Back in the days when F1 was exciting

[beepbeep]

Ohh, those were the days:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~idema/verwijs/f1_79_dijon_arnoux_vs_villeneuve.htm

[imcarthur]

Yeah, it's a little different today in the Schumi Exhibition races they have been showing. Trulli in the Renault was a little exciting but still no match for the Big Red Machine.

Ian

[cegerer]

One of the best battles of all time. And it was for 2nd place as I recall. It is a different animal today for sure.

[Cornpanzer]

Wow! That was great. I remember watching those races as a kid.....there was real racing going on back then!

[ronin]

the battles between Giles and Rene were some of the best racing ever. I remember when I first saw young Jacques racing in formula Atlantic (or was it Indy lights) back in the early 90s and saw a lot of that same spark that his father posessed. too bad he only had a brief chance to show his potential

[serge944]

That video is trully amazing...i havent seen that in F1 in a while....

Its usually "oh, oh, oh, hes gaining on him....but its the final lap and no luck!"

[power]

Gilles Villenueve was one of the most passionate drivers I have ever seen. Considered a Canadian Hero.

[jyl]

Sad to say, I'm having more fun watching F1 Decade (the 1994 season) on SpeedChannel than watching the current F1 season.

I kept falling asleep during the Spanish Grand Prix yesterday, finally turned it off and got the results from the Internet later.

Not Schumacher's fault, he and Ferrari are supposed to do everything they can to win. I am also pleased to see BAR and Renault moving up, there are at least some pretty good battles for 2nd place. But it seems like F1 needs some significant rules changes to further equalize the cars - I gather some have been proposed including a spec tire. I wonder if the aerodynamic aids need to be reined in too, maybe that will make it easier to pass.

I'm starting to prefer WRC to F1.

[cegerer]

I attended my 1st F1 race in 1979 at Watkins Glen. There were 30 drivers competing for 24 starting positions. On Friday afternoon in the rain, Gilles was on provisional pole - 11 seconds clear of his teamate, Jody Schecter, who was well clear of the rest of the field himself!!! Jacque Laffite stood in awe as he watched Villeneuve and only remarked, "Look at him. He's different from the rest of us - on a seperate level."

Gilles climbed from the car and said, "That was fun, but it should have been quite a bit faster. I was flat in 5th on the straight at 160MPH (in the heavy rain). I had a misfire and was down 600RPM's, otherwise I would have been much quicker. But then maybe I would have crashed. "

Gilles won the race over - guess who? - Rene Arnoux.

[}{arlequin]

there's always the Moto GP races to watch... they are usually very close right down to the end. The tires ALWAYS wear out before the race is over and you end up having a fight between the ones that were saving the tires for the end (catching up) and the ones that just shredded them while pulling away, now sliding around and (just barely) trying to stay ahead. Where else can you see half-liter engines putting out 250hp and the guys who paint lines with the rear tire?

[Zeke]

At the speeds these guys are traveling and at the ragged edge of adhesion, I don't expect to see them driving side by side. Oh, it happens on the first lap like 2 weeks ago now and then, but that is not a good thing for these cars. They have to slow down to accomplish that.

The propoosed new rules package should bring about more of the close racing that we've seen in the past. That's the key, we have to go back in time to a period of less technology to see wheel to wheel racing.

No one remembers the period of computer controlled suspension along with traction control as being an exciting racing time either. At least they got rid of that in the name of 'racing.'

The philosophical aspect of this is interesting. We have reached a period in time where the only close and exciting racing is on a video game.

[}{arlequin]

Since when do race car drivers (or teams) have the need to MONITOR stuff happening with the car? The idea is to RACE the car. (Other than the need for $$ and sponsors, they have turned it into something very distant from racing. I hate how it's turned into a board room business more than the smell of pads and oil.) Just race the damn thing. If it breaks, go for it LeMans-style and try and fix it, go out race again. Maybe others will break too b/c they can't tell that the threads on #8 con rod have risen in temp. by 1.5 degrees! Get rid of all telemetry/electronics, other than engine management stuff. Let them use any technology they want to make power, but that's it. ZERO drivers' aids. If you think your car is fragile, drive it s l o w e r and maybe you will win if others blow up. I know it's just my utopia but I've got nothing else to turn to. It's sad when a F3000 race is more fun to watch than the pinnacle of the sport. The close competition is what made European touring car races exciting. Doesn't Bernie the Gazillionaire realize that?