Spoilers: Can We Talk About Vettel?

[legion]

There be spoilers here. Ye be warned.

So Vettel didn't make it out of Q2, but Riccardo almost gets pole. I can't help but think for the past 5 years, the Red Bull was supremely tuned for Vettel. Such a tune may no longer be possible within the current rules. I still think Vettel's car may have had some form of traction control the past few seasons. Regardless, he had the best car on the grid.

I think at this point, Alonso and Hamilton are the best all-around drivers. Maybe not able to wring the last 1% out of a particular setup, but able to drive a car effectively under a wider range of setups/rules.

[kiwiokie]

I guess anyone can just have a bad day at the wheel.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by legion

There be spoilers here. Ye be warned.I think at this point, Alonso and Hamilton are the best all-around drivers.

Best all around drivers... Lol. The driver has taken out of the equation minus G's. Might as well flip a switch to turn the car and track on.

Boring stuff.

[nota]

vettel had a very aggressive tune/map applied to his car
it failed and the track was wet

Riccardo had a much softer tune/map much more suited to the wet track

everything is not only driver skill

[RennSport911rsa]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Best all around drivers... Lol. The driver has taken out of the equation minus G's. Might as well flip a switch to turn the car and track on.

Boring stuff.

nothing could be further from the truth

The driver is very much a major part of the equation....if you think the car drives itself, then idk what to say. Is it a raw car like the 1960's or 70's or 80's to a large extent. Nope....that's a forgone era, in every single form of racing, even racing that doesn't use tires. Cars are much safer, and to many that means the races are now more boring. Oh well. The excitement is there for many of us. Others complain. All good. Are the cars more equalized? Yes, but wide chasms exist. One only needs to look at the qualifying times of any race from 1-10 and then 10 onwards.

F1 has the difficult job of moving the circus around the world for 10 months out of the year, fighting the weather, and putting on an entertaining event. No easy task. The engineers bend and bend and bend the rules, the drivers have to learn it all, and as such, new rules, technologies are always put in place to make it hopefully a better event. Some things work great (knockout qualifying) and some things don't. But at least new things are tried.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Best all around drivers... Lol. The driver has taken out of the equation minus G's. Might as well flip a switch to turn the car and track on.

Boring stuff.

Sounds like you didn't watch anything from qualifying!

This year - driver is far more important, especially the slower speed tracks.