Formula One 2021 - DRAMA - #Michael Messy

[mexos]

Personally I think F1 should endeavour to make it possible to race in very bad wet conditions. 

 

That doesn’t mean I think they should go out when it is ridiculously dangerous. All the problems of the Spa weekend are fixable to allow running in the conditions we saw. It comes down to how much money and effort you want to throw at it. Some of the solutions are universal and some will need to be track specific. But they are all solvable. If it’s worth it when you dig into cost vs value/return on investment for the few wet races we have, well that is the issue.

 

 

 

[Dudley]

10 hours ago, Sidewaysbob said:

Yes, motorsport is dangerous, but that was never going to be a race. That would just have been a waiting game to see who went off first. And I doubt nigel even in his pomp would have lasted more than a few laps.. 

He managed to crash on a bright sunny day at Suzuka and break his back after all. 

 

And in fact you can solve that one by going back to what was until this week the shortest F1 race ever. The 1991 Australian Grand Prix.

 

A race that was ultimately stopped on lap 16 thanks to a crash by one... hang on.... it's in small print....    "Mansell, N".

 

 

 

Especially great for the intro where Mansell essentially says they shouldn't have started the race.  Someone should tell future Nigel about that coward...

[marsh]

10 hours ago, mexos said:

Personally I think F1 should endeavour to make it possible to race in very bad wet conditions. 

 

That doesn’t mean I think they should go out when it is ridiculously dangerous. All the problems of the Spa weekend are fixable to allow running in the conditions we saw. It comes down to how much money and effort you want to throw at it. Some of the solutions are universal and some will need to be track specific. But they are all solvable. If it’s worth it when you dig into cost vs value/return on investment for the few wet races we have, well that is the issue.

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure there's a lot you can do with Spa, given the geography of the place. It just doesn't lend itself to any kind of weather proofing manipulation. It was only about a month ago the whole place looked like it was about to be washed away entirely.

[Dudley]

And this was one of the reasons they changed Hockenheim because it was the other place that was prone to the same issues.

[sprite]

I’m really not surprised in the least that the organisers went down the cautious route with Spa, in particular.  Seeing Lando go off near enough where Anthoine did…. His accident was in the dry also.  They weren’t ever going to risk it IMO.

[Dudley]

Yeah the fact that Eau Rouge is "under debate" already is going to introduce caution.  Basically to avoid it turning into a literal version of its name.

[Blue]

Vettel suggests making eau rouge more of a corner instead of straightening it out more and more, so that cars can't take it flat. Something I've been wishing they'd do for many years. 

[T Pot]

2 hours ago, sprite said:

I’m really not surprised in the least that the organisers went down the cautious route with Spa, in particular.  Seeing Lando go off near enough where Anthoine did…. His accident was in the dry also.  They weren’t ever going to risk it IMO.

 

And that 6 cars went off in the same corner on the Friday in the W Series because the track got slightly damp. I think it was a fair cop. Other than max who was up in front, all of the drivers were saying they couldn't see more than 5 metres or so in front of them. At 100-200mph that's far from enough. 

[Dudley]

10 minutes ago, Blue said:

Vettel suggests making eau rouge more of a corner instead of straightening it out more and more, so that cars can't take it flat. Something I've been wishing they'd do for many years. 

 

Which of course is not a new idea.

 

 

 

[Sidewaysbob]

It'll be a shame if they change it. I think it was one of the last few corners that really sorted the men from the boys.

Standing at the bottom you were never in anything but awe of the drivers. 

 

I understand why it's going to have to change. Because one death is too many and this corner is too dangerous for the cars these days. But I will miss it. 

[Blue]

30 minutes ago, Sidewaysbob said:

It'll be a shame if they change it. I think it was one of the last few corners that really sorted the men from the boys.

Standing at the bottom you were never in anything but awe of the drivers. 

 

I understand why it's going to have to change. Because one death is too many and this corner is too dangerous for the cars these days. But I will miss it. 

It wouldn't have to be less exciting, could even be more exciting. As I understand it, it would be a return towards how it used to be, before they incrementally straightened it out for... safety reasons. 😑

[kiroquai]

I think it's a poster child for that ol' thing about cars getting so fast that they outgrow the circuits. I do think, however, that they could change the runoffs and areas around the actual piece of tarmac and it'd help things massively. Apparently they are already cutting away a huge chunk of the land to the left (as you go up it) side so they can straighten out the barrier, which should (should) stop cars frisbeeing back across the road ala Lando this past Saturday. Also sounds like there's going to be gravel put down somewhere.

 

I am perfectly fine with the choice not to race on Sunday, I should add.  

[Dudley]

Yeah my preference would be to tighten it SLIGHTLY so that as Blue says it stops being a flat out freebie but extend the run off. Generally that's been considered really hard though.

 

On the plus side, the "1994" solution does mean other series can run it as intended. It's not like changes at (eg Silverstone)

[mexos]

[SeanR]

Oh Kimi…

[kiroquai]

I’ll be sad to see him go, although it’s the right time. His debut seems like so long ago now! Remembering how everyone was worrying he’d be a danger to himself and everyone else due to his lack of experience before he’d even had a chance to do a race. 
 

Managed to find a picture of said F1 debut that includes the other F1 old-timer currently still on the grid!

 

[wev]

Bwoah!

[mexos]

Alonso at the back in the Jumbo, Luciano in the Jag, Harry Heinz in the Aston?

[kiroquai]

Ding ding, with extra 👍🏻 for the jumbo and Aston remarks!

[mexos]

Not F1, but about as close as this armchair enthusiast will get to the sensation. I had a lap in this round the Nord this morning (with a proper racing driver). It was mega. Highly recommended. 
 

 

 

[LowCostMonkey]

I’m sad to see Kimi go. Firstly because he is a superb character and secondly because he the only driver older than me! Even it is only by a few months.

[Corranga]

I won’t miss Kimi. He should have been gone years ago, and from Ferrari before he even hit Alfa.

 

I’ll miss the funny bits / radio messages etc, but the lack of clarity on his potential racist stace put me off him anyway.

[GwiDan]

1 hour ago, mexos said:

Not F1, but about as close as this armchair enthusiast will get to the sensation. I had a lap in this round the Nord this morning (with a proper racing driver). It was mega. Highly recommended. 
 

 

 

How was the Manthey!?

[mexos]

10 minutes ago, GwiDan said:

How was the Manthey!?

 
Sticks like you wouldn’t believe. Track was damp and slimey, we got pretty seriously blocked a few times in fast bits by slow cars (slow like M2s... 911 GT3s...) and he still got it round in 7m30. The guy said he’s matched the record in it - 6m42. Yeah that is only the official bloody lap record for anything street legal.  Typical lap times they do in the dry for punters is under 7m. Yeah damn right I am going back!

[GwiDan]

1 minute ago, mexos said:

 
Sticks like you wouldn’t believe. Track was damp and slimey, we got pretty seriously blocked a few times in fast bits by slow cars (slow like M2s... GT3s...) and he still got it round in 7m30. The guy said he’s matched the record in it - 6m42. Yeah that is only the official bloody lap record for anything street legal. 

Thats unbelievable. Dream car. Did you learn anything? I think I might find that lap time frightening to experience in real life. 

[mexos]

16 minutes ago, GwiDan said:

Thats unbelievable. Dream car. Did you learn anything? I think I might find that lap time frightening to experience in real life. 

I’ve done a lap in the M5 that BMW used to run. The difference between that and this is night and day. TBH the M5 was scarier because of the body roll. The MR is just on rails which gives you confidence. The suspension is some sort of dark magic. Not once did I think he would stack it. The major takeaway is just how violent it all is. Being so smooth while being tumbled around, yeah I have an enhanced appreciation of that. 

 

 

[marsh]

But deep down, the inner gt sport pineapple mnrc was like.....'I can go quicker'

 

 

Not jealous at all.

[mexos]

1 minute ago, marsh said:

But deep down, the inner gt sport pineapple mnrc was like.....'I can go quicker'

Hook it up remote to a set of pedals and a T300 and I’ll have a go!
 

TBH a pleb like me could probably get it around fast enough to impress an uninformed passenger. But it would be nowhere near the car’s potential.

 

What about Alfa then?
NdV + VB? 

VB + Gio?

 

I like the talk of Albono getting another shot, if they can get him into Williams. I’d prefer him back in the AT though personally. I don’t think TSU is ready.

[gospvg]

I’m going to miss Kimi, I love his blunt style. Truthfully he has not been the same since leaving Ferrari and has been taking up a racing slot.

[Dudley]

So it's Bottas to Alfa then.

 

Wolff said he wanted their F1 future's sorted before announcing and that could only really mean a drive for Bottas since Russell would otherwise stay put.

 

And now a newly Ferrari driver free Sauberomeo suddenly need a driver.