Come on guys, this is all getting too nasty, its supposed to be light hearted banter here. Out of interest, did you know that little Eccles now owns a GTD40, got a call about it a few days ago, so there is a chance for some serious cars in racing afterall !
F1 in 2012
- Thread starter Pete
- Start date
No Frank, only me getting nasty don’t worry. It is only reserved for special people with special needs , you and everybody else are quite safe. Happy Birthday all Franks..wherever they are.
I am truly delighted for him. I met him once many years ago regarding a lower formula chassis he was building for a racing friend. His phone was cut off so I had to go down there. What an achievement from such humble beginnings, amazing that Enzo sneered at this "Garigista" without realising the ultimate irony that they both had similar backgrounds and beginnings!
Men in sheds eh?
I am truly delighted for him. I met him once many years ago regarding a lower formula chassis he was building for a racing friend. His phone was cut off so I had to go down there. What an achievement from such humble beginnings, amazing that Enzo sneered at this "Garigista" without realising the ultimate irony that they both had similar backgrounds and beginnings!
Men in sheds eh?
Jeff Young
GT40s Supporter
Jeff Young
GT40s Supporter
Uh what? I thought we were having a nice discussion about F1. I had no idea what prompted your rant.
This place has been pretty fun to read lately with most of the noise gone (save the Jesus stuff and the discovery channel of course, but I digress, at least that stuff isn't overtly political). It would be nice if we could keep it that way.
This place has been pretty fun to read lately with most of the noise gone (save the Jesus stuff and the discovery channel of course, but I digress, at least that stuff isn't overtly political). It would be nice if we could keep it that way.
Congrats to Frank.
Forget about the tyres/tires for a minute, the real story of that race was Maldonado and Alonzo.
A HUGE congrats to Maldonado, what a drive!!! To be the PAY driver, to be the 'mature' OLD pay driver, to be the old pay driver in one of last season's CRAP cars. All of that 'disadvantage' and he still spanked Alonzo - who makes near double in salary than Madonado PAYs for the priviledge of driving his bucket of bolts.
Classic, I just loved it. My new favorite driver, sorry Jenson.
Forget about the tyres/tires for a minute, the real story of that race was Maldonado and Alonzo.
A HUGE congrats to Maldonado, what a drive!!! To be the PAY driver, to be the 'mature' OLD pay driver, to be the old pay driver in one of last season's CRAP cars. All of that 'disadvantage' and he still spanked Alonzo - who makes near double in salary than Madonado PAYs for the priviledge of driving his bucket of bolts.
Classic, I just loved it. My new favorite driver, sorry Jenson.
Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
Mesa,
This was a great race, Ferrari have been a little hard on their rear tires all year, it bit them today. I think Alonzo's incredable skill continues force that shit box Ferrari to go faster than it cares to go. He may well be the best ever!
Big congratulations to Mr Maldonado and Williams. Remember, Nicki Lauda was also a pay driver.
Its an incredable shame about that fire, and the injuries. I hope all recover and I hope they have more cars in the pipline.
This was a great race, Ferrari have been a little hard on their rear tires all year, it bit them today. I think Alonzo's incredable skill continues force that shit box Ferrari to go faster than it cares to go. He may well be the best ever!
Big congratulations to Mr Maldonado and Williams. Remember, Nicki Lauda was also a pay driver.
Its an incredable shame about that fire, and the injuries. I hope all recover and I hope they have more cars in the pipline.
No, Kimi is scheduled to win Monaco, next in Bernies list !
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
Great. We get to watch Kimi mumble in whatever language he speaks.
What language DOES he speak?
I can remember when NASCAR was ignorant rednecks and F1 and Sports Car Racing were for highbrows. Things are evening up nicely. I'll bet there are more university degrees and MBAs in NASCAR management than in all of F1. Regardless, it's all very entertaining. The quality of corruption and dishonesty in F1 exceeds all other motorsports combined. Is there anyone else in motorsports as cordially hated asthe Bernie? He's the Donald Trump of motor racing. Except short and even uglier.
What language DOES he speak?
I can remember when NASCAR was ignorant rednecks and F1 and Sports Car Racing were for highbrows. Things are evening up nicely. I'll bet there are more university degrees and MBAs in NASCAR management than in all of F1. Regardless, it's all very entertaining. The quality of corruption and dishonesty in F1 exceeds all other motorsports combined. Is there anyone else in motorsports as cordially hated asthe Bernie? He's the Donald Trump of motor racing. Except short and even uglier.
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
I dont know.......
What about the rowing - it must be rigged because Oxford and Cambridge always get into the final.
Ian
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
On a barge in the Loire valley. Missed Spain no Internet. Congrats to Williams.
I will be in Monaco for the race and of course my money is on Webber.
Amazing season so far, my predictions have gone to hell in a hand basket.
How they hanging Keith?
I will be in Monaco for the race and of course my money is on Webber.
Amazing season so far, my predictions have gone to hell in a hand basket.
How they hanging Keith?
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Thank you my friend, stay well.
I'll probably never get there so all I can contribute is a little story
Monaco -
Our friend (and future A1 Formula1 winner) was in one of the support races one year. It was one of the practice days and his first time there. The support classes have a remote paddock to depart from which means the race cars have to drive on 'open' roads to get to the circuit. Of course the normal road traffic is blocked for the minimal time it takes to do this. Except Sean's car stalled and he could not leave with the rest of the practice group. Much to his astonishment he was allowed to drive his formula car to the course with the regular street traffic! Judging by the enthusiasm with which he tells the story it must have been a thrill for all.
Monaco -
Our friend (and future A1 Formula1 winner) was in one of the support races one year. It was one of the practice days and his first time there. The support classes have a remote paddock to depart from which means the race cars have to drive on 'open' roads to get to the circuit. Of course the normal road traffic is blocked for the minimal time it takes to do this. Except Sean's car stalled and he could not leave with the rest of the practice group. Much to his astonishment he was allowed to drive his formula car to the course with the regular street traffic! Judging by the enthusiasm with which he tells the story it must have been a thrill for all.
Terry Oxandale
Skinny Man
I predict Alonso will be the first 2-win for this year at Monaco.
Tell us more Frank! Perleeeeze.......
I would like, if I may my earlier, quantify my earlier opinions which were rather derailed and got lost somehow. I promise this will be my last post on the issue.
Regarding the tyres, it seems they have been introduced precisely to "level the playing field" and introduce random results for many teams. I believe this is to engage with the vast new audiences F1 is now attracting - a new audience that perhaps grew up with soundbytes and spectacle. There is nothing wrong in this if that is the way they decide to go. I don't like it.
I don't like it because I appreciate the tech/driver/engine/track puzzle and because of that I am, it must be admitted, a bit of a dinosaur.
My previous comments were largely based on my strong regrets at what Formula 1 has become as a result. That is a personal position.
I miss the engine development side and the difficulty of producing reliable horsepower and torque from an engineers own hands. I think many other people do too hence the huge amount of interest in Historics and more basic tech.
But we are of course, a dying breed and to be fair to Bernie, he has embraced all of this and made the "Garigistas" rich. I'll bet they love him up and down the pitwall. Whether it's right or fair or not is not for my generation to decide.
Pirelli grasped the nettle and have produced tyres that are gamechangers. There is an argument that says that it is part and parcel of F1 competition to "manage tyres". This is perfectly true. There is another argument that says "the tyres are the same for everybody" This is also true.
IF they were driving exactly the same cars/chassis/engines. To me, the skilful management of tyres is best demonstrated in the supremely challenging in wet/dry Intermediate phase above all else.
The problem is, with chassis and tracks being very different the danger is some teams will NEVER get a handle on it and they might even be the big ones like McLaren for example. The present package seems to have favoured Williams more than a bit, but are you seeing the true relative performance?
I do not believe so. If you accept that the tyres are now a necessary weapon in the introduction of random elements, then I submit we are no longer watching the ultimate expression of motorsport but, a SHOW designed to entertain a less technically engaged generation. Hence my comment regarding American audiences. This I believe will delight them. Bernie has always cast his eyes West but has never quite made it. I think this is the ultimate goal.
As far as Pirelli goes, they are in a tight spot. There is growing resentment amongst the fanbase regarding the lottery style results, largely brought about by the fact that the current consistent performers have to a degree, lucked onto a chassis design that extracts the best. I think if Pirelli sense a growing disenchantment in the market place, they may back off this strategy.
Finally, another argument bandied around is that "the teams themselves like them" (tyres). This is purely because there is a race going on to understand them, and whoever does that will win the day, but the amount of resources ($'s) being put into "understanding the tyres" is disproportionate. It just doesn't make any sense.
Just because me and my fellow dinosaurs don't particularly like the new tyre regime doesn't mean that it's wrong. It means I just don't like it.
As for Monaco. The tyres will not make a blind bit of difference here. It's always been a mad dash for "last orders at the bar" and so (thankfully) it will remain.
And, to me, software and rubber will never replace the smell of hot metal and burning Castrol 'R'.
Regarding the tyres, it seems they have been introduced precisely to "level the playing field" and introduce random results for many teams. I believe this is to engage with the vast new audiences F1 is now attracting - a new audience that perhaps grew up with soundbytes and spectacle. There is nothing wrong in this if that is the way they decide to go. I don't like it.
I don't like it because I appreciate the tech/driver/engine/track puzzle and because of that I am, it must be admitted, a bit of a dinosaur.
My previous comments were largely based on my strong regrets at what Formula 1 has become as a result. That is a personal position.
I miss the engine development side and the difficulty of producing reliable horsepower and torque from an engineers own hands. I think many other people do too hence the huge amount of interest in Historics and more basic tech.
But we are of course, a dying breed and to be fair to Bernie, he has embraced all of this and made the "Garigistas" rich. I'll bet they love him up and down the pitwall. Whether it's right or fair or not is not for my generation to decide.
Pirelli grasped the nettle and have produced tyres that are gamechangers. There is an argument that says that it is part and parcel of F1 competition to "manage tyres". This is perfectly true. There is another argument that says "the tyres are the same for everybody" This is also true.
IF they were driving exactly the same cars/chassis/engines. To me, the skilful management of tyres is best demonstrated in the supremely challenging in wet/dry Intermediate phase above all else.
The problem is, with chassis and tracks being very different the danger is some teams will NEVER get a handle on it and they might even be the big ones like McLaren for example. The present package seems to have favoured Williams more than a bit, but are you seeing the true relative performance?
I do not believe so. If you accept that the tyres are now a necessary weapon in the introduction of random elements, then I submit we are no longer watching the ultimate expression of motorsport but, a SHOW designed to entertain a less technically engaged generation. Hence my comment regarding American audiences. This I believe will delight them. Bernie has always cast his eyes West but has never quite made it. I think this is the ultimate goal.
As far as Pirelli goes, they are in a tight spot. There is growing resentment amongst the fanbase regarding the lottery style results, largely brought about by the fact that the current consistent performers have to a degree, lucked onto a chassis design that extracts the best. I think if Pirelli sense a growing disenchantment in the market place, they may back off this strategy.
Finally, another argument bandied around is that "the teams themselves like them" (tyres). This is purely because there is a race going on to understand them, and whoever does that will win the day, but the amount of resources ($'s) being put into "understanding the tyres" is disproportionate. It just doesn't make any sense.
Just because me and my fellow dinosaurs don't particularly like the new tyre regime doesn't mean that it's wrong. It means I just don't like it.
As for Monaco. The tyres will not make a blind bit of difference here. It's always been a mad dash for "last orders at the bar" and so (thankfully) it will remain.
And, to me, software and rubber will never replace the smell of hot metal and burning Castrol 'R'.
