2012 Abu Dhabi GP - Yas Marina

[Forza]

You also have to take into account that at every race weekend the race drivers have a driver's meeting with race director where they discuss such situations and the level of tolerance by stewards. They also discuss several others issues as where/when they are allowed to return to race track in case they run off the track. However the rules are clear and you have to use the track limts (FIA Sporting regulations - 20.2 Drivers must use the track at all times. For the avoidance of doubt the white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not. A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track. Should a car leave the track the driver may rejoin, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any advantage.A driver may not deliberately leave the track without justifiable reason.) but in case of situations where driver eventually cuts the permitted area of a track they will have a look at what driver gained in time/length/line/position. The FIA also sends notes during the the free practices if there is a pattern of situations that will result in penalty during Qualifying and Race.These are some crucial informations for discussion.

Also here is the complete playlist of onboard videos from the race at ABD

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5UrnIa8 ... oy&index=1[/youtube]

[Rikhart]

In BBC they did a really nice documental of Newey driving two of his designs
90.s and 2010 if i am right. correct me if I am wrong.
I will try to find on youtube so you can all see it.
It was really interesting to see the joy of his face driving his own machines

At the moment here is the bbc link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20198256

Thanks for that, I loved watching it! =D>

[ell66]

From what I understand leaving the track is accepted if it lengthens the lap. (in distance, not time)

That is true. Take Variante Ascari at Monza, it lengthens the track by a reported 8 meters if you go onto the run off on the exit of the 3rd corner of that section. However it may lengthen the lap, but it gains you up to half a second if you can straighten the Ascari complex up and also in terms of top end speed at the end at Parabolica it will give you time there.

However if you look at turn 4 at Hockenheim (The hairpin at the end of the back straight/bend) if you do a Vettel and do off the track there, you are shortening the track by up to 24m depending on how you take it and on what line. Also the last corner at the same track can gain you up to 12m in time if you were to go all 4 off the track, but the drag strip at the second to last and last corner there can gain you up to 7 tenths alone if you can get it right as its a brake from 5th down to 3rd then flat acceleration all the way around with you going onto the S/F straight in 5th gear if not 6th if you have the downforce and confidence.

Most of the time its track dependent.

One track that has risk reward at a section correct is Suzuka at the Degners, 1m over the line and youll just about get away with it if you have the skill and talent, however if you go 1.5m off the track, the astroturf will just suck you into the gravel. Also the exit to the second has a tramac run off, however is just far enough away so you go over gravel before you even get to it. Also the speed humps at spoon where Kimi got beached are a great idea, something that as soon as you touch them you unsettle the car and it spins around no questions asked. However what Austrailia did this year on the exit of turn 5 was great, speed humps that went so far along that it ruined your lap if you went over them as they were low enough to not beach but also high enough to make a mess if you got it totally wrong.

pleas explain how vettel would be shortening the track at turn 4, and i wish you wouldnt put exact figures on timed gained, your simply guessing.

[Rikhart]

Alonso driver of the day for me.

He actually overtook faster cars like Button, Webber, Maldonado, and then dragged that car within a second of the race win.

No bullshit safety car luck.

Without the sc Alonso would not have caught Kimi and Maldonado

Yeah exactly, Alonso was almost as lucky with SC as Vettel, because Kimi had build quite a decent lead both times, I think everyone is missing this point.

[Gerhard Berger]

Alonso driver of the day for me.

He actually overtook faster cars like Button, Webber, Maldonado, and then dragged that car within a second of the race win.

No bullshit safety car luck.

Without the sc Alonso would not have caught Kimi and Maldonado

Yeah exactly, Alonso was almost as lucky with SC as Vettel, because Kimi had build quite a decent lead both times, I think everyone is missing this point.

safety cars definitely didn't help Alonso - he struggled to get heat into the tyres on both restarts.

[Intego]

safety cars definitely didn't help Alonso - he struggled to get heat into the tyres on both restarts.

But that's his/his team's/car's fault. Gap-wise hei gained on Räikkönnen.