2011 Formula 1 Season Thread

Where is silly season thread when you need one? :lol:

Indeed. It seems like half the grid are rumoured to be alongside Fernando at Ferrari. Button, Webber, Perez, Rosberg, Kubica, Vettel....

I think Button will stay at McLaren. He seems very happy there and recently said he wanted to end his career at McLaren. But I guess when the red team come calling at your door it may be hard to say no, especially as Pat Fry is now there and he worked with Button.
 
I'm not sure. I think that Webber would possibly back up Alonso more than Massa is at the moment. Plus he's not that old. Barrichello and Schumacher are older. I think Webber could still be going for 3-4 more years if he really wanted to.

I'm not sure he's totally comfortable in the Red Bull situation, and Webber and Alonso are good friends too. How long that'd last if a situation like Hockenheim last year arose though, I don't know.

He's never been an outstanding driver to me.... even in his early years he was one of those back of the pack guys and didn't show much notice, not like Kubica or Kobayashi, those guys that show they are something else... and when he had the golden opportunity of his lifetime he just failed to raise to the occasion.
About Button, I also think he wants to stay at McLaren. He's a happy camper there, with his buddy Lewis, and they have an all-british team going on, very good for publicity and morale.
 
Mark will stay at RBR. I think last years shortfall has taken a lot out of him. He's always impressed me because he was supposed to retire after his stint with Williams. That chassis for Williams in 2006 had the most potential out of any chassis on the grid, it was just unreliable to an extreme. He's outpaced and outdone every driver he has been with (excluding Vettel). Same thing with Button. He was one of those guys with great skill, just lacking the car underneath him. 2009 he capitalized that opportunity at the right time. Not outstanding? Did any of you watch the Chinese GP? Goddamn he was awesome... Webber does not have the insane speed, but the man is consistent and aggressive when needed the most.
 
Lets see... I don't really see qualifying as important as it once was. 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 4th, 4th, and 3rd. Last season he had two retirements... I see what you mean, it was not until he first arrived at RBR where he had actual consistent results. As I see it like anyone else would. There is a difference between qualifying and the actual race session. Its all about where a person finishes.
 
Not outstanding? Did any of you watch the Chinese GP? Goddamn he was awesome... Webber does not have the insane speed, but the man is consistent and aggressive when needed the most.

One GP does not make a driver outstanding... it's only when a driver shows time and time again that he can push a car beyond the limit to create great results that I'd call him outstanding. The so called "Webber show" was just a combination of new tyres and the best car on the grid getting past slower cars with aged tyres. I think most drivers could have pulled it off.
 
is RU offline for everyone else here on the forum?
 
lol at Sutil's glasses!

I like the question 'what do you think of Paul di Resta your teammate'? And he gives the usual politically correct 'I think he's a good teammate'. I remember in 1997 when Johnny Herbert was asked about being paired with Jean Alesi at a Sauber press conference, Herbert replied (with Jean sitting right alongside) with a deadly straight face 'no, I hate him' :lol:.

madcow said:
is RU offline for everyone else here on the forum?

Yeah, what's that about? Hope it's only temporary...
 
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is RU offline for everyone else here on the forum?

Can someone explain me what I have to sing to get an invitation? PM info will be great (so we'll not spam here).
 
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http://twitter.com/#!/BasLeinders/status/85004460962746368

http://twitter.com/#!/BasLeinders/status/85004729456926720

FIA might want to alter pit entry in Silverstone, as coming in on last lap will give advantage. Might be funny...

Funny with leader taking the flag in pitlane or losing it by staying out, we will see i n 2 weeks

Interesting... Leinders raced in GT1 earlier this year with the new pitlane and start-finish straight, and he actually has a bit of a point here: the finish line is right on the exit of Club corner, and the pitlane entrance forks off the track before the Vale chicane and bypasses it entirely. From memory of the GT1 races, there's only a few meters of speed-limited pitlane before the finish line.

Someone might notice this and get sneaky by trying to do a Schuey Silverstone '98. :lol:


It's not new at British tracks, Senna set the fastest lap at Donington in '93 while going through the pitlane, the old Donington pitlane entrance shortcut the Goddards hairpin.
 
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Interesting... Leinders raced in GT1 earlier this year with the new pitlane and start-finish straight, and he actually has a bit of a point here: the finish line is right on the exit of Club corner, and the pitlane entrance forks off the track before the Vale chicane and bypasses it entirely. From memory of the GT1 races, there's only a few meters of speed-limited pitlane before the finish line.

Someone might notice this and get sneaky by trying to do a Schuey Silverstone '98. :lol:


It's not new at British tracks, Senna set the fastest lap at Donington in '93 while going through the pitlane, the old Donington pitlane entrance shortcut the Goddards hairpin.

Much easier to add a new rule than to modify a circuit I think; "Cars which finish the race in the pit lane will be given a 20 second time penalty as if they had driven through it"
 
No, what they need to do is move the start of the speed limit zone back and basically lengthen the speed-limited pitlane. Much easier and doesn't add convoluted new rules, only requires the relocation of a timing beam and painting a line on the tarmac.
 
No, what they need to do is move the start of the speed limit zone back and basically lengthen the speed-limited pitlane. Much easier and doesn't add convoluted new rules, only requires the relocation of a timing beam and painting a line on the tarmac.

I don't think that's the best idea because everybody knows Silverstone, the time it takes for a car to do the pit lane, etc... However 'introducing randomness' is the whole 2011 season's motto, so I wouldn't be surprised.

I still think it's simpler to tell the teams they just can't use the pit lane to finish the race and that's that. It's not that complicated or convoluted.
One other simple rule would be "the pit lane is closed from the moment the leading car crosses the start finish line for the last lap until a car finishes the race" like they do in enduro, no recovery in the last 30 minutes or whatever
 
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I don't think that's the best idea because everybody knows Silverstone, the time it takes for a car to do the pit lane, etc...

They don't, that's the point. It's the first season of the new pitlane and start-finish line configuration, they'll be using the new complex between Club and Abbey.
 
http://twitter.com/#!/BasLeinders/status/85004460962746368

http://twitter.com/#!/BasLeinders/status/85004729456926720



Interesting... Leinders raced in GT1 earlier this year with the new pitlane and start-finish straight, and he actually has a bit of a point here: the finish line is right on the exit of Club corner, and the pitlane entrance forks off the track before the Vale chicane and bypasses it entirely. From memory of the GT1 races, there's only a few meters of speed-limited pitlane before the finish line.

Someone might notice this and get sneaky by trying to do a Schuey Silverstone '98. :lol:


It's not new at British tracks, Senna set the fastest lap at Donington in '93 while going through the pitlane, the old Donington pitlane entrance shortcut the Goddards hairpin.

And back then there was no pit lane speed limit. :p Drivers were allowed to take the pit lane at full throttle.
I think that aided Senna alot. ^_^
 
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