Formula 1 - 2008 Season

[Kaotik]

They're checking something in Hamiltons car:

The engine of car number 22 is kept sealed in order to carry out further checks according to Article 5 of the
2008 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations. These checks will be done before the Hungarian GP.

From http://www.fia.com/germanygp/documents/GER_08_Race_Report.pdf

 

[suryad]

I think Lewis Hamilton has tremendous talent and i would be surprised if the FIA F1 body finds something wrong with his engine.

 

[DJ12]

Sounds like a standard procedure thing. If it was something dodgy they would be checking it straight away surely!

 

[Kaotik]

Sounds like a standard procedure thing. If it was something dodgy they would be checking it straight away surely!

At least anything like such didn't happen after Silverstone GP

 

[Tokelil]

'Shocked' mechanic ends BMW's day at Jerez

If I remember correctly the current plan is to allow 1.6 MJ stored in the KERS. I guess that is not too fun when crashing etc. (Could be dangerous for both drivers and track staff)

 

[Kaotik]

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/07/...vations-have-put-the-mp423-ahead-of-the-pack/

Only Hamilton used the asymmetric sidepods in hockenheim race, explaining possibly part of Kovalainen's so much slower speed.

 

[Dave Baumann]

The engine checking is entirely procedural, it happens every year although this year its started later: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69428

I see we are looking for reasons why Hamiltons speed couldn't really be something to do with Hamilton...

I have to say though, that article was pretty interesting. Looks like I have another favourite in my F1 list.

 

[infinity4]

I am still wondering how Hamilton is miles ahead of everyone else though. Surely everyone else aren't that dumb?

 

[Bludd]

Car setup enhancing his confidence, if you feel the car doing what you want, you try to make it do it faster/better/harder and you keep on pushing.

 

[chavvdarrr]

I see we are looking for reasons why Hamiltons speed couldn't really be something to do with Hamilton...

Like R. Dennis pressing a button to inform Kovalainen he must let Hamilton pass him ? I wonder how many drivers will have the will to drive and overtake after receiving such order 10 laps before the end
PS: Dennis commenting that McLaren has a tradition to give equal chances to their drivers ...

 

[Bludd]

Well, they ruined their chances for the driver's championship last year because of their equality.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Well, they ruined their chances for the driver's championship last year because of their equality.

Well not really, it was ruined by two critical errors by Hamilton during the last two races. In anycase imo anything other than Kovalainen letting Hamilton pass him at the last race would have idiotic as he didn't have the pace to do anything. There is no proof that Kovalainen can't race if he has the pace.

 

[Bludd]

If they had made Hamilton support Alonso (or vice versa) to get the driver's championship, they would have won IMO.

 

[_xxx_]

Anyone read the news? Schumacher crashes the F599 prototype @250 kmh on the swedish cross on Nürnburg-Ring, no harm though.

 

[Bludd]

Apparently, Schumi was in the passenger seat while a test driver was at the wheel.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080729101919.shtml

 

[Bludd]

Briatore thinks F1 needs an overhaul

He added: "Nowadays Ecclestone takes 50% of all revenues, but we are supposed to be able to reduce our costs by 50%.
"How? Starting from the engines. Making them more environment-friendly, accepting Mosley's challenge of reducing fuel consumption by 50% by 2015, while cutting the high costs of the engine themselves and also cutting the staff.
"The problem is that us, Renault, have stuck to the letter of the current regulations on frozen engines, and we've been buggered: others didn't do that and are far ahead, while we suffer. It's not fair."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69508

It's known that the frozen Renault V8 is a very expensive engine. I wonder what Briatore is actually saying here. Have other manufacturers (Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda etc?) done things to their engines even though the specs are frozen? Is this allowed? Why don't the FIA punish manufacturers who don't follow the regulations?

Edit:

More info

It is not clear which teams Briatore is referring to, but earlier this year we reported that a leading outfit may have found a way to creep ahead in the horse power department by requesting changes to its engine on the grounds of improving reliability.

My bold

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080730101948.shtml

Interesting.

 

[_xxx_]

That's just a pissed-off ranting of a loser, forget it alltogether.

 

[Bludd]

No, I think he should either lodge an official complaint about it or exploit it by claiming reliability issues.

edit: Alonso thinks Renault may have followed the letter and spirit of the regs a bit too well
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080731095830.shtml

 

[Kaotik]

According to MTV3s, finnish tv channel, F1 site, the police is investigating death at Renault F1 teams factory.
According to info they got from Oxford Mail newspaper, the incident took place wednesday forenoon, and while ambulance was called, the person was found dead when it arrived.
There's rumors about a gun being involved.

 

[Davros]

flavio shot by jelous husband ?