[Official] Japanese Grand Prix 2016: Grand Prix Weekend Thread

[Born Racer]

It's the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, a race on one of the best circuits on the calendar.

[stripedcat]

Yep, I love Suzuka. A proper track - even with the slightly changed 130R - it still sort the men from the boys. In the dry, it tends make boring races - but if it's wet then things go up several notches.

Although, Hamilton has won twice at Suzuka - he even admits that it isn't his strongest circuit. I don't think he has ever taken pole there. Could be an interesting battle with Nico and him.

I think there's a chance of a wet weather start for the race on Sunday.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Yep, I love Suzuka. A proper track - even with the slightly changed 130R - it still sort the men from the boys. In the dry, it tends make boring races - but if it's wet then things go up several notches.

Although, Hamilton has won twice at Suzuka - he even admits that it isn't his strongest circuit. I don't think he has ever taken pole there. Could be an interesting battle with Nico and him.

I think there's a chance of a wet weather start for the race on Sunday.

Agreed, this is probably currently the best circuit in F1, it shows up driving errors big time.

[Armco Bender]

F1 up against Bathurst down the bottom of the world this year,one guess which one were all watching...

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

F1 up against Bathurst down the bottom of the world this year,one guess which one were all watching...

Amen bubba. F1 at Suzuka is great but Bathurst is on a much higher level in the Antipodes.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I have to agree, Suzuka is probably the best track on calendar and I always look forward to this race.

Nicola's beaten Lulu by 0.013s, to claim pole. Quali seems to be more exciting than the actual race these days. Raikkonen is the Ferrari meat, in the Mercedes and RBR sandwich, with Verstappen and Ricciardo 4th and 5th. Grosjean has got himself up to 8th. I thought the McLaren's might have done better.

[Armco Bender]

Apparently there was a race or did it send everyone into a coma?...
or maybe the F1 people watched Bathurst and are completely traumatised by the exiciting finish they just saw..

[stripedcat]

Hey, the race was pretty good - given it was a dry Suzuka.

I reckon Nico is smelling the polish for that WDC trophy. It can't be long now.

[billy bleach]

What the story with the Raikkonen Sky interviews? Alway done by Sky Italy not the UK

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Hey, the race was pretty good - given it was a dry Suzuka.

I reckon Nico is smelling the polish for that WDC trophy. It can't be long now.

Way too early after last night so it will be the re-run on Channel 4, otherwise congrats to Nico. There's still away to go, with 4 races left.

[Razzzor]

One day F1 might learn to stop putting on the Japanese GP while Bathurst is finishing up. I tried to watch F1, got about 20 laps in but Bathurst was just too exciting. No comparison at all compared to that F1 race. F1 was continuing to be a bore and I saw somehow Ferrari screwed themselves again letting Lewis in front. At least Max did something special to split the Mercedes.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

One day F1 might learn to stop putting on the Japanese GP while Bathurst is finishing up. I tried to watch F1, got about 20 laps in but Bathurst was just too exciting. No comparison at all compared to that F1 race. F1 was continuing to be a bore and I saw somehow Ferrari screwed themselves again letting Lewis in front. At least Max did something special to split the Mercedes.

They'll never ever learn that. They only recently started scheduling races on the same weekend as the Le Mans 24 hours, and made it so you have to miss the end of Le Mans just to watch the F1. If they are actively seeking out conflicts with events as big as Le Mans, they won't change it for Bathurst. As fans, we just have to deal with it unfortunately.

[Mr Pink]

Has Verstappen even been under review for moving in the brake zone?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

They'll never ever learn that. They only recently started scheduling races on the same weekend as the Le Mans 24 hours, and made it so you have to miss the end of Le Mans just to watch the F1. If they are actively seeking out conflicts with events as big as Le Mans, they won't change it for Bathurst. As fans, we just have to deal with it unfortunately.

There is a way round these race clashes and that's to watch both at the same time but that means finding a site that hosts illegal streaming.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

There is a way round these race clashes and that's to watch both at the same time but that means finding a site that hosts illegal streaming.

But then you're getting half an experience of one event on a poor stream. And that only works for a few people. What about those of us who stream races (legally, I should add) through media devices? I watch events through the Xbox, whether it's via YouTube or the series website. I can't dual screen that.

I'd rather play F1s game and make the choice I'm being forced to make. I'll take Bathurst and Le Mans, and will continue to do so until they stop forcing me to make these choices.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

But then you're getting half an experience of one event on a poor stream. And that only works for a few people. What about those of us who stream races (legally, I should add) through media devices? I watch events through the Xbox, whether it's via YouTube or the series website. I can't dual screen that.

I'd rather play F1s game and make the choice I'm being forced to make. I'll take Bathurst and Le Mans, and will continue to do so until they stop forcing me to make these choices.

Many people have more than one media device, so you can watch one event on one device and the other event on the other device. Sometimes the quality isn't that good but it's better than not being able to watch at all. Btw, I'm not advocating illegal streaming I'm just saying that sometimes there isn't an alternative, when there is an unnecessary calendar clash of events.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Many people have more than one media device, so you can watch one event on one device and the other event on the other device. Sometimes the quality isn't that good but it's better than not being able to watch at all. Btw, I'm not advocating illegal streaming I'm just saying that sometimes there isn't an alternative, when there is an unnecessary calendar clash of events.

Don't worry, I know you wouldn't suggest that as a course of action, rather making us aware that it IS possible.

I agree and see what you're saying, but my view is why should I jump through hoops, make things harder for myself, and get a lower quality experience just because F1 has decided it's far too self-important to do what's best for the fans, and schedule events with at least an hours gap between.

F1 deliberately created the issue, presumably with the arrogance that F1 would always be the first choice. I think judging by thread lengths (not exactly a scientific way, but I never claimed to be Dr Brian Cox ), that may not be working out too well.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Don't worry, I know you wouldn't suggest that as a course of action, rather making us aware that it IS possible.

I agree and see what you're saying, but my view is why should I jump through hoops, make things harder for myself, and get a lower quality experience just because F1 has decided it's far too self-important to do what's best for the fans, and schedule events with at least an hours gap between.

F1 deliberately created the issue, presumably with the arrogance that F1 would always be the first choice. I think judging by thread lengths (not exactly a scientific way, but I never claimed to be Dr Brian Cox ), that may not be working out too well.

I totally understand and I don't like what F1 has done either and I don't like what Murdoch has done, with his monopoly of sports coverage in general. It's not good for a sport's fan base and doesn't encourage the casual fan.

[gert]

I'm lucky that I can record F1, and play it when I find fit.
In the mean time I can watch Le Mans, WEC, LMS or whatever interesting race that is on.

I just have to avoid a few media (TV/radio/websites) to make sure I don't know the result before I watch it.

[wolfhound]

Just found this photo from the Japanese GP by Peter Fox. It just shows some of the loads that an F1 car goes through.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/an...alking-841343/

I have not seen a photo with those extreme suspension movements for years let alone the tyre deformation.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Just found this photo from the Japanese GP by Peter Fox. It just shows some of the loads that an F1 car goes through.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/an...alking-841343/

I have not seen a photo with those extreme suspension movements for years let alone the tyre deformation.

That's an impressive photo.