Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Formula 1 2013: Round 7 - Canadian Grand Prix

  • 04-06-2013 9:25pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭colm911


    Ok guys it's only around the corner, before practice starts anybody got any predictions? Think Lewis will be strong, it's like a second home GP to him. Traction out of slow speed corners has been good for force India, I'm tipping them for top 6, maybe podium with a couple of retirements maybe. Think Fernando needs a strong race, golden boy is getting away.


«13456789

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    Can you change the title to keep it standard?

    Formula 1 2013: Round 7 - Canadian Grand Prix.

    Hamilton is usually fairly good around here although I think tyres will be his and mercedes downfall. Mclaren should be better here and have won the last three Canadian Grand Prix. Suprisingly Red Bull have not won here. There best result only came in wet weather where they finshed 2nd and 3rd in 2010. Top speed is important so I guess that's why Red Bull have not done well here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭colm911


    recyclebin wrote: »
    Can you change the title to keep it standard?

    Formula 1 2013: Round 7 - Canadian Grand Prix.

    Hamilton is usually fairly good around here although I think tyres will be his and mercedes downfall. Mclaren should be better here and have won the last three Canadian Grand Prix. Suprisingly Red Bull have not won here. There best result only came in wet weather where they finshed 2nd and 3rd in 2010. Top speed is important so I guess that's why Red Bull have not done well here.

    I don't know how to. Yes that's true about red bull but it more than makes up for it in the rest of the season. I'm hoping to see jenson do well, the guy needs it to be honest, and him sure checo will be his usual cheeky self


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,095 ✭✭✭✭Frank Bullitt


    The surface in Canada is very abrasive so I think Merc will have it over one lap, but I do suspect we will hear more moaning about Pirelli rubber after the race.

    Should be a good race, Lotus and Ferrari I'd say with RB not far behind. Again though, it comes down to who can nurse the tires.


  • Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭bigboy123


    Think Kimi is due at least a podium here. The long straights in Canada will suit him, one of the quickest in the straights in china/malasia (can't remember which) even after he damaged the nose if the car. Looking forward to the race should be interesting if the tyres go off fast, though on the other hand Im not looking forward to constant groaning from RBR and vettel.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    Mods please remove this if it is deemed advertising...I view it as a plea!
    As you all know I am lucky enough to be able to attend numerous races throughout the season as a an accredited journalist and photographer. I am exceptionally lucky to be a part of a sport that I truly love and the past two years have been fantastic for me to get a much greater understanding of the inner workings of Formula 1, MotoGP and Sportscar racing as well as making contacts with teams and drivers/riders which I think have allowed my postings a much greater level of insight to the forum.

    I try to ensure that when I am at a race that I do my best to share some of the experience with everyone here. Whether it is with these previews, which take a lot of time and effort to do!, or reporting on a rumour or posting photos from races I hope that it enhances everyone's experience of a race weekend.
    I have travelled all over the world following Formula 1 and MotoGP but like every freelancer starting out in the industry I have done so out of my own pocket. It is getting harder and harder for me to scrape together enough money to cover flights, accommodation and transport costs and as a result I would appreciate some help from the motorsport boardsies!

    I don't like asking for money through my website with a "donate here" button as I want to give something back to everyone that reads my blog or reads my previews and articles posted here. As a result I would really appreciate it however if you look through my photography website to see if there are any photos that you would like to buy. Everything is priced very competitively (€40 for a 15x10 photo including delivery). I am very proud of what I have achieved within the sport over the last number of years and any sales would make a huge impact into my schedule for the rest of the year.

    Thanks and enjoy the preview!


    The Canadian Grand Prix has traditionally been one of the most exciting and action packed races on the Formula 1 calendar and with the sport having suffered so much criticism of late it is crucial that it bounces back with a solid race this weekend.

    It’s difficult to read much into the Monaco weekend but for Lotus and Ferrari it will surely have served as a wake up call with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen both struggling throughout the weekend. The championship challengers’ lacklustre race saw them finish seventh and tenth, respectively. This allowed Sebastian Vettel to open a 21 point lead at the head of the standings.

    The German however has never won in Canada but he has held the pole position for the last two years. Having finished runner up to Jenson Button in the marathon 2011 edition he will start this weekend as the favourite once again. Ferrari however should be strong with the F138 likely to excel this weekend.

    Where Lotus will figure remains to be seen; the team has built another solid car that is very good in most areas but exceptional only in terms of tyre life. This of course gives them a significant advantage in contemporary Formula 1 and with multiple high speed braking areas and heavy acceleration zone Montreal places a great strain on tyres. Lotus could once again be in the box seats once the five red lights go out.

    The Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve
    circuitmap.png?w=634&h=360

    Formula 1 moves from one extreme to another this weekend with the tight and twisty confines of Monaco replaced by the more flowing nature of Montreal. Whereas overtaking is next to impossible at Monaco, unless you’re an exceptionally combative Sergio Perez!, Montreal offers numerous genuine overtaking opportunities.

    Once again there will be two DRS zones in Montreal with one detection point. The detection point is after turn nine with the activation zones on the exit of the hairpin and the start finish straight. This should make overtaking relatively trouble free for the drivers but hopefully not as easy as it was two years ago when it was all but impossible to defend against an attack.

    This will be the 34th Canadian Grand Prix held in Montreal and it has tended to be a good barometer of the sports leading challengers. Of all the victors in Montreal only Robert Kubica, Ralf Schumacher and Jean Alesi have failed to win a world title. The most successful drivers in Montreal history are seven times champion Michael Schumacher, triple champions Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet and Lewis Hamilton. `

    In spite of the weather playing a key role in previous years-torrential rain in 2011 and baking heat in 2008 that saw the track break up in places-the cream has consistently risen to the top in Canada and this weekend should be no exception.

    With high speed straights and slow speed corners Montreal is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar on brakes; only Singapore is regarded as more testing. The tyres also are worked hard by the low grip nature of the track surface making for a stern test for the Pirelli rubber. With the Italian manufacturer having come under so much scrutiny of late it is unlikely that the spotlight will be any less intense this weekend.

    Engines are also under pressure in Canada with the ultra long straights and heavy acceleration zones from slow corners testing the 2.4 litre V8 power plants. Remi Taffin, Renault’s head of track operations, spoke about the challenges facing engine manufacturers:

    “The circuit Gilles-Villeneuve has the quickest single lap time of the season, taking just 75 seconds on average. This is due in part to the relatively short length, but also to the long straights of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. The straights are connected by tight hairpins where the cars brake down to a little under 60kph, so the RS27 must combine good top end power with effective engine braking and pick up on the entry and exits to the corners so acceleration is not compromised down the straights.”

    Lotus and Ferrari look to claw back Red Bull
    sebastian-vettel-monaco-2013-8.jpg?w=400&h=266fernando-alonso-monaco-2013-7.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Sebastian Vettel’s commanding championship lead came about due to unique circumstances in Monaco. The Ferrari struggled once the track evolved on Saturday morning and Fernando Alonso had an uncharacteristic race where he seemed defenseless at times. The ease with which Jenson Button and Adrian Sutil overtook him showed how little confidence that the Spaniard had in his car.

    Montreal however should be a good race for the team and the double world champion should be able to bounce back with a much more competitive showing. Formula 1 is a “what have you done lately” sport and Monaco showed that Ferrari’s F138 is not quite as complete a car as Maranello had hoped but on the balance of the opening six races it is clearly still one of the most complete cars on the grid and with and good tyre wear Alonso and Felipe Massa should be in contention once again.

    For both Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen the key in Canada, and the upcoming British and German races, will be to take points off Vettel. They need to get within ten points of the reigning champion by the summer break otherwise the championship could be exceptionally difficult to win.

    Raikkonen was more competitive than Alonso in Monaco and the Finn was unfortunate to lose his fifth place after needing a late pitstop to repair damage from the crash with Perez but the 2007 champion saw positives from his last race even if they weren’t reflected in the bottom line:

    “We had a bad result on Sunday in Monaco; that was clear for anyone to see,” said Raikkonen. “It could have been even worse, but it could have been much better as well. We came out with one point so at least we got something back after losing the solid fifth place, but that's not much consolation. The car felt good for qualifying and the race which is a positive as it was another circuit - and a difficult circuit - where we've been able to have the car pretty much as we wanted. We still lack just a little bit of speed in qualifying sometimes, but our race pace was good again; not that you can show that when you're stuck behind slower cars like we saw in Monaco.”

    Raikkonen’s teammate, Romain Grosjean, will go to Canada looking to forget his miserable Monaco weekend that once again brought his driving to the fore. Monaco was a microcosm of Grosjean’s career-moments of tremendous speed but also costly crashes. The Frenchman pushed to the limit in Monaco and the track bit him on numerous occasions. It has to be disheartening for the former GP2 champion given that he had done a good job of avoiding accidents so far this year and had some strong races.

    All that was forgotten in the aftermath of Monaco and talk of his contract being reviewed at regular intervals through the season suddenly became the biggest post Monaco story for the team to deal with.

    His crash with Daniel Ricciardo during the race resulted in a ten place grid penalty this weekend so he faces a mountain once again in Montreal if he is to score points. Even so Grosjean was in reflective mode this week once the dust had settled from his Monaco outing:

    “It was certainly a rollercoaster [in Monaco], and one where we could have achieved a lot more with the pace of the car,” said Grosjean. “No-one wants to make contact with the barriers at Monaco and it's a fine balance between going fast and going too fast; there's such a tiny margin for error as I found out. The positives are that we significantly improved the car again to make it more predictable over the weekend and that helped me a lot.

    “I think we had the pace to be in the top three, but unfortunately we didn't get the qualifying position we wanted and it's almost impossible to move up the order in Monaco. I got caught out behind Daniel [Ricciardo] and will have to suffer quite a harsh penalty of ten places on the Montreal grid, but we'll be working hard to devise the best strategy to work back up the order.”


    Can Mercedes maintain Monaco Momentum?
    nico-rosberg-monaco-2013-4.jpg?w=400&h=266img_0057.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Nico Rosberg dominated Monaco. The German was fastest in every practice session, qualified on pole and romped to a fully deserved victory…yet the race produced more questions than answers about the Mercedes.

    Had the Barcelona tyre test given them an advantage? Have they started to switch their tyres from the left side to the right side? Was their victory mostly by virtue of Rosberg being able to take it easy on the tyres and only push at certain points? Will they be able to carry their form forward?

    Rosberg’s win was, in all likelihood a combination of these factors. Qualifying on pole position gave him a distinct advantage in Monaco and he was able to play out his strategy accordingly and win the race. Montreal is hard on tyres and much easier to overtake on so it’s highly unlikely that Mercedes will be able to carry their form forward and challenge for the win again.

    However, if the team can show progress compared to Barcelona and have both drivers finish in the top six within 30s of the race leader it will be clear that definitive progress has been made and that the summer could be brighter for the Brackley based outfit.

    Speaking ahead of this weekend’s race Rosberg did little to dampen expectations about the team’s chances in the coming races:

    “The circuit itself is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar and I love the challenge of driving there,” said the German. “It's a very difficult layout to drive because of the low downforce levels required for the long straights and it will be tough on the tyres. Monaco was a fantastic weekend for the team and I'm so proud of the victory that we achieved there. We'll be hoping to maintain that momentum in Canada this weekend and will be going all out for another strong performance.”

    His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, has been victorious twice in Canada but until he can fully understand the Mercedes he is likely to be struggling for points this weekend.

    The 2008 world champion knows that managing the tyres will be key for his hopes this weekend:

    “The circuit itself is really special; it's very high-speed, great fun to drive and it's definitely a track where late braking helps,” commented Hamilton. “It's not too far off a Monaco-style circuit where you need a similar set-up to bounce off the kerbs so we should be quite competitive, although looking after the tyres will be our main challenge.”

    Force India aiming high
    adrian-sutil-monaco-2013-2.jpg?w=400&h=266paul-di-resta-monaco-2013-3.jpg?w=400&h=266

    The start of the season saw Force India fly under the radar to a certain extent but while they have been unfortunate in some races, Adrian Sutil’s early retirements, they have produced a very tidy race car that works on a wide variety of tracks.

    The team goes to Montreal now expecting to score points rather than racing with the hope of points as had been the case in the past. Ahead of this weekend Team Principal, Vijay Mallya, is aiming for the podium:

    “I think we are now knocking on the door of our first podium finish since 2009, and it's time to do that all-important step,” said the Indian. “Montreal would be a great place to do so - it is a track that favours overtaking and our car has shown the race pace to finish among the leaders, so everything is possible.”

    In Monaco Paul di Resta had a spirited drive to ninth after a qualifying mix up left him an early casualty in 17th on the grid. His teammate however was arguably the only driver to compete with Rosberg for driver of the day honours. Having crashed during Saturday morning’s practice session the German had a superb afternoon to qualify ninth and raced well on Sunday to claim a fifth place finish after battling past both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button with well judged moves.

    When asked about his Monaco performance Sutil commented:

    “After four difficult races I was ready to get this result,” he said. “We had several missed opportunities, but I tried my best to stay positive because I could see the potential of the car. So it felt very good to have a race where I could deliver a strong result. But it was not the easiest of weekends for me because I lost track time on Saturday and I damaged my front wing on the first lap of the race. So, all things considered, it was very satisfying to come away with fifth place.”

    The rustiness that he undoubtedly felt in the early races has clearly been removed and in Monaco he looked like the confident driver that showed promise in his early career. Sutil always goes well in the wet and if it rains on Sunday Mallya’s ambition of a podium finish could be met in the team’s 100th Grand Prix.

    It’s a milestone that di Resta noted in his thoughts for the upcoming race but prime in his mind is the competitiveness that they have enjoyed thus far in 2013:

    “We've been competitive on every track this year and that's a credit to the team, so we expect to be at our usual level once again,” said the Scot. “It's traditionally a track that has suited us, so we go there confident that we can fight towards the front once again. 100 races is a significant achievement and it's great to see how much the team has grown during that time.”

    No sign of McLaren revival
    jenson-button-monaco-2013-7.jpg?w=400&h=266sergio-perez-monaco-2013-2.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Through six races of 2013 McLaren has made progress with their troublesome car but the team is still struggling to be anything more than a midfield runner and this weekend should be no exception. Slow speed traction and an ability to ride the kerbs are essential in Montreal and these are two areas that the team is struggling with at present.

    For his part Jenson Button continues to lead the team but the former world champion must be starting to show signs of impatience within the privacy of team meetings. After his fuel pump problem in Monaco qualifying Button was clearly exceptionally disappointed, he walked from the garages to the paddock without removing his helmet, but if it rains in Canada he might be able to overcome the deficiencies of his machinery and score a healthy helping of points. The battle with Force India in the Constructors’ Championship is close and McLaren needs to make a stand as soon as possible otherwise they will slide even further behind their new found rivals.

    Speaking about his chances this weekend Button said:

    "Like Monaco, the Canadian Grand Prix can be something of an enjoyable lottery,” commented the 2011 race winner. “But whereas Monaco is a low-speed, high-grip place, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is the opposite: high-speed and low-grip. It's a mix that always comes together to provide the fans with great racing, which is another reason why it's become one of the most popular races of the year.

    "Going back to Canada always brings back happy memories of my race there in 2011. Coming through from last to first really does show that anything's possible in Formula 1. While we won't be heading to Montreal with a winning package, we're making steady progress, and there's always that added motivation that you can pull off a surprising result at this race."


    On the other side of the McLaren garage sits Sergio Perez. The Mexican is clearly fired up and motivated to show that he deserves his chance with one of the sports leading teams but his incident rate is piling up and it’s clear that he is building a reputation for himself with rival drivers.

    Kimi Raikkonen’s comments about looking to punch Perez however shows that rivals are now acutely aware of the Mexican and know that they need to be on guard at all times for an attack. It’s a similar strategy to what we saw Ayrton Senna use in his early career and it meant that when rivals saw his yellow helmet in their mirrors their attention was taken away from driving at the limit and focused on the Brazilian. If Perez can cultivate this in the coming races he could be very well placed if McLaren can develop this year’s car to be competitive.

    "There may not be much to show from Monaco but it was another positive race for me,” admitted Perez. “We had stronger pace throughout the weekend, and I felt that I raced hard and fairly, earning my positions the hard way – by competing for, and winning, them on the track.”

    Ultimately the buck stops with Martin Whitmarsh for McLaren’s failings in 2013 but given the success that the team has enjoyed with the Englishman any speculation about his future is nothing more than idle gossip. Whitmarsh has ran McLaren efficiently since taking over from Ron Dennis and the team principal still has the full backing of his former boss.

    The team is the most successful in Canadian Grand Prix history with 13 victories and while they are a long way from adding to those successes rain and safety cars could make this one of the team’s strongest races of the season so far.

    Rookies continue to adapt to Formula 1
    jules-bianchi-monaco-2013-3.jpg?w=400&h=266giedo-van-der-garde-monaco-2013-2.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Canada is, like Monaco, a track lined with barriers and memories of accidents. The most famous corner is obviously the “wall of champions” but this year’s crop of rookies will be tested at numerous other parts of the track.

    Getting used to racing through the changing light of the trees of the first sector or learning how to attack the kerbs at the final corner, without hitting the aforementioned wall, are just two of the challenges facing the drivers but to a man they are all looking forward to the race.

    Esteban Gutierrez has shown some signs of promise of late and the Sauber racer will have some past experience on hand this weekend:

    “So far I have driven once at the track on Île Notre-Dame, and that was in 2007 in Formula BMW,” said the Mexican. “It went quite well with one podium finish and a fourth place. It’s a really nice circuit and I like it a lot. The track is slippery and tyre management will yet again be very important, which gives us an opportunity to put a good strategy together.”

    Giedo van der Garde sprung a surprise in Monaco and nearly made it through to Q3 with a canny tyre strategy in the principality. This weekend however the Dutchman knows that he will once again be relegated to back marker status but having been the team’s reserve driver last year and spending time in the simulator he has some confidence ahead of the race:

    “Canada is a track I’ve never raced at but one I went to last year with Caterham as Reserve Driver,” said van der Garde. “I sat in on all the briefings and debriefs last year so I have quite a bit of information about what it’s going to be like from 2012, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time on my sim at home trying the track, but you obviously don’t really know what it’s like until you drive around it, but it will only take a couple of laps to get used to it.

    “It’ll be interesting to see where we are after Monaco. I was glad to bring the car home, but after the best Saturday of the year so far we obviously wanted to finish higher up. Even with that, there were some good signs in the race that we are making decent progress. Personally, for me it was another step in the learning curve [to have] enough pace to get the car into Q2 and to record one of the fastest laps in the race in the early stages. Montreal is a medium to low downforce track and with the constant updates we’re making to the package we took to Spain, I think we could be ok.”


    Setup challenges facing engineers this weekend
    mark-webber-monaco-2013-9.jpg?w=400&h=266nico-hulkenberg-monaco-2013-4.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Compromise is always key with a Formula 1 setup. With the exception of the likes of Monaco and Singapore where a team will look to get as much downforce as possible on the car or Monza where top speed is the key requirement most circuits need a balance between speed and grip. Canada is no exception.

    Drivers need to have a high top speed to defend and attack on the long straights but they also need a car that can deal with the multiple slow and medium speed corners; almost all corners are taken at less than 160 kmp/h.
    Tom McCullough of Sauber spoke about this compromise:

    “The circuit is comprised of long straights and slow speed corners, which encourage overtaking, and also contribute to it being one of the hardest for the brakes. The circuit efficiency requires a lower drag level rear wing compared to Monaco, but you still need a strong car in low speed corners.”

    Mike Coughlan, Williams’ Technical Director, meanwhile discussed the strategic challenges of Montreal:

    “Montreal has the lowest pit loss time of the year, at 15.9 seconds,” said Coughlan. “This typically favours higher stop strategies, however there is a relatively high chance of getting a safety car around here. The track roughness is the lowest of the season and coupled with low tyre energy this can lead to a high tendency towards tyre graining. Weather is also a factor here as the low temperatures can cause trouble for the tyres due to the circuit layout and rain is always a threat.”

    Formula 1 revolves around Pirelli tyres
    kimi-raikkonen-monaco-2013.jpg?w=400&h=266max-chilton-monaco-2013-2.jpg?w=400&h=266

    Tyre tests, tyre failures and tyre dominated races have left Pirelli appearing somewhat disillusioned with Formula 1 of late but the Italian tyre manufacturer is returning to what could be seen as the origin of their product.
    The thrilling 2010 race was hailed as “the future blueprint of Formula 1” after Bridgestone made a rare error in their tyre compounds and the race produced a thrilling race with lots of action, overtaking and pitstops. The paddock hailed it as a breakthrough and tasked Pirelli with reproducing such a race in future. This is what Pirelli has achieved yet they have been criticised of late for “boring races.”

    It’s a fine line for the company to manage and overall in their three years in the sport they have done a magnificent job of producing exciting races and some of the best wheel to wheel battling we have seen since the introduction of aerodynamics in the late sixties and early seventies.
    Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, however is looking forward to Canada, and their new prototype compounds, rather than commenting on the recent testing scandal:

    “We’ll be bringing the P Zero White medium and P Zero Red supersoft tyres to Canada,” said Hembery. “Both of them have a low working range so they should be well-suited to the likely temperatures and track conditions we will encounter in Montreal. On top of that, we are bringing two sets per car of a prototype medium compound tyre, which the drivers will be able to use in free practice on Friday only.

    “Canada has always been one of the toughest circuits of the year for the tyres as there is a lot of traction and braking, while the cars also tend to run low downforce, meaning that the emphasis is on mechanical rather than aerodynamic grip. Historically there’s often been uncertain weather in Canada too, which means that we might see the Cinturato Green intermediate and Cinturato Blue wet tyres out again.

    “There’s usually a big degree of track evolution over the course of the weekend, as the circuit is not used much outside of the grand prix. This makes a big difference: as more rubber gets put onto the track, there’s more grip, so lap times – along with tyre wear and degradation – come down.”


    Day|Session|Time|Channel
    Friday|FP1|14:45|SKY F1
    ||15:45|BBC2
    |FP2|18:45|SKY F1
    ||19:00|BBC3
    |The F1 Show|20:00|Sky F1
    Saturday|FP3|14:45|SKY F1
    ||14:55|BBC2
    |Qualifying|17:00|SKY F1
    ||17:00|BBC1
    Sunday|Race|17:30|SKY F1
    ||18:15|BBC1

    Stats:
    Total pitstop time|21s
    Number of Grand Prix|33
    Average margin of victory|11s


    Year|Driver|Constructor
    2012|Lewis Hamilton|McLaren-Mercedes
    2011|Jenson Button|McLaren-Mercedes
    2010|Lewis Hamilton|McLaren-Mercedes
    2008|Robert Kubica|BMW Sauber
    2007|Lewis Hamilton|McLaren-Mercedes
    2006|Fernando Alonso|Renault
    2005|Kimi Raikkonen|McLaren-Mercedes
    2004|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    2003|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    2002|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    2001|Ralf Schumacher|Williams-BMW
    2000|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    1999|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    1998|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    1997|Michael Schumacher|Ferrari
    1996|Damon Hill|Williams-Renault
    1995|Jean Alesi|Ferrari
    1994|Michael Schumacher|Benetton-Ford
    1993|Alain Prost|Williams-Renault
    1992|Gehard Berger|McLaren-Honda
    1991|Nelson Piquet|Benetton-Ford
    1990|Ayrton Senna|McLaren-Honda
    1989|Thierry Boutsen|Williams-Renault
    1988|Ayrton Senna|McLaren-Honda
    1986|Nigel Mansell|Williams-Honda
    1985|Michele Alboreto|Ferrari
    1984|Nelson Piquet|Brabham-BMW
    1983|René Arnoux|Ferrari
    1982|Nelson Piquet|Brabham-BMW
    1981|Jacques Laffite|Ligier-Matra
    1980|Alan Jones|Williams-Cosworth
    1979|Alan Jones|Willaims-Cosworth
    1978|Gilles Villeneuve|Ferrari


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭colm911


    bigboy123 wrote: »
    Think Kimi is due at least a podium here. The long straights in Canada will suit him, one of the quickest in the straights in china/malasia (can't remember which) even after he damaged the nose if the car. Looking forward to the race should be interesting if the tyres go off fast, though on the other hand Im not looking forward to constant groaning from RBR and vettel.

    Agree with you totally, they've better off putting their energy into their car than worrying about complaining at ever gp about tires, as soon as one of them even mentions tires I've been finding myself gettin up to make tea, that's how boring I find them going on about it !!!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    Also as I said earlier in the week the Canadian GP competition (correctly predict the top three finishers before qualifying) will include two photos (including this one of Roberg on his victory lap), a Monaco GP programme and a small prize from Red Bull!
    IMG_1107-L.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    1:15.8


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    recyclebin wrote: »
    1:15.8

    Jumped the gun Recyclebin my comp is the top three finishers, Ive updated the post now, and the fastest lap will be in Antodeco and Ghostrain's competition thread when they open it tomorrow


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    That's a drive through penalty for me. I blame the Mclaren ECU for the false start!

    Kimi
    Alonso
    Vettel


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 963 ✭✭✭thegoth


    Exactly this time last year I was in the air on the way to Montreal for the race. Wish I was going again this year :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,610 ✭✭✭Charlie-Bravo


    Alonso
    Kimi
    Vettel

    Getting it in early to have a choice of selection.

    @Frostie, How do the press fund their way moving around the world following F1? I suppose the question is, how do you intend to do this long term?

    -. . ...- . .-. / --. --- -. -. .- / --. .. ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / ..- .--.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    This time 7 years ago I was there too. I still have a collection of marbles I picked up off the track at the hairpin.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,573 ✭✭✭✭Jordan 199


    18.1343.5.469.250.jpg

    Magnifique!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    astrofluff wrote: »
    @Frostie, How do the press fund their way moving around the world following F1? I suppose the question is, how do you intend to do this long term?

    There's two distinct groups in the press corp. There's freelancers and there's people working for established broadcasters/magazines/newspapers. If you're a freelancer, like me, you basically scrape together whatever money you can find and use your own savings to finance things initially before hopefully getting either picked up by an established group that would pay your way (very unlikely at the minute) or else try and get enough paid work from multiple sources to cover costs.

    I've talked to a lot of journos in F1, MotoGP, WSBK and a couple of other series and lots of them have taken out loans of 10 grand or more so that they can finance things for their first year or two but it;s more and more difficult to raise the money. Lots of websites want your content but don't want to pay for it, or else will pay very little for it.

    Obviously it's very difficult to make ends meet but when you're looking at your career sometime you obviously have to take an initial loss for hopefully a long term gain. Last year I went to the Sebring 12 Hours and the Daytona 500, Qatar MotoGP and Singapore F1 as flyaway races and they cost an arm and a leg between flights and accommodation but the experience that you can gain at the flyaway races is quite valuable because team's are not hidden in their motorhomes so it's important for anyone trying to get established.

    Personally this is what I want to do long term as my career. My earliest memories is of watching racing and it has always dominated my life so if I can manage to turn that passion and knowledge into a full time job I'll be delighted! At the minute it really is a case of trying to make ends meet and scrounge together enough to get to races before hopefully having multiple sites paying something towards costs. I'm pretty confident in my ability and knowledge as both a photographer and writer and doing both at races at least opens up two revenue streams but getting either fans or websites/newspapers to buy your work is still very difficult.

    I have the rest of the season planned out and have probably 60% or so of my budget accounted for through my savings but raising the rest is going to be tough. That's why I posted the couple of paragraphs at the start of the thread just so that if anyone does want to help that they'll be able to get something worthwhile for their investment because it really would go a long way to helping me out for the rest of the year


  • Registered Users Posts: 29 potholes84


    1 kimi 2 Alonso 3 Massa


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,095 ✭✭✭✭Frank Bullitt


    1.Alonso
    2.Massa
    3.Kimi


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,201 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    Frostie,
    How do the freelance guys such as yourself manage to get accreditation for F1. That surely is the hottest ticket in town for a normal F1 fan given the access you have etc?


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,482 ✭✭✭✭vectra


    Alonso
    Kimi
    Massa


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    mickdw wrote: »
    Frostie,
    How do the freelance guys such as yourself manage to get accreditation for F1. That surely is the hottest ticket in town for a normal F1 fan given the access you have etc?

    Basically any journalist in F1 or any other racing series has to provide the governing body with proof that they are published journalist with commitments to publish reports from a Grand Prix. So you need to have a portfolio that the FIA can see and letters from editors of newspapers/magazines/websites that you are being commissioned to report on the event. It's exceptionally difficult to get to the point where the FIA will actually accredit anyone to go to races because the access that we get is so close. So as you say it's the hottest ticket in town!

    Every fan would give their left arm to get into the paddock for an hour never mind a full weekend or season but once you're inside the paddock there's different levels of accreditation. For instance I cant go into pitlane or onto the grid with my race by race accreditation-you need to hold a full season pass for that-but equally I have always, well there was one exception at the Spanish MotoGP last year, been able to get photographers access to races and this is what gets you trackside.

    It's great to be in the paddock obviously but trackside is what's special for me. At somewhere like Monaco a couple of weeks ago it is fantastic as we can go anywhere around the city to shoot and watch the cars from as little as a foot away from the track. It's impossible to beat an experience like that!


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 372 ✭✭restingpilgrim


    Raikkonen
    Vettel
    Di Resta


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,573 ✭✭✭✭Jordan 199


    One thing I love about the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is the 'Wall of Champions.' Will be interesting to see if it claims any drivers in this years race.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,323 ✭✭✭lolie


    Really looking forward to this race, usually a bit of excitement at it.
    Should see Lewis back on form but
    not expecting much with tyre year. Mclaren might spring a surprise?
    Alonso
    kimi
    perez
    frostie500 wrote: »
    .
    Think Mika might have something to say about 1999:)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    lolie wrote: »
    Think Mika might have something to say about 1999:)

    I always make a mistake with one race and Ive no idea how I do it! But anyway Mika won behind the safety car so I'll use that as my excuse!




  • i can see Alonso doing well, so my prediction is:
    Alonso
    Vettel
    Kimi


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭Rascasse


    Jordan 191 wrote: »
    One thing I love about the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is the 'Wall of Champions.' Will be interesting to see if it claims any drivers in this years race.

    Should be much more likely this year as there is a new speed bump on the inside of turn 14 to stop them cutting the corner if they get it wrong - they'll have to take their chances with the wall instead!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,323 ✭✭✭lolie


    frostie500 wrote: »
    I always make a mistake with one race and Ive no idea how I do it! But anyway Mika won behind the safety car so I'll use that as my excuse!

    Maybe all the travelling is catching up with you. Tell you what i'll do a swap, give me your tickets and i'll go to Canada and you spend the weekend footing turf on the bog. ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,201 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    frostie500 wrote: »
    Basically any journalist in F1 or any other racing series has to provide the governing body with proof that they are published journalist with commitments to publish reports from a Grand Prix. So you need to have a portfolio that the FIA can see and letters from editors of newspapers/magazines/websites that you are being commissioned to report on the event. It's exceptionally difficult to get to the point where the FIA will actually accredit anyone to go to races because the access that we get is so close. So as you say it's the hottest ticket in town!

    Every fan would give their left arm to get into the paddock for an hour never mind a full weekend or season but once you're inside the paddock there's different levels of accreditation. For instance I cant go into pitlane or onto the grid with my race by race accreditation-you need to hold a full season pass for that-but equally I have always, well there was one exception at the Spanish MotoGP last year, been able to get photographers access to races and this is what gets you trackside.

    It's great to be in the paddock obviously but trackside is what's special for me. At somewhere like Monaco a couple of weeks ago it is fantastic as we can go anywhere around the city to shoot and watch the cars from as little as a foot away from the track. It's impossible to beat an experience like that!


    Thanks,
    You have done well to get into it anyway. Hope ya can keep building it up towards a good living.


  • Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭edgy


    I'll go for:-
    1. Kimi
    2. Vettel
    3. Hamilton


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,408 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    Pah! Edgy went for the same, so I'll change it around!

    Vettel
    Kimi
    Hamilton


Advertisement