F1 - 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

[gofast182]

US TV SCHEDULE:
Practice 1, Friday May 13th, 4AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Practice 2, Friday May 13th, 8AM EST , NBCSN
Practice 3, Saturday May 14th, 5AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Qualifying, Saturday May 14th, 8AM EST , NBCSN
Race, Sunday May 15th, 7:00AM, NBCSN

CURRENT STANDINGS:
Drivers
1. Nico Rosberg, 100
2. Lewis Hamilton, 57
3. Kimi Raikkonen, 43
Constructors
1. Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, 157
2. Scuderia Ferrari, 76
3. Red Bull Racing, 57

For more, including past results, track information, stats, and video check out my post on TOV Motorsports

 

[billt460]

Does anyone have the qualifying times, dates, and channels for the Indy 500?

 

[bdcardinal]

www.indycar.com has listings for everything Indy500 related.

I really really love the Catalunya circuit. I wish they hadn't messed with the last corner with that goofy chicane that breaks up the launch onto the main straight.

 

[weasley]

I can't believe nobody has commented yet. This race is notorious for being a boring procession. Not this year! Take the Mercs out of it and see what a race you get. And what a great, great drive by Max - a truly wise head on young shoulders.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: weasley
I can't believe nobody has commented yet. This race is notorious for being a boring procession. Not this year! Take the Mercs out of it and see what a race you get. And what a great, great drive by Max - a truly wise head on young shoulders.


I agree. I LOVED watching those 2 overrated buffoons take each other out. The only thing was, I wished they would have televised the a$$ chewing they both got afterward, LIVE! I can't wait to hear them blame each other when they start talking to the press. And you know they will.

 

[Garak]

Well, Niki was pretty exasperated on the air. But, I would have loved to have heard it. Well, I consider it a racing incident, though; they both committed to the same space on the track at almost the same time, and that failed. They were both too aggressive - no rush needed that early. Having that incident in front of Dr. Z. was epic, too.

I don't know if you guys in the States saw it, but Bernie was stirring the pot. First off, on the grid walk, he was asked by Brundle about the meeting he had with the principals and team owners/OEMS. He said they don't know what they want, but was claiming that all the principals and OEM people want to get rid of him, but they'll never be able to do it. Of course, you don't know whether he's being serious or not. So, an interviewer corners Toto Wolff at starts asking him about this grand plan to get rid of Bernie. Wolff gets this look on his face like he's not sure what trap is about to spring.

 

[billt460]

According to what's being published now, Rosberg had his engine switched into "the wrong mode". This had him down on power, and about 17 KPH slower when Hamilton tried to overtake him. Hamilton knew this because of Rosberg's flashing tailight. When the collision happened, Rosberg was fumbling with the wheel trying to get the engine switched into the right mode. (Where it should have been before they got to the end of the first straight).

Seems like a really stupid mistake for what these guys are getting paid. Considering all of this, I can't blame Hamilton for going after him. And neither did anyone else because the stewards are calling it a "racing incident".

 

[Garak]

Yes, Sky Sports indicated that right after the race, with some frame by frame analysis. They saw that the switches were different between Hamilton's and Rosberg's wheels, not to mention the flashing light, as you mentioned. I see it as a racing incident, too. Both were being a bit aggressive, I suppose, but you can be aggressive a fistful of times, and then it bites you in the hindquarters once. I don't feel so bad for Rosberg, or the team itself. While it dinged the team on points, Mercedes and Rosberg himself are doing fine in the points. Hamilton is the one that wound up paying the biggest price for this. And no, you can't blame Hamilton for trying to take advantage of an obvious Rosberg error. The gap, in my view, closed up way too quickly for anyone's reaction time. Rosberg and Hamilton both flipped a coin and unfortunately both got tails at the same instant.

All the talk about how difficult overtaking is in F1 and all the hand wringing over what to do to the cars to fix that makes me wonder how much track modification is necessary, rather than car modification. Hamilton gets a good, solid overtake opportunity, and a minor defensive move by Rosberg sends Hamilton off the track and both of them out of the race immediately. They have all the run out space in the world there, but no track space to pass?

 

[Koz1]

The only person that could have stopped that incident was Rosberg.
Of course Hamilton is going to try to pass, Rosberg could have stopped pushing right but didn't. Hamilton had no where to go and was already braking.
Rosberg once again takes out Hamilton.
Rosberg said He saw him coming but was surprised he kept coming, he just didnt bother to stop forcing Hamilton off the track.

You can either get rid of all grass and gravel or punish the driver that could have avoided the whole thing.
The stewards let Rosberg off again.

 

[CharlieBauer]

I agree Koz1. The reasoning for not punishing Rosberg was he was legally allowed to block but the speed differential meant it caused an accident. But who was responsible for the speed differential? It was Rosberg!

One thing that wasn't mentioned is that Hamilton had some luck as well. At least he took out Rosberg when he went spinning. It would have been interesting what Rosbergs punishment would have been if he wasn't taken out and went on to win the race.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: billt460
According to what's being published now, Rosberg had his engine switched into "the wrong mode". This had him down on power, and about 17 KPH slower when Hamilton tried to overtake him. Hamilton knew this because of Rosberg's flashing tailight. When the collision happened, Rosberg was fumbling with the wheel trying to get the engine switched into the right mode. (Where it should have been before they got to the end of the first straight).

Seems like a really stupid mistake for what these guys are getting paid. Considering all of this, I can't blame Hamilton for going after him. And neither did anyone else because the stewards are calling it a "racing incident".


Assuming this to be true, I blame the incident mostly on Rosberg. If he was fumbling with the switches on the steering wheel and was down 17kph to Hamilton, he should have stopped squeezing to the right. Come on, Nico! Think championship. Give up the spot and run 2nd for a while, and if you can't pass him in the race, at least you have 2nd place points for the weekend.

As it is, Nico didn't lose any points to Lewis, so I guess maybe it wasn't such a bad mistake after all.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Assuming this to be true, I blame the incident mostly on Rosberg. If he was fumbling with the switches on the steering wheel and was down 17kph to Hamilton, he should have stopped squeezing to the right.


I agree. What Rosberg did was the equivalent of a brake check. A 17 KPH speed differential is a ton in Formula 1.... Especially when going into a corner. He knew he was slower.... A LOT SLOWER. He should have stayed out of his way, instead of jamming him the way he did. As soon as he pushed all 4 of Hamilton's wheels off the pavement, (he basically had nowhere to go), it was a guaranteed wreck. F1 cars are not golf carts.

 

[Tosh]

New Rosberg = old Schumacher.
Rosberg has taken the concept of professional foul to heart. World Champion at any cost.

 

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: Tosh
New Rosberg = old Schumacher.
Rosberg has taken the concept of professional foul to heart. World Champion at any cost.


I sure hope so. I'd like to see Rosberg take the title this year.

Like Schumacher did you mean crashing into Damon Hill in Adelaide 1994 or driving into Villenuve at Jerez in 1997. The Hill crash got him the title the Villenuve crash just put Schumacher out of the race.

Lets not forget about how the much worshiped Senna would drive into Prost to ensure he won the title.

Maybe this year Rosberg is showing Hamilton that he can't be bullied off the track like he was at Texas last year.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Maybe this year Rosberg is showing Hamilton that he can't be bullied off the track like he was at Texas last year.


That's a good point!

 

[weasley]

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
I sure hope so. I'd like to see Rosberg take the title this year.


Me too - I have a bet on it at good odds from before the season started!

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Like Schumacher did you mean crashing into Damon Hill in Adelaide 1994 or driving into Villenuve at Jerez in 1997. The Hill crash got him the title the Villenuve crash just put Schumacher out of the race.


Schumacher - the only person ever to have been disqualified from a whole season?
The man who drove his stricken car onto the track after a crash in the first corner to try and get the race red-flagged? The man who squeezed Barrichello onto the pit wall in Hungary at 180 mph (earning a grid penalty as a result)? The man who parked his car on the track at Monaco in qualifying, thus denying Alonso the chance to get pole position (a trick Rosberg coped some years later)?

He was a good driver, and clever, but also ruthless and somewhat arrogant.

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Lets not forget about how the much worshiped Senna would drive into Prost to ensure he won the title.


Whilst we're not forgetting, let's not forget that in Japan, Senna was competing not only against Prost but also Jean-Marie Balestre, who was moving the goalposts around to try and prevent Senna from taking the championship ahead of compatriot Prost. For example moving the pole position to the dirty side of the track after Senna had got it. Senna was making a point - and he did give fair warning.