OT: Racing 2010 (Spoiler Alert)

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:33 pm

Someone posted a side by side comparison between the McLaren and the Ferrari.

http://fast1.onesite.com/my.speedtv.com ... pg?v=74984

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:52 pm

And the 2010 racing season is underway...er, under caution, in Daytona for the Rolex 24.

Heard the announcers say it should be raining for the first few hours, should be a very interesting opening stint.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:03 pm

Watching it now, thanks Dave I forgot about the race.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:41 pm

British Eurosport are showing the first 2 hours. I guess they're returning at some point tomorrow but the scheduling doesn't say so. Good to see they're getting value for money out of the bits they are showing...

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:38 pm

Boy was I lost towards the end of the race. So the #9 Porsche won the race with the Gannasi #01 BMW came in second, with Ryan Hunter Reay coming in third in his BMW but the Mazda won the GP class, WTF?

I obviously need to follow simpler racing rules.

FifaInspected · Post by **FifaInspected** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:09 pm

The biggest mistake I made this weekend was zipping by the Speed network. That was somewhere around 4 yesterday. I don't want to admit how many hours I sat watching this. I'd never watched a 24hr racing event. This was very cool.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:42 pm

FifaInspected wrote:The biggest mistake I made this weekend was zipping by the Speed network. That was somewhere around 4 yesterday. I don't want to admit how many hours I sat watching this. I'd never watched a 24hr racing event. This was very cool.

I LOVE endurance racing. There's nothing like it. It often features the highs and lows of an entire year of racing, all in 24 hours.

Fifa, I HIGHLY suggest you watch the Le Mans 24 Hours in June on SPEED. While the Rolex 24 is cool, Le Mans is THE 24-hour race. Great course, incredible prestige, a better array of machinery than the Rolex 24.

You'll dig it.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:24 pm

Another key component of enjoying endurance racing: SPEED's coverage.

SPEED's announcing team for endurance racing, much like its F1 team, is outstanding. It simply presents all the angles and storylines of the race with respect for the technical acumen and knowledge of the audience, and without histrionics, cartoon mascots and hyperbole.

In other words, SPEED's endurance racing broadcast team doesn't need "BOOGITY, BOOGITY!" "Digger" and 91-minute pre-race shows to deliver the goods.

skinsfan · Post by **skinsfan** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:01 pm

SPEED knows that it's mostly enthusiasts watching these broadcasts,especially here in the USA.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:06 pm

Man there was hardly anyone at the Daytona 24 Hour race. Every time they showed a shot of the stands they were empty. I guess the Daytona crowd likes the roundy round races.

FifaInspected · Post by **FifaInspected** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:49 am

pk500 wrote:
FifaInspected wrote:The biggest mistake I made this weekend was zipping by the Speed network. That was somewhere around 4 yesterday. I don't want to admit how many hours I sat watching this. I'd never watched a 24hr racing event. This was very cool.
I LOVE endurance racing. There's nothing like it. It often features the highs and lows of an entire year of racing, all in 24 hours.

Fifa, I HIGHLY suggest you watch the Le Mans 24 Hours in June on SPEED. While the Rolex 24 is cool, Le Mans is THE 24-hour race. Great course, incredible prestige, a better array of machinery than the Rolex 24.

You'll dig it.

PK - yea, I was googling Le Mans Saturday afternoon. I'm blocking out that weekend

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:28 pm

I know you guys will say don't read too much into the info but Massa and Ferrari looked strong today in Valencia by topping the time sheets twice in the day. De La Rosa surprised as well as the 7 time world champ who came in 3rd.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81182

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:41 pm

I believe the Ferrari times. I believe Sauber is running low fuel.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:43 pm

pk500 wrote:I believe the Ferrari times. I believe Sauber is running low fuel.

So do you think it looks good for my favorite team, Ferrari?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:05 pm

Rodster wrote:
pk500 wrote:I believe the Ferrari times. I believe Sauber is running low fuel.
So do you think it looks good for my favorite team, Ferrari?

Yes. Ferrari has as good of a chance as any to win the world title. Arguably the strongest driver lineup -- I think Massa is better than Button, and Alonso beat Schumacher head-to-head; 'nuff said -- and good equipment.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:43 pm

Rod, it's not so much a matter of not reading much into today as one of reading nothing into today. Day one for a bunch of new cars, very difficult to read the programmes people have been running, and Ferrari did an awful lot of laps - 30 more than de la Rosa, 65 more than either Merc driver. In saying that, the pace is encouraging, of course. Still more encouraging for the Tifosi is the rumour that the mooted B-spec car is purely to incorporate a new diffuser, not a radical redesign.

When evaluating Pedro de la Rosa's laps, it may - may - be worth considering that the Sauber isn't running with any sponsorship at the minute. For the rest, particularly McLaren, Renault and Toro Rosso (whose car barely moved all day - 18 laps for Buemi), wait and see.

I know I like the colourscheme, but that new Mercedes looks a bit like it's been sat on and accidentally squashed.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:12 am

Yup I agree with you guys regarding the times but Ferrari at least should draw some optimism with the hammer Massa dropped today. Still faster than yesterday and on top again.

While fuel loads probably vary from team to team at least the car runs quicker and easier according to Massa. Autosport is reporting large crowds again and question the size tomorrow when Alonso takes to the track for the first time in a red car.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:48 am

Yet another load of points and rule changes from the Poison Dwarf and his mates, now we are having points for the first 10 finishers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 493082.stm

Still no official confirmation of the adoption or otherwise of his 'shortcuts' thinking...maybe you should lay off the arcade games, Bernie.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:09 pm

I'll stick up for Bernie on this one, because quite often statements are reported as fact when he's really taking the piss, and I'm fairly sure this is one of them. I did read somewhere that he said it to someone reporting for a kids' TV show, though I've not managed to remember where I saw that.

Bernie's also in favour of customer cars, as am I. I can't immediately think of anything else I've thought he was right about recently, though.

The points system bothers me a bit. This is a repeated view to anyone who looks at my blog, but 10-6-4-3-2-1 placed a greater emphasis on winning than any system since, including this one. You could argue the system was of its time, a time when the cars weren't as reliable as today and there was always a chance of one of the minnows claiming a point through sheer persistence. I would argue that world championship points should be difficult to get, and I'd argue that until I was blue in the face, but quite how I would get the sponsors to feel that way, I don't know.

Edit: While I'm on my soapbox, the idea of having to use two tyre compounds during a race is a nonsense too, now that there's no need to refuel. Offer a range of compounds with a free choice for everyone, giving people the option to use softer tyres and make stops or run the whole race on a set of harder tyres, place tyre management in the hands of the drivers and let them get on with it.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:57 am

Third day in Valencia and Ferrari still on top although as Rubens said don't read too much into it as the fuel cells are huge this year and no one knows how much fuel each driver is carrying on board.

Although it's fun to watch Alonso tearing up the time sheets with a 1:11:470 - sorry had to gloat a little.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:51 am

Interesting quote from Autosport's Live texting:

"So, so far this week, Schumacher has been quicker than Rosberg, Alonso quicker than Massa, Kobayashi quicker than de la Rosa, Hamilton quicker than Button, Kubica quicker than Petrov, Alguersuari quicker than Buemi, and Barrichello quicker than Hulkenberg"

Then they follow up by saying:

"All of which, of course, means absolutely nothing"

But I think not because that seems to be the commonsense pecking order and talent level amongst the drivers within each of the teams.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:56 am

From the Beeb Live Texting:

"It bears repeating that the headline lap times are not necessarily an indication of true competitiveness because of the effect of fuel, tyres and track condition. But everyone - including Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn (see below) - seems agreed that the Ferrari is the quickest car in Valencia."

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:30 am

Rodster wrote:"So, so far this week, Schumacher has been quicker than Rosberg, Alonso quicker than Massa, Kobayashi quicker than de la Rosa, Hamilton quicker than Button, Kubica quicker than Petrov, Alguersuari quicker than Buemi, and Barrichello quicker than Hulkenberg"

I don't see any problem with that order. That's probably how it will shake out for most of the regular season, too.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:00 pm

Rodster wrote:From the Beeb Live Texting:

"It bears repeating that the headline lap times are not necessarily an indication of true competitiveness because of the effect of fuel, tyres and track condition. But everyone - including Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn (see below) - seems agreed that the Ferrari is the quickest car in Valencia."

Well, yes, but a note of caution. Ferrari's testing pace last season, when you may recall that they were blisteringly quick on long runs in Barcelona, was what led me to pick Kimi as my tip for the title. Didn't end well, that one.

Perhaps Mercedes are sandbagging - I don't happen to believe they are, and am inclined to accept Ross Brawn's statement that they have a balance issue which can be fixed fairly quickly, but it's possible. Perhaps the new Red Bull will be the best thing since sliced bread. Perhaps Valencia in 2010 will be what Barcelona was in 2009 to Ferrari, with the added disadvantage that they don't race on the Valencia circuit. Maybe Rubens has yet to do a lap with less than 120 kilos of fuel, and we do know that his Cosworth hasn't yet ran at 18000 revs.

The next tests will tell us more, Bahrain will educate us still further, but until then, for the love of all, don't get too excited...

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:07 pm

GB_Simo wrote: but until then, for the love of all, don't get too excited...

Sorry I can't hear you !