What the F is going on with F1 ?

[sand_man]

I get my four-wheeled racing fix from WEC and the WeatherTech/IMSA SportsCar Championship (in particular the GTLM cars). I have always favored sports car racing to the open wheeled stuff, but there was a time when I at least made an effort to watch F1 races. Now, not so much.

Edit: I did catch a few laps of "qualifying" for this last F1 race, and the cars did sound better. And nice to see Haas

[Craig T]

Formula 1 has reinvented itself several times since it's founding in 1946. Not all evolutions have been better for the spectator, and most were met with fan resistance, but the cycle is on it's way back up again IMHO (except that stupid and short lived new qualifying WTF??? ).

The first race this year was far more interesting than the races at the end of last season. They sound a little better too. Haas and Grosjean is there for us to root for. Hamilton is there to root against. The restriction of communication from the pits will force driver error and mix up the podium for sure. I've been a fan since the early 70's and I'm still in...and already hold my flights and race vouchers for Spa in August. GO HAAS!

Many of the changes in the last two decades were made to slow the cars and improve the safety of the drivers. Personally, I'll live with laps a few seconds slower if it saves the lives of the one to two drivers who died every year just 20 years ago. Other changes have been made to drive new technologies in the automotive industry...Like better fuel consumption in hi-horsepower applications, electric hybrid power, and application of lighter materials. Over time the speeds will catch up, and they are faster this year then last year and getting faster.

This last few years have been a real bottom turn for sure, even for me, but the sport is not charity. When the fans leave the sponsors leave. When the sponsors leave changes are made to bring the fans back. It think we're there now.

I really believe, once they dump the new qualifying, this year will turn the corner and start getting better.

[nota]

I guess you guys missed "Yr Fthfl Svnt" reports before rob took over for R&T

one story by rob mentions his whole team in rented fiat
2 wrench's 1 driver 1 wife/timekeeper and 1 owner
today they need several buses to mover the traveling team

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by nota

I guess you guys missed "Yr Fthfl Svnt" reports before rob took over for R&T

one story by rob mentions his whole team in rented fiat
2 wrench's 1 driver 1 wife/timekeeper and 1 owner
today they need several buses to mover the traveling team

Thanks for the reminder! I'm too young to have read them when they were fresh, but I read all of his R&T stuff in old back issues

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by nota

I guess you guys missed "Yr Fthfl Svnt" reports before rob took over for R&T

Was that LJK Setright?

[strupgolf]

The "sounds of today"? Boy, you have no understanding of the sounds they used to have. Today's sounds are like a fart in a can, without the smell.

[Arthropraxis]

The cars need to rely more on mechanical grip and be less aero sensitive to allow passing. WEC and MotoGP are more fun to watch, IMO.

[motion]

I know... let's put The Idiot Grandson in charge of the series. He'll fix things. Couldn't get any worse.

[rusnak]

M.C. Hamilton had it right. Too much aero in 2017, not enough mechanical grip.

What is wrong with F1? I dunno, the people in charge?

[motion]

Originally Posted by rusnak

M.C. Hamilton had it right. Too much aero in 2017, not enough mechanical grip.

What is wrong with F1? I dunno, the people in charge?

M.C. Hamilton, hahahaha

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by arerrac

Did you guys actually watch the season opener??? Cars look great, sound MUCH better and the racing was great!!!

I did, and it was a good race. Why? because Ferrari disrupted the Mercedes status quo, an accident bunched up the field, a cinderella Haas did well with essentially a B-spec Ferrari car, and fast guys messed up and had to get through the pack (Max and Lewis). I'm not saying it's horrible but it's headed down the wrong path...

Think how much better it might be if the cars sounded like they used to, if the drivers could push all the time (fuel flow limits, tire limits), if cars could follow each other close and mechanical grip was improved (vettel might have gotten Hamilton). If manufacturers were free to develop as they wish (no tokens). If we raced Imola instead of Sochi. If aero was less disruptive and drivers could pass like big boys, not with DRS gimmicks...

"Power units" get managed to death. Alonso would be already out of the championship this year (assuming his car was any good, which it's not) because he lost an entire power unit in his crash. That's just dumb... An engine is peanuts for MacLaren. They'll spend more in simulation this week end...

All that stuff that was done to reduce costs actually increased costs. I knew a guy at Mecachrome (ex-Renault) and towards the end of the run, that reliable V10 was cheap to make, fully amortized... Wanna save $ ? go back to 16 races on famous tracks. Don't remove the staple tracks or countries that are historically significant to F1. People have said for years kill aero and yet they want more aero for next year... Even HAM said it was stupid, they'd just have the same status quo, 5 secs a lap faster, zero racing improvement.

I'm not stuck in the past, I object to the gimmickification of F1 (DRS is lame, pass like a man, fuel flow is lame, set a tank size and let them decide) and to the fact the world's best drivers (oops, I mean second best after WRC drivers) are "cruising" 80% of the race to manage tires or fuel consumption. The GPDA is right, management of F1 is terrible.

[HardDrive]

F1 doesn't resemble anything I would call racing.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

F1 doesn't resemble anything I would call racing.

It sells soap. All that matters. Thanks a lot, Colin Chapman!

And who can deny that this is one damn good looking racecar?

[Por_sha911]

F1 is not a sport. It is a business and a show.

Its all about:
- the manufacturers and sponsors getting advertising.
- rich people having a party and can then brag about it later.

The powers that control F1 don't give a tinker's damn about average people. The only reason the show is televised is to give the sponsors greater advertising exposure.

Somewhere in all that are some talented drivers and engineers that do it for the love of racing but they are 3rd class citizens compared to the above.

edit: there is one more major factor to F1:
Uncle Bernie and he welcomes you to Tommy's Holiday Camp (The Who fans will understand)

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Was that LJK Setright?

Yes.

[nota]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst View Post
Was that LJK Setright?

Originally Posted by Otter74

Yes.

Henry N. Manney III


btw alonzo is OUT for babarain
ribs ? vandome will replace him

[T77911S]

back in the 80's and 90's I could see how the cars were handling, you could see a push or one that was loose but now they are so much better they all look like they are not pushing hard until one spins.

[Deschodt]

Did you guy hear ? Alonso is out of Bahrein and China is a maybe... Pneumothorax (deflated lung) not completely healed and broken or damaged ribs which could make it worse if driving... That shunt was massive !!!

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

That shunt was massive !!!

Yeah, that was scary!!!!

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by nota

Originally Posted by herr_oberst View Post
Was that LJK Setright?



Henry N. Manney III


btw alonzo is OUT for babarain
ribs ? vandome will replace him

Doh!!!

My bad. My brain misfired and Setright was on the screen in front of me but I was thinking Manney so my brain turned it into Manney. Thanks for correcting me.