A potentially stupid question, how do they connect the laptops to the car? Is there a usb port or something?
Yeah there is a special port. Thats how they tune up cars. I gueuss its USB on the laptop side and a special port into the car
What's happened to Donnington since the British GP debacle? Also why are Red Bull registered in Austria and not GB?
Welcome to the board Stacey, I was at donnington the other weekend as thats where they hold the Download Rock Festival. It seems they have finished the track modifications they were going to do but have returned to nation racing series like BTCC etc. They have a F1 museam there too which I wouldnt mind visiting. As for Red Bull they are an Austrian based Company but build their cars in the uk (milton Keynes) as they baught the jaguar team who were before that the Stewart GP team. Mercedes are registered as german even though they build thier cars in Brackley UK (Mercedes GP < Brawn GP < Honda < BAR < Tyrell)
Next question: So after Silverstone and Vettel's next win - what on earth will the FIA change to try to rein in Red Bull's dominance? Maybe they will only allow 1 set of tyres to them?
They will class engines as movable aerodynamic parts and drivers will have to push their own cars allowing Button to romp away with the title.
In Malaysia both Williams drivers used their free gearbox change. In Spain (three races later) Barrichello needed another new gearbox after cooking it on the way out of the pits in a practice session. Why didn't Barrichello get a grid penalty?
No, you can't switch them around. One gearbox has to last five consecutive events before it can be replaced. The first time you switch within five events is a freebie, from then on you get a penalty. An event is FP3, qualifying and the race. While it's ok to run old (or, I suppose, any) gearbox in FP1 and FP2, the one used in FP3 etc. must be the same one used in the previous event (unless that was its fifth event). In Spain I believe Barrichello used his third gearbox in five races.
well the only explanation is the gearbox he used in spain was an already used gearbox from the previous event.
Among the rule changes for the 2011 season, one of the less prominent was that gearboxes must now last for five consecutive events rather than four. Interesting - Furthermore, each team had to choose 30 ratio options before the season began to cover the demands of the 19 circuits, which must be able to cope with the slowest corners at Monaco, and the long straights of Monza, with DRS enabled. Genji - Thats the best i could find.