The F1 Thread 2011 Season

Leg-End said:
Why does every driver have to compare to Senna, why can't they just be their own driver. Senna was great, fantastic but he was also ruthless and bit of a cnut, I think he would be the modern day Hamilton in terms of critics and fanboys.

But don't compare drivers from different era's because its pointless drivel they write when its a slow news day in the sport. For the record Vettel has alot more to prove before he is considered the very best in F1, namely have a team mate not called Webber or Bourdais.
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It also doesn't help that Senna profile was raised by his death like all people cut down in their prime.
 
Lotus teasing talk of an 'exciting announcement' coming tomorrow but won't say what it is. They're doing straight line testing tomorrow open to the public at Duxford air museum, so I would guess it's some kind of car update maybe?
 
But in the last few days, stories have emerged of what Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes’ next move is likely to be. On Wednesday 27th April he is holding a press conference at Duxford aerodrome, near Cambridge to announce a new business venture and both Reuters and Autosport have reported that this is to announce that he has acquired the Caterham brand, makers of Lotus 7 shaped sports cars. The event is at an aerodrome because the F1 team Lotus will do some straight line aero testing that day.
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From James Allen's blog.
 
I think cars obviously play a huge role in how good a driver is. If Vettel was at a sucky team, he won't be winning anything now, would he? It all depends on the car.
 
F1 is about the driver + car package, it always has been, if you want everyone in the same car watch a spec series. The cars don't drive themselves and to say it's just about the cars is a massive disservice to the drivers.
 
You only have to look at the difference between team mates to see the difference the driver makes. You obviously can't win a race in an HRT, but as I said earlier it's about the combined package.
 
Ayrton Senna – March 21st 1960 – May 1st 1994. We Remember.

225603_10150235183621413_12254981412_9154856_4438675_n.jpg


one of the greats, R.I.P
 
Sam Michael resigns as Williams F1 technical chief

Sam Michael has resigned as Williams technical director but will not leave his post until the end of 2011.

The team's chief aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson has also resigned.

Williams, who have won nine team titles, have failed to take a single point from the opening three races.

Team boss Sir Frank Williams said: "Sam and Jon have resigned to give the team the opportunity to undertake the changes necessary to get back to the front of the grid."

Williams have already made a change to their technical department as the British team announced that Mike Coughlan will return to F1 as their chief engineer in June.

The team, which made its F1 debut in 1978, has failed to translate its promising pre-season form into race performance.

Reliability problems, including transmission and hydraulic issues, meant neither Rubens Barrichello nor Pastor Maldonado finished the opening races in Australia and Malaysia.

Barrichello finished 13th at the last race in China but Maldonado was 18th and saw Heikki Kovalainen's Team Lotus finish ahead of a Williams for the first time.

Michael as the head of the team's technical department has been under pressure to reverse the team's fortunes but he and Tomlinson have made the decision to stand down at the end of the campaign.

"Both Sam and Jon are talented and driven people who have worked hard for Williams over 10 and five years respectively," added Williams, who co-founded the team with engineering director Patrick Head.

"Nonetheless, they have recognised that the team's performance is not at the level that it needs to be and have resigned in order to give the team the opportunity to regroup and undertake the changes necessary to get back to the front of the grid.

"Both will continue to work in their present positions through until the end of the year to ensure that the team maintains focus and momentum during the 2011 season.

"We are very grateful to Sam and to Jon for their professional approach."
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BBC Sport - Sam Michael resigns as Williams F1 technical chief

Wow, I'm quite shocked to see Michael quit.
 
He really hasn't delivered the results though has he, I mean it was always going to be tough for Williams after losing BMW backing but even then they are behind by quite a margin. Coughlan is a good addition to start with.
 
While i'm all for survivors, Frank should have shut up shop after 2006 or sold the team. Its been consistently down hill since Montoya and Ralf left and its only going to get worse. The people that invested in that team when they floated it need their heads checked!
 
marchi-91 said:
Its been consistently down hill since Montoya and Ralf left and its only going to get worse.
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More like its been consistently downhill since BMW left.


Its sad to see Williams going the way they are. Down the road of Tyrell and Lotus.
 
I don't see how Sky could really improve the broadcast, for a start they'll have adverts during the race which will immediately be decreasing the quality of the show.
 
They won't improve it, potentially this could set F1 back in terms of viewers:

Adverts re-introduced just after we got rid of them
Commentary team perhaps changed again
Most likely the loss of FP broadcasts atleast online

Any of those three things happening is a bad thing for us viewers. You then add in the amount of viewers lost once it moves to a subscription based channel there really isn't any real winner in this.

It's gonna be a messy drawn out affair this, alot of hurdles to get over.
 
Yup.

Also, can you imagine having a company with a large Fiat shareholding owning the rights to the sport? Hehe, conspiracy theory city!
 
That's anothing thing too, stuff like that never sits well. I mean if your parent company has piled in millions to buy the rights to the sport would they want to see their team languishing mid-pack? No chance, expect some favorable rule changes.

I mean FIAT part owners, Jean Todt the FIA president, christ.
 
Leg-End said:
That's anothing thing too, stuff like that never sits well. I mean if your parent company has piled in millions to buy the rights to the sport would they want to see their team languishing mid-pack? No chance, expect some favorable rule changes.

I mean FIAT part owners, Jean Todt the FIA president, christ.
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It's not a good image is it? Will be interesting to see what comes of it, hopefully it doesn't happen.
 
Leg-End said:
They won't improve it, potentially this could set F1 back in terms of viewers:

Adverts re-introduced just after we got rid of them
Commentary team perhaps changed again
Most likely the loss of FP broadcasts atleast online

Any of those three things happening is a bad thing for us viewers. You then add in the amount of viewers lost once it moves to a subscription based channel there really isn't any real winner in this.

It's gonna be a messy drawn out affair this, alot of hurdles to get over.
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3 things I had not thought about , yes your right it would be a disaster.
 
Vettel's had a big shunt in practice, apparently they're all struggling with standing water and he's gone off at T8, totalled the car but he's ok.
 
this is the first time this year the new wets have been used am i correct? sounded like a fun FP1
 
sod it i might watch the second practice if the rain keeps up, i always like watching it in the rain
 
feck it's dry now, vettel not running so he will be relying on feedback from webber
 
Apparently he totalled the car dunno if anyone can confirm that?
 
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