Valencia

[Brogan]

Possibly a bit early for this thread with practice still 3 weeks away but with the news that Michael Schumacher will be driving for Ferrari, there may just be a bit more interest in this year's annual snoozefest.
Will it be a case of or

As we know, Valencia is hardly the best circuit for racing on and in fact, has the lowest average overtake of any circuit in the last 26 years:
F1 Overtaking Statistics & Analysis

Granted, there has only been 1 GP held there but the circuit hasn't really changed since the first race so I doubt the action on track will either.

As with Monaco, being on pole position will be the key to this race so it will be a case of going as light as you dare without compromising your strategy by going so light you have to pit after a handful of laps. Yes, I'm looking at you Alonso

A lot has been said of Michael Schumacher's fitness and because he has been out of a car for too long he won't be competitive but if he can put in a decent qualifying lap and get P1 and then bang in some really quick laps to build up a lead then he might just pull off the unexpected.

My tip for the GP is watch the qualifying, it will be more exciting than the race

 

[GeoffP]

I agree, I'm there for quali, and Alonso's one lap ability is second to none, so it'll be fun watching the crowd forming.

Any chance of a quiz on how many yellow flags will be out in the qualifying sessions - I reckon there'll be a queue for "shit or bust" laps!

 

[Brogan]

and Alonso's one lap ability is second to none

Freudian slip?

 

[GeoffP]

OK, so he can drive pretty well the rest of the time, but I believe he really shows his ability in putting his car ahead of it's place on the grid.

I suppose I shouldn't forget LH and Trulli, but I REALLY hope Trulli doesn't try to set up his usual 5th place procession!

 

[Brogan]

OK, so he can drive pretty well the rest of the time, but I believe he really shows his ability in putting his car ahead of it's place on the grid.

Did you really mean Alonso in your first post?
I thought you meant to write Schumacher.

Unless Renault's ban is overturned, Alonso won't be competing.

 

[Galahad]

I'm hopeful for a much better race than we had last year. I don't see that there's anything fundamentally wrong with the layout, so perhaps it was just an off year.

I don't think you can feel that with pole you're guaranteed to stay ahead in quite the same way as Monaco, necessarily.

Could be a reasonable chance of a safety car, which will mix things up.

And if I'm completely wrong and it all turns to dust, well, at least He will be there, and it's only seven days until Spa...

 

[GeoffP]

Did you really mean Alonso in your first post?
I thought you meant to write Schumacher.

Unless Renault's ban is overturned, Alonso won't be competing.

I shallk immediately resume consumption of the happy tablets and refrain from anything more complicated than trying to find my arse with both hands

You do have a point, Alonso may have trouble getting to the front of the grid without driving a car!

 

[Brogan]

and refrain from anything more complicated than trying to find my arse with both hands

Don't forget a map

 

[Speshal]

and a torch!

Oooh hooray Valencia if last year is anything to go by but as mentioned, you never know. I thought Hungary was quite entertaining this year (for once)

*Conspiracy theory* Before it was announced that MS would be driving in Spain I was fully expecting Renault's appeal to be upheld (pressure from CVC?) because a proportion of the Spanish audience only watch because of Fernando, the main reason they are all heading to Valencia after all - no Nando = smaller TV audience/trackside ticket sales.

But now...... The return of the King at Valencia, Bernie will be rubbing his hands in glee (and counting the piles of cash!) - Renault's appeal now looks doomed - yes they should get penalised but in that case every team that has released a car with a fuel hose attached should have been penalised as severely. [/conspiracy]

*I've been at Frog's happy pills

 

[teabagyokel]

I would imagine that this is not the race that they would want Alonso banned for in the upper echelons of the corridors of FIA power. And I presume they'll want Felipe back by Interlagos as well!

Michael Schumacher... pah! He didn't launch the Ferrari to the front of the grid in 2005, did he? Anyway, at least the Q3 times will be representative without car #7 on pole/2nd/3rd with about the a bottle of Vittel's worth of fuel in the car. [Vittel to beat Vettel]

The big question is, how many cars will be between Brawn and Red Bull. eg.

VET-WEB-HAM-MSC-RAI-KOV-BUT-BAR

for the Championship is far better for RBR than:

HAM-RAI-MSC-TRU-WEB-VET-BUT-BAR

for example.

I think McLaren, at least, can get between. I just wonder if Red Bull can get ahead of McLaren or Ferrari or Toyota or whoever. I still think they can, I still think they're the class of the field!

 

[Boyle]

I thought Hungary was a very good race, by any standards. Fights through the pack, an overtake for the lead, the championship heating up (finally!) and a result that I don't think the most ardent of Mclaren fans would have dreamed of 4 weeks ago!

So there is hope for a good race at Valencia yet!

 

[Brogan]

So there is hope for a good race at Valencia yet!

Only if they remove the concrete walls, change the layout, put in some gradients, move the whole circuit to Belgium and rename it Spa

 

[Boyle]

Only if they remove the concrete walls, change the layout, put in some gradients, move the whole circuit to Belgium and rename it Spa

Surely that's copyright infringement?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Perhaps if they were to shift it to America, maybe no one would notice?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach_Grand_Prix

Proving you can have a street circuit with concrete walls and still produce good racing. This is another track that was priced out of the game by Bernie, way back in the early 80's.

 

[FB]

Detroit also produced some good races and does anyone remeber Alesi and Senna swapping places at Phoenix back in 1990? I think street circuits need 90 degree corners to allow overtaking, very common in the US with their grid systems not so common in Europe.

Can we please have the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch next year Bernie? Please, please, please. I promise to be very good.

 

[Speshal]

So there is hope for a good race at Valencia yet!

Only if they remove the concrete walls, change the layout, put in some gradients, move the whole circuit to Belgium and rename it Spa

I've set the boys to work!

 

[bogaTYR]

Valencia Thursday Press Conference

Imagine the interviews in the Thursday press conference:
"So what upgrades have you brought to Valencia?"

Brawn GP: "New aero package for the car"
McLaren: "Improved diffuser and new front wing"
Ferrari: "Michael Schumacher"

This was on another forum but it sure drives home the point and it made me laugh

 

[Brogan]

Good one boga

Does that mean though that when Felipe returns Ferrari will be bringing a downgrade?

I've merged your thread with the existing one so we keep all Valencia discussion in one place.

 

[bogaTYR]

no probs bro. i see your point.

 

[FB]

To build on bogaTYR's amusing comment, could the Brawn comment read: New aero package for the car, were hoping to challenge Force India and Torro Rosso for 15th on the grid with this latest upgrade.