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Did anybody watch the paint dry in Melbourne?


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#1 Greg Locock

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Posted 16 March 2014 - 23:09

I took a look in RC but gave up. In terms of entertainment value, the only good bits were when "Ted from the pits" informed us that the cars don't have spark plugs. The racing seemed neither better or worse than the last time I watched. Oh well, I'll switch on again for Monaco.



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#2 Siddley

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Posted 16 March 2014 - 23:25

I think the last F1 race I watched was when Damon Hill won the British GP and Murray Walker ended up crying ( bless him  ;)  )

 

The technology fascinates me, but the racing bores me to tears.



#3 gruntguru

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 01:57

If the racing has improved (some feel it has) it would be due to the decreased downforce. The cars are demanding more input from the driver.

 

On the negative side:

 - Reliability issues arising from new technology and increased complexity.

 - DRS is giving the following car a little too much advantage.

 - Some teams have issues with rear braking consistency. I think harvesting from the front wheels would help a lot.

 - It would be good if the viewing public had live information on fuel strategy, consumption etc

 - Other teams need to lift their game soon if a Mercedes whitewash is to be avoided.



#4 George Costanza

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 02:24

It was over from the very first turn. Sort of like Red Bull in 2010-2011 and Ferrari in 2004.

 

That's not what you want to see. But I am hopefull Williams will be right there.



#5 Magoo

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 02:37

I heard some casual fans loudly objecting to Ricciardo's post-race exclusion. Clearly, they had little understanding of the technical issues but they were unhappy all the same. What do you more informed observers think about it? 



#6 Greg Locock

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 02:39

" - It would be good if the viewing public had live information on fuel strategy, consumption etc"

 

That was my impression, but then we don't have access to many other parameters either.



#7 LoudHoward

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 03:03

 

 - It would be good if the viewing public had live information on fuel strategy, consumption etc

 

Would the FIA or the teams supply this information? Presumably there would be a difference between the two   ;)



#8 desmo

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 03:49

Didn't see the race (04:00 local), but Q3 was fun. I don't think the racing last year was bad at all, it's easy to wax nostalgic but I seem to remember plenty of processional racing in the misty past. F1 has seldom been a place to go for competitive drama.

#9 gruntguru

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 04:57

I heard some casual fans loudly objecting to Ricciardo's post-race exclusion. Clearly, they had little understanding of the technical issues but they were unhappy all the same. What do you more informed observers think about it? 

There is a thread at RC already headed for 1000 posts in one day.

 

http://www.autosport...rce=mostpopular  Stewards statement.

 

and Christian Horner's response

 

 

“We had a fuel flow sensor that was fitted to the car that we believed to be in error, and therefore based our calculation on the fuel that the injectors were providing to the engine, which is a calibrated piece of equipment that is consistent and standard across the weekend that we’ve seen zero variance in.

“We wouldn’t be appealing if we didn’t think that we had a defendable case. It’s disappointing that this has happened, it’s certainly no fault of Daniel.

 

Regarding the fact that the team ignored requests from the FIA to make an adjustment during the race, he said: “They informed us and we informed them that we had serious concerns over their sensor. We believed in our reading, otherwise you are in a situation where you are reducing significant amounts of power with the engine, when we believed we fully comply with the regulations. If we end up with that situation, depending on the calibration of your sensor, the plus and minus, it will dictate quite simply who is competitive and who isn’t.”



#10 malbear

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 07:11

Here is what the press is reporting

 

http://www.abc.net.a...et-cars/5326388



#11 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 07:53

I watched the race, probably will watch less of them in future.It was more exciting than watching paint dry, though a good FF race is better. And a whole lot less stupidly technical. I think the FF makes more noise too.  Porkers and Supercars defenitly do.And neither of them are that exciting!

FIA again has shot itself in the foot with dodgey sensors and the like. The moronic brake by wire is going to cause far more accidents.

Where is Toyota, they can race Prius technology.



#12 kikiturbo2

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 08:22

It is sad when the safety car makes better noise than all the race cars..



#13 275 GTB-4

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 08:51

I took a look in RC but gave up. In terms of entertainment value, the only good bits were when "Ted from the pits" informed us that the cars don't have spark plugs. The racing seemed neither better or worse than the last time I watched. Oh well, I'll switch on again for Monaco.


Ohhhh thanks for the kick in the nuts Greg :kiss:...most Australian's were just wishing the local buffoons would just stick to the local interviews and leave the tech stuff to people who know...but NO! :rolleyes:


Edited by 275 GTB-4, 17 March 2014 - 08:52.


#14 Sulman

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 13:33

Did I watch the same race? People are suggesting it was boring? Bottas's fight through the field and overtakes were dull?

 

People really don't like change. 



#15 7MGTEsup

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 14:47

I took a look in RC but gave up. In terms of entertainment value, the only good bits were when "Ted from the pits" informed us that the cars don't have spark plugs. The racing seemed neither better or worse than the last time I watched. Oh well, I'll switch on again for Monaco.

Why would you switch on for the most processional race of the year?



#16 Nemo1965

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 18:51

I am a bit amazed to find this topic in the technical forum. But let me say this: there is no way pleasing people. There were few overtaking moves. DRS and KRS gave too many overtaking moves. Now there are too few overtaking moves again. 

 

Well...

 

A better question for this thread would be: what kind of overtaking moves would we, technically schooled and/or technically interested race-fans want and how would WE change the rules to ensure those overtaking moves?



#17 kikiturbo2

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 19:27

I get much more pleasure from 20 min of aussie V8 supercars than whole season of F1.... that is your answer.. . :)


Edited by kikiturbo2, 17 March 2014 - 19:27.


#18 Nemo1965

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 20:08

That's fine but we are discussing F1. 



#19 Greg Locock

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 20:29

"Why would you switch on for the most processional race of the year?" I wanted to see what the new cars were like, and whether 'the spectacle' had improved.

 

My summary is that the new cars don't really seem that different, so the spectacle hasn't changed, and adding more inscrutable layers of technology that are not accessible by spectators at race time merely adds a technological snakes and ladders game to the race.



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#20 kikiturbo2

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 20:30

well Nemo, I think you answered yourself, partially...

 

as a race fan, I like to watch racing, not pure fuel-tire management, which is what F1 has become.

 

As someone in automotive marketing I understand that F1 is a complex product, which is part spectator sport, and part brand image enhancer. As brand image tool it is doing a so-so job of showing off latest in hybrid technology which is than somehow related to their street product.

As a spectator sport it is failing miserably because it is too sanitized. A major factor in the atractivness of racing is not so much in the number of passes during the race, but in visual representation of cars being driven on, or over, the limit. So, DRS is not the answer for me because it is to artificial. Cars need to be able to be driven a bit over the limit (visually) and not get too penalized. This means a degree of oversteer, for sure, and less aero penalty when driven behind/alongside. I'd say give them better tires and simpler wings, get rid of the fuel flow limit, and just have fixed ammount of fuel for the race and be done with it...


Edited by kikiturbo2, 17 March 2014 - 20:30.


#21 GreenMachine

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 21:04

Why would you switch on for the most processional race of the year?

 

Well done that man!



#22 Nemo1965

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 21:04

well Nemo, I think you answered yourself, partially...

 

as a race fan, I like to watch racing, not pure fuel-tire management, which is what F1 has become.

 

As someone in automotive marketing I understand that F1 is a complex product, which is part spectator sport, and part brand image enhancer. As brand image tool it is doing a so-so job of showing off latest in hybrid technology which is than somehow related to their street product.

As a spectator sport it is failing miserably because it is too sanitized. A major factor in the atractivness of racing is not so much in the number of passes during the race, but in visual representation of cars being driven on, or over, the limit. So, DRS is not the answer for me because it is to artificial. Cars need to be able to be driven a bit over the limit (visually) and not get too penalized. This means a degree of oversteer, for sure, and less aero penalty when driven behind/alongside. I'd say give them better tires and simpler wings, get rid of the fuel flow limit, and just have fixed ammount of fuel for the race and be done with it...

 

 

Thank you for your answer, but I did see cars on the limit this race. Bottas ruined his race because of a surge of oversteer (he managed to correct it with a lot of overtakes), Magnussen almost oversteered at the start, several drivers on the BBC commented on their qualifying laps and pointed at the times they almost lost it, Hamilton confessed he almost lost it during his pole-lap.

 

During the race I could see most drivers really deal with the car (except Button, mr. Smooth, mr. I've got eyes in the helicopter).

 

There is only thing that I thought really worse this year, and that was the sound...


Edited by Nemo1965, 17 March 2014 - 21:05.


#23 Wuzak

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 08:53

You also have to remember that the Australian GP is the second heaviest fuel consumption races. The first is the Canadian GP.

 

Other tracks will easily be concluded with less than 100kg of fuel.

 

Monaco, will, no doubt, be one of them. And it should be spectacular, since oversteer is very much in evidence this year.

 

And they are fast. For now, only in a straight line. Estimates for speed at Monza are 360-370km/h. Speeds we last saw with the 900hp V10s.

 

By the end of the season they should be approaching last year's lap times.

 

And these have to be the least sorted F1 cars at the first race for a very long time.