F1, 2020

[Gandalf]

Mercedes has designed a new revolutionary steering device that helps cool the tyres. Being 100% mechanical, this appears to be legal in terms of the FIA. Will probably see a few teams protest, but I think will pass. Probably see more teams copy the idea.

Driving at speeds on the straights, your wheels tend to tow out. By pushing the steering wheel away from you, this aligns the wheels straight, causing less drag and heat in the tyres.

Why I love Formula 1

Yep, why I love it too. I really didn't expect to see any major developments this season. But Mercedes brought not only this but also a new rear suspension set-up that will really help with the down-force at the rear.

Ferrari, go home now!

[mkhammer]

Mercedes has designed a new revolutionary steering device that helps cool the tyres. Being 100% mechanical, this appears to be legal in terms of the FIA. Will probably see a few teams protest, but I think will pass. Probably see more teams copy the idea.

Driving at speeds on the straights, your wheels tend to tow out. By pushing the steering wheel away from you, this aligns the wheels straight, causing less drag and heat in the tyres.

Why I love Formula 1

I know we need some kinda limits and controls in F1 to make it halfway competitive...but sometimes
wish it was a Technical/Mechanical free for all...see what they could really do with the cars...
Sure there must be some developments in F1 that we don't get to see maybe...cos can't be used

Obviously would mean the wealthier teams would have all the advantages,but they do now anyway
at the moment.

Yeah Mate...the Technical stuff is really interesting,more interesting than some of the races at
times...

[Gandalf]

Mercedes has designed a new revolutionary steering device that helps cool the tyres. Being 100% mechanical, this appears to be legal in terms of the FIA. Will probably see a few teams protest, but I think will pass. Probably see more teams copy the idea.

Driving at speeds on the straights, your wheels tend to tow out. By pushing the steering wheel away from you, this aligns the wheels straight, causing less drag and heat in the tyres.

Why I love Formula 1

I know we need some kinda limits and controls in F1 to make it halfway competitive...but sometimes
wish it was a Technical/Mechanical free for all...see what they could really do with the cars...
Sure there must be some developments in F1 that we don't get to see maybe...cos can't be used

Obviously would mean the wealthier teams would have all the advantages,but they do now anyway
at the moment.

Yeah Mate...the Technical stuff is really interesting,more interesting than some of the races at
times...

I would love it too if it was a free-for-all. The 70’s and 80’s would have been great times to be involved in F1. But alas that’s not the world we live in now.

It’s been announced today that the DAS system will be banned from next season. Personally I think this is a good way of dealing with developments like this.
Developments should be categorized into two groups. Developments that would benefit the road car industry and developments that would not.

The DAS system would not.

Therefore, allow Mercedes to run it this year. They then get the benefit of their ingenuity for one season.
Next season Mercedes would not have the advantage of it whether it was allowed or not.
If it was allowed then by that time every team would have it. Therefore no advantage to Mercedes.
Or if it was banned then no team would have it. Also no advantage to Mercedes. Therefore banning it is the better option because it potentially saves the other teams a whole chunk of money - money that could be spent on different developments.

If however a team came up with a development that would be beneficial to the road car industry then that development should be allowed to remain and developed further.


Regarding your comment about the wealthier team having the advantage, remember, we have the budget cap coming so the will go some way to levelling the playing field.
And with that in mind I think now is the time they should be relaxing some of the restrictions that have been enforced in the name of cost-saving. That way different teams may have different ideas about what gives more 'bang for you buck' and end up taking different development routes that will lead to more diversity.
That idea is not in the regulation yet but if that doesn't come in the next few years I think that will be an opportunity lost.

[OZHAMMER]

Formula One

Grew up watching it in the 80s and 90s. Loved it. Piquet, Prost, Senna, Patrese, Mansell, Berger, Alesi, Alboreto.

Then something happened...

Instead of the racing being close, it became the complete opposite. One car way out in front, the second placed car miles in front of third... and so on. No battles or manoeuvres to speak of. Boring as shit.

I remember watching this exact scenario many times at the turn of the millennium. After one race had finished, I tuned in to watch the Cart World Series, or whatever the Yanks called it. It was the eighth or ninth race on the calendar, and I remember the commentator saying that each of the previous races had had a different winner. Eight races - eight different winners.* Incredible. The actual race that was on had the top dozen cars within five seconds of each other in the last few laps. And this was typical of the Indy cars.

F1 needs to pull its socks up. When there’s more animated discussion about a car’s set up or a driver’s next contract, than the actual racing, something is seriously wrong.








* I might have taken a few liberties with the truth here. But I do (vaguely) recall these events.

[Gandalf]

Formula One

Grew up watching it in the 80s and 90s. Loved it. Piquet, Prost, Senna, Patrese, Mansell, Berger, Alesi, Alboreto.

Then something happened...

Instead of the racing being close, it became the complete opposite. One car way out in front, the second placed car miles in front of third... and so on. No battles or manoeuvres to speak of. Boring as shit.

I remember watching this exact scenario many times at the turn of the millennium. After one race had finished, I tuned in to watch the Cart World Series, or whatever the Yanks called it. It was the eighth or ninth race on the calendar, and I remember the commentator saying that each of the previous races had had a different winner. Eight races - eight different winners.* Incredible. The actual race that was on had the top dozen cars within five seconds of each other in the last few laps. And this was typical of the Indy cars.

F1 needs to pull its socks up. When there’s more animated discussion about a car’s set up or a driver’s next contract, than the actual racing, something is seriously wrong.








* I might have taken a few liberties with the truth here. But I do (vaguely) recall these events.

Nine different winners, you say?

Check out the first nine winners of the 2012 season.

F1 2012.png (55.94 KiB) Viewed 5125 times

[Neville Bartos]

I think everyone looks through Rose tinted specs at the 80/90s. I remember McLaren, Williams and Ferrari being so dominant that their cars were often a lap up by the end. Some seasons were utterly tedious.
Senna v Prost at McLaren was epic, but how was it different to Hamilton v Rosberg? A dominant car driven by two exceptional drivers. And when Senna was paired with also rans in the best car? No different to Hamilton.
Fact is the close racing and overtakes are ALWAYS down the field. Very occasionally we get some at the front, but that's been the case for a good four decades now.

In fact if you compare margins of victory, all but 2 of Hamiltons wins are by less than 30 seconds. For Senna with half as many victories 11 were by 30 seconds or more. The number is 16 for Schumacher.
For me than demonstrates the racing is closer at the front, even if no more competitive in terms of results.

[OZHAMMER]

Formula One

Grew up watching it in the 80s and 90s. Loved it. Piquet, Prost, Senna, Patrese, Mansell, Berger, Alesi, Alboreto.

Then something happened...

Instead of the racing being close, it became the complete opposite. One car way out in front, the second placed car miles in front of third... and so on. No battles or manoeuvres to speak of. Boring as shit.

I remember watching this exact scenario many times at the turn of the millennium. After one race had finished, I tuned in to watch the Cart World Series, or whatever the Yanks called it. It was the eighth or ninth race on the calendar, and I remember the commentator saying that each of the previous races had had a different winner. Eight races - eight different winners.* Incredible. The actual race that was on had the top dozen cars within five seconds of each other in the last few laps. And this was typical of the Indy cars.

F1 needs to pull its socks up. When there’s more animated discussion about a car’s set up or a driver’s next contract, than the actual racing, something is seriously wrong.








* I might have taken a few liberties with the truth here. But I do (vaguely) recall these events.

Nine different winners, you say?

Check out the first nine winners of the 2012 season.

F1 2012.png

I see Webber and Alonso there twice...? Or have I missed your point?

[Gandalf]

Nine different winners, you say?

Check out the first nine winners of the 2012 season.

F1 2012.png

I see Webber and Alonso there twice...? Or have I missed your point?

Not sure what's worse there, my memory or my fact-checking.
Of course it was just seven different winners in the first seven races!

[Noni]

Racing Point looks good in testing, a copied version of Mercedes 2019 car. Expect them to do well. Red Bull holding back in their times, suggest they will do very well indeed.

Both Ferrari, Williams and Mercedes had engine failures.. Oil pressures in all these cars.

Williams looking good, hopefully they can score points this season and not stay at the back.

2 weeks times starts off in Australia.

[Noni]

Investigations by the FIA may have proven that fact that Ferrari engines were illegal.

So they've reached a private settlement, the specifics of which must remain a secret. What a wonderful way to run a sporting competition.

But basically yes, as anyone with even an ounce of common sense had already deduced, Ferrari were cheating last year.

Be interesting to see how the other teams react?