German Formula 1 Grand Prix Thread

SC's pre-race show discussed the new rules changes.

They're going to reduce the height of the rear wing and increase the height of the front wing, and a couple of other aero changes. The argument is that this will reduce the down-force without reducing drag. But if the wings are generating less "negative lift", they'll be generating less dynamic drag. I don't imagine the structural drag is much, compared to the "lift drag" of those wings.

Either way, no more racing on the ceiling.

The other rules are odder: Only two sets of tires for the weekend; one for practice, one for the race. Pick up a piece of carbon fiber from a crashed wing, and you're out? Gah.

And one engine for two weekends is likely to hurt the trailing teams, as they can't apply "lessons learned". (E.g. The last Spa race, where the stresses were tearing the seams out of the Hondas. Or any of the early Ilmor engines this year: When your engine goes up in flames, you'd want to fix that problem, neh?)

 

When MS lost his tire on the last lap he got, what, 7th?

 

On the replay, it wasn't the best view, but I didn't see anyone pushing on the wing.

A couple of years back, I got some "grade 5" bolts that twisted apart well below 100Nm. Maybe McLaren shops at the same place.

"They do not preach that their god will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose" - Kipling

 

It has been common to find counterfit fasteners out on the market. Any time i purchase fasteners, i get them from a large bolt company that supply a certificate of strength.

More than likely McLaren was using Titanium fasteners on the rear wing, All it takes is a microscopic flaw in titanium and the bolt would make a SAE grade 2 fastener look like high strength.

 

Obviously Rubens was at fault, but I wonder why he qualified so poorly?

If you're starting mid field something like this is likely to happen, you basically are gambling hugely and asking for trouble. I was worried when I saw him qualify so poorly and somebody said he has a full fuel load. Even if that were true, why would Ferrari run such a risky strategy?

If his qualifying was his fault, then yes Ferrari will have a chat with him, but if it was a deliberate strategy, they deserve some blame too.

At any rate from 2nd place on it was a pretty good race. I don't like what they did to the once glorious Hockenheimring, but the new track is fun with all the passing they pulled off (the Speed guys must have watched another race saying you can't pass).

 

there is only one just solution for imperial:

Sato takes RB's place at SF.!!!!

JPM had some lovely passes

 

Your solution is flawed. Sato will never drive for Scuderia Ferrari.

 

Well i think Rubens was just off form for most of the weekend. If he did qualify with a full fuel load how come when he came in for the new wing that they had the Fuel nozzle insterted into the car for a good 8-9 seconds???? When he came in you could see that Ferrari had changed Rubens pit stratagy by switching from a 3 stop to a 2 stop hoping he could make up time while everyone else stoped an extra time.

Rubens seemed to just give up and quit once he came out of the pits with his new wing.

 

Which might explain the less than lukewarm reception he got when he climbed into the pits at the end of the race.

 

And he does this quite often ... and why he is not good enough to be driving for Scuderia Ferrari.

Jackie Stewart talked about RB's motivational problems when he was driving for Stewart ... end of story IMO, never be one of the greats and also never be WC.

If driving a Formula One car does not motivate you to be at your peek every race ... get out of the car and let somebody else have a go ... pathetic.

While MS has many flaws, one thing you have to give the guy 100% support for is the fact that he always gives it 110% effort. That is why he is fast and a winner, not a whiner.

Pete
ps: Look at Buttons performance for example! ... RB should have finished in the top 4 atleast.

 

Again, you are wrong. in an interview before the German GP Schumacher himself said that Rubens was the best man for the job. This was also published in f1live.com on 24th July [11:48] - Article titled "Kimi and Fernando 'aren't ready for Ferrari'- Schumacher warns F1's young pretenders".
Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Michael Schumacher and even Luca have said time and again and even very recently that Rubens is the best man for the job at Scuderia Ferrari. BUT I GUESS YOU ARE THE BIGGER EXPERT SO THEY SHOULD ALL LISTEN TO YOUR CRAP!!!

As for this nonsense, here is a small hint for you. Ross Brawn said in a post race interview after the German GP that Michael was not driving at 100% max flat out after Kimi's incedent because he did not need to. Schumacher said he was giving it his all when they did not know what strategy Button was on but once they figured that out he did not need to push at 100%. So guess what???? You are wrong again! There are times that even the greatest driver ever in F1 is also not at 110%. BUT AGAIN YOU ARE THE BIG EXPERT SITTING WITH MICHAEL IN THE CAR SO YOU KNOW BETTER!!!!!

 

You really don't understand motor racing do you mate. Obviously he was not giving 110% then because he was cruising home. What I meant is that MS always gives 110% when he has to ... der. No racing driver risks breaking the car when they are leading easily, but with MS he is still 110% on the job ... and coaxing a car home is part of a true racing drivers tool kit.

RB though cannot pull himself out of his depression when things go wrong and just drives around.

Again EVERYBODY at Ferrari likes RB because he is a perfect impotent number 2 so they can put all the effort in to MS, and when necessary ask him to sacrifice his race for MS. I am not in favour of that I want a racing driver in the number 2 car ... obviously Ferrari management don't.

Imperial I really suggest that you go out and get involved with the sport so you will not just parrot out all you read without understand the real sport and unsaid stuff. Please remember that Ferrari management and MS are smart and will never tell us anything more than what they want to tell us.

Even a club racer keeps things to himself it is part of the game

Gee I wish I would just ignore you like I am supposed to ... maybe I should be working harder.

Pete

 

Yes, Rubens is the best for the job he is doing: Scoring a lot of points for Ferrari to assure the manufacturers crown and to take them away from any MS challenger while not challenging Michael. He does that deliberately and quite perfect with the recent exception of Hockenheim.

So when Michael says he is the best for this job, you have to read between the lines. It doesn't mean that Rubens is the best driver there is, but the best "mule" driver. That's also why Michael made that side stab at Kimi and Alonso. Of course he (and Ferrari management) doesn't want a hot young guy who wouldn't protect, but rather challenge him. Especially not Kimi and Alonso who are WC material.

None of this is really wrong and makes sense for a company who wants to win both titles. What is a bit silly is that MS and Ferrari think they have to control the #2 man when in reality MS is good enough to get the title even in a clean fight. But they have been frustrated too many times before 2000 so they don't take any chances.

So yes, Rubens is the best man for the job. The job of being #2.

PS: Funny enough Pete posted his mail while I was writing mine. I guess we came to the same conclusion.

 

You know, the more I hear what you guys say Rubens isthe number 2 ferrari driver and controlling Rubens to let Michael win it just goes back to my original notion of formula 1. F1 is a teamsport. There is the contructors, the engineers, the mechanics, the two race drivers, the technical partners, the tire manufaturers that all come to make up the team. F1 is a teamsport and if the drivers cooperate to win both titles there is nothing wrong with it.

It is like Cycling and Tour De France. TEAM US POSTAL has Lance Armstrong the other cyclists in the team cooperate with Lance and protect him to help him win the overall tour.

F1 always has and always be a teamsport. Rubens is the best man for the job. You want to call it the NUMBER 2 job. SURE CALL IT THAT. No problem. Rubens is still a champion. He has led his team along with Michael to the Constructors Championship. BUT its ridiculous calling Rubens a quitter and saying that he is a shame to Scuderia Ferrari. Rubens is currently in second place in the World Champioship. Of course he drives a Ferrari and that has to do big part with it. No one is denying that. F1 is a teamsport. It takes a combination of man and car to be in second place in the F1 championship.

 

I am fine with F1 and Scuderia Ferrari and the current state of things in F1. To a Ferrari "fanatic" like me its great to see two great racers Rubens and Michael driver for the greatest F1 team ever created. This season has been great. Just like 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 were also great. I love to see Ferrari race cars triumph!

You do not need to try any harder to ignore me, I am placing you on my ignore list. I don't need to waste my time dealing with your conspiracy theories and the world is out to screw "real" racing and F1 is so boring nonsense.

 

Aha! Michael gets a cold, and Rubens goes off form.

No wonder Michael was so anxious to get back that amulet -- the one with the Picture of Dorian Gray in it.