| Author | Message | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 118 Registered: 11-2002 |
Wayne Gardner is still around ... not sure what he is doing, but IMO he is a far better bike rider than he will ever be in a car. Just my opinion Pete | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 933 Registered: 6-2001 |
Pete: The Yamaha bike motor is one of the best. However, Yamaha has yet to win (recent past) a world superbike, Honda and Ducati seem to be dominating that class. Like the cars, in bikes chassis make a difference, and Yamaha has quite got their act together. By the way, I used to race against one of your country men, a guy by the name of Gardner, is he still around? Art | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 115 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yes aware of how it is, and find it interesting that Yamaha cannot produce a decent F1 engine of its own ... and yet they can cut the mustard with bike engines. The english cottege industries started because of the cheap availability of the DFV ... but probably would have happened anyway due to economic reasons OR simply because the english have always been more interested in chassis dynamics than the rest of the world (could have something to do with the fact that they cannot produce a decent engine ... er, only joking as there are a couple, but many more duds  ) The world is a small place now and you have to get the required talent from where ever you can, I guess. No fun anymore, just serious racing ... Pete | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 928 Registered: 6-2001 |
Pete: I also like the idea of a single marque. However, it doesn't work in this global economy. If you look at the SAE papers regarding 4 stroke engines from the 70 to the present, you'll notice that 90% of the articles are written by folks with Japanese surnames, usually employees of either Honda or Yamaha. Those companies spent the money, trained the people, and learned the lessons. The smart teams hired them, built better engines, won more races. Most of those folks are now living in Europe, working for F1 or manufacturers race teams. The chassis work is generally done in the UK. There is a cottage industry around coventry, and most of the chassis that have been built have used talent that was trained there. Your country is noted for its work in carbon fiber. When I was racing in the 70s, an ex pat from your country, Ian Disney (now living in Marin County Ca) worked as a mechanic on my stuff, and later, Newmann Hass, doing their carbon fibre. Just my thoughts. Art | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 113 Registered: 11-2002 |
I back Toyota all the way. I agree with Andreas, they are trying to do the whole thing, and deserve credit for being brave, etc. I personally do not like the kit-set teams, came about when motorracing was simply bolt something to a DFV and away you go ... hardly as hard as doing the whole package. Motorracing in the old days used to be all about manufacturers and it was awesome. The DFV caused F1 to loose some of that (awesome engine that it is) but I would really like to see it continue to return to that ... so when we stop at the traffic lights in our road car (for many of you, your Ferrari) next to a Mercedes, or BMW the last F1 race actual has some relevance and prestiege ... not just some unknown race team win. This is the fun that the bike guys have, their marque won the last, etc. You have to look at saloon or GT racing for that and that is hardly the pinicle of 4 wheeled racing. Pete ps: I am a sentimental secondary fan of McLaren, because I am a Kiwi (New Zealander), but still would prefer that manufacturers ran the show. | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 444 Registered: 10-2002 |
Very interesting, Art. Didn't know that. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Toyota. Their effort is so massive. Or as Peter Sauber (ex Team boss from Salo) said: "They could have been a second faster in 2002 already, had they picked different drivers." Toyota seemed to agree with that statement given their new driver lineup. | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 925 Registered: 6-2001 |
Toyota: They are trying to do this inhouse. That alone will regulate them to an also ran. You will note that the engine people at Ferrari are Japanese, the chassis people are English. It's my understanding that the Honda motors are assembled in England (I know they claim differently). When Toyota diversifies, they may stand a chance. Remember what happened in CART: Honda was the motor with the most HP. When Ganassi went to Toyota, Toyota hired an ex-honda mechanic, who took one look at their engine and laughed. He told them that Honda had figured out how to beat the pop-off value: They designed the intake so that a low pressure area was created just below the pop-off value, effectively giving them another 2 inches of boost. Worth about the 60 - 70HP that Honda had over everyone else. I think it will take Toyota several years to get with the program at this level. Art | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 442 Registered: 10-2002 |
Personally I always have a soft spot for teams who build the ENTIRE car. Like Ferrari of course. And that's what I like about Toyota and the same can be said about Renault and to some degree about Jaguar (Ford). I think it is more fun seeing a real car manufacturer putting its engineering wizardry all out there on the line. As it stands right now, I think you could laugh at Williams this year. Which is a pity, I would have loved to see them give Ferrari a real challenge. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 109 Registered: 11-2002 |
Toyota look very impressive from where I was watching last year. Remember it was their first year ... look at Jaguar, Jordan, BAR if you want to laugh at teams. Oliver Panis WAS faster than Jaques Villeneuve many times, and everybody raves about JV (why?, in recent years ... first 2 years were good, the rest, er, nothing ... and yes the BAR is a piece of crap, but he SHOULD be blowing his team mates away to maintain that reputation). I do think that Oliver is too much of a nice guy to be a winner ... thus DaMatta looks more of a fighter. Toyota will get better and their testing times look good so far ... and yes if they learn to keep at it ALL year they will be in the top 4 very soon. Pete | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Junior Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 242 Registered: 4-2002 |
Toyota started the year with a fairly well developed car, and lost ground from the first race onwards. Toyota have to get their act together and continue to dwevelop the car in a continuous manner to ever become a front runner. As to DaMatta--we will all know by the 4th race. | ||
| Bart Boonacker (Sharky666)
New member Username: Sharky666 Post Number: 21 Registered: 9-2002 |
I haven't got the slightest idea to be honest. Toyota hasn't got a bad car, but they still have to do some work to be a top team. Only I haven't really got much faith in Oliver Panis as a first driver, last year he drove almost invisible. But Da Matta showed to be a guy that really fights for what he beleives in. When he couldn't get in the F1 trough the F3000 he hadn't gave up. What he's worth will show after the test runs in the new car I guess. | ||
| John A. Suarez (Futureowner)
Junior Member Username: Futureowner Post Number: 226 Registered: 3-2002 |
Any ideas? |