Formula 1 2011

Just picking up right where 2010 left off.

Maybe, just maybe its Webber's year.....

Damn Vettel is looking fast

It isn't Webber or Vettel's year. If anything, it's Adrien Newey's Year...Again! That guy knows out of the box thinking, cuz he seems to be able to make a car perform OUT OF THE BOX!

Quali looks difficult because you really only have one lap to put in a flyer, and if you catch any traffic, your tires are gone for the next try. (thats what happened to Schumacher in Q2).

We will see how the race shakes out. I don't think Seb Vet will do very well in the traffic situations. He just can't keep his cool.

Sure looks that way. I always like the underdogs so I was hoping for a better mix up front but still it's always nice to see the F1 seasom kick off. Maybe Michael can mix it up a little better this year too although I am not sure a multiple world champion could be considered an underdog.

The quick-to-degrade Pirelli's will put a premium on tire management - and there's talk of 3 to 4 pit stops per race.

Button has one of the smoothest driving styles on the grid; he might pick up a lot of early season points.

According to some drivers, 5 laps is as far as they will go before dropping off DRAMATICALLY (like 3-4 seconds per lap). Some of the smoother drivers can make them last 7 laps at an average of a second slower.

2AM can't come fast enough.

Kinda funny how all the pundits had Maclaren at the back of the pack.....maybe the speed fairy will visit big red soon.

It was good to see a pair of Tatas....

Streetwiseguy wrote: Kinda funny how all the pundits had Maclaren at the back of the pack.....maybe the speed fairy will visit big red soon.

The old car was garbage. They went back to the drawing board and started over. The "step backward" was much quicker. McLaren scramble with last minute changes.

I haven't had a chance to watch all the qualifying. How did the HRT Cosworths end up doing.

Toyman01 wrote: I haven't had a chance to watch all the qualifying. How did the HRT Cosworths end up doing.

HRT was not able to be 107% of the fastest qulaifying lap and therefore are excluded from the race

Maroon92 wrote: We will see how the race shakes out. I don't think Seb Vet will do very well in the traffic situations. He just can't keep his cool.

I have a feeling with a year and success under his belt that Seb will be something special this year. I just wish I could say that about Mark.

Well, Seb kept it on the hard part...that's pretty much all RB asked of him this weekend, and he certainly delivered. I liked that Fernando was setting fastest lap after fastest lap on HARDS while Massa was struggling for the last of the points on Softs.

on the other hand, how the hell did Sergio Perez go on a One Stopper? He made the softs last 20-30 laps!

I was awake during the parade lap and the next thing I know it's 6 a.m. and an infomercial is on.

Wow, what a complete dud this was. So much hype in the off-season, this and that for overtaking. In the end, exact same thing - the only passing was between cars of completely outmatched pace. Why do they only allow the wing stalling in one place? Why only within 1 second? So laaaaaaaaaaaaaame.

And yes, I'll continue to stay up at night to watch. How pathetic is that?

Maroon92 wrote: I liked that Fernando was setting fastest lap after fastest lap on HARDS while Massa was struggling for the last of the points on Softs.

did you even watch the race?

Alonso was on softs till the bitter end... Ferrari "tossed" the hards on Massa's car and just let him flounder

I thought it was a great race, that battle between Button and Massa was epic

It was nice watching qualifying to finish off my wedding night after Mrs. Neon went to sleep.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

Maroon92 wrote: I liked that Fernando was setting fastest lap after fastest lap on HARDS while Massa was struggling for the last of the points on Softs.

did you even watch the race? Alonso was on softs till the bitter end... Ferrari "tossed" the hards on Massa's car and just let him flounder

Yes, of course I watched it. Fernando was on hards for the final stint when he was just behind Petrov and just in front of Webbo. He did four laps straight that were purple...ON HARDS!

At the same point, Massa had come back in for softs for the final 12 laps or so and he was struggling to get past a Toro Rosso!

for me, the beginning was real exciting, the middle not so much, and then the end was mildly exciting. of course, I was geeking over all the nifty technical stuff they are doing, especially the Renault factory squad. using exhaust gasses to do the same thing as side skirts? keeping the throttle plates wide open and controlling the throttle via fuel and ignition mapping to keep exhaust flow more or less constant? I never began to realize just how clever the guys designing F1 cars really were, until stuff like this started popping up, it's absolutely brilliant! I do wonder how the "throttle-less" systems (as Ross Brawn called them) work in terms of driveability though? I guess maybe they have some algorithm that manipulates the fuel/ignition map for full throttle, based on throttle position, but I would still think that the engine would at least feel different, compared to a normal setup? also, I wonder how running the engines with little/no fuel and no spark on deceleration or part throttle would effect engine durability and efficiency?

In reply to Slyp_Dawg:

For a few years now, at least some BMW street engines haven't had a throttle body at all. They can do all work of a butterfly valve with valve lift and duration. I would imagine with the billions spent in F1 r&d it can be made to work under race conditions.

Sapang 2011.

Vettel is really showing some class for 2011 so far....Hamilton wrung the neck of the McLaren, bring on the race

Everybody gets to race this week 107% rule has no effect

I've got a pot of coffee brewing and am ready to go!

the Mclarens look so much better this week, if they can stay out of trouble this time they might just have a shot (i can hope at least).

Anyone else still up?

I cannot stand the 107% rule. I don't care how slow the driver/car is. As a spectator and a fan, when is it ever preferable to have fewer cars on track as opposed to more?

not going to make the live broadcast

I'll catch it on speed this afternoon right after the Rolex (12:00 pm and 2:30 pm)

Vettel has figured out how to be cool in traffic....stay in front of it.

Mark again fighting equipment failure on the No 2 car, but nobody is touching Vettel right now,

Petrov gets some serious air.....