formula 1 maggots

Would someone please punch Lewis Hamilton in the face.

Speaking before the season opening Grand Prix in Australia, Lewis Hamilton has said in relation to Michael Schumacher's skiing accident that “all things happen for a reason”.

Schumacher is currently in a coma, a full two-and-a-half months after being involved in a skiing accident in which the seven-time Formula One champion hit his head on a rock.

A statement was released earlier this week in which it was revealed the German is showing "small, encouraging signs", with his family adding that they remain positive about the 45-year-old making a recovery.

With the start of the 2014 F1 taking place in Melbourne this weekend, Schumacher's condition has come back on the agenda and current drivers are being asked for their views.

British driver Hamilton suggested the accident has given Schumacher an opportunity to prove his character.

"He's a legend in the sport, you know, who has achieved so much, a very motivated individual. So I feel like all things happen for a reason," said the Mercedes driver.

"I think that this is an experience that will really show his character and depth and even more so than any other experiences he's had."

well Lewis Hamilton is english.... a classy englishman is an oxymoron, no?

Poor choice of words, but I think he meant it as a compliment showing how tough MS is and that he will beat this.

Taken out of context it sounds like a typical douche god nut comment, which I don't think it is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hutash

typical douche god nut comment

---

He is quite the god botherer though.

Oz this weekend? Used to live around the corner from Albert Park - the pit area was super smooth for roller skiing :yourock:

Watching this from the other end of the straightaway was pretty memorable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evwB22JqRsU

Yea, I don't think Lewis is that big of a dick, just saying he'll fight hard in an odd way.

Practice 1 in 4 hours, this will be good. Anywhere on the net to watch it live?
Also looks like a wet race Sunday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vt-Freeheel

Anywhere on the net to watch it live?

---

NBCsports with a cable subscriber log in I think.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

NBCsports with a cable subscriber log in I think.

---

Thanks, I'll try that.

Edit: Just checked my cable and its live on NBCSN 9:30

Hamiltons car rolls to a stop with smoke pouring out of it within two minutes.

Cars sound like SHIT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liLPcPD0RlM

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vt-Freeheel

Cars sound like SHIT.

---

Yeah not as good as the pre-season clips led to believe.

Very flat sounding.

Interesting summary of first practice sessions and how the new cars behave.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1...a-figured-out/

Ricciardo pulling a rabbit out of the hat that Seb hasn't found. Merc. still the one to beat.

a sounds like shit boring snoozefest.

it made me wonder if they're going to freeze schumacher's brain

Not sure I like the changes this year. I miss the scream from the motors. I hate that they made so many changes and then put fuel restrictions and limited the number engines a team can use on what are basically experimental engines at this point. I do like the reduced grip that forces drivers to drive and I really like seeing these young drivers kicking ass.

The sound of the engines is the biggest disappointment. It is good the drivers have to work harder to control the cars with the extra torque, but Oz was not a good place due to difficult passing. Malaysia should be more exciting as long as the planes don't get lost on there way there.

I thought it was a reasonably entertaining race weekend.

Great qualifying session on damp track.

15 finishers (2 non finishers were wrecks not retirements.) There were dire predictions of having none completing a race distance or of a last man standing victory (it seemed very possible based on the cars staggering around on formation laps and the aborted start) It's amazing what the three engine manufacturers have achieved in such a short space of time. Going to be interesting to see how it develops over the season/years.

Unlucky that Hamiton, Massa and Vettel were retirements any one of those three could have made it a very compelling race.

Some great drives from a bunch of the young guys, Ferrari clearly having issues with it's rear brakes/energy recovery which was keeping Alonso and Kimi working hard. Button drove a smart race to come back from low down on grid.

These cars are going to be a lot more fun to watch at most of the other tracks than Melbourne.

....How the fuck did Jean-Eric Vergne catch that huge twitch. Surprised he didn't have to stop for clean underwear.

Magnussen did a great drive, but the drive of the day has to go to Valtteri Bottas.

Fun to see the B teams of last year putting in good showing, and nice to see Red Bull and Ferrari struggle a bit, not that they won't through a few million dollars at their problems before next race.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hutash

Magnussen did a great drive, but the drive of the day has to go to Valtteri Bottas.

---

Never been a big fan of most of the sons of drivers - Hill, Villeneuve, Andretti.

I think Rosberg has real talent - obvious in lower formula and keeping Schumi and Hamilton honest at Mercedes.

But Kev looks like he might be the real deal... His Dad having thrown away the title/promise of being the "next Senna" must be a big motivation in a young kids career.

Bottas is a future world champ in the right car. I could see him leapfrogging Bianchi into the 2nd Ferrari seat with Vettel as team leader if Renault/Red Bull don't get their act together and Ferrari don't get Alonso a title this year or next.

It does seem that, reliability issues aside, it's probably Mercedes AMG's champiosnhip to lose right now.

Nice alarm clock...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puz7buM-e8o&index=7

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=afe_1395113791

2014 sounds awful. I guess I won't need to bring earplugs to the race

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ski to Be

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=afe_1395113791

2014 sounds awful. I guess I won't need to bring earplugs to the race

---

I suspect they are still loud, just not in the "tingle in your balls" sort of way you get at 19,000 RPMs.

Even ALMS cars at 10,000 RPMs are loud, but they just don't have the tingle of last years F1 cars.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Never been a big fan of most of the sons of drivers - Hill, Villeneuve, Andretti.

I think Rosberg has real talent - obvious in lower formula and keeping Schumi and Hamilton honest at Mercedes.

But Kev looks like he might be the real deal... His Dad having thrown away the title/promise of being the "next Senna" must be a big motivation in a young kids career.

Bottas is a future world champ in the right car. I could see him leapfrogging Bianchi into the 2nd Ferrari seat with Vettel as team leader if Renault/Red Bull don't get their act together and Ferrari doI thought happiness
Was Lubbock, Texas
In my rear view mirrorn't get Alonso a title this year or next.

It does seem that, reliability issues aside, it's probably Mercedes AMG's champiosnhip to lose right now.

---

While Red Bulls (and to a lesser degree Ferrari) are struggling, don't forget they have the best designers and mechanics, and the money to develope are car like few others.

Looks like the new sound of F1 could face some legal issues.

http://www.racer.com/index.php/f1/it...h-new-f1-sound

Someone should come up with a device to get back the desired sound. A whole new meaning to Auto-tune.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TomCrac

Someone should come up with a device to get back the desired sound. A whole new meaning to Auto-tune.

---

They can tune the exhaust some but not sure how much with the regenerative power. The prior F1 cars were too loud imo. You needed ear plugs like drag racing.

Best sound for me was the old CART Indycar V8 Turbo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TomCrac

Nice alarm clock...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puz7buM-e8o&index=7

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P3xPlishXw

Whats sad is a bunch of toy cars sound better then the new F1 cars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBjtYpyzeN0

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hutash

While Red Bulls (and to a lesser degree Ferrari) are struggling, don't forget they have the best designers and mechanics, and the money to develope are car like few others.

---

I think Red Bull sr. is doing ok, Ricciardo finished 2nd till he was tossed due to fuel flow sensor trouble. Perhaps there was a high flow issue but it's not like they are carrying an excess of fuel. Of course Vettels car was dead from the start so we don't know what could have been. You can be sure Red Bull is getting the latest power unit updates from Renault.

Barring any major trouble Mercedes should roll to the double.

The cars do sound awful, sad to hear them sputtering around the track. If Will Buxton says "you have to be at the track to appreciate how good the sound is" one more time I am going to send him a "Punch in the Face in a Box".

Never seen anyone in such a hurry to get back to New Jersey :)

The 50kg weight make the cars look beefier and better imo. More like Indycars.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hutash

I suspect they are still loud, just not in the "tingle in your balls" sort of way you get at 19,000 RPMs.

Even ALMS cars at 10,000 RPMs are loud, but they just don't have the tingle of last years F1 cars.

---

I have read 2014 is 30+ Decibels quieter than 2013. Part of going to the race for me is the F1 sound. Otherwise I can watch it on TV and see a lot more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4Dh_EAfJI

It's certainly pretty dramatic from the grandstands. I'd like to hear a similar comparison of them in a braking zone or coming out of a slow corner.

Although it's not as if the 2.4 V8s sounded anything other than just painfully loud. The V10s weren't much better either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

It's certainly pretty dramatic from the grandstands. I'd like to hear a similar comparison of them in a braking zone or coming out of a slow corner.

Although it's not as if the 2.4 V8s sounded anything other than just painfully loud. The V10s weren't much better either.

---

No earplugs and headsets in 2014 portion of vid. I hate wearing earplugs at a race.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 4matic

No earplugs and headsets in 2014 portion of vid. I hate wearing earplugs at a race.

---

There is a certain irony in the "we demand more noise" crowd having almost certainly been wearing ear defenders.

F1 engines started to sound like just noise when the revs went up to crazy levels, back in the post turbo, new-pneumatic valve springs + semi-auto gearboxes. I can remember one distinct British GP around then when it just became painful to watch the cars on track without earplugs. Shortly after that you couldn't even listen to the FM transmitted commentary with earbuds. Then it got to the point where your F1 headache would take days to disappear.

I wear both in earbuds and headsets so I can listen to race radio and still have hearing at the end of the day. It is not the loud noise that I like, but the feel of the high revs. At the Canadian GP we were sitting in the front row at the pit exit, so they hit full throttle right in front of us about 15 feet away. Yeah it was loud, but more importantly it sent a vibrations down your spine that was great to experience.

Understood entirely.

But I don't think all is lost.

Maybe it's just different.

Each morning of the Melbourne grand prix weekend, at around 7am the two-seater 3-litre V10 Minardi would blast around the circuit, Zsolt Baumgartner at the wheel giving passenger rides.

Many of the beleaguered Lotus mechanics had only gone to bed at 6am so they were probably less than impressed, but for the city in general that soundtrack has always been a statement that F1 is in town, its own aural signature.

Even from half a mile away you could follow Zsolt's progress corner by corner as that huge blanket of hardcore high-pitched F1 volume bounced off the surrounding buildings. On Sunday it's doubtful whether the whole grid of the new age V6 turbos made as much noise as that old Supertec V10.

Yet close-up, it was a fascinating multi-faceted noise. From trackside in a braking area you'd hear the whistle and whine of turbo and cam gears, the rumble of resistance as torque was taken from the rear axle and fed to the battery, you'd hear part-throttle hesitancy and then a beautifully cultured V6 howl. It was the low volume that made it possible to distinguish the various phases, just as you'd also hear the occasional squeal and chirrup of tyre - or what they were saying on the PA, or the question the person sitting next to you was asking.

As they flashed by at enormous speed on the straight - visibly quicker than the V8 cars ever did - the mixture of mechanical, turbo and electrical sounded pure space age, actually very like the pod race soundtrack in the Star Wars Phantom Menace film.

The lower volume also somehow enhanced the Doppler effect as they came past you because no longer are they simply very loud all the time; now they feel as if they are exploding out of a vacuum into your dimension and out again. As the drivers then stand on the brakes and the rear end begins to twitch and float menacingly, they really do look as if they are wrestling with wickedly potent and wayward machines. This is somehow made more menacing by the lack of volume.

But that's just my take. That of most fans is very different. They loved the old blanket of ear-piercing volume. Already plans are being made to pump up the volume at some stage during the season.

It's a difficult dilemma because on the one hand there has been a fan backlash against the artificial and inauthentic triggered by the double points final round and including also DRS wings. But on the other, many of those same fans so against that would now like to see the engines made artificially louder. There's a balance to be struck, but in the meantime just why are the latest engines so much quieter?

An internal combustion engine converts the chemical energy contained within the fuel into motive power. But only about 30% of the fuel's latent energy gets used for this. Most of the rest is lost to heat - ie 70% of that potential power goes straight out the exhaust. Using the exhaust heat to drive a turbo which compresses the air being fed into the engine means a big chunk of that energy is recapture

With a turbocharged engine there is far less energy being pumped out of the tailpipe. Therefore there is far less sound. This is the dominant factor in the reduced volume, though not the only one. The engine itself is smaller by one-third, meaning there is less physical moving mass to make a sound and then there is the six-into-two-into-one exhaust arrangement, as demanded by the regulations. This forces the harmonics to be resolved within a single tailpipe.

Martin Brundle was quoted as having the same opinion of them in the latest edition of Motorsport magazine. (which is particularly excellent example this month if you can get hold of a copy)

Maybe it's not just volume either. The old group C rotary Mazdas were unbearably loud. And didn't give off any pleasing vibes.

Props to Merc for letting their drivers race to the finish. Very Senna /Prost-ish. What a drive by Hamilton to hold off Rosberg on his mediums. One of the best races Ive watched in a long time. DR > Vettel. It makes me wonder how good Vettel actually is in an average car. If Ferrari can get their issues worked out there will be a lot of teams evenly matched behind Mercedes.

saw an article that said schumacher was having moments of something -- not consciousness but well i don't remember but it seemed to represent a possible change though not necessarily an improvement. how's that.

What an incredible race.

http://e0.365dm.com/14/04/660x350/es...20140406200048