F1 2016: German GP - Hockenheim (July 31)

[Mtxzptlk]

Fri 29 July – Sun 31 July 2016 GROSSER PREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND



German GP Tyre Allocation



Fri 29 July – Sun 31 July 2016

Practice 1 Fri 10:00 (Local)| Fri 4:00 AM EST | Fri 1:00 AM PST

Practice 2 Fri 14:00 (Local)| Fri 8:00 AM EST | Fri 5:00 AM PST

Practice 3 Sat 11:00 (Local)| Sat 5:00 AM EST | Sat 2:00 AM PST

Qualifying Sat 14:00 (Local)| Sat 8:00 AM EST | Sat 5:00 AM PST NBCSN

Race Sun 14:00 (Local)| Sun 8:00 AM EST | Sun 5:00 AM PST NBCSN

[EdM5]

Man, how I miss the old Hockenheimring!
That track had a unique character, a perfect mix of 3 full throttle "Autobahn" sections, then coming out of the forest, entering that glorious stadium.

Not Spa, Monza or Silverstone but the old Hockenheimring was my favorite track.

[E90SLAM]

This is overkill...and killing the sport!

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...red-flag-rules

HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- The Strategy Group has proposed a rethink of F1's start procedures to ensure wet conditions do not lead to races starting behind the Safety Car.

After a downpour ahead of the start of the British Grand Prix, several drivers complained about the decision from Race Control to start the race behind the Safety Car rather than allow a standing start from the grid. For the future, a compromise has been found whereby cars will complete laps behind the Safety Car to help the track dry before starting the race from the grid to provide the excitement of a standing start.

The decision was made at a meeting of F1's Strategy Group on Thursday alongside an agreement to prevent teams working on cars under red flag periods in races. Under the current regulations the teams are allowed to make changes to cars, including tyre changes, when they are brought to a halt in the pit lane under a red flag, but in the future no work will be allowed to be conducted on cars.

The changes still need to be approved by the F1 Commission and rubber-stamped by the World Motor Sport Council, but FIA race director Charlie Whiting is confident they will get approval for next year.

The controversial issue of track limits was also discussed by the Strategy Group after the last three rounds of the 2016 season have seen the FIA clamp down on drivers attempting to gain an advantage by exiting corners with all four wheels off track. Some members of the Strategy Group proposed getting rid of track limits rules altogether, but the FIA's Charlie Whiting said it was voted down on safety grounds.

"It was proposed by some that we should take a completely relaxed view on track limits but I felt that was inappropriate and I think we should carry on doing what we do," Whiting said. "My principal aim has always been to get the track to enforce the track limits, if you see what I mean. I think by and large we have done that, but there are certain corners on certain tracks that do present us with little problems but we are getting rid of them one by one.

"Here [in Germany] we have a similar position to Hungary -- Turns 4 and 11 in Hungary -- Turn 1 here appears to be a similar sort of thing, with 93 cars going across there today. So we have to think carefully about what to do for tomorrow. The difficulty of allowing complete freedom and letting them go very wide there and no longer taking any notice of it, is that simply there would be a different track fundamentally and it would be faster and there would be less run-off area - so we couldn't possibly contemplate it."

[DieGrüneHölle]

Lewis and Mercedes thinking about taking a twin engine penalty in one race weekend after the summer break.

Such a double hit would guarantee that Hamilton - already on the verge of a penalty - would have to start the race from last on the grid with demotions potentially adding up to 40 places.

However, by taking all of the pain in a single race, Hamilton, who has already reached the penalty-free limit for two of the six power-unit elements, would then have two fresh engines to use for the remaining nine races of the year.

In a tweak to the regulations mid-way through 2015, there are no longer carry-over penalties if a full grid-drop cannot be applied.

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/124...es-after-break

[E9TOU]

Originally Posted by Blipit_

Lewis and Mercedes thinking about taking a twin engine penalty in one race weekend after the summer break.



http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/124...es-after-break

Seems like a good way to mitigate the damage.

I was watching/listening to the replay of FP2 today and the NBCSN commentators were talking about a lack of attendance at the German GP despite there being 4 German drivers on the grid along with Mercedes at the top of the championship points. It's an example of how far F1 has dropped over the years and how the changes in rules/regulations/cars are turning fans off. They also mentioned that the cheapest grand stand tickets on race day are EUR 295.00 which translates to ~USD 330.00 at today's rates. That's just insane! How do race organizers expect people to afford this when spectators still have to pay for transportation, lodging, and food?!

[Mtxzptlk]

FP1 / FP2



























































































[IMG][http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-conten...HiRes.jpg/IMG]

[Mtxzptlk]

FP3 / Qualy

[sarcastrix]

A Mercedes front-row and the lead of the championship up for grabs. What could possibly go wrong?

[Mtxzptlk]

Not a Rosberg fan, but I quite enjoyed seeing Verstappen get pushed off. Lol

[E90SLAM]

Normally I just cannot stand Rosberg, but I'd like to see more aggressive moves!
But I think Rosberg needs to improve his racecraft. He cannot just keep doing the same move like Austria. His intention was good, dive into the last moment, thus missing the apex, but I think he could've done more cleaner.

If he could've adjust his technique, dive into the corner (brake a bit earlier than he does now), aim for the late apex, but leave just enough room for opponent. Or turn in the corner together with the opponent, then slightly push him out at the corner exit when he was ahead.

We've seen a lot dancing and overtaking at the hairpin, and ROS was the only one who received the penalty.

His move against MAX and HAM in Austria just looked desperate and a bit clumsy IMO. He can't just radio claim "Oh I went full lock" and thinking the stewards in 2016 can allow that. Keep in mind stewards now are expecting overtaking like a ballet dancing, not wheel banging in the good old days.

[DieGrüneHölle]

Rosberg is under investigation for something every race. It seems his actions are out of desperation.

[EdM5]

Lewis on his way to become a true F1 legend. 49th win!

2 more wins and he equals the record of the great Professor Prost.
Surely unstoppable for a fourth WC title.

[MKSixer]

Lewis put on a clinic today. Amazing start and great race management. The team was fantastic with his pit stops with a 2.1s stop being his quickest mark.

Rosberg was doomed from the start after being blitzed by HAM, RIC, and VES. His race craft is increasingly spotty and he seems desperate and forces everything. Not driving like a champion.

[FormulaMMM]

Just about inevitable, I'm afraid. Not because I dislike Lewis, but was hoping Nico would make a stand this year.

Lewis is a true generational talent. Absolutely dominate in race context with this car, and he knows it. So does Nico.

Somewhat regrettable that Nico has now signed on for an extension given his pending subservience... Would have loved to have seen if ALO or VET had anything for HAM.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by EdM5

Lewis on his way to become a true F1 legend. 49th win!

2 more wins and he equals the record of the great Professor Prost.
Surely unstoppable for a fourth WC title.

Once the engine penalties start adding up anything could happen. It would be a shame if HAM lost the championship because of pending grid penalties.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

Just about inevitable, I'm afraid. Not because I dislike Lewis, but was hoping Nico would make a stand this year.

Lewis is a true generational talent. Absolutely dominate in race context with this car, and he knows it. So does Nico.

Somewhat regrettable that Nico has now signed on for an extension given his pending subservience... Would have loved to have seen if ALO or VET had anything for HAM.

ROS actually did give it a go early on in the season. He took advantage of every HAM mechanical issue in those first four races. Unfortunately he seems to expose himself when under pressure and rarely comes out on top when both cars are equally matched.

That nonsense today with VES was ridiculous and screamed of panic.

The team did him no favors during his 5 second penalty. Was that perhaps a message that he needs to clean up his act? Blatantly longer than 5 seconds.

[ashtaron14]

I love that Radio Ga-Ga is back.

"Who do you intend to undercut?"

VES pits

"Nevermind stay out"

[DieGrüneHölle]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Once the engine penalties start adding up anything could happen. It would be a shame if HAM lost the championship because of pending grid penalties.

The rumor is Mercedes will take two engine penalties at Spa when they get back from summer break. So Lewis will have two fresh engines for the remaining 9 races. He will get 40 grid spot penalty and start from the back in Spa. But the grid penalties no longer carry over to the next race, he will then be able to fight for pole at the following race.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

ROS actually did give it a go early on in the season. He took advantage of every HAM mechanical issue in those first four races. Unfortunately he seems to expose himself when under pressure and rarely comes out on top when both cars are equally matched.

That nonsense today with VES was ridiculous and screamed of panic.

The team did him no favors during his 5 second penalty. Was that perhaps a message that he needs to clean up his act? Blatantly longer than 5 seconds.

Heard it was like 8 seconds before the mechanics worked on the car.
I'd thought someone would time and instruct them to get on with it at 6 second mark or so.

I think they waited a bit longer to avoid further penalty for something trivial. Like 4.95 seconds by FIA scruitneering.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by ashtaron14

I love that Radio Ga-Ga is back.

"Who do you intend to undercut?"

VES pits

"Nevermind stay out"

"There's no one to undercut".

[E90SLAM]

Stop watch failure. LOL!!!

Next time they will count "one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi...."

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...nalty-pit-stop

HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- A stopwatch malfunction meant Nico Rosberg was stationary for three seconds longer than necessary while serving his five-second penalty at the German Grand Prix.

Rosberg was hit with the penalty for forcing Max Verstappen off the track at Turn 6 while battling for second position. Drivers are required to serve in-race time penalties during pit stops -- with the team unable to touch the car until the penalty has elapsed -- and Mercedes served Rosberg's at his final pit stop.

However, when the car entered the pit box the stopwatch failed to start and Rosberg's total stationary time -- including the tyre change -- totaled 12 seconds.

"Even in a Formula One team with all the high tech, if you get to take out the instruments that you usually don't use like a stopwatch, they can fail and the stopwatch didn't start properly," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff explained. "Once we realised we had to take it safe and this is why it took longer than normal.

"We could have also counted, one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two, one-thousand-and-three ... but we relied on the stopwatch and it let us down."

Although Rosberg would have lost track position to the Red Bulls regardless of the time lost due to the stopwatch failure, he would have resumed closer to Verstappen in the final stint.

"At the time it wasn't frustrating because I didn't know," Rosberg said. "It just felt like I was sitting there forever. Now in hindsight, it's not that frustrating either.

"There were so many things that went wrong today that it was just one more small thing that actually didn't make a difference in the end because I wouldn't have been able to get the Red Bulls anyway. They were on the super-softs and they lasted quite well in that last stint, so that didn't make a difference."

[ptack]

A very boring race. The excitement at turn one declined steadily lap after lap with the exception of Nico Maldonado's game of chicken with Ves. Ferrari is struggling. We'll see if anything changes after the break - not likely.

I wonder if the sport is also struggling in general. Nico's poor reaction to pressure seems similar to F1's flailing about in terms of changing rules. Qualifying formats? Radios? Track limits? Penalties? Some of the reasons being given seem half baked at best. Drivers going directly to Charlie, teams going directly to Bernie. It doesn't sound like well tuned machine. Perhaps attendance, ratings and sponsorships are not looking so good.