2014 Open Wheel Racing Chat

[raysox]

Somewhat related, my 102 year old Great Aunt did a hot lap in a 2 seat Indy car with Mario Andretti.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20140514/NEWS01/305140006/Mario-Andretti-drives-Muncie-s-Edith-Pittenger-102-years-old-around-IMS-180-mph?nclick_check=1

So that's your great aunt that's been all over the local news?

Sweet!

Yep, my grandma's sister in law and my card partner. No blood relation but it's still pretty cool.

Also #FirePastorStill

[rvrdgsfn]

Somewhat related, my 102 year old Great Aunt did a hot lap in a 2 seat Indy car with Mario Andretti.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20140514/NEWS01/305140006/Mario-Andretti-drives-Muncie-s-Edith-Pittenger-102-years-old-around-IMS-180-mph?nclick_check=1

So that's your great aunt that's been all over the local news?

Sweet!

Yep, my grandma's sister in law and my card partner. No blood relation but it's still pretty cool.

Also #FirePastorStill

I'm not gonna lie, that is pretty cool. BTW, nice hashtag, Pastor needs to go as soon as yesterday...

Qualifiying in Indy is this weekend, Ed Carpenter has pole while Kurt Busch has 10th. The top 9 are the only ones that have a shot at the pole which will be determined tomorrow.

[rvrdgsfn]

Bump:

Ed Carpenter gets the pole by bumping off Mayor Hinch. Sunday is going to be good!

[VictoriaGooner]

Also #FirePastorStill

Agreed! Pastor needs to leave now and give Charles Pic a chance...

[crashcarson15]

Oh, yeah.

Happy Race Week, everyone!

Best damn week of the year.

[rvrdgsfn]

Seriously ABC, get the rights to this song & play it every Indy 500, please! Happy race week fellow gear heads & lovers of open wheel & others!

I bring news of both F1 & IndyCar that may make some happy, first it could be curtains for Pastor...

http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/05/20/venezuelan-government-funding-may-end-for-maldonado/

The Formula 1 party may soon be over for Pastor Maldonado as political changes in his home country may well dry up the substantial financial support that has underwritten much of his career so far.

Until now, the 29-year-old Venezuelan’s Formula 1 career has been powered by state millions, through the oil company PDVSA and the personal backing of president Hugo Chavez.

Now, Venezuela has a new sports minister, Antonio Alvarez, who has indicated this week that motor racing is being totally cut from the country’s list of priorities.

“I know I’m going to win a lot of enemies,” he is quoted by Venezuela’s Ultimas Noticias.

“But there will be not one more dollar for motor racing. Venezuelan sport has other priorities, and it would be unfair to use state resources for disciplines that are not in line with the development of the country,” said Alvarez.

Maybe now there is hope!

Viva La France???

http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/05/20/magny-cours-set-for-return-to-f1-calendar/

Magny Cours is going to return to the Formula 1 calendar as of next year, according to the boss of the former French Grand Prix venue.

“If the will of a number of people is confirmed in the coming weeks, we are very close,” Magny Cours chief Serge Saulnier told France’s Infosport on Monday.

“We are still in negotiations with FOM,” Saulnier added, referring to Formula 1′s commercial rights company that is run by Formula 1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone.

“We are a candidate for a date in 2015, but for now nothing is signed,” he said, revealing that representatives of local regions have been asked to contribute towards the race fee.

Honda wants Ford to reconsider & join Indycar! Or even someone else...

http://racer.com/latest-stories/item/103712-honda-wants-ford-to-reconsider-indy

Edsel Ford II, great-grandson of Henry Ford and a member of the Ford Motor Company board of directors, was quoted at a private event saying that IndyCar's support base is too small to make it worthwhile. HPD IndyCar project leader Mark Crawford said that he respects Ford's opinion, but that he believes that he has underestimated the value of being involved in the series.

"It's his prerogative to have his opinion on IndyCar racing," Crawford said. "It's certainly good to get it out there. We would welcome any competitor back into the series, and Ford has been a good competitor in the past.

"To Ford specifically, they're welcome to come out here and take a look. I trust that they have, and that's the reason they have the opinion that they do. But look a bit deeper, because I think that the IndyCar Series is a great value. It's great exposure. It's the only place where you can come to run the Indy 500, the biggest race in the world.

"They're welcome out here. Hopefully they reconsider – and if not Ford, someone else."

Rumor is Cosworth is looking for someone to join in, rumors have included Audi, Hyundai/Kia, Dodge. I would love Ford to come back but with the Aero Kit development coming in, I would love for Audi to arrive, but seriously, I want to see the Blue Oval back in Indy.

[VictoriaGooner]

I can see why Venezuela is limiting funding to motor racing. Other sports in Venezuela deserves more funding. Maybe now Maldonado will actually work on his driving before trying to get new funding. I still think Charles Pic and Pedro De La Rosa are better drivers tha. Maldonado.

As for Magny Cours possibility coming back to the F1 calendar next season....HELL YES! That's great to hear. Love that track and all the history behind it.

[VictoriaGooner]

This weekend is one of the highlights of the F1 calendar, Monaco. Some news around the Monaco weekend:

1. Normally during the Monaco weekend, drivers sport specially designed helmets and F1 Fanatics has a good pictorial article on this.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/05/22/drivers-sport-special-helmets-monaco-race-weekend/

2. FP1 - Hamilton edges Rosberg and Ricciardo http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/5/15851.html

3. FP2 - Alonso pips Hamilton in rain-hit session. http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/5/15854.html

[rvrdgsfn]

Nissan will return to LeMans!

http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/item/103788-nissan-lmp1-gt-r-for-2015-le-mans

Nissan announced that it will prepare a works LMP1 prototype, to be named the GT-R, with which to go head to head with Audi, Porsche and Toyota at Le Mans in 2015. The Japanese manufacturer will also contest the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship with a full factory effort for two cars. Nissan's LM P1 car will be called the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO, carrying on a sporting bloodline that stretches back 30 years and recognizes the company's flagship road car, the Nissan GT-R. Nissan's new program was

Good to see Nissan back in the Endurance game... Last but not least, I'm sorry I never got to see this live, but I'm gonna miss Jim Nabors singing at the 500.

[VictoriaGooner]

News from the qualifying session of the Monaco GP: Error by Rosberg smooths path to pole on Sunday. With time running down in Q3, Rosberg partially lost control of his Mercedes and slid into Mirabeau bringing out yellow flags in that sector. With most of the drivers having personal bests in previous sector, all got final run laps were ruined due to having to slow through Mirabeau. And Hamilton was pushing hard going purple in Sector 1. I think if Rosberg stayed on the track, Hamilton would have stolen pole from him and earned his first-ever Monaco pole. Even after they got back to the pit, Hamilton looked pretty disgusted with the whole situation.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/5/15871.html

David Coulthard was mentioning that Michael Schumacher imployed tactics of intentionally causing yellow flags in qualifying sessions in the past so to retain his higher race start. But from what I saw on the replays, Rosberg simply lost control and safely positioned the car in a run off area of Mirabeau. Plus Toro Rosso had a really good showing in qualifying with both Vergne and Kvyat both pushing hard in Q2 to make the top 10. And no surprise Ricciardo bumping Vettel. But Vettel was complaining of electrical issues all qualifying. But have you noticed Vettel complaining more about his car this year than previous years. You would think if the problems on Vettel's RBR would be present on Ricciardo's RBR. I think he is trying to make excuses for the lack of driving he can use with the new cars and being blown away by Mercedes.

On a side note, Caterham’s Marcus Ericsson will start Sunday’s race in Monaco from the pit lane after the stewards found him responsible for causing a collision with Felipe Massa’s Williams during qualifying on Saturday.The incident, which also earned the Swede two penalty points on his licence, occurred during the Q1 phase of qualifying as Massa, on an in-lap, attempted to let Ericsson by at Mirabeau. The Caterham driver moved alongside the Brazilian’s car before losing control, taking both cars into the barriers.

Despite recording the tenth-best time in Q1, Massa was unable to return to the pits and was thus ruled out of Q2.

In a separate incident, Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat was handed a reprimand - his first of the season - for impeding Lotus’s Pastor Maldonado at Turn 19 during Q1.

Qualifying Results - 2014 Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:17.678 1:16.465 1:15.989 26

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:17.823 1:16.354 1:16.048 27

3 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:17.900 1:17.233 1:16.384 22

4 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:18.383 1:17.074 1:16.547 25

5 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:17.853 1:17.200 1:16.686 27

6 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:17.902 1:17.398 1:17.389 27

7 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 1:17.557 1:17.657 1:17.540 26

8 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.978 1:17.609 1:17.555 25

9 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:18.616 1:17.594 1:18.090 23

10 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:18.108 1:17.755 1:18.327 26

11 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:18.432 1:17.846 20

12 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.890 1:17.988 20

13 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:18.407 1:18.082 20

14 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:18.335 1:18.196 23

15 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1:18.585 1:18.356 21

16 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:18.209 No time 10

17 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:18.741 11

18 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:18.745 11

19 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:19.332 10

20 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1:19.928 9

21 10 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham-Renault 1:20.133 9

22 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:21.732 9

[crashcarson15]

Back home again in Indiana

And it seem that I can see

The gleaming candleligh, still burning bright

Through the sycamores for me

The new moon hay sends out its fragrance

Through the fields I used to roam

When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash

How I long for my Indiana home

Happy Race Day Eve, everyone!

[rvrdgsfn]

Results from Monaco:

1. Rosberg

2. Hamilton

3. Ricciardo

4. Alonso

5. Hulkenberg

6. Button

7. Massa

8. Gorsjean

9. Bianchi

10. Magnussen

Holy cow, Marussia finally scores some points & Vettel had car issues all day. I don't think anyone can catch the Silver Arrows but with the win, Nico retains the points lead. The Canadian Grand Prix is in 2 weeks but yes, up next is the Indy 500. Happy Race day folks!

[capitalcanuck]

Caterham needs to be worried, unless they can score a single point, Hass Formula will be knocking on their door, now with Marussia on the board. And I just don't them scoring one unless it's a crash fest but Austria and especially Russia could be wild cards but Congrats to Jules and the Marussia team on their two points

[rvrdgsfn]

Caterham needs to be worried, unless they can score a single point, Hass Formula will be knocking on their door, now with Marussia on the board. And I just don't them scoring one unless it's a crash fest but Austria and especially Russia could be wild cards but Congrats to Jules and the Marussia team on their two points

Funny you mentioned that because the rumor with Catheram is up for sale, Fernandes is fed up & wants out, at least that's the report, if Haas buys them, maybe he can get a proper looking car than the monstrosity they have now...

http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/05/25/fernandes-tight-lipped-about-caterham-sale-reports/

[capitalcanuck]

Haas has stated his intentions to build his team from the ground up and not doing a simple ownership/name take over like Jaguar -> Red Bull and Jordan -> Midland -> Spyker -> Force India. The Front runner for the Powerunit (Engine) supplier to HF is the Prancing Horses of Marenello, Ferrari

Congrats, to RHR on the 500 win and to Busch finishing a great 6th

[rvrdgsfn]

Congrats to RHR it said that he beat Helio by .060. It was a good run by Helio, but Andretti had some excellent cars. Plus Kurt Busch in the top 10, I hope he saved some of energy for 600 miles tonight. Plus JPM finished in the top 5 was also impressive as was Sage Karam finishing in the top 10. A good race altogether!

1. Hunter-Reay

2. Castroneves

3. Andretti

4. Munoz

5. Montoya

6. Busch

7. Bourdais

8. Power

9. Karam

10. Hilderbrand

Next up is the Duel in Detroit!

[Dalcowboyfan92]

I just want to see Marco in Victory Lane in the 500 just once. Just so they can finally end this Andretti curse. I don't care if Marco never gets back to victory lane there. Having him win just once would be great for him, his father and his grandfather. Marco needed to pass Castroneves on the restart going into Turn 1 to have any chance of winning. He must've timed his move too late or something because he was halfway alongside Castroneves before he had to brake through the corner and effectively made it a two car race (RHR and Helio).

Congrats to Hunter-Reay though for winning and being the first American in 8 years to sip the milk and kiss the bricks.

[crashcarson15]

Some reflections from today...

1. If you're not entertained by those last six laps, I have no clue what would entertain you. Great finish.

2. I gained a hell of a lot of respect for Kurt Busch this month, especially today. Drove well and found himself in sixth when it was all set and done. Pretty cool.

3. Sage Karam can :censored:ing drive. Great racing from him all day.

4. I honestly think IndyCar's going in to a really strong period. The racing is great and hopefully a few of the NASCAR cronies realized that watching today.

5. Watching the replay of the race now... you really can't understand how fast these guys go without being there. If there's one thing I urge you to do in your lifetime, it's to be here on race day.

QUICK EDIT: Also this broadcast is horrible.

[VictoriaGooner]

Haas has stated his intentions to build his team from the ground up and not doing a simple ownership/name take over like Jaguar -> Red Bull and Jordan -> Midland -> Spyker -> Force India. The Front runner for the Powerunit (Engine) supplier to HF is the Prancing Horses of Marenello, Ferrari

Congrats, to RHR on the 500 win and to Busch finishing a great 6th

I can see Haas starting from the ground up and not taking over a team like Caterham. I believe he wants to build a team like every other motor racing team he has massaged over the years. I think he could do an amazing job at it but knowing F1, he'll be at the bottom of the constructors for the first couple seasons just to get accustomed to everything. Haas has never ventured into F1 or even any of the developmental Formula series. I think it will be a big learning curve for him. But all the power to him.

As for Caterham, Fernandez has been wanting to sell his team for a year now because he is getting frustrated with the lack of progress of the team both on and off the track.

Congrats to Jules and Marussia on getting their first two points in F1...huge development for them! Can't wait for Canada in two weeks. And if everything pans out, I just might be experiencing the entire race weekend in person I should find out this week!

[rvrdgsfn]

Another day, another Volkswagen rumor....

Red Bull is allegedly flirting with a change of engine supplier, according to reports in Germamy.

Helmut Marko has told Sport Bild that the reigning world champion team will assess the progress made by current supplier Renault at the time of their home Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in June. There might be another way. Red Bull already has close commercial ties to Volkswagen, the German carmaker giant.

“Volkswagen is already in other racing series, with engines that are similar to Formula 1 technology,” hinted Marko. (GMM)

I tell you, its not like we can go a whole year without hearing about Volkswagen in F1....

http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/05/28/honda-to-buy-into-mclaren/

Reports have emerged in Japan suggesting that Honda is considering buying into McLaren.

After a six year absence, the Japanese car manufacturer is returning to Formula 1 next year, initially as McLaren’s works supplier of V6 turbo engines.

Interesting...