The latest F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship standings will be up today. In the meantime, here’s the round-up:
Links
The secrets of that pit stop (Ferrari)
Ferrari explain the pit stop that helped Alonso win the Italian Grand Prix.
Comment of the day
Are the durable qualities of Bridgestone’s tyres making the racing worse? If so, how can Pirelli do better next year? Icthyes has a suggestion:
Thing is, it’s in a tyre company’s best interest to make long-lasting tyres. That’s why they’re partners in F1, to get data and try to transfer some over to their road tyre research, plus get some advertising.
What we need Pirelli to do is to focus on one tyre that will be the most durable thing ever, and to focus on another tyre to have the best performance ever. Inevitably one will end up having shortcomings the other would make up for. Then qualifying on the performance tyre will be much more of a risk in the race and we might see some more mixed strategies in the Top 10, like we sometimes saw last year (Melbourne stands out as a particularly good example).
Icthyes
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to David A!
On this day in F1
The only world championship Italian Grand Prix not held at Monza took place on this day 30 years ago at the Imola circuit near San Marino.
Monza returned to the calendar the following year but Imola remained part of the schedule, billed as the San Marino Grand Prix.
Nelson Piquet won the only Italian Grand Prix not held at Monza but the race is best remembered for Gilles Villeneuve’s crash at the corner which was later named after him:
hartry
14th September 2010, 0:59
Those guys at 0:10 really are sitting on the outside of the corner, in the firing line, wearing nothing but an umbrella for protection?? Wow nearly like my comment on the photographers on the outside kerb of Eau Rouge. Those were(n’t) the days eh?
Scalextric (@scalextric)
14th September 2010, 1:24
I think they’re on the roof of a building.
Hamish
14th September 2010, 2:26
Yep I looks like they’re on the roof. They look like giants compared to the cars.
Paolo
14th September 2010, 10:32
They’re sitting on the grandstand roof…
Look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdJ4xzwD4mM
sato113
14th September 2010, 2:51
on the tyre point, vettel drove 52 of 53 laps on soft tyes on sunday. i’m sure that proves they’re too durable.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
14th September 2010, 4:35
What Pirelli need to concentrate on is developing a tyre that will give the most grip in the world and a tyre that will last forever – but they can’t be the same tyre. That’s the problem with Bridgestone: they seem to think having tyres that produce lots of grip and are highly durable is best for their image.
Maciek
14th September 2010, 9:21
Well, as far as image goes, it’s difficult to argue against that approach. Perhaps the problem is the lack of a clear distinction between racing technology and road technology.
BasCB
14th September 2010, 7:14
Exactly. I think Icthyes is right in suggesting having one durable tyre and a high performance but quickly losing speed tyre.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
14th September 2010, 3:05
Before Bridgestone are going out of the sports they are sending a message to the world that their tyres are the most reliable of all!
Magnificent Geoffrey
14th September 2010, 4:04
Good thing they don’t name corners after drivers who crash in them anymore, otherwise the calendar would be full of ‘Piquet Jr Kurves’, ‘Sato Hairpins’ and ‘Sutil Chicanes’.
Calum
14th September 2010, 9:30
And Yuji Ide Straights!!!
Tom L.
14th September 2010, 18:39
They should name that straight at Valencia after Mark Webber!
Hamish
14th September 2010, 8:21
I see Kimi Raikkonen has made contact with the Renault folks…
DC
14th September 2010, 8:29
It must be a tough decision for Renault. Do they take Petrov and his Russian money or Räikkönen and his proven ability to win a WDC?
I’m betting on Russian money. ;)
OEL
14th September 2010, 8:37
Oh sorry Hamish, I didn’t see your comment!
OEL
14th September 2010, 8:40
The question is if Kimi really wants to go back to F1, or if he’s just “checking the market” again (remember his McLaren talks last year). If he does, does he really beleave Renault are goint to be championship contenders next year?
Hamish
14th September 2010, 8:55
I think Kimi and McLaren last year came down to money given he got paid out of his contract by Ferrari.
He is still one of the highest paid drivers by an F1 team at the moment.
BasCB
14th September 2010, 9:04
It might be genuin interest in winning in Renault, or just part of finishing his contract with Red Bull/Citroën for next year.
I like the attetude of Boullier and Renault, they give Petrov a good chance to make it work before going for someone else, even a proven winner.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
14th September 2010, 10:04
Right now, DC, I’d say Russian money. Someone else on another forum made a very good point: Renault spoke up about this for a reason. If they really wanted to stage a coup de grace, they would have kept their quite. They want leverage over someone, but the only question is who: Petrov or Raikkonen? I can’t see it being Petrov because they’ve apparently set him a deadline and reports out of Finland suggest Renault are very likely to keep him. But Raikkonen? That’s a very definite chance, especially if he’s asking a lot.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
14th September 2010, 10:00
I see Kimi Raikkonen only did it after Renault’s success in Belgium. If I were Eric Boullier, I wouldn’t take him. I’d rather have Jean-Denis Deletraz than someone whose interest in the sport waxes and wanes with the team’s success. It sounds entirely in character for Raikkonen to do that: he allegedly failed to secure a drive for this season because he wanted to be at his full Ferrari pay, a World Championship worthy car and a reduction in PR hours. In other words, all of the success and none of the effort. That’s probably the worst kind of driver, short of someone who blames everybody else for their mistakes (which Raikkonen doesn’t do, mind you).
Sammy
14th September 2010, 19:17
Probably exactly the reason why he won so little, relative to his immense talent…
Carl
14th September 2010, 8:23
Ive just read that Alonso is on his last Engine. And Red Bull only have one left for the rest of the season. Is this true?
Calum
14th September 2010, 9:35
How many are you allowed? Is it 8 because he used his 7th at Spa and probs took a new (8th) one for Monza, now he has no frsh ones, but he can use any of his previous ones – apart from the one used in Malaysia that blew up, Ferrari did work on it and as a result that engine can only be be used in Free Practice and for the final race of the season, so I beleive.
graigchq (@graigchq)
14th September 2010, 10:31
yep – and could make thigns interesting. The McLaren boys are the only ones at the front to have ample engines left for the remaining races. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Alonso gambling on harder tyres after an engine change in the next race or two.
Alex
14th September 2010, 12:33
Wrong. Actually the guy who has most engines left is Webber who has oonly used 6 including Monza. The guy who’s in 2nd best position is Hamilton who used his 7th engine in Monza but only did 3 corners of the race. 3rd best position is Button’s who used his 7th engine(new) for the whole race but has lots of used engines left. Remember drivers who change the engine prior to qualy don’t get penalties provided its one of the 8. Vettel used his 8th engine in Monza but could be in trouble as he has far less used engines left than Button. Alonso(and Massa) are in worst position as theyalready used their 8th new engine.
Alex
14th September 2010, 12:35
sorry Vettel used his 7th new engine not 8th.Damn it my typo mistakes
OEL
14th September 2010, 8:23
Räikkönen to Renault? Apparently he’s intrested. On Autosport.com.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
14th September 2010, 9:15
He doesn’t seem to be doing very well in rallying (though I’m no expert) so I’m not surprised the F1 return rumours have started up. Raikkonen vs Kubica at Renault, now that sounds like fun.
If he did come back and one of the Red Bull drivers wins the championship this year we could have six world champions on the grid next year.
Hamish
14th September 2010, 9:47
Disregarding Eddies “hunch” of course.
UneedAFinn2Win
14th September 2010, 9:49
I wouldn’t consider myself as an “expert”, but having followed the sport for over 20 years, I can assure you that Kimi is doing extremely well. He has gone head to head with some drivers who have trained to be in the sport for their entire life, and matched their speed in his first ever season in a rally car, while some have driven the current spec car for years.
If he goes back to F1, good, if he stays in the new, lesser powered but more competitive WRC, good.
graigchq (@graigchq)
14th September 2010, 10:33
i think he’s doing amazing at rallying.. given this is his “rookie” year.
after 8 stages of rally japan he was running 10th until he ditched it on the side of the road (which he does seem to do rather a lot). Difference is if you crash an F1 car it costs several small african countries to fix or replace, but in rallying, you get your spanner out and get on with fixing it right there and then.
he’s doing well, and as far as i know, enjoying it too. He’s a way of the likes of Loeb and Hirvonnen, but there are others he is beating who have been in the sport a lot longer.
Alex
14th September 2010, 12:44
Keith you are both right and wrong on this.
Wrong, beacuse despite the results, Kimi’s actually doing very well in WRC. As a rookie he has really impressed, competing against established rally aces. Unsurprisingly he has done better in asphalt rallies than gravel, as the latter are as far off from anything he’s done before as it can get.
But you may also be right, as after almost a full season in WRC, Kimi must understand now the enormity of the task ahead of him if he’s ever to compete with the likes of Loeb and Ogier on even footing, after all they spent all their racing careers in rally. So it’s really a mountain to climb for Kimi, and he may have decided it’s not worth the effort.
David B
14th September 2010, 9:02
But my name is David B…!
Thanks Keith. :-)
BasCB
14th September 2010, 9:05
Anyhow, happy birthday if it is yours ;-) and if not to David A!
David-A (@david-a)
14th September 2010, 17:12
Woah, my birthday was in June! :P
Happy Birthday David B!
David B
15th September 2010, 12:23
Thanks all, guys!
Steph (@)
14th September 2010, 9:35
Kimi you have ruined everything! Just when I start liking Petrov you apparently try to usurp him, you’re going to set off all the tedious rumours again and if you do come back it means we have to sit through those interviews again. :(
It was so fun seeing an F1 driver try something completely new. On paper his results look rubbish there but for someone with barely any experience he’s managed to do quite ok and even win a stage. If he stayed there he do really well as he just needs experience.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
14th September 2010, 10:11
Aw, cheers Keith!
I can’t pretend that having Kimi back wouldn’t bump up the average of the quality of drivers driving in the top 5 teams, but given the circumstances of his exit from F1 I’d rather someone else get a chance. There are precious few vacancies for up-and-coming drivers as it is.
Richard S
14th September 2010, 18:10
feel that way about Michael S.
Calum
14th September 2010, 17:38
So ideally for engines:
An older one for Singapore
New for Japan
2nd use for Korea
3rd use in Brazil
Another 3rd for Abu Dhabi,
Oh and I hear the BBC could be ‘ not renewing the popular legard’s contract for 2011 ‘ instead replacing him with an Australian from Moto Gp commentary, I know I would prefer Legard’s no…