Reply to: Serious debate - Mr Hamilton

[Doggy Styles]

Got up to 5th on Sunday - although then pushed back down to 7th because of the weird way they worked out the final positions.

He is a good driver, certainly one of the best. But unfortunately, it's a case of 80-90% the mechanics and the rest the driver.

And he did that on the wrong tyres after the rain started - intermediates when he should have been on full wets (or it might have been vice versa)

He is definitely one of the best, you don't have to like him to appreciate that.

Another thing is that Honda wrote off last year to start developing this year's car, which gave them a bit of a head start.

[centurian]

When it comes to Hamilton being a no hoper at the moment due to his car didn't he make it from last on the grid to 3rd/4th in Australia? This tends to imply he has talent or his car is at least capable of beating most of the rest on the grid with the current designs.

Got up to 5th on Sunday - although then pushed back down to 7th because of the weird way they worked out the final positions.

He is a good driver, certainly one of the best. But unfortunately, it's a case of 80-90% the mechanics and the rest the driver.

[minestrone]

I would think the term diffuser means that it is meant to produce linear flow behind the car thus reducing the drag coefficient. I dunno though. don't think it is for down force.

Apart from the fans and skirting they used to have I don't know of any aerodynamic design feature that has been banned, they only banned that because it could malfunction and then the driver could be fecked if he was not aware and went round a corner at full speed. I doubt a diffuser as a solid bit of plastic could fail.

EDIT: OK, read about it, makes the air behind the car more linear thus helping downforce by the spoliers.

I did hate thermo and fluid dynamics though.

[TykeMerc]

Why can't Ferrari just make their own diffuser? I mean they cannot be that hard to make, and what is their actual advantage and the reason why they are (probably) getting banned?

I have an honours degree in Mech Eng so know my way around Bernoulli's principle but why the diffuser and not the spoiler?

I do agree that the race was actually interesting, not watched a race in years but stuck it on and kind of enjoyed it.

I'm not a Mechanical Engineer, my discipline is Electronics, but I believe that it's a floor pan design that provides downforce. I assume it's in the form of an inverted aerofoil that grants the opposite of lift by the air passing under the car. Downforce = grip = faster cornering and better response to accelleration and braking.

No doubt if the controversial diffuser designs are allowed all of the teams will perform a fairly rapid design (if they haven't already got one) and retrofit to compete.

When it comes to Hamilton being a no hoper at the moment due to his car didn't he make it from last on the grid to 3rd/4th in Australia? This tends to imply he has talent or his car is at least capable of beating most of the rest on the grid with the current designs.

[minestrone]

Why can't Ferrari just make their own diffuser? I mean they cannot be that hard to make, and what is their actual advantage and the reason why they are (probably) getting banned?

I have an honours degree in Mech Eng so know my way around Bernoulli's principle but why the diffuser and not the spoiler?

I do agree that the race was actually interesting, not watched a race in years but stuck it on and kind of enjoyed it.

[PayMatters]

It seems very vague what Hamilton is supposed to have lied about?

Terrible PR if he did when most of his earnings are based in sponsors being linked to his image?

He's supposed to have a release clause in his contract if the team tarnish his name. Probably like a footballer looking for a move to a better team!

I actually really wanted him to win the last 2 years but have always liked Button and hope it's his year.

[TykeMerc]

I went off it as soon as it became obvious it was being run for the benefit of Ferrari. These diffusers will be banned - Ferrari don't have one.

The only thing that is interesting is qualification.

Fair point.

[PM-Junkie]

I went off F1 some years ago as it was far too processional, at least things appear quite a lot more interesting these days.

I went off it as soon as it became obvious it was being run for the benefit of Ferrari. These diffusers will be banned - Ferrari don't have one.

The only thing that is interesting is qualification.

[DaveB]

I get the impression that as soon as the debate over the diffuser is resolved the likes of Maclaren and Ferrari will implement similar ones to those used by Brawn or Brawn will be forced to change theirs.
According to various press articles it's quite a significant improvement to the downforce and grip.

I went off F1 some years ago as it was far too processional, at least things appear quite a lot more interesting these days.

There is more to it than that. Hamilton was struggling to stay on the track even when it was dry.

The only time he looked competetive was in a straight line using the KERS system. He struggled to keep up with the Red Bull Renault anyway and Weber consistently out braked and out accelerated him in the corners. The Red Bull team don't have the diffusers either.

Getting a new diffuser is not going to make that much of a difference

[Swiss Tony]

However, just read on the F1 live site that Ralf Schumacher stated that this kind of thing had been going on for years and drivers just do what the team tells them and he probably would have done the same as Hamilton.

Coulthard has said much the same on the BBC site

[ASB]

Yes, but I guess they weren't punished (for lying) that time. Perhaps the fact that they were able to get away with it time and time again, caused them to take greater and greater risks - until they told such a whopper, that the stewards were able to nail them for it.

However, just read on the F1 live site that Ralf Schumacher stated that this kind of thing had been going on for years and drivers just do what the team tells them and he probably would have done the same as Hamilton.

I must admit I would like to know exactly the question asked and exactly the answer. The team argument was the assumption that they were referring to the last instruction (very thin I know). It's probably a bit like Clintons "I did not have sex with that women". In terms of the question he was asked this was in fact a true answer. Though I think the question defining sex didn't include fellatio or playing with a cigar.

[TykeMerc]

Hamilton is irrelavent this year. His car is so far behind in performance that no matter how good a driver he is he is not going to repeat last years performance.

I get the impression that as soon as the debate over the diffuser is resolved the likes of Maclaren and Ferrari will implement similar ones to those used by Brawn or Brawn will be forced to change theirs.
According to various press articles it's quite a significant improvement to the downforce and grip.

I went off F1 some years ago as it was far too processional, at least things appear quite a lot more interesting these days.

[centurian]

Alonso, Hungary, 2007 ?

http://www.motorsport.co.uk/formula-...rss85452.shtml

Yes, but I guess they weren't punished (for lying) that time. Perhaps the fact that they were able to get away with it time and time again, caused them to take greater and greater risks - until they told such a whopper, that the stewards were able to nail them for it.

However, just read on the F1 live site that Ralf Schumacher stated that this kind of thing had been going on for years and drivers just do what the team tells them and he probably would have done the same as Hamilton.

[ASB]

At the back of my mind, I can't help but wonder if this is just the first time McLaren have been caught lying.

Alonso, Hungary, 2007 ?

http://www.motorsport.co.uk/formula-...rss85452.shtml

[centurian]

When they played back the radio footage he was being careful to avoid doing wrong while also keen to avoid giving away points.

And's that's the crazy irony over it all. He should have been on the podium. 3rd place was rightfully his.

Cock-up 1 was letting Trulli back through. He didn't need to yeild the place back, but McLaren were so paranoid over penalties from last season.

But that was nothing compared to cock-up number 2, which was then to lie to the stewards to get Trulli disqualified.

So the f-wits managed to turn a podium (from the back of the grid) into a disqualification

I don't think any malice was intended... remember Hamilton is still a kid directed by these experienced big-wigs.

He's 24 and a world champion, so should be able to rise well above the team intimidation stage by now.

If he truly had any balls or morals, he would have stood up to Ryan and it does make you wonder just how much he was "pressured" into it anyway.

At the back of my mind, I can't help but wonder if this is just the first time McLaren have been caught lying.

If they want to punish further, I'd suggest they penalise the team's manufacturer's points rather than Hamilton himself.

I think that's what will happen, but if Hamilton were to receive extra punishment, I wouldn't exactly feel any pity for him.

I've been a fan of Hamilton ever since he hit the F1 scene, but he and McLaren deserve everything they get for this.