United States Grand Prix Talk

**davidan** · 06-17-2007, 10:37 AM

The big F1 Race in the US is today! Lets talk about it in this thread ...
Predictions anyone?

I predict that Hamilton will win and that Scott Speed drives up into the top 10 at his home circuit ...

Tim Henson · 06-18-2007, 11:00 AM

Sorry, I missed the predictions for the race but I did enjoy watching it.

I am very impressed that Hamilton is performing as he is this year. A podium every race and he has not dropped any positions from where he has strated every race. Not only that, but his "measuring stick" for his performance is against his team mate Alonso, the 2 time defending Driver's Champion who had defeated Michael Schumacher the past 2 seasons. Alonso is no slouch! Hamilton still has a ways to go though to win the Championship...it isn't over. (I still think Alonso will end up winning the Championship)

I was impressed also with Vettel's drive in the BMW to score a championship point. Although this came somewhat by attrition, it is still impressive. The first teenager to score a point. I wish I had been racing a Formula 1 car when I was 19 years old.

-Tim

jrowland96 · 06-18-2007, 03:29 PM

Hey guys, I just got back from the USGP last night! Definitely fun! I've never been to an F1 race before, and it's pretty impressive watching the cars... obviously the "racing" in F1 these days is lacking a bit, but they are still cool as hell to watch.

Hamilton is definitely impressive, and I think he'll go on to win the championship as a rookie... The guy never seems to make a mistake at all (in practice, but so far not any big ones in a race). Alonso has been making a bunch of unforced errors the past couple of races... I don't know, but maybe Hamilton's success has surprised him and he's a bit "rattled" at the moment?

I just got a new Nikon D200 Digital SLR, and I'm having a blast with it... Anyway, here are some photos I took!

Liuzzi, Massa, Kovalainen, and Heidfeld...

jrowland96 · 06-18-2007, 03:38 PM

Here's a few more...

Alonso, Hamilton, and me... (not together... lol) oh... last one isn't me! hehe)

**Ron_Schuermann** · 06-18-2007, 03:57 PM

John, it looks like your seats were near where mine used to be, except mine were in the very last row!!! (I had a seatback!!)

That last picture is hilarious, and I always had a better time watching the crowds at the F1 races, than I did the racing.

It is still pretty impressive to watch a car do 190 MPH, and then turn right on a dime!!!

Tim Henson · 06-18-2007, 04:55 PM

Those are very cool pictures, and great quaility, thanks for sharing! How hard was it to time it and get the car in the shot? It looks like they are going fairly quick.

I love F1, I went to the USGP in 2000. Can you believe the sound of those engines? I haven't heard the V8 in person though. It's amazing to me that they can rev at or over 19000rpm. They were still running V10s in 2000 though, but that was an awesome sound to hear the Ferrari roar onto the banking and shift at such high revs. I am sure you had a great time!

jrowland96 · 06-18-2007, 05:21 PM

Hey Tim, thanks!

Not too hard to get those shots... I was only using a 80-200 zoom (but a fast f/2.8 pro lens). I was shooting from right outside the catch fence right after turn 4... Probably accelerating at 100-120 mph at that point. There's only about 20 yards or so of gravel between the fence and track, so close enough with that lens. You could get within about 5 or 6 feet of the actual catch fence, so shooting with a wide aperture like f/2.8 or f/4 would blur the fence almost completely out of the picture. the slight bands of the fence that you could see, I just lightened with a couple clicks of the "dodge" tool in photoshop, and it's pretty much gone.

The autofocus on the D200 works very well, and I'd start the focus as they came into view entering turn 4. I just kept the car in the focus points, and would fire the shutter. If you keep the shutter pressed it will fire up to 5 shots per second, so when I'd do that, I would end up with about 8 shots of the car as it approached and passed. Most were OK, although I think I have a slight focusing issue (seems to focus a couple of feet further away than indicated), so I might swap the camera out for a new replacement (only had it a few weeks).

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php...roductNr=25235

Here's the lens I'd love to have (if I sell my car! lol)

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php...productNr=2146