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The Formula 1 2014 Season |OT| Who Will Win? Nobody Nose

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H

Hammer24

Banned
duckroll said:
I think this entire circus has been a pretty good indication of how little Red Bull thinks of the FIA, and how full of themselves they are, thinking they actually had a chance at an appeal with the evidence they had.
Click to expand...

I would mirror this sentiment.
The following came over the wires of SID ("Sportinformationsdienst", think AP in German, for sports only), when they explained todays ruling:
"But in Melbourne Red Bull used their own measurings instead of the error-prone FIA sensors..."
Stuff like yesterday needs to be in the open, so no one falls for the teams propaganda attempts anymore.
 
Nicktendo86

Nicktendo86

Member
Agree 100%, it is clear the objective of this was to call the FIA and it's methods into question and they have done that. Doesn't matter they were wrong, the public have had the seed planted in their minds that the sensors are dodgy. I fucking hate RBR sometimes.
 
J

jey_16

Banned
I don't see Alonso going to McLaren, especially with Ron Dennis back and it's not like they are in a much better position then Ferrari considering they have a Mercedes engine and the car is still awful.

I read some where they are losing Santander as well
 
L

Leunam

Member
From Reddit, a reminder of what Hamilton gave Vettel after he won his fourth title:

AF2KJge.jpg
Click to expand...
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Nico Rosberg said:
“I’ve noticed that the race in Bahrain has been very positively received and that’s really satisfying to see as I care very deeply about this sport. I find the criticism that the new regulations have received to be very unfair, as it’s far too early to judge such a revolutionary new formula. Unfortunately, however, those voices had been getting louder and louder. In my mind there was no better way, in the entire world, to silence them than by producing what has been described as one of the most exciting races in the history of Formula One. Although I was disappointed with the race result, that disappointment has quickly been replaced by happiness at having been able to do my bit for the sport I love.”
Click to expand...

Lewis Hamilton said:
"Bahrain was a real racer’s race and a chance to use the skills that we’ve acquired over the years as youngsters in karting. Being able to apply them in Formula One is a lot harder but to pull them out of the bag again was fantastic. It’s one of the greatest feelings when you come out on top after a battle like that"
Click to expand...

.
 
J

Jibbed

Member
Formula 1 teams considering lifting ban on active suspension.

Autosport said:
Formula 1 teams are considering lifting the ban on active suspension as part of a move to control costs, AUTOSPORT has learned. With F1's Strategy Group having decided against a cost cap, it is instead looking at alternative ways to keep spending under control. And one of the proposals being evaluated is to allow active suspension back in F1 for the first time since 1993. The belief is that the electronic technology would actually be more cost effective for teams in terms of achieving the optimum car set-up than the current complicated mechanical-only systems. The move is being considered for 2017, and could come in at the same time as a switch to 18-inch tyre rims. AUTOSPORT understands that a number of other short and long-term proposals are being evaluated by the Strategy Group for implementation over the next few years. They include efforts to simplify parts of the car where there is currently vast expense, including in the fuel system, crash structures, the front wing design, inter-connected front and rear suspension, and brake ducts. There could also be tweaks to the GP weekend curfew hours and further reductions on staff numbers allowed at races.
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Guys, they finally get it. It's beyond me why the pinnacle of motorsport technology is banned from using something most road cars have nowadays.
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Jibbed said:
Guys, they finally get it. It's beyond me why the pinnacle of motorsport technology is banned from using something most road cars have nowadays.
Click to expand...

Let me quote the FIA, sometime winter 93/94:
"In order to combat the spiralling costs of running a Formula One team, and to counteract criticism that over-reliance on technology was reducing the drivers to a secondary role, we will change the rules, banning all electronic "driver aids" such as active suspension, anti-lock brakes, traction control and launch control."

Funny, huh?
Now seriously, if they can agree on using a single unified software system for the active suspension, I´m all for it!
 
H

Hasney

Member
I hate it when I get electronic AIDS.

Fair enough with the active suspension. It doesn't make it much easier for the driver and I'm sure it's one extra thing to fail during the race once the teams try to make the ultimate version.
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Hasney said:
It doesn't make it much easier for the driver
Click to expand...

It makes it MUCH easier for the driver!
Dig up the Senna interviews from said winter - he opposed the ban as he said the cars will be much harder to control, and he expects lots of accidents.

Edit: Lets be brutally honest here guys. Adding active suspension brings another system, which costs money to develop and implement. You know where the real "cost saving" comes from? You can use more pay drivers, financially bolstering your team, instead from the real guys without worry.
 
H

Hasney

Member
Hammer24 said:
It makes it MUCH easier for the driver!
Dig up the Senna interviews from said winter - he opposed the ban as he said the cars will be much harder to control, and he expects lots of accidents.
Click to expand...

Ah, the way I read it meant it was just for setup/pit-stops rather than the crazy old systems that just adapted during the race if it was just to reduce costs. Reading it back, looks like they could have those crazy beasts back.
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Nicktendo86 said:
Fantastic article in mclaren and Mercedes relationship not, pluat insight into near future McLaren updates. Good news if true, been puzzled but the fat rear end!
http://f1elvis.com/2014/04/15/customer-service/
Click to expand...

Hmm, some of his arguments can be turned around, too.
If MCL hadn´t decided to change to Honda, I´m pretty sure the special relationship had continued, especially because of the close relationship so many people enjoyed. MCL could be at the very heels of MER right now. And who knows what the future brings, read: how soon the Honda engine will be competitive?
Right now I think Mercedes should be praised for even keeping MCL so close to their chest. In the end, who can really tell/control how much info is shared between the two factions?
 
Nicktendo86

Nicktendo86

Member
Oh I don't think he or anyone else is having a dig at Mercedes, they would be stupid to have done anything other than what they have done. They wanted to own a team, tried to buy McLaren, McLaren wanted to stay independent so bought back shares, so now parting ways. Its just business and natural way of things in my eyes, McLaren will be a works team again next year but will have to be a normal customer this year.
 
P

Pimpwerx

Member
Nicktendo86 said:
Fantastic article in mclaren and Mercedes relationship not, pluat insight into near future McLaren updates. Good news if true, been puzzled but the fat rear end!
http://f1elvis.com/2014/04/15/customer-service/
Click to expand...
No offense, but sounds like horseshit. Last year we were fed a pack if lies about the car being slow because the ceiling on that chassis design didn't allow more developments. What? Yeah...the car was a dog last year, after being fast the year before because they thought it would be safe to continue developing a chassis they later said had reached its ceiling.

Now the excuse is they couldn't build a fast car because they didn't know the package would be so small? Bullshit. The other Merc teams ate faster than them, and they're customers too.

Want to know why the car sucks? Because Whitmarsh was a fucking Muppet, and it takes more than winter testing during a spec change to undo the damage he did to that team. Honda ain't saving them either though. Lewis got out when 3 wheels were off the road. That's an extra yeat that team fell behind the competition. I have no idea why Hamilton fans were the only people who saw that team in peril with its awful leadership. PEACE.
 
Nicktendo86

Nicktendo86

Member
Haha chill pimpwerx, I agree to an extent but it looked from the first test that they went FAR too conservative on cooling. I dunno, very interested to see what the car looks like in China!

Also looks like the team are getting sorted, some key people are coming in and race strategy has improved I think. Hamilton played a BLINDER in getting out when he did, but if McLaren Honda do well I wonder if he will feel tempted to come back...
 
S

seattle6418

Member
Eletronic aids are fine as long as you reduce grip levels and play with the tyres. TCS, ABS and stuff on current cars are just going to make them a videogame. If they reduce mechanichal and aero grip, combined with crappier tyres, then we can get good races.

Tyres and grip are the defining factors if the sport is good or bad to watch.
 
A

AndyD

aka andydumi
seattle6418 said:
Eletronic aids are fine as long as you reduce grip levels and play with the tyres. TCS, ABS and stuff on current cars are just going to make them a videogame. If they reduce mechanichal and aero grip, combined with crappier tyres, then we can get good races.

Tyres and grip are the defining factors if the sport is good or bad to watch.
Click to expand...

They can easily reduce aero by dis-allowing the fancy front wings and various flaps on sides. Go back to a 90s style flat, one-surface, front wing and it would be a significant difference.
 
A

Adam Scott Aukerman

Member
Hammer24 said:
It makes it MUCH easier for the driver!
Dig up the Senna interviews from said winter - he opposed the ban as he said the cars will be much harder to control, and he expects lots of accidents.

Edit: Lets be brutally honest here guys. Adding active suspension brings another system, which costs money to develop and implement. You know where the real "cost saving" comes from? You can use more pay drivers, financially bolstering your team, instead from the real guys without worry.
Click to expand...

Well it's not like Senna didn't have an agenda of his own in that argument. Active suspension was why he signed for Williams in the first place iirc.
 
O

Osiris

I permanently banned my 6 year old daughter from using the PS4 for mistakenly sending grief reports as it's too hard to watch or talk to her
Hammer24 said:
Let me quote the FIA, sometime winter 93/94:
"In order to combat the spiralling costs of running a Formula One team, and to counteract criticism that over-reliance on technology was reducing the drivers to a secondary role, we will change the rules, banning all electronic "driver aids" such as active suspension, anti-lock brakes, traction control and launch control."

Funny, huh?
Now seriously, if they can agree on using a single unified software system for the active suspension, I´m all for it!
Click to expand...

This has to be put into proper context, it was known to be BS when they stated it as much as it is BS even now, and it was never the reason that active suspension was banned, although it was widely known, both in the paddock and in the grandstands that they wanted to slow the sport down for safety reasons it was never something they would/could openly say.

Everyone following F1 at the time knew it, it was during a era of significant crashes and deaths, and a worry in the sport that speeds, and specifically cornering speeds had increased significantly more than driver safety could keep pace with.

Zanardi's crash in particular spooked Mosely and concerns over safety were what led Charlie Whiting to his stunning "Stewards Bulletin No. 3" before the Canadian Grand Prix.

AS was also a bone of contention between drivers over safety, some felt that the increased handling improved safety enough to allow for greater speeds, and others felt that the handling wasn't the issue, but anomalies such as had been suffered by ground effect cars in earlier years when the GE being interrupted mid-corner could and did lead to visits to the barrier, if the tech suffered the same possibilities and failed in a mid-corner at excessive speeds some drivers felt that the increased handling just masked a potential safety issue.

And to put it into perspective, we're talking about a time that was at least 10 years before the introduction of the HANS device as mandatory in F1, when a high-speed visit to the tire wall was often followed by 10 minutes of worry as to whether the driver was seriously injured or not.
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Osiris said:
*snip*
Click to expand...

Great write-up, and exactly how I remember it.
I just wanted to point out, that the stated reasons seldom have a connection to the real reason when it comes to the F1 circus. They want to bring back AS? Fine by me, but don´t give me the cost-cutting bs please.
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Disclaimer: I´m a non-native speaker, so please excuse translation and other errors

128598.jpg


The upcoming trial of the Office of the District Attorney Munich vs. Bernard Charles E.

Wait, what?
The public prosecutors office has decided, after a lengthy contemplation phase, to bring charges against Bernie Ecclestone (I´ll shorten to BE in the following) for severe bribery, wrongful personal gain and connected wrongdoings.
The case number is: W 5 KLs 405 Js 161741/11

Seriously?
The DA thinks they do have a solid case, and are not especially interested in yellow press. The expected media circus is severely restricted.

When and where is this going down?
- The court will convene in:
Strafjustizzentrum
Nymphenburger Str 16
80097 Munich
either in conference hall A101 or B177

- always at 09.30h

- on:
Th., 24.04.14, A 101
Fr., 02.05.14, A 101
Fr., 09.05.14, A 101
Tu., 13.05.14, A 101
We., 14.05.14, A 101
Tu., 20.05.14, B 177
We., 21.05.14, B 177
Tu., 27.05.14, B 177
We., 28.05.14, B 177
Tu., 03.06.14, B 177
We., 04.06.14, B 177
Tu., 24.06.14, B 177
We., 25.06.14, B 177
Tu., 01.07.14, B 177
We., 02.07.14, B 177
Tu., 08.07.14, B 177
We., 09.07.14, B 177
Tu., 15.07.14, B 177
We., 16.07.14, B 177
Tu., 29.07.14, B 177
We., 30.07.14, B 177
Tu., 05.08.14, B 177
We., 06.08.14, B 177
Th., 14.08.14, B 177
Mo., 15.09.14, B 177
Tu., 16.09.14, B 177
If necessary, then continued on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

But what is this all about?
In 2005 the London-based investment company CVC Capital Partners Limited founded a new company named Alpha Prema.
In Alpha Prema, BE shared a seat at the board of directors with Dr Gerhard Gribkowsky (Germany), who was at this time at the board of directors of the BayernLB, responsible for risk management at BayernLB.
The investors behind CVC had set their sights in acquiring Formula 1 shares, especially the 25% controlled by BE via his Bambino Holding, and the 50% controlled by BayernLB. (The other 25% were jointly controlled by JP Morgan and Lehman Brothers).
But CVC weren´t the only ones interested in those shares, at this time estimated at 1 billion Euro. The same year BE purportedly turned down an offer of 1.2 billion Euro by Asian group Hutchinson Whampoa (HWL).
Had HWL bought them, BE would have been out of the picture. But CVC founded Alpha Prema to control those 75%, and made BE the CEO of Alpha Prema. But only if BE could get it done to get Dr Gerhard Gribkowsky, and thus the BayernLB 50%, onboard.
Gribkowsky not only did this, but brought those 50% shares at a steep discount price (without any kind of public call for bids). In exchange he got onto the board of directors with Alpha Prema, and a bribe of 32 Mio € from BE, which he didn´t declare for taxes.
Fun fact: while BE is estimated to be worth around 2.8 billion Euro, the bribe for Gribkowsky did neither come from his pockets or from CVC, but from the German taxpayers who own the BayernLB. BE had the BayernLB pay him an intermediation fee for setting up the deal over the 50%, which he then used as the bribe for Gribkowsky.

But how do we know all this?
Soon after the deal was done, people noticed how cheap the BayernLB had given away the shares. The Munich Office of the District Attorney got involved and investigated for two years before bringing official charges, first against Gribkowsky alone.
In exchange for a shorter term, Gribkowsky confessed in full on 20th June 2012. He got sentenced to eight and a half years of prison.
In his confession he detailed all the goings-on, and basically threw BE under the bus (hey, he had to pay the bribe back!).
So on 24th February 2014, after a lengthy contemplation, it was decided to press charges against BE.

And what has Bernie to say about all this?
He said, that he doesn´t fear that he would have to go to jail. But he thinks he´s the victim here, with people talking badly about him without fully understanding what this is really about. "The whole thing is just such a small episode of my life". He´s mad, that the proceedings are "stealing so much of my time".

Yeah OK, but what does this all mean?
The fallout of this could be huge. If BE would be sentenced (the worst he´d be facing would be ten years in jail), no matter to what degree, he would need to step away from Formula 1.
If he wouldn´t, several companies (especially Mercedes) would be forced to leave the sport, due to their compliance rules.
So we´d be looking at a scenario where either we´re getting a successor for Bernie (Horner, anyone?); or the sport would be gutted due to several companies leaving.
 
Mastah

Mastah

Member
Honda representative will participate in Friday press conference. Kinda strange it's happening so early, but hey, what do I know. Also Whiting will be there as well:

Friday, April 18, 1600 hours local time (0800 GMT)

Yasuhisa Arai (Honda), Andrew Cowell (Mercedes), Pat Fry (Ferrari), Rob White (Renault Sport), Charlie Whiting (FIA)
Click to expand...
 
W

Wax Free Vanilla

Member
Didn't see it mentioned but The Demon Headmaster said the FOM will release a video app in June with free and premium content, I wonder if it'll feature live coverage? I'm pretty sure next season they'll have a full online sub service like Japan had last season with the Zume F1 app.
 
S

Shaneus

Member
Wax Free Vanilla said:
Didn't see it mentioned but The Demon Headmaster said the FOM will release a video app in June with free and premium content, I wonder if it'll feature live coverage? I'm pretty sure next season they'll have a full online sub service like Japan had last season with the Zume F1 app.
Click to expand...
Love that they're doing this after they've already released the official F1 app with paid content/features. Cunts.
 
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