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Formula 1 2012 Season

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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
What is everyone's first impressions so far after the presentations and testing at Jerez. The cars will definitely be slower this year without blown diffusers, as seen with the 2011 Mercedes being about a second faster than any other car. I am really impressed with Lotus so far, the car looked great when it was released and Kimi is for sure one the best drivers in Formula 1 now, if not history. Grosjean impressed me a lot last year in GP2 and was very quick in Jerez, doing the quickest of the 2012 cars, one of my favorite clips of him was in Barcelona last year..


Anyhow thoughts? Is Red Bull holding something back, which while I am rooting for Lotus this year with the great driver lineup and beautiful car, I have been a Vettel fan since his karting days, so that would be intriguing. Ferrari looked unstable in Jerez, but on the last day Alonso put down the 2nd best lap of the test, what will they have for everyone? Will McLarens design be too simple, or is that really the way to get by the new regulations. Again, voice your opinions here, I would love a great discussion about what we will see this year in Formula 1, which I think with the caliber of drivers, new regulations and DRS will make for a very exciting season, one of the best in the past couple of years, except for the thriller 2010 season!
Feb 12 2012 12:27AM
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Oldmann1584
Posts: 1399 - Karma: 95
lol i didnt know people actually enjoyed watching this... at least its better than nascar. nothing like learning to turn right!!!
Feb 12 2012 1:55AM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
don't they usually turn left in nascar?


F1 is a sport I'm fascinated by, yet know absolutely nothing about. Everything about those cars and races is mindboggling.

plus those guys live a supreme lifestyle which doesn't compare to any other athlete.
Feb 12 2012 1:59AM
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navierSTOKED
Posts: 858 - Karma: 33
I'm pretty amped.  They're starting to get the track ready here for the Aus GP.  Re the new rules I'm non plussed.  The restrictions on engine mapping are maybe a bit over the top.. blown diffusers are an amazing example of the genius of F1 engineers, but the more they restrict the more creative they get I guess
Feb 12 2012 6:27AM
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the.cheat
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 171
f1 is fucking fantastic. i hate when people think racing isn't a sport.
Feb 12 2012 11:36AM
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JzD.
Posts: 1615 - Karma: 153
Great now I'm in the mood to play forza...
Feb 12 2012 1:05PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
agreed
Feb 13 2012 7:07AM
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theater.thug
Posts: 441 - Karma: 671
Sebastian Vettel.
Feb 13 2012 7:15AM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
is my hero.
Feb 13 2012 5:50PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
i liked it more "back in the day" with schumacher (huge fan) duking it out against hakkinen, hill, villeneuve. although back then they already had some issues with the way the cars were build (bad airstream behind the cars) essentially killing a lot of takeover-maneuvers and reducing the races to whoever has the best box-crew.

you cant deny that while the F1 always was atop the technical progress, they were more "badass" before like 1995 or so. i know all the safety stuff is good and so on, but overtaking wasnt taken out of the races on purpose.







so bottom line its nice to watch but they kind of lost me as a viewer

Feb 13 2012 6:33PM
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Amadeus.
Posts: 3050 - Karma: 382
Last season was great (besides vetted completely owning everyone) so hopefully this season is closer. lets go Mclaren
Feb 13 2012 6:35PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
F1 is still pretty damn competitive, when you watch a lot of the races from the 50's-70's there are some moments, but its really not any more fun to watch, less passing and not as competitive if anything. but to me the best era in F1 and Indycar as well was the early 80's- mid 90's. the racing was at its best, no kers or drs bullshit, the cars were way more badass, harder to drive, it was the perfect match of oldschool and newschool technology. its still great today, but its hard to beat open wheel racings golden age.
I really hope Indycar makes a comeback these next few years. it was to the point of threatening F1 as the premier open wheel racing series back then, but the split screwed everything, with the new cars, and some good american talent coming up through the ranks, its looking like they might have the platform to make a big comeback. ive enjoyed Indycar as much as F1, but they need to get back to the status it had in the early 90's..
Feb 13 2012 10:07PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
Rubens will create a spark, they need to go overseas, back in the 90s and 80s CART was considered a "world championship" I like the Turbos though.
Feb 13 2012 10:13PM
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harveydowns
Posts: 260 - Karma: 31
That overtake by Grosjean has absolutely blown my mind.

Also am i the only person who thinks the step down noses actually look quite good? Saubers car looks like something straight out of star wars. Makes me a bit wet.

Also, dont know if the video will work for people outside of the UK, but this is a super interesting analysis piece on this years Mclaren:


Feb 13 2012 10:17PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
they need their focus on north america, with occasional races over seas, just like how F1 is focused more in europe. rubens will help, but they really need american stars, which its looking like there will be in the next couple years, nobody in the US really cares about a scottish and an austrailian driver battling for the championship. national pride is most of what fuels F1, and at the moment indycar has very little of that.
Feb 13 2012 10:31PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
I will watch that sometime, however its 10:30 and I havent started my homework, and its 14 minutes long.
Feb 13 2012 10:32PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
I think the step down noses look awesome personally. dont know why so many people seem to hate it.
Feb 14 2012 8:42PM
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Bumblesteeze
Posts: 3092 - Karma: 748
F1 is racing is great, so much better than nascar. A long time a go, I went to a race in Montreal and it was intense and the cars were deafening. Earplugs are a must if you ever go to an f1 race..
Feb 14 2012 8:53PM
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navierSTOKED
Posts: 858 - Karma: 33
step downs are sweet. The Lotus car is pretty much the best thing I've ever seen... I'm a sucker for black and gold though
Feb 14 2012 9:01PM
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skituner
Posts: 1162 - Karma: 127
I just hope the world title race is a lot closer this year, red bull dominating is just boring. besides that im really stoked for the US GP, im hoping to go and its on my birthday
Feb 14 2012 9:14PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
I would honestly agree, I like them for some reason.
Feb 14 2012 9:26PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
I would honestly agree, I like them for some reason.
Feb 14 2012 9:26PM
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N-John360
Posts: 835 - Karma: 8
So excited for this season. Raikkonen has always been my favorite driver. Love his attitude and collected nature. That miraculous win for the title in Brazil in 07 was perhaps my favorite sports moment of all time. And I absolutely love his accent! And how straightforward / monotone / pissed off looking he is during press conferences. That being said, I see Lotus being mid-pack this year (which is still a big improvement over last year). I've got a feeling Vettel will 3-peat, although it will be closer than last year.

On a related note, has anyone seen the documentary Senna? Just saw it Saturday, it was tremendous. It's on Netflix and definitely worth a watch. Especially someone like myself who was too young to appreciate his enormous talent. I can just vaguely remember watching the race where he passed away when I was still living in Germany. From watching the doc it seems that the years he battled with Prost were the best in F1.
Feb 14 2012 10:10PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
1. Amazing film, have it, seen it multiple times
2. You lived in Germany, sweet! I'm moving there next year!
3. Watch the Top Gear special on Senna, about 15 minutes, every time I watch this, or the movie, I have to watch both.

Feb 14 2012 10:14PM
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navierSTOKED
Posts: 858 - Karma: 33
Incredible picture. Pretty heartbreaking... When you see Ratzenberger and that other dude after their crashes... with legs going the wrong way.. they look like baby birds fallen out of a nest
Feb 14 2012 10:14PM
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N-John360
Posts: 835 - Karma: 8
Where in Germany are you moving to? Lived in Bonn & Berlin, Berlin is still my absolute favorite city, try to go back there every year. I'm on the third round of interviews for a gig in Sao Paulo, that'd be sweet as I could go to the race every year (and they got the World Cup in 2014!).

The thing that upsets me about Senna's death is really how unlucky it was. The move from McLaren that year. The rule changes that barred many technological advances on the Williams. And the suspension hit him in the "perfect" spot for the injury to be fatal. I just wonder how many titles he would have taken away from Schumi had that fateful day been different...?
Feb 14 2012 11:44PM
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Amadeus.
Posts: 3050 - Karma: 382
there should be an f1 cult.
Feb 14 2012 11:52PM
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Yinzer
Posts: 1011 - Karma: 73
Moto GP is where its at

RIP Marco
Feb 14 2012 11:52PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Maan I love F1 but my local tv provider has poor coverage with channels and what not. Big NASCAR and IRL fan to. NASCAR seems so primitive but it's very complex, from strategy, to car setup. F1 has much more freedom in car design which I like but NASCAR is very spec also they have just as much work to find the best performing combo. IRL is awesome but they're switching to a new car this season..... Blah. RIP Wheldon
Feb 15 2012 12:00AM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
Currently I live and race (and ski) in Pennsylvania. I don't know exactly yet as I will move there for a year, maybe two to study abroad, the organization should have my exact location figured out within a couple weeks, I lived in Hannover over the summer and visited Berlin and Köln. I loved Hannover, Berlin was jaw dropping, and Köln was eh to me, it has the Kölner Dom and that's about it. I want to live somewhat in the north for the cities, but also would love to experience living in the south with the culture and history.
Feb 15 2012 12:02AM
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Austeeze
Posts: 807 - Karma: 18
I work next to the Melbourne circuit (Turn 3 is about 30 metres away outside my office window). Even though I was part of the event staff at last year's GP, with my job now it's just a massive clusterfuck in the way (everything is setup) and I can't wait for the circus to fuck off out of here.

Great event, just been in Melbourne for far too long now.
Feb 15 2012 12:36AM
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navierSTOKED
Posts: 858 - Karma: 33
Better here than Adelaide..
Feb 15 2012 12:45AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
NASCAR is legit, so many people hate on it for seemingly no reason. its got to be one of the most competitive sports there is. the drivers are insanely talented too, the cars take a shit ton of finesse to drive, and to get to the top of oval racing in the US has got to be one of the hardest things to do in all of sports, there is just soooo much talent.

that being said, ill always be more of an open wheel fan, F1 and Indycar just do a lot more for me. and i REALLY hope the new Indycars start to look better with the different aero packages, because what everyone is running right now just looks plain bad.
Feb 15 2012 1:19AM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
Click for larger image

Met him when I was a kid, raced against him in karts many times, great, great, talented man. I will miss someone I consider not only an idol, but a friend, here was the memorial lap that we completed at Supernationals XV in Las Vegas last November...(I'm the yellow kart, blue helmet, inside row 3)


Feb 15 2012 1:50AM
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N-John360
Posts: 835 - Karma: 8
So let's make this thread interesting and make some predictions for the season

1) Vettel will 3-peat. The title will be decided before the last race of the season (hope this isn't true though, want it to be close)
2) Button will finish higher in the standings than Hamilton.
3) Schumi will score at least a podium this year at a wet & wild race. Maybe even a victory?
4) Raikkonen will score a podium. Lotus will be the surprise team of the year.
Feb 15 2012 4:28PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
win.

I know Vettel will be the strongest contender, a 3-peat will be tough, but if someone can do it it is him. Rosberg will beat Schumi to a podium, and if Rosberg is not podiuming, neither will Schumi. Lotus is my favorite team this year, the second they scored both Grojean and Kimi, but Sebastian still remains my favorite driver for many reasons other than "he's fast!" They will impress, Kimi will win, Grojean will be knocking on the door. If Hamilton is fucking smart for once in his life he can compete for a title, but alas he will be out in an incident by the 4th race, like this. Guess who!

Click for larger image
Feb 15 2012 5:05PM
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Corin
Posts: 1665 - Karma: 524
I'm stoked! F1 is my favorite sport to watch on TV, no doubt. Or, maybe second after skiing.

I think Vettel will take it, and I'm kind of rooting for him. He just seems invincible to me. And
Red Bull/Renault has been super fast so far. I don't really know a whole lot about the new rules, so I wont speak on them.
Feb 15 2012 5:20PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
Well two weeks away from Melbourne boys!!
Mar 5 2012 11:48PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
i'm ready. the new tech changes they made to the cars are meh. whoever came up with the idea to shoot the exhaust in such a way that it created downforce on the car was a genius. too bad they're taking that away. what else did they do... i like the KERS and DRS though.
Mar 6 2012 12:01AM
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encludemeout
Posts: 285 - Karma: 10
threads
Mar 6 2012 12:02AM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
ALSO, TRACK IN NJ WOOOOOOOT
Mar 6 2012 12:05AM
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harveydowns
Posts: 260 - Karma: 31
sometimes it does seem a bit annoying how advances like that get banned. but for me, thats one of the greatest things about formula 1. the rule changes always promote new innovations. a few years ago nobody was running double diffusers, then brawn gp implemented theres and raped everybody. that got banned, then we had blown diffusers. we also had the "f-duct" in the last couple of seasons. would these incredible ideas have come about if the rules and regs were the same as when cars were built like that monster mclaren at the end of the senna video?

its always exciting to see how the designers work around the new rules and how the rules change the way the cars handle and have to be driven. (and which drivers are most able to adapt to these changes)
Mar 6 2012 12:23AM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
Yep, and I'm fucking going to it
Mar 6 2012 12:55AM
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skituner
Posts: 1162 - Karma: 127
really hope Kimi Räikkönen keeps up the pace he has had in testing, he's one of my favorite drivers and i would like to see lotus step up there game. I don't care if vettel wins but I at least hope it is a close race for the title
Mar 6 2012 1:43AM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
exactly, I don't know if you know but before there was computer technology, mclaren had a fourth pedal to control the outside wheel spinning more (thus assisting in turning power) back in the 80's. Simply amazing how far F1 innovation goes back.
Mar 6 2012 2:05AM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
I honestly picked them from the end of 2011 to be surprising, especially with their stellar driver line up. Also Kimi is on Top Gear next week in the reasonably priced car!!
Mar 6 2012 2:35PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
Melbourne is two days away men.
Mar 14 2012 1:30PM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
Räikkönen could dominate if his car stays intact. He's back with a vengeance after failing in the Rally circuits.
Mar 14 2012 1:35PM
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Big.L
Posts: 703 - Karma: 15
Man I would love to rip one of those cars around a track, soo much power to the wheels that would make my life gettin behind the wheel of a lotus or a Ferrari and being next to 10 other cars doin a buck 20 inches away from you
Mar 14 2012 3:31PM
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Dan.
Posts: 7201 - Karma: 1,126
can anyone confirm if Austin is still happening? I know there was a ton of drama surrounding the track build and I can't find any concrete info on wether or not its still on. if so, totally going.
Mar 14 2012 3:34PM
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Hamster.
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 26
I think the track will be built, and construction crew will have it finished, as long as no big weather storms ruin their schedule. However, I do think there are quite a bit of legal disputes that could stop it from happening....NJ 2013!!
Mar 14 2012 6:18PM
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