Support NeoGAF

[Xun]

5 grid penalty for Hamilton as he needs a gearbox change.

I still think the whole gearbox rules are a bit stupid personally.

Should be a good race anyway.

Also count me excited for Rush!

 

[acm2000]

how did bernie get access to the mclaren to sabotage hamiltons gearbox i wonder

 

[Adamm]

The amazing adventures of Finger boy!

Finger boy away!

 

[Psychotext]

Ha, good to see he's had a shave. He looked such a twat with face fur.

 

[navanman]

This is a real photo? Infiniti in background with a guy looking like he has passed out on the ground.

 

[Adamm]

This is a real photo? Infiniti in background with a guy looking like he has passed out on the ground.

Yeah its for some martial arts photo/movie shoot

http://www.formula1onlive.com/2012/04/vettel-poses-for-making-martial-arts.html

 

[brotkasten]

Yeah its for some martial arts photo/movie shoot

http://www.formula1onlive.com/2012/04/vettel-poses-for-making-martial-arts.html

Vettel looks kinda fake in that photo.

 

[Shaneus]

Always a fucking copycat. Give it up, finger boy. You'll never be as awesome as La Barbilla Gloriosa.

Vettel looks kinda fake in that photo.

JUST LIKE IN EVERY PHOTO. Ooooh. I went there.

 

[ANDY_098]

Nice detail on the Williams FW.

 

[Leunam]

Precision racing machines.

 

[ANDY_098]

China stewards dismiss Lotus protest
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/04/12/motor-racing-prix-mercedes-idUKL3E8FC7CT20120412

Race stewards dismissed a protest by the Lotus Formula One team at the Chinese Grand Prix on Thursday against the rear wing system used by rivals Mercedes.

"The stewards decided unanimously that the protest is dismissed," the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.

The formal protest had been issued earlier with the signature of Alan Permane, the trackside operations director of the former Renault team.

The protest related to the controversial rear wing which was declared legal for the first two races of the season and was passed again by scrutineers in Shanghai on Thursday.

As expected. Lotus will probably appeal and take it to court now.

Full decision: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98738

 

[xptoxyz]

Chinese Grand Prix Timetable

WEST(GMT+1) Times - all from F1 and respective UK broadcasters sites.

Practice 1 - 03:00

SKY F1 - 02:45​

Practice 2 - 07:00

SKY F1 - 06:45​

Practice 3 - 04:00

SKY F1 - 03:45​

Qualifying - 07:00

SKY F1 - 06:00

BBC ONE - 06:00​

Race - 08:00

SKY F1 - 06:30

BBC ONE - 07:00​

 

[Lucius86]

Always a fucking copycat. Give it up, finger boy. You'll never be as awesome as La Barbilla Gloriosa.

I WANT THOSE TICKETS. Ah Webgod, you are so so awesome...

 

[ANDY_098]

Lotus will not appeal stewards' decision on Mercedes rear wing
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98740

 

[Phanatic8390]

Lotus will not appeal stewards' decision on Mercedes rear wing
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98740

I suppose now we're going to see copycats soon.

 

[D_prOdigy]

Chinese Grand Prix Timetable

WEST(GMT+1) Times - all from F1 and respective UK broadcasters sites.

Note the practice sessions are also on the BBC Red Button as per usual. Was worried they'd have none of them this year.

 

[ANDY_098]

I suppose now we're going to see copycats soon.

Most teams will have a system tested at Mugello then raced at Barcelona if they can get their designs together quick enough.

 

[Orgun]

Note the practice sessions are also on the BBC Red Button as per usual. Was worried they'd have none of them this year.

Yep, that's great news. I like to listen/watch them at work via the bbc website.

 

[Betta Lines]

Vettel looks kinda fake in that photo.

It looks fake due to the (poorly) photoshopped depth of field effect.

 

[F#A#Oo]

Is Ferrari bringing a new spec to China/Bahrain?

 

[kanugo]

God, it seems the last race was a year ago. Cannot wait for tonight/this morning - the FP1 will start at 03:00 here.

 

[ANDY_098]

Is Ferrari bringing a new spec to China/Bahrain?

A few individual upgrades. No b-spec chassis yet.

 

[Nolan.]

Most teams will have a system tested at Mugello then raced at Barcelona if they can get their designs together quick enough.

I would be surprised if some teams react that quickly, particularly in Ferrari's case since they're still trying to understand their car properly. Actually even Redbull seems a bit stuck in getting the pieces to fit albeit not to that extent. I think Mercedes has been quite clever with this one and if it wasn't for their horrible tyre management they would be causing even more headaches.

 

[brotkasten]

It looks fake due to the (poorly) photoshopped depth of field effect.

It's the face. I think the Chinese already copied him.

 

[Sleeplessnights]

Yeah its for some martial arts photo/movie shoot

"Walking Billboard" - Jeremy Clarkson

 

[SunhiLegend]

God, it seems the last race was a year ago. Cannot wait for tonight/this morning - the FP1 will start at 03:00 here.

It really does feel like forever between races, and if Bahrain is cancelled it's going to be another long wait. European leg of the season can't come soon enough.

 

[Adamm]

Is Ferrari bringing a new spec to China/Bahrain?

The rumour was that they will be bringing to Bahrain.
But I expect quite a few changes for this weekend, although most of the changes will probably not be visible

 

[ANDY_098]

 

[Psychotext]

Different.

 

[ANDY_098]

Shareholder calls on Mercedes to quit F1
http://www.worldcarfans.com/112041143288/shareholder-calls-on-mercedes-to-quit-f1

A Daimler shareholder has called on the German car giant to pull its works Mercedes team out of formula one.

Fund manager Ingo Speich, of the Daimler shareholder Union Investment, said at Daimler's annual general meeting that he is disappointed Mercedes has lost ground to road car rivals Audi and BMW.

"Mercedes is no longer the measure of all things in the premium sector," he is quoted as saying by Die Presse.

Speich referred to "a lost decade" for Daimler, and called on the company to follow BMW's recent lead and pull out of formula one.

His speech reportedly received applause from other shareholders.

Mercedes is the biggest formula one team yet to follow the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull in signing a new Concorde Agreement beyond 2012.

Hopefully the board sticks with it for another season or two to see if the big names they brought in can bring some success. So far the W03 has been a big step up over their previous attempts.

From the Concorde side of things, I'd like to think that Bernie see's the importance of keeping manufacturers around and gives them a favourable deal to appease the shareholders.

 

[Risgroo]

Damn, I'm in desperate need of some F1 now, this break has been so painful. I don't know if I'll cope if Bahrain gets cancelled, even though I don't think the race should be held for the obvious political reasons. Though if there is someone who can make peace there, it's Webgod.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I hope Mercedes make it because the more competitive teams the better.

Can't we just sell HRT and give that money to their shareholders to shut them up?

 

[brotkasten]

I hope this won't be another 2009 season.

 

[Risgroo]

I hope Mercedes make it because the more competitive teams the better.

Can't we just sell HRT and give that money to their shareholders to shut them up?

The Mercs should be very competitive in qualifying at least, they'll be beastly down the straight. If they've sorted out their race pace Michael(Rosberg seems to have lost his mojo) should be able to take it to the McLarens, or Red Bulls or whoever is actually out in front. This race better be dry so we can see who really is the fastest.

Spoiler

McLaren

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I got a feeling for Hammy this weekend.

 

[Leunam]

The grid penalty really wont help.

 

[Lucius86]

The grid penalty really wont help.

As long as Massa (lol) isn't in his way, he's always with a shout.

 

[ANDY_098]

Sauber exhausts:

 

[Ghost]

This one's for you Webber fans

F1 driver Mark Webber on speedway, kayaking and triathlons

By Mark Webber
Red Bull driver

I'm back in England this week after spending a few days in Australia and New Zealand following the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Some of you might wonder why I didn't stay out there for a bit longer - after all, it's less than a week now until I'll be heading off to Shanghai for the next race.
As a Formula 1 driver, you do have to look at the template for the year and work out what is the best way to deal with all the travelling and any commitments you have between the races, which don't always go that well together.
But I had always planned to come back even if it was only for a week or so because I've got a lot of work to do with my Red Bull Racing team at the factory.

Webber on Jenson Button's Lavaman triathlon efforts
Most of the European-based drivers come home whenever they get chance.
There are one or two guys on the grid who are slightly freer spirits, though - Jenson Button, for example, likes being in Japan and Hawaii so he uses the opportunity of the long-haul races to go out there when he can.
I'll be able to do a bit more of that later in the year when Australia becomes a great base for the Asian-based races.
You might have seen that JB competed at the weekend in an Olympic-distance triathlon in Hawaii called the Lavaman.
It's a real credit to him pitching himself against quality athletes away from his own profession, which he's now been doing for several years. No massive ego, he's just out there enjoying healthy competition.

That's why I enjoy doing my Tasmania Challenge each year as it takes me out of the F1 bubble and I discover new limits in a different environment with different people. Who knows, JB and I might hook up to do something together in the future.

*beach pic*

 

[Betta Lines]

How are they allowed to do that? I thought they'd banned all the sticky-out bits.

 

[RSTEIN]

Who knows, JB and I might hook up to do something together in the future.

Webber going to McLaren confirmed.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

More likely a threesome with Jessica.

 

[AndyD]

How are they allowed to do that? I thought they'd banned all the sticky-out bits.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Omiee]

that sauber exhaust looks so nice.

 

[Shaneus]

More likely a threesome with Jessica.

Jealous.

 

[ANDY_098]

That's what I was thinking.

The Ferrari winglets must lie outside of the red shaded (no bodywork allowed) areas [Section 3.8.1 of the Tech regs].


This is also relevant.

Section 3.11.1

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

AussieGrit:

BBC viewers look out for good banter piece with Lewis, Jenson and I.

Probably the BBC's 'unique and exclusive' content Jake was trying to hype on twitter. Any sign of Eddie in China yet?

 

[navanman]

Looks like Lotus's plan the see how the Mercedes DRS front wing system worked also failed as the FIA has blocked showing it to the rival teams.

Lotus director of engineering Alan Permane told this writer recently: “It’s a secondary effect, but it’s absolutely operated by the driver. Mercedes hasn’t invented something, it was there, and other people were under the impression that it wasn’t legal. If this is allowed you’ll see everyone doing it, and it won’t stop there, there are many, many other things that can happen.”

In today’s proceedings James Allison and Permane appeared for Lotus, and Ross Brawn and Geoff Willis for Mercedes. The FIA pointed out that while Mercedes provided a document explaining how it worked, Lotus was not allowed to see it.

The FIA in effect decreed that it was not operated by driver moment, but by the movement of the DRS, which is legal.

http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/04/12/...g-is-legal-after-fia-dismisses-lotus-protest/

 

[ANDY_098]

Good. Protesting shouldn't be used as an investigative tool for other teams.

 

[Psychotext]

I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult to work out.