Formula 1 - 2016 Season

[Bludd]

Ah, the mixed messages continue. All this crap is making F1 look sooo bad. First: let's ban all radio communication. Second: let's change qualifying to a knock-out format. Third: let's make the 2017 tech regs even more aero-heavy so the cars definitely can't follow each other at all, because that's really what we want to see in a race.

Then the season starts and whoops, we can't ban all radio communication because nobody thought it through and you need to be able to talk a little about race strategy. Then, whoops again, the qualifying is horrible and it is not exiting watching the checkered flag being waved at an empty track at the end of Q3. And then everyone says "we have voted to change the format immediately" and today we learn that isn't true at all because of course it wasn't that simple. And now the only sensible thing people are saying, which is another flip-flop: let's delay the 2017 regs.

It's like watching a politician doing a bungie jump: we'll do this, no that, no this, no that .........

 

[Bludd]

Alonso out for Bahrain due to a fractured rib (hairline) after the Australia crash

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/...y-stoffel-vandoorne-to-make-mclaren-f1-debut/

It's bittersweet, on the one hand it is good to be safe than sorry, on the other hand I'd like to see Alonso driving, but on the other hand (I have 3 hands apparently) it will be interesting to see what Stoffel can do in the car.

 

[Kaotik]

Ferrari has had bad luck on the first 2 GPs, but at least the bad luck was split 50/50 this time, not all for Kimi like last year

 

[Dave Baumann]

Reliability issues are not bad luck, they are reliability issues! ;-)

 

[Dave Baumann]

On a separate topic, I am rapidly becoming a fan of Grosjean and HAAS. While you might say they lucked out in Aus, this race they went to an aggressive strategy that relied on the speed of the car and it paid off. Great stuff.

 

[Davros]

They did well, the question is can they keep up in the development race ?
The rookie at mclaren did a great job, plus a manor driver ahead of 2 force india's and a sauber was a good result for them

 

[Bludd]

Yeah, it was a good race, but it was also a lot of incidents and unreliability which wasn't good. For instance losing Vettel at the start due to his engine blowing up was not good, because Vettel would have been right up there in the race. Kimi did a great race, btw. Really nice to see.

I agree with Davros on Haas. It will be very interesting to see how they can develop the car without help from Ferrari.

 

[Dave Baumann]

F1 teams banded together and basically told Todd and Ecclestone where to go on either the elimination or the proposed aggregate format and the word is that the FIA and FOM backed down and will revert to 2015 qualification.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Gearbox replacement penalty for Hamilton after Merc found cracks from the first corner incident with Bottas. Him best potential starting position will be 6'th.

 

[Bludd]

Alonso is cleared for P1, but needs to have additional tests for rest of weekend.

Re: gearbox for Hamilton, he'll have to move through the field in the fastest car so we can see some action at the end of the long straight. Also the weather could be iffy this weekend

 

[zed]

you might of seen this where drivers results from 1950 onwards were modeled Schumacher was split into 2, (pre & post retirement) post doesnt even make the top 50

1 Juan Manuel Fangio
2 Alain Prost
3 Michael Schumacher (pre-2006)
4 Jim Clark
5 Ayrton Senna
6 Fernando Alonso
7 Nelson Piquet
8 Jackie Stewart
9 Emerson Fittipaldi
10 Sebastian Vettel

 

[Kaotik]

Gearbox replacement penalty for Hamilton after Merc found cracks from the first corner incident with Bottas. Him best potential starting position will be 6'th.

Hamilton has clarified that the incident with Bottas is not behind the damage to the gearbox

 

[mczak]

I don't think the guy driving Alonso's car got a grid penalty for changing gear box, and I sort of doubt they reused it, so you get exempt from that if you destroy the car?

 

[DJ12]

It's probably a case of they know it will last, but it's risky, so they are changing it when they clearly have a massive advantage (With perfectly working, undamaged car) so he's virtually guaranteed second even if he starts at the back.

 

[Kaotik]

I don't think the guy driving Alonso's car got a grid penalty for changing gear box, and I sort of doubt they reused it, so you get exempt from that if you destroy the car?

Yes.

If a driver fails to finish a race due to reasons beyond his or his team's control, he may start the next meeting with a different gearbox without incurring a penalty.

 

[Kaotik]

Kvyat really needs to take a good hard look at the first corner, and his attitude. He almost ruined 1 race and ruined 1 race for his recklessness and was all like "ye well it didn't end my race" - there was no way in hell he would have made through that corner without piling up half the drivers had Vettel not dodged and hit Kimi

 

[Transponster]

Kvyat really needs to take a good hard look at the first corner, and his attitude. He almost ruined 1 race and ruined 1 race for his recklessness and was all like "ye well it didn't end my race" - there was no way in hell he would have made through that corner without piling up half the drivers had Vettel not dodged and hit Kimi

Sebastian...?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Kvyat did sound like a bit of a derp after the race. "I didn't crash and could continue durhurur".

Anyway we had three really good races. The midfield is very close and it looks like Ferrari and maybe RBR have caught up with Mercedes though they still hold a bit of a advantage, especially in clear air. On the plus side it doesn't look like the Merc is that strong in dirty air so we might be in for some more good races if Ferrari or RBR can get infront of the Mercs.

Really liking this season and I hope they don't change too much for next season. Probably less downforce and no fugly halo or windscreen and 2017 should be pretty good too.

 

[Dave Baumann]

http://www.formula1.com/content/fom..._Onboard_with_Kvyat_and_Vettel_at_Turn_1.html

Not sure I see the outrage from Vettel, there was a pretty big gap there and Kvyat took it. Wasn't as though he was all locked up and out of control, seems like he was full in control and wasn't on full lock. Commentary/analysis has been that the Red Bull is the leader of the field on slow and medium corners and so maybe he can come at these situations "like a torpedo" and still be in control.

Seems like the general fanbase agrees with Kvyat as well, given he's been voted as driver of the day.

 

[Kaotik]

http://www.formula1.com/content/fom..._Onboard_with_Kvyat_and_Vettel_at_Turn_1.html

Not sure I see the outrage from Vettel, there was a pretty big gap there and Kvyat took it. Wasn't as though he was all locked up and out of control, seems like he was full in control and wasn't on full lock. Commentary/analysis has been that the Red Bull is the leader of the field on slow and medium corners and so maybe he can come at these situations "like a torpedo" and still be in control.

Seems like the general fanbase agrees with Kvyat as well, given he's been voted as driver of the day.

Yes, there was a big gap and there's nothing wrong with trying to take the gap, the problem was his speed, as you can see in the video too, he drifted all the way across the whole track while trying to do the corner, had Vettel not dodged and crashed Kimi, Kvyat would have piled up half the field next to and behind him in far bigger crash