The Stupid Questions thread

An interesting question, Kyle: particularly the comparison with Endurance Racing.

The answer is multiplex, but these are the simplest elements:

• Unlike Endurance Racing, F1 has a far more concentrated time-frame, with little of the luxury of picking one's moment to pass. It is therefore a matter of urgency.
  
• Open wheel racing is very much more dangerous than Endurance racing, with the latter having the inherent protection of wheels shrouded in bodywork. High speed wheel contact in open racing can be disastrous; indeed, it is a credit to F1 drivers that wheel-to-wheel contact, when it occurs, is almost always restricted to a tyre's sidewall only; contact between the leading surface of one tyre and the trailing surface of another can yield a difference in excess of 400mph, causing near instant launching of one (usually the car approaching from behind) or sometimes both cars.
  
• Most passing in Endurance events is between cars not in competition with one another.
  
• Other factors are mostly of a sporting nature, where the prizes and kudos and money invested by the sponsors of F1 can (and has, in the past) lead to unsporting driving from team-mates; manipulation within teams (Ferrari in particular have been notoriously guilty); and even manipulation between two or more teams agreeing to 'gang up' on another, should the circumstance arise (Williams and McLaren, to 'get even'?)!

It may seem slightly 'impure' but I believe it is now an essential feature of F1 with well-matched cars*, especially when they are so highly reliant upon aerodynamics to achieve cornering speeds way beyond anything achievable in Endurance Racing.

*Long ago, of course; it was far less relevant.

 

Thanks for clarifying it, o wise one

 

Cosi should change his name to 'The Oracle'.

 

Kyle and Miggins: your compliments make me blush!

I just found it an interesting question.

 

What is that weird thing that hangs of the side of F3 cars?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1064/1286813491_99513d8e18.jpg

 

It's an air restrictor. Helps to regulate engine power.

I saw a race when a driver had his knocked off in an accident and he was so much faster than all the rest. Sadly was dsq'd through no fault of his own.

 

Yes. Restricting the air into the engine limits the amount of fuel which can be burned and is a very effective method of making engine performance similar amongst all competitors. It's a bit like trying to run whilst wearing a mask, thus restricting your breathing to less than you want. The result is that you simply cannot run so fast.

The aperture at the front (where the air comes in) is restricted to just 26mm, making breathing quite difficult!

 

Oh I see, thx.

 

Wow I always wondered that too. thanks

 

Anyone know why Gary Hartstein isn't having his contract renewed for next season? I thought he'd done a pretty good job?

 

No-one knows.

I think it's either cost-saving or something to do with Sid Watkins' passing away, but then I'm being EXTREMELY cynical.

 

Surely 1 guys wages on something as important as driver safety are negligible in the grand scale of things? Sadly though, I think you're right, maybe with Watkins gone the FIA think they no longer need someone in that position, as everyone is much more safety-conscious, and there are decent medical teams everywhere. Watkins would have been one of the main people to kick up a fuss, and would have had everyone's backing.

 

My initial thought was that they may want someone younger...

 

do alternators get changed every race? Vettels must of been tested hard in US so will he have a new one for Brazil?

 

oh

 

?

 

dhxdhdg

 

D'fuque

 

Don't worry El_B, it makes no sense to me either. Maybe this is the new way to WUM? Rather than posting nonsense, they're posting...um...nonsense?

 

well the user has been referred to the admins.

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