Motors The Official bit-tech F1 2013 Thread

But that is the defining element of F1.

Blown diffusers, flex wings, F Duct, Double diffusers, Mass damper, Semi auto gearboxes, Brake steer, 'Not' traction control, High flow fuel regulators, Active suspension, ABS, Paddle shift, Exhaust activated ground effect, Venturi tunnels, Skirt plates, Inboard discs, Flat floors, Wings, Mid engines

F1 is defined by who can look at the rules and find a way to side step them, if that's really what turns you off watching it the stop and watch Touring Cars instead, the racing's fantastic and there's none of the tech bollocks to worry about.

Aaaanyway...

I think Red Bull's bringing in Mark for another stop was deliberate, that radio message mid way through 'we're racing Grosjean,' says it all, the pit wall had already removed Webber from the equation. In ten laps at Suzuka there's no way to make back two places and ten seconds through the middle of lapped traffic, it just doesn't happen.

He's not as easy on his tyres as Vettel, but even for him a 2 stop was theoretically 8-10 seconds faster than 3. Vettel beat him by 7.

Grosjean had a blinder though, weird that he's steadily turning into a proper driver after seven-ish years of GP2/F1 bumper cars.

 

Your loss guys - there were quite a few very engrossing battles during that race. Well worth watching, despite it being Vettel's 9th win of the season.

Yep, I was just thinking "hang a sign, why don't you". I can appreciate RBR's achievements, and even admire their innovation, but they will never have my respect.

 

double post - too many tabs open at once

 

Funny thought, Sebastian Vettel now leads both the Driver's and the Constructor's championships. His 297 points equals that of Ferrari's but he leads on account of having scored both more wins and more podiums than Ferrari.

How utterly insufferable

 

I want to watch a race not a procession, I want to see multiple people battle for 1st place.

The race for the lesser places may well have been good but really who watches to see who gets 2nd place??

I really hope the rules changes that are coming next year shake things up a lot, I don't think I've not watched so many races in a season before.

 

Rule #1: If your surname is Vettel, you are not allowed to race

?

 

Tbh whilst I'm not a a fan of the Vettel procession, I watched F1 through the Schumacher 'years' and as long as there's racing somewhere throughout the grid I'm not bothered. There have been races that have lacked any 'racing' which is unfortunate, but the last few races have been much better to watch than some of the earlier ones this season.

Hopefully next year will see the shake-up the sport could do with, and the factory teams could have a slight advantage with the engine changes, I still see Newey producing a monster though.

 

Touring Cars is so much more fun. I like F1 but for me certainly isn't the pinnacle of motorsport.

 

Trouble is Red Bull is the de facto Renault works team now, they'll have the best of everything and the funding and they've got Adrian Newey. Every time there is a massive rule change whoever Newey is working for suddenly jump forward.

2009, it was Red Bull
1998, Mclaren
91 and 95 Williams

He is pretty much a genius, it seems in the last two decades of racing you have Adrian Newey, or you deploy Ross Brawn as a counter measure, or you spend a lot and hope to get lucky. Since Mercedes can't seem to decide if they want Brawn or not (Lauda clearly does, the suits upstairs seem as retarded as ever) it's going to be Red Bull all the way for another twelve months.

With any luck Mr Mateschitz will get done for tax fraud or something that will shake the field up.

 

Might I suggest MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3 (BSB/WSBK/AMA too), unless of course you already follow it/them/some

 

I thought that Japan was thoroughly enjoyable. I did feel that "Multi 3" sounded like "Drop back to third",which Webbo responded to with a fastest lap.

Grosjean is turning into a proper racer. He's fast, he's gaining "the calm", and he's ultimately likeable (reminds me -and most of my friends - a bit of my brother...).

Other observations:

- Bad luck by Lewis. 'We deserve better" is a bit of an annoying statement to repeat, though. (to me) impressive is the fact that it's his first DNF for Mercedes.
- Anyone else notice that when Rosberg left the pits (the bad release), the light on the top pod was still red? It only turned green when he had already driven.
-Seb got a bit lucky again - Webbo on the faster tyres COULD have gotten close. Such is racing, though.
- STR are frikken retarded for not telling their driver to give the spot back immediately. I saw the overtake, and mentioned to my mates that that spot would have to be given up again. Surely, STR were thinking the same thing... but instead of checking, they just let their driver continue. Stupid, and an unnecessary penalty.
-I LOVE Suzuka as a track.

 

Ignoring vettels win which I feel he was given by Redbull ( No shocks here ) It was a decent rate Roseberg left when the light was on red or at least it looked that way on the tv screens.

Grosjean will likely keep his lotus seat which is good news for him and bad news for other potential drivers.

Hulk still without a confirmed drive for next year is crazy though.

Do wonder now what McLaren will do if they wanted Perez he surely would of been signed already. Lotus and McLaren have the last 3 big seats really, Wonder if Massa / Paul Di Resta / Hulk will get any of them.

 

Brundle said on Sky he'd been told by a source that the Hulk has signed for next year, he only confirmed that it wasn't Sauber....

 

From the noises I'd think Hulk at Lotus is a pretty safe bet.

Perez is interesting, if his sponsors don't pay up (which is why McLaren haven't resigned him yet) then they could be looking for someone else, but who's good and available?

 

Hulk does seem like the hot property that has stalled all other deals until people know he's off the market. It seems like he's being courted by a whole bunch of teams. Eddie Jordan thinks it's a done deal with FIndia, but I bet McLaren and Lotus (as well as Sauber) are trying very hard to sign him.

 

I think Hulk at Lotus is just a formality by now... that makes so much sense to me, I'd be quite surprised if he goes anywhere "less".

McLaren are just dotting i's on Perez' contract. There's noone else they want, methinks.
The most interesting noise right now is the one about Massa at Williams, taking crashtor's place.

 

Hulk at Lotus would be great, hope he gets that seat.

 

Apparently Mclaren are keeping Perez because they have to pay for their engines next year and want the extra money.

They're also (allegedly) chasing Fernando Alonso to pair with Button in 2015, which is Honda's dream team.

Personally I think anyone trying to sign Alonso needs their head checked, his unique selling point seem to be his capacity to dismantle a team's morale whilst systematically qualifying poorly and not quite winning the championship. Like Jenson Button's evil clone.

 

That, and Alonso's pretty-much settled on finishing his career at Ferrari.

If Perez' sponsors pay up he'll stay, it's getting the cash in the bank that's the sticking point. McLaren aren't short of brass though, the road car group is making very decent money.

Williams/Maldonado will continue as long as PDVSA write out cheques for $30m+, Williams just can't afford not to have that.