Ask The Apex

[Slyboogy]

I'm sure they had two engine failures in 2008, Raikkonen at Valencia, then Massa at Hungary

2009 Massa had an electronic failure in China, and a problem in Australia

2010 Alonso had an engine failure in Malaysia

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

tooncheese and Olivier , merci beaucoup

 

[Greenlantern101]

Its looking like yet another wet F1 weekend

Q. What was the wettest F1 season ever (race day) and is this year close to breaking it ?

 

[Brogan]

1981 only had 8 dry races.

You can check the DB for all races back to 1981: http://cliptheapex.com/overtaking/circuits

 

[Speshal]

Right, time to expose myself as a dunce (again)

What is the deal with GP2 pits? I've looked at several circuit maps and there appears to be only 1 pit lane on many of them (Monaco excluded) so do they have 50+ garages at most circuits, do some circuits have a separate pit lane? do the F1 boys shift it all out in 10 minutes between FP2 and GP2 quali?

*edit I've just seen a GP2 car outside the McLaren garage with Lewis' car in it - I'm even more confuzzled now.

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

I think they have a different paddock and make their way onto the circuit at the beginning of a session via the pit lane, but I may be, and probably am, wrong.

 

[Greenlantern101]

At Silverstone the GP2 and GP3 cars all live at the old pits straight. When they are scheduled to practice qualify race etc. Quad bikes bring the tyres around on a trailer to the F1 pits. The cars all then race, practice, qualify etc using the F1 pit boxes but not the F1 garages (obviously).

I assume they have a similar arrangement at most tracks where the GP2 and GP3 have a separate 'staging area' before coming around to the F1 pits.

 

[Pyrope]

Support races (no GP2, but Ferrari one-make and historic stuff) in Montréal use the old paddock area at the north end of the circuit, behind the hairpin stand.

 

[Bill Boddy]

At Monza the cars in the support races come out between Ascari and the Parabolica.

 

[Wombcat]

What's the greatest number of formation laps in a race ever?

 

[Brogan]

I know of several races which have had aborted starts twice, I don't think there have been any with three aborted starts.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I seem to remember M Schumacher having had a problem on the grid causing another formation lap before.

 

[Brogan]

Portugal 1988
The first start was aborted due to Andrea de Cesaris stalling on the grid.
The second start was aborted due to Derek Warwick stalling on the grid and then being hit by Andrea de Cesaris.

Japan 1998
The first and second starts were aborted due to Jarno Trulli and then Michael Schumacher stalling on the grid.

That's all I have.

 

[tooncheese]

What about Austria 1987, and Belguim 1990?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Here's a question that popped into my head while watching an Olympic round up yesterday. Are F1 drivers dope tested and does anyone know of a driver (even in motorsport in general) who has failed one?

 

[Brogan]

Tomáš Enge was banned for marijuana use.

 

[Speshal]

Tomáš Enge was banned for marijuana use.

Twice, well the second one may have not been for weed but he's been done again recently.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/112080346912/fia-bans-enge-for-18-months-after-another-failed-drugs

 

[KekeTheKing]

What about Austria 1987?

That must have been the final blow for the O-Ring. Two of the biggest pile-ups I can recall seeing in F1 at the same race. It really is a shame that the Osterreichring had to go out like that.

 

[Galahad]

NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger was suspended from the series only in the past week, for failing a drugs test.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101482

 

[cider_and_toast]

Thanks guys, Now I think of it, didn't Jody Scheckters son Thomas also fail a drugs test all though I can't remember if that was an in sport test?