Younger than some.......older than most.

Just turned 50 last fall.

 

Ah, the big five-oh. I remember that one. At least I think I do. It was so long ago...

I have so many senior moments, now.

 

LOL


I think......................

 

Okay, guys--got a racing question for ya. On the famous hairpin, what are the zigzag makings on the pavement? If you'll notice, the cars tend to go in between these markings, which are more or less opposite each other. Anyone know why they're there?

 

QUALIFYING SPOILER!
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Felipe Massa
Kimi Räikkönen
Lewis Hamilton
Heikki Kovalainen
Robert Kubica
Nico Rosberg
Fernando Alonso
Jarno Trulli Toyota
Mark Webber
David Coulthard
Timo Glock
Jenson Button
Nick Heidfeld
Kazuki Nakajima
Rubens Barrichello
Sebastien Bourdais
Nelsinho Piquet
Sebastian Vettel
Adrian Sutil
Giancarlo Fisichella

 

Now it can be told!


Alonso signs for Ferrari!

The word in the F1 paddock in Monte Carlo is that Fernando Alonso has just inked a deal to drive for Ferrari in 2010.
No confirmation is expected for a year, and there may be denials of any arrangement, as there would obviously be some serious knock-on effects for other parties in the F1 paddock.
Alonso went to Renault this year after splitting with McLaren unexpectedly at the end of last season. It was a stop-gap solution for the Spaniard, although it was dressed up as the big return to the team with which he won his two World Championships. This year the team's performance has been rather disappointing and Fernando has scored just nine points, while Nelson Piquet has failed to score and the team is languishing in seventh place in the Constructors' Championship. Unless there is a dramatic improvement soon the team will have no hope of finishing the year better than fourth in the championship and there have been rumours for some time that ING may be looking around at other opportunities.
Fernando has made no secret of the fact that he will consider other offers if they are sensible. He has been angling for a ride at Ferrari for some time. It may seem that is a rather premature move, but these days in F1 deals are being done much earlier than used to be the case. Kimi Raikkonen's deal with Ferrari, which began in 2007, was first reported as being done as early as October 2005. Alonso's 2007 deal with McLaren was announced in December 2005. Thus now would be the time that deals are being done for 2010.

 

I'm not sure but I would guess those are cross walks for pedestrian traffic and have nothing to do with the race other than it is one of many distractions that are part of a temporary road course.

 

Source please.

 

Close, but no ceeegar... (Cross walks are the zebra-looking markings.)

 

Those are warnings to slow down

 

Nope.

 

Don't know what MINIdave's source is, here's Yahoo's scoop:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/240520...ed-monaco.html

This is Yahoo's UK/Ireland website. Certainly pushes the Kimi retirement rumours ahead.

 

Looks like they are for crosswalks.........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:W...n_crossing.jpg

 

Nope, the actual crosswalks are zebra bars across the street. In some areas there are two sets of thin lines preceding the bars, too, running perpendicular to the actual crosswalk markings.

(I know what they are for, btw--just thought I'd have a little fun with 'ya!)

 

How do they differ from the pic I linked to?

 

Are you talking about the lines on the side of the road after the hairpin? On the right side of the linked pic here?

 

Looks like this is a cross walk.



My next guess is that it's a no stopping zone or as the Wiki link posted previously explains a warning for a cross walk.

Also, and I'm no expert, but I don't think all of Europe has the same markings especially when it comes to Great Britain vs the Continent.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm referring to. The overhead shots during qualifying really showed them well. But they're not "slow down" markings, or "pedestrian crossing" markings, either.

So, what ARE they? (Actually have a very mundane, but necessary function, if you live there.)

I think the zebra crosswalks are universal--have seen them every trip, everywhere. The two sets of warning barcode-like markings before the crosswalk are Italian, I think--haven't seen them before this trip.

 

The pic shows some zig zag lines before the crosswalk like the wikipedia link shows.....that is to show that a crosswalk is ahead.

Wiki link

 

Sorry, my post was from Grandprix.com, I forgot to credit them.......

 

Nope--these are more distinctly "zigzaggy" than the ones in the Wiki link. In the earlier link (post 441), you showed the hairpin in front of the hotel--on the right side of the curve, you'll see a white car passing in between those white zigzags. He is coming up to the crosswalk.

These are definitely NOT the crosswalk warning lines. Give you a hint--if you live there, you might have to run toward these lines someday...

 

Those look exactly like the pics in the Wiki article...........

Are you saying they indicate a bus stop?

 

Must be a bus zone then?

 

Just got "Winning is Not Enough" by Jackie Stewart. Bloody awesome! Even came with a DVD attached to the inside back cover with lots of great early racing footage.

Amazon has it.

 

Really? Has to check that out. Anyway, what are the odds that the 2 SF cars would take each other out in the first lap? Hhhmmmm.....