Official 2014 Japanese Grand Prix Thread #ForzaJules

2014 Japanese Grand Prix

As with Montrunreal, I've done this one by hand. I've upgraded to Photoshop and bought a Wacom Intuos tablet especially.



Previous Winners

2004 - Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)

2005 - Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren Mercedes)

2006 - Fernando Alonso (Renault)

2007 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) (Held at Fuji Speedway)

2008 - Fernando Alonso (Renault) (Held at Fuji Speedway)

2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault)

2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault)

2011 - Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes)

2012 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault)

2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault)



Thanks to Ed for the thread title inspiration copy & paste.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2014 07:44PM by gav.

Even before I opened this I was impressed by the title. You're like the Carlos Reutemann of the sarcastic posters, every so often you spring a quality surprise, and this was filthy. :D

So, um, yeah, Suzuka.

Hopefully the typhoon will stay away. I remember 10 years ago when one screwed up quali, they seem to have been an increasing problem in recent years. It would bring a whole new meaning to turbulence!

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LOL, I've just realised how big the image was. Was obviously zoomed way out and hadn't realised when I made it and my webspace is blocked at work (unrecognised site... go Northumberland County Council) so when I posted the thread the image didn't appear. I've resized it now. Whoops.

I'd love a fully wet race but a typhoon? I don't think it's convenient to host a race when the wind is faster than the cars

Still, I think Mr. E is crazy enough to carry on. Things are scheduled, like flights and stuff. AFAIK, as per the book, a race can be cancelled if the rescue chopper can't land in the track. But we saw Fuji 2007, and I really don't think it could've landed if something bad had happened.

So uh... since we're in for some insanity... Kamui for the win!



Stats: 139 Starts / 7 Wins / 9 Poles / 5 Fastest laps

gav Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LOL, I've just realised how big the image was.
> Was obviously zoomed way out and hadn't realised
> when I made it and my webspace is blocked at work
> (unrecognised site... go Northumberland County
> Council) so when I posted the thread the image
> didn't appear. I've resized it now. Whoops.

I still love the little chicane that looks like a pre-92 Ostkurve or that squiggle in the track at Imola after Variente Alte which was straightened out for the 1986 race. I'd like to see one like that for real(Preferably at one of the Tilke tracks, which need it most). Fruity.

And yep, Fuji 2007 is a good point. I remember watching that one and thinking it might end up as literally a chess game behind the SC for the whole distance.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2014 10:23PM by EC83.

Sebastian Vettel is set to leave RBR at the end of the season, Daniil Kvyat gets promoted and this world has officially gone to bloody hell

Went nuts at the news just because it was so unthinkable to me. I had compared Vettel and Red Bull with Clark and Lotus just three days earlier! Goodness me...



Stats: 139 Starts / 7 Wins / 9 Poles / 5 Fastest laps

Does this mean Vergne gets to keep his seat then?

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or Carlos Sainz Jr getting there

now i get what alonso said a couple of days ago, that he "will do the best for Ferrari". I guess that he was waiting to know what was Vettel going to do





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2014 04:39AM by Frantic.

Carlitox Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sebastian Vettel is set to leave RBR at the end of
> the season, Daniil Kvyat gets promoted and this
> world has officially gone to bloody hell
>
> Went nuts at the news just because it was so
> unthinkable to me. I had compared Vettel and Red
> Bull with Clark and Lotus just three days earlier!
> Goodness me...


I had likend the Vettel - Newey - Renault combination with Clark - Chapman - Ford sometime ago.

The timing of this announcement is slightly surprising and it looks like Red Bull were slightly taken aback too but they've been quick to simply promote Kyvat. It shows the ruthlessness of the programme because I think Vergne would have been worthy of a shot in the RBR. I doubt he'll be redrafted back into STR though as he said himself, he's too old for the junior team now. Logically Sainz should be favourite to take Kyvat'a seat but I half suspect that Marko will manage to pluck someone straight out of karting

I'm not surprised that Vettel has chosen to look for a new challenge and a opportunity to create a new dream team because the era of his four titles is over now. Newey is stepping back to a hands off role and Renault have fallen behind Mercedes. It's time for a new start. Although it's slightly dissapointing not to see him dig deep and rise to the challenge of Ricciardo. But I sense he's trying to do a Schumacher with the challenge of being the catalyst of taking another team back to championship form.

J i m schrieb:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But I sense he's
> trying to do a Schumacher with the challenge of
> being the catalyst of taking another team back to
> championship form.


+1, the situation has a bit of a 1995 feel to it

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

Weather forecast is for heavy rain and wind on race morning, but a calmer period with much lighter rain during the race time itself. Seems like the really heavy stuff won't hit till Sunday night.

So it looks like we might just get away with the race itself at least. The packing up afterwards will be fun though!

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Under modern F1 standars I doubt a normal start will be possible. But I'm praying hard for some proper rain racing.



Stats: 139 Starts / 7 Wins / 9 Poles / 5 Fastest laps

The way the forecast looks, we might end up with another race like 94.

Which, these days, probably wouldn't have been started till much later in the day. LOL.

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Start behind the Safety Car. So, just thinking, what would happen in 2015, if they start behind the SC?

Red flag. Looks to be a boring episode. The two hour clock is running and there is no relief from the rain in sight. I predict half points will be awarded.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

So this race shows everything that is wrong with F1...
Dry Tyres for dry conditions,
Inter for wet conditions,
Heavy wet for Safety Car.

Are you serious, Charlie?
Nigel Mansell said (german commentator said he did) that we have the best drivers in the world piloting these cars. They should adapt to these situations. That statement is most certainly true. It's NOT fun to have the situation described above.

Not seen a race so dictated by tyre wear on wets for a while. Fascinating 20 laps or so after the SC went in.

Hope Bianchi is OK

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The way the marshalls moved was very worrying. Hope it is not as serious as it looks.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Quote
EC83
The way the forecast looks, we might end up with another race like 94.

Sadly in more ways than you could ever have known.

BBC took an age to realise that Bianchi was involved. They'd been stopped in the pitlane for 5 minutes before they'd realised. Thought it was pretty clear when the marshalls were signalling and Bianchi was dropping down the order. Frankly I'm surprised Charlie didn't order the safety car after Sutil went off.

Bianchi is unconcious and on his way to hospital by police escort.

Reports are that Bianchi was not conscious when they extracted him from the car, and that he was not dispatched from the track by helicopter. I have no idea why. I have seen some pictures of the accident. I am very sad to say this, but Bianchi will be very lucky if he gets away from this with a severe concussion. The point of impact on the recovery vehicle is pretty much as bad as it gets.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.