2021 motor racing thread

[ralphc1]

Reports on the Indycar crash and the Formula One tire incidents leave more questions than answers.

“Following the accident involving Felix Rosenqvist in Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix today on Belle Isle, the team has undertaken a detailed examination and investigation into the cause,” AMSP wrote. “As a result, the team has eliminated driver error or any issues related to Chevrolet systems and software, including involving the throttle system.”

“The sequence of events has been clearly established and the root cause identified as a singular, non-recurrent mechanical fault,” the team added. “The remedy has already been implemented and the team is confident that the issue is now fully resolved.”

https://racer.com/2021/06/12/arrow-mclaren-sp-absolve-rosenqvist-chevy-of-detroit-crash/

Pirelli normally sets a starting pressure based on an expectation that the pressure will then raise further once the tyres are running out on track.

However, it appears that the tyres on Aston Martin and Red Bull did not experience such a raise in pressure in Baku and were therefore running at a lower level than Pirelli anticipated.

By running below the pressure that Pirelli expected, it meant the standing waves being caused by the high speed Baku corners were enough to trigger the failure on the inside shoulders of Verstappen and Stroll’s left rear tyres.

Pirelli sets minimum starting pressures for tires. It seems odd that only those two teams didn't experience a pressure rise as the tires heated up when the rest of the field did. I can only think of two ways that could have happened. Either the tire blankets were heating the tires much hotter than allowed or there was some type of device in play to bleed off the pressure.



Teams are always trying to find ways to keep tire pressures down to get better grip. There was a team in NASCAR that drilled a very tiny hole in their rims. Some forms of racing like the World of Outlaws allow the use of tire bleeder valves. On a dirt track, the tires are constantly sliding so heat causes the pressure to build. The bleeder valves are designed to release air if the pressure rises over the limit that the race teams set. I don't think they are legal in Formula One.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/...ng-with-lower-pressures-says-pirelli/6579071/

New regulations have been handed down concerning tire pressure and temperature.
https://www.racefans.net/2021/06/15...id-red-bull-tactic-hamilton-spotted-in-spain/

 

[mb23100]

Anyone here watch IMSA?

 

[ralphc1]

Anyone here watch IMSA?

I try to watch but they don't make it easy to find or watch.

 

[ralphc1]

Verstappen and Perez were fastest early in the first practice on hard tires but seemed to suffer when they switched to the soft tires and Bottas and Hamilton ended up fastest. Red Bull's problems continued in the second practice with some off line excursions but they finally got Verstappen dialed in and he was faster than Bottas by .008 sec. Perez hasn't gone as fast but they may be using him for long runs to simulate a race.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Max takes pole with a real awesome lap. The quali was fun after two red flags in q1. Should be a good race tomorrow. Let’s see how starting on the mediums goes for the teams.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Not sure if there is gonna be rain, but looks like it could rain during the race. That should be interesting

 

[ralphc1]

Verstappen with a big mistake that costs him the lead. How much wing damage was there?

 

[ralphc1]

Pit strategy works for Red Bull.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Wow Mercedes absolutely fucks up the pit stop call. They tried to give Bottas a jump on Max by bring him in first, it didn't work and the undercut was too strong for Lewis to keep his lead. Absolute blunder.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Max pits with 20 laps to go. Mercedes has stayed out. We'll see how it plays out. Max needs to gain 1 second a lap and pass 3 drivers.

Max is flying atm so the strategy is looking good.

 

[Deffid]

Max pits with 20 laps to go. Mercedes has stayed out. We'll see how it plays out. Max needs to gain 1 second a lap and pass 3 drivers.

Max is flying atm so the strategy is looking good.

It will all depend on how Verstappens mediums will last, Bottas could play a key role there but he is usually useless for Lewis so I don't expect much.

 

[Deffid]

Can they just fire Bottas mid season?

 

[RerouteToRemain]

It will all depend on how Verstappens mediums will last, Bottas could play a key role there but he is usually useless for Lewis so I don't expect much.

Well that didn't take long lol

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Looks like Hamilton is keeping a decent pace atm. He has kept it at 4.5-5 for a lap or 2.

Edit spoke too soon max just gained over a second.

 

[ralphc1]

Can Hamilton hold on?

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Can Hamilton hold on?

Edit nope

The pass was easier than I expected

 

[ralphc1]

Well done Max. Why didn't Mercedes pit Bottas to get the fastest lap after Perez passed him? I don't think it would have changed anything if Mercedes had pitted Bottas sooner as he would have been behind Perez anyway.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Both drivers for Merc are likely going to be upset with their strategies today. They gave up the lead and hosed Bottas.

 

[ralphc1]

Edit nope

The pass was easier than I expected

Yes it was. Bottas fought harder.

 

[Deffid]

Yes it was. Bottas fought harder.

German commentators absolutely killed Bottas for that "rookie mistake" against Max and said he should have held on for far longer. Dude is absolutely useless, Red Bull should pay his wages as he is arguably more useful for them this season lol.

Edit: I think there was trouble behind the scenes that caused them not going for fastest lap.