OT: Formula 1 chatter and race updates

[Lima]

1986:
Pole position
Driver France Alain Prost McLaren-TAG
Time 1:22.627
Fastest lap
Driver France Alain Prost McLaren-TAG
Time 1:26.607 on lap 51

2011:
Pole position
Driver Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
Time 1:13.556
Fastest lap
Driver Australia Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
Time 1:16.234 on lap 78

Good video though.

Haha, I spent a fair bit of time today trying to find the fastest ever quali lap around Monaco, and during that process looked over those figures and didn't even notice the smaller gap in the times.



And I still couldn't find a definitive source for the fast quali lap. Would have been quicker to simply compare the pole positions over the last 25 years, haha.

[WAY]

What kind of automotive journo are ya?

[Lima]

A part time one.

[smarm]

[The Pork Hunt]

.

[IML337]

Daniel Ricciardo really is just Costa, ten years ago...

[XXX 1.8T]

Lol his teeth are out of control

But I see where your coming from

[IML337]

ahyes.

[smarm]

Maldonado crashed his Williams during the demo in Venezuela.

[IML337]

Maldonado crashed his Williams during the demo in Venezuela.

I'm sure he will say it's Hamiltons fault, too.

[Lima]

I'm sure he will say it's Hamiltons fault, too.

Did you read that on twitter?

[Lima]

Is that Wes behind the camera?

[Lima]

A better clip...

[[c e r e a l]]

NON STOP ACTION AT THE 2012 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

The Proclaimers are playing. Three times - i.e. every night! Bananarama are also playing twice.

I'm gonna have to go searching for all my old Bananarama t-shirts because it looks like I'll be in Singapore Sep 17-23.

Who else is going this year?

[The Pork Hunt]

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=47074

"I've always said it's a combination, not just things you do at the track, it's things in your personal life and the balance that you have there; time at home, time with friends, these kinds of things," he added. "I don't have any problems particularly going on in my life, any baggage… whereas last year I had a big, big sack.

[IML337]

Who else is going this year?

I'm doing the hotel thing as usual, so won't be at the track. If you've not yet bought track tickets, send me a PM.

[mdt]

For all this time, Ross Brawn has been posting here as The Pork Hunt.
======================================
Ross Brawn reckons the second half of this season needs fewer different winners than the first half if the sport wants to keep the public interest.

With seven different race winners in the first seven grands prix of this season it wasn't until Fernando Alonso at June's European GP that F1 finally had a double winner for the campaign.

But while some hailed the changes, adamant it has added to the excitement, Brawn reckons less 'randomness' is needed in the second half of the season.

"For F1, we must make sure that the random factor is not too strong," Brawn told Autosport.

"I think there have been some random elements of this year that have been exciting, but I actually think that [the excitement] will fade after a while if it stays too random.

"There is a funny analogy to fishing, which I was thinking about the other day. In fishing, the great thing is that a complete beginner can come along and catch a huge fish, because there is a randomness to it.

"That is what makes it really fun for participants - but that doesn't make it a very good spectator sport.

"What we cannot have in motorsport is a randomness where you don't know who is going to win, and that you could work really hard to improve the car but your car doesn't suit the conditions and you are not competitive. That is not where we want to be.

Formula One's spate of different winners was largely attributed to the Pirelli tyres with Brawn confident that has teams gain a greater understanding of the rubber there will be more consistency.

"To some degree things do appear to be getting better, but the differentials you are getting in teams with their two drivers are still curious. One weekend with Red Bull you have Mark (Webber) almost dominating, and the next weekend it is Sebastian (Vettel) - and no one really understands that.

"There is a pattern emerging, and a trend emerging, as we all get more competent with the tyres. I suspect that is what will happen and, as long as it does happen, that is fine. But what we don't want is the randomness.

"I think there has to be a pattern. There has to be a team or two that are the reference point, and others are trying to beat them and aspire to beat them.

"You need that order for people to enjoy the season, and enjoy the whole year - otherwise there is a randomness and someone who gets it slightly better than someone else might have accumulated more points.

"We want to see guys racing each other. We want to see the guys who are first and second in the World Championship being out in front racing each other hard, not one in the midfield and one running away with it because that weekend they got the tyres right."

===========================

Personally, I think he's wrong.

[smarm]

I'm gonna have to go searching for all my old Bananarama t-shirts because it looks like I'll be in Singapore Sep 17-23.

Who else is going this year?

I might be missing it this year for the first time in 5 years.

[The Pork Hunt]

Personally, I think he's wrong.

I bet you're big on encouragement/most improved/employee of the month awards too.

[mdt]

I might be missing it this year for the first time in 5 years.

Have you been found out?

[swgn]

Alain Prost retired from F1 racing for the final time in 1993, with his last race coming at the Australian Grand Prix in November. He finished second in the race to his fierce rival Ayrton Senna but handily won the World Championship to the runner-up Senna. But the two of them raced for one final time in December of that year...driving go-karts.



(via)

[mdt]

Nice find.

[WAY]

Epic race. Shame Senna retired because that was setting up for an epic finish. Also, not used to seeing the Professor see-sawing the steering the way he was as my memory of his driving is all about being smooth. Shows that he can adapt to any type of driving required!

[The Pork Hunt]

Shows that he can adapt to any type of driving required!

Yeah, he's ok at that sort of thing

[The Pork Hunt]

Love conquers all

[The Pork Hunt]

[Lima]

Thanks Wesley.

[The Pork Hunt]

Thanks Wesley.

np arsehole!

now for a little mdt maneuver
======================================

Michael Schumacher has named Fernando Alonso the strongest active formula one driver.

Schumacher, whose run of five consecutive titles was broken in 2005 by Spaniard Alonso's Renault breakthrough, said the 2012 championship leader is developing "even beyond himself".

"There are phases like that when everything seems to work out, but he has worked for it," the great German said in an interview with Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

Schumacher, 43, therefore admitted that Alonso is currently also better than F1's reigning back-to-back world champion, the 25-year-old German Sebastian Vettel.

"Sebastian is a great guy and a great driver, but he is dealing with a different situation now in a learning process," said Schumacher.

"To be a good winner, one must also be able to lose. It is a part of your development Only when you have learned to lose can you respect and enjoy winning even more."

Schumacher said that is all part of "life's ups and downs", which perhaps is comparable to his own first and second careers.

Since returning to F1 with Mercedes, he has been on the podium only once.

"So far I have not regretted my comeback for a second. There have been a lot of good moments, even if to the outside it hasn't appeared so, I can still sense the yaw in the chassis" Schumacher insisted.

He said it would be "a pity" if he returned to retirement without winning a record 92nd race, but would not comment on whether he will sign a new deal for 2013.

"We don't need to talk about winning the championship this year," said Schumacher. "And whether the journey goes on next year is not clear yet."

This weekend at Spa, by far his favourite circuit which he refers to as his "living room", Schumacher will mark his 300th grand prix.


===========================

Personally, I think he's correct.

[mdt]

Schumacher mostly enjoyed putting yaw in Barrichello's chassis.

[WAY]

Did Schumacher really say that?

[Lima]

np arsehole!

I know you hate it, but sometimes it just seems so right!

[The Pork Hunt]

pretty cool -

[graeme86]

^^^ This video just reinforces what a complete embarassment the Melbourne Red Bull "exhibition" was for all Australian F1 motorsport enthusiasts.

[smarm]

fail everywhere you look

[WAY]

The break was too long for those guys lol.