2253 replies to this topic

[MrHahn]

That Alonso whine looks like a catch

























I just had to

[yonson]

I have the autosport RSS feed on my igoogle, but it's on the 2nd tab for a reason

What is this?

[_R_]

What is this?

if you have a gmail account and are signed in your igoogle homepage can have little widgets... anything from weather to rss feeds to your current email to themes etc etc

it's my homepage at work... get my top 10 news stories from a bunch of different sites and weather and a few other things

[yonson]

interesting, I just have apps for that stuff

[DrDickAction]

What is this?

igoogle.com

ties into your gmail account.

too bad they fucked it up and most of the widgets only work in chrome now

edit: not sure how I didn't see Raider's response

[MrHahn]

FIA fails again.

Vettel: Pitlane speed measuring wrong

By James Roberts and Jonathan Noble Friday, October 2nd 2009, 03:58 GMT

Sebastian Vettel wants the FIA to change the way that the pitlane speed limit is measured in the wake of the penalty he was issued during the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Red Bull Racing driver's hopes of victory were dashed when he was handed a drive-through penalty for exceeding the speed limit in the pits after his final stop.

Post-race analysis of Vettel's car by Red Bull Racing showed that his car had never actually exceeded doing 100 km/h limit in the pits. However, because Vettel had taken a slightly shorter route when he cut across the entry to the pits, the official measurements calculated that his car had travelled in excess of the speed limit between the entry and the exit.

Speaking ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Vettel reckoned that the FIA should come up with a different way of measuring the speed in the pits - rather than basing it simply on time and estimated distance.

"You have a pitlane speed limit and we were not speeding in the pitlane," he said. "What happened was there was a mistake in the measurement.

"We have a speed limit and you are allowed to choose your own line. There is a pit entry line which you are allowed to cross - some drivers did a little bit, some more, like I did. And obviously the way the speed is measured is that it is in divided sectors and obviously there has been a mistake in the calibration.

"So there should be a speed limit, not a speed distance limit. It should be independent from the distance you travel."

Vettel said he hoped the FIA would take on board what happened in Singapore and consider making changes for the future.

"We have our car data and we can see that we clearly never broke the speed limit," he said. "I'm obviously not happy, but at the end of the day things like that should never happen. It had quite a big influence on our race, but sitting here now, what can you do about it?

"I hope in the future that nothing like this happens to any of us because, as I tried to explain, we have a speed limit and it has to be independent of the distance we travel."

It would be great if FIA gave teams 2 quick options, cop the drive through penalty or ignore it and show all telemetry after the race. If guilty they get a 25 second penalty, seems fair

[Nacho]

lol @ Piquet

Nelson Piquet may have escaped any sanctions from his role in the Singapore 2008 crash-gate affair, but there remains some doubt that he will be able to return to sport. Former racer turned commentator Martin Brundle recently claimed that Piquet is now “unemployable”.

That view was backed up today in Japan where key figures from Renault, Toyota and Red Bull were asked if they would ever employ the Brazilian racer.

"I’m not sure I’ll be giving him a seat and that’s really all I can say," said interim Renault team principal Bob Bell.

Toyota team president John Howett was a little more forthcoming, saying that Piquet’s race performances alone would rule him out of a drive with the German-based team.
"I think on his performance, to be honest, disregarding the issue, I probably would not give him a drive and I would probably be further influenced in that decision by what took place," he said.

"I don’t think we would have any interest at Red Bull Racing," added Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner.

[Redliner]

FIA fails again.



It would be great if FIA gave teams 2 quick options, cop the drive through penalty or ignore it and show all telemetry after the race. If guilty they get a 25 second penalty, seems fair

Wow. WTF FIA FAIL.

[DrDickAction]

Wow. WTF FIA FAIL.

With all of the technology used in F1, there's literally a dud with a stop watch calculating pit speed?

[_R_]

With all of the technology used in F1, there's literally a dud with a stop watch calculating pit speed?

then he uses a cup and string to communicate with race control...
so does Vettel get anything out of their mistake or just a "oops... our mistake"

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

then he uses a cup and string to communicate with race control...
so does Vettel get anything out of their mistake or just a "oops... our mistake"

What could they give him? A 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card so he can go flat out in the pitlane for 1 pitstop this weekend? Free engine? Nothing they could offer would be 'fair' even though their actions were unfair, all they can do is apologize and make sure it doesn't happen again.

[DrDickAction]

What could they give him? A 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card so he can go flat out in the pitlane for 1 pitstop this weekend? Free engine? Nothing they could offer would be 'fair' even though their actions were unfair, all they can do is apologize and make sure it doesn't happen again.

This.

Can't think of a sport where you get compensated for a blown call after the fact.

But yes, they need to get a damn radar gun out there and call it a day.

[MrHahn]

then he uses a cup and string to communicate with race control...
so does Vettel get anything out of their mistake or just a "oops... our mistake"

I think it was at Fuji a couple of years ago that Ferrari got the late email about monsoon tyres? FIA just said "oh my bad, I'mma let you finish"

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

I think it was at Fuji a couple of years ago that Ferrari got the late email about monsoon tyres? FIA just said "oh my bad, I'mma let you finish"

i think maybe if they hadn't been such failboats at that race MAYBE the FIA would have been more likely to pursue some form of reprimand.

[Nacho]

The hottest rumour at the Suzuka circuit on Saturday is that McLaren is contemplating splitting completely with Mercedes at the end of the season.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the Woking-based team's plan, masterminded by chairman and former team boss Ron Dennis, is to buy BMW's Formula One engine division from the withdrawing German carmaker in order to go it alone as an independent chassis and engine constructor.

The move would clear the path for Mercedes to completely concentrate on its intensifying partnership with Brawn.

McLaren has an engine supply contract with equity partner Mercedes for two more seasons, but Dennis is believed to be confident that - as with his new MP4-12C road car project - the outfit can manage without the Stuttgart based manufacturer.


Auto Motor und Sport said BMW would be interested in selling its F1 engine programme for the right price, and that Dennis may already have made enquiries with the marque's Munich headquarters.

It is also rumoured that McLaren's existing Bahraini investors might bolster their involvement in order to support the new independent engine programme.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh has however denied the rumours. "We have no plans to buy BMW's engines,” he said.

Hrmmm....

[vietlol]

I wonder why Mcmerc want to split. And with everyone practically begging for Merc engines why would they give that up?


Seems odd

[Nacho]

I wonder why Mcmerc want to split. And with everyone practically begging for Merc engines why would they give that up?


Seems odd

McLaren seems to have been growing apart from Mercedes for a bit now. There were tensions back when they made the SLR, and now with McLaren making their own road car again, Mercedes is a little perturbed.... and supposedly Mercedes has been looking to buy the team outright for a while but McLaren isn't selling. I'm sure lie-gate, spy-gate, etc. haven't helped much in recent times either.

And with Mercedes looking to buy in bigtime with the Brawn team, this is their way out. They have a super-desirable engine, so now is the best time they have to go it alone, either as an engine supplier, or as a 'full' constructor.

[_R_]

wow... that's interesting... huh...

[DrDickAction]

McLaren seems to have been growing apart from Mercedes for a bit now. There were tensions back when they made the SLR, and now with McLaren making their own road car again, Mercedes is a little perturbed.... and supposedly Mercedes has been looking to buy the team outright for a while but McLaren isn't selling. I'm sure lie-gate, spy-gate, etc. haven't helped much in recent times either.

And with Mercedes looking to buy in bigtime with the Brawn team, this is their way out. They have a super-desirable engine, so now is the best time they have to go it alone, either as an engine supplier, or as a 'full' constructor.

Brawn Monster Mercedes

[Nacho]

Brawn Monster Mercedes

I fucking hate Monster.

[MrHahn]

Even more of a set up for Kimi to crash and burn if he moves to McFailen

[Nacho]

Williams blocking Sauber from being the 14th team is dumb. I think Frank is becoming nothing more than a crotchety old man.

[_R_]

Williams blocking Sauber from being the 14th team is dumb. I think Frank is becoming nothing more than a crotchety old man.

I thought the same thing when I read that...
like I've said before, Frank is F1 history and all, but he's becoming the old man next door yelling at people to get off his lawn...

i wonder though if places like Monaco would have enough paddock space to fit 14 teams

[vietlol]

cut monaco and valencia problem solved

[DrDickAction]

Williams blocking Sauber from being the 14th team is dumb. I think Frank is becoming nothing more than a crotchety old man.

Frank Williams, the Al Davis of racing.