official F1 World Championship 2011 Thread

[san.W10]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x0Dze9858I&feature=player_embedded

[Jimmy0]

It's not the mechanic's fault. He was grabbing an alternative gun with which to secure wheel nuts on that front right. He didn't give an "all clear" signal.

Yeah but at the time I wrote the original post I did not know that. :)

[san.W10]

Hamilton frustrated to have to save fuel during 'crazy' British GP

Lewis Hamilton labeled the end of his British Grand Prix as 'crazy' after beating Felipe Massa by less than a tenth of a second.

The McLaren driver finished in fourth position after having to save fuel during the latter part of the race.

Massa caught up with Hamilton on the final lap, and the duo went side by side at the exit of the final corner, making contact before Massa went off track and crossed the finish line 0.024 seconds behind his rival.

"That's as close as it is going to get. It was crazy," said Hamilton. "First of all the team did a fantastic job with all the pitstops and really today, coming here knowing the support we had - I've never known so many people here at Silverstone.

"The support we have here is far beyond any driver will get anywhere else, I believe. Massively thankful for that. So I could feel them spurring me on and I had a good start, made some places up.

"Unfortunately at the end, with 21 laps to the end or something, I had to save fuel. Massively. So I had to give Webber the position and then the last lap they said 'okay, now you can push' and I was like 'oh, thanks' after I've let him [Massa] catch me up. But I was not giving him that position, no way."

Hamilton admitted he was frustrated to have to save fuel during the race, as he was running ahead of Mark Webber, who finished on the podium.

"Yeah, because you are always trying to drive to the fine line and of course I can think of the guys in front, Ferraris and Red Bulls, they didn't look like they had to save fuel so that's not a positive on our side.

"They tell me go to this delta, but I want to make sure I'm always there and not too much or too little, I don't want to save too much fuel and make sure I can still keep my position."

The Briton also joked that he expected to be called by the stewards following his record in the last few races.

"I've got like a platinum card for the stewards, so I expect to be there! I'm actually going straight from here to the stewards ? just sit there and wait - rather than go back and come back."

Team-mate Jenson Button endured another disappointing British GP after being forced to retire when his right front tyre was not attached properly following a pitstop.

"As I turned up the hill, the wheel came off," Button said. "I stopped immediately. Very disappointing. We all make mistakes, we all hope they never happen.

"Disappointing also because it was in front of the home crowd ? good couple of battles out there and the pace was very good before my stop. It was all looking pretty sweet and I think I would have come out alongside Mark [Webber], if not ahead of Mark, when I made my pitstop.

"So much could have happened and there's always the possibility of a podium when you are that far up and the pace is good."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93004

lololol

[simonlang]

ban overruled. ferrari and sauber agree to sign the paper.

:laugh:

i guess todays race was just way too obvious i bet lots of people have protested. :p

i will put this right behind indianapolis 2005 ...

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Chandhok replaces Trulli at Team Lotus for German Grand Prix

Karun Chandhok will return to grand prix racing this weekend in Germany when he replaces Jarno Trulli at Team Lotus, it was announced on Thursday.

Chandhok, the second Indian driver to race in Formula 1 after Narain Karthikeyan, had been Lotus's reserve this season, getting behind the wheel of the car in practice for the Australian, Turkish, European and British Grands Prix.

The 27-year-old from Chennai had made his grand prix debut with the HRT team last year, and has not raced in F1 since the 2010 British Grand Prix. He was replaced by Japanese Sakon Yamamoto after that race.

Chandhok said: "Firstly I want to thank Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin for giving me the chance to race this weekend for Team Lotus.

"Ever since I first joined the team I have been looking forward to this opportunity and I am determined to do my best to repay their faith in me and help the team progress, this season and for many years to come. I am approaching the weekend in a very realistic frame of mind.

"I will be doing my best to push and to make sure I learn as much as possible all weekend, take each session as it comes and work as closely as I can with the engineers and the whole team to do the best job I can.

"Whatever happens, I am very excited about lining up on the grid on Sunday and I know there will be millions of Indian fans, and Team Lotus fans around the world, who will be behind me and the whole team, so I will do the best I can to give them something to cheer for."

Trulli has endured a difficult season so far this year, struggling to get the best out of his car due to his problems with the power steering, which the Italian says doesn't give him enough feedback.

The veteran was hoping an update to be introduced in the Hungarian Grand Prix would help him overcome the issues.

"I'm looking forward to working with Karun this weekend and doing whatever I can to help him get the most out of his opportunity in Germany," said Trulli.

"It's great that the team is true to its word of helping develop young talent, particularly from parts of the word where it is even harder to break through into the top rung of motorsport, so I'll be there to give him guidance and assistance, in and out of the car."

Source: Autosport

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[Teebor]

Chandhok replaces Trulli at Team Lotus for German Grand Prix

Karun Chandhok will return to grand prix racing this weekend in Germany when he replaces Jarno Trulli at Team Lotus, it was announced on Thursday.

YAY I really like Karun Chandhok, I think he is a great spokes person and he interviews well. If given the chance I think he could grow to be a good driver and one that I would like to see on the circuit

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[i11usive]

Fantastic result for Hamilton - where did he get that pace from after stating to the press that McLaren weren't contenders for pole!?! Really looking forward to today's race ... it's going to be a thriller!

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Pretty good race thus far. The three-way fight for P1 is motor racing at its best.

[mikebiacsi]

Quite surprised Vettel isn't in that fight for P1.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Excellent race with a good fight for P1. Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton and McLaren.

I'm not too sad over Vettel having missed out on the podium...

[san.W10]

Alonso: Red Bull is exposed to errors

Vettle : Ferrari is exposed to errors

LOOOOOOOL

great race

13:44 Alonso has abandoned his Ferrari and is getting a lift back to the pits in Webber's Red Bull.

http://live.autospor...tary.php/id/380

[simonlang]

hamilton is head and sholders over fernando alonso, as seen today - and in a clearly worse car!

amazing win! he is the only one being able to challenge vettel for the wdc this year.

vettel has a horrible race, faulty brakes combined with a driving error and still finishes a solid 4th while webber shows he is only OLD and finishes 3rd after having everything going his way to win ...

dull race by alonso, he was nearly binnig it 2 or 3 times at the beginning then risking everything fuel wise. (ran engine with too much power perhaps?)

all in all the race was rather boring.

[i11usive]

Hamilton was superb!! And McLaren finally got the strategy right....great race .. great result. Mate of mine is over in Germany - said the National Anthem went down well....

[Lingwo]

Great race, nice to see such an even race between the top 3. It is usually Vettel and then the others. Anyone of them could have won that race. I think the slightly long pit (4.2) cost webber. I love how Hamilton is constantly pushing forward. He never wants to hold back. That is what is going to make him a multiple world champion.

[SoyoS]

hamilton is head and sholders over fernando alonso, as seen today - and in a clearly worse car!

amazing win! he is the only one being able to challenge vettel for the wdc this year.

vettel has a horrible race, faulty brakes combined with a driving error and still finishes a solid 4th while webber shows he is only OLD and finishes 3rd after having everything going his way to win ...

dull race by alonso, he was nearly binnig it 2 or 3 times at the beginning then risking everything fuel wise. (ran engine with too much power perhaps?)

all in all the race was rather boring.

Vettel was completely awful today, I say it again whenever he isn't in first he simply can't get past anyone, it's not like Massa was in a faster car either.

Hamilton however was amazing! So happy he got another win and hopefully this is one of many over the next couple races, I agree with you that Hamilton is the only one that can challenge Vettel this year so lets hope he does so!!

[simonlang]

Vettel was completely awful today, I say it again whenever he isn't in first he simply can't get past anyone, it's not like Massa was in a faster car either.

Hamilton however was amazing! So happy he got another win and hopefully this is one of many over the next couple races, I agree with you that Hamilton is the only one that can challenge Vettel this year so lets hope he does so!!

the thing however is, that overtaking on this circuit is nearly impossible if you are not lewis hamilton.

also vettel has switched to the collecting points mode already, he is like 75 points or so in front of webber, he can finish 4th no problem for him.

when the championship is decided im sure he ll show more and push more. :)

[i11usive]

Great race, nice to see such an even race between the top 3. It is usually Vettel and then the others. Anyone of them could have won that race. I think the slightly long pit (4.2) cost webber. I love how Hamilton is constantly pushing forward. He never wants to hold back. That is what is going to make him a multiple world champion.

+1

I was physically nervous for him. He puts so much passion into his drive .... he is world class! Vettel doesn't appear to like traffic .. which he hasn't seen an awful lot of up to now. This could be the beginning of change...

[Lovell]

Great race, nice to see such an even race between the top 3. It is usually Vettel and then the others. Anyone of them could have won that race. I think the slightly long pit (4.2) cost webber. I love how Hamilton is constantly pushing forward. He never wants to hold back. That is what is going to make him a multiple world champion.

Unfortunately with the Pirelli tires that's not a good thing, that's one of the reasons he's been struggling he just destroys his tires by constantly attacking where as Vettel just cruising at the front is able to keep his tires and make them last it's a shame.

[Teebor]

all in all the race was rather boring.

WOW, I think we were watching different races.

I had prepared for a dull race and even had a book to read but for the first half in particular I couldn't bring myself to look away as the few times I did something happened.

Sadly I don't expect the same from Hamilton in any future races as the conditions of the track very much favoured the Mclaren cars yesterday

[Dan~]

Bit annoyed Hamilton won, I should be glad as he's British, but I can't stand the chap.

Very good race though

[what]

Sadly I don't expect the same from Hamilton in any future races as the conditions of the track very much favoured the Mclaren cars yesterday

In what way?