 Emerson Fittipaldi in his heyday |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/five_ways_to_improve_f1.php
Friday, 22 June 2012
Five ways to improve F1
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Team Lotus Launch Their 2011 Machine The T128
Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/
Brazil on schedule for rebuild
The Interlagos circuit has long needed a major upgrade in order to stay on the F1 calendar. The track has been fortunate that, along with Canada, it has been a key race for the championship in the American time zone, but with new races coming in the United States and possibly Mexico and Argentina, there [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/brazil-on-schedule-for-rebuild/
Fresh questions over struggling Schumacher
Michael Schumacher's collision with Williams driver Bruno Senna in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix has once again focused awkward attention on the German legend's lacklustre performances for Mercedes.
A senior member of the Mercedes team used the word "mediocre" last weekend when discussing the 43-year-old's driving, and that was before Schumacher clumsily ran into the back of Senna's car in the race.
It was the sort of error you might expect from a beginner, not a man with 91 grand prix victories and seven world titles under his belt.
Coming at Senna from a long way back, Schumacher seemed simply to misjudge the closing speed of the two cars and, caught in two minds about which direction to go, he ran into the back of the Williams.
Schumacher called Senna an "idiot" on the radio as he sat in the gravel trap in the immediate aftermath, and, even after watching replays, he still seemed convinced it was his rival's fault. The stewards disagreed and gave him a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Monaco.
Schumacher's reaction will have surprised no-one in F1 - he has always seemed to lack the ability to accept he can ever be wrong.
In an aspiring young driver, this is a characteristic one might expect. But age is supposed to bring wisdom and, in this aspect at least, it appears not to be the case with Schumacher.
With the passing years comes an inevitable waning of physical abilities, and it is surely now beyond dispute that this has come even to him.
Michael Schumacher collides with Bruno Senna during the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Reuters
How long can he go on raging against the dying of the light? More to the point, perhaps, how long can Mercedes accept it?
There is no shame in Schumacher not being the driver he was - one can argue there is honour in him being able to achieve even what he has as he heads into the middle of his fifth decade.
The facts, though, are that he is now no more than a decent F1 driver - and some may argue not even that.
Statistically, this is the worst start to a season in Schumacher's career. But statistics can be misleading - Schumacher actually started the season well. He was the stronger of the two Mercedes drivers in the first two races.
But then came China and Nico Rosberg's qualifying lap, half a second quicker than his team-mate, who was second on the grid.
The gap was explained almost entirely by a stunning middle sector of the lap from Rosberg, which Schumacher, I'm told, justified to himself by Rosberg managing to turn his tyres on better.
That may well have been the reason, but the gap was there nonetheless. As it was again in the race, when that excuse was less justifiable. Schumacher was simply outclassed by his team-mate.
They have been more evenly matched since, but still Schumacher is almost certainly getting no more from the car than a number of other drivers could manage.
The contrast, with what Fernando Alonso is doing in the Ferrari - which is not dissimilar to the sort of thing Schumacher used to achieve in his early years with the team - is stark.
The tragedy of Schumacher's current situation is that it is leading some people to question his earlier achievements of seven world titles; two with Benetton and five with Ferrari between 1994 and 2004.
His criticisms of the Pirelli tyres after Bahrain drew uncomfortable parallels with the bespoke tyres from Bridgestone which Schumacher enjoyed for much of his Ferrari career, a subject that was largely unexplored during his pomp.
Some are beginning to wonder if seven titles really was such an amazing achievement, given the advantages he had at his disposal?
This would be wrong, though. There is no doubt that the Schumacher of the 1990s and early 2000s was an outstanding racing driver, one of the greatest there has ever been.
But that Schumacher belongs to the past.
The current one is out of contract at the end of this season. This, in fact, was the context in which the "mediocre" remark came up.
So what reasons do Mercedes have to keep him on, rather than try for someone else?
Lewis Hamilton, also looking for a new deal in 2013, may well not be available, or interested. Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button are committed to their current teams. Those left are all unproven.
Schumacher may continue to embarrass himself in wheel-to-wheel racing occasionally, but he's close to Rosberg's pace these days - and Mercedes' top management rate their younger driver very highly indeed.
The other reason is less palatable for those who like to consider F1 as the arena in which the very best drivers in the world do battle. It's commercial.
Schumacher's marketing value to Mercedes is huge. After Rosberg's victory in China, vice-president of Mercedes motorsport Norbert Haug delighted in how "fantastic" Schumacher had been in front of 800 guests at the launch of a new road car model in Shanghai the previous night. It had been, Haug said, "the perfect weekend".
Schumacher may no longer be one of the best F1 drivers, but around the world he remains arguably the most famous - and therefore the most valuable to Mercedes off the track. And in Germany, Mercedes' home, he is largely untouchable, voted recently the greatest national sportsman in history.
Ultimately, though, Mercedes are in F1 to win - and it is no secret that, after two disappointing seasons, the pressure on the team at the start of this season was enormous.
It will have been alleviated somewhat by their win in China, but the team have faded after a promising start and currently look no better than they did through much of last year.
In a season as topsy-turvy as this, that could easily change - and, who knows, if everything comes together perhaps Schumacher can win again. After all, who before the weekend would have predicted Pastor Maldonado's victory in Spain?
But, all things being equal, that looks unlikely. For a team with an average car who need to win, is a "mediocre" driver, however famous, good enough?
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/05/fresh_questions_over_mediocre.html
Formula One Goes High Definition
This week FOM, the Formula One Management company run by Bernie Ecclestone, has announced it will be providing native High Definition Formula One coverage for the very first time. This heralds the entrance of the sport into the super clear broadcast territory. High Definition television has been available for some time now in the United [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/formula-one-goes-high-definition/
The World Council says…
The FIA World Motor Sport Council met in Paris today and has announced that it is having active discussions with the Formula 1 teams regarding cost control. Any amendments to the technical regulations, resulting from a further limit on expenditure on the chassis, will be submitted to the WMSC before June 30 and will then [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/the-world-council-says/
Looking for a big-block Chevy header.
So I dug out an old 1/25 AMT 1972 Chevrolet Nova kit from my stash today, and decided to restart my build of this kit. Then, I remembered that my kit is missing the 454 big-block Chevy engine's passenger-side exhaust header.
Does anyone have a spare header in their parts box or from an old built-up that they'd be willing to trade to me? A picture of the driver's side exhaust header is shown below, (I need the passenger's-side header).
FYI: My kit was molded in Black styrene as I think most of these AMT 1972 Nova kits were; the kit was also done in the standard White styrene too. I have a fairly-extensive parts box to trade from.
Thanks!
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1021496.aspx
McLaren drivers out of title race
 Is it now a three-way battle for the title? |
“Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.”The Guardian’s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber’s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian’s last realistic chance of winning the title.
“He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season – his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.”According to The Mirror’s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.
“McLaren's title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive."The Sun’s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying “Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php
A weekend away from racing
As readers may have noticed I tend to shy away from writing on the blog on non-Grand Prix weekends. This is so that I can enjoy just a little bit of “real life”, whatever that may be. The problem with that is that motor racing has very long tentacles and, like an octopus, can grab [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/a-weekend-away-from-racing/
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
CUP: Hendrick Hot Streak Keeps Boss Happy
Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are hunting a Sprint Cup championship...
Mad Max 1 MFP Police car
Hello
Here is a resin kit of the famous Ford Falcon driven by Mel Gibson, in the beginning of Mad Max 1.
This kit is from Planet X, an Aussie company (I think). For a small-scale production, the kit is very complete (you don't need to use a donor kit). Even the rear-view mirror, the shifter & other small bits are included. I have sanded mine to eliminate the casting problems, then primered it with Tamiya white primer. After that, I used a touch-up spray can (VW "rallye gelb") to paint the yellow, & when dry, I masked carefully & painted the red & blue parts with Tam spray cans. The fine white line is included as a decal. Then, everything was wet sanded & polished (Micro-Mesh).
For the interior, I airbrushed some Gunze tan colour, then painted the details & flocked Ken's carpeting.
I just added a scratchbuilt rear police antenna, & replaced the kit-supplied wheels. They were hardly usable resin one-piece castings, so I used Arii's '72 Thunderbird ones, with parts-box tires.
Thank you for looking.
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/995179.aspx
Bluebird GTL Formula E Racing Concept
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For those that are unaware, the FIA is still organizing and developing the Formula E racing series, which it almost the exact same racing as Formula 1, minus the vroom-vroom of the internal combustion engines. This series uses only cars that utilize sustainable energy, which means no gasoline or diesel, just the ominous hum of an electric motor.
The series is loosely set to kick off in 2014 and manufacturers have started coming forward with cars for the series. This latest car is pretty wild, to say the least. It looks almost like a Le Mans prototype car and the Batmobile had a wild night in the Batcave and the Bluebird GTL Formula E racing concept was the end result.
It takes most of its styling cues from the closed-cockpit-style Le Mans cars that have no rearward window, which was Audi’s reasoning for replacing the rearview mirror. It is very obvious that the focal point in building this machine was aerodynamics, as the curves are plentiful and there are no visual flat spots to catch the air.
According to its developers, the pictured model is purely just a prototype that they are using for wind tunnel testing and there is no motor information available yet. They anticipate a track-ready model to be completed by the end of September in hopes of racing in the Formula E’s debut season – if one ever kicks off.
We will keep you updated on this newest addition to the Formula E series and let you know the second its manufacturer releases some performance specs.
Bluebird GTL Formula E Racing Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 14:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/others/2012-bluebird-gtl-formula-e-racing-concept-ar131184.html
Campaign launched to save Team Lotus
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Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/campaign_launched_to_save_team_1.php
Hamilton decision-making under the microscope
 Lewis Hamilton has come in for criticism |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/hamilton_decisionmaking_under_1.php
Using primer on the trees
Hey guys, this may seem like a silly question, but I always get good responses on here.
I'm working on a low rider model and I am doing most of the interior and engine in gloss purple and candy magenta. I'm noticing as I paint the parts on the tree that it is taking several coats of paint to get good coverage and even then it still looks spotty in some places. I'm still too new to the model car hobby to want to use an air brush. I am using primer for the body parts and I am considering using primer on the tree parts as well. Is that something most of you do or is just using multiple coats the way to go to get an even looking paint job.
Thanks in advance for the tips and opinions.
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1021013.aspx
Williams wins at Le Mans!
Audi has won the Le Mans 24 Hours for the 11th time in 13 years, with victory this year going to André Lotterer, Benôit Tréluyer and Marcel Fassler (the same trio as won last year), but this year they were in an Audi R18 e-tron quattro, a hybrid which uses the Williams Hybrid Power flywheel [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/williams-wins-at-le-mans/
Robert Kubica Hospitalised Following Rally Accident
UPDATE ON KUBICA’s CONDITION: http://wp.me/p3uiu-11K Renault Lotus F1 driver Robert Kubica has been airlifted to hospital following a car accident while competing on a rally. The incident, described as a high speed accident, left the Pole injured and he had to be airlifted to hospital. His co-driver Jakub Gerber was uninjured in the incident. While [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-hospitalised-following-rally-accident/
Doctors use Formula One pit crews as safety model
American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.
"In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don't really have any of those things in health care."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
CVC sells half-a-billion dollars worth of its stake in F1 | F1 Fanatic round-up
CVC sells half-a-billion dollars worth of its stake in F1 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
In the round-up: CVC sells $500 million of its F1 stake • Raikkonen looks for success in Valencia • F1 bribe accused speaks to prosecutors
CVC sells half-a-billion dollars worth of its stake in F1 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/RhNiMM4zhJY/
CVC sells another chunk of F1 business for $500m
CVC has sold a further stake in the F1 business in the aftermath of the decision to postpone the planned float on the Singapore stock exchange. On May 22 CVC announced that it had sold 21% of the F1 company … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/06/16/cvc-sells-another-chunk-of-f1-business-for-500m/
Rumors: Dany Bahar Suing Lotus
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See, we told you this saga wasn’t over just yet… So when Lotus chose to fire Dany Bahar after an investigation that apparently revealed that he had used Lotus funds to inappropriately deck out his rental homes that were already paid for by Lotus, Dany decided that was a prime opportunity to milk even more money from the spiraling sports car builder, in the form of a wrongful termination lawsuit.
That’s right; according to a report from MSN U.K., the former head of Lotus has denied the allegations that he incorrectly used funds and is suing the British automaker. So not only did he collect £1.2 million ($1.48 million) per year as his company spiraled down the drain, but now he wants a little bit more money from Lotus, who needs to save every dime it can if it hopes to ever recover.
Here’s TopSpeed’s own solution to the problem. Hire the guy back, give him his old job, and have him sign a non-disclosure form that also waives his right to sue for the previous termination. Next, call him into a board meeting and fire him for the overall performance of Lotus in his three years as its head.
If I perform poorly at work and cost my company millions of dollars, I get fired. My boss wouldn’t have to dig up some weird financial slight on my behalf. Just call me into his office, tell me that I was not performing, and send me on my merry old way. That is it… Then again, maybe this whole investigation was to avoid having to pay a severance package to Bahar, which would likely be several million dollars, and that is the fuel powering this alleged lawsuit.
As expected, Lotus and Bahar are not available to confirm or deny whether this lawsuit is actually happening or not, which points to the likelihood that it is happening.
Rumors: Dany Bahar Suing Lotus originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 19 June 2012 14:30 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/rumors-dany-bahar-suing-lotus-ar131188.html
Karthikeyan Makes Surprise F1 Return With HRT
Narain Karthikeyan has made a surprise return to Formula One after being announced as one of Hispania HRT’s drivers for the 2011 season. The Indian driver was unveiled as the first racer to be working with the Spanish based squad, who look likely to enter into a second season of racing despite on-going financial concerns. [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/karthikeyan-makes-surprise-f1-return-with-hrt/
Millionaire man Maldonado answers critics
At the Circuit de Catalunya
The smile on Pastor Maldonado's face dropped in the immediate aftermath of the frightening fire that broke out in the Williams garage after the Spanish Grand Prix, but it soon came back again once he was told nobody had been seriously hurt. You can bet it will stay for quite some time.
Maldonado started this season as a man who owed his place in Formula 1 to the millions provided to his Williams team by the Venezuelan government.
After yet another bizarre and unexpected twist in this most unpredictable of seasons, he leaves Barcelona as a grand prix winner and talking about a possible championship challenge.
Maldonado drove a superb race at the Circuit de Catalunya, mature and controlled in a way of which few in the paddock believed him capable.
He came into F1 with a reputation for being quick but fiery and a bit accident-prone. In his first season last year he fitted the mould.
This season started in the same way - Williams's upturn in form had him battling with some unfamiliar rivals close to the front. But he started the season wrecking what would have been a strong points finish in the first race of the season when he crashed chasing Ferrari's Fernando Alonso for fifth place on the final lap.
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Since then, though, Maldonado has turned a corner with some strong performances. But no-one - not even Williams - expected what happened in Spain.
The Mugello test before this race went well, and Williams knew they had improved their car. They thought they had made a step forward, Friday practice confirmed it, but not in their wildest dreams did they imagine they would qualify on the front row.
Second place, half a second behind Lewis Hamilton, was impressive enough, but it became pole position after the McLaren driver's penalty and, despite losing the lead to Alonso at the start, Maldonado always looked in contention for victory.
Alonso is the most formidable of rivals, but Maldonado kept him in sight in the first and second stints, before Williams succeeded in 'undercutting' the Ferrari at the second stops.
Ferrari almost certainly made a mistake in leaving the Spaniard out for two laps before his stop - nearly all of which he spent behind Marussia's Charles Pic, who was subsequently penalised for not letting Alonso by.
But Maldonado's pace on his first lap out of the pits suggested he might well have taken the lead anyway.
The pressure never relented, though. After the final stops, Alonso came back at Maldonado, but the Williams driver raced like a veteran and always looked in control of the situation.
The win does not change the reality of why Maldonado has his drive - but it certainly proves beyond all doubt that he deserves his place in F1, even if one inevitably has to wonder what the Williams would be capable of with Alonso or Hamilton behind the wheel.
To his credit, Maldonado does not seek to hide the financial support he is given, nor the fact that he is basically a state-sponsored driver who has the personal backing of his President, Hugo Chavez. In fact, he embraces it.
"I'm very lucky to have a country behind me, pushing so hard, to see me here in Formula 1 and especially to be here, between these guys," he said in the post-race news conference, as he sat between Alonso and another world champion, Kimi Raikkonen.
"I'm pretty happy for Venezuela, I'm happy for Williams as well. They did a wonderful job to give me a great car for this race. We are getting better and better, race after race."
There has been no magic in Williams's revival this year after several seasons in which they seemed to be inexorable decline.
There have been changes at the top of the engineering team, and a focus on fixing obvious, major operational and technical problems.
"We made big changes in the factory," Maldonado said. "We have new staff in some of the departments and completely changed the approach to building the car.
"I need to say that this year's car has great performance, great potential to become even stronger than it is and, for sure, this is great for motivation, to motivate the team, the factory, to keep pushing like that. I think this is the way. We are motivated and we need to keep pushing."
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Whether Williams can maintain this form remains an open question - but the same goes for every other team in this incredibly topsy-turvy season.
There have been five different winners from five different teams in the first five races. It is the first time that has happened since 1983, when Williams were reigning world champions and were also, incidentally, the fifth winner.
Monaco could easily provide the sixth winner in six races, as Raikkonen's Lotus team also seem on the verge of a victory.
The 1983 season eventually settled down into a title fight between three teams. This one may well go the same way, but you wouldn't count on it right now.
The new tyres created by Pirelli this year have left all the teams scratching their heads.
One weekend you can be winning, the next you can be nowhere and not know why, as world champions Red Bull found out in Spain, following Sebastian Vettel's victory in Bahrain last time out.
As Alonso put it after the race: "We were 57 seconds behind Vettel in Bahrain, and we were lapping (his team-mate Mark) Webber here. No one understands probably. Not us either."
There is a recognition throughout the sport that this unpredictability is adding to the superficial appeal of F1, especially as the years of Michael Schumacher's domination with Ferrari are not so very long ago.
Nevertheless, there is also a growing sense of unease - largely unspoken publicly until now, apart from Schumacher's comments after Bahrain - that it's somehow not quite real.
The tyres, some feel, are introducing too much of a random element that demeans the sport in some ways. That F1, whisper it, may have gone too far the other way.
Fun, though, isn't it?
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/05/maldonados_maiden_victory_over.html
Vettel set for titles aplenty
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“Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ‘Baby Schumi’ by Germany’s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher's incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. “There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don’t call him Baby Schumi.”The Guardian’s Paul Weaver says it was difficult to begrudge Vettel his moment of glory after he won the first of what will be many world titles. He also looks back at some of the season’s highlights.
“An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. “Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn't keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. “Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: 'Not bad for a No2 driver.' “But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.”The Independent’s David Tremayne focuses on the plight of the other title contenders, writing it is easier to feel more sorry for one than the other.
“It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. “A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel's future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn't bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher's achievements will be overshadowed.”And the Mirror’s Byron Young elaborates further on the petulant behaviour of Fernando Alonso on his slowing down lap after his title dreams ended behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov.
“Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. "The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: "What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don't think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/vettel_set_for_titles_aplenty_1.php
9in.ford rearend
Anyone know were I can get what they call a Fab9 housing.Need one for a super comp dragster I'm working on. Resin or from a kit,makes no difference. Thanks
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1021276.aspx
Today in 1962: The Clark-Lotus era begins at Spa | 1962 Belgian Grand Prix flashback
Today in 1962: The Clark-Lotus era begins at Spa is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Jim Clark's victory in the 1962 Belgian Grand Prix marked the beginning of an era in which he and Lotus owner Colin Chapman dominated Formula 1.
Today in 1962: The Clark-Lotus era begins at Spa is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/dfHB6tAg8iI/
Using spray on my model car body.
I am fairly new to building model cars and I have run into the same problem on the three cars I have done so far. When I use spray paint to paint the body of the car, I am never able to get the coat to look even. I also have a problem with bubbles forming. I use testors spray paint and and use the spray paint outdoors when the wind is calm. I usually do three coats of paint on the body but let the car sit for 2 days in between each coat. Are there some tips for getting a better, more even coat of paint.
Also, I have trouble getting the other parts of the outside body to match the color of the body. The parts such as the hood, side mirrors and hood hinges. Is it best to paint these after removing them from the packaging or is it better to leave them on the white plastic set and then remove them once it has dried.
Thanks for the tips and suggestions.
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1017563.aspx
Davidson breaks vertebrae in horror Le Mans crash | F1 Fanatic round-up
Davidson breaks vertebrae in horror Le Mans crash is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
In the round up: Davidson breaks back in Le Mans shunt • Grosjean says Lotus not far from front • McLaren's Army vehicle deployed in Afghanistan
Davidson breaks vertebrae in horror Le Mans crash is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/hnCUSuUFMhw/
Monday, 18 June 2012
CUP: On The Road Again
Teams roll on to Sonoma road course after a long week in Michigan…
Source: http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cup-on-the-road-again1/
Back injury for Davidson after Le Mans shunt
Toyota has confirmed that Anthony Davidson suffered a back injury in his Le Mans crash, which will take some three months to heal. Davidson went off at the end of the Mulsanne Straight after his Toyota was sideswiped by a … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/06/17/back-injury-for-davidson-after-le-mans-shunt/
Martin Whitmarsh: “Lewis is really on top form with these tyres”
Martin Whitmarsh has praised Lewis Hamilton for his superb drive to victory in Canada, and especially the way he worked with the tyres over the course of the race. Hamilton scored his third Montreal win after re-catching Alonso and Vettel … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/06/11/martin-whitmarsh-lewis-is-really-in-top-form-with-these-tyres/
Formula One Goes High Definition
This week FOM, the Formula One Management company run by Bernie Ecclestone, has announced it will be providing native High Definition Formula One coverage for the very first time. This heralds the entrance of the sport into the super clear broadcast territory. High Definition television has been available for some time now in the United [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/formula-one-goes-high-definition/
Vettel Let Loose On New Jersey Grand Prix Circuit
It may be some way off as we speak, but the 2013 F1 season will see the inclusion of a second American Grand Prix. To add to the Circuit of the Americas, making its debut later this year, another event will be hosted state side, at the Port Imperial Street Circuit, New Jersey. Major construction [...]
1965 Mustang 289 color question
I'm in the process of building AMT's 1/25 1966 Ford Mustang coupe. I converted the quarter panel vents to resemble the 1965, still have to convert the grill. My reason for the slight conversion is because I wanted to / did paint it in Pheonician Yellow, which from my research was offered from 64 1/2 to Feb, 1965.
I'm in the process of building the engine and looking through many 289's on ebay, I found a few blocks that were painted black with gold valve covers and air cleaner. I was under the assumption that they were painted Ford engine blue, which most are.
My question for you Ford fanatics, Is the black engine with gold valve covers and air cleaner correct?
Also, when did ford start using Ford engine blue paint?
Thank you in advance, will post pic's as soon as I get a new camera. Current one is out of comission! :-(
Here are a couple with the black and gold engines.
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1021098.aspx
Lost in Transmission: The story of four Americans watching their first Formula 1 race
For my entire sports viewing life, I have dismissed any race involving an automobile as rubbish. How can something be considered a sport if the “athlete” is sitting down the whole time? Growing up in America, where the motor-racing sport of choice is NASCAR, shaped this view. Listening to people commentate, analyse and write sportsbook [...]
A great weekend in Canada
The Canadian Grand Prix was a terrific race, with Lewis Hamilton showing what he can do and McLaren getting it right. It was an interesting strategic fight, right from the start, but it was only in the closing laps that this became obvious to the world as the drivers tried to make their tyres last [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/a-great-weekend-in-canada/
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Sponsored Video: The Map Paradise Project
Navigation is something that is taken for granted in Formula One. You assume that the top drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton will know their way around each and every F1 circuit, but you shouldn’t underestimate the work that is put in by all the Formula 1 drivers to ensure that they never make [...]
Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong
Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/button-steps-up-pre-season-training-with-lance-armstrong/
Bernie Ecclestone - No plans to put the brakes on
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The way I feel at the moment, why stop? I do it because I enjoy it. And yesterday is gone. I don't care what happened yesterday. What else would I do? People retire to die. I don't get any individual pleasure because we don't win races or titles in this job. I'm like most business people. You look back at the end of the year and you see what you've achieved by working out how much money the company has made. That's it.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/bernie_ecclestone_no_plans_to.php
FIA ready to help F1 teams control costs
The FIA World Motor Sport Council has confirmed that it is willing to sanction F1 cost-cutting measures, which will have to be agreed before the end of this month. The FIA has not given any details of possible amendments to … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/06/15/fia-ready-to-help-f1-teams-control-costs/
What Has Happened To Jenson Button?
Since winning the opening race of the 2012 season, McLaren’s Jenson Button has suffered an alarming drop in form. Just one further podium place, at the Sepang International Circuit, has seen the Brit fall down the Driver’s standings, where he now occupies a lowly eighth place, behind both representatives of Lotus. Despite his relatively low [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/g13cD0242dA/what-has-happened-to-jenson-button
Bernie Ecclestone - No plans to put the brakes on
| |
The way I feel at the moment, why stop? I do it because I enjoy it. And yesterday is gone. I don't care what happened yesterday. What else would I do? People retire to die. I don't get any individual pleasure because we don't win races or titles in this job. I'm like most business people. You look back at the end of the year and you see what you've achieved by working out how much money the company has made. That's it.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/bernie_ecclestone_no_plans_to.php
How McLaren got back to the top
Amid the widespread astonishment at how Fernando Alonso has found himself leading the world championship after two races despite driving the worst car Ferrari have produced for nearly 20 years, it has been somewhat overlooked that McLaren are topping the constructors' championship.
Victory for Jenson Button in Australia, two third places for Lewis Hamilton and two front row lock-outs have demonstrated that the MP4-27 is not only the best-looking car on the grid, it is also the fastest.
This is quite a turnaround from the last three years, when McLaren have been off the pace at the start of the season, putting their title challenge on the back foot before it had started.
The man responsible for this turnaround is McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe, who is in charge of the team's design and engineering.
A likeable, down-to-earth character, Lowe says "relief" is the first emotion he feels as a result of this impressive achievement after three years of struggling in vain to keep up with Red Bull.
He says: "There is a lot of pressure - people going around saying what you need to do is deliver a car that is quickest at the first race, as though we hadn't thought of that, you know?
"You go and estimate what you think that involves with no certain knowledge and then you go and try to deliver it. It's tough."
McLaren driver Jenson Button tackles a rain-swept Malaysian Grand Prix. Photo: Getty
Ask Lowe how McLaren have ended up with the fastest car at the start of a season for the first time in four years, and he'll tell you there is no "magic".
In reality, there are several factors behind McLaren's ability to leapfrog Red Bull this year and stay ahead of everyone else.
McLaren had a successful winter that was not affected by reliability problems with the car, as had been the case in 2011. That meant they could spend pre-season perfecting what they had rather than, as Lowe puts it, "fighting fires".
Equally, Red Bull appear to have been more badly affected than most other teams by the banning of exhaust-blown diffusers, last year's must-have technology, which the world champions are widely believed to have exploited more effectively than any other team.
For McLaren, starting 2012 with the fastest car is the culmination of a three-year battle to return to the top that began with the disaster of 2009, when they started the season more than two seconds off the pace.
That was the result of Hamilton's intense title battle with Ferrari's Felipe Massa in 2008 - which deflected resource away from both team's new cars - as well as the introduction of the biggest regulation change for 25 years.
McLaren recovered well in 2009 to win a couple of races later in the season, once they had adopted the 'double diffuser' that caused controversy at the start of the year and led to Brawn's championship win.
In 2010 they moved forward, but were still only third fastest behind Red Bull and Ferrari; and in 2011 they leapfrogged Ferrari but were still behind Red Bull.
At the same time, there was a re-organisation of the technical department undertaken in 2010-11, which has taken time to settle down.
"We came out (in 2011) pretty much in the same place we had been at the end of 2010," Lowe says. "So Red Bull had made decent progress over the winter and so had we.
"You have got to do not only what your competitors have done over the winter but then a bit more and then some to generate a lead over them.
"But that is difficult when there aren't fundamental changes in the rules for the car.
"You'd need Red Bull to go on holiday for a month, and then if you were working to the same general output you'd catch them up, but obviously they don't do that so you've just got to push it."
The same thoughts were going through the minds of the bosses at Ferrari. But whereas Maranello responded by undertaking a major change in design philosophy - which has backfired, notwithstanding Alonso's win on Sunday - McLaren realised this would be a mistake.
"In general you are going to be reluctant to say: 'I need to tear this up'," Lowe says.
"Here and there we were quicker than a Red Bull and we were certainly close to them when we weren't.
"The car performance at that point, given also there is not a big regulation change, is a consequence of a great deal of hard work. So it's quite rash to throw that away in too many areas rather than just build on it and iterate further and further.
"That doesn't mean you're not constantly looking for new ideas and trying to make them work. (But) you have to make very sure that whatever change you make is going to be better."
Lowe's contention that there has been no miracle at McLaren, just good, solid development work, is backed up by the fact that other teams have clearly made even more progress compared to Red Bull than they have - such as Lotus and Williams.
In pointing this out, Lowe betrays the natural caution of the F1 engineer - an approach that is understandable when, as Malaysia proved, even having the outright fastest car is no guarantee you will win the race.
Hamilton stepped down from the bottom step of the podium on Sunday to tell the waiting media he needed to find more race pace to capitalise on his strong qualifying form.
Lowe's "new challenge", it seems, has already arrived.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/lowe_confident_of_mclaren_succ.html
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