F1 2015

z31maniac wrote: I think it will be similar to Nando/Kimi.

Now that's not fair to poor Nando. He's not as slow in relation to Button as Kimi was to him. Give the poor guy a chance

Seriously. Alonso and Hamilton are always telling the world that they really only consider each other as being equal on talent. Neither of them rate Vettel etc as much of anything. Also look at Button, he outscored Hamilton over the three years they were together and is still the only team mate to have beaten Hamilton over the course of a single season EVER. Button is way better than people believe.

I wonder how much sweeter a deal Ronnie Denni$ got from Honda to take back a driver who tried to blackmail him & cost the team $100,000,000.00. Fred is such an outstanding talent that even if you don't like him you still have to respect his tenacity and ability. Button is solid but if I was the team I'd have gone with Mags as his potential ceiling is greater. If I was Fred, I'd choose Button as he's a know commodity & not very threatening.

It will be difficult to root for my beloved woeful stable of F-bags. They put the plot in a safe and buried it, then burned the map.

Button is smart.... Button and Alonso will be a very good team. Now lets hope Honda can deliver a powerplant within 95% of Mercedes... the other companies sure couldn't

Honda is not stupid. They've had plenty of time to see how good the 2014 power units in F1 are, and since they aren't actually racing in F1, they can do all the testing they want. Brilliant! I'm glad Button didn't get sacked just yet. Maybe he can pull a Massa and resurrect a stalled out career. I wonder if anyone will run a 3rd car. Seems like it would be smart for the European races and give some of these new guys more seat time.

In reply to ncjay:

No they can't do all the testing they want. The engine has done 100km's at a 'photo' shoot and a handful of laps in a car at the end of year test. That's it in a car. So far they are having the same teething problems others had at the start of this season.

On a dyno, I'm sure it's been testing for months, but so did Renault, RedPurse and Mercedes prior to this year, and only one has got it right so far.

I'm seriously hoping that they come in on top, but I'm not willing to put money on it.

I realize that they couldn't put it in a '14 F1 car and test … but what stopped them from putting in a sports car of some kind and having at it ?

wbjones wrote: I realize that they couldn't put it in a '14 F1 car and test … but what stopped them from putting in a sports car of some kind and having at it ?

Just that idea makes my imagination run wild. Like a rwd, Civic bombing around the Honda test track with an F1 motor mid ship.....

-Rob

I'd bet the difference between a modern F1 dyno and a real track is probably pretty small.

It will be very interesting to see what the competition can come up with. I find it hard to imagine Rhino and the F guys couldn't come up with something closer now that they can actually update the package.

Porsche has an engine dyno on a giant gimbal to replicate g-loadings on a track, I've seen a vid of a simulated Nordschleife run, it's probably on youtube somewhere :D Not sure you can replicate 4g cornering force, but still... the F1 teams and engine suppliers likely have some pretty crazy stuff in the corners of those buildings.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: RedPurse

LOL

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

z31maniac wrote: I think it will be similar to Nando/Kimi.

Now that's not fair to poor Nando. He's not as slow in relation to Button as Kimi was to him. Give the poor guy a chance Seriously. Alonso and Hamilton are always telling the world that they really only consider each other as being equal on talent. Neither of them rate Vettel etc as much of anything. Also look at Button, he outscored Hamilton over the three years they were together and is still the only team mate to have beaten Hamilton over the course of a single season EVER. Button is way better than people believe.

This. Button is also a decent test driver, and he understands what it means to work with his teammate. I think he is underrated for sure. I do think Alonso is better at working with a bad car, but if it is a decent start, Button could give him more of a challenge than he has had for a long time.

I think McLaren did the right thing in keeping him.

Me too. I think Alonso and Hammy are the two best in the field right now, with several others just a tick behind, but I think Jenson is very underrated and underappreciated - much like Damon Hill, who was much better than most give him credit for. Jenson should do just fine, I think, and will be close enough to Alonso to make people realize that he deserves to be where he is. You have to look at how drivers do against their teammates, and Jens did very well against Hamilton, mush as Damon, who had to deal with teammates that included Prost, Senna, Villeneuve (all world champions) and Coulthard and Ralf (both multiple GP winners.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/haas-f1-purchases-marussia-factory-for-european-base-of-1674679682

oldeskewltoy wrote: http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/haas-f1-purchases-marussia-factory-for-european-base-of-1674679682

Haas keeping Marussia afloat?

There are some pretty good reasons for purchase laid out there. I imagine its just like one of us wanting a race car- you can build, or you can buy one, and for the same investment you will generally get a lot more stuff buying a readymade piece.

Haas always said he'd have a center in Europe to operate out of, but I have one question. If 95% of your F1 team is based in England, how can you call it an American F1 team?

In reply to ncjay:

RBR calls themselves Austrian even though the team is in Milton Keynes, England.

Toyota was mostly in Germany but was Japanese.

It happens all the time.

Every team except Ferrari and Toro Rossi is actually based in England. Forget Force India, Marrusia, Mercedes etc. All really British teams

So far, it looks like nobody will be able to complain about odd looking noses in 2015.

I presume there is no limit to the quantity of elements on the front wings this year...

I for one welcome our new front wing element overlords!

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Every team except Ferrari and Toro Rossi is actually based in England. Forget Force India, Marrusia, Mercedes etc. All really British teams

Sauber is based in Switzerland, Toyota was based in Germany (but obviously not around any more).

But yes, the vast majority of teams are within 50 miles of Silverstone, no matter what anthem they play on the podium.

McLaren Honda startup and roll out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ9AE5QRb_8