Is F1 too much about the car and too higher limits ...

Because of things like TC and the downforce/aero developments, the driver is obviously of MUCH lesser importance when compared to the competitiveness of the car in terms of being quick and winning. Yes I know it sucks ass, and I don't know who or why these developments were made, some say it was because of safety. Forgive me though, I can't recall anyone being killed since 1994. Since then, driver skill was still apparent, but it began to slowly be shrouded even further by technology and here we are. You know my stance, axe the TC, lessen the aero, bring back slicks, V12s etc. The problem is that if we did this then F1 wouldn't be the pinnacle of technology in racing. Some would think that F1 would loose it's focus. The issue is, do we want to make things less technologically sound and more dangerous for the result of better racing? Or do we continue with the technology, which allows any rich kid with karting, formula renault and F3 experience, be quick instantly. I would prefer the route of axing the technology in favor of the racing, but many would disagree.

 

how would this not make it the pinnacle of racing/technology? they have done this every few years to slow the cars down however it is new technology that pushes the cars times and speeds right back up to what they were... that is what i love about F1, they change it to V8's, and in a few races time they are seemingly back on speed with the previous V10s.

or do you mean by axing technology as in taking it to NASCAR/Indy levels with same cars/bodys all around? i simply love the technology part in F1, its what makes it so exciting for me as 10 diff teams, with a set of rules can build cars that can both run down the track within hundreths of a second of each other, full tilt, and now make that same car last for 2 races... pretty amazing if you ask me

 

well, they should just go back to old times.

 

It's the old question of driver vs technology championship.

I posted an article earlier this year where Brundell and Danner test a Super Aguri and talk about how much different these cars are: TC and automatic shifting takes away a lot from their skills and in general they found modern F1 cars easier to drive. However you still need a lot of technological and racing skills to make it far in F1.

MS always said, that he likes the electronic aids because it allows him to get the extra % out of the car. So yes a monkey could probably drive today's cars, but still wouldn't win. At least as long as the monkey doesn't compete agains a grid of monkeys...

Personally I'd do away with the electronic aids and at the same time with the aeros. Cars like the F1 from 1966 would be ideal, but using today's materials and safety standards.

 

Hardly.

Hamilton is highly competitive with his teammate, who happens to be the two-time defending world champion. While Hamilton is certainly benefitting from driving a front-running car in terms of his points total, his performance relative to his teammate, who is in my opinion the best driver on the grid, strongly suggests that he is a first rate talent. A lot of drivers have come in and shown the occasional flash of brilliance (Nico Rosberg's debut comes to mind) but Hamilton has carried it through for his first four races, against the top drivers in F1, and shown brilliant consistency.

While you can argue that his standing in the points is partially due to the fact that he is behind the wheel of a McLaren, his talent is hardly questionable at this point. Put him behind the wheel of any car, other than Ferrari, and I believe he would be schooling that team's current drivers. Hamilton, right now, is one of the 3 best drivers in F1.

 

I agree F1 should remove the front and rear wings, but at the same time F1 needs to relax the other rules, like limits on engine size or minimum weight of the car. We have to keep in mind that there is a constructors championship also. With all the current rules, if aero and electronic aids were removed, we would have spec cars. If the goal is find only the best driver, then spec cars is the way to go. I personally would enjoy watching what engineers would come up with from race to race and then watch the other teams trying to copy good ideas. The "poorer" teams would always be a step behind, but they could copy the ideas from the other teams for free

 

I never put to much weight in F-1 drivers, they are an important part of the team,yes, people like to put a face on stuff so they get the press, but drivers are just another component of a winning F-1 team. Look at the starting grid, the teams cars or either on the same row or close, same with the end of the race. Switch drivers same thing (Canandian world chamion J.V. for example)Teams adapting to rule changes is more of a impact than any thing. Of course there are drivers who stand out as a signifacant part of the win.
There are other racing venues that put more emphasison on drivers, I like F-1 for the monumental team effort it is.

 

Absolutely. Put Schumacher in a Super Aguri and he becomes a Sato. Put Sato in a Ferrari and he becomes a Schumacher. All of these drivers are so good that the cars are always the limiting factor. If they weren't that good, they wouldn't be there.

 

That's not even close to anything resembling the truth. Sato in a Ferrari would still suck.

All the drivers are so good? I had to chuckle at that comment. Sato, Trulli, R. Schumacher, Fisichella, Coulthard, Sutil, Albers, Luizzi, Speed, Button and Webber are just seat warmers and perpetual back markers.

 

I would agree with most on that list. I would give Webber, Button, Sutil and Trulli the benefit of the doubt though. Webber, because he's quick, lightning in qualifying. Trulli is starting to get his act together and he's making Ralf look even worse. He's also a brilliant qualifier. Button is quick, but currently I think he's suffering from a lack of motivation. Button's current condition is probably similar to what Heidfeld was going through last year before Kubica arrived. Sutil is still a rookie, and he's also outperforming Albers.

On the other hand, Speed, Liuzzi, Sato, Ralf, Albers and Fisi should be canned. Coulthard isn't a top driver. He was beaten by Hill at Williams and Destroyed by Hakkinen and Kimi at Mclaren. On the other hand, DC is performing very well this year. If he continues to have performances like he did at Barcelona and Bahrain, then I wouldn't mind seeing him in the car one more year.

 

Some of you seem to think that anyone can get into a current F1 car and do well. That is absolute crap.

F1 cars today have more technology, but that technology takes someone with skill to manage. I doubt if any F1 driver from the golden age could get into a current F1 car and do well. It is an entirely different skill level that is necesary today, and it isn't any less demanding then earlier times, just different.

I would put a Michael Schumacher in an F1 car of the 1970's and 1980's, and I think after some practice he would do well. But then if we put one of those 1970's and 1980's drivers, like Hunt and Fittipaldi, in a current F1 car and they would not impress irrespective of practice.

 

Psk:

While I agree that there are some drivers that may bring more money and less talent to the F1 show, this has always been the case and will always be the case. Money is what makes the sport go. In the good (bad) old days it was wealthy patrons and noblemen funding themselves and "their" drivers. Today is no different. That said, to get to F1 and stay there, you still need to be extremely good.

Todays F1 car, sure, anyone can drive one. They are no different than any car except that they go precisely where you tell them to go, stop on a dime, have gobs of power, and stick like glue. It still takes massive talent to go from driving one to racing one. Look at historic racing. Dentists, lawyers and the like drive cars that were once driven by the best in the world. They can drive them, but to get the most out of them and live to tell about it can only be done by a talented few.

As far as Bernie E. goes, like it or not, he has taken F1 from a rough non-commercial traveling circus to a highly technical world event. Along the way, this transition has solved some very difficult problems related to safety using some of the greatest engineering minds of the aerospace industry. Unfortunately it has drifted significantly away from applicability to everyday automobiles, so participation is no longer an R&D test bed for ideas for the manufacturers, but a matter of prestige. With some rule changes, F1 could be used as the way to advance new forms of propulsion, greater thermodynamic efficiency and other less aero dependent forms of technology. This could improve the racing, if carefully managed or kill F1 with one technology becoming dominant.

 

Nobody thinks this.

On the other hand, take a young driver with a good background. This background would consist of multipe years of karting since he was a kid. He then moved on to Formula Ford or Renault for a couple years. He then moved on to something like British F3, then to GP2. If this driver did at least average in all of his racing years, then I have no doubt that if he was given some testing in an F1 car, he would probably come close to the limit of the car. Notice I said test, and not race, I didn't say anything about overtaking or charging from the back in the pouring rain. Would this average young racer with an extensive racing background be lapping like Shumacher? No, because Michael has that extra talent that makes him shine over any other joe F3000.

 

Pete:
While I am not a fan of BE, he has had a remarkable rise from motorcycle mech, to race mech, to team owner, to F1 supremo. Along the way he has made boatloads of money and brought public focus to F1 through television. I was not implying that he solved the safety or fire issues. That was done by the engineers, urged by some drivers and was necessary for F1 to move to mainstream popularity for sponsoring companies and TV audience. In the old days, the specter of death was too close for major corporate interests...too close to a blood sport.
He has no doubt played a major role in getting F1 to the point it is today.