[Archived] Formula 1

[LeChuck]

So...have McClaren and Hamilton just thrown away 4th place to try and cheat their way up one whole place? I think they got the risk/reward balance a little wrong on that one!

[pg]

Hamilton wouldn't get stripped of his points if he didn't lie to the stewards...idiot. He's come out to 'apologise to his fans'...and McLaren have suspended the race team manager (i.e. the guy who accompanied Lewis to the stewards meeting).

Tugay - the best drivers want to drive the fastest cars. That's why they are driving F1..not A1GP..not Indy Racing League...and not touring cars. Of course the result depends on which driver is in which car...that's why this year Button is winning Grand Prix and Hamilton is struggling.

F1 has always been this way, and it will always be so. Jim Clarke drove his whole career at Lotus when they were the world's best team..it certainly helped him win loads of Grand Prix. Drivers like Martin Brundle and Derek Warwick could have won loads of races....they just were unlucky with team choices.

[LeChuck]

The car they drive carries SO much weight that though it leaves very, very little room for driver skill to prevail. It's not really the case that a better car gives the driver a better chance, it virtually picks their finishing position for them. Button has been an also-ran for 150+ races but suddenly looks like he might win the title this year because he's now got the best car. If there are a few cars that are quite evenly matched then it's fine, but otherwise it's a bit annoying.

It's just quite hard to deal with for people who follow other individual sports as someone like Federer doesn't win so many championships because he has the best racquet, or Calzaghe didn't win so many fights because he had the best gloves. I'm sure that's what stops a lot of people genuinely caring about the sport and not just watching it because there's sod all else on TV on a Sunday.

[AlanK]

Don`t understand why Button is being classed as an alsoran. In 2006, if only the results from the 2nd half of the season counted he would have been world champion. I know thats an IF, but its hardly an alsoran!?!

[Eddie]

Agree LeChuck. Also, whilst I admire the fitness and skill of the drivers (I could certainly never do it and I'd never be brave enough to do it) and also recognise the amazing work that is done on the cars, I find it hard to be excited by a car whizzing past and a spot where the human element takes second place to the technology.

[LeChuck]

Prior to this season 1 win in 153 or whatever it was, and final placings of 8th, 17th, 7th, 9th, 3rd, 9th, 6th, 15th and 18th...he's hardly been a front-runner!

[pg]

Its MOTOR SPORT!!! Not althetics or tennis. Even if the cars were all spec, the best prepared team with the best engineers would still find ways to extract performance. Its a race between man AND machine..working together.

The driver doesn't do much..its not like he's running around the track or turning the cranks on a bike. He sits on his bum, and waves his arms and legs around for a few hours

The sort of person who follows motor sport is interested in cars..and in engineering and mechanical things in general. They derive interest from both the sporting aspect (i.e. the drivers skill) as well as the engineering aspect.

[gillibrand]

A lot of times it is down to how much sponsorship money a driver can bring to a team if he gets a drive, but not always!

[American]

Its MOTOR SPORT!!! Not althetics or tennis. Even if the cars were all spec, the best prepared team with the best engineers would still find ways to extract performance. Its a race between man AND machine..working together.

The driver doesn't do much..its not like he's running around the track or turning the cranks on a bike. He sits on his bum, and waves his arms and legs around for a few hours

The sort of person who follows motor sport is interested in cars..and in engineering and mechanical things in general. They derive interest from both the sporting aspect (i.e. the drivers skill) as well as the engineering aspect.

Guess that's why I prefer NASCAR. It isn't just the equipment, it's the drivers as well. As many as 10-15 drivers have a good shot at winning in a given week, and even drivers that start outside the top 35 have a shot at the top 10.

The ironic thing about it is that the best drivers can drive the worst cars to victory the few road course races they have, unlike F1 - it's usually the same 5 drivers that are in contention in those races, no matter how good the car is (and Montoya is one of those).

[gillibrand]

I like the cars and the engineering that goes into them, I'm not that interested in the drivers, though I do appreciate a driver who gets the best out of what he is given and I wish the plonkers who make the rules would let the teams get on with RACING not keep penalising them and making the sport politically boring!

[AlanK]

A quick catch up for those interested.

Button has now won 3 of the 4 races but Red Bull seem to be closing in fast.

Lewis had a solid 4th position in the last race as McLaren catch up.

Ferrari have had their worst start to a season since 1981.

McLaren given suspended 3 race ban for lying about stuff. Long story but its basically over with thank god.

Donington in big trouble as more doubts are cast over the British GP. Rumours Bernie Ecclestone is buying the rights to the race himself. I hope it goes back to Silverstone.

[SAS]

I dont think it will go back to silverstone.

For once I agree with ecclestone about his view on it. They`ve been warned for years to upgrade the facilities at silverstone and nothings been done

[AlanK]

Whats up with the facilities?

250000 people visit over GP weekend and the only person moaning is Bernie!

As it happens, Silverstone have planning permission from both county councils ( the border runs right through the middle of the track to complicate things!) to invest and upgrade. The pits and paddock are even being moved to the other end of the track. All of the plans are on their website and I don`t mean the latest Moto GP update.

[SAS]

Whats up with the facilities?

250000 people visit over GP weekend and the only person moaning is Bernie!

As it happens, Silverstone have planning permission from both county councils ( the border runs right through the middle of the track to complicate things!) to invest and upgrade. The pits and paddock are even being moved to the other end of the track. All of the plans are on their website and I don`t mean the latest Moto GP update.

Is`nt it terrible for parking, getting to and from etc?

[Billy Castell]

Whats up with the facilities?

250000 people visit over GP weekend and the only person moaning is Bernie!

As it happens, Silverstone have planning permission from both county councils ( the border runs right through the middle of the track to complicate things!) to invest and upgrade. The pits and paddock are even being moved to the other end of the track. All of the plans are on their website and I don`t mean the latest Moto GP update.

It's because that midget Andy Worhol wannabe hates having to stage a GP in Britain. He wants it to be scrapped in favour of somewhere like Moscow, Cape Town or somewhere else abroad. Forget the fact the sport would probably be worse than A1 without the British input in terms of teams, facilities, technical knowledge etc. Ecclestone wants to expand F1 to different places and screw the traditional countries. Apart from Italy.

[AlanK]

To answer the 1st question. 100,000 people getting in and out of anywhere is never easy but with the relatively new A43 bypass its much much better. Parking was only disrupted once in recent history due to monsoon weather and they lay temporary roads ( out of matting ) on the fields now. Vast improvement all round.

As for the British GP, in my opinion its just Bernie talking @#/?. As always. Out of 10 teams, 6 are within 50 miles of Silverstone never mind just in the UK. Another 2 look to be coming on board who are also within spitting distance of Silverstone. Britain is still the place to come for a lot of up coming drivers. Formual Ford and F3 are big time. We had all this nonsense a few years ago. "Silverstone is rubbish,we are going to Brands Hatch" says Bernie. Never happened.

[AlanK]

Button is on pole today but my hunch is to back Vettel.

[Tango]

Button is on pole today but my hunch is to back Vettel.

I'm with you on that, looks like Vettel has a couple more laps of fuel - if he can keep up with Button in the first 14 then the race is his for the taking. However, the front three are bound to be wary of Massa's KERS system leapfrogging them all down to turn 1 and scuppering all their race strategies.

[yoda]

I'm with you on that, looks like Vettel has a couple more laps of fuel - if he can keep up with Button in the first 14 then the race is his for the taking. However, the front three are bound to be wary of Massa's KERS system leapfrogging them all down to turn 1 and scuppering all their race strategies.

turning into a stroll in the park for jenson now!

[Tango]

turning into a stroll in the park for jenson now!

Was in the end, thought Massa would come into play and fortunately for the Brawn's it was to Vettel's disadvantage. Super result for Jenson, if he qualifies well at Monaco (and he is good there) it's certainly another possibility for a race victory. Chuffed to bits for him!

[AlanK]

Well Massa jumped Vettel using his KERS and that left the Brawn cars to run away. Quite unbeliveable story that is unfolding. A team that was down and out in February has now won 4 out of 5 races. crazy.

[Billy Castell]

Someone, be it Brawn, or Honda must have been working on that car in 2008. It has been so far ahead of the others, and if it can incorporate KERS it will be unstoppable. This season would be drawing to a close even sooner if the stupid medal system of points had been in place.

Are Ferrari threatening to quit over the budget restrictions? If they are the FIA had better stand firm, and not be whipped into dropping the idea.

[pg]

Someone, be it Brawn, or Honda must have been working on that car in 2008. It has been so far ahead of the others, and if it can incorporate KERS it will be unstoppable. This season would be drawing to a close even sooner if the stupid medal system of points had been in place.

Are Ferrari threatening to quit over the budget restrictions? If they are the FIA had better stand firm, and not be whipped into dropping the idea.

Honda realised in early 2008 that their car was a dog, so they put all their eggs into the 2009 basket very early on. The other teams that did this (Williams, Toyota) have also benefited.

Toyota are threatening to quite because of the new 'two-tier' regulations. So are Red Bull, and Ferrari..and BMW...in fact everyone is.

I hope the FOTA stick together and withdraw. It's the only way to get rid of Max and Bernie and bring reality back into Formula One.

There is no leadership, no direction..no vision for F1. Max changes the rules and regulations every few years as he sees fit as an endless game of political smoke and mirrors. Meanwhile, Bernie and his banker friends continue to screw over all countries for higher licensing fees every year.

I'd love to watch Max and Bernie try and sell F1 for 60 million licensing fees without Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Toyota, BMW and Renault.

Would you pay 50 quid to watch i-Sport, Arden, Campos and race in 'Formula 1'?

[Billy Castell]

Didn't realise the other manufacturers were thinking of leaving too.It would be good to kick out Bernie and Max though. You are right about the politics and courtroom nonsense that has made Hamilton consider quitting, but the idea of limits to the budget is a good one. Otherwise the teams like McLaren, Ferrari and maybe even Toyota will continue to spend £300m or whatever and blow the teams like Williams out of the water.

Hopefully Bernie will go and concentrate on sacking managers at QPR, and we don't have to put up with the annual threat of ending the British Grand Prix. I doubt he will though.

[Hughesy]

Whilst this years Formula 1 is different (with teams like Red Bull & Brawn doing so well), it feels strange to not have Ferrari & McLaren not challenging.