So we got back a few hours ago, I've done nothing but sweat my ass off all day but holy hell was it absolutely glorious! Hamilton kicked ass and took names, incredible driver and apparently the first black person to win the US Grand Prix, props to him, I look forward to watching him race in the future, truly gifted. Anyway, here are the pics and some videos, still trying to upload the rest, will post later.
BTW, these were the LOUDEST cars I have ever heard in my life, physically painful if you took out your ear plugs.
Videos:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/th_100_0824.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/?action=view¤t=100_0824.flv)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/th_100_0830.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/?action=view¤t=100_0830.flv)
Pics:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0810.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0811.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0827.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0833.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0834.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0835.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0836.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0837.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0838.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0840.jpg)
Touching the Track in the back stretch:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0846.jpg)
Driving on the wrong side of the road after the race, everyone thinks they're a race car driver afterwards, pretty scary:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/100_0852.jpg)
I watched on TV. Hamilton is the next HUGE driver. The announcers said Jackie Stewart says Hamilton is the best young talent he has ever seen.
I've been a Formula One fan since 1984 when the Dallas Grand Prix was held (a one and only F1 race -- it was never held there again). I was living in a suburb of Dallas and went to all three days of practice and race. It was the turbo era -- engines could either be 1.5L turbocharged or 3.0L normally aspirated. The turbo engines made more than 1000HP in qualifying boost (can you spell grenade?). The only remaining non-turbo was the car Ayrton Senna drove as a rookie -- it had a beautiful sounding Cosworth V8.
There was also a Can-Am race that weekend with a similar engine formula -- either 5L normally aspirated or 2L turbo. Unmuffled 5L V8 race engines are sweet sounding.
NONE of that holds a candle to modern F1 engines -- 19,000 RPM and no turbo in the exhaust to muffle the sound. And at Indy, they are on full throttle for extended periods.
I won't go to Indy in protest of what Tony George has single-handedly done to American open-wheel racing. He doesn't deserve a nickel of my money (not that he needs it). It's a shame he doesn't have as much sense as he does inherited money...
Went to Canadian GP last week, and yes- those cars are AMAZING sounding. We stayed at a friend's place about 5-6 miles from the track, and woke up to the sounds of the cars. Incredible.
Hamilton can really drive, incredible that they spotted that kid's talent so young and he was beating pros on the simulator when he was around 11. I'm sure Alonso is not pleased.
I was not around (Or at least not watching) when the 1000BHP cars were on the course. I have seen them run when Canadian GP did a historical race one year- and I have to say sweet sounding. Very distinctly different from the V-10s and v-8s they have run recently, but still music to my ears. They even had a Tyrell P 34, one of the wierdest F1 cars to ever see the track:
(http://www.racingsportscars.com/f1/1976/Zolder-1976-05-16-003.jpg)
Camera Phone shots:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/ffd852bdf6f8.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/a58403de36c3.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/f5a713930e21.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/93877965090f.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/SmartDrug/1a60fe19702c.jpg)