Formula 1 2012: General Discussion Thread

StephenHendry

Jordan 191 wrote: »

I also remember that race for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW1mt2eojRk

Frentzen was flying in that race until the powerplant gave up.

i remember frentzen being held up for ages trying to lap blundell in that race as well

Infoanon

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Peter Collins was sack, end of really. He tried his best but my granny would have more knowledge of F1.

Mr. Mone AC O and his 'the great WOUN Pablo MonTOYa' - a dreadful F1 commentator only equalled by his attempts at Moto GP

Darwin

recyclebin wrote: »

1995 sounds about right. We only had RTE in our house back then and 95 was the first time I got to see F1 live. My first memory of F1 was when Coulthard crashed his Williams in the pit lane. Since then I've watched F1 on RTL, ITV, BBC and now Sky.

I know some people didn't really like Peter Collins but I thought he was alright. He brought a lot of enthusiasm to the commentary box especially when Jordan were doing well.

Anybody have the Eurosport coverage of this? Ben Edwards and John Watson did the commentary and I always remember the priceless reaction from the pair of them when this happened.

Jordan 199

the culture of deference

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Stunning photo

I prefer watching on telly, coverage is so much better. I found it impossible to follow the race when I was at one. Nowadays I would rather go to the venue for the free practise and qually days, and then watch the race at home.

recyclebin

With smart phones, tablets, internet streaming and fanvision it is getting much easier to follow the race when you are at the track.

the culture of deference

recyclebin wrote: »

With smart phones, tablets, internet streaming and fanvision it is getting much easier to follow the race when you are at the track.

Shows how long its been then for me.

recyclebin

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Not when you realise the price of Data when your roaming! None of the tracks I have been to have free wi-fi or anything like that. If your not willing to fork out for fanvision your pretty much blind.

I went to Poland for the Euros this year and picked up a prepay data sim on the cheap. It's what I plan to do on all trips abroad in future.

I was at Mondello watching a friend racing Vee's a couple of months ago and I wasn't sure what position he was in the race. I had my phone on me and was able to look up the live timing on a website. It's amazing how much technology has improved things for the spectator, even at the lower classes of racing.

frostie500

i had the fanvision at Le Mans a few years ago and thought it was class, a real must have for most people at the track.

However at F1 and MotoGP races this year I havent had much problem keeping up with the proceedings even though Id be moving around the whole time. Obviously you have to concentrate a lot to be able to know whats going on and it's tricky to know the exact laps etc. but whenever i sit down after a race to write a report my thoughts generally are in line with the facts of the race.

Saying that when i was at Barcelona last year as a fan it was pretty tricky to follow as i was being distracted by the noise around me from other fans. I think that's probably what makes it so hard to follow from the trackside, theres always someone that will take your attention from the screens/tracks at the worst time

Myrddin

Dumb question here but whats Fanvision?

I remember it and a similar thing mentioned last year by the BBC commentators. I want to say KangarooTV :pac: You rent it for the weekend and can pick up audio feeds of commentary and I think one of them comes with video and live timing feeds.

Myrddin

Deleted User wrote: »

I remember it and a similar thing mentioned last year by the BBC commentators. I want to say KangarooTV :pac: You rent it for the weekend and can pick up audio feeds of commentary and I think one of them comes with video and live timing feeds.

Ah I see, sounds cool - are they expensive to rent yeah?

Dear enough but from what I've heard of them definitely something I'd budget for. Can't remember the prices but someone else surely will. :pac:

frostie500

Deleted User wrote: »

Dear enough but from what I've heard of them definitely something I'd budget for. Can't remember the prices but someone else surely will. :pac:

Yeah its just a renamed Kangaroo TV!

Usually you can pick up a unit for less than 100 quid a weekend but they usually offer one day free so its possible to pick one up for 50 or 60 quid for the weekend. Pretty good value at that or else you can buy a unit from them for about 200 euro

Jordan 199

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Its a pants idea the medal system, if It came out I wouldn't watch F1 any-more.

Easier said than done I tell ya!

ratedR

I've been to 2 races now and would echo what someone above said, for practice sessions and qualy it's ok live, but if you really want to follow the race and not miss anything then it's hard to beat watching it on tv.

Still though going to an F1 race is an experience any fan should get to do. I'd been to Australia '09 and it was a great race. Just hearing an F1 car at full pelt is worth it Brawns first race and Button winning. Vettels first race in a Red Bull and his coming together with Kubica. Safety car periods.

But It was only when I went to to the Hungarian GP this year that I experienced true F1 fans coming together. At Albert Park it was a very general crowd, and most people only showed up on Sunday. In Budapest there were thousands of fans from all over Europe there from the pit walk on Thursday - mad passionate Finns (they can drink!), Italians, Poles, Czechs, Germans, Dutch and Russians. It was just a fantastic atmosphere that I've never experienced before. Yeah the race wasn't very good, you only see one piece of track anyway when you're there but the atmosphere, the fans, the weather and the city made it a great few days.

In Australia there was live commentary on a radio station local to the track which was very handy - coupled with a big screen so I didnt miss any action. But in Budapest we just had the big screen. I actually thought it was Grosjean who came second. (prob should have just looked at the camera colour )

Anyway to get to my point, I'll definitely be getting a fanvison device for the next GP I go to.

Jordan 199

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I have done it before and I have no problems doing it again :pac:

And did you find it easy or hard to stop watching it before and what was the problem with the sport that made you stop watching it?

Jordan 199

Spa to be on F1 calender until 2015.

The Belgian Grand Prix's future has been guaranteed for the next three seasons, after race organisers signed a new deal with Formula 1 chiefs.

The fate of the Spa-Francorchamps event has been the subject of uncertainty over recent years, amid suggestions it was seeking a race-share deal with the Nurburgring or Magny-Cours.

But with the Nurburgring alternating with Hockenheim, and French GP plans collapsing for now, Spa chiefs have agreed their own deal.

The contract, which was announced by the Walloon Region's economy minister Jean-Claude Marcourt, will run from 2013 to 2015 - and is on more favourable financial terms for the circuit.

Full article on Autosport.

Myrddin

Awesome awesome news :cool:

Jordan 199

EnterNow wrote: »

Awesome awesome news :cool:

I think classic circuits like Spa should be a permanent fixture on the GP calender and never be under the threat of being removed.

Myrddin

Jordan 191 wrote: »

I think classic circuits like Spa should be a permanent fixture on the GP calender and never be under the threat of being removed.

Agreed, it's painful to watch super tracks like Spa, with real history behind it, struggle against the likes of the Middle East ones. Unfortunately, money speaks is what counts

Jordan 199

Schumacher to compete in his 300th GP at Spa.

Michael Schumacher thinks his Mercedes team must celebrate his 300th grand prix in the right way - with a strong performance on track in Belgium.

Despite some recent difficulties for Mercedes, Schumacher believes the high-speed nature of Spa-Francorchamps allied to car improvements should help his outfit get back on form.

"Spa is like my living room; for me, it's clearly the number one race track in the world," said Schumacher, who will become only the second driver in history to compete in 300 grands prix.

"It's uncanny how I always seem to have special moments there - my debut, my first win, a world championship victory and many great races.

"The fact that I will also take part in my 300th grand prix at Spa was somehow almost inevitable and we will have to celebrate it in the right way. I'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone and there's no question that we are looking to have a particularly nice weekend.

Full article on Autosport.

Made his debut there in the Jordan in 1991 and has had 6 victories there. Won the 1995 GP there after starting from 16th on the grid.

losthorizon

Jordan 191 wrote: »

I think classic circuits like Spa should be a permanent fixture on the GP calender and never be under the threat of being removed.

I agree 100% and I mean 100%

amacca

EnterNow wrote: »

Agreed, it's painful to watch super tracks like Spa, with real history behind it, struggle against the likes of the Middle East ones. Unfortunately, money speaks is what counts

pity....Spa is just such a great great track

Cookie_Monster

but even Spa is not as good as it was a few years ago. Classic corners are now just flat out in top gear, no effort required, Bus Stop is gone. It's not the track it once was IMO

StephenHendry

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

but even Spa is not as good as it was a few years ago. Classic corners are now just flat out in top gear, no effort required, Bus Stop is gone. It's not the track it once was IMO

agree, even eau rouge these days looks easy for the cars to full pelt whereas before that was a corner which separated the men from the boys. likewise the bus stop chicance, old one, provided opportunities for overtaking for those brave enough like schumi against damon in the 1998 belgian gp

Myrddin

Maybe some people would be happier with a calender full of Bahrains? You can't win with some people, impossible to keep them happy.

On low fuel some of the corners are now flat-out but they won't be in the race. They've been like that well over 15 years, I remember Villeneuve commenting on it when he first went there so it's not a new thing.
I preferred the bus-stop to the current chicane but that's just because I like odd little layouts.

Mike Litoris

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

but even Spa is not as good as it was a few years ago. Classic corners are now just flat out in top gear, no effort required, Bus Stop is gone. It's not the track it once was IMO

Even worse when you compare it to the pre 80's configuration. That track was epic to drive in Grand Prix Legends.

Jordan 199

Mike Litoris wrote: »

Even worse when you compare it to the pre 80's configuration. That track was epic to drive in Grand Prix Legends.

Great track on GPL, very fast.

Mike Litoris

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Great track on GPL, very fast.

I wish they'd make this for Forza. I'd spend all day trying to take Masta flat in a Volvo 240!:D

SilverScreen

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Its not far off in all fairness, the bus stop in my opinion.

I always liked the old bus stop chicane, it was a rare case of a chicane actually providing a challenge for the drivers. Coming flat out from Blanchimont and then having to brake hard at the precise moment, then a quick flick left and right. It was like threading the eye of a needle.

Myrddin

Only three days to FP1, thank the lord. And its a BBC covered race correct? Oh this weekend shall rock, hard. Five bloody weeks its been :mad::D

vectra

EnterNow wrote: »

Only three days to FP1, thank the lord. And its a BBC covered race correct? Oh this weekend shall rock, hard. Five bloody weeks its been :mad::D

Can't wait..
It was like the winter break ..
Fingers crossed for Kimi and Lotus for their first win this weekend..

StephenHendry

vectra wrote: »

Can't wait..
It was like the winter break ..
Fingers crossed for Kimi and Lotus for their first win this weekend..

yeah i think kimi will be close especially since he won there last. kimi should have won bahrain gp so he has a chance to correct that

Frank Bullitt

Weather at Spa for the weekend is unsettled, I do love a wet race in Belgium.

StephenHendry

Gintonious wrote: »

Weather at Spa for the weekend is unsettled, I do love a wet race in Belgium.

thats great to hear, hoping schumi gets a good results. it will mean a really unpredictable race, with lots of overtaking

Damn, doesn't help the Lotuses.

vectra

Gintonious wrote: »

Weather at Spa for the weekend is unsettled, I do love a wet race in Belgium.

Just showing 1mm drizzle Friday morning.. Cloudy but dry thereafter

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Spa/forecasts/latest
GO ON KIMI YA GOOD THING..!! :pac:

freestyla

vectra wrote: »

Just showing 1mm drizzle Friday morning.. Cloudy but dry thereafter

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Spa/forecasts/latest
GO ON KIMI YA GOOD THING..!! :pac:

Somehow I see Vettel vs Kimi battle this sunday IF the weather is not too cold and Lotus works as designed

Myrddin

freestyla wrote: »

Somehow I see Vettel vs Kimi battle this sunday IF the weather is not too cold and Lotus works as designed

Hopefully with Vettel ending up facing the wrong way minus a wheel, while Kimi sails to victory

Even just a dry qualifying wouldn't be too bad, initial pace seems to be an even bigger issue for Lotus in the wet. It'd be nice to have a proper five-way fight for the title but I can see Webber falling back and just have to hope Alonso slows down a little :pac:

Frank Bullitt

I do find it interesting that Kimi is referred to as the king at Spa, when clearly it's Michael.

Although I do think Kimi has a better chance this weekend than Michael. Either way would love to see the king on the top step for his 300th GP.

Jordan 199

Gintonious wrote: »

I do find it interesting that Kimi is referred to as the king at Spa, when clearly it's Michael.

Although I do think Kimi has a better chance this weekend than Michael. Either way would love to see the king on the top step for his 300th GP.

I would love to see Schumi on the top step too. If he doesn't make it to the top step, it still would be great to see him on the second or third step.

It will all depend on how the Merc performs though.

ottostreet

Has Michael beaten Kimi around Spa since 2002? Nope! That's why Kimi is King of Spa!

Frank Bullitt

ottostreet wrote: »

Has Michael beaten Kimi around Spa since 2002? Nope! That's why Kimi is King of Spa!

Has Kimi won at Spa 6 times? Nope! That is why Michael is the King of Spa.

freestyla

Grim.

well it cant be anymore boring than the rest of the season

vectra

Gintonious wrote: »

Has Kimi won at Spa 6 times? Nope! That is why Michael is the King of Spa.

Don't worry, Kimi will be 5 times winner next Sunday

Frank Bullitt

vectra wrote: »

Don't worry, Kimi will be 5 times winner next Sunday

Still won't be a 6 time winner, will he?