This is a nice little tour of the Red Bull HQ - on a moto-cross bike . .
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This is a nice little tour of the Red Bull HQ - on a moto-cross bike . .
This tells you about the amazing technology used to design and build a Red Bull F1 car.
Watched some time lapse of the new Williams car being built last night on the F1 channel.
The factory is less than half a mile from me :)
A pity they'll have to take it to the junk yard after the qualifying race yesterday. If Frank could stand up he would be kicking some backsides by now.Quote:
Originally Posted by UV101
When my company sponsored them many years ago, I was given a tour of the factory and had a go in the simulator. Very impressive, that place was. Of course it was a successful team at the time.
Does anyone else think that F1 is too dominated by tyre management now? We are seeing drivers hardly able to give their cars any stick as they are buried in a world of preserving their tyre life. Four pitstops for tyres is too much and it's sad to see drivers unable to compete. Isn't it supposed to be a race?
I think Pirelli have got it badly wrong now.
From the moment I heard that Pirelli would be the tyre supplier I knew it would go horribly wrong with the tyres. I have never managed to get more than 8000 miles from their tyres and I even had the change a set after 2000 miles, after which I stopped using them. But I would have expected their F1 compound to have been of a far higher standard. Not so apparently. The shredding as seen on the tyres from Massa Hamilton and Di Resta was shocking and dangerous.
Pirelli have not impressed me either, but I doubt the 'P-Zero' of the F1 cars bears any resemblance to the road car version.
Once you have a poor commercial product track record, it tends to shows up in the competition version. The material might be different, but the engineering skills would be the same. They don't seem to have a higher standard in their F1 product compared top the road tyres.
That same principle makes me wonder why Merc can't track down a fault with their car when they have all those resources on tap.
The last MotoGP race was going to be a Yamaha clean sweep.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
Then the temperature went up a lot and it was Honda 1,2
Said to be entirely down to the tyres.
MotoGP is also a one make series
It's not about Pirelli being unable to make tyres last, they could make a tyre last the whole race. They were required to make tyres that would degrade fast this season. It's a tricky balance, they were aiming for 3 stops and nearly achieved this so yes the tryes were a little too soft.
Because Merc get heat into their tyres immediately they were able to take pole and that's exactly why they were useless in the race. The good news is that Red Bull aren't having the best time with the tyres so at least they didn't run away with the race.
All Pirelli have to do is use this experience to get the compound just right but it's a lottery as a few degrees C either on race will make them look good or bad.
The Pirellis on my car are great BTW, certainly the best RFTs I've suffered to date....
RFTs, just say no!
I lease my car so I can't...Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
Very unhappy with the way BBC viewers are only getting highlights of Monaco, my fave F1 race, and the coverage is cut to tripe what a joke :steam:
Regards Neil
Yes, I watched the BBC highlights under duress as I'm away from home. Not a patch on the superb Sky HD broadcasts.
This years F1 on the BBC is starting to put me off watching it, which will be a first since my age was in single figures! I used to go all the time to the British and could be considered a big fan, but this year is dire with that woman parading around :(
Suzi Perry leaves me cold, I cannot watch her - they should have given the lead to Lee McKenzie, she certainly has done her time there to deserve it and knows her stuff far more the Perry. As for Ben Edwards on the commentary team, well I have to turn to volume down for him, holy cow what a t*****! Come back Martin Brundle.
Anyway, interesting race but Monaco, as always, does not really excite me that much, but the overall spectacle is good. Perez needs to take a chill pill and Grosjean maybe looking for a new job soon, which is a shame as he has great talent, but cannot it seams control it.
Come on Kimi that's what I say ;)
At this rate BBC viewers will be left with just the least popular races.
Its a very far cry from the days of showing every race live, with the joys of Murray Walker and James Hunt in the box :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
I'm not sure who's calling the shots, but they really are starting to cock everything up and SKY have just cleaned up IMO. From my point of view, all I want is the race and qually session, some good commentary and from people who actually know what they are talking about. I don't think the beeb are providing that any more. They could bin the whole (bloated) team and run the show with just EJ & DC, save some money along the way and then be in a position to show more races IMHO.
Lee Mackenzie on the BBC is their best anchor.
Brundle and Croftie on Sky are an excellent team, and very funny too.
Now there's an idea, Lee McKenzie and DC, they are probably paying EJ far too much anyway. Lee is great, I follow her on Twitter and she really is a petrol head, or certainly seems to be - hot too, as well as being a thoroughly nice person and the drivers certainly seem to like her.
...if DC can keep his hands off her :eek:
EJ is a fully paid up 100% twat. I cannot stand to listen to him.
Agreed. On top of that it's very difficult to take seriously someone so obviously wearing a wig.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
Agreed, why they didn't give her the main job is beyond me. Probably won't be long though before Sky make her an offer she can't refuse :(Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
If its a question of looks Ms/Miss/Mrs Perry wins for me everytime ;)
My gripe is the way the races that the BBC are showing (not live) are cut to tripe. I don't mind not live, but I want to see the entire race, Monaco was by far the worst example of this to date - terrible.
I won't pay Sky for this privilege as I am not into sport (bar F1) so why pay for stuff I won't be ever watching.
Regards Neil
Any good crashes yet, chaps? :)
Marco.
:spew: she turns my stomach I'm afraid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L
A couple Marco, but nothing that spectacular so far.
Am I the only person who would happily see Monaco disappear from the calendar? :eyebrows:
I nearly fell asleep until the crashes. Then the safety cars bunched things up nicely and at least gave the chance of some overtaking. I think hamilton must have dozed off aswell.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Neither am I. Sky F1 HD is not in the Sports package.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L
I'm joining this club, it is no longer a race weekend but a fast procession, almost, there must be better options.Quote:
Originally Posted by synsei
Just think of Monaco as a bit of fun rather than top notch racing, like Singapore. It might not be great for hard core racing fans, but its good for the sport and the drivers - if Bernie took it out of the calender, F1 would be a whole lot poorer ;)
Now here is a street circuit where one can overtake. This is in car footage from a historic Formula 3 race from Pau. Your pilot is Valerio Leone and he is driving a 1978 March 783.
http://www.msmclassifieds.co.uk/auto...8namrl7sct.jpg
1978 March 783 Chassis
Manaco is an event of itself, albeit a boring race (save for the crashes, and the reckless driving of Perez). I like it.
I find Valencia about the most boring race, usually with Singapore a close second (though the last race there was a cracker).
If Pérez was reckless, then Grosjean has become an absolute menace. I can't see Lotus keeping him next year.
I'm not convinced he'll even last till next season.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
The very best circuit of the lot is Phillip IslandQuote:
Originally Posted by Alan
Shame they won't let the 4 wheel lot go there
:)
I agree with you Martin, Grosjean is quick but his spacial awareness is suspect. Mind you, I remember Massa being the same early in his career and look at him now. Do you remember Andrea De Crasheris (Cesaris)? Now he was a maverick... :)Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
It's a good job McLaren have signed an engine deal with Honda for 2015 otherwise I am pretty certain Button might have been looking for pastures new at the end of his contract, or perhaps sooner. :eyebrows:
Grosjean reminds me of shoesmacker the other year...
Button signed a long contract though, didn't he?
Yes he has, but I wonder whether the Honda contract had more to do with that. Jenson won his world championship powered by Honda :)Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
Really :scratch: ok ..... beauty in the eye of the beholder etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim
http://www.morningstarr.co.uk/forum/...ng-leather.jpg
http://www.celebs101.com/gallery/Suz...ry_Picture.jpg
Regards Neil
I can see why a lot like her Neal, but not me. Its not just what she looks like that turns me off, I don't like her either.
Talk about getting a blow out for kerb crawling. It's a good thing Pirelli doesn't make condoms.
:lol: - what a bloody debacle, ruined the race for me TBH.Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
I am glad no one was seriously hurt or even killed. Tires can kill, Henry Surtees was killed by a tire that came off a car during a race and if one of the tires that blew up had hit a driver in the face or head at speed then we could have had a serious accident today never mind someone being killed.
Lewis rightly was very angry at what occurred and unlike others comments he wasn't being politically correct, 5 tire failures is totally crazy and the reason for it needs to be found and then sorted.
Regards Neil
Indeed Neil, its inexcusable what Pirelli are producing this year. I know they have a brief to make the tyres degrade to spice up the racing, but its clearly proving too difficult and ultimately dangerous. Make the tyres more durable and still enforce the 'both compounds' per race rule and that should be fine, with KERS and DRS. Today's race was a bloody joke and like you say, thank goodness nobody got hurt.
There will certainly be an enquiry and I'm sad for Lewis despite his incredible come-back to 4th. However, there are some take-aways including a very exciting final 10 laps and the ascendency of the Mercedes team. Thank goodness Red Bull aren't having it all their own way.
The be fair to Pirelli, how can they make a tyre that is meant to fall away and still be safe without any testing or help? The FIA and F1 rules about testing are themselves contribution to the problem.
Yes, agreed. They've been trying to develop their tyres with their hands tied behind their backs. Hence 'Tyregate'.