2005 French Grand Prix

[Dutch Guy]

To stop accidents like Raikkonen's I suppose...

Well, isn't carbon fibre tougher than steel

 

[Flibster]

Well, isn't carbon fibre tougher than steel

In the correct direction of force yes - not in the correct direction - no.

Plus steel bends before breaking - carbon fibre snape/shatters with nearly no warning.

I suspect thats the main reason not the price as steel/aluminium alloys won't cost that much less than Carbon Fibre components in relative terms.

But their lifespan could be considerably higher..

Simon/~Flibster

 

[rpstewart]

The other major point in the FIA's draft rules is the fact that they have exercised copyright over the whole document - including the details of the rules themselves.

This means that any alternative series cannot use the same set of rules or even use them as a basis for their own rules. That'll make the GPWC a little tricky to get going.

 

[Richard T]

The other major point in the FIA's draft rules is the fact that they have exercised copyright over the whole document - including the details of the rules themselves.

This means that any alternative series cannot use the same set of rules or even use them as a basis for their own rules. That'll make the GPWC a little tricky to get going.

Is that true???
what a crock!

 

[Flibster]

It's true - but it's only on the 2008 rules..

Whats to stop them going to the 2006 rules or the 2002 rules.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Dutch Guy]

Whats to stop them going to the 2006 rules or the 2002 rules.

Or 70's or 80's rules, bring back the 1.3 liter turbocharged engines of >1000BHP, fat slick tyres and no traction control, powersliding all over the place

 

[Flibster]

Or 70's or 80's rules, bring back the 1.3 liter turbocharged engines of >1000BHP, fat slick tyres and no traction control, powersliding all over the place

Mmmm....

1.5 V6 turbo goodness...

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Richard T]

Mmmm....

1.5 V6 turbo goodness...

Simon/~Flibster

Imagine all the wastegate\dump valve chatter!!!!!

 

[rpstewart]

1.5L Turbos would be crazy now, with pneumatic valve gear you should be able to rev ove of those to about 20K rpm; the moving parts are smaller than those of a 3L V10 on a lighter crank. Add even 2 bar of boost to that and you've got to be looking at 1500hp easily, BMW style grenades could top 2000!

Personally I'm all for banning pneumatic valve closing and forcing the use of springs, as compensation all engines should be 4l V12s - plenty of grunt and great noise.

 

[Flibster]

1.5L Turbos would be crazy now, with pneumatic valve gear you should be able to rev ove of those to about 20K rpm; the moving parts are smaller than those of a 3L V10 on a lighter crank. Add even 2 bar of boost to that and you've got to be looking at 1500hp easily, BMW style grenades could top 2000!

Personally I'm all for banning pneumatic valve closing and forcing the use of springs, as compensation all engines should be 4l V12s - plenty of grunt and great noise.

Apparently the 2.4l V8 Honda engine for 2006 has already been running regularly at 22000rpm.

The BMW and Honda engines in the Turbo era did pass 1500bhp.

I've driven a Honda Turbo F1 car which when detuned slightly to preserve the engine still had 1400bhp.

1400bhp/600kg = 2300bhp/ton

I like the idea of banning pneumatics - but I'd prefer ban ECU's and have it all mechanically done and allow them to choose any configuration they wanted for the engine.

I reckon: Normally Asperated 3l engines. Any configuration you want..

3l Rotary? Fine.
3l V12? Fine
3l H16? Fine...Do what you want.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Dutch Guy]

Why not bring back carburators backfiring exhausts when releasing the throttle

 

[Fire 1]

Raikkonen is driver of the day for me

You didn't say the same about MS at Imola when he went from 13th to 2nd

 

[Flibster]

Only would have been because there was more worthy drives that race.

Raikkonen also put in one of the best ever qualifying laps to earn driver of the day for me - no-one realised it at the time...

He was carrying 30% more fuel *possibly .5-.7s a lap worth* and was only .1 behind pole.

Anyway...

Official news now...

Coulthard has re-signed with Red Bull for 2006

"It's been a very positive new experience working with Red Bull Racing.

"The potential of the team is obvious and it made perfect sense to continue our partnership. Since I started last December, the progress we have made has been remarkable.

"I'm looking forward to contributing to the development of the RB2 with the Ferrari engine and enjoying success with Red Bull Racing."

I think Red Bull is one of the best things that has happened to Coulthard in a long time. He seems happy.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Flibster]

Also...

Max Moseley has cancelled his meeting with the drivers on Friday.
He claims its because DC would hijack the meeting and would use it for political purposes.

So...Max can't chair a meeting and keep control of the drivers...and what about all the political bull**** you've been spouting then?

I cba to say it to I'll just point to my sig...

 

[rpstewart]

Why not bring back carburators backfiring exhausts when releasing the throttle

You don't need carbs to do that. I can remember standing at the entrance to Stowe, Silverstone 1995, as Panis came down the Hangar Straight in the Ligier Mugen. At the time the Mugen was one of the more powerful engines but also by far the loudest, the downshift into Stowe was a sight to see and hear. 3 gears down, no gaps, just bang bang bang as the ECU backfired the engine to drop the revs. Each downshift was accompanied by a gout of flame out of both banks that I was sure would ignite the rear end of the car!

 

[rpstewart]

I think Red Bull is one of the best things that has happened to Coulthard in a long time. He seems happy.

Simon/~Flibster

Aye, he definitely seems more relaxed. He was always very good at the PR side of things but I think the McLaren-Mercedes corporate image was a bit stifling in that respect. He's now with a team that is more relaxed as an organisation (these are the guys who did Donkey does F1 remember) and that's rubbing off on DC - his comments to Louise Goodman the other week are testament to that.

 

[Flibster]

Oh and after Red Bulls tyrade of abuse at France for the French GP..
They have this to say about the British Grand Prix...

A weekend at the British Grand Prix is the perfect explanation of why the English are obsessed with the weather. Even in the height of summer it can be unpredictable and it is rumoured that Vivaldi wrote “The Four Seasons” on a day trip to Dover in July. If the weather is fine, then the atmosphere is usually fantastic at Silverstone, with a partisan crowd cheering for our very own DC and that chap Jenson. The fans are now much more civilised than those who invaded the track in the days of Nigel Mansellmania. They thought the design of the “Union Jack” flag was based on the pattern of their shorts, rather than the other way round.

Don’t think you have gate-crashed a Fancy Dress party if you see men walking round wearing tweed hats and smoking pipes, because some people still attend races in England dressed like this. In fact our very own Christian Horner is known to be partial to the odd pair of old brown brogue shoes, corduroy trousers and a tweed jacket that may have belonged to his grandfather. Yes, you are in England, not Britain, because Silverstone is actually about as far away as you can get from Scotland, Wales and the bit of Ireland, which is British. Our own David Coulthard knows all about this, because if he is doing really well, the local commentators refer to him as British, but if he has a bad afternoon, they will be describing him as Scottish.

You will also know you are in England, because getting a decent meal might be a problem. The writer Somerset Maugham said that to eat well in England, you should have breakfast three times a day. If you recognise some of the dishes you are served here it is because England seems to make all the world’s airline food, as well as those lunches you were forced to eat at school. However, the English pride themselves on being the only people in the world who know how to make tea and the rest of the world is happy to go along with this, as all it involves is an ability to boil water.

The unusual thing about motor sport in Britain is that the British are actually quite good at it, with more drivers from these islands having won the F1 world championship than from any other nation. It makes a change from all the other sports which they taught the world when the map was red, only to be thrashed soundly by their pupils from then on. The home of cricket is called Lords, but if England still has a chance of winning after the first day of a 5 day international match, it should be called Lourdes.

One of the highlights of Silverstone is the Grand Prix Ball, when upper class Stowe School is caught throwing open its doors to the F1 riff-raff, who repay the kindness by throwing up everywhere, after gorging themselves on one of the few decent meals to be had all weekend. This orgy of food and drink enjoyed by the masses is seen as an example of how Britain has become a classless society.

How true it all is..

 

[Flibster]

Oh..and the letter from Max Mosley to David Coulthard *who he seems to have singled out as the GPDA ring leader...*

Dear David

You asked me to meet the drivers at Silverstone to discuss the possibility of the FIA imposing safety measures at private test sessions equal to those in force at a Grand Prix. We are very sympathetic to the drivers' concerns on this issue and I was happy to meet on that basis. Regrettably, you have now used the prospect of this meeting as a reason to air your personal views on current regulations to the press.

Single-lap qualifying was agreed by all the teams in 2002, as was the ten-grid position penalty for engine changes. The single-tyre rule was supported unanimously by the teams in the Technical Working Group on 6 September 2004. Any driver who dislikes the 2005 rules should perhaps ask his team, rather than the FIA, why he was not consulted.

The current Concorde Agreement makes no provision for the FIA to consult the drivers. However, it expires at the end of 2007 and the FIA has taken the initiative of consulting the drivers on the 2008 regulations. This was first announced in our press release of April 15, 2005, and the detailed 2008 proposals were sent to the drivers yesterday in common with other stakeholders. We look forward to their comments.

As you know we consider improving driver safety to be of paramount importance. I should therefore be happy to invite all the drivers to a formal meeting in Paris or Monaco on a mutually convenient date and discuss any issues which trouble them. However, your press comments have distorted the purpose of the Silverstone meeting and made a calm discussion of a major safety issue impossible. As a result the meeting will not now take place.

Yours sincerely

Max Mosley

Hmmm....you're not impressing anyone Max...

*points to sig again....*

 

[Over Clocker]

Red Bull Racing are very very

Mal

 

[Gojira]

Oh..and the letter from Max Mosley to David Coulthard *who he seems to have singled out as the GPDA ring leader...*



Hmmm....you're not impressing anyone Max...

*points to sig again....*

I wonder what colour the sky is on Max's home planet?

Alan Woodford