F1 Fanatic round-up: 3/4/2010

Final practice and qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix are coming up today so make sure you join us on the live blogs.

Before that is the deadline to get your predictions in for this week’s race so remember to submit them before the third practice session begins.

Links

Willis unimpressed by HRT’s car design (Autosport)

“I’m less worried about the overall performance, because the aero programme was stopped quite some while ago, and it was a relatively small aero programme. But it’s probably the same level of aero programme to the Lotus and the car is clearly not as quick as the Lotus. And I’m thinking just of the built quality, the design quality, the refinement of the design. I think it’s missing a lot of tricks that would be taken for granted by anybody in the pitlane now.”

Jenson Button insists Alonso is wrong on F1 entertainment factor (Daily Mirror)

“If there was overtaking at every corner we would find it boring. It wouldn’t mean so much to us. NASCAR is a very different sport. You are racing on an oval, there is lots of overtaking but you don’t get a buzz when you see a move. In F1 when you do see a move you really respect it as you know it is difficult to do. I think we had a good balance last year. It is not easy and maybe if we had less downforce and more mechanical grip we’d see more overtaking but it is not for me to make that decision.”

Mirrors change confirmed, but not until Spain (Crash.net)

“It had been reported that the ban might come into effect from the Chinese Grand Prix in two weeks time, however, the outfits affected – namely Red Bull Racing, Ferrari, Williams, Force India, Sauber and HRT – have now been given longer to make the necessary adjustments to their cars.”

Are F1 trends electric? (The Guardian)

“The days of the 100% electric Formula One could be approaching. The sport’s regulators, the FIA, noted that the stars of the recent Geneva Motor Show were electric-powered concept cars capable of incredible speeds. Keen to ensure that F1 is viewed more widely to be greening itself, the FIA is exploring all forms of alternative powering for its cars, including hybrid engines and cleaner fuels, and has not ruled out the possibility of running pure electric cars in the future.” NB. Scroll down page for article.

Comment of the day

More praise for Todt – this time from Mark Hitchcock:

Finally gone from "No Opinion" to "Approve".
There hasn’t really been anything significant that’s changed my mind?��?�apart from the fact that Jean Todt’s name has barely been in the news.
I’m sure that if Mosley was still in power he would have had something stupid and inflammatory to say about the F-Duct, or Stefan GP, or USF1, or any of the other issues that have come up so far this year. Todt is doing what he should be doing; making decisions, not giving his opinion.
But as others have said, we may not really know where Todt stands until we have a major controversy.
Mark Hitchcock

Happy birthday!

No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

Ayrton Senna made his first start for McLaren on this day in 1988, but it didn’t go according to plan.

A gear linkage broke in his MP4-4 on the grid, so he started the race from the pit lane in the spare car. Although swapping cars that late on was forbidden by the rules, the stewards left him on track for 31 laps, by which time he’d got up to sixth place, before disqualifying him.

14 comments on “F1 Fanatic round-up: 3/4/2010”

Icthyes
3rd April 2010, 8:40

If the rest of the world didn’t go through natural resources like there’s no tomorrow, F1 wouldn’t need to show any green credentials.

Icthyes
3rd April 2010, 8:45
By which I mean to say, F1 should promote green tech but not be a constant punching bag for the environmental lobby whilst far greater abuses go on every day. Plus, electric is no good; you still need to power them through the mains. Hydrogen fuel cells would be much better, and a better use of less electricity, if I’m not mistaken. Apparently the technology is screaming for someone to take the plunge and invest in it heavily. Surely this is F1’s role?
1. TomD11
  3rd April 2010, 22:43
  Yeah, I was thinking about hydrogen the other day, as long as they get a good speaker system with V10 noises to provide some sound. Also it would get rid of the fuel effect, or at least drastically reduce it, so the race would be like one big low fuel run. If they persist with all the aero then maybe this would improve the chances of overtaking. Like you say, Icthyes, this is the sort of thing F1 should be doing.
SeattleChris
3rd April 2010, 10:47
Sorry (on our part)

Lamo2741
3rd April 2010, 8:48

I really cant imagine getting the same buzz listening to a F1 version of a G-Whizz going flat through Eau Rouge!

Leon
3rd April 2010, 13:32

Have you seen what the Tesla roadster can do ?

In the current state of advanced electric-car technology
it isn’t a speed problem, it’s the cripplingly short battery life that is the (severely limiting ) factor.

But I have to agree with Ichthyes, the true future of personal transport has to lie with the hydrogen fuel cell which is crying out for the kind of massive development funding only Formula 1 could provide.

The real trouble with Electric and Hydrogen power is, they simply aren’t sexy enough. F1 fans would be horrified not to have their eardrums destroyed every other weekend.

Patrickl
3rd April 2010, 15:52

I thought (hoped) that that electrical F1 was an april fools joke.

Nathan Bradley
3rd April 2010, 18:23

@Patrickl

I thought (hoped) that that electrical F1 was an april fools joke.

I did as well to begin with, but it looks as though this is the way the FIA wishes to go. As long as they have sensible regulations that allow some sort of development, so that engineers can see which is the best (and hopefully fastest) way to go, it should be fine.

All they need to do then is overlay a realistic soundtrack on the TV coverage, everybody’s happy!

Nathan

P.S. Keith, any inside info on the new engine regs?

Nathan Bradley
3rd April 2010, 18:24

P.P.S. Soundtrack of course meaning engine noises lol!

Ben
4th April 2010, 4:15
If I were a driver I’d totally hack my car’s sound system so it played something else. So you’ve got 23 F1 cars on the grid sounding like revving V10’s, and my car with “Margaret Thatchers Greatest Speeches” or something playing.
Or even better, a Mr Whippy style Greensleeves. Now that would be awesome. “And here he comes battling with Button in front! vroooooooommmmm……… diding diding didingding”