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Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

MattS said:
I also read that Conor Daly has been replaced for at least this weekend in the GP2 race. Bad news for him.
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I did not realize the Conor's GP2 drive was a scheduled one-off race. He has now signed to compete in GP3 (again) for ART Grand Prix.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

I have stumbled onto this new series "Formula e". All electric cars open wheel cars, races would be 1 hr, each driver has 2 cars, and when the battery on car #1 runs low, they switch to car #2; LOL! It's hard to imagine a F1/Indy looking car silently going 170 mph. Fascinating.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

great race in Brazil today!

the Hinch w/win #2 and Sato proving the Foyt teams resurgence is no fluke. He threw some wicked blocks there but I'm pretty ambivalent on the rules there

Andretti 3rd. this is a great season for Indycar, too bad the general public is unaware of how great the racing really is

 
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Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

The actual race was great. But the track and some of the driving really emphasized my distaste for tracks like that. Geez, some of the moronic driving drove me nuts. Including the times cars failed and both drivers passed on the opportunity to pull it into a safe spot. Beatriz, Power, and Kaanan- I speak of you. Power- you were lucky that your car didn't burn to the ground. To get all upset when you drove BY stations, duh. Beatriz and Kaanan- come on, your car is dead- pull it into a saftey zone, so that we don't have to endure a yellow. Then the driving- where the walls and tire walls were found.. man I don't like street circuits.

But the end did make up for a lot of that. Newgarten- so close to get one, but just couldn't get off turn 10 to really USE the push to pass. Oh, well. I didn't think Sato was blocking as much as driving straight on a curved straight away- but what a way for Hinch to deal with that at the end. Wow.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Interesting race today- it was the "take the tires by the horns" vs. "keep the tires alive" and the drivers clearly won that one.

Ferrari and Lotus clearly just went for it- and we know the Lotus is pretty good on tires. But to see the Ferraris really go for it like that was something else! It exposed the Red Bull quite a bit, I think- they are a tire preservation chassis- who tried to keep up, but really fell off at the end.

Mercedes- geez- what in the world? Lewis is known to be hard on the tires, but earlier in the season, it looked to match him pretty well- today- nada. 2nd to 11th. On the other hand, McLaren- qualify and race are not the same. Even close.

I think I'm ok (barely) with the tire issue of wear vs. speed- but I'm still really bothered by the marbles. Hate them. Thankfully- that wasn't an issue at all today- especially since drivers were taking quite a bit different lines the entire race.

So, for the future- we want to visit this track. And do Monaco 2 weeks later. We'll have to work that one out. My wife really wants to do it while Alonso is at the top of his game.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
Interesting race today- it was the "take the tires by the horns" vs. "keep the tires alive" and the drivers clearly won that one.

Ferrari and Lotus clearly just went for it- and we know the Lotus is pretty good on tires. But to see the Ferraris really go for it like that was something else! It exposed the Red Bull quite a bit, I think- they are a tire preservation chassis- who tried to keep up, but really fell off at the end.

Mercedes- geez- what in the world? Lewis is known to be hard on the tires, but earlier in the season, it looked to match him pretty well- today- nada. 2nd to 11th. On the other hand, McLaren- qualify and race are not the same. Even close.

I think I'm ok (barely) with the tire issue of wear vs. speed- but I'm still really bothered by the marbles. Hate them. Thankfully- that wasn't an issue at all today- especially since drivers were taking quite a bit different lines the entire race.

So, for the future- we want to visit this track. And do Monaco 2 weeks later. We'll have to work that one out. My wife really wants to do it while Alonso is at the top of his game.
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I don't understand how mercedes can have qualifying pace but be to utterly lost on race day. they may as well race 1 lap w/the softs and use the other compound for the rest of the races

Alonso surpasses Nigel Mansell for 4th all-time...wow

McLaren...ouch. Hamilton clearly made the right decision by leaving them. the question is...do they/can they fall off like Williams has over the past 15 years? It's a scary thought but if Mercedes can improve and be consistent and Lotus stays the same or improves somehow I don't see how McLaren can even challenge for a podium this season...I hope it doesn't snowball
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
So, for the future- we want to visit this track. And do Monaco 2 weeks later. We'll have to work that one out. My wife really wants to do it while Alonso is at the top of his game.
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I've never done it but I hear it's awesome. Hard not to have a good place to watch.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

manurespreader said:
I've never done it but I hear it's awesome. Hard not to have a good place to watch.
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Our goal is to get all 4 of the older tracks- so once Monaco is done, we have to find a way to do Silverstone. Which I know will be more PITA than the ones we've been at- since I've visited Silverstone for other races- there are very few roads in and out.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
I think I'm ok (barely) with the tire issue of wear vs. speed- but I'm still really bothered by the marbles. Hate them. Thankfully- that wasn't an issue at all today- especially since drivers were taking quite a bit different lines the entire race.
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But they could be a huge issue at Monaco where it's already impossible to pass.

So, for the future- we want to visit this track. And do Monaco 2 weeks later. We'll have to work that one out. My wife really wants to do it while Alonso is at the top of his game.
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I'm jealous. More for having a wife who wants to make these sort of trips... :)
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
Our goal is to get all 4 of the older tracks- so once Monaco is done, we have to find a way to do Silverstone. Which I know will be more PITA than the ones we've been at- since I've visited Silverstone for other races- there are very few roads in and out.
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And then when those roads are all mud...
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Russell Jaslow said:
But they could be a huge issue at Monaco where it's already impossible to pass.
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I just saw a claim suggesting that- and I'm not sure if I fully buy that. Not an actual pass on the track-but a clever strategy that puts a following car in the pits one or two laps ahead of the Mercedes AND into some open track- one should be capable of making up enough time to make a pass. Much like this past weekend, when Alonso passed Rosberg the first time. But we will see.

I did see that Pirelli is planning on new tires for Silverstone.

Oh, my wife LOVED going to Spa. We parked in an area close to the track (it took some time to find it), and we were walking through a forest during one of the Friday practices. Imagine strolling through a forest with the sound of F1 cars coming from someplace. Monza turned out to be just as cool- just in a completely different way. AND we got to run on it the following week- where a half marathon started and ended on the track.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
I just saw a claim suggesting that- and I'm not sure if I fully buy that. Not an actual pass on the track-but a clever strategy that puts a following car in the pits one or two laps ahead of the Mercedes AND into some open track- one should be capable of making up enough time to make a pass. Much like this past weekend, when Alonso passed Rosberg the first time. But we will see.

I did see that Pirelli is planning on new tires for Silverstone.



Oh, my wife LOVED going to Spa. We parked in an area close to the track (it took some time to find it), and we were walking through a forest during one of the Friday practices. Imagine strolling through a forest with the sound of F1 cars coming from someplace. Monza turned out to be just as cool- just in a completely different way. AND we got to run on it the following week- where a half marathon started and ended on the track.
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Have been to Barcelona and a great experience and great town. Stay in the city and take the train out to the track (30 min ride if I remember). Its really easy and convenient. I'm dying to do the Spa and then Monza back to back....just tough to disappear for a month. I go to Montreal every year (missed 1 since '89 and of course the year they didnt have it). Also, I work in NYC and waiting / hoping for the NY/NJ and Montreal back to back next year.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
I just saw a claim suggesting that- and I'm not sure if I fully buy that. Not an actual pass on the track-but a clever strategy that puts a following car in the pits one or two laps ahead of the Mercedes AND into some open track- one should be capable of making up enough time to make a pass. Much like this past weekend, when Alonso passed Rosberg the first time. But we will see.

I did see that Pirelli is planning on new tires for Silverstone.

Oh, my wife LOVED going to Spa. We parked in an area close to the track (it took some time to find it), and we were walking through a forest during one of the Friday practices. Imagine strolling through a forest with the sound of F1 cars coming from someplace. Monza turned out to be just as cool- just in a completely different way. AND we got to run on it the following week- where a half marathon started and ended on the track.
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Man that sounds really fun.! My GF doesn't know it, and she is definitely not a race fan, but we are going to the Normandy Beaches for vacation in july and I'm going to try to get her to go to Reims for a day. I think it would be fun to drive the old route. I remember the movie Grand Prix, and I'm pretty sure there were some scenes filmed at the pits there.

Edit:
sorry, the best place to pass in Monaco is at Nouvelle as you come out of the tunnel. But this requires you get very close inside the tunnel. obviously there is no good place.
 
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Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

So did anyone else catch the news that McLaren might be orange next year? As in McLaren Orange? No more German silver.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

manurespreader said:
Man that sounds really fun.! My GF doesn't know it, and she is definitely not a race fan, but we are going to the Normandy Beaches for vacation in july and I'm going to try to get her to go to Reims for a day. I think it would be fun to drive the old route. I remember the movie Grand Prix, and I'm pretty sure there were some scenes filmed at the pits there.

I think the best place to pass in Monaco is at Lowes under braking.
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That's a great trip- when we did Spa, we also did Bastogne as well as a great tour of the Battle of the Bulge AND Normandy. If I may suggest- contact family to see if you have relatives that fought. And I'd suggest Battlebus, but I know they've changed recently. The still do tours, but under a different name.

As for Reims- where are the remains of a historic track?

One more tanget- if your timing is good, and you are wearing Tech stuff while in Normandy- don't be surprised if an old guy introduces himself. My parents are going to Normandy in July, too. Tech '54. Don't bother looking- if you are near, he'll find you. That would be amazing.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
That's a great trip- when we did Spa, we also did Bastogne as well as a great tour of the Battle of the Bulge AND Normandy. If I may suggest- contact family to see if you have relatives that fought. And I'd suggest Battlebus, but I know they've changed recently. The still do tours, but under a different name.

As for Reims- where are the remains of a historic track?

One more tanget- if your timing is good, and you are wearing Tech stuff while in Normandy- don't be surprised if an old guy introduces himself. My parents are going to Normandy in July, too. Tech '54. Don't bother looking- if you are near, he'll find you. That would be amazing.
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Battlebus was booked as of last month when I made the reservations, so we are on Overlord. We'll be there july 17 -23. We are staying at a historic chateau, where the media center was and which I can''t believe we actually got in to.

Reims was on public roads which are mostly still there, however at the northwest corner of the course they have blocked off the road and you have to kind of go around. the pits are all still there right along the public road. I think the course was about 6 miles long vs todays typical 2 or 3 miles. One of the roads has been repaved and is part of a motorway now, the other two are still country roads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims-Gueux
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Interesting article about Reims. I know that access is no longer unrestricted and that they have designated the buildings as historic and are slowly restoring them. Tons of interesting youtube clips on Reims. But can you imagine today, standing immediately next to the circuit as a car going 190 mph goes by, or having straights as long as this?

http://googlesightseeing.com/2011/04/le-circuit-de-reims-gueux/
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

so Pirelli is changing the tire compounds to allow for fewer pit stops in F1.

it sure sounds like Red Bull's crying is paying off. After all they just had their asses handed to them and it appears it's just Vettel and Hamilton crying about the tires. Unreal. Yeah, go ahead make the tires harder and watch RB win every race and open up 15-20 second leads:(
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

alfablue said:
So did anyone else catch the news that McLaren might be orange next year? As in McLaren Orange? No more German silver.
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I did not hear that.

I do know to expect an announcement soon that McLaren will run Honda engines in 2015. They are still under contract with Mercedes for 2014 (not to mention Honda wouldn't be ready for next year).

So, maybe this new/old orange paint job is to start the transition away from the German manufacturer.
 
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