Gran Premio de España Emirates 2018Formula 1

[TenEightyOne]

If you could increase speed through the final corner, and increase the braking zone for T1, perhaps that could help create more overtaking.

One of the problems of this and recent years is that the cars reach the rev limiter more easily now they have to preset the gears before each season. Often the DRS function is all that makes a difference in a straight line battle. Due to that the closer the cars can run as they enter the straight the more likely (usually) overtaking is.

 

[Jimlaad43]

@twitcher, the chicane at the end of the lap was added in to "improve the racing" by giving the cars a slow section so they could get closer. It's just a shame it didn't work. It's nothing to do with safety. The halo is there to stop debris hitting the drivers head, it has nothing to do with slowing a car down when it spins off at high speed and hits a wall, slowing it down. The runoff and chicanes are staying.

 

[TenEightyOne]

@twitcher, the chicane at the end of the lap was added in to "improve the racing" by giving the cars a slow section so they could get closer. It's just a shame it didn't work. It's nothing to do with safety.

Safety reasons were certainly reported at the time. Even Tilke claim that as the reason! As I said earlier the sop for fans was that it would also improve overtaking. But then don't all improvements?

 

[twitcher]

Where else in Spain would be any good? Jerez seems way too cramped. Valencia maybe? Or Aragon? I like both of those circuits for bikes, but haven’t watched much car racing there.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Where else in Spain would be any good? Jerez seems way too cramped. Valencia maybe? Or Aragon? I like both of those circuits for bikes, but haven’t watched much car racing there.

Ascari seems like the best potential. Every where else in Spain seems dedicated to Bikes. Even the former F1 tracks like Jerez and Jarma and the current circuit. I think Valencia was the only real effort at a Spanish F1 track, but it wasn't good and has been closed since 2013.

 

[Peter.]

It's actually a shame about Valencia, as the 2012 race was a legendary one. The track just needed Pirelli tyres to make it interesting, but 3 extremely dull races out of 5 wasn't a good record. Shame much of the remnants have been abandoned or built over (hasn't one of the bridges been destroyed or something?).

 

[twitcher]

Ascari seems like the best potential. Every where else in Spain seems dedicated to Bikes. Even the former F1 tracks like Jerez and Jarma and the current circuit. I think Valencia was the only real effort at a Spanish F1 track, but it wasn't good and has been closed since 2013.

Hadn’t thought of Ascari...would definitely need a number of changes, and I really don’t know if it would be any good for F1 cars. Even watching on boards of Cayman GT4s, it feels cramped.

I watched a Renault 2.0 race from Aragon a few years back, when Norris was in the series, and it seemed pretty decent. That the only car race I can remember from there. A lot of people seem to not like Aragon, but I kind of like it.

What about the old street race...I’m forgetting the name, Mount something...it’s in a park. There was a GP2 race there in ‘14 I think? Would that be doable for F1? Or too cramped for modern F1? (Kind of in line with the thinking that 1, maybe 2 tight street circuits in the calander is ok, but don’t need them every other race).

The Valencia I was referring to was the permanent circuit one, where motogp goes, not the street circuit that F1 used.

 

[Peter.]

I did think about Ricardo Tormo when you said it, but it's a pretty short track, pretty street circuit-esque, as it's also kind of narrow. It's grade 1 but I don't think it really would be all that interesting to watch the cars go around, nor in terms of actual racing. Plus it would have to either compete with Baku and the Miami GP for that extra slot, or replace Barcelona which is even more doubtful.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Hadn’t thought of Ascari...would definitely need a number of changes, and I really don’t know if it would be any good for F1 cars. Even watching on boards of Cayman GT4s, it feels cramped.

I watched a Renault 2.0 race from Aragon a few years back, when Norris was in the series, and it seemed pretty decent. That the only car race I can remember from there. A lot of people seem to not like Aragon, but I kind of like it.

What about the old street race...I’m forgetting the name, Mount something...it’s in a park. There was a GP2 race there in ‘14 I think? Would that be doable for F1? Or too cramped for modern F1? (Kind of in line with the thinking that 1, maybe 2 tight street circuits in the calander is ok, but don’t need them every other race).

The Valencia I was referring to was the permanent circuit one, where motogp goes, not the street circuit that F1 used.

If you believe the Ascari PR, supposedly Brundle, Hill, Alonso and Vettel enjoyed the track. So perhaps it is good but yeah it's not Grade 1 quality so it would need changes. Also I think Monteblanco is what you were thinking about?

 

[twitcher]

If you believe the Ascari PR, supposedly Brundle, Hill, Alonso and Vettel enjoyed the track. So perhaps it is good but yeah it's not Grade 1 quality so it would need changes. Also I think Monteblanco is what you were thinking about?

Montjuic is what I think I was thinking about...but I looked and there hasn’t been any GP2 races there recently. Wikipedia says the last race there was in ‘75.

So is there another Spanish street circuit, which is also an old F1 venue, that hosted either a GP2 or Formula Renault race back around ‘12, ‘13, ‘14 ish? I’ve tried looking on YouTube but can’t find anything.

The one I’m thinking of is not Pau, but held some kind of junior formula races about 5 years ago. From what I remember, the race was a disaster, mostly run under yellow, and the series never went back there. I’m almost positive this was in Spain somewhere, and I think there’s even a clip or two from the race I’m thinking of in the OMG/WTF thread, but where in there it’s buried I have no idea.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Montjuic is what I think I was thinking about...but I looked and there hasn’t been any GP2 races there recently. Wikipedia says the last race there was in ‘75.

So is there another Spanish street circuit, which is also an old F1 venue, that hosted either a GP2 or Formula Renault race back around ‘12, ‘13, ‘14 ish? I’ve tried looking on YouTube but can’t find anything.

The one I’m thinking of is not Pau, but held some kind of junior formula races about 5 years ago. From what I remember, the race was a disaster, mostly run under yellow, and the series never went back there. I’m almost positive this was in Spain somewhere, and I think there’s even a clip or two from the race I’m thinking of in the OMG/WTF thread, but where in there it’s buried I have no idea.

No all the tracks we've listed are it, as far as F1 affiliated racing/testing. Spain seems to care more about it's Bike prospects (can you blame them?) than GP car racing.

 

[Tajima]

Someone at LM should start considering creating new tracks they are making a huge deal with overtakes but we still have way too many Tilkesque designs. Just create something similar to Spa, Monza, Interlagos, Silverstone. Most important thing to consider is you need a straight long enough and parabolica / eau rouge sort of last turns, not chicanes. Cars need to build up speed giving more room for DRS.

 

[adb]

While Barcelona is far from perfect, it probably is the best fit for F1 in Spain. As many of you’ve been saying, Spain is all about bike racing, Jerez is a great circuit but too narrow for modern cars with no real overtaking prospects. Aragon, while not bad for bikes, it wouldn’t support cars overtaking either and I think it wouldn’t even be fun to watch cars circulating there. Ricardo Tormo, well, even bike struggle to overtake there, it could be worse than Monaco.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Someone at LM should start considering creating new tracks they are making a huge deal with overtakes but we still have way too many Tilkesque designs. Just create something similar to Spa, Monza, Interlagos, Silverstone. Most important thing to consider is you need a straight long enough and parabolica / eau rouge sort of last turns, not chicanes. Cars need to build up speed giving more room for DRS.

 

[BrainsBush]

Hard backwards impact crash Hartley at the end of P3.
Luckily he seems unharmed and can walk away.

When they lifted his car it brake in two pieces. If Hartley is ok for quali probably his car won't. Completely total loss.

Mercedes fastest on a one compound harder tyre.
Max' car electrical failure/issue
Vettel apologized to Sainz
Stroll thought he was a kangaroo and so he could avoid the wall

Up to quali!

 

[Jimlaad43]

That is actually really bad now. The engine falling out brings up questions of "where are the batteries and cables, and are they still ok", and then the question of how do you clear it up. Lifting an engine onto a truck will not be easy with what they have on that marshals post at the moment

 

[adb]

Glad Hartley is ok, big crash. Not gonna lie, taking grass and spinning out feels more than familiar to me
Midfield looking very close

 

[PaMu1337]

I doubt his car will be fixed before the race. Looks like a 19 car grid tomorrow.

 

[adb]

Any pics of Hartley’s car(s)? Switched off before crane picked it up
Edit:

Credit: Twitter @WTF1

 

[Milouse]

Hartley's engine and gearbox getting divorced.

 

[BrainsBush]

HArtley just said for live (Dutch) TV that he is ok and his car will definetely drive tomorrow . Also top enigineers!

 

[LumpiestFish]

Interesting hearing the Sky commentators talk of the possibility of Wehrlein possibly replacing Hartley at Toro Rosso, maybe even by Canada.

 

[BrainsBush]

Interesting hearing the Sky commentators talk of the possibility of Wehrlein possibly replacing Hartley at Toro Rosso, maybe even by Canada.

Same was told and heard last GP by reporter Olav Mol. Then I called it a rumour/gossip without a real source.

Did we see how Max used that last yellow curb as a kind of a skateboard trick. Don;t think it was meant to be, but it look cool

 

[adb]

Wehrlein thing makes me wonder, what does an academy/junior contract look like? Any out clauses? How long are those contracts?
Because seeing how Wehrlein ended up back in DTM, while one (don’t want to judge Sirotkin in this car just yet) Mercedes powered car is arguably occupied by an undeserving driver, surely there should be an out clause for Wehrlein

 

[BrainsBush]

So the FIA already has forbidden the mirrors attached to the (Ferrari) Halo. Effective and forbidden at Monaco

 

[Lord Kacperov]

Did anyone see that kid?

 

[Tajima]

OMG spanish marshalls "cleaning" track with.. feet.

 

[adb]

Sooo, Mercedes (and Hamilton) getting good in qually again, was it changed tires, testing, or did they manage to recover Australia pace? Who knows
Ferrari struggling to make SS last full lap, hence the softs I guess.
Shame RBR couldn’t get closer, anybody knows what happened to Max’ second outing?
Mclaren getting into Q3 and within 1 sec of RB, well, not where they should be, but it still is something
Other than that, impressed by Leclerc splitting Force Indias.
Stroll, that was a weird one? To me it looked like he under steered into gravel and kept it pinned, if so looked like pure lack of judgement, could be wrong though.

 

[Tajima]

Pirelli did their 0,4mm thing and there you go, front row lockout. I guess Jean Todt is more than happy since it was in Mercedes box today.

 

[PzR Slim]

Pirelli did their 0,4mm thing and there you go, front row lockout. I guess Jean Todt is more than happy since it was in Mercedes box today.

Until he moved to the RBR box. Your tinfoil hat has slipped...