I didn't know he was Dq'd till now. It doesn't matter RB broke a rule of the formula just as if it had been a weight infringement. I'd rather see a penalty for a violation of a written in stone rule violation rather than the steward's "opinion" antics of years past. From what the drivers themselves and journo's were saying; drivers are more important this year than any in recent history. Major shocker in that Kimi needs to get on the ball.
Anyone surprised at what F1 has turned into hasn't been paying attention the last few years. The mindset of those who run F1 is that competition needs managing and enhancing.
"Greens" meaning those enviro-wacko celebrities that preach to the rest of us about our religious duty to shrink our carbon emissions while their chartered business jets each burn five times as much fuel per trip as the entire F1 field per race?
Yes and yes. Honestly I couldn't care less whether people on here find it boring, the end of F1 or whatever. I thought it rocked and having turbos back is so exciting after over two decades of NA engines. As for the sport in general: The fact that it is no longer a Vettel-only-show will bring back the fans in droves.
No; the ones that will bicycle to the race with their vegetable lunch boxes and protest outside the entrance. The same ones with a vote.
Agreed with that last bit, I'm now wondering what's going to be more interesting this year. Kimi Vs Alonso or how Vettel handles being in a car that's not the best. Will he have an epic meltdown? Edit: I agree with the first bit too.
I dont mind passive managing via DRS, tire strategy, and so forth. What I despise is active management via stewards decisions on driving or the denial of Hami a WDC by a series of unexplainable coincidences for a political vendetta. Also what I dont want is "Michael we need two seconds a lap" domination. Bore festival.
Alonso controlled Kimi all weekend long. I expect that to continue, not much of a battle. Vettel has been in many cars that were POS dogs and he handled himself just fine. In fact the RB/Renault combo cost him his 5th title already (before he got his 1st title), so he is used to that. He will not have a meltdown but push the team on and given that they managed 2nd today, shows that Vettel can't be ruled out. So if anything I expect an interesting fight between Nico/Hami/Seb. Vettel might be the one stealing the title if the other two eat into each other's points. We'll see.
Don't forget that success can change people. It's been a long time since he has had a dog of a car. Although I just realized that I am thinking of Grojean. Gro was screaming at his team over the radio and not Vettel.
??? Lots of road cars have V8s, way more than have turbo V6s with science-fiction energy recovery doohickeys. Not to mention (1) the riders' emissions; 6-8,000 calories burned per stage means quite some intestinal gas volume. (2) all those team cars and medics and neutral support cars. (3) all those media cars and motorcycles and helicopters. In spite of it all, I thought the Oz GP was a great show with plenty of suspense, changes of fortune, and comeuppances, a vast improvement over the last nine "Formula Vettel" races unless you're a fan of the Drinks Company.
When you are told to go slower to win a race, it's no longer a race. It's simply and exercise in getting fuel economy. I would argue they those of you who liked this race would have liked the exact same cars without the silly fuel rules -- and perhaps better. The fuel restrictions should not dominate the event. It can be part of it but not all of it.
F1 is more or less a spec series, and has been for many years. It does seem as though they could reduce the rules to something like: pass smog test X, crash test Y, and carry maximum fuel load Z. Adjust X upwards and Z downwards until things get interesting. They'd also have to mandate aesthetics or else the cars would all look like 962s (open wheels and cockpits aren't an optimum solution to anything) and place some limit on drivers aids or else the cars would be driven entirely by computer at this point.
Were you guys watching replays of last years' race? Joker, which drivers in today's race were told to slow down to preserve tires, or gave any indication that they were slowing to preserve tires? That was 2013, 2012, but not 2014 so far. Which drivers were told to dial back to conserve fuel in today's race? You recall the race early last year where Hamilton had to slow way down to conserve fuel, and Rosberg was asked to hold position behind him and not allowed to race? THAT's your preference? It was common enough last year and in 2013 for drivers to be told to short shift, lift before braking, etc. to conserve fuel. Yet today, after the early safety car, the broadcast I watched indicated that all teams said they had no fuel concerns and didn't need to conserve. What's the basis for the "fuel economy" hatred from the actual race today????
I came to this debate late. I was going to post the original post. I am sad, because the politically correct police have taken a great sport and made it bad. First we got rid of smoking advertisers; next goes the alcohol. Next will ban advertisers unless they contribute a huge chunk of profits to 3rd world causes. The world has lost its mind.
Do you see us applauding last year? This year is just much more of the same only worse. If you really want good racing and better economy, get rid of the wings and aero tricks. Problem solved and better racing.
I think F1 will go downhill even further but I predict eventually someone who cares will come into it and then we will have a few seasons of F1 unplugged where the teams are given huge lenience on what they can do with their designs.
But they DID get rid of (some) aero for 2014. No more exhaust blown diffusers, no beam wing, narrower front wing - result is less downforce, lower cornering speed, higher mechanical versus aero grip, cars moving around more, and the driver requiring more skill. That's a GOOD change, right? They gave the cars a lot more torque for 2014 to go along with the lower downforce, and more durable tires - so the drivers are actually sliding the cars around more, and have to modulate the throttle to get proper starts and to exit corners. More driver skill required, more room for driver error, they can't just mash the throttle and flick the paddle anymore. That's a GOOD change, right?
Could NOT agree with you more. I was astonished watching, rather, attempting to watch the race today. I will no longer watch the sport; and I have been doing so for 17 years. I halfway expect Toyota to enter a Prius on the grid next year... And, as noted...gone is the SOUND of F1; just an abomination; I hear rice rockets with fart cans on them sound better than these cars.
Fuel Economy in F1 has always been a huge part of it, even during the refuelling days. You are either kidding yourself or are new to the sport if you think this is a new thing.
