pedantry, just to underline your own pomposity. Pedantry in a F1 thread - seriously LMAO! :eagerness:
Anywho on the topic of me claiming to own a "vintage Porsche" perhaps you can provide a link, simply because although I do own a 28 year old, Porsche 911 (type 964) Carrera 2, which technically is a classic (greater than 25 years old) and not vintage (which to me refers to brass era cars). Some people might call it vintage, but I doubt it was me. But classic/vintage it's a bit of a so what isn't it.
Rest assured I shall try not to contribute again on this thread until the Melbourne GP, providing people don't post anything really stupid, but I shall be checking.
The problem is that you seem to be "not sure" about anything other than your fixation with Lewis Hamilton. The weather for last week's test was unrepresentative of anything that Formula 1 cars would ever usually run in, which meant that if anybody managed to get their tyres into their operating window they were likely to be able to drag a lap time out of them. Over the course of the four days, one of which was almost entirely wiped out, very few teams were trying for quick lap times, largely because they are restricted to one car for testing, and wouldn't want to sacrifice running time by crashing it in a pointless exercise.
Your "vintage Porsche" howler was in a thread about retirement. The definitions of "Classic"' "Veteran" and "Vintage" are well defined. Interesting that you took the trouble to tell everybody exactly which Porsche you have. "Porsche" is one of the few words that you don't seem to have difficulty spelling. However, your assertion that "classic/vintage it's a bit of a so what isn't it" (apart from being incoherent) requires a question mark. Because it's a question.
But you can't help yourself, can you?
Finally, if anybody would rather I didn't contribute to the Formula 1 thread, and Andy gave us his valuable insight and analysis instead, do please let me know.
Re #157 above..."Anywho on the topic of me claiming to own a "vintage Porsche" perhaps you can provide a link" (Anywho?). I'm only too happy to oblige:
Is that good enough?
Doesn't it have a Ruf sticker on the back, surely that makes it a Ruf?
Any chance we can use this thread for discussing F1 please?
(The irony being that I have nothing further to add in this post but highly value the highly informative postings of at least one of the involved).
Ok, Lewis Hamilton has pointed the finger at MotoGP for Circuit de Catalunya losing “a lot of its great character” after the recent resurfacing which has smoothed out the track.
I will refrain from observations about the character of F1 versus that of MotoGP...
Not very smart of Lewis to take the lid of that can though.
That is the headline but, more fully (link):
...I guess it has something to do with MotoGP, so we have that fight. I love MotoGP but they hate us because we make it bumpy and we hate them because they keep getting us to have these big run-off areas.
New surfaces get old, Lewis, and as for "I think it is a waste of money", I'm pretty sure that the owners of the circuit will have looked at the economics. After all, you make plenty on the back of their investment.
You know what, a few years ago I did some interviews at Le Mans and all the drivers loved the variety the track offered. Somewhere I have the transcripts but there was a load of stuff on the track you had to be wary of like the bump coming out of Tertre Rouge and the ridge through the middle of Arnage corner, taken at about 40-50mph in (at the time) an Audi R8, which always brought on oversteer. Both corners were tricky because of surface changes where in the first case track only used four days of the year met very main road and in the second a side road met the main road at a crossroads. Tertre Rouge was smoothed out a few years ago and the corner brought forward to allow more run off, which meant cars could take the corner much faster, which I think led indirectly to Simonsen's crash in 2013. To put it another way I don't think the crash could have happened like that before.
I'm not sure I've heard a driver in F1, WEC or anything involving racing on major tracks say they'd rather massive runoff areas were put in and bumpy track surface was smoothed out (breaking up surface, sure) or even more importantly, fans moved further away from the action. At what point do the drivers lose interest in a race track? I remember one driver saying at Le Mans he can smell the barbeques and recognise individual tents/campers/cars from the track and can see people on camping chairs on top of scaffolding or in favourite spots round the track.
After having been a f1 enthusiast for several decades i lost much of my love of the sport a few years ago. But i keep an eye on the sport even now, and the tz f1 thread has been one of the more interesting and wide ranging sources ive used to keep abreast.
I don't share many views with either andy or cilla but your attempts to moderate their comments on what is a largely unmoderated forum come across as a little overbearing and a bit pompous.
I welcome your contributions certainly but mostly those that are focused on the thread topic rather than on the other posters. Hope to read many of the former and few of the latter going forward
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Whatever you do, Backward Point, please don’t stop posting on this thread. Your analysis of the sport is brilliant.
Just try and ignore the idiots.
I have become increasingly frustrated by Andy's moronic, blinkered, unending praise for Lewis Hamilton and nothing else. There is absolutely no value to his utterings, they have simply become thread-spoiling. I put a great deal of time and effort into the F1 thread, and hope that it gives some insight to you guys, and I'm flattered by your responses. I'm not trying to "moderate".
Thank you. Sadly, the idiots spoil things for everybody else, and I would be grateful if the principal idiot would leave the thread alone and start his own.
The second pre-season test starts tomorrow, and the weather should be a little warmer, although there might be some rain. Testing being what it is, fuel levels, ballast and run-plans (the teams will have pre-planned runs depending what they are concentrating on) mean that lap times are irrelevant. Some teams will try to put a fast time in to grab some headlines, but most will just concentrate on the job in hand. Last week's test was largely a waste of time and effort, so there's a lot of work to be done this week.
For those interested, here is an insight into some of the aerodynamic tweaks on this year's cars:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...4/?ti=23&tii=1
I'm much the same. I also read about it in Motor Sport magazine (no relation to the website), where they can't keep up with websites and the likes of Autosport so come at it from a more general direction.
I tend to discuss each GP the next day with backwardpoint and we see it in completely different ways. For him it's something to be immersed in where it's almost more about all the technology, people, gossip, rumours and the details while I dip in and out and watch races on proper tracks like Spa. I also don't have Sky and since the BBC lost the rights I can't seem to find anything like their 10-minute highlights they used to stick on their website every Monday morning. All the intrigue, lap times and so on don't interest me and I'd rather see all the action condensed into 10 minutes rather than record the late night highlights on 4 and remember not to look at any news for the whole of Monday before I can watch it in the evening. I just can't be bothered and it seems a shame really.
If anyone can point me to a good 10-minute highlights package it would be great but until that happens I'll just read about it here and in Motor Sport and every Monday backwardpoint can tell me if you can count the number of passing manoeuvres on more than one hand!
For those that have Amazon Prime Membership you can get some free magazines with the Prime Reading function. On topic you can download these three at the moment:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/...e-pr-magazines
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....JL._SY445_.jpghttps://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....xL._SY445_.jpghttps://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....TL._SX342_.jpg
There's also Caravan Monhly for the strange people too.
On the subject of digital magazines, Motor Sport has just become available on Readly.
As to pushing the envelop yes, but as a shake down it was ok enough.
First test is basically a shake down. If nothing falls off you take the next step etc. But the first test really is a high speed shake down.
Nów indeed things are more serious. There is hardly any time too to sort things before the first race if this test is not a proper test.
The temperatures should be ok but rain forecast is iffy though. Fingers crossed.
Anyone recommend where to watch it this year if no sky tv, I have been watching it between channel 4 & RTL television and radio 5 for the English commentary?
Thanks
I have lost interest with the latest news, even race results. The racining itself has lost any spark for me; the qualifying has more to offer imo.
The technology still gets my full attention though.
Various e-articles, tz thread and the odd magazine are enough for me.
Do ALL keep contributing; a diamond has so much sparkle because of the many different facets.
Tbh I find VDG quite amusing and he does represent a facet of the fan world. Any irritation would be something you do/allow yourself. Also as I retired at 45, have noo mortgage or such and own a vintage racing DAF, we have a bond http://forum.tz-uk.com/images/icons/icon6.png
Funny that he mistook one for the other...
My son makes good use of it finding enjoyable viewing to replace the televised crap.
Last week he put on the whole LeMans series.
A crown on it is that the resident female ´got´ us Prime by pushing the wrong button on a sale :-)
So when she wants to complain, my son: ´well yoú bought it so be happy wé make it worthwhile!!´-
Will point the links out to him. Yes, thanks Dazzler.
I do enjoy this thread, especially when the season is underway so I hope we can stay on topic without bickering.
The second and final pre-season test is under way. The weather is dry, air temperature 9c, track temperature 20c at 9am, so there's the prospect of some decent running, although most teams will be trying to make up the backlog from last week so there are plenty of aero "rakes" and lots of flo-vis paint in evidence.
McLaren have the distinction of causing the first red flag of the week, Stoffel VanDoorne coasting to a halt on the main straight due to an electrical failure. For those unfamiliar with testing rules, the teams have only one car each, and if a car breaks down on track or becomes stuck in a gravel trap the session is red-flagged until the car has been recovered. There is only low-level marshalling for testing, although there is medical support and an emergency helicopter.
More later.
Mclaren must be loving the fact that the Torro Rosso is merrily on its way with 50 laps done in the am and only 0.377 off the pace :-)
Lunch time in Barcelona, which must be a novelty for the teams - lunch breaks were abandoned last week in the interests of trying to maximise running time.
Vettel was fastest this morning, ahead of Bottas, both having completed 86 laps. At the other end of the timesheet is McLaren, with seven laps completed and a nagging suspicion that with Honda powered Toro Rosso having covered 53 laps the problems of the last few seasons might not have been entirely the fault of the power unit supplier.
Times are slower than the fastest laps of last week, and again fuel loads, ballast and run-plans are unknown. The teams will know from last week and their own simulations what they need to concentrate on this week, with aero as always near the top of the list, as they will need to know that the on-track results correspond with their wind tunnel and simulator results. During testing the cars will be carrying additional sensors to optimise data gathering and the results from this week in particular will be used to calibrate their wind tunnels and simulators back at base.
The power unit restrictions will mean that reliability is even more important this season, and so far there are few reports of breakdowns or mechanical failures during testing, although this week should mean that the teams will get more meaningful running in.
FP1 at Melbourne is but 17 days away.
It seems that only one of the two problems for McLaren was down to them then. The battery issue was the same as the one affecting the Red Bull team too, and it’s a Renault supplied part.
I dropped off the forum for a while but in case anyone is interested again this year, I have set up a new Fantasy Racing League!
Same hosting provider as last time (http://pfrl.net) so if you have previously registered there at any time, all you need to know is:
League name: Chariots of Ire (find it in the "individual private leagues")
League pword: herewegoagain
The only change I made this year was to permit up to three teams per user (last year it was only two).
For those that have never played before:
- go to http://pfrl.net, select the REGISTER tab and fill in all the usual stuff
- login at http://pfrl.net with your new account
- Create a new team or teams (as many as you like, but only three can be entered into the Chariots of Ire League
- Join your team(s) to Chariots of Ire (find it in the "individual private leagues") using the password herewegoagain
Unlimited changes are available to your team selections prior to the first race. Full rules are here.
In the words of dear Murray Walker who might have been referring to this thread, "Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin. Unless this is the action, which it is."
Poeh, Aloso went out and shook the car out with a 1.19.
Ok, the top runners will be a lót faster still today but it is a pointer in the good direction for sure!
...and he has pulled over with smoke from the engine.
Firstly it seems the differentials between the tire grades is not as much as last season now teams are trying different ones. But Ricciardo is 1.8s faster than Alonso with the same Hyper Soft and Renault engine and that is a fair bit which ever way you look at it.
For the ‘petrolheads and nerds’ out there, Mercedes have released a remarkably candid video about their new car:
https://youtu.be/nfBOxwSNg6s
^^ Watched that yesterday, great little video and he knows how to talk the car up. I'm glad that the odd video like this pops up, it's a simple yet effective way to engage with not just their own fans but fans of the sport in general.
Enjoyed the video, thanks!
McLaren broken down again... :(
Thanks for the video. On the side pods of the new car, either side of the cockpit are what looks, to me, like a Duracell AA battery standing on end. Can anyone tell me what they are, please? Sorry if it's something obvious.