Cars and other kinds of motoring gibberish

Season 2009 - India look set to host a Formula One race for the first time in New Delhi in 2009, after recieving a conditional offer from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Suresh Kalmadi, president of the Indian Olympic Association, confirmed that a deal to stage a race had been successfully agreed with Bernie Ecclestone, although a contract was still not signed.

Kalmadi said: "We have received a letter in this regard from Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One.

"The IOA will be the promoter, the first event of which will be held in 2009."

"We are planning to hold the race around New Delhi and we are looking to identify suitable land for a track, and once we move ahead a full contract will be signed.

India will have to satisfy a number of conditions stipulated by Ecclestone's Formula One Administration (FOA) including various commercial and additional fundung deals in order for the race to become a reality.

Narain Karthikeyan became India's first Formula One driver in 2005 with Jordan, and the country attempted to cash in by staging a race in Hyderabad. Those plans came to nothing though.



bernie's bank account swells even further! :hehe:

Yow, how are the driver and the cars going to handle the brutal heat and humidity in India during a race? :sweat:

bmwracer wrote:Yow, how are the driver and the cars going to handle the brutal heat and humidity in India during a race? :sweat:

that's a very good point. i'm sure the authorities will look at a particular time of year when it's cooler and/or look at racing at night which also has the benefit of allowing the european fans to watch the racing at a decent hour.

kenjilina wrote: that's a very good point. i'm sure the authorities will look at a particular time of year when it's cooler and/or look at racing at night which also has the benefit of allowing the european fans to watch the racing at a decent hour.

But F1 cars aren't like Le Mans cars: no headlights. :sweat:

bmwracer wrote:
But F1 cars aren't like Le Mans cars: no headlights. :sweat:

they're looking into making next year's singapore gp a night race. i guess it'll be done under floodlights. it'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

kenjilina wrote:

they're looking into making next year's singapore gp a night race. i guess it'll be done under floodlights. it'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

Champ Cars have run races at night a couple different times. You're right, they have these mega-floodlights, it's actually kind of cool looking. [/list:u]

kenjilina wrote:it'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

A lot of accidents. :beaten: :sweat:

[image][/list:u] This is from the night Champ Car race in Cleveland a couple years ago, it actually looks pretty cool on TV.

gaijinmark wrote:[image][/list:u] This is from the night Champ Car race in Cleveland a couple years ago, it actually looks pretty cool on TV.

Hmm, looks a little dark... :sweat:

F1 moved a step closer to staging night races on Thursday when a lighting system was tested under dark skies on the Indianapolis road circuit.


The governing body set up temporary lighting structures in the first few corners of the grand prix layout while the Mercedes-Benz and medical cars circulated without their headlights on for about half an hour from 9.30pm.


Camera footage from the action will now be reviewed, as will the feedback from the FIA's drivers, who were instructed to watch out for things like marshals who randomly waved different coloured flags.


This feedback has not yet been publicised, but it should be noted that some still photography of the night race test was unusable because of the poor light.



testing has begun. :mrgreen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAwJsOECGBU&mode=related&search=

a ride with ayrton. :applaud:

kenjilina wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAwJsOECGBU&mode=related&search=

a ride with ayrton. :applaud:

Sweet.

Didn't look like the RHD bothered him much... I'd go bonkers trying to shify with my left hand. :sweat:


Man, I miss that guy. :puppydog:

bmwracer wrote: I'd go bonkers trying to shify with my left hand. :sweat:

for me, when i drive a left hooker the car feels really wide as i'm not used to having space to my right. :mrgreen:

kenjilina wrote: for me, when i drive a left hooker the car feels really wide as i'm not used to having space to my right. :mrgreen:

I suppose I'd feel that same in a RHD car... Don't see many of those around these parts... :)

Britain's Lewis Hamilton has played down his chances of becoming Formula One's first rookie world champion, despite an extraordinary start to his career.


The 22-year-old McLaren driver won his second race in a row in the United States to increase his championship lead to ten points over his Spanish team-mate Fernando Alonso and has finished on the podium in every one of his seven races.

But with over half the season still to go, including an intensive four races in five weeks in September and October, he is keeping his expectations in check.

"Yes, we're seven races into the championship, I have to be smart and realise that I'm running at the front and there is a possibility of winning the championship," Hamilton said.

"But I still think it's far, far too early to even think about it or get any hopes up."

"Anything can happen during the season, I just have to try and remain consistent and try to keep on winning.

"But, you know, as many points from each race is good for the team and also for me. So I'm sure that's what me and Fernando are going to try to do."



surely nino farina who was f1's first champion in 1950 is also technically a rookie champion? :headscratch:
anyway, well done lewis. :applaud:

kenjilina wrote:surely nino farina who was f1's first champion in 1950 is also technically a rookie champion? :headscratch:

Touche. :hehe:

You forgot to mention that Sebastian Vettel was the youngest F1 driver (19 years old) ever to score championship points (1, 8th place) for BMW-Sauber... :)

In other news, Audi wins Le Mans for a fourth straight year, sixth in seven years, with their diesel-powered R10....

Beem, I drove past a BMW dealership during my weekend trip... they had a 1-series in the showroom :)

Anime Dad wrote:Beem, I drove past a BMW dealership during my weekend trip... they had a 1-series in the showroom :)

Probably the hatchback... That'll never see the light of day in America.

:grumble:

Why not?

And yes, it was the hatch. Looked quite nice :)

Anime Dad wrote:Why not?

And yes, it was the hatch. Looked quite nice :)

As I mentioned earlier, Americans apparently don't want to spend $25K+ on a BMW with a hatch... :shakehead:

I think it's more lousy marketing by BMW NA... They're catering too much to the luxury crowd and not the driving crowd that was their foundation.