With all the talk of a common engine, isn't this
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
With all the talk of a common engine, isn't this
Maybe what detarmines the driver's championship is indeed the engine itself. 
McLaren fear over Lewis car
David Smith, Sports Correspondent
Lewis Hamilton may yet be robbed of a maiden Formula One world title by a mechanical failure.
With only the Brazil Grand Prix to come on Sunday week, Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's chief executive, today admitted: "Our engines have generally been very reliable but you always worry because one slip and you can let a championship disappear."
Hamilton's team-mate, Heikki Kovalainen, suffered a blown engine in Japan two races ago and he was forced to retire from last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix with a hydraulic problem.
Adding to McLaren's concern is the F1 rule that engines must last for two races. Hamilton had a new engine in China, where he won in commanding fashion, and now he must use that same engine at Interlagos knowing it has already been subject to stress and strain.
By contrast, title rival Felipe Massa will have a fresh engine in his Ferrari and that could make him slightly more competitive.
Whitmarsh said: "It is very easy not to finish a Grand Prix. Things can go wrong. In terms of reliability issues there is, clearly, pressure."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-spo...do?ito=newsnow&
David Smith, Sports Correspondent
Lewis Hamilton may yet be robbed of a maiden Formula One world title by a mechanical failure.
With only the Brazil Grand Prix to come on Sunday week, Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's chief executive, today admitted: "Our engines have generally been very reliable but you always worry because one slip and you can let a championship disappear."
Hamilton's team-mate, Heikki Kovalainen, suffered a blown engine in Japan two races ago and he was forced to retire from last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix with a hydraulic problem.
Adding to McLaren's concern is the F1 rule that engines must last for two races. Hamilton had a new engine in China, where he won in commanding fashion, and now he must use that same engine at Interlagos knowing it has already been subject to stress and strain.
By contrast, title rival Felipe Massa will have a fresh engine in his Ferrari and that could make him slightly more competitive.
Whitmarsh said: "It is very easy not to finish a Grand Prix. Things can go wrong. In terms of reliability issues there is, clearly, pressure."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-spo...do?ito=newsnow&
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During the pre-race show this past weekend, the tech segment talked about the clutches. 19k rpm to a standstill in 0.2 seconds. And it does that how many thousands of times during a race weekend, with 850hp on the other side. And thats just one component that runs at 10/10ths all weekend long. I'm constantly amazed at the durability of these cars.
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Originally Posted by 8_ball,Oct 21 2008, 08:42 AM
During the pre-race show this past weekend, the tech segment talked about the clutches. 19k rpm to a standstill in 0.2 seconds. And it does that how many thousands of times during a race weekend, with 850hp on the other side. And thats just one component that runs at 10/10ths all weekend long. I'm constantly amazed at the durability of these cars.
Then again....you have some of the best engineers in the world working in F1...so it is not surprising.
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I remember reading that McLaren were thinking they had an advantage over Ferrari because they had not used their joker engine yet while Ferrari did...seems like they miscalculated.
Now I could start a conspiracy theory here - HK "retired" early to save laps on this engine...
Now I could start a conspiracy theory here - HK "retired" early to save laps on this engine...
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From: Drexel Hill, PA
apparently, at least Lewis still has his "joker engine" but they were saying that there is some question on whether it can or can't be used in the last race. so McLaren didn't want to take any chances.
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by matrix,Oct 21 2008, 10:51 AM
Now I could start a conspiracy theory here - HK "retired" early to save laps on this engine...
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by gomarlins3,Oct 21 2008, 12:50 PM
O.K., I am new to the whole F1 thing over the past two years, so please help me out here.
"Joker engine"?
"Joker engine"?
Each driver gets one engine that has to last for 2 races. Engines on Friday are free, meaning they can run as much as they want on Friday and they do not have to use their race engine. The ruless have all sorts of penalties if an engine does not last for two races and all sorts of restrictions of what a team can do to an engine between races. And, to your question, one of the rules says each driver will get to use one new engine in the season free, in other words if a driver wants a new engine for a specific race he can get a new engine without any penalties associated to it, but he can only get his benefit once per season.
Did that help?
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From: Covington WA, USA
Originally Posted by matrix,Oct 21 2008, 08:51 AM
Now I could start a conspiracy theory here - HK "retired" early to save laps on this engine...
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by mikegarrison,Oct 21 2008, 01:17 PM
Actually, by retiring early he gets to install a brand new engine, with no grid penalty.
HEY - I already said that...
