|
Post by Joel_W on Apr 6, 2019 9:31:10 GMT -8
JC I realize that, but I stand by my statement that the aero engineers have gone way to far for a gain that's almost non-existent, especially as they'll loose a 10th or 2 from the slightest error. They be better off figuring out the optimum weight for a driver per car per track, and then the driver has to maintain that weight or they'll suck it out every time their an oz over. Now under is a bonus as they can just add the weight where they feel it's serves to the greatest advantage.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Apr 13, 2019 6:52:45 GMT -8
Mercedes lock out the front row in qualifying for China - ouch!
|
|
|
Post by afx on Apr 15, 2019 2:16:38 GMT -8
Another easy Mercedes 1-2. Which Mercedes driver wins the Driver's Championship might be the only suspense left this season.
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Apr 15, 2019 4:45:15 GMT -8
Already the season has become basically two races within a race weekend: Mercedes vs Mercedes, and then the rest of the field starting with 3rd place and working their way down.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Apr 29, 2019 4:43:38 GMT -8
Which Mercedes will win the next race - I'm on pins and needles.
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Apr 29, 2019 9:37:46 GMT -8
Which Mercedes will win the next race - I'm on pins and needles. JC, It's pretty obvious that Mercedes will win the Manufacture's championship. I'm hoping that Bottas wins the Championship and goes on a tear of wins as Hamilton has won more then his fair share of Championships. As we previously discussed 4 races ago, it's not whether Mercedes will win every GP, but who will be the 3rd place runner up? While is pretty well conceded that it will be a Ferrari driver, so I'll go with Leclerc. I'd love to see Red Bull challenge Ferrari for the runner up team. McLaren has been making race by race progress, and I'm starting to see some real improvement. But Williams is still a horrid, miss run organization that would have troubles being competitive in the lower formulas. Frank Williams Daughter is now in charge as the principle owner, and in reality knows zippo about running a race team. It wouldn't surprise me to see them fail to qualify for being to slow at some race this season. Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on May 14, 2019 4:24:56 GMT -8
Ferrari concedes 2019 car concept may be wrong
Ferrari has admitted that it may have got its car concept wrong this year, in the wake of its Spanish Grand Prix defeat. The Italian outfit had hoped that an aerodynamic and engine upgrade introduced for Barcelona last weekend would help lift its form and allow it to beat Mercedes. But it endured another tough weekend as Mercedes was untouchable and it failed to finish on the podium after Max Verstappen grabbed third place for Red Bull. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said an investigation was now under way to get to the bottom of its struggles, as he says the team may have to concede that the concept it adopted this year was wrong. When the 2019 cars were launched, Mercedes and Ferrari took totally different paths with their front wing designs. Mercedes had opted for a high-downforce solution, while Ferrari had taken a route to better manage outwash and improve efficiency. But with Ferrari aware that it was slower on all corners in Barcelona, it now has to urgently address what has gone wrong. "We are losing a lot in each corner, not only in the last sector, it is each single corner we are slow," said Binotto. "[There is] quite a lot of understeer. Is that only downforce or is it more than that? That is something that we really need to analyse and understand. "Any conclusion today will be a wrong conclusion. It will take some days to really have a proper analysis and try to understand: is it a matter of balance, is it a matter of downforce, is it maybe even car concept? I don't know. I think we do not have the answer and I would like not to go through it." Earlier this year, when Mercedes appeared to be having difficulties in testing, the team said it would months to switch to another concept with his car. That timescale would dent Ferrari's hopes of a quick fightback, but Binotto believes that action can be taken this year. Asked if it would be a disaster if the team finds it got its concept wrong, he said: "I don't think it is a disaster by the time that you are improving as a team. And as I often say, we are a young team, we are learning on a learning phase. "I think that in terms of process and methodology there is still much to learn and I am pretty happy by the time the team is improving. If it is a concept design then it obviously depends what it is, but I think there are things that you may address within a season." Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff thinks that an explanation for the turnaround in form from testing to now may be explained by how the higher downforce concept allows room for more development without upsetting the car balance. "I think it's definitely an interesting thought, because when you see who was in the front in winter testing it's very different to the ones that are in the front today - even if you look at the fights in the midfield," he explained. "It was two different aerodynamic concepts and maybe there is a certain truth in it. But then there is never one question and one answer in Formula 1, or a silver bullet that justifies good or bad performance. I think it is about developing the car, keeping the development slope high."
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on May 14, 2019 6:07:05 GMT -8
JC, I watched the Spainish F1 this past Sunday, and honestly from a fan's perspective, it was a horrid, boring race up front. The race was in fact decided on the start, and once Hamilton got the led, he & Bottas finished exactly that way. It was great to see Max Verstappen in a Red Bull finish 3rd as he dominated the Ferrari's as well. This was the 5th race of the season, and basically Mercedes started at the top, and still is at the top. Ferrari seems to be going backwards as Red Bull is making nice progress. Everyone else has basically been an also ran.
It's hard to believe that with the millions and millions that Ferrari invests into its F1 program that it took them this long to figure out that their front wing doesn't work as a front wing should. Honestly at this point Ferrari doesn't have a fix, and won't for some time to come. At least with Monaco up next, they should be able to be more competitive.
I use to be totally against a kit series, but Indy Car and to some extent Nascar (which I don't watch nor follow these days) has proven that the concept produces great racing. And that's why I watch auto racing. Cutting edge technology time and time again has proven the exact opposite as long as that technology isn't shared. Perhaps just 3 or 4 engines manufactures and about the same for cars would really tighten up the field. After all, it's called racing for a reason.
What I saw once again on Sunday was the exact opposite. I could have napped from lap 2 to the last lap, and not missed a thing up front. I also noticed that for the most part the stands had a ton of empty seats in all sections.
The governing body really needs to address these issues, and put RACING back into a F1 GP. For that matter, I still can't understand why teams especially like Williams even bother, nor their sponsors spend millions to literally be the very back of the pack.
As usual, just my thoughts, and I'm sure that nothing much will ever change as F1 is all about technology at the expense of the concept of what racing should be.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by Chris K. Hale on May 14, 2019 10:50:48 GMT -8
I havent lost hope that Ferrari will get its act together and quickly.. remember last year when at this time Ferrari had won everything and it looked like Mercedes was going to crumble? Its not too late but I think they need to scrap a bunch of the car and start over, it can be done , particularly with the Summer break n just a few races, yeah I know the factory is closed but the designers/tecs and managements brain are not.. If you look at the rules, the FIA has arranged everything in little boxes and definitions that really do make it a semi-spec series. I would be for a no rules, highest tech performance team wins..We wonder what happened to Williams , well they build their car to the same little boxes as everybody and it just doesnt work for them. I think there needs to be less little boxes and more originality, like Tyrrell and Willliams had before, even McLaren..turn Gordon Murray lose will Ya! If you need to see what I am talking about"Little Boxes" check the FIA site and Formula One rules.. I dont see too much of a problem with the engines except the ridiculous penalties dished out when you have to replace a component. Ban areo devices hanging all over like they had a few years back but open up what you can do, design and race... Chris
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on May 14, 2019 12:34:58 GMT -8
Chris, I'll checkout the F1 site for the rules and those little boxes in a few.
Yes, they all build those little designated boxes but how they put it all together varies from one team to another. If there was one wing package period for all the cars, and the bodies were more strictly regulated, then the focus turns to engines & drivers. Honestly, today's F1 cars about the ugliest open wheel cars I've ever seen.
When race after race is basically over by the end of lap 1, there's a major issue that needs to be addressed ASAP. It's almost as if they've managed to take the racing out of the equation. Sure, Ferrari can do a lot to follow how Mercedes does their wings, but Mercedes will continue to evolve the car, and most likely Ferrari still won't make enough progress to be really competitive. I'm hoping that Red Bull really kicks it up a few notches and become super competitive. And then, there's McLaren, whose really working hard to move up. I wouldn't be all that surprised if they also start to push Ferrari especially by the end of the season.
From what I've read, Frank William's daughter is now running the show, and has no real experience. On the job learning doesn't really work in F1 as you can plainly see.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on May 30, 2019 6:25:15 GMT -8
Vettel ‘considering retiring’ at the end of this year
Sebastian Vettel could be in his final season in Formula 1 with whispers in the Monaco paddock that the Ferrari driver is considering retiring.
Vettel, who made his F1 debut back in 2007, is currently competing in his 13th season in the sport.
But while his years at Red Bull brought him much success, and four World titles, his time at Ferrari has not yielded the results he had wanted.
He has claimed just 13 race wins in five seasons and twice finished runner-up in the championship.
This year, arguably his most difficult to date with Ferrari, has yet to result in a single win while he trails Lewis Hamilton by 55 points after just six races.
This has led Vettel to consider hanging up his helmet.
Journalist Joe Saward revealed the rumour in his latest newsletter, ‘Joe Saward business of motorsport’.
He wrote: “The most shocking rumor that started to spread in the paddock in Monaco is that Sebastian Vettel is considering retiring from F1 at the end of the season at the age of 31.
“After winning four world championships with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013 he tried to bring Ferrari back to success, but he made several mistakes and is now under pressure after the arrival of Charles Leclerc, younger and apparently with more growth margin than German. “A choice that in some ways would follow that of Nico Rosberg, who left F1 after winning the title in 2016 aware of the fact that he would hardly succeed in the enterprise again. The big question, of course, is who would be Vettel’s successor.
“The names that have been circulating for now are those of Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen, Romain Grosjean and Valtteri Bottas.”
Vettel is contracted to Ferrari until the end of 2020.
Rumours of his pending retirement come just days after a report in Italy claimed that Charles Leclerc’s relationship with Ferrari is at “breaking point” following one mistake too many.
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on May 30, 2019 7:19:58 GMT -8
JC, Ferrari has always had the reputation of blaming the drivers for all their issues, failures, and screw ups. Monaco was as much about poor pit strategy, driver miss management, and now publicly stating that the basic issue with the car is the tires as they can't them up to proper temps soon enough, or keep them there long enough. What crap that is. Every team uses the same tires. The fact that they went with a smaller wing and less downforce design hopefully for better top end speed compared to Mercedes & Red Bull, hasn't panned out. Can they fix this issue sooner then later, or even at all? With Ferrari who knows.
As for Vettel thinking of retiring, at least leaving Ferrari ASAP is a smart move since he's clearly treated as the #2 driver behind Leclerc who from your posted article isn't thrilled with Ferrari either, and is thinking of leaving as well.
I'd love to see Vettel walk away from F1 and join the Indy Car series.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by afx on Jul 11, 2019 4:33:10 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Joel_W on Jul 11, 2019 6:33:22 GMT -8
I saw this early this morning on my Tweeter feed. Sure looks like Haas has major financial difficulties now. The Article didn't reference Rich Energy in a positive light. Since we have no idea what the contract said as to early termination if any, I would assume that Rich Energy has financial issues that is a major cause of the termination.
The judge really had nothing positive to say about the owner of Rich Energy.
Joel
|
|
|
Post by vintagerpm on Jul 11, 2019 6:52:50 GMT -8
Always had bad vibes about the Rich Energy deal. Wondered how long until the checks stopped.
Mike
|
|