ampthill - MemberAren't we agreeing
I'm confused
but that's single track for you
Yep I was agreeing with you.
Lotus will run Merc engines if they pay the bill.
They've skimmed along now missing bills for a couple of years? Now theres a shadow of who does own the company?
Lotus have gone backward this year and its not just the engine issue
it would not be surprised if the switch to merc engines, was not in part renault telling them they are not going to supply them anymore , as there have been plenty of payment issues in the past.
was not in part renault telling them they are not going to supply them anymore
My thoughts too - and the Renault 'paperwork' that had to be finalised in the last few weeks were no doubt late payments that had to be settled before they'd release Lotus from their contract with them.
It looks like Total were the catalyst for the change when they decided to stop their subsidy of the Renault units to Lotus.
Lotus have gone backward this year and its not just the engine issue
Nope, the two hopeless drivers are a big factor, even if one brings wads of cash with him.
Kimi was a big factor in making that team a serious contender last year. What were they, 3rd in the championship? Now they are lucky to be in the top ten.
Small update on Bianchi: http://www.f1today.net/en/news/father-says-no-significant-changes-in-bianchis-condition
No change in condition. Quite nice that Ferrari requested a specialist too as well as the doctor who treated Schumacher that went over to help.
I don't think it's fair to say that Grosjean is hopeless - once he stopped crashing, he proved that he's pretty quick and at the end of last year, he was the driver who came closest to giving RB a race.
Charlie Whiting's investigation into the circumstances of Sunday's crash is now set to be handed down, and Italy's Autosprint claims video footage and team telemetry will show that Bianchi did not significantly slow despite yellow flags.
I expect that it will show that and really even if it doesn't, it's clear that there is an issue around that as drivers have been pushing it for ages/for ever - hardly surprising really given that there haven't actually been any accidents like this for some time and so they get the balance between wanting to get a decent result and safety a little mixed up.
As has been suggested above, there really needs to be a clearer response to yellow/double yellows defined be that through deltas or whatever (ECU to responds to yellow sectors reducing power over a controlled period maybe?) to take the choice out of their hands and to make it fairer/consistent. Also clearer rules on trucks on the track as there will always be a need for them particularly with many of the new tracks having such big run off areas (eg cranes won't reach).
Grosjean was a menace to begin with but really showed what he is capable of at the tail end of last year. Lotus made a massive mistake in taking Mr Potatohead as their other driver just because he was bringing money in. Although I am quite happy with the way it turned out for him, he thought he was going to a faster team from a slow one and the tables have turned on him.
FORGET the tractor. Just park that thought for a minute.
Double yellows are being waved.
That means a driver and/or marshalls are on the track.
Marshalls are killed. Most aren't paid either are they?
Like I said, if the tractor hadn't been there and a marshall had (they were shielded to a degree by the tractor).
Anyway.
BTW I think it was a Caterpillar not a JCB.
Maldonado was a necessary evil for Lotus though given that they needed lots of money and quickly! The funny thing is that those in the know all say that he's actually quite fast but massively inconsistent - I recall an article (Mark Hughes IIRC) comparing drivers' style at one GP where the writer commented that Maldonado was really fast in the corner but never did it the same twice whereas other drivers where very consistent.
You're right Hora (not often anyone says that 🙂 ) - the marshals were pretty lucky given the speed Bianchi was going.
I don't think it's fair to say that Grosjean is hopeless - once he stopped crashing, he proved that he's pretty quick and at the end of last year, he was the driver who came closest to giving RB a race.
I concur, Grosjean is pretty good these days
There was talk of him following the CEO of his management team to McLaren but that's all been lost in the noise now, I still reckon it could happen though.
Grosjean is maturing nicely, I reckon he'd be one to watch in a better car than the Lotus. As for Maldonado, he comes with a huge amount of sponsorship and seemingly an equally large chip on his shoulder. I suspect that he was unmanageable at Williams, but he's fun to watch in a will-he-won't-he-spin type of a way.
Like I said, if the tractor hadn't been there and a marshall had (they were shielded to a degree by the tractor).
I did actually think about making that comment in one of my previous posts where I suggested mobile cranes parked behind the barrier. If the tractor hadn't been there and they'd had a crane there would still have been a marshal the wrong side of the barrier - a marshal who'd possibly have been right in the path of Bianchi's car (I still think Bianchi was steering right to avoid the tractor). See the reaction of the marshal in the video.
I do find it strange how all the suggestions seem to be that the last F1 death was Senna in '94 when there was a marshal killed last year, and also a couple more since Senna.
You're right aracer, the drivers are usually in the least riskiest position when things go pear shaped. The marshals and spectators are more Lilley to get hit by debris and/or the car itself.
You don't even need a crane on most circuits, just a drag line set up, marshes hooks the car up, gets out of the way, and it's then just winched to wherever....
Would that work on f1 cars in a gravel trap? where would you actually attach the winch? If you used the roll hoop while in a gravel trap, surely it'd just flip the whole car over...
Not to mention trashing the car if it's lost wheels/etc and drags on the ground.
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/29573232
Looks like they are looking into the remote speed limiter idea and also putting skirts on the recovery cranes. Probably not happen until next season.
Hamilton destroying everyone in qualifying so far. 3 tenths faster that Rosberg in Q2. 5 fastest cars all Mercedes powered.
Jenson appears to be answering the accusations of not having the qualifying pace of Magnussen. Surely they can't drop him if he has another good race here after the performance last weekend?
Hmm, interesting interview from Jenson. EJ described it as "That interview was like someone who has not made the final cut" - well maybe he already knows he hasn't made the final cut...
Not looking good is it 🙁
Thing is he still has it. But he just doesnt get noticed as much.
I'm a big Jenson fan and it would seem wrong for him to go. But I'll also take his advice "know one should feel sorry for me"
I really enjoyed this qualifying. The tyres peaking a bit later in the session seemed to make for better tv. Although Williams and Mclaren pace helped.
Idol thought. The Mercedez,Renault engine gap has got bigger as the Mercedez have lasted the year better. So they are happy to turn upto 11 while Renault cars are worried about having anything left fort the last race and running on 9?
News of Bianchis condition worsening. tbh since I heard the diagnosis it filled me with dread. Fingers crossed.
Meanwhile it's been said that Schumachers injury is related to the GoPro mount on his helmet: http://www.f1today.net/en/news/schumacher-waking-up-very-slowly-at-home
Or maybe they should say 'camera mount' as GoPro is the latest in the Hoover type associations.
I hope this isn't Jensons last season. It's not like he's making up the numbers is it, great drive last week, looking good this week. There's too many teams "looking to the future", it happened a few years back and then a lot of the young guns turned out to be not so quick. Everyone talks about a him like he's over the hill, and while Alonso is arguably one of the top 3 out there, he's only a year younger, so not exactly fulfilling that brief of being the future. I think Vettel will bag a few more championships before he retires, it's pretty easy to forget he's only 27.
I have never used helmet mounted camera. But in the good old TJ days I remember thinking that they had alot of potential to increase rotational injuries in a crash
I was thinking more about them breaking away and into the wearers head and hadn't thought of that. They do stick up quite a bit.
I think the problem for McL with Jenson is that if they get FA they then have two relatively old drivers who could conceivably retire at the same time which is clearly bad for continuity.
Magnussen old?
so f1 sucks putins balls over HIS national anthem,
f1 should have a 2 mins silence at the start for that downed airliner perhaps too....300+ eu people....
hey nothing new to f1 though as they race in the rights supressing middle eastern countries too of course...
but the worlds all quiet on that now.... so that's ok
Nice bit of Daniel Ricardo riding his bike at Woburn. Seemed quite annoyingly capable, gap jumps and all. Bit surprised Red Bull allow it after all the past issues with Weber though.
as a non-afficionado, then - WTF was Rosberg up to there ? 😀
The locked brake? Poor driving pure and simple. I like his "I'm driving to the end of the race, for your information" excuse for struggling to get past back markers
I don't think rosberg is going to make sure these last looking at the wear patterns from the onboard footage.
They need to keep Hamilton out as long as possible so he doesn't get stuck behind those yet to pit down the back.
Come on lewis! And button, get that podium
Shame it's such a boring race so far, it had all the ingredients and the track for some fireworks.
Both GP2 races & the GP3 were great battles.
It's a shame how many 'artificial' elements have had to be bought into F1 over the last few years to keep it entertaining - as they said on the commentary with the tyres not really wearing it's like how it used to be...
I can't see anyone behind rosberg being able to capitalise on his tyres dropping off. Going to be close for him but I think getting some clear runs in the middle have helped get them back.
The start held a lot of promise of an exciting race but has been a bit boring. Only excitement coming from the strategy aspect.
It's a shame how many 'artificial' elements have had to be bought into F1 over the last few years to keep it entertaining - as they said on the commentary with the tyres not really wearing it's like how it used to be...
Boring?
Listening on the radio and this is the dullest race in a long time.
Bernie just gave Putin a hug.
Good grief that was dullzzzzzzzzzzzz
No safety car so lots of fuel saving didn't help today.
Why did that bloke want to be photo-ed with THAT guy?
Do they have to wear awful sunglasses as part of their contract??
lewis drove a mistake free race - ive got to hand it to him
although the title is still alive ,
it was a shame we didnt see more of riccardo to keep the battle 3 ways, even with a slim chance
was a boring race
dont ever remember other heads of state being in the drivers post-race-area to ensure great PR for his country