Formula 1 - 2011 season

[IzzyDutch]

The new cars that have been presented so far:

http://www.racexpress.nl/index.php?nav=Artikel&nid=30417

On a more serieus note, Robert Kubica has crashed heavily today in a rally car.. several fractures in left leg and arm, there are rumors of a crushed left hand which the doctors are now talking about amputating.. but his manager said he's not in life danger. There will be a hospital press release this afternoon 

http://www.f1today.nl/20110206/bvideo-en-fotosb-crash-robert-kubica-in-rally.html

[Brundle25]

I hope Heidfeld isnt drawn in as a replacement for Kubica, I think Kimi is the only logical choice.

[gnr-4-ever]

I hope Heidfeld isnt drawn in as a replacement for Kubica, I think Kimi is the only logical choice.

If that happens I'll start watching F1 again.

Doctors say Kubica's condition is improving and he'll have a few more surgeries in the days to come. Full recovery in a year or so.

[Evita]

Looks like it's gonna be Heidfeld. 

[Genesis]

Hope Kubica makes a full recovery, he is one of the better drivers in F1. The Renault and McLaren cars look interesting. Still open as to who has the best kit - Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren or even Renault.

Looks like the Bahrain GP might be in trouble. Damn.

[Genesis]

Bahrain GP postponed. Couldn't these stupid anarchists wait until after the damn race? After all they had no problem for decades...

[One.In.A.Million]

Well done to Vettel for his outstanding performance at the start of the season. 

Here's an article about him being tipped to dominate F1 this year...

Sebastian Vettel: I won?t be able to dominate the drivers championship this season

The reigning Formula 1 world championship Sebastian Vettel believes that he won?t be able to dominate the drivers? championship this season despite the fact that he scored 2 consecutive wins at the first 2 races of the 2011 Formula 1 season, and now has a 24-point lead over the rest of the drivers according to the drivers? standings.

He recently won the Malaysian Grand Prix and proved that he is still the best driver on the track in terms of pace by scoring 2 consecutive pole positions.

However, it seems that McLaren is closing in on Red Bull Racing Team with each race as Lewis Hamilton?s second fastest time of the qualifying session of the Malaysian Grand Prix was just 1 tenth short of Sebastian Vettel?s pole position setting time.

As a result, the 2010 Formula 1 world champion believes that he won?t be able to dominate the championship this year.

?Some people were already talking of brutal dominance. But we've only had two of 19 races. We've seen within a matter of days how the pace can vary, with it much tighter in Malaysia than in Australia,? he told the media.

Vettel referred to his 2010 journey after giving this statement in which he snatched the drivers? standings lead away from Fernando Alonso at the grand finale of the season.

?Look at last year with Fernando Alonso. People wrote him out of the championship, but he was the favourite going in to the last race,? he added.

After finishing in 2nd place, it seems that McLaren?s Jenson Button is now Vettel?s closest title challenger and the points difference between them is just 24 points which can be covered by a single race win. Button stated that a single retirement can change the whole picture and since it is just the beginning of the 2011 Formula 1 season, there is still a lot more to come this year with 17 races still remaining.

?The championship is wide open. Sebastian has 50 points. He's got a reasonably good lead but we are getting closer and closer. I know he backed off at the end in Malaysia but, if you see our pace throughout the race, we were as quick as him,? said Jenson.

He added that if Sebastian retires out of the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix and he wins, then the 2009 Formula 1 world champion would lead the championship. That is how fragile things are at the moment in terms of championship.

Ferrari and Mercedes GP on the other hand, are struggling currently but most of the drivers and critics believe that they also have a chance of challenging McLaren and Red Bull Racing Team for podium positions

Source http://blogs.bettor.com/Sebastian-Vettel-I-wont-be-able-to-dominate-the-drivers-championship-this-season-a62426

[jarmo]

The new tyres have definitely made the racing more interesting.

Maybe it's not the "high tech" solution, that's supposed to be the thing that sets F1 apart form other racing... Everything is supposed to be the best in F1.

But the "worse" tyres do make the races more entertaining.





/jarmo

[Genesis]

Yeah, they seem to have gotten the tyre idea right. The Chinese Grand Prix was fantastic. If they were Bridgestones, Vettel would have won for sure with a two stop strategy. I'm still not sure about DRS though. Seems gimmicky and unnecessary.

[jarmo]

I'm still not sure about DRS though. Seems gimmicky and unnecessary.

Maybe they should've just changed the tyres for this season and then if it didn't make the races more interesting, added DRS later.

But at least it means we don't see races where there's a train behind a slower car like we used to.




/jarmo

[Genesis]

Yeah, they're trying to do too much at once. 2013 might herald the end of the V8 engine, with the introduction of newer 'greener' engines. God knows how that is going to go.
Things like DRS with artificial rules on when it can be used and when it will be 'enabled', just make the sport unnecessarily complex. Either allow the drivers to use it whenever they want like KERS or ditch it.

Now, Bernie is talking about introducing artificial rain...

Edit: The 2010 season was one of the most exciting in a long time, without all these 'aids' to 'spice up' racing. I don't get why the FIA is so panicky. 600m viewers isn't enough?

[jarmo]

A season can be exciting, but the races can still be boring.

People aren't prepared to pay hundreds of Dollars/Euros to see a race live at the circuit and feel ripped off.

They want to see action!






/jarmo

[IzzyDutch]

2010 was mostly great, but still had some boring races (like the first race, remember all the fuzz about the boringness?).

So far every race has been great, with each race getting better.. the last race was very exciting from start to finish, without rain or any crashes or drama like that, this is what F1 needed. And it's all cause of the tyres..

DRS is still in the test face, with the last race I think the problem was that the track section where DRS could be enabled started to late on that long back straight. On other high-speed tracks I'm sure DRS will be more effective, especially with well determined track sections. But still the most important improvement are the tyres.

What also helps in this stage are tactics, each team is trying to find 'the key' or a pattern to use what is the most effective. The last race Webber (mis judgement in time) and Hamilton (who held back in quali for more race pace) showed that perhaps saving more fresh tires during quali is the key of getting good race results. I'm sure some teams are gonna try it next week.. midfield teams. Where in the past having a good quali basically made sure you were set during the race, now it seems otherwise.

[Genesis]

Yeah, that's true. Bahrain 2010 was a snoozer. I don't know about DRS. The thing with tyres is that it's so simple. Changing the compound has opened up a whole new dimension of possibilities and strategies which I think is positive and befitting of the sport. DRS is too complicated, with the button, area to be activated in and additional rules (enabled from 3rd lap etc.). If they can distil it down and simplify it maybe I'll like it better.

[jarmo]

I think they overdid it at the last race. So many pit stops!





/jarmo

[Genesis]

Barcelona. This is becoming Schumacher like annoying. Vettel has won 4 out of the 5 races so far, but the new tyres and DRS actually managed to make the usually boring Spanish GP interesting!

[jarmo]

Barcelona. This is becoming Schumacher like annoying. Vettel has won 4 out of the 5 races so far,

Or Jenson Button/Brawn GP annoying....


For the first time since the days of H?kkinen, the guy starting at pole didn't win!




/jarmo

[jarmo]

Today's crash could've ended a lot worse...

Another reminder that F1 is still dangerous. There's always risks involved driving a car that fast.


Glad Perez is ok. Only a concussion from what I read.


/jarmo

[Genesis]

Yeah, glad he's okay. I don't understand why he went out wide coming out of the tunnel and then lost it...
Those Techpro barriers are pretty good.

[rebelhipi]

the canadian gp was superbe