F1 safer than sleeping!

[bontebempo]

Spain have revised their circuit for safety reasons. The last bend where drivers hit 160mph no have a chicane to contend with. What next? Will the grid be using the PC's that the engineers use to play simulators? pathetic!

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39123

[ShiftingGears]

It is pathetic, and I don't know one racing driver that has supported that idea. You don't get racing when you replace challenging corners with chicanes, you get S&%^!

[ArrowsFA1]

What once was "challenging" must now be "safe". It's the way of the world today.

[ioan]

It's all the fault of insurance companies! :D

[leopard]

What once was "challenging" must now be "safe". It's the way of the world today.
true, that's why for the sake of the safe, I'd recommend always using rubber

I mean for the right tires :)

[bontebempo]

maybe the drivers could put their names in a hat and pull out who wins, comes second etc..!!! That way they would be very safe. And they could do it from their homes so to avoid any accidents on the way to the 'name out of hat' event.

[Erki]

maybe the drivers could put their names in a hat and pull out who wins, comes second etc..!!! That way they would be very safe. And they could do it from their homes so to avoid any accidents on the way to the 'name out of hat' event.

They could still cut their fingers with paper. :)

[Komahawk]

There is no such thing as "safe racing". Perfectly illustrated this season in Melbourne. Coulthardt ran over Wurz' hotrod, and only missed his head by a foot.

[ioan]

There is no such thing as "safe racing". Perfectly illustrated this season in Melbourne. Coulthardt ran over Wurz' hotrod, and only missed his head by a foot.

Given that nothing happened, and nothing serious would have happened even if the RedBull touched AW's helmet, I say it is very very safe in F1 nowadays.

[bontebempo]

They could still cut their fingers with paper. :)

true... mmmm tough one. Ok, they could 'employ' someone to place the paper in the hat. Kind of like a 'driver aid' so to speak. Except a 'place paper in hat' aid. There sorted. In 2 weeks time lets watch someone pull names out a hat for 1 and half hour with highlights sunday night. Imagine the slo mos!!!

[bontebempo]

sorry. meant take name out of hat aid.

[wedge]

Lets just wait for the GP shall we?

Apparently the reduced speed at the last corner will aid overtaking into T1.

F1 circuits have enough hi-speed corners as it is, and not enough overtaking.

:rolleyes:

[Erki]

F1 circuits have enough hi-speed corners as it is, and not enough overtaking.

I'd still like to see more high speed corners. Heck, I think every turn should be a middle or high speed corner...

[bontebempo]

most circuits are dull anyway. I love F1 and thats the only reason i didnt switch off during the last 3 races. The spanish GP has always been dull. If you want to know what a procession looks like watch the spanish GP. Roll on Spa, Silverstone, Monaco and the Italian GP. Almost forgot Suzuka!!!

[wedge]

I'd still like to see more high speed corners. Heck, I think every turn should be a middle or high speed corner...

But that's the problem with Barcelona, there's too many hi-speed corners and F1 cars produce too much downforce.

Its traditionally a track that tests how good the car's aero is and lots of boring races.

[Erki]

But that's the problem with Barcelona, there's too many hi-speed corners and F1 cars produce too much downforce.

Hmmm... some other classes can race pretty well on the same circuits, only F1 can't... Whose fault this is, track's or F1 cars'? I would rather butcher the dumbo wings than castrate the track. :)

[wedge]

most circuits are dull anyway. I love F1 and thats the only reason i didnt switch off during the last 3 races. The spanish GP has always been dull. If you want to know what a procession looks like watch the spanish GP. Roll on Spa, Silverstone, Monaco and the Italian GP. Almost forgot Suzuka!!!

Now you've got me started!

I'm losing hope with Silverstone. They hardly touch the brakes until Club corner. It may sound great on paper but it's a joke, IMHO! Who wants to remember last year's race?

Hate to say it but they probably need Tilke to turn Stowe into a large braking zone.

I feel a bit sad for Magny Cours because 10 years ago it would've been a race I looked forward to. But now the cars produce so much downforce and grip that its difficult to pick up a tow on the back straight.

The only exception is Suzuka. It's such a great circuit no matter how dull or entertaining the race is, it never ceases to amaze me. The final chicane probably needs modifying so it can be wide enough on entry to race wheel to wheel and not crash into you opponent.

Sorry, rant over!

[ioan]

The only exception is Suzuka. It's such a great circuit no matter how dull or entertaining the race is, it never ceases to amaze me. The final chicane probably needs modifying so it can be wide enough on entry to race wheel to wheel and not crash into you opponent.

Nah they managed it easier than that, they dropped the track and will go to Fuji! :(
Isn't Bernie a sweetheart, why change such a good track when it's easier and cheaper to move to another one??? :p :

[wedge]

Hmmm... some other classes can race pretty well on the same circuits, only F1 can't... Whose fault this is, track's or F1 cars'? I would rather butcher the dumbo wings than castrate the track. :)

It the cars!

F1 cars create too much downforce from the wing which creates the turbulent air - especially with high speed corners.

Downforce increases grip and therefore reduces braking distances :down:

One way to reduce grip and increase braking distances is having a sole tyre supplier who will produce hard-spec tyres and for wide circuit to have long straights with a hairpin or chicane at the end :up:

Another way is to re-write the aero regulations for extremely less downforce than we have now, but I doubt we will see this in the near future.

[inimitablestoo]

One thing I do like about that chicane, having seen it on an edition of Motorsport Mundial (pre-season testing) was those nice high kerbs on the inside. At least the drivers shouldn't be tempted to short-cut (i.e. cheat) their way through it by essentially "forgetting" it's there. Glad to see from the picture on the ITV website that they haven't lowered them since then, which I was worried about...

[jso1985]

Hmmm... some other classes can race pretty well on the same circuits, only F1 can't... Whose fault this is, track's or F1 cars'? I would rather butcher the dumbo wings than castrate the track. :)

open-wheel cars are faulty I think, I know F1 is probably the worst of all of them in overtaking terms, but in general open-wheel racing has fewer overtaking moves that other types of racing

[ShiftingGears]

Hate to say it but they probably need Tilke to turn Stowe into a large braking zone.


I always saw Magny-Cours as a dull and boring track.

They don't need to butcher and reduce the speed of any more tracks. They NEED to regulate the aerodynamics!


One way to reduce grip and increase braking distances is having a sole tyre supplier who will produce hard-spec tyres and for wide circuit to have long straights with a hairpin or chicane at the end.


BORING! I like seeing tracks with FLOW. F1 needs more fast corners.

[Priorat]

I was at the tests in Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday at the area called Estadi which includes the new chicane. On race day people will have paid a big amount of money to watch F1 cars at under 90 mph for around a km.
So sad. It is far slower than Monaco.

[Eyo]

I’m very pleased with the decision I made last week. I sold my TV. So I don’t care what they put in or if they go and race pushing there cars around. I will not waist another 2 hours, just check the result later on ;) I think that will be equally interesting with a race!

[Roamy]

nascar runs for two hours at 200 mph you would think the pinnacle could provide a bit more speeds for longer periods throughout a lap. But "pusscito" racing will soon become just a modified slot car.