F1 Official Thread - Grand Prix of Britain

LMAO @ that article :rofl: Story definitely fell apart at the end. :lol:

Anyway, most would've seen that the timer on the "Dupont F1"site has already expired, and that the site belongs to Alex Wurz's wife, Julia, who has a new book coming out. Might be a good read. I wonder if Flavio was the inspiration for Vincent Dupont? :nerd:
Amazon product ASIN B00BUK7YLW

And flying truck drivers out (and subsequently in again), right after delivering their trucks to the circuit seems unnecessary, isn't it? :\
 
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She got a bunch of drivers and Autosport talking about it... success! LOL.  I'll probably read it too.
 
Trolls... 
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A fantastic read on team-orders from Marc Priestley... ex-McLaren mechanic.

http://www.pitpass.com/48765-Team-Disorders
 
And so it finally happens, after two years. :lol: Sir Richard Branson being a good sport. :smokin

Branson sets date to serves as air hostess on AirAsia X flight
By TRAVELMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 12:10 GMT, 8 April 2013 | UPDATED: 12:10 GMT, 8 April 2013

He’s known for his unabashed publicity stunts but Sir Richard Branson’s latest escapade could leave him a little red-faced.
The Virgin boss has finally agreed a date to serve as an air hostess on rival airline AirAsia X after losing a bet with the company’s owner.

Charity stunt: Sir Richard Branson will serve passengers on board AirAsia X's flight from Perth to Kuala Lumpur on May 12
Branson, who owns Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Racing Formula One team, had a wager with AirAsia X and Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes over whose team would finish highest in the 2010 racing championships.
The two airline bosses agreed that whoever lost the bet would have to dress up as an air hostess, serving champagne to guests on the other owner's airline.

Both teams completed the season with zero points, but Fernandes' Lotus F1 team was placed ahead of Branson's Virgin Racing after it secured better race finishing positions.
Now, after two years, a date has finally been set for Branson to fulfill the wager.
The billionaire businessman has agreed to serve passengers on board AirAsia X’s flight D7 237 from Perth to Kuala Lumpur on May 12.
Sir Richard, 62, will be required to wear AirAsia X's regulation red stewardess outfit, along with make-up and high-heels.

Hair-raising: AirAsia X has produced a mock-up of how Branson might look when he reports for duty
Mr Fernandes said Branson would also have to shave his legs as AirAsia X does not permit "hairy stewardesses". He will, however, be able to keep his beard.
The Virgin boss will be expected to perform regular duties on the flight, including cleaning the toilets.
"The day of reckoning for Sir Richard has finally arrived," Fernandes said.
Mr Fernandes, a 48-year-old Malaysian businessman, worked for Branson's Virgin Atlantic as a financial controller in the late 1980s.
"Both Richard and I have come full circle and who would have thought my mentor will be serving as a flight attendant on AirAsia.
"As an AirAsia X’s flight attendant, he has to comply with our grooming standards and that includes shaving his legs, donning high heels, putting on some makeup and slipping into the AirAsia’s famous red uniform," he added.
"He will be committed to carry out the responsibilities of a flight attendant, including offering coffee, tea and other food and beverages to guests on the special six-hour Perth to Kuala Lumpur flight," Fernandes said.
Sir Richard said: "I’ve done some outrageous things in my time but this will be up there with the best of them.
"Tony won our bet fair and square and I’m a man of my word - so I will dress up and make a splash in the name of Starlight, a fantastic charity. I’ve just got to practice walking in high heels first."
Tickets for the flight can be booked online at www.airasia.com from April 8 to May 12 (or until seats are sold out).
Fares will cost from AUD399 (£270) one way, and AUD100 from each sale will be donated to the Starlight Children’s Foundation in Australia. The airline will also donate 10 per cent of all in-flight sales, including duty-free merchandise sold on board the flight, to the foundation.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/a...work-AirAsia-X-air-hostess.html#ixzz2PsQejMSu
 
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Rush trailer looks solid. Hope it's good. Remember that movie with Stallone? I think it was called Driven. Thought it was good when it came out but want to watch again. I was looking for it on Netflix the other day
 
No, Rush won't be anything like Senna.  Senna was more of a documentary (and yes, I felt it was biased too), while Rush is more of a "based on a true story" movie. 

Driven was $#!%... LOL.  Sooo many inaccuracies that would never happen in real Indy. I mean, I understand that there are certain Hollywood elements, but the night-street-racing with those cars... really? I've only seen the movie once (and that was YEARS ago), but you can't just start an Indycar without the proper start-up procedure... it's not like you can just "press start" and the car will start. Like F1 cars, I don't think Indycars have their own ignition motors. I also doubt racing teams would put their actual racecar on display in the middle of a city... they usually use dummy cars with no engines and working components.  

Then there was the huge explosion at the end... if I remember correctly, Indy runs on methane, which burns an invisible flame (I saw it on Discovery).  I doubt there would have been huge, spectacular explosions at all.

And the spectacular sliding of the Indy cars... it just doesn't work that way.  
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^ :lol: But it was entertaining, though. I was pulling for the championship leader the whole movie. :lol:

Anyway... Scumbag Vettel :stoneface:

VETTEL JUSTIFIES SEPANG DEFIANCE, HITS BACK AT WEBBER
By Chris Lines, AP, 11 April 2013

[emoji]169[/emoji] AP Photo/Mark Baker
Sebastian Vettel intensified his fight with Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, saying the Australian hurt the team in the past so he did not deserve consideration in the Malaysian team orders affair.

Vettel revealed at the Chinese Grand Prix on Thursday that his decision to ignore team orders and pass Webber in the closing stages of the Malaysian race was "indirectly" related to past incidents when he felt Webber went against the best interests of the team.

"There was more than one occasion in the past when he could have helped the team and he didn't," Vettel said.

Asked if that was why he ignored the team orders, Vettel replied: "Indirectly so."

The world champion maintained he had not understood the team order to stay behind Webber, even though he acknowledged that the code "Multi-21" -- meaning the No. 2 car stays ahead of the No. 1 car -- had been in use at the team for a long time.

Despite his claims of a mistake, Vettel said he likely would have ignored any further order from the team to give back the lead.

"I would have thought about it and would probably have done the same thing because Mark doesn't deserve that."

Vettel's candid comments revealed the depths of division within Red Bull. Asked whether there was trust between him and Webber, Vettel said, "I would not call it trust to be honest, we have a professional relationship.

"I never had support from his side (of the garage), I have a lot of support from the team and the team is supporting us both the same way."

The German had apologised to team staff for breaking team rules but laughed when asked if he had been punished in any way: "There are lots of marks on my back," and "What do you expect to happen? Make a suggestion."

The relationship between Vettel and Webber appeared fractured beyond repair, and it looked unlikely that the Australian would get another contract after his one-year deal expires at the end of the season.

Webber said on Thursday that initial reports that he considered quitting immediately in Malaysia were wrong, but said the accumulation of incidents of perceived favouritism toward Vettel led to career options crossing his mind.

"Malaysia is not just one event in this scenario," Webber said. "There are lots of things that come into your mind. We have to try to keep the emotions down but it's part of our job.

"Year by year is how it's always been for me," he said, when asked about his future with the team. "During the summer I will talk to (Red Bull owner) Dietrich (Mateschitz) and we will go from there. I have never ever made decisions on my career at this point in the season. I don't see why I should make any decisions at the moment for my future."

The events in Malaysia also raised speculation about the position of team principal Christian Horner, as they showed Vettel can ignore instructions with impugnity.

Vettel, though, denied he effectively outranked Horner.

"That is not right," Vettel said. "He is the boss, he is in control of all the employees and is leading the team."

Vettel's latest comments in the fallout from Malaysia only heightened speculation about who might replace Webber at Red Bull next season. Mateschitz and his right-hand man Helmut Marko had been quoted in the past week saying Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen was among the candidates, but the Finn would not be drawn on the suggestion.

"The season is only two races old so I'll try to do this year well and we will see what happens," Raikkonen said.

"I don't have a contract so I don't really have a plan, but of course I probably will be (in F1). But you never know. It is a funny place."
 
And yeah, Indy Cars probably don't have a starter as well. Just unnecessary additional weight.
 
Another article basically saying the same thing. Red Bull team implosion in 3... 2... 1... :smokin

Multi 21 – The Current Situation Explained


Posted by Adam Milleneuve on April 11, 2013 in All Articles, Features, News · 0 Comments
We knew it would happen and sure enough, come the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, 3 weeks after the Malaysian GP debacle, everyone is talking about Multi 21 again. But what are they saying? Well fear not because Badger GP is here, with the help of Twitter, to compile all the comments and goings on.

What is Multi 21 all about?

Firstly, “Multi 21″ is a term that the Red Bull Racing team used to inform their drivers that they should remain as they are with car 2 ahead of car 1 – i.e. Mark Webber ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Webber was told to turn down his engine to conserve fuel and ‘bring it home’ for a solid 1-2 finish for the team. Vettel also heard the Multi 21 message and whether he understood it or not, he ignored it and overtook Webber for the victory.

The podium was a sorry sight – Webber unhappy, Vettel looking a bit mixed up (emotions wise) and Hamilton saying he shouldn’t be there (his team mate Nico Rosberg was told to hold station behind the brit, despite being faster).

The whole debacle was the main talking point of the race sadly. The debate arising around team orders reared it’s ugly head along with calls for drivers to be punished, teams to be punished and many comparing Vettel to Schumacher.

So what happened afterwards?

Immediately after the race, Sebastian Vettel realised how annoyed Mark Webber was and following the podium interviews, where Webber was dejected claiming Vettel would have protection despite ignoring team orders. Sebastian Vettel then apologised to Mark Webber. Later that week Vettel apologised again. It’s safe to say many fans and journalists were confused by all this.

And now, ahead of the Chinese GP the Multi 21 chatter has blown up again…

Credit to Christian Horner and the Red Bull Racing team who said they would deal with the matter internally – all went quiet until today over in Shanghai… Again credit to the team for letting their drivers talk rather than reel off PR spin, but Multi 21 was clearly the main focus of the press calls.

Vettel has now said that doesn’t apologise for winning. He has also said that Mark Webber didn’t deserve the win in Malaysia and added that he’d do what he did again. He also then added that he didn’t understand the message from the team. It’s all very confusing.

The triple world champion also added that there’s no big fuss within the team and that he’s never had support from Webber. We think he’s referring to Brazil 2012, whilst challenging for the championship title when Seb also said that Webber could have helped the team in the past and hasn’t, hinting that the Malaysian overtake and ignoring the Multi 21 team call was a form of payback.

What are others saying?

Of course there are many in the paddock who like to voice their opinions, but here are our highlights; Damon Hill – “We want to see racing on track, not from the pit wall”, Felipe Massa – “Red Bull team orders not intelligent”, Fernando Alonso – “I’d obey team orders” and Jenson Button expressed his surprise at Vettel’s attitude about the whole thing and saying he’d do it again, and also at Red Bull even trying to do such things at only the second race of the season. @EliGP summed up Vettel’s comments today in one handy tweet too:


Going forward…

The sun has set in Shanghai ahead of Friday practice and from all the words exchanged today, the general concensus according to the drivers is that all is fine within the team. It’s clear from the comments that Mark and Seb have far from had a ‘kiss and make up’ session and that Red Bull are struggling to control and make good between the two. Mark has said he’s not going anywhere and will stay at the team for 2013 and Seb seems to have withdrawn his apology over his misunderstand / ignoring of “Multi 21″.

In other news

There’s a grand prix this weekend so we’ll have some actual racing to talk about, phew. Oh and if you haven’t got one yet, bag yourself a Multi 21 tshirt at our new Badger GP shop. There are Multi 21 mugs and hoodies there too.

Mark Webber also has a new post-Multi 21 haircut. Yes, really.


Malaysia and now in China – Mark Webber’s new hair cut images: Red Bull Racing Media
Thanks to Twitter, @AlanBaldwinF1, @EliGP, @AutosportNews, @F1Enigma, Autosport_Ed, @willbuxton, @croftyf1 for posting tweets from the track and helping us all build a picture of what’s going on ahead of the Grand Prix.
 
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