The Official 2018 French Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**

[Sam993]

Deesee said:

Sam993 said:

Deesee said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I do wish more was made of the engines and their manufactures in the wider sport. More interviews, greater access to the garages for the cameras to actually see one in the open and definitely an engine manufacturers champion and trophy.

The manufactures have put in millions to get these amazing engines to where they are and quite frankly they deserve some recognition.

Sky have done a nice piece with Renault and Mercedes on the engines.

Who did it Teddy? Or Brundie with Crofty?

Can’t remember, enlighten me?

I don't think I'd be asking "who" if I knew it, don't you think? I'm just hoping it was Brundie with Crofty and di Restie was back in the studio with some snazzy straight-out-of-2005 laggy-as-fuuuck high definition 720p flat screen where he could drag some sliders around while Teddy offers some cringe FOC.

[Deesee]

Sam993 said:

Deesee said:

Sam993 said:

Deesee said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I do wish more was made of the engines and their manufactures in the wider sport. More interviews, greater access to the garages for the cameras to actually see one in the open and definitely an engine manufacturers champion and trophy.

The manufactures have put in millions to get these amazing engines to where they are and quite frankly they deserve some recognition.

Sky have done a nice piece with Renault and Mercedes on the engines.

Who did it Teddy? Or Brundie with Crofty?

Can’t remember, enlighten me?

I don't think I'd be asking "who" if I knew it, don't you think? I'm just hoping it was Brundie with Crofty and di Restie was back in the studio with some snazzy straight-out-of-2005 laggy-as-fuuuck high definition 720p flat screen where he could drag some sliders around while Teddy offers some cringe FOC.

Sadly not I'm afraid, it was a feature away from the track and race day and shot on location especially for sky television, the content was from the relative teams R&D departments and factory's, team principles, chief engineers and technicians were all interviewed and from what I remember it was incredibly informative and interesting.

If you really want to know who the presenter is I'd suggest you look it up as sometimes they put content on the net, or perhaps even subscribe.

[Jasandjules]

What will be interesting is which drivers can get to grips with a circuit like this quickly.

[cuprabob]

Jasandjules said:

What will be interesting is which drivers can get to grips with a circuit like this quickly.

I'm sure most of them will have done a good few laps of it in the simulator therefore will hit ground running.

[thegreenhell]

Hamilton tested here for Pirelli last year, so he should have an advantage for FP1 at least. It won't take the others long to get dialled in.

[Deesee]

cuprabob said:

Jasandjules said:

What will be interesting is which drivers can get to grips with a circuit like this quickly.

I'm sure most of them will have done a good few laps of it in the simulator therefore will hit ground running.

Pretty sure they had a tyre test here over the winter, also its been "the" test track for a few years now so id imagine the drivers have an idea of what the circuits like, however not under race conditions.

[anonymous-user]

Have new pit buildings been put up for this one? The ones i used last time there were no where near up to standard for F1.

[Red Firecracker]

jsf said:

Have new pit buildings been put up for this one? The ones i used last time there were no where near up to standard for F1.

The pit buildings are first class, have been for a few years. The Media Centre wasn't, but they've built a new one.

[Sam993]

Red Firecracker said:

The Media Centre wasn't, but they've built a new one.

A brand new building... for the likes of the Brundies and the Crofties and the Teddies of the world. What a fking liberty, FFS!

[anonymous-user]

Red Firecracker said:

The pit buildings are first class, have been for a few years. The Media Centre wasn't, but they've built a new one.

They were crap, very small and had a split floor layout with a lethal ramp up to the higher level.

[Red Firecracker]

jsf said:

They were crap, very small and had a split floor layout with a lethal ramp up to the higher level.

Fair enough :-)

To confirm then, the pit boxes are still crap with a split floor layout and a lethal ramp.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Is some of the jazzy run off specifically designed to knacker the tyres?

[majordad]

Good to see the French GP back.

[Dr Z]

Lewis Hamilton takes us through a lap of Paul Ricard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-v9OKpm2t0

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Is some of the jazzy run off specifically designed to knacker the tyres?

Yes, the red bit is a very abrasive surface, the blue bit less aggressive but also designed to slow the car down.

zombeh said:

Norfolkit said:

Sort of right and wrong. Judging what Martin Brundle wrote in "Working The Wheel" the shortened track used just the part of the track shown on the right of Dr Z's map with a cut through from somewhere before La Verrerie and joined the Mistral straight about half way down for the run up to Signes but the original track itself wasn't shortened in any way. Tickets are available for all of the grandstands around Sainte Baume so I guess that means we're back on the long track.

It cut through from immediately after the pit exit to about where the start of the chicane is now.

The 1.8 km straight is still there in the track and can be used as one of the configurations. The Blancpain GT series a few weeks ago used the full length without the chicane.

[suffolk009]

Sadly Alonso is unlikely to make it two wins in two weeks in France. It would be nice...

[rallycross]

Sadly it looks a lot like Bedford airfield/autodrome there must be a better venue than this in France for a GP?

[Norfolkit]

rallycross said:

Sadly it looks a lot like Bedford airfield/autodrome there must be a better venue than this in France for a GP?

We haven't had the race yet, give it a chance, we were all drooling about Canada, look what happened there.

[Sam993]

Dr Z said:

Lewis Hamilton takes us through a lap of Paul Ricard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-v9OKpm2t0

I agree with Lewis on the number of visible corners apexes that don't apply to this layout. That's what I hate about these new/redone in playstation way kind of circuits. They are wk.

[voicey]

Does anyone know why the race is starting so late? I'm used to European races being at lunchtime!

[rallycross]

voicey said:

Does anyone know why the race is starting so late? I'm used to European races being at lunchtime!

What time does it start? Must be later for the USA tv audience?