I quite like the early morning races, i can either get up early and watch it, or record it, watch it as soon as i get up fast forwarding all the pre race guff. Its great cause I get to enjoy the race without losing much of the day.
Malaysian Grand Prix 2014, Kuala Lumpur - Race 2/19
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
McLaren's new nose.
squarer, more phalic, points down more....
Soldato
Exactly how I do it.
much prefer early races. Mid day races in the summer I end up going out and nearly always end up hearing or seeing the result before I've watched.
Soldato
Interesting new design.
Soldato
thought that nose was the mercedes at first and had a "noooooooooooooo" moment. but tis ok its mclaren
considering how far mercedes are ahead im suprised teams are sticking with the penis nose and not copying mercedes
If this is the way Mclaren are going I wouldn't be too surprised to see Merc with a dong in the near future
Obviously it's increasing air flow under the car which will aid the rear for downforce etc.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 33,188
Couple Lotus break downs already, not sure if both Maldonado's but his engine seems to have gone, puffs of smoke and a few flames while limping around the track.
A few spins from various cars, Massa/Alonso both did pretty similar spins at the same point on track. Kimi had a monumental moment through a corner, car was absolutely all over the place, hugely impressed he managed to keep it on track.
Hamilton/Rosberg didn't seem out much nor concerned with pace then went out, Hamilton went top easily, Rosberg a few tenths down. Hamilton then went a half second up in the first sector but locked up in the final sector and only went marginally faster.
Thats about the full extent of the fast running.
A few spins from various cars, Massa/Alonso both did pretty similar spins at the same point on track. Kimi had a monumental moment through a corner, car was absolutely all over the place, hugely impressed he managed to keep it on track.
Hamilton/Rosberg didn't seem out much nor concerned with pace then went out, Hamilton went top easily, Rosberg a few tenths down. Hamilton then went a half second up in the first sector but locked up in the final sector and only went marginally faster.
Thats about the full extent of the fast running.
Soldato
Still a gap to Mercedes, but is it narrowing a little? Mclaren and Ferrari looking better but Williams look to be absent at the moment.
Soldato
McLaren and Mercedes are not opening their DRS in FP1, but still producing good times. Despite the lack of aero this year, DRS is still a real benefit at this circuit - cars behind them that are using it are closing up on the two straights.
Too early to tell how much gain there is though.
Too early to tell how much gain there is though.
Soldato
Just sent the BBC F1 a email to ask if their pundits can stop talking so much and telling us what we can see.
Soldato
Mildly amusing comment from Mr Ecclestone about how he wishes he could get it up..
Caporegime
Well, it looks like the new nose is helping Mercedes keep a rigid grip on the front of the field. I guess the other teams are hoping that can penetrate that advantage soon. I wonder what Mercedes design features the other teams have picked up on to help them thrust for pole position?
Caporegime
Kimi second in both sessions. A sign he's settling in at his new team?
Soldato
Noses give next-to-zero performance themselves. It's all about shaping the air around and especially behind them. There is no best nose, just the best nose for the rest of your car. If you copied Mercedes' nose, you'd have to have a similar philosophy to the bodywork behind shaping the flow under and around towards the coke-bottle.
What's most worrying for me is that Red Bull have a relatively simple car. There's very little in the way of air-modifiers, just an strong basic shape. Now they're getting miles under them, I assume they'll start chasing performance and every year since 2009 they've been the best at developing cars (though McLaren kept development pace in 2012). I still think Vettel has a very real shot at the championship, despite his engine.
Fastest laps in Practice 2 still 3.5 seconds slower than last years times.
Still, at least the cars are burning less fuel eh?
Still, at least the cars are burning less fuel eh?