Formula One discussion - Season 2009

[MikeyM]

I only saw the prediction thread here, so I think we need a general F1 2009 discussion thread too. So here it is.

I wanted to open by saying how pleased I am that F1 is back on the BBC - At last a full Grand Prix without adverts! Plus I really hope they still use the iconic theme "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac.

I'm backing my boy Massa to do it this time, c'mon son win it for Ayrton.

 

[Áļéאָ]

pre race crap say brawn and williams are favs to win the first race... Hopefully this season won't be as dull and boring as the last ~10 seasons.

 

[rpvankasteren]

We'll see tomorrow. The track at Albert Park is wide enough for it, so we will know if the FIA overtaking measures have helped.

Ecclestone claims there will be three new teams next year. Finally a believable number of cars again.

 

[newbie original]

...can't carry on without mentioning the on-going "illegal cars" controversy: it would be bad for the sport if all this hubbub about Brawn's and Toyota's and Williams' diffusers is actually true, and if it is actually one of the reasons behind the surprise start to the season .......

Once the appeal is heard, after race #2, a points deduction is very possible. It will be a level playing field(race track) very soon......but not in time for the first race.

 

[MikeyM]

I have been watching the BBC coverage of the first two practices on the red button - and I am very impressed. BBC's presentation etc blows ITV's away.

 

[Dipanjan]

Go Force India!
I just hope that they atleast manage to win some points this time around.

But I think Massa starts as the favourite.

 

[MikeyM]

Go Force India!
I just hope that they atleast manage to win some points this time around.

But I think Massa starts as the favourite.

Well it depends if Kimi can be bothered this year, last year he looked well out of sorts. If Kimi goes full out, then I fully expect Ferrari to throw their effort on him.

It's a shame, I was probably the only guy in England who wanted Massa to win it last year. Hamilton just gets on my tits, he's so arrogant and his bloody father is always hanging off him.

C'mon Fellipe - this is your time.

 

[newbie original]

Well gents, so much for the controversial diffuser.....

Ruebens' diffuser was destroyed on turn 1 at the start of the race. After his terrible start, he fell to 7th but managed to finish 2nd....even before Kubica and Vettel took eachother out, he was really flying. He had just zipped past Rosberg to move into 4th and was gaining speed. Don't know how much the diffuser helped Button, but I must say that the Brawn GP cars look very competitive indeed.

You have to keep in mind that Honda basically tanked last season in an attempt to get the car ready for this year....Ross Brawn knew that. When Honda announced that they were going to fold, Brawn could easily have put his head down and crawled back to Ferrari, but he stuck with the team and, with the necessary funding, kept going. Slap in the face of the folks at the Honda headquarters.....

BTW, April 14th is the date when the diffuser appeal will be heard.

 

[MikeyM]

Well pleased for Jenson. Perhaps there's going to be a new world order in F1 finally.

Also I hope Hamilton learns some humility now he doesn't have the luxury of driving the best car - he might be a world champion, but I don't think he's anywhere as good as he reckons he is. He's still only one full year removed from being a rookie. That's the problem I have with him, and if the Toyota hadn't expired in Brazil. Massa would be wearing the crown.

 

[Kibe Kru]

Well gents, so much for the controversial diffuser.....

Ruebens' diffuser was destroyed on turn 1 at the start of the race.

I know nothing about cars, let alone F1 cars, but isn't the diffuser at the back of the car? correct me if I'm wrong, but the damage to Barrichello was on his front wing, right?

anyways, nice to see some new people fighting at the front. Vettel was doing well, Kubica had a shot at the win if it weren't for the accident, and Button was flawless.

Poor weekend for Ferrari, and Massa's Australian nightmare goes on for one more season. Hope it doesn't bite his arse like last season...

 

[newbie original]

I know nothing about cars, let alone F1 cars, but isn't the diffuser at the back of the car? correct me if I'm wrong, but the damage to Barrichello was on his front wing, right?...

He had multiple collisions at the start of the race...one of them was to the back of the car and wiped out the diffuser "advantage" that he might have had.

 

[Áļéאָ]

meh.. The 3top cars are the ones using the diffuser. It doesnt matter anyway, it wont last. If the appeal sez they wrong, they wont be on top anymore/ If that doesnt happen, all the other teams will be getting that same 2-step thing and with that +~0.5sec per lap.

 

[newbie original]

meh.. The 3top cars are the ones using the diffuser. It doesnt matter anyway, it wont last. If the appeal sez they wrong, they wont be on top anymore/ If that doesnt happen, all the other teams will be getting that same 2-step thing and with that +~0.5sec per lap.

If the appeal is turned down, and the diffuser is allowed, other teams will have to start testing. The diffuser will have to go under the engine(I think), which will mean significant modifications to the cars. The new setup will then have to be tested.....when? Well, they'll have to test it out during practice or at the factory. It will take a while before they catch up with the 3 teams using it right now.

 

[Áļéאָ]

You really still think the big teams don't know how to bend and/or avoid the rules?
They'll find a way o/

 

[rpvankasteren]

Now they are aware of the fact the rules can be interpreted differently, it will not take their engineers of any of the teams long to figure out how to build a similar diffuser. These are after all top of the bill engineers.
Problem is in the architecture of the rear end of the cars, especially the gearbox and rear axles. Will they allow the new diffuser to be fit with minor effort, or do major modifications need to be made. If not the latter, most teams should have a race-worthy version ready for use in China (not Force India). They won't use it before anyway, as the WMSC could still ban these diffusers, but fabrication should already have started at some teams.

If major changes are necessary, they will have them ready for the race in Spain surely. Red Bull (not STR, who have a completely different drive-train) seem to have a problem with their gearbox, such that they'd have to re-design that as well. This won't be ready in 3 weeks, but it is something they can test on the bench.

Testing is of course banned until January 2010. Teams can only run straight line tests, or tests with young drivers without real F1 experience. These won't help test the diffuser's functionality.

Of course, certain teams might also want to improve the reliability of their cars. "To finish first, you first have to finish," as the cliché states.

 

[MikeyM]

Toyota's Jarno Trulli has been re-instated to third. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from the results because the stewards felt he "miss used" information.

 

[rpvankasteren]

Actually, they felt he and his team manager blatantly lied to them. Both were asked after the race if any orders had been issued from the team to Hamilton to let Trulli pass him during the yellow flag, and both denied.
The denial followed an interview to the media, in which Lewis explained he had been told to let Trulli pass him.

Link: http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/f1_stewards_decision.aspx

 

[MikeyM]

Actually, they felt he and his team manager blatantly lied to them. Both were asked after the race if any orders had been issued from the team to Hamilton to let Trulli pass him during the yellow flag, and both denied.
The denial followed an interview to the media, in which Lewis explained he had been told to let Trulli pass him.

Link: http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/f1_stewards_decision.aspx

Wow, that's a serious charge - Apparently the FIA have said they might not be done with McLaren yet, they could even throw Hamilton out of the Championship! (At worst)

 

[Dipanjan]

McClaren and their fvcked up strategies(if I can call them so)!

 

[newbie original]

...they could even throw Hamilton out of the Championship!...

That will never happen! He is the defending champion and THE megastar in the sport.