subject : void

Finally it rained. The smell of wet soil.. the cold breeze… nirvana. (well almost)

Today I managed to leave my car keys inside and lock myself out. I tried to unlock the door, using the usual ‘sliding the metal rule’ trick. However it did not work :(. After some running around, one of the watchman nearby managed to push inside (though the door crack) a thin metal wire and used that to remove the door lock. I was amazed by how easy it is to break into cars… and there are so many freaking ways.

Managed to catch today’s F1 race ( missed couple of the early laps thanks to my car). Who says Monaco is a boring track. Today’s race had an amazing nail biting finish. with 1.3 sec separating 1st and 3rd place at the finish line. And its nice to see Kimi still leading in the Drivers Championship points.

12 Comments

  1. azooey · June 1, 2003 Reply

    return type: boring

    naahhh. The only thing interesting about Monaco is the
    hairpin – the only spot where the possibility of an overtaking maneuver exists. So, besides the pole positions and the pit-stop strategy there’s really no room for anything exciting…(something supported by the fact that the podium was decided immediately after the first round of pit-stops)

  2. skjaidev · June 1, 2003 Reply

    It could have been interesting with the earlier points system. But with this new system, no body wants to risk anything.

    It was _boring_ to see everybody sit back and wait for something to happen to the one in front.

    If you remember last year Schumi did attempt to overtake DC and the year before, DC tried as hell to get past Bernoldi (for 16th ;-), but this year, no body tried at all!

  3. Anonymous · June 1, 2003 Reply

    I so do not agree…..this time again u had schumi stuck behind a slower trulli….the pit lane dramas bet DC’s mclaren and the renault… both playing with pit strategies to get in front and ending up go conservative in the end just to make it to the flag…….who can forget how schumi started closing in to the front pack showing the sheer pace of that ferrari….exiting to the end……montoya pushing and at the same time trying to conserve (not very easy with kimi behind)……amn it was GOOD!!!… and of course…..bono, ronaldo, roberto…..added surprises

  4. skjaidev · June 2, 2003 Reply

    Still not one move to suggest an overtaking attempt through the entire race.

  5. teemus · June 3, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    I beg to differ. The hairpin taken at 40 miles/hour offers no chance of overtaking in Monaco. The ONLY (and I repeat, ONLY) overtaking place on the track is the first corner – the way DC overtook Monty last year, and the way Michael took Mika (as in Hakkinen) in 1999 (my first GP). Here’s how to do it if you have a game like F1-2000/2001 from EA SPORTS :

    After the Rassacasse hairpin (the last two corners), tuck in behind the car you are chasing with a gap of around 0.2-0.4 seconds, so as to get a tug from his slipstream. Then as you approach the first corner (St. Devote if I am not wrong), pullo out, and take the inside of the corner, finishing an easy-does-it overtaking move. Think about it.

    On the other hand, one can be ahead of the car you are chasing after the hairpin is taken, but you’ll be totally out of the racing line when you take the next right and head into the tunnel. Result – you have to give away your position. That’s how Alex Wurz defended his position against Michael in the Monaco GP a few years back (do not remember)…

    …Last year, McLaren analysed the time taken for Monty’s car to accelerate upto the first corner from video replays, and then fine-tuned DC’s launch control so that he acclerates better (and faster) so as to overtake him at St. Devote.

  6. azooey · June 3, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    wow. that was enlightening, indeed!

  7. Anonymous · June 3, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    but doesn’t late breaking totally thow u off….in a game its fine…..but with one schumi or kimi in front of u, it obviously is diff………also in a track like this (unlike in A1 ring)…the difference bet race line and off-race line is not too much….acc. to the next rt. should not b tough…..but real life conditions may change….and so a game can b trusted only so much!

  8. admin · June 4, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    and all this while I thought I knew enough about F1 😀

  9. teemus · June 4, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    Late braking does affect you, but as foresaid, it’s the slipstream that helps. The ‘tow’ generated by the slipstream can give your engine upto 10 bhp extra power, so that should allow you to pass the car in front (which is about 2.5m in length) with considerable ease. Then, it’s upto the guts / talent of the challenger – late brake if you want that extra edge and pull off a WOW move, else brake naturally in order to merely overtake! 🙂

    Where the question of a narrow track at Monaco arises, I second you. But, but, and again but, the first corner is quite wide so to allow two cars to be abreast – remember there is a run-off tarmac section before the first corner (like most tracks) so that any car that fails can be pushed to this side.

    If you really want to get a 1/10th experience of motor racing, one word – karting!!! 🙂 If you are in Hyderabad, what better place than RunWay-9 for all this?

  10. Anonymous · June 4, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    No no…i do not think u understood me…..what I meant to say was if the other driver( the defending one, like schumi or kimi) were to try the “ultra late breaking” (what the r truly good at) would that not thow the slipstreaming theory off? as far as I know this trick can be more effectively user at USA or hokkenhiem (Am bad at spelling)? especially here with high down forces and ur tyres already crying??

    I would also like to say “It is a pleasure talking to some one who knows soooooo much bout this sport”….somewhere u can suggest I can learn?

  11. teemus · June 5, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    Hmmm…… (thinking)… you are right.

    Another way of defending your position is what I title the ‘Schuey Cut’. Cut across your opponent so as to block him, like he did to Mika Hakkinen at Spa 2000 (and countless other drivers during his racing career 😉 ), which resulted in the overtaking manoveur of the decade on the next lap!

    Let’s close the discussion with this. 🙂

    Thank you so much. I started seeing F1 in 1999 by mistake (the Monaco GP started on Star Sports while the Australia match that was goin on, was shifted to ESPN). I have learnt tons from my friends back home, and mags like F1 Racing (which unfortunately costs the sky nowadays). BTW, there’s an Indian F1 mag called “F1 Passion” which I haven’t read (as it isn’t available in Shimoga 🙁 ), and the latest issue of Overdrive Grand Prix (100 bucks) really ROCKS!

    BTW, check out The LJ F1 community for more F1 mania, and get an LJ account fast! You really do believe in the “no-names on the ‘Net” policy!!! 🙂
    cheers!

  12. Anonymous · June 5, 2003 Reply

    Re: Not the hairpin, but the first corner…

    thanx a lot…

    u r rite: “Let’s close the discussion with this. :)”

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