Thread: Formula 1 2011 Season

Looks like we'll have another corker on our hands

BBC Sport - F1 - How new rules could change the championship

Basically, the geezer behind can go past the dude in front and the dude can't do anything about it

Roll on March

Sounds good.

oooh exciting stuff! i thought them changing the F-duct for Kers would be interesting enough, but this is essentially an F-duct and kers being used. not sure how this will work on the track but its gonna be great watching. i bet alonso has a moan about it. like i give a fuck, the paella-eating-midday-kipping-deigo-bastard

Could points there Jay ^^^.

I'm still unsure about the KERS as it was heavy and not very useful in 2009, but if they think it's worth it to bring it back in (obviously more technology has made it more efficient and lighter) along with the adjustable rear wing, we may see more overtaking this year; just don't expect it to be like Formula Ford or Karting.
We might see 10% more overtaking moves and that's it, but I hope I'm wrong.

As for Alonso, he's the modern Schumacher, the people everyone loves to hate, but his driving talent is far superior than others. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that only Hamilton comes within touching distance of him.
Also read a couple of reports that he's looking forward to the design changes for 2011.

I'd put a fiver on him now to win the Championship with 4 races to spare

Also heard rumours about turbos (which made F1 great in the 80's) being re-introduced in 2013

Even more interesting news ahead of the new season:

• Alonso reckons Schumacher will be the one to watch in 2011
• Two lots of Lotus racing (one is Team Lotus, the other Lotus Group, both powered by Renault )
• Jonathan Legard has been axed as main commentator on the Beeb - imo never made the transition from radio to TV properly - and Martin Brundle replacing him with David Coulthard joining him in the commentary box (both ex-drivers)
• McLaren won't be testing their cars with the others in a couple of months time which screams that they're behind schedule which in turn translates that Button & Hamilton will be playing catch-up at the start of the season
• Petrov has slagged off his team mate Kubika for not sharing info (both drive for Reanualt-Lotus thingy)

Man, I can't wait for the new season

a polish twat i work with is convinced kubica is joining ferrari this year. doubtful, seeing as he still contracted to renault/lotus/whoever the fuck they will be this year.

i hear there are scraps over who gets the lotus name now....crazy

Originally Posted by dj Euphoria

a polish twat i work with is convinced kubica is joining ferrari this year. doubtful, seeing as he still contracted to renault/lotus/whoever the fuck they will be this year.

Kubika will be at Ferrari in 2012, trust me

Don't be surprised to see Hamilton in the Scarlet colours before 2014 too... I know stuff others don't

looks like Heidfeld will be leaving F1 as he can't find a drive for 2011

A very talented German who had to live in Schumacher's shadow and was never given a decent car.

Impressive:

Originally Posted by swipezster

looks like Heidfeld will be leaving F1 as he can't find a drive for 2011

A very talented German who had to live in Schumacher's shadow and was never given a decent car.

Impressive:

also goodybye to bruno senna. he had a lot to live up with that name......

Originally Posted by dj Euphoria

also goodybye to bruno senna. he had a lot to live up with that name......

2 things with this one:

1. He was doomed with that surname ever since he decided to start racing like his uncle

2. He's not actually very good anyway.

I think the 3 new teams (Virgin, Hispania, Lotus-fingy) from last season are devaluing the sport a little; nowhere near the pace of even the midfield!

i wouldn't say devaluing the sport, they should pick it up a bit this year maybe??

just read this...

The clause in the sporting regulations banning team orders has been removed.

good thing or bad thing? when massa stood aside to let alonso past him last season a lot of people were pissed off, does this mean team orders can be blatent now? maybe it will be funny to see schuey told to let rosberg past

There's method to this madness Euphs:

The ban on team orders was too grey, and teams - notably Ferrari as well as others - were using this grey area to exploit loop-holes to gain an advantage.
The teams are excellent at this, and they do it with other rules, usually aerodynamic ones where there's no black or white definition (double diffusers anyone?).

There was something about 3 years ago where it was pouring with rain before the start of the race and everyone was on dry tyres and weren't allowed to change them. Raikonnen (Ferrari again) was deemed (deliberately) too heavy after qualifying so was therefore sent to the back of the grid.
As he had to start in the pitlane, he was allowed to start the race on full wet tyres as Ferrari had done their homework on the weather forecast and took a risk. The details are hazy but this is why I love F1 - you can call it cheating but you have to admire these engineers for finding little advantages here and there.

The lifting of the ban on team orders will be fairer on the fans, will cut out the sneakiness and is going to be interesting - you will clearly see the number 1 & 2 driver pecking order, so expect a few spats and insubordinate number 2 drivers clattering their team mates (Red Bull from last season ) and holding awkward press conferences

Originally Posted by swipezster

Kubika will be at Ferrari in 2012, trust me

Don't be surprised to see Hamilton in the Scarlet colours before 2014 too... I know stuff others don't

did anyone see Kubika's crash ? must have been bad will he still be driving in 2011 ?

thats why i like f1, drivers like Hamilton overtaking at mad speeds jus hope a few more drivers have the bottle this year

i doubt if kubica will drive at all this season, his hand was severed! 7 hours of surgery to reattach it went ok but i can imagine he will be out of it for most of the season. i read bruno senna would take over if he is likely to be back sometime in the season, but if not renault are considering another driver.

Yeah, shame about Kubika - this brought up an interesting point at work today:

How come they are allowed to do it? Thought it would be in a contract somewhere that they cannot do dangerous sports?

Like the Premier League footy players all have to sign to agree that they will not go on motorbikes!!

well this weekend would have been the start to my lazy sunday afternoons in the pub watching F1. gutted.

looking forweard to this year though, load of changes, like potentially loads more pitstops thanks to the uncertainty of the new pirrelli tyres.

mclaren don't look very strong so far, and there's talk of redbull sand bagging in the testing stage. again this year im hoping for an almighty pile up from vettell and alonso, a death blaze as the tabloids would put it

TBH I'm not too gutted about the Bahrain race being cancelled - it's always been shit and as the season opener last few years (especially last season) it doesn't put the sport in a very good light because it's so boring and it may turn off fans tuning into the F1 for the first time.
Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say.
Personally, I'd also like to see the Monaco GP off the calender, but that one opens up a whole can of worms which we can discuss in a later post, if you like.

Heard that the Pirelli tyres aren't as stable as the Bridgestones - this gets the drivers moaning, but could tighten up the pack a little

Also nice to see Heidfield replacing Kubika at Renault, he's a quality driver.

I'd also like to point out to watch Kobayashi this season if Sauber give him a decent car - absolute nutter!!!

swipezster Kobayashi is mad but fun
also Monaco GP off the calender tell me more

Euphoria redbull sand bagging in the testing stage ? what does that mean ?
and yes i cant wait for the start of lazy sunday afternoons watching F1 too but not in the pub i dont drink that much and the smoking ban kills it

i read on the F1 forum they were suspected of sandbagging, ie: not doing very well on purpose to fool everyone into thinking your not as good.

roll on next sunday

oh no ! the nerds are back for what will be another tedious journey into the world of f1 again ..... it's the worst !

Originally Posted by oldskoolrules

oh no ! the nerds are back for what will be another tedious journey into the world of f1 again ..... it's the worst !

thats how i feel about football........

Originally Posted by dj Euphoria

thats how i feel about football........

Seconded

Yup, we all know that Monaco is the jewel in the crown and a street circuit which is years old and buys into the heritage of F1 - agreed.
Fantastic place, fantastic atmosphere, every A-lister celebrity quaffing champagne and the winner's trophy presented by Prince Albert, whatever.

Simple fact that if you miss Saturday's quali session, you're fooked, as I really feel it's not worth tuning in for the race due to the circumstances where fundamentally it's impossible to overtake.

Yeah, we all wait in the hope that somebody clatters into the wall - and I'm in the same boat - but in reality I want to see a proper race.

You'd think I'd be in the minority about having Monaco off the calender; a lot of F1 fans think the same, unfortunately Mr. Ecclestone and all the drivers love it.

I think this stems from basically when my mate went there a few years ago to a run-of-the-mill normal cafe... and ended up paying £23 for a cup of tea

Horses for courses I suppose, but there's that many Hermann Tilke-designed tracks on the calender now (and in the pipeline), the Monaco GP seems a bit fuddy-duddy and stuck up it's own arse... just remember that F1 are trying to get away from this posh schoolboy image.

Thoughts?

ok thanks for clearing that up guys

as for monaco i see what youre saying and yes overtaking is hard there and at the end of the day thats what i want to see so i might have to agree with you on that one

and as for paying £23 for a cup of tea was it worth it ?