2013 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

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prisonermonkeys
So, a NASCAR race, then?
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Provided it's a NASCAR race on ordinary non-oval racetrack. Oval racing was invented for people with insomnia, as an alternative to sheep counting.
 
Heikki is back in F1! But only as a test driver, and supposedly only for the next two rounds:
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...i-Kovalainen-is-to-rejoin-as-a-reserve-driver

https://twitter.com/MyCaterhamF1/status/324394177855115264

In related news, Alexander Rossi (one of the US's few F1 hopes), is no longer Caterham's F1 test driver, and will now be racing with Caterham on their GP2 team. Rossi was scheduled to do FP1 testing in place of VDG for Bahrain and Spain. Ma Qing is losing his seat in GP2.

There were rumors of this happening last week. Speculation goes that if he does really well against the backmarkers (which, well yeah, he will), then he could get his raceseat back come Spain.

It does make it abundantly clear that money was the motivating factor change of driver line-up.

I wonder if Kovalainen had an inkling this might happen and purposefully didn’t line up any opportunities elsewhere?
 
Wardez
Heikki is back in F1! But only as a test driver, and supposedly only for the next two rounds:
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...i-Kovalainen-is-to-rejoin-as-a-reserve-driver
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Well, that's pretty much an admission that they screwed up their driver line-up. Pic and van der Garde have been nothing but underwhelming so far, and Jules Bianchi has run rings around them.

Wardez
It does make it abundantly clear that money was the motivating factor change of driver line-up.

I wonder if Kovalainen had an inkling this might happen and purposefully didn’t line up any opportunities elsewhere?
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Is that you, Keith?
 
I had the same thoughts as he did in his comment on the F1 Fanatic blog post. I could've paraphrased it, but I just copy and pasted it. He does make a great point though doesn't he?

I've stolen everything else I've ever said about anything in F1 from different people on different forums, and comments. For every other plagiarism you find, I'll add another frown to this sad face! :(
 
Wardez
I've stolen everything else I've ever said about anything in F1 from different people on different forums, and comments.
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That's disappointing, to say the least.

How about you try expressing your actual thoughts for once, instead of implying that the ideas of others - particularly professional journalists, like Keith Collantine - are your own?
 
Lighten up, I'm kidding. I just got lazy and lifted that particular comment. You'll probably say, " Don't wanna waste my time," but for anyone interested, do a quick Google search with any of my previous F1-related posts and you'll find nothing but GTP and Reddit with my handle, or possibly @PureRacingEvolution.

Everyone lifts an opinion here or there from different sources. I'm not gonna feel off about it.
 
"Plagiarism is the highest form of flattery." David Eddings via Belgarath

Maybe he thought the same things but since others already published....

Timing is everything.

But like he said, "lighten up".
:)
 
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prisonermonkeys
That's disappointing, to say the least.

How about you try expressing your actual thoughts for once, instead of implying that the ideas of others - particularly professional journalists, like Keith Collantine - are your own?
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How you didn't catch that barrel full of sarcasm I don't know.
 
👍

@Dragonwhisky
Thanks.

How to potentially fix qualifying in current F1:
http://www.f1plus.com/en/news/item/3531-improving-the-quality-of-qualifying

I thought this was a great article bringing up some of the points and ideas we've been bouncing around recently with regards to making qualifying more exciting and all that.

I don't agree to giving out a point for pole... Starting on pole (should) be enough reward.
 
Yeah, but if your name's Webber, starting on pole just means you're gonna get shuffled back to 4th, 5th or 6th by the first turn. ;)
 
It's relevant in the sense that China qualifying was a bore, drivers are complaining. The article points out some of the reasons why.
Pirelli's switched their option compound from Soft to Mediums for Bahrain and we'll hopefully see more than a lap or two from the drivers in Q3 this Saturday. Compare and contrast, always pertinent.

Obviously the tires are still going to wear down as quickly as always, but the main point is to simply allow the drivers more time for more flyers, which they will get in Bahrain, to a small degree.
 
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Well they are bringing an extra set of tyres for use in P1 from Spain onwards so it's a start.
 
I thougt that extra set was only meant to be used by 3rd or 4th team drivers? Haven't followed developments on that closely, so I may be wrong.
 
(F)P1 is when young driver are driving so yeah you're right but SimonK is as well.
 
It allows reserve/test drivers to get more miles in P1 but yes, it's an extra tyre for every car.
 
Fixing qualifying is easy.

Q1 & Q2 work as now.

Q3 go back to single shot qualifying runs one car at a time. Slowest Q2 qualifier goes first, fastest Q2 qualifier goes last.
 
Tired Tyres
Fixing qualifying is easy.

Q1 & Q2 work as now.

Q3 go back to single shot qualifying runs one car at a time. Slowest Q2 qualifier goes first, fastest Q2 qualifier goes last.
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This would probably fix it yeah I like the idea at least.
 
Tired Tyres
Fixing qualifying is easy.

Q1 & Q2 work as now.

Q3 go back to single shot qualifying runs one car at a time. Slowest Q2 qualifier goes first, fastest Q2 qualifier goes last.
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The only problem with that style of qualifying is that track conditions can change a lot over that time. You could end up with people on pole not because they were fastest or made the right calls, but simply because they got to run first or last when the conditions were best, especially if it rains.

I prefer the open session style almost all series use because of this reason as at least then the guy on pole made the right calls when to run in the session.

Honestly, qualifying isn't broken.
 
It's true that in wet to dry condition it wouldnt be fair.
 
Its the same when its dry too - track evolution can be quite dramatic depending on the type of track surface, the ambient temperatures and the behaviour of the tyres.
 
Yes that really isn't fair. All they need to do is two things, make sure they're not scared to use their tyres and make sure people have an incentive to get into Q3 and then qualify at full pace. At the moment you're at an advantage if you either don't get to Q3 or if you get there and sit it out.
 
Really? The last race the top 10 in qualifying were the top 10 at the end of the race, with only Rosberg suffering a retirment and Di Resta sneaking into the top 10.
Track position is still very important, especially at the start of the race when the leaders can build their gaps while others fight.
 
Ardius
Its the same when its dry too - track evolution can be quite dramatic depending on the type of track surface, the ambient temperatures and the behaviour of the tyres.
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That's the point of going in reverse order of Q2 for Q3. With each lap the track would get more rubbered in. Therefore the last one to go, the fastest qualifier, would get the best circuit conditions. That's fine. He's earned that by being fastest on Q2.

Changes in the weather are an issue, but you can still get caught on the wrong tyres at the wrong time in any session anyway so you would just have to accept the situation.
 
SimonK
At the moment you're at an advantage if you either don't get to Q3 or if you get there and sit it out.
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If you're aiming for a 5+ position ok, if you're aiming for the podium, you have to be in Q3 or be very lucky with weather/security car like we saw several times last year.

The frustration comes because drivers dont do enough lap during qualification to make it really exciting. Usually it's one or two flying lap and we're done. But unless they change the tyre system completely I dont see it changing.
 
Tired Tyres
That's the point of going in reverse order of Q2 for Q3. With each lap the track would get more rubbered in. Therefore the last one to go, the fastest qualifier, would get the best circuit conditions. That's fine. He's earned that by being fastest on Q2.
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Then that will inevitably mean the last qualifier will tend to set the fastest time, making the session redundant. If that's the idea, why not just use the result of Q2 for the grid?
The current Q3 format works better than that.

Tired Tyres
Changes in the weather are an issue, but you can still get caught on the wrong tyres at the wrong time in any session anyway so you would just have to accept the situation.
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Yes but at least its your choice that created that situation, rather than being forced to run at the wrong time in the session.
I can just seeing it creating this constant debate of "well I would have gone faster if I could have run later/earlier", etc.

I just don't see what the benefits are, it doesn't challenge the drivers more and it doesn't shake the results up. Nor does it really change the strategy for the races and it actually creates an even more unfair result.
 
You would still have to do the lap though.

It's meant as a solution to the current situation where drivers deliberately don't bother setting Q3 times.
 
But that doesn't really apply does it except for midfield teams usually? I see that as a result of the tyres and the limits on the number of sets, not because of the qualifying system.

Plus I think the teams learnt (again, I don't know why some teams have to learn this still :lol:) last weekend that track position is still key even if strategy wise you might lose out. Vettel finished 4th from 8th (and Button 5th from 7th) but it wasn't the best way to win the race.
Vettel could have been near the front row and may well have thought for the win if he had qualified in Q3.

Button however didn't have much choice, he was going to start 7th regardless and the same for Hulkenburg. However, Sauber totally screwed up Hulk's strategy like they always bloody do.

I hope people recognise this year how poor Sauber are with their strategies because I had enough of it the last 3 years screwing over Kobayashi and Perez with poor calls. I hope Hulk doesn't damage his career too much driving for them.
 
Neither Sauber or Force India do very well at strategy. :ouch:
 
It can simply be fixed by introducing a rule whereby your Q3 time must be within X time of your Q2 time. If you don't set a time or drive slowly just to set a time at all you get a 5 place grid penalty.

Fixed.
 
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