Valencia

[Brogan]

Thread resurrection!

The Valencia circuit thread has been updated with the latest circuit video and a new 3 day weather forecast: Europe - Valencia Street Circuit

Finally after what seems like an age there is less than a week to go before Friday practice.

 

[teabagyokel]

Ferrari have brought a Badoer rather than a Schumacher to the grid! Is that a downgrade? . And where's the "How will Luca Badoer do in the European GP?" poll. I think we've been star-struck on this forum, and I don't like it!

 

[cider_and_toast]

Seems like once again those cheeky chaps in red couldn't quite wait for the start of "Official Practice"

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77721

 

[FB]

You have to question what Badoer will learn from driving the car at 60mph on rock hard tyres. Perhaps he has been out of a car for so long he has forgotten where the wheel and pedals are

 

[RickD]

Seems like once again those cheeky chaps in red couldn't quite wait for the start of "Official Practice"

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77721

I would love to know who is policing them to make sure they stay under 60Mph..

 

[cider_and_toast]

Yeah, It would be one thing if it was a run up and down a city street but it's another different thing if it's on a track. I would presume that the telemetry must/can be made available to the FIA to check that the rules had been observed.

Given that Ferrari have both Gene and Badoer to test the car they must have known if would have raised a few eyebrows by using Badoer. I agree with FB that there is very little to be had from driving around at 60 on rock hard tyres but even so. It seems like a two fingered salute from Maranello.

 

[FB]

I bet Frank Williams will send an "observer" along...

 

[RickD]

I bet Frank Williams will send an "observer" along...

I hope he does..

 

[teabagyokel]

You can almost imagine the Williams boys setting up speed cameras along the main straights at Mugello! They're not too keen on following rules, Ferrari!

 

[Brogan]

Seems like once again those cheeky chaps in red couldn't quite wait for the start of "Official Practice"

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77721

I would love to know who is policing them to make sure they stay under 60Mph..

It's not actually a 100 km/h limit, it's a total distance of 100 km per day.
So he can drive flat out for 33 laps of the Fiorano test track.

I suspect the "promotional purposes" clause refers to street demo's and the like and was never intended to take place on a test track.

Once again Ferrari prove themselves masters at exploiting loopholes.

 

[RickD]

Wonder how many other teams will suddenly decide to make promotional videos?

If the Red Devils can get away with it, what is stopping others from doing the same (apart from morals! )

 

[cider_and_toast]

Obviously they couldn't play this card with Schuey because he wasn't listed as a test driver for Ferrari. Makes you wonder that if Luca Badoer has "driven more laps than any other Ferrari driver in history" why he would need to do this test sorry I mean driving training, sorry I mean development day, oops I mean filming a documentry or whatever it is.

 

[Brogan]

I suspect that due to the test ban that Luca has actually driven the F60 very little, if at all.

Hopefully the FIA will review this nonsensical situation for 2010.

 

[FB]

I hang my head in shame for not reading the article correctly and seeing 100km as 100 km/h :doh:

As punishment I will ban myself from watching the Valencia race. Although, based on last year, perhaps making me watch it twice would be worse.

 

[Brogan]

Now that Renault's appeal has been overturned, what are the odds that Alonso will qualify with 5 laps of fuel again just to get the headlines?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Let's just hope he dosn't try to reduce the weight of the car by running with 3 wheels again !!

 

[teabagyokel]

Now that Renault's appeal has been overturned, what are the odds that Alonso will qualify with 5 laps of fuel again just to get the headlines?

Almost guaranteed, he's done it at almost every race so far this season, the joke being that sometimes Renault were light and still qualified 8th!

 

[cider_and_toast]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77763

And in order to ensure absolute safety and no overtaking there will be a 4 inch wide 10 inch deep channel dug around the entire circuit. Either side of this there will be two metal strips. Cars will be fitted with a pin that runs in this slot and two wire brushes that make contact with the coresponding metal strips. The cars will then be powered by an enviromentally sound electric source. Car speed will be controlled by nominated FIA delegates holding hand devices with a trigger like plunger. The order in which cars set off on race day will be decided by a parade around the track on Saturday and the results of a Clap'O'meter during the parade.

 

[Speshal]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77763

And in order to ensure absolute safety and no overtaking there will be a 4 inch wide 10 inch deep channel dug around the entire circuit. Either side of this there will be two metal strips. Cars will be fitted with a pin that runs in this slot and two wire brushes that make contact with the coresponding metal strips. The cars will then be powered by an enviromentally sound electric source. Car speed will be controlled by nominated FIA delegates holding hand devices with a trigger like plunger. The order in which cars set off on race day will be decided by a parade around the track on Saturday and the results of a Clap'O'meter during the parade.

McLaren will be banned for pre-season testing of the new technology.

 

[RickD]

Spesh - I reckon the FIA watched the advert and thought thats what people want F1 to be like..