Making F1 Better…
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Robert Kubica has been quoted as saying this when asked his opinion of the adjustable rear wing:
“Why is it only now that people are noticing that overtaking is difficult? … I watched my first Formula One race in 1997, and there was not much overtaking then.” (ESPN F1)
Is is me or is he the first driver to have the same thoughts as most long term F1 fans? I thought I was reading a quote from Keith when I read this!
The Classic F1 on the BBC, it actually seems like the older races don’t have much action at all. It’s the races from the past 10 years that are the really exciting ones I find.
As someone said in the comments a few days ago, we only know about the best moments in f1 history.
Watching the Gilles vs. Arnoux battle makes everyone think it was like that the whole time back then, but apparently it’s as rare as the Kubica vs. Massa battle.
Yeah I’ve thought this when watching the classic F1 races. Sometimes the leader finishes so far ahead of the rest of the field, there’s hardly any overtakes and the cars finish nowhere near each other. I guess like Enigma said you only remember the best bits, which I’m sure means in 30 odd years times these last few seasons will seem absolutely amazing!
I was saying this a lot after Bahrain (which apparently had the most overtakes it’s ever had anyway, I think). Masses of overtaking has never been a staple of F1.
I am glad Kubica can be nicely outspoken and have a simple line ready. He is right, most races remembered for years afterwards are remembered precisely because they stand out from the rest.
Look at last year, how many races have been really exiting for the racing going on (not a majestic drive from one driver or tactical calls but overtaking etc.) on track? Possibly 2-3 races.
The same is true for most years. As somebody commented on Valencia being boring, it is good because those processions make you realize how special this race in Canada was.
I am not old enough to remember the 80s or early to mid 90s F1, I only started watching every race in 2005, but I feel the only reason people see these older generations as better is because we only see highlights, the dullness is brushed aside. 2010 season, can be remembered now for Bahrain ect but in 20 years we will not talk about that, it will be things like Canada an Turkey. It’s like how the dull car park race in Las Vegas is not mentioned!!
Yeah I really wish they would just leave it alone after they ban the DD difusor. If im honest i would like f1 to time warp back to 2005, the last true f1 season, with out any of this BS cost cutting or puny v8 engines.
I think fully adjustable front and rear wings would help though, just because they’d make the cars greener by drag cutting, an faster into the braking zones. This only the rear guy gets an advantage is ridiculous, completley artificial and quite unfair.
Fully adjustable wings, and KERS could make a real differance, as well as encourage more mistakes.
F1 can always be improved but at the moment, the competative nature of the teams isn’t making that too needed.
” If im honest i would like f1 to time warp back to 2005,”
To be fair though there have been some good changes since then. The cars are back on slicks and have lost traction control so it’s not all been a disaster. Plus we could get kers back which will provide the “puny v8” cars with a bit more speed :P
There’s nothing wrong with having V8’s – sure they don’t sound as good, but it’s the engine freeze and rev limit that’s the limitation, not so much the number of cylinders. I’m sure that without an engine freeze we’d be getting back towards 1000bhp and if that were the case then regulations would have to be stifled in other areas, such as aerodynamics…Now there’s a thought…
Well if we do reach 1000hp we just have to make sure the crash structure can keep up with the impacts, so long as ridiculous crashes like Kubica’s still don’t kill anyone we can afford to make the cars faster
Robert’s right there. I think the level of overtaking is fine as it is, given the season so far represents what is yet to come, over-taking wise.
Whilst on the subject of improving F1, I still think drivers should be given more autonomy on how quick their car is. F1 seems a bit too spec-league for my liking at the minute, where the driver’s pace is largely determined by the car and the speed of the teams development against other teams. There’ll be a lot of talent further down the field which I can guess will either go unrecognised or short-lived.
While I think driver-adjustable bodywork will work well – and maybe turn out better than most people believe – I still think that there is one overwhelmingly simple solution which could create more overtaking and wouldn’t be against the spirit of f1. That would be a return to manual gearboxes (preferably manual sequential). While it might not create masses of overtaking, it would really make the difference between a driver who can maintain a perfect race and those who muck up. Can you also imagine one driver piling on the pressure to the one in front, who then makes a mistake, and so loses their place? I personally think those moments would be truly memorable!
Also not sure how much this would make a difference, but how about removing those rev counters? We saw how much trouble Button had with that at Spain, it would really mean drivers who can learn a true feel for the car would excel. If these 2 rule changes could be implemented (and would have these intended effects in the first place!) then there’d be more overtaking and driver skill would reign supreme -and isn’t that what formula 1 is all about?
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