F1 - GP (General Purpose)

Chode ^ | 8/5/2009 | Chode

[Chode]

This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.

[Captain Jack Aubrey]

These current cars are death traps.

[Chode]

they’ve been worse

[nascarnation]

Grosjean was a really lucky guy.
And the FIA should be ashamed of having Armco in places like that. Or at least have a sheet of some material fastened on the face of it like a SAFER wall to keep the nose from going through.

[Chode]

100% i was there... come a long way baby, or not

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d7/97/15/d797156bc60b4d64c886ef4b454644cf.jpg

[Chode]

Day 1 Highlights | 2021 Pre-Season Testing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-O6tUkabk8

[Chode]

The Illegal Formula 1 Innovations Making A Comeback In 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nxsT-dey20

[Chode]

F1’s 2021 rule changes: 10 things you need to know

F1’s 2021 rule changes: 10 things you need to know

[Chode]

Grosjean 3D Crash Animation - F1 Bahrain 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAeQHfwtr5s

[Chode]

F1’s 2021 rule changes: 10 things you need to know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk-JKrs0rrc

[bobby.223]

I read that Murray Walker just passed away. 97 years old and he had one heck of a broadcasting run.

[Chode]

complements of bobby.223 thx...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/56388596

Murray Walker: Formula 1 broadcasting legend dies at 97

Legendary Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker has died at the age of 97.

Walker commentated on his first grand prix for the BBC at Silverstone in 1949 and became a full-time F1 commentator in 1978.

He became synonymous with F1 through his commentary, first with the BBC and then ITV, before retiring in 2001.

“Murray has been with me for my whole life and I don’t think anybody thought this day would come, but sadly it has,” said 1996 F1 champion Damon Hill.

Murray Walker: A legend with effervescent enthusiasm
Murray Walker at 90 on James Hunt and Ayrton Senna
Listen: Special podcast - remembering Murray Walker

One of Walker’s most famous lines was, “I’ve got to stop now, because I’ve got a lump in my throat” as Britain’s Hill won the 1996 Japanese Grand Prix - and with it his only World Championship.

Hill added: “Maybe old soldiers never die? His legacy and his memory is so strong, and what he gave to so many Formula 1 fans and number of people he affected, he became bigger than the sport, so we have got a lot to be thankful to Murray for.

“He could emote the events that happened in our sport. The shocking moments and the dramatic moments all have Murray’s reaction to them and he made those events stick in your mind forever.

“And he allowed himself not to be the know-it-all commentator, but the fan who, at times, got over excited.”

Walker, who is survived by his wife of more than 60 years Elizabeth, was appointed an OBE in 1996 for his services to broadcasting and motor racing.

His co-commentators included the late James Hunt, who was F1 world champion in 1976, and the pair built up a memorable partnership.

He also had a popular partnership with former grand prix driver Martin Brundle, who paid tribute on social media.

“Wonderful man in every respect,” said Brundle. “National treasure, communication genius, Formula 1 legend.”

Three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart said he spent a lot of time with Walker, who served in a tank regiment during World War Two, as their fathers both knew each other.

“He was a very special man in every respect,” the Scot told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I was lucky enough to know him well. In fact, I spoke to him several weeks ago where he was in a home.

“He was the perfect gentleman, a man who had great style and great skills with the English language.

“As a racing driver, from my own point of view, Murray was always the best.”

Stewart added: “He was very good at making mistakes. He made wonderful mistakes. He so much enjoyed the realisation of his error, he was such a character.

“A mistake didn’t mean anything wrong for Murray. It was something else to make a joke of.

“He was full of energy, he never sat to do a commentary. He stood up for the whole time.”

[BBB333]

Thanks, Chode.

Lot’s of great info!

[Chode]

welcome

the old breed is dying off

[Chode]

F1's New Saudi Arabia GP Street Circuit Measures 3.8 Miles Long and Is Wickedly Fast

https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/39845/f1s-new-saudi-arabia-gp-street-circuit-measures-3-8-miles-long-and-is-wickedly-fast

Last year F1 announced it was heading to Saudi Arabia after a season-long tie-up with oil producer Aramco occupied the advertising hoardings around empty grandstands. There'd been rumored discussions with teams over the idea as early as 2019 and even some pretty wild mockups of cars driving under rollercoasters at a proposed Qiddiya track, which promised to beat even Spa-Francorchamps to the longest on the calendar. 

Jeddah, the Kingdom's second-largest city, emerged as the host for the inaugural Grand Prix. The decision was taken to run a street circuit there before a permanent circuit could be built elsewhere; Jeddah was pretty much the only choice, as although it's smaller by population than capital city Riyadh (which hosts Formula E), it's much more geared towards tourism and so had hotel capacity to host F1 as well as the larger international airport. Although you might associate Saudi Arabia more with the desert than the beach, Jeddah is coastal and so the 3.84-mile long circuit will be squeezed between glass towers and the Red Sea.

Circuit map: F1

The track is long—it's only beaten by Spa on the 2021 calendar, and it's over half a mile longer than its closest street circuit competitor, Baku. Clocking in at nearly four miles is substantial enough but the long straights and flowing sections necessitated by being, basically, a squishy up-and-down, mean it's also set to be really, really fast.

F1 itself reckons the previous fastest street circuit was Spa's old layout before it was made into the year-round facility it is today, which Chris Amon allegedly lapped at an average pace of roughly 151 miles per hour (244 kilometers per hour) in 1970. From what's been simulated for the Jeddah track, it's expected to have an average speed of around 157 mph (252.3 kph) on a flat-out lap.

That's still a ways off from Lewis Hamilton's qualifying lap at Monza last year where he maintained an average speed of just over 164 mph (264.363 kph).

F1 is slightly generously managing to count 27 corners, quite a few of which it seems seriously doubtful would even register as one in today's high-downforce cars. Given 130R at Suzuka is now a straight and Eau Rouge is completely flat-out, it seems extremely optimistic that turns 3, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 or 26 would register as such—at least, on a permanent circuit. Depending on what track is laid at Jeddah, though, cars could have a lot less grip than we'd expect from a grade one track, especially because it's, well, on the beach so both sand and wind will be persistent issues. 

It'll be physically and mentally grueling for the drivers at those speeds, especially since Jeddah is notoriously humid, even in November when the race is set to happen. Although it's cooler than much-shorter, much-slower Singapore, it's not actually by very much; the average temperature in Jeddah in November is 91 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity is usually around 70 percent, providing brutal conditions for laps at that pace. By comparison, Singapore's lap record average speed is 111 mph (179 kph).

[Chode]

https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/39596/americas-only-f1-racing-team-reveals-its-new-russian-flag-livery

[Yo-Yo]

Here's Formula 1's YouTube channel's view of what the Jeddah Street Circuit would look like from onboard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCiNvuB56xg

[Chode]

oh HELL yeah... no runoff = no mistake that isn’t hella expensive

but it sure nuff is quick

the lights exploding above the halo when they turn into individual globes are wild

[BBB333]

Thanks for the link.

I thought the tire squeal while turning was...surreal — sort of like a Biden presser.

[Yo-Yo]

I thought the tire squeal while turning was...surreal — sort of like a Biden presser.

Last year when the F1 season got delayed, some of the drivers competed in a Virtual F1 season, and that was also on YouTube. They were using a standard off-the-shelf racing simulator program that anyone can buy.

Watching the racing, at times you were hard pressed to determine if what you were seeing was real or a video game. It was that realistic.

A few of the F1 drivers like Lando Norris and Alex Albon competed against regular gamers.

Here's the last race of the season, just in case you're interested: https://youtu.be/Xs2ogi1x0tw?t=809

[BBB333]

Thanks.