The online racing simulator
Quote from Mazz4200 :The one i'd really like to see is the old green and white Fly Saudi livery

Amen!
Quote from StewartFisher :It just makes it easier for discussion if everyone is using the same corner numbers. The driver knows which corner he is having trouble with and looks up the number on his map. He then tells the engineer that he has problems at corner number X. The engineer looks at his numbered map and can see exactly which corner he's talking about.

For some circuits the corner numbers are obvious, but at other circuits there can be room for different interpretations of what is a 'proper' corner and what is simply a kink. Having a single standardised track map in each team removes any possibilities for confusion.
With Bin Laden logos!

Do keep up. We've already established that the numbers are memorised by the drivers, because they can't look at the map whilst driving whilst talking on the radio. So why, when they are back in the pits do they suddenly need to rely on a map that 4 minutes ago wasn't needed?

See what I mean? Or do you honestly think that it's possibly to not only glance at, but also read, the little map whilst driving near the limit, whilst talking on the radio about whatever problem needs reporting, whilst taking appropriate action because of the offending problem?
Quote from tristancliffe :Do keep up. We've already established that the numbers are memorised by the drivers, because they can't look at the map whilst driving whilst talking on the radio. So why, when they are back in the pits do they suddenly need to rely on a map that 4 minutes ago wasn't needed?

Do they memorise the numbers? I'm sure they try to, or at least quickly learn which corner is which but I always assumed the map was there so that, perhaps on the way in, or whilst sat in the pits in the car, the driver could accurately and confidently explain which corner he had the problem at. It would be very confusing and time consuming if the driver isn't totally accurate with his description.
Quote from tristancliffe :Do keep up. We've already established that the numbers are memorised by the drivers, because they can't look at the map whilst driving whilst talking on the radio. So why, when they are back in the pits do they suddenly need to rely on a map that 4 minutes ago wasn't needed?

I wasn't under the impression that we'd established that! There's no real need for a driver to remember the corner numbers when he's out on track, is there?
Quote from StewartFisher :I wasn't under the impression that we'd established that! There's no real need for a driver to remember the corner numbers when he's out on track, is there?

How else is he going to tell his crew what the car is doing?

Driver: "My car is a little loose in that corner"
Crew: "Which corner?"
Driver: "That one two corners ago"
Crew: "The right hander?"
Driver: "No, now its three corners ago"
Exactly. Listen to radio transmissions and ALL of the drivers know the corner number off by heart at every track. So why have a map.

Quote :Of course the drivers memorise the corners, but when they're talking to their engineers, having a numbered track map avoids confusion about which corner they're talking about.

You see, we'd established it. Unless of course you are far superior to all F1 drivers and can read maps whilst doing 170mph.
Quote from tristancliffe :Exactly. Listen to radio transmissions and ALL of the drivers know the corner number off by heart at every track. So why have a map.

They know them straight away, all of them, from the first practice session?
Quote from sinbad :They know them straight away, all of them, from the first practice session?

I would hope so. Do you think these guys are getting paid millions of dollars to just show up at the track and learn things as they go? This isn't an LFS pickup race we're talking about.
Err, yeah. When I go racing I know the turn names and numbers straight away from first practice (only practice). And I don't have a radio or a cockpit map. Nor am I especially clever, and nor am I paid millions of squid to do so. I mean we're only talking about a dozen names/numbers max aren't we. Most snails would manage.
Quote from tristancliffe :I hope they put the Camel colours back on

It'll look weird without the Camel logos. It would be nice to see the Rothmans livery again too, but not the Winfield.
Quote from tristancliffe :Exactly. Listen to radio transmissions and ALL of the drivers know the corner number off by heart at every track. So why have a map.

Perhaps to help them get it right during first practice?
Quote :You see, we'd established it. Unless of course you are far superior to all F1 drivers and can read maps whilst doing 170mph.

No, I said they'd memorised the corners, not the corner numbers. I obviously misunderstood you.

All I'm trying to do is explain what I heard in a driver interview a few years ago. He said the track map was to help them discuss the performance of the car in different corners. I'm content to believe him, regardless of how stupid it sounds to amateurs.
If you ran an F1 team, and payed your drivers a lot of money to do the driving and feedback, would you be happy with them guessing the corner numbers in the first practice? Why can't they look at the track and remember the layout? Some play computer games of the tracks, and could learn them then.

I'm not inclined to believe the unknown F1 driver who apparently said they used them - if they did, they probably aren't in F1 anymore. Maybe they've gone to NASCAR where they only have to count to three?

If they can memorise a corner, that is variable depending on hundreds, if not thousands of variables, then why is it such a struggle to remember a dozen consecutive numbers?
Quote from tristancliffe :Err, yeah. When I go racing I know the turn names and numbers straight away from first practice (only practice). And I don't have a radio or a cockpit map. Nor am I especially clever, and nor am I paid millions of squid to do so. I mean we're only talking about a dozen names/numbers max aren't we. Most snails would manage.

It's a safe-guard, and about as easy and simple as they come. I'm sure they remember the numbers very quickly, but on the off chance that one of them possibly forgets, (so hard to envisage happening?) there's a little map to remind them, or even just to help them learn, and save everybody a lot of hassle.
I'm pretty sure they have more important things to do before getting in the car than committing the numbers to memory to the extent where a potentially time consuming error can NEVER be made. Why do something less easy when a little sticker map is so simple?
are honda going with the "Earth Car" look again this season or are they getting sponsors put back onto the car?
Quote from sinbad :It's a safe-guard, and about as easy and simple as they come. I'm sure they remember the numbers very quickly, but on the off chance that one of them possibly forgets, (so hard to envisage happening?) there's a little map to remind them, or even just to help them learn, and save everybody a lot of hassle.
I'm pretty sure they have more important things to do before getting in the car than committing the numbers to memory to the extent where a potentially time consuming error can NEVER be made. Why do something less easy when a little sticker map is so simple?

Because if you're driving at close to 200 mph you don't have time to look at a little sticker map, that is probably blocked from your vision anyway.
Quote from UncleBenny :Because if you're driving at close to 200 mph you don't have time to look at a little sticker map, that is probably blocked from your vision anyway.

Where did I say that they look at it whilst driving flat out?
If the can manage whilst driving and talking on the radio without mistakes (and surely it is here when they need to be accurate with their information) then why would they need to revert to a map when in the pits?
Unfortunately I have been unsuccessful in finding information about exactly why they would need a map in there. I assume it is probably just there and has no real use.
OK, one last attempt at this...
Have a look at the circuit map on the Wikipedia page for Istanbul Park:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_Park

Turns 6 and 7 are labelled as seperate corners, whereas the quadruple-apex Turn 8 is a single corner. I can't explain this, but that's apparently the way it is. If I were looking at this picture without prior knowledge, I'd probably label turns 6 and 7 as a single 'turn 6' and label turn 8 as two, three, or even 4 seperate corners, depending on how the mood took me.

Now is it clear why a single, pre-specified track map is preferred to allowing drivers to use their own naming convention? It's nothing to do with the driver not knowing where he is, it's to allow them to communicate very clearly with their engineers what the car is doing in each corner.

Oh, and why is it assumed that the driver will be doing this over the radio? It's perfectly sensible for a driver to describe the car's performance in different corners when he's back in the pits.
Good example track. In the run up to a Grand Prix (lets call it two weeks, plus [perhaps] long flights over, probably with team personnel) do you think they don't talk about this? It probably takes 10 seconds to sort out the corner names/numbers, and relate them to the circuit once their out (and bear in mind all of them will have driven the track in a road car at the very least).

The driver HAS to do it over the radio, as the feedback is continuous. But, of course, more feedback occurs back in the pits. When they're in the car I doubt they look down and study the map whilst doing so. Remember, we're talking some of the best drivers in the world, and none of them are that stupid. The sort of people that mentally visualise EVERY aspect of the track in their heads. My racing car might not be quite as fast or expensive, but if I can memorise the corner names/numbers in a fortnight before a race, and know them INSTANTLY I get to them then I think an F1 driver can manage it.

Will they use a map at some point - probably, but more than likely a much bigger one on a desk in an office, where bumps, cambers and all sort of other details not picked up beforehand are discussed, and a written log of the cars feeling builds up.

If you can find me ONE picture or video of an F1 driver looking at the map whilst talking to his engineers (or at all actually) then I am willing to concede. But you won't, because they don't. There is no known reason for any racing car to have a map with corner numbers. Escape roads, gaps in fences etc would be useful, but the turn numbers simply aren't.

Memorise the following numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. I'm going to test you on them later. See if YOU can get them right (and in the right order), because if you can an F1 driver can. Even Montoya could, and he had a broken frikken head.
Oh Noes! *Ba Dum Tish*
Quote from MR_B :Oh Noes! *Ba Dum Tish*

They should've put some insane paintjob on it, to make it harder to work out what a pathetically basic-looking aero kit it's got.
I think BMW want to just scare the drivers infront of them off the road...
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Good god what ugliness there is on track (and bit off) next season.

I don't drive ugly car no matter what, of course some find other things ugly than others.

First they should implement wheel wells to those

2008 F1 car launches
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