Grand Prix 2015 British Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Out of the ashes of World War II came a lot of military installations scarcely needed now blowing up enemies was not a priority. Well not so much of a priority.

Silverstone airfield on the Bucks/Northants border was such an installation. With Brooklands going the other way - a victim of the Luftwaffe - British motorsport needed a new home. Today Silverstone has evident primacy over Brands, Donington and the Top Gear test track.

Its corners are famous - Copse relegated from Turn 1 status but unbowed, Abbey renewed, Stowe tricky, Luffield frustrating, Maggots/Becketts flowing.

F1 is scarcely in rude health, with implausible grid penalties adding to its promoter describing it as "crap". What it really needs is barnstormers. And this one's on the BBC, so some people might chance upon it!

Hamilton inherited a sketchy win from Rosberg last year, just as Rosberg had profited from Hamilton and Vettel losing out in 2013. This year, you suspect there'll be Mercedes again to the fore.

It'll be windy. It might be wet. Good ol' Silverstone.

 

[Incubus]

It's like flogging a dead Copse isn't it.

Clearly there'll have to be some sort of briefing or guideline to the drivers before the race or we could be in for all sorts of controversies tomorrow and penalties and what have you... and questions of penalties (or ack of them) for exceeding track limits will have too big a say on race positions.

 

[RasputinLives]

Does anyone remember that thing on Top Gear where they put their prized possesions behind the cars they were reversing to encourage accuracy? How about that on the edge of turn 9?

I'm sure they'd all stick to the track limits if not doing meant that they'd drive through their very own Big Pile of Money/Signed Senna helmet/Truck of ice cream/Dukes of Hazard DVD collection/picture of Kayne West.

 

[Dartman]

We know Mercedes customer engines are not quite the same as Mercedes own engines, but do Mercedes play with them to enable Ferrari to be beaten. Obviously Williams have a fast package on certain circuits, so are they favoured on these circuits by a tailored power plant mapping to suit who Mercedes prefer to follow them. This will also show that the team cars don't have any secrets that appear to make them well over a second faster than any other car that is not to do with the engine.

 

[Jos the Boss]

/picture of Kayne West.

Kanye isn't racing, what would his prized possession be there for?!

 

[F1Brits_90]

My dad during saying that charlie whiting Was too harsh going zero tolerance but he thought that its out of your control the wind changing every lap. But I disagreed because lets say there was a wall at copse not a white line to run over. You watch the drivers lift off to make that corner instead of pushing their luck because sure they'd overrun & go its the wind

But I think not the 1st time in lewis' s career the British weather came to his rescue because no doubt nico has the faster car but the increasing track temp cost nico losing 1/2sec in middle sector

 

[Dash Racing]

If F1 games penalize you for going outside track limits, but F1 itself doesn't, there might be room to argue that virtual racers are better than real racers. Good call by Charlie Whiting.

 

[olegg]

Ideal Lap (sum best sectors) in theQual:
Qual – No – Driver – Qual Result –Ideal Lap – Flaw
1 - 44 - L.HAMILTON - 01:32,248 - 01:32,248 - 00,000
2 - 6 - N.ROSBERG - 01:32,361 - 01:32,361 - 00,000
4 - 77 - V.BOTTAS - 01:33,149 - 01:32,911 - 00,238
3 - 19 - F.MASSA - 01:33,085 - 01:33,084 - 00,001
5 - 7 - K.RAIKKONEN - 01:33,379 - 01:33,198 - 00,181
6 - 5 - S.VETTEL - 01:33,547 - 01:33,399 - 00,148
10 - 3 - D.RICCIARDO - 01:33,943 - 01:33,447 - 00,496
8 - 55 - C.SAINZ - 01:33,649 - 01:33,511 - 00,138
7 - 26 - D.KVYAT - 01:33,636 - 01:33,520 - 00,116
9 - 27 - N.HULKENBERG - 01:33,673 - 01:33,555 - 00,118

 

[F1Brits_90]

If F1 games penalize you for going outside track limits, but F1 itself doesn't, there might be room to argue that virtual racers are better than real racers. Good call by Charlie Whiting.

Ah very true numerous times espucally at final schcane of Montreal its infuriating but then I have to lift off but dont get me started on f1 2014 problems that make me hate the game

 

[ramilas1]

So, Merc, Merc, Merc engine, Merc engine, Ferrari, Ferrari. ...... all so predictable!
Wait ...... shock horror! Kimi in the top 10!
This 21st century F1 stuff is just so ****ing exciting!

 

[Bill Boddy]

Raikkonen in the top five ahead of Vettel. But he does seem to have been the quicker of the Ferrari drivers all through the weekend.

 

[teabagyokel]

Looks like Vettel has fallen back to Raikkonen's poor qualifying standard due to racing on a poor circuit for him.

 

[Incubus]

e lets say there was a wall at copse not a white line to run over. You watch the drivers lift off to make that corner instead of pushing their luck because sure they'd overrun & go its the wind

-----------------------------------------

I think there's a bit more to it than though because you'd never see a track with a wall on the outside of a corner as fast as Copse to begin with.
We often hear comments along the lines "you wouldn't go over track limits at Monaco because you'd be in the wall" but I don't think it's a valid comparison. There no fast corners at Monaco therefore downforce generation or loss of it isn't the crucial factor there. What causes crashes there is the driver being a bit too aggressive on the brakes, the throttle, each other or mechanic failures.
I think it's a lot more difficult to make sure you don't go over the white line at a corner like Copse where downforce is the crucial factor there, especially when following another car, and the greater speeds obviously mean the car travels further wide than on slower corners.

 

[siffert_fan]

/picture of Kayne West.

If Kim Kardashian was holding the picture, it might have the opposite effect. The drivers (at least those with good taste) might aim for the picture!

 

[teabagyokel]

I don't think it'd work, because all would know their possession would be totalled by Maldonado anyway.

 

[Il_leone]

The idea of drivers being penalised for not staying within the white line at Copse.

Well its about time because the white lines are painted there for a reason and drivers are meant to stay within the confines of the track.

If they can be penalised for making illegal passes for going off track then they should be penalised for setting fastest laps going off the track

 

[Mephistopheles]

If the so called best drivers in the world can't stick to track limits then they should bugger off and do something else the white lines define the race track, and for any drivers who don't know what the race track is, it is the bit you are supposed to race on otherwise what would be the point of bothering to have a track you may as well say there's the start and there's the finish in between those to points do what the hell you like..

I've just finished watching qualifying well I say watch I mean I pressed the fast forward button until the last one and a half minutes of Q3.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I got the fastest ever lap at Monaco in Project cars yesterday, I took off the penalty restrictions and straight lined the chicane at the end of the tunnel I took pole by a mile, I'm the greatest ever driver me...

 

[Greenlantern101]

I feckin love F1. All the bull with the track limits,the McLarens in performance jail, Williams beating up Ferrari. I love all of it. Everything about the cars, the drivers, the criticism the elan. The whole popadour over the strategy group nonsense.

I LOVE IT.

although it must be said I have been drinking quite heavily since before lunch time.

 

[teabagyokel]

I took off the penalty restrictions and straight lined the chicane at the end of the tunnel

I expected that to end "...and demolished the wall at Tabac."

 

[Mephistopheles]

Well you do have to break a lot harder for that corner when you are travelling at that speed, you should try it in a 250 shifter kart, it'll crack out 145 mile an hour..