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I think it matters only because it normalises things further. Given the thousands of people involved in F1 there must be dozens if not hundreds who are gay unless there is some hugely discriminatory selection process operating (and, if like football, people fear declaring their sexual preference then clearly there is albeit it may mostly be from fans and team mates). Despite this the impression that you get from watching and following F1 is that there are no gay people. The sooner all the red necks, bigots and other morons get used to seeing people drive race cars, play sport or do anything else irrespective of their orientation the sooner the message might sink in that race, orientation, gender etc are just an irrelevant fact which makes no difference to anything except partner selection for the last two.
I was horrified recently to speak to a man who I have only recently got to know to learn that his engagement was ended (and this real reason was only disclosed reluctantly and after a long conversation) because his fiancee's family could not get over the fact he was Asian. Given the talents the man has, his intelligence, wit, and basically the simple pleasure everyone who knows him seems to get from being in his company, it seems that this is his potential in-laws loss. That doesn't help with the emotional distress and pain such stupidity causes him.
I would find it very hard to go forward in life after that without a serious attitude problem but to his credit he seems to be managing to do so. He certainly has my respect and admiration.
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Train station for me
Charmer.
With reference to the Russian GP planned for this year, given the state endorsed persecution of gay people.
There's a few more races on the calendar where this is still being considered an "issue"
Mercedes look like they've hit racing form already. Too early to call them favourites for pole in Melbourne?
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So the front runners are Mercedes and Williams. And Red Bull will have to pull rabbits out of hats. I'm loving this.
Shame that Ferrari isn't at the front though, but I'm not surprised, as I did write long ago, on this thread, that I didn't think Ferrari could compete in small engine designs.
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At the end of testing, Red Bull had the highest cornering speed. When they fix their cooling woes (and if Renault can increase their power output), it will be interesting to see if they can catch the other teams - the design philosophy they've gone for with the floor is different to other teams and cant really be copied. I would be very surprised if they are not the fastest car on the grid by the mid-way point of the season. The car is the best looking by a long way too.
I can't help feeling that a driver from another team is going to be screwed by the ridiculous 'double points that the end of the year' idea and Vettel is going to win again.
Still, as ever, Lewis FTW!!!!
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Because this year is going to be a rather more cerebral exercise than previously, not suited to Lewis's brain-off gung-ho driving style. That's the theory anyway. I'd imagine that in reality there won't be all that much between them, rather like last year. Also, I'd imagine that Nico does stand a pretty good chance unless he's suddenly forgotten how to drive since last year. After all, he won 2 races last year to Lewis's 1 and outqualified him at 8 races. Hardly the indicia of a no-hoper.
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I didn't think Ferrari could compete in small engine designs.
Are you joking? Ferrari, the company that has been building the world's most intricate twelve-cylinder engines in capacities where everyone else would use six cylinders, for over half a century?
Get a clue, and google 'Ferrari 125S'. Unlike other car companies (ahem, Mercedes), Ferrari don't selectively throw away any of their history. They keep the fucking lot, and as lots go it's about the greatest. -
I thought Massa didn't have a drive?
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Because this year is going to be a rather more cerebral exercise than previously, not suited to Lewis's brain-off gung-ho driving style. That's the theory anyway. I'd imagine that in reality there won't be all that much between them, rather like last year. Also, I'd imagine that Nico does stand a pretty good chance unless he's suddenly forgotten how to drive since last year. After all, he won 2 races last year to Lewis's 1 and outqualified him at 8 races. Hardly the indicia of a no-hoper.
I don't think that the fuel consumption regs will come into things past the first two or three races. Once teams have got their heads round it then it will be down to each driver's race engineer to effectively manage their driver. Expect to see more comedy quotes between kimi and his engineer.
At the end of testing, Red Bull had the highest cornering speed. When they fix their cooling woes (and if Renault can increase their power output), it will be interesting to see if they can catch the other teams - the design philosophy they've gone for with the floor is different to other teams and cant really be copied. I would be very surprised if they are not the fastest car on the grid by the mid-way point of the season. The car is the best looking by a long way too.
This will count for the square root of fuck all if the red bull only finishes 1 race in 4 which is looking possible at present.
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Are you joking? Ferrari, the company that has been building the world's most intricate twelve-cylinder engines in capacities where everyone else would use six cylinders, for over half a century?
Get a clue, and google 'Ferrari 125S'. Unlike other car companies (ahem, Mercedes), Ferrari don't selectively throw away any of their history. They keep the fucking lot, and as lots go it's about the greatest.Did you say get a clue? Really?
What makes you think that I'm not an F1 aficionado? Or indeed, a motorcycle aficionado?
Well, my comment regarded Ferrari versus Honda (for example - who will soon be coming back), and other major manufacturers that specialise in small engine design and manufacture. The car engines Ferrari have made for quite some time, would be regarded as large actually. What they did years ago would not be relevant in terms of design now. That has been shown in Ferrari not being able to match the better cars, even with absolutely the best driver. Though I'm a Lewis fan, but Alonso is the best driver, no question.
I've followed F1 since the early 1970s, and motorcycle racing since then also, but to a much lesser extent. I did not think Ferrari had the nous to build a class leading small engine, as that is not their recent background. Let's see if I'm wrong shall we. And then lets see how Honda do when they return.
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Did you say get a clue? Really?
What makes you think that I'm not an F1 aficionado? Or indeed, a motorcycle aficionado?
Well, my comment regarded Ferrari versus Honda (for example - who will soon be coming back), and other major manufacturers that specialise in small engine design and manufacture. The car engines Ferrari have made for quite some time, would be regarded as large actually. What they did years ago would not be relevant in terms of design now. That has been shown in Ferrari not being able to match the better cars, even with absolutely the best driver. Though I'm a Lewis fan, but Alonso is the best driver, no question.
I've followed F1 since the early 1970s, and motorcycle racing since then also, but to a much lesser extent. I did not think Ferrari had the nous to build a class leading small engine, as that is not their recent background. Let's see if I'm wrong shall we. And then lets see how Honda do when they return.
If you compare a modern road engine with one of the old "uncomplicated" F1 engines there is a world of difference. The tolerances in race engines are much, much smaller than those of road going cars. When one of last years engines was cold it had effectively seized and needed to be heated for some time before starting. The engineers who manufacture the F1 engines in reality do not work for companies who make the engines for cars. For example Mercedes is based in the UK and was an existing company that was bought by Mercedes in order to supply engines to F1.
The new engines are very different to anything you would find outside of a £1m Hypercar and even then the f1 engines have finer tokerances, let's face it if you are going to splash that kind of money on a car you don't want to also employ a team of engineers to be on 24 he standby and who require 5hrs notice to start the car so you can pop out for a pint of milk!
It is true that some technology from the upper echelons of motorsport works its way down to us mere mortals but it does take time. Certainly more than a season and costs a lot of money
Bobbo, I think 1 in 4 is optimistic at the moment. I think their whole first half of the season might be a shake down.
Mind you, if no one has reliability, Bernie will look a right plum with only 4 finishers.
Bernie is too preoccupied trying to avoid going to a German prison and becoming a very wealthy sex doll.
I would not be surprised if someone manoeuvres their way round him to take the top job this year. Horner? Ross Brawn has a lot of time on his hands currently and is well liked.
Does anyone know if Renault were given their homologation deadline extension? That is the best indication of how worried the powers that be are.
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If you compare a modern road engine with one of the old "uncomplicated" F1 engines there is a world of difference. The tolerances in race engines are much, much smaller than those of road going cars. When one of last years engines was cold it had effectively seized and needed to be heated for some time before starting. The engineers who manufacture the F1 engines in reality do not work for companies who make the engines for cars. For example Mercedes is based in the UK and was an existing company that was bought by Mercedes in order to supply engines to F1.
Quite. Claiming that Ferrari wouldn't be able to build a small capacity F1 engine but Honda would is like saying that Colnago could build a better Moto GP bike because they're used to building things with two wheels. A small capacity F1 engine is going to be far more similar to a large capacity F1 engine than it is to something you might find in your granny's Civic. Or even a sports bike.
Oh, and the company Mercedes bought was Ilmor. Still based in the UK and still bugger all to do with the rest of Mercedes.
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Andrew Benson should be skinned alive and buggered.
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@mmccarthy
Why does it matter? I honestly couldn't care less about what people do in the bedroom.