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U.S. Grand Prix - F1

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
15
So Cal
Remember last year's fiasco?

I'm watching practice right now. Anyone else watching this weekend? Who are you rooting for?

Villeneuve all the way!!!
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
i don't think there's a better track for in car video than indy, with the exception of maybe spa.

the entrance into the infield and all of the successive turns, make it look like a very fun track to drive.
but the engineers must have fits figuring out the low aero drag and high mechanical grip set-ups.

they said michelin has brought only one tire compound to the track this year.
so i'm thinking that maybe bridgestone shod cars may have an advantage come race day.
we'll see.

but don't bet against fernando.

on a side note.
how cool would it be to see the moto gp crowd at this track ?
 

BillT

Monkey
I'd say Spa, Suzuka, and Monaco offer cooler in car video than Indy, but it is up there.

As far as the race goes, I'm a MS fan, so I hope he wins, but I wouldn't mind Kimi getting a win either. I'm sick of Alonso so I hope he and Fisi will have a 1st corner get together and take each other out.

My of my favorite sites in recent F1 was at Indy either 2 or 3 years ago when Rubens was 1st and Michael was 2nd and the safety car was out then the safety car went in and we go to see the 2 Ferrari's drag race each other side by side around the banked turn and down the front straight...hopefully we'll get to see some more side by side action like that this year.
 

steve45

Monkey
Sep 30, 2003
483
1
Dundee, Scotland
not one of my favourite circuts of the season, the infield area is kinda bland and generic, nothing really stands out about indy except for that banked turn, but i'll be watching the race on sunday as always(working during quali).

as usual i'll be cheering for kimi and mclaren, but the way things are going i can see his engine going down the pan at some point as usual.
i hope redbull have a strong showing, they have been improving a bit recently hopefully coulthard can sneek into the points, his drive last week was very nice, solid race from the back in a mid-field car to take the last point usually thats only something you see from the top boys.
 

Hawkeye

Monkey
Jan 8, 2002
623
0
Naperville, IL
I was at the race last year. But I couldn't make it this year being so close to the 4th and all the parties I have to go to.

Yes, I did get my money back.
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
like i said in the last F1 thread.

if kimi decides to join renault next year, i think we'll see him dominate the series for the next few years. he's that good.

schumacher did incredible things for ferarri when he came aboard. and i don't think any present organization out there is set up to allow a driver the freedom he had to build the team around him like he did.
that is why i feel he's one of, if not the greatest driver to sit between four tires.

but i think the time is right for kimi.
not that alonso is not a deserving champion. (or repeat champ by the looks of things.)
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,621
9,622
I haven't watched F1 since Ayrton Senna took a steering wheel to the head.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
15
So Cal
stevew said:
I haven't watched F1 since Ayrton Senna took a steering wheel to the head.
:(

I've seen too many drivers die over the years (as have many auto racing fans). Senna's death was sad and tragic, so was Greg Moore's death (Soooo much potential!).

At least things are safer today than they were 20 years ago!
 

BillT

Monkey
stevew said:
I haven't watched F1 since Ayrton Senna took a steering wheel to the head.
I think he actually took a piece of the suspension to the head, but whatever...

It will be interesting to see where Kimi will end up next year. I am hoping for Ferrari, but lately it has been looking like Renault is the favorite.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,621
9,622
BillT said:
I think he actually took a piece of the suspension to the head, but whatever...
Steering column, I think. The wheel came off in his hands. At least according to a site investigating his death.

here
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Both close, neither correct. He did hit the steering column, but that isn't what hit him. Further investigation proved it was the front wheel that did him in. It came up when the suspension broke and slammed him in the head, killing him instantly. This is according to the 3 hour discovery channel special anyways.
 

BillT

Monkey
I was always under the impression that he was skewered by a wayward suspension piece, so thanks for the clarification.

Back to the US race...it appears that Michelin brought a pretty conservative, sturdy compound to the race to help ensure that Indygate 2 doesn't occur so this might give the Bridgestone teams a little bit of an advantage with a more aggressive tire.
 

Superdeft

Monkey
Dec 4, 2003
863
0
East Coast
After hearing alonso talk about how big of a deal his car and being 'in the right place at the right time,' is, I am amazed to see verification of how important the cars, and more specifically the aerodynamicists for the teams are.
 

llkoolkeg

Ranger LL
Sep 5, 2001
4,329
5
in da shed, mon, in da shed
BillT said:
Back to the US race...it appears that Michelin brought a pretty conservative, sturdy compound to the race to help ensure that Indygate 2 doesn't occur so this might give the Bridgestone teams a little bit of an advantage with a more aggressive tire.
Is "Indygate" a reference to that time all the Michelin teams boycotted the race after one pre-green lap b/c a cone chicane was not added to limit speed in a turn that kept popping their tires from heat stress?

Why must the media keep recycling the same tired cliches of their dottering and whorish predecessors? Adding the suffix -gate to any word for the oh-so-clever purpose of engendering feelings of controversy about it is just beyond played out. :rolleyes:
 

BillT

Monkey
llkoolkeg said:
Is "Indygate" a reference to that time all the Michelin teams boycotted the race after one pre-green lap b/c a cone chicane was not added to limit speed in a turn that kept popping their tires from heat stress?
Actually it is reference to Michelin's absolute failure to bring a suitable tire to a race and asking that the teams that brought the proper equipment to be penalized...but you can just search for the thread last year and see all the various ramblings about the subject.