Sport The Formula 1 Thread

[wev]

Yup, Brawn said as much. Something about how the stable conditions helped them find the window for the tyres to work properly and now they need to find how to expand that window. Theres no chance they can do that between last weekend and this.

I fancy Nando to drag the Ferrari to a podium for some reason.

Incidentally, its so hard to pick a top ten for each race now. Anyone from Mclaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Sauber, Lotus, Williams, Force India and Torro Rosso can get a top ten spot at any race, its bloody exciting!

[marsh]

Brawn has a Brawn all over again then?

[wev]

Wasnt the Brawn okay with tyres in different temperatures/climates, but really struggled to regulate the temperature of the engine?

[marsh]

I thought the car was a pile of shit if they couldn't get heat into the tyres, or had too much....?

[zxcvbnm]

My prediction - race will be cancelled. It's such a target for protesters, it's hard to imagine them NOT doing something this weekend.

[Halkyon]

Youtube recommended a video of a protestor running onto the track at Silverstone a few years ago to me yesterday. It must be foreshadowing Bahrain.

Except that guy wasn't on fire or shot.

[SMD]

I think it's too late in the day for that decision to be made.

I'm glad it's not on the BBC though because it means I can watch via stream but it won't contribute to any viewing figures.

[Dudley]

If the race takes place, well I'll report on it. If not, it's a null result and we roll on.

If we get laps, however many laps, we have a result.

Not if it's less than 2.

[mexos]

I'm glad it's not on the BBC though because it means I can watch via stream but it won't contribute to any viewing figures.

Unless your one of the 4000 selected viewers with a special box to monitor your watching habits you won't.

[kiroquai]

A compiled tweet from Adam Cooper (F1 Journo, @adamcooperf1)

Crew bus of Force India mechanics was stopped in traffic on highway last night by impromptu road block. Fire bombs were thrown and one landed very near them before traffic was able to escape. Team members definitely not comfortable about it. Team travelling without any obvious F1 ID, so it was just bad luck. It was always the big risk that stuff like this would happen. Scary thing is team took special precautions with travel/route advice from local security experts and they still met trouble.

Hmm.

[mexos]

I would have thought they (FOM) would get the teams to the circuit and keep them there in motorhomes till Sunday night rather than risk them going into the town and finding themselves in some trouble.

Also, if anything happens during qually like a track invasion I'd still expect the race to go ahead* - but behind closed doors with no fans. It's not like the grandstands are going to be packed anyway.

*unless someone dies.

[kiroquai]

It seems like all the Force India crew involved were offered the opportunity to go home if they wished. One of them has taken them up on it.

[Sidewaysbob]

Their bus got ambused in a road block last night and a few fire bombs went their way. That would shit me up enough to request an immediate flight out of there. Life's too short to get caught up in someone else's wars.

anyway just to clarify the prediction game

We will use in order

the practice sessions 1, 2, 3,

then the grid order including any penalties

then the race as it stands from the end of lap one.

the final result.

If we get to the end of the race, all well and good and they can get the hell out of dodge. If it is stopped at any point, those will be the markers we go back to

[MrPogo]

My prediction - race will be cancelled. It's such a target for protesters, it's hard to imagine them NOT doing something this weekend.

I expect it to start at least; from a maximising exposure point of view it would make sense to save any protests for when the world is watching live on tv (except in Britain ). And even then it's hard to imagine much but a lone track invader, as I'd assume security would stop them bringing in weapons, anti-government banners etc. Will probably amount to bugger all happening inside the circuit, unless they can manage to organise something right at the other end of the scale and a rampaging mob smashes down the fences and swarms all over the place, flinging molotov cocktails at Massa and burning effigies of The Finger before heading off into the sunset in their newly won McLarens.

[SMD]

How is throwing fire bombs at coaches peaceful protest? What the fuck.

[Dudley]

How is throwing fire bombs at coaches peaceful protest? What the fuck.

I think we all saw how well peaceful worked. You can't peacefully protest against people who shoot peaceful protesters and then shoot doctors who try and help them.

[morcs]

Are you going to watch Dudley? I'm not sure whether to. Unfortunately I watch through my friend's Sky Go login so I would contribute to viewing figures

[Dudley]

I will very much not be.

So far btw, 2 television networks and 1 Porsche team have refused to go.

[Sidewaysbob]

I'm going to watch it because i like motor raing ... but i will feel bad about it, becuase i'll be worried that some one is going to try and make a political point half way through the race. Thus ruining yet another sporting event. I didn't see anyone throwing petrol bombs at the Bahrain invitational golf tournament last week !

[Petrousgyre]

I'm going to watch it because i like motor raing ... but i will feel bad about it, becuase i'll be worried that some one is going to try and make a political point half way through the race. Thus ruining yet another sporting event.

Yes, that would be an unmitigated tragedy.

[Rattlehead.ie]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but Im on my mobile and limited.

Anyone have an overlay of the 2010 layout Vs the 2012 layout, where its different, Ive tried to look and I cant see any difference except for run off areas.

[JPR]

The Grand Prix layout.

The Endurance Circuit which was the track used in 2010.

[mexos]

[dayte]

Awww they took out the best part, the rollercoaster section always unsettled the car.

[dayte]

Yates also said police would retaliate with live rounds if necessary: "The police will have all the options you would expect. If the opposition started firing live ammunition, the police would respond with live," he said, adding: "But I don't think that's likely."

What sort of opposition has live rounds

[Rattlehead.ie]

Thanks JPR, I had seen the endurance race layout, but hadnt realised that's what they used. Certainly a more straight forward track

[Sidewaysbob]

Yes, that would be an unmitigated tragedy.

You have already nailed your colours to the mast, it has been duly noted.

If you don't want to watch it that's fine. It's not going to make one iota of difference, except next year when they don't go back you'll be able to feel morally superior and parade you right on credibilty around. As i have said before i wish they weren't going and do hope the whole thing gets cancelled. It is over shadowing what is turning into a very promising season as every wet liberal with an agenda comes out and starts wagging their finger at me for saying, "Well i like motor racing, not politics actually"

I'm too old for all this shit, i've paid my dues i protested about the springbok tours and i didn't watch the olymipics in 1982. It didn't make a blind bit of difference.

[kiroquai]

...and i didn't watch the olymipics in 1982.

I don't think anyone watched the 1982 Olympics

Interesting discussion, though. Still unsure what I am going to do.

[dayte]

More details

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985

Choice bits, mostly all from the mouth of the Bahrain GP chairman - you can tell he's not clued up on PR.

Some tear gas fired by police entered the car, before the driver escaped through a gap in the flames on the road.

The four men were said to be emotional, upset and angry with organisers that the race had been allowed to go ahead.

Bahrain circuit chairman Zayed R Alzayani said: "They weren't targeted. They just happened to be there.

"I think it's unfortunate. It's an issue of timing. It could happen in any place in the world really, getting caught up in a riot or a fight or anything."

Alzayani said there would "probably" be more violence, adding: "I can't comment on the degree of violence, whether it will be more or not - I don't have that kind of information.

"I would give them advice to enjoy the weekend," he said. "Don't be too worried and too distracted not to enjoy the weekend."

That's right, the guy in charge is telling fans to ignore the fire flying over your heads and the gunshots in the background, just concentrate on the race...

[John0]

Yeah I'm still on the fence. Certainly very uncomfortable with the reports from Bahrain on the Guardian blog feed today... even more uncomfortable with some of the other stuff on there in Tunisia and Syria as well... the news is depressing.