Desert Circuits are boring...

[Andyoak]

I stand corrected... ish.

The point I was trying to make (badly it appears... probably because it was last thing on a Friday before the pub) is that landscape gives character and place to a race and that this is often seen to get in the way of 'the facilities' and reduce the complete air conditioned experience. However,I fully take on board the examples you gave and there is no arguement that they are / were all great circuits with good vantage points and loads of landscape.

Perhaps the more accurate driver for flat circuits is straight forward money... its usually cheaper and easier to build on flat ground so more money can be spent on a flash superstructure.

I do approve of spectator banking (who couldn't?) but I want to see more car banking too. The main reason is because I'm totally with you on gradient improving racing; whether through disturbing the aero or not.

As an aside... does anyone know if DOF is SpeccySteve in disguise?

 

[Muddytalker]

I stand corrected... ish.

The point I was trying to make (badly it appears... probably because it was last thing on a Friday before the pub) is that landscape gives character and place to a race and that this is often seen to get in the way of 'the facilities' and reduce the complete air conditioned experience.

Yes

Perhaps the more accurate driver for flat circuits is straight forward money... its usually cheaper and easier to build on flat ground so more money can be spent on a flash superstructure.

Yes

I do approve of spectator banking (who couldn't?) but I want to see more car banking too. The main reason is because I'm totally with you on gradient improving racing; whether through disturbing the aero or not.

And thrice yes!

As an aside... does anyone know if DOF is SpeccySteve in disguise?

hmmmm

 

[Josephiah]

This from the bbc today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12499373

The last couple of paragraphs are particularly heartening...
J

 

[FB]

This from the bbc today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12499373

The last couple of paragraphs are particularly heartening...
J

Is Silverstone being redesigned again then? I know the start finish straight was being moved but wasn't aware of any other majors changes beyond then new wiggly bit added last year. Also, and I don't want to get all DOF_Power on you here, there were 29 overtakes at Silverstone in 2010 compared to 9 in 2009 but 17 of those were from Vettel and Massa both of whom were out of position very early in the race so I'm not sure the new circuit layout did anything to encourage more overtaking.

One other question for "older" circuits like Silverstone and Spa which don't have a main straight as such, where will the FIA put there new white lines for the collapsable wing? Will the 1st line be at Luffield and then the 2nd lines just before Copse or the 1st line at Chapel and then the 2nd at Stowe?

 

[snowy]

One other question for "older" circuits like Silverstone and Spa which don't have a main straight as such, where will the FIA put there new white lines for the collapsable wing? Will the 1st line be at Luffield and then the 2nd lines just before Copse or the 1st line at Chapel and then the 2nd at Stowe?

You are the only person to have given this any thought. Because of this you are now regarded as an enemy of the FIA State and will be eliminated with extreme prejudice if you persist with this line of enquiry.

You have been warned.

 

[teabagyokel]

One other question for "older" circuits like Silverstone and Spa which don't have a main straight as such, where will the FIA put there new white lines for the collapsable wing? Will the 1st line be at Luffield and then the 2nd lines just before Copse or the 1st line at Chapel and then the 2nd at Stowe?

I think for Spa the main straight is obvious - on the run up to les Combes!

As for Silverstone, it has to be the Hangar Straight or the Wellington Straight.

Also, and I don't want to get all DOF_Power on you here, there were 29 overtakes at Silverstone in 2010 compared to 9 in 2009 but 17 of those were from Vettel and Massa both of whom were out of position very early in the race so I'm not sure the new circuit layout did anything to encourage more overtaking.

Please don't play that game, its not helpful investigating individual races as against trends.

 

[FB]

I think for Spa the main straight is obvious - on the run up to les Combes!

My question was more about where the first white line goes TBY. La Source, Eau Rouge (not really a corner), Raidilllon?

On Silverstone, again where does the first white line go for Hangar straight? Chapel, Copse? Is the Wellington straight long enough to give any advantage with a collapsed wing?

On overtaking, just playing devils advocate

 

[teabagyokel]

My question was more about where the first white line goes TBY. La Source, Eau Rouge (not really a corner), Raidilllon?

On Silverstone, again where does the first white line go for Hangar straight? Chapel, Copse? Is the Wellington straight long enough to give any advantage with a collapsed wing?

Well, the real test for these rules will be at Monaco, because there's only one place of any great signficance vis á vis long straight/passing, so we're talking halfway down the tunnel!

Might be scrapped by Silverstone/Spa.

 

[ATL11]

So am I understanding this right, are FIA going to add white lines on the track so the drivers know where they can overtake?

I can see this soon where the track will be filled in with logo's and we have Hamilton trying a move on Vettel in the 'Nescafe Gold Blend Zone'.

Please tell me this is a wind up, I though they could use the rear wing when ever but not to defend if the gap to the car behind was less than a second?

 

[snowy]

It isn't a wind up, and the white zone is for loading and unloading only.

 

[sportsman]

So am I understanding this right, are FIA going to add white lines on the track so the drivers know where they can overtake?

I can see this soon where the track will be filled in with logo's and we have Hamilton trying a move on Vettel in the 'Nescafe Gold Blend Zone'.

Please tell me this is a wind up, I though they could use the rear wing when ever but not to defend if the gap to the car behind was less than a second?

FIA Regulations
3.18.2 The adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed a minimum of two laps after the race start or following a safety car period.
The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics (see Article 8.2) that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled by the control electronics the first time the driver uses the brakes after he has activated the system.
The FIA may, after consulting all competitors, adjust the above time proximity in order to ensure the stated purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.
The FIA’s current plan is for the overtaking zone - where the moveable wing will be made active in races - to be the final 600 metres of a track's main straight.
A driver pursuing a rival will only be able to activate his wing there if he is within one-second of the car ahead of him at a timing zone that will be set-up in the braking area for the corner before that main straight.
The FIA believes that the 600-metre passing zone is the right length to ensure that overtaking is possible – but is also not too easy. Early simulation data suggests that this length of track will result in a speed differential between cars of between 10-12 km/h depending on car design.
Drivers will be also free to use the wing at will during practice and qualifying.
To help Formula 1 fans and television commentators understand the implementation of the rules better, lines will be painted on the track to mark out the overtaking and timing zone.
A single line on the straight will show where the overtaking zone starts, while two lines will be painted at the preceding corner to indicate the one-second time difference distance. This latter line will also serve as a visual back up for the FIA should the official timing transponders fail at any point.

 

[Brogan]

As I have said numerous times already, absolutely bloody stupid, ridiculous, artificial nonsense.

 

[snowy]

It's no use you sitting on the fence Bro, either you're for it or against it!

 

[Josephiah]

Is Silverstone being redesigned again then? I know the start finish straight was being moved but wasn't aware of any other majors changes beyond then new wiggly bit added last year.

Yeah, I think he's probably talking about last year's changes. I was more interested in the prospect of some competition for Tilke...

 

[Pyrope]

So am I understanding this right, are FIA going to add white lines on the track so the drivers know where they can overtake?

I can see this soon where the track will be filled in with logo's and we have Hamilton trying a move on Vettel in the 'Nescafe Gold Blend Zone'.

You joke, but you ought to come and see this principle in action during a hockey game here in Canada. Sponsorship seems to involve randomly inserting company names into various points of the commentary. "And that was the PizzaPizza First Goal of the game, scored by the 67's number 9 Joe Bloggs, with only two minutes on the Ottawa Citizen Timer in the Farm Boy First Period!". It hurts.

 

[Brogan]

You joke, but you ought to come and see this principle in action during a hockey game here in Canada. Sponsorship seems to involve randomly inserting company names into various points of the commentar.

Aargh!!
It'll be happening in the UK now that the law has changed: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12593061

(apologies for the off topic post)

 

[snowy]

Welcome to the world of Buy n Large and Taco Bell.

They are also allowed to show 7½ minute add breaks. Thank goodness BBC got hold of F1!

 

[chreden]

7.5 minutes is a very long time. Long enough to go away and do something meaningful, like get some food or something (thereby missing the advertisements). You would think they would be better off with shorter, more frequent ad breaks.

Of course zero ad breaks is much better. Since about the only TV I actually watch live is F1 I rarely see an advertisement. Apart from 4OD on Youtube which insists on showing me the same advert 3 times in a row!