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The artificial sparks: overkill?


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240 replies to this topic

Poll: Sparks (325 member(s) have cast votes)

Are the artificial Sparks a good thing?

  1. Yes (205 votes [63.08%])

    Percentage of vote: 63.08%

  2. No (120 votes [36.92%])

    Percentage of vote: 36.92%

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#1 Graveltrappen

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:14

Back in the 80's the sparks look great... But at Bahrain it looked a bit ridiculous and actually when Vettel and Rosberg came up behind Hamilton, sparks flying out the back like a firework convention... It looked potentially dangerous.

Sparks that happen incidentally are probably a good thing, but putting plates under the car to induce sparking is a bit too artificial and 'playstation' for my liking...

Edited by Graveltrappen, 20 April 2015 - 16:19.


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#2 CountDooku

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:16

Nope, looks great! T'was the same in the 80s, we're just not used to it anymore.

 

This could do with a poll by the way.



#3 sosidge

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:19

Gimmick. Rather like forcing beach volleyball players to wear bikinis.

Looks good but adds nothing to the sport.

#4 V8 Fireworks

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:24

The sparks were far more ridiculous in the 90s...

 

 

I think they are cool - something unique to F1 and different from other "ordinary" touring car and GT racing.



#5 AustinF1

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:25

Gimmick. Rather like forcing beach volleyball players to wear bikinis.

Looks good but adds nothing to the sport.

I've known several pro and lots of amateur beach vball ladies. They all prefer the skimpy bikinis over other options! Let the girls be girls...& while I know there's no good competitive reason for the sparks, let 'em fly.


Edited by AustinF1, 20 April 2015 - 16:26.


#6 Widefoot2

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:34

I've wondered if excessive sparking is bad, as it indicates the chassis is unloading the tires whenever they're present.  So I'd imagine the best setup would have the chassis low enough for dynamic/aerodynamic reasons, but would only spark on the worst bumps or fastest straights, and (if possible) never in the corners.



#7 1Devil1

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:36

The sparks were far more ridiculous in the 90s...

https://www.youtube....h?v=O0oy5Ex9RnY

I think they are cool - something unique to F1 and different from other "ordinary" touring car and GT racing.


Far more ridiculous ? There weren't artifical created back then. It felt completely over the top yesterday because you knew it was added for show effect

#8 Otaku

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:40

The sparks were far more ridiculous in the 90s...

 

 

I think they are cool - something unique to F1 and different from other "ordinary" touring car and GT racing.

 

 

Yes, but they were REAL, a product of the rules at the time; not this artifficial crap we have nowadays.



#9 Disgrace

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:42

Are rules any less arbitrary?



#10 FerrariV12

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:42

If this is correct - https://willthef1jou.../bright-sparks/

 

Then I don't mind the regulation change and the sparks being a nice side effect.

 

Obviously, if they were brought back purely for the "show", or some sort of justification reverse-engineered with the "show" being the primary reason, then a it's thumbs down from me.



#11 Jon83

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:44

Looked great IMO.



#12 Elba

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:44

LOL when I saw those sparks yesterday I just knew someone here would start a topic to complain about it  :lol:

Don't care about the sparks, maybe they appeal to some casual fans in which case I'm fine with it.



#13 xflow7

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:47

They're fine.  They still look cool.

 

But they *way* they were introduced is a perfect case-study of how incompetent the F1 machine is at controlling its messaging and image.

 

They were so keen to be seen to be doing something that they got articles written about how the F1 Commission was hatching this plan to "spice up the spectacle", blah, blah, blah.  And the teams were going to be testing them in Austria practice last year.  For example:

 

http://www.racer.com...ustria-practice

 

So long time fans are now annoyed that they did this artificial crap.

 

What they *should* have done, is kept it all quiet - put a gag order on the teams if necessary - and tested at one of the in-season tests.  Then quietly slip the rule in with no fanfare.

 

No one would be talking about how artificial it is, only how g**d**n cool the sparks are.

 

Dumb.


Edited by xflow7, 20 April 2015 - 16:48.


#14 RealRacing

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:47

Didn't know they were artificial. If they were, crap, if they were real, cool. Can't believe the Yes is winning.



#15 GrumpyYoungMan

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:47

No they are (very) naff and yet another artifical thing...



#16 RedBaron

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:49

I hope they ban these stupid sparks so I can create a topic blasting them for banning these awesome sparks. 



#17 ninetyzero

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:49

Christ what is it with people on here? All anyone ever does is complain, "Back in my day we had proper sparks, not these new-fangled sparks you kids have nowadays". You're like a bunch of moaning old women. I like the sparks.



#18 ninetyzero

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:51

They're fine.  They still look cool.

 

But they *way* they were introduced is a perfect case-study of how incompetent the F1 machine is at controlling its messaging and image.

 

They were so keen to be seen to be doing something that they got articles written about how the F1 Commission was hatching this plan to "spice up the spectacle", blah, blah, blah.  And the teams were going to be testing them in Austria practice last year.  For example:

 

http://www.racer.com...ustria-practice

 

So long time fans are now annoyed that they did this artificial crap.

 

What they *should* have done, is kept it all quiet - put a gag order on the teams if necessary - and tested at one of the in-season tests.  Then quietly slip the rule in with no fanfare.

 

No one would be talking about how artificial it is, only how g**d**n cool the sparks are.

 

Dumb.

 

So you're fine with things being 'artificial' as long as you don't know it's artificial? Riiiiiight....



#19 Wes350

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:51

If this is correct - https://willthef1jou.../bright-sparks/
 
Then I don't mind the regulation change and the sparks being a nice side effect.
 
Obviously, if they were brought back purely for the "show", or some sort of justification reverse-engineered with the "show" being the primary reason, then a it's thumbs down from me.
 
From the Blog:
Charlie Whiting took questions from the press on a variety of topics, and his explanation of the substance and intention of the skid block regulation, when quizzed upon it by the BBC’s Andrew Benson, was fascinating.
 
The purpose of making them out of titanium is threefold: Firstly, it’s safer, because if they do come off they are about a third of the weight of the existing ones. Secondly, the titanium wears some 2-2.5 times more quickly than the metal currently used. Thus cars will have to be run a little bit higher to manage wear and teams won’t be able to drag them on the ground quite as much as they have in the past. The third effect is that you will see a lot more sparks, which some people think will look a little more spectacular.”

 
No more arbitrary or "artificial" than any other rule in F1.

Edited by Buttoneer, 21 April 2015 - 11:37.


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#20 B Squared

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:53

In the timeframe when there were the first sparks flying, I recall the commentators talking about speaking with team engineers who were trying different metals to get the most amount and greatest colors of sparks that they could create for the skid blocks. In Indy Car, when I worked the series, the skid blocks were hardwood and you smelled wood burning. The alloys to create sparks seemed okay to me then, and it certainly doesn't bother me now. I swear, some supposed fans ought to walk away from the sport if they are that desperate to find something to bitch about.



#21 Boxerevo

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:53

I was mislead by the title's thread and voted wrong in the poll. :mad:

 

I like the sparks, overtaking moves can look cooler.

 

Have fun.

 

G0_9406.jpg


Edited by Boxerevo, 20 April 2015 - 16:59.


#22 Baddoer

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:54

Looked quite stupid.



#23 SpamJet

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:56

Like the sparks, leave them alone.



#24 ninetyzero

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:59

I was mislead by the title's thread and voted wrong in the poll. :mad:

 

I like the sparks, overtaking moves can look cooler.

 

Have fun.

 

Arrg! Just realised I did the same thing. The sparks are good.



#25 Timstr11

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 16:59

I like the effect when e.g. Rosberg closed his DRS and the suspension was compressed further pushing the car further onto the track generating more sparks. It's a bit of a gimmick but harmless.

Edited by Timstr11, 20 April 2015 - 16:59.


#26 Andrew Hope

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:01

Misleading but harmless. Like a push-up bra.



#27 midgrid

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:03

The poll question is misleading as the sparks are not "artifical" as per the Will Buxton article (at least, no more artificial than any other aspect of racing formula cars).  Granted, I'm sure that the fact that they look spectacular is more than just a happy accident, but this was not the primary goal of the regulation changes.

 

It should also be borne in mind that the sparks looked particularly extreme in Bahrain as the ambient light level was far lower than a normal race; certainly anything that existed in the late 1980s/early 1990s.  Even the previous generation of cars with non-titanium skidblocks have produced obvious sparks at Singapore, for instance.



#28 Imateria

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:05

I like the effect when e.g. Rosberg closed his DRS and the suspension was compressed further pushing the car further onto the track generating more sparks. It's a bit of a gimmick but harmless.

Exactly. People should also remember it was a night race, so of course they looked especially vivid.



#29 Ross Stonefeld

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:06

You mostly saw them because it was a night race. That was the only change from the first three races.



#30 Elba

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:12

Misleading but harmless. Like a push-up bra.

Not a fan of analogies but I lolled at this one  :up:



#31 B Squared

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:13

... It looked potentially dangerous.
 

I think that motorsports, in general, has a bit of a danger element to it. If sparks from the skidplates of a car worries you, you may want to find a new sporting venture that isn't so scary for your sensibilities.



#32 KavB

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:17

I like them. I don't care if it is artificial, it looks cool and is a great way to improve the show for non hardcore viewers. 

 

It is the same with vanity panels. They were there to prevent the cars becoming ugly. It was artificial but a much welcomed addition.



#33 Mat13

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:18

For me, if the sparks are there as the result of the article posted by Wes350, then fine. I don't mind anything on/flying off the cars, so long as the reason for it is a racing one. That's my gripe with DRS- great idea, artificially implemented.

#34 Nytelotus

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:22

Misleading but harmless. Like a push-up bra.

 

I think they looked good, reminded me of older times. I like the push-ups also btw  :p



#35 Lemans

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:24

Misleading but harmless. Like a push-up bra.

 

...but always appreciated.



#36 Szoelloe

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:24

Overkill. Next season, I suggest every team hire an arabic car decorator with those shiny colorful xmass  lights. very visual. And they need honks too.



#37 GoldenColt

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:27

They look absolutely amazing, especially at night. :up:

 

EDIT: Damn, I voted "no" because I thought the thread-title was the question. Misleading!!


Edited by GoldenColt, 20 April 2015 - 17:31.


#38 kimster89

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:28

I think lots of general audience dont even know they are artificial.



#39 Afterburner

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:28

I voted 'no', on the grounds that I imagined how ridiculous it would sound when answering a newcomer's question of 'Why are they sparking so much?' with 'Oh, the rules say they have to run titanium skid blocks so that they make sparks when they bottom out.' And then, I read this:

 

If this is correct - https://willthef1jou.../bright-sparks/

 

Then I don't mind the regulation change and the sparks being a nice side effect.

 

Obviously, if they were brought back purely for the "show", or some sort of justification reverse-engineered with the "show" being the primary reason, then a it's thumbs down from me.

And sort of wished I could now change my vote to yes. The FIA does a lot of dumb a-55 stuff, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one on the grounds that 'artificial' is a pretty subjective term and Charlie actually managed to name two legitimate reasons as to why it made sense from a sporting perspective. So, all is forgiven.

 

Spark away. :)



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#40 sopa

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:29

I don't care if these sparks were 'fake' or 'real', I don't care about them. I prefer concentrating on real racing instead of random show elements. But each to their own I guess.



#41 Ross Stonefeld

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:30

They're no more artificial than they were the last time around.



#42 Gorma

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:30

I don't care if these sparks were 'fake' or 'real', I don't care about them. I prefer concentrating on real racing instead of random show elements. But each to their own I guess.

Yes. It's the same with people complaining with the sound or look of the cars.



#43 Dolph

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:31

Back in the 80's the sparks look great... But at Bahrain it looked a bit ridiculous and actually when Vettel and Rosberg came up behind Hamilton, sparks flying out the back like a firework convention... It looked potentially dangerous.

Sparks that happen incidentally are probably a good thing, but putting plates under the car to induce sparking is a bit too artificial and 'playstation' for my liking...

 

Your thread title and poll question are two opposites. You will get a lot of mistaken answers.



#44 Gorma

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:31

I was mislead by the title's thread and voted wrong in the poll. :mad:

That's the oldest trick in the book :)



#45 Nicktendo86

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:31

I like them, they do add a visual element of more speed/danger, in fact my wife commented that she couldn't watch as the cars sparking make it look too dangerous! That the skid blocks are there for another purpose also makes me very pleased.

#46 Donka

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:32

No more fake than DRS but a lot less harmless.  Would have liked to see Nico actually have to pass Vettel with pure driving on a couple of those last weekend.



#47 Dolph

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:35

I like the sparks - adds more drama to an overtaking manouvre - wheels smoking, sparks flying.



#48 Dolph

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:38

I voted 'no', on the grounds that I imagined how ridiculous it would sound when answering a newcomer's question of 'Why are they sparking so much?' with 'Oh, the rules say they have to run titanium skid blocks so that they make sparks when they bottom out.' And then, I read this:

 

And sort of wished I could now change my vote to yes. The FIA does a lot of dumb a-55 stuff, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one on the grounds that 'artificial' is a pretty subjective term and Charlie actually managed to name two legitimate reasons as to why it made sense from a sporting perspective. So, all is forgiven.

 

Spark away. :)

 

A newcomer wouldn't ask 'Why are they sparking so much?'. He would ask "Why are they sparking?". And then you answer "Oh, when the car bottoms out then the titanium skid blocks touch the ground and sparks fly."



#49 Tourgott

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:41

Pretty sure they will put a New Year rocket under the car next season to have even more artificial sparks also on daytime.

 

Edit - Btw. I also voted wrong.


Edited by Tourgott, 20 April 2015 - 17:43.


#50 Imateria

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Posted 20 April 2015 - 17:42

No more fake than DRS but a lot less harmless.  Would have liked to see Nico actually have to pass Vettel with pure driving on a couple of those last weekend.

Because a late lunge into the breaking area isn't "pure driving" enough for you? There are deffinitely times when the DRS is to much of a free pass but Nico's moves weren't amongst them. Which is impressive in itself since it wasn't that long ago he wouldn't have been that aggressive and decisive on the attack (see Malaysia and how much longer it took him to get through the pack than Lewis).