.:: 2011 British GP - 8-9-10 July ::.

.:: 2011 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX ::.

Welcome to the 2011 British GP Thread!

RANDOM FACT

The 2011 British Grand Prix will be the first time since the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix that two Australian drivers will be racing.

CIRCUIT STATS

2011 Race Number: 9
Circuit Event Number: 45
Circuit Length: 3.666 miles
Number of Laps: 52
Lap Record: 1:30.874 (F.Alonso, 2010)

2010 Podium:
1. Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
3. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP)

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

1. How well can Daniel Ricciardo perform in his debut race for Hispania?
2. Of course, with Ricciardo now taking a seat at HRT, it means Toro Rosso shall remain running Buemi and Alguersuari - do you fee, given Jaime's past two races, he can keep up the consistency?
3. Off-throttle blown diffusers will be limited to just 10% useage from this race onwards - will this hamper Red Bull, or just help them even further?
4. The FIA are still contemplating the idea of using either one or two DRS zones, with a possibility of a second detection zone if two are used. Is this the way to go?
5. Of what you've seen so far, what are your early impressions of the Silverstone Wing?

SCHEDULE FOR WEEKEND (All Times UK)

Friday 8 July: Practice one - 0900-1030; Practice two: 1300-1430

Saturday 9 July: Practice three - 1000-1100; Qualifying: 1300-1400

Sunday 10 July: Race - 1300

WEEKEND WEATHER

FRIDAY: Light Rain Shower, Max. 18 deg. cent.
SATURDAY: Light Rain Shower, Max. 21 deg. cent.
SUNDAY: Sunny Intervals, Max. 21 deg. cent.

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY:Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Jenson Button (McLaren), Paul di Resta (Force India), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Daniel Ricciardo (HRT).

FRIDAY: John Booth (Virgin), Tony Fernandes (Team Lotus), Christian Horner (Red Bull), Martin Whitmarsh (McLaren), Sir Frank Williams (Williams).

QUALI:Mark Webber (Red Bull), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari).

RACE:Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

BBC PRESENTS: 2011 British Grand Prix

PREVIOUS SESSIONS
FP1
FP2
Quali
Race
Forum

1. How well can Daniel Ricciardo perform in his debut race for Hispania?
   
   Given his performance relative to the Toro Rosso drivers I'd expect him to be almost as quick as Liuzzi - provided the car isn't outlandishly more difficult to drive than the Toro Rosso and doesn't suit his ****quite as much as the other.
   
2. Of course, with Ricciardo now taking a seat at HRT, it means Toro Rosso shall remain running Buemi and Alguersuari - do you fee, given Jaime's past two races, he can keep up the consistency?
   
   Toro Rosso have done a good job to have beaten Force India and Williams who (on paper) should beat Toro Rosso. If they manage to out-perform or atleast peg those two teams they will be doing well. If they can be consistent at doing that then the drivers should manage to score a point or two once every couple of races.
   
3. Off-throttle blown diffusers will be limited to just 10% useage from this race onwards - will this hamper Red Bull, or just help them even further?
   
   Hard to say, Red Bull probably have the most experience with running a semi-hot diffuser (i.e. one that is blown but not blown off throttle) it should also be pointed out that almost ALL front running teams are running Red Bull ****exhausts. What Red Bull loses most other teams will lose just as much. That would be true if significant re-designs aren't made and I doubt that the teams will remain too static.
   
4. The FIA are still contemplating the idea of using either one or two DRS zones, with a possibility of a second detection zone if two are used. Is this the way to go?
   
   If two DRS zones are to exist then two activation zones should exist too. It only makes sense and fairness to all racers involved.
   
5. Of what you've seen so far, what are your early impressions of the Silverstone Wing?
   
   Now aint that purty.

1. I don't have high expectations due to the fact he is racing for HRT.
2. Yes, he can keep it up.
3. Unfourtanetly, I don't think it will hamper them.
4. Yes, two DRS zones but with two detection zones.
5. Looks great.tony205

I agree with these answers to be honest. Did I mention I'll be there?? Off later on this afternoon to get the tent set up....can't wait :D:D

[QUOTE="tony205"]1. I don't have high expectations due to the fact he is racing for HRT.
2. Yes, he can keep it up.
3. Unfourtanetly, I don't think it will hamper them.
4. Yes, two DRS zones but with two detection zones.
5. Looks great.SadPSPAddict

I agree with these answers to be honest. Did I mention I'll be there?? Off later on this afternoon to get the tent set up....can't wait :D:D

Awaits-"

Autosport July 10th 2011- Madman camps out on track, Hamilton blames tent on track for loosing race. Button stops for new tyres before realising that this was not his garrage. Next article- Hispania, why the tent was symbolic.

"

I guess Mclaren are not on the pace this weekend then?

Martin Whitmarsh- More like Martin Moanmarsh, eh eh?

I hate today.

DotD: Alonso. Even if Vettel's stop hadn't gone wrong, 'Nando would've had him I think.

SotD: Hamilton. Exclude the final few corners, his brain has started functioning again pretty well. That's the stuff I like to see from him.

Webber on team orders: "I'm not fine with it, no. Of course I ignored the team and I was battling to the end."Andrew Benson on Twitter

Webber: Just want to race to the end. 4 or 5 laps to go they started to chat to me about holding my position. Of course, they want the points – but I want the points as well.Maurice Hamilton on Twitter

WEBBER IGNORED TEAM ORDERS

Mark Webber says he is 'not fine' with Red Bull's request that he hold position behind team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix and ignored the instruction.

Webber caught Vettel in the final laps and mounted several overtaking attempts without success.

The Australian said he had received "probably four or five" messages from the team asking him not to attack Vettel, but declined to follow them.

Asked how he felt about the team orders, Webber replied: "I am not fine with it, no. That is the answer to that.

"If Fernando [Alonso] retires on the last lap, we are fighting for the win.

"Of course I ignored the team because I wanted to try and get a place. Seb was doing his best, I was doing my best. I wasn't going to crash with anyone.

"I try to do my best with the amount of one way conversation I was having - I was trying to do my best to pass the guy in front."

Last year at Silverstone, Webber famously quipped "not bad for a number two" over the radio after winning the race in the wake of the qualifying day favouritism row, which erupted when Red Bull took the latest front wing off Webber's car to put on Vettel's after the German's example had failed in practice.

Asked if he felt 'like a number two' again, Webber said: "Not really. I just want to race until the end. Four or five laps to go, they started to chat to me about holding my position. I wanted the points but I also wanted to get some more points as well."

Vettel said he could understand why the team wanted them to avoid racing each other, but also that he was happy to battle.

"I try to stay ahead, nothing wrong with that," he said. "If you have the cars quite isolated in second and third, with the first guy away and the fourth guy pretty far away, from the team's point of view there is no point racing and doing something stupid.

"The difference between second and third is not massive but we naturally try to race. I tried to hold position. I was struggling, Mark was faster and then there was the chequered flag."

Vettel added that he could not understand why a furore was developing over the issue in the press conference.

"I finished second..." he responded when asked if the result was a 'sham'.

"As I said earlier, Mark tried to pass me, I could stay ahead. Clearly you could see he is quicker. If I would not be racing then I would just wave him past, so surely the last thing you want is to do something bad to the team?

"If it was the other way around, there is no point - of course I would like to overtake Mark at that stage, so no point trying to do something stupid. I don't see why there is such a fuss.

"I think we were racing. It was not a scheduled 'I move right, he moves right, I brake here, he brakes there...' He tried to race me as hard as he could, he didn't find a way past.

"To me at this stage it is quite amusing."

SOURCE: Autosport

Dotd: Alonso, faultless drive, well deserved victory.

SotD: The conditions, throwing up some good racing.

DotD : Hamilton - back to his best, shame about the fuel load!

SotD : Alonso - anyone winning other than Vettel is a relief and like Redders I think he was quick enough regardless of the pit stop

@Garfield360UK - did you see my tent on the track then?? Thought I had a great spot :lol:

In all seriousness it was a great weekend - campsite facilities were a bit basic to say the least but Silverstone itself and the race program for the weekend was great. Some exciting GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup races - those Porsches were as noisy as the F1 cars!!

DotD : Hamilton - some great overtaking and all round excellent performance - cold brakes contributed to the "problems" on the last few bends to be fair since he had been lifting and coasting to save fuel for a few laps!!

SotD : Alonso, great drive, kept his cool and delivered!

Lying Hypocrite otD : Christian Horner

Most Hated Person otD : Christian Horner

Team looking most stupid otD : Red Bull

Their use of team orders was even more stupid than when Ruebens had to let Schumacher win in ( I think ) 2002!!! I pray that Lewis has the sense to stay well away from a team with such a moronic outlook on everything!! Good for Webber for carrying on racing regardless!!