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[meekly]

I'm new here, but have been an avid fan since the fifties when, with luck, we just walked into the paddock. I had the thrill of chatting (schoolboy talk with pleasingly indulgent drivers!) with Stirling Moss and many others, though he was my 'god'. Castle Coombe, Goodwood and Silverstone in England and at Casablanca I met Phil Hill. Those were heady days!

Can I ask a couple of questions here? I said the topic is Monza, which I watched a few hours ago, but these questions come to me with every race and sometimes in between.

'Team radio' says 'increase speed a little, Perez is catching up'. Suggests Hamilton wasn't going as fast as he could. Is this right? Is it tire management? Record times are good; fastest laps are good; going fast is generally what it is all about (but not so fast that you crash!)

Where do the drivers feet go? Are they above their hip level in a sort of prone position? Or is the car bigger than it seems to me? Can somebody direct me to a schematic? I'd also like to know approximate size and weight etc. of the cars. It would be nice to know a place to go for information like this instead of having to bother people here, but many thanks if someone could help me out.

[scotty]

Where do the drivers feet go? Are they above their hip level in a sort of prone position? Or is the car bigger than it seems to me? Can somebody direct me to a schematic? I'd also like to know approximate size and weight etc. of the cars. It would be nice to know a place to go for information like this instead of having to bother people here, but many thanks if someone could help me out.

Min weight 640kg (including driver). The widest the car is allowed to be is, i think, 1.8m. They're probably about 1 metre high and 4.5-5m long.

This excellent video should help you see the car layout, including where the driver's feet go:

[youtube]_Wn1EFLa2C8[/youtube]

[What's Burning?]

Your other question is yes you heard right. Sometimes drivers are told to drive to a certain pace. That pace is calculated to conserve fuel, to conserve tires, to conserve wear and tear or all of the above. You'll also see a driver put in one or two quick laps at the end of the life of a tire, essentially abusing it because they're scheduled to come in and pit for a new set. Sometimes it's not the fastest car that wins but the fastest strategy.

[stonemonkey]

Drivers bum is almost on the ground and their feet are somewhere behind the nosecone bulkhead

[What's Burning?]

^^ Try as I may, I can never get the seat in the audi or the old volvo adjusted to that driving position.

[stonemonkey]

^^ Try as I may, I can never get the seat in the audi or the old volvo adjusted to that driving position.

You'll need to save up for a Toyota then.

Great image for showing how the drivers fit into the cars.

[vaptin]

Silly question, when the drivers brake, presumably the stronger brakes on f1 (which aren't allowed to be electronically assisted?), require the drivers to straighten their knees for extra force?

[stonemonkey]

Silly question, when the drivers brake, presumably the stronger brakes on f1 (which aren't allowed to be electronically assisted?), require the drivers to straighten their knees for extra force?

I think it's something like the equivelent of 70-80kg they press the brake with under heavy braking, their calf muscles should be up to that. I don't think they'd be wanting to put their body weight behind the pedal in the way that straightening their knees would imply, the pressure applied would vary with the g forces of deceleration and would be difficult to control. Just my opinion and not 100% sure though.

[What's Burning?]

There's no ABS but the cars do have power brakes.

[stonemonkey]

There's no ABS but the cars do have power brakes.

I knew they had assisted steering but didn't know about the brakes, are you sure about that?

EDIT:
from the tech. regs

11.5.2 No braking system may be designed to increase the pressure in the brake calipers above that achievable by the driver applying pressure to the pedal under static conditions.

@meekly, Technical regs for F1 car in .pdf

http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.ns ... 3-2012.pdf

[LRW]

Bernie is getting his sheers out again apparently*....

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114743

The future of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza is in doubt after Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Tuesday that the event was likely to be dropped after 2016.

The venue has held the Italian GP every year since the world championship started in 1950, apart from 1980 when the event went to Imola.

But with talks set to begin soon about framing a new deal for when the current contract expires in two years' time, Ecclestone is unsure if a new deal will be done.

When asked by Gazzetta dello Sport about what the future of the Monza race looked like, Ecclestone said: "It's not good. I don't think we'll do another contract, as the old
one has been disastrous for us from a commercial point of view.

"So it's bye-bye after 2016."

Should Monza be unable to put in place a financial package that suits Ecclestone, one alternative that has been suggested is Mugello.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, whose company owns the track, has talked about wanting the Italian GP switched there.

But Ecclestone said there had been no discussions about that.

"No, I haven't received any proposal," he said.

ITALIAN TV RATINGS NOT HELPING

One factor that may make it hard for Italian GP organisers to put in place a commercial package is the fact that television ratings in the country have dropped alarmingly.

Ecclestone suggest that Ferrari's disappointing form in 2014 explains why Italian audiences have switched off.

"TV ratings are lower in Italy than elsewhere," he said.

"TV channels have split with digital broadcasting, and there's also Twitter, Facebook and other communication means, so young people are more distracted.

"How to improve Italian ratings? If Ferrari started to end up first and second in qualifying and races... TV ratings would improve everywhere. Ferrari is worldwide passion."

*and its all Ferrari's fault too

[What's Burning?]

Bernie plans to be alive in 2016?

[LRW]

:yikes: Bernie plans to be alive in 2016?

AND not in prison.

[myownalias]

I just love the way that Bernie blames Ferrari's poor form singularly for the drop in viewership; when in fact it could also be a lot to do with multiple regulation changes, the new "quiet" Hybrid V6T. From y experience, Ferrari fans are the most hardcore loyal fans out there; fair weather fans will drop away but the majority will support Ferrari come hell or high water. Bottom line it comes down to Monza not wanting to pay as much money as the oil rich countries to host a Grand Prix.

[sagi58]

... Bottom line it comes down to Monza not wanting to pay as much money as the oil rich countries to host a Grand Prix.

What? It's all about money?

...From y experience, Ferrari fans are the most hardcore loyal fans out there; fair weather fans will drop away but the majority will support Ferrari come hell or high water...

On behalf of Ferrari fans everywhere, thank you!!