2012 Formula 1 Thread

[CWallace]

i was puzzled by hamilton un-lapping from vettel. I am not sure what to think because although he had the speed, there are clearly provisions for driver about to be lapped to let the leader pass (blue flag) and to not affect the race (which he did to an extent). i think if it was attempted by some of the backburners they would have been criticized strongly.

Hamilton did set Fastest Lap on the lap he passed Vettel so that might have helped. Hard to say the fastest guy on the track was holding you up.

anyway, my question is technical: from the feed, he was using DRS, which surprised me as i thought it could only be used when fighting for position. however i looked it up and actually didn't find that anywhere. So, can driver use it to lap other drivers if all the other conditions are met? do they in fact use it for that? i never noticed, but maybe i didn't pay enough attention?

It doesn't matter the status of the car ahead of you - if you're within 1 second when you cross the DRS detection strip, you can use DRS.

Alonso did this at least twice with backmarkers, allowing them to stay just ahead of him at the DRS detection zone so he could then use his own DRS to negate Vettel's use of it, as well.

 

[iGav]

You are not alone, especially the bit where it gives them an aerodynamic advantage????

Presumably, one of the byproducts of their map is an increase in the blown diffuser effect, thus increasing downforce.

Reading some of the comments on the Autosport forum, it's causing quite the stir... a user on there, Powersteer summarises it as...

At a selected rp/m range they retard the ignition timing but fuel is still at the same amount creating a powerful exhaust thrust but reducing horsepower. So on certain corners they will use gears that are taller but have their feet 100% on the floor. Basically what Red Bull has done is reversed the blown diffuser on the over run and moved it toward on acceleration.

And...

Only selected rp/m I think maybe 10,000 to 13,000 rp/m torque is reduced...but back to normal when red lining.

Very clever...

 

[iJohnHenry]

Very clever...

So, to summarize, ingenuity and invention is being punished by Bernie, in favour of making everyone equal?

I don't see this as hampering advancement of the sport in any way.

Puts me in mind of the Chaparrel Can/AM ground-affects car from 1970. That was quickly banned too.

 

[Don't panic]

Hamilton did set Fastest Lap on the lap he passed Vettel so that might have helped. Hard to say the fastest guy on the track was holding you up.




It doesn't matter the status of the car ahead of you - if you're within 1 second when you cross the DRS detection strip, you can use DRS.

Alonso did this at least twice with backmarkers, allowing them to stay just ahead of him at the DRS detection zone so he could then use his own DRS to negate Vettel's use of it, as well.

thank you for the clarification

 

[iGav]

So, to summarize, ingenuity and invention is being punished by Bernie, in favour of making everyone equal?

It's nothing to do with Bernie. It's to do with the FIA and poorly written regulations.

 

[CWallace]

So, to summarize, ingenuity and invention is being punished by Bernie, in favour of making everyone equal?

It is the FIA that makes and enforces the rules, not Bernie.

And the reason the FIA does so is to try and control costs. Once a team develops an innovation, everyone else runs and copies it at great expense.

 

[Don't panic]

It's nothing to do with Bernie. It's to do with the FIA and poorly written regulations.

i don't think the regulation are poorly written (not talking about the spirit of some of them, which i find questionable).
I think they are actually a very good compromises to contain costs, maintain safety, be fair and allow technical improvement.

The problem is that the people constantly looking for loopholes are quite smart

speaking of motorheads, not really F1-related, but i thought 'your lot' would appreciate:

 

[remmy]

Hamilton did set Fastest Lap on the lap he passed Vettel so that might have helped. Hard to say the fastest guy on the track was holding you up.




It doesn't matter the status of the car ahead of you - if you're within 1 second when you cross the DRS detection strip, you can use DRS.

Alonso did this at least twice with backmarkers, allowing them to stay just ahead of him at the DRS detection zone so he could then use his own DRS to negate Vettel's use of it, as well.

It would be a bit weird if you weren't allowed to unlap yourself and had to just follow the car in front until either pitted.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Artificially levelling the playing field does nothing for the sport.

Why not just have match races with stock Mini-Coopers instead, if that cost of development to "keep up" is a problem?

 

[Theclamshell]

This season has been very exciting. The races have been pretty entertaining. I went to the Montreal GP and it was a lot of fun.

 

[CWallace]

Artificially levelling the playing field does nothing for the sport.

In years' past, I've found GP2 to be more exciting than F1, in part because the "level playing field" allows the drivers to shine, rather then the engineers.

And I think part of the reason this F1 season has been so amazing is that one team has not been able to apply technical domination over the rest of the field.

 

[OllyW]

The BBC have confirmed Lewis Hamilton is leaving McLaren to sign for Mercedes, with Sergio Perez taking his seat at McLaren.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

Looks like a risky move or does he know something we don't?

 

[stridemat]

The BBC have confirmed Lewis Hamilton is leaving McLaren to sign for Mercedes, with Sergio Perez taking his seat at McLaren.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

Looks like a risky move or does he know something we don't?

I would say a risky move, but shows that he cares about his bank balance more than anything else.

 

[fat jez]

Sorry to see Di Resta not getting a chance, although I can't remember whether he is out of contract or not.

I agree with the other comments that Hamilton is moving for money, he may come to regret that if Mercedes can't deliver a competitive car

 

[pachyderm]

Sorry to see Di Resta not getting a chance, although I can't remember whether he is out of contract or not.

I agree with the other comments that Hamilton is moving for money, he may come to regret that if Mercedes can't deliver a competitive car

i think they will be more competitive with him behind the wheel...

 

[Don't panic]

the smart move here is by mclaren.
i think perez and lewis are comparable, but they save a bunch and block perez from going to ferrari.

 

[CWallace]

the smart move here is by mclaren. i think perez and lewis are comparable, but they save a bunch and block perez from going to ferrari.

If Vettel is going to the Scuderia in 2014 to partner Alonso (as rumors have suggested), that meant Perez at best had one year with the team (replacing Massa for 2013) - and Ferrari was on record saying they didn't think he was ready to join the team. So I can understand him feeling that Ferrari was not an option for him.

And Perez doesn't need the Telmex money with McLaren, who will pay him a salary (and saving a mint compared to what they would have had to pay Hamilton).

Esteban Gutiérrez is the reserve driver for Sauber and he's Mexican, so I expect Telmex will now back him and he'll be promoted from the Lotus GP2 team to replace Perez at Sauber.

 

[Don't panic]

i wonder if this will hurt lewis chance for the championship.
if button comes closer, then it's conceivable the team will favor him over hamilton in certain situations

 

[CWallace]

i wonder if this will hurt lewis chance for the championship. if button comes closer, then it's conceivable the team will favor him over hamilton in certain situations

I don't see McLaren stiffing Lewis because they want to win the Constructors Championship and need him to finish as best as he can each race.

I do expect the remaining development effort for 2012 will be geared more towards Button and Whitmarsh's statement that the 2013 car was being designed around Lewis is now moot and JB will be the focus for that car, now.

 

[fat jez]

depends on how far along development of the car is. If it's quite a way along, it could hurt the team next year, as it might be a bit late to make major design changes.

 

[ixodes]

Here's what Lauda has to say about Hamilton's move. It should be interesting that's for sure.


http://www.alarabonline.org/english/display.asp?fname=\2012\09\09-30\zsportsz\960.htm

 

[CWallace]

With the results at Japan, I think Vettel has his third straight DC in hand. With the new Red Bull double DRS he should be a favorite for pole position at everywhere but Austin (and then only because nobody has any track data). So he should be well-positioned to win or score well for the rest of the season, which should put him in an unassailable position.

 

[pachyderm]

With the results at Japan, I think Vettel has his third straight DC in hand. With the new Red Bull double DRS he should be a favorite for pole position at everywhere but Austin (and then only because nobody has any track data). So he should be well-positioned to win or score well for the rest of the season, which should put him in an unassailable position.

sadly, i think yer prolly correct.

and nothing against vettel, if he wins the title that is fine with me, but i was really rooting for alonso.

 

[CWallace]

NBC has evidently won the bid to broadcast the 2013 Formula One season in the United States, beating out the offer made by FOX Sports / SPEED.

Hopefully they will continue to show races live on the NBC Sports Channel (the old VS when Comcast owned it) as they would have to be tape-delayed on NBC itself outside of the four races held in the Americas (Canada, US1, US2 and Brazil).

 

[zagato27]

NBC has evidently won the bid to broadcast the 2013 Formula One season in the United States, beating out the offer made by FOX Sports / SPEED.

Hopefully they will continue to show races live on the NBC Sports Channel (the old VS when Comcast owned it) as they would have to be tape-delayed on NBC itself outside of the four races held in the Americas (Canada, US1, US2 and Brazil).

Wonder who the commentators will be? I quite like Varsha and Hobbs

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sadly, i think yer prolly correct.

and nothing against vettel, if he wins the title that is fine with me, but i was really rooting for alonso.

X2 except for the "vettel, if he wins the title that is fine with me". Alonso, then anyone BUT Vettel. Yeah, not a Vettel fan. Actually I was hoping that Kimi would do a bit better.

I find it hard to believe that Massa even with his last performance would still be with Ferrari next year. I like Massa but think it may be time for him and Ferrari to split.