2014 US of A Grand Prix Discussion Thread

[watka]

Please don't kill F1 in the USA, I like COTA, and I think there's a market for it, especially with Haas joining in 2016.

Threaten to boycott the Abu Dhabi GP, that will make Bernie do something.

Haas need to come and rescue the sport. They are the New Hope.



I do think though that Haas are wondering what they've gotten themselves into. Of the teams remaining in F1, the youngest team (if you trace back the lineage) is Sauber who started out in 1993. That's a long time ago, that is to say it's been over 20 years since a team has successfully entered F1 with its own resources and survived up to today. Haas are really going to have to have some really strong ties with Ferrari (far more so than Marussia, I'm talking Toro Rosso levels of reliance here) and other key suppliers if they are to survive for long. Being based in the US already puts them on the back foot, they might be popular but they're not exactly going to be offered any free lunches in terms of either local suppliers or financiers. Even Toyota struggled with being based outside the UK and being distant from key resources.

Saying all this, I really hope to see them racing at a US Grand Prix in 2016. I think they'll be there (if HRT can make the grid, Haas sure as heck can), but I have very high reservations as to whether they will last long as a team and be any kind of success.

[pi314159]

Of the teams remaining in F1, the youngest team (if you trace back the lineage) is Sauber who started out in 1993.

It's actually Red Bull, who started as Steward in 1997.

[More_Blue_Flags]

Threaten to boycott the Abu Dhabi GP, that will make Bernie do something.

You know, you might be on to something there. The fact that a boycott would further discredit the whole double points farce is an added bonus.

[Klon]

Threaten to boycott the Abu Dhabi GP, that will make Bernie do something.

You know, you might be on to something there. The fact that a boycott would further discredit the whole double points farce is an added bonus.

Actually, he is on to nothing. Bernie wouldn't give a toss, he already got Abu Dhabi's money. The big teams wouldn't give a toss (outside of Ferrari maybe), because they have little business interest in the UAE. However, Bernie and the big teams have both an interest in the US Grand Prix working out. So if they boycott anything, they need to do it now or never.

[More_Blue_Flags]

Threaten to boycott the Abu Dhabi GP, that will make Bernie do something.

You know, you might be on to something there. The fact that a boycott would further discredit the whole double points farce is an added bonus.

Actually, he is on to nothing. Bernie wouldn't give a toss, he already got Abu Dhabi's money. The big teams wouldn't give a toss (outside of Ferrari maybe), because they have little business interest in the UAE. However, Bernie and the big teams have both an interest in the US Grand Prix working out. So if they boycott anything, they need to do it now or never.

I take your point that the teams are far more interested in breaking into the US market than the risks associated with upsetting Abu Dhabi investors, but the teams and Bernie might have diverging interests. I doubt that Bernie cares anywhere as much as the big teams about a long-term US market, as he can always stitch up a deal or two with some oil-rich despots for a GP of Obsucreistan to keep money coming in over the next few years ...

...unless, of course, he fails to deliver what he promised the UAE for their money this year. That would spell the end of UAE money (if not all Gulf States oil money) and make Bernie's other favored business partners wonder if a 14-car grid that may or may not show up on the day is really a show worth paying for. Not to mention the real risk of the Abu Dhabi investors finding a way of not paying for a sub-standard show this year (if anyone has deep enough pockets to take on Bernie's lawyers it would be the UAE oil sheikhs).

Perhaps the real question is who do do the smaller teams need to pressure to secure a real change - Bernie or the big teams? if the answer is the big teams, then you are right about Austin being the race to boycott. There is also the real possibility that even if you frighten Bernie by threatening Abu Dhabi, the teams won't care enough and Bernie is probably incapable of responding to such a threat in a constructive and positive way anyway.

[Shadaza]

A boycott would only do more harm than good. Investors in F1 would lose confidence and kill the sport dead.

Of course killing off FOM wouldn't be all bad...

[Yannick]

Bernie can always stitch up a deal or two with some oil-rich despots for a GP of Obscureistan to keep money coming in over the next few years ...

LOL! Grand Prix of Obscureistan! That's a good one! And for the name to be less obscure, let's call it something different, something familiar. Too bad you can't call it the European Grand Prix because that moniker is already taken by the Baku/Aserbaijan race ...

[good_Ralf]

Live timing is being pathetic too. The site isn't automatically updating itself, so I have to keep refreshing the page. This is going to be a weekend to forget for me, especially after I couldn't get in a nightclub to celebrate Halloween yesterday evening just because I didn't have sufficient ID!

[GwilymJJames]

Hope FI, Sauber and Lotus take the opportunity to make a statement and boycott the race. A half-full grid would put pressure on Shut-Up-Eccles and the Invisible Frenchman to fix the major problems with the sport. I mean, they WON'T fix the major problems with the sport, but it would put pressure on.

[Alextrax52]

I sometimes wonder how different F1 would be if Ari Vatanen became President of the FIA. Bod Fernley's interview with Sky was a good insight into the struggle that the lower teams face

[FMecha]

Hope FI, Sauber and Lotus take the opportunity to make a statement and boycott the race. A half-full grid would put pressure on Shut-Up-Eccles and the Invisible Frenchman to fix the major problems with the sport. I mean, they WON'T fix the major problems with the sport, but it would put pressure on.

The three teams said otherwise.

[Klon]

I sometimes wonder how different F1 would be if Ari Vatanen became President of the FIA. Bod Fernley's interview with Sky was a good insight into the struggle that the lower teams face

Much worse off. Todt kills F1 by being a walking vegetable, Vatanen would have thrown F1 to the rich teams to tear apart.

[Wallio]

Will Buxton went on a rant at the start of NBC'S quali coverage about how several teams told him "a revolution is coming any day now". Uh ok? What is it about the US that makes F1 go all political?

[Miguel98]

Sutil

[Londoner]

Sauber into Q3. If they'd bothered to score points before Marussia did so, I wouldn't have to vehemently root against them. But no.

Holy goddamn Rosberg. What a lap.

[good_Ralf]

Isn't it amazing that the drivers who finished 1st and 2nd in Austin last year qualify last of all, even if you regard Vettel's situation. Well done Sutil for breaking out of his stupor and Rosberg's Q2 lap was actually faster than Vettel's 2013 pole lap.

[Alextrax52]

Great job Sutil

[Miguel98]

Rosberg didn't gave bathplug on Hamilton. Amazing lap. Just amazing.

[Wallio]

Dat lap tho.....

[GwilymJJames]

Hope FI, Sauber and Lotus take the opportunity to make a statement and boycott the race. A half-full grid would put pressure on Shut-Up-Eccles and the Invisible Frenchman to fix the major problems with the sport. I mean, they WON'T fix the major problems with the sport, but it would put pressure on.

The three teams said otherwise.

Never believe anything until it's been officially denied.

[Dj_bereta]

I didn't watched the qualify, but how Sutil got in Q3? If he manages to score a point tomorrow (very difficult, since Vettel will break through the field), will be heroic.

[mario]

Sauber into Q3. If they'd bothered to score points before Marussia did so, I wouldn't have to vehemently root against them. But no.

Holy goddamn Rosberg. What a lap.

It is an odd situation where you are conflicted on whether to congratulate him for his efforts or worry that he may end up knocking Marussia out of their current 9th place in the WCC (assuming that he can actually deliver on his qualifying performance in the race). As Dj_bereta points out, it will be interesting to see whether Sutil can hold off Vettel and the two Force India drivers in the race, since Vettel should have a car that is very well set up for the race and Force India do tend to be more competitive in race trim.
Equally, to a certain extent Maldonado deserves some credit too - OK, he overcooked his final effort in Q2, but this looked like the first time he could seriously threaten the top 10 too, and given how visibly difficult to control his car has been at times, to be threatening the top 10 was a surprise from his quarter.

You're right that Rosberg's lap was quite impressive, and also something of a surprise given that he has not looked comfortable during the practise sessions - even during qualifying he was complaining about balance issues, so to suddenly pull out that sort of performance is quite something.

However, can he carry this form over into tomorrow? We have seen sometimes that Rosberg is able to bring his car up onto operating range in qualifying and therefore gain an advantage over Hamilton that way, but it then hurts him in the race - Rosberg has been complaining of issues with his brakes and suffered from severe brake glazing during the practise sessions, and brake temperature management has sometimes been a weak spot for him.

[Cynon]

Hope FI, Sauber and Lotus take the opportunity to make a statement and boycott the race. A half-full grid would put pressure on Shut-Up-Eccles and the Invisible Frenchman to fix the major problems with the sport. I mean, they WON'T fix the major problems with the sport, but it would put pressure on.

The three teams said otherwise.

Never believe anything until it's been officially denied.

Anything less than a boycott will honestly make me lose a great deal of sympathy for those teams. If there really only are 4 or 5 teams that are secure financially, what better way to show Bernie and co than to only leave the "secure" teams there to get the point across? It would also have to be in the US, anywhere else and it wouldn't be as effective.

[Londoner]

Behold. the worst excuse for underperformance I've heard for a long, long time.

[Frogfoot9013]

Behold. the worst excuse for underperformance I've heard for a long, long time.

*Publicocrapometer explodes in background*

[AdrianSutil]

Behold. the worst excuse for underperformance I've heard for a long, long time.

*Publicocrapometer explodes in background*

wow. Now THAT'S a proper excuse...

anyway, I've just realised that the BBC highlights will not be shown until around 11pm tonight and I'm up at 4:30am for work in Monday so this may very well be the first race (including highlights) that I will miss since Japan 2012 (holiday in Egypt).

[W12]

Behold. the worst excuse for underperformance I've heard for a long, long time.

*Publicocrapometer explodes in background*

[good_Ralf]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

[Ataxia]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

You always have to try and eliminate the element of unpredictability...

[CoopsII]

This race weekend feels weird.

[Alextrax52]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

Nah Ricciardo will make a poor start as usual

[takagi_for_the_win]

This is Valterri's race. Pls god pls.

[Salamander]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

Nah Ricciardo will make a poor start as usual

Yes. Which is why he isn't leading.

[Frogfoot9013]

This race weekend feels weird.

I agree it does feel kinda weird, although IMO it's because of all the stuff that's been happening off-track recently and the fact we have the smallest F1 grid since Indy '05 in this race.

[mario]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

I don't know about slipping behind Ricciardo, since Ricciardo in turn hasn't always been the sharpest off the line, but I can see Hamilton slipping behind Bottas provided that Bottas doesn't overcook his start.

This race weekend feels weird.

I agree it does feel kinda weird, although IMO it's because of all the stuff that's been happening off-track recently and the fact we have the smallest F1 grid since Indy '05 in this race.

It does have a slightly odd vibe about it - the continued politics in the background, the threats of boycotts (which still haven't entirely subsided), Bernie switching from one position to another constantly whilst Todt is, to quote Red Dwarf, of as much use as a condom machine in the Vatican, all set against a track that is set up to play on the stereotypical caricatures of the US to the wider world and therefore comes across as something slightly artificial and unwholesome.

[pablo_h]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

Nah Ricciardo will make a poor start as usual

Agree, and Alonso is always supreme off the start. I think BOT will get ahead of HAM though.
So more like ROS, BOT,HAM, MAS, ALO, MAG, RIC

[Salamander]

Those starting on the dirty side of the grid could make poor starts. In the last two years drivers starting in P2, P4, P6, P8 etc. have tended to lose places off the line/in the 1st turn. So even if the effects of starting in even-numbered grid positions has been reduced, I think the start will be very significant. The order at the end of lap 1 could be something like, ROS, BOT, RIC, HAM, MAS, MAG, ALO, SUT.

Nah Ricciardo will make a poor start as usual

Agree, and Alonso is always supreme off the start. I think BOT will get ahead of HAM though.
So more like ROS, BOT,HAM, MAS, ALO, MAG, RIC

Please, Ricciardo would pass at least 3 of the cars ahead of him before the lap is out.

[Paul Hayes]

Really looking forward to this one - both for the championship battle, and because the timing means I can watch it live, in comfort, at home for a change!

[Paul Hayes]

Good news for Marussia maybe, with Sutil going out!

I think we all want Bianchi's points to have meant *something*, so Sauber probably won't have too many fans these last three races.

[Henrique]

Why, Perez?