1381 replies to this topic

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Fans to get access to more data in '09

By Jonathan Noble Wednesday, March 18th 2009, 12:30 GMT

Formula 1 fans watching on television will get access to more data than ever before this season, autosport.com has learned, with the sport's broadcasters accepting proposals put forward by teams to enhance the show.

The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) announced earlier this month that it wanted the sport's broadcasters, Formula One Management (FOM), to make use of extra graphics and more information than it was offering.

This included fuel strategy graphics, racing line details, pit stop predictors and total access to the teams' radio channels.

When asked by autosport.com on Tuesday if FOM was going to take up the teams' offer, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that he would embrace the opportunity.

"Absolutely," said Ecclestone. "We've been a bit strung up with our graphics because although we had the information (before), we couldn't use it. It was the same with the 'ship-to-shore' radio. It was interesting for viewers but the teams said we can't use it.

"It was complete nonsense. We are in the entertainment business and these teams forget that. I think they are waking up now."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, who heads up the sporting group within FOTA, believes that fans will be the biggest winners from the new information - especially total access to radio transmissions.

"How many teams over the years have spent lots of money with encrypted radio systems to prevent that? That was a big, big initiative," he said at the recent FOTA launch in Geneva.

"There are lots of little one-liners, and I think in a year's time we'll take them for granted. I think in a year's time we won't have perhaps recognised the significance of some of the proposals that have come from FOTA.

"But I do think that the sport and the ability for fans to become involved, to buy into it, to understand it, and to enjoy it, will be greater."

He added: "I think anyone who's responsible for the commercial development of the sport has got to be ecstatic about the teams cooperating more fully with how we develop those things."

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/73763

also bernie thinks jens could possibly pull off the upset with the new points system: http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/73761

[_R_]

honestly... i don't want to see all that...
give me some real time gap numbers between cars....
i don't want graphics with pit stop predictions and fuel numbers, let the announcers tell me

[F1]

The only good thing will be radios and racing lines. I'm with Raider and I'll do my best to ignore everything else.

[_R_]

The only good thing will be radios and racing lines. I'm with Raider and I'll do my best to ignore everything else.

I think Ferrari and McLaren where the only ones that held off the on the radio usage...
so it's not exactly going to be earth shattering to me....

[_R_]

Nick Heidfeld on Wednesday was among a number of drivers to comment on the late change to the points system ahead of the 2009 season.

Despite some quarters welcoming the move to guarantee the winner of the most races the drivers' title, the more widespread reaction to the 'gold medals'-style regime has been negative.

"It's a matter of taste, but my taste is not for that," BMW Sauber's Heidfeld told Germany's SID news agency.

"I like the old way better. With points it is comprehensible. There is not only one or a few races (in a season), but 17 or 18."

He said the new system is not straightforward, given that while the 2009 champion could have fewer points than the runner-up, the rest of the standings will be ranked by regular points order.

"I find that silly. The basis should be the same for all," Heidfeld added.

His German countryman Nico Rosberg slammed the new system as "nonsense", while Brawn's Jenson Button - tipped by Bernie Ecclestone as an outsider for the title because of the change - warned the rulemakers that their scheme could backfire.

"I understand the logic behind it and it's interesting," the Briton said. "It's an incentive to try to win but it also looks risky to me."

"After nine races you could get a driver who's already won the title and can take the rest of the season off, while the driver in second is only 18 points behind," he remarked.

When Ecclestone first proposed his radical 'medals' idea, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton made clear he did not back it because 'the team who is most consistent' should house the title winner.

At the Jerez test on Wednesday, he insisted: "I have no opinion on this."

thanks FIA... fuckers...

[F1]

I think Ferrari and McLaren where the only ones that held off the on the radio usage...
so it's not exactly going to be earth shattering to me....

All teams chose what they released and always had the option to do it. Now all communications are fair game, it's just too bad Coulthard is gone.

[mads]

how bout instead of random gay graphics, they just give us HD, like the rest of the civilized world

[mads]

how bout instead of random gay graphics, they just give us HD, like the rest of the civilized world

[MrHahn]

how bout instead of random gay graphics, they just give us HD, like the rest of the civilized world

I doubly agree with this double post!

Also in this part of the world the sun is setting at ~7pm. The race starts in a weeks time at 5pm. If it is overcast - people will honestly not be able to see shit properly about half way through the race.

[TimzSI]

Did anybody see that Heiki put down a 1.18.2xx today? Is that the fastest lap at Jerez?

[F1]

Did anybody see that Heiki put down a 1.18.2xx today? Is that the fastest lap at Jerez?

Someone missed the BrawnGP bandwagon.

[Nacho]

Did anybody see that Heiki put down a 1.18.2xx today? Is that the fastest lap at Jerez?

6 tenths off Button's time.

[kngrsll]

points system is dumb, but i like the graphics/radio stuff... i dunno about publishing weights though, kinda kills the suspense that the race had left (pit windows).

[Robert]

I would rather have live timing scrolled at the bottom and radio inserts *except for onboard footage- then the telemetry is cool.
Live timing is pretty important to me.

[Robert]

Oh and the new point system is fucking stupid.

Bernie: "This year we will change the points system for medals and shit."
FIA: "Why?"
Bernie: "Because we can?"

[_R_]

i don't understand how F1 can't do HD...
i mean they basically shit money left and right... fucking golf and tennis are in HD...

[Redliner]

i don't understand how F1 can't do HD...
i mean they basically shit money left and right... fucking golf and tennis are in HD...

:mas:madfawk:@!@d09#@$#@:

my mind will blow up when I see F1 in HD. I think it's b/c BE wants to make money on selling HDF1 to the ones that can afford. Greedy arse bastard.

[_R_]

Kazuki Nakajima set the quickest time of the week at the Jerez circuit, as Formula 1 testing came to an end for the 2009 season.

Nakajima's 1:17.494 lap was nearly four tenths of a second quicker than the previous best, set by Brawn GP's Jenson Button on Tuesday.

The Williams FW31's strong pace added more intrigue ahead of the start of the season in Melbourne in less than two weeks' time.

Nakajima finished ahead of McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, who set the British squad's best time of the week after 84 laps. The Finn's day ended a few minutes early after his car stopped on track.

With in-season testing banned this year, Jerez's test was the final one for several months.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:17.494 102
2. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:17.946 84

looks like McLaren found their pace again...

[DrDickAction]

looks like McLaren found their pace again...

must have been 10 degrees hotter today or something weird to see macca and williams to jump like that

[Redliner]

must have been 10 degrees hotter today or something weird to see macca and williams to jump like that

Hmm...I was coming in here to post "cooler, you mean?" b/c of engine power. But what about tire grip?

I dunno...anyways, I hope BrawnGP is still a go...

[DrDickAction]

Hmm...I was coming in here to post "cooler, you mean?" b/c of engine power. But what about tire grip?

I dunno...anyways, I hope BrawnGP is still a go...

yeah, I was thinking warm rubber, not dense air....maybe they both just stopped sandbagging?

[_R_]

yeah, I was thinking warm rubber, not dense air....maybe they both just stopped sandbagging?

weather this week:
sunday: Mean Temperature 62 °F Max Temperature 77 °F
monday: Mean Temperature 62 °F Max Temperature 75 °F
tuesday: Mean Temperature 60 °F Max Temperature 66 °F
wednesday: Mean Temperature 60 °F Max Temperature 69 °F
thursday: Mean Temperature 56 °F Max Temperature 70 °F

[mads]

i wonder if teams can exploit the 35m cap..say paying the driver to be a road vehicle test driver at the same time, while he drives in f1 for like 1000euros or soemthing

[mads]

so are this years cars faster then last years?

[mads]

according to stats, they were almost 4 seconds faster then kimi's lap record in 08