Grand Prix Rejects

Okay, go!

Early bids are in: Hispania, Lotus and Force India for running Yamamoto, Fauzy and di Resta respectively, only for Yamamoto be a second off Chandhok, Fauzy to be three seconds behind Kovalainen and di Rest two behind Sutil.

See also: Ferrari. After their much-publicised ranting after they expected to be racing with the McLarens in Valencia, thirteenth- and seventeenth-fastest in the first session shows just how desperate they were in Spain.

I just don't get why these smaller teams run other drivers on the Friday. It's supposed to be practice. Shouldn't that mean that the race drivers are practising for the race? Especially those who have never driven an F1 race around Silverstone.

Which driver would that be? Trulli and Liuzzi have raced there many times...

fjackdaw wrote:I just don't get why these smaller teams run other drivers on the Friday. It's supposed to be practice. Shouldn't that mean that the race drivers are practising for the race? Especially those who have never driven an F1 race around Silverstone.

If you look at Force India, they have tried to alternate Di Resta's stints between Liuzzi and Sutil, so each driver only misses one session (and Di Resta never drives in FP3, which is probably the most important session).
I would assume that it could be for a number of reasons - keeping the reserve driver ready to replace one of their regulars, for whatever reason (injury etc), additional feedback, sponsorship/publicity work (which is part of the reason, I believe, that Fauzy drives for Lotus on occasion), and probably more. That said, it is normally preferable to let the regulars drive as much as possible, and it is worth noting that the larger teams don't tend to do the same thing.

fjackdaw wrote:I just don't get why these smaller teams run other drivers on the Friday.

Mario has pretty much summed it up but it always strikes me as some kind of F1 viscious circle which applies to pay drivers in general. The revenue the teams receives from sponsorship would be less than putting a decent guy in the seat and sticking with it until he gets some decent results. Trouble is, the teams are that financially fragile they cant plan that far down the road. Track. Whatever.

Felipe Massa thinks Ferrari must start closing the gap on title rivals McLaren and Red Bull Racing in the next few races if the outfit is to have a realistic chance of winning the championship.

You don't say...

So yeah, right now Ferrari.

fjackdaw wrote:I just don't get why these smaller teams run other drivers on the Friday. It's supposed to be practice.

Lotus are apparently grooming Fauzy for a race seat at some point. However, I've heard that he was out of his depth even in British F3 - and based on his performances so far, I can believe it.

fjackdaw wrote:Shouldn't that mean that the race drivers are practising for the race? Especially those who have never driven an F1 race around Silverstone.

I remember a few years ago when Jenson Button took a Honda Civic of some variety for a lap of the Nurburgring with an interviewer. He said that once you're used to a Formula 1 car and the way it behaves, it generally takes you about three laps to learn a circuit. Everything after that is usually just experimenting to find the optimal braking points.

shinji wrote:

Felipe Massa thinks Ferrari must start closing the gap on title rivals McLaren and Red Bull Racing in the next few races if the outfit is to have a realistic chance of winning the championship.

You don't say....

I love quotes like these. Its the same as saying "to be in with a realistic chance of winning the race I need to drive faster than everybody else, not crash, and be in front on the last lap".

I often think the Press Officer writes this garbage and the driver, possibly, glances at it, nods, then its sent out. The Kimi Raikkonen ones were the best, you could never picture him trotting out lines like (and i'm paraphrasing here) "Its disapointing not to win the race here but we have some significant upgrades coming from the factory which should help us challenge at the front in two weeks time"

When all he probably said was "Wheres the vodka?"

coops wrote:

shinji wrote:

Felipe Massa thinks Ferrari must start closing the gap on title rivals McLaren and Red Bull Racing in the next few races if the outfit is to have a realistic chance of winning the championship.

You don't say....

I love quotes like these. Its the same as saying "to be in with a realistic chance of winning the race I need to drive faster than everybody else, not crash, and be in front on the last lap".

I often think the Press Officer writes this garbage and the driver, possibly, glances at it, nods, then its sent out. The Kimi Raikkonen ones were the best, you could never picture him trotting out lines like (and i'm paraphrasing here) "Its disapointing not to win the race here but we have some significant upgrades coming from the factory which should help us challenge at the front in two weeks time"

When all he probably said was "Wheres the vodka?"

Raikkonen speaks?

Wizzie wrote:Raikkonen speaks?

Yes, usually in different variations of "I dunno" and "the race was pretty good".

The Passenger wrote:

Wizzie wrote:Raikkonen speaks?

Yes, usually in different variations of "I dunno" and "the race was pretty good".

So sort of like Ronspeak... except slurred, easier to understand and mostly in Finnish

Captain Hammer wrote:See also: Ferrari. After their much-publicised ranting after they expected to be racing with the McLarens in Valencia, thirteenth- and seventeenth-fastest in the first session shows just how desperate they were in Spain.

2nd & 4th in the second session. Even more suprising, GermanSuperTeam Mercedes were 5th and 6th. Bet that won't translate into grid position (not least because McLaren were messing around with parts in this session).

My reject of the race so far goes to: Me

Primarily for not thinking to take sun cream with the result of having arms resembling lobster claws by the end of the day...

Being down at Copse though, it really brings home just how poor the slower cars are judging by the amount they are having to lift as they enter the corner, the Red Bulls, McLarens and Alonso are almost flat through there.

AndreaModa wrote:My reject of the race so far goes to: Me
Primarily for not thinking to take sun cream with the result of having arms resembling lobster claws by the end of the day...

Don't worry, it contrasts with the banner. It will make it easier to see.

Sakon Yamamoto for ROTR.

Simple reason that it may be his only chance of the season/ever.

Secondly I am going to take a punt at this early stage and say that he will deserve it! Probably for getting lapped the most times of any driver this season.

I challenge anyone to a duel who disagrees!!!

Kobacrashi wrote:I challenge anyone to a duel who disagrees!!!

Have at you good sir, the day the latest Japanese F1 superstar sensation is a ROTR is the day I perform seppuku! When the next race is consumed with Yama-mania you'll realise your mistake.

LukeB wrote:

Kobacrashi wrote:I challenge anyone to a duel who disagrees!!!

Have at you good sir, the day the latest Japanese F1 superstar sensation is a ROTR is the day I perform seppuku! When the next race is consumed with Yama-mania you'll realise your mistake.

I don't know who's side I should be on.

More relevent discussion now and why do I get the feeling that neither Red Bull car will finish considering Vettel's front wing had problems staying on in final practice?

I wish nobody harm, but I fear for the consequences of having Yamamoto on the grid for a one-off race, and seeing him pull an Ide on the first corner. Yes, my old pet peeve Colin Kolles seems like he may get this one.

Also, McLaren. Big cock-up with the diffuser, which worked but upset the balance too much and forced the team back to square 1. Unforgivable they didn't run back-to-back tests.

Mansell's interview on the BBC made me want to nominate him.

Kobayashi's optionally-attached nose, which seems to have visited Red Bull.

Enforcer wrote:GermanSuperTeam Mercedes were 5th and 6th. Bet that won't translate into grid position.

Should Mercedes' pace translate into Q3, me for saying this. With Captain Hammer as runner up for calling Ferrari after first practice even though they're the only team anywhere near Red Bull.

Enforcer wrote:

Enforcer wrote:GermanSuperTeam Mercedes were 5th and 6th. Bet that won't translate into grid position.

Should Mercedes' pace translate into Q3, me for saying this. With Captain Hammer as runner up for calling Ferrari after first practice even though they're the only team anywhere near Red Bull.

Looks like Alonso just saved your ass

I nominate Petrov's car for giving up on him right when the Russian had a real shot at besting Kubica.

Without having watched it yet, I maintain that McLaren is looking good for the award. We all know Benson can't drive a car when it is not properly set-up, and yesterday's diffuser shenanigans are to blame for his result.

Enforcer wrote:With Captain Hammer as runner up for calling Ferrari after first practice even though they're the only team anywhere near Red Bull.

Hey, I did that too in fairness. Captain Hammer occasionally gets a raw deal here.

Im so sorry but its looking like Yamamoto has his name all over this one. Martin Brundle commented that his stamina is suspect already and thats before the race has begun. On the plus side Sakon will make his mark as a Reject in a big way, tomorow should be epic for him.

My current nomination is the bumpiness of the circuit. It's the main reason why so many have failed Turn 13, and not driver inability.

Jenson Button is claiming it so far

Nuppiz wrote:My current nomination is the bumpiness of the circuit. It's the main reason why so many have failed Turn 13, and not driver inability.

Which is bloody fantastic! I like that, that corner can separate drivers, that's how it should be!

Red Bull - Same old same old, when they saw Webber was going faster than Vettel and the latter broke his most recent spec front wing (which, I may add, Christian Horner says is only a 'marginal' upgrade from the old one) they gave him Webber's wing and gave Webber Vettel's old spec wing.

Even if the performance difference is only marginal, if that isn't favouritism then I don't know what is.

kostas22 wrote:Red Bull - Same old same old, when they saw Webber was going faster than Vettel and the latter broke his most recent spec front wing (which, I may add, Christian Horner says is only a 'marginal' upgrade from the old one) they gave him Webber's wing and gave Webber Vettel's old spec wing.

Even if the performance difference is only marginal, if that isn't favouritism then I don't know what is.

Yup, I don't know if that is RoTR, but they have certainly nailed their colours to the mast now. Not that I think it's a bad idea... With a clear 1, 2 set-up they can certainly win the drivers championship. However, if they keep sharing the points Lewis or Fernando may well sneak past them.

It's a shame they can't be like the old Ferrari team and just admit it tho'.

RoTR - Got to love the guy but you just know it has to be Sakon... Let's just hope he does something proper spectacular rather than just break down on the 3rd lap.

Nuppiz wrote:My current nomination is the bumpiness of the circuit. It's the main reason why so many have failed Turn 13, and not driver inability.

The bumps at the entrance to Abbey are really ugly. They almost have Argentine 1998 sized proportions. They'd better fix them for next year.

Hispania, for choosing to replace Senna with Yamamoto. Wtf was the reasoning behind that decision?

OMG, Eddie Jordan's pink pants!

The #12 Renault Car, because Petrov was on his way to making himself look like a hero... until it failed him. I don't think he'll see the season out, unfortunately. If the car fails him again, when he's, say, 5th, then the #12 Renault car or Renault Favoritism will handily walk away with ROTR.

But I'm hoping Sakon Yamamoto decides to try and pass the entire field in turn 1, and in his error he takes out everyone that made it into Q3, making Yuji Ide's attack on Christijan Albers look marginal. He's certainly a former SUPA AGURI crash expert...

Cynon wrote:The #12 Renault Car, because Petrov was on his way to making himself look like a hero... until it failed him. I don't think he'll see the season out, unfortunately. If the car fails him again, when he's, say, 5th, then the #12 Renault car or Renault Favoritism will handily walk away with ROTR.

But I'm hoping Sakon Yamamoto decides to try and pass the entire field in turn 1, and in his error he takes out everyone that made it into Q3, making Yuji Ide's attack on Christijan Albers look marginal. He's certainly a former SUPA AGURI crash expert...

I seem to remember him being somewhat boring for a Nippony reject?

tc3j3r wrote:Hispania, for choosing to replace Senna with Yamamoto. Wtf was the reasoning behind that decision?

Money, it's being said that it was a birthday present for Sakon from his mom, for the cost between 1 - 5 USD, I want a mom like that!!!

kostas22 wrote:Red Bull - Same old same old, when they saw Webber was going faster than Vettel and the latter broke his most recent spec front wing (which, I may add, Christian Horner says is only a 'marginal' upgrade from the old one) they gave him Webber's wing and gave Webber Vettel's old spec wing.

Even if the performance difference is only marginal, if that isn't favouritism then I don't know what is.

Where is it written that Red Bull must pay their drivers equal amounts of attention?

Erhm

Team boss Christian Horner said as recently as Friday afternoon that Webber and Vettel are treated "with transparency and equality", receiving equal priority and treatment".
"I think the most important thing for any driver is to know that he’s getting equality of equipment and priority,"

I mean, Vettel destroys his wing, then they give him Webber's wing...

You buy ice cream to two kids, and one of the kids loose his ice on the ground, you don't take the ice from the kid that didn't loose it and give it to the clumsy kid, do you?

My nominations:

McLaren: The upgrades worked... to the point where they upset the balance of the car so much that they had to take them off. Hamilton does a good salvage job to qualify 4th, Button nowhere.
Renault: Ok hear me out on this one. With about 4 minutes to go in Q2 neither of them were going to make Q3 nor looking like it. Driver of the year Kubica only just made it into Q3 while Petrov's car failed him

But the favourite has to be:
Tonio Liuzzi: Just made Q2, got beaten by Sutil then got a 5 place grid penalty for blocking the not so incredible Hulk.

EDIT: The only reason why I didn't nominate RBR for their shenatigans is because you almost expect that type of stuff from them