Inagural US GP Austin TX

I really wish I could have made it out there for this one. The circuit looks nice and it's been a pretty good season, but it really wasn't practical for me this year.

I wonder if our Shamu Brother RacerX is heading up there for this one?

Any predictions? I hope we get some more team radio gems from Kimi this race...


eso

I haven't seen what the track looks like yet, but I hope that it is better than Indianapolis. Seems they might run bikes in Austin as well.

To be honest, I never thought this one was going to happen, but it is great that it did.

This way we might also find our way back to Austin, and who knows maybe re--live the amazing karting championship we had there all those years ago...

Start practising for turn 19 now, Henrik...

It's a GOOD track - one of Tilke's better attempts.
Unfortunately, it's got India 2011 syndrome...loads of construction / farm dust all over it.
This really means that there'll be just the one racing line tomorrow.

But next year, a la India 2012, it should be stellar.

Another Tille track where you can't pass.

Ferrari, always have to been seen as cheating.

Well done conker boy, and nice to see good aggressive but fair racing from all the drivers (accept one back marker and a iffy bit from M$).

So on to Brasil.

That was thoroughly enjoyable, what a show. The best three drivers on the podium.

I'll be cheering for Fernando in Brazil, yes those are pigs flying!

Oddly, that is the first time they have been on a podium together.

I'm up for a trip to Austin next year, based on that.

Great race...can't wait for next year when all of the track will be used - though you'd never have guessed the limitations on today's showing.

And next year better have some interviews with Murdock - or whomever is flying that helicopter - GREAT flying and great TV shots.

OK...a resounding Tilke-winner.

Moving on...and Brazil next...and with rain...?
Certainly forecast as 5 thunderstorms over the 3 days...should be interesting...

da silva wrote:That was thoroughly enjoyable, what a show. The best three drivers on the podium.

I'll be cheering for Fernando in Brazil, yes those are pigs flying!

Kimi wasn't on the podium, so I could dispute that opinion.

There was lots of good, aggressive but clean wheel to wheel action on this track and that came as a surprise after the way things went practice and quals.

Oddly, I will probably be cheering for Alonso as well. He really has put that underperforming pile far ahead of where it belonged all season long and has shown a lot of heart in the process.

Seriously people, daSilva is cheering for a Ferarri...

eso

He's not the only one in need of a trick-cyclist and a rubber-room...
Both me and Mrs.G are also temporary members of the Go-Go-Nando club...

Have we moved to some alternate universe? da silva cheering for a Ferrari driver? WTF!?!?

I heard the Sky Sports team talking about Turbos coming back in 2014... What's the new formula going to be? What other changes coming down the pipe?


eso

Eso - very basically...

Engines changing to 1600cc V6 power units. Not only will units be turbo-supercharged, but spent exhaust gasses will simultaneously drive generators whose output may be fed directly into the power loop, providing a double whammy – even before stored energy from onboard Energy Recovery Systems (note Kinetic has been dropped) is released.

Crucial under the new regulations is the need for teams to complete a full (25-race?) season with five engines (2014) or four (2015 on), so reliability, while not a life-or-limb issue as in aviation, remains paramount, particularly given F1's high profile and the worldwide interest generated by the new engines.

The teams, via FOTA, agreed a maximum price for the supply of engines of EU8m (£6.5m) per annum for a two-car team.

The regulations specify high-pressure direct fuel injection systems of a type not yet production ready. "The pressure limit is 500 bar, but it is not compulsory to operate at 500 bar," he explains. "It then becomes a technology development exercise with performance trade-offs. The further we depart from known technology, the more expensive, time consuming and risky development is, but, potentially there are greater performance gains.

Currently the maximum number of teams an engine supplier may service without exemption is three, but the 2014 rules have yet to be published. White is working on the assumption that the regulations will remain for the time being, but believes the rule to be a little past its sell-by date, having been introduced under different circumstances back in 2006/7.

That said, the regulations make it fairly easy for teams to switch suppliers as standard fixings are specified front and rear, and all suppliers have agreed on the same bore size. However, the pressure charging architecture with its single turbo to which an electrical motor may be attached is unique.

The vehicle will be required to operate in electric-only mode down the pitlane, while a 100kg/hour fuel flow rate has been specified. "That's quite important," explains White, "it's not a boost pressure limit, but an implicit pressure limit. The fuel limit is not a flat 100kg/hour, there's a fuel flow law, which rises from 50 to 100kg/hour – that's the equivalent of a boost pressure limit.

Cut-n-pasted from various Autosport articles.
Hope this helps...?

WTF indeed Hen, WTF indeed!
I don't even have a problem with Ferrari giving Massa the gearbox penalty, it was quite ingenious and they didn't give Red Bull enough time to counter. Something Colin Chapman definitely would have done if it had been available in his time.

da silva wrote:WTF indeed Hen, WTF indeed!
I don't even have a problem with Ferrari giving Massa the gearbox penalty, it was quite ingenious and they didn't give Red Bull enough time to counter. Something Colin Chapman definitely would have done if it had been available in his time.

You must be mellowing with age DS. Can you then respect the brilliance of Ross Brawn having M$ serve his stop and go penalty on the last lap of Silverstone '98(?) and winning the race by crossing the start/finish first in the pitlane?... That was creative application of legitimate rules too.


eso


And then we go for a round of Senna vs.M$ for old time's sake...

Lol. I can respect it. And I'm not going to let you goad me into an argument.

Cool track and cool race.

Alonso has had one of the best seasons I've seen put together by anyone.

That car should not be in the title hunt.

Lewis has also been unlucky.

Bring on the rain in Brazil, Alonso's only chance.