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Post by Carl on Jun 30, 2023 16:00:26 GMT
Formula One is open in a sense, but both are compromised impediments for drivers and spectators, well designed for protection and probably saving lives. There's little doubt what poor Chris Bristow or Justin Wilson would have to say.
Over several decades, even helmets have sunk into the padded cockpit surround, and being able to see the driver's hands on the wheel is the domain of in-car cameras.
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Post by René on Jun 30, 2023 17:12:55 GMT
Just a comment on IndyCar's "aeroscreen": Initially, during the tests in 2018, I through that the screen was a much better solution than FIA's "halo". But now, these screens have been patched up to a level where the cars resemble closed (sports) cars. Additionally, some (if not all) cars have a "halo" as well, within the screen. Hence, I do think that FIA's solution was the best way to go, after all. The aeroscreen initially seemed to be the more elegant solution, but I agree that in the final implementation the Halo is more elegant and less distracting. The IndyCars look nice in profile, but the front view is a bit plump and square. A transparent cockpit would be nice so we could see the drivers at work, but probably not possible with all that carbon.
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Post by Carl on Jul 1, 2023 17:18:40 GMT
A very frightening accident for Simon Pagenaud today at Mid-Ohio...
While being interviewed, Pagenaud refers to a similar accident years ago involving Michael Andretti
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Post by René on Jul 1, 2023 18:08:36 GMT
Very frightening but good to see him walking away! And I remember Michael’s accident very well. I was watching live when it happened.
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Post by Carl on Jul 2, 2023 1:00:02 GMT
Mid-Ohio Qualifying
So much for my predictions of smaller teams ascending. As the great Henry Manney lll used to say, "practice was the usual shambles" and so may have been qualifying by the result. All bets are off...
1 Colton Herta Andretti Autosport Honda
2 Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
3 Kyle Kirkwood Andretti Autosport Honda
4 Alex Palou Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
5 Christian Lundgaard Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
6 Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
7 Will Power Team Penske Chevrolet
8 Scott McLaughlin Team Penske Chevrolet
9 Marcus Ericsson Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
10 Felix Rosenqvist Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
11 Jack Harvey Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
12 David Malukas Dale Coyne Racing Honda
13 Alexander Rossi Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
14 Romain Grosjean Andretti Autosport Honda
15 Josef Newgarden Team Penske Chevrolet
16 Rinus VeeKay Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
17 Ryan Hunter-Reay Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
18 Marcus Armstrong Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
19 Helio Castroneves Meyer Shank Racing Honda
20 Callum Ilott Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
21 Agustin Canapino Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
22 Sting Ray Robb Dale Coyne Racing Honda
23 Benjamin Pedersen AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
24 Devlin DeFrancesco Andretti Autosport Honda
25 Pato O'Ward Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
26 Santino Ferrucci AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
27 Simon Pagenaud Meyer Shank Racing Honda
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Post by Carl on Jul 3, 2023 6:14:36 GMT
When the broadcasters seriously discussed an NTT Data graphic predicting the lap on which each driver would make a final pitstop, I had the scary feeling that Indycar (at least NBCSports) had crossed over into algorithmic insanity.
What could have been a great race on a superb road course was debased by the focus on pitstop strategy, which reportedly won the race for Alex Palou, designated to soft-pedal on his first set of tyres to achieve better mileage, subsequently needing less fuel and enjoying faster pit stops. A well-executed accordian effect, in and out of favor and fresh tyres, a triumph of programmed algorithmic slow dancing, just not great racing.
I smiled ruefully when corporate shill Leigh Diffey blurted out, before quickly correcting himself, "Honda Valley" instead of "Thunder Valley", what the fast sweeping corners between Turns 8 and 11 have always been called.
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Post by René on Jul 3, 2023 15:59:05 GMT
Not a bad race but you're right Carl, it's too much about tires and strategy. But Alex Palou drove an excellent race again, he's a winner for sure. Strange now that he is leaving Ganassi, one of the best teams on the grid, to join McLaren next season. There is even talk that he might replace De Vries at Alpha Tauri. Where was Newgarden by the way? And Pedersen didn't make any friends! I know he doesn't have to move for the leaders but he was stretching it a bit far if you ask me.
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Post by chrisb on Jul 3, 2023 16:35:09 GMT
As you say Rene a strange race, I was so pleased for Graham Rahal and Jack to qualify so well and the comedy of errors, Carl it seemed to me several drivers were extremely aggressive in the race and no wonder there was plenty of off’s and outs
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Post by Carl on Jul 3, 2023 17:42:19 GMT
René, I think the Penske braintrust is diluted with Roger Penske owning the series and the Indianapolis Speedway. Josef Newgarden may need more intensive engineering support than his teammates while the team struggles to recover its former dominance.
I'm not opposed to tyre conservation. Alain Prost was a master of coming on strong over the last 20 laps. He was a masterful driver, but control has shifted from the cockpit to the banks of computers within Formula One pit garages and Indycar trailers.
I wonder if Pedersen was following orders from the boss to not give way to the race leader. If so, he needs a lesson in manners from a veteran driver less combative than AJ Foyt. Also controversial was Alex Palou's contact with Kyle Kirkwood at Turn 4. NBC has normally excellent expert commentators, both highly skilled race winners but both wrong that Palou had given enough room. It seemed clear he crowded the apex and bumped Kirkwood into a spin. Some glorious times continue to echo after the glory changes. In the past, I fully understood the lure of Formula One, which seemed like Mount Olympus in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, but offers dubious advantages for young drivers today, some of whom are resigned to the backwaters of Formula E. F1 cars are faster than any, but somehow the racing is often worse. Alex Palou has won championships worldwide, has many options, and hopefully does what's best for his career.
Cheers, Carl
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Post by René on Jul 3, 2023 22:42:12 GMT
René, I think the Penske braintrust is diluted with Roger Penske owning the series and the Indianapolis Speedway. Josef Newgarden may need more intensive engineering support than his teammates while the team struggles to recover its former dominance. I'm not opposed to tyre conservation. Alain Prost was a master of coming on strong over the last 20 laps. He was a masterful driver, but control has shifted from the cockpit to the banks of computers in Formula One pit garage recesses and Indycar trailers. I wonder if Pedersen was following orders from the boss to not give way to the race leader. If so, he needs a lesson in manners from a veteran driver less combative than AJ Foyt. Also controversial was Alex Palou's contact with Kyle Kirkwood at Turn 4. NBC has normally excellent expert commentators, both highly skilled race winners but both wrong that Palou had given enough room. It seemed clear he crowded the apex and bumped Kirkwood into a spin. Some glorious times continue to echo after glory changes. In the past, I fully understood the lure of Formula One, which seemed like Mount Olympus in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, but offers dubious advantages for young drivers today. Many talented drivers steeped in European series are resigned to the backwaters of Formula E. F1 cars are faster than any, but somehow the racing is often worse. Alex Palou has won championships worldwide, has many options, and hopefully does what's best for his career. Cheers, Carl Carl, too much power in the hands of one man is never a good thing. And unfortunately this has happened to IndyCar also. The tyre issue in both IndyCar and Formula 1 is the mandatory character. The choice of what tyres to run and how many pit stops to make should be free. And there should always be one tyre available that can run the distance. Then we can see who’s the new Alain Prost. Pedersen’s blocking was strange, whatever the reason. You’re right about the Palou vs Kirkwood moment. At first the Dutch commentator also thought Palou gave enough room but after seeing the inboard from Kirkwood he changed his mind. And he was right, Alex squeezed Kirkwood into a spin. The lure of F1 is still there for most young drivers. Palou, O’Ward and Herta have all done tests in F1 machinery and they were all equally impressed. By the speed of the car, the quality of the drive and the entire entourage and technology. But it’s a harsh world of course. If Palou does make the move to Alpha Tauri, it could ruin his career… or be the start of something great. But if he gets the chance, he’ll take it.
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Post by Carl on Jul 3, 2023 23:19:41 GMT
René, I think the Penske braintrust is diluted with Roger Penske owning the series and the Indianapolis Speedway. Josef Newgarden may need more intensive engineering support than his teammates while the team struggles to recover its former dominance. I'm not opposed to tyre conservation. Alain Prost was a master of coming on strong over the last 20 laps. He was a masterful driver, but control has shifted from the cockpit to the banks of computers in Formula One pit garage recesses and Indycar trailers. I wonder if Pedersen was following orders from the boss to not give way to the race leader. If so, he needs a lesson in manners from a veteran driver less combative than AJ Foyt. Also controversial was Alex Palou's contact with Kyle Kirkwood at Turn 4. NBC has normally excellent expert commentators, both highly skilled race winners but both wrong that Palou had given enough room. It seemed clear he crowded the apex and bumped Kirkwood into a spin. Some glorious times continue to echo after glory changes. In the past, I fully understood the lure of Formula One, which seemed like Mount Olympus in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, but offers dubious advantages for young drivers today. Many talented drivers steeped in European series are resigned to the backwaters of Formula E. F1 cars are faster than any, but somehow the racing is often worse. Alex Palou has won championships worldwide, has many options, and hopefully does what's best for his career. Cheers, Carl Carl, too much power in the hands of one man is never a good thing. And unfortunately this has happened to IndyCar also. The tyre issue in both IndyCar and Formula 1 is the mandatory character. The choice of what tyres to run and how many pit stops to make should be free. And there should always be one tyre available that can run the distance. Then we can see who’s the new Alain Prost. Pedersen’s blocking was strange, whatever the reason. You’re right about the Palou vs Kirkwood moment. At first the Dutch commentator also thought Palou gave enough room but after seeing the inboard from Kirkwood he changed his mind. And he was right, Alex squeezed Kirkwood into a spin. The lure of F1 is still there for most young drivers. Palou, O’Ward and Herta have all done tests in F1 machinery and they were all equally impressed. By the speed of the car, the quality of the drive and the entire entourage and technology. But it’s a harsh world of course. If Palou does make the move to Alpha Tauri, it could ruin his career… or be the start of something great. But if he gets the chance, he’ll take it. Well said. The grande dame of motorsport still holds allure for young men.
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Post by René on Jul 14, 2023 17:12:14 GMT
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Post by Carl on Jul 15, 2023 23:22:24 GMT
Rain threw a major curveball in qualifying at Toronto. In the end it was Christian Lundgaard that conquered the conditions, and earned his second pole of the season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He will be joined on the front row by Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin. Pato O'Ward and Marcus Ericsson will share Row 2 with Felix Rosenqvist and Will Power completing the Firestone Fast Six. All eyes will be on Ericsson and Rosenqvist, as the two Swedish drivers collided on the opening-lap of the last race at Mid-Ohio. Simon Pagenaud missed the race at Mid-Ohio and was not cleared to drive this weekend in Toronto as he continues to recover from his crash. Two-time IMSA champion Tom Blomqvist is filling in for Meyer Shank Racing this weekend, and qualified 20th as he prepares to make a full-time move to the team next season. Four-time and defending race winner Scott Dixon just missed out on the Firestone Fast Six and will start 7th tomorrow, still searching for his first win of the season. Kyle Kirkwood already won on the streets of Long Beach earlier this year, and hopes to duplicate that tomorrow from the 8th starting spot. Romain Grosjean and Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top-ten in qualifying. Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden starts 11th tomorrow, but he certainly knows his way around Exhibition Place. The Team Penske driver has two wins at this circuit, but he clearly did not have the pace that his teammates displayed today. He is one of many drivers trying to keep pace with championship leader Alex Palou, who failed to advance out of the first round of qualifying, just as the rain began to fall. Palou will start 15th tomorrow, easily his worst qualifying effort of the season. Colton Herta will be starting alongside Palou, as the Andretti Autosport driver got knocked out of the second round in qualifying. He was arguably the fastest driver in the two practice sessions, but the conditions leveled the playing field today. His former teammate Alexander Rossi starts 26th, after mechanical issues brought an early end to his qualifying run. The RLL team will bookend the grid as Graham Rahal spun in the wet conditions and will start last. 1 Christian Lundgaard Team Rahal / Honda 2 Scott McLaughlin Team Penske / Chevrolet 3 Pato O'Ward Arrow McLaren / Chevrolet 4 Marcus Ericsson Ganassi Racing / Honda 5 Felix Rosenqvist Arrow McLaren / Chevrolet 6 Will Power Team Penske / Chevrolet 7 Scott Dixon Ganassi Racing / Honda 8 Kyle Kirkwood Andretti Autosport / Honda 9 Romain Grosjean Andretti Autosport / Honda 10 Marcus Armstrong Ganassi Racing / Honda 11 Josef Newgarden Team Penske / Chevrolet 12 Rinus VeeKay Carpenter Racing / Chevrolet 13 Helio Castroneves Meyer Shank Racing / Honda 14 Colton Herta Andretti Autosport / Honda 15 Alex Palou Ganassi Racing / Honda 16 Callum Ilott Juncos Racing / Chevrolet 17 David Malukas Dale Coyne Racing / Honda 18 Agustin Canapino Juncos Racing / Chevrolet 19 Jack Harvey Team Rahal / Honda 20 Tom Blomqvist Meyer Shank Racing / Honda 21 Ryan Hunter-Reay Carpenter Racing / Chevrolet 22 Devlin DeFrancesco Andretti Autosport / Honda 23 Sting Ray Robb Dale Coyne Racing / Honda 24 Santino Ferrucci AJ Foyt Racing / Chevrolet 25 Benjamin Pedersen AJ Foyt Racing / Chevrolet 26 Alexander Rossi Arrow McLaren / Chevrolet 27 Graham Rahal Team Rahal / Honda
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Post by René on Jul 16, 2023 9:48:08 GMT
Great pole for Lundgaard. But what a surprise to see Palou and Herta so far back. They just missed out on their first runs so have some work to do in the race. Will be interesting to follow those two but it's not an easy track for overtaking other cars.
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Post by Carl on Jul 16, 2023 17:06:27 GMT
Great pole for Lundgaard. But what a surprise to see Palou and Herta so far back. They just missed out on their first runs so have some work to do in the race. Will be interesting to follow those two but it's not an easy track for overtaking other cars. Extremely difficult passing has never discouraged a driver with more willpower than sense, drawn by supernatural forces to crash into other cars at the first corner.
Here's a pass to remember at Turn 3 in 1998:
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