Formula 1 thread

[Sigwolf]

I also think it's a lot more intelligent to recognize your attempts at change were turning your sport into a joke, and put an end to it. Nascar, on the other hand, does much the same thing, and then talks about what a great idea it was...

[Gaucho]

I don't think it takes tweaking and refinement to understand that double points and standing re-starts were just stupid ideas.

[Sigwolf]

...annnnd immediately following F1 coming to their senses and getting rid of the ridiculous double points race, Indycar announces they will have two. US racing has really gone to crap.

[Shyster]

In news tangentially related to F1, British yachtsman Ben Ainslie is teaming with Adrian Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies to build an America’s Cup challenger. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/d ... cas-cup-f1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My guess is that the F1 and AC guys got tired of listening to the arguments about which sport is the most expensive in the world, so they decided to combine the expensiveness of both sports into a staggeringly expensive joint venture.

[tifosi77]

Newey has been saying his dream is to build an America's Cup challenger for as long as I've been aware of him in F1. I'm glad he's finally getting around to it, guy's a bonkers talented designer.

[Sigwolf]

McLaren shocker... going with Alonso and Button, while demoting Magnussen to reserve driver.

[dodint]

So dumb. Button was washed up before he was gifted that double-diffuser Brawn DWC. Who does he have naked pictures of?

[tifosi77]

While there's definitely more upside to K-Mag, I think a year spent in the shadow of Alonso and Button will serve him well. Think back to the curious case of Felipe Massa: He came into the sport a largely useless, erratic driver. He spent a year as Ferrari's test driver, and emerged a much less useless, tho still erratic driver who was actually World Champion for 20-some seconds.

I'm a fan of Magnussen, and I'm sad to see him out of a race seat. But I think this is the right move, big picture. 2015 is going to be a test and development year for McHonda.

[tifosi77]

From the last time Alonso and Button were teammates.....

[dodint]

He spent a year as Ferrari's test driver, and emerged a much less useless, tho still erratic driver who was actually World Champion for 20-some seconds.

Also the genesis for the single greatest F1 gif ever.

[tifosi77]

Not a Massa fan, but that still makes me wince. That must've felt like the 'free gift' you get when you buy razors at the store in the Dollar Shave Club commercial.

[dodint]

Still one of the best races I've ever watched. My recollection is funny, was it Trulli or Sutil that lost a tire and made that all possible?

Also, I still want to name my next dog Jarno.

[tifosi77]

It was Tim O'Glock, had dry tires on in the wet and was sliding all over the place.

[tifosi77]

I'm finding this guy's videos bizarrely soothing.

[youtube][/youtube]

[dodint]

It was Tim O'Glock, had dry tires on in the wet and was sliding all over the place.

Doh.

I thought it was a puncture, though. hmmm.

[OutofFoil]

Just met Lewis Hamilton in the VIP security line in Heathrow T2. He was right behind me in line and was running late so his assistant asked he if could pass and go quicker. Seemed like a decent guy, was stopping for pictures with people.

[Sigwolf]

Surprises me that Lewis Hamilton would be flying commercial at any time.

[OutofFoil]

I would agree also, but not many private jets have that range. Especially with the unprecedented headwinds the last few weeks. Added 1.5 hrs to the flight on the way back. Was wearing some crazy Jordan's, an outkast jacket and one huge rock in his ear.

[CBear3]

...and one huge rock in his ear.

Yep, definitely him

[tifosi77]

Surprises me that Lewis Hamilton would be flying commercial at any time.

During the season they fly charter almost everywhere. Between testing, the races and the omnipresent sponsor commitments, it's actually more cost effective.

Back in the 2000s many drivers actually owned their own jets. Don't know if that's the case anymore, tho.

Especially with the unprecedented headwinds the last few weeks. Added 1.5 hrs to the flight on the way back.

If you're going eastbound those are tailwinds, and they can add 150 mph or more to the aircraft's ground speed. There was a BA flight a week or so ago that made it from NYC to Heathrow in just over five hours. Normal flight time is well over 7 hours.

[OutofFoil]

I know it quite well and my flight over benefitted from it nicely, we got in about 1.5 hrs early. Took us 8.5 to get home though, about an hour longer than normal. I wish I could have rode the Concorde just once, what a machine. That BA flight almost went supersonic. I'm no aeronautical engineer, so what would happen if a large passenger jet went past 761?

[dodint]

My guess is with a tail wind it's not really going supersonic even if the ground speed exceeds Mach 1.

I'm talking out of my ass, though.

[Sigwolf]

My guess is with a tail wind it's not really going supersonic even if the ground speed exceeds Mach 1.

I'm talking out of my ass, though.

You are correct, going supersonic has absolutely nothing to do with groundspeed, only airspeed. Airspeed, or mach number, are not in any way affected by the winds, no matter how strong. A flight that takes 5 hours going east with a tailwind flying at mach 0.80 (for example) could take 8 hours going west into the wind flying at the exact same mach 0.80. Groundspeed, on the other hand, could differ by 300-400 knots or more, in this situation, due to the winds.

[OutofFoil]

And that is why I asked the question. Thanks Sig. Better to ask the question when you know nothing about something than to stay ignorant on the subject.

[tifosi77]

And yet nearly every news report I saw on the BA flight talked about how the jet almost went supersonic.

Altho, to be fair it took me a while to get my head around the fact that airspeed and ground speed were two completely different things. Granted, I was 12 at the time.