The 'Questions That Don't Warrant Their Own Thread' Thread

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Sometimes I wonder how 1984 would have panned out, had McLaren retained Watson instead of the ailing Lauda. Remember, the latter was absolutely nowhere in 1985, making me wonder if he wasn't 'aided' in his 84 title.

The reason Lauda got nowhere in 1985 was due to mechanical unreliability. He only finished 3 races that year, one of which he won. He crashed out at Adelaide, but that was due to brake failure. In 1985 Prost ironically had three non finishes only, two of them accidents.

As for 1984, the ailing (your description) Lauda won 5 races, had 4 mechanical failures, and of the races finished he only missed the podium once, finishing 4th at the European GP. He also had a spin that ended his race at Dallas, whilst in a podium position a few laps from the end....but he was one of 5 who ended in the wall there due to the track having broken up. As an aside Prost admits he learnt more from Lauda than from any other teamate

[Antonov]

Where on googlemaps is the old Las Vegas F1 track located? I seem to recall it was held on a car park and was called 'Caesars Palace' - however, I don't see a car park near the Caesars Palace motel.

[hollie3sa]

Where on googlemaps is the old Las Vegas F1 track located? I seem to recall it was held on a car park and was called 'Caesars Palace' - however, I don't see a car park near the Caesars Palace motel.

https://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 8&t=k&z=15

[Antonov]

Where on googlemaps is the old Las Vegas F1 track located? I seem to recall it was held on a car park and was called 'Caesars Palace' - however, I don't see a car park near the Caesars Palace motel.

https://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 8&t=k&z=15

Thanks buddy! Seems like a rather small terrain for a world class f1 race though

[Michael Ferner]

Too small, indeed. The track was directly in front of the Caesars Palace, without checking period material it must be the area that's south of yours, now overbuilt with stores and "The Forum Shops"/"The Colosseum". I'll have a look at home whether I have something better to exactly locate the track.

[Michael Ferner]

Had a quick check: the track was pretty much all over the area of what is now "The Mirage", in addition to the bits further south. Between Spring Mountain Road (north) and the Palace/Forum (south), Las Vegas Freeway (west) and South Las Vegas Boulevard (east).

[Antonov]

was it initially meant for Kyalami to be Round 1 of the 1981 F1 Championship? (instead of non-championship race)

poor Carlos Reutemann

[Cheeveer]

IIRC I don't think so. It was meant to show FISA that FOCA could put on a show on itself.

But yes, if it had been a championship race, Reutemann would have been champion that year.

[Antonov]

why did the 1984 have those funny rear wing extensions on the side?

oh, and what was the max. fuel usage (liters) per Grand Prix again in '84? I believe the fuel limit was brought down further for '85 or possibly '86.

[Everso Biggyballies]

why did the 1984 have those funny rear wing extensions on the side?

oh, and what was the max. fuel usage (liters) per Grand Prix again in '84? I believe the fuel limit was brought down further for '85 or possibly '86.

Purely to garner the air exiting from the radiator outlet in front of them and use it to increase downforce. At the time F1 designers were still trying to recoup the lost downforce from the banning of ground effects for 1983. The Brabham generally used the tabs as rear wing extensions rather than the forward mounted ones in the pic. but then the following year the FIA restricted overall rear wing width.

In 1984 the fuel limit was 220 litres. Refuelling was also banned. The fuel tank had to be fitted between the driver and engine. it was reduced to 195 litres in 1986. The reduction was an attempt reduce the by then huge power outputs of the turbo engines. After that they went to reducing turbo boost pressure as a way to reduce power, before banning turbos completely for 1989.

[Antonov]

thank you for that elaborate explanation, @Everso Biggyballies!

I am still a bit confused about the ground effect era.
I thought it started with the Lotus in 1978, and ended prior to round 1 of the 1981 championship.
but then, I always heard 82 cars had ground effect, so I am confused.

perhaps skirts were banned prior to round 1 of 1981? but maybe there was de facto ground effect by pushing the cars to the ground some other way.
I assume in 1983 there was a fixed ride height to be respected at all times.

[Michkov]

Lotus figured out how to make ground effects work on a car with the 79. Sealing the shaped underbody with flexible skirts to keep outside high pressure air out. That was in 1978, prior to that you had experiments with shaped sidepods on some cars, the 1970 March 701 comes to mind. As well as the previous Lotus 78 which run shaped sidepods too.
http://www.gurneyflap.com/Resources/MARC3559.jpg

For 1979 everyone copied Lotus and the development race was on.
The first restriction was a ban on flexible skirts, which where replaced with metal skirts and rock hard suspension. As well as a mandatory right height nobody took serious. That was the year the Lotus 88 was not allowed to race, so 1981.
Finally the shaped underbody was banned for 1983, replaced with the flat floor ahead of the rear axle.

To be clear all the cars from 1979 onwards are designed to make use of ground effects, it just got harder and harder to use due to the restrictions put on the floor by the rule makers.

[erwin greven]

Lotus figured out how to make ground effects work on a car with the 79.

Small correction: the Lotus 78 was the first ground effect car. They managed to solve some problems in the 78 in the successor the 79.

[Antonov]

usually Kyalami was one of the opening rounds of the season. In 83 and 85 however these were the last Grand Prix of the season. Any particular reason why?

[hollie3sa]

I just watched Peter Dumbreck's infamous 1999 Le Mans accident again. And a question popped into my mind.



The accident was broadcasted live and received massive media coverage.
As you can see in the video, the #5 Mercedes was closely followed by the #67 Porsche 911 entered by Larbre Competition and driven by Pierre de Thoisy/Sébastien Bourdais/Jean-Pierre Jarier





Has there ever been an account of the driver of that Porsche on how he experienced/recalls the accident unfolding in front of him?

[Antonov]

I assume it must have been something along the lines of "it just took off and I didn't see it again".