Hockenheim track

Author
Discussion

robc3303

Original Poster:

277 posts

168 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
Q3 finished now and TF appears to be struggling for grip. With past problems in mind, is the track letting the teams down again despite all the best efforts to prep it?

37chevy

3,280 posts

155 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
I think f1 is letting the teams down, I don't know all the ins and outs, but I'm sure the track crew are doing their best.

This might sound stupid, but why can't they move the nitrolympx to BEFORE the Grand Prix each year to stop then ruining the track?

Burndown

732 posts

165 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
Even if the event could be moved the events reputation may be beyond repair.

Flying Toilet

3,621 posts

210 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
It's reputation was damaged two years ago and it still looks like it's busy.

Last year the F1 was hosted at the Nurburgring so the track was left and was in good shape.

Now Bernies bribed/paid off the German government maybe it will help in the future.

37chevy

3,280 posts

155 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
Flying Toilet said:
It's reputation was damaged two years ago and it still looks like it's busy.

Last year the F1 was hosted at the Nurburgring so the track was left and was in good shape.

Now Bernies bribed/paid off the German government maybe it will help in the future.
Yup,
Looking at the crowd the grandstands are fuller than f1, let's hope things are sorted, it's a great event that deserves a great track and everyone's support

Burndown

732 posts

165 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
Flying Toilet said:
It's reputation was damaged two years ago and it still looks like it's busy.

Last year the F1 was hosted at the Nurburgring so the track was left and was in good shape.

Now Bernies bribed/paid off the German government maybe it will help in the future.
I mean it's reputation with the racers. Most of the spectators are not that bothered about the racing, just smoke and noise.

Flying Toilet

3,621 posts

210 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
I agree, if rumours are true and Bernies money is going to build a new track it may well leave the track alone for future years.

Let's hope they can get back to the 2013 form for everyone's sake.

Burndown

732 posts

165 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
I think the difficulty will be giving assurance that the track will be ok in 2015. For the 2013 event the track had to be relaid because it was so badly damaged by the rubber removal. Can Hockenheim afford to put a new surface down every two years?

jumpingdoghouse

81 posts

195 months

Saturday 9th August 2014
quotequote all
All the pro stock teams have packed up and gone home

quarterpounder

166 posts

205 months

Sunday 10th August 2014
quotequote all
gutted for all the fans, racers & organisers. 1 of the great events of the year, once again ruined. I can't see this event holding another fia round if assurances can't be given

Turn7

23,501 posts

220 months

Monday 11th August 2014
quotequote all
jumpingdoghouse said:
All the pro stock teams have packed up and gone home
Genuine question - why do the PS boys suffer more than others ? PM higher HP and dont seem to suffer as much ?

2lefthands

400 posts

138 months

Monday 11th August 2014
quotequote all
quarterpounder said:
gutted for all the fans, racers & organisers. 1 of the great events of the year, once again ruined. I can't see this event holding another fia round if assurances can't be given
Annual visiting British fan on the way to the airport to come home after attending the entire weekend here, and not gutted at all. Yes, the track was ropey, but it wasn't 2012 ropey! Speaking to a lot of people in the grandstand, yes they wanted faster runs but the action was still there. Not all continental fans are burnout-obsessed drunkards (although to the Swiss guy that coughed at every burnout for 3 days, much to everyone's entertainment, you deserve another beer to whet your whistle!)

Santa Pod could learn a lot about fan entertainment from the event organisers at Hockenheimring. The night show was brilliant as ever and race day was so smoothly run, given the local forecast and the state of the track you may have forgiven them for throwing in the towel at the PM oil down in the final but they scrubbed up and battled on (past what I remember as a very strict curfew??) Good thunderstorm driving back to Speyer within an hour of racing finishing.

All in all, a great event - no better way to celebrate turning 30 on the Saturday than 250+mph Ian King then watching Urs peddle to the finish line in the dark with fireworks going off - bravo to both! Felt for Mark Todd whacking the wall though, your burnouts all weekend had everyone cheering and hope the bent bits are straightened out soon.

Off to book flights for Tierp and buy more aftersun!

robc3303

Original Poster:

277 posts

168 months

Monday 11th August 2014
quotequote all
Turn7 said:
jumpingdoghouse said:
All the pro stock teams have packed up and gone home
Genuine question - why do the PS boys suffer more than others ? PM higher HP and dont seem to suffer as much ?
I'm not an expert but I think it may be downforce? PS relies far more on mechanical grip rather than downforce so track grip is more critical to safety. (I think!)

Burndown

732 posts

165 months

Monday 11th August 2014
quotequote all
I would agree that from a spectators perspective the event would have been great.

Not so sure that's the same if you have spent thousands transporting, maintaining, upgrading and running your race vehicle to be fast and competitive though.

Rat_Fink_67

2,309 posts

205 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
Turn7 said:
Genuine question - why do the PS boys suffer more than others ? PM higher HP and dont seem to suffer as much ?
In broad terms, if you over-rev a Top Methanol, Pro Mod or Top Fuel car you'll go back to the pits with a few broken valve springs and your tail between your legs (there are exceptions of course, such as keeping your foot in way too long etc). With a Pro Stock motor though, they're so highly strung that the majority of the time over-revving it will be terminal...and you don't want to be the guy signing off the cheque for a competitive Pro Stock engine. As mentioned previously, they also generate very little downforce too, and with their relatively light weight and short wheelbase that can be a recipe for disaster on a low grip surface.

MartynJones

45 posts

144 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
Also, most of the pro stock guys get their motors from US engine builders, probably on a rental deal. Not sure how much they're allowed to rebuild themselves. Shipping a motor back and forth is expensive in time and money. Not sure how many spare motors they have. If you'd over revved one in Q1, would you risk your only spare? Especially with limited time before Tierp.

dragracefan

20 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
Its a F#$ing shame !
First Finland and now Hockenheim.
This is FIA Championship racing, you should be expect
the best of the best. Well the racers stepped up thru the years
thats correct. The organisation of the tracks ( mostly big EGO people with
no hart for the sport itself ) should be ashamed !
They tell; there was no time enough, the track is cleaned bla bla bla
We already know the dates for 2015 so there was planty of time to get the job done.
But if you screw up enough there you go, no time left. Well the racers need to adjust their tune up..
said the Hockenheim org. a good racer could do that. And the other are cry babies.
This was told at the drivers meeting. These people dont even know how to start up a car.
Almost the whole top 10 of dragracing in each class stands there. thats more then 500 years
racing experiance ! and the other crybabies ( the mean the prostock guys ) o yeah
for example Jimmy Alund. they tell that he doesnt know how to tune his car ?
The pro stock guys did the good thing, packup and left for home.
Shame to the FIA also, they do nothing !
how many inspectors do you think goes over a track before a F1 race will be done !
No inspection needed for the drag racers, they need to adjust their tuneup...
I am pissed that our beloved sport is directed by EGOS that dont know sh#t.

robc3303

Original Poster:

277 posts

168 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
"Anyway, in less than two weeks it's off to Tierp Arena in Sweden. We love Tierp and can't wait to get there again. After Alastaro and Hockenheim, it's finally time to race on a real drag racing track."
Anderson Racing on FB today.

Turn7

23,501 posts

220 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
Rat_Fink_67 said:
Turn7 said:
Genuine question - why do the PS boys suffer more than others ? PM higher HP and dont seem to suffer as much ?
In broad terms, if you over-rev a Top Methanol, Pro Mod or Top Fuel car you'll go back to the pits with a few broken valve springs and your tail between your legs (there are exceptions of course, such as keeping your foot in way too long etc). With a Pro Stock motor though, they're so highly strung that the majority of the time over-revving it will be terminal...and you don't want to be the guy signing off the cheque for a competitive Pro Stock engine. As mentioned previously, they also generate very little downforce too, and with their relatively light weight and short wheelbase that can be a recipe for disaster on a low grip surface.
Thanks Lee and others. Im pretty aware of the rumoured numbers for a PS motor, so I can undertsnad not wanting to break one!

crikey

1,700 posts

210 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
dragracefan said:
Its a F#$ing shame !
First Finland and now Hockenheim.
This is FIA Championship racing, you should be expect
the best of the best. Well the racers stepped up thru the years
thats correct. The organisation of the tracks ( mostly big EGO people with
no hart for the sport itself ) should be ashamed !
They tell; there was no time enough, the track is cleaned bla bla bla
We already know the dates for 2015 so there was planty of time to get the job done.
But if you screw up enough there you go, no time left. Well the racers need to adjust their tune up..
said the Hockenheim org. a good racer could do that. And the other are cry babies.
This was told at the drivers meeting. These people dont even know how to start up a car.
Almost the whole top 10 of dragracing in each class stands there. thats more then 500 years
racing experiance ! and the other crybabies ( the mean the prostock guys ) o yeah
for example Jimmy Alund. they tell that he doesnt know how to tune his car ?
The pro stock guys did the good thing, packup and left for home.
Shame to the FIA also, they do nothing !
how many inspectors do you think goes over a track before a F1 race will be done !
No inspection needed for the drag racers, they need to adjust their tuneup...
I am pissed that our beloved sport is directed by EGOS that dont know sh#t.
Please pay more attention in lessons.