folsomlarry

A Toyota Formula One car driven by Ricardo Zonta turned the fastest lap ever recorded on the new Laguna Seca couse. I was down there on Saturday, and I have not watched a modern F1 car in person. Television does not even come close to the sound these things make at 19,000 rpm.

The Monterey Historics were everthing I thought they would be and more. And watching and listening to an F1 car just highlighted a great day. Here is a link to the Toyota site, which includes a turn by turn descirption of driving the course in an F1 car.

http://www.toyota.com/montereyhistoric/

Larry

StArrow68

Larry, thanks, sounds like the driver also had some fun in one of the pace cars with some folks as well. One description noted the brakes smoking after his hot laps in the pace car.
Randy

Z11409

Sounded like he made about 300 gear changes per lap.From the top of the cockscrewed it looked like he dived down the hill--lol

xsiveone

That's what I try and tell everyone. You're missing octaves and the intensity of the sound when you watch it on tv. I was shocked at what they sounded like in person the first time I went to the USGP at IMS.

Was this an older V10 or the new V8? I haven't heard the new V8 yet.

I want to get to the Monterey Historics so bad some day. That's my idea of a car show! It must be incredible to see and hear a dozen or so Ferrari GTO's racing around Laguna Seca.

xsiveone

Never mind. I just read that it's the TF106. It's this season's V8. That's great to hear that you're impressed with the sound. I was worried that they'd lose that once they went to the V8's.

folsomlarry

I would have loved to see him on the original course layout. It was much faster than the current layout.

I am going back for at least three days next year. I would love to get a car so I could enter the event, but if not I will be watching.

Larry

joemoia

2 yrs. ago Ferrari test driver Andrea Bertolini attempted to break the LS track record driving M. Shumacher's 2003 F1 car but couldn't do better than a 1:09:XX.

Zonta broke the record on Sat. and then lowered it twice on Sun. JMO, the F1 V10 sounded better than the current V8. The V8 can't match the banshee "whine" of the V10, it's has a slightly lower sound.

Z11409

Car must have a racing history and a invitation from the event promoter.

folsomlarry

My Spitfire actually has the racing history with log books and is old enough. A couple of guys I have raced against were both entered in their cars. I would have to get rid of the small fender flares and back date the interior pannels. The trouble is that the way the classes are put together, I would be spotting way to much horespower. My friend in his Alfa qualified third behind two cars that had probably triple the horsepower.

I will be there watching, but it's fun to dream. All it takes is money.

Larry

BrianCunningham

You really do need to go to a race to appreciate that sound.

The 20k rpm engines are great.
When I went to my 1st one they had V8's 10's and 12's running.
You could HEAR you favorite car coming!

Tom03Z06

It's definitly something you feel and not just hear. its a sound that goes right through your body.

tahoeC6

[QUOTE=joemoia]2 yrs. ago Ferrari test driver Andrea Bertolini attempted to break the LS track record driving M. Shumacher's 2003 F1 car but couldn't do better than a 1:09:XX.

I was there also, I was standing in the corkscrew area when they fired up the car. It was surreal, like they had just released a wild animal. I will never forget that moment as he came screeming through the corkscrew, it still gives me goosebumps.

johnei

Anyone find it surprising that he reached sixth gear several times? I suppose the acceleration and braking of the car would mean you'd go through the gears faster than most race cars a short straight would put you in sixth? Or do they have seven speeds?

xsiveone

Yeah.. I thought that the Champ cars were something until I heard an F1 car in person.

daveydc5

Thay have 7 forward cogs nowdays.

RacePro Engineering

Not only do they have seven speeds, but I am certain the team had the ratios very close for Laguna. It is even more important to keep in that power band with the less torquey V8s.

Ed

Vetracr

You haven't heard anything until you've stood on the bridge before turn 7 and listened to 7 liter Chevy Can am cars at full song blow by beneath you. It'll scramble your brains.

Larry

63Corvette

Spectator's seat is good but DRIVER'S seat is best.

joemoia

I don't know what was more impressive, watching the Toyota F1 or watching 80 yr. old Dick Guldstrand driving a Camaro in the Trans-Am race