R J Poseidon 6

Ah yes, I meant the works team, but I did overlook the typical MB dominance of F1's latest era in today's numbers....

Chief F1 Fan

I knew what you meant, all good

cu2wagon

Well Baku seems like it might be a fun gokart track. A bit garbage for a real sized race car though.

kurtatx

Qualifying was pretty exciting, but I agree the race is probably going to suck from a passing standpoint.

Chief F1 Fan

^^ are you kidding? That long straight is the mecca for passing in F1.

kurtatx

I guess that's true. The NBC coverage really focused heavily on the walls. Could be a complete shitshow tomorrow.

cu2wagon

Turn 8 will collect the front runners. Manor will get podiums.

Chief F1 Fan

It sure would be great for Manor if they got some points as points = Bernie Bucks

F-C

What a ridiculous track. Expect insurance rates for the teams to go way up.

Legend2TL

That's gonna help for passing especially the MB powertrains.

Yeah, all the right angle turns reminds me of Detroit and Phoenix Grand Prix.
Baltimore for IndyCar wasn't much better either.
May be a mess, but I also see alot of potential action with the back section trying to get advantage coming out of the old town twisty section gaining an advantage getting onto the front straight.


I can't believe Charlie Whiting and FIA approved a course that is only 24' wide in sections.

Turn 7 & 8 are really tight.

kurtatx

I had a vision of Haas taking the checkered flag and the Star-Spangled Banner playing at the podium.

icy2

The race was kinda a bore....The most exciting things were the start, then the Kimi and Hamilton radio messages

Chief F1 Fan

Haas is saving that finish for the USGP

cu2wagon

How many more years are they racing there?

Qualifying was so much more exciting that the actual race.

F-C

Same sentiment here. I don't think it was a very good race. The city does look beautiful, but there was almost no atmosphere around the track. It was like there was no one there.

Legend2TL

Not a triller, but Baku is a beautiful town to host a GP. The old and new sections make for a neat contrast.

Can't believe for the 2nd race in a row, Ferrari wanted to bring Vettel in early for tires and he refused and waited which was the right strategy.

Amused that Rosberg had the same power-train ECU setting issue that Hamilton did, but Rosberg was able to figure it out, this race will definitley help his negotiations with Wolff for contract extention.

Mercedes explains Hamilton's engine settings problem - F1i.com

Kinda surprised there was no major accidents or red flag/pacecar incidents. Some of the cars got really close in turn 7/8

Hats off to Perez who placed 3rd for the 2nd time in last three races, he gave a radio thanks to his team after the finish saying this made up for them staying up late Saturday night replacing the gearbox and rebuilding the rear after he crashed and started from 7th no less.

Legend2TL

with Kurt Busch driving

Chief F1 Fan

And Williams gets faster . . . (but still can't podium with the fastest speed trap/pit stop times)



Williams equal pit stop record - PlanetF1 : PlanetF1

F-C

That's crazy fast.

00TL-P3.2

They'll look to have a great car for a while, then it just seems to fall off pace

R J Poseidon 6

Not bad! Quite sick actually....

F-C

So...

Highest grand prix top speed is 237mph.
Highest F1 top speed is 235mpg.

Legend2TL

Still pales to Bill Elliot's all-time NASCAR qualifying pole for 1987 Taledega 500 at a average speed of 212.809 mph.

Nico's father Keke still holds the fastest average qualifying lap speed of 160.9MPH at Silverstone in 1985

In the 80's true speed and performance separated the men from the boys in auto racing

F-C

The single lap record is still Gil de Ferran's 241mph at Fontana in the Reynard-Honda.

Legend2TL

Pat Symonds is still searching for why as well, he's said that several times in the past couple years that Williams cars can be overly sensitive to changing conditions (ride height, tires, fuel load,...).

R J Poseidon 6

Well, yes and no, remember BAR Honda did a test on the Bonneville Salt Flats w/out any down force on the car & hit just over 250mph

Legend2TL

I saw a few CART/CHAMP races at tri-oval Michigan International Raceway in the 80's and 90's.
I remember they averaged ~230MPH and hit 250 on the front straight, pretty unreal when they came by.

00TL-P3.2

Maybe it's a mid-level fuel weight issue? Seems they do pretty well in quali & at the start of the race. Pace tapers mid to end of race.

F-C

Bonneville is not a closed course though.

Chief F1 Fan

I was at that race. If I remember correctly, Mauricio Gugelmin won.

R J Poseidon 6

Very true. Although, I thought we were just stating 'in general' the top speeds of these beasts.

R J Poseidon 6

250!!

Siiiick! Sign me up!

F-C

I used to go to MIS all the time back in the 90's. You are right, it was surreal standing next to the track when the cars went by.

Chief F1 Fan

I can't believe they didn't include JV-Schumacher's clash, oh well

Battles, crashes and controversy - 10 memorable Austria moments

Legend2TL

The 1982 Austrian GP video recap of the last lap is pretty amazing for several reasons.

• It was the battle between De Angelis and Rosberg to see who would get their first GP win, which Elio won.
• Rosberg would get his first win at the next race.
• The gap between the cars was 0.050s or ~1/2 car length.
• It was the last time Colin Chapman would throw his cap in the air when his car crossed the finish line for a win.
• Last Chapman designed Lotus to win a F1 race.

Chief F1 Fan

there was an Austrian GP quail session in which 3 people had the exact same time, Frentzen, JV and I don't remember 19xx (?) Anyone?

CORRECTION: Thanks Google, it was the 1997 European GP held in Spain. JV, then Schu, then Frentzen set identical times. Pole was determined by first to get that time, i.e.-JV.

CCColtsicehockey

Well this is interesting. I wonder exactly how much advantage this is giving them and if it will get banned.

Mercedes devious tyre pressure trick revealed | GRAND PRIX 247

icy2

Hope the race isn't filled with suspension failures like FP3 and Quals were today

West6MT

That's pretty interesting and ingenious.

Edward'TLS

Starting this weekend, tire pressures will be checked before the wheels are fitted onto the cars. This will effectively negate any advantage as a result of this Mercedes super-heated axle trick.

Race start will show true impact of new tyre pressure checks