Grand Prix 2011 British Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

In a case of after the lord Mayor's show, we are back to square one after Valencia served up another placid race with the same result - A Sebastian Vettel victory. Some people reckon that the championship will be decided at Silverstone as if Red Bull still win despite the EBD ban, that is the championship over and done with for this season, and it's hard to argue with that considering Vettel has only dropped 14 points so far this season after 6 wins and 2 second places, not even Schumacher in his 2002/2004 pomp started a season like that.

So we go to a circuit where 3 drivers hold as their home grand prix, lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Paul Di Resta, but the Mclaren pair go into their home race in low spirits after their update package failed to get them closer to Red Bull on a circuit where Red Bull were supposedly weaker at than other tracks, a feeling that has been reflected across the paddock with Alonso admitting that the championship was virtually over and it would be more productive to focus on 2012 and 2013.

Silverstone has recieved a massive redevelopment as part of the 17 year contract it recieved when Donnington couldn't come up with the goods to stage a British Grand Prix and the new addition this year is the pit lane complex which looks stunning and has really elevated Silverstone into the 21st century as one of the elite grand prix facilities, (and certainly one to show off to the other countries when they come here )

With the rule changes this could be the most unpredictable race of the season however, as we saw in Valencia, if anyone can adapt to rule changes, it's Red Bull, Adrian Newey has often been able to pull a rabbit out of a hat when the chips are down so don't be surprised to see Vettel take his seventh win of what has been a remarkable season for the young German who has swept all before him and is now walking towards his second World Championships and joining the select few who have won back to back Championships.

It's been a curious couple of weeks for Ferrari, off the pace and then suddenly back on it in Valencia and once again (like Turkey) they are the second fastest team again when the car is in the hands of Alonso (although Massa didn't exactly have a bad race himself)

Further down the grid at Toro Rosso, Alguesari has proven a point to his critics after a points finish at his home race and his second points finish in a row, and if he wants to keep his race seat there, he needs more of where that came from as Ricciardo is no slouch and will want the second seat at Toro Rosso next year. Even Sutil in the Force India shrugged off his critics to beat his team mate to claim a handful of points to relieve the pressure on his shoulders, albiet for only a short while.

For Galahads superb circuit write up see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/silverstone-circuit/

 

[Incubus]

Interesting stuff Chad.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Here's a picture of a Merc wheel similar to the one Ant was demonstrating:

The tyre selector is the red dial with orange switch just to the right of the central Mercedes symbol.

 

[Mezzer]

It's automatic. I saw a good piece on Silverstone TV where Anthony Davidson was demonstrating a Mercedes steering wheel. There's a four position switch for each tyre type which the driver operates. The switch automatically changes things such as pit lane speedometer settings to allow for the different diameters of the tyres etc. but also automatically switches on the rear laight when set for either of the wet tyres.

Thanks. What this says to me then is that the logic of the code for the DRS is extremely simplistic and could, with minimal effort, be updated to not operate if wets are fitted. Seems like an oversight to me.

 

[Slyboogy]

Thanks. What this says to me then is that the logic of the code for the DRS is extremely simplistic and could, with minimal effort, be updated to not operate if wets are fitted. Seems like an oversight to me.

Hm...but then you are missing a point here.

What if the drivers are on intermediates on a partially wet track, but then it chucks down with rain while drivers are still on intermediates for several laps, best example Silverstone 08.

 

[Mezzer]

Hm...but then you are missing a point here.

What if the drivers are on intermediates on a partially wet track, but then it chucks down with rain while drivers are still on intermediates for several laps, best example Silverstone 08.

Inters are classed as wets as I understand it. All it would be is a change from:

IF isPractice = TRUE THEN
  DRSAvailable
ELSE
  DRSAvailableZoneOnly
END IF

to

IF isPractice = TRUE THEN
   IF isBlinkyLightOn = TRUE THEN
      DRSNotAvailable
   ELSE
      DRSAvailable
   END IF
ELSE
   DRSAvailableZoneOnly
END IF

The IP for this astonishing piece of pseudo-code is not released

 

[tranquility2k9]

nice pseudo-code lol

 

[Slyboogy]

Don't get me started on pseudo-code

 

[Mezzer]

We got a lot of developers on board? My days of coding are long gone, although my billing rate has increased

 

[Brogan]

And apologies for the underscores to any uptight developers out there, the leading spaces were being deleted.

Completely off topic, but that's what the various php/html/code tags are for

    <xen:if hascontent="true">
        <div id="pageNodeNavigation" class="secondaryContent">
            <div class="blockLinksList">
            <xen:contentcheck>

                <xen:if is="{$listSiblingNodes} && {$siblingNodes}">

                    <xen:if is="{$parentNode}"><h3 class="parentNode"><a href="{$parentNode.href}"><span class="_depth0 depthPad">{$parentNode.value}</span></a></h3></xen:if>

                    <ol class="siblingNodes">
                        <xen:foreach loop="$siblingNodes" value="$node">
                            <li class="{xen:if '{$node.node_id} == {$page.node_id}', 'currentNode', 'siblingNode'}">
                                <a href="{xen:link {$node.routePrefix}, $node}" class="{xen:if '{$node.node_id} == {$page.node_id}', 'selected'}">
                                    <span class="_depth1 depthPad">{$node.title}</span>
                                </a>
                                <xen:if is="{$listChildNodes} && {$childNodes} && {$node.node_id} == {$page.node_id}">
                                    <ol class="childNodes">
                                    <xen:foreach loop="$childNodes" value="$childNode">
                                        <li class="childNode"><a href="{xen:link {$childNode.routePrefix}, $childNode}">
                                            <span class="_depth2 depthPad">{$childNode.title}</span>
                                        </a></li>
                                    </xen:foreach>
                                    </ol>
                                </xen:if>
                            </li>
                        </xen:foreach>
                    </ol>

                <xen:elseif is="{$listChildNodes} && {$childNodes}" />

 

[Mezzer]

Aha! Got it!

 

[FB]

10 CLS
20 GOTO 10

The limit of my programming expertise

 

[Mezzer]

10 CLS
20 GOTO 10

The limit of my programming expertise

Ah the joys of the BBC B ... I mean cor, look at that car, really quick around the corner wasn't it ....

 

[KekeTheKing]

Did anybody catch Hamilton's donut after the race at Stowe this year?

I hadn't seen or heard about it until I just saw it at the end of the Skysport Onboard Feed.

I then of course checked YouTube, and somebody got it from the outside.

Naughty boy that Lewis

 

[Brogan]

Surprised he had enough fuel

 

[KekeTheKing]

Surprised he had enough fuel

Was that you that commented on that YouTube clip?

But had you heard about this Bro?

 

[sushifiesta]

I don't think many people would disagree if I said he's the most entertaining driver in F1 at the minute. No one else even comes close IMO.

 

[Brogan]

But had you heard about this Bro?

This is the first I've heard of it.

He does it every year doesn't he?
Even though he gets told off for it

 

[KekeTheKing]

He does it every year doesn't he?

I don't think he pulled it last year. He did in 2009 when it was supposed to be Silverstone's farewell.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Another interesting thing I found on the Onboard feed was Schumacher's overtake on Alguersuari during Lap 33. I don't think they showed this replay on the broadcast, but they should have. He was a good ways back and took a late lunge up the inside at Copse. If Jaime didn't give way, it would have definitely been another busted wing for Michael. I'll get it posted soon.

 

[Slyboogy]

Who is that sticking his two fingers up at Hamilton?