Random Thoughts...[F1 edition]

[SchumacherM]

So they should just keep the V8 forever?

Why not? Make it a bit smaller perhaps and add the electric crap and voila. 900bhp V8+AC/DC. Dat noise and dat fuel efficiency.

It would most certainly be cheaper and better for the sport than this enormously expensive exercise in glorifying vaccum cleaners.

 

[mpicco]

It would most certainly be cheaper and better for the sport than this enormously expensive exercise in glorifying vaccum cleaners.

And with the money saved, they could bring back refueling, make that tank smaller, the car lighter so more often flat out, all that.

 

[Cellos88GT]

After reading this and this article, I'm starting to feel really sorry for Davide Valsecchi and strong disdain for the likes of Kovalainen and Maldonaldo.

 

[Brother Michael]

After reading this and this article, I'm starting to feel really sorry for Davide Valsecchi and strong disdain for the likes of Kovalainen and Maldonaldo.

You linked the same article twice and Maldonado isn't even mentioned. Kovalainen is only mentioned when asked how Valsecchi thinks he would've compared to his results with Lotus.

I personally don't understand what you are saying here. Based on this and other interviews Valsecchi to me just comes off as sore loser. Should he be in F1 due to his talent, maybe, that is up for debate but comments like "I would've definitely done better than Kovalainen" (which is complete and pure speculation) or "larger teams don't focus on the money but the talent and they don't look at rookies" (because Hamilton and Magnussen were both seasoned veterans when debuting for McLaren.) just make him seem like a sour puss who didn't get the chance he felt he deserved. These stories are dime a dozen so why Valsecchi would be any different is beyond my understanding.

Kovalainen isn't and has never been a paydriver so that can't be the reason of your comment so I am quite baffled.

 

[ahpadt]

Why not? Make it a bit smaller perhaps and add the electric crap and voila. 900bhp V8+AC/DC. Dat noise and dat fuel efficiency.

You're not gonna get 30% fuel efficiency improvement just by adding the "electric crap".

It would most certainly be cheaper and better for the sport than this enormously expensive exercise in glorifying vaccum cleaners.

The world wouldn't get anywhere if everyone simply thought "everything was better before". Who gives a shit what Bernie thinks about this? He's a dying billionaire and nothing else these days.

In addition, the finger would probably keep winning (or atleast be even more likely to win this year) if the engines weren't changed, meaning your favorite team would experience yet another unfruitful year.

 

[Cellos88GT]

You linked the same article twice and Maldonado isn't even mentioned. Kovalainen is only mentioned when asked how Valsecchi thinks he would've compared to his results with Lotus.

I personally don't understand what you are saying here. Based on this and other interviews Valsecchi to me just comes off as sore loser. Should he be in F1 due to his talent, maybe, that is up for debate but comments like "I would've definitely done better than Kovalainen" (which is complete and pure speculation) or "larger teams don't focus on the money but the talent and they don't look at rookies" (because Hamilton and Magnussen were both seasoned veterans when debuting for McLaren.) just make him seem like a sour puss who didn't get the chance he felt he deserved. These stories are dime a dozen so why Valsecchi would be any different is beyond my understanding.

Kovalainen isn't and has never been a paydriver so that can't be the reason of your comment so I am quite baffled.

My bad on linking the same article. I'm just confused on how Kovalainen has a seat when his GP2 record (and F1 record for that matter) is quite lackluster compared to Valsecchi's.

 

[SchumacherM]

You're not gonna get 30% fuel efficiency improvement just by adding the "electric crap".

The world wouldn't get anywhere if everyone simply thought "everything was better before". Who gives a shit what Bernie thinks about this? He's a dying billionaire and nothing else these days.

In addition, the finger would probably keep winning (or atleast be even more likely to win this year) if the engines weren't changed, meaning your favorite team would experience yet another unfruitful year.

Jesus christ do you even read? I never said that changes per se are bad, I'm saying that THESE changes are rubbish. They could do all sorts of things with the V8 included. And get the efficiency. I never quoted the leprechaun, I care not about him. As for the finger brigade, he'd have a tough time anyway. Because now he has a worthy opponent against him. Someone who can do a race without burning through fuel and tyres.

 

[nicjasno]

Yeah, biturbo V8 engines

 

[SchumacherM]

That makes me hard.

 

[ahpadt]

Jesus christ do you even read? I never said that changes per se are bad, I'm saying that THESE changes are rubbish. They could do all sorts of things with the V8 included. And get the efficiency. I never quoted the leprechaun, I care not about him. As for the finger brigade, he'd have a tough time anyway. Because now he has a worthy opponent against him. Someone who can do a race without burning through fuel and tyres.

Oppose the rule changes as much as you want, but they're extremely likely here to say. The noses will change a bit for next year and I don't think it's unlikely that they'll do something to increase the magnitude of the exhaust/engine volume, but apart from that this is what you're stuck with for the years to come. Downsizing and electrification is unavoidable. I'm gonna guess that the next rule change will be downsizing to I4's. In the very distant future Formula E and F1 will probably merge.

 

[SchumacherM]

And all of that makes me sick to my stomach like a bad order of seafood. F1 is not and never will be relevant to the real world, as much as some people seem to jabber on about this. Let F1 be that one thing that always does thing almost over the top and amazingly.

So everyone can sit down on a Sunday and gaze in amazement into their flat screen TV and have 2 hours of enjoyment. With the pinnacle of motorsports.

 

[bone]

there isn't any series that goes faster around a track, so it still is the pinicle of motorsport

and they probably could make the cars go 400kmh, and have them pull 10g in the corner, but nobody would be able to drive it

i couldn't care less how fast they go around a track, as long as the drivers have to work like hell to keep the cars straight, and the racing is good, i'll be watching!

 

[jsausley]

there isn't any series that goes faster around a track, so it still is the pinicle of motorsport

Only because other forms of motorsport are frozen in development as well.

If Le Mans cars had continued to develop at the rate that they did in the 90's and early-00's, before the fuel limits encouraged diesels and KERS and slower cars for safety, they'd probably be as fast or faster than our current F1 cars.

 

[Dr_Grip]

There seems to be a general consensus among people outside internet fanboyism that racing cars that are so fast that deadly accidents are a regular occurance are not a good idea.

 

[mpicco]

There seems to be a general consensus among people outside internet fanboyism that racing cars that are so fast that deadly accidents are a regular occurance are not a good idea.

We've had about the same number of accidents these past few years as far as I can remember than in the early 2000s when F1 was a bit faster.

There was the first F1 related death although it was in a test session... Massa taking a spring to the face. Perez in Monaco. Webber upside down, cars piling on top of each other in Monaco and slow motions showing how tyres missed tops of heads by a centimeter or two...

Racing will never be safe.

 

[ahpadt]

And all of that makes me sick to my stomach like a bad order of seafood. F1 is not and never will be relevant to the real world, as much as some people seem to jabber on about this. Let F1 be that one thing that always does thing almost over the top and amazingly.

So everyone can sit down on a Sunday and gaze in amazement into their flat screen TV and have 2 hours of enjoyment. With the pinnacle of motorsports.

Nobody is forcing you to watch it. Scream as much as you want for V16's and year ~2000's body styles, but they won't come.

 

[SchumacherM]

I'm not the only one saying this though, go figure huh.

 

[jsausley]

There seems to be a general consensus among people outside internet fanboyism that racing cars that are so fast that deadly accidents are a regular occurance are not a good idea.

They can continue to develop safety alongside the car's performance.. no one has perished in F1 since Senna and yet the cars have only started being hindered for "safety reasons" in the past decade.

 

[Hazardous]

My bad on linking the same article. I'm just confused on how Kovalainen has a seat when his GP2 record (and F1 record for that matter) is quite lackluster compared to Valsecchi's.

Heikki had racing experience, and that made him a more sensible option for the seat at Lotus last year. However, it pains me to say this as a big fan of Heikki's but I think he has had his chance by now and his F1 days have come and gone.

However, I cannot understand how you could claim that Heikki's GP2 record would be lackluster against Valsecchi. Heikki did one season, during which he finished second in the series and took five wins. Yes, he was outclassed by Nico Rosberg but he was right up there from the start. Davide, on the other hand, spent five years driving GP2 cars. Yes, he won both the main series and GP2 Asia, but for most of the time he spent in the series he was distinctly average and that's what kills his GP2 record.

 

[bone]

They can continue to develop safety alongside the car's performance.. no one has perished in F1 since Senna and yet the cars have only started being hindered for "safety reasons" in the past decade.

it's not just about the safety of the car itself.
if a car starts going so fast the drivers has no room left to make corrections when committed to a corner, it becomes downright dangerous, and it's that stage they're trying to (and should!) prevent