Formula 1 2019

[bald_pig]

Now that we have got through testing, it's time to start talking F1!

 

I'm happy that Mclaren are looking stronger this year!

[Norphy]

Hmm. Alonso leaves a team and all of a sudden, they seem to get stronger. Happened with Ferrari, now it looks the same at McLaren.

 

Coincidence, bad fortune or are the events related?

[bald_pig]

Hmm. Alonso leaves a team and all of a sudden, they seem to get stronger. Happened with Ferrari, now it looks the same at McLaren.

 

Coincidence, bad fortune or are the events related?

 

He still works for Mclaren...

[synaesthesia]

Alonso seems to just be the bad luck charm; noone doubts his ability even his harshest critics yet he can never catch a break. Everyone hopes they'll "do a Hamilton" at some point, certainly including everyone's favourite smile Danny Ric, but it never seems to work out for the Spaniard. Alonso seemed to be vilified for calling out McLaren/Honda's issues over the last couple of years but completely justified, but of course now everyone's wondering if it really was Honda all along. Not to say it was likely McLaren's fault, maybe they just never got along.

[bald_pig]

Anyone who isn't aware, voting for the fantasy league closes tomorrow!

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/behind-red-door/204538-f1-2019-fantasy-league-vote.html

[mikeprice]

Just been checking the race schedule

 

OK - what idiot arranged the first race on my wife's birthday??????

[bald_pig]

Shocking start to the season!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/47564762

RIP Charlie Whiting.

[synaesthesia]

Horrendous The single most influential person in F1, responsible for so much yet respected by everyone, had time for everyone, listened to everyone. Lovely chap, spent a good 10 minutes talking to him a few years back and could have happily sat listening to him for months. F1 would have been a VERY different sport without him and there would have absolutely been more horrific injuries/deaths. For years, everyone could have ignored anything said by the likes of Ecclestone, Ferrari and muppets like that as long as Whiting and Sid Watkins had a say.

RIP Charlie, sadly missed.

[jthompson]

Very sad. It's a role that can so easily become a source of disagreement, since it sits between the interests of the FIA and the interests of the drivers. Think about how many times in the sport's history those two sides have clashed over safety issues alone. To have commanded such broad respect from all those drivers and their egos is really impressive. It'll be a job to fill those shoes.

[mikeprice]

He seems to have been the heart of F1 for ever- to command the respect from all sides in a sport/business like F1 should be almost impossible - but somehow he managed it

 

A great shame

[jthompson]

I don't have Sky, so have to wait for the highlights on C4, staying away from the Internet and radio all weekend to avoid spoilers. I didn't appreciate C4 using clips of commentary from later in the race as teasers at each ad break. I had to cover my ears, shut my eyes and go "Blah blah blah" at every "Coming Up.." screen.

 

Never, ever say anything about what happens later in a race. People who do that may think they're not giving anything away, but it will always spoil something.

[bald_pig]

Huh, I thought we had a spoiler tag available to us! I think we'll just have to accept that this thread may contain spoilers and should be avoided until you've caught up!

 

Got to say, it's an interesting start to the season already!

[jthompson]

I'm complaining about C4 putting spoilers at ad breaks, not spoilers on this forum.

I think it's fair to assume that those who haven't yet seen a race and want to avoid spoilers will know to avoid this thread.

[bald_pig]

I'm complaining about C4 putting spoilers at ad breaks, not spoilers on this forum.

I think it's fair to assume that those who haven't yet seen a race and want to avoid spoilers will know to avoid this thread.

 

Yeah, but unless you say it someone will complain

[denzal2k4]

I googled "F1 autralian replay" to see what time the highlights were on and it just plain listed the results, ruined it for me.

[jthompson]

The Australian GP is often not the most exciting of races. Being the first in the season after testing, it can get over-analysed I think. That said, there's nothing to suggest it couldn't be a really competitive season. I think a point being awarded for fastest lap will add a bit of extra zing to a lot of races: something else for the main contenders to juggle with, especially if the standings are close. Certainly a better idea than awarding double points at the final race.

[mikeprice]

I googled "F1 autralian replay" to see what time the highlights were on and it just plain listed the results, ruined it for me.

 

Still worth watching - really it is!!

[bald_pig]

The Australian GP is often not the most exciting of races. Being the first in the season after testing, it can get over-analysed I think. That said, there's nothing to suggest it couldn't be a really competitive season. I think a point being awarded for fastest lap will add a bit of extra zing to a lot of races: something else for the main contenders to juggle with, especially if the standings are close. Certainly a better idea than awarding double points at the final race.

 

But it's not a point for fastest lap, it's a point for fastest lap if you're in the top 10. I can't see why it shouldn't be open to the whole grid.

[mikeprice]

But it's not a point for fastest lap, it's a point for fastest lap if you're in the top 10. I can't see why it shouldn't be open to the whole grid.

 

I presume it is so that if a 'good' car has a failure and gets dumped back to the tail end they can't just drive slowish until they have a large gap then do 1 qual lap. If it is limited to the top ten - then you have more to loose if you mess it up so it makes the tactics more interesting

 

Lots seemed interested yesterday so it may work - however, this being F1 I can see some teams finding 'interesting' ways of using the rule

[jthompson]

I think the idea of points for fastest lap was to generate interest at the front of the race. If a top car/driver with fastest lap potential has got dumped to the back of the race, that might nullify the excitement of a shootout at the head of the race. I foresee occasions where a driver that's romped off early and got a comfortable lead may be faced with stopping for fresher tyres in the final laps, especially if drivers behind have done the same.

[mikeprice]

I think the idea of points for fastest lap was to generate interest at the front of the race. If a top car/driver with fastest lap potential has got dumped to the back of the race, that might nullify the excitement of a shootout at the head of the race. I foresee occasions where a driver that's romped off early and got a comfortable lead may be faced with stopping for fresher tyres in the final laps, especially if drivers behind have done the same.

 

It looks like the thinking is that it is dangerous if you are in the top few places - but this may change

 

Lewis's comment was "it's 21 points" - i.e. one per race - so if you can get them all it could easily make the difference between 2 places in the championship - same for the constructors championship as it could be spread between the 2 drivers

 

It will be interesting to see how the attitude of the teams and drivers changes through the season

[jthompson]

Well, if the championship develops into the usual two-horse race, which both horses regularly finished first or second, then the fastest lap essentially equates to a 2-point swing either way. When the normal swing when finishing first to a rival's second is 7 points, the fastest lap rule makes that either 6 or 8 points. That's potentially massively significant at later stages of the season. A title-contender looking at a second place behind a rival could effectively be pinching 2 points.

[mikeprice]

so if $team is running 1 and 2 - and has a gap of 30 seconds to third - it becomes a game of chicken to see who takes a risk and pits for new soft tyres and goes for it

 

but then does the other driver do the same or not??

 

at some point someone is going to lose a lot of points by going too hard and binning it - or a tyre change will go wrong and the third car zooms past

 

so - would the team manager block it??

 

lots of possibilities - which will possibly spice up the end of the races - and TBF sometimes the last 10 laps can be a bit predictable at times

[mikeprice]

Other variable is engine wear - if this is the last time that engine will be needed then a lower team could come in - change tyres and then hit the big red party mode button and hope the engine has one lap left in it

 

 

as long as they are in the top ten

[jthompson]

Can't see teams wanting to risk an extra stop right at the end, unless the extra point would actually decide the championship. I can, however, see the likes of Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen using it as a means of applying pressure on one another. Those are the sorts of guys who will get goaded into a mistake, sooner or later. We've seen them punch in fastest lap so many times just to have bragging rights.