Ask The Apex

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Don't think so Jos.

Question from me - would a rolling start reduce the number of first lap incidents? Maybe some of our US friends could comment from their experience.

Yes.

But where's the fun in that?

 

[Brogan]

Question from me - would a rolling start reduce the number of first lap incidents? Maybe some of our US friends could comment from their experience.

I was going to start a thread on alternative starts as first corner incidents are ruining far too many races.

 

[The Artist.....]

Dear all,

Here's a question.

If a driver fails to finish, for a legitimate reason, then they get a free gearbox change for the next race....

Suppose that the second place driver is 1 lap ahead of the 3rd place driver, and crashes on the final lap... He will be classified ahead of p3, but would he get a free gearbox?

 

[Brogan]

The rules state:

If a driver fails to finish a race due to reasons beyond his or his team's control, he may start the next meeting with a different gearbox without incurring a penalty.

They have worded it so that it relates to the race finish status (i.e DNF), rather than official classification (i.e. 18th/NC/RET).

 

[Jos the Boss]

Kimi's blue flag question doesn't seem as silly now! Anyone know what happened?

 

[The Artist.....]

Almost certainly it'll have been a fault with the system- the drivers should have LEDs in their cars to indicate issues like yellow flags, blue flags etc.... It sounds like this system failed!

 

[sushifiesta]

Here's a question that probably doesn't have an answer and maybe deserves a thread somewhere, but its been on my mind, so...

Are the 2014 engine regulations restrictive enough, and will the FIA police them strictly enough, to mean that all this talk about engines being a big factor in 2014 is largely irrelevant and things will very quickly end up how they are now with several fairly evenly matched packages?

 

[tooncheese]

I expect so, it is likely that in 2016 or 2017 there will be another engine freeze when the FIA are satisfied that all the outputs are similar. There are a limited number of tricks you can pull with an engine.

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

When did the idea of DRS really take off, was it during the winter of '10/11 or slightly before?

 

[Jos the Boss]

When was the last time two drivers from the same team were involved in a racing incident and one was punished?

Monaco 2006, Albers was given a drive through for hitting Monteiro

 

[ATL11]

A recent McLaren tooned episode had a robot car doing a perfect lap. Do we have those times available to us, is there somewhere someone has worked out the perfect time for say getting round Monza, Spa, etc?

 

[KekeTheKing]

When did the idea of DRS really take off?

I think designers have been dreaming up methods of drag-reduction for decades, but I know what you're asking.

Is it possible that McLaren's "F-duct" was part of the revelation that passing could be possible if small adjustments were made to the airflow on, over, and through the rear wing.

 

[Brogan]

When did the idea of DRS really take off?

Wasn't it with Webber at Valencia in 2010?

I know, I know, I've already got my coat on...

 

[FB]

Given the two punctures this weekend isn't it possible for Pirelli to reinforce the side walls of their tyres or for guards to be put onto the outside of the tyre walls to avoid this happening? Or can the edges of the front wings be designed to reduce the risk or cutting the yres?

 

[Bill Boddy]

Or couldn't the front wings be removed entirely? That would solve the problem.

 

[canis]

The regulations around the shape of the front wings are such that they are designed to reduce the possibility of punctures in the case of contact. Strange that both punctures came from effectively the same front wing and no-one else had any issues...

 

[The Artist.....]

canis - I think the Perez puncture came because essentially he turned across the front wing, and this forced the tyre off the rim - watching the replay in slow-motion - you could actually see the front wing bend when the tyre hit it (Anyone going to make any complaints about flexible front wings?)

Schumacher's puncture seemed to stem from the fact that the Torro Rosso seemed to want to use Schumacher's rear tyre as a brake - it was always bound to puncture!

 

[Brogan]

It's worth mentioning that the Pirelli tyres are 2kg lighter than the previous Bridgestones and a lot of the weight saving has been in the sidewall.

 

[The Artist.....]

Brogan - I know that Pirelli have announced that next year's tyres are going to be heavier - do you know if this is sidewall reinforcement?

 

[Speshal]

Has a race ever been postponed because the medical helicopter can't fly?