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The United States Grand Prix |OT| Formula 1 Returns to the US

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I think Alonso might have finally snapped:

As always, the race is tomorrow. I still think that tomorrow we are going to reduce the gap to Sebastian, which is what counts.

He starts from pole and he has a very strong pace, but the race will be long and let's see if we can seize our opportunities. We'll see how the start goes. If he wins the race and then wins again in Brazil he will be Champion and deservedly so.

As I said, for whatever reason, I have the strange feeling that tomorrow we will reduce the gap.

Unless they're planning on having Massa just drive straight into him or having someone throw tacks on the track.
 

Chris R

Member
Really wish I could have stayed in Austin :(

Hotels, why you gotta be so expensive!

Going to be at the track around 8 or 9 tomorrow morning if all goes to plan. Should have three good races, and I still need to say hello to the Gaffers there in person :p
 

Chris R

Member
Not the best picture, but here is the view towards T1 from my seat.



More pictures soonish (currently using my phone's hotspot and uploading images over a 2g connection sucks!)
 

Shaneus

Member
Not the best picture, but here is the view towards T1 from my seat.



More pictures soonish (currently using my phone's hotspot and uploading images over a 2g connection sucks!)
Yeah, you've got some good visibility there. But is it just me or does that just look so... sterile?

Is the track that far out of Austin (city) proper? Because it looks like it's out in the sticks with very little scenery. Of course, I'm comparing it with first-hand experience of Melbourne, which is essentially *in* the city itself.
 

dubc35

Member
Not the best picture, but here is the view towards T1 from my seat.

http://i.minus.com/jGrdisBFh1KrJ.JPG

More pictures soonish (currently using my phone's hotspot and uploading images over a 2g connection sucks!)
Wow, really looks like there isn't a bad seat in the house.

e* best comment about that tower I saw on twitter was, "If that red back of the tower isn't a giant waterslide I will be massively disappointed!"
 
Saw this on another forum, was amused:

4dxqs.jpg
 
Yeah, you've got some good visibility there. But is it just me or does that just look so... sterile?

Is the track that far out of Austin (city) proper? Because it looks like it's out in the sticks with very little scenery. Of course, I'm comparing it with first-hand experience of Melbourne, which is essentially *in* the city itself.

Yes. The track was built out off a toll road that has only been around a few years and cuts wide east of the city. It's a great way to avoid one of the major highways in the middle of the city and now allows you to run all the way south to near San Antonio.

But other than farms and trees, yeah not much out that way. Ask me again in 10 years if that area has exploded.
 

Chris R

Member
Kinda sad that ESPN hasn't said a word about the race over this week (from what I've seen of my very limited TV viewing time).

ESPN Classic is airing Senna and Fastest (I really need to watch more MotoGP) the closest they have come to even acknowledging that there is a race going on tomorrow.
 
Yeah, you've got some good visibility there. But is it just me or does that just look so... sterile?

Is the track that far out of Austin (city) proper? Because it looks like it's out in the sticks with very little scenery. Of course, I'm comparing it with first-hand experience of Melbourne, which is essentially *in* the city itself.

It's out in the middle of nowhere, which is fine by me. Cheap land so the money is on the track.

However, while the track looks fantastic, it obvious they didn't (and shouldn't have) spent much time on the amenities and what not. In a couple years after they have time to do proper landscaping and have more permanent structures, it will be amazing. Also, ranchers that own land in that area struck gold. Developers are probably licking at the chops to put stuff out there.
 

Mobius 1

Member
Going to be at T1 tomorrow. If you see a Brazilian flag, say hello.

I snuck into the lower tier of the main grandstand for a peek at the paddock, pretty certain I could have stayed there feigning ignorance hehe.
 
Yeah, I meant the weighbridge is the same thing we see the three podium finishers do before they head to the podium, hence where I mentioned that something like that'd be hard to forget to do given it's so routine and everyone knows where it is. Just wanted to clarify they were the same thing.

I could be wrong, but drivers are chosen randomly to do the test, not all of them have to do it. Other drivers have missed this as well during the season and they got a reprimand too

I think Alonso might have finally snapped:

Finally? He's been blathering nonsense for quite some time now. Just few from the past few weeks:

- "I'm racing Newey"
- "I'm going to win the title 100%"
- "Ferrari is full of talk, but no updates"
- "Massa is only lucky to get a podium"
- "I've extracted 120% out of the car"
- "I brought 0.6 to McLaren"
- "I don't consider F1 a sport anymore"


Thea last two are for the lulz

Not the best picture, but here is the view towards T1 from my seat.



More pictures soonish (currently using my phone's hotspot and uploading images over a 2g connection sucks!)

Nice view :)

Last race I went to, beside Bahrain was Monza 2008 and paid shit load of money for turn one.. Just for the race to start behind a SC :( .. But I saw Vettel win for Torro Rosso :)
 

FuturusX

Member
Espn doesn't mention or highlight sports it doesn't own exclusive rights to.

Actually I think I saw something on ESPN News...but I was rushing out of my hotel room on a trip...so I could have been delusional.

But yes generally that is true.

US Grand Prix is going to go a little way to expanding the sport here. What's needed is an American driver in an American team...
 

Dead Man

Member
Actually I think I saw something on ESPN News...but I was rushing out of my hotel room on a trip...so I could have been delusional.

But yes generally that is true.

US Grand Prix is going to go a little way to expanding the sport here. What's needed is an American driver in an American team...

Why do so many people include American teams? There are very few nationality based teams these days. I can understand wanting a driver from the US to expand the fan base, but any team that sets up these days with a geographical limitation is going to struggle I think. Any team not based somewhere in Europe will struggle with testing.
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
Looking at sector times, Lewis was fastest in S1, Vettel in S2 and S3. Lewis was almost equal in first two sectors, but Vettel made difference in S3.

Looking at both Ferrari drivers, here is their deficit to Vettel's time sector wise:

Massa: +0.250 / +0.330 / +0.370
Alonso: +0.170 / +0.530 / +0.690
 

Shaneus

Member
Missed qualy, couldn't be arsed waking up for it. Seems... championship ending. Maybe not, hope not, but probably is.
I had an alarm set for it, didn't sleep Friday night at all so I could go to bed early and then... couldn't be fucked seeing it either.

I'm with you, but I'll still try and watch it anyway. You gon' be up at tomorrow morning for it? I normally wake up at 6am anyway, so I've just asked if I can start and finish late at work.
 
Why do so many people include American teams? There are very few nationality based teams these days. I can understand wanting a driver from the US to expand the fan base, but any team that sets up these days with a geographical limitation is going to struggle I think. Any team not based somewhere in Europe will struggle with testing.

Yup. Moto GP has Hayden, Spies, and Edwards and they're just getting a bit more popular.
Coverage needs to get better in the States too.
 

Dead Man

Member
I had an alarm set for it, didn't sleep Friday night at all so I could go to bed early and then... couldn't be fucked seeing it either.

I'm with you, but I'll still try and watch it anyway. You gon' be up at tomorrow morning for it? I normally wake up at 6am anyway, so I've just asked if I can start and finish late at work.

Yeah, I'll be up for the race. Not sure if it will be a case of up early, or up very late. Have some NFL to watch as well since I have Monday off, might just do an all nighter.

Yup. Moto GP has Hayden, Spies, and Edwards and they're just getting a bit more popular.
Coverage needs to get better in the States too.

Yep, on both counts. Coverage seems better than the last time I was over there though, at the time I think it was split on a couple channels, some races live, some delayed, all over the joint.
 

Shaneus

Member
Looking at sector times, Lewis was fastest in S1, Vettel in S2 and S3. Lewis was almost equal in first two sectors, but Vettel made difference in S3.

Looking at both Ferrari drivers, here is their deficit to Vettel's time sector wise:

Massa: +0.250 / +0.330 / +0.370
Alonso: +0.170 / +0.530 / +0.690
That was their best times in Q3? What the fuck happened to Alonso?
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
That was their best times in Q3? What the fuck happened to Alonso?

Yes, these are sector times from their Q3 best laps. Alonso was struggling in last four corners (car was all over the place), but i do not know what happened in S2
 
That was their best times in Q3? What the fuck happened to Alonso?

Made a mistake? but this is no Kimi so we can't expect him saying anything except that he "extracted 120% of the car" .. now Massa is in front, he'll just keep quiet lol

Slippery track is because of oil and not dust!!

But the biggest factor: “The brand new asphalt is sweating oil,” said the report.

“[Circuit designer] Hermann Tilke told Charlie Whiting that it is the same type of asphalt as in India and Korea,” added journalist Michael Schmidt.

Pedro de la Rosa does not agree: “The asphalt here is different,” said the HRT driver.

Fernando Alonso claims that the Austin track – “is very smooth and not at all porous” – and that it reminds him of Portimao in Portugal.

Schmidt said that the Spaniard is right.

Pedro De la Rosa confirmed: “You can see the oil shimmering when you look at the track in the morning.”

Serious and dangerous stuff!!
 
Fatally Injured Alternators is what I am hoping for this weekend...

That will be a sad way to decide a championship.

I'm hoping for a 1st turn carnage that Alonso will be able to avoid and climb to 3rd/2nd by end of first lap.

The Ferrari is good in the race and he can even challenge Vettel for victory
 

Shaneus

Member
I could be wrong, but drivers are chosen randomly to do the test, not all of them have to do it. Other drivers have missed this as well during the season and they got a reprimand too
Everything I've seen since has Webber starting from third... so what was the penalty?

And if it was random, does that mean he deliberately chose to bypass it? Why would anyone do that?
 
I had a dream that Vettel retired in the final 5 laps.

If he's going to retire, I hope it happens as early in the race as possible. Retiring in the final 5 laps would still likely leave us with a bloody boring race.

I know Ferrari have generally had a decent race pace this year, compared to their relative lack of speed in qualifying, but I can't really see Alonso reaching a podium today on speed alone. Bit of a shame, really.
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
Some very trustworthy italian sites are reporting that Ferrari changed Felipe's gearbox, so that ALO could start on clean side of the track.

IMO BS, aren't cars locked in Parc Ferme after Q? And every replacement is publicly announced?
 

Business

Member
Made a mistake? but this is no Kimi so we can't expect him saying anything except that he "extracted 120% of the car" .. now Massa is in front, he'll just keep quiet lol

He basically said he didn't have any particular problem and that Massa was just quicker than him. Not that I believe this is going to make you think anyway.
 
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