The 2014 United States Grand Prix

[MBKF1 91]

F1 is back in the USA at Austin, Texas, and F1 is back after a 3 week break since the last round in Russia. It's the third race to be held at the Circuit of the Americas and since the last race in Sochi, two teams have gone bust, and it's at this point I realise I can't be bothered to write much more of a race preview, so I'll hand it over to you lot.

[VetteIfan 0]

There's only 3 or 4 tracks I like more on the calendar than Austin. Brilliant place, would really love to go there for a race one year.

With Bianchi's crash, the fluctuating driver market and the administration of Caterham and Marrusia it feels like a lot of the focus has been off the racing recently. I'd like to hope this weekend that can be put right. For the sake of the championship Rosberg could really do with winning this weekend. But his track record at COTA is pretty bad. 

According to Renault though this is one of the toughest races of the year for power units due to the heat, high speed and the sudden altitude change at turn 1 which messes the turbo up big time. So expect a few retirements. 

[f1since08 60]

VetteIfan said:

There's only 3 or 4 tracks I like more on the calendar than Austin. Brilliant place, would really love to go there for a race one year.

With Bianchi's crash, the fluctuating driver market and the administration of Caterham and Marrusia it feels like a lot of the focus has been off the racing recently. I'd like to hope this weekend that can be put right. For the sake of the championship Rosberg could really do with winning this weekend. But his track record at COTA is pretty bad. 

According to Renault though this is one of the toughest races of the year for power units due to the heat, high speed and the sudden altitude change at turn 1 which messes the turbo up big time. So expect a few retirements. 

We've lost enough already...

[JensonBottom 1]

I personally think Austin is an awful track. No soul and all the wide apex entry corners are really awkward to drive on. From a spectators point of view its not so bad though.

[VetteIfan 0]

JensonBottom said:

I personally think Austin is an awful track. No soul and all the wide apex entry corners are really awkward to drive on. From a spectators point of view its not so bad though.

I'm assuming with the soul comment you mean about how Austin has replicated parts of the track from other circuits. All the newer tracks nowadays tend contain loads of boring and uninteresting corners, so I'd rather this circuit have copied epic bits of other track than face that usual criticism. It's made a brilliant circuit in my view, plus Austin has still got it's own party piece in turn 1. 

To add to the topic of "soul" as well though I'd personally say it makes up for itself in that by being one of the most unique races on the calendar in terms of surroundings and culture. 

[JensonBottom 1]

VetteIfan said:

JensonBottom said:

I personally think Austin is an awful track. No soul and all the wide apex entry corners are really awkward to drive on. From a spectators point of view its not so bad though.

I'm assuming with the soul comment you mean about how Austin has replicated parts of the track from other circuits. All the newer tracks nowadays tend contain loads of boring and uninteresting corners, so I'd rather this circuit have copied epic bits of other track than face that usual criticism. It's made a brilliant circuit in my view, plus Austin has still got it's own party piece in turn 1. 

To add to the topic of "soul" as well though I'd personally say it makes up for itself in that by being one of the most unique races on the calendar in terms of surroundings and culture. 

Fair enough, from a spectators point of view it is a good watch as seen by the previous seasons but my experience of driving on it in iRacing has kind of scarred me a little from liking it as weird as it sounds.  :s

[GoldenColt 1]

You sure it's not just because that's the only circuit you haven't won a league race on any CM F1 game, Tom? :p

[sjsharp2010 225]

fIsince08 said:

VetteIfan said:

There's only 3 or 4 tracks I like more on the calendar than Austin. Brilliant place, would really love to go there for a race one year.

With Bianchi's crash, the fluctuating driver market and the administration of Caterham and Marrusia it feels like a lot of the focus has been off the racing recently. I'd like to hope this weekend that can be put right. For the sake of the championship Rosberg could really do with winning this weekend. But his track record at COTA is pretty bad. 

According to Renault though this is one of the toughest races of the year for power units due to the heat, high speed and the sudden altitude change at turn 1 which messes the turbo up big time. So expect a few retirements. 

We've lost enough already...

Agreed I think they've pretty much got a handle on these new systems now and they'll have been prepared for this type of track anyway so I don't think we'll lose too many 1 or 2 of the Renault teams may struggle but I'd imagine the rest will be fine.

[Tommig1995 0]

Austin is one of the better Tilke tracks, but still nothing on the traditionals... 

[onetwothree 0]

You haven't included the year dammit.

[MBKF1 91]

onetwothree said:

You haven't included the year dammit.

I've changed it just for you :)

[couger1981 89]

Looks like Vettel is set to miss qualifying and start from pitlane if they change the engine, it would be his 6th.

[f1since08 60]

Christian Horner says Vettel is going to take part.

[GoldenColt 1]

FIA made sure RB's attempt to show how stupid that 5 engine-rule is was blown up before it even started.

RB are right about the rule being stupid, but as long as Sebastian is with the team I just LOL every time one of their plans goes wrong.

[f1since08 60]

You know, that's not a bad idea... :p 
https://twitter.com/tiff_tv/status/528220787162247168

[GoldenColt 1]

Yeah, but then Nico would never get the chance to catch up with Lewis in terms of DNF's.

That's not fair! :p

[f1since08 60]

[MBKF1 91]

fIsince08 said:

Oh god no, what will they give them, a 200 euro fine?

[SamuelTrautman 0]

did you see the new hybrid camera fom are using in free practice 2, mixture of normal picture and the thermal camera only on the tyres,,looks awesome

[f1since08 60]

I like the VSC.

[SamuelTrautman 0]

I don't understand why its done on the whole track and not just at the yellow flag zone, was that not the whole point? and if it is on the whole track why not send out the real safety car instead of a virtual one?

[garyjpaterson 0]

SamuelTrautman said:

I don't understand why its done on the whole track and not just at the yellow flag zone, was that not the whole point? and if it is on the whole track why not send out the real safety car instead of a virtual one?

In a real VSC situation, maybe it will just be certain sectors. And i think the advantage of the virtual safety car is that the back markers are going at the set pace instead of race pace trying to catch up with the safety car up front. It means the race is neutralised, no one makes up time or loses it, relative to each other.

[SamuelTrautman 0]

garyjpaterson said:

SamuelTrautman said:

I don't understand why its done on the whole track and not just at the yellow flag zone, was that not the whole point? and if it is on the whole track why not send out the real safety car instead of a virtual one?

In a real VSC situation, maybe it will just be certain sectors. And i think the advantage of the virtual safety car is that the back markers are going at the set pace instead of race pace trying to catch up with the safety car up front. It means the race is neutralised, no one makes up time or loses it, relative to each other.

I understand what you are saying but wasn't the whole point of it to get drivers to slow under double waved yellows? under safety car you drive to a delta time provided by fia so they should not be going at race speeds anyway unless they have been told to overtake the safety car if they are lapped and that only happens when the threat is neutralised. its just really confusing. why not just use common sense and pull a safety car when its needed, maybe that should be the thing that changes. a clarification from fia over when a safety car should be deployed and not just leave it to the discretion of the race director, who I must say imo over the last few years has made some terrible decisions regarding the safety car. I remember not long ago there was a car break down right next to the pit lane (think it was that car that had a lil explosion nick heifeld I think) in hungary and decided it was ok to put a tow truck onto the pitlane/track to tow the car back into the pit while the race and pitlane was still live, if I remember right Vettel almost hit it and had to swerve, he was shocked it was there as there was no warning.

[Britpoint 4]

There are two things the VSC gets you over a Safety Car:

1) Safety Car 'Delta' times are faster than the Safety Car can drive. This is why pack always catches the Safety Car, even when they're not doing racing speeds. Because cars won't be catching an SLS and slowing down even more under a VSC, they will maintain their gaps to each other. So the VSC only neutralises the race, where a full Safety Car bunches the pack together.

2) Time. It takes time to deploy the Safety Car, pick up the leader, bunch up the pack, let lapped cars unlap themselves, and then bring the Safety Car in. By taking the SLS out of the equation, you can save *multiple* laps and have significantly more green flag racing. 

[onetwothree 0]

I'd just like to say props to the person who decided to move the race start time. I can actually have a good night's sleep for once.