The Official 2008 F1 Series Thread

[Jon325i]

Well both Ferraris have new engines for this weekends' race - this alone should inspire plenty of confidence for Massa. Hamilton is running the same motor from Shanghai. Ferrari have also ditched that techie pitstop light thingy which fubar'd a few pitstops in previous races. It will come down to qualifying and the weather.

Jon

[Hick]

Our only hope is that insane Brazilian fans kidnap Hamilton, much like the rumors of a Prost kidnapping plot, by nutzo Senna fans.

[TDE30]

The latest Skybet odds for the Brazilian GP winner are as followed:

Massa: 5:1
Hamilton: 9:1
Räikkönen: 14:1
Alonso: 100:1

There isn't much question about if Massa will win it or not, the real question is how far back LH will be. Practice 1 will be 8:00 AM EST on Friday, 31 October.

[E30Kaiser]

Well that makes it pretty clear. Thanks.

[Jon325i]

Here is the official language of the FIA regarding engine change rules for 2008:

28.4 For the purposes of this Article and Article 28.6 only, an Event will be deemed to comprise P3, the qualifying practice session and the race.
a) Each driver may use no more than one engine for two consecutive Events in which his team competes. Other than under f) below, should a driver use a replacement engine before the end of the qualifying practice session he will drop ten places on the starting grid at that Event and an additional ten places each time a further engine is used.
Unless the driver fails to finish the race (see below) the engine fitted to the car at the end of the Event must remain in it until the end of the next Event. Any driver who failed to finish the race at the first of the two Events for reasons which the technical delegate accepts as being beyond the control of the team or driver, may start the second with a different engine without a penalty being incurred.
An engine will be deemed to have been used once the car's timing transponder has shown that it has left the pit lane.
b) If a driver is replaced after the first of a two Event period, having finished the first Event, the replacement driver must use the engine which was used for the first Event.
c) Should a driver use a replacement engine after the qualifying practice session, he will be required to start the relevant race from the back of the starting grid in accordance with Article 36.2c).
d) After consultation with the relevant engine supplier the FIA will attach seals to each engine in order to ensure that no significant moving parts can be rebuilt or replaced.
Following the first of the two Events, and within two hours of the end of the post race parc fermé, exhaust blanking plates (with one 10mm diameter inspection hole per cylinder) and further seals will be applied in order to ensure that the engine cannot be run until the second Event. These seals will be removed at 09.00 on the day of initial scrutineering at the second Event.
e) Other than the straightforward replacement of one engine unit with another, a change will also be deemed to have taken place if any of the FIA seals are damaged or removed from the original engine after it has been used for the first time.
f) Except during the last Event of the Championship season, each driver will be permitted to use a replacement engine without incurring a penalty the first time this becomes necessary during the season.

The source link: http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/ru.../6841/fia.html

And a ITV-F1 article about McLaren's strategy for engines next week:

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=44378

That should make it clear as mud :p


Jon

[E30Kaiser]

Well it isn't clear or wasn't clear at the time and they said based on how the FIA has been ruling on them lately they wouldn't even attempt it. Matchett read out the rule during one of the events and it actually sounded like you could but McMerc wasn't going to chance it.

[z31maniac]

Yeah, Lewis still has his wildcard to use but they aren't going to use it.

Because they can't according to the Regulations.

[E30Kaiser]

Yeah, Lewis still has his wildcard to use but they aren't going to use it. They are even talking about toning his engine down a little bit to make it a little bit more reliable at the relatively high altitude that the Brazil Grand Prix is at.

[z31maniac]

I believe he does. It was discussed back in Singapore that Ferrari have used said wildcard engine option in both cars already - so they're bound by what the engine use rules stipulate. I just don't know if they get a new motor for Brazil or they have to use the motors from the Shanghai race.


Jon

"Wild card" engine changes are not allowed for the last race.

I just read that somewhere.

[TDE30]

Wow, right at the height of their Formula One career, sheesh.

That said, I surely wouldn't mind seeing another TS020-type LeMans racer again.

[Jon325i]

So.....Toyota might be having second thoughts? Just what F1 needs.

http://www.motorauthority.com/toyota-considering-leaving-f1-for-lemans.html

Jon

[devonjordan]

I hope he wins personally...

But let the better driver (read most points) decide.

[TDE30]

Hopefully some of the notoriously wild Brazilians will compromise LH's race. That sounds bad to say that, but nobody like that prick.

[devonjordan]

From... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...he-season.html

1. If Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or higher in the Brazilian GP on November 2, he will be crowned world champion irrespective of other results.
2. If Hamilton finishes sixth, rival Felipe Massa would need to win to draw level on 97 points (and then take the title on a countback, by six victories to five).
3. If he finishes seventh, Massa would still need to win (to take the title 97-96).
4. If Hamilton finishes eighth, Massa could afford to finish second. They would then be level on 95 points and five victories, but Massa would have three second places to Hamilton's two.
5. If the two title rivals were to be eliminated, by clashing with each other or anybody else, Hamilton would be champion.
6. If Hamilton fails to score, Massa must finish first or second to become Brazil's fourth world champion, after Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna.

So Long as Hamilton doesn't act up/crash, he's got the title... IMO

[Jparkr]

I think if hamilton finishes 5th and above, he wins. 6th and below, Massa has to take the race, then then Massa will win.

Im 99% on that