Power units (PU)
– The PU must be cheaper, simpler, louder, have more power and reduce the necessity of grid
penalties.– It must remain road relevant, hybrid and allow manufacturers to build unique and original PU.
– New PU rules must be attractive for new entrants and Customer teams must have access to
equivalent performance.
So increased capacity, single turbo with some energy recovery would work. The NA 3.0 litres were producing getting on for 900hp towards the end of their life. No reason why a larger V8 with forced induction and some electric boost couldn't produce 1000+bhp. Road cars are already doing it.
We must make cars more raceable to increase overtaking opportunities
Simplify the aero packages - limit the number of wing elements and allow bigger diffusers and more ground effect.
Or introduce a test for "turbulence". Ban aero packages that produce a 5% decrease in downforce to a "following" reference model in the wind tunnel.
Take a serious look at track design, overtaking works fine at plenty of them
I used to have doubts as to Lance Stroll's justification for being in F1, however he's responded to criticism from a certain ex-WC who also happens to be Canadian by saying "I don't really listen to Villeneuve anymore".
I believe that to be an entirely sensible view.
As for the proposed rule changes, at face value they look very welcome. Louder cars, with less complex aero will improve the spectacle. I agree to a point that circuit design is a problem - some of the characterless circuits designed in the latter 1990s and early 2000s are particularly soulless, but to redesign tracks is likely to be expensive.
They also really, really need to do something about the cameras in particular those long shots which remove any visceral sense of speed. Seeing a camera zoom into a vast expanse of tarmac occupied by a small F1 car is narcolepsy inducing, but at the same time the runoff areas are vital for driver and spectator safety alike.
A budget cap is a good idea in principle, but I can see a great many practical problems not the least of which is how this is policed.
[i]richmtb wrote:[/i]
Take a serious look at track design, overtaking works fine at plenty of them
Even tracks designed by Tilke - COTA seems to have plenty of overtaking and the drivers seem to like it. How come he can design that but make such boring ordinary circuits elsewhere?
Even tracks designed by Tilke – COTA seems to have plenty of overtaking and the drivers seem to like it. How come he can design that but make such boring ordinary circuits elsewhere?
Likewise Sepang and Istanbul but both are no longer on the calendar
Pretty sure he was also responsible for the layout of Baku which had some bonkers overtaking
If aero is reduced too much F1 won't be the fastest form of motorsport. You can't have a fairly open formula then complain when one team is faster than the others.
I know it’s harking back to a by-gone era that’s never going to return- But those late 80’s / early 90’s car were incredible to watch.
when I watch a quick lap I want to see cars on the edge, savage engines etc.
I want to watch the lap and think ‘I couldn not do that’. Like berger’s lap posted above.
I don’t get that with a modern F1 car.
(Although I’m fully aware I still couldn’t drive a modern f1 car)
Sigh
I'm hoping there are prettier angles than this:
I’d bet a hefty wager that from wheels down on the runway to getting out at the circuit that it’s distinctly faster to get to Tailem from Adelaide than it is to Albert Park from Tullamarine.
It's not how long it takes from the airport to the circuit that matters, it's how long from the hotel to the circuit. International travelers want to stay in a nice hotel in a nice city, do some sightseeing and shopping, eat at decent restaurants. A two-hour bus ride to Tailem won't be attractive to the big spending international tourists who like visiting Melbourne where the race is held in the middle of the city.
Any rule and regulation changes need to be aligned with how F1 is defined. I've yet to see a definition of and for F1, although admittedly, I haven't really looked for one.
Is F1 meant to be the pinnacle of motorsport? Is it the bleeding edge of high performance development? Or is it a series for close wheel to wheel racing? It's a kind of Bontrager 'choose any two' IMO.
If you want to watch open cockpit, open wheel racing in close quarters, then the lower formula's and Indycar are probably the better options. If instead you want to revel in the technical complexity of motorsport, where races are won and lost in the wind tunnel and super massive r&d expenditure, then exciting close racing will be infrequent and pretty much what the state of affairs currently are.
What would be your definition of F1?
F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, that's why it's called F1 (isn't it?).
I want F1 to be the best engineered cars driven by the best drivers. If it's close, fine, but that's not, for me, the most important thing. If I want close racing, there are 100's of different types of motorsport. I don't think F1 has ever had consistently close racing over a season.
This may not be a popular view, but it's why I watch it. I can see that this definition is not going to get crowds and sponsors rushing to F1,but if it changes too much, it will not be F1.
I don’t think F1 has ever had consistently close racing over a season.
Mansell versus Piquet.
Senna versus Prost.
Hill versus Villeneuve.
Alonso versus Hamilton.
Hamilton versus Rosberg.
See the pattern?
OT but anyone wondering why they can't get 4 HD or 4od on their Freesat box any more, this is the reason
https://www.freesat.co.uk/news/all4-4hd-leave-freesat/
First bit of F1 I've seen this year and bloody hell that halo thing looks awful.
Aren't those driver battles the same team? Or is that your point?
Aren’t those driver battles the same team? Or is that your point?
Yes, that's the point. You can have a great season long battle when you have two top drivers given equal equipment. Strange how Red Bull and Ferrari didn't make that list.
So F1 should be a single manufacturer to get close racing?
No because if it’s a single make series then there’s no technology push.
I would be very surprised if you couldn’t drop a load of the aero nonsense and still keep it by far the fastest show in town. Hopefully a show where the cars can get within 2 seconds of each other
For me I would go to an air restictor engine formula with a fuel restiction and much simpler aero - single element wings of restricted size and location and then let anything else go pretty much. Is a huge v twin turbo better than a h 16? etc etc
Good work by Gasly getting into Q3.
Looks like Hartley's bird strike made a mess of the FW
Max Verstappen Bahrain F1 qualifying crash caused by 150hp power surge
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/135239/150hp-power-surge-caused-verstappen-crash
But as he ran across the kerbs at Turn 2, the back end of his RB14 stepped out and he spun across the track - hitting the barriers on the outside of the circuit.
Having studied the telemetry data on his return to the garage, Verstappen uncovered a bizarre unexpected boost of power caused him to lose control.
"It was unfortunate," said Verstappen, who will start 15th. "I studied the data a bit and saw we had a 150hp increase, which is a bit odd.
"The corner isn't flat out, but it was like an off and off switch. It spun up the rear tyres quite aggressively and then I spun.
F1 needs to be cutting edge but as good as it used to be, lasers, blackjack, hookers...
Or jumps and crossing the finish line backwards with only three wheels.
On a serious note they had the car speed on screen today and as someone said the camera angle just dont show how little the cars slow down for some corners.
I got to see testing years ago and thats the lasting memory the cars just not lifting and going around a corner, i was other worldly but you just dont get it on tv.
International travelers want to stay in a nice hotel in a nice city, do some sightseeing and shopping, eat at decent restaurants.
So, Adelaide then 🤔
If you’re really saying you wouldn’t come to see the Australian F1 just because it moved from Melbourne, then that’s really your loss. It’s a major city of over 1m population, and all the amenities and attractions that go with that. If you’re prepared to spend 24 hours on a plane to get to oz for the F1, but an hour to the (much better) race circuit is too much then I’m afraid I simply don’t understand your perspective.
As I’ve said, if you really want to visit Melbourne before/after, then it’s about 50 minutes on the plane, and up to 2 hours waiting for a taxi and stuck in traffic once you’ve landed at Tullamarine. That’s if you get to land in the first place or just end up circling over Geelong for a couple of hours.
Unless you apply the “big spending international tourist test” to every other race on the calendar it’s more than a little straw man-ish. And in any case, the megabucks are in the TV audiences. Were Albert Park not the first race on the calendar it would be as instantly forgettable as e.g. Hungary. Holding it elsewhere, and Tailem seems to be a good bet, might change that. Bathurst would be ace, but unlikely from a safety perspective. The old Adelaide circuit was good, but I doubt it could easily meet current specs.
If you’re really saying you wouldn’t come to see the Australian F1 just because it moved from Melbourne, then that’s really your loss.
No, I'm saying that if it was in a hick town that was a 2 hour bus ride from decent hotels, I wouldn't bother. If it was easily accessible from downtown Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, or Gold Coast, I might be interested. The point is to have a nice holiday with good restaurants and hotels and watch an F1 race as a bonus. The Australian GP is competing with other countries to attract international tourists, so putting it in a hick town 100 km from anywhere is not going to work financially. The only thing the state government will care about is whether it can fill hotels with out of state tourists.
No, I’m saying that if it was in a hick town that was a 2 hour bus ride from decent hotels, I wouldn’t bother
Its a good job that it isn’t then. Speed limit on the freeway is 110 km/h. I’ll let you work out how long it would take to travel about 100 km at that speed.
A bus is not going to average 110 km/h from a downtown hotel to the dropoff point at the racetrack. There will be 50,000 people attending, so I would expect pretty heavy traffic near the racetrack. Have you never taken a bus ride or been to a concert or sports event?
Edit: Heavy vehicles and buses have lower speed limits than passenger cars too, so a bus is not going to hit 110 km/h even on an expressway.
Can the graphics people at F1 tune into F2 and take note please, that is how the screen layout should look.
Peak internet....strangers arguing about how long a bus would take to travel 100km, on a thread about F1
Peak internet….strangers arguing about how long a bus would take to travel 100km, on a thread about F1
Well, it's more exciting than the races.
Clucking bell Red Bull
Well that's a load of bullocks
the Williams looks like a right dog 🙁
Just turned over from a proper race 🤣
I don’t like those funny animal cages, how can they see through the upright 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤦♀️🤯
oof that pitstop, hope the mechanic is okay
Just turned over from a proper race
If you want your racing like basketball with an overtake every corner! 🙂
This is a good race - way better than Australia.
But what is happening with Sainz? The Hulk is destroying him.
I like Raikkonen but what a ****ing cock! Why wouldn't you go over and see how the bloke you'e just ran over is! Looked a very nasty leg break!!
come on, bottas!!!
No Spoiler but....
Dont use slowmo and frame by frame replay on that pitstop.... oowww.. Clean drives over his leg from the side.
great drive from the winner + well done to gasly
Cracking race.
For me Bottas should have won that though - killer instinct seems lacking.
Superb drive from Gasly and Ericsson whose Sauber was a dog pre-season.
what a race Alonso better get his deck chair out and get used to checking out the rear wing of the Honda. What a race cant say that was boring at all. Well done sauber! Always good to see them get some points
regarding the pitstop, i'm quite surprised the mechanic would stand in front of the tyre...
* NFSL https://streamable.com/uev7e NSFL *
the-muffin-manSubscriber
Cracking race.
For me Bottas should have won that though – killer instinct seems lacking.
Yep, get Danny in that car. I guess he's doing the job he was chosen to do though, reliable driver who can look after the tyres. More of a Button than a Senna.
Good race that 👍
Bottas lacks that real killer hard nosed race craft.
Bit of a funny race track. I think Mclaren will be above STR in China.
I enjoyed that.
Rumours on Sky's post race coverage that Danny Rik has signed a letter of intent with Ferrari.
I can’t quite believe how much oil was getting sprayed out the rear of the Ferraris! Visibly pissing out for the whole race. How can that be legal or safe? Surprised they haven’t had their collar felt for that TBH.
Agree on Raikonnen being a nobhead. He should have went and seen the mechanic with the broken leg. Poor form.
And he hadn't bothered to find out how the mechanic was by the time of his post race interview. Such a git....should have been out years ago
agree that his pr should have armed him with the status of the mechanic or at least showed that he cared enough about his side of the garage . Maybe he has got wind of danny rics contract
What a measured drive by Vettel and one of his best. Hamilton's charge was great to see but with too much to do. There is definately a two tier championship and with any of the front running cars you could stick them at the back and still get into the points
Really don't understand why Riciardo would go to Ferrari...he wouldn't be allowed to race Vettel
Interesting race, that.
Bottas had the pace of Vettel, but he seemed to struggle to get close enough to challenge. Either the 2018 Merc is like it's immediate predecessor also optimised to lead from the front and therefore struggles in turbulent air, or Bottas simply lacked the self-belief to have a go at the lead.
The exit of both Red Bulls in the wake of Toro Rosso's stunning (and consistently maintained, this was no safety car inspired fluke) fourth place must be demoralising for Verstappen particularly, who has slid off the track due to his own over-exuberance as mush as any mechanical unreliability.
I had to blink when I looked at the championship standings... Alonso fourth and McLaren third. Both cars have scored points finishes but it's clear that the MCL33 doesn't deliver as it should. To be beaten by three places by newly divorced Honda should be further cause for self-reflection and no doubt require further investment.
And Raikonnen...clearly he was pissed off about the botched pitstop, but a little more humanity for the mechanic and the severity of his injuries would be much more seemly.
So...would you agree that driver of the weekend was Gasly?
Re Ricciardo (and possibly Verstappen too) for 2019 and beyond...
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/134563/red-bull-gets-renault-deadline-for-honda-decision
By the end of May, we'll know what engine Red Bull will be using for 2019. Realistically, there are only two options; Renault or Honda. Relations with Renault are strained, but either Merc or Ferrari power seemingly off the table, there's a real chance that the 2019 car will be powered by Honda. I would imagine that Vertappen and Ricciardo will be carefully watching Toro Rosso's engine development before making a commitment to stay. Meanwhile, Raikonnen isn't getting any younger, the potential of a vacancy in Bottas' Merc or a long term shot at domination with a resurgent Renault may be enough to tempt both drivers away from a team anticipating a performance (and reliability) slump for next year.
My predictions for next year: Red Bull to take Honda engines, Ricciardo to either Merc or Ferrari, Bottas back to Williams, Alonso back to Renault, Sainz back to Red Bull, considerable turnover of management and technical staff at McLaren. Verstappen's already locked into a multi-year contract with Red Bull so he's not going anywhere.
Edit: Heavy vehicles and buses have lower speed limits than passenger cars too, so a bus is not going to hit 110 km/h even on an expressway.
No, it will do 60 km/h for the first 4-5 km out of the city. It will probably do between 90-100 for the next 9 km up the hill, and 110 for the remaining 85 km or so to Tailem. There are no specific limits for coaches up that road. But as you don’t live here, please carry on and educate us.
Now then, how long would it take me to get from LHR to Silverstone? I mean, I can’t see anyone wanting to travel that distance to a hick town, why not have it on a street circuit in London. Who needs overtaking when there are great hotels and shopping 🙄
Fair play to vettel for this
Remember Honda have already changed the ICE, turbo and MGU H on Gaslys car - at that rate they'll be accruing engine penalties before too long. But I really hope this is the start of Honda coming good as it'll dilute the Merc/Ferrari power base just as negotiations for 2021 are getting critical. Imo the less power the teams have in setting the rules the better.
Pains me to say it but Vettel drove the socks off that Ferrari. Really impressive stuff
Good analysis of Liberty Medias proposals...
https://www.racefans.net/2018/04/11/f1-2021-libertys-masterplan-for-formula-ones-future-uncovered/
Just watched the first 2 rounds of the Indycar season - so nice to see the cars moving around under the drivers at St Petersburg. There’s definitely a lot to be said for cutting the downforce
Here we go - hopefully a close race today.
Well this race has come alive.
MV showing that for all his talent he has a lot to learn about racing (and I have him in my Fantasy team 🙄)
the problem is MV doesnt seem to be learning very quickly. Dare I say could take the mantle from Crashdonaldo.
Indeed. I thought this year he may start to show he’s learning about race craft.
With so much more pace than vettel he didn’t need to send one up the inside on something that wasn’t even a 50-50 chance
Excellent day for the no 2 drivers, nice of Max to clear the way for DR, excellent wingmanning there.
What an amazing race!! Definitely the best for a looooong time. It's shaping up to be quite a season!! 🙂
MV showing that for all his talent he has a lot to learn about racing (and I have him in my Fantasy team
)
Yep, he's killing mine also!!! So, it turns out he's just as fallable as any other youngster after all. Still, his time will definitely come once he's grown up a bit!! 🙂
Blimey, not many comments about this one, hey?!? Is the forum really this quiet nowadays?!?!
Difficult to say, I can't really see it underneath all the popups telling me I've won Amazon vouchers....
I was replying to someone's post earlier and literally the whole thread just disappeared!! I think it came back eventually but, you know, lame
[i]shermer75 wrote:[/i]
Blimey, not many comments about this one, hey?!? Is the forum really this quiet nowadays?!?!
No, no, didn't you know the site is busier than it's ever been?
maxanaldo is at it again !
I'm sure there will be an 'explanation' from Max - probably that extra 150hp catching him out again. Hope he gets his head together as RB is looking quick again
No, no, didn’t you know the site is busier than it’s ever been?
Buzzing, positively buzzing, I can't keep up! (this is my first post for a week!).
maxanaldo is at it again !
Aye Crash Verstappen needs to wind it in a bit - I think he feeling the pressure to beat Ricciardo more than ever this season. His first two seasons behind him in the standings could be explained away as youthful inexperience. He really shouldn't be making basic mistakes now though.
I just gave up and re-watched this.
Oops, should have been Montreal 2011.
I just gave up and re-watched this.
Oops, should have been Montreal 2011.
Rewatched what?
Really enjoying how good Ricciardo and Raikkonen are right now! 🙂
Blimey - max not involved in any of the incidents
crashtappen.. c*ck.. back to old habits. left right.. oops