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Join Shaun and Mike as they discuss the action on track at indianapolis (or lack there of) as well as all of the latest INDYCAR news. We also discuss Highcroft withdrawling from Le Mans as well as both the IRC and Rally America rounds that happened this past weekend. We also take a look at the F1 circus and have a special interview with David Uhl!
One correction: Milka was on pole at Toledo due to her team being #1 in 2010 owner’s points, not from practice speed. Her speeds (this is from my one-off research on ARCA this weekend, because usually I couldn’t care less about that series) were in the 15-20th place range, which is where she finished. In her defense, she did manage to finish on the lead lap, which I guess is saying something.
Here I go again, posting 15 comments on a podcast as I listen in real time…
Agree with you guys 100% on the FIA engine map ban in F1. From how the rule is worded (from what I see in the Autosport article), it does sound like teams are probably outside of the spirit of the rules, but I don’t understand 2 things:
1) How do you get off changing something this major in the middle of a season, when all the teams in question were apparently deemed by various scrutineers to be within the rules up to this point? This smacks of rules manipulation to favor teams who didn’t manage to get their blown diffusers working quite right, not naming any names…
2) How does the FIA intend to police and enforce this rule? Mandatory data downloads after the race (which I guess isn’t unprecedented, given the Bennetton “traction control” kerfluffle back in 1994)? Flowmeters in the headers? Are teams going to have to install webcams inside the intake manifolds such that the FIA can visually monitor the throttle position at all times?
Inquiring minds…
My next F1 Soap Box article is going to be on this subject Speedgeek. 100% agree with you. As I said in the cast, it reminds me of the mass damper situation with Renault. The FIA banned it as a moveable aero device halfway through the season (after it had been on the car for 1.5 years).
What is sad is, they didn’t change the rules midway through the season to ban these devices (blown difusers or mass dampers) they just chose to reinterpret the rules…. bad form!
As for the Milka thing, that was my mistake. I was informed of that earlier today when I was talking with one of the guys I work with who went up to the race. He went to watch his nephew Chad Hackenbracht who currently is 13th in the ARCA point standings and finished 11th at Toledo. Thanks for the correction….. I was having trouble believing that Milka could put up quick time in a practice session… bad information on my part.
^fired