If you’ve not had a look at the comment thread from yesterday’s post on Mark Webber’s crash, check it out, it’s a great read.
Here’s today’s round-up:
Links
“I was preparing myself for a big shunt” (ESPN)
“As [Schumacher and Barrichello] came into view I started firing off the shots and was preparing myself for a big shunt. It’s amazing how close he got to the wall and you can probably get a better idea of the distance from my photos than on TV, because I was positioned head-on. It was a great sequence of shots and as far as I know nobody else got them. Afterwards someone wrote on my Facebook page that I should have gone to see if there were any tyre marks on the wall but it took so long to run to the podium and then to the press conference that I didn’t have time.”
Haug: No doubt Mercedes will win again (Autosport)
“We have cut down our budget dramatically. We are still in Formula 1, while other manufactures are no longer in Formula 1, so we still think this is a great platform, so things are positive. The results are not positive. Sometimes a third place like at Silverstone is a little consolation, not when you want to win. But all in all I can say that we can get the job done.”
Comment of the day
Why are gravel run-offs increasingly being replaced with tarmac? Jarno Zaffelli, a professional mechanical engineer who works on race track risk assessment and circuit design, explains:
The tarmac/gravel run-off debate has lasted for many years. Basically FIA wants all-tarmac everywhere. FIM [Governing body of motorcycle racing] doesn’t. FIA’s thinking is that in the most cases tarmac prevent cars from rolling (and allow to recover from mistakes) and decrease braking space (supposing that all brakes, suspension, tyres and aero are functioning). So where the FIA can they deploy all-tarmac run-off.
The problem occurs when there is a total loss of control. In any case where a mechanical failure occurs (remember Natacha Gachnang’s Abu Dhabi crash) tarmac run-offs are simply pointless.
The Holy Grail is to balance the dimension of tarmac and gravel. There is not always a good solution. Depending on the corner, what the purpose is, what you have to slow (vehicle or rider), you need to assess risks and design the run-off to suit at best your provisional needs.
But very few racetracks now are designed that way. That’s why we see so many tarmac around.
Jarno Zaffelli
From the forum
W-K asks whether the summer break is good or bad.
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Happy birthday to Vitantonio Liuzzi who is 29 today!
adam mason
6th August 2010, 0:24
Damm,I didnt get a chance to watch te press conf,I quite like the post race press conferences.
adam mason
6th August 2010, 0:26
Damm,got a little spelling wrong there
Enigma
6th August 2010, 0:37
5 years ago Mark Webber paid 500,000 € for Will Power’s season in World series by Renault: http://bit.ly/cj9bW0
Macca
6th August 2010, 5:09
Wow, thankyou for that Enigma. I had not known about that story before now and reading it just makes me relise how proud I am to be an Aussie.
Eric
6th August 2010, 6:39
that is awesome of Mark, and to now think hes helping a young Kiwi to move ahead, what a guy.
it would be great to know if any other Drivers support there fellow up and coming talented drivers with such dedication,
David-A (@david-a)
6th August 2010, 14:15
I thought Power was Australian also?
Enigma (@enigma)
6th August 2010, 15:44
He’s also helping someone else from New Zealand, that’s what @Eric ment I guess.
BasCB
6th August 2010, 7:19
Makes a real great character of Webber to do and think like he does.
Patrickl
6th August 2010, 10:27
Wow that’s amazing.
Guess he’s trying to set himself up for a manager job once he’s finished racing.
LAK
6th August 2010, 1:50
Does it make sense to put tarmac first and then some gravel before the barriers or wall? This was if the tarmac isn’t enough to slow down the car, hopefully the gravel will.. Of course this can only be done in some turns, or huge run off areas, but it should make it better..
Patrickl
6th August 2010, 10:24
Yeah I thought that was pretty much the standard already.
macahan
6th August 2010, 3:14
Keith.. Just a FYI today is my birthday ;) Guess I never told you so your off the hook.. ;)
Mike
6th August 2010, 4:55
I think Merc will go the way of Toyota, reading this, it’s a Merc wins or we leave situation, Which isn’t very good at all, I’m fast losing interest in the Merc team, only the drivers are really keeping me interested.
Mike
6th August 2010, 5:37
I also had meant to say Happy Birthday!
BasCB
6th August 2010, 7:20
So happy birthday macahan!
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
6th August 2010, 4:03
Can I just say thanks to anyone who complimented my afrticle yesterday. It was muchos appreciated :) And thanks to Keith for providing a platform for my inane ramblings!
Oh, and happy birthday Macahan!
IDR (@idr)
6th August 2010, 7:11
I did not comment but great reading. I enjoyed so much. Thanks a lot Ned.
John H
6th August 2010, 8:50
Well done Ned. Really well written article that I enjoyed. Thanks.
Robert McKay
6th August 2010, 10:54
Ditto to that, good stuff Ned.
Spud (@)
6th August 2010, 20:43
Great article Ned. Well written and very informative. Fair play fella.
Steve K
6th August 2010, 4:15
Great investment by Webber. Power is off to a large lead in Indycar and has the road couse title all wrapped up. If he holds his own on the remaining ovals he will be champ. With Webber leading the F1 points standings, we could have two Aussie champs. Match race?
David-A (@david-a)
6th August 2010, 4:34
So far this year, they both have 4 wins as well.
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
6th August 2010, 4:56
I’m not sure about WP in Indy cars, but for some reason I’m convinced Webber won’t win the title this season. Although, then again, I never expected him to win again after the German GP last season, so I’m probably completely wrong!
Macca
6th August 2010, 5:12
I’m really hoping that Webber and Power can combine and race for Australia at the next Race Of Champions meeting.
Eric
6th August 2010, 6:57
if the Brabham could only get a team up and running again in F1 im sure he would support Down/under hopefuls.
matt90
6th August 2010, 10:32
Those photos weren’t head on at all. The angle just makes it look even closer than it actually was.
Dan Thorn
6th August 2010, 11:03
Four years ago today, Jenson Button won his first race, resulting in the most calm, impartial piece of commentary ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wif3Kr0y5js
W154
6th August 2010, 12:57
He ALMOST sounds as excited as Australia’s Darryl Eastlake was when Nine Network broadcast F1 in the 80’s and 90’s.
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
6th August 2010, 13:38
Haha that was embarrassing…
DGR-F1
6th August 2010, 13:21
Good points by Jarno: Does this mean its possible to have part tarmac/part gravel in the corners so that cars can recover, but bikes and out of control cars are slowed down? Also, does this mean the track designers are getting too dependent on the passive safety features in racing cars, and the use of clever tyre walls instead of old fashioned friction to protect the drivers?
On Mercedes: Although the F1 team might be creating some negative PR for the manufacturer, I have always thought that if you wanted a Mercedes, you would go and buy one, no matter how their racing prospects are looking. The same goes for Ferraris, BMWs and Renaults too (in fact any manufacturer). If you can only get inspired to buy a car by watching a totally unrelated piece of metal on a racetrack, you must be very sad indeed. And how do you choose your washing machine? :-)
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
6th August 2010, 13:44
Mercedes GP is effectively just a really expensive advert for Mercedes cars. Therer may be no real connection between the two, but the Mercedes brand benefits just by being in F1.
It’s kind of subconcious- you’d never really think ‘Mercedes are doing well so I’m gonna go buy one’, but if you keep hearing them spoken of positively, presumably you’d be more likely to buy one of their cars. That’s how advertising works I suppose
DGR-F1
6th August 2010, 14:47
So its a good thing they have stayed in DTM then, I suppose :-)
f1yankee
7th August 2010, 17:28
“win on sunday, sell on monday”
BasCB (@bascb)
6th August 2010, 20:14
It seems the FIA is finally coming to a desicion about the 13th spot for next year.
According to German “Motorsport-Total.com” the FIA will meet with the entrants next week on friday the 13th (fitting for the 13th entry!).
http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/splitter/2010/08/13_Startplatz_FIA_trifft_sich_mit_Bewerbern_10080402.html
Alexf1man
7th August 2010, 14:37
Button won on this day in 2006, but it wasn’t posted with Liuzzi’s birthday!