Predictions for Bahrain (here we go '06)

[livemusic]

Woot! Go Massa! The BAR's are looking good too, Rubens said the car is understeering too much but I hope they can fix that for tomorrow.

 

[Blake]

Pity we dont get to see it, 👍 to MS. I really hope he is competitive this year. it looks like we will have quite a few drivers fighting for World Champ 👍

Yah, it’s on Channel 10 at 2.30am. Maybe ealier for you, I’m not sure.

That was a really good session, I liked it. Now, to wait 3 hours for the TV version to start.

 

[nitro_2005]

wow, what a session. Massive 👍 to the new format. FIA really hit the spot with it.

 

[Max_DC]

Woot! Go Massa! The BAR's are looking good too, Rubens said the car is understeering too much but I hope they can fix that for tomorrow.

No "BAR"s here anymore.... Honda....

 

[livemusic]

No "BAR"s here anymore.... Honda....

Oh, that's right. Sorry. The STR and McLaren's cars looks nice btw. I didn't like the BMW Sauber one though.

 

[Carl.]

Well, I'm not sure what to think about the new format.

Things I don't like about it:
- It's hard quite to keep up with everything that's happening, until the last minute.
- We aren't sure to see who's really the fastest, since there's no need for the top runners to push as hard in the first two sessions, and in the last we don't know who's running on low fuel or not.
- Too much risks of random events ruining someone's run (traffic, yellow flags near the end of sessions).

Things I like about it:
- There is much more action, for the whole hour.
- Must be a whole lot more fun to watch for local spectators.
- The added variables and restrictions are likely to alter the starting grid, thus helping to avoid boring processions on sunday.

Ideally I'd like to have the same format we had last year, minus the tires and fuel load restrictions. I like being able to see all runs, where everyone made mistakes, and how their driving style compares. It might not be as entertaining for less hardcore viewers, and it's more likely to create procession races though, so the current format might just be a decent compromise.

Oh, and anyone else thinks there's way too much white on current cars?

 

[mentalabc123]

F1 QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS

for those who didnt see the qualyfying

end of session 1: click here

kimi's crash replay(session 1): click here

end of session 3: click here

qualifying results: lclick here



anyway, it was a good session. probably one of the best ive ever seen! i hope the actual race is just as good. and i also hope that M schumacer wins everything again

anyway, i will do coverage and highlights for the main race tomorrow for those who cant watch it

 

[Ev0]

I completely forgot about the new qualifying session.... and I was up early enough to watch it.

Still, sounded like a great session. All Ferrari front row with a slew of other teams immediatley behind him. Hopefully Kimi can get the reliability he deserves so we can see him charge from the back (and see if the FIA did infact make passing easier).

 

[Lee]

Great job by Massa to be only 0.047 off Schumacher, I thought he had pole for a moment.

What happened to the Renaults? They best hope they have more fuel than the cars infront or they might be in for a hard time. Honda showed some promise towards the end of the session, Barrichello I think just needs more time with the car. Nico Rosberg done well in the first session 👍 and Webber done well throughout, Klien put in a awesome effort to get 9th.

Poor Kimi though, I know I don't like McLaren but man, he must have done something wrong in a previous life or something. Heh atleast it means Super Aguri have a car on the 2nd to last row!

I love the new format aswell, much much more action is always a good thing.

 

[livemusic]

Well, the top 10 cars have to tell FIA how much fuel they had at the qualifying, but is that confidential or public information? That would explain Renault's performance.

 

[Carl.]

Great job by Massa to be only 0.047 off Schumacher, I thought he had pole for a moment.

According to him, the only reason he's not on pole is that Fisichella slowed him down on his fastest lap, otherwise he would have been faster.

Regardless, it's a solid performance. 👍


Oh, forgot to add in the "things I like" about the new format: gotta love traffic jams in the pit lane.

 

[amp88]

and see if the FIA did infact make passing easier.

If you're talking about the changes in aerodynamics to decrease the dirty air behind the cars and make overtaking easier, these changes aren't in place yet. The major changes for 2006 are moving to 2.4 V8s from 3 litre V10s and the re-introduction of tyre changes. The tyre changes should (hopefully) increase overtaking (as drivers are less frightened of locking up when braking late to overtake and ruining the rest of their race), but the major change to the aero parts isn't in yet.

 

[Blake]

If you're talking about the changes in aerodynamics to decrease the dirty air behind the cars and make overtaking easier, these changes aren't in place yet. The major changes for 2006 are moving to 2.4 V8s from 3 litre V10s and the re-introduction of tyre changes. The tyre changes should (hopefully) increase overtaking (as drivers are less frightened of locking up when braking late to overtake and ruining the rest of their race), but the major change to the aero parts isn't in yet.

The lower powered engines mean the cars spend longer on the straights, and spend more time in the slipstream, so passing should be easier.

 

[amp88]

The lower powered engines mean the cars spend longer on the straights, and spend more time in the slipstream, so passing should be easier.

It's pretty marginal though, with the higher cornering speeds and shorter braking distances of the lighter cars with stickier rubber.

edit: I suppose we'll see tomorrow for sure, though.

 

[Appie]

it was just an awsome qualifying and think of it that Massa has almost his first pole, and just some awsome sound of the Ferrari's. I hope Kimi can get some points but it will be very hard but it was awsome, i enjoyed it:tup:

 

[Poverty]

F1 QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS

for those who didnt see the qualyfying

end of session 1: click here

kimi's crash replay(session 1): click here

end of session 3: click here

qualifying results: lclick here



anyway, it was a good session. probably one of the best ive ever seen! i hope the actual race is just as good. and i also hope that M schumacer wins everything again

anyway, i will do coverage and highlights for the main race tomorrow for those who cant watch it

Great Job. Whens the grand prix on?

 

[Slick Rick]

Pretty good qualifying, the first two stages were good but i found the last stage a bit confusing and pointless where the cars were just cruising around for the first 5 mins burning fuel although it did get very exciting at the end between Schumacher and Massa. I was very impressed at his performance.
Bad luck for Kimi though. It will be exciting to see him move up the grid.

I think the Williams look good.....visually

 

[Mr. Boy]

Sigh... my cable company blocked qualifying.

The Super Aguris and Midlands were bound to suck. And it looks like one of those seasons for Raikkonen. A job well done by Ferrari and Button. But what the heck is wrong with the Toyotas?

 

[kensei]

Get Kimi a REAL car. For god's sake. If it's not Mercedes/Ilmor dropping the ball it's McLaren's production. God...it's pointless.

Great to see Ferrari do so well. I'm looking forward to seeing MS, Alonso and Kimi (when his car can actually race) race....

Honda did well, I'm warming up to them. Even JB.

Massa! Nice job!

Toyota....how can they keep getting it so wrong. It seems like every race they drop yet more speed. It's sad. I hope they pull it together for Trulli's sake.

Undecided about the new qualifying...I need to see it again.

McMerc....good god!

 

[Greycap]

- I know that this really doesn't belong here but as I got the idea of posting from the 65th pole of MS, I'll put it here. -

These things just have to be said, even if I'm probably going to take a flaming from all the Schumacher fans.

Schumacher has 65 poles now. According to my rough calculations, it took him about 240 races in a top team to get to that figure. Senna did the same in about 150 races.

He has seven championships now, he has driven for 14 years - again in a top team. So, 50% of his years have resulted in winning the championship. Fangio drove for seven and a half years and won five titles. The percentage is 66,7.

So, is Schumacher really the best F1 driver ever, or is it just because he has driven longer in a top team than any driver before?

 

[Kylehnat]

The Super Aguris and Midlands were bound to suck.

Super Aguri should have waited until next year to join. Rushing things did not help them at all. Combine that with using a chassis from a 2002 backmarker.... Dreadfully slow.

 

[zoxxy]

Anyone heard anything about the rear wing of Schumacher? Renault says that it changes shape during heavy downforce and thus improving aerodynamics - alot. I've only read it on a hungarian site so I dunno if it's any point posting link.

I'm glad to see Micheal back, and Massa improving. 👍

 

[amp88]

- I know that this really doesn't belong here but as I got the idea of posting from the 65th pole of MS, I'll put it here. -

These things just have to be said, even if I'm probably going to take a flaming from all the Schumacher fans.

Schumacher has 65 poles now. According to my rough calculations, it took him about 240 races in a top team to get to that figure. Senna did the same in about 150 races.

He has seven championships now, he has driven for 14 years - again in a top team. So, 50% of his years have resulted in winning the championship. Fangio drove for seven and a half years and won five titles. The percentage is 66,7.

So, is Schumacher really the best F1 driver ever, or is it just because he has driven longer in a top team than any driver before?

I agree with you in part, he has had a long career and has been in a very good car for parts of it, but then so have most of the multiple champions.

I'm a big Schumacher fan, but I can't say he's the best driver ever. I'd say he's easily the best current driver though...

You only have to watch spain 1996 to see he's not an ordinary type of driver.

 

[Kylehnat]

Anyone heard anything about the rear wing of Schumacher? Renault says that it changes shape during heavy downforce and thus improving aerodynamics - alot. I've only read it on a hungarian site so I dunno if it's any point posting link.

I'm sure Ferrari would be happy to point out Renault's wobbly mirrors, which surely constitute "active aerodynamics"

 

[Brett]

Well other than the front row, it looks like the entire top half of the field is pretty split up between teammates. I was hoping to watch the qualifying, but it shown at 05:00 here and there just was no way I was going to wake up for that. It also looks like SPEED no longer replays the qualifying either, at least not for this race. Hopefully they will change that for the rest of the races of the year. (Especially looking at today's programming, two hours of Unique Whips! Who watches that crap? Seriously!)

It is also looking like I am not going to catch the race live tomorrow either, as it starts at 05:00. At least the replay is at 11:30 and will make catching that easy.

Looks to be a great season! 👍

 

[Kylehnat]

Well other than the front row, it looks like the entire top half of the field is pretty split up between teammates. I was hoping to watch the qualifying, but it shown at 05:00 here and there just was no way I was going to wake up for that. It also looks like SPEED no longer replays the qualifying either, at least not for this race. Hopefully they will change that for the rest of the races of the year. (Especially looking at today's programming, two hours of Unique Whips! Who watches that crap? Seriously!)

Wuss!! I stayed up to watch qualifying When I was younger, I would always watch all of the races live (most of which were at 4 am). I'm not that adventurous anymore, but this weekend I feel up for it

Not only is there plenty of Unique Whips on, but the obligitory 10 hours of NASCAR coverage as well.

 

[Brett]

Oh thanks for the wuss comment! 👍 I went to bed around 03:00 last night, there is no way I was going to roll my butt out of bed and turn the TV on at 05:00. It just wasn't going to happen. I also don't really see it happening for the race tomorrow morning. I'm not much of a morning person and it makes following F1 hard, but I still manage to catch all but one or two races of the year.

Surprisingly, today is not dominated by NASCAR coverage on SPEED. But instead a variety of still less than interesting stuff. 👎

 

[Blake]

Ok, now I’ve seen it on TV and I really like the new format. The last 20 minutes could be a little bit better, but at least with Live Timing you get to see how consistant the cars are. Renault, for example, were running the same sort of pace as everybody else while they were burning fuel, but had nothing on the hot laps…

I’m happy for Ferrari—it means kensei and I were actually right!

Toyota is a big suprise. You really have to hope the B car has a lot better performance….

I worry about Super Aguri, they are so slow, and Ide is really inconsistant. I can see Super Aguri ending someone elses race, today.

 

[Kylehnat]

Oh thanks for the wuss comment! 👍 I went to bed around 03:00 last night, there is no way I was going to roll my butt out of bed and turn the TV on at 05:00. It just wasn't going to happen. I also don't really see it happening for the race tomorrow morning. I'm not much of a morning person and it makes following F1 hard, but I still manage to catch all but one or two races of the year.

You're very welcome I admit, 5:00 am is kind of a horrible time. I'm only able to watch the weekend live this time, because it's on at 3, not 4 or 5, like most of the European races. I'll get mine next week though. The race in Malaysia will be on at 11PM Saturday, the same day I have to get up at 4am to fly to California

 

[Omnis]

Schumacher is the best champion of F1. Senna is the best racer, and Fangio is the best driver.