Formula 1 2012 season
 

Yes racing fans it's that time of the year with the start of the first 2012 practice session less than 24 hours away.

Let's hope that this year won't be the same whitewash as the last year.

I'll now close the pre-season thread

I won't spoil the page with a vote so who do you want to win and who do you think will do well..

I've gotta go for Hamilton for the Championship but would love to see Paul di Resta do well this year.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Yes l am a Hamilton fan so l hope he wins the championship but l will be keeping a eye on some of the younger drivers as well.

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I'm a button fan.

But want to see Lewis and Paul do well too.

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Heart Kimi, head Jenson.

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Vettel has got to be the logical favorite. I'd prefer Button myself. I also hope for a strong showing from Hamilton and Webber.

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I'm a Lewis fan but after meeting Vettel last year i find it impossible to hate him now, He's just such a nice bloke

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Aint got $ky, aint got a movable dish so I aint gonna watch 10 races (& I cant be bothered to DL them after the fact)

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Vettel is only the favorite as long as he has the best car. I think with even cars both Hamilton, Button, and quite a few others could wipe the floor with him.

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Said before, and I'll say it again. ABA. Anyone but Alonso. Would like to see British drivers doing better this season, and hopefully someone other than Vettel winning the title.

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Just watch the stream online for free, lots of sites if you know where to look :)

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Now that was a bit of a shock Q1..

Raikonen out (slowed down and crossed the line to late for another lap and then ran wide :rolleyes: ) yet his team mate Grosjean gets through to Q2 in 3rd place.... and Webber/Massa down in 14 and 17th..

Q2 should be interesting.. Great start to the new season.

---------- Post added at 06:28 ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 ----------

Only De La Rosa and Karthikeyan outside of the 107% but last season I don't think anyone got discluded by the 107% rule because of the time

---------- Post added at 06:33 ---------- Previous post was at 06:28 ----------

Oh what a great sight.. Alonso stuck in the gravel :D He lost it on braking at the end of the pit straight

---------- Post added at 06:34 ---------- Previous post was at 06:33 ----------

Red flagged session, Hamilton just got a great time ahead of Button and Vettel before the red flag

---------- Post added at 06:40 ---------- Previous post was at 06:34 ----------

Is it just me or is that helmet cam on Ricciardo making others queasy!!

---------- Post added at 06:45 ---------- Previous post was at 06:40 ----------

The Ferraris look like they're having major problems with the handling.. They're sliding out of the corners and major downforce issues..

Mercedes and Mclaren do look good atm taking the top 4 spots with Vettel/Webber behind Grosjean who's in 5th

---------- Post added at 06:48 ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 ----------

Both Ferraris out of Q2 with Alonso in 12 and Massa in 16th

---------- Post added at 07:01 ---------- Previous post was at 06:48 ----------

OMG.. what a flyer from Lewis, first sub 1m25s with 1m24.922 seconds, that +0.7 ahead of anyone else :clap:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Yes Hamilton has been brilliant and is now on pole for tomorrow with Button on the front row for tomorrow as well.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Top ten grid positions as follows

1 Hamilton McLaren 1:24.922 14
2 Button McLaren 1:25.074 15
3 Grosjean Lotus 1:25.302 21
4 Schumacher Mercedes 1:25.336 18
5 Webber Red Bull 1:25.651 17
6 Vettel Red Bull 1:25.668 18
7 Rosberg Mercedes 1:25.847 16
8 Maldonado Williams 1:25.908 20
9 Hulkenberg Force India 1:26.451 18
10 Ricciardo Toro Rosso No Time 16

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Massa is simply average and I could see his seat at Ferrari soon going elsewhere.

Alonso needs to grow up instead of taking a fit everytime HE messes up.

Red Bull seem lifeless with the changes.

Mercedes are going to be in trouble if the cheating accusations are true.

McLaren look to have got it perfect. Come on Hamilton!

The Ferrari is just awful. Poor car this year and this could be a disastrous season for them.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Well nothing surprises me about the sulking, surly Alonso and you can be rest assured one thing and that is the Italian press will be tearing strips of them and Ferrari in the next couple of days.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Although I had no intention of finding a live stream I did & caught the end of qualli. I'm afraid that the lure of F1 is far too much. It would be nice if there was some HD streams or better SD streams, if there is I cant find them!

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

There is on sky

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

What is the story with Mercedes cheating?

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Read this Hom3r.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17412581

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

According to Sky Sports News, HRT have not been allowed to race in Australia. They were 107% out of the pole time, and their petition to the FIA was rejected to be allowed to join the grid.

Apparently, the Indian driver (no idea how to spell his name so won't insult him by trying) reckons they will not be ready to drive competitively until China, which is the third race of the calendar.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

It used to be a joint choice by the rest of the drivers as to the 107%+ times racing or not, now it seems to be a fixed rule.

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The stewards do often let drivers who don't make the 107% actually take part. However in this case I think the fact that Karthikeyan was like a mobile road block in qualifying probably didn't help matters.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Apparently the appealed to the stewards, yet the FIA announced the decision. Looking at the times though, both drivers were over a second slower than the 107% time, so not a shock they weren't allowed to take part. 107% time was 1:32.214 and the times set by each driver were 1:33.495 and 1:33.643 respectively.

Of course, this is the second year running that the HRT team wasn't ready for the Australian GP, last year both cars were not allowed to start the race. That wasn't their only violation of the rule, they also missed the time in Monaco, Belgium, Japan and Korea. So why the FIA allows them to keep coming back year after year is beyond me.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Agreed. It is dangerous when there is so much speed differential between cars. Especially when they don't use their mirrors.

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Less than 20 to go :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Just a couple of minutes now adzil.:hyper:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Morning losers! :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

:D

---------- Post added at 06:39 ---------- Previous post was at 06:09 ----------

I like that Perez made it as hard for vettel to pass, as he did hamilton. No favourites, just good driving :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I hate my alarm clock... Missed the first half so gonna watch the highlights later.. :banghead:

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Safety car is out and Vettel has now got on front of Hamilton but Button is still leading.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I shouldn't laugh but...:D

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Not very often I miss a race ;) Next year will have to just put measures into place... like buying a race and plane ticket :D

Now I'm out of this thread as I don't want to know the result

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I think instead of DNS, they should set up a system..that if you are within 1 second..you press a button and the car infront gets extra drag...I just think that would be fun to watch :D (I never said it was practical)

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Jenson Button wins with Vettel second and Hamilton third.

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Not a bad job from Sky IMO

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Yes l have to agree and the Red Button options were excellent as well.:tu:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

not a fan of F1 at all but did look to see what red button was like it was very good sky always do best sports coverage just wish they would let us have HD versions of all the sports channels

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

The hosts seem a little uncomfortable at first...

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Yes it would be great to get the other HD Sports channels Dave but at the moment we just have to make do with what we have.

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I like that they have the start of the race..as a separate bit..so when i set reminder, I get the start. I don't know how many times I had BBc put some boring talking rubbish on before race..got bored (hence boring :D) and forfot to turn back for start

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good win for Button, Hamilton loses out to second for stupid new safty car rules

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Yes the safety car coming out did not do Lewis any favours did it.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Who is the person commentating with Martin Brundle? He's got a sound of Murray Walker to my ears, and of course Brundle is excellent as always.

From what I have seen so far on the replay, the race benefited from not having the 2 HRT cars on track. Only way they would do any good is if the safety car was out for the whole race.

Also, watching the pit stop of Webber just now. How comes the Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren garages are right down the end of the pit lane, and not right at the start as has always been the case?

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The SC would have gave Hamilton a proper shot at getting past Button in the fight for the win. McLaren made the call with a double pit stop then the SC was deployed and Vettel took advantage.

Comfortable win for Button in the end though.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I think it is David Croft

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

yes it David Croft

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Thanks. Good commentary pair, David is better than the one on BBC with Brundle. Legard or whatever his name is.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Are you talking about Jake Humphrey, Eddie Jordan, David Coulthard or Ben Edwards

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All 4 :D

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l have to admit that Jake Humphrey has never convinced me as a lead role presenter.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Cant say I enjoyed sky's coverage imo they are treating it like football.

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In what respect Jay?.

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Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

HRT still their usual slow self this week. First practice session, pole time was 1:38.021, and the 2 HRT cars clocked 1:45.360 and .528 respectively. They would be outside of the 107% rule on those times, being over 7 seconds slower. In second session, pole was 1:38.172 and the 2 HRT cars did 1:43.658 and .823 respectively.

How much longer can the team be allowed to be such crap in the championship. Surely there are other teams out there that would be willing to take their place in F1.

Re: Formula 1 2012 Pre-Season
 

It is a shame, they have a reasonable company doing their aerodynamics package and although cosworth isn't top end Marussia is using the engines well.. It does make you wonder what's happening behind the scenes with the HRT team

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Well, they changed hands at least twice before they even made their debut in 2010, so any ownership wrangles should be settled by now. I'm a bit sad for them, I've been pleased to see an Indian driver in F1, but I think HRT is not quite the best team for him to show his driving skills off.

I hope they get their cars sorted soon, so they are no longer outside of the 107% rule. Going on Hamilton's pole times in practice, what would be the time HRT need to be inside to qualify without appealing?

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Well remember Minardi? They are now Force India, and getting better year by year. So you never know.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

True, very true. Hope they do improve.

Third practice still doesn't look good though. Pole time is 1:36.877 and the HRT cars did 1:42.464 and 1:43.378 respectively.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Looking forward to the qualifying today and it will be interesting to see who can secure pole today and lets hope it is a British one two on the front row for tomorrow's race.

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I was a bit annoyed qualifying didn't start immediately..I hate waiting for an hour (prefer my bed)

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Looks like the HRTs will race,they're a good half second within the Q1 107% time :clap:

---------- Post added at 08:21 ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 ----------

Woops, webber just went faster.. but kartthikeyan is still within 0.3 and DLR is well ahead of him.. :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

It at least allows them to see how the car performs in race conditions

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Well Hamilton and Button have secured the front row for tomorrow race with Vettel down in sixth but will be pushed up to fifth because of Kimi's penalty.

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And both HRT cars through to the race as well. Pleased for them.

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l see Ferrarri are still struggling massively as they cannot find any pace.

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I love the fact that al the Jenson critics that said he only won the championship because he had the best car ( which is all vettel has done) and that on an equal footing with the likes of Hamilton he'd get his arse handed to him - have all but gone quiet?

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Jenson has the advantage of being soft on his tyres where as Lewis is a lot more aggressive and more of a natural driver (it's why I like him and before him used to support Jean Alesi) but I still think that given a clear track that Lewis will nearly always post a better time. Last week Lewis got a bad start which gave Jenson the clear air and the McLarens do love clear air..

Jenson's title was a clear cut affair primarily due to the car there is no doubt about that but yes he is a good driver (otherwise he wouldn't be in F1)

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Looks like we are in for a interesting race as it is now raining in Sepang.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

So if Hamilton does leave at the end of this season, as the papers keep saying he will, what team would take him? Ferrari wouldn't pair him and Alonso together again after the oh so successful season at McLaren. Red Bull have said they won't sign him, and Mercedes are also apprently not interested.

Would he then sign for McLaren again on a shorter contract or would he move to a lesser team? I think he would re sign with McLaren myself.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

There is no way that he will go to a smaller team and l for one expect him to resign for McLaren.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Or go to Indycar especially if he wins the championship

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Heres hoping for a restart soon as the rain has got a bit lighter.

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At least this race has over taking...show me a race with no overtaking, that is the race I have turned off :D

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Its becoming a bit of a disaster for McLaren though.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Forget that...come on Perez :D

---------- Post added at 11:29 ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 ----------

I'm trying out driver tracker on sky...lots of fun tools :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Yes there are some excellent options on Sky's red button.:tu:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I was using the web page..F1 event centre

Damn, perez made an error

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Fernando Alonso wins the Malaysian grand prix:( with Perez second and Hamilton third.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

It is always good to see the driver with the opportunity to win..win.

By that I mean it is never the best driver, but the driver who gets a chance to drive a formula 1 car (how many times have we seen that it is who you know, not your ability) amd who happens to be driving the best car (often that is what wins races, not the driver) and then it is down to the luck on the day

But all things considered, perez did well :D

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

If memory serves, Force India is the old Jordan, Midland, spyker team

Torro Rosso is the old Minardi team.

Red Bull is the old Stewart, Ford, Jaguar team

Mercedes is the old BAR, Honda, Brawn team.

Arrows/ Super aguri packed up.

---------- Post added at 09:58 ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 ----------

The same could be said for Vettels two championships.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Yes you are right. I always though that it was Force India. But the same still applies, as they are are still hugely improved under the Torro Rosso name.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I totally agree..

...Few of the world championships in the last 10-15 years have been because of the driver instead it's been about the car

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

There are many other drivers in F1 who are capable of winning the world title if they were in a car that is streets ahead of the competition, as the Red Bull was.

On the other hand this year will hopefully show who is a worthy champion, as there are quite a few teams that are fairly evenly matched.

In yesterday's race Button made an error by going in too fast on the inside of Karthikeyan (probably expecting to be given more room). So this would just be a racing accident.

Vettel also collided with Karthikeyan, but this time it was because he pulled across in front of him too soon. Now that isn't so much a racing accident as just stupidity, and poor driving.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Taken from forumula1.com:

Williams chairman Parr leaves the team

Could this be a change for the better or worse? Reading the article, it looks like he has been a good thing for the team so hopefully they can keep going forward not backwards.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I thought some of you might be interested in this deal for the Barcelona GP:

Barcelona Grand Prix: 2 nights 3* Half Board and entry to the Formula 1 Circuit from £249pp

https://www.dealcloud.co.uk/National...ue-444-/153212

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

The FIA is going to reassess it's decision regarding the legality of Mercedes rear wing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17588028

:clap:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Reading the article, I fail to see what the other teams are so worked up over. It seems to me like a case of sour grapes as they haven't thought of this themselves.

Anyway, it isn't as though Mercedes have gained much from the design. 1 point between 2 drivers in 2 races. That's one point out of a maximum of 86 that Mercedes could have gained in 2 races.

That is based on both drivers getting first and second in both races, with 43 points in each race for a 1-2 finish.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

When teams put in a complaint about something that another team has done to their car, then there is an investigation, and they have to reveal exactly what they have done.

So it is a way for other teams to find out exactly how the system works.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17676140

F1 teams expect Bahrain Grand Prix to be called off

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Latest news

I'm in two minds about this as 1# Politics shouldn't dominate sport (look at the SDA cricketers in the 1970's) but 2# There is a major safety issue for the teams/spectators

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Lewis Hamilton to recieve five-place grid penalty at Chinese GP due to required gearbox change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17686441

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Lewis Hamilton is given a 5 place grid penalty for gearbox change

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17686441

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

That's a bummer. Hopefully he can get a good position in qualifying so with the penalty he doesn't drop too far back down.

Wonder how many crashes there will be tomorrow in practice? I say there will be 5 crashes. Friday the 13th, so I am not getting out of bed at all.

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

I hope Hamilton can do something.

Lotus lodge protest in regards to Mercedes' Rear Wing

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/...ainst-Mercedes

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Protest by Lotus thrown out and the`re not going to appeal.....good...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98740

Is it just me or does anyone else think this was all just done so the other teams could get the blueprint of how the system works!
They know it creates a stall effect on the front wing thus reducing grip to both the front and rear when the DRS was enabled, just not 100% certain how.
The fact an appeal has been lodged means the design specs must be made available so the others could start work on the design.
Personally i think the advantages are minimal (except for qualie) and it`s been a hullabaloo over something clever. Innovation in F1 seems to be on a downward spiral :td:

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

That's exactly why they do it, as many pundits have said previously.

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I realised that the other week when someone else on here pointed that out. Can't blame them really, although it is a bit cheeky expecting to get the blueprints from a rival and then knock up your own one.

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Bahrain will go ahead according to the FIA, I wonder if they've told Bernie that ;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17698721

Re: Formula 1 2012 season
 

Well,well.well Vettel will only qualify down in 11th place.:shocked: