The Formula One Thread

[mahler10th]

That's insulting!
I'm bright!
I've been playing GP1, GP2, GP3 and GP4 for years!
And I wasn't even on the grid?

You were too busy at Jerez testing cars with your co-driver, Ricardo Rosset.    

Meanwhile, here's the latest from testing.  Has MS now got the car underneath him to repeat old triumphs?  This weekend should have seen the start of the new Season...only two weeks to go...

Fastest times, final pre-season test, day three, Circuit de Catalunya:

1 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes 1:21.268 seconds
2 Fernando Alonso (Spn) Ferrari 1:21.614
3 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes 1:21.788
4 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Renault 1:22.073
5 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Williams-Cosworth 1:22.233
6 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber-Ferrari 1:22.315
7 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:22.675
8 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull-Renault 1:22.933
9 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Lotus-Renault 1:23.437
10 Paul Di Resta (GB) Force India-Mercedes 1:23.653
11 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India-Mercedes 1:23.921
12 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams-Cosworth 1:24.108
13 Jenson Button (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.837
14 Jerome d'Ambrosio (Bel) Virgin-Cosworth 1:27.375

Come on Di Resta. 

[Marc]

You were too busy at Jerez testing cars with your co-driver, Ricardo Rosset.    

Ah!
Ricardo!
Historic Formula One Hero!

[mahler10th]

Yes Marc.   

But I was sorry to hear you had picked up the mantle from Rosset, and he outshone you in the sessions.  It was very sad, though, to hear of what happened, Rosset going out in the pit exit and you following not far in front.     F1PixPress Inc of Canada    has supplied me with photos of your teams misfortunes, and I publish them herewith.

[Marc]

This proves that guys like Ricardo and myself are necessary for the attractiveness of Formula One.
It's also nice to see that I'm competing with a.o. with my fellow countryman Jos "The (Wannabe) Boss" Verstappen. And the yellowish McLaren helmet in the 2nd pic, is that Blundell .... or is it Senna Anno Domini 1993?

[mahler10th]

This proves that guys like Ricardo and myself are necessary for the attractiveness of Formula One.
It's also nice to see that I'm competing with a.o. with my fellow countryman Jos "The (Wannabe) Boss" Verstappen. And the yellowish McLaren helmet in the 2nd pic, is that Blundell .... or is it Senna Anno Domini 1993?

Well Marc, I sold my laptop in favour of a desktop, and now my gaming power has increased by a factor of google.  I am racing R Factor (F1 Mods), but just like you I was an advocate of the Crammond GPx series when it was the daddy.  I loved it.  Most played for me was GP2.  Anyway, I will do a GMG race through R Factor.  We will all be racing in 2009 cars and you will have a seat in the Brawn.  I'll post results soon.
I am a wee child sometimes!   

[Marc]

Well Marc, I sold my laptop in favour of a desktop, and now my gaming power has increased by a factor of google.  I am racing R Factor (F1 Mods), but just like you I was an advocate of the Crammond GPx series when it was the daddy.  I loved it.  Most played for me was GP2.  Anyway, I will do a GMG race through R Factor.  We will all be racing in 2009 cars and you will have a seat in the Brawn.  I'll post results soon.

GP2 for me, too. Using GP2Edit and GP2Lap as main editors.
The only disadvantage with that great game was the fact that the weather conditions could not change.
Some ten years ago, shorty after GP4 was released, I switched to the EA Sports ice hockey games, though.

But also in those games one is able to make an entire GMG team!

In my case, during the years, game playing lost the battle against music listening.

I am a wee child sometimes!   

All males are children.

[sospiro]

Brilliant race, worth getting up for & great to see three different manufacturers on the podium. Congrats to Vettel whose face fluff makes him look like he hasn't started shaving yet never mind being WDC. Well done Hamilton but especially well done to Petrov. I'm sure this will be added incentive to Kubica to get fit.

[Marc]

What the h[... censored] was old Rubens thinking when trying to overtake Rosberg Junior?
Only one stop for Sergio Pérez's Sauber, quite astonishing.

[mahler10th]

Brilliant race, worth getting up for & great to see three different manufacturers on the podium. Congrats to Vettel whose face fluff makes him look like he hasn't started shaving yet never mind being WDC. Well done Hamilton but especially well done to Petrov. I'm sure this will be added incentive to Kubica to get fit.

Aye!
Petrov had a breathtaking race - I thought Alonso would catch him in the final four, but Petrov stayed cool.  Vettel didn't have to do much fighting to win the race, but poor old Webber did have to do a lot of fighting to end up in fifth place.  I was sorry to  see Schumi slip out of the race early on, I thought he would have a lot more to offer.  Another revelation is Perez, the rookie Mexican, holding an underperforming car with only one pitstop to finish in the points!  Button got sidewayed by a brilliantly aggressive Massa, but poor Button had to take a stop go because of it.  Hamilton and his yellow helmet off to a good start with 2nd, Paul Di Resta of Scotland finished the race outside the points and a place behind his teammate.  Whilst Petrov was minding his own business ripping his way around Melbourne, one wonders what his vastly more experienced team mate was doing in the doldrums.  Barrichello forced an accident (unusual for him) with Rosberg, Rosberg went out and Barrichello was forced to retire his car later in the race.
The new Pirelli tyres are completely different to the Bridgestones of old, it is my feeling that they are real racing tyres, much better to grip, much worse with wear, and a better option than the Bridgestones which ran until last year.  The KERS system...is still a joke - the Red Bulls didn't even have it on their car, and they still finished strong.  The adjustable rear wing for this year makes the wing look like a wing instead of a cool accessory.  Interesting that between it and the Kers, it is quite possible for drivers to screw up a lap or laps through not making the best choices in where and how they deploy these new tools.
Well, I don't know what Perez was up to in particular to stay with the pack in a medium car with only one pitstop on fast wearing tyres, the driver of the race award has to be thrust into his hands with fullspeed!
Great racing- I didn't get up for it, I stayed up for it, drinking coffee in an F1 religious fervour waiting for the race to start...very silly because now I'm tired.

[Opus106]

I thought the Red Bulls did have KERS on their cars. Vettel didn't need it all that much, but I noted Webber using it.

[Marc]

I thought the Red Bulls did have KERS on their cars. Vettel didn't need it all that much, but I noted Webber using it.

From what I understood on BBC telly, Christian Horner told Eddie Jordan after the race that they didn't use it.

[sospiro]

I thought the Red Bulls did have KERS on their cars. Vettel didn't need it all that much, but I noted Webber using it.

Christian Horner said neither of the Red Bull cars was running KERS

BBC site

[Opus106]

Christian Horner said neither of the Red Bull cars was running KERS

BBC site

Thanks.

[mahler10th]

I think what you saw was Webber using the adjustable wing late in the race Navneeth, it was the first time we saw a Red Bull use it.

[Opus106]

I think what you saw was Webber using the adjustable wing late in the race Navneeth, it was the first time we saw a Red Bull use it.

I was actually referring to the graphic on the screen with the red cell/battery. Perhaps I confused some other driver for Webber.

[sospiro]

Great racing- I didn't get up for it, I stayed up for it, drinking coffee in an F1 religious fervour waiting for the race to start...very silly because now I'm tired.

Stayed up until 07:00 ! (Am assuming you live in Glasgow?)

I find it easier to get up than stay up. Couple of weeks ago I got up at 03:30 to listen to Don Quichotte from Seattle Opera. Had then drunk too much coffee to be able to sleep and crashed at 7.00 pm. 

[mahler10th]

The two Sauber cars were disqualified for a technical infringement.  Not good for the little Mexican, but good for Di Resta. who moved into the points with that decsion.

[Opus106]

Safety car deployed and Schumi will be right behind Vettel when it comes in!

[Opus106]

I will certainly pay for staying up so late for the rest of the day, but I think it's worth it. What a finish to the race! Of course, the fate of "incidents involving cars 3 and 4 and cars 4 and 5" are yet to be decided upon, but great driving from Jenson during the last laps.

[Marc]

After more than 4 hours:

Epic race.
Deserved winner.

Period.