Korean Grand Prix 2011, Yeongam Circuit - Race 16/19

SPARC said:
Exactly. They develop the car right up until the last minute while other teams (Ferrari most recently) abandon their current cars 3/4 the way through the season to focus on next years. Red Bull have this year in the bag already so don't need to push at all, merely go through the motions while focusing totally on next year.
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I disagree with this, you honestly think they aren't working on next years car? The problem has been that they have realised towards the end of each season that they can't extract much more from the current design, so go back to the drawing board.

I personally like their ethos - design a radical/innovative car in an attempt to beat the bulls. It is certainly better than Ferrari's current approach of "copy RB as closely as you can".

Will be interesting to see how many copy McLaren's design next year, or whether McLaren themselves decide to abandon it?
 
They interviewed Whitmarsh in practice 1 this morning and he said that most of the work is on next years cars but they have a skeleton team working still on this years. Mainly what the skeleton team does is watch the larger team and nick bits that could be applicable to the current car, like a new front wing that they'll have next race.

This seems like a pretty good approach to me, especially since it may actually help the development of next years car by giving them track data on the shared bits.
 
Duke said:
Actually I think I misheard, listening to FP2 again, they said last year was almost a sell out. Thought they said this year was after that but didn't hear it second time around. Have to wait and see :)
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Like arknor said, a lot of these tickets were probably hand outs. Wouldn't be the first time they had done this.
 
I'd put a sneaky virtual internet fiver on F1 not returning to Korea after another year or two. They have a 7 year deal at the circuit, but if the teams show up again in 2012 to find it an undeveloped mess - I'd imagine Bernie would find a way out of the contract.

It's such a shame to see, the circuit looked awful on TV this morning with mud everywhere, the teams' transporters squeezed in round the back of the garages in what looked like a builders yard.

Oh, and a dangerous pitlane...!
 
There's been a hell of a lot of moaning about the track on Twitter this morning.

@GrandPrixDiary said:
Bild bit.ly/pqkTMb reports that the Korea circuit appears to have been locked after last years race and opened again last week.

Williams hotel is a full hour from the track, accomodation locally is so short folk are staying in womens hostels and brothels. What a dump!

Some teams found leftovers from 2010 in their fridges and the Williams team still had Nico Hulkenbergs name on their hospitality unit.
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@MBrundleF1 said:
Grey day Mokpo South Korea. Year 2 and still no idea why we're here.
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@CroftyF1 said:
Miserable day weather wise here in Korea. Like this track but don't fully understand why the infrastructure hasn't improved since last year.

The potential is there but for all the Grand Plans the car parks still need tarmac, the accommodation for fans and media needs improving
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Also hearing that people have actually been turned away from the circuit this morning as the track doesn't sell tickets on the day, and only people who can afford 3 day tickets are let in.

Rosberg seems to be in trouble with the stewards after hitting Alguersuari this morning - a €10k fine, half suspended, and no points on his licence as he's always been a good boy.

*edit*
The fine wasn't for the accident, but for not going straight to see the stewards, and instead talking to the media on the way! WTF.
 
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Spunkey said:
Also, Rosberg seems to be in trouble with the stewards after hitting Alguersuari this morning.
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Yup. Strange that as he was understeering wildly and could do nothing and Alguersuari had been well off the track and was recovering.

*just in*

€10000 fine (€5000 suspended) for not speaking to the stewards straight after FP2 - spoke to the press first. :confused: Utterly stupid fine that one.
Was also found guilty of having caused a collision, but was let off any punishment due to his good record.

It's a stupid and dangerous design. IIRC the track initially was a clockwise track, but was changed to anti-clockwise, which would have been a touch safer.
 
Spunkey said:
There's been a hell of a lot of moaning about the track on Twitter this morning.





Also hearing that people have actually been turned away from the circuit this morning as the track doesn't sell tickets on the day, and only people who can afford 3 day tickets are let in.

Rosberg seems to be in trouble with the stewards after hitting Alguersuari this morning - a €10k fine, half suspended, and no points on his licence as he's always been a good boy.

*edit*
The fine wasn't for the accident, but for not going straight to see the stewards, and instead talking to the media on the way! WTF.
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Thanks for posting those. Sounds like an absolute mess - locked since last year, WTF. Just another track built and left with no support. The mind boggles sometimes.
 
Flibster said:
It's a stupid and dangerous design. IIRC the track initially was a clockwise track, but was changed to anti-clockwise, which would have been a touch safer.
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That would make sense as the current pit entry has a long white line much like the pit exit on every other track. It might have been quite a late decision to change the configuration, and the markings were already painted?

Given just how stupid a place that would feed onto the track if it were run clockwise, you can see why they changed it, but it's still not much better this way round!

Sooner we're shot of Korea, and back to places like Imola, the better IMO.
 
In F1 2010, the pit exit went right around the outside of the gravel trap for turns 1 and 2 and rejoined the track after turn 2.

Just watched the P1 and 2 highlights, what the hell is wrong with the BBC?

Voice over: "Even after setting the fastest time, Lewis still wasn't happy"
Lewis on the Radio: "Where am I loosing time?"

Seriously? The guy is just trying to find out where he can improve, and the BBC are already trying to say he's moaning.

Sigh...
 
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How many more points do RB need before the WCC is theirs aswell?

Even so its not like they NEED to win again this season, so they are probably going at 90% to collect points without stressing any componanty (engines are all more reliable than they used to be, but even so Korea is probably going to see teams using thoroughly used engines, surely?)

Lets see what Alonso can do vs McLarens
 
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