Singapore Grand Prix 2015, Marina Bay - Race 13/19
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Soldato
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It seems fairly nailed on, but there are no sources for info. The only thing out there that I've seen is Button saying he's happy with his decision, the tone of which suggests he's moving on.
Still, he's leaving the sport on a high, ability wise. While it's hard to tell in something so reliable, he's not been embarrassed by Alonso as so many others have. He's still a strong driver in my opinion, it's just a shame this season has been so miserable.
He'll be a top endurance driver and after that he'll have countless offers for a commentary role should he wish to head down that road. I hope he doesn't just become a pundit though - he's got far more to offer in the box.
Top Gear? Hmm, not sure - and I've not seen anything other than the apparently baseless rumours weeks back. They could do with a figurehead star to go alongside Evans, but he doesn't fit the existing format, so we could be sure it would be evolving rather than trying to follow on from the Clarkson era (which is a good thing, as it would be an utter flop if they just try to be the same).
Still, he's leaving the sport on a high, ability wise. While it's hard to tell in something so reliable, he's not been embarrassed by Alonso as so many others have. He's still a strong driver in my opinion, it's just a shame this season has been so miserable.
He'll be a top endurance driver and after that he'll have countless offers for a commentary role should he wish to head down that road. I hope he doesn't just become a pundit though - he's got far more to offer in the box.
Top Gear? Hmm, not sure - and I've not seen anything other than the apparently baseless rumours weeks back. They could do with a figurehead star to go alongside Evans, but he doesn't fit the existing format, so we could be sure it would be evolving rather than trying to follow on from the Clarkson era (which is a good thing, as it would be an utter flop if they just try to be the same).
Soldato
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Wow, going from one sinking ship to another (topgear)... that would be a great move! lol
I thought it was reported fairly quickly that it was a clamp on the (turbo?) that caused a drop in pressure.
The Button retirement rumour, no surprise really. He's given the indication over team radio for the last few races that he doesn't give a **** any more, plus enough people in the paddock have mentioned WEC and Top Gear for it to be more than gossip.
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Caporegime
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Clamp between the plenum and the turbo, effectively air would be leaking out causing a huge drop of pressure/boost coming from the compressor. He was 40mph down on the straights. Consider that Mclaren's performance is rubbish because they are 5-15mph down depending on the sector and well, yeah, no chance in hell for that car.
Ridiculous as well as you're talking about what is effectively another $5 part like what ended his Australian GP last year, a $1 spark plug cost him a cylinder.
Would be a bit of a shame for me if Button did Top Gear, Clarkson and the others are huge buffoons and most of the show is barely watchable. None of there stuff requires or needs a top driver, just an idiot doing stupid stuff on camera. He'd basically be wasted on it where as he'd give great insight if given a role in F1, presenter/pundit/commentator. Though that would require him travelling constantly to do the show which he may want a break from.
I'm debating how much to read into next years Mclaren performance from his decision though, does he know the engine won't be good enough or does he just think he's being lied to about how good it will be next year. Ron was talking up the engine last year like it was fantastic and would be ultra competitive, maybe he told the drivers that last year, as such you wouldn't suddenly believe him about next year even if he was telling the truth.
It's been painfully obvious all year that he's being paid to say what he does in interviews about the progression and improvements of the team. There have been slip ups from both drivers all year but Button seems to have been giving joke replies in/around his PR speak in the last couple of races and some of his interviews this weekend were damn funny. Most people all weekend saw those interviews as someone who no longer wants to keep his job and thus doesn't need to stick to the company message.
Ridiculous as well as you're talking about what is effectively another $5 part like what ended his Australian GP last year, a $1 spark plug cost him a cylinder.
Would be a bit of a shame for me if Button did Top Gear, Clarkson and the others are huge buffoons and most of the show is barely watchable. None of there stuff requires or needs a top driver, just an idiot doing stupid stuff on camera. He'd basically be wasted on it where as he'd give great insight if given a role in F1, presenter/pundit/commentator. Though that would require him travelling constantly to do the show which he may want a break from.
I'm debating how much to read into next years Mclaren performance from his decision though, does he know the engine won't be good enough or does he just think he's being lied to about how good it will be next year. Ron was talking up the engine last year like it was fantastic and would be ultra competitive, maybe he told the drivers that last year, as such you wouldn't suddenly believe him about next year even if he was telling the truth.
It's been painfully obvious all year that he's being paid to say what he does in interviews about the progression and improvements of the team. There have been slip ups from both drivers all year but Button seems to have been giving joke replies in/around his PR speak in the last couple of races and some of his interviews this weekend were damn funny. Most people all weekend saw those interviews as someone who no longer wants to keep his job and thus doesn't need to stick to the company message.
You do realise things have somewhat changed in terms of the TG lineup? :/
It would explain why Jenson has all of a sudden grown a pair of balls. I do wish he's had a better car to be measured against alonso. Anyway one of my fav drivers out of the **** hole, if only the other will do the same.
Whatever his decision it will still be one of the best titles I have or will ever see won. He can always do a best balance feature on TG.
Whatever his decision it will still be one of the best titles I have or will ever see won. He can always do a best balance feature on TG.
Why is it ridiculous? It is just the cost. I suppose it would be more dramatic if a $150,000 component failed but really the cost has got **** all to do with it.
Unless there's a case being made for "if only Mercedes had bought the $10 clamp and the $5 spark plug"...
Things cost different amounts and things fail.
Man, that really sucks when something so small can cripple the car entirely. Wouldn't be surprising if the little things like that don't even get checked often, or at all over a weekend.
We know for sure it didn't cost LH a win, which in an odd way is great for him, but it makes Vettel that little bit closer.
Caporegime
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Meh I have no idea frankly, I figured Top Gear was referring to whatever show the three idiots go on to do with Amazon is it. Thinking along the lines of Far Cry 1 and 2, the name is the name, the franchise is the franchise.
If BBC are intending to try and keep Top Gear as it was they'll do the same stupid stuff that is basically pals doing stupid crap with cars on film. Some of the interviews were good, some weren't. The guests racing cars was the only bit I liked and I don't see Button being essential there.
It would be akin to Gary Neville going and doing Soccer AM, a saturday morning stupid show about football that is mostly crap now, interviewing random people but having all that much to do with football rather than being a quite insightful pundit. Button would be so much more interesting in a role interviewing F1 drivers, bosses, etc, where his existing relationships will offer insight and help him ask better questions or make jokes. When he's interviewing some **** from one direction on Top Gear that won't be there.
Because something that costs $150k is usually complex and hence the cost. A simple clamp that was designed first 100 years ago and has been redesigned to near perfection 30 years ago that almost never in a million years fails actually failing is incredibly bad luck.
When a super complex gearbox that cost 50k to make and 30million to design fails, well there is still huge room for redesign and improvement. When something ultra simple and seemingly infallible fails that is very different.
Caporegime
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It might well have cost him third though which would have him clear of a two full race margin, at the very least fourth was on.
Rosberg put on softs rather than supersofts but he did the same in Hungary when the team recommended the softer compound but he stayed on the harder compound. Hamilton might well of like Verstappen gone with the supersofts. Even with the close pack at the restart I doubt Hamilton had the car to keep up with Ricciardo or Vettel, but Kimi was very much within reach.
The rest of the season will be interesting more for Rosberg than Hamilton, not great starts from second with a seemingly improving Ferrari breathing down their neck. I get the feeling Merc poles will be back for most races but if Rosberg continues mostly being between 2-5/10ths down on Hamilton he will not get nearly as many 2nd places and with not brilliant starts he will end up 3-5th into the first corner a few times for the rest of the season. Without Hamilton's pace or overtaking ability I can see Vettel taking 2nd place off him.
Soldato
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It's just a part, like any other bit on the car. It's designed to do what it does but like every other bit of the car it will be marginal to save weight and space. In all likelihood it was an installation issue rather than a part failure as such.
Seals and clamps will fail regularly on racing cars, but it will usually be reported as a failure of this or that. Hydraulic leaks have been a regular cause of retirement since they started using hydraulic pressure in F1 cars, but the cause of the leak will nearly always be at the seal or clamp.
Most here will remember Hill losing the lead on the final lap at the Hungaroring in 1997 due to a hydraulic leak - what failed? A 50p rubber seal.
Seals and clamps will fail regularly on racing cars, but it will usually be reported as a failure of this or that. Hydraulic leaks have been a regular cause of retirement since they started using hydraulic pressure in F1 cars, but the cause of the leak will nearly always be at the seal or clamp.
Most here will remember Hill losing the lead on the final lap at the Hungaroring in 1997 due to a hydraulic leak - what failed? A 50p rubber seal.
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I hadn't appreciated that Rosberg and Vettel were on the same number of race wins. The battle for second is going to be mighty interesting over the next few races.
Caporegime
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I'm trying to decide if Rosberg having a kid has anything to do with his lack of race pace, or maybe it was Hamilton taking the qualifying title this year already. The former can often be a cause of people to lose their edge in dangerous sports, the latter would be a pretty big kick in the teeth after last year. His pace dropping off so badly feels like he's given up.
I agree, they way he drives F1 cars, no one would ever believe he is an actor.