O/T - Formula 1

[Crawley Boy]

Crawley souped up Novas has registered. Just mind the body kit!

 

[Marc]

ayone upto date on the official rules of the actual real life races this year? seem to remember them going back to 2 qualifying or something and getting points for qualifying too....not sure whats happened in the winter so anyone know?

 

[Icy Gull]

ayone upto date on the official rules of the actual real life races this year? seem to remember them going back to 2 qualifying or something and getting points for qualifying too....not sure whats happened in the winter so anyone know?

Formula One Grand Prix - Reuters
Main Rule Changes For 2004 F1 Season
26/02/2004 09:31 AM - Reuters

The following details the main rule changes for the 2004 Formula One season which starts in Melbourne, Australia, on March 7:


Engines

Limited to one per driver per race weekend from Friday practice onwards. Any driver who has to change an engine before qualifying will lose 10 places on the 20-place starting grid from wherever he qualifies.

A second change will cost another 10 places -- the back of the grid effectively.

Any change after qualifying will automatically send the driver to the back of the grid.


Aerodynamics

Rear wing limited to two elements (instead of three) with the vertical parts of the wing (the end-plates) and the engine covers increased in size to allow more space for sponsorship.

Williams technical director Patrick Head estimates that this change has reduced his car's aerodynamic downforce by between three and four percent.

But he added: "Usually one's progress over the winter is considerably more than that amount. So had that not happened then the cars would be going even quicker still."


Speed Limits

Pit lane limits raised from 80 kph to 100 kph. This should change race strategy at some circuits, with teams able to make quicker pit stops.

Electronics

So-called 'launch control' is banned along with automatic gearboxes. Drivers can no longer rely on computerised electronic systems to get them off the starting grid quickly and cleanly.

Weekend Schedule

A two-hour private test session on Friday mornings has been scrapped.

Friday is now devoted exclusively to free practice, with two hour-long sessions and all but the top four teams in the 2003 championship are allowed to run a third car in whatever livery they choose.

Any driver of a third car on Friday must not have competed in more than six grands prix over the previous two years.

Qualifying takes place in one two-part session of 90 minutes on Saturday instead of an hour each on Friday and Saturday.

Drivers start the first part in the order that they finished the previous race, with the winner first, rather than in championship order.

Ferrari's Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, winner of 2003's season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, will therefore be first on track in qualifying for Australia.

Any car that stops on the circuit in the first part cannot start the second, when the finishing order from the first part is reversed, but goes to the back of the grid instead.

Some drivers could have as little as two minutes between ending their first timed lap and having to start their second if they are first to retire in a race and then slowest in the initial qualifying.

A small team such as Minardi who would normally fill the back row of the grid may opt to start the race with new engines since they will have nothing to lose in terms of position but something to gain in performance

 

[Marc]

Formula One Grand Prix - Reuters
Main Rule Changes For 2004 F1 Season
26/02/2004 09:31 AM - Reuters


1 -Speed Limits
Pit lane limits raised from 80 kph to 100 kph. This should change race strategy at some circuits, with teams able to make quicker pit stops.

2 - Electronics
So-called 'launch control' is banned along with automatic gearboxes. Drivers can no longer rely on computerised electronic systems to get them off the starting grid quickly and cleanly.

3 - A small team such as Minardi who would normally fill the back row of the grid may opt to start the race with new engines since they will have nothing to lose in terms of position but something to gain in performance

hmm couple of things with that:

1 - YES about bloody time! it was waaaay too slow
2 - YES about bloody time! F1 needs to go back to the "Driver" winning races and not the car. It should be more about driver skill IMO
3 - hmm, now lets watch all the little teams deliberatley do crap in qualifying with old engines and using brand new ones in the race and doing really well! not too sure about that.

 

[pasty]

32 now

1 Formula Juan
2 80s Slowcoach
3 cheeseroll
4 Albion Racers
5 Understars
6 Telboys FI
7 Hilton's Farmers
8 Dick Dastardly
9 Redbullwings
10 daves Taxi's
11 Throbnozzle Racing
12 red card f.c
13 Highfields' Greasemonkeys
14 Crabbers F1
15 MRRF
16 Matthews Marauders
17 Grouse
18 Wooden Huts
19 Purple Helmet Racers
20 Turkey's Crazy Taxis
21 Spear Road Legends
22 Falmer Dreamers
23 Fluffy Ducks F1
24 Trigger's Lizards
25 WithdeanWanderers
26 mejona united racing
27 Ali's Royals
28 Oneboot Albion
29 Dodge Albion
30 Kneon Lights
31 Crawley souped up Novas
32 pasty's pit lane

 

[Icy Gull]

Not long now till the Falmer Dreamers are sitting at the top of that pile as the Schumacher banana: ) of NSC leads the way from race 1

 

[Sonic]

Sonic's Wacky Racers are in and ready to go!

 

[cheeseroll]

it seems there will be an awful lot of cars starting at the back of the grid ?!?!