OT F1 Belgium GP

[Lew Hartswick]

Anyone: I had my TV set to record the GP and it ran for about a half hour beyond he normal time for it to have ended BUT obviously all I got was more and more rain and delays.  Checked the F1 web site and not a mention of what ever happened.  There were three or four possible things discussed but Istill don't know the results.   Any one know??  Please.  :-)
   ...lew...

[MJM460]

Hi Lee, the news paper here said they followed the safety car in the rain for the obligatory time/number of laps for it to be declared a race, then finished.  With no overtaking when following the safety car, the finish positions were the same as the grid positions.

MJM460

[gadabout]

Well not quite as a couple had a problem getting round the couple of laps so while there was no passing some went backwards from their grid slots

[Jo]

Anyone: ....  Checked the F1 web site and not a mention of what ever happened.  There were three or four possible things discussed but Istill don't know the results.   Any one know??  Please.  :-)

They tried lining up on the grid with it tipping down, one car had a nasty crash on the way there, other drivers were complaining on the way out that it would be dangerous to race in the conditions, so they delayed the start hoping it would stop raining.

Three hours later, just over one hour before it was going to get dark and last chance if a race was going to happen it was still heavy rain so they came out behind the safety car. Even then drivers reported it was dangerous following the safety car in those conditions. Race director then red flagged the race, cars came back into pit lane and lined up behind safety car and a few minutes later the Race director decided to abandon racing all together. As they had not done 75% distance and had completed more than 2 laps (behind the safety car) 1/2 points were awarded.

Jo

[Jasonb]

Jo did miss the bit about them doing two formation laps behind the safety car before deciding it was too wet and coming back into the pit lane, after a couple of hours they went back out as she said. As no overtaking was allowed behind the safety car they stayed in start order so got their half points based on that. This was probably one of the few times where only being able to watch the "highlights/replay" was the better option than watching live.

Luckily I had the Mountain Bike World champs on Redbull TV and Two Cycling Road Races on GCN to keep me occupied while the F1 commentators tried to find things to talk about.

Extreme E also had it's latest round over the weekend and was a lot better than the previous rounds with more cars on the finals grid and some better oppertunities to overtake you can get that free on Youtube.

With the likes of Extreme E and Formula E plus WRC going over to hybrid and LeMans having a Hydrogen class in a couple of years, and even some Rally Raid trucks now running hydrogen  how long to we don't see petrol engines in F!?

[Jo]

how long to we don't see petrol engines in F!?

Isn't that a bit like asking "why do they still race horses in the Grand National?" 

Jo

[Jasonb]

Not sure I understand what you mean?

All I was questioning is how much longer until F1 goes from Hybrid to completely electric or hydrogen? Yes they will still be racing cars but the type of racing may radically change.

You only have to watch Formula E to see that electric changes the whole thing at least with current technology - shorter but more races per meeting or as they used to do have a car change during the race due to short battery life. You then get the problem that in the last few laps the whole race position can change as those who have overused their battery grind to a halt or creep round. As they also all have the same machines and battery there is very little overtaking so at least they have got that bit won't change Though they do get to use "hyperdrive" or similar as with the Extreme E which gives them a few short bursts of higher battery power a bit like flicking the NO2 switch on which can help with passing.

[Vixen]

I think the red pace car should be awarded full points, it led the field from start to finish.   

Mike

[Admiral_dk]

I think the red pace car should be awarded full points, it led the field from start to finish.

         

.... and it was probably the only vehicle on the track that was safe to do laps in .... 

Sorry I shouldn't mock you .... just because I think F1 is a waste of time - compared to MotoGP ....
Each to his or her personally taste / interest 

On a more serious note - why were they on track in the first place ?
I mean - the 2018 Silverstone MotoGP was completely canceled for safety reasons (normal training Friday + Saturday) => No Points awarded, as there was no race .... (here I could joke that the Pace Car was the only one racing to keep a decent pace ...).

[Jasonb]

I think Mike is only saying that as he is a bit bias towards Mercedes, not sure Red Bull would agree with him

But the medical car completed more laps so would have won if it were le Mans. He also had a few more twitches so was probably pushing it a bit more too, though he was pushing the track limits so may have had a few laps disallowed in which case the road sweepers could be in contention

[Admiral_dk]

But the medical car completed more laps so would have won if it were le Mans. He also had a few more twitches so was probably pushing it a bit more too, though he was pushing the track limits

             OK - now the comments are getting better than the action that happened ....

[Vixen]

I think the red pace car should be awarded full points, it led the field from start to finish.

         

.... and it was probably the only vehicle on the track that was safe to do laps in .... 

Sorry I shouldn't mock you .... just because I think F1 is a waste of time - compared to MotoGP ....
Each to his or her personally taste / interest 

I enjoy both two wheel and four wheel GP racing.

For technical innovation it's F1 but it's now spoiled by excessive downforce, wide sticky tyres and those overpaid egos

For raw guts and courage then it's MotoGP. Imagine hanging off the side of a bike, leaned over by 60 degrees doing 200MPH with a tyre contact patch the size of your hand.

Other opinions may differ.

Mike

[Vixen]

I think Mike is only saying that as he is a bit bias towards Mercedes, not sure Red Bull would agree with him

Who? Me? biased towards Mercedes? 

The Silver Arrows of the 1930's were driven by heroes, men with guts and courage. Today's cars are driven primarily by money, by over-inflated egos, not heroes.

Mike

[Jasonb]

Or if it's raining just not driven

[Vixen]

On a more serious note - why were they on track in the first place ?
I mean - the 2018 Silverstone MotoGP was completely canceled for safety reasons (normal training Friday + Saturday) => No Points awarded, as there was no race .... (here I could joke that the Pace Car was the only one racing to keep a decent pace ...).

Money, money, money. If they declare it a race, everyone gets paid.

Mike

[MJM460]

I understand that Formula E has the sole rights to pure electric racing for some time to come so they can justify the investment.  Formula one will have to find a different direction, a puzzle which some are probably trying to work out in the background.

MJM460

[crueby]

I understand that Formula E has the sole rights to pure electric racing for some time to come so they can justify the investment.  Formula one will have to find a different direction, a puzzle which some are probably trying to work out in the background.

MJM460

Steam!!  Enter team Stanley and team Locomobile....

[Lew Hartswick]

Thank you all. :-)  I sat through all that "blather" from the announcers and never got the final. :-) I don't know If I had been watching live if the TV coverage on cable would have gone on to the end or not. The "danger" of having to use "record" it.  Well I hope to catch the Netherlands one live.
   ...lew...

[Jasonb]

Well at least it stayed dry today, though not a particularly exciting race.

Back to last week this may have been one reason they decided it was not safe to race as just a few spots of rain caused this in the Supporting W Series women's qualifying.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfuN6DCPU_Q" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfuN6DCPU_Q</a>

[Admiral_dk]

Mike gave a good reason why the "Race" was run => they all got paid ....
But today my brother in law gave a "better explanation" => they didn't have to refund the tickets, as the "Race was run" 

[steamer]

I understand that Formula E has the sole rights to pure electric racing for some time to come so they can justify the investment.  Formula one will have to find a different direction, a puzzle which some are probably trying to work out in the background.

MJM460

Steam!!  Enter team Stanley and team Locomobile....

YUP  I just need to slap together a nice 100 pound supercritical steam boiler that runs on hydrogen.   3000 psig should do it....2000F or so....what could go wrong?!!!
Dave

[crueby]

I understand that Formula E has the sole rights to pure electric racing for some time to come so they can justify the investment.  Formula one will have to find a different direction, a puzzle which some are probably trying to work out in the background.

MJM460

Steam!!  Enter team Stanley and team Locomobile....

YUP  I just need to slap together a nice 100 pound supercritical steam boiler that runs on hydrogen.   3000 psig should do it....2000F or so....what could go wrong?!!!
Dave

Imagine the sound of 30 steam F1 cars chuffing down the straight... The chime whistle of the winner!

[Vixen]

I understand that Formula E has the sole rights to pure electric racing for some time to come so they can justify the investment.  Formula one will have to find a different direction, a puzzle which some are probably trying to work out in the background.

MJM460

Steam!!  Enter team Stanley and team Locomobile....

YUP  I just need to slap together a nice 100 pound supercritical steam boiler that runs on hydrogen.   3000 psig should do it....2000F or so....what could go wrong?!!!
Dave

Imagine the sound of 30 steam F1 cars chuffing down the straight... The chime whistle of the winner!

And they could have a full length water trough in the pit lane so the steamers would refill without stopping. The burner nozzles size would need to be controlled and issued by the FIA to ensure fair play.
Imagine the technology race in flash boilers, what length of pipe, how much super heat. Would a condenser allow a lighter weight of water to be carried?  How do you supercool (or heat) the feed-water.

Mike

[RReid]

And then imagine model engineers recreating it all in 1/3 scale...

[Vixen]

  Stop press, steam powered F1,latest news update.

Mercedes protest Red Bull for adding an unspecified quality of their energy drink in the flash boiler's feed-water.

Red Bull respond by protesting Mercedes for an illegal technology that uses the H20 from burning the hydrogen fuel, instead of feed-water.

Both teams protest McLaren for sucking up rainwater to avoid the pit drive through to fill up the water tank.

The FAI are considering new rules to favor the richest teams.

So nothing realy changes

Mike

[crueby]