PeePee's F1 thread

[ManxCrawler]

Even crapper now Dan's gone....

[Postclanker]

Not necessarily crap cars...cookie cutter yes, second tier drivers yes, struggling series yes. F-1 better get it together or they will fall into the same crevice . They should not limit the technology or the amount of money you can spend IMO...it's what f-1 is all about. They are headed for cookie cutter-ville if they do. Next years cars will be totally different...be interesting to see what Mr. Newey comes up with. He has no equal right now....

[microgoat]

I remember when the Indy 500 was the pinnacle of motorsports. Now it's just a really long spec race.

[Postclanker]

it was the only race I watched all year....I watched every F-1 race

[Difuser]

The Iceman returns.... yay more press conferences in which nothing is said. Good to see Kimi back we'll see if he has a shit car or Renault (oops I mean Lotus can build him something that can put some laptimes down. Sounds like there are major staffing changes coming to Lotus soon. They need it to regain all the momentum they lost with the front exhaust mess.

Renault confirms Kimi Raikkonen will return to Formula 1 in 2012 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

[EeePee]

Kimi is my favorite!

[EeePee]

Found this: Features | The words and wisdom of Kimi

And something to watch...

[Difuser]

This one's better...

Kimi Räikkönen - "I was having a shit." - YouTube

[Postclanker]

He's definitely a character....I just hope LRGP can put a decent seat under him

[Nabil]

Kimi is my favorite too

I remember Monaco a few years back, he blew a motor in his mclaren, got out of the car, and started walking. Less than 2 laps later the camera spots him on a yatch, wearing a suit, smoking a cigar, and watching the race

[EeePee]

Bernie: COTA never had the money | Planet F1 | Formula One News

[EeePee]

An almost funny moment from Seb Vett...

[EeePee]

...

The FIA WMSC has ratified various changes to the 2012 F1 technical and sporting regulations, most of which were already in the public domain.

Among the new ones, lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and join the back of the queue at safety car restarts, while there will be a clampdown on corner cutting on laps back to the pits and so on, as practiced by Sebastian Vettel in qualifying in Korea.

The change which is likely to lead to the most controversy stops drivers from returning to the racing line after they have made a defensive move.

The full list is as follows:

Changes to the 2012 Technical Regulations

• All engine standard ECU set up and control parameters, which were formerly contained only within a Technical Directive, are now contained within the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations.

• The exhaust tailpipes are now strictly regulated in order to ensure that the aerodynamic effect exhaust gases have on the car is kept to an absolute minimum.

• Better marking of in-car emergency switches operated by marshals are now stipulated.

• The side impact structures will now have to be subjected to a further (upward) push-off test.

Changes to the 2012 Sporting Regulations

• Cars may no longer take part in pre-season testing without having passed all crash tests.

• There will now be a maximum race time of four hours to ensure that a lengthy suspension of a race does not result in a race that could run up to eight hours if left unregulated.

• Before the safety car returns to the pits, all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the pack, ensuring a clean restart without slower cars impeding those racing for the leading positions.

• Cars which were in the pit lane when a race is suspended will now be allowed to rejoin the cars on the grid in the position they were in when the race was suspended.

• Drivers may no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason, i.e. cutting a chicane on reconnaissance laps or ‘in’ laps to save time and fuel.

• Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position.

• One three-day test will be carried out during the season, formerly there were none.

• All stewards’ decisions which are not subject to appeal are now in one place instead of being in various places within the regulations.

• All tires allocated to a driver may now be used on the first day of practice; formerly only three sets were permitted.

[microgoat]

In other news, Bernie got his check for $25M, so the Austin race is back on for 2012.

[EeePee]

I guess that's good.

Austin F1 Race Confirmed For 2012 Calendar | Fox News

[DRN]

So what is the feeling about the new nose design a couple of teams are using? The two i have seen are Ferrari and Force India. McLaren kept with the same sloping nose design. Curious to see how they do.

[EeePee]

Kinda goofy looking to me, but I'm sure there's a performance reason.

I'll have to read up.

[Knarly Nerd]

Why did they stop F1 racing at Watkins Glen? Was it a safety thing? Owners unwilling to upgrade the track or what?

[K_B]

I know part of it was a safety thing. The walls are too close to the track in certain sections; abrupt corners on some of the barriers and I think they had an issue with the pits as well. And to bring it up to spec would have cost big money.

[microgoat]

Watkins Glen isn't boring enough to host an F1 race.