Official F1/Motorsport thread

[fallenangle]

I've always liked driving Suzuka in Gran Turismo 4 one of the most demanding circuits. As proven in today's session even more so IRL.

Knowing the track, if just from a not perfectly accurate game, gives watching the real stuff an added dimension. Same with Laguna Seca and MotoGP.

[NW2013]

I want a lie in so I'll have to avoid the news/accidentally reading teletext (page 360 is part of my muscle memory!).

[PeteJ]

Another dull race but it does setup an interesting final two races.

Then again....how many potentially great races this year have turned out to be dull? It's great that so many teams are picking up points but that hasn't translated into exciting racing.

Constructors championship to be decided by the fia from a bloody meeting room? I get the rules but since nico didn't gain an advantage they should leave things well alone (just like they should have yesterday).

[MJ]

I know it's all about finishing the season with the most points,

->Open Spoiler<-

but for Button to go from winning so many races to not winning another race and in a lot of cases just getting in the points doesn't look good. Since the other cars have caught up, does it show where Button really is in the field. 14 points with two races left, didn't Hamilton blow a 17 point lead in 2007 with two races left.

[fallenangle]

Don't forget the last meet of the BTCC is on ITV4 today with a possiblity of three different drivers winning the championship dependent on who wins and their relative positioning in these final three rounds.

Should be possible to watch this and MotorGP coverage on the BBC too.

Edit: Rather dull first round BTCC race UNTIL the last corner when Jason Plato put in an absolutely stunning move for the win.

Great second race and the third one was incredible with outstanding Jason Plato winning all three rounds but still not good enough to win the championship. Well done Colin Turkington.

[NW2013]

Today I have watched MotoGP, F1, BTCC and WRC: living the dream!

The BTCC final race was tremendously exciting, Plato's overtake of Giovannardi and Turkington was brilliant. Well done to Turkington.

In the WRC it's good to see Peter Solberg in an up-to-date car and going well. Novikov binned it again...TWICE

[nakamura]

BTCC is awesome. Shame i never get time to see it. F1 is a sham IMO.

[ChrisF]

I have come up with the solution to F1!!!! Get rid of qualifiers! You have, say, 16 cars, so 16 tracks, and you rotate the starting positions of the drivers each race. Sorted!

[cutmymilk]

Quite a cool idea, actually. Will never happen of course 'cos of telly money.

[PeteJ]

Qualifying has been consistantly the most interesting thing this season though!

[fallenangle]

What they should do is what they do in the BTCC. Three much shorter races (<25 laps) on each track, winners of earlier rounds at each meet given extra ballast and grid positions by a complex formula I still don't understand. As for yeserday's BTCC races at Brands Hatch no prior testing on the track. either.

That would sort the men from the boys both behind the wheel and in the pits. Won't happen of course but it would make the races a hell of a lot more exciting than F1 usually is.

[Wools]

Another dull race but it does setup an interesting final two races.

Then again....how many potentially great races this year have turned out to be dull? It's great that so many teams are picking up points but that hasn't translated into exciting racing.

I thought it was a brilliant race although I agree with you about some of the race tracks this year throwing out a boring race.

I adore Spa, it's one of my favourite race tracks, and was looking forward to the race after the dull as all mighty hell Valencia. However even then the race was a procession.

Luckily Monza and Suzuka have both brought it back to the table.

[Malc]

Brazilian F1 this weekend and Button has to come 3rd regardless of Barichello and Vettel positions and he will win the championship (not going to happen).

[Darwock]

lol that's a pretty confident statement, he seems pretty assured of getting the championship to me. On recent form he can't be relied up on to get 3rd but he still has one more race, so yeah.. barring a retirement he won't have too many problems.

[Paulos G]

F1 qualifying programme starts in about ten minutes folks.