34 replies to this topic

[nigel red5]

So the Formula 1 family rolled into the racing capitol of the world, the Indianapolis motor speedway.

Indiana produced it's finest weather in the morning practice session. It was a mainly uneventful hour during which the drivers - certainly the German drivers at least - were more pre-occupied with the world cup quarter-final clash than with what was happening out on-track.

The most notable incident of the morning was Michael Schumacher spinning his Ferrari off into the gravel at turn 4 late in the session after running slightly wide & touching the grass with his left-hand wheels in turn 3.

In the afternoon the clouds rolled in as showers to the west approached, although thankfully it stayed off and was pretty much dry through the whole session.

Early on in FP2 Franck Montagny binned his Super Aguri in the same graveltrap that Michael Schumacher had visited earlier in the day. The teams and drivers continued on with their programmes of work through the session - the only other notable incidents being BMW-Sauber third driver Robert Kubica running wide and briefly onto the grass at the exit of turn 11, and fellow BMW pilot Jacques Villeneuve twice taking the grassy option at turn 1.

In the final couple of minutes we had the usual final Friday rush as Wurz, Davidson & Kubica went out to establish themselves as the Indy Friday king. Davidson topped the list with his effort of 1:12.013, and in the end neither Wurz or Kubica could match the Briton.

One thing to note, a very pleasing thought i must say, is that we have seen no problems at all with the tyres today, and we are set fair for a safe and trouble-free F1 weekend at the brickyard.

So who is looking hot and who is not as we end day 1 of the Indianapolis extravaganza? Will Fernando Alonso stroll to yet another Grand Prix victory, or do you see a challenge being offered to the mighty Spaniard this weekend? Please share your thoughts and comments about today's practice

[Programmer]

I don't think R. Schumacher likes this track at all : Second-slowest in the Toyota is not going to make the bosses happy.

[indyf1]

RS is snakebit

[Lord Crapulus]

What are the Midlands doing so high on the chart in FP2??

[MortenF1]

Midland doing a glory-run with atleast one of their drivers has become standard procedure on Fridays now.

As I thought, the Toro Rosso's would look good. Even if today isn't necessarily indicative of how they'll do this weekend, I definately see them fighting higher up than they have done earlier. Perhaps they'll even get a point, and going through to the second q-period should be almost easy.
Funny that they've always complained about their lack of top-speed, when they've so often before been very competitive in that area.
No surprise though, that they're once again close to the fastest when we saw how they travelled down the straigthts in Canada.
They'll beat Red Bull on this track.

Davidson on top, and ahead of Kubica, might suggest that Honda will be more competitive than they were a week ago.

....Still sure about the top three being very evenly matched though. Slightly surprised to read that Schumacher couldn't keep it between the hedges after just two flyers. I'll take that as a sign that he's really on it.

[qwazy]

First off, I'd like to say that i'm really impressed with the SPEED coverage so far of the practices. Coverage ran from 8-12am with tons of interviews, pit walks with Windsor and Daly, Matchett insight thrown in between practices.

Second off, I'd also like to say that Daly is a ton times better when he's doin' walk-abouts and pit reporting than commentating. He obviously knows a thing or two about F1, he's not a log and so interviewing on the fly seems to be something he's good at.

Also, it was cool being able to see the whole "basics of an F1 car" with (I think it was) Martin Brundle? Did SPEED get to use that directly from an ITV piece or what?

This is my first time really getting a chance to watch the cars around the track since I didnt watch the practices or qualifying last year and didnt pay much attention during the race. I think it's a pretty boring circuit and I honestly think it would just be better if they ran the oval in its entirety.

I think if they can run an extremely unique course at Monaco, why cant they also change things up and run an oval at Indy? During the press conference from yesterday, someone asked Schumi how he felt about being a "4 time Indy winner" and being included among the likes of Al Unser. I thought it was a bit awkward and I think Michael did as well since they dont run the same course, in the same context. But it made me think, would American fans take a liking to the US Grand Prix more if they ran it on the oval? Would it make a bigger impact on American fans to see how F1 cars destroy the times and speeds set by IRL and NASCAR cars?

Obviously people are gonna' say that that's not F1, but why cant it be just once a year? But then noone in the US will get to see the agility and quickness of an F1 car! I would suggest running another USGP event like they did before, perhaps another East and West.

Go Mondini!

[Aramchek]

Originally posted by qwazy
Obviously people are gonna' say that that's not F1, but why cant it be just once a year? But then noone in the US will get to see the agility and quickness of an F1 car! I would suggest running another USGP event like they did before, perhaps another East and West.

I'm agree 100%! There would be some unique tracks just to spice the championship. I loved the old Hockenheim with his long straights and like monaco with his unique atmosphere. Oval Indy would be absolutely better that the current circuit.

[carbonfibre]

No it wouldnt. It would be boring.

[kar]

Well simply because F1 cars aren't designed for that sort of thing. I know it would be nice tohave as a bit of a curiosity, and my goodness you might see overtaking, but I reckon it would be a might dangerous.

And also Indy cars belt the piss out of F1 cars for top speed so I dunno if F1 would take kindly being slower than the Indys.

[Pep]

Originally posted by qwazy
would American fans take a liking to the US Grand Prix more if they ran it on the oval? Would it make a bigger impact on American fans to see how F1 cars destroy the times and speeds set by IRL and NASCAR cars?

Would that happen? I think IRL cars are travelling at speeds of +300 km/h all the time in ovals. F1 cars are unbeatable regarding acceleration and high speed through corners but I think they would be about the same as Indy cars in the ovals. May be they would be slower as I don't know if the engines could stand 19.000 rpm during 90 minutes.

But yeah, I guess NASCAR or IRL cars would be ridiculously slower in circuits like Canada for example.

Anyway, I'd also love to watch F1 cars racing in an oval, at least once a year.

The problem with the current layout of the US Grand Prix is that it doesn't show the real strengths of the F1 cars. For someone who isn't used to watch F1 cars, probably one of the things that impress most is the speed through high speed corners, how it can stay glued to the track at speeds of +200 km/h and taking a corner at the same time.

[HBoss]

I don't fancy F1 on ovals, but if we had more legitimate street circuits woth close walls and stuff...

As for Friday practicing, I slept through it. Things only get meaningful/clear on saturday.

[Dragonfly]

Different tracks? Definitely Yes. But like Spa and old Hockenheim. Going in circles on an oval is not a race for F1 cars. And is Boring.

[qwazy]

Originally posted by carbonfibre
No it wouldnt. It would be boring.

Anymore boring than Spain or Silverstone?

Get real. Most races in F1 are boring.

[MP4/?]

Originally posted by qwazy


Anymore boring than Spain or Silverstone?

Get real. Most races in F1 are boring.

Get away and don't watch them if you think they are boring..

[qwazy]

Everyone thinks they're boring!

Doesnt mean I dont like F1. Means the race was boring, buddy.

[MortenF1]

Engine change Rosberg.

[DOHCPower]

Honda once again super quick in practice. Notice a trend?

[MortenF1]

No.

[D. Heimgartner]

I dare anyone to mention one race run this year that had the excitement and awesome racing of the 2006 Indianapolis 500. The collective crap that has been the last 9 races of Formula 1 couldn't compare to the aforementioned race. Maybe Suzuka can redeliver what it did last year. If so, then this will be a very good race year for me, indeed.

As for the F1 circus running the 2.5 mile oval: They would have to find a new sanctioning body and about half a dozen new drivers. The engineering details would be far easier to sort out. Engines can be modified, remapped, detuned, etc. to handle the strains of a superspeedway race. The Schumachers on the other hand...



BTW, I'm probably not even going to watch this race. This season, I only watched Australia, Malaysia & Canada. I probably will tune in for the Japanese GP & the Brazilian GP. Other than that, I'm so over this pathetic excuse of a racing series.

[Dudley]

Originally posted by qwazy

Obviously people are gonna' say that that's not F1, but why cant it be just once a year? But then noone in the US will get to see the agility and quickness of an F1 car! I would suggest running another USGP event like they did before, perhaps another East and West.

In a world where lots of countries want a GP and can't get one, why shouldn't a country that doesn't give 2 shits about F1 get 2?

If your arguiement is size then China should have 4 a year and Russia 5.

That said, I think F1 needs a short oval. (1 mile, so you don't get the "sit at 210mph all day")

--

Good work Sato I thought.

Honda once again super quick in practice. Notice a trend

Not just the Honda Hondas, that engine ain't too shabby.

[Mauseri]

Originally posted by qwazy
Everyone thinks they're boring!

Doesnt mean I dont like F1. Means the race was boring, buddy.

Not as boring as football. They dont even drive there. Just stand and kick balls and never make goals.

[qwazy]

Originally posted by Dudley


In a world where lots of countries want a GP and can't get one, why shouldn't a country that doesn't give 2 shits about F1 get 2?

If your arguiement is size then China should have 4 a year and Russia 5.

That said, I think F1 needs a short oval. (1 mile, so you don't get the "sit at 210mph all day")

Well, hasnt it been shown that the US doesnt dislike F1 that much in F1 Racing and stuff?

And besides, we've had two before, right? It's the largest economy in the world, why wouldnt they want more shots at getting it right and getting more fans?

[jimm]

Originally posted by qwazy


Anymore boring than Spain or Silverstone?

Get real. Most races in F1 are boring.

in the "classic" era of F1, there were ovals!!!! Used to be part of Monza and INdy was a points race for F1.

Really, having one of the small 1 mile ovals on the schedule would be interesting but not with the current cars as they could not do it. The small ovals are very fast and the leaders are always in traffic. The current F1 cars are far to sensitive to aero disturbances when following another car closely. However, it is a different kind of skill and would be interesting to see in the hands of F1 drivers.

[jimm]

Originally posted by qwazy


Well, hasnt it been shown that the US doesnt dislike F1 that much in F1 Racing and stuff?

And besides, we've had two before, right? It's the largest economy in the world, why wouldnt they want more shots at getting it right and getting more fans?

Crap, at one time the US had 3 races (Long Beach, Detroit and Las Vagas)......Ahh the glory days!!!

F1's problem in the US is public relations. They have no idea how to market to the American fan or how to treat them (although, this past week at Indy is a good step if they continue).

[clampett]

Originally posted by race addicted
Engine change Rosberg.

That means he will be in the points this time.

[sainsburypeter]

Quote from another forum

'Howdy from Indianapolis! I am a garage scrutineer for the USGP this year, my first time in the garage for F1 ( been to a few odd GPs over the years as a spectator ).

I am in the Toro Rosso garage, and watching the Michelin men work up and down the pitlane it seems that they aren't concerned at this point about Bridgestone... I overheard one of the Michelin engineers saying that almost every Michelin team started on the soft tires early in the afternoon session and put their hard tires on in the middle-to-end... and that is when a fairly heavy cloud cover came over the circuit. That said, it appears that the softer of the Michelin options may be a little too soft if it is as hot and sunny as it was at the beginning of Practice 2 this afternoon.

It was pretty amazing to see the Toro Rosso team repair Scott Speeds car in Practice 1... his car died at pit out when he tried to take to the track for the first time at around the 6th minute. The car got back into the garage at about the 20th minute, and the problem ended up being front wheel speed sensor failure ( both sensors at the same time... weird! ). Anyway, they only started disassembling the uprights in about the 30th minute of practice, and the tore them down, replaced the sensors, and buttoned him back up and sent him on his way in about 20 minutes total. 20 minutes to more or less take the front uprights off, replace sensors, and put the uprights back on and hit the track... pretty amazing.

It was also amusing in first practice to see Liuzzi sitting on a toolbox in the rear of the garage watching the footy. At first he pretended to watch the FIA timing screens, but after a few minutes he turned solely to watch GER / ARG... they practically had to pry him off his perch to get him to make a run towards the end of the session'.

[HP]

Originally posted by Programmer
I don't think R. Schumacher likes this track at all : Second-slowest in the Toyota is not going to make the bosses happy.

Trully ain't much better though. According to them they had sensor problems and vibrations.

[Spunout]

Would that happen? I think IRL cars are travelling at speeds of +300 km/h all the time in ovals. F1 cars are unbeatable regarding acceleration and high speed through corners but I think they would be about the same as Indy cars in the ovals. May be they would be slower as I don't know if the engines could stand 19.000 rpm during 90 minutes.

But would they have to? Just turn down the revs ;)

Seriously, running on ovals would require lots of tweaking (remember eg IRL cars have separate chassis & wings for road courses and ovals), but there is no question F1 car would destroy IRL car rather easily. More power, better aerodynamics, etc.

[Sorena]

The Honda engine looks good here, as evidenced by both teams running it. Hopefully BAR can make a step back up to the territory they have occupied in the past.

Here's hoping that having maybe another competitive team this weekend will lead to a more exciting race than the races of late .

[clampett]

Ferrari will bring home a 1-2 in Indianapolis if it won't be some mechanical gremlins or some other vis maior. Their pace is amazing, safely 1 sec faster then the rest.

Alonso don't have a winning pace at this track, but he may continue his podium streak... Anyway, Fisi seems faster here (last year also).

It will be an interesting qualifying and race.

[Lada Lover]

Ferrari should put hardly any fuel in Massa's car and then pit early and run 15, 30 and 30 laps instead of that stupid 30, 30, and then 15 laps some teams did in Montreal. Blocking Alonso at the start is the only way to keep him from winning.

[Paste]

Originally posted by clampett
Anyway, Fisi seems faster here (last year also).

It will be an interesting qualifying and race.

Actually, Alonso led Fisichella in all three practices they competed in, and was only outqualified by 1 tenth of a second (keep in mind that no one knows how much fuel anyone had) at the 2005 USGP. Hardly seems like 'faster' to me.

I would expect Alonso to compete with MSchumacher for the win - Don't know that anyone else will be close. I'd love to see Massa take his first win this weekend.

[DOHCPower]

Hopefully BAR can make a step back up to the territory they have occupied in the past.

who are BAR?

[giacomo]

Originally posted by jimm
Crap, at one time the US had 3 races (Long Beach, Detroit and Las Vagas)......Ahh the glory days!!!

Detroit and Las Vegas were everything else but glorious circuits.

[jimm]

Originally posted by giacomo
Detroit and Las Vegas were everything else but glorious circuits.

was talking about the fact that F1 was popular enough in the US to HAVE 3 races a year, not commenting on the quality of of the tracks.