official F1 World Championship 2012 Thread

[simonlang]

well ok alonso had the most reliable (and fastest) car so far, but it makes it even more true, as luck and bad luck hopefully equal out over the year, i say alonso is overdue to a heavy dnf asap, while hamilton and vettel winning big :)

[AndyMutz]

alonso should not be allowed to drive any more races in this season, because he broke the "every race a different winner" rule ;) ;)

-andy-

[Dan~]

What a fantastic race, really enjoyed that one :)

I still think they should just do like a safety car halfway through the race, spices things up again!

Can't wait for Silverstone next, and I'm there sat at Farm Curve :D

[Lovell]

wow, a video of Maldonado ignoring a red flag then crashing into 2 stationary cars and almost hits 2 marshalls, an article about Maldonado ignoring a yellow flag and crippling a marshal before been "banned for life" before his wealthy dad "intervened" good to be rich..

http://sports.in.msn...entid=250071248

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Pastor Maldonado deserves the 'Reject of the Race' title for the European GP.

Man of the Race: Michael Schumacher. The way he charged through the field by the end of the race while managing to keep Webber in the nominally faster Red Bull proved that yes, he still has it in him.

[Daedroth]

I managed to watch the recording of the race on Wednesday, and what a race! I really enjoyed it, thoroughly entertaining!

Vettel was by far the fastest driver, but the safety car period knackered that Renault engine. And what is this nonsense about a conspiracy? ********.

Maldonaldo needs some severe discipline and to change his driving style. You can be an aggressive driver, but he's overly aggressive. Even Hamilton isn't that bad.

Credit to Alonso for being in the right place at the right time.

[Noir Angel]

The conspiracy is Vettel and Helmut Marko claiming that the safety car was put out not to clear the debris but to neutralise their lead and make the race "on" again. And I don't think there's any conclusive evidence that the safety car was to blame for the alternator failures.

[Dan~]

Good, there should be a safety car every race.

Vettel's car would of died anyway, safety car or not

[TheLegendOfMart]

The conspiracy is Vettel and Helmut Marko claiming that the safety car was put out not to clear the debris but to neutralise their lead and make the race "on" again. And I don't think there's any conclusive evidence that the safety car was to blame for the alternator failures.

There isn't but the Lotus one broke because it overheated. Running behind a safety car at low speeds could have contributed, though Mark Webbers alternator was running hotter than Vettels and didn't break so I don't know.

[Noir Angel]

There isn't but the Lotus one broke because it overheated. Running behind a safety car at low speeds could have contributed, though Mark Webbers alternator was running hotter than Vettels and didn't break so I don't know.

It sounds to me as if they may just have had a batch of faulty alternators. Clearly the heat can't have been the only factor here. Given how secretive Formula 1 is though I guess we will never know for sure. I do, however still believe Seb's conspiracy claim to be BS :D

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I facepalmed when Vettel was interviewed after the race and spewed his conspiracy theory. He's full of Scheisse, sorry. RBR are well advised to teach him to keep his mouth shut once in a while...

[Noir Angel]

I facepalmed when Vettel was interviewed after the race and spewed his conspiracy theory. He's full of Scheisse, sorry. RBR are well advised to teach him to keep his mouth shut once in a while...

Truthful, and put in a very amusing way. It surprised me that Horner even let his employees do something so crass, he's usually the king of "PR Speak"

[Noir Angel]

Renault have confirmed that the overheating issues were caused not by the safety car (which they actually assert increased the lifespan of Vettel's engine) but by an as of yet unknown issue

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

F1 Marussia driver hurt in Duxford testing crash

A driver has been injured when a Formula 1 car crashed during testing in Cambridgeshire.

The female test driver was hurt while driving a car for the Berkshire-based Marussia team at the Imperial War Museum, in Duxford, earlier.

It is believed the car hit a stationary lorry, believed to have been used to transport the car to the track. The driver's condition is not known.

Emergency services have been called to the scene.

BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who witnessed the crash, said the car had completed a circuit when it "suddenly accelerated" into the back of the lorry.

The crash happened at the start of two days of Formula 1 testing at the site.

Source: BBC News

The unnamed driver is Maria De Villota, who was supposed to test upgraded parts for Marussia before the British GP.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Updated version of the BBC News item:

F1 Marussia driver hurt in Duxford testing crash

A driver has been injured when a Formula 1 car crashed during testing in Cambridgeshire.

The female test driver, believed to be Maria de Villota, was hurt while driving a car for the Oxfordshire-based Marussia team at the Imperial War Museum, in Duxford.

The car hit a lorry which had been used to take it to the track.

The East of England Ambulance Service said Villota had suffered life-threatening injuries.

BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who witnessed the crash, said the car had completed a circuit when it "suddenly accelerated" into the back of the lorry.

"From where I was standing it looked like the helmet took the brunt of the impact," he said.

'Terrible moment'

"Strangely, the car suddenly accelerated into the lorry and the car went careering into the side of the loading board."

He added: "There was a terrible moment when everyone was just very shocked by the impact and the suddenness of what had happened."

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: "We were notified by the ambulance service of a slow-speed crash involving a racing car and a lorry.

"It looks like the driver has suffered a serious injury and we will be notifying the Health and Safety Executive as it happened on private land."

East of England Ambulance Service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: "A woman has sustained life-threatening injuries and following treatment at the scene by paramedics, she has been taken to Addenbrookes Hospital for further care."

The crash happened at the start of two days of Formula 1 testing at the site.

F1 ambition

Marussia entered the sport under the name Virgin in 2010, backed by businessman Richard Branson.

Russian car company Marussia acquired a controlling stake in the team toward the end of 2011.

In 2012, the team rebranded as Marussia, and drafted in Charles Pic to race alongside Timo Glock.

The team has not scored any points so far this season.

When Villota was unveiled as a test driver for Marussia in March, the 32-year-old Spaniard said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with a Formula 1 team and gain important experience to help me progress my career, including the chance to drive the new car later in the year at the Abu Dhabi test."

She added that the move "can only help my future ambition to step up to F1 racing".

Source: BBC News

This doesn't look good at all. :/

[Noir Angel]

Don't know much about her but I hope she recovers.

[Dan~]

Damn, Silverstone looks like a wet one and where I'm sitting (farm curve) doesn't have a cover, doh!

Poncho time :D

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Maria de Villota loses right eye in accident, remains in critical but stable condition

Marussia test driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye and remains in critical but stable condition following her crash on Tuesday.

Marussia said a surgical team at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge "embarked on a lengthy procedure to address the serious head and facial injuries sustained" in the accident.

The team said the operation began yesterday afternoon and she was in theatre until this morning.

Team boss John Booth said de Villota has lost her right eye as a consequence of the accident.

"We are grateful for the medical attention that Maria has been receiving and her family would like to thank the Neurological and Plastics surgical teams," said Booth in a statement.

"However it is with great sadness that I must report that, due to the injuries she sustained, Maria has lost her right eye.

"Maria's care and the well-being of her family remain our priority at this time. Her family are at the hospital and we are doing everything possible to support them.

"We ask for everyone's patience and understanding with regard to updates on Maria's condition. We will provide further information when it is appropriate to do so and with consideration for her family.

"In the meantime, we would all like to take this opportunity to praise the emergency services at Duxford Airfield, who were on stand-by yesterday, as is usual procedure for a Formula One test.

"With regard to the accident, we have embarked on a very comprehensive analysis of what happened and this work continues for the moment.

"Finally, we have been overwhelmed by messages of support for Maria, her family and the team and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for those."

Source: Autosport

[Chasethebase Veteran]

Well that sucks, looks like she's out of her career then. :(

[Daedroth]

Well that sucks, looks like she's out of her career then. :(

It does, and it's a shame. :( Though given her experience, I would assume she'll still be kept on as an advisor, or maybe take another line of work within Formula 1.

[Dan~]

Yer such a shame just read that. It'll be great to see her continue as it will be possible, just hope the disability won't put her off doing what she obviously loves doing.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

On a lighter note, here's a pretty cool animation.

[what]

It does, and it's a shame. :( Though given her experience, I would assume she'll still be kept on as an advisor, or maybe take another line of work within Formula 1.

She hasn't done anything noteworthy in her career, so she won't be an advisor. If Marussia say she's being kept on to advise the team, it will only be a PR stunt (much like her original sign up... Why would you hire a test driver that doesn't even come close to qualifying for a super license?) and she'll be let go quietly within a couple of years.

I expect she'll campaign for more safety in motorsport or set up a charity of some kind.

[Noir Angel]

It's a shame she's lost her eye, I think having a Woman in F1 would have been interesting. But the most important thing to me right now is her safety, I just hope she recovers and that F1 learns whatever safety lessons they can from this.

Still, perhaps this incident has saved her from a few years at the arse end of the grid in a slow car that's going nowhere in development terms.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]