Formula 1 2009

[Emerald Emblem]

You can hardly expect it to be more of a gap than 6 points at this stage. That's no good as evidence he won't run away with it - his scoring so far is perfect.

 

But you should know how unpredictable the sport is, especially with the new regulations as well as any problems the cars might have during a race. The rest of the pack will catch up, Toyota are proof of that with their unique diffuser giving improvement to an already solid top 3 team car. However the catch up argument might be too late for the teams without the diffuser.

[Nicktendo]

Well done to Vettel for grabbing the pole. It's going to be an interesting race with everyone 'observatating' Vettel from behind.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if the top 3 were fuelled lightly. Guess we'll find out ina couple of hours.

[Retro_Link]

Fuel loads:

 

1. Vettel 644.0kg

2. Alonso 637.0kg

3. Webber 646.5kg

4. Barrichello 661.0kg

5. Button 659.0kg

6. Trulli 664.5kg

7. Rosberg 650.5kg

8. Raikkonen 673.5kg

9. Hamilton 679.0kg

10. Buemi 673.0kg

11. Heidfeld 679.0kg

12. Kovalainen 697.0kg

13. Massa 690.0kg

14. Glock 652.0kg

15. Nakajima 682.7kg

16. Bourdais 690.0kg

17. Piquet 697.9kg

18. Kubica 659.0kg

19. Sutil 648.0kg

20. Fisichella 679.5kg

 

- lol at Alonso bigging up Renault! I'm sure their bolt-on DDD has helped them somewhat, but there's not an ounce of fuel in that car!

- BRyawn can still be very optimistic, as they were heavier than RB.

- Despite that, still great drives by Vettel and Webber.

- Kimi put in a great drive considering his fuel load and the fact he was on a set of used tyres!

 

Just great to see a few cars mixing it up in front of BRyawn though!

[gaggle64]

What an absolute star young Vettel is, strolling out and delivering the lap straight off like that. Also, Hamilton comfortably the heaviest of the top ten, looks like he's enjoying a reasonably encouraging weekend thus far. China isn't the most interesting circuit around, but tomorrow's grid should set us up for a decent contest this time.

Edited April 18, 2009 by gaggle64

[Goron_3]

Yeah tomorrow's race shouldn't be too bad. not the bed of tracks but definately chances to overtake going into turn 1 and then the final 2 corners, especially that epic hairpin.

 

It's gonna be interesting to see how far ahead the 2 Red bulls and Fernando can get on that fuel load and how big they can make the gap to the Brawns. Judging by the fuel loads they're gonna need atleast 8-9 seconds by their first pit stop (assuming Jenson can set some blistering laps, which i think he can). That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Fernando puts on a set of the super softs, does 10-12 laps on them with a small fuel loads and then does 2 long stints. One things for sure is that they're gonna have lightning pace.

[Retro_Link]

Agree that China isn't the most exciting of tracks, but what do you know looks like Bernie's gonna renew their contract into the future!

 

Also I'm fed up with KERS and think it should be abandoned. Either that or up the minimum car weight [it's currently just so unfair on Kubica etc...] and get rid of the crappy 80 horsepower limiter.

 

What will be the point of it when everyone on the grid has it next year?

All the cars use it on the same straights/and coming out of the same corners anyway, the places where either it's most beneficial or if options are limited [like in China] the only places on the circuit available. So all cars will be even and doing the same boosts as each other!

[Emerald Emblem]

I see Retro_Link is developing a disliking to Brawn GP.

[Nicktendo]

I see Retro_Link is developing a disliking to Brawn GP.

 

Yeah I've noticed, a bit unfair really as it's not exactly Schumacher/Ferrari circa 2002... yet

 

I'm looking forward to what will probably be a good race tomorrow, with some rain 10 laps from the end.

[Retro_Link]

I don't dislike them, but firstly if any one team dominates a season then it would be incredibly boring no matter who they were. Thankfully however, it's now looking like that may not be the case!!

 

Also, it's more Jensons smugness I can't stand! Yes fair play be has EVERY right to be over the moon with his car/team, but he's so smug with it!

You don't see it from Rubens atm, nor do you get it from the likes of Fernando, Kimi, Massa when they are winning, or even from first time winners like Kubica or Vettel! Must be something about British drivers!

[Emerald Emblem]

Probably how our Media has treated both Button and Hamilton makes them smug.

[gaggle64]

If I was a millionaire Monaco playboy or dating a Pussy Cat Doll, I'd probably be smug too. Just a tad.

[Retro_Link]

Yeah maybe! It's just an annoying quality to carry, and one the majority of F1 drivers despite how minted etc... manage to contain; at least in public interviews etc... anyway!

[Noodleman]

Went to the qualifing yesterday. Have a seat looking over turn 1, pretty good spot. Pretty annoying that in a part of the world that has 40 foot Flatscreens on every street they picked tiny ones for the Grand Prix circuit. Although you can see video, I couldnt read the text. I had no idea which Red Bull had pole until I got back to the hostel. In the flesh the Ferrari is the best looking car, the Renault looks a lot better then on TV as well. Should be a good race, its supposed to rain later in Shanghai.

[Goron_3]

Absolutely epic race! Well done vettel

 

Will post up my full race impressions soon.

[Emerald Emblem]

It could have been so much closer between Red Bull and Brawn had it not rained. However Mclaren had a solid result and so gutted for Sutil.

 

I believe we know which team dominates in the rain after this, Vettel Didn't put a foot wrong and is a supreme wet weather specialist. Well done also to Webber completing a dream 1-2 result for Red Bull.

 

I was disappointed in Barrichello not being competitive but hey, he got the fastest lap and a solid 4th despite the problems with his car balance, he may not be as dominant in the wet now in this Brawn car.

[Haden]

Damn poor Force India was really hoping they would get some points.

 

Glad Red Bull got their first victory. Btw does anyone watch the highlight videos of races on the offical F1 site? They are some of the best edited videos I've ever seen.

[Noodleman]

Dear lord, it's still raining in Shanghai. Started at about midday, was just a drizzle then turned into proper rain at about 2 and has showed no signs of stopping. Pretty much everyone in my grandstand left when Massa retired

Still I had a good time even with the utterly shit weather. Vettel looked so much better in the rain then any of the other drivers. Was never really in doubt im my mind. Also I got to witness the Trulli train close up and what a sight it is :awesome:. I think he was holding half the field up at one point. Why did Alonso pit right before the first safety car came in by the way? Was he really running that light on fuel?

[Goron_3]

Dear lord, it's still raining in Shanghai. Started at about midday, was just a drizzle then turned into proper rain at about 2 and has showed no signs of stopping. Pretty much everyone in my grandstand left when Massa retired

Still I had a good time even with the utterly shit weather. Vettel looked so much better in the rain then any of the other drivers. Was never really in doubt im my mind. Also I got to witness the Trulli train close up and what a sight it is :awesome:. I think he was holding half the field up at one point. Why did Alonso pit right before the first safety car came in by the way? Was he really running that light on fuel?

 

Yeah he was very light. Had it been dry I think he only had about 10 laps worth of fuel and planned to spend those laps on the softer of the 2 tyres and just try and put in some very quick early laps.

 

So so gutted for Force India Second time they've been in the points in the closing stages and Sutil ends up retiring, truly heart breaking.

 

Incredibly disappointed for Massa, he was lapping on the same pace as Button with 4-5 laps more fuel in the car; easily could have challenged for the podium. What was going on with Kimi though i have no idea, he spent the entire afternoon getting overtaken (Retro must have hated that haha).

 

Well done Red Bull! I live in Milton keynes, about 5 minutes from the RB factory, so I'm incredibly pleased about the 1-2. It'll most likely rain a few more times this year too (Spa, Singapore, Japan, Brazil, SILVERSTONE) so they've got a hell of a chance at the title. Imagine them with the diffuser though, wow.

[Retro_Link]

lol, dunno what was going on with Kimi today, he complained of a wierd sounding engine and also said he just didn't have any front grip for much of the time. Also one stopping him, leaving him on the tyres for so long and with all that fuel wasn't smart strategy! Even Mike Gascoigne said so in commentary, they should have brought him in under the safety car.

 

Anyways, the Ferrari car is a load of rubbish atm so they better get on with developing it, or just move on now to 2010!

 

Hamiton almost had as eventful wet weather race as Massa's Silverstone last year! Though somehow he got away with it!

 

Couldn't be happier for Vettel and even more so for Mark Webber, who seems such a nice guy but has always had such bad luck; bout time things went right for him!

 

Like you Goron, I hope Red Bull have a real go at the title!

 

 

EDIT: Wahoo!!

 

Ferrari not ruling out writing off '09

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74644

 

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says the Italian team may switch its development focus onto the 2010 car as early as next month if its fortunes do not improve dramatically in the next few races.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Retro_Link

[Gizmo]

Did we ever find out what caused Massa's failure?

[Retro_Link]

Did we ever find out what caused Massa's failure?

Here you go:

Chris Dyer:

“We embarked on the race with the two drivers on different strategies and with the rain and the safety car periods, we managed to get ourselves into a good position, especially with Felipe, who at one point was third with a lot of fuel on board. Unfortunately, a software management problem meant the engine cut out and forced him to retire. It’s a real shame, because we could have got a good result. Right from the start, Kimi complained about the lack of visibility when following others and several times that the engine power was dropping due to the water, but above all he suffered with a lack of grip after his stop. In the meantime, we changed his strategy and he was unable to get any higher than tenth. Once again we’ve had reliability problems which prevented us from picking up valuable points.â€

[Retro_Link]

I have no knowledge of them but...

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74698

 

Lola evaluating 2010 F1 return

 

 

British racing car manufacturer Lola is considering re-entering Formula 1 next year after confirming that it has committed to a full technical, operational and financial evaulation of the project.

 

The Huntingdon-based company has a long history of building F1 cars and last appeared with a short-lived and unsuccessful works team at the start of the 1997 season.

 

However, in the wake of the FIA announcing last month its plans for teams to be able to compete in F1 under a £30 million budget cap, Lola executive chairman Martin Birrane now believes the time is right to consider a return.

 

"The announcement that teams may opt for a prudent, financially responsible 'cost-capped' regime from 2010 has resulted in us deciding to fully evaluate the opportunity to develop a car to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship," he said.

 

"Providing world-class engineering excellence, offering high quality solutions governed by a tightly controlled financial regime has been part of Lola's DNA over the last decade.

 

"The current necessity for F1 to adopt a responsible approach in times of economic uncertainty has created the ideal conditions for us to consider developing a car for the world championship."

 

Birrane, who bought Lola in 1997 after its F1 team collapsed, has made no secret of his ambition to take the company back into top level of international racing.

 

It has been heavily involved in single-seater production in the past decade, building chassis for a wide range of categories including the defunct Champ Car World Series, Formula 3, A1GP, F3000 and Formula Nippon.

 

The company also has recent experience of developing customer LMP1 and LMP2 machinery for top-line sportscar racing, with the Prodrive-run Lola Aston Martin project claiming a debut victory in the Barcelona Le Mans Series race earlier this month.

 

The facilities that Lola has built up for such activities in recent years means that it already has a base that could easily be adapted to develop an F1 car.

 

"Lola possesses the technical resources, capability and know-how to develop cars capable of competing at the very highest levels of international motor sport, including F1," said Birrane. "We are therefore embracing the WMSC's timely announcements and assessing a relevant programme for F1 with a view to making a formal entry in the coming weeks."

 

Lola has already appointed engineering personnel to evaluate the possibility of an F1 return, and already has an F1-standard windtunnel, computational fluid dynamics capability and a seven-post dynamic chassis rig in its factory.

 

AUTOSPORT understands that Lola is one of eight new teams that have entered into discussions with Cosworth for a supply of V8 engines for 2010, and that it could face competition for the available grid slots from a number of other prospective teams, including the USF1 project.

Seems with these new cost cut backs, the competetion for F1 grid slots is seriously heating up!!

[Will]

All these new teams is obviously a good thing but I do worry that we'll end up with some utter shit in there making it a mess for everyone else. Lola, despite all of their success in other series have been utter shit whenever involved in F1.

 

Hopefully they can get a decent mix of new teams while maintaining some level of quality.

[Retro_Link]

Yeah totally agree!

 

And with test drivers and the like, being all but useless now it would be good if it can provide drives for the likes of Davidson, Sato, Luizzi, Wurz etc...

[Will]

Yeah there's definitely a good few talented drivers sitting doing nothing at the moment. If they can get competitive drives then that would be great. Here's hoping they get it right.