***SPOILER**** Mr. Button, meet GerryD...

So a season with approximately two race wins per driver equals a farce.

Guess I'm not a purist then as I'd have no problem appreciating a year with a similar ratio of race winners.

Those poor race fans of ; 1964, '66, '67, '68, '70, '71, '74, '75, '77, '79, '80, '81, '82 (would have been 12 different winners in 16 races had Pironi not suckered GV) , '83 and '85.

Bet they didn't know what they were watching was due to randomness and were confused by the lack of domination from 1 or 2 mega-budget teams.

Poor lost souls .

 

I'm well aware that it is a farce for the $'s, which is why I have long said I want Bernie out and I also want sponsorship out unless you actually MAKE components that are used on the cars, ie. tyres, fuel, etc.

But your point that many different race winners implies the racing is not high quality is simply wrong. For argument sake lets assume we are not talking about F1 here but say Formula Ford. Many different race winners means that we have a very competitive series.
Pete

 

Firstly, I again suspect your attitude would be very different if MS were atop the table!

Anyway, I just don't understand this argument! It's not a lottery, it's a question of who gets on top of their tires that weekend. *Nobody* in F1 is a "top team" forever and it's just that there are many that are very, very close right now. If a Fauxtus pulls out a win, they're the top team at that race. Nothing at all wrong (IMO!) with having ~10 guys capable of winning - The more the merrier - You've gotta develop your car better than the other guys, you've gotta execute better than the other guys. I think that there are ~6 "top teams" is great for everyone - The teams, the TV, the fans on site, everyone!

Tin foil hat time?

No fabrication here - As SRT noted, it just couldn't be done. It's just the normal ebb and flow of the season. It's *hard* to win in F1 and that they're all so close together is great IMO.

I beg to differ. Which is fine of course.

Tin foil hat on the grassy knoll?

I *could* take offense at that comment!.... Do you really honestly believe the results are manipulated? It's simply not possible - There's way too much at stake. It makes no difference to the money men whether it's a single team dominating or any one of 'em can win - The TV contracts, sanctioning fees etc are set up way in advance. "It is what it is", but artificially manipulated? Absolutely no way!

What "dummying" exactly? The rules have remained about as stable as they have for a *long* time. The playing field is level. The grid is full. I object to be called a sucker.

+1 Thankyou Is!..... I haven't checked, but didn't Le Professor win it one year without a single win? Still a worthy champion. Again, consistency & reliability are what wins titles, always has been, always will be.

Cheers,
Ian

 

What's farcical about it? The racing is as close as it's ever been, there's more money flowing in than in a long time (at a time when many series are struggling to survive), the rules are stable and the playing field is level.

+1 However, his point seems to be that it's actually "manipulated" to be that way!

Lots of winners in FF = competitive, "great stuff!" etc.
Lots of winners in F1 = "Manipulated", "farcical" and a "lottery".

I don't get it!

Cheers,
Ian

 

+1 on every single point

I'm too lazy to even have this discussion.

This is a fantastic year for F1. It couldn't be more thrilling.

 

While I am loving not watching a race for second place week after week, the tire issues need to be solved. I would agree that there is a bit of manipulation happening from Pirelli, but it is for the whole field. Is letting more than one manufacture of rubber compete the answer? Still require the use of an option tire to make pit-stops mandatory.

Knock out qualifying is fantastic and exciting to watch. Lets put the race back in the hands of the drivers and lessen the engineer's role slightly.

 

+1 yes, great post Ian.

Seems you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

 

+2 I'm with these guys.

Loving this season so far other than MS's luck.

 

Absolutely right. The variation also points out which drivers are making the most of their opportunities. With qualifying so important, and the cars difficult to drive when the tires go off, I think we are seeing that Alonzo is a great driver and competitor.

Everyone admits that his car is not the best, but he is sure as hell getting the best out of it.

Massive respect for this guy.

 

I agree with all three comments made by tifosi12, which means I must be wrong.

 

LOL!

 

That baby you hear crying is Jens.

 

Nope:

As soon as you have two tire manufacturers, you will have a tire war which ultimately ends in hugely increased speeds. That will cause a safety problem and the FIA will have to step in: They could further castrate the tracks with chicanes and/or mandate rule changes to the cars.

The main reason we have such a competitive season this year is that the rules have been very stable for a long time (plus the engine development has been frozen). As soon as the rules change dramatically, the cards will be shuffled anew and the field gets torn apart. We will have that in 2014 with the arrival of the turbos.

If one manufacturer gets the new engine rules right from the start, we'll have another year of domination (e.g. Brawn GT with Jenson WDC). If none of them gets it right, we'll have a year probably similar to this with ultimately somebody finding a way out of the new problem zones. Fingers crossed that will be Ferrari.

 

+1. Love it. Best part of the weekend as it should be.

Pete

 

What "tire issues"? That some of 'em can make 'em work one week and not the next? Maybe that's highlighting differences between the car designs, as it should IMO.

Again, Pirelli are simply giving them what they asked for - No "manipulation" from their side and as you said, 'tis the same for all. Just another engineering challenge that the cream will overcome given a few more races.

Agreed. However, one could argue that the drivers role is indeed more significant this year as they need a "feel" for the tires - how long they've got left, how hard can he push etc is all down to the driver in the race. The engineers can monitor, but there's nothing they can do in the race apart from ask the driver what he reckons.

Cheers,
Ian

 

+2 Certainly one of the best changes they've made in years. Some of 'em choosing not to run in Q3 sucks, but Pirelli have now offered a few solutions - From simply giving 'em another set to doing bespoke gumballs just for Q3. The problem is getting 'em *all* to agree on any such changes mid-season.

Anyway, "best part of the W/E, as it should be"? - Surely the race itself should be the highlight of the W/E?

Cheers,
Ian