Formula 1 2014

i am still gutted for lewis. im nico fan but im really rooting for lewis too, cuz im not like biased fan where i just support one driver.

i think both nico, and lewis are equally talented.. and i hear a lot from outside that nico is not a good driver and lewis gets more credit.

but for me, both are equally talented, both are equally respectful and they will thrive in this team.. for sure! so i m hoping 1-2 finish...

whom do i want to win??? ... driver who does the best throughout the weekend..

Ricciardo got let down badly.

Ferrari had problems with their electronics all race which meant they weren't getting full power. I think they will improve soon.

Fastest lap:

Nico Rosberg 1:32.4, on lap 19 (~100 liters fuel onboard)



Second fastest lap:

Valtteri Bottas 1:32.5, on lap 56 (almost no fuel onboard)
  


Mercedes!!  

Forza wrote:Ricciardo got let down badly.

Ferrari had problems with their electronics all race which meant they weren't getting full power. I think they will improve soon.

absolutely..

my driver of the day was riccardo and maguesson..

how cocky red bull can be thinking oh we are right FIA is wrong... plus it was not as if after post race FIA found it wrong that red bull breached the rule...

FIA warned them over throughout the race, and they CHOSE to ignore FIA warning lol..
FIA 's delegate jo bauer posted the statement saying red bull over consumed the fuel consistently throughout the race.

super gutted for riccardo because Magnuesson and Jenson apart... everyone were a little far away and riccardo could have gone home with handful of points, or even podium...

if i was stewart, i would have given riccardo drop to 4th... and given red bull 0 points.. considering that he only had competitive advantage over maguesson and button...

maybe data says otherwise... who knows how much riccardo would have fallen with fuel saving mode

Merc had also planned to bring their revised front wing for this race, in which it is said it would have given them extra 0.2 per lap... lol.. it apparently failed the FIA mandatory crash test.. so they are in the process of revising and could bring in malaysia.

but they did have updated spec of front wing, only used in practice

when i see merc power unit mounted teams finishing well below 25+ second and that was also because of SC, it could have been worse...

merc car is just more than power unit... but i hope they keep on developing because i am under any circumstances never underestimating the likes of mclaren red bull ferrari and also lotus!

JespSwe wrote:Fastest lap:

Nico Rosberg 1:32.4, on lap 19 (~100 liters fuel onboard)



Second fastest lap:

Valtteri Bottas 1:32.5, on lap 56 (almost no fuel onboard)
  


Mercedes!!  

Save to say that all the lap records on established F1 circuits will never be broken again.
The lap record for the Melbourne Circuit at Albert Park is something like 1min 24sec by Michael Schumacher.

Well at least though, Schumacher has most of those records so it'll go down in his name. Most probably Formula One's greatest F1 driver ever.

Schumacher raced in a time where there was little competition. Much like Vettel of the last few seasons. I don't know if I'd call him the greatest ever, He is certainly a great but I think there are other drivers who could be considered better.

Kick wrote:Schumacher raced in a time where there was little competition. Much like Vettel of the last few seasons. I don't know if I'd call him the greatest ever, He is certainly a great but I think there are other drivers who could be considered better.

ferrari was in the era ... who stole talents from benetton, during the start of schumacher era (ross brawn, rory bryne, plus so many good engineers worked under them.. the likes of aldo costa, nicolas tombazis, james allisson, list goes on..) plus they poured in excess of almost half a billlion, had excess of more than 700 employees in the team, 200-300 more than any other best teams!!, not to mention no engine development freeze( they were putting so much money on engine development according to what i have heard.. almost half of the budget), unlimited testing allowed, so they were testing the car anytime they want in their own private track (other teams dont even have their own private track), bridgetstone tailored tires, no to mention, barichello had to forfeit so many of his chances to schumacher. ferrari had no money problems cause their sponsors back then were happy to pay them 50-60 million a year

i have heard some strange talks from old days that, just to have small sponsor on schumacher's cap he was paid multimillions....



i have high regards for schumacher, but i would put the likes of Senna, Prost, Mansell, Lauda, Stewart, Hunt, Haikkinen ahead of him.

statistically he is the greatest driver ever, but based on putting  with others ... hmmm im sorry schumacher, i cant put him anywhere near drivers i have listed.

El Gunner wrote:

JespSwe wrote:Fastest lap:

Nico Rosberg 1:32.4, on lap 19 (~100 liters fuel onboard)



Second fastest lap:

Valtteri Bottas 1:32.5, on lap 56 (almost no fuel onboard)
  


Mercedes!!  

Save to say that all the lap records on established F1 circuits will never be broken again.
The lap record for the Melbourne Circuit at Albert Park is something like 1min 24sec by Michael Schumacher.

Well at least though, Schumacher has most of those records so it'll go down in his name. Most probably Formula One's greatest F1 driver ever.

i think the time should be even faster.... i havent checked.

but that was due to V10 engine!! plus ferrari had so much resources so much than any other nearest competitors ... ferrari wasnt even in the fair competition..

with all due respect to schumacher, he is not the greatest driver ever... he is probably down after so many others)...

Schumacher won also with Benetton ...
for me what has done Schumacher with Ferrari can't be reduced only to the period 2000 in then, the period of the victories ...those victories were simply the result of a great previous job who began with the arrival of Schumacher.
You can understand it only if you remember what was the Ferrari before of Schumacher.
In 90's the  Ferrari was became a scrub team ( Alesi - Capelli / Berger...), it was an event if it could win just a race.

Ferrari had a period of no victories for 67 races !, ,stopped just with Alesi in 1995.

in a very short time Schumacher took a scrub team to  go one step from victory, although Williams or McLaren were definitely better than Ferrari.
1996-1999 was a period of great growth thanks to Schumacher who did not win the world for too much jinx .

It seemed like a curse.

in 1997 Ferrari missed the final win waited for  long 18 years just to last race , Schumacher had 1 point on Villenueve but he had an accident and he was even banned.

In 1998 usual jinx in last race to Suzuka, but expecially how to forget that crash Coulthard - Schumacher to SPA (13th grand prix) ? The sliding door of the World Championship 1998, Schumacher would have finished the race as 1st and he would have won that year at the end. It was a typical bastardy by Coulthard (McLaren pilot...) who suddenly slowed ( Schumi was lapping him) so as to crash with the German. I remember Schumi wanted to beat him to the box

1999 --- Silverstone. He would have been the champion of the world without that accident.

It seemed a curse but at the end Schumacher reaped what you sowed . That great Ferrari was the result of a job born since 1997 and the importance of Schumi can't be reduced only to the pilot, he was as a test pilot .
A  genius of Formula 1. Noone knew the Formula 1 as him.

Definitely not comparable to others as Hakkinen tbh

Robespierre wrote:Schumacher won also with Benetton ...
for me what has done Schumacher with Ferrari can't be reduced only to the period 2000 in then, the period of the victories ...those victories were simply the result of a great previous job who began with the arrival of Schumacher.
You can understand it only if you remember what was the Ferrari before of Schumacher.
In 90's the  Ferrari was became a scrub team ( Alesi - Capelli / Berger...), it was an event if it could win just a race.

Ferrari had a period of no victories for 67 races !, ,stopped just with Alesi in 1995.

in a very short time Schumacher took a scrub team to  go one step from victory, although Williams or McLaren were definitely better than Ferrari.
1996-1999 was a period of great growth thanks to Schumacher who did not win the world for too much jinx .

It seemed like a curse.

in 1997 Ferrari missed the final win waited for  long 18 years just to last race , Schumacher had 1 point on Villenueve but he had an accident and he was even banned.

In 1998 usual jinx in last race to Suzuka, but expecially how to forget that crash Coulthard - Schumacher to SPA (13th grand prix) ? The sliding door of the World Championship 1998, Schumacher would have finished the race as 1st and he would have won that year at the end. It was a typical bastardy by Coulthard (McLaren pilot...) who suddenly slowed ( Schumi was lapping him) so as to crash with the German. I remember Schumi wanted to beat him to the box

1999 --- Silverstone. He would have been the champion of the world without that accident.

It seemed a curse but at the end Schumacher reaped what you sowed . That great Ferrari was the result of a job born since 1997 and the importance of Schumi can't be reduced only to the pilot, he was as a test pilot .
A  genius of Formula 1. Noone knew the Formula 1 as him.

Definitely not comparable to others as Hakkinen tbh

no teams had previlege that ferrari had.. when it comes to resources, sponsors, talents they got from other teams...

mclaren were in worse shape than ferrari... if you dont know ... right after williams started dominating, mclaren couldnt keep up , until Mercedes came to frame and started investing and not just in engine, but mclaren too. thats why hakkinen had to wait for so long until he started winning... as soon as newey joined mclaren from williams, and paddy lowe from williams again, mclaren became great. newey is a genius and if he had kind of resources that ferrari had... i doubt ferrari would have won lol seriously..

kind of like now, newey has total control in red bull and brings whatever people he wants and wherever he wants to invest.. and paddy lowe was crucial to mclaren in building R&D at mclaren. but they really didnt have money that ferrari was throwing...

of over 500 million of budget about almost 50% ferrari was throwing in engine... and others in unlimited testing and aerodynamics...

ferrari is perhaps the only team there who has powerful resources and people to compete with red bull..yet they cant even build podium winning car.

ferrari were atleast in rebuilding phase, and they were pouring so much money that other teams could only dream of. and besides.. unlimited testing and tires played role too. rory bryne said that ferrari didnt even had a decent windtunnel back then and they really had to invest so much in R&D department.


i would put the 80s drivers and hakkinen ahead of him anyday... because ferrari had competitive advantage due to vast resources, tires, unlimited testing.

yes he is a legend but is he better than the likes of Senna Prost .. no..

let me reiterate... over 500 million budget, unlimited private testing, unlimited engine development, and there is tire factors, over 700 employees in a team compared to 400-500 people.. thats almost more than 200 people extra... big name sponsors, ferrari had everything they want to be dominant, they had competitive advantage over rivals... when you think that they had car who can lap the second dominant team ... like mclaren by almost a lap.. then you know that its more a car than driver.

thats why when you look at prost and senna they could be comparable because in same car and had no team orders and hence deemed who to be greater..

when renault came up with clever mass damper that gave them really competitive advantage schumacher couldnt do anything.
thats why its never about just drivers... nowadays our last 2 decade of f1 has been really about both drivers and cars.. unfortunately... and not solely drivers like back in 80s where it was just about pure racing ... drivers really had to fight cars

now back in late 90s technology has been developing so fast, with advanced aerodynamics and mechanical engineering coming to play to aid drivers so things would become so much easier.. like traction control for example, active suspension, or mass damper, or double diffuser, ground effects was banned in early days because of competitive advantage.. just not long ago the EBD..

the development of CFDs technology, and advanced windtunnel technology, has made things more of f1 more of car than drivers.. thats why FIA has been trying to ban so many technologies so that drivers involvement come to play more. but engineers always come up with some crazy loopholes thats why they get paid more.

Well fair enough.
I don't know much about the older drivers Prost, Senna, etc. But I just know Michael Schumacher is the reason I started watching F1, so he is my GOAT.

I can't say I am overly educated on them either, I am just going off what I read and what Father who has been watching since the 70's.

He does rate Senna as the greatest ever.

El Gunner wrote:Well fair enough.
I don't know much about the older drivers Prost, Senna, etc. But I just know Michael Schumacher is the reason I started watching F1, so he is my GOAT.

im so sorry for just putting so much statistics to make it look like michael after all is not so great..


but he is great! because he had this win mentality!!i mean i know drivers who had really good car to compete with and didnt quite delivered when matters most! but ferrari could count on him!! its both team and him and lot of other factors too but yea mean michael is one of those really strong mentality driver!!

so he is definitely one of the best champions on f1...

best ever... i mean i also hear from people who have watched for so long that the likes of senna, lauda, graham hill, so on .. were great.


back then they didnt have technology they could benefit from.. well atleast not quite as advanced as now... so driver had so much to do. ... and even risk their life...

Kick wrote:I can't say I am overly educated on them either, I am just going off what I read and what Father who has been watching since the 70's.

He does rate Senna as the greatest ever.

yea most current and past drivers rate senna as the best ever. and followed by the likes of fangio and lauda

http://i.minus.com/iulMVKqU10Oic.gif


how maldonaldo didnt get blackflagged is beyond me.. he should have been banned. he just got 10 sec stop and go pit lane penalty and 5 grid place penalty in China with 3 points off in his license.

great race, great battle, great win for lewis but hats off to both lewis and nico for some great wheel to wheel battle. just like senna and prost.

podium for force india and pretty good day for riccardo.

so sorry for ferrari...

Pastor Maldonado has still not learned how to drive safely and not push his opponents off the course. I really wonder why he still gets a drive - the money he brings cannot outweigh the costs of the scrap metal he produces. And I don't even talk about the danger for the health and life of the other drivers yet!

rwo power wrote:Pastor Maldonado has still not learned how to drive safely and not push his opponents off the course. I really wonder why he still gets a drive - the money he brings cannot outweigh the costs of the scrap metal he produces. And I don't even talk about the danger for the health and life of the other drivers yet!

we could have potentially heard very sad news in bahrain gp. that was serious stuff there. maybe the air inlets just kinda protected gutierrez from getting straight upside down contact towards the track. he could have had serious head or neck injury...

if i was steward.. no question about it i would have Disqualified him and banned him for next race...

just careless driving.

absolutely rwo power... he and his money has been more demerit to sport than merit... not only that it is depriving f1 from getting talents... we are seeing some hopelessly careless driving. thank god gutierrez is safe.. i havent seen this kind of danger since mark webber catapult in valencia or .. kubica's accident in canada in 2005.

safety is still paramount .. f1 will seriously loose credibility if someone will loose life in the name of sports and entertainment..

when riccardo gets like 10 place grid penalty just because of unsafe release in pit wall no fault of his own...... maldonaldo almost caused a serious scenario today...

this is why FIA stewards penalty decisions are b.s.

great start to the season for Mercedes and Hamilton!

knew Lewis would come back strong this year after a full season under his belt with his new team

Ferrari is crap. Ricciardo though

Another pathetic race. Formula 1 was already being ruined by that awful gremlin Ecclestone yet Jean Todt's decision to turn the vehicles into GREEN and quiet cars resembling Prius' has further sterilized of what was once a great motorsport. Already the fueling conservation is bad enough yet making cars green to appease the PC organizations and muffling the noise with these pathetic engines are making me sick.

Seb Vettel was absolutely right to criticize the engines as "shit".

Bahrain has turned into another Abu Dhabi. Flat, sterile and dogless race.

Wake me up when F1 grows a pair.

Arquitescu wrote:Another pathetic race. Formula 1 was already being ruined by that awful gremlin Ecclestone yet Jean Todt's decision to turn the vehicles into GREEN and quiet cars resembling Prius' has further sterilized of what was once a great motorsport. Already the fueling conservation is bad enough yet making cars green to appease the PC organizations and muffling the noise with these pathetic engines are making me sick.

Seb Vettel was absolutely right to criticize the engines as "shit".

Bahrain has turned into another Abu Dhabi. Flat, sterile and dogless race.

Wake me up when F1 grows a pair.

it was not jean todt..but WMSC and f1 stakeholders as well as all engine manufacturers agreed upon turbo era... had top teams vetoed this.. this would have never happened!

seb says engine is shit because he is not winning... if he were to be in one of the mercs.. winning will he say that... fk no! no offense to him but thats hypocrite of him to say that engine is shit... its renault fault for not doing their homework... they had plenty and plenty of time... more than 3 years!!!


besides... with all due respect to ferrari fans because i have high regards for ferrari and kimi and alonso.. but luca de montezemolo was crying out loud for turbo engine... he couldnt stand for red bull domination saying that "we build engines, not aeroplanes!" and ferrari were the team who was vocal than any engine manufacturer looking for turbo era!  there were super vocal about it...
if i feel anything sorry i feel sorry for ferrari fans who has been really patient!!!!! and i feel sorry for ferrari staffs ... yes they really work hard and they are under lot of pressure.. but i donnt feel sorry for guys like Pat Fry Domenicali and LDM..

Ferrari even was incredibly stupid to fire Aldo Costa... one of the best mechanical designer... when the car didnt win... they were pouring all the blame on aldo alone!!!! poor him... the guy has been huge part of success in ferrari era... they absolutely crucified Aldo Costa for being too conservative.. and Now Merc rescued him... mercedes has been really strong ever since he joined from Ferrari. word has it that ... Alonso was way too unhappy saying car design is too conservative... and eventually they fired Aldo Costa because of 2011, 2012 season..




Everyone!! let me reiterate again.. everyone were given fair amount of time to think about it.... Mercedes frankly didnt even was so vocal about engine change because they were doing fairly well with their engine department anyway.

if you guys are not aware --- Red bull is actually RENAULT WORKS TEAM!!!! before red bull couldnt even see eyes to eyes with ferrari because they were too busy hating each other they were the reason that FOTA broke up!!! they were the reason that team couldnt come to cost caps...

and now merc quietly worked their ASSSSSSSS off for 3 years to build upon the success here.. they couldnt stand this..

mind you... Merc were under serious scrutiny... after the acquistion of brawn... and having lost 250 excess of staff in brackley factory,, they had to build the team again..

Nobert Haug - former director of Mercedes AMG motorsports was saying that Mercedes were spending less than half of what they used to spend when they used to own shares at Mclaren Group!
ok i admit that in first year aside from loosing lot of staff in brawn era, and less investment from merc following their victory in brawn era... merc didnt really spend money.. their idea was to have their own team ... successful but spending less.. and being self sustainable.. following 2009 financial recession where top teams like bmw , toyota and honda pulled out.

ok i wont make this boring ass story long but long story short... Merc were very patient.. the Daimler AG was under serious pressure for not performing in F1... some board members even questioned that Merc even needed f1 team... and just engine provision would have sufficed.

Dr. Zetche and Dr. Thomas weber were super supportive all the way.. when engine formula was proposed to teams.. they really put lot of faith in team...

Now success is on their way and suddenly others are jealous.. thats the way it goes.. im not even surprised.. it happened since 40 years ago its hardly surprising now.


As for the complaints on sound and fuel conservation... well like i said... teams could have vetoed when the rules were proposed!!!

ferrari wants to make the engine not fuel conservative ... lol if thats the case they would make Merc even more powerful...

Merc already have powerful engine as well as surprisingly fuel economic

Asked about Vettel's description of the new engines as "shit", Dennis said: "Being a world champion requires a dignified approach to everything. Putting aside the language for the moment, the sentiment is inappropriate."

Dennis, who watched both his McLaren cars struggle and then fail to finish the Bahrain Grand Prix, added: "He should reflect he has had a period of dominance and just because it has been somewhat shaken by Mercedes Benz doesn't give him licence to be disrespectful of the obligations placed on him as world champion."

We live in a world where resources are depleting and the environment is being threatened. Yes, we are Formula One, yes we are the pinnacle of motor sport, but being the pinnacle of motor sport means we have to have the latest technology.

“Reluctantly, I admit, the teams and engine manufacturers have embraced the challenge of effectively competing in a grand prix with two-thirds less fuel than before and developing hybrid systems of the future. These KERS and ERS systems are incredibly complex and the intensity of the development that has gone into them masks the fact that this is the future.”

Dennis also believes vested interests have played a pivotal part in the recent concerted wave of criticism. “There is a very obvious short-termism, driven often by a lack of competitiveness that certain teams have, and they use anything to try to address their shortcomings,” he suggested.

“We are not the most competitive team at the moment but we know what the challenge is, and that’s the challenge of F1. We have our own vision of engine development but these rules were made with everyone having an input and they weren’t lacking in support at the formation.

“We have to get on with it and realise we owe it to the young people of the future.”

Aldo Costa says rejoining ex-Ferrari colleagues at Mercedes was too tempting to turn down
By Michele Lostia and Matt Beer Monday, October 3rd 2011, 10:29 GMT

New Mercedes recruit Aldo Costa says the opportunity of renewing his relationship with Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher to challenge their old team Ferrari was more than enough to tempt him back into Formula 1.

Former Ferrari technical director Costa lost his position with the Italian team earlier this season after the disappointing start to its campaign. Mercedes announced on Friday that it had recruited Costa, who had worked with team boss Brawn at Ferrari during the Schumacher era, as its new engineering director.

His appointment came at the same time that ex-Williams, Honda and Red Bull man Geoff Willis was announced as Mercedes' new technology director, and follows the signing of former Renault man Bob Bell as Mercedes GP's technical director.

"I'm enthusiastic. Mercedes is pushing to be successful and that philosophy matches my ambitions and my character," Costa told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Once it was over with Ferrari in early July, I spoke with Brawn and Bob Bell. Just a few words with Ross were enough to find ourselves on the same wavelength as ever.

"Once out of Ferrari for many weeks I didn't want to think of anything, I just took care of my personal stuff.

"Yes, I considered the possibility of doing something outside racing. But then the possibility of returning with a big team like Mercedes drew me back in.

"I will be engineering director, leading the team that will take care of designing and developing the car. I will also follow young technicians. It's an exclusively designing job, I won't go to the track, a bit like I used to do in Ferrari before becoming technical director."

Costa added that he was thrilled to be working with Schumacher again.

"I haven't heard from Schumacher yet, but I will do soon," he said. "No one is as good as him in interpreting a car and its development. He will be fundamental, and I strongly believe in him as a driver too."

The Italian said that though there had been criticisms of his efforts from Ferrari after his departure, he still had fond memories of his time there.

"I don't agree with the accusations made against me," said Costa.

"However I have great memories of Ferrari and all its men, after winning eight constructors' championships and six drivers'.

"Schumacher's first title after a long draught was exhilarating as was [Kimi] Raikkonen's. The biggest regret is the title lost by [Felipe] Massa in 2008 after the finish line at Interlagos. He would have deserved it."

Costa said he would still think of Ferrari as "friends" even as he pushed to ensure Mercedes was ahead on the track.

"These things happen in sport and in life," he said of his departure from Ferrari. "Afterwards enthusiasm returns.

"The idea of challenging Ferrari with a group of former Ferrari men excites me, even though on the other side there will be friends instead of enemies."


(was in 2012.. when he was fired and was on gardening leave when merc acquired his services)

Mercedes have also acquired the services of two leading engineers from world champions Red Bull to boost their technical staff.

Mark Ellis and Giles Wood will join Mercedes in June 2014
they are currently on gardening leave (gardening leave means that when the teams cut loose their staffs they cant join other teams immediately so that the technical input doesnt go quickly to other teams)

A Mercedes statement said the recruitment of Ellis and Wood would "further strengthen the team's technical organisation, particularly in the fields of simulation and vehicle dynamics".