Russian GP - 2014

[Purist]

This is definitely better, on paper anyway, than a number of Tilke's other works, so we'll see. I like those long, sweeping curves a lot. This appears to flow together better on the whole than several of the newer tracks.

Also, based on a clockwise direction, and what I'm guessing will be 18 officially numbered turns, I count three of them that should be good overtaking points: Turns 2, 5, and 13. Two others I think have some potential for overtaking as well: Turns 11 and 17.

As with Valencia, I think Tilke is skirting the rules with Turn 1, which I'll bet is just less than 45 degrees, and therefore does not meet the definition of a "first corner" according to Appendix O of the technical regulations.

[Wims]

I dont think there will be many overtakings into turn 5, as turn 3 is sweeping and it looks like it will be impossible to stay close to an aero car around there. Unless its a very gentle curve with more than one possible line

[Purist]

Wims, I think you underestimate the sheer size of that corner. I really don't think Turn 3 will be any more a hindrance to overtaking than Pouhon or Stavelot at Spa are. Turn 3 may even be fully flat-out, at least with lighter fuel loads. And yes, it's definitely a long enough corner at high enough speed to have some real scope for variations in racing lines. It reminds me of Turn 3 from Sepang, just as a left-hander instead of a right, and with a higher approach speed.

[Matt]

I wish they'd run it counterclockwise, having the first corner be that sweeping left would be excellent.

[Purist]

Either way, Turn 1 would be a sweeper. Then again, running it the other way around, you wouldn't really be able to drive Turn 1 as a sweeper, as you'd have to start braking for Turn 2 in the middle of it. In addition, running anti-clockwise would put Turn 1 WAY too close to the starting grid. And then, after two red-flagged starts, running the track the other way around significantly reduces the overtaking potential of the circuit.

Running the course anti-clockwise reduces your good overtaking spots from three to one (now just Turn 8). Turns 1/2 and 16 still have some potential. And I wouldn't count on much happening at Turns 4 and 10 if the course is run anti-clockwise. With Turns 1/2 and 4, you have the problems of turning while braking, and of compromising your line too much by even attempting a dive up the inside at the tighter, second apex. Turn 9 at speed is a big change in direction, and coupled with a rather short straight after, will likely foul up most overtaking attempts into 10. The reduced ability to pass at Turn 16 wouldn't be nearly so much due to the sweeper at Turn 15, but on how the racing line moves around with 15 as a right-hander, and 16 as a left.

[TWRv12]

Putin F1
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...oto-stunt.html

[Born Racer]

Petrov out?

Marketing solution to save the Russian Grand Prix?

Putin to Renault.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by TWRv12

Putin F1
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...oto-stunt.html

Was that him actually driving the car?

[icemachine]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Was that him actually driving the car?

The man has hunted whales with a crossbow, driving an F1 car is a piece of cake

[Wims]

I dont think thats an F1 tho, probably more like Formula Renault 2L, or maybe 3.5L

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Wims

I dont think thats an F1 tho, probably more like Formula Renault 2L, or maybe 3.5L

The side pods are the wrong shape and there's no fin behind the airbox, so it's not the F1 car.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Wims

I dont think thats an F1 tho, probably more like Formula Renault 2L, or maybe 3.5L

Looks like a FR2.0 with F1 wheels on it.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Matt

Looks like a FR2.0 with F1 wheels on it.

That's not the Putin car, the front wing supports aren't long enough and the side pods aren't rectangular.

[bjohnsonsmith]

There's some footage of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvINF...layer_embedded

[Matt]

Prost.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Matt

Prost.

I reckon you're right. The Prost AP04:

[Wims]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

That's not the Putin car, the front wing supports aren't long enough and the side pods aren't rectangular.
...

Its this one tho

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Wims

Its this one tho

He must have sat in both cars, as the one above is missing the camera on the airbox, while this one's wing mirrors are fixed differently and the supension geometry is also different.

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I reckon you're right. The Prost AP04:

More like a WSR 3.5

[Matt]

Originally Posted by TWRv12

More like a WSR 3.5

The airbox shape isn't correct for it to be a WSR3.5.

[bella]

wingmirrors are mounted in the wrong place too. and ffs, it's a formula renault 3.5 not wsr.

[bjohnsonsmith]

There were two different cars being used for this and Putin can be seen sitting in both. The one with the camera on the airbox looks very much like a Prost AP04 and the one without looks like a Formula Renault 3.5. Both cars have their wing mirrors mounted differently.

[jab]

It's definitely an AP04. They use them for these things (amateurs driving F1 car deals) quite regularly, usually at Paul Ricard I believe

And yes, there is also a FRenault 2.0 there. I should imagine it's standard practice to have a go in one of those first - if you remember, when Richard Hammond did his run in the latest spec Renault, he had to do runs in the 2.0 and 3.5 beforehand

[bella]

renaultf1 run these things called "feel it" experiences for people that sound rather similar to this.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I e-mailed Renault F1 and asked them about the Putin cars. They were good enough to reply and said:

The car was obviously not the current R30 as any form of in-season testing is not allowed.

The car is similar to the cars used for our Feel It Programme. Please see the following link for more information on this programme.

http://www.renaultf1.com/Feel-It,1241.html

Regards,
Will