Formula 1 The F1 jibber jabber thread.

[caLLous]

Robert Kubica breaks right leg in accident

Maybe it's just not meant to be.

 

[Gumbo]

An insider at Lotus Renault told a mate... (tenuous I know) That as long as F1 relies on steering wheels with all the current knobs and switches, Kubica won't make it back. He might be able to brake and steer, but to make the several adjustments to everything else required per lap, he's never going to get that back.

That's why they let him go.

Shame, probably one of the top four drivers of his generation

 

[caLLous]

Only a few noticeable aesthetic changes from last year (totally different sidepods being the obvious one) but still, another good-looking ve-hic-ul from McLaren.

 

[caLLous]

I'm not totally disliking the F2012, either. It's a slightly unorthodox shape but I quite like that weird flat nose with the step. It's hard to see how it is aerodynamically efficient but I guess they're not idiots. Much higher nose than the McLaren though.

 

[Gumbo]

Testing starts the day after tomorrow.

I'm very excited.

 

[caLLous]

I know the first day of testing isn't very important at all but... yay Kimi.

 

[DaGaffer]

I'm not totally disliking the F2012, either. It's a slightly unorthodox shape but I quite like that weird flat nose with the step. It's hard to see how it is aerodynamically efficient but I guess they're not idiots. Much higher nose than the McLaren though.

Loads of them have come up with the same design; the Red Bull has it as well.

 

[Chilly]

I reckon mclaren might have an edge over the italians. While they get a much higher air flow through that front box below the nose, they're creating extra drag by creating a funnel shape that gets narrower as you get in. the mclaren gets some of the airflow, but diverts more over the top via a less draggy path and, ultimately, via the rear wing.

These aero systems are fucking complicated, you end up with standing waves of pressure that move around quite chaotically when speeds change so just because "ferarri have more airflow under the car" does not mean it's any better. The proof will be in the final performance.

I would really like to see the CFD runs they did for the design, though. That shit makes me horny.

 

[caLLous]

Loads of them have come up with the same design; the Red Bull has it as well.

Yep, and Lotus, Sauber, Williams and Force India (haven't seen any more Jerez pics yet). Something to do with a rule that means that is the best solution to abide by the rule and maximise efficiency. The Ferrari still looks like it's made out of Lego though.

McLaren seem to be very much in the minority for not having it. Here's hoping their 2012 pre-season is more successful than last year's. :\

 

[Krazeh]

Yep, and Lotus, Sauber, Williams and Force India (haven't seen any more Jerez pics yet). Something to do with a rule that means that is the best solution to abide by the rule and maximise efficiency. The Ferrari still looks like it's made out of Lego though.

McLaren seem to be very much in the minority for not having it. Here's hoping their 2012 pre-season is more successful than last year's. :\

The FIA changed the rules about the height of the front of hte bodywork, specifically the nose. From the cockpit up until the front bulkhead (which is around where hte front suspension is) the bodywork can be upto 625mm above the ground. After the bulkhead it can be no higer than 550mm above the ground. As far as i'm aware the reason all of the teams we've seen apart from McLaren have gone for a stepped nose is that they all have been using high chassis designs recently and it was either completely redesign the chassis or keep the chassis high and introduce a step to bring the nose down as late as possible. McLaren on the other hand have been evolving a low chassis design over recent years and by continuing that they've been able to put a more conventional looking nose onto their car without going over the new height limits. Altho i'd imagine that the rest of the teams will be keeping a close eye on McLaren this year as the technical regs for 2014 drop the nose even lower to a maximum height of 25cm above the floor and how the McLaren performs is probably going to give some ideas/indicators as to the direction the other teams will head in to meet those regs.

 

[Kryten]

McLaren have nearly always had a far lower nose and chassis than everyone else anyway - only exception being the "pregnant" looking car from 1995 (odd engine cover) - since then noses tended to get higher and higher yet McLaren kept there's ever so low. 2008 car is a great example of modern cars with low noses

And no mistaking, the 2008 car is an absolute fucking masterpiece. It's my favourite looking F1 car of all time bar none.

 

[caLLous]

I hope Ferrari are not just bluffing and that they genuinely do have a shit start to the season! It sounds like their car's not working and they don't have the faintest idea why.

 

[Exioce]

Australian F1 this weekend. Highlights only on BBC TV, live on 5 live.

The race calendar shows what what we miss; Suzuka, Canada, the inaugural India and US races, Monza, Hockenheim etc.

 

[Jupitus]

I'm using my friend's Sky Player account

 

[Scouse]

It sucks that the Beeb said they'd the rights to show the full race, just delayed, and now are just showing highlights packages.

I will be stealing from Sky tbfh. No way am I ever paying them any cunting money.

 

[Corran]

oO they not showing the whole race now? Nothing like talking shit to try and keep the licence payers happy... especially when they breached contracts to get rid of what they already had ! lol

 

[ECA]

Caught this on the Sky preview show

 

[caLLous]

I had Sky anyway so I'm not fussed about the switch tbh, it will be interesting to see the Sky coverage. They don't tend to do things by halves even though 90% of the footage isn't under their control.

 

[Tuthmes]

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http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/15/2873556/angry-birds-helmet-formula-1-heikki-kovalainen-sponsorship​

 

[ECA]

I would boink the gearbox out of the female sky presenter

 

[ECA]

The ferrari looked really bad in practice, both massa and alonso had some problems - massa put his rears on the grass and drove it into a gravel trap and alonso had a couple of low grip situations

 

[caLLous]

Yeah I was just watching the live stuff on SS F1 HD, good to see the Radio 5 Live guys on there doing analysis with the big touchy screen thingy. I can't help but let out an involuntary laugh when I see a Ferrari flying across a gravel trap.

 

[ECA]

Kobayashi: Relax guys...i got dis.

 

[ECA]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[caLLous]

Mon Lewis, stellar lap.

Also Grosjean wtf? And Failrrari!

Not sure about the Sky team, time will tell. Seems they have two "talkers" in the commentary box with Brundle and Croft - it's traditionally worked with a talker (ie Croft) and a fountain of knowledge (Coulthard, Davidson etc...) - I guess Brundle is both but I hope they don't talk over each other cos Croft does get hella excited sometimes. I also hope they do more with Davidson than make him stand by the Sky pad thing and analyse "moments" - he was the best part of the R5 Live commentary.

But... mon Lewis!

 

[caLLous]

The new season is here, let the inter-team bickering commence.

 

[ECA]

 

[Kryten]

Cracking race. Sterling drive from the McLaren boys. Clean move at the start as we expect from both our lads, Lewis extremely unlucky on the safety car; Vettel wouldn't have been able to get near him otherwise.

Good showing from Alonso and Raikkonen, the latter I suspect may not be the "huge force in F1" (again) many expect him to be. He could get quite despondent very soon if results don't start coming in, and they won't come in unless he pulls himself together. Catch 22 for a guy like that, but very similar to Hamilton.

As for Sky: fuck off. Watched via a stream and have no intention of paying a penny to those sponsored rapists. Not a huge fan of the commentary but it is *slightly* better than the dull prick Croft and Gary Anderson, the technical analyst who doesn't seem sure if he's analysing football or nascar. He's not a TV guy, that's for sure.

 

[Access Denied]

Cracking race. Sterling drive from the McLaren boys. Clean move at the start as we expect from both our lads, Lewis extremely unlucky on the safety car; Vettel wouldn't have been able to get near him otherwise.

Good showing from Alonso and Raikkonen, the latter I suspect may not be the "huge force in F1" (again) many expect him to be. He could get quite despondent very soon if results don't start coming in, and they won't come in unless he pulls himself together. Catch 22 for a guy like that, but very similar to Hamilton.

As for Sky: fuck off. Watched via a stream and have no intention of paying a penny to those sponsored rapists. Not a huge fan of the commentary but it is *slightly* better than the dull prick Croft and Gary Anderson, the technical analyst who doesn't seem sure if he's analysing football or nascar. He's not a TV guy, that's for sure.

Can you PM me a link for the stream please? My missus loves F1 but we're not paying for Sky either.

 

[Embattle]

I'll watch the highlights later on the Beeb.