F1 really is the pits

[DynoMike]

I agree with all the points raised so far, the sport is so far removed from what the fans would like to see and hear that it's a miracle that it still exists, at least in it's current form.

My thoughts are that the hybrid stuff should be banned. Let's face it, the automotive world is going to go fully electric, rightly or wrongly, in the future. Formula Scalextric is already up and running (apparently, can't bring myself to watch it), and hybridisation is arguably a stepping stone prior to full electric vehicles.

That being the case, let's hear it for the internal combustion engine again, give the teams back 2.75 to 3 litre normally aspirated engines, V8, V10, V12, take your pick boys, just let them scream! Refuelling? Why not! It is pretty easy to come up with a balance of performance system via fuel flow/lap.

The big manufacturers will abandon F1 anyway in a few years to put all their eggs in the electric basket, so who gives a damn if they leave now? Cosworth, Ilmor, AER, Mecachrome to name but a few would happily fill their places.

As for all the uber geek talk of 'strat 14' etc..... Don't get me started.

 

[SGH]

Havent watched F1 for years not at all interested in it cars are crap, drivers are football players , all the razzmatazz has gone . far better more enjoyable racing in other motorsport arenas , F1 has had its day I am afraid :nooo:

:thumb: Had it's day about 15 years ago.

 

[Johnd52]

I will keep watching F1 until it is no longer on freeview. I like the strategy, the technical stuff, the aerodynamics and the fact that drivers have to be right on it as the performance margins are so tiny. The problem is that all this results in a rubbish spectacle. It will have to change to survive as anything other than a display of manufacturers R&D budgets.


For racing I watch the bikes and the GT3 racing - the 2018 Bentley sounds incredible and I still can't get my head around it's on track size and performance.

 

[arry]

i firmly believe that any of those drivers would win in the best car, maybe even reserve drivers.

And yet all the evidence suggests, quite brutally, otherwise. You only need to look at Williams' struggles with Stroll for the evidence. Even Felipe in his washed up please just let me retire mode did him by half a second plus in most qualifying sessions. Imagine what a decent driver in their prime would have made him look like? There's not a car on the grid, Mercedes included, that has that sort of latency in it that it could still win the races with a numpty piloting it.

Hell look at Heikki Kovalinen - replaced Alonso in a title winning team and went on to achieve absolutely nothing except mistakes. He then landed a drive at McLaren in the year Lewis won the title alongside him, so the car was capable, but yet he managed one race win and that only because Lewis got a puncture and Massa had an engine blow up.

There is a reason top dollar goes to top drivers.

 

[arry]

For example, at Australia Schumcher held the lap record (during the race). Now with 3 DF zones and still 14 years later they can't beat it

Would suggest that's more to do with fuel load than anything. The lap record went in quali, from memory. Schumacher would have been able to splash and dash on fresh tyres. With no refuelling in race these days, the only time you're on low fuel load is when you're rocking your most worn set of tyres.

 

[FZP]

For example, at Australia Schumcher held the lap record (during the race). Now with 3 DF zones and still 14 years later they can't beat it

Would suggest that's more to do with fuel load than anything. The lap record went in quali, from memory. Schumacher would have been able to splash and dash on fresh tyres. With no refuelling in race these days, the only time you're on low fuel load is when you're rocking your most worn set of tyres.

But the underlying point is this. In the 10 years or so that record has stood, they've not gone any faster and spent billions in trying to go faster. So what have they actually achieved for the sport? Less exciting, less noise and less interested fans. It certainly hasn't improved the show

 

[G2]

What is the Halo for?? Is it a roll bar?

It's to stop you seeing the front wings of the cars and any view of the racing lines when they use the onboard camera angle footage. FFS a global media company that run F1 and they did not sort the most used footage by moving the camera to somewhere that it didn't have a massive bar in the way??! :frustrated:

Only good thing of Sunday's race was the flip flop manufacturer sponsoring a few of the halo flop thingys

Used to go to a lot of f1..decided to go to historic racing meets instead this year. Cost difference for historic Monaco vs f1 is insane. And there is actual racing to watch. :floor:

 

[T8]

I'm not as disgruntled about the looks of the halo as I thought I'd be but several commentators have commented on how difficult it is for them to identify which driver they are looking at.

Surely something as simple as a coloured patch on the front would solve that. :dont know:

Similarly having the drivers name or initials on the rear/top would make it easier to identify who we are all looking at during in-car footage.

 

[pzero]

I'm not as disgruntled about the looks of the halo as I thought I'd be but several commentators have commented on how difficult it is for them to identify which driver they are looking at.

Surely something as simple as a coloured patch on the front would solve that. :dont know:

Similarly having the drivers name or initials on the rear/top would make it easier to identify who we are all looking at during in-car footage.

Maybe the commentators need to up their game a little.
I mean they have a fifty fifty chance of getting it right/wrong, and that's if both cars are running. I suppose they could be really sneaky and look at the number on the side of one of the two cars that a team is running. Perhaps it should be made more difficult for them by making the drivers wear the same coloured helmets. :dont know:

 

[T8]

..... I suppose they could be really sneaky and look at the number on the side of one of the two cars that a team is running...........

I don't think all cars have got them on the sides. If they have they're certainly not in the same place or easily readable - even when the car is standing still.

Before making my halo suggestion I'd already reconciled myself to the fact that having easily readable numbers on the front of the cars - rather than the current variable-coloured, variably-positioned hieroglyphics - was probably too much to ask. :grin:

Totally aside from how it might help commentators it would make it easier for spectators.

 

[pzero]

..... I suppose they could be really sneaky and look at the number on the side of one of the two cars that a team is running...........

I don't think all cars have got them on the sides. If they have they're certainly not in the same place or easily readable - even when the car is standing still.

Before making my halo suggestion I'd already reconciled myself to the fact that having easily readable numbers on the front of the cars - rather than the current variable-coloured, variably-positioned hieroglyphics - was probably too much to ask. :grin:

Totally aside from how it might help commentators it would make it easier for spectators.

Poor choice of words on my part perhaps - for "number on the side" you could read "number on the car"
Anyway, I'd be surprised if the commentators did not have various crib sheets in front of them to help identify which one of the two team cars a given driver would be in.

 

[G2]

..... I suppose they could be really sneaky and look at the number on the side of one of the two cars that a team is running...........

I don't think all cars have got them on the sides. If they have they're certainly not in the same place or easily readable - even when the car is standing still.

Before making my halo suggestion I'd already reconciled myself to the fact that having easily readable numbers on the front of the cars - rather than the current variable-coloured, variably-positioned hieroglyphics - was probably too much to ask. :grin:

Totally aside from how it might help commentators it would make it easier for spectators.

Poor choice of words on my part perhaps - for "number on the side" you could read "number on the car"
Anyway, I'd be surprised if the commentators did not have various crib sheets in front of them to help identify which one of the two team cars a given driver would be in.

We can only have private plates on F1 Cars when one of the drivers is called Trevor..., according to the private plate thread :frustrated:

 

[P911X50]

For example, at Australia Schumcher held the lap record (during the race). Now with 3 DF zones and still 14 years later they can't beat it

Would suggest that's more to do with fuel load than anything. The lap record went in quali, from memory. Schumacher would have been able to splash and dash on fresh tyres. With no refuelling in race these days, the only time you're on low fuel load is when you're rocking your most worn set of tyres.

But the underlying point is this. In the 10 years or so that record has stood, they've not gone any faster and spent billions in trying to go faster. So what have they actually achieved for the sport? Less exciting, less noise and less interested fans. It certainly hasn't improved the show

I would also argue that if you watch Schumachers lap record on youtube and compare it to Hamilton qualiy lap, you can see how Schumachers car is on the absolute limit, dancing on the very edge of grip compared to Hamiltons which looks like a sunday drive in comparison. 10 years and very little progress (full tank of fuel or not). Its still cr+p.
c:

 

[FZP]

Imagine if Valentino Rossi made the switch to F1. He got within 0.7 of Schumacher so the boy can drive. He certainly would have added some spice to the paddock

 

[wizard993]

Imagine if Valentino Rossi made the switch to F1. He got within 0.7 of Schumacher so the boy can drive. He certainly would have added some spice to the paddock

.....only problem is the doctor would probably get bored within 15 mins in an F1 car

He needs a rip-snorting bucking bronco in his life not a bucking couch(which I appreciate he may already have)