Alonso starts...

[Zico]

Whats the story with Alonsos starts this season? I dont remember him being quite so brilliant off the line in recent years.. prefection! Its just strange that no-one else, not even Felipe, has focussed on or been able to find the perfect start technique

Do teams measure humidity in real time, estimate surface grip, tyre temps etc, enter it into into a program to decide what revs to use and relay it to the driver? Or is it totally down to the drivers feel for available grip and for them to choose within the rev range window?

[SGWilko]

Whats the story with Alonsos starts this season? I dont remember him being quite so brilliant off the line in recent years.. prefection! Its just strange that no-one else, not even Felipe, has focussed on or been able to find the perfect start technique

Do teams measure humidity in real time, estimate surface grip, tyre temps etc, enter it into into a program to decide what revs to use and relay it to the driver? Or is it totally down to the drivers feel for available grip and for them to choose within the rev range window?

Given that the start of a race gives a driver the potential to make up a lot of positions, start procedure is a big focus, yes. Unfortunately, with there being so many variables beyond the engineers' control, it is far from an exact science.

[Mia 01]

This is interesting, Felipse starts is usually not on par with Alonsos.

Marks starts are way worse than Sebs. I don´t think it´s about reaction time only it must be some technical thing or other skill.

[555-04Q2]

Using illegal TC systems :p :

[Zico]

Spain this year.. the perfect start.

F1 2011 Alonso Start Onboard Spain - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL0UC665cFg&feature=related)

I imagine the clutches like on all competition cars have next to no degree of slip.. either on or off but notice how his hand stays down (On the clutch?) as though he is 'riding' it... or more likely, is he simply ready to dip it for a fraction of a second the moment he detects wheelspin?

[Big Ben]

Green lights and Alonso takes off, he's passed Webber, he's passed Vettel.... well it's time for an ad break.. we'll be back by lap 3 for the overtaking show.

[ioan]

For what's worth MS had better starts then anyone else this season.

[airshifter]

No offense towards MS intended, but he has made a lot of starts more towards the middle of the pack. Making passes on the lesser cars and drivers is a bit less difficult than taking out the front of the field with good drivers.

[i_max2k2]

No offense towards MS intended, but he has made a lot of starts more towards the middle of the pack. Making passes on the lesser cars and drivers is a bit less difficult than taking out the front of the field with good drivers.


Well at the start I'd say most cars are equal, its probably more difficult to parse through narrow gaps in the middle, and putting your car at the right place on the first corner then to look for space at the front. Its exactly the other way around of what you said.

[airshifter]

Well at the start I'd say most cars are equal, its probably more difficult to parse through narrow gaps in the middle, and putting your car at the right place on the first corner then to look for space at the front. Its exactly the other way around of what you said.

I'm not stating the skill required is lesser, I don't feel it is. But we are comparing a 7 time WDC to the "middle of the pack" drivers, who have much less experience and cars more in line with what MS is driving. Once again not to be critical of MS but the task would be greater IMO if he was surrounded by the other WDCs and people who came close who at the time are in better cars and most often closer to the front of the pack.

[jens]

Funny that people talk about Alonso's starts being so great. From what I remember, during 2010 and a fair bit of 2011, Massa's starts have actually been better than Alonso's - one of the very few areas, where the Brazilian has had a superiority. Alonso has had a couple of very impressive getaways (Barcelona, Monza), but people talk about it like it's the norm.

[ioan]

Funny that people talk about Alonso's starts being so great. From what I remember, during 2010 and a fair bit of 2011, Massa's starts have actually been better than Alonso's - one of the very few areas, where the Brazilian has had a superiority. Alonso has had a couple of very impressive getaways (Barcelona, Monza), but people talk about it like it's the norm.

Alonso fans have a way to remember only the very last race, and that only if he did something positive. ;)

[kfzmeister]

Lol, that's good for any fan when remembering his fav driver, no?

[ioan]

Lol, that's good for any fan when remembering his fav driver, no?

Some are more realistic.

[Zico]

His starts have impressed me a few times this season, maybe I've started looking out for them and I'm focusing more on them than other drivers but Im no Alonso fanboy! Check back my post history if you like.. I've probably mentioned his name once when I rated him in the top 4 of the current crop of F1 drivers but I imagine most on here would.

[kfzmeister]

Now if Ferrari could just get their siht together and build a contender.
(keeps fingers crossed for next year)

[kfzmeister]

His starts have impressed me a few times this season, maybe I've started looking out for them and I'm focusing more on them than other drivers but Im no Alonso fanboy! Check back my post history if you like.. I've probably mentioned his name once when I rated him in the top 4 of the current crop of F1 drivers but I imagine most on here would.

You're just in the closet still! I am a fanboi and have openly been admitting it for a long time. I feel free! Lol

[Big Ben]

His starts have impressed me a few times this season, maybe I've started looking out for them and I'm focusing more on them than other drivers but Im no Alonso fanboy! Check back my post history if you like.. I've probably mentioned his name once when I rated him in the top 4 of the current crop of F1 drivers but I imagine most on here would.

It's time to say it out loud. Your an Alonso fanboy. Someday you'll grow up and see things more clearly and neutrally and you'll be able to comment about the Alonso's better starts in the Vettel's awesome starts thread too :laugh:

[Big Ben]

For what's worth MS had better starts then anyone else this season.

it's worth almost nothing

[kfzmeister]

it's worth almost nothing

Not what Michael said after Monza!

[Zico]

You're just in the closet still! I am a fanboi and have openly been admitting it for a long time. I feel free! Lol



It's time to say it out loud. Your an Alonso fanboy. Someday you'll grow up and see things more clearly and neutrally and you'll be able to comment about the Alonso's better starts in the Vettel's awesome starts thread too :laugh:


:laugh:

[Warriwa]

In my opinion, over the years, these three drivers generally have great starts. Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton.
Compared to their team mates, these three drivers generally have bad starts. Webber, Massa, Button.

[Daniel]

In my opinion, over the years, these three drivers generally have great starts. Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton.
Compared to their team mates, these three drivers generally have bad starts. Webber, Massa, Button.

I agree, in 2009 Jenson had a terrible start. Oh wait......

[jens]

In my opinion, over the years, these three drivers generally have great starts. Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton.
Compared to their team mates, these three drivers generally have bad starts. Webber, Massa, Button.

Seems a bit simplistic overview. Vettel has had good starts in 2011, but in 2010 and 2009 his starts weren't particularly impressive, often losing positions (in 2009 he didn't have KERS either, which didn't help). In contrast, Massa's starts have usually been good.

Perhaps one more could be added - Schumacher's starts have been a tad bit better than Rosberg's over the last two years. But Nico has managed some fine getaways also.