A1 GP - Anyone watching qualifying - SkySports3

[Jon]

An odd format. I've just been reading up on it and it seems the 'teams' do nothing.

The cars look real though compared to F1 cars. Twitchy and nasty to drive.

I hope it makes for good TV.

[KevJ]

Cheers mate, just turned it over :thumbs:

I am looking forward to this :nod:

[disco-tom]

After watching it, I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, as Jon said, the cars are more twitchy and harder to drive, so that is a good thing.

On the other hand, the pace is nowhere near F1 standards and is a big let down, imo.

I must admit to not reading up on it all that much, so I don't know if there is a particular reason for them to not be as fast as the F1 cars, but I'm sure it would be better if they were up there near to F1 speeds. I seem to recall reading/hearing that they're V8 turbo cars limited to 500hp, is that right?

Also, it could go either way as regards good or bad because of the fact that each team has to pick from two drivers each weekend. I would think that they must have to alternate between drivers as if they didn't, they'd just choose the best driver and stay with him all season. Seems logical, no? :confused:

I'm not a fan of rolling starts, either, so tomorrows race might have a boring start to it. I love the scramble for position at the start of F1 races. The first 2 or 3 laps are the best part of F1 now. I'd like to keep that in A1.

[Cosy]

This is the 1 at brands is it not? I will be there sunday

[disco-tom]

Yeah.

[Cosy]

cosy stuff I go there every other weekend, ish

Cheers for that

[tim1983]

They were entertaining to watch with no :ghey: traction control (Piquet's slide on his final lap :notworthy ), so quite looking forward to seeing them race wheel to wheel :nod:
How low was Sky's budget for presenters though? Apart from the gorgeous Georgie Thompson :smitten: (and I guess you could forgive Priaulx), the other two were wooden and painful to watch (had me cringing!) :smash:

[SM]

I was there it was great, the TV I'm told didnt show up how LOUD the pops/bangs on deacceleration were, they certainly had nice handling charactistics to watch, some nice slides out of the corners with no TC, about 6 secs faster round Brands than the old pre-turbo F1 days, which were also racing in a support race, 3 Lotus JPS cars :smitten:

I might have to up my Sky Package to watch the rest, very good thing for motorsport this series :D :D

[Vez]

TV coverage was shite.....

When will organisers learn, no over taking is more to do with the design of teh circuit, we are racing up to date cars on 60 year old circuits, make new circuits and overtaking is easy!

I watched this after recording it on Sky plus, and god it was crap, the only good thing was Nelson Piquet Jnr, no doubt we will see him in F1 next year!

Watcing the F1 tonight, should be good as there is more overtaking in that :wack: (and non of that gay rolling start rubbish)

[Grim]

I was there it was great, the TV I'm told didnt show up how LOUD the pops/bangs on deacceleration were, they certainly had nice handling charactistics to watch, some nice slides out of the corners with no TC, about 6 secs faster round Brands than the old pre-turbo F1 days, which were also racing in a support race, 3 Lotus JPS cars :smitten:

I might have to up my Sky Package to watch the rest, very good thing for motorsport this series :D :D


ohh yes, the pop pop pop on over run :D

I like the idea that you don't have to be the best drivers in the world to compete, just the best in your country, so an Indonesian window cleaner can race against a tibbetan sheep sheerer :D

supprised Jos the boss didn't make more progress through the field

baby piquet is pretty good though :thumbs:

and the crash on paddock hill bend :thumbs: got dusty from that one ;)

[AshT_200]

TV coverage was shite.....

When will organisers learn, no over taking is more to do with the design of teh circuit, we are racing up to date cars on 60 year old circuits, make new circuits and overtaking is easy!

I watched this after recording it on Sky plus, and god it was crap, the only good thing was Nelson Piquet Jnr, no doubt we will see him in F1 next year!

Watcing the F1 tonight, should be good as there is more overtaking in that :wack: (and non of that gay rolling start rubbish)

TV Coverage was shite. Should have been there Vez, there was a lot of overtaking going on, I think the directors just missed the good bits.

The Czech guy in the sprint race was storming from the back, and so was Verstappen in the feature race to begin with.

I don't think it will take over F1, more an alternative. There are rumours that engine power may be increased tho, but unconfirmed

[SM]

Rolling start was only for the first "sprint" race, the main race with pitstops had a standing start.

GBR nearly won* too :thumbs: excellent pit-stop, into the lead, ok Nelsiono would have got him in the end, but for the engine/GB failure.

*OK, took the lead than broke the car.

[AshT_200]

I was there it was great, the TV I'm told didnt show up how LOUD the pops/bangs on deacceleration were, they certainly had nice handling charactistics to watch, some nice slides out of the corners with no TC, about 6 secs faster round Brands than the old pre-turbo F1 days, which were also racing in a support race, 3 Lotus JPS cars :smitten:

I might have to up my Sky Package to watch the rest, very good thing for motorsport this series :D :D

The Old F1 cars would be much faster around the circuit if they were allowed to use the ground effect... unfortunately the rules state minimum ride height which negates ground effect.

[ATrull]

tbh brands hatch is a shit circuit for overtaking with f1-style cars..

but the caterhams and ginettas that racer afterwards were switching leaders almost every lap

I really like the look and feel of the gp circuit.. they should use it more often!

although the most exciting race was the one after the second A1 race.. they had a range of late 70s and 80s f1 cars competing in a sort-of-race.

[twinturboch]

Watcing the F1 tonight, should be good as there is more overtaking in that :wack: (and non of that gay rolling start rubbish)
God what crap!!! I just wathced the Brazilian GP and there wasn't a single overtaking manoever in the entire race that was shown on tv. There were changes of position from pit stops but that was it. Not one move all race!!!
I will not be watching F1 again. :no:
I went to A1 qualifying on Saturday and it rocked. :nod: The cars are pukka. make all the right noises and do all the right things. :D For a first race weekend, I thought it was amazing!! Of course the coverage was shite, it was SKY!!!! :rolleyes:
A1GP will be far better than F1 as a crowd spectacle. The cars will only get faster as they are developed and that will mean they get closer to F1 pace. I thought it was a rousing success, but then I'm biased cause my dad is a mate of Maktoum Al Maktoum ;)

[AshT_200]

tbh brands hatch is a shit circuit for overtaking with f1-style cars..

but the caterhams and ginettas that racer afterwards were switching leaders almost every lap

I really like the look and feel of the gp circuit.. they should use it more often!

although the most exciting race was the one after the second A1 race.. they had a range of late 70s and 80s f1 cars competing in a sort-of-race.

That was the FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix Historic Formula 1 race.

Its a complicated setup, but my GF works in the same small office of 4 people who do the race and event organisation for TGP. It comes in handy sometimes :thumbs: