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.

 

[Andyoak]

No, that'll be Meph after a night on the cider

 

[Mephistopheles]

 

[racecub]

me.......all 3 days roaming ticket

I'm going for all three days this year, usually it's just the two because of work commitments . I'm in village A for the race not sure where I'll be for the other two days.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Love British gp always 1 of the 5 I always look fwd to & get exited about (monaco Silverstone spa monza interlagos) & if any race is going to be wet it'll be us as it is middle of British summer & Wimbledon so will either be baking hot or soaking wet haha.

Funny actually I had that thing that gives me tweets from past yrs "on this day" said good grid for European gp (2011) but someone needs to jump vettel at the start to have a great race & funny how even 4yrs later replace vettel with mercs & we are still in the same dominance boat

 

[Bill Boddy]

Most of the time that F1 has existed there has been one team which had a sizeable advantage over the rest. What has changed is computers, without their use reliability was low, with their use cars are almost bullet proof.

Farina won the first WDC by finishing first in 3 races (half the non-USA races) with a fourth place in Belgium, a seventh in France and only one retirement. Fangio finished second by beating Farina in all three races that he finished.

If you look at the early seasons they were littered with cars breaking down or finishing with problems.

 

[Incubus]

Not sure I would agree with your second sentence there Bill Boddy . Cars before 2014 were even more bullet-proof than they are today, and in some cases considerably so. The current hybrid formula has an even more formidable array of computer technology behind it.

What has made cars more reliable these past 15 years or so has more to do with regulations that has limited revs, this, that, engine limiters, and the rest, which means modern- era cars are restricted to producing far less than they are actually capable of.

 

[Il_leone]

Bill Boddy Cars got more reliable or most of them were unless you're Mclaren which is partly down to the removal of the morning warm up on race day

There is less chance of anything going wrong with disassembling and re-assembling cars by mechanics who would frantically changing set ups through the night after quali up until warm up and then again for the race

I do say technology advances have made cars easier to drive and eliminate driver errors though like missed gear changes and power steering and assisted by escape roads rather than gravel traps to punish drivers by mistake. It is pretty much impossible to retire from races due to mistakes

 

[Il_leone]

the difference is when you go to Silverstone it does not look like a big corporate show in your face glitz and glamour like all the modern circuits that Bernie wants

the after race party and stage performance is always a highlight for the fans .

You know the ticket prices according to Bernie are probably not high enough so to pay the race fee the organisers should be paying

 

[Mephistopheles]

with their use cars are almost bullet proof.

Tell that to McLaren

 

[Bill Boddy]

There's always one bad apple in a barrel Mephistopheles.

 

[teabagyokel]

 

[Greenlantern101]

 

[Tuscan1969]

We need a dry/wet/dry race ; get them all off the line safely then challenge the drivers when to pit and finally have a dry last 10 laps to have a real chase to the flag with everyone having plenty of fuel and tyres be be able to use all the cars performance....

 

[Tuscan1969]

...and I'd like it if Jenson could finish in the points; thats like a podium for the McLaren's this year!

 

[soccerman17]

That's a lot to ask for (both things, really). We can't even get a wet race recently so I'll take any sort of challenge the weather can conjure up. And a Jenson points finish seems much more likely after the test but I wouldn't get my hopes up, when's the last time McLaren did better than was expected of them?

 

[racecub]

30 degrees is forecast on Friday!!! Lovely!! BBQing in a bikini!!! I've made my flag, and if I can remember how to post a pic, I'll do so.

I remembered!!!

 

[Jen]

Watch those spitting burgers racecub!

There are already campers at Silverstone and the weather looks fair for the entire weekend, but there is always a wind to contend with.

I don't expect anything extraordinary in terms of racing but always look forward to this event! I can't afford to go but can hear all the engines if the wind is in the right direction.

 

[Kewee]

Well FB, Silverstones finally here. I don't know whether to laugh or cry Dear oh dear !!!!!!!

 

[racecub]

Jen that must be so frustrating ...hearing the cars but not being there..torture! Don't you get tempted to go to one of the pubs at Silverstone and just get in the atmosphere there? A friend who hadnt got a ticket nearly came with us and was going to do that, and hope they had it on a big screen or something. Are you far from Silverstone?

 

[Brogan]

Alonso may have more penalties in the British GP due to the "power unit" being damaged in the crash during the Austrian GP.