Sport The Formula 1 Thread

[Bushtopher]

I agree - as much as I love the sound of F1 cars, I like the idea of them moving to more innovative/green tech things. And as long as there is still a petrol engine in there somewhere, the sound will remain to some extent.

[Dudley]

I think we can all agree that David Coulthard in the commentary box has been a worthwhile addition, right? He has slight faults, but a clear improvement over Legard, no one can argue about that. Except for NATASHA from LEICESTER

She got rant of the week too. That's a tenner in prize money!

She's also wrong, DC didn't replace Legard, he replaced Brundle. Brundle replaced Legard. It's a subtle but important difference, DC is supposed to be doing Brundle's old job and considering he's replacing possibly the best to ever do that job he's doing very well.

Now Brundle as a lead, I think he's doing pretty well personally. He's not one for false excitement like Legard but he does a good job of transmitting what's going on.

[morcs]

Next up the safety car contract, FIA did consider staying with Merc and its lovely sounding engine, but decided Toyota and the Prius would be a better fit for F1 now.

Not sure if that's a joke but I'd actually like that. Love seeing a reasonably priced car getting battered as hard as possible, rolling into the corners and peeling its baloon tyres off the rims. The fact that the cars behind look like they're barely moving just makes them all the more impressive.

Will miss that V8 though.

[morcs]

She's also wrong

FUUUUUU I hope the BBC realise these opinions are not to be entertained!

[JPR]

Definitely a joke, I'm not completely against trying to be a bit greener but things like running only on electric in the pit lane just don't seem like F1 to me.

[mexos]

Personally I think green can fuck off. F1 has been carbon neutral for about 15 years. Electric power (vs a boost) is a step too far.

We don't need this bullshit tainting the sport, it does nothing for it.

[gospvg]

Hope there is no truth to Newscorp buying F1

[Shimmyhill]

Not sure if that's a joke but I'd actually like that. Love seeing a reasonably priced car getting battered as hard as possible, rolling into the corners and peeling its baloon tyres off the rims. The fact that the cars behind look like they're barely moving just makes them all the more impressive.

Will miss that V8 though.

Merc already have an electric SLS so that makes perfect sense!

[Cheeko]

Personally I think green can fuck off. F1 has been carbon neutral for about 15 years. Electric power (vs a boost) is a step too far.

We don't need this bullshit tainting the sport, it does nothing for it.

What difference does it make in the pit lane where the speed is limited anyway?

And with silent electric engines you'd be able to hear the mechanics slapping their faces as Button rolls into Red Bull's garage. James Allen reporting from the pit lane with birds chirping and the faint rattle of tools.

Sounds delightful for a Sunday afternoon.

[dayte]

And also the crushing of bones as reporters and other folk traipsing the pitlane are caught unaware. Every time it cuts to the pitlane there are often folk walking in the direction of traffic, not looking or getting out of the way until the last moment. Were it not for the roar of the engines they wouldn't have a clue.

[Dudley]

Personally I think green can fuck off. F1 has been carbon neutral for about 15 years. Electric power (vs a boost) is a step too far.

We don't need this bullshit tainting the sport, it does nothing for it.

Although give it another decade and you'll sound like the idiots who complained moving to Unleaded petrol would ruin Nascar.

[Halkyon]

Electric motors delivering crazy torque over a wider RPM range could be slidey and fun in 25 years when Bernie finally dies.

High-technology has a place in F1, and high technology is going to be green by necessity.

[dayte]

Wicked acceleration as well

[Meers]

Yeah, that's... odd. Lucky there's no refuelling then - can imagine some horrible situations where the system could cause some spark and boom, it's Jos Meerman Verstappen at Hockenheim 1994 all over again.

[wev]

Could it be due to these turbo ideas that McLaren were trying their "Octopus" exhaust system? the way I understood it they were trying to feed the exhaust gasses into a box that then split it through various exit points on the body of the car but they couldn't find a work around for the heat or something.

[mexos]

Could it be due to these turbo ideas that McLaren were trying their "Octopus" exhaust system? the way I understood it they were trying to feed the exhaust gasses into a box that then split it through various exit points on the body of the car but they couldn't find a work around for the heat or something.

They also wanted to use a banned substance to protect the rest of the car from the heat generated. Of course the FIA said no.

[wev]

I read that, the way I understood it was that it was a highly toxic substance and was also incredibly expensive.

I wasn't really on about why they couldn't use it, and more to the potential behind such a design really, as they'd possibly be able to apply an exhaust fume powered turbine to power the turbo charger with that kind of system.

But thats purely just a guess.

[fragglerock]

You cannot just harvest energy from the exhaust for free. If it is spinning a turbine it will be being slowed and therefore causing the engine to work less well. It is certainly not free (and not withstanding if you are using the fumes to 'blow' the diffuser that will be less efficient too)

[Dom B]

I'm confused. I thought all turbos are driven by exhaust fumes. Have I missed some new development here?

[Sidewaysbob]

McLaren where just moving the exhaust gases around the gear box and out through holes in the undertray to create a blown diffuser. The problem was the only material they found that could deal with the heat and not just melt was banned by the FIA years ago. The idea was borderline in the first places as blown diffusers are banned this year, It was also hediously expensive to machine the exhaust system from a solid billet of this material. So with time running out and no obviously solution they went back and had a look at what the Redbull was doing. Realised that was pretty much what they were doing and copied that. Now the exhaust gas exits in slots on the trailing edge of the diffuser, which seems to be working fine for them.

It had nothing at all to do with a turbo engine.

[Sidewaysbob]

yes exhaust gasses drive a turbine that draws air into the engine and pack the cylinders with more "air" and "fuel" than yu would normally get just driving along. more charge gives more bang for your bucks.

The green idea comes from being able to use less fuel because you have more of a charge in each cyclinder. However, back in the day when turbos were used the teams used extra fuel as a coolant in the air fuel mix. by loading each charge with extra fuel the unburnt stuff could take away some of the extra heat from burning all that fuel and air. it cooled the cylinders, cranks and stuff. It also prodused a 3 foot flame out of the exhaust whenever the car down shifted.

I assume they're got better materials that don't need so much cooling these days.

[sjeh]

[Halkyon]

That is a really sexy graph.

[Pete]

That graph makes me love that race even more.

[Halo]

Karthikeyan only used two sets of tyres?

[JohnC]

Karthikeyan is still in F1? Oh.

[BigShimmeryWall]

Karthikeyan only used two sets of tyres?

I guess that's all HRT could afford.

[Guest]

Personally I think green can fuck off. F1 has been carbon neutral for about 15 years. Electric power (vs a boost) is a step too far.

We don't need this bullshit tainting the sport, it does nothing for it.

Yes.

[Dudley]

Karthikeyan only used two sets of tyres?

Yep, I spotted it at the time in the thread, he was actually ahead of one of the Virgins until about 10 laps to go, then the tyres became completely useless and he dropped like a stone.

[Sidewaysbob]

Glock has been saying virgin needs to get its act together for some time now.