F1/ Formula E/ Motorsport Thread

Discussion in 'General Football & Other Sport' started by hornmeister, Nov 14, 2010.

  1. miked2006

    miked2006 Premiership Prediction League Proprietor

    So the final qualifying is about to begin, and the double points rule has me all nervous. The Merc has started to seem quite reliable, which seems to have made me more rather than less worried for Lewis.

    I know they didn't want a runaway leader, but the double points rule has made the sport really unjust. If only they introduced points for qualifying instead, Rosberg would actually have been closer to Lewis in a more fair and deserved way, and would still be in with a chance in the final race.

    The new rules over the last two seasons such as easier overtaking and tire variations has certainly put more emphasis on the race and taken away from qualifying, so being able to put points on the board would make it a far more important process: not just to gain on your rivals but to protect against reliability problems/ crashes too.

    What you might now find is that Lewis nurses the car home in second and that it is one of the more boring races of the calendar. I would take that right now.
     
  2. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Hamilton to crash trying to take the lead at the start, Rosberg leads from start to finish.

    Tough evening for the Lewis.
     
  3. Meh!

    Meh! Pre-Dictator

    Yesterday the Sky commentator said he couldn't understand why he gets so many letters saying the sport is getting really boring now. The incredulity in his voice suggested these people must be watching a different sport rather than the oh-so-awe-inspiring Formula 1.

    I understand he is a commentator and has to egg-up the sport to the massive faithful of petrol heads watching, who probably giggle with excited ferociousness every time a DRS system activates, or the driver changes to a hard compound tyre, or at the new shape of wing that drives air through the engine 1000% better than last year.

    But to the general viewer who just wants to see excitement on the racetrack, overtaking on a regular basis, and a really strong, entertaining, and super-competitive series, it's just boring.

    Today has summed that up. Doubling points was a weak veiled attempt to inject some energy into a waning pointless end of season race. And again it's reliability that has decided the outcome, rather than brilliant edge-of-the-seat 'true' racing.

    Every year I tune in for the mere hope that "there may be more than just 1 team running away with it this year" and every year it ends up with one team running away with it. And more and more it turns into a procession of 2 cars from 1 team getting pole and 2nd and running the whole race in formation all the way.

    Ok, some of you may argue that there are some exciting races each season. But is that enough? "Some"?

    Again next March I'll start watching it. I'm sure I'll be disappointed again but I'll try.

    Switching it off now. Not interested in the end. See you next year F1.
     
  4. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    In the end it was quite easy for Hamilton!
     
  5. Timbers

    Timbers Apeman

    Great win for Lewis and hopefully he may pick up a few more titles now. Well deserved victory as he has been the better driver bar a couple of races and I am sure he will celebrate even more with Miss Scherzinger this evening.

    Next season, bar mechanical issues, I can't see anyone else challenging Mercedes. Ferrari haven't the car, Red Bull haven't the engine, McLaren will be a big unknown and thus Williams will be perhaps the only one but money will be an issue for them. It could be an even more boring couple of season now.
     
  6. Meh!

    Meh! Pre-Dictator

    Rosberg 0.7s faster than anyone else in final testing before the GP season. Great, another year of watching a parade of 2 cars lead the field every single race.

    Every year I hope for at least 2 competitive teams and every year I'm disappointed.

    Fingers crossed there will be another team coming through to compete.
     
  7. Jimmy2shoes

    Jimmy2shoes First Year Pro

    The still have niggling reliability issues so that could play a part

    Manor racing have been allowed to race with last years car but with a different nose
     
  8. Meh!

    Meh! Pre-Dictator

    I have 1 word to sum that up.

    Yawn.

    And not because I got up early to watch it, because I didn't waste my sleep.
     
  9. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    [video=youtube;Fl2EADCyxSw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl2EADCyxSw[/video]

    Another season of boredom. Fangio, Clark and Senna still are the greats far ahead of Lewis.
     
  10. Norwayhornet

    Norwayhornet Squad Player

    Good start for Lewis can only beat who ends up on the track with him !
     
  11. 99mph

    99mph 4th Prediction league 2011/12

    It's a bit worrying. Only 11 cars finished and I think more than half of them got lapped.

    Mercedes are so far ahead it's silly whilst most of the grid are seemingly just trying to finish the race. It seemed like McLaren and others just used Melbourne to continue/start testing.

    I don't know if attendances/viewing figures are down, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are.
     
  12. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    The longer this sort of thing continues the horrible old scrote who has F1 by the balls along with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull may actually have to make radical changes. I honestly don't know why Manor Marussia have even bothered to compete.I watched the first few laps and switched off. Viewing figures globally are falling year on year. More down to pay per view but with all sincerity what is the point of watching a sporting event when it lacks drama or the possibility the extraordinary may happen like Panis winning at Monaco for example. Either Hamilton or Rosberg will win the title. If anyone else does I will run naked around Silverstone.
     
  13. whoppit

    whoppit Academy Graduate

    gotta be the dullest race in years, only highlight was the saubers finishing in the points, still there was more cars on track than in kenilworth roads car park...
     
  14. nornironhorn

    nornironhorn Administrator Staff Member

    Glad I didn't get up early for it
     
  15. Timbers

    Timbers Apeman

    Just finished watching replay and it indeed was a yawn-fest. They have brought so many new rules in that the little teams can not compete, even Red Bull with a Renault engine still will be near the back this season. It will be Mercedes, followed by Ferrari, followed by a Mercedes engine, followed by a Ferrari engine etc. 15 cars started as well which meant Sauber who are about as fast as my mum's Focus estate got points for the time in ages as well.

    I think I will be taking a keener interest in the Formula E, especially when it hits London.
     
  16. zztop

    zztop Eurovision Winner 2015

    Yeah what a bore that was.

    They have reduced testing hours allowed again this year. It showed.
     
  17. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Very dull but not sure it's that much different to when red bull and mclaren have dominated in times past. It's rare to have seasons where it's competitive between 3 teams at the front. No idea what solution is. When they tried to have all cars same in A1 racing nobody watched it. This season could be especially dull though I think.
     
  18. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    Their constrainst on costs are in fact strangling the sport. Not enough testing tiem and no ability for test drivers to get experience. Mercedes are so far ahead as they had a hand in developing the specifications for the new smaller Engines and testing the tyres. Mclaren should be up with them as they are the people that devolp the electronics everone has to have. It's a wonder Ferrari were as competetive as they were.

    There is some call for a relaxation of rules. Like it or not the car does and always has made a huge difference to the results. There are plentl of one make or regulated forumlas out there if people want to see racing.
     
  19. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    I think it should be anything goes. If sauber put a rocket at the back of their cars then good for them. And it also means jumbolina f1 can field sister ford cortinas at Monaco.
     
  20. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread.php?35582-F1&p=931093&viewfull=1#post931093

    It's always about the car to a degree right from the early days of racing. But the component of success down to driving skills, will to win and courage has progressively reduced over time. Would Hamilton or Rosberg get anywhere near the front of the grid if they were driving in a Toro Rosso ? Put Bottas into the Mercedes and he would be world champion.

    What is a shame is that the playing field is so heavily weighted as in many sports to a very small band of manufacturers/teams who can afford to spend immense sums of money. In the past the financial playing field was far more level. The costs of racing were far less and as Hornmeister says there was less regulation on conformity of design allowing innovative teams to gain advantages over teams with more money. And with costs being lower more teams could compete. Who knows what may happen next season despite the arrival of Haas F1. Some teams already unhappy with the financial arrangements may decide enough is enough leaving even more of an empty grid.

    Here is a fascinating documentary on one of the legendary F1 cars (as if to prove the point technology has always been a preeminent factor in determining world champions although far less than now) the Lotus 49.

    [video=youtube;Ucau77iVndk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucau77iVndk[/video]
     
  21. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Just a tiny glimmer of hope of it not being a procession this season. Although the conditions may have helped. Ferrari win with Vettel in Malaysia.

    Great performances from Verstappen junior and Sainz junior once again.
     
  22. csdxl

    csdxl One Millionth Post

    Toro Rosso have got a great little team going this season. Really interested to see how they develop this year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they're ahead of the Red Bulls at the end of the season.

    At 17, was fully expecting Verstappen to fail to live up to the insane hype. Long way to go but so far, unbelievable. Such a mature, talented driver at just 17 and if he keeps working hard then without doubt a future (multiple) world champion.

    I wasn't expecting much at all from Carlos Sainz JR. Unlike Verstappen, came in under the radar as the driver who was initially overlooked for the 2nd Toro Rosso seat. Based on the first couple of races, he's not out of place in F1 at all. Gives as good as he gets on the track.
     
  23. miked2006

    miked2006 Premiership Prediction League Proprietor

    Red Bull are such a clever operation.

    They've pumped millions in yes, but they've also been so clever in getting and giving young talented drivers a chance.

    If they're good, great. They have a few years experience, they are on cheap contracts, and they have a sense of loyalty to RB and TR.

    If they are not, they have many talented drivers ready to take their place.

    It can only be a benefit, seeing as many of the young drivers coming through these days are donor spots, and certainly not the usual class of F1 racers.
     
  24. I think it was more a case of MB throwing it away the Ferrari winning

    MB set up for quick sector 2, Ferrari set up for quick sector 1 and 3
    MB chose to use all their mediums up on Sat, Ferrari kept theirs back
    MB dived into the pits on the safety car then wasted time coming back through the pack on slower hard tyre, Ferrari waltzed off into the distance

    On Lewis's medium stint he was reeling Vettel in 1/4 - 1/2 sec a lap so they had the pace to win, shoddy strategy
     
  25. scummybear

    scummybear Reservist

    I think that's the easy way to look at it. Vettel was being reeled in because he had it in the bag, he didn't need to push hard and could conserve fuel, tyres and concentration by keeping it simple. And to be honest, even then Hamilton wasn't catching that quickly. The pitstop at the start made minimal difference, 13 (I think) cars stopped, there was hardly a 'pack' to work through.

    Quite simply Merc got beaten by the better team on the day. As simple as that.

    That said, I still expect Mercedes to win the next few races.
     
  26. http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/race_lap_analysis_0.pdf

    If you look at their lap times immediately after the safety car between lap 7 and 11 (Seb in free air and Lewis working his way up from 5th) Seb gains about ~+6 seconds
    Then they are pretty similar until lap 19 when Seb bolts on a second set of medium tyres and Lewis is trundling round on hards
    Between laps 19 and 23 Seb pulls another ~+6 seconds on Lewis
    After that they were again quite similar

    I think those 2 periods where MB got it horribly wrong and where Seb won it
     
  27. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Alonso and Button must be hoping things can only get better at McLaren.
     
  28. scummybear

    scummybear Reservist

    But Hamilton lasted about 14 laps on his medium tyres, it's not a bad strategy if the alternative is having no grip! Lewis was complaining on the radio that he was losing the tyres, so even if they had a fresh set of mediums they still would've struggled - they chose the hard tyres to keep him on the track. The Ferrari didn't have that problem.
     
  29. csdxl

    csdxl One Millionth Post

    I seem to remember Button radioed his engineer at one point to express his surprise (with thinly veiled sarcasm) that he was actually catching up on the cars in front. And despite his constant denials, Alonso must be hugely regretting his move from Ferrari.

    As a lifelong McLaren fan their situation is pretty grim right now. I can't begin to imagine how frustrating it must be for the drivers. Granted, there was a bit of improvement this weekend but that car is a long, long way from being good enough. No disrepect to Manor etc - I have great admiration given all that they've been through recently - but a team with the budget and history of McLaren really shouldn't be dicing it with these guys at the back of the grid.

    They're basically treating 2015 as an extended testing session ready for 2016, so I'm not expecting things to start turning a corner until at least the European races, perhaps the summer or even beyond. Regardless, can only hope they find some sort of respectable pace before too long because WCs like Button and Alonso deserve so much better.
     
  30. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    The spread betting companies still think they'll get over 100 points, so I assume some kind of recovery is expected. It's amazing how badly they have go this wrong so far though.
     
  31. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    I wouldn't worry too much. Honda won't like being embarrassed and will do everything they can to sort out the powerplant. As scummybear points out the new Ferrari really is very easy on the tyres. Something which helped enormously at Sepang.
     
  32. csdxl

    csdxl One Millionth Post

    I'm sure you're right, Honda will be doing everything they can to sort out McLaren's situation. At least the rest of the car seems half decent.
    And re Ferrari...well, the turn-around there has been remarkable. They were an absolute mess last year, up there with WFC in terms of managerial changes. And yet it would appear they've put together a good challenger over the winter. Will obviously need a few more races to substantiate that claim fully but it does seem like they've finally got their act together. Bully for them.
     
  33. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Rosberg gets the better of Lewis for once.
     
  34. The championship is a lot more interesting this year with 3 realistic contenders

    I see RB again threatening to pull out because they are not winning, you never saw Ferrari, Mclaren, Williams... do that over the eleventy twenty years they've been in GP racing. My view good luck good riddance don't let the door hit you on the way out.
     
  35. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Red Bull behaving like spoiled brats. They smashed it up for 3 year on the bounce. Pathetic.
     

Share This Page