Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
I think it is a bit premature to try to judge the entire season on the first two races, especially given how much the rules were radically changed.
Formula 1 2014
- Thread starter Formaldehyde
- Start date
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
I think the biggest challenge may very well come from McLaren now that Ron Dennis is back in charge.
At this stage, I certainly wouldn't count any of the major teams out.
At this stage, I certainly wouldn't count any of the major teams out.
As Dell says, it's fun to make guesses.
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
Indeed.
Speaking of which, guess which team just went even faster in qualifying.
Speaking of which, guess which team just went even faster in qualifying.
JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
Oh, man, that's one of the few laps I missed this time. D:
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
There was conjecture from the US talking heads that the new low nose requirement acted as a scoop.
Rosberg got a pretty good view of the crash. It's hard to say if a higher nose would have prevented the flip.
That said, I'd rather see a crash that flipped a car, than a crash where a head-level nose spears into another driver. The survival cell is very good at protecting a driver from the car moving around, but if Maldonado's car had risen up over top of Gutiérrez, it could have been far worse. Look again at the gif a few posts back, and imagine what would have happened if, instead of popping Gutiérrez's car sideways, Maldonado's car had gotten launched upwards. Given where the contact happened, his whole vehicle could have slid over top of Gutiérrez' cockpit.
Look at Wurz and Coulthard in Australia 2007, or Alonso's encounter with Grosjean at the start of Spa-Francorchamps in 2012. If a car gets lifted over the top of another's nose, the driver's in far, far worse danger than if he gets flipped upside down.
Gutiérrez could have been killed by Maldonado's idiocy. Fortunately he was just shaken up.
That said, I'd rather see a crash that flipped a car, than a crash where a head-level nose spears into another driver. The survival cell is very good at protecting a driver from the car moving around, but if Maldonado's car had risen up over top of Gutiérrez, it could have been far worse. Look again at the gif a few posts back, and imagine what would have happened if, instead of popping Gutiérrez's car sideways, Maldonado's car had gotten launched upwards. Given where the contact happened, his whole vehicle could have slid over top of Gutiérrez' cockpit.
Look at Wurz and Coulthard in Australia 2007, or Alonso's encounter with Grosjean at the start of Spa-Francorchamps in 2012. If a car gets lifted over the top of another's nose, the driver's in far, far worse danger than if he gets flipped upside down.
Gutiérrez could have been killed by Maldonado's idiocy. Fortunately he was just shaken up.
classical_hero
In whom I trust
The V10 for me sounded the best, but we all agree that the V6 Turbo is pathetic.
We don't all agree on that. You guys do, and many others do. I'm kind of new to the sport, but as a television spectator, I don't find the new engines to be 'pathetic'. They're obviously different and quiter, but the racing's been entertaining.
Thorgalaeg
Deity
I have heard V10 and V8 engines (sadly never V12) en vivo at Jerez and it is amazing, you feel it resounding in your bones. That sound has become part of F1. V6 OTOH... 
It sounds like a Vespa, for God´s sake.
It sounds like a Vespa, for God´s sake.
I can see how it would be less of a bone-rattling experience in person. On the air, however, there's not such a difference, for me at least.
I've been to concerts that were loud enough to rattle my bones, and didn't really enjoy that aspect of them. So this might just be my personal preference.
I've been to concerts that were loud enough to rattle my bones, and didn't really enjoy that aspect of them. So this might just be my personal preference.
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
Why would Maldonado's car have gotten launched upwards, instead of merely pushing Gutiérrez' car sideways which is what typically occurs in such situations?
Neither car was going all that fast, and the cars are specifically designed to protect the driver in case of such rolls.
There was no wheel-to-wheel contact. The nose of Madonado's car hit the side of Gutiérrez.
I'm picturing his wheel coming into contact with Gutiérrez' sidepod and tossing the front of his car into the air.
But with regards to the second thing, I absolutely agree that F1 cars are built to be safe in rolls. The driver's exposed head is pretty well-protected in a roll.
But with regards to the second thing, I absolutely agree that F1 cars are built to be safe in rolls. The driver's exposed head is pretty well-protected in a roll.
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
From the gif you posted above it doesn't even appear that Maldonado's wing was damaged, so I don't know how his tire could have struck the chassis. It seems pretty clear to me that the nose struck the side of his car, which is what David Hobbes also stated during the US coverage.
And wheel to wheel contact means that one wheel came into contact with another, which is the typical way that formula cars get launched into the air. But it is the car which is behind that gets launched when its front tire comes into contact with the rear of the other car, not the other way around.
And wheel to wheel contact means that one wheel came into contact with another, which is the typical way that formula cars get launched into the air. But it is the car which is behind that gets launched when its front tire comes into contact with the rear of the other car, not the other way around.
His tire would have hit the chassis if he'd collided at a slightly different angle, which would have happened if Gutiérrez had gone wider through the corner. I was just commenting that the accident was dangerously close to being worse.
On a topic beyond what happened 2 weeks ago, qualifying was definitely an entertaining watch today!
On a topic beyond what happened 2 weeks ago, qualifying was definitely an entertaining watch today!
MAL front left tyre is in front of GUT right rear, when GUT turns in his RR makes contact with MAL LF tries to roll over MAL tyre and launches the car.
The sidepod is quite far inboard at the rear and not that sloped that the nose could launch it like that. Also GUT sidepod has no damage which one would suspect given the way the car takes off
The sidepod is quite far inboard at the rear and not that sloped that the nose could launch it like that. Also GUT sidepod has no damage which one would suspect given the way the car takes off
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