Nurburgring

[Eagle]

The European Grand Prix kicks off in 24 hours, the first of 3 back to back races this season. Will Renault begin their own blue streak? Will BAR finally break through for that elusive first win? Will Ferrari stamp their authority back on the 2004 season?

Personally I'm betting the latter but this is the place for thoughts and events throughout the weekend. I promise I'll even try to keep my anti-Sato outbursts under control

 

[DQuaN]

Most wanted outcome
1st Button
2nd Raikkonen
3rd Webber

Most Likeley Outcome:

1st Shumi
2nd Barrichello or a Renaut or a BAR
3rd Barrichello or a Renaut or a BAR

 

[Nasadus]

I predict that the Monaco GP was the only race that one of the Ferrari's didn't win this season.At Nürburgring Michael will win once more with approx. 1 minute lead.Michael was even faster then Trulii at Monaco,and i belive he would have won the race or came in close 2nd if it weren't for Monoya

Bottom line,Ferrari's 1-2 although i hope that Raikönnen can get on the podium.

 

[K_Speed]

Nürnburgring....


ok, well, I think on this time the ones witht he best acceleration have a better chance. Getting out of the turn fast is important. So I think the Renaults are up there and ferarri of course too. But u gotta remember this is the hardest track in the world...so schumi still has the best chance...

Im still for Montoya though...

 

[Mike Rotch]

Hardest track in the world?

On what? Tyres? Engines?

 

[scuderia229]

I think Schumi will win this....he is extra motivated from last week and wants to win at his home race. We know the F2004 is "the" car on the grid right now. The combo, in MS's hands it an amazing one.

BUT!

My guys Truili and Button are both red hot right now, especially Truili. I think the extra grunt of the Honda and Ferrari will out run the Renaults but Truili and Alonso can not be ruled out on circuits like this.

So I think...

1 - Schumi
2 - Button
3 - Alonso or Truili

I hope Kimi can finish and hope Sato can too....

JPM is a wild card...but the Williams is just not up to snuff, but in JPM's hands that might not matter.

 

[Brett]

Well I'm pumped for this race, just like I was for Monaco--just not quite as pumped since this isn't quite as big as Monaco. I don't really know what to predict for the race; but Schumi will be good, he almost always is. Hopefully though BAR and Renault will be able to find something for the weekend and the rest of the season and stick it to Ferrari. But I don't know if it'll happen. Really though, I just hope for as good of races as there was in Monaco for the rest of the year.

 

[Diego440]

I'm guessing this track is hard on downforce, but certainly not the hardest track on the season... I believe that could be Monaco, except that its been on the calendar for so long, many drivers may not expect anything new to come out of it. Hence, I'd say Hungaroring is the hardest.

Anyway, on to Nurburgring...
I noticed it's possible it will be a wet race, and that would be good, since we haven't seen many of those during the season. Hopefuly we'll see a fun race, since this track has several slow-to-medium turns and many overtaking opportunities.

I'm going for Raikkonen placing podium finish, since he got the pole position here last year (only to break the engine on lap 25) and it's a home race for Mercedes-Benz... and because I'm a Kimi fan. I'm also an anti-Schumi. Also, don't forget that Williams had a great 1-2 finish here last year. And although the F2004 is everything all other cars aren't, I'm hoping we have a better race here than what we've had in the last Formula Ferrari races.

Still, as someone said before, I'm hoping Schumi won't win, and if he does, I hope it's by less than 3 seconds over 2nd place.

 

[Pupik]

Originally posted by Mike Rotch
Hardest track in the world?

Duh! It's hard to understand how the track designers could make such a bland circuit out of such nice terrain and history and turn it into the most boring ciruit in the world.

The last interesting race I'd seen at the new-N-ring was '99, when Johnny Herbert and Luca Badoer kept us all guessing.

 

[heero 12]

I say Schumacher does the ole' "wait until he pits then blow him off like a newspaper" deal and we watch the battles for second and third, won't be as exciting as Monaco, but at least we're not watching Nascar.

 

[K_Speed]

Originally posted by Mike Rotch
Hardest track in the world?

On what? Tyres? Engines?

Most difficult track in the world, there.

dont believe me? well its true buddy

 

[CDailey]

Do they race on the entire circut or one of the shorter ones?

 

[Famine]

It's a teeny, tiny, short F1 track, not the 21km/13 mile long Nordschleife.

 

[Nasadus]

I take it you don't watch F1 races to often.They race on the GP version.

 

[true_kiat]

First curve it's not like that anymore. They changed it last year and now it has more turns.

 

[Blake]

I say Schumacher does the ole' "wait until he pits then blow him off like a newspaper" deal and we watch the battles for second and third, won't be as exciting as Monaco, but at least we're not watching Nascar.

I agree, it seems to be the tactic he uses if he hasn't got the stuff off the line, it works too, the Ferrari just is in a world of it's own when it's in clean air.

 

[CDailey]

Originally posted by Famine
It's a teeny, tiny, short F1 track, not the 21km/13 mile long Nordschleife.

Thanks.

I take it you don't watch F1 races to often.They race on the GP version.

I try to watch it whenever I can, but I don't normaly get to since I go to church.

 

[vat_man]

I was going to lambast this venue for being dull, but the events have generally been pretty hard fought, or at least something interesting has happened (remember 2002 with the Ferrari mix-up at the finish?).

 

[Eagle]

Originally posted by Diego440
it's a home race for Mercedes-Benz...

Guess who else it's a home race for

Anyone read the article on F1.com from Pat Symonds about how they monitor the weather? That was pretty cool stuff. Here's the link for those of you who didn't: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/1633/720.html

I'm expecting a Ferrari controlled race. 2003 saw Ferrari struggle because low qualifying performances compromised their race. This basically happened again at Monaco. Schumacher will be shooting for pole and nothing else. Renault may claim the first corner honours but if they do, I expect a repeat of Spain. If they don't, welcome to Australia/Malaysia/Bahrain.

5 hours till first practice.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Originally posted by K_Speed

dont believe me

You said it.

 

[SouL]

Hmm. I'm thinking MS might take this one.
He's out for revenge and this is his home race. So he's very motivated to perform.
The Renault/BAR boys will probably be competing amongst themselves. I'll expect they'll be riding high with their Monaco results.
If Renault can clame front grid... they'll probably lead the first stint. Then MS will pull the usual tactics and take over during the first round of pits stops. But what if he runs 3rd, though? He'd have to have enough fuel to hold out on 2 pits stops from the guys ahead of him.
I'm not expecting much else from the other teams... Ralf could do good. Coming off of P2 from Monaco.. and being his home race, too.

Hopefully it rains on Sunday.

 

[Eagle]

Uh, P2 from Monaco? He was 10th, it was really a DNF though.

Schumacher managed to leapfrog both Raikkonen AND Button in one set of stops in Monaco. I think he could dispatch with anyone even more easily at Nurburgring.

I'd LOVE to see rain. It needs to rain more often.

Oh, I don't think Nurburgring is the hardest track on the season from most perspectives. It's high downforce that's for sure, but Monaco and Hungary are worse.

I don't expect McLaren to be anywhere near where they were last year but their Monaco performance showed improvement, in speed if not reliable.

As for boring tracks and wasted chances - Hungary wins, natural amphitheatre and boring, boring races.

 

[Blake]

McLaren are almost completly out of the picture this year, there speed is increasing but they can't get that engine to stay in one piece. Hopefully they're comming up with something good for next season because they are really going downhill.

 

[sinner]

They're workin on some B-spec engine for later this season... I say tank this season and put your resources in building a stronger car for '05...

 

[Blake]

Agreed^

 

[wee_man]

Not looking good for the race . Ferrari's are at least 1.5 seconds on the next guy Webber (best of the rest in frist practice). Initial out look = sukey, but you never know, might turn out ok for second practice.... And Davidson doesn't really count, but good job by him still to beat the Ferrari's.

GO WEBBER!!!!!

 

[K_Speed]

Originally posted by GTChamp2003
I take it you don't watch F1 races to often.They race on the GP version.

the nürnburgring is the most difficult track, I know that for sure. I live pretty close to it. Ive seen a lot of reports about it. People crashing and getting serious accidents.....its also the most dangerous track. The nickname is "The Green Hell".

It's a teeny, tiny, short F1 track, not the 21km/13 mile long Nordschleife.

the nürburg track is the nordschleife....or not? I think so....

 

[DQuaN]

Originally posted by GTChamp2003
I take it you don't watch F1 races to often.They race on the GP version.

Is that the nordschleife running around it? Or is it in a completeley different place?

 

[Nasadus]

No,the Nordschleife is 13 miles away from this track.

 

[Eagle]

No, it isn't. The track the F1 cars now race on is the Nurburgring South field (don't know the German, sorry). The Nordschleife (North Field) is a 22km circuit with over 170 turns. The two fields actually connect, thought one doesn't normally use the other. There were a lot of pics of it floating around the GT4 forum after the announcement the complete Nordschleife would be in GT4. The picture posted above shows the track the F1 cars are running on atm. For more information go here: http://www.formula1.com/race/circuitmap/720.html

McLaren are working on basically an entire new car, not just a new engine, and hoping to launch it within a few weeks.

However if we look at second practice we see Raikkonen P1 and Coulthard P4 so things may yet be interesting. Williams and BAR are right up there too.