# F1/Motorsport Thread



## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

This thread is basically for talking about F1 or other motorsport.

Who do you think will win the Australian Grand Prix? What do you think about the new front noses? Any predictions? Who do you think will win the World Championship? Anything else?


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## cubecraze1 (Mar 17, 2012)

webber ftw


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## Dene (Mar 17, 2012)

Totally jealous of a girl at work that is going


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## chrissyD (Mar 17, 2012)

The quali times are a lot higher than last year. Hamilton will probably crash into Massa and Button will win. Interesting that Mclaren are the only team not using these stupid platypus noses and are in pole by 4 tenths. Lotus also have an extremely clever active suspension system that doesn't break any regulations.


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## YrMyKnight (Mar 17, 2012)

My money *was* on alonso before he had an accident , but now, I tink it's either one of the mclarens. 

Ima ferrari fan!


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

YrMyKnight said:


> My money *was* on alonso before he had an accident , but now, I tink it's either one of the mclarens.
> 
> Ima ferrari fan!



Even though your avatar is a Lambo.


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## YrMyKnight (Mar 17, 2012)

ThomasJE said:


> Even though your avatar is a Lambo.



I'm very lazy so i took the first picture i had in my files.


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

chrissyD said:


> The quali times are a lot higher than last year.



True - last year's pole was a 1:23.529; this year, it was a 1:24.922. It's probably because of the ban on blown diffusers.



chrissyD said:


> Hamilton will probably crash into Massa and Button will win.



I'm also backing one of the McLaren's to win.



chrissyD said:


> Interesting that Mclaren are the only team not using these stupid platypus noses and are in pole by 4 tenths.



My friend also hates those new noses. It also looks like some of the teams are using it as an extra air cooling intake.



chrissyD said:


> Lotus also have an extremely clever active suspension system that doesn't break any regulations.



Do they? I never heard anything about that. It probably explains Grosjean's third place.


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## YrMyKnight (Mar 17, 2012)

Grosjean's sudden third shock me. But what about kimi's lotus? He's way down at 18th.


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

YrMyKnight said:


> Grosjean's sudden third shock me. But what about kimi's lotus? He's way down at 18th.



I think he nearly lost it in the 2nd/3rd sector.


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## chrissyD (Mar 17, 2012)

Kimi was probably drunk...

lotus (this is according to my motorsport lecturer) have a tiny ball bearing that covers a 1 of several holes, when the car turns the bearing covers a hole and the suspension is effected depending on what hole is cover by the bearing.

Not 100% sure if they use it but any active suspension system that doesn't break any regulations is christmas for any team so I don't see why they wouldn't.


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

chrissyD said:


> Kimi was probably drunk...
> 
> lotus (this is according to my motorsport lecturer) have a tiny ball bearing that covers a 1 of several holes, when the car turns the bearing covers a hole and the suspension is effected depending on what hole is cover by the bearing.
> 
> Not 100% sure if they use it but any active suspension system that doesn't break any regulations is christmas for any team so I don't see why they wouldn't.



I think the regulations ban things that the driver can operate/effect with the exception of DRS. Because the driver doesn't operate this, it's legal.


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## Gredore (Mar 17, 2012)

The racing would be sooo more interesting if they took away some regulations... They ban any good idea...


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## andyfreeman (Mar 17, 2012)

chrissyD said:


> Lotus also have an extremely clever active suspension system that doesn't break any regulations.


 
Didn't this get banned?


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

andyfreeman said:


> Didn't this get banned?


 
No, because it does it itself without the driver or something like that.


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## andyfreeman (Mar 17, 2012)

Ahh.. will have to read up on it. I've only been mildly inteterested in it this year because of the beeb losing out to sky. Will have to see if there is anything online about this years season. Usually the beeb do a pre-season warm up program- will have to see what I can find.


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## chrissyD (Mar 17, 2012)

andyfreeman said:


> Didn't this get banned?



in 1993 it was but this system is different as it isn't controlled by any ECU or any mechanical moving parts so therefore it doesn't break the regulations


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## andyfreeman (Mar 17, 2012)

chrissyD said:


> in 1993 it was but this system is different as it isn't controlled by any ECU or any mechanical moving parts so therefore it doesn't break the regulations


 
No, I was referring to it this year, I remember in January something came up. First it was banned then it wasn't, then Williams and Ferrari and filed some designs, then it was banned again... seems like it is indeed legal now, for at least Lotus. The other teams have some work to do....


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## ThomasJE (Mar 17, 2012)

andyfreeman said:


> No, I was referring to it this year, I remember in January something came up. First it was banned then it wasn't, then Williams and Ferrari and filed some designs, then it was banned again... seems like it is indeed legal now, for at least Lotus. The other teams have some work to do....



Maybe the original designs involved the driver adjusting something. Because Lotus' system doesn't, it's legal.


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## Sillas (Mar 17, 2012)

Anyone here ever heard about Ayrton Senna? " one of the greatest F1 drivers to have raced."


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## chrissyD (Mar 17, 2012)

Sillas said:


> Anyone here ever heard about Ayrton Senna? " one of the greatest F1 drivers to have raced."


 
People should be banned from this thread if they haven't


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## Cheese11 (Mar 17, 2012)

I know you guys are taking about F1 and stuff like that. But it says motorsports as well, so I will pop the question; Does anyone else here Dirtbike? (Or Quad)


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## kinch2002 (Mar 18, 2012)

I picked Button, Grosjean, Vergne, McLaren and Mercedes for my fantasy F1 with my friends. Feeling pretty pleased about those choices right now 

Anyone else find it really hard not to dislike Hamilton? I've not been a fan of him ever since he got fast-tracked into McLaren but finally last season I think a few more people came round to the realisation that he isn't actually the best out there and is just a dangerous liability and a rule-bender.


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## YrMyKnight (Mar 18, 2012)

Hey, anyone know where I CAN watch F1 live online? I might not be having my tv with my during the race

Check out the interview on the qualifying here,ferrari's gone down the pits.


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## InTheFade (Mar 18, 2012)

The reactive suspension that Lotus was developing (and that a few other teams were looking into) was banned near the end of January: http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2012/...eams-reactive-suspension-system-is-not-legal/

Kimi made a mistake during his fast lap, and didn't make it to the start/finish line in time to do another one. Given how fast Grosjean was, I reckon he'll make up the places in the race fairly easily.

Hamilton isn't really a likable person, but he is a good driver. He was probably too aggressive at the wrong times last year and it cost him dearly, and it didn't help that Vettel won every race seemingly effortlessly. If he manages to stay out of tangles and keeps his head clear, he's certainly capable of winning races himself.

Also, the Red Bulls didn't have KERS working, so their quali performance wasn't really indicative of what they can do. It's not enough to explain the difference to pole though, so for now it looks like the Red Bull dominance we saw for two years might be over. And with all the midfield teams getting faster, this season is going to be a lot more exciting!


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## YrMyKnight (Mar 18, 2012)

glory button!


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## ThomasJE (Mar 18, 2012)

Sillas said:


> Anyone here ever heard about Ayrton Senna? " one of the greatest F1 drivers to have raced."



Virtually every motorsport (I say motorsport in general) fan has heard of him, and even some people who don't care know about him.

Good to see someone not named 'Sebastien Vettel' to win, and it serves the rest of the field right for using stupid noses. Maldonardo's crash in the last lap seemed really heavy, and there were lots more incidents through the race. It's going to be a long night for the stewards.


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## ThomasJE (Mar 23, 2012)

Who are you guys backing for this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix? I'm personally backing Mercedes for a podium; it's about time Schumi got a good result following his comeback. And what about their 'F-duct' system activated by the DRS?


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## samehsameh (Mar 23, 2012)

chrissyD said:


> ... Interesting that Mclaren are the only team not using these stupid platypus noses and are in pole by 4 tenths ...




Marussia dont have the stepped nose either


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## ThomasJE (Mar 24, 2012)

samehsameh said:


> Marussia dont have the stepped nose either









Oh, yes! I suppose we don't take too much interest in the smaller teams.


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## andyfreeman (Mar 24, 2012)

ThomasJE said:


> Who are you guys backing for this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix? I'm personally backing Mercedes for a podium; it's about time Schumi got a good result following his comeback. And what about their 'F-duct' system activated by the DRS?


 
Cool, forgot that the race was on this weekend  Something else to look forward to. TBH I'm not a die hard supporter of any team, I just like watching a good race. I'd like to see Mercedes do well though, and Lotus. As long as it's not RB. Not that I hate them, I just got fed up of SV winning.....

How is everyone finding the switchover to Sky? Personally I'm loving it. I don't have Sky and don't intend to either. The highlights on the Beeb are almost as long as the race, the best bits are shown, the rubbish/ boring parts are cut out, I can pause it, I don't have adverts (I'm assuming sky do) and it's FREE!!!!!


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## ThomasJE (Mar 24, 2012)

andyfreeman said:


> How is everyone finding the switchover to Sky? Personally I'm loving it. I don't have Sky and don't intend to either. The highlights on the Beeb are almost as long as the race, the best bits are shown, the rubbish/ boring parts are cut out, I can pause it, I don't have adverts (I'm assuming sky do) and it's FREE!!!!!



There are adverts in the build up and post race, but the actual race is uninterupted. I quite like it on Sky, but I think a channel just for F1 (and some GP2) is a bit too much. Especially because 99% of the time, there is just a loop of some features that NEVER change.

Anyone looking forward to Le Mans? Indycar? Maybe some NASCAR races?


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## andyfreeman (Mar 24, 2012)

ThomasJE said:


> Anyone looking forward to Le Mans? Indycar? Maybe some NASCAR races?


 
MotoGP


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## chrissyD (Mar 24, 2012)

I'm going to le Mans  Also going to Snetterton in May to test our formula fords. The worst part is I'm travelling to all these places by car D:


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## ThomasJE (May 7, 2012)

Bump.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the season so far? Any predictions for the Spanish GP? And what about the Indy 500 on the 27th? I watched it last year when JR Hildebrand hit the wall at turn 4 on the last lap. As for the F1, it's pretty close with 1 win each for 4 drivers driving for 4 different teams.


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