Japanese Grand Prix

by navycook75 Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:33 am

Formula 1 makes it yearly stop at the Suzuka Circuitland.

One of the biggest stories coming into the weekend...

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12528/9498860/typhoon-phanfone-threatens-japanese-gp

WE RAIN RACE BOYS!

by Alta Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:22 pm

Hearing rumors that the race might run Saturday, nothing confirmed as of yet though.

by RealRacer4 Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:56 pm

Holy crap. With what people are saying about the storm, they HAVE no choice but to either race on Saturday or postpone it either later in the year or simply not run the race at all.

by PYLrulz Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:17 am

Normally, I am one to run in the rain, but a typhoon?!?

This isn't the first rodeo for the Japanese in concern to a Grand Prix weekend and typhoons though

by Milan655 Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:56 am

http://thesheriffsoffice.com/articles/breaking-news-impending-sale-of-a-formula-one-vehicle-and-equipment

hmm...

by f1fan12 Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:57 am

Bye Caterham! I doubt we will see you on the 2015 grid.

by tommykl Fri Oct 03, 2014 3:50 pm

f1fan12 wrote:Bye Caterham! I doubt we will see you on the 2015 grid.

There is a rumour going around that Colin Kolles may be looking to buy a large part of all the stuff that was seized in order to start Forza Rossa...

by flyingturns89 Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:26 pm

tommykl wrote:
f1fan12 wrote:Bye Caterham! I doubt we will see you on the 2015 grid.
There is a rumour going around that Colin Kolles may be looking to buy a large part of all the stuff that was seized in order to start Forza Rossa...

Colin Kolles is currently the technical director of Caterham. When Tony Fernandes sold his share of the team, Kolles and the guys from Forza Rossa took over. They might change the name from Caterham to Forza Rossa though.

by NASCARLOVER427 Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:59 pm

If Bernie decides to race it on Sunday, don't get popcorn ready, 20 cars will wreck out in the first corner and the race will be called early, causing a Caterham to win because they are so slow they can't spin out.

by **Ben Atkins** Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:06 pm

Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.

by BWard Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:16 pm

Ben Atkins wrote:Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.

And that is probably the the biggest surprise this season in Motorsport let-alone F1.

by Alta Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:34 pm

Ben Atkins wrote:Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.

Even know it was rumored, that's a huge bombshell.

I'm predicting that Jenson Button will be the odd man out.

by Nascar9fan Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:39 pm

Ben Atkins wrote:Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.

This makes me lose any respect I had for Vettel. The one year he is 2nd driver at the team, he decides to leave it (that's what it seems like to me). The team gave him so much, & 1 bad year is enough to make him leave. That is completely wrong to me. Anyways, I'm now interested to see how Kvyat goes next year, as Red Bull seems to know which drivers to promote from it's secondary team

by bsoyuz Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:40 pm

Alta wrote:
Ben Atkins wrote:Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.
Even know it was rumored, that's a huge bombshell.

I'm predicting that Jenson Button will be the odd man out.

Even though Magnussen is pretty, I still think that Button is staying for one additional year.

by **Ben Atkins** Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:40 pm

Nascar9fan wrote:
Ben Atkins wrote:Vettel and Red Bull have parted ways, and Kyvat will be going to Red Bull Racing. Looks like Vettel to Ferrari and Alonso to McLaren.

This makes me lose any respect I had for Vettel. The one year he is 2nd driver at the team, he decides to leave it (that's what it seems like to me). The team gave him so much, & 1 bad year is enough to make him leave. That is completely wrong to me. Anyways, I'm now interested to see how Kvyat goes next year, as Red Bull seems to know which drivers to promote from it's secondary team

I completely understand the move. He won four titles in a row for the team, and for him to get shafted from the #1 driver spot on that team by a rookie is completely ridiculous.

by Milan655 Sat Oct 04, 2014 12:57 am

I was speaking to a friend who used to work at Ferrari a few months ago, he thought there could be a complete change at the front; Vettel to Merc; Alonso to Red Bull; Hamilton to Ferrari. Also, Antonio Felix da Costa to Toro Rosso finally? Or overlooked for Sainz Jr again?

by Alta Sat Oct 04, 2014 1:29 am

Milan655 wrote:I was speaking to a friend who used to work at Ferrari a few months ago, he thought there could be a complete change at the front; Vettel to Merc; Alonso to Red Bull; Hamilton to Ferrari. Also, Antonio Felix da Costa to Toro Rosso finally? Or overlooked for Sainz Jr again?

Supposedly Saniz.

by FlashRod4 Sat Oct 04, 2014 1:47 am

Wow... Vettel is truly a complete joke...
If he truly thinks Ferrari will give him a better car than Red Bull, he will be sorely mistaken. This just confirms that it was all the car, but someone said that long ago... Wink

Not too crazy about Kvyat being promoted but lets see how he does.

by navycook75 Sat Oct 04, 2014 4:19 am

Keep in mind that there is a clause in his contract that says if he's lower than third in the WC by I think the end of September, he has the option to leave.

It may sound ridiculous seeing as how he's won 4 championships with them and been with a Red Bull related team since 2007, but could it be possible that he's sandbagging to take advantage of the clause?

by f1fan12 Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:19 pm

I have a feeling that this race is going to be like the 1991 Australian GP!

by navycook75 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:02 am

Starting under SC it seems.

by Lucstar88 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:07 am

Red Flag after lap 2... Ericsson looped it also.

Blame Honda for not moving the race!

by navycook75 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:10 am

Lap 3, so if they end it here, half points will be awarded.

by Milan655 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:17 am

According to Autosport:

Article 42.8 of the Sporting Regulations states the following:

"If the race cannot be resumed the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the race was given."

The red flag was declared on the second lap of the race - before the lap was finished. So according to the regs, no points could be awarded if the cars don't get going again.

by Lucstar88 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:26 am

Alonso's car died...

by navycook75 Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:27 am

They're going again.

And Alonso is done already.

by BWard Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:03 am

Race being stopped for good on Lap 46. Results official, Hamilton 1st, Rosberg 2nd and Vettel 3rd.

by navycook75 Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:05 am

I'm hoping Bianchi is ok, but it's not looking good.

by Alta Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:05 am

Apparently very bad crash for Bianchi. Hope he is okay.

by Lucstar88 Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:10 am

RDS showed the last pic from the spot.... Doesn't look good.... Car smoking besides the right rear tire

by **crl** Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:12 am

Sutil says Bianchi hit the crane.

by BBoy Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:28 am

Thoughts and prayers certainly with Bianchi.

by Milan655 Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:44 am

https://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/867380074.jpg?1412496131

by PYLrulz Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:52 am

Gotta wonder how they operate rain races after this... or at least situations if a car goes off at any spot, even those where a crane or what not could pull off a car quick, if a mandatory safety car would come out or not.

Sad, since before that, the guys were driving AMAZINGLY clean for a damp/wet race.

Those looks in the pits just did not look good, too much like the Dan Wheldon situaton.

by **crl** Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:56 am

I know this is absolutely not important right now, but if Mercedes leave Sochi with a lead of 172 or more points in the Constructors' Championship, they'll have clinched that title for this season.

by PYLrulz Sun Oct 05, 2014 5:36 am

The one thing that comes to mind as well, in concerns with my comment.

We always rip on NASCAR for throwing out full course yellows every time something happens on a road course. Maybe NASCAR was onto something (then again, you can't simply grab a crane and lift a stock car off the track, not to mention that NASCAR rules are even if you are beached, wrecked, or what not, you can take your car back to the garage and work on it to get it on track again)

by Milan655 Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:34 am

Double yellows were thrown as were white flags, drivers generally should know to slow here. But of course, visibility was next to nothing too.

by navycook75 Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:44 am

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/bianchi-currently-undergoing-surgery-for-head-injury/

Makes me think he'll make it out alive.

Also this is unconfirmed but apparently all the drivers are at the hospital.

by Spannerhead29 (Nelson) Sun Oct 05, 2014 10:03 am

navycook75 wrote:http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/bianchi-currently-undergoing-surgery-for-head-injury/

Makes me think he'll make it out alive.

Also this is unconfirmed but apparently all the drivers are at the hospital.

I've seen photos of Vettel, Horner, Brundle, and DC at subway stations, presumably going to the hospital.

The photos I've seen where his head/helmet are visable, don't seem too bad, actually looks less messed up then Massa's helmet.

by f1fan12 Sun Oct 05, 2014 1:02 pm

I know a lot of people like Suzuka. But the race needs a new promoter. The FIA offered to run the race earlier in the day, and they declined the offer. It wasn't just for the drivers safety, but for the fans leaving the track as well. 2 people in the south of Japan have already gone missing, and a US airman is dead because of this typhoon.

If I were to hazard a guess, the FIA is none to happy with the race organizers right now. I have a feeling, Bernie is going to play the whole "F1 doesn't need Suzuka card" again. And he will use this occurrence for bait.

Personally, if the orginizers are that stupid or uncaring for the fans safety, I wouldn't blame F1 if they drop Suzuka for another Japanese track. I would be somewhat upset if Suzuka was removed, but I wouldn't blame the FIA.

by Milan655 Sun Oct 05, 2014 1:17 pm

Well the race promoter is Honda. For one they own the circuit, and second they have the money.

by Alta Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:44 am

From Sky Sports' Craig Slater on Bianchi situation as of 7:02 AM in the UK: "I can confirm that Jules is not, unfortunately, breathing unaided. My understanding is that he is still relying on a respirator at this point to be able to breathe. I can also confirm that he has not undergone a second surgical procedure. My understanding is that he went one through one medical procedure at about 11pm Japanese time and he has been intensive care since then."

by FlashRod4 Mon Oct 06, 2014 8:51 am

f1fan12 wrote:The FIA offered to run the race earlier in the day, and they declined the offer. It wasn't just for the drivers safety, but for the fans leaving the track as well. 2 people in the south of Japan have already gone missing, and a US airman is dead because of this typhoon.

To Honda From F1 fans around the world...
Japanese Grand Prix Images10

by Spannerhead29 (Nelson) Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:39 am

Clear fan footage from the final chicane.

https://vine.co/v/OK69b15iP1T

EDIT: nvrmind, FOM have rightfully taken it down.

EDIT II: Video has been replaced by Vine from the same video.

by Milan655 Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:41 am

Spannerhead29 (Nelson) wrote:Clear fan footage from the final chicane.

EDIT: nvrmind, FOM have rightfully taken it down.

http://video.gazzetta.it/bianchi-nuovo-video-schianto/535fe23e-4d62-11e4-b96f-b9e654d6aef0?playlistId=59a850f6-851a-11e3-9d5d-d0027a1ea65e

by Lucstar88 Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:24 pm

Jesum d'la vie..... (Acadian for OMG)

That was a bad wreck O_O

by bsoyuz Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:29 pm

putaqueopariucarralhoqueporrafoiessa (BR for JESUS THAT WAS AWFUL)

This is a really bad, really bad wreck. Congrats Honda by being a bunch of stooges and running this race.

by RyanB06 Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:01 pm

And in English, it's this:

HOLY HELL.

by Alta Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:59 pm

Easily the worst F1 wreck i've ever seen, jesus that looked nasty.

by Sparkz47 Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:22 pm

I mean, I don't really blame them for running the race. Heavy rain races are nothing new.

by Sponsored content