F1 Fanatic round-up: 31/7/2010

Posted by Mikel on July 31st, 2010 at 03:55pm

The next session of the weekend is the third practice session. If you want your predictions to count make sure you get them in before then.

Enter your Hungarian Grand Prix predictions here.

Here’s today’s round-up:

Links

Team orders would make me quit, says Button (Reuters)

“You’re here to win, you’re here to be the best, and you should have equal opportunity to the next guy that’s sat alongside you in the same car. He should also get every opportunity otherwise it’s not a drivers’ sport any more, it is a complete and utter team sport. Formula One is a team sport, but when you cross the finish line you are the person that wins the drivers’ championship. For me, if it wasn’t down to the individual, I wouldn’t be interested in racing any more.”

Will Texas fall in love with F1? (MotorSport)

Beaky Simms: “Bernie’s discovered how much money there is in Texas – in Houston and Dallas. There are plenty of wealthy and successful Texans who are falling over themselves to do business with Mr Ecclestone, and the track is going to be a proper race track with fast corners and elevation changes. I think this race in Austin is going to be a big success.”

The Austin GP press conference

Part one of six. Find the rest here: part two, part three, part four, part five, part six.

McLaren query ‘flexible’ Red Bull front wing (BBC)

Martin Whitmarsh: “It’s difficult for us to imagine how with any form of linear deflection you can be in any danger of those [endplates] hitting the ground. Obviously there are [cars with] endplates that have skids, which would suggest they are making contact with the ground. We are trying to clarify that with the FIA because it seems unusual to us.”

History Repeating Itself (Viva F1)

“Today is the 37th anniversary of the death of Roger Williamson during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix. [...] It was therefore a shock to hear that another driver died today, on the same circuit and in an eerie reminder of the Williamson’s death, fire was the culprit although no prior accident is reported to have caused it.”

Hungarian GP – Conference 2 (FIA)

Christian Horner: “I think we’ve made it very clear that we let both of our drivers compete for that championship, so rightly or wrongly, we’ve let our drivers race. We will continue to employ that strategy, but you do have two championships and Drivers’ and Teams’ both carry the same significance, I would say.”

Comment of the day

Here’s how Eric reads the practice times ahead of qualifying today:

If Vitaly Petrov can get to fifth, then Robert Kubica could be right up there, i don’t think he has showed his hand yet.

McLaren have still a lot of work to do, this type of track just doesn’t suit there car.

Red Bull are looking good for one-two finish, which will just let Hamilton hold his lead for the long break if he can finish in sixth or better.
Eric

From the forum

Lots of people are enjoying Karun Chandhok on BBC Radio 5 Live

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to EGC!

On this day in F1

If you’ve never heard the bizarre story of Hans Heyer’s antics during the 1977 German Grand Prix you’re in for a treat.

Modern rules means that drivers don’t have to qualify to take part in a Grand Prix – witness Fernando Alonso’s situation at Monaco this year.

That was not the case at the Hockenheimring 33 years ago today, where only 24 of the 30 entrants were allowed to start. Having only set the 27th fastest time in qualifying, Heyer was out.

But he wasn’t prepared to let a minor inconvenience like failing to qualify keep from racing on home ground. As the race started amid some commotion – first, the starting lights failed, then Alan Jones and Clay Regazzoni collided with each other – he slipped out of the pits and onto the track in his Penske.

Heyer completed nine laps before his gear linkage broke. It was his one and only Grand Prix start – regardless of whether or not the history books consider him an official starter!

Under Racing