2014 F1 thread.

[Alanslegal]

On the contrary I heard Honda (circuit owner/promoter) was the one's that said no to earlier time slot.

I heard that as well on the commentary that they could bring it forward. The commentators rightly said - and I agree - that if you bring an event forward there will be a lot of people who still aren't even around yet.

Now let's compare this to flying, imagine if airlines has sold tickets for a flight that departs at 6:00pm but then on the day, due to an incoming storm, forces the plane to leave at 4:00pm. Now there would be alot of passengers who would be stuffed, similarly if they did the same with the Japanese Grand Prix.

 

[Alanslegal]

And Bianchi's accident has been filmed by a spectator, shocking accident indeed

*watch at your own risk*

Jules Bianchi crash: video surfaces of F1 incident at Japanese Grand Prix

 

[hummel]

And Bianchi's accident has been filmed by a spectator, shocking accident indeed

*watch at your own risk*

Jules Bianchi crash: video surfaces of F1 incident at Japanese Grand Prix

I think the race was run at the right time and was a great race up until what happened. I saw the footage this morning and the fact that Jules is still alive is remarkable. It's an intense watch and can't imagine what was going through his mind at the time.

 

[JessicaTam]

I think the race was run at the right time and was a great race up until what happened. I saw the footage this morning and the fact that Jules is still alive is remarkable. It's an intense watch and can't imagine what was going through his mind at the time.

Probably something along the lines of "Bugger".

 

[kelvedon]

This is another link to the video, showing a wider shot. The biggest question is why was the marshal at station 12 waving a Green flag when the recovery vehicle was still on the track?.

Green flags waving before Jules Bianchi crash Japan Grand Prix | F1 | Sport | Daily Express

 

[Alanslegal]

I think the race was run at the right time and was a great race up until what happened. I saw the footage this morning and the fact that Jules is still alive is remarkable. It's an intense watch and can't imagine what was going through his mind at the time.

I agree with you there. In fact, the race (well the slow safety car getting off the track) should have started 3-4 laps earlier. Even Lewis Hamilton and a few other guys were saying that the track was getting dry enough for intermediate tyres at that stage, you just have to look at Jenson Button diving in for intermediate tyres and then being able to leapfrog everyone because he took the calculated gamble of getting onto them first.

 

[moa999]

Couple of comments on the above.

The waving green flag seen on a couple of videos of for the next sector. It was still double yellows for the sector where Bianchi went off. Motorsport article on this.

Start time wise I tend to agree with the decision not to shift. The track is a good 45-60min by train from nearest major city Nagoya and people do have reserved seats on specific trains (albeit many of the true Japanese fans will be out there early)

Reality is they screwed the race with the first red - must as the weather was improving and then the decision to go to pit lane rather than start line. A good 20 mins of race was lost them - which may have had the rave finished before the weather closed on at the end.

The path of typhoon was as ever unpredictable. The ultimate heavy weather came through Suzuka/Nagoya between 3-6am on the Monday morning. Monday was a beautiful day. Despite this a number of airlines (including SQ and LH) had already shifted flights to the afternoon (albeit Monday weather did impact northbound trains to Tokyo from Nagoya)

Other thing this unfortunate situation showed again is the stupidity of the safety car rules. I bolted for the exit after the safety car as there was no chance we were ever going to get a race restart - first the safety car did not come out in front of the leaders and Hamilton still wasn't with it when the second crash happened, and secondly with so many lapped cars it would have taken an age to get everyone unlapped and far enough in front in slippery conditions.

Anyhow, an amazing track - so much elevation that you don't see on TV, and a relatively exciting race with a very unfortunate conclusion.

 

[SeatBackForward]

The new Sochi track looks alright. The first half seems to have some nice fast corners.

 

[JessicaTam]

The new Sochi track looks alright. The first half seems to have some nice fast corners.

And the end of the start/finish straight has a nice fast corner. That will hopefully help to avoid the first lap 'coming togethers' that other circuits are prone to.

 

[hummel]

Anyone watch qualifying? Couldn't watched it and will be mid air while the race is on.

I see mercs are up n about and that Toro rosso put in a good pace!

 

[docjames]

Yes, RIC did well, VET never looked like making q3, but you really need a Mercedes motor to be anywhere .

MAS has fuel electrics issues and had no speed, couldn't get out of q1.

Otherwise fairly uneventful, Kvyat did very well in his home race, and the Williams should have been in p2 but over cooked the tyres at start if lap and slithered around last couple of corners and list half sec at least.

What else do you best to know?

 

[NFF]

It looks like Hamilton will win unless he has car problem.

 

[kelvedon]

It looks like Hamilton will win unless he has car problem.

Or another nudge from ROS.

 

[eastwest101]

It looks like Hamilton will win unless he has car problem.

Will be interesting to see how the track behaves in race conditions, I saw qualifiying and it wasn't thrilling quali but race could potentially be different. Tyres lasting longer than expected, one-stopping and two stopping strategies, good overtaking potential and a high possibility of a safety car bunching everyone up at a random point in the race could surprise. Short of reliability issues or ROS and HAM tangling tyres I think we know which 2 cars will come in 1st and 2nd, however 3rd onwards could be much more exciting.

 

[kelvedon]

I guess it's a reflection of the origins of this forum, but I like the way we abbreviate the driver names as if they were IATA codes.

 

[Cynicor]

I guess it's a reflection of the origins of this forum, but I like the way we abbreviate the driver names as if they were IATA codes.

Aren't they just the same abbreviations used on the Telecast/Rankings?

 

[Pleb Status]

I think Vettel is having a bit of a rest now until he gets his $90M pa next year from Ferrari. A Merc 1/2 tonight unless a mechanical issue intervenes.

 

[markis10]

Wow, interesting first lap.

 

[kelvedon]

That lock up has cost ROS the race?.

 

[Clivem]

Different track style to say the least ...... surprised Putin wasn't spotted strutting around the grid shirtless with aviator sun glasses on.........