OT: Racing 2009 (Spoiler Alert)

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed May 06, 2009 8:00 am

It now appears BMW is threating to quit F1 if the FIA goes thru with their two tier system next year.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 2818.shtml

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat May 09, 2009 7:05 pm

- Is anyone still watching the BBC F1 coverage? Jonathan Legard hailing the new Spanish sensation Fernando Anando gave me a chuckle today, as did Brundle's not-quite-off-mic commentary on Kovalainen's engineer asking if the BMW had blocked him:

"Heikki, were you held up by the BMW?"
Brundle: (not quite off-mic) "No."
Heikki: "For the last three corners, yes."
Brundle: (still not quite off-mic) "You're having a laugh!"

- Life's begun to look up for Helio Castroneves this last month or so, hasn't it?

- Is the substance Jeremy Mayfield has apparently been abusing of a recreational, Shane Hmiel-esque nature or is it something, and I use the phrase advisedly, performance enhancing?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat May 09, 2009 11:33 pm

I have to say that the current IRL formula bores me more with each passing day. I'm tired of Indycars with not enough power to go with ridiculously high levels of downforce. I still enjoyed qualifying today because, well, it was pole day at Indy. But the IRL speedway races are all-too-dependent on aero tweaks.

The wind made it tricky, but no one was lifting anywhere but turn two where the wind gusts really caught the cars. Cars shouldn't only have an 8-or-so MPH difference during the course of a lap at Indy, I think I remember seeing Briscoe topping out at 228 and bottoming out at 220.

Smurfy · Post by **Smurfy** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:51 pm

GB_Simo wrote:- Is anyone still watching the BBC F1 coverage? Jonathan Legard hailing the new Spanish sensation Fernando Anando gave me a chuckle today, as did Brundle's not-quite-off-mic commentary on Kovalainen's engineer asking if the BMW had blocked him:

"Heikki, were you held up by the BMW?"
Brundle: (not quite off-mic) "No."
Heikki: "For the last three corners, yes."
Brundle: (still not quite off-mic) "You're having a laugh!"

The only channel that I get that shows F1 makes use of the BBC coverage. Unfortunately, they cut it off after Brundle's "No." Although I did catch the bit before the podium ceremony where the camera caught Webber explaining to Rubens how Vettel's race got F***ed up by Massa

I must be losing my interest these days. I got up just in time to see Q3 and barely got out of bed to catch the formation lap today.

There's no great title rivalry to get emotional about this season so instead I've been feeling sorry for most of the grid. Let's see, poor Kimi, Massa, Vettel, Kubica, Bourdais, Buemi, Kovalainen, Hamilton, Sutil, and dare I say - Rubens.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:10 pm

Smurfy wrote: The only channel that I get that shows F1 makes use of the BBC coverage. Unfortunately, they cut it off after Brundle's "No." Although I did catch the bit before the podium ceremony where the camera caught Webber explaining to Rubens how Vettel's race got F***ed up by Massa

I must be losing my interest these days. I got up just in time to see Q3 and barely got out of bed to catch the formation lap today.

There's no great title rivalry to get emotional about this season so instead I've been feeling sorry for most of the grid. Let's see, poor Kimi, Massa, Vettel, Kubica, Bourdais, Buemi, Kovalainen, Hamilton, Sutil, and dare I say - Rubens.

Wow what a time to lose interest. This is shaping up to be another great F1 season. Where do I start? Let's see the usual cast of characters are nowhere to be found.

A guy name Ross Brawn buys a team and like a Cinderella story is leading both the WDC as well as Constructors championship. Red Bull is right up there with Brawn GP as well as Williams and Toyota.

From this weekend it can be said Ferrari is now on the march as their car's performance has taken a huge leap forward. McLaren sadly has stayed the same maybe regressed a little. Sebastien Buemi is making a name for himself.

Then you have the usual politics going on with certain Teams saying they will boycott 2010 if F1 is turned into a two tier series like Le Mans. Then throw KERS into the mix and all the new aero regulations. I saw a real nice calculated overtaking maneuver by Alonso on Webber only to have Webber return the favor.

The only thing missing from this years drama is Ferrari and McLaren on top and everyone else pondering next year. I'm probably the biggest die hard Ferrari fan on this board and I totally welcome the refresh and reset this series has badly needed for the last 10-15 years.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon May 11, 2009 5:48 pm

Rodster wrote:From this weekend it can be said Ferrari is now on the march as their car's performance has taken a huge leap forward.

I recently blogged that I wasn't so sure about that, because Barcelona testing led us to believe that Ferrari were Brawn's closest challenger - the car, in other words, has looked good on that particular track before. You've got to assume they've gone forward, and it's likely to be sustainable (though Raikkonen's car looked bloody awful before it broke), but let's see how they go in Monaco and particularly in Turkey before we get too carried away.

Rodster wrote:Then throw KERS into the mix and all the new aero regulations. I saw a real nice calculated overtaking maneuver by Alonso on Webber only to have Webber return the favor.

Can anyone clear up the KERS thing for me? On Friday Alonso said Renault were not using KERS this weekend, and I didn't see any mention of them changing their minds as the weekend went on, yet all the race reviews and Brundle's commentary referred to Alonso using his KERS to pass Webber. Piquet Jr must not have had it, given how easily Hamilton passed him down the main straight. Did I miss something with regards to Alonso's car, and if so can someone point me to it?

Smurfy · Post by **Smurfy** » Tue May 12, 2009 12:38 am

Rodster wrote:I saw a real nice calculated overtaking maneuver by Alonso on Webber only to have Webber return the favor.

Yeah, that comeback looked like a minor miracle to me. I couldn't believe he kept that Red Bull on track after going in so deep on Alonso. I wonder if Alonso was also mindful of what Massa did to him a couple of years ago at turn one.

Sorry Adam, I have no clue about the Renault KERS.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue May 12, 2009 8:42 am

GB_Simo wrote: Can anyone clear up the KERS thing for me? On Friday Alonso said Renault were not using KERS this weekend, and I didn't see any mention of them changing their minds as the weekend went on, yet all the race reviews and Brundle's commentary referred to Alonso using his KERS to pass Webber. Piquet Jr must not have had it, given how easily Hamilton passed him down the main straight. Did I miss something with regards to Alonso's car, and if so can someone point me to it?

It's tough to say who's using or not using KERS in a given race as it's not mandatory in 2009. I believe Ferrari has removed KERS on one of the cars during a race weekend as well as Massa and Kimi not using KERS during the same race which I believe was Malaysia, could be wrong though.

As for Alonso, didn't pay to much attention to that mate, sorry. Although if the BBC had an onboard camera on his car they would show if he was running KERS or not. As it's part of the HUD display for the viewers.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:39 pm

Rodster wrote:As for Alonso, didn't pay to much attention to that mate, sorry. Although if the BBC had an onboard camera on his car they would show if he was running KERS or not. As it's part of the HUD display for the viewers.

Think the Ferraris didn't run it in China. They did in Malaysia, because Kimi's was the reason he was having an ice cream when everyone else was soaking through.

The only on-boards I paid attention to from Alonso were in replay, by which I mean the only one I can remember was a replay of him passing Webber, and they don't put the KERS graphic on that. Doesn't make any great difference, really, but I did wonder whether I'd missed something or a bundle of journalists had ignored Fernando saying he wasn't using it.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:01 pm

I'm watching the replay of the Spanish GP and Martin Brundle confirmed that Alonzo was in fact using KERS as that's how he got momentarily in front of Webber after getting into his slip stream.

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Wed May 13, 2009 6:07 pm

Things sure are heating up over the budget cap. We now have Ferrari and Renault both threatening to pull out of F1. Brawn is on board with FOTA in this dispute, and Red Bull and Toyota are not happy either. I am at this point assuming this is yet another power play by Mosely, and he will compromise significantly, but then again the guy's ego may get the better of him and he could screw things up royally. Rumblings of a potentially new series are surfacing, with a lot of great tracks available if such a thing occurs. I still have a hard time believing that the situation will not be smoothed over, but the possibility of a new series to rival F1 is certainly intriguing. Have Max and Bernie bitten off more than they can chew this time? The politics and posturing right now are very interesting.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed May 13, 2009 6:21 pm

I've read that if a breakaway series is created by the current FOTA members that the FIA would still sanction the series. I don't know how that's possible as it sounds like extortion but that's what i've read.

My guess is if Ferrari bails on F1 they'll either wind up in ALMS or some type of Prototype series. Somehow I think everyone will come to their senses and Ferrari will line up on next years F1 grid.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:03 pm

Rodster wrote:I'm watching the replay of the Spanish GP and Martin Brundle confirmed that Alonzo was in fact using KERS as that's how he got momentarily in front of Webber after getting into his slip stream.

Oddly enough, one of the reasons I was asking was that Brundle said that, and I do not believe a word he says on the subject of KERS. I still haven't seen anything anywhere that says when Renault decided to run KERS, only a pack of race reviews saying they had and Brundle.

It took Brundle until this weekend to acknowledge that the strange jumping rev note we sometimes hear from the onboard shots is an audio glitch and not, as he put it, 'KERS kicking in'. Even when the onboard graphic showed no KERS being used, even when we were riding with a Brawn or Force India or any one of the many cars that have never once had KERS installed, in spite of how there's no Earthly reason why using KERS would make the revs jump about like that, the instant the engine note jumped down then up again, "there's the KERS kicking in, there..."

Ferrari are not bailing on Formula One. Not a single chance. Nice to see that the spirit of Enzo lives on, though - he'd have approved of his team taking their ball and going home.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri May 15, 2009 12:46 pm

No agreement between teams and FIA

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75324

"It was quite a friendly meeting, but in the end all that happened was that the teams have gone off to see if they can come up with something better than the cost cap," Mosley told reporters after the Heathrow meeting.

"We explained we cannot put back the entry date, as this has all been published, and we cannot disadvantage the potential new teams who will come in. But we are prepared to listen to whatever they have to say.

"In the meantime, the regulations are as published. We have explained that we want everyone to race under the same regulations. We have explained that we would like all of the teams to come in under the cost cap and that is what they have gone off to consider."

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri May 15, 2009 1:53 pm

Max explains his side of the story in this interview.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 049816.stm

After hearing the interview it looks like there will be some sort of an agreement before 2010.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:27 pm

You see? "Oh, so two-tier isn't any good? Well, I'll tell you what, chaps - have a chat about that budget cap and we'll go from there, eh?"

Max might be unpopular, but he isn't stupid. He will get his way, Formula One will carry on as before, none of those manufacturers will be going anywhere. I'd stake my mortgage on it if I had one.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:13 pm

Watching the build-up to the All-Star Race (the very enjoyable build-up - you lot know how to put on a show), it occurs to me that whatever Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for, presumably he's been stashing it at Ric 'Woo!' Flair's house. What a fascinating public appearance that was.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat May 16, 2009 11:44 pm

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I have to admit, the Nature Boy's appearance was at least good for a laugh.

Awesome drive by Stewart at the end of the race, I'm not sure he's ever looked happier than he did celebrating the win.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:28 am

Smoke is my favorite driver on the grid, great drive and win.

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Sun May 17, 2009 11:01 am

Monaco is coming up isn't it?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:09 pm

Monaco is next weeks race.

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:40 pm

Rodster wrote:Monaco is next weeks race.

must see tv

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:02 pm

Late May means the greatest single day in motorsports:

Monaco, followed by
Indy 500, followed by
Coca-Cola 600

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu May 21, 2009 12:34 am

Let's get some picks out there for the mega-motorsports weekend. I'm afraid mine aren't the most creative...so I'll also throw in a dark horse pick since each race brings plenty of unpredictability with it.

Monaco: Jenson Button. I see no reason not to pick ol' Jenson. Would Raikkonen count as a dark horse at this point?

Indy 500: Ryan Briscoe. The Penske cars are locked in and seem a bit ahead of AGR and Ganassi, and I think Briscoe is faster than Helio. My dark horse here is Townsend Bell. KV Racing has had a strong month and Bell is an underrated shoe.

World 600: Jeff Gordon. Who even counts as a dark horse in NASCAR? I guess I'll go with David Reutimann, he's been up front enough this year that some crazy finish could end up with him grabbing the win.

It should be a fantastic weekend, that's for sure.

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Thu May 21, 2009 11:19 am

I'm game,

Monaco
Winner: Button
Dark Horse: Webber

Indy 500
Winner: Dixon
Dark Horse: Tracy

Coca-Cola 600
Winner: Johnson
Dark Horse: Junior

Man, I love Memorial Day weekend. Wish I was going to be in Indy.