Retro_Link Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 (edited) Apparently all this London GP talk is off the back of PR put together by Santander for an event they were hosting tonight. And here's the orgasmic result!! I was thinking... OK one line through the Arch like that pretty much writes that landmark off ever being on a circuit, but then I thought is it really that different from Eau Rouge?... someone has to back out there every time (Webber/Alonso). Mind you, if someone does crash there and there are cars coming in behind, that's a different story I suppose! Unless they really slow the cars down before they go into it. Edited June 28, 2012 by Retro_Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-Paul Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Yeah have to agree with you there, looks pretty stunning, great circuit, but there is no way they can have Admiralty Arch like that. Too dangerous for the drivers - if there was a crash it would be red flag situation, and it's a landmark that I am sure they wouldn't want to be damaged by a potential crash. Really hope for it to actually happen though, there are other routes they can take from Trafalgar to Picadilly, maybe just have start/finish on the Mall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Also it's very unlikely it would ever be a night race, because the only reason we have night races is for the European audience to have prime time viewing. I think London would look better shown off during the day anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-Paul Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Yeah, don't think we saw enough in the dark there. That part of London is about the buildings, not the lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 yeah there's no way they could include the arch unless they put in a really slow corner leading up to it and they definitely couldn't include it if Maldonado and Hamilton were racing each other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) So who's going to Silverstone this year? I'm heading down for Practice on Friday this year. Excited!!! Edited July 2, 2012 by Retro_Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murr Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 no... I was going to buy my ticket as mentioned earlier in this thread, but the house moving meant alot of my ISA cash has gone on solicitor fee's. Alot of people I know are going, but they are all like lager louts... and they've been saying they'll probably not end up watching any of the racing itself and just be shitfaced at their tent. what a waste of 10 tickets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 So jealous - I would love to be going along too. I'm sure you'll have a great time, Retro. I think I will try to get tickets for Austin if that all gets sorted in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 (edited) Has anyone been keeping up with the news reports regarding Maria de Villota's testing crash? If you haven't heard... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100882 Marussia Formula 1 test driver Maria de Villota has been taken to hospital after a crash during a straightline test at Duxford airfield on Tuesday. Marussia has confirmed that she was involved in an accident and collided with a stationary vehicle. "At approximately 09.15hrs BST this morning, the Marussia F1 Team's test driver Maria De Villota had an accident in the team's MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield where she was testing the car for the first time," said a team statement. "The accident happened at the end of her first installation run and involved an impact with the team's support truck. The 32-year-old is a former World Touring Car Championship and Superleague Formula driver, and daughter of ex-Formula 1 racer Emilio de Villota. Marussia Formula 1 test driver Maria de Villota suffered 'life-threatening injuries' in her accident that took place at Duxford airfield on Tuesday, according to the local ambulance service. According to eyewitness reports, after slowing down as she prepared to return to the temporary pit awning, de Villota's car lurched towards the rear of a team transporter, and collided with a tail-lift at the rear of the truck. Fernando Alonso wrote on Twitter: "I just got home and found out [about] Maria's accident, we called the family and hopefully we will know more soon! All my energy with you!" Jenson Button also wrote: "Terrible accident for Maria de Villota, Marussia F1 team test driver. My thoughts are with Maria and her family at this very difficult time." But the latest news... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100907 Marussia test driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye and remains in critical but stable condition following her crash on Tuesday. Marussia said a surgical team at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge "embarked on a lengthy procedure to address the serious head and facial injuries sustained" in the accident. The team said the operation began yesterday afternoon and she was in theatre until this morning. Team boss John Booth said de Villota has lost her right eye as a consequence of the accident. OMG the poor poor woman!!! My prayers, thoughts and best wishes go out to her! Edited July 4, 2012 by Retro_Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaggle64 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I was shocked when I first heard about this incident - we don't know what went wrong but I just don't understand why a live F1 car would be anywhere near an eye-high truck in the first place. What an absolute tragedy for a driver's career to be cut short like this, or so I would assume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Edited July 5, 2012 by Retro_Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murr Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Beautiful. Did I notice on the Caterham's they have the Queens Park Rangers badge on them? I know they're owned by the same chap now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Beautiful. Did I notice on the Caterham's they have the Queens Park Rangers badge on them? I know they're owned by the same chap now. I haven't seen it, but yeah I'm sure I heard about it being on their cars now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goron_3 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 @Retro, did you say you're going to practice tomorrow? Weather predictions, at least for FP1 look absolutely appalling! Hopefully it'll cool off before the afternoon session...have fun there though, beautiful track. I'm heading there on Saturday and Sunday, can't wait. Hoping for a wet saturday and mixed conditions on Sunday, anything to stop Vettel getting a win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) Well the parking fields are absolutely ruined! :p No one's gonna be using those anymore this weekend! Walked back to the car after FP2, changed out of wellies... @Goron_3 these are a must!!!!!!!!!!! Got in the car... every car in the field bogged down. Car infront spins up tires and covers his car in mud. I tell the people in the car next to me to close their windows... he tells me they've been waiting to get out of the car park for 1 hour and haven't moved yet!! I start the car, spin the tires to move and turn the car around and cover our car in mud. Almost getting completely stuck at one point but managed it. We sit for over half an hour longer. No one moves, not one car, nothing, don't know WHAT was going on. But eventually a new Exit opens on the far side of the field. The field is basically fairly long grass with gravel paths going across every 25 meters or so. Cars were absolutely tearing the grass apart getting across it turning it into mud baths. People were getting stuck and having to get out an push. So me being skill assessed the situation and played it damn well I have to say. Don't follow the muppets that are all following one another in lines across the field... making it worse and worse for one another. Drive along the gravel until you find some reasonable grass, use the width of the gravel path to build up speed and power across the bog/grass to the next gravel path and do the same again. Just about managed to make it out without getting stuck or powersliding into other moving/stationary cars! Lucky I had a light car aswell! We then drove along these back forestry woodland paths for about 10 minutes, and somehow came back out on the dual carrageway! Phew!! INSANE!! Silverstone is WET!! Like I said wellies are a must! Some people had just given up and were wading through puddles in their trainers... some had tapped bags around their legs and shoes. Rained for the whole day I think. :p --- Had fun though; I'm around F1 cars! Walked the track anticlockwise. Watched FP1 from the stands opposite the Pits... Lewis came out infront of us and waved to the crowds before the session started which was great of him! There were SO many fans there though today... I just watched an interview with Lewis on the BBC website where he said he'd never seen a Friday Practice so busy, and especially given the weather! Honestly it was almost like race day! Watched FP2 from Luffield overlooking all that part of the track, and had Perez 360 right infront of us as he lost it putting the power down onto the straight. Many mexican waves were had in this grandstand which was good, great atmosphere, cheering cars that were braving the wet. Have a great time over the weekend Goron! Edited July 7, 2012 by Retro_Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Dem0- Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Wow, this sounds even worse than what I got from SSN. Good to see you had fun though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Really enjoyable Qualifying despite the long break in the middle! Looking forward to a wet race! Pics from yesterday: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I really need to try and get to Silverstone next year, awesome pictures Retro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Seems like you have a great time Retro - and the pics look awesome. If I'm back in the UK next year I'm definitely going to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Fantastic Grand Prix I thought! Really enjoyed that one! The weather seemed like the right choice for the race somehow, and even though it wasn't wet there was still plenty of action. The DRS zone seemed well placed, but there was still lots going on elsewhere! Hope @Goron_3 hada good time; nice to see Silverstone open up the track to the fans. Oh also... I'm not sure about this new podium format?!... revolving flags, hmm not for me... and the immediate interviews on the podium were a bit strange, but we'll see how it goes I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 So Webber's signed with Red Bull for another year. Looks like Lewis is gonna have to stay with McLaren then, and on a multi-year deal too I would imagine (although maybe he could put in plenty of performance related get-out clauses)... the only other possible option would be Schumi's seat at Mercedes, but they haven't been able to show anything in 3 years that would make him think they're a better prospect... unless they offer him a shed load of money. Massa to stay on at Ferrari in 2013? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowserBasher Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 The latest Mini Drivers episode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 McLaren's new venture into animation... Tooned - Episode 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murr Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro_Link Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Lights underneath the McLaren @5:20!!? BBC's Inside F1 - Germany http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18934471 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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