The Official 2009 Japanese Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

So anyone getting up at 2am to watch Practice? I mostly likely will not be getting up but will definately get up for Practice 2 around 6am GMT

Who's gonna wake up at such a stupid time to watch something as unspectacular as practise? I'd rather wake up to watch infomercials

Well you do that

Whats that picture in reference of? I saw the picture, and the service road on the inside of turn one. I can't see it being the pit lane though? Theres no exit onto the track from what i can see!

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that's the point, it's where it's always been if you follow the white line on the SF straight from the approach to t1 back toward the start line , the pic is to show the impracticality of extending the pit exit to T1

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2009 12:12AM by tripleM.

Ah sorry yeah, i couldn't see that white line before.

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I'm up at the moment, but not staying up to watch practice. Will watch it again on BBC Red Button later.

You lot have a nice treat from me. I decided to wade through YouTube videos for onboard laps of Suzuka. Came across a nice collection I've put together.

Satoru Nakajima - Lotus Honda, 1988

Alain Prost - McLaren Honda, 1989

Nigel Mansell - Ferrari, 1990

Ukyo Katayama - Tyrrell Yamaha, 1993

Ayrton Senna - McLaren Ford, 1993

Jean Alesi - Ferrari, 1995

Naoki Hattori - Dome Mugen, 1997

Mika Hakkinen - McLaren Mercedes, 1998

Tora Takagi - Arrows Hart, 1999

Michael Schumacher - Ferrari, 2001

Takuma Sato - Jordan Honda, 2002

Michael Schumacher - Ferrari, 2003

Michael Schumacher - Ferrari, 2004

Christijan Albers - Minardi Cosworth, 2005

Michael Schumacher - Ferrari, 2006


Just missing laps from 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2000. 1987 ones probably won't exist cos Nakajima rarely lasted more than a lap!

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Everyone knows that million-to-one chances happen 9 times out of 10; indeed, it's a common requirement in fairy tales. If the human didn't have to overcome huge odds, what would be the point? Terry Pratchett - The Science Of Discworld

GPGSL S5 Race driver for IED.

DaveEllis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> y2cwr2005 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The KERS cars are going to destroy everyone on
> the
> > run up to 130R. That is all.
>
> Not especially. At higher speeds KERS is
> ineffective. The car has already reaching terminal
> velocity. The corner before 130R is relatively
> high speed, so KERS will have minimal effect
> exiting it. KERS will be more effective exiting
> the chicane on the run down to the front
> straight.
>
> KERS is not about top speed or long straights. It
> is about slow corners into decent sized
> acceleration zones. Monza is good because it has a
> whole bunch of slow corners, not because of it's
> high speeds.

Dave's half-right in that respect. KERS here is gonna have most effect off the start line, out of Degner 2, Dunlop hairpin and the chicane. The rest it's an aid to acceleration for 1 or 2 seconds.

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Everyone knows that million-to-one chances happen 9 times out of 10; indeed, it's a common requirement in fairy tales. If the human didn't have to overcome huge odds, what would be the point? Terry Pratchett - The Science Of Discworld

GPGSL S5 Race driver for IED.

Turkey-machine, those vids make sweet viewing! Thanks for that!
I'm heading off to sleep soon too, I've got to be in uni at 11AM. So I'm unlikely to catch any of the practise sessions. Should catch quali though!

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10mins till practice1! anyone else crazy enough to wake up?

Virgins new stickers on the Brawn look horrible.

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F1.com says that Glock isnt running in this session because he´s suffering from a heavy cold and fever and has been advised to rest to allow him to recover ahead of qualifying and the race. Now his car is being driven by Kamui Kobayashi

Current track weather conditions:

Track Temp 22 °C
Air Temp 21 °C
Track is wet
Wind Speed 1.2 mps (3 minutes ago it was 0.9 mps :P)
Humidity 93%
Pressure 1005.5 mBar

Yes, Im pretty bored... and the "#$%&"" Fox Sports dont wanna give me the free practice , i have to use the f1.com live timing, and seeing a black screen with 4697496416987 numbers is... boring :P

Franctic, are you watching Velez's match??

Ah, I've benn watching the practice, check the live stream on rojadirecta.com, now they are showing Imola ¿2006?

matt3454 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm pretty sure that is an error (from Singapore?)
>
>
> I've seen a few phots, none of the track or aerial
> shot, bu they all suggest to me that the pitlane
> exits back onto the main straight.
>
> [images.gpupdate.net]
> [images.gpupdate.net]
>
> for example


Yes, i think it might be an error on the FIA's part - i have also been looking for pictures and can't find anything.

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X (@ed24f1)

Pissy down for FP2. Jaime went out on the full wets and despite it not looking too wet at that point on the track, he still aquaplaned on a river going up to the Degners.

No-one out on track. Should have just turned over rather than getting up. :P

Apparently it is going to rain for Saturday practice as well, but dry for qualifying and the race, so we could get a few surprises on the grid with no dry running.

It could be a big disadvantage for those who haven't been here before as well - in particular Vettel and Hamilton.

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X (@ed24f1)

It's the setups they won't have 100%, vettel n co would have done numerous house in the simulator and old imagine the new Tarmac will offer great grip when dry

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Frantic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> F1.com says that Glock isnt running in this
> session because he´s suffering from a heavy cold
> and fever and has been advised to rest to allow
> him to recover ahead of qualifying and the race.
> Now his car is being driven by Kamui Kobayashi


oh dear. lets hope for the rest of the fields sake glock is back ahead of qualifying.