F1 - GP (General Purpose)

Chode ^ | 8/5/2009 | Chode

[Chode]

This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.

[Lockbox]

air bag issue

[Doogle]

eyep the ZONDA R sounds so much sweeter..

[Chode]

airbag or no airbag, at 150+ it's a moot point

[Trajan88]

I take this beast of a car has a system to elevate so one can drive in/out of driveways and parking lots without getting stuck, ruining the coach work?

[Chode]

you got that right... it looks to be the height of the tire sidewall above ground

[Chode]

F1 Stuff...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/formula_one/14615926.stm

F1 imposes DRS ban at Spa's famous Eau Rouge corner Governing body the FIA is concerned that using the device in the flat-out 180mph section could be a safety risk.

The DRS device, which increases top speed by reducing cars' downforce by about 10%, is mainly used on straights. Race director Charlie Whiting is worried its use on bends could increase the chances of a major crash. DRS use is limited in races, when drivers can only deploy it on a designated straight if they are less than one second behind the car in front.

Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise took a break from his day job to try his hand at F1. The Hollywood actor drove 24 laps in a Red Bull racing car at the Willow Springs circuit in California, hitting speeds of over 290kph and cutting his lap times by 11 seconds over the course of the day.
Full story: Autosport

Sauber boss Peter Sauber says Michael Schumacher remains 'a credit' to Formula 1 despite his comeback having not been the success the German had hoped for. Sauber, who managed Schumacher when he raced for his team in the Sportscar World Championship, says the seven-time world champion is handling the difficult circumstances of his return well.

Renault boss Eric Boullier says the team "need to catch up with Mercedes" after disappointing performances in the last few races. The Enstone-based outfit have dropped behind Mercedes to fifth in the constructors' championship.
Full story: Renault

Meanwhile, Boullier stated the team will stick with its innovative forward-facing exhaust system for the rest of the season. They ran an experimental rear-facing exhaust during practice for the German Grand Prix but have decided to stick with their original concept.
Full story: Autosport Full story: Red Bull USA

Virgin driver Jerome D'Ambrosio "can't wait" to take part in his first F1 home race - this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. The 25-year-old will be the first Belgian since Thierry Boutsen 18 years ago to race the famous Spa Francorchamps circuit in the heart of the Ardennes Forest.
Full story: Virgin Racing

India's Karun Chandhok says he is unsure whether he will race in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix on 30 October, but he is confident his F1 future is secure. The 27-year-old says he will drive in "five to six" Friday practice sessions this year as Team Lotus' reserve driver and is fully focused on getting a race seat in 2012.
Full story: Hindustan Times

Meanwhile, Chandhok's countryman Narain Karthikeyan has said he will resume racing for Hispania at his country's debut grand prix in October. The former Jordan driver returned to the sport this season after a five-year hiatus but was replaced by rising star Daniel Ricciardo in the Spanish team's line-up at the British Grand Prix and has not been involved since.
Full story: Times of India

Force India driver Adrian Sutil says the team have a car that is "working well everywhere" and can therefore have another competitive weekend at Spa after collecting 14 points in the last two races.
Full story: ESPN F1

Organisers of the Indian Grand Prix are expecting a full house for the race at the Buddh International Circuit after tickets worth 12.5m rupees (approximately £165,000) were purchased in the first three hours of sales.
Full story: Reuters

[Moltke]

Virgin driver Jerome D'Ambrosio "can't wait" to...

Well, as he's 25 there's no reason not to. Heh. ;-)

[Lockbox]

Guess old Tom Cruise is looking for a part in Ron Howard's F1 movie Rush about the 1976 season with Hunt and Lauda. Gee which role......the drunk playboy or the one who has a disfiguring bad accident. Guess we'll have to wait!

[Chode]

i was so mad at Hunt that year i had to leave the party to cool off... he passed out dead drunk wearing a yellow plastic helmet with a revolving red light on top at the after race party at the Seneca Lodge

[Proud_USA_Republican]

God, I hope not. I’d rather watch another racing movie with Stallone than Tom Cruise.

[Lockbox]

God, I hope not. I’d rather watch another racing movie with Stallone than Tom Cruise.

1. This was an expensive test just to satisfy Tom's "love of F1".

2. This was more the a PR effort on the part of Red Bull.

3. Tom does not risk Tom unless there is some benefit for Tom's career.

[Lockbox]

Ron Howard's Rush gears up to relive Lauda/Hunt showdown

One of the most promising is a project undertaken by Ron Howard that will look at the legendary 1978 Formula One World Championship, in which Niki Lauda suffered a heavy, fiery crash at the Nürburgring only to come back and challenge James Hunt for the title.

Now we've received word on who will star under Howard's direction: Lauda will be played by Daniel Brühl (who you may recognize from Inglorious Basterds and The Bourne Ultimatum), while Chris Hemsworth (he of Thor fame, pictured above) will play Hunt. Romanian-German actress Alexandra Maria Lara will also star in the film

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/25/ron-howards-rush-gears-up-to-relive-lauda-hunt-showdown/

http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/08/23/alexandra-maria-lara-joins-ron-howards-rush/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/downfall_the_reader_star_alexandra_maria_lara_lands_female_lead_in_ron_howa/

[Chode]

i can see Brühl as Hunt, but the other guy... hardcore lefty who couldn't shine Lauda's racing boots

along time ago i saw some stat about how many F1 drivers get killed and the answer was X.5

i always looked at Lauda as the .5

[clintonh8r]

I notice that the web domain of www.tvracer.com has expired. Too bad. I used to look there for, well, the TV racing schedule every week. Does anyone know of another site that aggregates all the races on TV for the coming week?

Thanks.

[Chode]

it works for me... try it again

[clintonh8r]

Sunuvagun...they must have renewed it in the last 10 minutes!

[Chode]

as long as it works... 8^)

[Chode]

FIA confirms 20-race calendar for 2012

The FIA has released a confirmed calendar for the 2012 season following a fax vote by members of the World Motor Sport Council. The addition of the United States round makes for a 20-race season, which will get underway in Australia on March 18. The season finale will take place in Brazil on November 25.

2012 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar:
18/03 Australia
25/03 Malaysia
15/04 China
22/04 Bahrain
13/05 Spain
27/05 Monaco
10/06 Canada
24/06 Europe
08/07 Great Britain
22/07 Germany
29/07 Hungary
02/09 Belgium
09/09 Italy
23/09 Singapore
07/10 Japan
14/10 Korea
28/10 India
04/11 Abu Dhabi
18/11 United States
25/11 Brazil

[Lockbox]

It's great that they moved the Austin race date to November, I remember the Dallas F1 race in 1984, the heat and Nigel Mansell pushing his car across the finish line.

Goodyear recorded the highest track temperature in their 20 years of racing, 150 °F (66 °C).

Moving the date from Texas Summer to Fall will do wonders for the event!

[God luvs America]

wow- Texas in November...hope there’s drama....