23 replies to this topic

[mangeliiito]

Saw a video on YouTube and just start too think about this year and I couldn't remember any big crashes this year. Which is quite funny when you think of that some people say the drivers are worse than they were a couple of years ago. Does my memory fail me or is true that there are fewer crashes this year?

If so, what does that depend on? Are the cars easier to drive so it's harder to make mistakes? 

And I'm talking about crashes now, not cars touching - those I can remember quite a few of.. 

[PayasYouRace]

The drivers aren't on the limit as much with the current tyres. When you're driving at less than 10/10ths it's less likely you'll make a huge mistake, and if you do make a mistake it's easier to correct.

[Nonesuch]

If so, what does that depend on? Are the cars easier to drive so it's harder to make mistakes? 

 

Not easier necessarily, but I wouldn't be surprised if the drivers are just not pushing the cars as much, or as long, as they would have in years past.

 

I'm sure the increase of car-park tracks has helped, too. Whatever else is true, at least the large tarmac run-offs give people a better chance at avoiding the wall.

[Diablobb81]

Can't crash if you are driving on eggs and you have tarmac the size of airports.

[Risil]

Not easier necessarily, but I wouldn't be surprised if the drivers are just not pushing the cars as much, or as long, as they would have in years past.

 

I'm sure the increase of car-park tracks has helped, too. Whatever else is true, at least the large tarmac run-offs give people a better chance at avoiding the wall.

 

Nailed it in one. Well, two.

 

Have we also seen fewer drivers colliding with each other? This could solely be down to Grosjean and Maldonado cooling down of course.

[Slackbladder]

Two reasons:

1) Tyres

2) every increasing downforce makes cars easier to drive.

[SenorSjon]

Nailed it in one. Well, two.

 

Have we also seen fewer drivers colliding with each other? This could solely be down to Grosjean and Maldonado cooling down of course.

Tracks are also as wide as they are long. I guess with all the pay drivers around, they have to pay for their own damages instead of the team.

[fisssssi]

Grosjean calmed down and Maldonado was given a slower car.

 

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[spacekid]

I've noticed this too, I can't think of a single OMG moment during any races this year. Touches with another car will always happen, but I can hardly remember a single driver taking themselves out of the race with a driving error. Ricciardo at Singapore I think, can't remember any others.

 

Although the big concrete run offs mean some mistakes go unpunished, there are still plenty of races on the calendar with grass and gravel to punish a driving error, but I haven't seen it.

 

Its good that we don't have big crashes injuring drivers.

 

I do quite miss seeing drivers obviously on the edge and pushing hard, sometimes with mistakes that are punished. I don't think the standard of driving is so much higher, so suspect that the challenge has been diluted somewhat.

[Boxerevo]

Adrenaline now must be too low for crashes.

 

They are so slow now that i am sure everybody is thinking much better about points.

[ANF]

You must have forgotten Maldonado's and Massa's crashes in Monaco.

[johnmhinds]

Monaco had 5 largish crashes and the race was stopped at one point because the track was blocked.

 

Other than that most accidents this year have been spins caused by tyre/wheel nut failures or over optimistic passing attempts that have just resulted in wing damage or the odd front wheel being knocked off.

[JensonWDC]

Can't crash if you are driving on eggs and you have tarmac the size of airports.

 

  well said

[SenorSjon]

Monaco had 5 largish crashes and the race was stopped at one point because the track was blocked.

 

Other than that most accidents this year have been spins caused by tyre/wheel nut failures or over optimistic passing attempts that have just resulted in wing damage or the odd front wheel being knocked off.

 They are so used to skipping track limits, that, they also tried it at Monaco. Needless to say, that didn't work.

[Eff One 2002]

suspect that the challenge has been diluted somewhat.

Sadly, you suspect correctly.

[xforce1]

How can they crash when there is no longer nothing to crash into? Almost every track is now an open tilke car park which allows drivers to make massive mistakes with zero penalty. In the past if they ran wide, the my might catch a curb or gravel and be thrown into a wall, but the drivers all complained that this was 'too dangerous' and this is the result. Racing around in car parks with no risks and crashes which used to be a hall mark of the sport. It will only get worse. I will be done with the sport inn a few years, as its just diluted to the point of being pointless.

[George Costanza]

I've noticed this too, I can't think of a single OMG moment during any races this year. Touches with another car will always happen, but I can hardly remember a single driver taking themselves out of the race with a driving error. Ricciardo at Singapore I think, can't remember any others.

 

Although the big concrete run offs mean some mistakes go unpunished, there are still plenty of races on the calendar with grass and gravel to punish a driving error, but I haven't seen it.

 

Its good that we don't have big crashes injuring drivers.

 

I do quite miss seeing drivers obviously on the edge and pushing hard, sometimes with mistakes that are punished. I don't think the standard of driving is so much higher, so suspect that the challenge has been diluted somewhat.

 

 

Most likely this. They do not drive like they used too, in the 2000 season for an example of the battle between Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. Now that was on the limit indeed!

[McLarenNo1]

It is due to F1 being like endurance racing now though but more extreme. You can't really push the car anymore for a whole lap and anymore laps at that pace, you are in big trouble. Before you could do literally qualifying laps, lap after lap. Also given how considerably faster F1 was only just a few years back, it also tested your fitness and mental strength to drive at such a pace with car on the limit. Now you have drivers looking quite fresh faced coming out of car and also sounding more relaxed on team radio. It will be interesting to see current F1 drivers reactions if they once again get to drive on tyres which you can push an F1 car lap after lap. It will be like going up a Formula for drivers again. It is amazing to think that if the slowest teams this year had the 2010 tyres, they could be contenders for race wins.

 

Also another thing is due to tyre marbles, you have a very limited racing line now too so DRS passes would be favourable for drivers than lose time going off-line in more demanding corners and stressing the tyres too much. The tyres generally tame drivers quite a bit so it is a bit more gentlemanly on track and drivers concerned more about the delta to run to and strategy to get into clean air than compromising stint length and pace by either trying to defend or overtake unless it is easy to do.

[xforce1]

It is due to F1 being like endurance racing now though but more extreme. You can't really push the car anymore for a whole lap and anymore laps at that pace, you are in big trouble. Before you could do literally qualifying laps, lap after lap. Also given how considerably faster F1 was only just a few years back, it also tested your fitness and mental strength to drive at such a pace with car on the limit. Now you have drivers looking quite fresh faced coming out of car and also sounding more relaxed on team radio. It will be interesting to see current F1 drivers reactions if they once again get to drive on tyres which you can push an F1 car lap after lap. It will be like going up a Formula for drivers again. It is amazing to think that if the slowest teams this year had the 2010 tyres, they could be contenders for race wins.

 

Also another thing is due to tyre marbles, you have a very limited racing line now too so DRS passes would be favourable for drivers than lose time going off-line in more demanding corners and stressing the tyres too much. The tyres generally tame drivers quite a bit so it is a bit more gentlemanly on track and drivers concerned more about the delta to run to and strategy to get into clean air than compromising stint length and pace by either trying to defend or overtake unless it is easy to do.

 

No its nothing to do with that.  The instant we moved to real classic racing tracks like Monaco and Suzuka we saw plenty of crashes. The drivers still push hard, but the problem is now they rarely have anything to crash into. The tilke tracks are a cancer to the sport with their car park spaces and 30 metre wide tracks which have removed all the challenge of the sport. Soon they will remove all curbs and just race over white painted lines as its 'safer'

 

I blame the drivers as much as the sports administrators as all they have done is bitch and whine about everything that makes them slightly uncomfortable. They are kids compared to real men of previous era's.

Edited by xforce1, 02 November 2013 - 03:38.

[bourbon]

Grosjean and Maldonado seem to be doing better.  They were responsible for many of the crashes last season. 

[Fastcake]

There has been a noticeable decrease in crashes over the past few years, especially in first corner incidents. It's more to do with the fact that drivers have much more opportunities to get past nowadays, rather than being artificially stuck behind another car and having to throw some do or die type move into a corner.

[engineblock1]

I may sound stupid and unreasonable, but I believe fans view crashes and reliability failures as entertainment. To them, it's an essential part of a race and without it, the race is simply boring for them

[Risil]

Crashes and mechanical failures are validation that machinery is being pushed to the limit. Otherwise you have to take it on trust that they're all trying really hard.

Edited by Risil, 02 November 2013 - 14:48.

[RedBullFan]

I noticed the same thing... less exciting, but it's sport after all, we don't need crashes to enjoy ourselves.