Monte Carlo.
Race Date: 27 May 2012.
Circuit Name: Circuit de Monaco.
Number of Laps: 78.
Circuit Length: 3.340 km.
Race Distance: 260.520 km.
Lap Record: 1:14.439 - M Schumacher (2004).
Sakhir.
Race Date: 22 Apr 2012.
Circuit Name: Bahrain International Circuit.
Number of Laps: 57.
Circuit Length: 5.412 km.
Race Distance: 308.238 km.
Lap Record: 1:30.252. - M Schumacher (2004).
Kuala Lumpur.
Race Date: 25 Mar 2012.
Circuit Name: Sepang International Circuit.
Number of Laps: 56.
Circuit Length: 5.543 km.
Race Distance: 310.408 km.
Lap Record: 1:34.223 - JP Montoya (2004).
Venue: Yas Marina.
Date: Sunday 14 November.
Lap length: 3.451 miles.
Race laps: 55.
2009 winner: Sebastian Vettel. (Red Bull).
First grand prix: 2009.
Fri 12 November 2010. Practice 1. 09:00. - 10:30. See results below.. Practice 2. 13:00. - 14:30. See results below..
Saturday 13 November 2010. Practice 3. 10:00. - 11:00. See results below.. Qualifying. 13:00. See results below.. Sun 14 November 2010.
Race. 13:00. GMT - BBC coverage from 12:10-15:15,
ALSO... Saturday 20 November Formula 1 2010 season review: 1300-1400, GMT - BBC One (UK TV)
Its a Friday morning, 9.10 as I write and watching pre-practice one, online at home. I'm working though, working from home! I have a few blogs to update ready for the weekend, that just means checking links and writing a short post on topic, to update the blog. (A little like I'm doing here)!
My F1 blog is pure self-indulgence for me, since I am not into following the crowd and agreeing with the commentators. My comments here are usually my own thoughts on what I perceive is going on. Most of the time I have nothing to say, because the race is just pure entertainment for me.
I read a few F1 blogs, but not many, and they all seem to be running the same rehashed stories. I prefer just to make my own observations. Anyway, I just had a call from a friend who gets my Twitters on his phone. He just wanted to ask me if I'd help him, get to the same point I am, where I don't have to work for a boss. I'm self-employed and work from home, and can find the time to make a little money doing the things I like and love, rather than working for a boss at a job I hate.
It's 9.20 and my coffee has just arrived, courtesy of my wife. So, if you would like to have a bit more time and financial freedom, then you need to do as I do and get the secrets to living your life as you really want. You can do it, I know you can, its has been proved too many times by many others who have gone before you, that it is possible. If others have done it, you can too. Look for the secret somewhere on this F1 blog!
Now I'm going to concentrate on the F1 practice session, but I just wanted to have this last little chat with you about how to get your freedom! Since we are at the last race! It's 9.26am did you see how long that took, no time at all really! Come and join me, you can learn whilst you earn, and start blogging on subjects you like and live the life-style you want. Andy..
Please check session times in your own time zone / region, this information presented is from the BBC, they have been known to make mistakes on race times. Source for session times - BBC Sport Website.
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST.The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
This is a Pole Position Post.
TAGS: F1 2010 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
Pre-Race Comment..
Wow! Lets hope the race is as exciting as the Qualifying. Especially in Q3, one after another, each driver had a chance for pole position. The man to watch is Hulkenberg, getting pole twice and what about Schuey out-driving his team mate Rosberg.
Congrats to Hulkenberg first time on pole I think! Despite all the media comments that if it hadn't been for Rubens decision to go to dry tyres and Nico having to follow at team directors orders, that he wouldn't be on pole? Look!- Hulkenberg still had to drive the damn car!
I am the first to admit that F1 races can be a little processional at times, we need more variety, more manufacturers, more tyre manufacturers, more tracks. I wish they would bring back refueling for a start!
As you can see, I am not one to comment unless I am really impressed!
This is a Pole Position Post!
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This is a great circuit, take a look at the circuit diagram, showing suggested turn speed and gear selection, along with G-force at all the major parts of the track. FORMULA 1 BRASIL 2010 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM. CLICK HERE!
Please check session times in your own time zone / region, this information presented is from the BBC, they have been known to make mistakes on race times. Source for session times - BBC Sport Website.
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Get your official timings as seen in the picture(s) below, from EnterF1.com
(Free Sign-Up Required First).
What's my secret? It's available to you too, you just have to have a dream and know how to go after it!
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To see BBC official results as seen in the picture(s) below from BBC Sport Results.
(When at BBC Sports Results page click the Full 'practice' or 'race' results link).
----------------------------- My comments already? (And its not even the end of practice one yet)!
Just heard BBC commentator during start of Practice 1, admit (like I've previously said), that the media often drives the silly comments that drivers make.
I'm of-course referring to times like:- when the BBC team put words into Rubens Barrichello's mouth, by asking him under pressure, when he hadn't had time to think through his position and answer... 'Was that the most dangerous move you've ever had put on you in F1' or words to that effect.
They were referring to Barrichello's overtaking of Schumacher, where reporters alleged that schuey tried to run Barrichello into the wall at the end of the pit-straight.
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST.The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
About Formula1Race (a.k.a. FormulaOneRace).
Welcome to Formula1Race.co.uk and FormulaOneRace.co.uk If you have not seen this site before, I just like to provide all my VIP F1 coverage links for others to enjoy.
If you are a fair-weather F1 follower and like me prefer the comfort of your armchair to sitting in the rain for hours and being charged extortionate prices to get your bum on a wet seat or bit of grass, then you are in the right place!
The first place you will want to go to is the BBC Sport site to watch online.
NOTE:- This service is only available LIVE, just before and during F1 race practice, qualifying and race sessions.
You should click the big centre picture when you land on the site, if the video steam is running it will start to play, or it may need a second click.
If it goes to a static image and story then the stream is not being transmitted yet, (Click the back button), return later to check nearer the scheduled practice session times when the BBC are transmitting. TO WATCH ONLINE - CLICK HERE!
----------------------------- Twitter - Great books on Lewis Hamilton; Formula 1 World Champion and many other driver biographies. Checkout the sidebar!
This is a Pole Position Post.
TAGS: F1 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
After the rain off fiasco's of a start under safety car due to rain or total regular wash outs at tracks in Europe and Malaysia etc; I think its about time that race circuits themselves should start a new program of getting the race circuits under cover!
This does not mean the track won't get wet if it is done right! First there could be computer controlled glazing panels that could be opened and closed electrically, controlled by the race directors, to actually allow a certain amount of rain to land on the track. Its not hard to do or measure!
I have a green house with automatic sensing of conditions and automatic control of roofing ventilation and rain panels. (Even the rain is collected and fed to an automatic watering system)! This could be modified to work for F1 tracks to avoid deadly wet conditions - thus saving lives and reducing accident repair costs to F1 teams and circuits caused by crashes, otherwise avoidable, that are caused by conditions being too wet!
Additionally, this idea would improve cash flow for the race circuits themselves, via getting the rain canopy over the track, to be paid for by F1 sponsors. Even dog-track style - overhead pit-lane style CCTV cameras could be could be mounted in the underside of an apex type roofing construction, to improve the race TV coverage. We could even have 24 (or more) cameras, that will follow each car round the whole circuit!
What do you think? Is this a reasonable and logical idea? Please comment!
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Pole Position.
TAGS: Covered F1 Track by F1 Sponsors, F1, F1 Practice Sessions, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
Venue: Yeongam. This is the inaugural F1 race at this new circuit!
Date: Sunday 24 October.
Lap length: 3.39 miles.
Race laps: 55.
2009 winner: N/A.
First grand prix: 2010.
Personal advance apology for Saturday: - I will be 'missing-in-action' for the Saturday Practice and Qualifying, due to being away on a business training course with Dragons Den Millionaire Doug Richards and my multi-millionaire mentor Andrew Reynolds.
I will be online bright and early Sunday morning for the race, and will update the blog at that time.
The Japanese qualifying and race start grid ruined due to rain! Click here to read about the Japanese Qualifying fiasco due to rain!
Yes, its good that we have rain to give us more unpredictable races, but not at the massive danger and cost to life and limb, not to mention miserable crowds who will be dissuaded from attending future F1 venues. This covered track (and weather proofing covered audience seating and viewing areas, could improve attendance at F1 venues and therefore improve income for the F1 circuits!
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Today's race reminds me why I prefer to watch at home, in the warmth and comfort of my office sitting room. I have a prime VIP reserved seat! No driving or parking hassle, no travel or air-fares, no track tickets to buy, no-hotel expenses, no track-side extortionate food and drink expenses and .... I'm dry! Look at that F1 track side audience, don't they all look miserable!
Please check session times in your own time zone / region, this information presented is from the BBC, they have been known to make mistakes on race times. Source for session times - BBC Sport Website.
To see BBC official results as seen in the picture(s) below from BBC Sport Results.
(When at BBC Sports Results page click the Full 'practice' or 'race' results link).
F1 2010 SOUTH KOREAN GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
F1 2010 SOUTH KOREAN GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
Practice 3
Practice 2
Practice 1
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST.The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
This is a Pole Position Post.
TAGS: F1 2010 SOUTH KOREAN GRAND PRIX, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
Do they lie? - 'Without naming their source', (Oh yea), Bild said Schumacher was given an ultimatum to improve in 2011 or have his three-year contract, reported to be worth 63 million euros ($A90 million), terminated after just two years. His contract with Mercedes expires in 2013.
I get annoyed when people keep knocking schumacher for nothing, (well its not for nothing actually, it is because of their own ignorance), as with any F1 driver he's doing his best. That's all you can ask of any sportsman, especially if he or she is being competitive, which is the whole point isn't it?
People are missing a main point, that this 41 year old is in fantastic shape and one of the top contenders in F1. He should be getting accolades for still being able to perform at a world class level at his age. He's a true master, as are all the drivers in F1.
If anyone doubts Schuey's ability, as I write today, an hour before the start of the Suzuka race, there are 14 other top world class F1 drivers who'd give their right arm to be in 10th for the start of Suzuka.
As this article says - Norber Haug, a director of Mercedes' competition department.
Haug said, 'We're still a very tight-knit unit. For me, Michael is just as good if not better than he was. He's relaxed and concentrated. He doesn't need me or anyone else to stand up for him.
'We're happy with the work he is putting in.'
"As am I" - Pole Position. www.Formula1Race.co.uk
TAGS: Michael Schumacher, Schumacher, 2010 F1 Championship, f1 formula one, Formula One, formula one racing, Formula1Race, FormulaOneRace,
Venue: Suzuka.
Date: Sunday 10 October.
Lap length: 3.608 miles.
Race laps: 53.
2009 winner: Sebastian Vettel. (Red Bull).
First grand prix: 1987.
Suzuka F1 Race Summary 10/10/10.
Driver-of-the-race for this F1 fan is Lewis Hamilton, for hanging in there through taking a 5 position setback due to having to change a gearbox, then still fighting through loosing gears towards the end of the race; Only having 4th through to 7th gears, with the car making noises at every gear-change, Lewis must have been thinking 'at any moment the car could lock up with a seized gearbox'. If you need an example of how to just keep pushing and never giving up, then this is it!
Wow! What a team Red Bull is. You've got to remember, that from a company background point of view, Red Bull is an Energy Drinks Company, beating the likes of dedicated motor companies like McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Williams, Sauber, Lotus, et al at their own game!
Do you want to know my secret? It's available to you also, you just have to have a dream and know how to go after what you want!
Today's race reminds me why I prefer to watch at home, in the comfort of my office sitting room. I have a prime VIP reserved seat! No driving or parking hassle, no travel or air-fares, no track tickets to buy, no-hotel expenses, no track-side extortionate food and drink expenses and .... I'm dry! Look at that F1 track side audience, don't they all look miserable!
Sat 09 October 2010. Latest from Pole Position on Twitter -Vettel - 1st, Webber - 2nd, Alonso 3rd. www.FormulaOneRace.co.uk #F1, #Formula1, #Suzuka, #Japan, #F1GP
Please check session times in your own time zone / region, this information presented is from the BBC, they have been known to make mistakes on race times. Source for session times - BBC Sport Website.
To see BBC official results as seen in the picture(s) below from BBC Sport Results.
(When at BBC Sports Results page click the Full 'practice' or 'race' results link).
Qualifying Results. Starting Grid for race.
Get your official timings as seen in the picture(s) below, from EnterF1.com
(Free Sign-Up Required First).
A WASH OUT! PRACTICE 3.
PRACTICE 2.
To see BBC official results as seen in the picture(s) below from BBC Sport Results.
(When at BBC Sports Results page click the Full 'practice' or 'race' results link).
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST.The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
This is a Pole Position Post.
TAGS: F1 2010 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX SUZUKA, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
To get great books on Lewis Hamilton; Formula 1 World Champion and many other driver biographies, scroll-down the page and check out the link images in the left-hand side bar. Take a look!
TAGS: Lewis Hamilton-Formula 1 World Champion, F1, F1 Practice Sessions, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
Venue: Marina Bay. Date: Sunday 26 September. Lap length: 3.148 miles. Race laps: 61. 2009 winner: Lewis Hamilton. (McLaren). First grand prix: 2008.
Please check session times in your own time zone / region, this information presented is from the BBC, they have been known to make mistakes on race times. Source for session times - BBC Sport Website.
Next Race Session.
Sun 26 September 2010. (UK time BST - British Summer Time is GMT + 1 hour).
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Get your official timings as seen in the pictures below, from EnterF1.com
(Free Sign-Up Required First).
Singapore Race Result.
Qualifying
The new chicane is too steep!
I can understand the desire to make the track more interesting, but that chicane is going to cause serious injury and / or damage to cars. Obviously not designed by an F1 race-driver, probably designed by some pen pusher, with no knowledge of driving an F1 car.
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST.The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
This is a Pole Position Post.
TAGS: F1 2010 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp, f1 news, f1 grand prix, formula one championship, f1 formula one, formula 1 news, formula one racing,
In F1 2010, the best aspects of the game realism in this simulation, are the track conditions due to weather effects. The weather effect is dynamic to the car handling, when driving in the dry or wet and even partially damp variations. There are even wet and dry parts to the track during any one lap, just like in real-life. The ultimate effect is where you have a dynamic track surface that gets dryer with each passing car, and players / drivers, can even seek out puddles to cool their tyres!
Three main areas are:
1, The visual effects. In the dry you may get a heat haze, or in the wet you may get reflections from puddles, (with sunlight), or darkness under heavy clouds or heavy rain, and spray on the car and camera and spray that is kicked up from the tyres to form plooms of mist and spray.
2, Then there is how these visual effects tie in to the car handling and track dynamics. Slippery or grippy track surface etc. The track actually knows how wet it is, it is not just one simple dynamic applied to the whole track, so that everyone gets the same grip as usual in F1 racing games; and that is because this is more of a Sim, a simulation - as in real life simulation!
Like, if you are 10th down a straight, on the racing line, running wets behind 9 other cars, who are also on the racing line, your grip on your bit of track will have decreasingly less wetness to each car in front. This is just like in the real world, (not how it has usually been programmed into previous racing games that are not true Racing SIMS). This 'drying-track' dynamic, will be especially useful in online multi-player modes and add yet more realism.
3, The effect of the weather will impact more on the race out-come, and on the whole race season as it changes over time. Especially, this is important if you are playing multi-player online with other regular F1 2010 gamers!
F1 2010 on the xBox, PS3 and PC.
Its as real as it gets! For most of us, who cannot afford the time or the money to have a go in an F1 car, (let alone actually take part in an F1 race), a new F1 Racing Simulation game from CodeMasters, for the xBox and PS3 consoles, (and a PC version in development), shows us the splendor of Formula One through simulation racing! By far the best Formula 1 Sim yet, (my version now on pre-order through Amazon will be on xBox).
F1 2010 is a racing simulation second only to the multimillion pound training simulations some of the F1 teams use!
F1 2010
Platform:Microsoft Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Publisher: CodeMasters
Developer: CodeMasters
Genre: Simulation Racing UK Release: Possibly by 30th September 2010 (date to be confirmed).
You'd better believe it! I know I am a 'chicken', as hardened F1 fans would say, as they brave the sun and sleeting rain, or the expense of attending race sessions and race day! (I prefer to call my chickening-out being race-smart)!
I love the comfort of watching the race sessions at home, online or on my large screen TV!
Here's the good points:-
I can take a leak when I want, (or other)! Without standing in a que for a stinking toilet. (and be missing the race)!
I can see ALL OF THE RACE! - Not just get a glimpse of a car whizzing by at 200mph in a cloud of mist-spray and rain, that's if I can see at all through the plethora of massive F1 brollies!
I don't get wet, or sunburned (or loose an eye to a brolly stem), and my food is the same quality and price! (Hint)! And there's no-one blowing a whistle in my ear, like a demented football fan on world-cup day!
Oh - and then there's my nice comfy seat! - One year I'd paid over 300 GBP to get in, the stand I paid for was supposed to have seating; -It didn't!
It was Spain! - I was truly a grassy-arse amigo! Never again!
Any-who, from September, I'll be plugging in my force-feed-back wheel and chasing round the Formula One 2010 circuits myself on my xBox.
Which is yet another reason to stay home and watch AND PLAY in the comfort of your own home! That's me and that's where I'll be!
This short video (below), is a bit choppy and grainy, but it is only down to the YouTube video and nothing to do with the final game graphics, which are nothing short of excellent. The main point is to listen to the audio commentary.
This video (below) gives a better representation of the graphic look, but I think the cars are from the F1 2009 edition. F1 2010, will have all the 2010 cars and updated livery etc.
My final video offering, is a looooong one, but by far the best review and pre-release interview yet. Click the play button now then pause it, so that this long video can be downloading the stream whilst I tell you about the video.
You will have to get past the buggy-mod racing section that starts after the intro (if like me you are not interested in buggy racing). You should watch the first 2 minutes of the intro though, because it has news of what is coming up in the show, then you need to skip to 8 minutes 15 seconds. My computer is a bit slow, and I had to play the video a little, then pause it for a few minutes to get the stream to download ahead of the playing point of this long video to make it run smoothly. It will be well worth it, I assure you.
The main video interview is with Andy Gray of Codemasters, the F1 2010 producers! He tells about the technical side of the F1 2010 Sim racing game. Then the Sim-Race-Way team took a hands-on test drive, driving on the actual F1 2010 game at the production studios and were the only testers who took their own force feedback steering wheel and pedals to try out, (although the game had not got those factors dialled in properly up to that point).
The Sim-Race-Way team say that the graphics of F1 2010 are the best anyone has ever seen in an F1 racing Sim, I cannot wait for my copy! It is due out sometime in September 2010. Available on pre-order, get your copy on order from Amazon, like me!
TAGS: F1 2010, F1-2010, CodeMasters F1 2010 xBox PS3 PC Racing Simulation Game, f1, formula 1, formula one, formula1, f1 gp f1 grand prix, f1 formula one, formula one racing, CodeMasters-F1,
Venue: Monza.
Date: Sunday 12 September.
Lap length: 3.510 miles.
Race laps: 53.
2009 winner: Rubens Barrichello. (Brawn).
First grand prix: 1922.
Formula One Grand Prix 2010 Result
1st Fernando Alonso.
2nd Jenson Button.
3rd Felipe Massa.
Race Review - The Pole Position View.
Mark Webber still leads the championship, since the demise of Lewis Hamilton at the start of the race. Me thinks that if Lewis had taken it more slow and steadily after the collision that damaged his steering arm, that he could possibly have made it back to the pits. Instead he just accelerated away as if nothing had happened.
It was obvious to me, (sitting at home in the UK), that Lewis's car was not going round any corner at that break-neck speed, (did you here me shouting at the TV and Lewis)? If the BBC put up the video, I'll put the link to it here.
Man of the race for this F1 fan is Jenson Button for going against the norm and carrying massive wing, then battling with the Ferrari's! Wow, that was impressive! I thought, 'well, that extra wing will give more down force, but Jenson will also run a higher risk, due to his extra grip giving him more stopping power'; I thought maybe a following car with less-wing and less stopping power would ram him up the jaxi.
Did anyone-else notice that team-Renault, (the yellow cars), seemed also to be running high wing?
What about those Ferrari's? Where was Red Bull today? Maybe it was just that the track suited the Ferrari's, I'm not sure, but I'm also well impressed with Massa and Alonso.
I think they should call Vettle, Crash-Bandicoot! Vettel drew criticism from McLaren chief Martin Whitmarsh, who described him as a "crashkid". This F1 fan thinks Vettel's getting to be a real danger to every other driver! Why don't the FIA demote Vettle 10 places for actually causing accidents? If this had been Schuey, the FIA would be throwing him out of F1 as a driver altogether, claiming his age as the cause!
Sun 12 September 2010
(You may want to stop the OdioGo play now if using the 'listen now' feature).
Get your official timings as seen in the pictures below, from EnterF1.com
(Free Sign-Up Required First).
TAGS: F1 GP Monza Italian Formula One Grand Prix 2010, F1, F1 Grand Prix, Formula1, F1 GP, Formula One, F1 2010, 2010 F1 Championship, Formula F1, f1 formula one,
The NEW Silverstone Grand Prix circuit
with Martin Brundle
A flying lap around the new Silverstone Grand Prix circuit with Martin Brundle.
speedmerchantsmedia — 29 April 2010
There are some fantastic corners which will really test the F1 Drivers.
THIS POST IS STILL BEING UPDATED. WHEN THIS MESSAGE IS REMOVED, THAT WILL BE THE FINAL POST. The PODCAST will not update for 12 to 24 hours!
A Pole Position Post
Category: Sport
Tags: silverstone,f1,formula one,martin brundle,james allen,cars,santander,grand prix onboard,lap copse,british grand prix,England uk racing cars,motor sports,
2, MAKE SURE YOU CONFIRM YOUR EMAIL, BY GOING TO YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT AND LEFT CLICKING THE LINK IN THE EMAIL! This will open a new window that will ask you if you want to sign in. (usually, you are already signed in from the registration screen, but still click to sign in just in case, it won't hurt to do this).
3, Click the MENU link along the top of the site banner that says LIVE TIMINGS. Then click the screen resolution you want to view in, I think that LARGE VIEW is the only serious choice. Also, definitely have a separate window for this, NOT TABS!
* If your computer is not up to date with JAVA, a message will pop up to ask if you want to install a JAVA application - THIS IS OK, JAVA is well trusted and is on nearly every type, make and model of computer system already, it is 100% safe. You probably will not even have to restart your computer, it is a seamless natural installation!
* Once you have the required update to JAVA you can refresh the LIVE TIMINGS screen, and so long as you didn't sign out of www.enterf1.com/f1-live-timing-results you should get the LIVE TIMINGS screen.
The new no-refueling rule was introduced late in the season, too late in fact for the Virgin team. You need a fuel tank that will take you to the end of the race, simple as that.
Virgin did not meet that challenge for the Australian race, as I write pre-race 2 of the season.
So whats the implications of no-refueling? Advantages and disadvantages? Does it lead to a more exciting race?
F1 Safety
No-refueling, from a safety point of view is a good thing, if you consider the stress it puts the pit-crew and driver to get the car out of the pit.
Previous accidents can be seen to result mainly from human error, often with the driver taking off too early with the refuelling nozzle device still attached or the lollipop-guy, trying to get the car out as soon as the refueling device is removed.
It only takes a snag of the coupling device in the nozzle to cause an accident.
Another aspect to consider is, due to the lower accident risks with no-refueling during a race, is the issue of financially insuring the driver and team, re- paying out compensations after an accident.
If not via lower premiums, just the removal of a potential race hazard alone, must do something in terms of improving the insurance risk statistics.
Will no-refueling be good for a more interesting F1 race?
During a race, the race-car gets lighter as the fuel is used up. The handling of the car changes, generally, gradually improving the lap time.
This change is noticeable, but because it is gradual, the driver can maintain a steady control over the changing car handling.
Obviously, with no-refuelling this gradual change is better for the driver handling-
The race lap-times may be slower than previous F1 seasons, in the early stages of the race, but will return to normal lap-times towards the end of the race.
Does less-demanding car dynamics mean a less interesting race?
I think so; Previously, with refuelling, the cars weight-gain has often thrown the driver off his stride.
It leads for a more interesting race from that aspect and shows true driver skill. As Michael Schumacher, AKA The Rain-Man has often demonstrated in previous years.
Breaking in the wet, with a suddenly heavier car, sorts the men-from-the-boys.
Obviously. changing environmental conditions and constant and sudden changing car dynamics make a race less predictable, so this decision to go with no-refueling has not been done for that reason! It was the same with Tyre manufacture and types in previous years.
(see the Wiki wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_tyres ).
Harping back to past era's for a minute, there were more diverse tyre types and manufacturers like Bridgestone, Continental AG, Dunlop, Englebert, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli.
Now it seems just to be Bridgestone only. Because since the 2007 season Bridgestone became the sole tyre supplier to Formula One via contract agreement with the FIA (Federation Internationale de L’Automobile) and with the final withdrawal of Michelin Tyres.
Now, if that does not level-off the playing field for a somewhat less interesting and more predictable race, then I don't know what else does!
Yes, they are professional drivers, but under pressure, watching their race position, timing their fuel-stop, getting out of the pits as planned, the having to think... 'Heavier-car' as they approach the rear of another car - possibly in the wet, or a corner, chicane or other obstacle, like other cars heavy breaking to avoid collision etc, is part of the skill that drivers develop.
An obvious main skill the Rain-Man has for instance!
Of course, all this constant evaluation is often too much to think about:- and then we have crashes, where people get injured or even killed in years gone by!
So, I conclude for this reason alone, non-refueling is a great idea! I do feel though that if there is much more interference regulating all the cars to run the same tyres, the same aerodynamics, the same engine etc, then of course you are just left with one unpredictable element, the human element. Human error or skill.
One of my favourite sayings, I don't know where I heard it, is:- "The most dangerous part of a moving car, is the nut behind the wheel!"
AndyGold.
Drive Safe: Keep the shiny-side up and the dirty-side down!
