Heros and Zeros at European GP

[SennaMan]

quote from Jeri:

Absolutely the 'slow cars' need to more competitive.  However, in this race all cars qualified within 107% (not sure about 105%).   

I was just thrown off the point by your 'worst' comment.  There was enough action at the front of the field that I never noticed the slow cars.  Heck, one 'slow car' that was knocked out in Q1 absolutely stole the show!  (in a good way... while one other was involved in the worst part of the race.)

An ideal F1 grid has 26 cars, all of which are capable of winning the race.  The driving talent is there.  The rules are there (subject to debate, but I think the average dry race this year is better than the [i}a.
verage[/i] dry race from any recent season, even if you include the yawners to open the season).  We just need the teams... and I'm sure an extra year's experience, plus a full year lead time into the next season, will go a long way to closing the gap (I wouldn't be surprised to see Lotus sneaking into a few Q3s next season).


fair enough Jeri - sorry my intemperate use of "worst" threw you off [since rereading it does me too!]  and I shall try to be more judicious in future.

and I certainly agree in general the racing has been more exciting this year as the teams have learned how to manage the new regs, and like you I do hope we have a full grid of more competitive cars in 2011.

Bring it on!
  

[lkjohnson1950]

To be fair, Webber in his comments, did not complain the Lotus was too slow, he said Kovi caught him out by braking earlier than he expected. Racing incident, nothing more.

Lonny

[Scott]

Isn't it about time that they banned the ads that hang out over the track?  He's lucky it didn't take Mark's head off.

[Alianora La Canta]

so Jeri do you seriously believe a gaggle of F1 cars lapping consistently up to 3 to 5 seconds slower a lap on every circuit is not an issue? {SennaMan - 5 posts ago}

Apart from 2009, that's happened every year of the championship, for at least two of the cars on the grid (usually quite a few more). Cars 3-5 seconds off the pace are pretty normal for a F1 grid. If the leaders really cannot handle cars with that much of a speed differential, then they need to spend some time in sportscars to expand their skillset to one that I'd expect a F1 driver to possess before even commencing in F1.

I'd prefer a rule that goes thus: if a F1 driver qualifies slower than a GP2 car and do not have an exceptional reason for this (bad weather in Q1, an unexpected crash, serious unforeseen technical failure...), then that driver has to race in GP2 that race instead of the F1. That driver starts in whatever gridslot on the GP2 grid would have deserved and the GP2 car that qualified on pole gets to start the F1 race behind the F1 cars (if several GP2 cars beat one or more F1 drivers, they are positioned in order of time, but in no case will they start ahead of a F1 car for safety reasons). The GP2 car(s) would automatically get 25 points (as if they'd won the GP2) for their championship, a bonus point for finishing in a classifiable position and an extra bonus point for . The F1 driver will get no F1 points (obviously) and will have a points penalty each race for any GP2 points accrued (after all, a F1 car should be faster than GP2s!).

[Jericoke]

I'd prefer a rule that goes thus: if a F1 driver qualifies slower than a GP2 car and do not have an exceptional reason for this (bad weather in Q1, an unexpected crash, serious unforeseen technical failure...), then that driver has to race in GP2 that race instead of the F1. That driver starts in whatever gridslot on the GP2 grid would have deserved and the GP2 car that qualified on pole gets to start the F1 race behind the F1 cars (if several GP2 cars beat one or more F1 drivers, they are positioned in order of time, but in no case will they start ahead of a F1 car for safety reasons). The GP2 car(s) would automatically get 25 points (as if they'd won the GP2) for their championship, a bonus point for finishing in a classifiable position and an extra bonus point for . The F1 driver will get no F1 points (obviously) and will have a points penalty each race for any GP2 points accrued (after all, a F1 car should be faster than GP2s!).

Relegation would light a fire under some teams! 

It's common for top NASCAR drivers to race in support series just to get more track time.  I think some F1 drivers could do well to get a few more miles on track in GP2.  Does the FIA allow this?  (I think Schumacher in particular would benefit)

[cosworth151]

The speed difference between LMP1 cars and LMGT2 cars is far greater than anything in F1 and yet they handle sharing the same track at the same time just fine.

[Scott]

I'm notably absent from the H's and Z's this race because it was the first race in a couple of years that I've only gotten the highlights of.  I was in Italy over the weekend and our hotel had such a crappy signal on the channel that the race was on, I decided to go swim with the kids after a couple of laps...plus they were nagging me to go.

I watched MW's wipeout on Youtube though...scary moment.

[Alianora La Canta]

I think some F1 drivers could do well to get a few more miles on track in GP2.  Does the FIA allow this?  (I think Schumacher in particular would benefit) {Jericoke - 3 posts ago}

They can't do it if it's in the same weekend (unless it's a reserve driver who does the GP2 race and then gets called as a last-minute replacement, having done a Friday practise session that weekend).

Otherwise, it's possible provided the driver in question is not signed to be in F1 for the whole season, has not yet done a full season of F1 and has never won the GP2 championship.