After our adventures out and about yesterday, we're now settled in for the day. There's plenty to catch up on, although we have noticed a few things dominating the comments:
- Dank spotted an F1 preview on the BBC Red Button yesterday, most of which is available on their Formula One site. It was mostly retrospective, though, and by now, I think it's fair to say we're all looking forward to what's going to happen this year, rather than what has passed.
- Sutil thinks Force India are right to delay the launch of their KERS device. The big question is, are any teams actually going to be running the device in Australia? And who will be the first to give it a go?
- Finally, don't forget to answer the question: If you could invite 5 people related to F1 to dinner, who would you pick? My first thought was Franck. Then I added Le Seb, and then Rob Smedley. Your choices might be a bit less superficial! You can leave your suggestions in the comments, or on the wiki.
Don't forget there's no live show tonight, as we're in the midst of the latest mini series. However, we'll be in the comments all day, so hopefully will see you there.
A few pics of Brawn GP setting up in Barcelona:
http://www.f1today.nl/fotos/2ho20pr23.jpg
http://www.f1today.nl/fotos/8jyyhe1o2.jpg
http://www.f1today.nl/fotos/s6qbyhti1.jpg
Somebody got through a lot of fluorescent marker pens.
#If you want to be the best, and you want to beat the rest, ooooh ooh, moderation's what you need...#
:-D
Hehe, not a good start to the day!! Got it.
Do you think it glows in the dark?
Maybe it's all a cunning plan to sabotage the lights at Singapore and gain an advantage over the other teams?
I hope they get proper team uniforms before Melbourne! Looks like a few blokes from down the pub setting up at the moment!
I have collected the Dinner Party Guests on the wiki:
http://wiki.sidepodcast.com/page/Dinner+Party+Guests
Jackie Stewart, Tommy Byrne, Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Frank Williams
Sunday afternoon, pre-pub looking for something to watch on the telly - Grand Prix is on TCM. The acting is dire, the dialogue stinks and the leading lady needs a stern talking to.
Nice car action though..
:-)
Rob Sinfield
oh that dinner party was difficult. but who has dinner parties any more? beer and snacky grub. that's the answer :)
Jacques and Gilles Villeneuve, Ted Kravitz, Juan Manuel Fangio and Kimi.
I think...
Oi!!! That film is fantastic! Real Drama and tragedy - proper old-school, like!
Imagine the motorhome, you won't be able to get focused.
I dunno... it doesn't have the genius acting and story of Driven...
;)
yay :)
I wasn't far off with that wallpaper I made concerning the style of the names and flags being used. :D
Also, that color scheme is winning me over somehow.
Blinded by loyalty? Or just blind full-stop? :-)
I had the opticians a few days back so maybe the really bright light in your eye thing is starting to take it's effect :P
I just like the contrasting colours, it's not the nicest of liveries for sure though. Would've been lovely with blue instead of white personally...
My five for dinner and drinks, if timetravel were an option...
James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Eddie Jordan, Eddie Irvine (not seated) next to Senna) and Taki Inoue for the cabaret.
Rob Sinfield
Personally....i'd choose 5 people, tell them the wrong restaurant, and then eat their food!
Sir, I like your style.
Only if i wasn't paying of course...:)
I really like it!
And then blame Steven Roy ;)
I'd probably make him one of the guests so then the others would blame him too ;)
Just so that credit goes to the right person. The dinner party thing was started by Alec von Felge in a comment to my post on Thursday. I extended the number of guests to 5 and then failed to stick to that.
Indeed - that film would be a standout if it were made nowadays, given what kind of movies are out there...
I was just reading the article by Mark Hughes over of itv-f1.com, which analysed the testing done so far by the teams. He sees the teams currently in this order:
Ferrari
Renault
BMW/Toyota/Red Bull/Williams
As for McLaren, I see them being somewhere in-between Ferrari and Renault, should they get the rear wing problems sorted. Any other opinions?
I'd be more specific:
Ferrari
McLaren
Renault
BMW
Red Bull - they could be much higher, depending on reliability
Toyota
Williams
Testing data/analysis is not an accurate science. Too early to tell IMHO
I agree. However in the interests of having a blind punt.
McLaren / Red Bull
Ferrari slightly behind the first two.
BMW slightly behind Ferrari
And the rest are nowhere. The Renault is too ugly to be fast. Toyota never achieve anything.
Alonso is begging to disagree, given the times he's setting. If it's fast, it's not ugly. :)
Ah, you may have a point there. :)
This season it is littl more than a guess. Anyone could have an advantage and we have no idea.
Lots of teams win the winter championship and never win a race when the green flag drops.
True, but Alonso doesn't just do glory laps for the sake of it. Every year he did well in pre-season testing, he did well during the season as well.
It would be nice to think that a few teams will be genuinely competing for wins this season.
In 2008, Ferrari, McLaren, BMW, Renault, and Toro Rosso won races. I think that we'll see at least 3, probably 4 teams, win races this season.
BMW won after Lewis took Kimi out. Toro Rosso's win was a fluke of the weather. Singapore was as a result of Piquet's accident. We need 4 or 5 teams genuinely competing at every race.
Fuji?
The point is that no team was on McLaren's or Ferarri's pace at more than one or two races.
But they were there to pick up the pieces when the top two failed. That could quite easily happen again this year, if the teams are even closer.
I agree with that I would just like to think that the rule changes and the Renault engine boost will make things tighter at the top.
It's hard for more than two teams to be right at the top because of one constraint. The grid is two by two. That means that if five teams are very closely matched you are still only likely to get one of two of them leading after the first corner. Until overtaking is easier thems da breaks.
I would just like to see other teams on the pace. We are not going to get 6 cars battling for one position but it sould be possible to get 6 cars on a similar pace.
BATracer practise did not go well. Over enthusiasm on my second lap dumped me in the kitty litter. 1986 started so well.
Absolutely agree!
The question I guess is this: is this more or less likely after a regulation change? After periods of stability to teams get closer or do the rich stay the same distance ahead. I'm not sure I know the answer.
I have dropioed a picture from put of the window on the way home. It looks like a really nice day out there.
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/photo-31
It really does. Oh wait, it looks like that out of our window too :)
Well you were both outside a lot yesterday. You want to take that kind of thing slowly ;)
Is Me going for another 24 hours?
I'm not saying anything
Ah no. He was here earlier - whoops!
It should be less likely. The only hope I have is that Newey will be able to help RBR/STR jump forward and the fact that everyone has identical engines.
:)
i just wrote a post.
i can't write posts and comment at the same time. that's two separate tasks requiring two separate mental processes. i don't care if they are on the same site and related to the same subject :)
*whispers carefully so Christine doesn't see*
Careful Me or I'll mention that it's hard to notice posts when everyone is using the doohicky
*ends whisper*
Ooopps ;)
*thank you*
I can't seem to do anything and comment at the same time. This, I believe is what makes the doohicky so sucessful. Once you open that window it's hard to ever leave.
What is that thing outside!!?!?! ITS HUGE!!!
Is that...the sun?!
It has suddenly turned nasty in the weather front. Either I cursed it by mentioning it was looking nice or Me has some pretty impressive powers :)
(have droppioed)
Mine is like a semi circle, half of it is covered by cloud. About an hour ago we had a hail storm as well.
:D
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/photo-32
Booo.
Trip update: we have crossed London. After arriving in Euston, we have taken the Victoria line to Victoria. And are now on the way to Gipsy Hill. I have droppioed a pic of the river :)
My goodness, 3g is so much more common in London!
Where did you go Giggles, anywhere nice?
We went to Staffordshire for the weeknd to see my in laws to be.
Very nice and relaxing.
Cool, Oxygen rich up that way I guess :)
Versus your low oxygen recent location yes!
Mr C, what was you verdict on iLife 09?
Am curious about the new features in iPhoto
Giggles, you up for a beer anytime this week?
Possibly on Tues. Need to check something though.
Ok, just send me a text if you do
to keep alex happy. another post has been published here:
http://www.sidepodcast.com/2009/03/08/powered-by-dropio/
:)
Awww ;)
Do you think it glows in the dark? {Comment #4}
That will be handy in Singapore!
Lots of teams win the winter championship and never win a race when the green flag drops. {Comment #35}
Exhibit A: Prost in 2001. They didn't even get to defend their title...
Is that…the sun?!
Mine is like a semi circle, half of it is covered by cloud. About an hour ago we had a hail storm as well. {Comment #62}
Mine's kind of gone...
I think I left mine in Phoenix, haven't seen it since then :(
Heads up:
Lee McKenzie is going to try and tweet from the Barcelona tests tomorrow...
ahh, cool. is she aware of twitpic, do we think?
Why don't we ask?
please do :)
Is that a picture edition of twitter?
I already tweeted her, I wouldn't want to send another one just yet...
yeah. you send a pic there and it'll update your twitter account.
s'pose i have to do everything around here ;)
now, if i get into trouble from christine, for tweeting lee...
Would it make you feel better if I added a link to a feature on Ms. Mckenzie from today's Sunday Mail? Apparently she found it 'amusing'...
Just tell her you'll no longer tut when she tweets Franck ;)
Just a quick thought about the Brawn GP logo; what's with the gap between BR and italic AWN?
All I can think of is British Racing for the BR but i doubt that'd be the reason... unless it's just a way of making the logo look fancy :)
Back Racing And Won Nothing?
Andy Murray's twits like he talks, uses slang 2
I love that guy
It's a 70's thing the backward facing text, bit like a go faster stripe. Maybe it's meant to indicate that they are fast?
Possibly... I was always thinking Barrichello Rocks, or Brawn (GP) Rocks or something. But the fast idea works :P
But why not have the BR italicized too?
Maybe Ross Brawn isn't fast? :P
Why have we not heard from Nick Fry since the team was announced?
He's in the cream puff that it's not FRYGP
it really has been such a lovely day, and i've been stuck at school for the whole thing :(
soooo true :)
am soo looking forward to testing tomorrow, it's not really interested me this off season, for i'm sure obvious reasons. but now i'm all excited again :)
on a sunday?!?!
Some of us do like to get good grades, though Sunday may be a bit extreme, I like going during holidays.
C's get degrees. Just do enough to get to where you want and enjoy yourself. Grades look impressive on a CV but you've still got to be the right person for the job you want...
yep, i do the lighting and tech stuff for the school musicals etc and today we had a rehursal all day. it was cold and boring.
When your maths teacher wants you to get an A* and expects that from you, I don't think he'll accept that
Of course he does. It makes him look good!
and the school, oh my god every letter 'We would like to remind parents of our excellent GCSE and A Level grades we get annually'. Annoys me that.
Has he told you what the percentage is to get an a* ?
Any grade c up in maths is good and no one cares whether you get more than a c, unless you want to do it at A level..... (and you don't need the GCSE to do the A anyway :-) just make sure you choose M&A for the interesting stuff!! )
it sure helps though, a-level maths is vile. especially at A2
I'm doing fastrack maths, I'm doing my GCSE's this year instead of next. Then I do AS level statistics. Then he thinks we should go on to do it in sixth form
S1 is the easiest of all the modules, do not think its a good representation of A-Level maths!
wow. good luck with that ;) a few of my friends who are doing a level maths have opinions on it's difficulty... i can't repeat them here though....
I had friends who did that ... very difficult but it meant they could do an extra subject in their last year...
why would you choose to do an extra subject?! lol. you only need 3 and an AS to get into unis at most.
It's not the same system in NZ though...
they are doing it as part of their 4 As levels. i have a few other friends in the year about who are doing it for A2 too. poor them. tbh they do enjoy it, even if it is hard, same with my friends who do alevel latin.*shudders at the thought of alevel latin*
Latin??? I though that wasn't offered anymore???
Why the Honda would you study Latin?
Cncerning a levels, my school helped happily ruined my alevel choices for me, still appreciate it.
Me? Bitter? No way.. :P
i studied it for GCSE, was kinda interesting, i found it extremely difficult though, however i got a B despite a massive muck up with the syllabus we were tought so i shouldn't complain too much.
does your B in Latin beat my D in french? seeing as french is..well...useful :P
:D lol i have a B in german too... i didn't take french though :)
I got B in French ;) Well, speaking, thats the hardest one.
For medicine
i didn't study it for any particulkar reason. but it's good for classics though
Lol
I did it in the days when it was all on one paper in the 2nd year... although I only (ha!) took one...
(and yes, I got a crap grade, but that's down to getting stiffed with the interesting stuff not being in the paper that year grrrr - I have an undergrad course in it as well though court. of the OU :-) )
LPG - algebra geek....
Yeah but you'd only need a quick course, right?
And you have to finish it as directed
Take twice daily until thoroughly confused?
I so need to stay on topic and post in the correct thread
we is gonna fix that :)
Cool, how far down the list is it? :)
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/staying-warm-jpg
Just to show you what having no heating does to you :P i look bored but it's just cause i'm cold.
I've been promising to get a mug for ages.
Could be a new tagline? Sidepodcast - Keeping you warm when the heating fails.
kathi only suggested it yesterday, but about 14 days.
haha :D
You look cold ... and annoyed!
Like the nails Lou
lol i'm annoyed for two reasons, 1 being cold, and 2 my cat is on my desk and she is annoying me.
My mum and dad's cat does that when I talk to them on Skype... he's very needy and whines a lot!
Solution for no central heating... a good blanket and a laptop :-)
Failing that, children make good bedwarmers :-)
hehe thanks. i'm a big fan of nail varnish. i'm often wearing bright colours :)
Okay, apparantly the toilet is continuinly flushing.
Guess who's bedroom the toilet is next too.
Aren't all cats like that by design?
she is just cold, and likes watching the mouse move around the screen :s it gets annoying when she starts to stand on the laptop though lol
Did your nail polish turn dark with the cold?
Does she know it's not a real mouse?
i don't have any children :) (thank god i don't at my age) i have a cat though... she just doesn't like sitting on my lap....
haha :D
Bridgestone are saying that the wet tyres will produce less overall grip next year - will be interesting
Link
Waits for first person to joke at Massa.
:D she tends to like watching moving things, the TV, the birds outside the window, me working on my laptop, you name it, if it moves she will watch it. lol
:D
It got boring, I moved on
My cat used to chase the mouse on my monitor - God it was funny!
:D hehe luckily my cat doesn't do that yet :)
FOTA are proposing improved tv coverage
...By copying NASCAR (again!)
As long as it works, I don't care who they copy
[and assuming it's not ovals]
"as well as making drivers more accessible for interviews during race weekends."
Does that include on the grid?
Sebastien Buemi's cousin is driving in Formula 2 this year
Future female F1 driver Natacha Gachnang?
I did a blog post on her recently, just get the plug out of the way.
I think she can make it, if Buemi gives a good word in for her anyway
How do you pronounce her surname?
Gah-k-nang
I think anyway
If you believe MWM it's like a racing car going past. Gashnaaaang.
I would have thought it would be the Scottish/German ch which doesn't work for the English because you lot never learn to say ch.
Could just be a typo.
That's what I would've thought too
Evening matey-peeps!
Just got back from the technological black hole that is Norfolk. :D
Anything interesting happen this weekend then?
We are considering the possibility of attending WTCC & Formula 2 at Brands Hatch in July
I’m doing fastrack maths, I’m doing my GCSE’s this year instead of next. Then I do AS level statistics. Then he thinks we should go on to do it in sixth form {Comment #111}
I did GCSE Statistics after finishing GCSE Maths a year early. Made statistics easy in A-level Maths, but didn't help with my algebra, which was my real weak point.
why would you choose to do an extra subject?! lol. you only need 3 and an AS to get into unis at most. {Comment #115}
If you want to do medicine, in which case you realistically need 4 A Levels and a lot of luck. Still, some people do extra A-levels for fun or because their sixth form encourages them (I have four A Levels and an AS Level and that was deemed to be one of the lightest possible course loads at my sixth form).