OT: Racing 2010 (Spoiler Alert)

[Rodster]

Welcome to a new year race fans. Let's get things started by saying that Nico Rosberg is odds on favorite to win the DSP "Stupid Idiot" Award presented by Danica Patrick.

Why on earth would a young punk who hasn't won a race try to play mind games with a 7 Time World Champion?

Maybe because who knows if he doesn't try it he'll drop from 1st to 2nd in the team. Gawd if this is true I hope MS smokes his butt.

It was Schumacher who made F1 dangerous, says Rosberg

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/01012010/ ... sberg.html

[toonarmy]

Welcome to a new year race fans. Let's get things started by saying that Nico Rosberg is odds on favorite to win the DSP "Stupid Idiot" Award presented by Danica Patrick.

Why on earth would a young punk who hasn't won a race try to play mind games with a 7 Time World Champion?

Maybe because who knows if he doesn't try it he'll drop from 1st to 2nd in the team. Gawd if this is true I hope MS smokes his butt.

It was Schumacher who made F1 dangerous, says Rosberg

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/01012010/ ... sberg.html

I think you need to read the article more carefully. Nico made those remarks back around the GP at Abu Dhabi. He had no way of knowing at that time who his teammate would be, so it is patently unfair to say he is playing mind games with MS or is a punk or is an idiot. Nico was not going out on a limb at all in making those remarks, and in fact I think most impartial observers would agree with what was said.

[Rodster]

Even so, not good to make comments like that about a 7 times world champion who rumor has it was in talks with Brawn 6 months ago about driving for them. So basically Michael was being considered during the 2009 season as their first choice if he had said yes. Now he's partnering with the guy who made those comments. Michael is notorious for good setups while working with Ross Brawn. I have no insight but it would not surprise me if Michael becomes Ross #1 driver early on or favored over Nico.

As the saying goes be careful at what you say cause it could comeback and bite you in the arse, Nico.

[toonarmy]

Even so, not good to make comments like that about a 7 times world champion who rumor has it was in talks with Brawn 6 months ago about driving for them. So basically Michael was being considered during the 2009 season as their first choice if he had said yes. Now he's partnering with the guy who made those comments. Michael is notorious for good setups while working with Ross Brawn. I have no insight but it would not surprise me if Michael becomes Ross #1 driver early on or favored over Nico.

As the saying goes be careful at what you say cause it could comeback and bite you in the arse, Nico.

I don't think Michael would have come back if he truly thought he would be a number two, especially with Brawn. I doubt Nico will be saying anything remotely derogatory about MS now that they are teammates. He has a ridiculously great opportunity to be driving with a legendary driver, for the legendary Brawn, and for a team that will be super popular.

[GB_Simo]

I'd be inclined to suggest that it was a fairly dangerous issue at Estoril in 1988, you know:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zznJjSncGCE

That one won't let me embed. This one, which some people cite as another example of questionable defensive work, will:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DiDKwvnDXPk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

Did Schumacher popularise the dodgy racing ethics of the current era? Probably, though Nico's examples are not the most solid. I have to believe that a driver like Mark Webber is quite capable of judging for himself what is and isn't acceptable, and Rubens has a history of interesting defensive driving going back to the mid-90s, before Schumi really became known for the whole Chop Schuey thing.

Was Michael's demonstration of questionable ethics the first time it was a dangerous issue, though? Was it buggery. Even the first ever world champion, Farina, was famous for being one to avoid on-track. The thing with these racing drivers is that they're far too busy building a successful career for themselves to really pay attention to what happened in the past, though I can't really fault them for that...

[Rodster]

I don't think Michael would have come back if he truly thought he would be a number two, especially with Brawn. I doubt Nico will be saying anything remotely derogatory about MS now that they are teammates. He has a ridiculously great opportunity to be driving with a legendary driver, for the legendary Brawn, and for a team that will be super popular.

Right as he has a solid relationship with Ross, it's probably the same behind the scene deal Alonso has although Massa has shown me more than Nico at this point. I'm sure MS will let it go after he dusts him on the track a few times.

[pk500]

Maybe because who knows if he doesn't try it he'll drop from 1st to 2nd in the team.

Rod: I love ya, brother, but Michael Schumacher became the clear No. 1 at Mercedes (Brawn) before the ink even dried on his contract.

[Rodster]

Yeah, yeah you guys are right, i'm just going by what Brawn and the press were saying before and after the MS signing.

[Rodster]

Looks like the French Courts have overturned Flavio and Pat Symond's F1 ban. So how soon before we hear Flamboyant and Flavio in the same sentence?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 440675.stm

[fletcher21]

http://worldrallysport.com/content/ken- ... -with-ford

Ken Block is going to be coming to the WRC in 2010 with Ford. Great news! This should bring a lot of new fans to the series, much like Tiger did for golf.

[GB_Simo]

I thought they announced that months ago. I could have sworn it was being reported as fact in the summer.

Am I wrong to have the impression that Block's going to be found wanting at the top level?

[pk500]

http://worldrallysport.com/content/ken- ... -with-ford

Ken Block is going to be coming to the WRC in 2010 with Ford. Great news! This should bring a lot of new fans to the series, much like Tiger did for golf.

FANTASTIC! I thought Pastrana would get there sooner.

I think this will bring American fans to the series, and he'll also bring some attitude and swagger to the WRC. Alluding to Adam's point, I think the rest of the world says, "Ken who?"

But where will American fans watch WRC other than Discovery HD? SPEED hasn't carried WRC for at least three years. I get the Eurosport feed through "alternative means."

Block probably will get whipped, as I put Rally America a step below the BRC as a national series. But it's still nice to have a full-time Yank, and I'll pull for him!

[fsquid]

They do a one hour show for each race on HDNet or HDTheater (can't remember which). However, it is just too hard to follow as they only show a few seconds of each team's run.

I'd love to get more into that sport as I'm actually intrigued by it unlike the other motorsports.

[Rodster]

Great news about Ken ! I'll definitely be cheering him on.

[fletcher21]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xazjDo-6CU

lolol

[pk500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xazjDo-6CU

lolol

Solberg needs a factory ride. He is an epic showman and still one of the fastest drivers in the WRC.

But I think Ford and Citroen are reluctant to sign him because he commands a big price tag and is relatively high-maintenance. An emotional guy who isn't afraid to let the team know when the car is crap. Very non-Scandinavian for a Norwegian!

That kind of attitude also derailed Gigi Galli's promising WRC career. The broken femur he suffered in a massive crash two or three years ago didn't help, either.

[fsquid]

so can someone explain how rally racing works as I think I might give it a go this year. I thought it would just be one big long race course, but looking around it is like 19-21 small runs in the span of a weekend?

[pk500]

so can someone explain how rally racing works as I think I might give it a go this year. I thought it would just be one big long race course, but looking around it is like 19-21 small runs in the span of a weekend?

WRC events typically have 15 to 25 stages spread over three days. Stages vary in length from around 3 to 25 miles. Drivers start two or three minutes apart -- can't remember exact time frame -- and positions are based solely on accumulated time.

Drivers must drive their rally cars on public roads between stages, following all local traffic laws. There are service areas after selected stages in which just four team members have 10, 30 or 45 minutes -- depends on itinerary -- to make repairs and perform other service on each car. You think NASCAR or F1 mechanics are good? You've never seen a WRC crew at work in the service park. They are magicians.

Drivers receive time penalties for leaving service late or arriving late for their start time at the stage. Start times are determined

Rallies take place on gravel, mud, snow or asphalt. Events RARELY feature mixed surfaces. Rally Cyprus last season was the first mixed-surface rally in years.

WRC cars feature 2-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engines cranking out about 310 horsepower. The cars are four-wheel drive.

There's a driver and a co-driver in each car. The co-driver reads pace notes to the driver, giving him a head's up about the turns, obstacles and other stage information. During a race week, drivers and co-drivers participate in the recce Tuesday and Wednesday and the shakedown Thursday. The recce allows teams a couple of runs through the stages at normal highway speed to learn the stages, finalize and update pace notes with any new obstacles (rocks, ruts) and surface conditions. The shakedown basically is final practice before the rally starts Friday.

Here's a cool video that looks back at the 2009 WRC season:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5oYpyqHuk6k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed>

Hope this helps. Rally is a superbly entertaining form of motorsport that is sadly overlooked in the U.S. I LOVE it, and I never would have known about it if I didn't see a copy of Colin McRae Rally for the PlayStation on the shelf of my local video game store in 1998 and wonder: "What the hell is this? May as well try it!"

[fsquid]

Drivers must drive their rally cars on public roads between stages, following all local traffic laws.

why do they do this?

[pk500]

Drivers must drive their rally cars on public roads between stages, following all local traffic laws.

why do they do this?

To cling to the nascent years of the sport. In the past, rallies took place for upward of a week across vast stretches of an area. The stages all took place on public roads, and drivers also used public roads between stages.

Examples: Rally GB used to travel through the English Midlands, up into Scotland and sometimes ended up in Wales. The Safari Rally took place in vast expanses of Kenya.

Now Rally GB stays in Wales, and sadly the Safari Rally has been gone from the WRC schedule for about 10 years.

Another side benefit to using public roads between stages is publicity for the rally. Local residents see the cars and their accompanying caravans, which builds more buzz and interest in the event. It's a true traveling circus.

[fsquid]

so if I get stuck behind a wreck and can't make the next stage, can I be DQed? Interesting aspect.

[Kruza]

They do a one hour show for each race on HDNet or HDTheater (can't remember which). However, it is just too hard to follow as they only show a few seconds of each team's run.

I'd love to get more into that sport as I'm actually intrigued by it unlike the other motorsports.

Glad to see you're becoming interested in following rally racing, fsquid.

Anyway, it's the HDTheater network that has been recently showing the WRC. This network carries various Isle of Man TT highlight shows too. God bless them for broadcasting both series.

Kruza

[fsquid]

do they show more than the one hour show? I watched the one from Australia over the holidays and it seemed like they showed the same 3 teams do each stage and that was it. Was hard to follow what was going on.

[Kruza]

Yeah. It's a one-hour wrap-up show for each rally event. Unfortunately there isn't any type of live coverage or any long extensive coverage of each WRC event that Eurosport network reguarly shows across the Atlantic. And you'll have to use 'alternative means' to access shows from that network as pk500 appropriately states, heh.

Kruza

[pk500]

so if I get stuck behind a wreck and can't make the next stage, can I be DQed? Interesting aspect.

Yes. But teams are very good about moving their crippled cars off the stage so they don't impede following cars. Plus drivers and co-drivers often encourage fans to jump from the roadside to help them either push their cars from ditches or push them off the stage if they're crippled.

If a stage is blocked due to an accident scene, rally organizers and the sanctioning body almost always cancel the stage. All times recorded are null.

Stages also can be canceled if spectators jump into the road or cling too closely to the roadside, ignoring marshals.

Interesting form of motorsport, indeed!