[Tech Issue] Will F1 be boring in 2014?

[Aysedasi]

Yep, I'd even take that right now........

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Until it stops working and you're stuffed.

Well yes, but any part of the car can stop working.

[Adam43]

Yes it will, because we want it to be.

[Knowlesy]

I personally am quite looking forward to it, although there is always the fear in the back of my mind that some of the silliness will be brought back from earlier this season.

All new car configurations, exciting! Don't spoil it with contrivances.

[Adam43]

Someone will do it better than the others and despite thins being the point of the exercise it will make it boring.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

in your opinion would more testing have made a difference for the US GP?

between the rain overnight and the heat and high track temperature it was always going to be difficult if not impossible to pick the right compounds to bring several weeks before the competition took place.

That's not really relevant to 2014. Pirelli, unless told to do otherwise, will make tyres that will easily be capable of one stop races, regardless of the dry track conditions.

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I've become convinced that this is the key. Idiotic though it sounds, we need unreliability. For a few races at least - to throw up those absurd Maldonado-style wins and to give chasing drivers an ailing car to hunt down. Other than that, perhaps McLaren could offer advice to Red Bull in the canine department?

I would also like to see how this new 'engine formula' turns out. Five engines to last a whole season isn't a lot. Particularly when you look back at how many turbo engines were used in a season during the seventies and eighties.

One thing will be for sure and that is if your ERS packs up, you might as well park it. It won't be like it is now, where there isn't that much difference to the cars performance whether or not your KERS is working. It won't be just a button you hit to pass other cars with.

[JeremySmith]

Yes it will be boring if it continues like this..

[JacobP]

Four out of five top teams will have a new driver. With new engines and changes to car specifications, too many things will be changing to predict another boring season. On the other hand, it was easy to predict a boring 2013 season. RBR found a winning formula by the end of 2012 and not enough in cars was changing to prevent them from winning again. Most teams also started pouring more money into next generation cars starting this mid-season.

[Casper]

This is a bit left of field but it is a question I have wanted to ask for a while now.

When it was a Ferrari fest and Schumakker was winning everything did everyone moan and groan about how boring and predictable the racing was? (I didn't follow F1 on the net then).

If not why does Vettel keep copping it now. As far as I am concerned let the best win on his own merits, don't try and hobble the driver by artificial means. If the rest aren't up to it then it is not his fault so why blame him for winning.

I can't understand the thinking behind artificially trying to level the playing field. It has not worked in other places and everyone here wants to stage manage what should be the most interesting race series in the world. The fact that it is not is not the fault of the winning team, it is the fault of those not winning. Is it that hard to work out??

[Knowlesy]

The moaning was a similar level. The gripe was the same, a team with a dominant car but only one truly top level driver. Worse still, this was the refuelling era.

But you are right. The playing field should not be levelled artificially. The others will catch up one day.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I personally am quite looking forward to it, although there is always the fear in the back of my mind that some of the silliness will be brought back from earlier this season.

All new car configurations, exciting! Don't spoil it with contrivances.

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to it - how could anyone not be looking forward to next season.......?

Originally Posted by Casper

When it was a Ferrari fest and Schumakker was winning everything did everyone moan and groan about how boring and predictable the racing was? (I didn't follow F1 on the net then).

Yep. I'm nothing if not consistent.

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The others will catch up one day.

'One day, over the rainbow........'

I'm hoping for lots of rain and then sunshine.

[davyboy]

Vettel is sublime behind the wheel of a car and that alone would probably be enough for him to eclipse all of the current crop. However, he has taken the Schumacher-esq work ethic and attention to detail in car development to another level... and that has made him in his car unbeatable.

If the rules change or Newey leaves, he could be knocked back a peg or two, but it will be only a matter of time before the relentless quest for perfection undertaken by somebody so talented takes him back to the front again... and the boredom will be restored.

There are two ways this can be obviated :

o Somebody better than Vettel at this comes on the scene and beats him at his own game - we may be waiting some time for this though.

o They start to fiddle with the event format to make it more entertaining by penalising success - I'm afraid I can see something like this on the horizon.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Vettel is sublime behind the wheel of a car and that alone would probably be enough for him to eclipse all of the current crop. However, he has taken the Schumacher-esq work ethic and attention to detail in car development to another level... and that has made him in his car unbeatable.

If the rules change or Newey leaves, he could be knocked back a peg or two, but it will be only a matter of time before the relentless quest for perfection undertaken by somebody so talented takes him back to the front again... and the boredom will be restored.

There are two ways this can be obviated :

o Somebody better than Vettel at this comes on the scene and beats him at his own game - we may be waiting some time for this though.

o They start to fiddle with the event format to make it more entertaining by penalising success - I'm afraid I can see something like this on the horizon.

We need to see a Red Bull F1 car, that isn't quite as good as normal. Then we'll really see if Alonso, Hamilton and the other talented guys can really cut the mustard against him. Like it or not, I still don't buy the concept that what we have here is an 'alien' (a familiar enough concept for the sim-racers here..... );

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

We need to see a Red Bull F1 car, that isn't quite as good as normal. Then we'll really see if Alonso, Hamilton and the other talented guys can really cut the mustard against him. Like it or not, I still don't buy the concept that what we have here is an 'alien' (a familiar enough concept for the sim-racers here..... );

If RBR do produce a duff car, I think he'll just plug away bit by bit and make the thing better. In the years before he joined, the car wasn't anyway near as good as it has been since... and much of the technical team [including Newey] as well as the second driver has remained unchanged.

F1 is about about detail. Let's not forget, this is a guy who's spent time at the Pirelli development centre to fully understand the tyres. He's been to many of RBR's suppliers and has spent huge amounts of time at the RBR factory in Milton Keynes. His work ethic off track is unparalleled and he leaves no stone unturned.

It is possible of course to hamstring the car by legislation to allow the others to fight him... but is that what we want F1 to be ? I'm afraid I can see it going in that direction though.

[Mr Pink]

I'm honestly hoping that the Renault engine isn't really up to standard with Ferrari and Merc next year.. Or that Newey doesn't get it quite as right as he had these recent years but that doesn't feel very likely.

Also I fully agree that gimmicks aren't the answer to anything, in my mind the only thing DRS has given us is aa situation where there's no point for a driver to do any of the more spectacular overtakings. Of course with some exceptions, like Bottas at COTA.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by davyboy

If RBR do produce a duff car, I think he'll just plug away bit by bit and make the thing better. In the years before he joined, the car wasn't anyway near as good as it has been since... and much of the technical team [including Newey] as well as the second driver has remained unchanged.

F1 is about about detail. Let's not forget, this is a guy who's spent time at the Pirelli development centre to fully understand the tyres. He's been to many of RBR's suppliers and has spent huge amounts of time at the RBR factory in Milton Keynes. His work ethic off track is unparalleled and he leaves no stone unturned.

It is possible of course to hamstring the car by legislation to allow the others to fight him... but is that what we want F1 to be ? I'm afraid I can see it going in that direction though.

I agree he's been a vital part of the RBR development to get it to the supreme position that it is in now. And sure, I've no doubt you're right that he would do it again if RBR did produce a lesser-performing car. But we're really discussing two separate issues......

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

But we're really discussing two separate issues......

Yes, you're right, we are... but one of the major contributing factors to the boredom this year has been Vettel's dominance and the underlying reasons behind that will probably give us an indication as to whether it will continue next year and beyond. Unfortunately, I feel it will.

[Aysedasi]

Sadly, so do I. I just have to hope....

[garcon]

The only thing we can say for certain is that whatever actually happens a sizeable contingent will bitterly complain that it is boring because their favourite driver isn't winning, or because a driver they refuse to rate is winning.

[Flavio Galtieri]

The one thing I believe would actually improve all aspects of Formula 1, for the casual viewer too, is a tightly policed budget cap.

This should be set at around the level of the current mid-field team, and then we'd see who could do the best job with the same money. That would narrow the field in terms of performance and give a better spectacle.

Most of the boredom factor this year comes from the fact that Red Bull, with a task budget to retain the championship, have dominated. When one team can spend as much as it's owner can afford on as many very clever people as it takes then domination is what you get.

The public are getting bored. Viewing figures are down. Bernie is desperately trying float the whole deal before he's convicted and the last thing anybody is going to do is to look at what you and I would like to see.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

We need to see a Red Bull F1 car, that isn't quite as good as normal. Then we'll really see if Alonso, Hamilton and the other talented guys can really cut the mustard against him. Like it or not, I still don't buy the concept that what we have here is an 'alien' (a familiar enough concept for the sim-racers here..... );

I think you do have an "ALIEN" never mind an "alien."

Watching Vettel drive around on his own would be well worth the price of entry to me!
I want to see the best, and he is the best.

Enjoy him, he is very special! RBR, Newey and Horner and Rocky too!

It is the responsibility of the others to up their game and reach Vettel's level, hate them for their mediocrity and lack of commitment and their penchant for employing pay drivers when they should be seeking talent!

I have great hopes for RoGro!


Oh, and hate the FIA and CVC for not ensuring an even playing field!

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

The one thing I believe would actually improve all aspects of Formula 1, for the casual viewer too, is a tightly policed budget cap.

Like most you don't understand that clever is clever and money, either too much or not enough does not stop them being clever. Red Bull and Vettel would still be at the front no matter what the financial cap was.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Casper

Like most you don't understand that clever is clever and money, either too much or not enough does not stop them being clever. Red Bull and Vettel would still be at the front no matter what the financial cap was.

You're right, they probably would... particularly given that they aren't currently the biggest spenders and he isn't currently the highest paid driver !

[MarkG]

This is developing into a I love Vettell thread.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by garcon

The only thing we can say for certain is that whatever actually happens a sizeable contingent will bitterly complain that it is boring because their favourite driver isn't winning, or because a driver they refuse to rate is winning.

Yes, true. Has that ever not been the case? But rating or not rating isn't the whole of it - not by any means.