[xbook]

Here are the test times from Jerez, from yesterday:

1) J. Button .......Brawn GP .... 01:17.844 ... 114
2) N. Rosberg ....Williams ...... 01:18.071 ... 66
3) N. Piquet jr ....Renault ........01:18.382 ... 133
4) L. Hamilton ....McLaren ...... 01:19.121 ... 121

Looks like McLaren have another MP4-18 on their hands. At the current Jerez test, they were still doing aero tests on their rear diffuser. Even going to the extreme of putting green dye on the underside of the car to see how the air flow is moving. That's a hail mary move, if ya ask me.



But, my boy Jenson Button is putting in more fast laps in the Brawn car.

Woohoo go Brawn GP and Button!!!!

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by OOOSQ

Light fuel runs to gain sponsership interest!

in someways i doubt it.....it'll be stupid for them to run fast now to attract sponsors....then show everyone that they're out of pace in Australia in less than 2 weeks....that will kill BrawnGP's creditbility.....not a wise move if that's the case....

Originally Posted by xXxMLEExXx

I'm a big fan of Honda...really sorry to see them pull out like that.
Still...that chassis is developed by Honda and I like to cheer for underdogs. I really hope they can shine this year.

I will hold my opinions on the changes, I do believe they are trying to make F1 racing more interesting. Only time will tell.

Even tho i root for Hamilton.....but once a while to see underdogs making good progress and results...i'll be really happy for them...a small team with very limited budget to achieve billion dollar teams.....like Vettel win in Monza last year and Sato of Super Aguri passing Alonso in McLaren in Canada in 2007.....

Originally Posted by xXxMLEExXx

Not sure how you know that when other teams and drivers don't believe that. Honda been developing that care since 2007 cause they gave up on the 08 crap chassis. We all will know the real performance next week if they are for real or not. Also, BGP is not running any KERS so they could have the right balance of the car and keeping it light as possible.

and also because Ross Brawn didn't join the team till a little while before the 2008 season started....which gave him little to no time to refine the 2008 chassis...the design was already frozen or it'll cost too much and not enough time to re-design....so they might as well start working on the 2009 chassis and give up 2008.....(even tho Barrichello won in Silverstone...)

Originally Posted by gtaday51

I just don't understand how 40 cars turning in a circle for 5 hours is more entertianig than 40 laps around a real course, in the middle of cities and gorgeous scenery, in this country...never will I understand the appeal of NASCAR...

that's why some of my coworkers ask if i watch NASCAR...i just answered "Don't Care"...
Formula 1 is too complicated to Americans..... no offence.....
some other coworkers are into F1 as well...its a joy to chat with them during the season

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by xbook

Here are the test times from Jerez, from yesterday:

1) J. Button .......Brawn GP .... 01:17.844 ... 114
2) N. Rosberg ....Williams ...... 01:18.071 ... 66
3) N. Piquet jr ....Renault ........01:18.382 ... 133
4) L. Hamilton ....McLaren ...... 01:19.121 ... 121

Looks like McLaren have another MP4-18 on their hands. At the current Jerez test, they were still doing aero tests on their rear diffuser. Even going to the extreme of putting green dye on the underside of the car to see how the air flow is moving. That's a hail mary move, if ya ask me.



But, my boy Jenson Button is putting in more fast laps in the Brawn car.

Woohoo go Brawn GP and Button!!!!

damn McLaren is still out of pace....

[gtaday51]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

that's why some of my coworkers ask if i watch NASCAR...i just answered "Don't Care"...
Formula 1 is too complicated to Americans..... no offence.....
some other coworkers are into F1 as well...its a joy to chat with them during the season

Same. I have friends that are into NASCAR. I just tell them watch some real racing, i.e. Formula 1 or ALMS (Pissed that Audi is leaving, but there is a new BMW M3 team).

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

that's why some of my coworkers ask if i watch NASCAR...i just answered "Don't Care"...
Formula 1 is too complicated to Americans..... no offence.....
some other coworkers are into F1 as well...its a joy to chat with them during the season

-1 man. NASCAR is fun the same way baseball is fun. The action isn't super great but the environment and occasion to eat too much and get drunk can't be missed.

I think the new F1 point system, well, win system will result in a lot of win or spectacularily wreck trying and they'll change the system back because of the chaos.

[xbook]

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

...NASCAR is fun the same way baseball is fun. The action isn't super great but the environment and occasion to eat too much and get drunk can't be missed...

Ya know, as someone who cant stand NASCAR races....you are totally right.

Doesn't really matter sometimes what the event is. Just the act of being outside, eating crappy hotdogs, paying way too much for warm beer, sitting on metal seats. All the while, you're whoopin n' hollerin', just having a great time. NASCAR is great for that. Although, usually the parking sucks

Yupp, that beats the crap out of a day of work in my book!! Or honey-dos 'round the house.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

-1 man. NASCAR is fun the same way baseball is fun. The action isn't super great but the environment and occasion to eat too much and get drunk can't be missed.

I think the new F1 point system, well, win system will result in a lot of win or spectacularily wreck trying and they'll change the system back because of the chaos.

Originally Posted by xbook

Ya know, as someone who cant stand NASCAR races....you are totally right.

Doesn't really matter sometimes what the event is. Just the act of being outside, eating crappy hotdogs, paying way too much for warm beer, sitting on metal seats. All the while, you're whoopin n' hollerin', just having a great time. NASCAR is great for that. Although, usually the parking sucks

Yupp, that beats the crap out of a day of work in my book!! Or honey-dos 'round the house.

its more like an opportunity for ppl to gather and get drunk, BBQ , and chill...
but these has nothing to do with the race....

[josephr25]

Originally Posted by gtaday51

I just don't understand how 40 cars turning in a circle for 5 hours is more entertianig than 40 laps around a real course, in the middle of cities and gorgeous scenery, in this country...never will I understand the appeal of NASCAR...

As opposed to F1, where Ferrari and McLaren are always 1-2.

[E90SLAM]

http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2009/...-championship/

[nmulax]

Originally Posted by Kampfer

As opposed to F1, where Ferrari and McLaren are always 1-2.

I don't think that'll be the case this year, which is why I'm excited for Melbourne!

McLaren could be sandbagging, but they have the know-how, so even if they start slow; within 3-4 races I'd expect them up near the front. But this season Ferrari, BMW, Brawn, Toyota, and Red Bull all have shown some impressive runs.

I think we'll see more then Kimi, Hamilton, Massa, and Kubica on the podium.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by nmulax

I don't think that'll be the case this year, which is why I'm excited for Melbourne!

McLaren could be sandbagging, but they have the know-how, so even if they start slow; within 3-4 races I'd expect them up near the front. But this season Ferrari, BMW, Brawn, Toyota, and Red Bull all have shown some impressive runs.

I think we'll see more then Kimi, Hamilton, Massa, and Kubica on the podium.

Heikki showed McLaren is back on top....
Times
01. Kovalanien McLaren 1:18.202 79 laps
02. Nakajima Williams 1:20.014 103 laps

[Guildenstern]

Originally Posted by gtaday51

I just don't understand how 40 cars turning in a circle for 5 hours is more entertianig than 40 laps around a real course, in the middle of cities and gorgeous scenery, in this country...never will I understand the appeal of NASCAR...

It's easy, 40 cars going in a circle means the Sponsorships are always facing the cameras for nice long shots. Therefore it gets more sponsorship cash, and so it gets better air time on national broadcast TV.

From there it's a simple matter of available content. It's there and easy to get, so people watch it and get to like it.

I'm not a fan of the NASCAR, Partialy because I'm more a technology person then a Driver Person. NASCAR just doesn't deliver for me at all.

Speaking of back on topic, WTF with tightening the development caps again? I want to see crazy monster cars, not price capped european CART races.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by Guildenstern

It's easy, 40 cars going in a circle means the Sponsorships are always facing the cameras for nice long shots. Therefore it gets more sponsorship cash, and so it gets better air time on national broadcast TV.

From there it's a simple matter of available content. It's there and easy to get, so people watch it and get to like it.

I'm not a fan of the NASCAR, Partialy because I'm more a technology person then a Driver Person. NASCAR just doesn't deliver for me at all.

Speaking of back on topic, WTF with tightening the development caps again? I want to see crazy monster cars, not price capped european CART races.

Bernie just want to put Kimi, Lewis, Heikki, robert, massa...etc etc...back to GP2 races...

[E90SLAM]

No one likes the new World Champion system....

So far we have, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said its absurd;
Lewis Hamilton said its a shame what's happening to Formula 1; Mark Webber fears the new system won't reward those who are consistently good throughout the season;
seven-time Champ Michael Schumacher saying it doesn't make "sense" and nor will it "help" F1;
Jenson Button feels it will just cause confusion for the average sponsor;
Fernando Alonso fears this will alienating fans of F1.

why....bernie....why u over-fixing Formula 1...just because you don't see the increase of revenue in ur back account from all the events?

[xbook]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

No one likes the new World Champion system....

So far we have, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said its absurd;
Lewis Hamilton said its a shame what's happening to Formula 1; Mark Webber fears the new system won't reward those who are consistently good throughout the season;
seven-time Champ Michael Schumacher saying it doesn't make "sense" and nor will it "help" F1;
Jenson Button feels it will just cause confusion for the average sponsor;
Fernando Alonso fears this will alienating fans of F1.

why....bernie....why u over-fixing Formula 1...just because you don't see the increase of revenue in ur back account from all the events?

Yeah, why the need for such a drastic change, so close to the start of the season?

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by xbook

Yeah, why the need for such a drastic change, so close to the start of the season?

because Bernie wants the bid red car to win the WDC and WCC for the remainder of his term....

[3er858]

I'm not too excited about all the rule changes, but I will reserve final judgment until after the first few races of the season... If the racing is closer and more teams are competitive, then I guess it will be OK. I'm not stoked on how the cars look... The aero is so boring to me. At the end of the day though, I'm a F1 fan to the core, so I'm sooooo glad the season starts in a week!

Originally Posted by xXxMLEExXx

Go Brawn GT!!!!

+1 it's nice to see Jenson with a competitive car again!

[xbook]

Sounds like FOTA is trying to block the news BULL$HIT "points" system. Yay!!

In short, to do this drastic of a change so close to the start of the season requires the unanimous decision of all competitors. The WMSC simply acted too late.

FOTA Disputes new FIA Regs

Here is the important part of the article if you don't want to read the entire thing:

Appendix 5 of the F1 sporting regulations details how regulations can be changed in F1, while Article 199 of the International Sporting Code says that the FIA cannot make changes to the sporting regulations at this late stage without unanimous approval of the teams.

It says: "Changes to sporting rules and to all regulations other than those referred to in b) above are published at least 20 days prior to the opening date for entry applications for the championship concerned, but never later than 30 November each year.

"Such changes cannot come into effect before 1 January of the year following their publication, unless the FIA considers that the changes in question are likely to have a substantial impact on the technical design of the vehicle and/or the balance of performance between the cars, in which case they will come into effect no earlier than 1 January of the second year following their publication.

"d) Shorter notice periods...may be applied, provided that the unanimous agreement of all competitors properly entered for the championship or series concerned is obtained."

[3er858]

Just found this on itv-f1... I hope it's true! A 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 would be a much better solution.

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=45299

[E90SLAM]

i prefer the new 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 system....makes more sense than the winner takes all cr@p....at least there's a bigger gap between the P1 and P2....
or just keep the current 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 system.....

[bknight]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

i prefer the new 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 system....makes more sense than the winner takes all cr@p....at least there's a bigger gap between the P1 and P2....
or just keep the current 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 system.....

agree, having a bigger points gap between 1st and 2nd is appropriate in my opinion (unlike the horrible winner takes all system that I'm so glad was scrapped). I remember the 10-6-4 system was taken out around the time Schumi was dominating. I think it's fair to place more value on the win, just not the extreme system that thankfully is being scrapped!

[aggie57]

Guess we'll find out most of the answers by Sunday night.....