The F1 Thread 2011 Season

MBrundleF1 Martin Brundle

Mercedes has poor traction, McLaren looks shocking as if on cold tyres, Red Bull+Ferrari+Renault Lotus Lada+Williams all pounding round


I know, I know, it's only testing, but if they're looking that poor it could mean something. I wonder if we'll see Macca with hi-glo paint again like they did a few years ago when they had problems.
 
We see all the teams with flow-vis now, its a vital tool in testing and doesn't mean a team has issues.

The McLaren is definatly behind schedule, missing that first test and then having reliability issues has caused them to be on the back foot but they have a lot to come from the car. Trouble is I think this season might be a rebuild season for them, I think the car will get there but it might not be in time for a WDC/WCC battle. Ofcourse they might be sandbagging but we thought the same in 09 and it just turned out the car was bad.

If I was a betting man I would be backing Red Bull & Ferrari, both with known concepts that have been developed since 2009.
 
Oh aye I know they all do use it but they were using it very late in the day in 09. Like you say it could be sandbagging but if they're looking visibly ragged I'd doubt it. McLaren do have the benefit of being probably the best team on the grid in the development race and so if they are just slightly behind you'd not count them out of catching up after a few races.

I really can't wait for it to get underway..
 
Bahrain GP is… postponed

An impeccable source has told me that the Bahrain GP has been postponed – rather than cancelled.

Incredibly, because of the commercial implications Bernie Ecclestone is going to try to squeeze it into the schedule at the end of the year.

The only realistic option is on November 20, after Abu Dhabi – which means either there will be a bizarre triple header with Brazil, or Ecclestone will have to move Interlagos back to December 4. Bahrain cannot run in the gap between India and Abu Dhabi because new races have to be stand alone in their first year, because of question marks over how long it takes freight to get in and out.

One compromise could be that Bernie moves Brazil anyway to create breathing space, and if Bahrain is still not viable for November 2o, the season will just end a week later than planned.

Of course there’s an outside chance that Bernie will claim back the Indian GP date of October 30 – and give the organisers an extra year to get ready…

Teams are discussing the implications in a conference call this afternoon.

More later…
Click to expand...

Bahrain GP is… postponed | Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
 
They've confirm it is definitely off. Some people saying cancelled, some postponed...
 
Ok, seems it's cancelled, they've withdrawn completely:

"The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialogue"
 
Off F15live twitter - Official last pre-season test on the 8 till 11th in Barcelona. Williams chairman Adam Parr confirmed it.

Thats good news for Mclaren they are behind schedule, with having a few reliability issues has put them back.

People need to wait on the Mclaren already getting flack on twitter, yesterday there times were as good as the rest. Wait till the Aussie race when it matters.
 
I hope they include the Bahrain race maybe at the end of the season. I really like the Bahrain track.
 
They were swapping it back to the old layout I think which would have improved it but its not exactly going to be missed, a poor race to start the season anyway.
 
Bernie Ecclestone would like to see trackside sprinklers at Formula One circuits to artificially create the excitement of a wet circuit midway through grands prix.

The F1 CEO, who also sticks by his medal proposal, said it would be a sure-fire way to increase overtaking.

"Look at the races we have now," Ecclestone told Formula1.com. "Overtaking is almost impossible because in the dry there is only one line good for maximum speed because of the rubber on the track. You have a completely different picture when it is wet. We always had the most exciting races in the wet so let's think of making rain…

"There are race tracks that you can make artificially wet and it would be easy to have such systems at a number of tracks. Why not let it 'rain' in the middle of a race? For 20 minutes or the last ten laps? Maybe with a two-minute warning ahead of it. Suspense would be guaranteed and it would be the same for all."
Click to expand...

Bernie is considering artificial wet races. Thankfully I can't ever see the teams agreeing to this.
 
He's such an incredible spastic. Here's an idea for you Bernie, when somewhere new gets a race, get someone other than the boring twat Tilke to design it!!

Fake rain! fecking hell!
 
anyone else joining this fantasy league then or is it just 2 of us:confused:
 
Nice one, PM me the password shitbird.

I see Bernie is hoping to fit Bahrain in as the penultimate race...
 
new tyre rules.
Do you think it will make much difference?

Tyre allocation has been reduced for 2011, with 11 rather than 14 sets of dry-weather tyres available to each driver per race weekend. Drivers will receive three sets (two prime, one option) to use in P1 and P2 and must return one set after each session. A further eight sets will then be at their disposal for the rest of the weekend, although one set of each specification must be handed back before qualifying.

If a driver fails to use both specifications of dry-weather tyres during a (dry) race, they will be excluded from the results. If a (dry) race is suspended and can’t be restarted, and a driver has failed to use both specifications, 30 seconds will be added to the driver’s race time.
 
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