Felipe Massa says Eau Rouge now easy

[Scuffers]

and I can't disagree with him...

it used to be a challenge, it's a non-event now...

I bet it's even slower next year...

(from here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/109385...

[GadgeS3C]

I'm a bit puzzled - Massa says modern F1 cars are so good Eau Rouge is no longer a challenge - not that the corner's slower?

Did I miss something?

Edited by GadgeS3C on Wednesday 28th August 07:31

[FunkyNige]

Brundle said the same on commentary a few years back, said he was disappointed that Eau Rouge was an easy flat now.

[AFC1886]

And yet yesterday he was saying that it wasn't 'easy flat' and that everyone except the Redbull's were lifting?

[Scuffers]

AFC1886 said:

And yet yesterday he was saying that it wasn't 'easy flat' and that everyone except the Redbull's were lifting?

Probably scared their tyres will explode.....

[Redlake27]

The incline and visibility makes Eau Rouge look more daunting than it is. Once you have learnt the corner it is an easier one than Pouhon.

[entropy]

The cars are so good in teh past decade. The aero is better - the diffuser would stall when the car bottoms out which was why JV failed to take it flat out in the late 90s.

[Life Saab Itch]

It's been flat for years. they were taking it flat with reduced aeronautical.for the f-duct a few years ago.

it ceased to be an event a while ago, it's now an overtaking spot.

[Ahonen]

Redlake27 said:

The incline and visibility makes Eau Rouge look more daunting than it is. Once you have learnt the corner it is an easier one than Pouhon.

An interesting comment. It would be good to see some of your data to see just how easy you find it - or to put a Pro in your car. I've worked with a lot of drivers in relatively low downforce, yet highish power, cars (GT2/GT3/Silhouettes) around Spa and only the very best can hit Raidillon hard every lap.

[davepoth]

Gary Anderson was mumbling about it on Friday. A few years back when a lot of the downforce was coming from the clever diffusers, the amount of downforce changed quite a lot as the ride height altered due to the change in vertical G force. Now that the floor doesn't do so much of the work the downforce levels are more static (but still high) which makes the car a lot more predictable. Added to that the gradual effect of making the runoff bigger and straightening it out, and you've got a corner that's not really much of a corner any more in the dry.

It'll still be proper scary in the wet I imagine, and in any car that's less grippy than an F1 car.

[Asterix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0

Always good to post this up.

[Scuffers]

Asterix said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0

Always good to post this up.

why?

F1 vs. some trackday?

at last pick something like FIA GT footage...

[VladD]

Scuffers said:

Asterix said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0

Always good to post this up.

why?

F1 vs. some trackday?

at last pick something like FIA GT footage...

I think that's interesting footage. Most of us have driven fast road cars, so to see the speed of some decent road cars against F1 is a nice comparison. It makes you realise how mind bendingly fast the F1 cars really are going through there.

[thiscocks]

T'was possible to take flat in the early 90s with qualifying tyres (and a decent car) but not in the race. I think in last weeks race they were flat even on full tanks, but obviously not as comfortable as in qualifying (Ham was a bit ragged through there on lap one!).

The fact that it has been surrounded by a couple of carparks of tarmac space(barriers moved back) also make it less of an event as if you make a mistake you hardly loose any time let alone end your race.

Edited by thiscocks on Tuesday 27th August 14:40

[Allyc85]

Eau Rouge/radillon is easy flat eh?

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=6601288806...

Tell Fred Alonso that.

[Graham]

Ahonen said:

Redlake27 said:

The incline and visibility makes Eau Rouge look more daunting than it is. Once you have learnt the corner it is an easier one than Pouhon.

An interesting comment. It would be good to see some of your data to see just how easy you find it - or to put a Pro in your car. I've worked with a lot of drivers in relatively low downforce, yet highish power, cars (GT2/GT3/Silhouettes) around Spa and only the very best can hit Raidillon hard every lap.

I've only got a couple of laps through Eau Rouge really on it, and that wasnt flat, the tuscan was moving around a fair bit coming through Radillion, with plenty of opportunity for a barrier interface... still fairly challenging I'd say

[Rude-boy]

I've walked up Eau Rouge on the track and the thought of pushing a GT3 up there at full tilt is enough to remind me why I have never re-mortgage the house to fund a few years in Caterhams to find a chap with a larger wallet who wants a safe pair of hands to co drive and buy the odd set of tyres!

[Luffehamp]

Allyc85 said:

Eau Rouge/radillon is easy flat eh?

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=6601288806...

Tell Fred Alonso that.

To quote Sniff Petrol

"The speed with which an F1 driver, even Massa, instinctively applies a dab of oppo is genuinely impressive."