Rotax & Rain

Steve Ferrario · Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Posts: 422

I'm guessing that every member of 2006 USA Rotax Team wishes they had more time driving in the rain when they arrived in Portugal last year. More time driving, more time tuning for the rain, etc.

That said, the Rotax Grands represents the last Big Event prior to competing at the Worlds. I do not understand why any main event distance should be cut short due to rain, especially when the drivers had time to switch from dry to wet????? Unless it's a Monsoon
Either way, perfect practice or practice perfect...Each driver representing team USA would have had one additional experience driving in the rain prior to going to the Worlds which they would be able to draw from.

I suppose the forecast for rain in Dubai won't be much of an issue.

Joey Gennari · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

What I really wish we had last year was experience on the Mojo wet tire. Different tread, compound and pressures that meant different setup.

Chance of rain in Dubai: 0%
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Joey Gennari
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Mikko Nassi · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject:

Dav Mann · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject:

Steve,

I agree with you 100%

The race started dry and the fastest race lap was set on lap 18 so how wet could it have been at the end.

The race should have been completed.

Check out mylaps.com

Dav

Mikko Nassi · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:57 pm Post subject:

We've been having similar issues here in Malaysia at our last few events. You'd think we would have lots of wet races here but this year was my first wet race in about 3 or 4 years.

For some reason the organisers feel that when it rains just a little bit hard it is too dangerous to race... and so they end up waiting and waiting and waiting until the rain stops and then start the race. Of course by then the track has started to dry and we ruin our Mojos instead of racing in the rain which is what the tyres are for!

They explain the choice to not run in "heavy" rain and to stop races by there being a big puddle or two which was dangerous - the ingenious solution to the problem was simple in my opinion... drive around the puddle!

It's even more annoying because the Mojos really do not work in damp conditions, they only work ok when there is some standings water.

Of course in defense of the organisers it is sometimes a bit of a difficult decision and if they don't often see massive rooster tails from karts they get a bit frightened and red flag a race and have the drivers wondering what for. Conditions often look a lot worse trackside than they actually are when viewed from the karts.
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Pat Kennedy · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: Rain & Rotax

Rain & Rotax,
Last year we had the very same issue in the senior final at Road America. Marshall red flaged the race and gave everyone the option to change tires. I asked Marshal...How many laps left? He responded 16 so I changed to a complete rain set-up. 9 laps later it starts to rain.......James and 1 other are the only guys on rain tires. It rains.... and the leaders start spinning off the track and Marshal red flags the race with 7 laps to go. If the race would have gone the proper distance my son James would have won or placed 2nd. I politely reminded Marshall of this fact prior to saturdays repeat, yet he did the same thing. ??????

This year I saw a couple of guys chose rains and it could have been a great call 4 them. If your in the back with no real chance of a podium.....rains with 8 psi and ride around on the lead lap......if it rains you win, period. I would be the first to congraulate them.

The real joke is they throw the red for a damp track but do nothing to the guys that spent a week crashing out good people because they lack the talent to pass properly.

Pat Kennedy