Thoughts, insight, etc...
You know I say the same thing after every race when Ferrari dominates. But I just can't do it, I love watching F1.
The only reason Ferrari dominates the way that they do is because the other teams cannot figure out that having every one on the team happy and commited to the final outcome. Is it Ferrari's fault that the other teams cannot create harmony and focus.. HELL NO!!!! Forza Ferrari
You're right it's not Ferrari's fault and I'm certainly not blaiming them (had another team dominated I would feel the same way). With all that said I'll still watch every race, hoping somebody will take the fight to MS. I have to admit, 2 and 3rd place is looking very interesting. Who would have thought a BAR would beat a McLaren?
I sure did not see that one coming LOL I felt there winter testing times were a fluke or they were running underweight.
I think we are going to go one better than 2002 and absolutely destroy the opposition with a 100% win rate for Ferrari and hopefully MS. This will bore MS and he will retire a dominating champion. F1 will then go through a few lack luster years (Alonso and Weber will win, but nobody will give them the credit they deserve because they had little competition) and TV ratings will drop as everybody moans the lack of real drivers, and F1 will look like a joke. This will cause the teams to finally acknowledge that they need racing drivers not corporate sponsors imitating drivers and a few good rule changes will occur: 1. Slicks will return. 2. Engines will be reduced to 2.5 litres and rules freed up so any configuration is again allowed. Thus the engineers watching will again be happy. 3. Throttle control has to 100% mechanical, ie. the throttle butterflies (or barrels, etc.) have to be 100% activated by the accelerator pedal with no other things in between. Electronics are still allowed but not to control any other butterfly or air inlet restricting device. This basically will reduce the use of traction control and ensure that the driver actual drives the car. 4. Electronic changing of gears will be banned, and thus sequential gearboxes will become the new trend. The change can still be made via paddles behind the steering wheel but the connection to the gearbox has to be 100% mechanical. A great bonus resulting from this is the rediculous use of these no brain gearboxes will no longer be pursued in road cars, and we will get real drivers cars again 5. As with the throttle and gearbox, only 100% mechanical activation of the clutch will be allowed. Thus a mechanical connection from the clutch pedal directly to the clutch is the only thing allowed. Electronics can measure, monitor it but not activate. All these mechanical things are easy to check and will reduce costs considerably. 6. Drivers will have to have done atleast 5 years in single seater feeding series to be considered for a super license. This will boost these lower series and ensure that real racers make it to F1. This is the biggest and most important change that will result in F1 again reining supreme as the pinnacle of motorsport. Interesting ... eh! Pete
i agree with much of that psk. another idea might be for ecclestone to buy cart, force them into one formula for both venues, bring the grid back up to 30 cars, and increase the number of races to 25/year.
Personally, I think it would be step back for F1 to 'merge' with CART. I don't believe the CART teams would be able to come up with the kind of money to run an F1 team.
Come on guys.....We're 2 races in, and it's way too early to pass any judgements. What was it Murray walker said ?..."Anything can happen in F1 , and it usually does..." I do agree , however that it must seem ominous to the other teams right now. But at the end of the day, it is their problem. They need to up their game. You can't fault Ferrari for doing what they are supposed to be doing, winning races, dominating, and getting as close to perfection as possible. McLaren did it one year, '89 I think, (correct me if I am wrong, ..) and if it wasn't for a backmarker cutting off Senna at one race, they would have won every race that season.....eventually, the other teams, and regulation changes made way for other winners.....and this will happen again. Enjoy it now.....we are seeing an absolute ledgend in his prime. Trust me, when he stops people will look back and think, "..man ,that was magic..." Wait and see..... hps
It was actually the 1988 season that Mclaren-Honda won 15 out of 16. The only other team to win was FERRARI!!. It was the italian GP (right after Enzo passed on), and Berger led Alboreto (RIP) home. Yes, Senna did run into a back marker...I believe a Williams.
I sure hope so. I hope they finish 1-2 every race. It wasn't so long ago when they couldn't win a race. They went 20 plus years with out a drivers WC. Eventually another team will dominate and I will be missing these years. I will enjoy them while I can. All good things come to an end.
Pete Great thoughts - your letter of appointment to FIA & FOCA is in the mail Only thing I would add to your rules list relates to aerodynamics - 1. remove wings 2. Have flat bottoms from front wheel centre to rear wheel centre 3. Sides and top surface of bodywork free. After all those mods, I'm sure the engineers will have them going nearly as fast as now within a short period of time - however, we will have passing opporunities under brakes and the cars will sliding around in the corners. Sounds like entertainment to me! Forza Ferrari Giovanni
judging from 2 races into the season... it is sad to speculate, but it seems like another landslide Ferrari season. As a team, Ferrari has figured out how to play with the new rules. The other teams are again left behind trying to figure out how to be competitive. The new rules were supposed to dumb-up the technology so that it would also dumb-up Ferrari so that other teams could catch-up. The new rules dumbing-up the technology is also supposed to provide other drivers a comparable car against Schumi. Schumi's dominance is a repetitive reverification that he is the best driver out there. Ferrari has a lethal combination of great car, great team, great driver. It is showing that the other teams (Williams and McLaren) are frustrated. While other teams (Renault, BAR, and Jaguar) are showing some improvements due to the new rules. F1 is going through a 2 steps forward and 1 step back in technology. It is currently at the 1 step back. When the races become unpredictable and competitive, the technology will then take the 2 steps leap forward.
Not enough races into the season to know just yet. Certainly not Ferrari's fault for winning. If Ferrari's bored with F1, they should probably focus on sports car racing (all out factory effort) for a few seasons.
i guess part of the 'problem' is that schumi is indeed a phenomenon. it has certainly been a privilege and an honor to witness his career. luckily my son has managed to see some of it - i just hope he'll remember it later.
Yes, having MS on that team is what makes that team. He is truly something special. And Im glad that I was alive at this time to witness his driving. Obviously this is no fault of Ferrari or MS. But it would be nice to have somebody challenge him. Im hoping Renault (read Alonso) can bring the fight to MS, but hes still young and has a lot to learn. Imagine if Alonso didnt spin out in Qualifying he may have been on pole or in 2nd place. But thats the thing about MS, the guy just doesnt make any mistakes. Not in qualifying, not in the race, not in the pits. The guy is a machine. I think the German government has created a driving android and hasnt told the rest of the world ;-). Once he retires theyll announce that MS was actually and android. A human just cant be this perfect. I guess now we know why German cars have always been regarded as being perfect or best craftsmanship. I always wonder why, and after watching MS for the last 5 years I understand why!
Hmmm... actually, Japanese car companies are known for zero defects; the Germans aren't much different than US car companies... BMW and Porsche are a bit better; Audi and VW are a bit worse. However, the Germans have done some excellent engineering over the years... the Android theory has some merit! Except surely they'd have programmed MS to sign with a German car company!!
Actually, I think Ferrari better watch out for Williams. To be as quick as they are this early in the season with a revolutionary car is impressive, and the should improve rapidly as they get more miles on the car. Gary
Not withstanding an accident, this season is going to be a 2002 repeat. I was looking so forward to a battle of the titans, but it ain't gonna happen. Mercedes just fired its director Laurenz for having delivered a stinker of an engine (down on horse power AND not reliable) so their season is basically over. The Williams is fast and most likely will get better, but by the time JPM starts winning, the Ferrari lead will already have extinguished the WC chase and Williams will turn this season in a test season for 2005. MS and Ferrari deserve it. No question. But as a fan of F1 this one is going to be a sleeper.
An android, that's funny! He seems to have NO bad racing luck, (knock on wood) but he has made his share of mistakes over the last 13 seasons, just his "share" is miniscule compared to all the others.
Actually MS can and has cracked under pressure. But when not under pressure, he drives best and outdrives the rest of the field and hence doesn't get under pressure. What is stunning though is that it is only Ruben's car that seems to blowup mechanically.
I dont mind seeing Ferrari dominate. Actually I thoroughly enjoy it. It will not last forever, though. Obviously when MS leaves, it will be much harder for Ferrari (the car would still be great, and they could find another talented driver, but, not of MS...quality?). I strongly believe, however, until Schumacher retires, Ferrari will continue to be constructor champions, and Michael will continue to be the Driver champion. Every year competition gets better and better, but at the same time, Ferrari is making giant steps in performance, and MS's skill seems to improve even more season by season. It will be nice to see MS retire as World Champion, the best driver the sport has ever seen, and may ever see, alongside the greatest racing marque in history.
