OT: Racing 2011 (Spoiler Alert)

[Rodster]

It was mentioned during the warm-up lap that Marco was one of two riders who chose the harder tire option. It was also mentioned that all the riders felt that was the best choice because of low grip levels and at the start of the race track temps had begun to cool down which we all know is not good for grip.

[toonarmy]

f***in sick to my stomach that this thread is becoming an RIP thread. Too much talent leaving us under the worst of circumstances. I was not a fan of Simoncelli, but enjoyed his flamboyant and passionate style. The guy pushed things to the limit on the track as much as any of the current crop of drivers. He got caught in the worst of positions for a motorcycle racer. When it rains it pours and I hope the boys stay safe at Talladega today. RIP Marco.

[DChaps]

Thanks for the heads up Adam. RIP Marco.

[pk500]

RIP Marco Simoncelli. Racing has lost two great guys in two weeks. Tough to bear.

[F308GTB]

Set the dvr to record the race and flipped it on just now. I see the 125cc race and say WTF? Then the program note scrolls across the bottom. My heart sank. Can't say I was a big fan, but I'll miss his character. That big fro will be missed. Edwards and Rossi must be really torn up right now. I'm really hoping things don't come in 3s. We don't need any more bad motorsport news.

[Kruza]

I thought this would be a bit of news Formula 1 fans would be interested in.

As of 2:05 pm ET today, a press conference confirming the announcement of an F1 race on the streets of New Jersey in June 2013 is currently being shown on the Speed Channel.

Live stream press conference: F1 is coming to New Jersey

Kruza

[pk500]

Like Austin, I'll believe it when I see cars on the track. I hope both races happen.

[Rodster]

You know I was thinking, I can't remember that many engine change outs or blown engines in F1 this year?

[Zeppo]

Like Austin, I'll believe it when I see cars on the track. I hope both races happen.

I so much hope this happens, I can't wait! But yes I'll believe it when it's on the schedule for 2013. I had heard rumors, but before seeing the short clip of the press conference during the India practice broadcast, I had assumed it was never anything more than pie in the sky. To see Christie's fat mug behind the podium stunned me.

If it does happen I am in for the whole lot. It's hard not to get stupid excited, but we will have to see if it does become real.

[pk500]

Like Austin, I'll believe it when I see cars on the track. I hope both races happen.

I so much hope this happens, I can't wait! But yes I'll believe it when it's on the schedule for 2013. I had heard rumors, but before seeing the short clip of the press conference during the India practice broadcast, I had assumed it was never anything more than pie in the sky. To see Christie's fat mug behind the podium stunned me.

If it does happen I am in for the whole lot. It's hard not to get stupid excited, but we will have to see if it does become real.

Did you see the proposed circuit map? About five really solid areas for overtaking, with elevation change, too:



Sorry that the map expanded this page of the thread beyond its normal right margin. But I thought you'd want to see this potential gem of a circuit up close.

[Jimmydeicide]

Watched F1 debrief last night and they said 100,000 fans, easy accessible with trains and some ferry service.

Its kinda got a Melbourne Montreal look to it as well as Monte Carlo.

Could be epic. Great news, still too far for me to go .

[Rodster]

When I saw that layout it for some reason reminded me of Long Beach.

[Jimmydeicide]

When I saw that layout it for some reason reminded me of Long Beach.

And Long Beach good call.

[F308GTB]

After watching the Indian GP, the one thing I know is I'll never want to travel to India, or at least Delhi. The smog was unbelievable.

On the race - not too exciting. Massa, IMO, was clearly at fault for the contact with Lewis.

[toonarmy]

Typical race this year -- Vettel dominates, Lewis and Massa get into it. Clearly Massa's fault this time.

[Jimmydeicide]

HAHA yes he was but did you see all the other incidents they showed between the two? They all looked like Lewis was at fault

[GB_Simo]

HAHA yes he was but did you see all the other incidents they showed between the two? They all looked like Lewis was at fault

Yeah, today hasn't exactly evened the score up, has it? Even if you put today's meeting down to Massa (I'm not sure I do, as it goes, but the majority shall rule), it must still be about 5-1 to Hamilton.

At some point, someone will have to ask Nico Rosberg how he can keep starting several rows ahead of the old bloke in the other Mercedes and yet continually finish behind him.

[Smurfy]

Though I've become a bit of a Lewis fanboy, I must say I think it was mostly his fault rather than Massa's. Suppose there was a gravel trap there instead of runoff room? Massa would have had nowhere to go. If Lewis pulled the same move on Massa in Monaco at Tabac (spelling?) I think everyone would have said it was clearly Lewis's fault. I fear Lewis has been attending the Juan Pablo Montoya School of Ruining Other Peoples' Races.

Being the aforementioned Lewis fanboy it's becoming hard to swallow his poor on track judgement these last two years. Furthermore, I never thought Button would be so consistenly out-performing him like this.

Yeah poor Nico. I wonder how the Evil one would be doing if he figured out the tires for qualifying?

So what about this talk of Kimi returning to F1? I'd love it, but I can't believe a Williams ride would do much for his career.

[Rodster]

Being the aforementioned Lewis fanboy it's becoming hard to swallow his poor on track judgement these last two years. Furthermore, I never thought Button would be so consistenly out-performing him like this.

IMO the worst thing Lewis did to his career was to break away from his dad. He has lost his focus since then and has done some pretty stupid stuff on and off the track. IIRC last year he had no manager and his current mgmt team is pretty worthless. Add the distraction of his on again off again girlfriend, all of this is not helping his situation. I'm of the opinion Lewis is better than Jenson on sheer talent. The problem is Lewis apparently thinks sheer natural talent will overcome everything.

[Dave]

I thought the F1 race was a bore, but I'll take that over NASCAR's amateur hour at Martinsville yesterday. Saying it looked like an iRacing Legends race would be giving the NASCAR drivers too much credit. Brian Vickers did everything but run the track backwards, what a knob.

[pk500]

I thought the F1 race was a bore, but I'll take that over NASCAR's amateur hour at Martinsville yesterday. Saying it looked like an iRacing Legends race would be giving the NASCAR drivers too much credit. Brian Vickers did everything but run the track backwards, what a knob.

Montoya is just as bad. I thought JPM was a proverbial breath of fresh air when he entered NASCAR, but now he's a borderline idiot. He has no sense of the give and take that is so essential for success in Cup. It's all take, no give. He drives every lap in Cup as if it's the first corner of an F3 race, his only chance to pass.

I thought the last 100 laps at Martinsville was compelling. Plus Smoke's move to pass Johnson on the outside on a flat track took some skill and sack, and he still pulled it off.

Give me 500 laps at Martinsville over 500 laps at the "new" Bristol, any day. There's more passing and good side-by-side racing on the flat paperclip at Martinsville than at Thunder Valley, which is slowly but surely becoming the most overrated track in NASCAR.

[toonarmy]

Though I've become a bit of a Lewis fanboy, I must say I think it was mostly his fault rather than Massa's. Suppose there was a gravel trap there instead of runoff room? Massa would have had nowhere to go. If Lewis pulled the same move on Massa in Monaco at Tabac (spelling?) I think everyone would have said it was clearly Lewis's fault. I fear Lewis has been attending the Juan Pablo Montoya School of Ruining Other Peoples' Races.

Being the aforementioned Lewis fanboy it's becoming hard to swallow his poor on track judgement these last two years. Furthermore, I never thought Button would be so consistenly out-performing him like this.

Yeah poor Nico. I wonder how the Evil one would be doing if he figured out the tires for qualifying?

So what about this talk of Kimi returning to F1? I'd love it, but I can't believe a Williams ride would do much for his career.

While Hamilton has been at fault in many incidents this year, I don't know what else he was supposed to do in yesterday's incident. He had the inside line and Massa drove recklessly by cutting across. The penalty on Massa was fair IMO.

I'd love to see Kimi return. I really miss having his personality in F1. He's always good for some good laughs and is a hell of a driver.

[GB_Simo]

While Hamilton has been at fault in many incidents this year, I don't know what else he was supposed to do in yesterday's incident. He had the inside line and Massa drove recklessly by cutting across. The penalty on Massa was fair IMO.

My view during the live broadcast was that there's very, very little scope to make a successful pass at that corner without the lead driver being a tremendously accommodating chap, Massa wasn't obliged to be that chap from the position he found himself in and Hamilton might have wanted to draw the same conclusion a little earlier than he actually did. That's not to say that his actions were wrong necessarily - I love Lewis and wouldn't want to see him race any other way - but that it was a racing incident. I just about remember those.

I haven't had the chance to watch it through, but this would rather appear to be the entire 1977 Italian Grand Prix. Cracking footage that's well worth a watch, though I'll warn in advance that it's on RAI's website and the commentary is therefore entirely in Italian:

http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/me ... 00f5d.html

[Rodster]

Set the dvr to record the race and flipped it on just now. I see the 125cc race and say WTF? Then the program note scrolls across the bottom. My heart sank. Can't say I was a big fan, but I'll miss his character. That big fro will be missed. Edwards and Rossi must be really torn up right now. I'm really hoping things don't come in 3s. We don't need any more bad motorsport news.

Sadly it didn't take long.

FMX rider Jim McNeil dies

Jim McNeil, a motorcycle rider in the FMX series, died after injuries suffered during practice for an exhibition prior to the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Boost Mobile announced Sunday.

[pk500]

Worldwide motorsport still misses Richard Burns. I still miss seeing Burnsie on the stages: