In the round-up: Ferrari and Lotus take the streets of Moscow.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Chatting with Felipe (Ferrari)
Felipe Massa: "In qualifying, I finished third in Q1 with the hard tyres and that shows that the car is very competitive. I am sure this improvement will stand us in good stead for the second half of the season."
"Early start, busy schedule… Lots of media and interviews before Karun and Luiz take the T127 to the streets of Russia!"
"Here’s @luizrazia doing some doughnuts… http://yfrog.com/kfq5csbj http://yfrog.com/klgyljjj http://yfrog.com/kjidpxej."
Williams not aware of Michael Waltrip Racing action over Mike Coughlan (Autosport)
"The Williams Formula 1 team says it has not received any notice of legal action against it or new chief engineer Mike Coughlan by NASCAR team Michael Waltrip Racing."
F1 track owners get tax break for wildlife area (Statesman.com)
"The developers behind United States Grand Prix, the Austin corporation planning and promoting the Formula One race on a new state-of-the-art track, have been approved for a valuable property tax break on half the land they own near the property where the facility is being built southeast of the city."
Lewis Hamilton told: ‘McLaren must come first’ (The Express)
"Lewis Hamilton has been told to stop ‘sniping’ at his team and accept his share of the blame for McLaren’s track nightmares."
Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger are engaged, says father (The Telegraph)
"Alfonso Valiente said the Formula One star proposed to the singer, who he has been dating for four years, and she accepted. Mr Valiente gave no details of where or when the proposal took place but said he referred to the driver as “my future son-in-law”. Confusingly, a spokesman for Mr Hamilton denied the pair were engaged."
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
Is anybody going to the Belgium Grand Prix? Can you help answer Jonathan’s questions?
Hi, I’m coming to Spa this year, can’t wait! I’ve never been to spa before, booked General Admission and the green camping. Can anyone tell me anything about it?
Do they have some kind of shop, and am I likely to sleep? Also, when I’ve parked up, can I take the car out of the site over the weekend if we want to go to a supermarket or am I stuck until Sunday afternoon?
Do they have any kind of entertainment at Green camping?Any answers would be greatly appreciated!
Jonathan
Read more: 2011 Belgian Grand Prix discussion
From the forum
A statistical approach to evaluating drivers
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to WizardOfOz!
On this day in F1
It was a home win in the British Grand Prix for John Watson on this day 30 years ago.
It was also the first win for McLaren under Ron Dennis, and the first victory using John Barnard’s MP4/1:
Calum (@calum)
18th July 2011, 0:05
That Team Lotus car is looking good with lots of sponsor logos, even if most of them are other interests of team boss Tony Fernandes…. and they have to sort out the uneven Caterham lettering, it just looks wrog…. but apart from that, it’s a nice looking car! :D
Nixon (@nixon)
18th July 2011, 0:07
I wanted the first comment! :)
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
18th July 2011, 14:47
I like the Caterham text, it looks like it’s been done on Word Art!
RIISE (@riise)
18th July 2011, 0:13
I still don’t class Lewis and Nicole getting married as F1 news, that belongs in the “OK” magazines of this world next to an article about a woman who fought off 4 burly men with a chair leg.
Anyway, I’m not sure why but watching Luiz in that Lotus made me feel a bit nervous. Must’ve been that every time he put the power down he looked like he was barely keeping it under control, I was expecting a trip to the wall half way through. Still a great vid though.
Julian
18th July 2011, 2:23
Agreed on both points:)
JCost (@jcost)
18th July 2011, 7:50
Now you’re acting like those 16 years old boys who need too show they “macho swag” and hate everything “pink”. I was used to be like this, but I got over it. If Sarkozy’s wife is pregnant it’s POLITICS, if Clinton’s daughter gets married it’s POLITICS and if Lewis is engaged it’s Formula 1!
by the way, it’s Nelson Mandela’s birthday… it’s POLITCS too.
DVC
18th July 2011, 8:26
Pink is a perfectly fine colour. The personal lives of the drivers are peripheral to F1 at best though. Only when the affect their performance is it news.
If the Clintons’ daughter gets married it is not politics unless Hilary uses the opportunity to engage in diplomatic talks with the Russian President or something.
RIISE (@riise)
18th July 2011, 8:46
What? 16 year old boy who doesn’t like pink? Are you serious? I just feel it has no relevance on an F1 blog that’s all. Like DVC said, unless he, for example: Quits F1 because of this to focus on family life then it’s news, but a rumoured engagement that turns out to be a load of rubbish anyway should be ignored.
Last Pope Eye
18th July 2011, 8:58
+1
JCost (@jcost)
18th July 2011, 14:27
Just stop it. How can you predict whether or not it will affect his career? It’s like saying Tiger Woods getting divorced doesn’t mean anything for golf world!
It’s just a link about a driver getting married and you think because it doesn’t have anything to do with “front wings” or “EBD” it is “tabloid news?” C’mon!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
18th July 2011, 14:49
Yea that video was a bit weird, I didn’t really get what he was trying to do.
My goodness those doughnuts look terrible. I’m not a fan of them anyway but I don’t think he even pulled 360 degrees.
TheBrav3
19th July 2011, 1:21
Clearly he wasn’t trying to do a donut he was trying to write the twirly sponsor logo infront of his hands onto the road in rubber!
On a side note i think he needs some lessons in smoothness from JB!
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 16:00
Who knows what is true in this rumour, seems Hamilton and NS were not in on it:
@NicoleScherzy (Nicole Scherzinger on Twitter)
On the other hand, Lewis might send a tweet tomorrow saying all is different :-D
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
20th July 2011, 11:08
Or he got denied via Twitter, ouch!
Eggry (@eggry)
18th July 2011, 0:25
I know Ferrari is now very competitive. Just it need to be the most competitive to win the championship.
Hamish
18th July 2011, 3:16
Well put
Todfod (@todfod)
18th July 2011, 7:27
Winning the championship might be a little too hard. Even if Fernando were to pull a Vettel (6 wins, and three 2nd place finishes), it still seems that he might not be able to take the title. I think the mistake in Malaysia, and unfortunate incident in Canada did a lot of damage to Alonso’s slim WDC chances.
Cornflakes
18th July 2011, 0:50
That helmet cam in the Lotus video is really good. Much better than the fixed camera in the roll bar. I would love to see it in a race, as you get a better idea of the bumps and things. Maybe we will, what with the fantastic wire cam in Silverstone!
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve)
18th July 2011, 5:49
i agree! alomst as good as this cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tEcBj8EGk&NR=1
Simon
18th July 2011, 21:16
I agree, the couple of times he was going flat out I thought you got a much better feeling of speed than the fixed cameras.
Harvs (@harvs)
18th July 2011, 1:03
Yes Ferrari you were very competitive at Silverstone, but now with the exaust rules back to Valencia spec I expect your cars will be looking at the back of the Red Bulls rather than looking back to them.
bananarama
18th July 2011, 1:55
And I expect them to be .. behind RB once again in qualifying. But in the race I suppose Vettel will need a perfect performance once again to stay ahead (which he is capable of).
Fixy (@)
18th July 2011, 10:16
I guess Massa by competitive means at least on Red Bull’s pace, not necessarily ahead.
David-A (@david-a)
18th July 2011, 2:28
Fernano’s Ferrari was ahead of one of the Red Bull’s in Valencia, so I’d hardly write them off so soon.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
18th July 2011, 10:11
The track suited them. Actually the Nurburgring should do a little too, but not as much.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 7:16
Lets see about that. Ferrari was fast on the softe tyres in Spain, close in Monaco, beat Webber on pace and could push Vettel not to let it slip in Valencia before the Silverstone update helped in winning there.
I think its Ferrari slowly catching up as Red Bull has less scope for improvement.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
18th July 2011, 10:12
But then Ferrari’s scope for development becomes less and less too and Red bull are already a step ahead.
I don’t see them regularly challenging for wins.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 11:22
No, me neither. I think they might be about where McLaren was first half of the season (balance 2:8 for Red Bull). Behind but the ones able to take a win if all goes their way.
Julian
18th July 2011, 1:53
The same Valencia specifications where a Ferrari split the Red Bulls and finished second?
Eggry (@eggry)
18th July 2011, 3:12
+Silverstone aero upgrade.
also Red Bull have never used hot-blown diffuser but cold-blown diffuser according to Autosport. probably That is why Mclaren and Renault are most damaged team in Silverstone.
JCost (@jcost)
18th July 2011, 8:46
Should we expect a competitive McLaren?
Julian
18th July 2011, 11:47
Always
Becken
18th July 2011, 5:07
How expensive is a F1 car?
http://www.wired.com/magazine/speed-machines
About Massa’s comments; Why he is doing all this propaganda when we know that he will not be THE ONE who will capitalize?
Klaas
18th July 2011, 8:32
I agree. Massa is burying himself with these optimist comments. If he doesn’t get on the podium in the next races what excuse will he find?
bosyber
18th July 2011, 9:22
I would say it is because he is still a racer, and he likes his car to go faster, and able to get a podium. Even if Alonso is faster than him (heh), being able to fight for podium is better than battling to stay in the points.
JCost (@jcost)
18th July 2011, 8:33
5 Mi $?
Paul di Resta has broken three front wings this season, that young man is burning money!
Mads (@mads)
18th July 2011, 12:59
$5 mil sounds too cheap. But maybe it is only the actual build of the car that will cost you $5 mil, because i am pretty sure that if you had to divide the whole teams R&D program costs + build over the 4-6 cars or whatever they build each year i bet that price is in the hundreds of millions a pop.
JCost (@jcost)
18th July 2011, 14:32
Yes. I think 5 mil $ is “Piece-by-piece” excluding R&D.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 7:13
Nice link with the expensive but quick tools. I would really like that bike, and the yacht would be a nice one to have as well.
verstappen
18th July 2011, 8:52
At Bavaria they make better race events than beer, although their non alcoholic beer is ok.
These events are very good and for a lot of people, especially in Russia, the only chance to get so close to an F1 car.
Atticus
18th July 2011, 9:12
It’s just so that the weather again seems to halt Ferrari’s charge unfortunately.
They could have won in Canada had it not been for the torrid weather. Alonso’s excellent pace has not been shown before the track dried up significantly.
Generally the lower temperatures tend to work against a car which has problems getting their tyres working.
So unfortunate. :(
Atticus
18th July 2011, 9:13
Alonso’s excellent pace has not been shown before the track dried up significantly – in Silverstone.
And weather prediction for the Ring is from F1.com.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 11:24
Joe Saward put up a link to the actual court case filed by Waltrip
sumedhvidwans (@sumedhvidwans)
18th July 2011, 14:37
I cannot comment on the “New rules produced most popular races in four years” article. Neither can I see the chart which is talked about in the article. Tried in chrome, mozilla, IE. Does anyone else have the same problem?
Hewis Lamilton
18th July 2011, 15:43
I am thinking that article’s thread has been locked. The topic looked as if it was a little hot.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2011, 16:04
Looks like it is stuck somehow. The article with the drivers rated 26-16 does not work as well, but it might be something different (and the text stops at the 20th driver now)
sumedh
18th July 2011, 21:04
While Keith tries his level best to ensure that readers rate the race objectively, it doesn’t really seem to happen.
Case in point Spa 2009. A slow car – Ferrari and an underdog – Force India locked in a race-long fight for first position. Both drivers had both pitstops at the same laps. The gap between them never increased beyond 1.5 seconds. But Hamilton and Button crashed out in the first lap.
Result – the race is nowhere in the top 10.
victor
20th July 2011, 8:03
Felipe come back to Top off the Podium, come on man you can do it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhdmuHCzjRo
victor
20th July 2011, 8:08
they said you would be a second driver before, and you exceeded, you can do this time, O BRASIL TA COM TIGO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbWJHxAZWMI&feature=related
victor
20th July 2011, 8:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtx_22kZcXk&feature=related