F1 Thread
 

Hardly seems like 5 minutes since the end of the season and the new cars are being unveiled already.

The Ferrari is ugly and they don't seem to have changed much, which is a bit of a worry. I thought they were going to have to do something really bold, but this might just be misdirection before testing I suppose.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...30005_f138.jpg

McLaren looks great

The BBC have a good gallery of the new cars. Interesting that Force India has followed McLaren in going for the non stepped nose. Apparently Williams are going to go with that too from what I have read.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21261099

Ouch, poor old Lewis. Car catches fire yesterday and today he's crashed it

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...es-mercedes-f1
Lewis Hamilton's first test run in his new Mercedes WO4 came to an early end at the Circuito de Jerez on Wednesday morning.

He was braking at 170mph as he approached the hairpin at Turn 6 when he appeared to lose control of the car and it went straight on.

Mercedes said that the problem was in the rear brakes and that Hamilton was unhurt.

"Lewis suffered a loss of rear brake pressure, the front brakes enabled him to slow the car but he couldn't avoid the barrier," Mercedes said.

Hamilton had completed 14 laps of his long awaited official debut drive when he left the track and went into the gravel, before he nudged into the barrier.

He seemed OK as he got out of the car, leaving his team to assess the extent of the damage, although initially this looked minimal.

It was the second setback for Mercedes in as many days. On Tuesday the car – teams are allowed only one each for testing – caught fire as it was driven by Hamilton's team-mate, Nico Rosberg, also after 14 laps. An electrical fault was diagnosed.

Hamilton's mishap cut into the limited time he has to become acquainted with the car. After his planned second one here on Friday Hamilton has only two more sessions, both in Barcelona, giving him a total of only six days behind the wheel before the season opens with next month's Australian Grand Prix.

Before testing he said of his new car: "It's got lots of different switches and buttons that I have to get used to. On this steering wheel I've got at least double the amount of controls I had. I've got rid of some of them, but I've still got way more than I had before. It's starting from fresh."

Hamilton was hoping he would get another chance to start afresh later in the day. It is another headache for Mercedes, who went into 2013 needing to make up a lot of ground on the three frontrunners in Formula One, Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

Not a good start for the Mercs but it's the first test, we'll see how they are progressing in a few weeks in Barcelona

I was even thinking of booking a cheap flight over and going to watch but will need to check the dates first

http://www.ticketmaster.es/nav/es/de...f-1/index.html

Doesn't sound bad actually, €15 per day during the week and €20 at the weekend

Have you visited the Catalunya circuit before?

Can't wait for it too start again.

No, reckon it would be a good weekend away with the lads though for a fraction of the price of a GP weekend

Are you trying to say €20 is overpriced? :D

:haha: If you go, try and get down to the seating area overlooking the first couple of corners and the end of the main straight (Tribune/Grandstand A). The view is awesome and you get to see the cars on a few sections of the track. I've watched MotoGP and F1 from here, very spectator friendly :handshake:

I'm thinking about Monza this year - never been to a race and I have been a proper nerd for F1 since I was about 9.

The prices for tickets are pretty reasonable compared with other tracks, and its one of the holy grail of tracks too. Plus, if I can fit in a visit to the San Siro, it'll be win all round.

:handshake::handshake: Bring earplugs!!! And not for the noise of the cars, the Tifosi are fecking mental! Letting off fireworks, constantly blowing those gas horns, mad drunk crazy bastards!

Yeah! Thats exactly what we're hoping for :)

Looking forward to storming the track at the end of an Alonso win!

F1 David Coulthard's Sister Found Dead.

Lynsay Jackson, the sister of Formula 1 racing star David Coulthard, has been found dead at her home near Dumfries in Scotland.

Officers confirmed they were investigating the circumstances surrounding her death but said that it was not suspicious.

Mrs Jackson, 35, married husband Will in 2011 and has an eight-month-old daughter.

Mrs Jackson used to run The David Coulthard Museum in Twynholm, which is dedicated to the racing driver's career.

He once said that she had "naturally" been a better driver than him.

The family have been informed of her death. Her parents, Duncan and Joyce, are said to be returning from a holiday in Australia.

Mr Coulthard appeared on the BBC television programme Saturday Kitchen, with the chef James Martin, on Saturday morning.

The news is understood to have been broken to him after his appearance and he returned to Scotland.

Police officers and ambulance services attended the home of Mrs Jackson at Crossmichael, Castle Douglas, this morning.

A Dumfries and Galloway Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that a 35-year-old woman was found dead in her home today in Crossmichael.

"Our enquiries into her death are ongoing at this time but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances and a report is being prepared for the procurator fiscal."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/f1-david-co...2.html#hBRQpBI

Fuck me that's no age to go.

R.I.P.

so first two test complete

any thoughts?

There's not a lot to tell is there? Especially with it being a wet session yesterday. I noticed Lewis was super optimistic after being massively pessimistic the day before. He's clearly nuts.

I love the look of the new Williams, but I don't think it will make too much difference for their results next season. They're stepping into the unknown with Pastor and Bottas (who looks a bit chunky to be a F1 driver). Maybe Pastor will get consistent - who knows.

Sad to see Heikki scrabbling for a drive at Marussia because a pay driver's sponsorship has fallen through. He is far better than that. Force India should have gone for him - he's better than Sutil and hasn't had a year out.

Up front, I think Hamilton showed that if there are levelling conditions, he has the talent to get a race win or two. The Ferrari was looking hopeless in Alonso's hands, getting lateral around corners, and Red Bull are looking like they'll keep their momentum going.

I think Jenson is going to be really strong this year.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if conditions are a leveller then you expect to see Lewis and Alonso really challenging.

It'd be nice to see McLaren getting it right for a change but I doubt it - RedBull yet again the team to beat.

Testing is a load of shite.

Roll on Saturday 16th of March when we really see what's what.

:handshake: loads of posturing IMO they've got a good idea of what they can do, prove it with a few overweight in fuel laps then spend the rest of the time trying to convince they're not that quick! :D Can't wait for the first race now

Hamilton has been flying this morning in testing.

I fancy Mercedes will be somewhat better than Hamilton and that team have been making out.

Just seems like the teams are holding back as the cars just seem to be coasting round the track.

Going by testing McLaren as ever aren't looking too clever, why oh why does this happen season after season :shake:

Whitmarsh out!

Nah, the first you'll know about their pace will be in qualifying. Everyone thought the same last season too, and they clearly had the best car (if not race management :D)

I hope so, my local team but it's not gone well for them in testing.

I think the only recent year where they stunk the place out in testing and that carried over to the season was 2009, when they interpreted the rule changes completely wrongly. Even then though, Lewis managed to pull off some results, so he should be able to get something for Mercedes - he has the talent to pull that off.

I think if McLaren are even 2nd or 3rd row on the grid come Oz, they'll still be able to put a title challenge together for Jenson. Their mid season development is excellent. Arguably as good as Red Bull's.

Mid season I'd agree with. Unless they have the standout car on the grid I can't see them challenging for the drivers title to be honest.

oz isnt a good barometer of a good car. think the second race is where it becomes a bit clearer

McClaren to use Honda engines from 2015

Old news that one isn't it? Thats been doing the rounds since mid season last year. Be great to see them back together again, and another competitor rather than just Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari.

And its McLaren not (Shteve) McClaren - always bugs me that :D

I was going to dispute that until I actually thought about it :)

dont care i am a Williams man anyway

yeah it has been doing the rounds.

the renault situation is interesting though

they dont want to start supplying half the grid. I also read that the price of an engine is rocketing under the new regs too.

Really?

You never said.

:haha:

Early predictions for this season then? Still expecting Vettel the man to beat although if Ferrari have got their act together from the get go Alonso will be a tough man to beat.

Hamilton is going to be interesting, if the car is half decent he'll be in the mix but although they've looked very quick in testing it doesn't really tell you a lot.

McLaren I fear are going to have another season where they make too many mistakes to win either title.

Ok then, its like writing Wiliams - I'm sure we've had this conversation, but I've always had a soft spot for Williams - probably because of the whole Nigel, Red 5 thing from the 86 + 87 seasons (when I first got into F1) and then when he went back after Ferrari to the Newey designed car and they destroyed everyone. I'd love it if they could pick up some wins next season. I'm hoping Bottas is going to be an upgrade on Senna, because last season was probably their weakest driver lineup in years.

Will i am's :handshake:

it was a weak driver line up but they have had some poor drivers in the lat 8 or so years

nakajima for one wurtz is another.

shut up chazzahhhhhh

Can't read too much into Hamilton being quick, but he's there as number one. Rosberg only has a small fraction of his talent. Reckon a couple of race wins when conditions are levellers.

Vettel is going to be strong as ever.

Webber is number two, won't challenge and if he starts to, will mysteriously fall away

McLaren are effctively going to be running one set up for two similair drivers so should be able to maintain a challenge away from the track, whether the race management is up to scratch remains to be seen.

Alonso will be dogged and consistent in his pursuit.

and pastor is a god!

How have Williams faired in testing, not really seen or heard much about them.

only unvieled the car at the second test. some good mileage. had to change a part of the coanda effect exhaust though.

i would say 5th at the moment. So paster should be able to challenge and ram people off the track with it.

:haha: it's not go-karting :D

He's a good quick driver but needs to temper his style a bit if he wants to be consistently successful.