Campos
Manor
the Yanks.
Manor who .....
[quote]Wirth, who is the Technical Director of Manor Grand Prix Racing, started his career as an Aerodynamicist for the March F1 racing team. He was responsible for aerodynamic concepts as well as scheming and design of wind tunnel model components for the 1988 and 1989 Leyton House March F1 cars.[/quote]
There you go, that'll be why Manour get the nod over Prodrive and Lola, both very established teams in events NOT run by the FIA .hmmmmmm
The FIA have gone for established FIA feeder series teamsn so Formula Renault, GP2, Euro Formula etc. WEhich i suppose is what MAx wants, drivers feed through these series, why not teams. I just feel that Prodrive and Lola have more than enough of a track level at the veryt top of the series they're in. ALMS, Le Mans Seires, WRC, etc etc, I think this was very much a Jobs for the boys effort.
Obviously the American Eagle racing Yee haaa F1 Gp y'all team is there for the American money i know. But as i understand it, most of the top brass are connected with the FIA and the world of F1 already.
Cosworth as the custmore engine of choice ... even though it's a 5 year old design and not actually been produced as yet.
Well there we go, it'll rumble on for a week or 2, Campos will be the first to fold then the Yanks and then Manor.
Let's wait and see shall we
Friday, 12 June 2009
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Le Mans Qualifying
Now that was a nail biter.
So Wednesday it was just practice for 6 hours and most of that was in a cold wet drizzerly rain. So we didn't really have a clear picture of who was fastest, who was doing long runs and where Audi and Peugeot stood. Honours even.
Thursday and it's two, 2 hour sessions. nice bright clear weather, means every ones out and doing faster times in the first 15 minutes. Audi and Peugeot trading laps, all around the 3 minute 30 second lap time nobody really showing their hands.
Meanwhile the two LMP2 Porsche's are pretty much nailing the LMP2 honours with the speedy racing Lola keeping then honest.
Corvette racing make GT1 their own, and GT2 is all about who isn't getting in any ones way. Felbermayr and Risi are are batter ling away, JMB and BMS not far behind.
Towards the end of the session and Peugeot are leading the way when McNish bolts on some warm race tires goes out and nails the provisional pole with a blinding 3.23.650. A lap that was all about getting through the Porsche curves with no hold ups. And because the Audi have timed it so well that McNish crossed the line to start his hot lap with 6 seconds of the session left. The whole lap was as clear as you can get. Superb work from Audi.
Round 1 to Audi.
In the final session it looks like everyone has settled for the status quo. Peugeot are pretty much leading all but one of the Audi's. Whilst the nearest petrol car is in 8th. With 5 minutes to go the peugeots of Minassian and Sarrazin are out on track. Kristensen is doing a long 13 lap run in the pole sitting Audi. The Peugeots start to win up. first Sarrazin is a second away, then he's half a second and then, with a clear lap, a tail wind and a leary moment of two, he's done it. Pole with a 3.22.888. top stuff.
Audi send Marco Werner out to try and save some pride. but it's too much of the No. 2 car.
This means the top 10 looks like this.
1 8 Team Peugeot Total LMP1 SARRAZIN Stephane 3'22.888
2 1 Audi Sport Team Joest LMP1 KRISTENSEN Tom 3'23.650
3 7 Team Peugeot Total LMP1 MINASSIAN Nicolas 3'24.860
4 17 Pescarolo Sport LMP1 TRELUYER Benoit 3'25.062
5 9 Peugeot Sport Total LMP1 GENE Marc 3'25.252
6 2 Audi Sport North America LMP1 WERNER Marco 3'25.780
7 3 Audi Sport Team Joest LMP1 BERNHARD Timo 3'27.106
8 007 AMR Eastern Europe LMP1 CHAROUZ Jan 3'27.180
9 008 Aston Martin Racing LMP1 TURNER D 3'27.704
10 13 Speedy Racing Sebah LMP1 BELICCHI Andrea 3'28.134
pug, audi, pug, Pesca pug, pug, audi, audi, aston, aston, lola.
which i think Sets us up for a cracking race. The Audi isn't faster than the Peugeot but they are a lot stronger. Last year Audi won with a better car in the wet of Sunday morning. The Pugs had too many fidderly little problems and the rain came at just the wrong moment.
This year it might be wet again come Sunday morning, but the Pugs should have a better handle on the car in the rain. Bearingg in mind that the Peugeots are much the same car as last year and have had 3 races this year. Audi have a whole new car and engine which has only raced at Sebring (which they won comfortably).
It's going to come down to pit work and which cars break first.
I'd like the Mcnish Audi to win because it's McNish.
Peugeot deserve to win because Audi have won it for almost 10 years now and i'd like to see a French car win. despite having no brits there at all Brabham being the closest so a win for that car.
The Pescarola Peugeot should win so that Henry can retire with the win he so richly deserves.
finally and Aston win, highly unlikely would be a dream come true. But that will require the car to be built proof for the first time ever and the Diesels to all have problems, big problems.
Heres to another classic year
So Wednesday it was just practice for 6 hours and most of that was in a cold wet drizzerly rain. So we didn't really have a clear picture of who was fastest, who was doing long runs and where Audi and Peugeot stood. Honours even.
Thursday and it's two, 2 hour sessions. nice bright clear weather, means every ones out and doing faster times in the first 15 minutes. Audi and Peugeot trading laps, all around the 3 minute 30 second lap time nobody really showing their hands.
Meanwhile the two LMP2 Porsche's are pretty much nailing the LMP2 honours with the speedy racing Lola keeping then honest.
Corvette racing make GT1 their own, and GT2 is all about who isn't getting in any ones way. Felbermayr and Risi are are batter ling away, JMB and BMS not far behind.
Towards the end of the session and Peugeot are leading the way when McNish bolts on some warm race tires goes out and nails the provisional pole with a blinding 3.23.650. A lap that was all about getting through the Porsche curves with no hold ups. And because the Audi have timed it so well that McNish crossed the line to start his hot lap with 6 seconds of the session left. The whole lap was as clear as you can get. Superb work from Audi.
Round 1 to Audi.
In the final session it looks like everyone has settled for the status quo. Peugeot are pretty much leading all but one of the Audi's. Whilst the nearest petrol car is in 8th. With 5 minutes to go the peugeots of Minassian and Sarrazin are out on track. Kristensen is doing a long 13 lap run in the pole sitting Audi. The Peugeots start to win up. first Sarrazin is a second away, then he's half a second and then, with a clear lap, a tail wind and a leary moment of two, he's done it. Pole with a 3.22.888. top stuff.
Audi send Marco Werner out to try and save some pride. but it's too much of the No. 2 car.
This means the top 10 looks like this.
1 8 Team Peugeot Total LMP1 SARRAZIN Stephane 3'22.888
2 1 Audi Sport Team Joest LMP1 KRISTENSEN Tom 3'23.650
3 7 Team Peugeot Total LMP1 MINASSIAN Nicolas 3'24.860
4 17 Pescarolo Sport LMP1 TRELUYER Benoit 3'25.062
5 9 Peugeot Sport Total LMP1 GENE Marc 3'25.252
6 2 Audi Sport North America LMP1 WERNER Marco 3'25.780
7 3 Audi Sport Team Joest LMP1 BERNHARD Timo 3'27.106
8 007 AMR Eastern Europe LMP1 CHAROUZ Jan 3'27.180
9 008 Aston Martin Racing LMP1 TURNER D 3'27.704
10 13 Speedy Racing Sebah LMP1 BELICCHI Andrea 3'28.134
pug, audi, pug, Pesca pug, pug, audi, audi, aston, aston, lola.
which i think Sets us up for a cracking race. The Audi isn't faster than the Peugeot but they are a lot stronger. Last year Audi won with a better car in the wet of Sunday morning. The Pugs had too many fidderly little problems and the rain came at just the wrong moment.
This year it might be wet again come Sunday morning, but the Pugs should have a better handle on the car in the rain. Bearingg in mind that the Peugeots are much the same car as last year and have had 3 races this year. Audi have a whole new car and engine which has only raced at Sebring (which they won comfortably).
It's going to come down to pit work and which cars break first.
I'd like the Mcnish Audi to win because it's McNish.
Peugeot deserve to win because Audi have won it for almost 10 years now and i'd like to see a French car win. despite having no brits there at all Brabham being the closest so a win for that car.
The Pescarola Peugeot should win so that Henry can retire with the win he so richly deserves.
finally and Aston win, highly unlikely would be a dream come true. But that will require the car to be built proof for the first time ever and the Diesels to all have problems, big problems.
Heres to another classic year
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
I WANT TO BE IN LE MANS
grump grump grump.
i'd rather be sitting in a field in France right now than listening to Radio Le Mans replaying the Spa 1000Km race from May
Grump grump grump
i'd rather be sitting in a field in France right now than listening to Radio Le Mans replaying the Spa 1000Km race from May
Grump grump grump
Sunday, 7 June 2009
So there we go. Is there anyone out there who can stop Button? Anyone at all that can make a fist of this championship.
Oh I’m fine with the fact that it is Button and not say Barrichello or Webber. Who have never really shown they can turn it on with a win when it counts; they choke or have bad luck. Trulli you all know how I feel about him, He’s no Hamilton.
Button has always been a smooth consistent driver, in the mould of Hill or Prost. But he can turn it on when he needs to. The pass on Hamilton in Bahrain for example, and this week where Vettel has a car that on paper should be able to walk away from the Brawn. Vettel whose gone light on fuel to get thee grid position, clean air is what the Redbull needs to be faster than the Brawn. But then as Button follows him through turn 8, down the hill to turns 9 and 10, on cold tires and Vettel goes 1 foot wide to the right, get’s flicked out of the corner into 10 and is on the grass and fighting to keep the nose pointing in vaguely the right direction. Next thing he sees is Button sailing past him and off into the lead.
That’s it really.
Vettel tries to catch up, does a bit. Then spends 10 laps sitting 10 foot behind the back of the Brawn, watching the best rear diffuser in the business. Oh and a very smooth driver who soaks up the pressure and doesn’t give the young German an inch.
I don’t think Button is ever going to excite the goose bumps and tingle the spine. We’re never going to watch him hang it all out on the edge where the angels and Senna used to walk. No, but we can enjoy watching a driver who is really dialled into his car, knows what it’s going to do and trusts that when he wants to turn in, the car is going to allow him
Unlike Hamilton, who looks like he’s been given his first escort Mk5 and had “Drifting” explained to him for the first time? That looks like one nasty car to drive. Massive under steer, Power over steer, it’s heavy, slow and gripless. Last year he was fighting the Ferrari for the win. This year he’s fighting to keep ahead of the Force Indies’ and the Torro Rosso’s’. Odd really isn’t, McLaren are where the Brawns (Hondas) have been for the last three year. A sobering thought for Mr Hamilton and if I was Mr Hamilton Snr, I’d be looking at the Brawns and wondering when Barrichello will announce his retirement.
So it’s a Button win and well done to him, he took the chance when it presented itself and didn’t look he was going to give it up when challenged.
2nd Webber does nothing spectacular and profits from Vettel cocking it up
3rd speaking of which he did all he could with a light car for Pole and then blew it being a foot to far right. Vettel doesn’t look quite so shiny all of a sudden. He couldn’t hold it all together at the start and couldn’t force Button into an error when trying to chase the dream down. Defiantly a race lost here.
4th Trulli, Yawn.
5th Rosberg keeps hopes of a move to McLaren or Toyota alive with a good fiery drive. I don’t think he’s his old man, But he’s fast when he needs to be.
6th Massa. Oh how the mighty have fallen. He’s made this track his over the last 3 years. Poles and wins all over the place. Now he’s struggerling to make the points. No where near the Brawns, Toyotas or Redbulls. But Ferrari and at least feel like they’re going forward at last. Oh and much better than Raikkonen too.
7th Kubica. Bugger me, the BMWs bring a car that isn’t utter rubbish for a change. Kubica whinges into the points and reminds the rest of the paddock that he used to be considered something special.
8th and last of the paying points for Glock. Who did alright but wasn’t better than Trulli.
9th Rikkonen, is already looking at setting up a little Ice-cream shop in Helsingfor. He’s an ex world champion and the highest paid driver in Formula 1 you know!
10th Alonso. We’ll he’s doing a better job than Piquet I suppose.
Oh I’m fine with the fact that it is Button and not say Barrichello or Webber. Who have never really shown they can turn it on with a win when it counts; they choke or have bad luck. Trulli you all know how I feel about him, He’s no Hamilton.
Button has always been a smooth consistent driver, in the mould of Hill or Prost. But he can turn it on when he needs to. The pass on Hamilton in Bahrain for example, and this week where Vettel has a car that on paper should be able to walk away from the Brawn. Vettel whose gone light on fuel to get thee grid position, clean air is what the Redbull needs to be faster than the Brawn. But then as Button follows him through turn 8, down the hill to turns 9 and 10, on cold tires and Vettel goes 1 foot wide to the right, get’s flicked out of the corner into 10 and is on the grass and fighting to keep the nose pointing in vaguely the right direction. Next thing he sees is Button sailing past him and off into the lead.
That’s it really.
Vettel tries to catch up, does a bit. Then spends 10 laps sitting 10 foot behind the back of the Brawn, watching the best rear diffuser in the business. Oh and a very smooth driver who soaks up the pressure and doesn’t give the young German an inch.
I don’t think Button is ever going to excite the goose bumps and tingle the spine. We’re never going to watch him hang it all out on the edge where the angels and Senna used to walk. No, but we can enjoy watching a driver who is really dialled into his car, knows what it’s going to do and trusts that when he wants to turn in, the car is going to allow him
Unlike Hamilton, who looks like he’s been given his first escort Mk5 and had “Drifting” explained to him for the first time? That looks like one nasty car to drive. Massive under steer, Power over steer, it’s heavy, slow and gripless. Last year he was fighting the Ferrari for the win. This year he’s fighting to keep ahead of the Force Indies’ and the Torro Rosso’s’. Odd really isn’t, McLaren are where the Brawns (Hondas) have been for the last three year. A sobering thought for Mr Hamilton and if I was Mr Hamilton Snr, I’d be looking at the Brawns and wondering when Barrichello will announce his retirement.
So it’s a Button win and well done to him, he took the chance when it presented itself and didn’t look he was going to give it up when challenged.
2nd Webber does nothing spectacular and profits from Vettel cocking it up
3rd speaking of which he did all he could with a light car for Pole and then blew it being a foot to far right. Vettel doesn’t look quite so shiny all of a sudden. He couldn’t hold it all together at the start and couldn’t force Button into an error when trying to chase the dream down. Defiantly a race lost here.
4th Trulli, Yawn.
5th Rosberg keeps hopes of a move to McLaren or Toyota alive with a good fiery drive. I don’t think he’s his old man, But he’s fast when he needs to be.
6th Massa. Oh how the mighty have fallen. He’s made this track his over the last 3 years. Poles and wins all over the place. Now he’s struggerling to make the points. No where near the Brawns, Toyotas or Redbulls. But Ferrari and at least feel like they’re going forward at last. Oh and much better than Raikkonen too.
7th Kubica. Bugger me, the BMWs bring a car that isn’t utter rubbish for a change. Kubica whinges into the points and reminds the rest of the paddock that he used to be considered something special.
8th and last of the paying points for Glock. Who did alright but wasn’t better than Trulli.
9th Rikkonen, is already looking at setting up a little Ice-cream shop in Helsingfor. He’s an ex world champion and the highest paid driver in Formula 1 you know!
10th Alonso. We’ll he’s doing a better job than Piquet I suppose.
So Vettel makes the front row. But only just really.
When he got out of the car he didn't look like he'd nailed that with a heavy car by the skin of his teeth did he. Considering he's 5Kg lighter than the Brawns behind him, you can understand why. So I guess Button has to be the favourite.
But winning is always easy to talk about isn't it. Let's have a look further down the grid shall we.
Trulli, the most boring man in Formula 1 today is running pretty heavy back in 5th spot. So he'll be running really really slowly for a very very long time. Dear Lord don't let him win. Toyota will cock it up, i have no doubt. But sometimes the stars aline and the gods of boring drivers smile on the dull and they win! Let's hope Toyota stay true to form and screw it up.
Further back in 10th and 11th the BMW's are running super heavy. Now that might just be because they are the heaviest Formula 1 car ever built, or they are looking to one stop the race. Who knows they might make it to the top ten with a fair wind and a touch of luck.
Someone who will require the Gods of luck to go off on a truly stupendous bender and got so amazingly drunk that they give the term "lucky git" a whole new world of meaning. Is Mr Hamilton. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Now i still think he's the best balls out driver there but McLaren have given one truly awful dog of a car. Or rather, it was a bit of a rubbish car, but it's turned week after week in to a majestic failure of a car. Watching Hamilton try and qualify for Q2 as he fought the bollocks off the thing was painful. Really really painful. Now he's talking about it being too late to turn this thing around, time to quite developing and "do a Brawn", as it's now called.
Okay. Charlie is now hungry and i have to go into town to get Bacon sarnies. More later
When he got out of the car he didn't look like he'd nailed that with a heavy car by the skin of his teeth did he. Considering he's 5Kg lighter than the Brawns behind him, you can understand why. So I guess Button has to be the favourite.
But winning is always easy to talk about isn't it. Let's have a look further down the grid shall we.
Trulli, the most boring man in Formula 1 today is running pretty heavy back in 5th spot. So he'll be running really really slowly for a very very long time. Dear Lord don't let him win. Toyota will cock it up, i have no doubt. But sometimes the stars aline and the gods of boring drivers smile on the dull and they win! Let's hope Toyota stay true to form and screw it up.
Further back in 10th and 11th the BMW's are running super heavy. Now that might just be because they are the heaviest Formula 1 car ever built, or they are looking to one stop the race. Who knows they might make it to the top ten with a fair wind and a touch of luck.
Someone who will require the Gods of luck to go off on a truly stupendous bender and got so amazingly drunk that they give the term "lucky git" a whole new world of meaning. Is Mr Hamilton. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Now i still think he's the best balls out driver there but McLaren have given one truly awful dog of a car. Or rather, it was a bit of a rubbish car, but it's turned week after week in to a majestic failure of a car. Watching Hamilton try and qualify for Q2 as he fought the bollocks off the thing was painful. Really really painful. Now he's talking about it being too late to turn this thing around, time to quite developing and "do a Brawn", as it's now called.
Okay. Charlie is now hungry and i have to go into town to get Bacon sarnies. More later
Friday, 5 June 2009
The Turkish round ... who will win this time.
Istanbul
It’ll be a Brawn or a Redbull or possibly even a Ferrari.
It defiantly won’t be a McLaren or a BMW or a Toyota.
This place is all about getting round the mighty turn 8. With 4 apex elements, about 5 lines through the corner, off camber an exit that drops down hill. It sorts the men … from the boys. You have to be confident the car is going to turn in when you want it to, not to run wide at any point and not start over steering on the turn in. Planted and solid, it’s what you need. Because if you can’t carry the speed through turn 8 you’ll be 20mph down on the long straight that follows and you’ll never get close to the Brawns. A big set of cahoners helps significantly along with bags of mechanical down force and slippery aero for the long straight.
So Button is on a roll and looking like the run away champion right now. But wait, what light breaks from yonder garage, if it isn’t our favourite Fin, the ever ready wit of Kimi “I’ll have a minty Cornetto please” Raikkonen. He’s got to deliver here or it’s good bye adios and close the fridge door on the way out lad. Since winning the title he’s been nothing but rubbish. Lots of fastest laps, but now’t else. And fastest laps don’t make for world championships. The talk is of him being replaced sooner rather than later, maybe a Glock or Rosberg in a Ferrari dawn raid and the Fin is finding a new job Monday morning. Considering he’s the best paid driver in F1 today he’s not really earning the money is he. So after a good showing at Monaco, a circuit he dislikes, we’re back to the nice fast circuits and a chance to shine. BUT Massa loves this place, really really loves the Turkish air and a Tilke circuit. He got his world championship back on track and starting to roll here last year and made a name for himself the year before. So if Kimi falls asleep YET again, Massa would be the next up to challenge Button, and in fact it would surprise me to see him with the big cup come Sunday afternoon.
We’ll forget about Barrichello, because he’s had his chance and he blow it. He’s not going to get signed on for next years program so he’s racing for pride now. Buttons tail gunner, nothing more.
Vettel and Webber should have the nuts for the job here, if nothing else to disprove the observation that they can only win on a wet track. Christian Horner the team boss is talking his boys up here. With some more aero updates and the new trick Adrian Newey diffuser these boys are gunning for the fight. But can they do it. Well if the Ferraris boys get ahead of the Redbulls and disrupt the air flow over the front wings the Redbulls will fail. Get ahead and they have a damn good chance. In a straight line they can have the Brawn, just as long as the road is wide enough for two cars anyway.
As to the others, well Toyota hasn’t bothered to try and make their car go any faster. Trulli get’s a nose bleed is it does 2 fastest laps back to back. So Mr Boring is quite happy thank you very much, never underestimate the quite man of racing. Just poke him now and again to make sure he’s not actually asleep. Glock had a pretty good time of it in Monaco. He took a rubbish car and made the top ten. That’s loads better than Trulli.
Williams having been kicked out of FOTA for crawling back to the FIA are being ignored by the rest of the teams and being told to go and eat in the lower 3rd form common room with the other oiks. They don’t have the money to develop the car and Ferrari are whispering sweat nothings in Rosbergs ear. Nakajima continues to up hold the honour of all Japanese F1 drivers by crashing at every attempt.
Renault, other than wondering why Piquet is still given seat time over Bruno Senna, have the Renaults actually turned up at ay events this year. I can’t remember seeing them once. Other than to see Piquet crashing obviously. Calling Alonso to the track, Is there a Mr Alonso in the building ?
McLaren, give it up lads and go and build next years car. Sucking up to the FIA isn’t helping as much as it helped Ferrari ! Hamilton is still the most exciting driver out there for me, but he’s not going to be winning anything in that thing. The boats sailed, the fat lass has done her bit and tradesman’s ally is being closed down for the weekend. Goodnight Vienna
Kovaliniumneum Is going to get the boot at the end of the year.
BMW .. still pathetic. They’re going to pull the plug on the team any day now.
Torro Rosso and Force India continue to say “it’s still early in the season”.
There you go, pick the bones out of that one.
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