F1RMGP 2015: the Women's European Cup v2.0

[SuperAguri]

They'll need to be underperforming, and if a new driver comes in, you'll have to give her some appropriate stats. Or let me do that. What I want to avoid is, say, a bottom-ranked driver being replaced by a top-ranked one - for instance, if dr-baker decided to replace Pippa Cow with Ramona Karlsson after one race, that'd send his team rocketing up the rankings in an instant, probably towards a points total that's up the top of the field. So I'd have to restrict the driver changes to within a reasonable points limit, otherwise the whole idea will go to pot.

Sounds reasonable, I am sure HRT would not sack Pedro De La Rosa and magically replace him with Michael Schumacher.

Although I will have to go digging around to find another Japanese woman driver as the other two I employed during the season have been hired by other teams...

Driver changes, I'd say, should be submitted with a huge coloured sign that says "I want to change my driver due to her being a bit slow" rather than as, say, an Autosport / Some Publication / J.O.U.R.N.A.L. news report full of unsubstantiated rumours.

A bit like this?

[FMecha]

I forget to post this Wikipedia category which lists all (notable) female racing drivers, which is useful if the driver you want isn't listed.

And remember Aguri/Reppu, if you sack one of your drivers, Ai will poach it to her team.

And, after some considerations, I decide to sack Legge at the last minute and replace her with Maria de Villota (S59, C45, plus surgeries from Sim Dawkins) which should use up all the available points (Mann and DPR-1 add up to 166). Is this allowed, Diniz?

[dinizintheoven]

And, after some considerations, I decide to sack Legge at the last minute and replace her with Maria de Villota (S59, C45, plus surgeries from Sim Dawkins) which should use up all the available points (Mann and DPR-1 add up to 166). Is this allowed, Diniz?

The Prof is a fine surgeon, sure, but that's too early, me old mucker, too early. Think of the furore if someone had decided to enter Dan Wheldon for the Bathurst Enduro under the premise of him being a hologrammatic driver...

That said, I hear there's a certain Swiss driver who's been in floods of tears at the thought of being left on the sidelines despite winning a race last year.

[dinizintheoven]

HORRIBLY SERIOUS REAL-LIFE UPDATE

Some of you will have been expecting this series to start this weekend. Truth be told, I should have posted the testing times by now. But, owing to... unforeseen circumstances, let us say (see the Paul Stoddart forum for details, there's a huge clue as to why there), it's going to have to be put off for a bit. Maybe a couple of weeks. And as this series runs concurrently with the Main Series, that one's had to have the brakes put on it as well.

[FMecha]

HORRIBLY SERIOUS REAL-LIFE UPDATE

Some of you will have been expecting this series to start this weekend. Truth be told, I should have posted the testing times by now. But, owing to... unforeseen circumstances, let us say (see the Paul Stoddart forum for details, there's a huge clue as to why there), it's going to have to be put off for a bit. Maybe a couple of weeks. And as this series runs concurrently with the Main Series, that one's had to have the brakes put on it as well.

Is it that one that cause Kostas to leave (again, for time being)?

[Nuppiz]

HORRIBLY SERIOUS REAL-LIFE UPDATE

Some of you will have been expecting this series to start this weekend. Truth be told, I should have posted the testing times by now. But, owing to... unforeseen circumstances, let us say (see the Paul Stoddart forum for details, there's a huge clue as to why there), it's going to have to be put off for a bit. Maybe a couple of weeks. And as this series runs concurrently with the Main Series, that one's had to have the brakes put on it as well.

Does this have something to do with that bet you lost, which forces you to come here in the land of polar bears, cold women and excessive booze?

[dinizintheoven]

Does this have something to do with that bet you lost, which forces you to come here in the land of polar bears, cold women and excessive booze?

No. Fortunately, given how the Finnish weather is likely to turn at this time of year or has already turned.

Is it that one that cause Kostas to leave (again, for time being)?

Yes. He who has picked the team that is favourite for the championship has buggered off, which is likely to cause some consternation amongst the other team owners, so I have to wait to see if this is permanent.

Fortunately, a certain scarecrow-haired old man is already devising a plan that involves some of his old contacts in the motor trade and a large crowbar.

[dinizintheoven]

WE'RE BACK! GO, GO, GO!

The teams have arrived at Imola for pre-season testing. Everything remains as it ever was; the return of an errant Scottish wanderer means Viking Racing have allowed Scuderia Alitaliana to keep the cars, and despite attempts from Psycho Soldiers to drop María de Villota in their second car, her eye could not be fixed. Actually, it could, but a very angry Dr Francesca Rimmer threatened to poke it out again - it seems she is none too chuffed with being delivered a particularly ugly pair of white hipster glasses, and is roaming her office in a fearful mood, even by her standards. The Series Management can't take any undue risks, so Katherine Legge will be in the car for pre-season testing at least.

Here are those drivers who haven't made it to this year's series - bear them in mind for driver change purposes. Any others to be considered need to be given suitable stats, and remember, nobody who competed in Formula Woman can ever have a points total higher than Natasha Firman or lower than Karen Andrews.

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DRIVER                    SKL  CON    TOTAL
Ramona Karlsson            68   61     129
Sarah Fisher               55   63     118
Ana Beatriz                58   54     112
Louise Aitken-Walker       54   54     108
Natacha Gachnang           52   56     108
Natasha Firman             39   54      93
Michele Bumgarner          31   53      84
Milka Duno                 31   48      79
Carmen Jordá               32   44      78

Expect the full run-down of pre-season testing later this evening, at least if you're in my time zone.

[dinizintheoven]

F1RMGP WEC 2015 pre-season test session 1
Imola, Italy - Tuesday, 5 May 2015

Morning

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1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'28.516
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.748
3 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'29.139
4 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'29.261
5 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.648
6 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.357
7 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'30.436
8 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.831
9 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'30.862
10 –   39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'30.905

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11 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.142
12 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'31.147
13 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'31.221
14 –   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'31.385
15 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'31.448
16 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.449
17 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.617
18 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'31.956
19 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'31.998
20 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'32.084

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21 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'32.427
22 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'32.472
23 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'33.419
24 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'33.965
25 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'34.003
26 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'34.365
27 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'36.751
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'37.756

Afternoon

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1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.714
2 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'28.747
3 –    23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'29.218
4 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.342
5 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'29.456
6 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.618
7 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'29.886
8 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.005
9 –    87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'30.113
10 –   5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'30.170

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11 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'30.445
12 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'30.710
13 –   40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.947
14 –   39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'31.019
15 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.178
16 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.532
17 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'31.535
18 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'31.835
19 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.930
20 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'32.274

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21 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'32.746
22 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'33.345
23 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'33.688
24 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'33.994
25 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'34.325
26 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'34.355
27 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'34.863
28 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'36.813

So, that's testing done for day one, and hands up – how many of you thought that the combination of Vanina Ickx, Michèle Mouton, a championship-winning Viking and a power upgrade were going to run away with the championship? Think again. Sure, they're up there, but clearly some of the drivers in the field have other ideas – stand up and be counted Alice Powell in particular, and may we also mention that Yank who everyone raves about, Nettan Lindgren, Sabine Schmitz... even Lella Lombardi wanted in on the act after a 2014 championship to forget (not to mention 22 enforced years on the sidelines). SonicSport were there or there abouts, at least in the morning, with Divina "look, I'm a pensioner and I've still got it" Galica leading the way for them; at Cope-ersucar, Angela Cope looks to have the measure of her sister... I thought they were supposed to be twins? Maybe tomorrow there will be a Cope Rearrangement (obscure PhD chemist joke). Others to note – Cyndie Allemann might be in line for a better season than last year, where she fell well short of expectations, as might Super Reppu! whose torrid 2014 season belied the pace of the car. That Dome's no slouch, though. Jutta Kleinschmidt might also redeem her reputation after being dropped mid-season last year. And towards the back, despite being forced to struggle with some horrid wrecks, it might not be a complete waste of time for Filles sur Roues or Psycho Soldiers – because if "the Prostine twins" go on like they were doing last year, despite one of them being in a much better car, neither of those two teams should be having too many nightmares about the dreaded DNQ. I know Pippa Cow was always supposed to be the unfavoured daughter at West Cliff, but eight seconds off the pace of her team-mate? Really?

[dinizintheoven]

F1RMGP WEC 2015 pre-season test session 2
Imola, Italy - Thursday, 7 May 2015

Morning

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1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'27.915
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.281
3 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.588
4 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'28.943
5 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.340
6 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'29.495
7 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.692
8 –    14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.201
9 –    3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'30.321
10 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'30.509

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11 –   40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.720
12 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'30.752
13 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'30.901
14 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'30.985
15 –   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'31.135
16 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'31.138
17 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'31.254
18 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.264
19 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.411
20 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'31.619

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21 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'32.160
22 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'32.280
23 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'33.488
24 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'33.535
25 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'33.774
26 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'33.803
27 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'34.240
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'37.171

Afternoon

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1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'27.733
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.083
3 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.285
4 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'29.064
5 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.263
6 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'29.448
7 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.504
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'29.812
9 –    87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'29.994
10 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.279

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11 –   39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'30.829
12 –   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'31.187
13 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.408
14 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'31.807
15 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.811
16 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'31.887
17 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'32.050
18 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'32.081
19 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'32.281
20 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'32.344

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21 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'32.432
22 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'32.511
23 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'32.663
24 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'33.845
25 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'33.846
26 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'33.911
27 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'34.198
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'37.064

Thursday's been looking good for France's finest, all the way – dipping under the 1'28 barrier in both sessions. Unusually, the top five were in the same order – what, has this turned into F1 or something? Still, even with both Alitalianas, both Restovs and Alice Powell up there for West Cliff both times, there wasn't too much worry about the animals going in two-and-a-half by two further down, as although it was a SonicSport ATS Rial throwing out diesel fumes behind the top five, it was Susie Wolff in the morning, Divina Galica in the afternoon. Sabine Schmitz is there or there abouts, there was a Cope rearrangement in the morning but it was reversed in the afternoon, meaning the personal battle stands at 3-1 to Angela; in fact, there seems to be a notable number of swings both ways – witness Giovanna Amati mixing it amongst the top half for Minardivas and Yuri Mitsui for Super Reppu! in the morning, followed by Lella Lomabrdi and Keiko Ihara for those respective teams in the afternoon; odd, that. Elsewhere, Leanne Tander gave hope to Team Australia in the morning session, Cyndie Allemann and Katherine Legge did the same for Foster's Good Women and Psycho Soldiers in the afternoon. This only leaves Filles sur Roues to post a competitive position in their shocking Stefan – no individual team is in total danger of being left behind, and although Karen Andrews seems a dead cert to record more DNQs than starts, who will join her on that regular basis? It looked to be Pippa Cow yesterday, but today Junko Mihara has filled the other would-be-DNQ slot in both sessions, and let's not forget she lost her drive mid-season in 2014...

[dinizintheoven]

F1RMGP WEC 2015 pre-season test session 3
Imola, Italy - Saturday, 9 May 2015

Morning

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1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.396
2 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.398
3 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'28.792
4 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.247
5 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'29.370
6 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.423
7 –    23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'29.572
8 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'30.390
9 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.699
10 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'30.788

Code: Select all

11 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'30.822
12 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'30.910
13 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'31.059
14 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.062
15 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'31.379
16 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.380
17 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.568
18 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.603
19 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'31.765
20 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'31.801

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21 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'31.963
22 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'31.996
23 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'32.202
24 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'32.660
25 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'33.770
26 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'33.999
27 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'34.238
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'34.401

Afternoon

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1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.118
2 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.312
3 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'28.597
4 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'28.627
5 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.218
6 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'29.445
7 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'29.796
8 –    14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.241
9 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'30.357
10 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.436

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11 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'30.594
12 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'30.636
13 –   40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.788
14 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'30.860
15 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'30.905
16 –   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'31.208
17 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.294
18 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'31.409
19 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.534
20 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'31.694

Code: Select all

21 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'31.722
22 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'31.882
23 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'32.085
24 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'32.630
25 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'32.712
26 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'33.415
27 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'34.667
28 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'36.980

And that wraps that up. It is, of course, misleading to read too much into testing times – who knows what Michèle Mouton was doing to drop herself off the top row for these two sessions, but whatever it was, it allowed Alice Powell to steal the limelight. Just behind – by only two thousandths in the morning – was Vanina Ickx giving the message that if anyone wants her championship crown, it'll have to be wrenched from her hands with a crowbar. Nettan Lindgren and Sabine Schmitz gave them something to think about, as well. Elsewhere, Rahel Frey showed in the morning that driving a Stefan isn't a complete hindrance to getting in the top half of the grid; Yuri Mitsui and Emma Kimiläinen showed decent promise as well, and the Cope twins were rather more like twins than they had been before, Angela winning the morning session and Amber the afternoon, but neither of them troubled the leaders. It's not going to be all plain sailing at Foster's Good Women, though, with Kazumi Mikami recording a time that would have seen her drop off the grid, and neither can Team Australia spare themselves a sleepless night or two over the course of the season. As for Jutta Kleinschmidt, trying to erase the memory of her sacking last season wasn't helped by recording the 23rd time in the morning session...

In short, anything could happen in this championship, and I almost guarantee it will, but to get the best possible picture of how the teams are faring, we need to collect the times over the six sessions and order them properly...

[pasta_maldonado]

It's going to eb a challenge this year for sure, but I'm certain we can challenge for points

[dinizintheoven]

Ordered by fastest time

Code: Select all

1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'27.733
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.083
3 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.285
4 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'28.597
5 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'28.943
6 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.218
7 –    23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'29.218
8 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'29.370
9 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'29.448
10 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'29.796

Code: Select all

11 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'29.994
12 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.005
13 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.201
14 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'30.321
15 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'30.509
16 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'30.636
17 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'30.860
18 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'30.905
19 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'30.910
20 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.062

Code: Select all

21 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.142
22 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'31.694
23 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'31.722
24 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'31.801
25 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'31.963
26 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'32.712
27 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'33.774
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'34.401

Ordered by average time

Code: Select all

1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'28.388
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'28.390
3 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'28.717
4 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'29.414
5 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'29.474
6 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'29.677
7 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'30.177
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'30.355
9 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'30.572
10 –   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'30.618

Code: Select all

11 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'30.645
12 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'30.933
13 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'31.162
14 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'31.300
15 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'31.447
16 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'31.524
17 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'31.537
18 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'31.543
19 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'31.630
20 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'31.687

Code: Select all

21 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'31.925
22 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'32.844
23 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'32.893
24 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'33.154
25 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'33.385
26 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'33.675
27 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'35.361
28 –   11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'35.987

So, who's going to draw any conclusions other than that Michèle Mouton is out for revenge on her own team-mate for having not won a race in this championship yet? But will Alice Powell be the still very young fly in her ointment? And what might Sabine Schmitz have to say about the top three? Will the Cope twins be separated? Will the split strategies of Rosenforth and West Cliff have the desired effect for their lead drivers, and will the former Prostine reprobates actually make it to the grid this year?

Find out when the championship kicks off... very soon.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

That test wasn't so bad, but Kleinschmidt needs to pick up the pace a little bit

[dinizintheoven]

And before we kick off, a check on who's already unrejectified from last season:
Ickx; Mouton; de SIlvestro; Patrick; Kimiläinen; Amati (yes, really); Wolff; Galica; Frey; Mann; Legge

Those still rejects with a result or two counting towards the final release:
Powell (one 5th); Ihara (one 6th)

Still rejects with no results, or new to the series:
Kleinschmidt; Lindgren; Cow; Andrews; both Copes; Schmitz; Mihara; Lombardi; Piria; Allemann; Mikami; Mitsui; Tander; Reid

Let battle commence... on the track!

[DemocalypseNow]

Alasdair Lindsay has been arrested by British authorities for attempting to employ Carmen Jordá...in a non-racing context. More news soon.

[dinizintheoven]

"Now, I do not believe you wanted to do that, did you?"

[Grovey]

Well, Team Australia seem to be lower midfield.

[Nuppiz]

Well, it looks like that we'll avoid DNQing the very least.

[dr-baker]

Yay! Go Alice Powell! Go West Cliff! Deadbeat teammate of the year is a dead cert!

[FMecha]

Let's hope our drivers won't DNQ, because Ai will banish them.

[dinizintheoven]

Thunderbirds are go!

Round 1: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Friday, 29 May 2015

QUALIFYING

Code: Select all

1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'34.418
2 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'34.946
3 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'35.163
4 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'36.294
5 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'36.294
6 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'37.049
7 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'37.084
8 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'37.250
9 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'37.254
10 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'37.554
11 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'37.839
12 –   39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'38.226
13 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'38.433

Code: Select all

14 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'38.681
15 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'38.808
16 –   23 L. Lombardi       Minardivas            1'39.511
17 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'39.851
18 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'39.919
19 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'40.133
20 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'40.639
21 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'40.817
22 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'41.049
23 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'41.269
24 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'42.184
25 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'42.986
26 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'43.140

Code: Select all

DID NOT QUALIFY
---------------
DNQ –  8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'46.743
DNQ –  11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'47.373

It's Thursday afternoon, it's the first qualifying session for the second WEC season, it's battering down with rain, but if that isn't a gauntlet thrown down by Alice Powell to the Alitaliana drivers, then I don't know what is. Where she found the grip from in that session I have no idea, but to beat the vastly experienced Michèle Mouton – not exactly a stranger to slippery surfaces – to the pole by half a second is almost beyond belief. This is also the first time a diesel-powered car has been on pole in the whole of F1RMGP – Philippe Alliot did get the oil-burning SPAM up near the front last season, but neither this car nor the ATS Rial ever looked likely to be on pole, and none of the four diesel teams in the Main series this year look like they'll come anywhere close. So, history in the making around the streets of Monte Carlo. Also up the front, we see the two Restov Racing Super Aguris, with 70-year-old Divina Galica between them. Score one for the grannies. Sabine Schmitz has been no slouch away from the Nürburgring, Angela Cope and Simona de Silvestro were separable by a hair's width, and that's a superb performance by both Giovanna Amati and Rahel Frey – I wasn't expecting to see them so high up. Ditto Emma Kimiläinen, a capable driver hampered by a shocking Minardi, who didn't quite beat Susie Wolff but probably deserved to.

Into the second half of the grid, starting and finishing with two Japanese drivers, Keiko Ihara being the best placed in 14th. Amber Cope was again outpaced by her sister, as had usually been the case in pre-season testing, and further down... Lella Lombardi, possibly suffering a few light-bee glitches, the two SACs run by Foster's Good Women, the two Aussies in very un-Australian purple Monteverdis, and then... if there's anyone who might panic at this performance it's Jutta Kleinschmidt, as the memories of last year where everything that could go wrong did go wrong will have come flooding back. Just managing to steer clear of trouble were Katherine Legge and Pippa Mann in the hatefully slow Psycho Soldiers David Price, but – not since the Grand Reversal last year have two of those cars both been seen on the grid at the same time! And finally, Junko Mihara may have failed to break the 1'43 barrier, but it barely mattered – because the "Prostine hangover" struck Pippa Cow and Karen Andrews so hard that they were both at least three and a half seconds away from qualifying, and that can only secure Reject Of The Race before the race is even underway!


RACE

Code: Select all

1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            78   2h 10'00.291
2 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                78   2h 10'23.479
3 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                77   + 1 lap
4 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            77   + 1 lap
5 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             77   + 1 lap
6 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          76   + 2 laps (DNF)
7 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            76   + 2 laps
8 –    24 G. Amati          Minardivas            76   + 2 laps
9 –    54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      76   + 2 laps
10 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   75   + 3 laps
11 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          75   + 3 laps
12 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            75   + 3 laps
13 –   23 L. Lombardi       Minardivas            75   + 3 laps

Code: Select all

14 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        74   + 4 laps
15 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   74   + 4 laps
16 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          73   + 5 laps
17 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       72   + 6 laps
18 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       72   + 6 laps
19 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          69   engine
20 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        67   puncture
21 –   40 D. Galica         SonicSport            43   electrical
22 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      41   suspension
23 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          38   transmission
24 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          29   suspension
25 –   2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            19   transmission
26 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             4    suspension

Unlike a lot of other young and female racing drivers, Alice Powell does not spend a lot of time posing suggestively in front of a camera with a carefully-placed helmet. And this is the result. Some say it was all over when Michèle Mouton dropped out with transmission failure (which will worry the Viking mechanics – have Super Aguri been dropping bits of sashimi in the year-old gearboxes as well?); others say it was all over at the start when young Alice shot away from the French legend like a startled gazelle – and all this despite the conditions. And so the first ever diesel pole position was followed by this, the first diesel victory, almost-but-not-quite in the country that took diesel away from the farm and made it a viable proposition for day-to-day transport... and then motor racing. Definitely not diesel powered, though, was the rest of the podium – the two Restov Super Aguris of Danica Patrick and Nettan Lindgren – even though the Swede was a lap down. As was defending champion Vanina Ickx, who started her title defence by slithering around all over the place but held it together enough to score 12 points. Sabine Schmitz took fifth, not used to the tight and twisty Monaco track, but I suspect that when we get to (say) Spa, it'll be a different story. Rounding out the top ten, such was the nature of the attrition in the race (and the fact that only one West Cliff SPAM made it through in the first place) that nine teams have scored points in this first race – Restov being the only team which could manage a double points finish (and which has put them in the lead for the Bertha Benz Cup). First of these was Simona de Silvestro for Autodynamics, who was only one lap down but her Simtek spluttered to a halt within sight of the finish line; then, Susie Wolff for SonicSport, Giovanna Amati for Scuderia Minardivas (I seem to remember she started well last year then fell right off the radar...), Rahel Frey for Filles sur Roues – dragging that reticent Stefan to two points is no mean feat – and finally, Cyndie Allemann for Foster's Good Women, who has now scored half her points total from last season already. Allemann was three laps down, as were Keiko Ihara, Emma Kimiläinen and Lella Lombardi, some of whom had rather better machinery at their disposal than others. Leanne Tander was four laps down, the only Aussie to carry the car over the line, as was Kazumi Mikami. Yuri Mitsui was a lonely 16th, five laps down, still ahead of Katherine Legge and Pippa Mann, stone dead last and six laps down. Legge was heard screaming blue murder over the team radio at the utter gutlessness of the David Price DPR-1; ordinarily, disciplinary action would be taken but the Series Management decided she was completely justified in doing so. Remember, competitors for 2016 – the Shekel Racing Aleph will be a legal car for next year's championship...

To the retirements, and amazingly, there were no huge crashes. Junko Mihara was the first to fall, having completed only four laps – slithering into the wall and bending her suspension was not a way to cover herself in glory. Amber Cope and Vicky Piria would follow suit later in the race. Michèle Mouton was the highest-profile casualty, her transmission sounding like it had exploded inside the housing... which it had. Angela Cope broke a driveshaft through no fault of her own, nine laps after her sister had dropped out – they'd both managed to cope with the conditions, though. Heh. Electrical troubles sidelined Divina Galica after 43 laps – infuriating for her, as she was running third and putting all these young whippersnappers in their place (except Alice Powell, obviously). And two cars retired late in the race – Samantha Reid had a puncture caused by an errant glass bottle, which should result in parts of the crowd getting a lengthy lecture, followed by Jutta Kleinschmidt, nowhere near the points and glad to be released early from a miserable day out round the streets of Monaco.

So it's pole and a win for Alice Powell and the diesel-powered SPAM, run by West Cliff Racing. Incidentally, she is also unrejectified with this win, as is Nettan Lindgren, who's done so at her first attempt. Not bad, I'd say. Sabine Schmitz also needs only a sixth place to be unrejectified.


DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup

Code: Select all

1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            25
2 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                18
3 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                15
4 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            12
5 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             10
6 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          8
7 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            6
8 –    24 G. Amati          Minardivas            4
9 –    54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      2
10 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1

TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Bertha Benz Cup

Code: Select all

1 –    Restov Racing / Super Aguri                33
2 –    West Cliff Racing / SPAM                   25
3 –    Scuderia Alitaliana / Viking               12
4 –    Shell JLD Motorsport / F1RM                10
5 –    Autodynamics Simtek Grand Prix / Simtek    8
6 –    SonicSport / ATS Rial                      6
7 –    Scuderia Minardivas / Forti                4
8 –    Filles sur Roues / Stefan                  2
9 –    Foster's Good Women with Plus One / SAC    1

APERTURA

I worked out the minor trophies for last year's WEC late in the proceedings, and never bothered looking for the Apertura – Vanina Ickx won it, having won the first six races of the year. Drivers may be appointed on a year-by-year basis this time round, but I'm going to stick to the regular Apertura rules, so it's by positions in last year's championship first, then by qualifying positions for the first race if there are any slots left. Here goes.

Seedings:
(1) Vanina Ickx
(2) Simona de Silvestro
(3) Michèle Mouton
(NA) Sarah Fisher – not selected for this year
(4) Divina Galica
(NA) Natacha Gachnang – not selected for this year
(5) Katherine Legge
(6) Susie Wolff
(7) Emma Kimiläinen
(8) Danica Patrick
(NA) Ana Beatriz – not selected for this year
(9) Rahel Frey
(10) Alice Powell
(11) Giovanna Amati
(NA) Milka Duno – not selected for this year
(12) Pippa Mann
(NA) Natasha Firman – not selected for this year
(13) Keiko Ihara
(14) Lella Lombardi
(15) Jutta Kleinschmidt
(16) Kazumi Mikami

And here's how the first round has progressed:

(1) Ickx (4th) v (16) Mikami (15th)
(2) de Silvestro (6th) v (15) Kleinschmidt (DNF)
(3) Mouton (DNF) v (14) Lombardi (13th)
(4) Galica (DNF) v (13) Ihara (11th)
(5) Legge (17th) v (12) Mann (18th) – the epic battle of the David Prices!
(6) Wolff (7th) v (11) Amati (8th)
(7) Kimiläinen (12th) v (10) Powell (1st)
(8) Patrick (2nd) v (9) Frey (9th)

Here's the draw for the second round:

(1) Ickx v (8) Patrick
(2) de Silvestro v (10) Powell
(14) Lombardi v (6) Wolff
(13) Ihara v (5) Legge

Onwards... just down the road, to Paul Ricard!

[SuperAguri]

Super Reppu! will be ruing the day when Aguri Suzuki dropped the team and so lost the Super Aguri chassis and engine package. The Domes were a bit gutless. Still Keiko Ihara will as long as she keeps the car on the road get a free pass into the semi finals of the Apertura cup as Legg will be lapped more times then Deletrez driving a Pacific.

[Nuppiz]

Points on debut, reminds me of my own debut race back in 1989...

[dinizintheoven]

Super Reppu! will be ruing the day when Aguri Suzuki dropped the team and so lost the Super Aguri chassis and engine package. The Domes were a bit gutless. Still Keiko Ihara will as long as she keeps the car on the road get a free pass into the semi finals of the Apertura cup as Legg will be lapped more times then Deletrez driving a Pacific.

Some would say that Michèle Mouton had the same "free pass" against Lella Lombardi...

[FMecha]

Things have gone psycho today! But we're dead last...

A cross-series spying scandal?

Two Sunshine Daihatsu F1RWRS Team employees - Mike Stepney and Nigel Coughlan - were discovered having leaking Sunshine's car blueprints and technical data (by Coughlan) and their 2015 Monaco GP car settings (by Stepney) to Super Reppu team. The files were apparently sent in exchange for money and "other secret data" by alleged two Super Reppu employees, Melvin Wilson and Lance Harris - the latter apparently once working for Dome - and both were from America. Wilson allegedy received a dossier containing more than 500 photocopied pages of confidental data relating to Sunshine SD-01 which he received from Coughlan. No-one from Sunshine or Super Reppu were available for comment.

And yes, I'd have Reiko Megumi doing some "unofficial analyst" job for this series... stay tuned. And regarding names on the cross-series spying news, swap the first-name(s) of Stepney and Coughlan and you get it - the guys involved in 2007 Spygate, Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlan. Same for Wilson and Harris - swap their first-names, you get the real names of the GTA San Andreas' "traitors": Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris and Lance "Ryder" Wilson.

[Salamander]

Let's see, what's in the taloids today... I could do with a laugh...

A cross-series spying scandal?

Two Sunshine Daihatsu F1RWRS Team employees - Mike Stepney and Nigel Coughlan - were discovered having leaking Sunshine's car blueprints and technical data (by Coughlan) and their 2015 Monaco GP car settings (by Stepney) to Super Reppu--

Ha! Ahahahaha! Oh god, how desperate do you have to be to steal stuff from a team that's gone from winning races to pre-qualifying in 6 months? ...that's so far-fetched it's probably completely wrong but man... never change, J.O.U.R.N.A.L. Never change.

[dr-baker]

Ahh West Cliff - winners on a limited budget, just like their DeLorean should have done in the 2014 24 Heures du Bathurst!

[dinizintheoven]

Round 2: Paul Ricard, France
Friday, 5 June 2015



QUALIFYING

Code: Select all

1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'42.470
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'43.396
3 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'45.176
4 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'45.259
5 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'45.306
6 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'45.352
7 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'45.729
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'45.936
9 –    24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'46.303
10 –   5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'46.344
11 –   6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'46.564
12 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'46.894
13 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'47.262

Code: Select all

14 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'47.268
15 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'47.544
16 –   23 L. Lombardi       Minardivas            1'47.807
17 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'47.896
18 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'48.172
19 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'48.176
20 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'48.547
21 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'48.598
22 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'48.925
23 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'49.306
24 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'49.349
25 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'49.424
26 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'49.672

Code: Select all

DID NOT QUALIFY
---------------
DNQ –  8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'50.805
DNQ –  11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'55.481

Having struck a first pole and win for a diesel engine in Monaco, Alice Powell arrived at Paul Ricard determined do make it a second triumph on the bounce. And for most of that qualifying session, she looked likely to shove the West Cliff-run SPAM on the top spot. Michèle Mouton, though, had other ideas. With five minutes to go, and her golden chariot still sitting in the garage with Powell two seconds clear of the competiton, France's finest emerged, did one flying lap, and crushed everyone. Powell's time was smashed by almost a second, and she had no laps left to respond. Sabine Schmitz, in third, improved the deficit to under two seconds but nobody else had any answer for the top two, so it'll be French engine in a French car with an English driver versus a French driver in a Norwegian car with a Swedish engine for the win – at least, if both of them aren't knocked off the track on race day.

So it was a race for third on the grid, won by Sabine Schmitz in the end, with the two SonicSport ATS Rials in fourth and fifth, which meant three diesels in the top five, and defending champion Vanina Ickx in sixth, wondering exactly what her team-mate had a supply of Redex that was denied on her side of the garage. Angela Cope came in seventh, ahead of Simona de Silvestro, the last to break the 1'46 barrier. Giovanna Amati fared well for Scuderia Minardivas in the old turbocharged Forti, followed by the two Restov-run Super Aguris in tenth and eleventh, locked together again. Rahel Frey put the limping Stefan of the Filles sur Roues team into twelfth – a fine effort, that – and the top half of the grid was rounded out by Cyndie Allemann. Amber Cope and Leanne Tander represented the colonies in the next two slots, Tander being joined by Lella Lombardi on row eight; next were Keiko Ihara and Yuri Mitsui for Super Reppu! with Pippa Mann between them, shoving the dreadful David Price DPR-1 into a place it had no right to be. Mann's team-mate, Katherine Legge, wasn't quite as far up but still put in a superb job to place her DPR-1 21st behind Junko Mihara, and those beaten by Legge were: Emma Kimiläinen in the almost as awful Rosenforth-run Minardi, Kazumi Mikami, Vicky Piria, Jutta Kleinschmidt – again having a nightmare start to the season – and finally, of those who qualified, Samantha Reid.

Seeing as these listings are written by initials rather than full names I sometimes find myself thinking of Paralympic athlete Stefanie Reid instead – who has no right foot to operate the throttle with (though I'm sure a few Zanardi-esque hand controls could soon be fixed in the car). Even so, I'm convinced that even if the ex-Canuck was to attempt a career in motorsport, artificial right leg be damned, she could still outqualify those two jokers at the back at the first attempt. Proving that competing in Formula Woman counts for absolutely nothing, and also that West Cliff's sabotage strategy is working very well, Pippa Cow failed to qualify by over a second, and – can you hear that laughing at the back – Karen Andrews was almost five seconds further down the road for a total of thirteen seconds off Michèle Mouton's pole time. But I'm not going to give her Reject Of The Race, it's expected that this will happen, so it's a waste of the award...



RACE

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1 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            53   1h 37'57.913
2 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            53   1h 38'07.797
3 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            52   + 1 lap                                                     
4 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            52   + 1 lap                                                     
5 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          52   + 1 lap                                                     
6 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                52   + 1 lap                                                     
7 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          52   + 1 lap                                                     
8 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                52   + 1 lap                                                     
9 –    24 G. Amati          Minardivas            52   + 1 lap                                                     
10 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          51   + 2 laps                                                    
11 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   51   + 2 laps                                                    
12 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        51   + 2 laps                                                    
13 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      51   + 2 laps                                                    

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14 –   23 L. Lombardi       Minardivas            51   + 2 laps                                                    
15 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          51   + 2 laps                                                    
16 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       51   + 2 laps                                                    
17 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          51   + 2 laps                                                    
18 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          50   + 3 laps                                                    
19 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       50   + 3 laps                                                    
20 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            50   + 3 laps                                                    
21 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   50   + 3 laps                                                    
22 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        50   + 3 laps                                                    
23 –   55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      33   electrical                                                  
24 –   16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             15   transmission                                                
25 –   1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            7    transmission                                                
26 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             4    crash                                                       

However it looked, after the qualifying it was obvious France would have something to shout about at the end of the race. It wasn't entirely "scripted", though. Alice Powell started on a light fuel load in the hope of jumping Michèle Mouton at the start and gaining track position. However, Divina Galica had other ideas and ganged up with Mouton on the youngster to drop her back. Those damn grannies, eh? Powell returned to second spot after two laps, chased Mouton down and managed to get ahead... just in time for her first fuel stop. Such was the pace of those two at the front that they were 30 seconds ahead after the first ten laps, and unless anything went wrong, one would win. It looked very good for young Alice for a while, as she streaked ahead on her second stint, but once the fuel stops were over, wily old Michèle was out in front, and by 17 seconds. Divina Galica, 41 seconds behind the top two, still had to dive into the pits one more time... and so, Powell chased Mouton down for that win, but in the end it was France's finest driver who triumphed, Powell having cut the gap to under ten seconds, but Mouton was in control and took what is, almost amazingly, her first win in this series. Finally, that wait was over.

Divind Galica looked almost embarrassed to be on the podium with them, so far behind was she (well over one lap, that's for sure), but having been best of the rest, had earned her place there. Team-mate Susie Wolff came in fourth, holding off Simona de Silvestro and Nettan Lindgren to finish the unrejectification places (although all the top six have already passed that hurdle). Angela Cope scored her first points for seventh, her sister took one for tenth, and between them came Danica Patrick and Giovanna Amati, who looks in better shape than last year. Cyndie Allemann was the first to miss out on the points but also looks like a better driver than last season, even at this early stage, Leanne Tander took twelfth, and Rahel Frey couldn't hold on for any points either, finishing 13th – but given the machinery at her disposal, still did a fine job. Lella Lombardi, the two Super Reppu! drivers and Pippa Mann filled the next four places, Mann having somehow managed to keep the awful David Price on the track and only a lap behind third place, while Jutta Kleinschmidt again should have done better, being the first to be lapped three times. Rounding off the standings were Katherine Legge and Emma Kimiläinen, neither of whom had much of a shot at doing anything better, followed by Kazumi Mikami and last of all, Samantha Reid, who both did.

As for the retirements, we start with Junko Mihara who flung her car off the road after only four laps, and when Sabine Schmitz retired with transmission failure after running very well in fourth after only 15 laps, that secured Reject Of The Race for Shell JLD Motorsport – the only team not to get at least one car to the end of the race, given that both teams who had had a DNQ on Thursday got their other car to the chequered flag. What Scuderia Alitaliana are doing behind the scenes, though, must defy belief – Vanina Ickx retired after only seven laps, with transmission failure – the same as what plagued Michèle Mouton in Monaco. If they've been tinkering with the gearbox, there should be no need, given that they've got a double championship winning car. Finally, electrical trouble sidelined Vicky Piria – although, unlike Rahel Frey, she was not threatening to trouble the points.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup

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1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            43
2 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            25
3 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                23
4 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                22
5 =    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          18
5 =    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            18
7 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            15
8 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            12
9 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             10
10 =   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          6
10 =   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            6
12 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      2

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13 =   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1
13 =   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1

TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Bertha Benz Cup

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1 –    Restov Racing / Super Aguri                45
2 –    West Cliff Racing / SPAM                   43
3 –    Scuderia Alitaliana / Viking               37
4 –    SonicSport / ATS Rial                      33
5 –    Autodynamics Simtek Grand Prix / Simtek    18
6 –    Shell JLD Motorsport / F1RM                10
7 –    Cope-ersucar / Spyker                      7
8 –    Scuderia Minardivas / Forti                6
9 –    Filles sur Roues / Stefan                  2
10 –   Foster's Good Women with Plus One / SAC    1

APERTURA: QUARTER FINALS

(1) Ickx (DNF) v (8) Patrick (8th)
(2) de Silvestro (5th) v (10) Powell (2nd)
(14) Lombardi (14th) v (6) Wolff (4th)
(13) Ihara (15th) v (5) Legge (19th)

The semis look like this:

(8) Patrick v (13) Ihara
(10) Powell v (6) Wolff

But don't go counting those chickens just yet, West Cliff...

[tristan1117]

Great job from SonicSport. What was the answer to the second riddle?

[Nessafox]

So why's round 1 followed straight by round 5? Must be women's logic

[dinizintheoven]

Great job from SonicSport. What was the answer to the second riddle?

I remember now, I never revealed it. Here's the reminder:

Crowbar applied. Your clue is "thorcast"; using this clue word, tell me what links Borknagar and Achren with the Leyton House LHS/CG141. Do that, and you'll get access to the most powerful of the 2014 cars.

The website of the podcast I run is thorcast.co.uk - look on the show archives, you'll see Borknagar had the 16th track of the 15th show, and Achren had the 15th track of the 16th show. And the numbers used by Leyton House are...

So why's round 1 followed straight by round 5? Must be women's logic

Corrected. I'd copied the template for the Main Series round straight onto that of the WEC and forgotten to change the round number...

[FMecha]

Mann sandwhiched between the bathplugging cheaters that is Reppu? Well, at least better than another last-place finish. But Legge is, however... anonymous in general.

Rosenforth should sack Andrews immediately if her bad qualifying performance continues - five seconds off the pace from the other DNQer is unforgiveable. Also, I expect Alitaliana vs West Cliff battle for the championship, by the way.

Has Japanese Autosport run a story on the Reppu-Sunshine espionage yet?

[dinizintheoven]

Round 3: Silverstone, England
Friday, 19 June 2015



QUALIFYING

Code: Select all

1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            1'30.342
2 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            1'31.074
3 –    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            1'31.077
4 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                1'31.232
5 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            1'31.632
6 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            1'31.793
7 –    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             1'32.893
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          1'33.022
9 –    23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            1'33.170
10 –   15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'33.217
11 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       1'33.462
12 –   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       1'33.465
13 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1'33.865

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14 –   5  D. Patrick        Restov                1'33.897
15 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            1'33.982
16 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            1'34.840
17 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      1'35.033
18 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            1'35.111
19 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          1'35.164
20 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        1'35.279
21 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1'35.558
22 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             1'35.727
23 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   1'35.837
24 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          1'35.878
25 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          1'36.327
26 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        1'36.566

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DID NOT QUALIFY
---------------
DNQ –  55 V. Piria          Filles sur Roues      1'36.845
DNQ –  11 K. Andrews        Rosenforth            1'38.506

Nigel Mansell once said that the crowd at Silverstone were worth a second a lap to him. Alice Powell wasn't even born at the time, but took on that mantra admirably on a day when it looked to be one-way traffic from the sparkling gold Viking MJØLNER-03s of Vanina Ickx and Michèle Mouton. The defending champ would eventually win that battle by a mere three thousandths of a second, but Powell trumped them both, by seven tenths when nobody though the 1'31 barrier would be broken. Nettan Lindgren was highly impressive in fourth ahead of the two SonicSport ATS Rials, and those top six seemed to have the rest of the field swept into next week, as Sabine Schmitz, in seventh, was over a second behind that leading pack, and the only driver to beat 1'33 other than those up front. Simona de Silvestro, 8th, and Angela Cope, 10th, both trounced their team-mates; Lella Lombardi, between them, hauled the Scuderia Minardivas' Forti to ninth. Just behind the top ten, though, surprise of the day: Pippa Mann and Katherine Legge, driving the Psycho Soldiers-run David Price DPR-1, both managed to qualify in the top half of the grid, presumably being roared on by that section of the crowd who read the Daily Star and watch Channel 5. Three thousandths separated the two of them, and they practically crossed the line together as the chequered flag dropped for the end of the session.

And so to those 16 cars beaten by the worst car in the field. Cyndie Allemann, Danica Patrick and Giovanna Amati all cleared the 1'34 barrier but that they couldn't beat the DPRs, especially Patrick, will come as a massive disappointment. Emma Kimiläinen, effectively in a one-car team given the extreme uncompetitiveness of her team-mate, was Rosenforth's sole representative of the race, coming in 16th, ahead of Rahel Frey in the ailing FSR Stefan, and... what's this? Pippa Cow must have had a share of the goodwill generated by Alice Powell, as even though 18th isn't a stellar spot, it was her first foray onto race day this season when she'd never looked likely to do so. Both cars run by Super Reppu! and Team Australia were behind her, and amongst them, Amber Cope yet again failed to come close to matching her sister (I thought they were supposed to be twins?), Junko Mihara had another torrid qualifying to end up 22nd, and Jutta Kleinschmidt must be regretting signing up for a second season in this series after another shocking showing for Autodynamics. Samantha Reid again lined up last on the grid, and with Pippa Cow's much-improved performance, she was getting nervous at facing the chop at the end of the second. But, instead, Vicky Piria obligingly took that dishonour from her, and so there will only be one Fille sur Roues come race day. Finally, need I mention who was cast adrift at the bottom of the timesheets?



RACE

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1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            60   1h 35'42.421
2 –    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            60   1h 36'38.181
3 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                59   + 1 lap                                                     
4 –    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            59   + 1 lap                                                     
5 –    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            59   + 1 lap                                                     
6 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          59   + 1 lap                                                     
7 –    23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            59   + 1 lap                                                     
8 –    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          58   + 2 laps                                                    
9 –    98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       58   + 2 laps                                                    
10 –   5  D. Patrick        Restov                58   + 2 laps                                                    
11 –   97 P. Mann           Psycho Soldiers       58   + 2 laps                                                    
12 –   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            58   + 2 laps                                                    
13 –   8  P. Cow            West Cliff            58   + 2 laps                                                    

Code: Select all

14 –   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   57   + 3 laps                                                    
15 –   10 E. Kimiläinen     Rosenforth            57   + 3 laps                                                    
16 –   90 L. Tander         Team Australia        57   + 3 laps                                                    
17 –   87 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!          57   + 3 laps                                                    
18 –   17 J. Mihara         Shell JLD             57   + 3 laps                                                    
19 –   78 K. Mikami         Foster's Good Women   56   + 4 laps                                                    
20 –   88 Y. Mitsui         Super Reppu!          56   + 4 laps                                                    
21 –   3  J. Kleinschmidt   Autodynamics          56   + 4 laps                                                    
22 –   91 S. Reid           Team Australia        56   + 4 laps                                                    
23 –   2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            45   water leak                                                  
24 –   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          39   engine                                                      
25 –   16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             32   engine                                                      
26 –   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      18   engine                                                      

English race, English winner... French car, powered by French diesel in a French engine. This cross-channel relationship is clearly working extremely well so far, better than the Scottish-Italian-Norwegian combination that is Scuderia Alitaliana. Again, the results don't tell the whole story, because none of the three main protagonists in the battle up the front were leading on the first few laps; that honour went to the very fast-starting Nettan Lindgren, who was eventually reeled in and passed by Powell and both the Alitalianas after six laps. From there to the fuel stops the race was rather processional – but keen reject-spotters had noticed something very sharp in the midfield. What was to unfold was the most thrilling race for a point that anyone had seen in a long time, and it happened between Danica Patrick, who had a Super Aguri SA14 at her disposal, and Katherine Legge and Pippa Mann, who had a David Price DPR-1. That's like going into battle with both hands tied behind your back. But Legge and Mann, undeterred by their horrid machinery, would never give up the fight for that point. For about ten laps the cars traded places, looking like the reels of a fruit machine, with Legge passing Angela Cope for 10th briefly, before Cope returned the favour. The Legge/Patrick/Mann fight was initially for 11th, but with the retirement of Sabine Schmitz on lap 32, it became a race for a point. Patrick got past Legge, Legge pitted, Mann passed Patrick, Legga passed them both for that all-important point... and then that became two as the worrying sight – for Scuderia Alitaliana at least – of Michèle Mouton slowing down with water spraying from her radiator promoted everyone below the podium places up one.

The race finished with Powell in front, Ickx almost a minute behind her and the only car on the lead lap, with Nettan Lindgren inheriting the last podium spot on a day when some believed she might do even better. The top five was rounded off by the two SonicSports, Susie Solff beating Divina Galica after Galica had fluffed the start disastrously, and the lead car that wasn't part of that exclusive top six (which became five) was Simona de Silvestro, beating Lella Lombardi to sixth. Angela Cope, two laps down, was a fair way behind in 8th, but – crucially, said Jonathan Legard – Katherine Legge hung on for the rest of the race to score two points for Psycho Soldiers; in the end, she was pulling away from Danica Patrick and won that private battle by about 14 seconds. The David Price team are long gone, sort of living on in the Main Series as Shekel Racing, but this is the first time that dead-last car has managed to score in a championship race, despite the heroics of Jan Magnussen in last year's Grand Reversal. Pippa Mann was also chasing Patrick for the other point, but couldn't get it – coming in 11th is still a fine result for that car, though. Giovanna Amati came in 12th, and – proving Thursday wasn't a complete flash in the pan – Pippa Cow hung on for 13th, and was even running in the points at one part of the race – by that I mean lap 1, as she made a brilliant start to get to 10th, but it wouldn't last. Any car three laps down was beaten by Cow and both the Psycho Soldiers DPRs and will be wanting to get away from the circuit as quickly as possible, no doubt; stand up and be counted everyone from Cyndie Allemann, in 14th, all the way back to Samantha Reid, the last classified finisher in 22nd.

There were only four retirements, but when Rahel Frey's engine exploded on lap 19, that sealed the fate of Filles sur Roues as Reject Of The Race, with Vicky Piria having not even made it to the grid. Sabine Schmitz was the next to go, also with engine failure, followed seven laps later by Amber Cope, who seems to get all the bad luck of the twin sisters. But the most significant retirement, and gaining some concern amongst the Viking Racing bigwigs who were hesitant to let their old cars be used in this series, was Michèle Mouton – on course for an excellent result until a radiator burst and threw its water supply all over the track.

It's incidents like this, though, that Alice Powell needs to keep her sights on the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup – Scuderia Alitaliana are a very strong team and if they fall, she must take full advantage. Just as she did today.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup

Code: Select all

1 –    7  A. Powell         West Cliff            68
2 –    6  N. Lindgren       Restov                38
3 =    1  V. Ickx           Alitaliana            30
3 =    39 S. Wolff          SonicSport            30
5 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Autodynamics          26
6 =    2  M. Mouton         Alitaliana            25
6 =    40 D. Galica         SonicSport            25
8 –    5  D. Patrick        Restov                23
9 =    16 S. Schmitz        Shell JLD             10
9 =    15 An. Cope          Cope-ersucar          10
11 =   23 L. Lombardi (H)   Minardivas            6
11 =   24 G. Amati          Minardivas            6

Code: Select all

13 =   54 R. Frey           Filles sur Roues      2
13 =   98 K. Legge          Psycho Soldiers       2
15 =   14 Am. Cope          Cope-ersucar          1
15 =   77 C. Allemann       Foster's Good Women   1

TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
for the Bertha Benz Cup

Code: Select all

1 –    West Cliff Racing / SPAM                   68
2 –    Restov Racing / Super Aguri                61
3 =    Scuderia Alitaliana / Viking               55
3 =    SonicSport / ATS Rial                      55
5 –    Autodynamics Simtek Grand Prix / Simtek    26
6 –    Scuderia Minardivas / Forti                12
7 –    Cope-ersucar / Spyker                      11
7 –    Shell JLD Motorsport / F1RM                10
9 =    Filles sur Roues / Stefan                  2
9 =    Psycho Soldiers / David Price              2
11 –   Foster's Good Women with Plus One / SAC    1

APERTURA: SEMI FINALS

(8) Patrick (10th) v (13) Ihara (17th)
(10) Powell (1st) v (6) Wolff (4th)

Danica Patrick, on one of her off-days, still qualifies for the Apertura final. It's against Alice Powell. Good luck there, Danica...

[Nuppiz]

Merde, this wasn't our weekend at all. Now where did I put that sherry bottle?

[SuperAguri]

Salo pines for Super Aguri

Mika Salo head of the Super Reppu! team said after the race that he was unhappy with the performance of the Dome cars, he said "Last years Super Aguri cars were hopeless, but we saw preseason testing of the new cars and we were full of hope but then Mr Aguri told me that the female team would have to find another chassis as Super Aguri were withdrawing their support and that Restov racing had made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Yes Dome did step in and thankfully Julian Richer is bankrolling the team but the car is well underpowered. Keiko Ihara has been doing a stellar job considering how awful the car is and Yuri Mitsui has come back and has improved. Despite their efforts we are still have zero points and Mr Richer is not too pleased.". Dome refused to talk to us and Mr Richer did not return our calls.

[pasta_maldonado]

Well, it's becoming increasingly clear that we went the wrong way with the selction of our chassis. The car simply isn't good enough, I am dissapointed to say the least with today's performance being our home race. To be outscored by those bunch of idiots down at Psycho Soldiers in a car worse than a FIRST with severe structural failure is an absolute joke. Cyndie's been performing well but she needs to step up her game big time. I think the sooner this season is over the better to be honest, and next year we must hope to secure a better chassis.

[FMecha]

YES! YES! YES!!

How Legge did make it into points and Mann making it into Golden Papaya? Fluke I say. And Andrews is useless again. West Cliff needs to push it really hard - I hope they will win this season.

[dr-baker]

West Cliff needs to push it really hard - I hope they will win this season.

West Cliff Racing would like to thank Reiko Megumi for this show of support. We are pleasantly surprised to be leading BOTH chapionships despite essentially running as a one-car operation. Having said that, we are over the moon at Ms Cow's improvement today and hope that this is the start of a general trend, not a one-off.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

I thought I upgraded Kleinschmidt. She may be replaced mid seadon