|
Post by afx on Mar 15, 2019 2:34:41 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by afx on Mar 15, 2019 6:38:59 GMT -8
Daniel Ricciardo unveils stunning new race helmet colours for 2019 seasonDaniel Ricciardo is clearly already enjoying the freedom afforded to him outside of the Red Bull system. The Australian will make his race debut for Renault this weekend and ahead of his home race in Melbourne has unveiled his new helmet design for the upcoming campaign. And it's quite something, too. Designed by Australian artist Nicolai Sclater, who works under the name Ornamental Conifer, the striking pink, blue and green design wods "stop being them" on one side and Ricciardo's number three on the other. While Red Bull drivers are required to give a significant amount of the space on their helmet to the company's branding, the only team logo on this version is on the visor. The message of going against the grain is in line with Ricciardo's move, which he committed to mid-way through last season -- the decision surprised many in the paddock and has been viewed by some as a step backwards due to Renault's position below Red Bull in the pecking order, although the Australian driver says he has a belief in the team's long-term ambitions to return to championship glory. Speaking about the design ahead of this week's reveal, Ricciardo said: "I am trying to get away from the typical helmet these days, so it should be funky. It is kind of artistic in a modern way." The design is unique to most in motor racing because the colours and lines are not symmetrical on either side, with the pink segment covering the top right of Ricciardo's head and the rest of the available space carved into black, blue and green segments.
|
|
|
Post by Chris K. Hale on Mar 15, 2019 10:57:37 GMT -8
There is a lot of conjecture that Ferrari actually has .05 a second on the field ( Per L. Hamilton) and they are working on fuel loads and race set ups, remember there is no testing at most tracks so if the last years data is not applicable then the teams start with a clean sheet of paper also the change in Team principal would effect the data a lot. With Biotti having a completely different strategy and overall approach. He was the director of technology before stepping up,so he may have a more technical approach to the overall race pace and set up. So it doesnt surprise me at all that they are down the list in FP2 wait until Q Day!! and we may see thing change dramatically ... Chris
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 15, 2019 15:20:20 GMT -8
JC, Like the boys from Mercedes said about Ferrari, they are most likely testing with full tanks and race set ups, as previously they were the cream of the field. F1 really needs a team or better a few teams to step up and be on equal terms with Mercedes. With Mercedes being the class of the field for so long, it's a given that the odds are they'll win most of the races, and the championship as Hamilton has been doing. It's certainly not good for the series as they already have major issues with the inability of the cars to actually race and even pass. I still remember when McLaren 1st showed up in the Can Am series, and they became my favorite team as they were kind of the underdogs. But after a few seasons of total dominance, I was rooting for anyone to actually beat them. The Can Am was quickly replaced by the Trans Am as my favorite American road racing series. Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Mar 15, 2019 17:13:53 GMT -8
Qualifying will reveal all.
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 16, 2019 4:43:23 GMT -8
JC, I certainly hope so.
When the supporting series have more wheel to wheel racing, you just have to question why that is. The same was happening with Indy cars, but they've made tremendous advances in bringing back the racing to the races. I'm really hoping that this year will be so much better then last year from the fans point of view.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Mar 18, 2019 2:03:13 GMT -8
That was a decisive victory. I hope the whole year isn't going to be like this.
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 18, 2019 5:41:56 GMT -8
JC, I usually record the races on our DVR for numerous reasons. Last night I started off with the Australian F1 race, and honestly I wasn't expecting anything very competitive except hopefully from the Ferraris making it at least a two team race, but what I saw was a true travesty of the term RACE, and exactly what F1 has turned into. A horrendous mislabeling of the title of that spectacle as a race. It in no sense of the word could it possibly be called that. I struggled to stay awake as boring would certainly have been a most generous compliment to what was advertised as an auto race.
Even the announcers were embarrassed at the total lack of competition. By mid race all they could say is that the racing was mid field, and the production producers/directors concentrated on mostly that. Who in their right mind wants to watch mostly that? None of these drivers were going to be on the podium, nor most likely score any points. Even the 1 point for fastest lap would most likely mean almost nothing.
With 18 laps to go, I shut off the recording and deleted the race, as nothing could have been more boring. Cleaning the garage or basement holds more unknown excitement.
The governing board of F1 has acknowledged this for the last few years, and is claiming that by 2021, they'll have found ways to help level the field. It's time, no it's way past the time for F1 to realize that the only way to truly have a competitive series is some form of spec/kit series. the vast sums of money that is spent even by the back runners means absolutely nothing when they get on the track. It's painful to see the once dominant Williams team literally at the back of the field with drivers that are willing to drive those cars.
I waited all winter long for this, and what I saw was pure garbage. It's a 21 race season, and my next viewed race will be hopefully the 2021 Australian GP if testing shows that it will actually be a race. Thank goodness the F1 cars I model, are from past eras when racing was what they actually did during the race.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by Chris K. Hale on Mar 18, 2019 5:55:13 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by afx on Mar 18, 2019 6:01:18 GMT -8
Formula 1: The secret aerodynamicist reveals design conceptsFormula 1 cars are fast. That is taken as read. But exactly how fast they are is perhaps not something people dwell on too often. To put it into perspective, Lewis Hamilton's pole position time for last year's British Grand Prix at Silverstone - one minute 25.892 seconds - was 34 seconds faster than the lap record for a grand prix motorcycle. A really quick road car, such as a Ferrari or McLaren supercar, would lap at around that pace, too. Read the rest of the article here: www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/47527705
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 18, 2019 7:24:29 GMT -8
I'm not questioning how truly fast even the back markers are in F1. My point is that for years the actually racing/passing/out braking is basically a history lesson, not what we've come to expect per current race. If pure speed and thus just qualifying is the actual event, so be it. But it's not. The race is, and that's not what has been happening for years on end. Passing for position happens' if indeed it does during a full pit stop and strategy. Saying that Ferrari just plain screwed up, is mind boggling. Million and Millions spent on a new car, engine, and aero package to conform to this years rules, with tires that could most likely once hot could stick to the ceiling, and then to say after all their allowed and not allowed testing, just plain screwed up. And even if they did, and the next race they're almost competitive, the rest of the field clearly isn't. How anyone could call this a world class racing is beyond me.
All I know and care about is that I'm watching a race and it's exciting. Not trying to come up with one excuse after another of why I'm being bored to death, and now treated to mid pack at best racing.
My cable package bottom line is $208/month. So I'm by no means watching free TV. And for that price I'm still bombarded by more commercials then actual content. So for what content I do get and watch, I expect it to be worth it. And F1 clearly isn't.
So I turned my attention to the 12 hrs. of Sebring, and watched 7 hours of it, with tonight being the race to the flag for me. In less then 30 seconds I watched more racing; great racing, truly exciting racing, then the F1 race had at the front of the field period.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by Chris K. Hale on Mar 18, 2019 7:51:31 GMT -8
Joel, I have eternal Hope/Expectations for F-1 , although I understand your point of view, just watching the cars, being the pinnacle of technology, race whether front, mid or tail end is exciting for me. I do have to agree about Sebring, having a good friend , Jordan Taylor, battle for the lead for 12 hours was truly a EXCITING race. every class was racing with lead separation times in the 1 second range for the top cars, so many different cars and well just out right Competetion.. couldnt understand why LMP2 didnt race with the WEC cars the day before but with 2 cars in that class...well what ever. I also have the same TV set up and it was full of racing all weekend, I dont purposely watch NASCAR but when added in from Thursday morning to last night there was Racing on.. It was kind of cool that fellow modeler Art Laski drove one of the Driver Introduction Toyota Trucks on Saturday for the Xfinity race at Fontana, way to go Art.. I guess we could debate racing every weekend but it was a long wait over the winter so I will just enjoy what we can get... Chris
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 18, 2019 9:54:12 GMT -8
Chris, My hero's growing up in the mid 60s were basically all F1 drivers. The likes of Gurney, Clark, McLaren, & Brabham are what my dreams were made of. Both Indy Cars and IMSA started their seasons before the F1 boys. And like you, I waited and waited for the F1 season to start. I posted how Ferrari seemed to have caught Mercedes, and that this year would be different. But it's not. There's way more good, exciting racing on TV where I just don't need a F1 fix any more. At least not until they really put the racing back into their races.
I'm thrilled with being able to finally watch the IMSA races, and have high hopes of actually going to Lime Rock Park for the IMSA races there this summer. Like I said, they just put F1 to shame when you compare the products both put on tv this past weekend.
Arm chair racing is about all I have left these days. I've even thought about going back to sim racing, but talk about expensive to get back in it.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Mar 20, 2019 4:37:31 GMT -8
2020 Vietnam Grand Prix
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Mar 20, 2019 5:47:48 GMT -8
JC, Interesting layout in a country I never thought would have hosted any international race. Those shots of Hanoi really shows you just how much the country has evolved over the last half century.
While the ever expanding F1 circus to new venues is great for the sport, it just doesn't address F1's major issues of how to actually put the racing back into the race.
Just the references about Bottas and Hamilton placing their Mercedes on the grid is almost a given that they'll still be the team to catch, let alone beat.
Last night I finally finished watching the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the racing was just fantastic with epic battles in every class from start to finish. I then caught the last half of the replay of the Australian Super Car race on CBSNS. It's been quite a while since I've seen one of their races, and OMG! These guys are insane. The racing was spectacular.
Joel
|
|