The Lucas di Grassi Formula E Thread

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 13 Mar 2016, 15:02

East Londoner wrote:Yeah, Buemi can piss off. Drove like a jackass all race long. Really hope he loses this championship now.

Other than that, another cracking race. Shame Simona faded right at the end, she could've got points at long last.

Yeah, but Simona received the F1 Rejects curse at Donington, as dr baker will attest. See also Abt's last lap accident (admittedly, we did meet Di Grassi too, but he was so surly and barely spoke so must have been aware of and immune to the curse)

Anyway, the race - I agree that Buemi drove and acted like a total dick. Why is he suddenly being so arrogant? I'm amazed that he didn't get a penalty for smashing into the back of Mr.Custard. I think there were grounds to give him one for the dangerous way that he tried to let him back through after he passed him off the circuit - on a different day he could have taken out 3 or 4 cars there!
Come to think of it, Prost's nudge at the chicane looked a bit blatant as well but he got a different penalty that was a bit harsh so that makes up for it a bit.

I don't think it was the best race ever, not enough good overtaking opportunities so the first half was very dull. Poor Da Costa though - made one of Maldonado's bad days look like Jim Clark at work.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 13 Mar 2016, 15:05

Dj_bereta wrote:Di Grassi was disqualified again...

He was?!

That'll teach me to watch the race and then not immediately go to the Formula E website. I should KNOW by now that there's barely a race where everybody gets to keep their Top 10 spots.

Ignore what I said about above about him not being affected by the F1 Rejects curse then - that's 2 years in a row where he's driven perfectly and got nothing through no fault of his own.

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 13 Mar 2016, 15:59

On the other news you shpuld try watch some minutes feature of the cars tech minutes before the race. The full broadcast is available on youtube. I like the general explanation of the motors this years (teams won't let you know the deeper info anyway!). To sum it up (#Late):

Nextev and DS Virgin: 2 motors with one gear, the rear tend to slide due to extra inertia from motors.
Aguri and Andretti: Default 1 motor and 5 gears.
Venturi, Mahindra, and Dragon: Said to use original motors but gears reduced to 4.
Abt: Same motor but inverter relocated lower around motor, giving lower mass center and 3 gears.
Renault Dams: One big motor and 2 gears + manual shift stick with carbon fibre housing, reduced inertia.

I get it why Renault been dominant

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 13 Mar 2016, 20:14

Barbazza wrote:That'll teach me to watch the race and then not immediately go to the Formula E website. I should KNOW by now that there's barely a race where everybody gets to keep their Top 10 spots.

Things is, that's what I did - thinking there'd already have been some stewards' intervention with a certain sulky Swiss driver. I found nothing untoward, until I checked here the next morning and found a very different story I wasn't expecting.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 14 Mar 2016, 11:37

Barbazza wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Yeah, Buemi can piss off. Drove like a jackass all race long. Really hope he loses this championship now.

Other than that, another cracking race. Shame Simona faded right at the end, she could've got points at long last.

Yeah, but Simona received the F1 Rejects curse at Donington, as dr baker will attest. See also Abt's last lap accident (admittedly, we did meet Di Grassi too, but he was so surly and barely spoke so must have been aware of and immune to the curse).

I wonder if car 2 was the same one as the car she drove in first practice where the battery seemed to have problems.
Last year it was Nick Heidfeld having all sorts of bad luck and now it's stuck onto Simona for this year. :facepalm:

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 14 Mar 2016, 13:29

golic_2004 wrote:I wonder if car 2 was the same one as the car she drove in first practice where the battery seemed to have problems.
Last year it was Nick Heidfeld having all sorts of bad luck and now it's stuck onto da Costa for this year.

Fixed

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 17 Mar 2016, 11:53

Ben Hanley to fill in for Oliver Turvey at the Berlin ePrix
http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/new ... ix-680050/

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 31 Mar 2016, 03:35

http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/new ... es-683108/

Just give nught race and neon lights, gone to Tron. Badass. Altough 1 hour still sounds too long

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 02 Apr 2016, 23:21

Buemi you little prick. Ruining frinjs race

What does Da Costa need to do to het some good luck, this is ridiculous

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 02 Apr 2016, 23:57

Let's wait some time... you know, Di Grassi could be disqualified at any time. I missed the start, but good race. Buemi for ROTR. He is trying very hard to lose this championship and talking about it, Piquet jr. is doing a pretty bad title defense, despite running for now the worst team in the field. He is consistently beaten by Turvey race-by-race.

Also, I have a feeling Formula E made a mistake in opening the racing series for more engine manufacturers. The gap between teams is considerable . The races aren't bad yet, but I feel you could see soon a Mercedes like domination.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 03 Apr 2016, 00:10

Was a bit frustrating watching Bird cooped up behind Senna for all of those laps, clearly having a pace advantage, and being able to do nothing about it. No real overtaking spots on the track at all unless you have a significant advantage.

Also - a lot of people moan about F1 being all about conserving fuel/tyres in the modern age, and yet Formula E is even more susceptible to this. It's an economy drive from the moment the lights go out. Not a criticism, just an observation. It's interesting that the series hasn't really taken a rap for this whereas F1 has.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 03 Apr 2016, 00:15

AndreaModa wrote:Also - a lot of people moan about F1 being all about conserving fuel/tyres in the modern age, and yet Formula E is even more susceptible to this. It's an economy drive from the moment the lights go out. Not a criticism, just an observation. It's interesting that the series hasn't really taken a rap for this whereas F1 has.

Probably because most of the same people who bash F1 for fuel/tyre saving don't give FE a chance in the first place because the cars are too slow or they don't make noise...

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 03 Apr 2016, 00:19

Simtek wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:Also - a lot of people moan about F1 being all about conserving fuel/tyres in the modern age, and yet Formula E is even more susceptible to this. It's an economy drive from the moment the lights go out. Not a criticism, just an observation. It's interesting that the series hasn't really taken a rap for this whereas F1 has.

Probably because most of the same people who bash F1 for fuel/tyre saving don't give FE a chance in the first place because the cars are too slow or they don't make noise...

Haha, good point! Better off without them if that is the case.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 03 Apr 2016, 07:53

Anway that from Buemi ruined Frinjs 100% points scoring record, leaving Sarrizan the only driver to finish every race in the points

Post by **Ataxia** » 03 Apr 2016, 08:47

Great to see Venturi really stepping it up this weekend, and it's also nice to see Simona and Conway finally get some points.

Quite a tame race until Marco Rubio dropped it into the wall.

Post by **Miguel98** » 03 Apr 2016, 09:17

Da Costa

Such bad luck. I.. just understand how can someone get such bad luck.

Good win by Di Grassi. Still waiting on him getting shat on by the stewards

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 03 Apr 2016, 09:21

Happy Buemi got his karma.

I feel so sad that Nelsinho is trapped in essentially the worst package on the grid now.

girry · Post by **girry** » 03 Apr 2016, 11:19

AndreaModa wrote:Also - a lot of people moan about F1 being all about conserving fuel/tyres in the modern age, and yet Formula E is even more susceptible to this. It's an economy drive from the moment the lights go out. Not a criticism, just an observation. It's interesting that the series hasn't really taken a rap for this whereas F1 has.

FE is (usually) an economy drive from the moment the lights go out...right upto the moment they change cars. Then it tends to become a flat out drive to the finish line.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 03 Apr 2016, 15:00

F1 Rejects curse officially over - Abt on the podium, Heidfeld goes forwards in the race AND doesn't get disqualified, and Simona in the points!!

Great news, eh dr_baker?

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 03 Apr 2016, 17:53

AxelP800 wrote:Happy Buemi got his karma.

I feel so sad that Nelsinho is trapped in essentially the worst package on the grid now.

Turvey's doing a not too shabby job with the car though. Makes me wonder whether Nelson's really putting 100% in, his commitment could be called into question.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 03 Apr 2016, 18:44

Barbazza wrote:F1 Rejects curse officially over - Abt on the podium, Heidfeld goes forwards in the race AND doesn't get disqualified, and Simona in the points!!

Great news, eh dr_baker?

Maybe Simona having her photo taken with me by you preseason helped, eh?

leywso · Post by **leywso** » 03 Apr 2016, 20:21

I liked the way that Race Control 'had a word' with Piquet Jr after he put it in the wall... Not that he has previous in this kind of thing of course.

"Mr Piquet, this is Race Control- are you sure you can't move your car...?"

leywso · Post by **leywso** » 03 Apr 2016, 20:31

On another note- would an adaptation of Formula E's qualifying work for Formula 1? Send the cars out in random groups of 4/5, give each group ten minutes to set a time, then the top drivers from each group go through to a 'shoot-out' session for pole? The rest of the grid is formed purely on the time set in the group stage.

This might have the desired effect of 'mixing the grids up', whilst still rewarding people for going quickest. Say Hamilton and Vettel ended up in the same mini-group and Vettel went fastest. Vettel goes into the pole shoot-out but Hamilton could still line up 6th or so on the grid if his time from the first session was fast enough. It would spice up Hamilton's race without ruining it.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 04 Apr 2016, 01:19

Dj_bereta wrote:Also, I have a feeling Formula E made a mistake in opening the racing series for more engine manufacturers. The gap between teams is considerable . The races aren't bad yet, but I feel you could see soon a Mercedes like domination.

I'm wondering if the wildly different transmission systems will continue. eDAMS is clearly the best solution, so what's the betting that next year, every team turns up with a two-motor-one-gear drivetrain?

If there's a real battle to be had it's for ROTY (or, technically, ROTS). NEXTEV TCR are in pole position for that, I tipped Jean-Éric Vergne for the championship this year and it's all going wrong for him, and... should we even be including Trulli GP given that even Mastercard Lola had more track time than they've had this year?

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Apr 2016, 10:51

dinizintheoven wrote: should we even be including Trulli GP given that even Mastercard Lola had more track time than they've had this year?

Even MasterCard Lola did more testing in Europe than Trulli managed all season.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 04 Apr 2016, 19:53

I think Buemi deserves the ROTY if he manages to lose this championship.

Post by **Ataxia** » 20 Apr 2016, 09:17

Team Aguri appear to be on the cusp of a takeover from Chinese Media Capital, and former HRT tester Ma Qing Hua will replace Salvador Duran at the Paris ePrix.

...now I have to change the end of the Super Aguri stories, thanks a lot.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 20 Apr 2016, 11:44

Another chapter will be written on the story of Soopah Aguri.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 20 Apr 2016, 12:45

golic_2004 wrote:Another chapter will be written on the story of Soopah Aguri.

Not exactly. Aguri Suzuki will be leaving the team at the end of the season so I'd suspect a name change will be in order for season 3, meaning the end of Super Aguri for a second time!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Apr 2016, 16:29

AndreaModa wrote:
golic_2004 wrote:Another chapter will be written on the story of Soopah Aguri.

Not exactly. Aguri Suzuki will be leaving the team at the end of the season so I'd suspect a name change will be in order for season 3, meaning the end of Super Aguri for a second time!

I assumed Golic meant that Soopah Aguri will turn up again elsewhere at an unspecified time in the future. The end of one chapter, but not the end of the book. Yet.

In other news, Mahindra have unveiled some concepts for future FE car designs, in association with Pininfarina. One of these reminded me of the Roborace concept drawing (it's mostly the 'pods' around the wheels, also slightly IndyCar-esque)...

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 21 Apr 2016, 04:03

I found tweets from people of "Love Battersea Park" laments Formula E. Anyone have a reliable source about the resurfacing there?

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 23 Apr 2016, 13:22

Just seen the qualifying. What is Nick Heidfeld doing? Is he trying to remind us of the Not Slightly Boring Nick Heidfeld of the early races of last season?

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 27 Apr 2016, 11:35

Russia set for cancellation http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/new ... on-692180/

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 27 Apr 2016, 11:58

So it's less of a problem with the series (after all, Alejandro Agag is always saying how many cities are queuing up to sign up for a race) and more a problem with "new money" - the finance is there, stable government isn't. First it was the Indian Grand Prix, now this.

Or was the Indian Grand Prix really first - should we also be thinking of the fate of A1GP that tried to race in non-traditional markets?

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 27 Apr 2016, 12:00

Classic Russia. They did the same thing with F1 powerboats a few years back.

sw3ishida · Post by **sw3ishida** » 27 Apr 2016, 12:27

Kind of a shame too, since things seemed to have been set up, based on these pictures taken by a friend in Moscow on Saturday. I guess it's a lesson to not take these things for granted.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 29 Apr 2016, 05:09

Formula E, the series where anything can happen.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 05 May 2016, 11:46

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:Formula E, the series where anything can happen.

Except for Monaco being a substitute for Russia, it seems.
http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/new ... er-733580/

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 17 May 2016, 17:42

http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/new ... rk-737701/

Post by **Miguel98** » 19 May 2016, 13:43

Rene Rast (yes, you read that right) is driving in this weekend's Berlin E-Prix