Category Archives: Race Previews

Melbourne Preview

Posted on March 10, 2018 | Leave a comment

The final third of the season gets underway with the traditional opening round of the Formula 1 season, Melbourne, Australia.  Located in Albert Park, the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a street circuit that has hosted motor races as far back as the early 1950’s.  Formula 1 began racing there in 1996.  This will be the first time the SBMRL races here.

Melbourne

The confines of the city and the contour of the lake contribute to the cramped feeling of the track, but skilled drivers will be able to open it up in the second half.  The pit straight is short, there aren’t any long straights here, and leads into the Jones/Brabham corner.  This shouldn’t cause much trouble, but the Whiteford corner following it will certainly keep speeds in check.

The second sector starts a series of spaced out simple corners, including a right hander around the marina and the Clark Chicane.  This is were speed can be gained and the field will spread out a bit.  A smooth run through here is essential to a good finish.

Sector three has the Waite and Ascari corners, more of the same from the previous sector.  However, it finishes up with the long Stewart-Senna-Prost combination.  This part of the track can be taken slow or slower, and carrying speed onto the pit straight for the next lap will be difficult.

Overall, Melbourne is a relatively short track that won’t see cars getting up to their top speeds often.  Instead, deft handling and gear shifting will be rewarded.

Starting Grid

The top three on the grid start from the exact same slot that they started in last time out.  The Stig’s dominance over the last three races leave him at the opposite end.  In between, the 3-way tie for 2nd place in the standings is broken in reverse order of finish in India.  That leaves the following:

  1. Captain Slow (SB)
  2. Stevie Wondertyres (SR)
  3. Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
  4. Whiplash (SR)
  5. Sheila Dinkum (RM)
  6. Bubba McQueen (FR)
  7. Launch Bornado (FR)
  8. The Stig (SB)

As always, pit selection is in order of team standings, which simply results in this:

  1. Force Ravenswood
  2. Regency Motors
  3. Scandinavian Blitz
  4. Sprite Racing

Both Launch Bornado and Sheila Dinkum come from Australia, making it the home race for both drivers.

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India Preview

Posted on February 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

February takes the SBMRL to India to race Buddh International Circuit.  Buddh was inaugurated in 2011 and held Formula 1 Grand Prix races from 2011 through 2013.  The SBMRL makes a return here after a hiatus last season, having previously raced here in 2015.

Buddh

Buddh’s pit straight is quite short, and the run up into the first corner is a bit of an in-between distance for those on the front row.  The key consideration here is the need to come out of turn 2 with speed for the circuit’s notable long straight.  Those at the back of the grid will have to deal with congestion through these corners that may add to the challenge.

The circuit’s heaviest braking spot is the approach to turn 3, where cars will hope not to lose too much speed heading into the second sector.  Turns 4 and 5 slow the field down considerably, meaning that car setup will require a balance between the long open straight and the congestion that follows.

The third sector is easily overlooked as the most boring part of the track, with each corner looking simple in isolation.  However, the rhythm of this part of the track is what will trip drivers up, making it likely the hardest sector to get just right.

Starting Grid

Captain Slow has started in the top 3 every race this season, but has yet to record a podium, thus testing team management’s patience.  Stevie will start alongside him on the front row.  Jaap continues to slide in the standings after winning the season opener in Portland, moving his grid position into the top 3 for India.

Whiplash and Bubba, who are currently tied in the standings, have their tie broken in reverse order of finish at Interlagos, which gives the edge to Bubba.  The Stig’s consecutive victories have vaulted him all the way to the top of the driver standings and his first start at the back of the grid since the SBMRL’s inaugural race at Austin in 2015.

  1. Captain Slow (SB)
  2. Stevie Wondertyres (SR)
  3. Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
  4. Launch Bornado (FR)
  5. Bubba McQueen (FR)
  6. Whiplash (SR)
  7. Sheila Dinkum (RM)
  8. The Stig (SB)

Pit selection will be in order of team standings, and for the second time this year we have a tie atop the standings.  The tiebreaker is the team with the worse average starting position, and that is leaves the following:

  1. Regency Motors
  2. Force Ravenswood
  3. Scandinavian Blitz
  4. Sprite Racing

No driver has India as their home race this season.

Track History

While the Formula 1 races produced the same winner each of the three years it was held there, that will not be possible in the SBMRL as Danger Wheel won our race two years ago.  Launch finished 2nd that year with none of the other current drivers managing a podium.  It’s worth pointing out that our previous race produced no retirements.

SBMRL @ Buddh

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Interlagos Preview

Posted on January 20, 2018 | Leave a comment

Race five of the SBMRL season means a return trip to Brazil to race Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.  The track, commonly known as Interlagos, first hosted the SBMRL last year and resulted in a wild race with a surprise victor.

Interlagos

Interlagos features some of the fastest racing of the season and will really tax each car’s engine and brakes.  A decent run up the the Senna ‘S’ means cars at the back of the grid will have some leeway to play catch up right out of the gate, but it could also mean some bumping and scraping along the way.

The long straight that marks the first sector leads into Descida do Lago, a sharp left-hander that is followed by another long stretch.  There’s plenty of opportunity to get his wrong.

The infield section has a series of relatively unremarkable corners before the Juncao corner spits the cars onto the extremely long pit straight.  Yes, there’s some curvature to this part of the track, but it can be taken full out so there will be little expectation of caution here.

Starting Grid

Officially, the SBMRL lines up the grid in reverse order of driver standings, but we currently have 4 drivers all tied for 3rd place on 49 points.  Whiplash, Launch, Jaap, and the Stig all can make that claim.  Historically, the league has used the order of finish in the previous race as the tiebreaker, with the car finishing the farthest back getting the highest grid slot.  That leaves the following for Brazil:

  1. Stevie Wondertyres (SR)
  2. Captain Slow (SB)
  3. The Stig (SB)
  4. Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
  5. Launch Bornado (FR)
  6. Whiplash (SR)
  7. Bubba McQueen (FR)
  8. Sheila Dinkum (RM)

Pit selection is order of the team standings:

  1. Regency Motors
  2. Force Ravenswood
  3. Scandinavian Blitz
  4. Sprite Racing

Track History

With only one race in the books at Interlagos, there isn’t a ton of history to go on, but what a race it was.  Osito Racing Company’s Jaronimus and Jamonito finished 1-2, respectively, after lapping in 7th and 9th place.  Launch Bornado, who started 8th, was in 1st after a lap and rounded out the podium.  Launch is also the only car in this year’s field to finish higher than 7th last year.

Three cars failed to finish (including both Scandinavian Blitz drivers) thanks to engine failure and debris scattered all over the track.  Jaap had a blazing first lap but was the last of the finishers to cross the line.

Scandinavian Blitz will be hoping to carry their Monaco momentum over to Brazil to earn some redemption for last year, while the drivers who are all currently tied know that a solid finish here can give them a strong leg up in the standings.

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