2019 Formula 1 Season Thread

[vrDrew]

Came across Clarkson's rant on current F1 matters. Have to agree with the old sod. Bring back the dangerous days and even faster cars.

There was a time - and well within my living memory - when Formula One had a distinctive Death In The Afternoon vibe to it. The same frisson of voyeuristic ghoulishness that drew people to bullfights and bare knuckle boxing.

Of course, I remember the dreadful death toll. Two or more drivers were killed every year at one point during the 1970s.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Came across Clarkson's rant on current F1 matters. Have to agree with the old sod. Bring back the dangerous days and even faster cars. None of this small engine hybrid turbo whatever crap. I want to go deaf if I go to COTA, or if I'm attending the LBGP, I want to go deaf from the GP cars and smell of petrol exhaust when I get home.

And bring back the old concept cars at endurance events. None of this overly safe and not as loud stuff with excessive driver aids.

The cars are faster now than they’ve ever been but unfortunately they sound like electric lawnmowers. The sense of power from a spectator POV has been lost despite the speeds being mind blowing. They need to sort the sound out even if the engines are needed for development in the consumer market.

 

[pachyderm]

I loved this race.

Alfas DQ'ed for clutch rule infringement.
[doublepost=1564394454][/doublepost]

 

[0388631]

The cars are faster now than they’ve ever been but unfortunately they sound like electric lawnmowers. The sense of power from a spectator POV has been lost despite the speeds being mind blowing. They need to sort the sound out even if the engines are needed for development in the consumer market.

This fundamentally makes sense if you average out all the speeds and used straight line speed as your only data source. The reality is that Ferrari's engines in the early 2000s let alone the 1980s were faster than today's engines and setting higher overall track speeds and trap speeds. Ferrari isn't the only one. Gasly's car hit top stride at the Aussie GP in a trap measure, but the speed is a joke compared to older cars that weren't nannied out.

Your second point, though, yeah, agreed. There is no excitement anymore. Even in the old days watching a race on the TV meant hearing a nice melody from the engine. It's nothing now. Screw the hybrid power units. Bring back big high revving engines that deafen anyone around it at idle let alone passing by. Develop a better refueling system. I think make to Jos's pit fire back in the day when he was racing for Benetton.


I skipped the German GP but recorded it to watch later, which I did a few hours ago. I regret not watching it live. There is a poetic connection between Jos's incident at the 94 German GP, that fire in the pit, and his son winning the 2019 German GP 25 years later. Really something.


But Christ on a bike this race was a mess with all that wetness. It's been a while since I've seen such craziness. I'd love to a see a return to V12 power plants in my life.


Edit: To clarify, I meant top speeds, not averaged out top speeds. Today's cars and racing dynamics isn't like the good old days. And contrary to Drew's post, no where was I suggest people meet their making to make something exciting. What a silly suggestion.

 

[vrDrew]

I loved this race.

Clarkson was sitting outside The Walmer Castle - a "gastropub" in Notting Hill, north London. A Nice enough pub, but it's owned by Guy Ritchie and David Beckham. The world has changed, Mr Clarkson. He seems pretty happy in it.

Why does he expect Formula 1 to stay stuck in 1970s?

 

[Nishant]

I loved this race.

x2 on this race!

 

[Glideslope]

The cars are faster now than they’ve ever been but unfortunately they sound like electric lawnmowers. The sense of power from a spectator POV has been lost despite the speeds being mind blowing. They need to sort the sound out even if the engines are needed for development in the consumer market.

1995 Ferrari 412-T2.

 

[zagato27]

Hamilton, you wuss!
https://jalopnik.com/lewis-hamilton-may-block-netflix-from-including-footage-1836868525

 

[0388631]

Streisand effect in 3, 2, 1...

Really surprised to see so many young drivers in F1 nowadays as I don't quite recall young drivers being common place a decade or more ago. Same goes for the F2 and F3, though to a lesser degree. The first time I saw Norris on the telly I thought it was someone's 12 yo son.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Streisand effect in 3, 2, 1...

Really surprised to see so many young drivers in F1 nowadays as I don't quite recall young drivers being common place a decade or more ago. Same goes for the F2 and F3, though to a lesser degree. The first time I saw Norris on the telly I thought it was someone's 12 yo son.

Really? Vettel and Lewis would have looked pretty young 10 years ago.
I think there has always been some young drivers coming through, just there is probably more coverage than there used to be.

If you’re good enough you’re old enough.

 

[0388631]

Really? Vettel and Lewis would have looked pretty young 10 years ago.
I think there has always been some young drivers coming through, just there is probably more coverage than there used to be.

If you’re good enough you’re old enough.

My memory of Lewis is nothing as he is now. I saw him as an introvert of sorta, but I also saw him look older than he was. That's my point. Vettel, eh, he looked his age. He's aged horribly, though. If I didn't know who LeClerc or Verstappen were, I'd assume they were still in this mid teens.

It's probably a generational thing? Take you and I for example, born around the same period, when we were in our early 20s we looked completely different to people in their 20s now. Our parents looked like grown adults when they were young teenagers. Quality of life and food, I suppose.

True. Better to race in your prime than still pushing your body to the limit in the seat in your mid 30s.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

1995 Ferrari 412-T2.

Cars as a collective I meant. You’ll find a lot of outright lap records have come in the last couple of seasons despite some amazing cars from the past having higher top speeds.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Really? Vettel and Lewis would have looked pretty young 10 years ago.
I think there has always been some young drivers coming through, just there is probably more coverage than there used to be.

If you’re good enough you’re old enough.

That’s very true. I met Hamilton straight after the 2008 British GP when he did his talk at Brooklands and he was a young eager kid guided by his dad and in awe of the sport. He was pretty grounded I felt and amazed fans were wanting him to do well. He was still young and fresh faced.

These days he’s a god obsessed Tommy Hilfiger model who has a photographer following him around 24/7 to make his Instagram look good with amusingly posed photos and statements which make most people cringe. He’s an amazing racing driver still though and gets my support as he’s also my fellow countryman.

 

[pachyderm]

Hamilton, you wuss!
https://jalopnik.com/lewis-hamilton-may-block-netflix-from-including-footage-1836868525

Nobody ever said he wasn't a ****.
[doublepost=1564657506][/doublepost]

1995 Ferrari 412-T2.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My memory of Lewis is nothing as he is now. I saw him as an introvert of sorta, but I also saw him look older than he was. That's my point. Vettel, eh, he looked his age. He's aged horribly, though. If I didn't know who LeClerc or Verstappen were, I'd assume they were still in this mid teens.

It's probably a generational thing? Take you and I for example, born around the same period, when we were in our early 20s we looked completely different to people in their 20s now. Our parents looked like grown adults when they were young teenagers. Quality of life and food, I suppose.

True. Better to race in your prime than still pushing your body to the limit in the seat in your mid 30s.

I look exactly the same as I did in my 20’s!

 

[MOFS]

Streisand effect in 3, 2, 1...

Really surprised to see so many young drivers in F1 nowadays as I don't quite recall young drivers being common place a decade or more ago. Same goes for the F2 and F3, though to a lesser degree. The first time I saw Norris on the telly I thought it was someone's 12 yo son.

Jenson Button was young (20) when he started; only 3 years older than me. I think the reason why drivers are looking older is because we’re getting older.
( I think there is also an element that people are karting at younger ages, and therefore entering the junior formulas younger, with a more streamlined route to being picked up by a rookie driver programme. Certainly when I started watching only Michael Schumacher for Mercedes and Mark Webber and Fernando for Flávio I can recall being on rookie programmes.)

 

[0388631]

I look exactly the same as I did in my 20’s!

You had a two stone spare tire around your waist then too? Kidding.
[doublepost=1564717075][/doublepost]

Jenson Button was young (20) when he started; only 3 years older than me. I think the reason why drivers are looking older is because we’re getting older.
( I think there is also an element that people are karting at younger ages, and therefore entering the junior formulas younger, with a more streamlined route to being picked up by a rookie driver programme. Certainly when I started watching only Michael Schumacher for Mercedes and Mark Webber and Fernando for Flávio I can recall being on rookie programmes.)

There's that, too, but even younger generations look younger than we did when we were their age. I don't mind young drivers. Just seems like they're spending their best years inside a car or a sim during their off time.

 

[Apple fanboy]

You had a two stone spare tire around your waist then too? Kidding.
[doublepost=1564717075][/doublepost]
There's that, too, but even younger generations look younger than we did when we were their age. I don't mind young drivers. Just seems like they're spending their best years inside a car or a sim during their off time.

I’m lighter now than I was then! Still not light enough to be an F1 driver though!

 

[0388631]

I’m lighter now than I was then! Still not light enough to be an F1 driver though!

Oh lord yes. I think we'd fit in a 1950s car, but today's cars are such a snug fit that I'd be surprised if there's more than say 7-10 cm of wiggle space.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Oh lord yes. I think we'd fit in a 1950s car, but today's cars are such a snug fit that I'd be surprised if there's more than say 7-10 cm of wiggle space.

But I’d rather drive a car of today than those death traps from the 50’s!

 

[0388631]

But I’d rather drive a car of today than those death traps from the 50’s!

Sorry, do you mean race cars? Give me a cup car with dog gears any day of the week.

 

[BenTrovato]

Pretty entertaining qualy so far! Max on pole in front of the 2 Mercs. Everyone will be doing their last laps soon, let's see what happens..

Edit: Wow Max went even faster! First pole for him. Amazing lap. The RB looking unbelievable in sector 3.

 

[CWallace]

Well the RB with Max at the helm looking unbeatable. Wonder how long Albon is for the world...

And a great Q1 by George Russel - almost into Q2 and looking solid.

What has happened to Racing Point? I know Stroll is nothing, but Perez was always in Q3 when they were Force India and now he seem to rarely make it out of Q1...

 

[MOFS]

Well the RB with Max at the helm looking unbeatable. Wonder how long Albon is for the world...

And a great Q1 by George Russel - almost into Q2 and looking solid.

What has happened to Racing Point? I know Stroll is nothing, but Perez was always in Q3 when they were Force India and now he seem to rarely make it out of Q1...

I think Mercedes may have to look at placing Russell at a team that can compete - he’s totally outshone Kubica this season who clearly has not recovered from his injuries. McLaren have been very impressive too.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Great result for Max. Let’s hope he makes a better start than last time though!

Gutted Russell didn’t make it into Q2 though. So close.