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Post by René on Aug 29, 2021 6:12:54 GMT
Goooooood morning Spa Francorchamps!  |
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Post by mikael on Aug 29, 2021 8:08:11 GMT
... or someone else? ---> George Russell (!)
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Post by mikael on Aug 29, 2021 13:18:36 GMT
With oncoming traffic! That's scary ...
A bit like what you can experience on Indian highways! I tried it one time, on a drive from Kolkata (a.k.a. Calcutta) to Kharakpur, in 2007, luckily just as passenger. Some locals think, apparently, that it's OK to drive in the wrong lane on the highway if it's just for a short while, and if it's easier (for them) than getting into the right lane. We saw it several (two or three, I think) times on that drive. Scary indeed!
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Post by René on Aug 30, 2021 9:36:53 GMT
Well, that was by far the weirdest and wettest sunday I spent at the Spa Francorchamps circuit… ever! A short recap and some pictures will follow later.  |
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Post by chrisb on Aug 30, 2021 10:21:45 GMT
oh Rene, really feel for you mate, was trying to follow what was happening, but it became so farcical I gave up and hopefully you will either get a replacement ticket for next year or an alternative, maybe 5 laps of the circuit in a Ferrari free of charge?
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Post by charleselan on Aug 30, 2021 15:43:54 GMT
For a while there I thought that René might still be stuck in the car parks which were apparently a sea of mud due to all the rain that has fallen in that region over the past few weeks. Good to see that he is back safe and well  . Other than that not a day in which F1 has covered itself in glory for pretty obvious reasons. The word farce has been used quite a bit all over the internet and that just about sums it up. For me the ultimate and final stupidity was to actually award a fastest lap while under the bloody Safety Car, what the blue blazes are these clowns on! Here to finish off my comment I read a comment on another site this morning where some deranged individual suggested that the race should be re-run later in the year between the Mexican and Middle Eastern (can't remember which one as they are of no interest to me at all), the date that was proposed was the last week in November. Yes that is correct the last week in November at the Spa Francorchamps circuit  . |
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Post by Carl on Aug 30, 2021 17:25:00 GMT
At one point during an early delay, Lewis Hamilton got out of his car and walked into the Mercedes garage to use the loo, followed as always by a network cameraman (or daring woman). Thus was the level of intelligence for the entire day established with David Croft wondering about the French photographer already inside. Why couldn't the teams have demanded a postponement? This week is forecast clear or very light rain every day, making the rush to conclude regardless not only a farce, but an unnecessary one. Who can possibly have come away satisfied?
Formula One should now modify their creed to "We pace as one"
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Post by René on Aug 30, 2021 17:26:19 GMT
oh Rene, really feel for you mate, was trying to follow what was happening, but it became so farcical I gave up and hopefully you will either get a replacement ticket for next year or an alternative, maybe 5 laps of the circuit in a Ferrari free of charge? Thanks Chris. 5 laps of the circuit in a Ferrari free of charge sounds like a splendid idea to me!
But yeah, a refund or free entry next year when showing this years' ticket would be the right thing to do.
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Post by René on Aug 30, 2021 17:32:45 GMT
For a while there I thought that René might still be stuck in the car parks which were apparently a sea of mud due to all the rain that has fallen in that region over the past few weeks. Good to see that he is back safe and well . Other than that not a day in which F1 has covered itself in glory for pretty obvious reasons. The word farce has been used quite a bit all over the internet and that just about sums it up. For me the ultimate and final stupidity was to actually award a fastest lap while under the bloody Safety Car, what the blue blazes are these clowns on! Here to finish off my comment I read a comment on another site this morning where some deranged individual suggested that the race should be re-run later in the year between the Mexican and Middle Eastern (can't remember which one as they are of no interest to me at all), the date that was proposed was the last week in November. Yes that is correct the last week in November at the Spa Francorchamps circuit .
JC, I was lucky. I parked my car quite far from the circuit on a small parking with gravel. A longer walk to the track but closer to the motorway when leaving. And I had a hunch about the weather and possibly getting stuck. I saw a lot of that when I finally walked back to the car. I saw one guy with his Renault Espace van almost half a meter deep in the mud! Poor guy.
Spa in November... really bright idea. They should start then at 11 in the morning to be sure it's not dark before race end. And of course no chance of rain (or snow!) in November at Spa!  |
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Post by René on Aug 30, 2021 17:41:34 GMT
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Post by Carl on Aug 30, 2021 18:03:04 GMT
René, Excellent photographs! And good to know racing did occur.
It would have been poetic justice if the man stuck in the mud afterward had been Jean Todt.
Cheers, Carl
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Post by charleselan on Aug 30, 2021 19:02:09 GMT
Superb photographs René, even more impressive considering the conditions in which you had to take them. Never pleasant having to use your photographic equipment in the pouring rain, but your results are well worth the effort.
I also like the way you used your previous knowledge of the location and parked in a sensible underfoot car park, a real motor sport enthusiast therefore as they always have the right know how. Poor chap in the Espace, hope there were plenty of tractors around to pull those people out.
At the very least F1 should ensure that all people who were short changed this weekend can get half price tickets next year, also ensure that the ticket price remains the same as 2021.
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Post by René on Aug 31, 2021 17:03:49 GMT
Why couldn't the teams have demanded a postponement? This week is forecast clear or very light rain every day, making the rush to conclude regardless not only a farce, but an unnecessary one. Who can possibly have come away satisfied? Formula One should now modify their creed to "We pace as one"
Carl, I believe the calendar has also worked against other options. Because of the extremely tight schedule it was not possible to hold the race on the monday or tuesday. The team trucks already arrived in Zandvoort on monday to start the build up of the paddock area there. But you're right, no one has come away satisfied from the Spa weekend. Well, maybe George Russell has...  |
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Post by René on Aug 31, 2021 21:56:11 GMT
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Post by Carl on Aug 31, 2021 23:19:48 GMT
A virtual safety car zone through the fastest corners and ones having running water may have worked if the drivers had all been sedated. I admit to fast-forwarding the video because Mansell kept comparing his glory days and F1 today with, to paraphrase il Leone, more reckless drivers in much safer cars.
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