F1 US GP - Las Vegas (Nov 19)

[HFW003]

It’s going to be so good to watch a race/practice at a reasonable time! It’s just after 3pm here and FP1 is starting in 25 minutes.

[GuidoK]

It's 5AM here....

Didn't watch the ceremony. Don't care for it, the drivers are presented like actionfigures you can buy in a toystore.
All the spectacle and ceremonies etc etc they overshadow the race.
Liberty tries to attract new fans, but I think you're not attracting motorsport fans this way.
You do that by creating better races on better tracks.
And this is not really an interesting track. The only things that are interesting, is that it's cold, very fast, new asphalt etc.
That makes it hard to predict for both fans and the teams because it's different from the other races, and maybe some teams might benefit from it by getting settings right on a higher level within the limited timespan than others.

But once that precedent is set and known, the track itself is not really a layout on which drivers can shine of course.
At night and with the casino's etc, there is of course so much oppertunity to shoot some fantastic footage as background for the cars.
I hope they do something with fast drones or helicopters and dynamic birds eye views, but in such an urban setting that is probably wishful thinking.

edit: the camera's from the highrises looking down are pretty cool.

[GuidoK]

Sainz sitting still on the straight...
Red flag
Rien ne va plus

[GuidoK]

Session will not resume. There are track repairs. There is a dangerous bump (manhole cover?) on the straigth that is a serious safety issue.

[Jbrown7403]

Well…that’s a kick in the pants. Was looking forward to watching some good P1 action before sleep 😔

Circuit (aside from the manhole cover) looks promising.

[Bubbles]

Well lads this may take more time than expected.


Watching CCTV at the moment.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Well lads this may take more time than expected.


Watching CCTV at the moment.

Max is so fast he sees the future. 99% show. 1% track safety.

[GuidoK]

So what are the chances that there's gonna be a directive from the FIA to raise the ride height because of the manhole covers, and the RB still gets reasonable downforce, but cars like the MERC's are nowhere....finish without points behind AT's and williams..., that kind of drama....

The FIA is not gonna take any risk with manhole covers that go through the floor and make giant gashes in the chassis. Especially when car's doing well over 200mph on the straight...
And they're not gonna call of a race that Liberty media just invested half a billion or so in...

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

So what are the chances that there's gonna be a directive from the FIA to raise the ride height because of the manhole covers, and the RB still gets reasonable downforce, but cars like the MERC's are nowhere....finish without points behind AT's and williams..., that kind of drama....

The FIA is not gonna take any risk with manhole covers that go through the floor and make giant gashes in the chassis. Especially when car's doing well over 200mph on the straight...
And they're not gonna call of a race that Liberty media just invested half a billion or so in...

Unlikely raising rides heights will matter, rumor is this was pulled through the new asphalt.

Work still ongoing.

Wonder if Independent promotor vs F1 run race risk allowance changes things. Not enough time to check and reinforce every cover. Liberty rolls the dice on safety for this one. Curious if an independent promoter receives similar treatment.

Eccelstone smiling

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Unlikely raising rides heights will not matter, rumor is this was pulled through the new asphalt.

Work still ongoing.

More ride height=less pull

I don't know the current status quo, but speculations were that FP2 also might be cancelled?
This is not the only manhole cover on the track I expect.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

More ride height=less pull

I don't know the current status quo, but speculations were that FP2 also might be cancelled?
This is not the only manhole cover on the track I expect.

Vegas strip is lined with manhole covers.

Looks like one is done.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

More ride height=less pull

I don't know the current status quo, but speculations were that FP2 also might be cancelled?
This is not the only manhole cover on the track I expect.

Cars ran for 2-3 laps not full speed, the reduction in pull with ride heights may not change the outcome.

[Artemis]

I was wondering about this type of situation when I saw this in the video recently posted:

Originally Posted by Jbrown7403

Recent circuit drive…
.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Cars ran for 2-3 laps not full speed, the reduction in pull with ride heights may not change the outcome.

Indeed it may or may not change the outcome.
But I think when 500 million is at stake, there's also the matter of 'reducing risks anywhere you can'.
But we'll see.
They might find a way to solve this is such a manner that no manhole will ever come off (makes you think why they didn't do that in the first place...).
I don't even know if it was the manhole cover, or the manhole cover including the surrounding frame it sits in...

But I think it's pretty safe to say that the aerodynamic pull force coming from the cars/floor/front wing was the cause of the manhole rising up. It's not an external problem I think (like pressure building up in the sewers underneath or so, pushing the manhole up). At least not that I heard.

[Artemis]

Chassis damage for Sainz and Ocon because of a manhole bump.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...T3oOyifcu.html

The show must go on.

[GuidoK]

Sainz damage was extensive. Also new engine and energy cell!

[GuidoK]

FP2 is also posponed. The solution is not so easy.

Manholes are now filled with cement:
https://twitter.com/AlexDoesF1/statu...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

The whole cover and frame was pulled out, so the pressure differential (between sewer and vacuum under the car) has to be stopped below the manhole cover. So probably they installed some plank etc in the sewer at the manhole and poor quick setting cement on it.
But I imagine they're gonna do every manhole. That's quite an undertaking

[GuidoK]

So in the onboard car footage, a bump could be heard with SAI/OCO car.
I didn't understand the severity of it, until I saw this video:

https://twitter.com/davidcharns/stat...khqJqhGa--KBdg
Also turn the sound on.

This is obviously from behind glass, in a restaurant, but the people dining away immediately know something is not right.
That rain of sparks is also crazy.
This is a serious safety risk. What a crazy video

Apparently it has happened before in some races in the past, like monaco, canada? baku?.
However in the current ruleset, the cars generate way more suction under the floor than in the last few rulesets from the past decades, so maybe they underestimated it.

[M5Rick]

What news from LV to wake up to, that age old drain problem that was present at Dallas and Montreal all those years ago.
Hope the LV council can sort it with the cement.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Sainz damage was extensive. Also new engine and energy cell!

SAI car basically wrecked because of track obstacle, FIA should hopefully allow penalty free replacements for car 55.

[M5Rick]

News in that FP2 will resume in just over an hours time at 10PM UK time for an extended 90 minutes.
https://racingnews365.com/fia-reveal...ice-will-start

[M5Rick]

55 car can be repaired with no penalties applied to any of the components replaced, but it's unlikely that the car will be ready in time for FP2.
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...as-grand-prix/