F1 - Spain Qualifying ONE HD 21:30 AEST 11 May 2013

[gary]

Coverage of the qualifying session for the Gran Premio de España at Circuit de Catalunya
is on this Saturday 11 May on ONE HD starting at 21:30 AEST.

I will be at the South Pacific Star Party so it will be one to record and then
watch whilst synced to the F1 timing app replay before the race on Sunday night.
So if I see you at Ilford, please don't let me know the qualifying result.

Note that coverage of the race itself is on TEN on Sunday starting at 21:30 AEST.

Pirelli are bringing the orange hards and the white mediums. However, the orange hards
will be a revised version which Paul Hembery of Pirelli reports are closer to the
characteristics of the 2012 tyre. It was suggested that the tyres wider temperature
window should provide a wider range of race strategies. Teams will get an
extra set of these tyres to test during free practice. However, rain is expected
during Friday's practice, so it will be interesting to see how much experience
the teams get with the tyres if Friday proves wet.

All of the teams have brought upgrade packages to their cars. Weather for
qualifying and the race is forecast to be sunny.

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Should be an interesting weekend with all the new upgrades coming to the teams.

Enjoy!

[simmo]

Interesting race coming up considering the tyre troubles already. I don't see why the racing bodies have this regulation around tyres. It should really be open to all manufacturers. The same thing has been applied to Motogp with the same consequences. I'd be happy for the tyres to again be open for the competition and teams able to choose from all manufacturers. Better for the sport and development in general. Formula 1 and motogp would suck if we didn't have a field of different car/motorbike manufacturers involved. It would just be a cup race and nothing more so why do this to tyres? Doesn't make sense.
Cloud has rolled up so might go watch the start instead of Saturn that I was hoping for. Good luck Web and Ric.

simmo

[goober (Doug)]

Real shame to watch them not driving on the limit, but driving to hold the tyre wear down. Not the F1 I've enjoyed for 25 years.

[astroron (Ron)]

Very dissapointing race I didn't even hang around for the drivers briefing.
F1 is getting too sterile,tactics yes, but having to drive on tyres that may fall to pieces at any moment is just so much crap.
If this keeps up I may consider my sitting till after midnight for such a boring spectacle.
Cheers

[gary]

Article today at BBC -

"Pirelli to consider changing their tyres following criticism"

Originally Posted by Andrew Benson, Chief F1 writer, BBC

Pirelli is considering changing the tyres it supplies to Formula 1 as a result of criticism of the style of racing this season.

Most teams made four pit stops in the Spanish Grand Prix and there are complaints that drivers have to drive too cautiously on fast-wearing tyres.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "We aim for two to three pit stops. Today was too many.

"We got it wrong. We will make changes, probably from Silverstone."

Story here -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22501577

Similar story by Pete Gill at Sky Sports -
http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sp...5#.UZBvmqh--Hs

Originally Posted by Martin Brundle

"It's just too much. I've received a tweet saying 'four stops isn't a motor race, it's a bus journey,"

[gary]

Nice five minute BBC video of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber interviewing each other
last month.

"Both drivers celebrated their 200th race in Bahrain, and the pair share their favourite
memories throughout the last decade."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2--FD1g0W34

[goober (Doug)]

Originally Posted by gary

Nice five minute BBC video of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber interviewing each other
last month.

"Both drivers celebrated their 200th race in Bahrain, and the pair share their favourite
memories throughout the last decade."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2--FD1g0W34

I think I heard that on a BBC podcast. Nice moments.

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Good to see Honda coming back as an engine supplier with the new turbo formula

[gary]

Originally Posted by Larryp

Good to see Honda coming back as an engine supplier with the new turbo formula

Hi Laurie,

Indeed! With McLaren in 2015.

What many fans are anxious to hear are the sounds of next year's 1.6 litre V6 turbos.
They rev at 15,000 rpm but then there is the 125,000 rpm shrill turbo.

Will they sound as exciting as the current V8's that rev at 18,000 rpm?

Journalists who were given previews said they still sound exciting.

There is a wonderful 5 minute video on YouTube of "behind the scenes of the
Renault F1 department". This is of course the supplier to teams such as Red Bull.

The segment starting at 1:50 where they are performing the metrology on the
engine components is great stuff.

But the best part is when they fire up the engine in the test cell in the segment starting at 3:35.

Those exhaust manifolds are glowing red hot at somewhere between 800C and
1000C and the sound at 18,000 rpms is unbelievable!

Video here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnwFkj0LKRk