F1 cars... no spark plugs?

F1 cars... no spark plugs?

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Discussion

jayemm89

Original Poster:

4,299 posts

145 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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So I'm watching the F1 this morning and one of the commentators, talking about an issue with a car (not mentioning so I don't spoil) says "well I would have said check the spark plugs but obviously this year they have direct injection so they don't need them"

Now, is this right? I know diesels make do without sparks, but I thought direct injection was just a method of getting fuel/air into the cylinder and not igniting it?

I did a quick google but couldn't find anything useful - anyone able to enlighten me here?

jayemm89

Original Poster:

4,299 posts

145 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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...and he's corrected his mistake. What a plum.

PhillipM

6,535 posts

204 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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It's okay, he thinks they have dynamo's too.

NEEP

1,801 posts

213 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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The Mechanics will be running a book on what b0110x they can get Ted to spout, listen up for a report on "Lewis's flux capacitor not spooling up" later on in Teds Round Up. The man is a Tool.

stephen300o

15,464 posts

243 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Would be ok if he did not carry his ignorance with such arrogance.

hairyben

8,516 posts

198 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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NEEP said:
The Mechanics will be running a book on what b0110x they can get Ted to spout, listen up for a report on "Lewis's flux capacitor not spooling up" later on in Teds Round Up. The man is a Tool.
LMFAO it's just like being back on firms and sending the apprentices out for a long weight or a new bubble for a spirit level.

motco

16,628 posts

261 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
quotequote all
stephen300o said:
Would be ok if he did not carry his ignorance with such arrogance.
It is typical of commentators and newsreaders who regurgitate the stuff written for them. Such howlers as 10 degrees C is twice as hot as 5 degrees C dribbles from the mouths of 'presenters'. "It's twice as small..." Why not half the size? rolleyes

anonymous-user

69 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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stephen300o said:
Would be ok if he did not carry his ignorance with such arrogance.
You're right but he's not on his own is he? IMO only Brundle stays within his comfort zone. Every other commentator/pundit talks bks every so often. Some more than others.

God knows how Sky think "ask Crofty" is a rational offering.

anonymous-user

69 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Unbelievable to just watch Kravitz 'explain' why Ricciardo was disqualified which he put down to breaking the rule saying you can only use 100Kg of fuel during the race. He clearly has no idea about the 100Kg per hour flow rate limit, or of how to explain it.

Coupled with his "no spark plug" gaff it's been a bad weekend.

Surely there are better?

rohrl

8,969 posts

160 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Ted is excitable and regularly spouts utter nonsense. How he got it in his head that a petrol engine would run without spark plugs I have no idea.

Simon Lazenby still hasn't a clue either. To Paddy Lowe - "it was a cylinder issue wasn't it?" Paddy should have told him that the cylinder fell off the car.

Bradgate

3,056 posts

162 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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That really was a complete howler by Kravitz. Martin Brundle was very kind to him by not immediately correcting him on air.

Kravitz is a journalist, not a techie, but part of his job on Sky is to explain complex technical stuff to the general viewer. In order to do that competently, however, you do need to actually understand what you're talking about. Too often, he obviously doesn't.

mattshiz

461 posts

156 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Being around cars like these as much as he is I would have thought he would understand the basics of this years cars, let alone the basics of a petrol engine. Even I can explain the basic principles of MGU K&H, turbo and fuel flow limit and i've only done 10 minutes of reading on the cars.

Forbes82

812 posts

194 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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Bradgate said:
That really was a complete howler by Kravitz. Martin Brundle was very kind to him by not immediately correcting him on air.

Kravitz is a journalist, not a techie, but part of his job on Sky is to explain complex technical stuff to the general viewer. In order to do that competently, however, you do need to actually understand what you're talking about. Too often, he obviously doesn't.
I very much agree. He is an ok journo, but unfortunately his current job is very much the tech journo/pit lane analyst. If he is the one who is delivering the mechanical reports or explaining the tech then he needs a better grasp of it. The tech is already very difficult to explain simply in short build up segments, it really doesn't help when there are constant inconsistencies and incorrect information being given.

jayemm89

Original Poster:

4,299 posts

145 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who went "WHAAAT!?"

I had my friend over and I said to him I'm pretty sure those engines still have plugs, his response was "He's a commentator on the sport, he should know more about it than you do".

He's right. He SHOULD know more than I do about it.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

289 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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We have covered this before, the man's an over enthusiastic idiot.

You would have thought over the years he would have picked up stuff, but clearly not.

Likes Fast Cars

3,005 posts

180 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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Yep. Incredibly stupid thing to say, the guy is a frigging idiot.

S0 What

3,358 posts

187 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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He was obv confused by the direct injection aspect of the new engines, up unil a decade or so ni on any direct injection engine was a diesel, a small mistake but doen in a very public way laugh
TBH i think the new tech changes have rather overwelmed Ted, he's no mechanic just an enthusiastic ameteur frown

mollytherocker

14,385 posts

224 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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I like Ted. He's ok.

martynr

1,490 posts

189 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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There seems to be a dream team on Sky biggrin I did wonder why Brundle did not correct him. He probably knows as much as Teddy...

RichB

54,049 posts

299 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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mollytherocker said:
I like Ted. He's ok.
I'm glad you said that, I like him too.

I'd love to the regulars on Pistonheads doing a 15 min round up to camera in the paddock with just a note pad. It would be hysterical. laugh