Kubica: New rules reward clever driving

[John S]

So is this the year for the school swots to shine? I wonder if this premise of clever driving will hold good if we get a series of dry races? This story from Autosport also leaves us with another unanswered question; who is the clever one of the 2 drivers at Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes?  

Formula 1's new regulations are rewarding those drivers who race in an intelligent way, reckons Renault's Robert Kubica.

The ban on refuelling this year has forced a need for drivers to look after their tyres for much longer stints in races, especially with the need for just a single pitstop in dry weather events.

Kubica believes the lessons of the first four races this season show that drivers now need to think their way through races, rather than simply go for the quickest laps.

"This year the trends have been different," said Kubica, who has helped his Renault team emerge as one of the surprises of the season so far.

"This year it is very important to take care of the tyres and somehow drive in the clever way - not just push for two or three laps because then the tyres degrade.

"Now we need to think about bringing the car as quickly as possible to the finish line at the end of the race - not as quickly as possible for one or two laps.

"So somehow you have to anticipate some balance changes, or pressure or differential settings to help the tyres in order to give you a better race time distance."

By Jonathan Noble Autosport.com, Today

[markb]

The cleverest or the most skilled that is the question?  I would opt for the latter, makes races more interesting for us spectators doesn't it? A driver with both qualities would reign supereme in an ideal world.

[lkjohnson1950]

I think Robert has restored his credibility this season by getting everything possible out of the Renault, and being considerably quicker than his teammate. His strategy obviously works. If they can improve the car a bit, he might steal a win somewhere.

Lonny

[Williamsfan]

Kubica's been great this season, I never thought we'd see him performing so well in the Renault.  Credit to the team for creating a better car than expected, but he is dragging everything out of it. 

[David]

The cleverest or the most skilled that is the question?  I would opt for the latter, makes races more interesting for us spectators doesn't it? A driver with both qualities would reign supereme in an ideal world.

I too would opt for the latter or a mix of both. Just clever might win races but............

[Jericoke]

The cleverest or the most skilled that is the question?  I would opt for the latter, makes races more interesting for us spectators doesn't it? A driver with both qualities would reign supereme in an ideal world.

I don't want one driver monopolising skill/cleverness.  That leads to someone winning from pole.  (Don't get me wrong, the best driver should win from pole, it's just very boring to watch.)  I want the most skilled driver and the most clever driver to be in different cars.  I want the most technical and most emotional driver to be in different cars.  I want the most calculating and the most reckless driver to be in different cars!

And I want all 6 of them to be in 6 different cars!

Is that too much to ask?

[lkjohnson1950]

Yes!

Lonny

[markb]

The cleverest or the most skilled that is the question?  I would opt for the latter, makes races more interesting for us spectators doesn't it? A driver with both qualities would reign supereme in an ideal world.

I don't want one driver monopolising skill/cleverness.  That leads to someone winning from pole.  (Don't get me wrong, the best driver should win from pole, it's just very boring to watch.)  I want the most skilled driver and the most clever driver to be in different cars.  I want the most technical and most emotional driver to be in different cars.  I want the most calculating and the most reckless driver to be in different cars!

And I want all 6 of them to be in 6 different cars!

Is that too much to ask?

Hmmmm....probably!

[Jericoke]

The cleverest or the most skilled that is the question?  I would opt for the latter, makes races more interesting for us spectators doesn't it? A driver with both qualities would reign supereme in an ideal world.

I don't want one driver monopolising skill/cleverness.  That leads to someone winning from pole.  (Don't get me wrong, the best driver should win from pole, it's just very boring to watch.)  I want the most skilled driver and the most clever driver to be in different cars.  I want the most technical and most emotional driver to be in different cars.  I want the most calculating and the most reckless driver to be in different cars!

And I want all 6 of them to be in 6 different cars!

Is that too much to ask?

Hmmmm....probably!

Then give me a field of reckless drivers ;-)

[SennaMan]

Race craft is a skill in itself which you really did not need under modern F1 rules and regulations. F1 GPs became little more than 12 to 25 lap mad 'dashes and fangs' to the next pitstop for fuel and four new 'grippy' tyres.

Tyre management? What was that?

Now, for better or worse, drivers have to manage their tyres and with stops for fuel banned, have to adjust as the fuel load weight penalty lessens.

This has not fully impacted on the teams but give them a year and it just might.

I am showing my age, but in the 1950's most GP's were 100 to 300 laps and took three to six hours to finish. Couple that with driving in 'death traps' on very dangerous roads or tracks for very little prizemoney and you can sense my almost complete disdain for modern F1 driver problems.

Today, the driver is surrounded by a 'state of the art' safety cell on the most technological chassis with incredible brakes and superb tyres. [light years ahead of the drum brakes and skinny thin cross plys on the cars of his predecessors] 

He performs at 'danger sanitized' tracks and completes a GP in around 90 minutes with a maximum limit of two hours. He is paid staggering sums and now the new rules require him to think a little more.

Oh the poor darlings - give me a break!   

[lkjohnson1950]

To be fair, the physical strain of the G loading on a modern GP driver far exceeds what drivers of the '50s experienced. Modern street cars are capable of lapping the Nurburgring faster than GP cars of the 50s. I mean to take nothing from their skills, I admire them greatly, but I doubt anyone could stand the strain of today's cars for 5 or 6 hours.

Lonny

[markb]

Sennaman quote : "Race craft is a skill in itself which you really did not need under modern F1 rules".....   Sorry with respect Sennaman I don't argee - think about what a top F1 driver has to contend with nowadays with all the high tech stuff contained in the Cockpit, the increased speed, the more demanding tracks the info via the radio from the pits, etc etc, and if you refer to the large sums of money they get paid, well the same goes for footballers, and what do they do to earn their money? 

[lkjohnson1950]

I think the superior racecraft of MS/Ross Brawn was a key in beating Frank Williams/Damon Hill for many years.

Lonny

[SennaMan]

To be fair, the physical strain of the G loading on a modern GP driver far exceeds what drivers of the '50s experienced. Modern street cars are capable of lapping the Nurburgring faster than GP cars of the 50s. I mean to take nothing from their skills, I admire them greatly, but I doubt anyone could stand the strain of today's cars for 5 or 6 hours.
Lonny

ok Lonny may be you are right re 'G-force" loadings, but equally I will bet ya NONE of the modern drivers could/would be able to wrestle a 1950's machine for as long as it took to finish a GP then.

[SennaMan]

I think the superior racecraft of MS/Ross Brawn was a key in beating Frank Williams/Damon Hill for many years.
Lonny

i agree with you Lonny, that and T-boning Damon's car whenever he got in the way of a WDC!  

[although that was done under flavio BRIATORE's slick management - I think you may mean "...in beating McLAREN for many years."]