F1 - 2015 Austrian Grand Prix

[gofast182]

2015 Austrian Grand Prix

US TV SCHEDULE:
Practice, Friday June 19, 8:00AM EST , NBCSN
Qualifying, Saturday June 20, 8:00AM EST , NBCSN
Race, Sunday June 21, 7:30AM EST , NBCSN

2014 V6 TURBO ERA RESULTS:
Laps: 71
Pole: Filipe Massa
Fast race lap: 1:12.142
Podium:
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas, Williams-Mercedes

CURRENT STANDINGS:
Drivers
Lewis Hamilton 151
Nico Rosberg 134 (-17)
Sebastian Vettel 108 (-43)
Constructors
Mercedes 285
Ferrari 180 (-105)
Williams 104 (-181)

For more check out my full post on TOV Motorsports

 

[wemay]

Thank you Sir!

 

[Whitewolf]

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[whip]

Button qualified 17th and has incurred a 25 spot grid penalty. He's starting 42nd.

 

[billt460]

What in God's name was going on with Ferrari and Raikkonen? Are they trying to out stupid the Mercedes boner in Monaco with Hamilton?

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: whip
Button qualified 17th and has incurred a 25 spot grid penalty. He's starting 42nd.


Only the FIA could come up with more in penalties than they have in grid spots. I think Formula 1 is currently dead locked in stupid contests.

 

[bruno]

I used to follow F1 but the myriad of rules and now the new website have put me off it completely !
One of my fondest racing memories is of Carroll Shelby driving a 4 1/2 liter Ferrari grand prix cat through the streets of Wilkes Barre , Pa to the starting line of the Giant's Despair hill climb !

 

[whip]

It's amazing how much better the racing gets when they return to the historic tracks.

 

[billt460]

Kimi is lucky to have a pair of hands to drive with after today.

 

[gofast182]

He sure is. Poor Alonso/McLaren, they have a car with comprehensive updates to test and he gets taken out, not because of any failure this time, rather getting caught up in Kimi's bobble. If it weren't for bad luck McLaren would have no luck right now. I hope the test goes well this week and they can put together a respectable race at Silverstone.

 

[Garak]

The Ferrari crew were simply their own worst enemies this weekend, weren't they?

 

[gofast182]

Both team cars working together on a good strategy would've had Ferrari 3 and 4 instead of 4 and DNF.

 

[Garak]

Yep, a lot of what ifs in that. Had Kimi been properly outfitted in qualifying, he wouldn't have tried to harder compound during the race, and likely wouldn't have had his little misstep at the start of the race. Had the crew not ham fisted Vettel's stop, he wouldn't have been languishing.

 

[Indydriver]

It's all become rather predictable and boring, has it not?

Memo to Bernie: here's what F1 cars should sound like.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ5hALZb6wA

 

[whip]

I didn't think the race was boring, and the sound doesn't bother me.

Why is dominance an issue now? In the 20+ years I've been watching F1, teams have dominated. Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams, and McLaren have all had dominate eras. Would it be better if it was a spec series, and all teams were equal?

 

[gofast182]

The penalty system is utterly foolish as we saw with McLaren. That's the first thing to fix. Second, come up with an overall formula that addresses the concerns of drivers and fans organically (no more gimmicky opening wing slots). This needs to be done without any involvement from the teams who, as we've seen recently, can cause a waterfall to go stagnant as they try to preserve their own advantage. But at the same time I'd be careful not to punish dominance. One of the things that has made F1 great in the past and is still good about it today is that manufacturers are able to use their best engineers to develop the best racecar they can within a formula. Start punishing dominance and F1 would look a lot like Indycar with a spec. chassis, etc.

 

[Garak]

I would agree on cutting the teams' say in various matters (aside from safety). I don't mind the penalty system - it looks foolish, but what they were trying to accomplish is clear. Mercedes doesn't want any more engines, to save costs (ahem their advantage), which is exactly what you were saying. They need not punish dominance at all. It's a balancing act, though, not punishing dominance while controlling costs without stifling innovation.

 

[weasley]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
One of the things that has made F1 great in the past and is still good about it today is that manufacturers are able to use their best engineers to develop the best racecar they can within a formula. Start punishing dominance and F1 would look a lot like Indycar with a spec. chassis, etc.


Yes, but these days financial considerations dominate. Teams are more likely to say "that's enough, we're out" rather than spend millions trying to out-engineer the competition, because racecar.

It depends if you want close racing or engineering purity. There's plenty of close racing in other series, but these are often stifled by regulations. F1 is supposed to be an out-and-out prototype class, but it is inching closer and closer to a one-make series. Gone are the days of visible innovation - different engine configurations, the advent of turbocharging, 6 wheels, ground effect etc. The teams are all swimming in a fast-evaporating puddle, with little latitude.

 

[gofast182]

We are in the midst of the most expensive formula ever along with the highest operating costs ever. If teams were going to say that's enough, they would've already. Bringing the best engineering you have does not mean it's more expensive than current costs. A simpler engine formula would lower costs by itself.

 

[billt460]

Talking about "cutting costs in Formula 1", is a bit like talking about shopping economically at Tiffany's.