Fantasy Formula 1 (Fantasygp.com)

[Concorde Speedbird]

Reading the BBC F1 feed, why do people have to boo Seb, well done Brundle for telling them to be quiet. Just because he is quicker than everyone else because it is the best team-car-driver combination. Red Bull could enter steam powered cars and still win the championships, waiting for BBC highlights now.

CS

[John Privett]

OK, I'm back from flying now, and the results are out...

Pos	Team	Manager	Pts
1	TeamTyphoon	typhoontone	1644
2	F1 Legends	Rob Lewis	1617
3	JohnPs plodders	JohnP	1579
4	Roos Racers	rk295	1333
5	Revers Racing	Pete B	1280
6	Speedbird Concorde F1	Jacob Cleverley	1246
7	IPjnet F1	Ian Jones	1217
8	Norfolk Flyers	nss	1133

After I've had something to eat I'll feed the results into my spreadsheet and let you know who did well and who did "not so well" in Singapore!

[Tony H]

Still at the top John
My best result yet 192! Bit of a dull race in my opinion

[John Privett]

Well, for a change the results were largely in the same order as our current league positions. As a result there are no changes in league position after today's race.

The top three scores go to the current top three, 192 for Tony, 173 for Rob and 163 for myself. 4th best today was Pete whose 136 points keep him in 5th place. 5th today was Ian, 126 points leaves him still in 7th. Jacob's 113 points was the 6th best today, also leaving him in 6th in the league. Robin can perhaps count himself fortunate that no place drop followed his 7th-best 99 points, with 88 points leaving Norfolk in 8th place.

Not perhaps not the most enthralling race, though it did come alive a bit in the closing laps. So, Korea next in a couple of weeks - with qualifying at 6am on Saturday 5th and the race at 7am on Sunday 6th October.

 

Edited By John Privett on 22/09/2013 21:12:13

[Robin Kearney]

I'm thankful for the 50 my predictions brought me, otherwise it would have been a dreadful day! Time to start playing with my head not my personal prefernces !

[John Privett]

Posted by Concorde Speedbird on 22/09/2013 15:51:05:

Reading the BBC F1 feed, why do people have to boo Seb, well done Brundle for telling them to be quiet.

Well, I certainly wouldn't actually boo him, but I don't like him. He may well be the best driver at the moment, but he comes across as an arrogant litte so-and-so... Strutting around poking his finger in the air doesn't exactly help his image either. I think the Red Bull PR department have a bit of work to do.

[Concorde Speedbird]

I can see what you mean, but I actually quite like him even though I don't support him. His behaviour at Malaysia- even before Multi 21- was appalling I think, but overall he has a good sense of humour and he seems a nice guy. But wouldn't it be great though if it was a Button vs Hamilton race to the title next year?!

As for my performance, pretty dismal really. Hopefully next year will be better (as 21 drivers are saying now probably...)

CS

[John Privett]

Posted by Concorde Speedbird on 22/09/2013 22:15:53:

As for my performance, pretty dismal really. Hopefully next year will be better (as 21 drivers are saying now probably...)

CS

Re-read the final sentence in Robin's post just above. As far as this comp goes, that's pretty-good advice in my opinion.

[Concorde Speedbird]

Yes it is, going for Hamilton for pole and win was wishful thinking (and stupid!). Not much I can do from 6th, next year it may be more difficult with new cars (unless we get a Brawn situation like 09).

CS

[Erfolg]

Athough I did enter "Fantasy F1", I did not continue, as the site said I was not registered, nor was my password recognised.

I do wonder how I would have done, as to many my reponces would be formulaic. That is Vettel to win, pole position, fastests lap etc. I saw Red Bull (Jaguar/Staurt) as the best car at the moment.

On the other hand Paul Di Resta would have been a poor call.

Yet it seems petty to me the abuse that Vettel receives, rather than arrogance, he is passionate, has boyish enthusiasm. How good is he, well, he consistently out performs Mark Webber, a rather more gritty, but likable driver.

The issue of Singapore, overtaking Mark, how many wailed about team orders in earlier years. Perhaps the team, his employers have a right to be upset, then again he is an employee, not a slave, or in the army (receiving orders). They could perhaps sack him, if you want to win I would not.

Red Bull are definitely a class act. Then again I remember when Mclaren were a class act, romping away with the World Championship, only for Hamilton to blow it all. At that time a flawed driver, probably better know. The driver matters a lot.

It seemed easy to identify the best driver, car, team combination this year, yet next year. Now that Harvey Postlethwaite, John Bernard are no longer with us, it seems the era of Adrian Newey. So will much change?

[Stephen Grigg]

Hopefully with all the aero experts arouns surely someone can compete with Adrian,But I still wonder how Mclaren got it so wrong when last years car was the best at the end of the season.

[Erfolg]

The changes for 2014 areso massive, it is almost certain that there will be new sherrif in town.

Not being in F1, I can only guess.

I am fearfull that the reduction in fuel allowance to 100kg, it has been said that at present in the region of 160kg is being used. I hope the race will not become a series of Le Mans endurance races of the past.

Then there is the engine, which although a turbo, is apparently limited to 15,000 revs, which is lower, thereby limiting power, unless the fuel can be made to give more energy. Or the air cooled, to get more oxygen, I assume that liquid oxygen injection into the air box would not be allowed.

The cars are heavier, but then again Turbo engines tend to be heavier. I wonder, will the engine design be frozen at the beginning of the season as now?

Given that the KERS will be bigger, I assume that the heat issues that many teams suffered, will be even greater. The important question I ask, will we get better Lipos out of all this?

Even the wings will be smaller.

So I guess, the fist few races could well be a lottery?

[Tony H]

I doubt they will be heavier the engine is going to be a 1.6litre not the 2.8litre (I think) they are today.

[Concorde Speedbird]

1.6 litre turbos, only 600 horse power though, but the new KERS (called ERS) gives 160hp for 33 seconds a lap. Yep, the cars will be heavier- 642 kg this year to 690 next year. And smaller wings, so the cars will probably be slower. (Full list here).

I think there could be a situation like 2009 after the big aero change, the low running team who focused all energy to 2009 had by far the best car- Brawn, who were Honda in 2008. In that case Mclaren should be quick judging by what they are saying, but Red Bull will be quick with such a good design team, Ferrari have Allison amongst others so they should be good. Mercedes will be interesting to watch.

Some drivers will adapt to it better than others, that is not possible to predict, but like Erfolg says it could just become an economy drive which will be dull..

CS

[Erfolg]

I do think that potentially the engine change could be the decider. I remember that both the TAG (or should that be Porsche) and the BMW Turbo engines were from memory simple 4 cyl engines, where bags of fuel was pumped into the exhaust to spin up the turbo, hence the big flash of flame. I doubt you can do that with 100kg, and get to the end. So will drivers have to live with Turbo lag and small multi turbos, or some other means?

From the CS link, what does the freeze on gearbox design mean in practical terms. Is it ratios, or the internal arrangements, or the adjustment on the diff etc.

For many talented drivers these could be very trying, if not dangerous times, as they try and push rubbish cars to a result. I always think of Jim Clark (again a very talented driver) paying the price of poor equipment, in a lot more dangerous car, due to the lack of safety features. Or possibly Ayton Senna, trying to deal with Schummacher.

[John Privett]

A little early with the reminder this time - on the basis that qualifying is at 6am UK-time on Saturday morning...

So get your predictions in before then. By all means wait until after P3 which starts at 3am, but I won't be doing that! Probably sensible though to see how P1 (at 2am tomorrow morning - a little over 3 hours away) and P2 (6am tomorrow) go.

But bear in mind that the weather might have a major say in how the race turns out. There's a tropical storm possibly heading their way for the weekend. The F1.com website forecast is for 26C, "clear" on Friday, but 26 and 25C and "storm" for Saturday and Sunday. The BBC forecast looks a little more optimistic.

Edited By John Privett on 03/10/2013 22:49:56

[Robin Kearney]

Thanks for the prod John, I normally leave until Saturday morning, which means I would have missed my chance.

I made a few team changes, taking a hit in my points, but hopefully this team will do better for the remainder of the season. And this time I've set my predictions with my head, not heart. Although it was nice to see Lewis on top form again.

r.

[Concorde Speedbird]

Ah yes, I nearly forgot about the Vettel show! Hopefully that thunderstorm will hit to give some rain, not too much though to cancel the race. Hamilton looks good too, maybe my heart should take over!

CS

[Ian Jones]

Remebered to get mine in... might change them before the night is out though (yes you do detect some uncertainty, it's not all cut and dry yet )

Ian

[Robin Kearney]

Haha, CS, that was my thought too. I wonder if we get a good down pour will Button do a Canada 2013 on everybody

[Ian Jones]

What's happened to the login with Google?

[Concorde Speedbird]

Posted by Robin Kearney on 04/10/2013 16:26:09:

Haha, CS, that was my thought too. I wonder if we get a good down pour will Button do a Canada 2013 on everybody

Hope so! Button vs Hamilton last lap battle would be good!

CS

[John Privett]

I think you meant to say Canada 2011.

And yes, something like that would be good. If the rain should hold off let's hope that the practice times are an accurate prediction of what's to come this weekend.

[Ian Jones]

This is a disaster - I have always logged in to badger with my Google account, now it doesn't work that means ???

[John Privett]

Well, Ian... I'm never sure whether it's best with the predictions to stick with your initial thoughts or change them! I guess you're about to find out.

I've emailed Adam at badger to see if there's an issue with google logins. I doubt there will be any response though before tomorrow given the late hour of the day and the early start tomorrow.