[FullRangeMan]

Robin,
I read what the knobs do in this brasilian news site, if you do not get read the portuguese language, I may translate.
http://www.terra.com.br/esportes/infograficos/volante-f1/
> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

[ltr317]

It's amazing to me how these Formula 1 drivers can remember which button/knob/switch to press when they are racing at those high speeds with other cars around them.  In my rental Spec Racer Ford, I only had time to check the temp and pressure gauges on the straights, and had to look in front, side and in the back when I was racing side-by-side into the corners, sometimes with three cars abreast.   

[FullRangeMan]

Jake,
I agree with you.
What more surprised me, are that the US military technology must be keep in classified, secret from the public for 50 years, by force of a USmilitary regulament, so I wonder what the mylitary pilots are driving in the tests areas.
Regards, Gustavo

[FullRangeMan]

OK, what the F1 driving wheel buttons do, the buttons are 14:
1) Adjust the gear box shaft to the input, mid and exit of the curves of the race track.
FIA allow the electronic gear shaft in the gear box to the pilot adjust the torque in Newtons(KG/M/F) to the entry, mid and exit of the race track curves.

2) Tires set adjust. Change the fuel injection map, let the engine more agressive or soft, help to controlling the tires wear. A map of smoother acceleration, prevents the car skate in the rain.

3) Sensors mechanical, hydraulic and aerodynamic. The red and green knobs up & down, and are used together with the two green buttons on top of steering wheel(+10 & +1) to the pilot enter numbers combinations as ordered by the team engineer by radio talk.
Example: Pilot should enter number 77, he will press 7 times the 10 button + 7 times the 1 button + Enter button + driving the car at hi speed.

4) Put the gear box in Neutral.

5) Speed ​​limiter to 100Km/h, to the car enters in the pits stop lane.

6) Electronic Clutch; To use it the pilot have to put the gear box in Neutral, press the clutch with left hand and the Electronic Clutch system will find the exact point to the car start the race.
 
7) Start a motor to the pilot drink some beer inside the helmet.

8 ) TX radio, press to talk. The pilot will press it to call the Team engineer on the radio (Open Channel D!!)

9) Race Track Map. Used to save gas in Safety Car mode or after the race ended etc...

10) Flap, adjust the rear mobile wing.

11) TX/RX radio, used to reply to the Team radio guy.

12) Two controls to shifting the gears, Left down, Right UP
OBS.> Infos provided by the test pilot from Team Lotus, the brazilian Luiz Razia.

 

[satfrat]

Thanks for taking the time to type out the functions of all them buttons Gustavo.    It's amazing that the pit crew can monitor the fluid intake of the driver along with everything else. Incredible technology. 
 
I'm psyched for tonites race. 
 
Cheers,
Robin

[mgalusha]

Wow, what a race. So many interesting moments with a great start, Button driving through the Red Bull pit, the pass Hamilton laid on Vettel for the lead, so many great moments. FIA's wish for more overtaking has certainly come true. Webber, stunning, from 18th to 3rd even with a non functional KERS.

[JakeJ]

Yes, thanks, Gustavo, for the rundown on the F1 steering wheel controls.  Also thanks for seeing my humorous viewpoint.
 

Unfortunately I have no cable/satellite feed so I don't get to watch these events (or any events for that matter) except for clips on the internet.

[ltr317]

Yes, thanks, Gustavo, for the rundown on the F1 steering wheel controls.  Also thanks for seeing my humorous viewpoint.
 

Unfortunately I have no cable/satellite feed so I don't get to watch these events (or any events for that matter) except for clips on the internet.

You can get a live feed and follow the comments on BBC sports, and on track positions on formula1. com

[satfrat]

The China was the best race of the season for me, a ton of passing including the race leader Vettel getting passed by Hamilton with 5 laps to go. Polesetter Vettel was stuck to the track at the start and was passed my quite a few cars going into the 1st turn. But the Red Bull Renault came back during the race with excellent pitstops to regain the lead. In the end, Vettel simply didn't have the rubber to hold back Hamilton who had the better tires. What really made this race so enjoyable was all the passing. Speed Channel will have a repeat of the race on Monday at noon est. 
 
Cheers,
Robin

[jonwb]

Yeah, great race for sure!  Lots of interesting stuff going on.  I'm not positive, but I don't think Vettel's KERS was working at the end.  I thought I saw a shot w/ the telemetry side by side w/ another guy (Hamilton maybe) and Vettel's KERS was just sitting at 100% while his competitors' was up and down.  I'm sure we'll find out in the follow-up.  Regardless, clearly it was his running out of rubber that did him in.  Webber showed their cars had pace even w/o KERS.  I like Red Bull, but its good to see them get nicked frankly.  I would think that their KERS will be sorted in three weeks, but who knows.  I can't believe its still flaky even now.

And how about that drama in Hamilton's garage right before the race?  I wasn't sure if they were going to get him out!  Even more ironic since he went on to win the race.

Sure enough the passing changes sure seem to be working great.  It will make for some interesting strategies as then year goes forward.  Webber made a funny comment in the post-race interview saying basically that maybe you're better off sacrificing qualifying to save tires for the race. 

Only bad part now is waiting 3 weeks! 

[ltr317]

Yeah, that was a great race.  All the changes for this year to encourage passing is definitely working.  It looks like after 3 races, this season is going to be at least as exciting as last year, and there will be more than 2 drivers vying for the championship by the last couple of races.  Webber was phenomenal in carving through the field to finish on the podium without the benefit of Kers.  Too bad he's had such bad luck in the first 3 races compared to his team-mate.  If his Kers was only working as much as Vettle's, Webber would be in at least second place of the championship at this point in time. 

Jonwb - Vettle's Kers was working intermittently throughout the race and I believe it stopped working by the end of the race.   

[FullRangeMan]

Team Ferrari is threatening to quit F1 in the end of this season, in protest against the imminent FIA's proposal to only allow eco-friendly engines for 2012, with only four cylinders.
But the real reason are their cars became red turtles...

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

[Kinger]

Absolutely great race today.  Loved all the track position changes.  So much more fun to watch than the parade of cars from a few years ago where races were won in the pits and not at the wheel.