F1 2019

[GeeJayW]

Well, these days perhaps more so than in the past, the cars are so complex that small differences in say the aero package translate to considerable differences in on-track performance. Even a 1% difference is enough to romp away.

A lot of the victories in the list Rory found have been in Adrian Newey designed car (I was given his book for Christmas. Not started it yet). His contribution has in many seasons, been the key differentiator. I'm hoping that the Honda powertrain will deliver for Red Bull in 2019. I also hope that Williams and McLaren can iron out their cars so as to be more on the pace. My expectation though, is that Lewis driving a Mercedes will be a very tough nut to crack.

 

[st13phil]

Did he say what were they doing that was unacceptable for other teams?

From what I understand it was about the timing of deactivation of DRS, and that it was spotted by an observant photographer looking at shots he'd taken and thinking, "why is the wing still open at that point?".

As he explained it, no-one accuses anyone else of cheating in F1, instead they just say to the FIA, "Hey, we see that team xxxx is doing whatever and we want to run it by you to make sure it's legal, 'cause we intend to do it too". That way, the FIA issue "clarification" of the rules - that in this instance lead to the prancing horse ceasing to do what they were doing.

 

[brucemillar]

Did anybody else read the BBC article (over Christmas). The implication there was simple. If you removed all of the performance/positional gains that Michael Schumacher obtained over his career he would maybe have been 50% as successful as he has been. Things like ghost launch control, running Damon Hill off the track, parking at Monaco etc.

I suspect we could say the same for many drivers.


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[190]

Did anybody else read the BBC article (over Christmas). The implication there was simple. If you removed all of the performance/positional gains that Michael Schumacher obtained over his career he would maybe have been 50% as successful as he has been. Things like ghost launch control, running Damon Hill off the track, parking at Monaco etc.

I suspect we could say the same for many drivers.

I suppose all the drivers have there moments but Michael Schumacher's win at any cost mentality lead to far more unsporting incidents than other drivers and brilliant though he was in many other respects, for me his reputation is sullied by that. In todays F1, Michael would receive penalties for his antics that he didn't receive at the time and that might have impacted on his results. Well one would hope that he would receive more penalties, I'm yet to be 100% convinced that Ferrari International Assistance isn't still having some influence.

 

[brucemillar]

I suppose all the drivers have there moments but Michael Schumacher's win at any cost mentality lead to far more unsporting incidents than other drivers and brilliant though he was in many other respects, for me his reputation is sullied by that. In todays F1, Michael would receive penalties for his antics that he didn't receive at the time and that might have impacted on his results. Well one would hope that he would receive more penalties, I'm yet to be 100% convinced that Ferrari International Assistance isn't still having some influence.

His knowledge of “launch control” in a car that did “not” have launch control was one of the examples given. Where he clearly was complicit and possibly involved in the very deliberate design, done pass any scrutineering. Unfortunately it didn’t pass the onboard camera that made some question his strange button push sequence.

F1 has had many such incidents as has rallying (Toyota’s modified turbo’s).

The Americans practise of handing out and standardising large lumps of the car, level the field in many respects. Apples with Apples. In F1 I am never sure what I trust.




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[baxlin]

I see Max's punishment is really going to hurt him......

What do I have to do to be punished by having to spend a day with the Formula E stewards? It’s the sort of thing money can’t buy - but petulance can, it seems!

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Did anybody else read the BBC article (over Christmas). The implication there was simple. If you removed all of the performance/positional gains that Michael Schumacher obtained over his career he would maybe have been 50% as successful as he has been. Things like ghost launch control, running Damon Hill off the track, parking at Monaco etc.

I suspect we could say the same for many drivers.


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The difference between LH and MS is that LH always had really good cars where MS helped the teams he drove for, get their cars competitive.

 

[brucemillar]

The ariticle implied that the "difference"between LH nd MS is that MS had a lot of illegal assistance in the form of technical changes to his cars. Traction/launch control was biggie. He had it and was using it when it was clearly outlawed. Calling it another name and hiding the software behind button pushes did not change the fact that he had a massive launch speed advantage. Other technical tweaks have long been hinted at. What is also of interest is that MS had to be involved. He had to know how to access the launch control and use it. He was only caught when it was noticed that he was making strange button presses on his wheel by the onboard camera/commentator.

Now. I am sure that LH is not immune and will also have taken advantage of technical tweaks?

My point is that in the US this is really difficult for a driver/team to achieve, due to the way that the parts are controlled and distributed he checked after each race.

 

[GeeJayW]

The difference between LH and MS is that LH always had really good cars where MS helped the teams he drove for, get their cars competitive.

I think a significant difference between LH and MS is that LH is less likely to simply drive into a fellow driver's car, or park his car on track during qualifying and so on, in order to gain competitive advantage. In fact I can't think of an example of where LH has played dirty.

MS also had the support and expertise of Ross Braun for most of his career, together with a stronger contract than whoever was his team-mate. That helped considerably. That said, MS could definitely pedal.

In terms of driving talent LH is every bit as good as MS ever was.

 

[st13phil]

That said, MS could definitely pedal.

MS was always a puzzle to me.

He was undoubtedly supremely capable as a driver, and probably capable of beating pretty much every other driver in the field (with the notable exception of Mika Hakkinen) based on his driving skills alone, yet he repeatedly resorted to dirty driving or downright cheating in order to win. For that reason I never think of him as being truly great. A great talent, yes, but not a great person and definitely not the best F1 driver.

 

[GeeJayW]

^ I never met or worked with MS, but some of my colleagues did. They reckoned MS was a great person outside of the car.

In the car, he demonstrated several times that for him the rules (and sporting etiquette) simply didn't apply. I don't believe his record is an accurate reflection of his outright driving ability, but the records are the records..

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I think a significant difference between LH and MS is that LH is less likely to simply drive into a fellow driver's car, or park his car on track during qualifying and so on, in order to gain competitive advantage. In fact I can't think of an example of where LH has played dirty.

MS also had the support and expertise of Ross Braun for most of his career, together with a stronger contract than whoever was his team-mate. That helped considerably. That said, MS could definitely pedal.

In terms of driving talent LH is every bit as good as MS ever was.

Track tactics aside - there is no doubt that LH is a great driver but, in a Mclaren, Sauber, Force India et c......would he be able to beat one of the other drivers in a MB? Not likely. My point was that he has always had one of the best if not, the best car to drive.

Ferrari were nowhere when MS joined them and their cars improved hugely with his input.

However cannot take it away from LH even if he is gaining all his success in a German car .

 

[GeeJayW]

Track tactics aside - there is no doubt that LH is a great driver but, in a Mclaren, Sauber, Force India et c......would he be able to beat one of the other drivers in a MB? Not likely. My point was that he has always had one of the best if not, the best car to drive.

Ferrari were nowhere when MS joined them and their cars improved hugely with his input.

However cannot take it away from LH even if he is gaining all his success in a German car .

Ferrari's progress in that era had as much or more to do with Jean Todd and Ross Brawn. Without those two highly talented and focused individuals, Ferrari's internal politics was getting in the way of overall technical achievement as one department pulled against the other. They also changed their fuels and lubricants technology provider which had a significant impact on their performance and reliability.

Lewis almost won the championship in his debut season, driving the same car as Alonso (who many rate as one of the best ever). Had the team pulled him in for tyres in China, he would have got the job done. He beat Seb last year. Most people seem to consider that Ferrari had the best car last year. I don't think Lance Stroll driving a Mercedes would beat Lewis driving a Force India, and I think Lewis would beat pretty much any current driver in the same car.

Schumacher did eff all in the Mercedes and basically had his backside handed to him by Nico...

The german car is built in Brackley, with an engine built just down the road in Brixworth. Pre Hybrid era, the MB F1 engine had more to do with Ilmor than MB. But you know all this anyway.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

The german car is built in Brackley, with an engine built just down the road in Brixworth. Pre Hybrid era, the MB F1 engine had more to do with Ilmor than MB. But you know all this anyway.

Like the USA Apple Iphone is made in China - does not make it Chinese .

 

[GeeJayW]

Like the USA Apple Iphone is made in China - does not make it Chinese .

The iPhone is designed in the USA. The MB F1 car is designed in Brackley.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

The iPhone is designed in the USA. The MB F1 car is designed in Brackley.

Still a Mercedes ......

 

[GeeJayW]

Still a Mercedes ......

Reynard/BAR DNA now Mercedes funded and carrying the Mercedes brand...

 

[Tensofbenz]

I don't get why every time F1 get mentioned, a whole host of people have to knock it. You don't have to watch it, i don't condemn football programmes every time they come on, i just don't watch them.
Looking forward to the new season.

 

[brucemillar]

I don't get why every time F1 get mentioned, a whole host of people have to knock it. You don't have to watch it, i don't condemn football programmes every time they come on, i just don't watch them.
Looking forward to the new season.

I find the answer to this very simple (and I am not being rude) As a lifetime fan and supporter of the sport I am one of millions who contribute financially to very existence. That one fact alone, I believe gives me the right to complain or debate what is happening within "my"sport with "my money". I also drive Mercedes and AMG cars. So again, I believe that this gives me another chuck of ownership to stand up and complain or praise the sport and it's resources.

But the custodians of the sport act almost with impunity when it comes to listening to what their fans, supporters and backers want to see happen.

TV rights is a great example. It soon will be legally impossible to watch the sport without paying per-view. Live Races - Look at the absolutely massive mark ups that are placed ona all merchandising now. This after you have paid to get in the gate.

That is just my financial take (yes I could go on for longer). No I do not believe the money is well looked after or spent. I look at the US and I see a business that is running a family day out. Designed and planned around the family. They are attracting people who want a day and not just the motor racing (which is getting better and better to watch). Yes they are still making lot's of money at it, but they are re-investing in cash and technology that is real technology that applies to real people and real cars. I apply this to NASCAR and Indy etc.

I want to see F1 back at the pinnacle of motor racing where drivers and teams aspire to get to. I fear that ship has sailed now.

 

[grober]

RECORDS exist only to be broken surely? Not sure anyone can realistically compare drivers from different eras driving different cars. The real heroes in some ways are those that raced in an era where if you crashed heavily death was pretty much a certainty. In terms of "building/accumulating" a record of race/championship wins perhaps the odds of surviving long enough to do so were against drivers in those days. Jim Clark might have done it- if he had survived, likewise Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart might have done it had he not retired, Nicky Lauda without his horrific burns, one could speculate till the cows come home. Perhaps the mark of a F1 Champion back then was to win a few races and survive to tell the tale!