The F1 thread

[Wrathbone]

I think not allowing cars to pit during the safety car window would help smooth things out. Cars are going at slow speeds behind the safety car and often pit way before a tyre becomes dangerously worn so it is unlikely that you would have serious issues with tyres.

That totally screws anyone who needs to pit during the safety car period, though. Currently everyone has the chance to pit while the cars are slow, so you only lose out by a few seconds if you've pitted just before the safety car. If you close the pit lane it means that anyone who needs to pit during that window then has to pit once the safety car goes in and all the cars are bunched up - i.e. they go straight to the back of the pack. How is that a better solution?

[Raid]

The scarp at the end was stupid, the whole DRS situation that race was dumb, you shouldn't have drivers messing around in the breaking zone like that as it can easily lead to accidents. Because the sport has been so devoid of overtaking everyone was going crazy about it even though it felt very false and a bit silly. The new rules have clearly made DRS too powerful but in this situation I think it's that the two sectors are too close together. They need to make sure on subsequent tracks that either the zones are far enough apart or that the detection zones are changed so you don't have a similar situation.

I don't disagree with any of that, with the exception of the "stupid" comment (I'm undecided rather than disagreeing). Yes, that this tactic was arguably necessary and worked is silly for motor racing at this level, but I can't help but applaud the tactical shrewdness Leclerc demonstrated by using it (and how immediately Max caught on). I know everyone's been singing Leclerc's praises since he came into F1, but I think that was the first time he'd proven he has champion potential for me.

On the safety car issue; do you think it would work if they added a mandatory waiting period when the car enters the pitbox, similar to a penalty, if the safety car was out when that car entered the pitlane?

[Wrathbone]

On the safety car issue; do you think it would work if they added a mandatory waiting period when the car enters the pitbox, similar to a penalty, if the safety car was out when that car entered the pitlane?

To neutralise the advantage of pitting under a safety car? Yeah, I like that idea. Get onto Ross Brawn!

[Raid]

So we're going to Las Vegas in 2024 for another glitzy, probably terrible street circuit night race.



I think of all the popular tourist cities in the world, Las Vegas is certainly among the ones I least want to visit, and the circuit looks boring as hell. It's also after dark in the US, so it won't be watchable by people who need to be up for work on Monday morning here in the UK. Can't say I'm looking forward to this one.

Edit: Oh, apparently the race itself will be happening on saturday night rather than sunday. That's a significantly better time for us here.

[Drarok]

Yet another night race in a country with a history of violating human rights? Eurgh.

[Wrathbone]

Monaco, by Wish.com.

[Raid]

So literally half of the Albert Park track is going to be DRS zone.



I've traditionally quite liked the Australian GP, but I'm wondering if that was just because it used to be the first race of the season and I was able to look past its faults because I was excited for F1 to finally be back. If they really think the track needs 4 DRS zones even with regulations designed to improve cars following closely, then I think we just need to bring the move to another track forward (I think it's Sydney from 2025 onwards).

[Wrathbone]

If I'm not mistaken, the new DRS zone is between turns 8 and 9, which is a hell of a curve for DRS. Maybe the new cars have enough inherent downforce to manage it, but in previous years that would likely result in cars spinning violently out of control.

Also I'm not sure it's actually going to be that beneficial, because the chicane at turns 9 and 10 can traditionally be handled by lifting rather than braking, but the increased speed that DRS brings is surely going to require braking.

[Drarok]

With only two detection zones this seems a bit nuts.

[DjchunKfunK]

It's more like a video game track than a real track now.

[Raid]

So the FIA decided to remove the 4th DRS zone due to safety concerns. There do seem to have been a lot of crashes this weekend so far, I'm not sure whether they're down to the new regs or the track redesign, but the reprofiled turn 6/7 seems to have caught a few people out. Lance Stroll definitely seems to be going for pole position in the Destructors Championship, having crashed his car twice in the space of two hours - he pretty much just steered into Latifi in qualifying after not bothering to check his mirrors. I guess there's mitigating circumstances in that Latifi had just let him overtake (I guess Latifi thought he was on a hot lap and got out of the way), but there were always going to be other cars coming past. I really feel for the Aston mechanics, having three major rebuilds in so short a time.

[DjchunKfunK]

I wonder how much is down to the porpoising with drivers not respecting the limits of the cars.

[Raid]

It certainly could be. I actually bothered to watch the quali highlights programme today as it was on at a reasonable hour, rather than catching the 6 minute recap that the F1 youtube channel hosts, and got to see just how awful the porpoising was for Hamilton. I'm surprised there's not a sporting directive telling drivers not to wear braces because they could become dislodged and choke them. It's horrendous; Lewis' head was bouncing up and down by an inch or two twice a second. I know it ceases by the time they start braking, but I wouldn't be remotely surprised if it made them miss their braking point.

[eny]

You might find the comparison hilarious, but we used to get this kind of thing in certain tractors, back before they had cab suspension and independent front link suspension — Deutz Fahr being BIG culprits. Their only real mitigation of rough roads at "high" speed was the suspension offered by the tire walls, and the seat springs. The combination of the increase in highest speed in newer tractors (late 80s onwards) from about 20mph to 25-30mph and increasingly deteriorating roads meant that at top speed you used to get really bad front-to-back oscillation that you could only really deal with by micro-deceleration/acceleration, and a "bouncy" foot on the throttle. If you had a dodgy back it was fucking murder, constantly getting the back of the seat slapped against it. Once you start getting an issue with your lower back with this, driving them for long periods becomes very uncomfortable and painful. I hate to think what issues this period of development will create for the drivers in future, it isn't at all nice to deal with.

[Snowy]

Race spoilahs ahead...

I really enjoyed that one, another really dominant win for Ferrari (although a shame for poor Sainz), Leclerc and the car were on another level. Fabulous drives from Albon and Russell too. As for the retirement of Verstappen, can't help but think that karma is a bitch, reap what you sow chaps. Meant that we didn't have to put up with that arsehole Horners smug shit-eating face too, which is always a win in itself!

Am loving the changes that the new regs have brought into this season, fantastic to see so much close racing.