Formula 1 - F1 - Current Season Discussion

sugarbutch said:

CoTA looks pretty good. The facility isn't really finished, although you'd never know from the boosterish coverage. We used the shuttle from downtown, and it was relatively painless. They have an extraordinary number of coaches pressed into service. Almost three blocks, double-file, lined up to take folks to the track, and that's just one of the shuttle locations. Once you get there, however, it's readily apparent that driving yourself would be folly. Tiny roads.
Turn 1 is sadistic! They're hard on the brakes, and then the hill starts to crest in the middle of the braking zone, so they have to let up on the pedal or lock up. I think everyone went wide at least once in FP2. We'll definitely be there for the start tomorrow.

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Ferrari's Felipe Massa will get a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's United States Grand Prix, promoting team-mate Fernando Alonso to seventh.
Ferrari deliberately broke the seal on Massa's gearbox, to elevate Alonso.

The ruling means Alonso - battling for the title with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who starts from pole - will be on the clean side of the grid.
Engineers believe that those on the dirty, even-numbered, side of the grid will lose two positions at the start.

The new Circuit of the Americas is very slippery off the racing line. Massa did a practice start from the even-numbered side of the grid on Saturday after qualifying and said there was less grip than would be in wet conditions.

"The decision has been taken [to break the seal on Massa's car] to maximise the position for Fernando," said Ferrari's head of press Luca Colajanni.

If Vettel wins, Alonso needs to finish at least fourth to keep the championship alive. If Vettel is second, Alonso must be eighth or better to stay in the hunt. If Vettel is third, Alonso must be in the top 10.
Massa will drop from sixth to 11th on the grid.

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Infrasonic said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20386671
Can see a rule change to close that loop hole next year...

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fwiffo said:

Massa again - I think a few pages back I said he was the one under team orders to slow down. Conniving. What happened to Mercedes? Rosberg had to use an older spec car and tire issues again for both drivers? I hope Hamilton is seeing where this is going.

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