I don't care how hard they work, this is the pinnacle of world motorsport and you have to be good enough. That's like saying "San Marino have been thrashed by at least six goals in all their qualifiers, but they try hard so lets let them in the World Cup". Sorry, not buying it. If you can't build a competitive race car you should enter the lower formulae. I'm shocked that you in particular cosicave, with all your impassioned rants against the cheapening of the sport, and urging stuff like KERS usage to be unrestricted (which would put these teams at a further disadvantage) welcome the presence of these farcical garagistas on the grid. Also these four cars aren't within 107% of the Red Bulls. The only reason Virgin made it through was because the front runners were able to cruise through Q1 on the harder tyres with the revs turned down. They're also a threat to safety, it's only a matter of time before a driver, marshall or spectator is injured through the ineptitude of these two teams. The Virgin was driving down the straight last year with bits flying off it. They started the season with the fuel tank too small, you have to wonder if they're messing up something as fundamental as that, what else have they done wrong? Hispania were unable to take part in Friday practice because their car hadn't passed the crash tests, they used the qualifying session as a shake-down and last year Karun Chandhok was given his first drive during Q1. They bring nothing to the sport, but while they're competing there's an increased likelihood of seeing a repeat of the accidents suffered by Webber and Massa in recent years. As for people losing their jobs (which wasn't actually mentioned but was hinted at), have you ever stopped to consider the employees that were laid off by bigger teams so that they could meet the RRA which was introduced to allow teams like Virgin and Hispania to compete?
Absolutely Glorious: There is a simple rule …Unlike the effort that goes into being able to make an entry into motor-racing (at any level), it is entirely unemotional. If they cannot get within 107%, they do not warrant a grid-slot and, in accordance with the rules should not be allowed to start. This is entirely different to hoping that two of the slower teams capitulate. I wish them well. I hope they can become competitive enough to fulfil the necessary criteria. If they cannot achieve this, they would indeed present a danger to others, which is the very reason for the rule (as I have already explained). By the same logic, if they can meet the defining criteria, they can start the race because they are not considered to present a danger by the professionals themselves! Nothing emotional in terms of safety. The emotion is what goes into getting on the grid, particularly at this highest level. Surely you agree that more cars meeting the qualifying criteria at the highest level is a better thing for F1? - Ultimately, this is what qualifying has always meant! In any sport, 'qualify' = 'become eligible for a competition'. The order in which they line up for motor race's grid is little more than a secondary by-product. In spite of your opinions, these people are professionals who are doing their best. Your hoping for their failure is akin to hoping that a learner driver fails to meet the necessary criteria to pass a driving test; and not because you are an examiner or an instructor, but because you have seen them on a driving lesson. I would hope that any learner driver meets the criteria required to be allowed to drive. For that matter, I would also hope that any person studying for a degree can make the grade. Similarly, if you were entering an exam at school, I would hope and wish for your success. If someone doesn't make the grade: fine, they have failed to meet the criteria. If you are being emotional according to personal dislikes, I would suggest that emotion should play no part in the logic of a person attempting to be reasonable; but if you are genuinely being rational and dispassionate, hoping for someone's failure would not seem a nice thing to put in print.
Apparently, according to Autosport, HRT have their 2011 front wing for Malaysia, which should help downforce no end, and the general flow of air around the car, but enough to qualify?
enough to beat Virgin. I think HRT will look a whole lot better this weekend and come out looking 'creditable'
More races, more profit. Silverstone pays ã18m per year to host a grand prix, I imagine Korea's was more than that due to the fact that they don't have the heritage of Silverstone. Plus increased TV audiences last season, the franchise almost certainly made less money per race than the season before.
still FOM making a $19m increase in profit even after giving $90m to the new teams is not bad in the current financial climate
Fewer teams = fewer sponsors and less spectacle = less money and less interest. Let's not forget the Indianapolis Ferrari farce. F1 needs a decent sized grid. 24/26 cars is optimum for today's F1 circuits and infrastructure.
HRT are starting to impress me. Looks like they are serious about F1. First they pick a good development driver (Liuzzi) instead of a pay driver, and now they want to use the Mercedes wind tunnel: http://www.f1technical.net/news/16140 They were a complete joke last year, with all the driver swapping, and things like running the same rear wing for Monaco and Monza. At least now they are spending their limited amount of cash properly. Forza HRT!
Go HRT, did you see their start to free practice 1? Classic, classic HRT. I hope they get it sorted before the race though. Anyone know why Vettel didn't post competitive times in the first session? EDIT: Ah, ignore the last bit, apparently he was doing high fuel runs.
Yes. They're not doing too well are they? Very sad. At this rate, I think Absolutely G's wishes are likely to come true sooner rather than later. I cannot see sponsors continuing to bank-roll repeated failure. They absolutely must qualify for the next race or I fear their credibility will have completely evaporated.
HRT have some good things going for them, They are using Mercedes wind tunnel and the results should bear fruit by the european season. Also some buyers maybe coming in from Korea
Don't mean to kick them when they're down but retiring the car for safety reasons! Fair play for doing the sensible thing, but why did they have to do it in the first place How long before we see a HRT making the chequered flag? The others did 1000's of miles of testing to iron these problems out, that's a lot of half used race weekends
I don't care. Both teams are a disgrace to this sport. Virgin are just a piece of plastic with a logo slapped on it, and HRT are barely fit to race. It's disgraceful that these 'teams' are gracing the same tarmac as teams with the heritage of Ferrari and McLaren.
Impressive there by HRT. Be Interesting to see if they can maintain this , but i can't help feeling that even if they are faster now Virgin will have better upgrades through the season.
I was surprised to see HRT ahead of Virgin, but until quali, we don't know whether Virgin were on high fuel whilst HRT ran quali sims. Still, looks promising for them, I'm quite impressed. It does make you wonder how poor Virgin are doing though, they've had far more time to develop the car than HRT.
Does anyone know how well funded Virgin are? Surely better than Hispania, It would be a massive failure for them to finish below them again.
