2011 Formula 1 - Discussion Thread

[newbie original]

Big big news for American Formula 1 fans:

(American driver) Alexander Rossi has been confirmed as a member of the AirAsia Team Lotus Driver Development Program, which was launched Saturday in Malaysia.

Rossi, who drove a Lotus F1 car in a demo run Saturday as part of the launch event, will be in the World Series by Renault this year, having competed in GP3 last season.

At 19, he’s the oldest of the additions to the Lotus lineup. The group includes a Singaporean karter who is just 12 years old.

Lotus says that the aim of the program will be “to use the expertise with Team Lotus to help grow the best young driving talent from across the globe. Around the drivers selected is an organization that nurtures and supports the drivers through career guidance, coaching and sponsorship procurement.”

In addition, drivers will be “taught not only how to race, but also given in-depth insight into the inner workings of the F1 team – from vehicle dynamics to simulators, giving them an in-depth understanding of the relationship between them and the cars they compete in.”

The program is headed by former Minardi F1 driver Alex Yoong, who commented: “We are very pleased to have Alexander as part of our program. He has a strong racing CV and win percentage and has already achieved some significant results including the 2008 Formula BMW World Championship.

“Alexander is the most senior of the drivers in the program with a lot of experience at several top levels of racing. We at the AirAsia Team Lotus Driver Development Program have high expectations and belief in him, which is highlighted by his involvement in today’s run in the Team Lotus F1 car.”

“It is a real privilege to be part of the Air Asia Team Lotus Driver Development Program in its first year,” said Rossi. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm in the program and I am very excited to be working with talented and experienced motorsport professionals such as Alex Yoong.

“My racing goal from a young age has always been to reach F1. While the process is about hard work and commitment, it is also my life and I am enjoying the journey, step by step. This weekend’s demonstration run will be my second visit behind the wheel of an F1 car and my first street festival and promotional event, and I’d like to thank the team for giving me the chance to take part.”

--------------X----------------

I think that this is a big boos to those American fans who are desperate for a stronger F1 presence in the USA.

 

[newbie original]

Did you guys watch qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix?

WOW!!! That's as exciting as it gets.

Hamilton looks like he's got it all locked up but then Vettel comes in and takes it from him!!! WOW!!!

 

[Xifio]

Seb has the uncanny knack of making sure he's the last man on track, and he puts in the big one with a clear run on his last lap -- ensures a dramatic finish every time! qualis are getting more exciting than the race ...

though again, with lap times being so close, and tyre strategy being even more crucial than Australia, I am expecting an eventful race ...

 

[newbie original]

Another easy race win(Malaysian GP) for Vettel. That;s 4 in a row. That's all but 5 laps led in the 2011 season.

Sorry but, as much as I hate the kid's guts, that's Schumacher-esque. "German Wunderboy - Michael Schumacher" is replaced by "German Wunderboy - Sebastien Vettel". Where's Nico Rosberg....nowhere to be found. He was supposed to be the next great German driver......YEAH RIGHT!

BTW, the story of the season has GOT to be Red Bull's problems with KERS. Mark Webber got screwed by it in this race.

 

[Xifio]

Jenson Button was at Williams, Benetton, Renault, BAR, and Honda over a period of 8 seasons, and scored ZERO wins ... then he's put in a Brawn GP, the fastest car on track, and he doesn't just get his first win, he wins the Championship!

Seb's in a Red Bull, by far the fastest car out there (even without KERS), which is why his wins have been so comfortable ... put Nico in a Red Bull, and he'd be winning races and gunning for the Championship too ...

Mark Webber is a choker, and is not good enough to challenge for the Championship ...

 

[newbie original]

Another absolutely scintillating performance by Sebastien Vettlel in the Red Bull to qualify 1st in China. He seems unbeatable.

Meanwhile McLaren has emerged as the #1 contender.....Ferrari is nowhere to be found. Alonso seems to be struggling with reliability and Massa, ever since his accident a year or 2 ago, IS NOT THE SAME DRIVER. He just can't get it done. At this rate, he'll be gone at the end this season without so much as a whimper.

And how about that Nico Rosberg.....4th? HA! Schumacher? 14th! Haha!

 

[newbie original]

Well, the US Grand Prix will be returning in 2012. So the track/circuit in Austin, Texas (that will be hosting the race) decided to give itself a name....Circuit of the Americas. Aside from sounding utterly ludicrous, they forgot the fact that (North) America ALREADY has an F1 track with a so much more, you know, F1 history to it....it was named after the most revered Ferrari driver of all time (Enzo's favorite) and its name is Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Now, THAT's a real track name and, quite frankly, THAT's a real F1 track. It looks and feels like F1.

The United States of America has ONE, yes ONLY one, track where a single American F1 race MUST be run....it's called Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it is the most famous racing track/circuit in the world, along with the one based on the streets of Monte Carlo. If you're running a SINGLE American race, then it MUST be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway....and nowhere else.

I got to be honest....Circuit of the Americas sounds like a cheap GP2 or GP3 track...not an F1 track.

Circuit of the Americas ANNOUNCEMENT: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/video-austin-f1-track-announcement/

 

[Xifio]

Another absolutely scintillating performance by Sebastien Vettlel in the Red Bull to qualify 1st in China. He seems unbeatable.

that Red Bull is ridiculous (though reliability could still be a question) ... Seb is very fortunate, and he's taking full advantage ...

And how about that Nico Rosberg.....4th? HA! Schumacher? 14th! Haha!

Nico is awesome ... his car hasn't always been; it looks like it has some more pace this race weekend, but his start tomorrow will be crucial to whether he can make a good quali 3 position count in-race ...

Well, the US Grand Prix will be returning in 2012. So the track/circuit in Austin, Texas (that will be hosting the race) decided to give itself a name....Circuit of the Americas. Aside from sounding utterly ludicrous, they forgot the fact that (North) America ALREADY has an F1 track with a so much more, you know, F1 history to it....it was named after the most revered Ferrari driver of all time (Enzo's favorite) and its name is Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Now, THAT's a real track name and, quite frankly, THAT's a real F1 track. It looks and feels like F1.

The United States of America has ONE, yes ONLY one, track where a single American F1 race MUST be run....it's called Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it is the most famous racing track/circuit in the world, along with the one based on the streets of Monte Carlo. If you're running a SINGLE American race, then it MUST be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway....and nowhere else.

I got to be honest....Circuit of the Americas sounds like a cheap GP2 or GP3 track...not an F1 track.

Circuit of the Americas ANNOUNCEMENT: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/video-austin-f1-track-announcement/

it's not the worst name they could have come up with ... I don't really care, coz I'm here, I'll be going [in all likelihood], and I'm still trying to wrangle some free tickets from local sponsors ...

 

[newbie original]

Chinese GP Results:
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Mark Webber (?!!!?)
4. Jenson Button
5. Robserg
6. Massa
7. Alonso
8. Michael Schumacher

Well, Jenson Button has to be the biggest loser in this race. He started 2nd and was leading after a brutal start by Vettel. Really, Button had this race in the bag until the first pit-stop.......when he stopped in the wrong pit slot! Are you kidding me? THAT cost him the race......he spent the remainder of the race thinking about and trying to recover from that and, quite frankly, stood no chance of catching up after that mistake. That's just not how he drives.

As far as the biggest winner....no, it was not Lewis Hamilton. It was Mark Webber who started 18th and finished 3rd. Crazy.

By the way, everyone was complaining about the Pirelli tires. But, that HAS to be the most exciting Formula 1 race I've watched in a LONG LONG time. How wrong they were. Incredible stuff. To quote David Coulthard in the commentary booth(international, ofcourse): "Thank You Pirelli".

 

[Xifio]

yup, very exciting race -- haven't seen that much overtaking and re-taking in a long time ... clearly Seb's Red Bull had a problem that he could not communicate in the latter part of the race; he wasn't using his KERS (it has been confirmed that that was a problem), and he lost out ... Webber finally showed some spunk; incredible push from him ... the Red Bulls are clearly amazing cars, considering their pace without KERS ...

great strategy from McLaren and Mercedes ... it was a real shame when Nico was told his fuel was "critical", after which he backed off, which lost temperature in his harder tyres, and then unsurprisingly locked up more than once ... Hamilton benefited the most at the end, in a car that is clearly improving fast ... Button could and should have done better ...

 

[newbie original]

... clearly Seb's Red Bull had a problem that he could not communicate in the latter part of the race......

No, actually, I think it was just because of the fact that he was on a 2-stop strategy, just like Massa. Those 2 guys fell off significantly towards the end....they had no grip. If if wasn't for Vettel's lead, he would have been passed by Webber. I would tend to believe that Massa and Vettel could both have been finished higher if they weren't on 2-stoppers.

 

[Xifio]

give him his KERS back, and he'd have defended for those handful of remaining laps ...

 

[newbie original]

BTW, I was going to say something else earlier...........

The guy who came up with the DRS system to increase downforce is an absolute genius! KERS has been hit and miss but the DRS is working like a charm.

WHAT A CONCEPT!

The FIA was supposed to review its effectiveness after the Malaysian GP last week. Well, this race has answered questions by any and all critics of the system.

 

[Xifio]

WOW! from all that snoozing with the red flag, and safety car, that climaxed as an incredible race ...

SENSATIONAL drive from Jenson ... from the back of the grid after a million pit stops, forced the error from Seb, and takes the most remarkable win ...

and Massa with the photo finish overtake of Kobayashi at the checkers ...

Michael Schumacher deserves recognition for that long-awaited superlative drive -- what a champion, pushing that Mercedes to the its limits of possibility ...

F1 is alive and well!

 

[ARIAGA II]

It is indeed...and Schumi lives!

 

[bilalhaq21]

great race from vettel today.. thought he did a phenomenal job preserving his tyres, exact opposite of hamilton... i'm curious about hamilton's future, he's mclaren bred but man is he unhappy orwhat.. wouldn't like to see him leave mclaren but if he went to red bull then we can finally close the vettel v hamilton debates.

anyone else have a view on the race ?

 

[Xifio]

hah, I thought it was a bot that had posted in here:

great race from vettel today.. thought he did a phenomenal job preserving his tyres, exact opposite of hamilton... i'm curious about hamilton's future, he's mclaren bred but man is he unhappy orwhat.. wouldn't like to see him leave mclaren but if he went to red bull then we can finally close the vettel v hamilton debates.

anyone else have a view on the race ?

Hamilton should stay at McLaren so that Button can continue making him look like the silly child he still is -- Lewis is not aggressive; as a driver, he's just an immature spoilt brat, who's throwing the toys out of his pram, now that he hasn't been getting his way ...

 

[Xifio]

time for a season halfway review ...

despite the controversial mid-season rule changes this race weekend regarding exhaust gases over the blown diffuser, the British GP pretty much reflected the season so far:

- Red Bull lock out the front row in qualis
- Vettel is the race leader for a significant period, if not the whole race
- only team or driver errors from Red Bull allow the race win to slip
- Webber is implicitly, but quite publicly, treated as the team's second driver
- the top 6 drivers, in terms of championship points, are from the top 3 teams: Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari
- Nico Rosberg is the best driver from the non-title-challenging teams

 

[newbie original]

So 2 races without a win for Red Bull. The real fight is for 2nd place right now.

And that is the problem.....
See there' s 3 guys - Hamilton, Alonso and Webber - and they are all going to cancel each other out. In other words, if Vettel keeps getting top 3 finishes, that should be enough for him to win the title comfortably.

Ferrari seem like they're making progress...they need better results from Massa though. He needs to emerge as someone who can finish ahead of Alonso's challengers to help Alonso out. Same goes for Jenson Button at McLaren.....he can't win the title, so he's just going to have to help Lewis Hamilton.

Anyways, there was talk about Rupert Murdoch buying Formula 1 and making fans pay to watch races. Guess that won't be happening now.

 

[newbie original]

WOW! from all that snoozing with the red flag, and safety car, that climaxed as an incredible race ...

SENSATIONAL drive from Jenson ... from the back of the grid after a million pit stops, forced the error from Seb, and takes the most remarkable win .......
F1 is alive and well!

What a race that was!