Honda Grand Prix of Alabama

Purist · 26 Mar 2012, 20:09 (Ref:3049001)

I didn't want this one sneaking up on us, so I thought I'd get the thread going.

And yes, DanicaFan, we appreciate all the information you post for these race threads.

Hopefully, the guys and gals can keep it clean for Turn 1 once again. That opening complex can be a bit tricky. The hairpin in the middle is pretty clearly the best overtaking point. And running two-abreast through any of the three different esses is NOT recommended.

The race is 90 laps of the 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course (a total distance of 207 miles). The track takes in a difference of height of 80ft, so it is not flat by any means.

If history holds, it's a standard two-stop race, with drivers having to do some conservation to make sure they pull a 30-lap stint each time. We'll have to see if the smaller fuel cell still allows for this strategy.

DanicaFan · 27 Mar 2012, 13:01 (Ref:3049396)

Ok, then my work is done here...

NaBUru38 · 27 Mar 2012, 21:59 (Ref:3049697)

I don't believe Barber will be a procession. These cars can run packed at corners. With faster corners, it will be easier to slipstream.

Purist · 28 Mar 2012, 01:34 (Ref:3049798)

That's only if the corners are flat-out. Even then, there aren't any flat-out stretches at Barber that are long enough to get a good slipstream going.

The front straight is the longest true straight on the track, and it's only 1595ft in length. Even with Turn 4 being flat, the run from 3 to 5 is only 1650ft or so. The run from 5 to 7 is roughly 1600ft. If the 10/11 esse is taken flat, that would be a run of around 2500ft, but you're likely to lose any momentum on the guy in front of you as you have to go through the esse, so you almost have to start over on the straight into Turn 12. More importantly though, there aren't really any extreme braking zones around the track. Turns 1 and 12 are quite open and fairly quick. You have to already be virtually alongside going into Turn 7 to finish a move, and we saw last year what happens when you try the divebomb there. And Turn 5 isn't that acute (tight a radius) as far as hairpins go. Maybe, just maybe, if the guy in front of you is too shallow through Turn 15, you can get him on the binders going into Turn 16, but that's not a place you can really count on, and again, it's not a terribly severe braking zone.

It's been said many times, but I'll repeat it; Barber Motorsports Park was designed quite specifically for bike racing. It's a nice setting, and actually has some good corners and elevation changes, but it lacks places for high-horsepower cars to really stretch their legs.

mythoughtsareracing · 28 Mar 2012, 10:58 (Ref:3049959)

Barber is a great track and a beautiful facility. But it was designed for motorcycle racing.

The best passing opportunity is the hairpin made up of turns 5 & 6, aka "Charlotte's Web". It's called that because of the big metal sculpture of a spider right outside the gravel:

Turn 3 exits uphill and turn 4 is at the crest, then downhill right into turn 5, so late-brakers can have a field day here. It will really show who has the new carbon brakes figured out!

The backstretch is a good place to pass if a driver nails turns 7, 7a, 7b and 8.
Turns 7 & 7a are a quick little chicane with high curbing to bounce off (or jump over!) and 7a is tight, opening up into 8 with a little bit of banking. A driver who can get through this complex quick can get maximum speed down the back stretch (the chicane that is 9 & 10 is usually flat-out) and dive into 11 for a pass as they go around 12 and up the hill.

I'm wondering if any of the new powerplants will have more grunt and able to make up ground on the short uphill sections. The hill after turn 12 is somewhat steep, and I've seen torque-y V8s (Mustangs, Camaros) chew up more nimble cars that are faster over and handle better.

I'll have my butt parked on the hill overlooking Turn 2, just like last year.
Anyone else going to attend?

**bjohnsonsmith** · 30 Mar 2012, 01:21 (Ref:3050683)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mythoughtsareracing

The best passing opportunity is the hairpin made up of turns 5 & 6, aka "Charlotte's Web". It's called that because of the big metal sculpture of a spider right outside the gravel.

Thanks for the explanation. Just for a moment there, I thought a giant spider was going to chase after that Dallara and have it for lunch.

Paradise City · 31 Mar 2012, 01:08 (Ref:3051083)

50% chance of rain on Sunday, showers and so on. It looks a great track and should be a good race presuming the broadcaster is even half on the ball.

NaBUru38 · 28 Mar 2012, 14:13 (Ref:3050047)

Hello, mythoughtsareracing! Welcome to the forum.

Purist · 30 Mar 2012, 19:05 (Ref:3050975)

Will Power notched up a 1:11.289 (116.147-mph) in Practice 1, so last year's pole time is already behind us, and we'll see if the 2010 record falls in subsequent sessions.

Bourdais led the Lotus contingent with a 1:12.482 (114.235-mph)), which put him 16th in the session. That's not quite 1.2 seconds off Power's time, so Sebastian is not horribly far off the pace by any means. If his engineer can hit the setup well once more, things could get real interesting again in the corners.

ptclaus98 · 31 Mar 2012, 00:32 (Ref:3051075)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

Will Power notched up a 1:11.289 (116.147-mph) in Practice 1, so last year's pole time is already behind us, and we'll see if the 2010 record falls in subsequent sessions.

Bourdais led the Lotus contingent with a 1:12.482 (114.235-mph)), which put him 16th in the session. That's not quite 1.2 seconds off Power's time, so Sebastian is not horribly far off the pace by any means. If his engineer can hit the setup well once more, things could get real interesting again in the corners.

Bourdais was nuts in turn one, you could really tell he was pushing hard.

Purist · 30 Mar 2012, 22:43 (Ref:3051050)

Sato quickest in a wet practice 2 with a 1:18.868 (104.985-mph). Bourdais came in second with a 1:19.274.

It looks like they called the session early, when the rain turned torrential.

Purist · 31 Mar 2012, 00:43 (Ref:3051078)

This piece from Speed looks at where Bourdais was making time at St. Pete.
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...-sector-times/

I'm waiting to have a look at Practice 2 highlights, as I want to know just how wet it was when Sato set his time. It could give some interesting clues as to how much grip these guys have, and how it's being made.

W.A Trichlorostyrene · 31 Mar 2012, 11:04 (Ref:3051204)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

I'm waiting to have a look at Practice 2 highlights, as I want to know just how wet it was when Sato set his time. It could give some interesting clues as to how much grip these guys have, and how it's being made.

Here they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz_62RnHLUo

Burp · 31 Mar 2012, 07:30 (Ref:3051125)

Any feeds for this around?

Sounds like it could be a more intresting weekend than St pete

Purist · 31 Mar 2012, 15:46 (Ref:3051307)

Power was fastest of Group 1 with a 1:09.853. Castroneves is quickest in Group 2 with a 1:09.921.

And with that, the existing Indy Car record at Barber is history.

Purist · 31 Mar 2012, 16:01 (Ref:3051311)

Castroneves, Hinchcliffe, and Dixon move onto the Fast Six, though it looked like Dixon's car stalled out just past the hairpin at the end of the session.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 31 Mar 2012, 16:39 (Ref:3051327)

Is this being shown on TV by NBC?

**bjohnsonsmith** · 31 Mar 2012, 21:33 (Ref:3051436)

Helio gets pole.

Paradise City · 31 Mar 2012, 21:46 (Ref:3051444)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Is this being shown on TV by NBC?

I think its an NBC Sports race. An American resident will have to confirm that. NBC Sports is just a rebadged Versus and no more popular or prominent amongst the channels. Although that said, NBC may develop it more in the future.

Purist · 31 Mar 2012, 22:04 (Ref:3051452)

Something odd seemed to happen with T&S. I saw the first two 12-car session results, but then it apparently went straight on to the Fast Six. An adequate amount of time certainly had not elapsed for the intermediate session to determine the top 6 from the top 12, and then they were showing what turned out to be the run for pole. It just seems strange in retrospect.

Anway, it's wait and see for tomorrow's weather, and how the new car races on this track, whether wet or dry.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 31 Mar 2012, 22:17 (Ref:3051458)

Hopefully I can get a feed from Sky Sports; probably 3 or 4.

ptclaus98 · 1 Apr 2012, 01:58 (Ref:3051513)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

Something odd seemed to happen with T&S. I saw the first two 12-car session results, but then it apparently went straight on to the Fast Six. An adequate amount of time certainly had not elapsed for the intermediate session to determine the top 6 from the top 12, and then they were showing what turned out to be the run for pole. It just seems strange in retrospect.

Anway, it's wait and see for tomorrow's weather, and how the new car races on this track, whether wet or dry.

Hunter-Reay spun and they threw the red flag. Didn't restart.

Purist · 1 Apr 2012, 02:38 (Ref:3051517)

Yeah, now that they've posted up an article giving the description, things make a lot more sense.

i kind of wish that your fast lap could stand, if you didn't have to go through the yellow zone after the incident when you set the time. As for Hunter-Reay, and situations like that, I think taking away the one fastest lap he set is enough.

DS" · 1 Apr 2012, 18:15 (Ref:3051857)

On which BSkyB channel will it be on? Sky Sports 4 still has Rugby going on.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 1 Apr 2012, 18:33 (Ref:3051864)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS"

On which BSkyB channel will it be on? Sky Sports 4 still has Rugby going on.

It's on Sky 4 now.

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