Ask The Apex

[soccerman17]

Ooh I like that idea too marksawatsky I wanted to test the drivers, you wanted to test the teams, both fascinating. I'd rather not test the teams at Monaco though, something that's fast there isn't necessarily fast on a proper track. But that might be the only way to get them to all come and put in a genuine effort besides putting a lot of money on the line.

 

[Monkeyhead]

In the past, it was virtually impossible to make a good start from the “wrong” side of the grid, while nowadays it may even be advantageous to start from the “dirty” side. I don’t know if there are stats to prove this presumption, but at least in the last two races it was the 2nd-placed car on the grid that took the lead. I got the impression that the grip difference between the racing and non-racing line has been substantially lower in the Pirelli era than in the Bridgestone era. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[Mephistopheles]

I don't believe you can include the last race as any indication which side had the better start as Hamilton's start was due to a software problem and it affected all those directly behind him..

 

[sushifiesta]

Actually, the grip difference between the racing line and off line is arguably bigger than it's ever because of all the crap the Pirelli tyres chuck off.

 

[tooncheese]

Also where the last and first corners are in different directions, like Spa, the racing line goes between the grid slots, favouring neither side.

 

[teabagyokel]

Magnussen had a great start on the clean side of the grid at Monza, too.

 

[Monkeyhead]

Actually, the grip difference between the racing line and off line is arguably bigger than it's ever because of all the crap the Pirelli tyres chuck off.

Very plausible. I will analyze the first-lap position changes a bit more so I can draw some conclusions about the grip advantage of the racing line and how it's related to the tyre supplier.

 

[sushifiesta]

I'd be very interested to see some analysis of gains/losses at the start over time Monkeyhead . Don't think it would be easy though as you'd need stats for position after the first corner, or maybe at the end of the first lap would do, but neither of those are very easy to come by.

 

[Incubus]

cider_and_toast I'm pretty sure the incident is mentioned in the Autocourse edition of that year within the Italian GP race report.

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cider_and_toast re: the incident involving Alboreto.

Well, it seems as though FB was right. I just got said book back in my possession, and I can't find any mention of it either., So I have no idea where I ever got to read about it. The mystery deepens.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Thanks Incubus.

Guess the mystery starts and ends with a bit of Clive James commentary on an old review of the 1984 season.

Never mind.

 

[Incubus]

Now thatyou mention it that was probably where I heard about it in the first place ... I think I got my media wires a bit crossed there...
Clive James has a bit of a history in disclosing things that one would either not hear of anywhere else or ween't supposed to be disclosed at all, as one Alain Prost would tell you...

 

[KekeTheKing]

I don't believe you can include the last race as any indication which side had the better start as Hamilton's start was due to a software problem and it affected all those directly behind him..

There is absolutely no doubt that the left side of the grid in Italy had collectively worse starts.

Bottas picked up wheel spin immediately and had a terrible start completely independent of Hamilton's problem. He has stated this several times and the onboard clearly shows this.

Ricciardo had a dreadful start from the left side as well and was affected by neither Bottas or Hamilton. I'm not saying that the left side of the grid was compromised somehow, but it's obvious that 3 drivers in the top 10 had independently bad starts from that side at Monza.

 

[sushifiesta]

Stirling Moss holds the record for the most wins by a driver who hasn't won a WDC with 16, but does anyone know what the record is for the most wins in a season without winning the championship in that season? The most I can find in recent times are Raikkonen and Schumacher with 7 wins in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Alain Prost twice lost the Championship in a season where he won 7 Grands Prix.

In 1984 he lost to Lauda who only had 5 wins and in 1988 to Senna who had 8 wins that year.

 

[Bleu]

Seven is a record for drivers and ten by constructor, done by McLaren in 2005.

 

[Incubus]

cider_and_toast Not sure whether it still interests you (well it's been a couple of months now...) but I did after all find that mention of the incident involving Alboreto in 1984's Autocourse. Only it was just before the Canadian rather than the Italian GP. It's in the practice & quali section. Not much detail, other than Michele had an altercation with a "hot-blooded" italian journalist that resulted in a punch on Michele's face. So at least it does appear to have been true.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Incubus, thanks for your efforts. I guess "hot-blooded" says it all. Many thanks.

 

[Olivier]

The name of the journo was Eugenio Zigliotto. Michele was not pleased with his articles about him and this lead to the confrontation ...

 

[cider_and_toast]

Thanks Olivier. That clears up that mystery.

 

[Incubus]

I wonder what would his articles about him after the incident have been like?...