Appetizer

[chrisb]

I always think that once a top drivers attention or focus has been compromised or diverted they really do need to consider what their priorities are. I am convinced that certain drivers 'weren't on their game' when they had their fatal accidents as were mentally in the wrong place, nowadays despite one or two dreadful accidents you are at much lesser risk than ever before, despite this I am concerned that Lewis is taking in such a big new world, something he has never encountered before and despite his recent success may not be as focused as previously and therefore putting himself at greater risk than previously.

Lewis's mistakes or 'over ambitious moves' have been quietly overlooked by the mass media - I recollect Canada when he and Jenson 'collided' and Jenson's 'what is he doing?' and although I was not convinced that Lewis was totally at fault in this instance someone like JYS or Niki would have picked an easier place or time to overtake but given Tonto's words don't always have that ring of authenticity about them, like the sadly missed Niki,  is he in actual fact building George up for the ride, especially as Williams, have re-signed their tester.

As much as I am a fan of the Hulk maybe it is a time for Nico to 'do a Jacky' and focus on long distance races, somehow I think he will be better off in either the Audi or the Porsche,

isn't Kimi just a class act? no wonder he is so popular,

[René]

Jan 19, 2021 23:29:04 GMT charleselan said:

Jan 19, 2021 20:17:44 GMT René said:

There was an article on Autosport where Toto Wolff says key to George Russell's progress is not improving his speed but ironing out mistakes. Does he think George is not ready yet or is he just playing games? 

Tonto being a sh*t stirrer René, it isn't as if the newly knighted Hamilton didn't make similar mistakes in his early years is it. Remember him rear ending Kimi in the pit lane in Canada when they were all sat behind the red traffic light, Kimi nonchalant gesture to the light afterwards was priceless.

Yes of course, my post sounded a bit naive reading it back!  Tonto is always playing mind games. George is most certainly ready to take on Lewis, Max and Charles when he has the car.

On a positive note, just read that Jenson Button will return to the F1 paddock as an advisor at Williams. I always liked Jenson and it sounds like Williams is serious in moving up the grid. At least, I hope so!

[chrisb]

There is a very good article in MS by Mark, he is always worth reading, his technical insights and abilities to put it into a language I can relate too is always helpful, in this article he is saying Aston Martin will be improving yet again this year and Seb with the rear-end being more to his taste will be a lot quicker this year. I do wonder what the environment will be like at AM but surely it will be more settled than last year and it would be good to see Seb doing well this year.

Team Williams seems to be going about things in a very professional way and I wonder how much Mercedes will be on their car as well.

[charleselan]

Interesting that Jensen is taking an advisory role at Williams, they seem to be putting many things into place and I think much of that will be down to Jost Capito, his track record is impressive. Jensen always was a class act and probably made the newly knighted one sweat more than anyone when they were at McLaren.

This will he won't he is getting more than tedious right now, there is a fine saying in the UK "p*ss or get off the pot". So much conjecture going around about the why's and wherefores; some say money, others say it is down to the newly knighted ones demands and others are saying that MB will only give him a one year deal.

Incidentally I saw a short film of Kevin Magnussen testing the Ganasi prototype on YT the other evening, boy that thing sounded good and Kev was giving it the beans as well, great future for that young man the States I feel.

[Carl]

Jan 23, 2021 14:30:04 GMT charleselan said:

Incidentally I saw a short film of Kevin Magnussen testing the Ganasi prototype on YT the other evening, boy that thing sounded good and Kev was giving it the beans as well, great future for that young man the States I feel.

Here's early testing at Sebring, the first is the Daytona Prototype with it's majestic sounding V-8 being driven by Magnussen and the second an open IndyCar session. Seven time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson is in #48 and will drive road courses for Ganassi. His number has always been 48 and may reflect admiration for Dan Gurney.

[charleselan]

Jan 23, 2021 17:40:12 GMT Carl said:

Jan 23, 2021 14:30:04 GMT charleselan said:

Incidentally I saw a short film of Kevin Magnussen testing the Ganasi prototype on YT the other evening, boy that thing sounded good and Kev was giving it the beans as well, great future for that young man the States I feel.

Here's early testing at Sebring, the first is the Daytona Prototype with it's majestic sounding V-8 being driven by Magnussen and the second an open IndyCar session. Seven time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson is in #48 and will drive road courses for Ganassi. His number has always been 48 and may reflect admiration for Dan Gurney.

That is indeed the film clip of Kevin in the Ganassi Caddy, the V8 engine noise is simply sublime and I love the light grey colour of the car, obviously pre race livery. The light grey matches the colour of my DJI Mavic Drone and some other products they produce, just an observation.

I had forgotten that Jimmy Johnson runs with no. 48 as you say like the great man Dan Gurney. Some years back Scalextric produced a really good slot car model of the Hendrick Nascar Chevy Monte Carlo in "Lowes" colours that Jimmy drove, and bought one at a very reasonable price. I liked Nascar back then as it was shown on UK late night TV. Jimmy's car was paired with Jeff Gordon's DuPont car but that was hard to get at a sensible price such was its popularity, anyway patience is a virtue and I got one later at a very good price. They make a superb pair and are well executed models.

[mikael]

Jan 23, 2021 17:40:12 GMT Carl said:

Jan 23, 2021 14:30:04 GMT charleselan said:

Incidentally I saw a short film of Kevin Magnussen testing the Ganasi prototype on YT the other evening, boy that thing sounded good and Kev was giving it the beans as well, great future for that young man the States I feel.

Here's early testing at Sebring, the first is the Daytona Prototype with it's majestic sounding V-8 being driven by Magnussen and the second an open IndyCar session. Seven time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson is in #48 and will drive road courses for Ganassi. His number has always been 48 and may reflect admiration for Dan Gurney.

Actually, it's a real pleasure to watch racing on a track like Sebring, with imperfections (bumps and non-perfectly laid kerbing stones). I think it also may provide better racing, actually, because it may imply that there are several "ideal" lines, in the sense that the theoretical ideal line simply may be too bumpy, and thus not the fastest one in reality. There are also more possibilities, and more challenges, regarding how to set up the car.

In this sense, it seems that basically all of the Formula One tracks have become over-perfected. When the surface is absolutely perfect, then there is, I believe, one ideal line, and just that single one. It's not difficult to understand, then, that overtaking is very hard indeed.

Related to this, recently, I came across a short video that tries to illustrate the ultra-high cornering speeds in Formula One. I think it's well done; and I found it fascinating to watch.

Yes, certainly such speeds are fascinating; still, I think I'd prefer to watch more "bumps" (imperfect circuits) and less speed, as at Sebring.

[charleselan]

That is another issue with current F1, over homogenised tracks. Wonderful for designers like Newey who can promote his great quest for the ultimate aero package which has no real world relevance what so ever. How about designing a car that can accommodate all sorts of track surfaces and natural "hazards" such as sand blown onto a track etc. I am not advocating running F1 races on loose surfaces like the Welsh Rally Forest stages but tracks that have bumps and natural imperfections.

[Carl]

Sebring is notoriously bumpy because the old airport runway concrete sections settle individually, but this challenge, as Mikael and John Charles point out, should remain part of racing.

Through the last turn, Sunset Bend, cars with too much speed on the wrong line can be heaved into the wall.  It has happened more than once that another driver attempting an inside pass will supply all the dislocation required.  Ouch! 

[robmarsh]

I wonder if F1 will ever really emerge from the false bubble it has put itself in?

[charleselan]

Jan 24, 2021 18:53:47 GMT robmarsh said:

I wonder if F1 will ever really emerge from the false bubble it has put itself in?

Sadly it appears like everything in life these days Rob, bubbles of this and bubbles of that. The common denominator would seem to be the men who make the most money out of the enterprise.

I am now going to disappear into my own little bubble and live my ideal; DSJ is still with us as are all of those great drivers who perished so young, my imaginary Goodwood Festival. I am not mocking, it is the only way to stay sane in these terrible times.

Just watch those Targa Florio films I placed yesterday and see what it was like  .

[René]

Today, Carlos had his first taste of real Ferrari F1 machinery testing the 2018 SF71H at Fiorano.

While looking at these pictures I was wondering if there were more Ferraris that raced with #55

I could find one works car: John Surtees and Nino Vaccarella in the 512S at the Nürburgring 1000kms. Finished 1st in the 5ltr class and 3rd overall.

And even longer ago... Jim Kimberly in the 166 MM Barchetta at Sebring 1950! Not a works car as far as I can find but nonetheless a red Ferrari with #55 that finished 1st in the 2ltr class and 2nd overall. No bad results for the 55s!

 

And this fabulous NART Ferrari 365 GTB4 that raced at Le Mans 1974 but unfortunately crashed out...

But they made a model kit of this car nonetheless!

Go #55! Forza Carlos!

[charleselan]

There is a some good footage of Charles giving the 2018 a run at Fiorano on YouTube, not sure whether it was professionally taken or just a good amateur. 

Maybe they should revert back to running 2018 cars full stop (I mean every team and not just Ferrari) could be fun. But really illustrates how stupid these testing rules are, you can run a three year old car for as long as you want, but not a current machine.

I do not think anyone would have run an F1 car with the number 55 in previous seasons as cars usually ran with numbers from one to however many cars were entered, it was only quite recently that we had each driver having a specialised number.

[René]

Jan 27, 2021 16:48:27 GMT charleselan said:

There is a some good footage of Charles giving the 2018 a run at Fiorano on YouTube, not sure whether it was professionally taken or just a good amateur. 

Maybe they should revert back to running 2018 cars full stop (I mean every team and not just Ferrari) could be fun. But really illustrates how stupid these testing rules are, you can run a three year old car for as long as you want, but not a current machine.

I do not think anyone would have run an F1 car with the number 55 in previous seasons as cars usually ran with numbers from one to however many cars were entered, it was only quite recently that we had each driver having a specialised number.

Actually, there were. Most noticeably Jean-Pierre Jarier at the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix.

... and Mario Andretti in the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix driving the Parnelli-Ford VPJ4.

[charleselan]

Jarier ran No. 55 as the team did not want him using the No. 5 that Ronnie had been allocated that year, it was easier to just add another 5. Not sure why Mario had 55 on the Vels Parnelli, maybe there were 55+ entries that year .