The Swamp

Might just be us 2 talking about this, but whatever, I still posted in the whiffle ball thread every week. :D



I learned a lot (sorta) watching this.

Interesting video. I'm fascinated by F1 cars and racing, but I don't know anything about it other than "car go fast".

Sabo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:09 pm Interesting video. I'm fascinated by F1 cars and racing, but I don't know anything about it other than "car go fast".

Well, if you're looking to fill some more time on your entertainment calendar, hit up Netflix. They have the 2018 and 2019 F1 seasons a behind the scenes show that will give a very decent overview of the teams and most of the drivers (there've been changes, and will have more for 2021.)

My daughter started following the sport last year, and now we watch the races and even watched qualifying this week. (The best driver contracted the Vid, which meant someone else was going to finally win the race. Turned out to be LOT more interesting, as is often the case with this sport.)

I went through a small NASCAR phase when my son was into it as a kid, but it never really caught my attention. F1 is fascinating to me, just from a visual sense, as it's never just an oval/turn left type of race. But knowing the team managers, drivers and a lot of the drama and tension... It's truly riveting stuff.

(One of the interesting wrinkles, especially for the smaller teams, is the very real money crunch they are often under. This puts teams in a position of having to put a driver on the team because he has significant financial backing. There's a guy who made the podium this week who is really there primarily because his dad bought the entire team. There's another guy from Russia that is joining another team who just over the last day got in trouble for grabbing a random woman's boob and posting the video on social media... His dad is an oligarch worth $7B. The kid, apparently, has had a number of on track disciplinary issues... His team must really need the money not to have dropped him.)

I don't have Netflix, so I can't watch that documentary.

I guess I should clarify I do know something about F1, in that I know Lewis Hamilton was out with the 'rona and someone took his spot and still posted the fastest practice lap. What I don't know is the technical aspects of the cars, although I know they are essentially engineering marvels. The video you posted was interesting, but it's hard for me to understand the details because I'm just dumb about engineering.

I'm within you on NASCAR. And generally, I find oval track racing boring. The only NASCAR race I'll consider watching is Watkins Glen, and even then, it's not enough to make it appointment viewing. (On an unrelated note, Watkins Glen State Park is amazing.)

Sabo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 2:13 pm I don't have Netflix, so I can't watch that documentary.

I guess I should clarify I do know something about F1, in that I know Lewis Hamilton was out with the 'rona and someone took his spot and still posted the fastest practice lap. What I don't know is the technical aspects of the cars, although I know they are essentially engineering marvels. The video you posted was interesting, but it's hard for me to understand the details because I'm just dumb about engineering.

I'm within you on NASCAR. And generally, I find oval track racing boring. The only NASCAR race I'll consider watching is Watkins Glen, and even then, it's not enough to make it appointment viewing. (On an unrelated note, Watkins Glen State Park is amazing.)

Pre screwing up the track at Bristol...that was must watch racing. Next year when they race that on dirt will be fun.

1) I'm still learning the sport, so I found this very interesting:

2) I've camped at Watkins Glen, and can attest.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:54 pmMy daughter started following the sport last year, and now we watch the races and even watched qualifying this week. (The best driver contracted the Vid, which meant someone else was going to finally win the race. Turned out to be LOT more interesting, as is often the case with this sport.)

I went through a small NASCAR phase when my son was into it as a kid, but it never really caught my attention. F1 is fascinating to me, just from a visual sense, as it's never just an oval/turn left type of race. But knowing the team managers, drivers and a lot of the drama and tension... It's truly riveting stuff.

This was me with Moto GP the past couple years. Though I couldn't really keep track of the drama regarding teams etc., I just have no patience for that.

On the other hand, watching the motorcycles go through the chicanes is definitely visually appealing (to me at least).

Albon replaced by Perez at Red Bull in no brainer move

Baloney wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:28 am Albon replaced by Perez at Red Bull in no brainer move

That's a powerhouse team at this point. I like Albon, but he seems more like a guy suited to Williams.

ALB went 5, 6, 6, 5, 4, 5, 5, 14 (HAM crash), 6 after moving to Red Bull midway through last season. the car design has a lot to do with this year.

Aston Martin launched their F1 car today. over 60 years since they last raced

Aston Martin has been struggling financially and its share price on the London Stock Exchange fell sharply in 2020. The company is hoping that Formula One will boost sales of Aston Martin road cars like the DB11, the Vanquish and the Vantage.

“The first step was to raise the financing to see our business plan through for the next five years,” he told CNBC’s Julianna Tatelbaum. “We raised $800 million in equity, with the majority of that coming from myself and my consortium. That was for a business plan that brings us to 10,000 cars, $2 billion of volume and $500 million EBITDA in the next four years.”

S3 of the Netflix show comes out on 3/19, a Friday. Really looking forward to it...

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 03, 2021 1:52 pm Aston Martin launched their F1 car today. over 60 years since they last raced

Aston Martin has been struggling financially and its share price on the London Stock Exchange fell sharply in 2020. The company is hoping that Formula One will boost sales of Aston Martin road cars like the DB11, the Vanquish and the Vantage.

“The first step was to raise the financing to see our business plan through for the next five years,” he told CNBC’s Julianna Tatelbaum. “We raised $800 million in equity, with the majority of that coming from myself and my consortium. That was for a business plan that brings us to 10,000 cars, $2 billion of volume and $500 million EBITDA in the next four years.”

eh, Aston Martin has been on the Red Bull cars for a few years and is only shifting over to the former Racing Point because Lawrence Stroll bought about 17% of the company. And the team is going to be running Mercedes engines. Not sure yet how much is actually changing in terms of team structure.

Does Honda have an engine in any of the teams? I realized I could probably hunt down the answer, but with an expert already here...

(My daughter probably knows, but she's in class rn.)

they're out completely. F1 is down to Merc, Ferrari and Renault. They really could use a fourth

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:21 pm they're out completely. F1 is down to Merc, Ferrari and Renault. They really could use a fourth

Don't they still have engines in F2?

BTW, I bought the F1 game for the Playstation and it's REALLY fun. Hard as fuck and just highlights how amazing these guys are.

My son took back his console, so I haven't played in months, and I was just starting to get good. You could drive the F2 circuit, which is where I started to dial in a bit more.

ETA - I remember you were saying you were taking it up a notch and doing the more realistic simulator. So what I'm doing pales in comparison. Still... Very cool to "drive" the tracks and get a better understanding of the tyres and other things that come into play for a full race.

all the F2 engines are by the same supplier. F2 cars are basically spec cars which is crazy to think about given the disparities in F1.

the F1 game is very realistic. it destroys any other console game. I need to take my new wheel downstairs and use it with the game. I've only been doing oval stuff on the computer (as that's what the league I've been racing in has run on) though I need to learn how to drive at Road America here in a few weeks.

I'm still terrible at the whole sim racing thing but I've maybe spent 10 hours total doing it and I've tried to qualify for three races already. should have made it Monday until I crashed myself trying to move up a groove to maintain my position.

All you pretty boy, expensive sunglasses, model dating, rose sipping, yacht owning MFers can focus on racing around the world in things that don't even look like cars but spaceships this weekend in Bahrain.

Me and my redneck buddies will be smashing cans of domestic swill against our heads and watching hair backed southerners wave cars to help them pass each other (yes they really do this and it is great) while wearing terribly awesome tshirts with a car and drivers face on them....

Bristol!!!!!!!!!!!
on dirt

1/2 mile oval was a great race until they repaved...but this is going to be wild

I've been watching the F1 series on Netflix, and I need an expert to explain something to me: Do brake ducts really make that much of a difference in speed?

yup. gotta keep the brakes cool and it's also a way to redirect/intake air and create added downforce on the car

I'm DEFINITELY looking forward to watching the dirt rodeo. First NASCAR on dirt in like 40 years?

So flash flooding and rain are bad for a dirt track put on top of a high banked oval? Even before the rain it looks like folks were concerned about the actual racing.

But Monday races at noon and 4pm....

I have no idea what to expect if and when they actually start racing

- Friday the track was too dry

- Saturday the track was too wet with the rain and they had to stop the first truck heat after 1.5 laps because of all the mud on the windshields

- the low is supposed to be 33ish in Johnson City tonight. does it get to freezing at the track? does some mud freeze? how does dirt dry out when it's that cold?

- if the dirt doesn't dry out all that much, how do you prep a track past the point where it was on Saturday when mud was accumulating before so much more rain?

the experiment is going to be worth the watch. I just hope that it produces a decent product.

They should do a race on the ice roads in Tuktoyaktuk next year. Just totally go for it.

Just turned it on. Are they just driving on dirty asphalt? This is dumb. Shoulda hosted it at Tony Stewart's track.

Watched a few more laps. I'm ok with it, but it's just like adding a degree of difficulty to normal Bristol, right?

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:14 pm Watched a few more laps. I'm ok with it, but it's just like adding a degree of difficulty to normal Bristol, right?

I think it's honestly the best basic assessment. It's not the same but even I've been struck by the similarities between the concrete version and this dirt version.

Marzipan with two more spin outs in P1 today.

Honestly, at some point...

Gunther needs that oligarch money to stick around, yo!

The F1 Racing game app is a fun time waster.

WTF was that Mazespin

Didn't know Romain Grosjean had joined the Indy car circuit

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... r-f1-crash

I don't know if the article go into it, but he's also been allowed to test drive an older Mercedes, just so he could get on more run in on F1 vehicle. Thought was cool of Toto do set that up.

Baloney wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 8:38 am Didn't know Romain Grosjean had joined the Indy car circuit

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... r-f1-crash

And starting on pole on saturday! I haven't watched Indy since the days of Greg Moore and Paul Tracy but I've been trying to make an effort this year.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 2:17 pm I don't know if the article go into it, but he's also been allowed to test drive an older Mercedes, just so he could get on more run in on F1 vehicle. Thought was cool of Toto do set that up.

Yeah pretty nice he gets to do the test in a Mercedes. He was supposed to do another Mercedes run in front of fans at some event the week after but that got cancelled with the change in race schedules announced today.

Monaco Grand Prix qualifying about to start. Most important one of the year, as there is pretty much no place to pass someone during the race so you have to qualify as high as you can. All the race drama will come down to who crashes and when, and who can gain spots on pit stop strategies.

I'm gonna say Sergio Perez gets a surprise win tomorrow.

Leclerc takes pole and Hamilton is 7th on the grid, could make for an interesting race

Which lap will Mazapin crash on, dramatically resetting the race with a red flag? I say lap 28 just after the pit stops.

Baloney wrote: ↑Sat May 22, 2021 12:13 pm Leclerc takes pole and Hamilton is 7th on the grid, could make for an interesting race

Leclerc goes out for warm up lap and gear box is not working! Ferrari left it alone after the crash yesterday to avoid a penalty for replacing it and hoped there was no damage. Looks like he won't make it out. Wow.

Bottas out and Carlos Sainz is 2nd!

serrano wrote: ↑Sun May 23, 2021 8:44 am Bottas out and Carlos Sainz is 2nd!

Shit, as I was typing he would passed by Perez.