F1 Racing Thread

I've not watched F1 for a while now as it was always the same, but since reading this thread I thought I would give it a watch this morning. I didn't know that they now all have the same ECU and no traction control, should be a bit more about driver skill now.

Looking forward to watching a few more races.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Supervox

All in all I'd say it's shaping up to be a good season - no single team seems to have a runaway advantage & plenty of drivers wanting to make their mark

Agreed

Not as action packed as last week, but still watchable. Bit of a schoolboy error by Massa I thought, just sounded like he'd given it to much throttle and round she went.

I really wish James Allen would shut up sometimes, he's starting to sound like he thinks LH can do no wrong. He messed up this weekend, like you say awful tyre choice.

Last week was racing, this week was more of a procession with pit stops. Hope this week was a fluke.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I really wish James Allen would shut up sometimes, he's starting to sound like he thinks LH can do no wrong.

So do I. He is really getting on my nerves. It doesn't help that he reminds me of someone I don't like but have to talk to on a regular basis. He's irritating and ruins the viewing having to listen to his drivel. Give the job to Brundle. Better still, give the sport back to BBC.

What? BBC have it back next year? Excellent stuff. Hope they don't bring the commentator as well as the sport.

I watched F1 since before I went to school. I have watched it every single year. I'm a Jenson fan. I truly believe that had Williams put him in the seat instead of Montoya he would have already been champion. He made a very shrewed move when getting out of the Williams seat when they wanted him back. It looks like Honda are finding their way back on the right path. With the guidance they now have, I seriously believe Jenson and Rubens will be more competitive as the season develops.

The banning of traction control and engine development last year was a good call. It has made the field a lot closer. OK, still no head to head racing like days of old, but a mistake by a driver now is punished hard. As shown by both Ferrari drivers in both races so far. The pack are closer on the heals of the top teams, so long as they don't make any mistakes, they are in a position to capitalize on the mistakes of teams and drivers in front of them.

I still say bring back turbo's and slick tyres. Give them back the 1000+bhp and let the drivers earn their zillion dollar wages. I could go on for ever, but I had better stop. Yes, I'm a petrol head. Love F1, love this thread.

Originally Posted by BigApe

I still say bring back turbo's and slick tyres.

Well you might get half your wish come true next year as it looks like slick tyres are being re-introduced for 2009! No chance of turbos though

It should shape up to be a cracking season and with all the other rule changes (no spare car allowed, gearboxes must last 4 races etc) I think we're going to see a quite few more retirements because of reliability and driver error... can't wait for a wet race Add that 2 new circuits - one of those being a night race - BMW making good progress, Ross Brawn slowly working his magic at Honda and some bloody good younger drivers in the pack, we should see a change from last year with only 2 teams fighting for the top step.

I've watched F1 since about 1986 (used to video every highlights show - think they're still in my loft!) but my enthusiasm wained during the late 90's when Schumacher was dominant and a young family was more important at the weekends. Things have chance now though, kids are much older and MS has retired and we have a top class British driver to support in a top class British (ok, so RD only owns 15% but that surely enough to call it British, right?) team.

Should be a good year with a few more to follow.

+1 on the ITV coverage relating to Lewis. Alright, he's the man of the moment for a lot of the UK F1 fans (myself included) but there are another 21 drivers on the grid that most of us would like to hear about. Did you notice at the post race press conference we heard from Kimi Raikonnen and Robert Kubica but when it was Heikki Kovalainen's turn to speak about his debut podium for McLaren, they cut straight back to Mark Blundell and Steve Ryder! WTF!! Would they have done that if Hamilton was 3rd? I think not

Which leads me nicey onto another point. Steve Ryder. Why?

I hope BBC do a better job of employing presenters who are actually passionate about the sport and not just blagging a paid for around the world holiday.

Anyway, I love Formula 1 and I'm glad it in good shape again.

[Supervox]

I didn't know that slicks were on their way back <hangs head in shame> that really IS good news !!

As for Steve Rider I take your point - but as F1 is always going to be one of the 'Flagship Presentations' (doesn't matter who has the rights) I think that a well known face will be chosen to 'front' the programme - I don't have a problem with this as long as they also use others who know the sport. As I've said before I really believe that Murray Walker needs to be involved in some way - though probably not as main commentator - I don't care what the Beeb have to do to achieve this - get an Act passed by Parliament if that's what it takes !!

As for LH - I agree the coverage is a bit much at times - from James Allen in particular (hopefully he'll NOT be picked up by the BBC) - but, in some ways it's understandable - he's the first British driver in a long time to actually be at the sharp end of the racing & other countries presentations are equally as 'biased' - try looking at the Spanish press for example !!

What has really surprised me so far is why people are surprised by the pace of Red Bull's car this year (ok it looks to be a little on the fragile side) Adrian Newey does not design bad cars - just look at his CV for God's sake !! The man is a true genius !!

Just one final thing I picked up on at the weekend - apparently, due to the new rules regarding aerodynamics next season all of the ugly apendages (micro wings that seem to be all over the cars in various places) are to be banned - so, we may see some really good looking cars again.

There's a host of other changes being introduced for 2009 including Kinetic Energy Recovery System or KERS. This is going to make racing interesting next year - KERS stores up energy used when braking and can be-reused to give the car a boost at the push of a button - kind of like a turbo but with a finite amount of energy. F1 engineers will be forced to develop this technology to become competitive but eventually the technology will end up on cars that Joe Public buy - it's F1's contribution to making motoring greener.

Most teams have just tweaked their '07 cars for this season as the '09 cars require a lot of development time. Track time for testing is limited to 30,000 Km per seaon so many teams have already been testing ideas their '09 cars over the winter, including running on slick tyres (2.5 seconds per lap quicker according to Button, with '07 levels of downforce).

Tyre warmer will also be banned in 2009 - that's going to be hilarious/dangerous. Here's a quote from Heidfield taken from F1 racing:

"To be honest (running without tyre warners) it was a bit of a joke. The tyres took ages to get up to temperature and my first flying lap was 14 seconds off the pace. It was like having F1 power with Formula Ford levels of downforce."

Rather him than me.

I've heard about the slicks but yet to see any concrete statement to say it is coming back in. As for the lack of tyre warmers. I heard this too. Something to do with allowing the teams at the back of the grid to get a good start with everyone on effectively, the same even playing field of performance.

If it happens, and I'd be gobsmacked if it does, we have the perfect recipe for a total first corner disaster.

There was no engine development at all in 2007/8. At the end of the 2006 season all teams had to submit their latest developed engine to the FIA. This was the engine they were committed to for the next two years. Another method of trying to get the lower teams more competitive. Last year there wasn't much difference, but this year it is easier to see, the lower teams have better packages. Of course the banning of traction control has had a big effect on this.

I'm sure the American 'champ cars' have had this 'KERS' system for quite some years. It's not new technology. They call it something like the 'power to pass button'.

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by BigApe

I'm sure the American 'champ cars' have had this 'KERS' system for quite some years. It's not new technology. They call it something like the 'power to pass button'.

Is that what they use in A1 cars ? They also have a 'boost' button that they can use 5 (?) times during a race - once activated it remains 'live' until they release the throttle pedal I think.

Originally Posted by Supervox

Is that what they use in A1 cars ? They also have a 'boost' button that they can use 5 (?) times during a race - once activated it remains 'live' until they release the throttle pedal I think.

Same difference I believe.