F1: 2019 thread

[javadog]

Those are standing waves...

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by David

This video of Sir Frank Williams brought a big smile to my face:

Thanks for posting that, Frank is a legend more 'racer' than the rest of the F1 CEO's put together

F1 side is going through a real tough patch, a relatively complex situation which won't be an easy fix

Got a call out the blue a few years ago couldn't say no to a good friend or adding the iconic Williams name to 'my story'

So glad I did as we had lots of fun times, frustrating times too, even caused a tear or two (sorry, didn't mean to ), we did some uber cool stuff eg broke a championship, made new lifelong friends, met/learnt from plenty of extremely talented folk

I'm busy now with another part of F1 enjoying a different type of fun and frustration but hoping when this has run its course I'll be back at Williams picking up where we left off

[javadog]

Just out of curiosity, do you think they should give Claire the boot and put her brother in charge? I always heard he was the better choice of the two, in many respects.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by javadog

Just out of curiosity, do you think they should give Claire the boot and put her brother in charge? I always heard he was the better choice of the two, in many respects.

Not sure really, I think the more effective fix is attracting the right guy to lead the team technically

If that person is given the authority and necessary budget to make the changes they see fit then the team should be able to claw their way back up to a mid-grid level in a few years in a similar way McLaren has done this year

Problem is attracting the right person who has the necessary experience/track record. Someone from a big team may not have enough breadth of knowledge and someone from a small team won't have enough depth of knowledge

The team would need to convince the right person there is enough future budget to do the job properly so that person has the confidence that they are not walking into career suicide as being remembered as the technical director that caused the demise of Williams

F1 is a funny old game as it's full of specialists with an extremely narrow band width of expertise. The old breed of one technical person understanding how a full car works and knowing how to prioritise the available resource is dying out.

This person would also need to be strong enough not to shy away from the hard decisions required to make change ie firing under performers or people that strategically strengthen their own position at the cost of team performance. They would also need to very quickly earn the respect of the whole factory, inspire people from day one and give people the confidence to push the limits with the comfort of knowing mistakes won't be punished with the loss of their job.

This is exactly the type of person that I think would be best at getting the team back on their feet.

[herr_oberst]

Jeremy Clarkson has an opinion!

[svandamme]

i disagree that formula e is more watchable, on the contrary, FE is like watching scalextric cars go round

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by svandamme

i disagree that formula e is more watchable, on the contrary, FE is like watching scalextric cars go round

Monza

[astrochex]

^No guardrails!

[Noah930]

They're for sissies. Trying to teach the boy throttle control.

[astrochex]

Thats great. It gets to be a pain in the arse to constantly have to get up and put your car back on the track.

[svandamme]

playing with scalextric is fun, watching it for over an hour isn't

[rusnak]

F1 needs this:

[bkreigsr]

Headlines from Hockenheimring qualifying:

Ferrari shoots off own foot....
......NO WAIT - they've shot off both of their feet.

Bill K

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

Headlines from Hockenheimring qualifying:

Ferrari shoots off own foot....
......NO WAIT - they've shot off both of their feet.

Bill K

I heard the commentators mention turbo cooling may have been the issue on Vettels car.

Race up front could be interesting.

[oldE]

I'll bet Kimi is wishing he was driving for Ferrari right now.....NOT!

There's the old expression:"In order to finish first, First you have to finish."
Actually, you have to be able to start.

It is interesting Ferrari was going to run LeClerc on the medium tires while everyone else in the top ten were starting on soft rubber. If he doesn't get held up too badly in the first stint, he might be able to finish well.

Best
Les

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Jeremy Clarkson has an opinion!

Give him another glass of wine. He's wrong. Yes to his theories 30 years ago when the drivers were more concerned about the track than they were with each other. This crop of drivers let loose to run as they please would be a crashfest. That might woo in the NASTYCAR crowd but it will destroy the high tech sport as we know it.

Solutions run along the lines of slowing the cars in the corners. I guarantee you that the average viewer in person or on TV won't be able to tell that the cars are 10-15 MPH slower in the corners. How to accomplish this? Simple, make the aero less effective. Start with the undertray which no one can see anyway. In that you get to keep the ridiculous wings for the most part.

Turbulence is good and bad. It slows the cars but makes the car behind difficult to drive around the car in front. The DRS does help a lot in this regard. Push to pass or DRS, same effect. But I think designing cars to upset the air in order to mess up the air for the following car(s) purposely is not the way to go. Whatever it takes to make a good looking car w/o a million little baffles and winglets is a goal.

There is the seemingly fact that the 13" wheels are going away. Good because the cars will have to use something other than a 500 dollar tire for suspension. However, bringing back more suspension might be opening Pandora's Box. We all remember the computer controlled 'active' suspension.

The steering wheel: ridiculous — take all the controls off the wheel that aren't necessary for coms and other vitals including pit speed. If these cats are that good they should know how to enter and drive the pits with the tach. And sub 3 second pit stops have run their course. IDK how to improve that for sure but I'd eliminate some of the crew and maybe... maybe return to fueling. At least that would add some dimension to race strategy.

I think the modern F1 cars look stupid. If they are to improve the sport they should listen to the fans. If the fans want a certain look by polling them, then go in that direction.

Employing race karting rules in general would be a good start. You cause a wreck, you are done for the day. "Causing" a wreck is any contact that puts you or the other guy 4 wheels off the track is cause. Open wheel racing is not a contact sport no matter what Clarkson says. Wheel banging and racing are not the same thing.

[astrochex]

How can you equate DRS to push to pass? They are apples to oranges. DRS is automated for a specific circumstance (1s gap or less) at predetermined track locations. The driver in front cannot respond. It has no limit on usage. Push to pass is driver controlled, for a maximum amount of time. Use up all your time and you are done. The driver you may be racing can also use push to pass in response, or not.

DRS is a joke to the concept of racing. I don’t mind push to pass because it is limited and driver controlled. I would prefer, however, if push to pass went away.

[oldE]

Clarkson used to be funny.
In that rant the only thing he lacked was the "Get off my lawn " sign.
I disagree regarding the no stewards and anything goes racing. That is the same sort of thinking that degraded hockey in the seventies and eighties.
Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari are not interested in demolition derby.
Best
Les

[chapo]

Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari only care about their $$ from F1, they have no interest in changing the racing or shaking up the system or the pay scale. All lip service about making the racing better because they finally realize even us curmudgeons are losing faith.

[cairns]

I agree with you oldE. Mr. Clarkson is long past his sell by. Rude old SOB. Probably never could drive very well either.