1228 replies to this topic

[jonpollak]

2022 race schedule



Jp

[SouthF1]

I don't get why they run so few races each season. A total of 4 hours of racetime...in a whole year.. of which at least an hour will be behind the Safety Car.

They should do 2 races each race weekend.

[Sterzo]

I don't get why they run so few races each season. A total of 4 hours of racetime...in a whole year.. of which at least an hour will be behind the Safety Car.

They should do 2 races each race weekend.

Cost. Bear in mind it's centrally funded and unlikely to have been profitable so far.

[Disgrace]

Racing these cars at Paul Ricard strikes me as a terrible idea.

[PayasYouRace]

Racing these cars at Paul Ricard strikes me as a terrible idea.

Why do you say that?

[Anja]

Cost. Bear in mind it's centrally funded and unlikely to have been profitable so far.

 

I'm not an expert but if cost is the primary issue, wouldn't it be better value to have let's say 4 events with 2 races each than 8 single race events? All this travelling around the world for a single 30-minute race just doesn't seem very optimal to me. In any aspect, really. 

Edited by Anja, 27 January 2022 - 17:14.

[SouthF1]

I'm not an expert but if cost is the primary issue, wouldn't it be better value to have let's say 4 events with 2 races each than 8 single race events? All this travelling around the world for a single 30-minute race just doesn't seem very optimal to me. In any aspect, really.

Exactly my thought when I saw the calendar. Races really widespread all over the world. Much smarter to do double rounds each time instead.

The fact also that it's 3 months between race 5 and 6 is also terrible.

Edited by SouthF1, 27 January 2022 - 18:44.

[Disgrace]

Why do you say that?

 
These cars were already lethargic-looking on F1-grade circuits without racing on the biggest carpark of them all. I echo the sentiments about the calendar too. Things seem mismanaged, sadly.

[PayasYouRace]

 
These cars were already lethargic-looking on F1-grade circuits without racing on the biggest carpark of them all. I echo the sentiments about the calendar too. Things seem mismanaged, sadly.

Yeah I see what you mean. They would do better at the smaller circuits.

[jonpollak]

Monday sees the try outs for the 15 drivers nominated for next seasons races.

https://wseries.com/...a-test-lowdown/

Jp

[Ross Stonefeld]

Holy **** that's in the middle of nowhere. I can't even make a cross-forum joke about a spontaneous lap of the Phoenix oval 

[PayasYouRace]

Looks like someone was supposed to book a test at Indy and got the name wrong.

[maximilian]

Looks like someone was supposed to book a test at Indy and got the name wrong.

 

[balage06]

Monday sees the try outs for the 15 drivers nominated for next seasons races.

https://wseries.com/...a-test-lowdown/

Jp

 

A bit of transparency would be great regarding the selection process. And by that, I don't mean I want them to publish a ranking of the drivers at the end of the event, but it would be great to know what and how exactly they measure and decide the outcome. Maybe a short description of how that particular driver impressed them.

Edited by balage06, 31 January 2022 - 08:05.

[jonpollak]

Yeah.. would be nice huh balage06.
We already know that we’ll get no info on that as it doesn’t suit their game plan of a tightly choreographed affair.
Jp

[SouthF1]

A bit of transparency would be great regarding the selection process. And by that, I don't mean I want them to publish a ranking of the drivers at the end of the event, but it would be great to know what and how exactly they measure and decide the outcome. Maybe a short description of how that particular driver impressed them.

W Series is weird.

They never even publish qualy laptimes or race results.

Until they start doing that I can't take them serious.

[PayasYouRace]

No, they never publish qualy lap times and race results. What kind of series would do that?

Oh wait: https://wseries.com/seasons/2021/

[Sterzo]

Or you could even read about free practice times on Autosport, said to have some connection with this forum. For example:

 

https://www.autospor...header/6700502/

[SouthF1]

No, they never publish qualy lap times and race results. What kind of series would do that?

Oh wait: https://wseries.com/seasons/2021/

I'm talking about on their social media.

There is no info about qualy times or even a single post for the reminder of the day most times after qualy has taken place.

And on race day they only post the positions of the top 10, no times or gaps.

And the rest of the field is forgotten.

Edited by SouthF1, 01 February 2022 - 21:46.

[SouthF1]

Or you could even read about free practice times on Autosport, said to have some connection with this forum. For example:

https://www.autospor...header/6700502/

What does the W Series social media have to do with Autosport? Does the admin run both?

[PayasYouRace]

I'm talking about on their social media.

There is no info about qualy times or even a single post for the reminder of the day most times after qualy has taken place.

And on race day they only post the positions they finish in, no times or gaps.

 

Oh but now you're talking about live updates, not publishing results. You were suggesting that their secrecy was the reason for you not taking an interest (though you're here talking about it). But they're not keeping these things secret. They're just not publishing them in the manner that suits you.

[SouthF1]

Oh but now you're talking about live updates, not publishing results. You were suggesting that their secrecy was the reason for you not taking an interest (though you're here talking about it). But they're not keeping these things secret. They're just not publishing them in the manner that suits you.

Yes hence why I used the word "I" can't take them seriously. I never said anything about interest either. I have watched every race since it's beginning.

But when people keep asking about the results and their social media accounts AND their website often have 24 hours of silence after especially qualys, which im not always able to watch it sends quite an unprofessional message about the whole series. And i'm not talking about live updates, im talking about posting the results of the qualy or the race after it has finished.

Sometimes you just want to know how the qualy went. Not wait for an Autosport article to be published 4 hours later to find out.

[Sterzo]

Now I've heard everything. We've had a couple of seasons of a novel and thoroughly entertaining motor racing series, and you can't take it seriously because they don't give live updates on social media?

[jonpollak]

Irina posts updates, sometimes 3 or 4 a day, on her Инстаграм.
Even when she’s not racing…

Jp

[SouthF1]

Now I've heard everything. We've had a couple of seasons of a novel and thoroughly entertaining motor racing series, and you can't take it seriously because they don't give live updates on social media?

How is not a single qualy/race result within 24 hours or sometimes EVER a live update.😂

After qualy, if you are lucky, they post who finished 1-3, without the laptimes. Nothing about how the rest of the field qualified.

Then 24 hours later, just as the race is about to start they post the full starting positions, without laptimes.

Then after the race they post who finished 1-10, without any times or gaps.
Rest of the field is again completely invisible and then that's it for the weekend.

Same goes for every practice session. You get to know who finished 1-3, without laptimes.

Where people finish and what laptimes they do are QUITE important in racing.

It's like football would start to not show the results of the games, only who won.
And only the top 3 winning teams who scored the most goals. But you don't get to know how many they scored. 😂 And the rest of the winning teams are not even shown at all. 😅

[SouthF1]

Irina posts updates, sometimes 3 or 4 a day, on her Инстаграм.
Even when she’s not racing…

Jp

Then she should take over the role as media admin for W Series when she is done racing in the series.

After quickly going through her Instagram I can't find a single result so I guess they were posted in stories but I highly doubt they are full grid race result anyway.

Edited by SouthF1, 01 February 2022 - 22:17.

[jonpollak]

She’s got slightly higher aspirations than that my friend.
Jp

[SouthF1]

She’s got slightly higher aspirations than that my friend.
Jp

If only you could say that about the W Series social media efforts.

[jonpollak]

I’d suggest you send a letter to Matt Bishop and Anne Bradshaw and detail your dissatisfaction.

You’ll likely get a response from them.

Jp

[BRG]

The tyranny of social media gets more and more oppressive.  

 

Has Jamie Chadwick retired?  She hasn't tweeted today to tell us that she is still an active racer.  

[jonpollak]

She’s at the ROC Sweden racing on ice !
Sketchy internet access near the. NorthPole
Jp

[SouthF1]

She’s at the ROC Sweden racing on ice !
Sketchy internet access near the. NorthPole
Jp

She's posting on Instagram every day.

The forests and lakes of Piteå most likely have better Internet connection than where she's from lol.

[jonpollak]

There ya go..
insta-gratification

Jp

[Marklar]

Caitlyn Jenner is entering a team and becomes a TP

that'll certainly give it loads attention

[Ross Stonefeld]

I still dont understand these "teams". What is there to even run if you're the team boss? The series picks the drivers, they rotate(?) the mechanics and share(?) the engineers. You can do very little with the cars themselves. Are they just clustering a few cars together under one banner for sponsorship purposes? So Team Jenner makes x-dollars and the series gets some? Or ? 

[Jellyfishcake]

This is both unexpected and a bit confusing,

 

Is this a new team in the sense more girls will be racing this season? (20 instead of 18 etc) 

Or just a 'team' in the sense it's a sponsor/livery and others will be announced like Veloce etc last season? 

[Ben1445]

Confusing is the word. I am certainly still none the wiser as to whether these teams are just arbitrary ownership/sponsorship slots pasted on top of the former no-teams model or whether there's going to be (now or in the future) individual car-prep/race-engineering organisation behind each one.
 
I believe they still did engine rotation last season but I think the chassis became effectively assigned to a single driver (?). 
 
Edit: turns out not even The Race is sure...

 

"W Series pivoted to a teams-based format for its second season last year, having run all of its Regional F3 cars under the same banner in its inaugural season.

These teams were largely sponsorship brands who earned named rights but had little to no impact on the running of the teams, which were all operated by a British-based racing team.

It’s currently unknown if that structure will be used in 2022, with the 2021 format initially being labelled as a “transition year”.

 

'Transition year' could apply to the idea that not all of the naming rights slots were filled... Ecurie W, Racing X and Scuderia W all being total phantom teams with names plucked out of a budget arcade game, for example...  

Edited by Ben1445, 08 February 2022 - 17:00.

[BRG]

I am not sure I care, just as long as they don't run al the cars in that bilious mauve and yellow  colour scheme.

[jonpollak]

https://youtu.be/u46qcKLIgyA

Needs a transgender or transitioning driver
Jp

[FLB]

Caitlyn Jenner is entering a team and becomes a TP

that'll certainly give it loads attention

Well, in this case, Caitlin Jenner is somebody who has actual racing credentials:

 

https://www.thedrive...race-car-driver

[Ross Stonefeld]

 

 

Ever watched the 24 Hours of Daytona? It's not an arena for amateurs. 

 

That was a good chuckle, thank you.

[PayasYouRace]

https://youtu.be/u46qcKLIgyA

Needs a transgender or transitioning driver
Jp

 

That would be T Series, surely?

[Sterzo]

Confusing is the word. I am certainly still none the wiser as to whether these teams are just arbitrary ownership/sponsorship slots pasted on top of the former no-teams model or whether there's going to be (now or in the future) individual car-prep/race-engineering organisation behind each one.
 
I believe they still did engine rotation last season but I think the chassis became effectively assigned to a single driver (?).

The mechanics and engineers are definitely still provided by the series, not by the teams. I thought (but cannot verify) they were moving to a fixed engineer per driver, but I might have imagined this.

 

As for the chassis and engines, the rules say:

 

""Prior to the first race of the season each driver will be allocated a chassis which, subject to Art. 36.2 above, will be retained for the duration of the season.

Following the first round, and for each subsequent round, the drivers who finish first, second and third will have the complete drivetrain (engine, gearbox, and associated electronics) swapped out for the corresponding components selected at random by the eligibility scrutineer from competitors finishing the same race between sixth and fourteenth positions, always ensuring that any driver never uses the same drivetrain twice in the same championship season." - source WSeries website.

[BRG]

It seems like W Series is moving very gradually towards the separate team model although I hope they retain the drivetrain swopping principle.  But not sure quite what Jenner is bringing the the party other than publicity even allowing for his (at the time) motorsport career.  A parade of Kardashians maybe? 

 

If W Series is virtue signalling with this, it might misfire given the trans vs feminist debate.  

[jonpollak]

It seems like W Series is moving very gradually towards the separate team model although I hope they retain the drivetrain swopping principle..

This is an excellent primer for the mechanics and the drivers as well. The knowledge gained should really give entry level race techs great experience. That’s where this series is strong.
Top Class Entry Level experience !!
Jp

[maximilian]

Is there a list of drivers who made the cut for this season?

[ExFlagMan]

I don't get why they run so few races each season. A total of 4 hours of racetime...in a whole year.. of which at least an hour will be behind the Safety Car.

They should do 2 races each race weekend.

 

I guess it might have something to do with the fact that they run as a support class at Grand Prix meetings, which are timetabled around F1, F2 & F3 

[SouthF1]

I guess it might have something to do with the fact that they run as a support class at Grand Prix meetings, which are timetabled around F1, F2 & F3

Yes most likely and unfortunately they chose driving infront of an attendance instead of racing on separate weekends so that they can have more track time.

4 hours of racing for a whole year... That won't develope any drivers.

[ExFlagMan]

Yes most likely and unfortunately they chose driving infront of an attendance instead of racing on separate weekends so that they can have more track time.

4 hours of racing for a whole year... That won't develope any drivers.

 

It may be a limited amount of track time, but from a drivers point of view I would suggest that even limited time in front of a GP sized crowed is probably preferable to running round in front of almost empty grandstands, especially when one is centrally funded and the other requires the driver to find up to £500,000.

Edited by ExFlagMan, 10 February 2022 - 09:15.

[jonpollak]

Is there a list of drivers who made the cut for this season?

Yes
Driver A
Driver B
Driver C

Jp