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Author Topic: Formula folly failing fans  (Read 2202 times)

davewilson

  • Guest
Formula folly failing fans
« on: July 23, 2006, 12:49:53 AM »
Farce in France is yet more evidence that F1 has lost the plot, says Maurice Hamilton
Sunday July 23, 2006
The Observer

The first few seconds of last Sunday's French Grand Prix gave an accurate indication of the state of Formula One and this year's world championship. To have any hope of a decent race, we needed Fernando Alonso to jump ahead of at least one of the Ferraris starting from the front row. The Renault driver did his best, almost getting alongside Felipe Massa before being obliged to back off rather than risk running on the grass and possibly doing damage to his car and, more importantly, his lead of the championship. That said everything about the comfort zone that will allow Alonso to retain the title even if he finishes second in the remaining seven races and Michael Schumacher continues the present trend by winning them all.
From the spectators' point of view, the race - as in the cut and thrust of wheel-to-wheel entertainment - ended the moment Alonso eased off the throttle to allow Massa to keep the role of defender as Schumacher got on with leading the race as he pleased. Even though the combination of Alonso and Renault was quicker than Massa and Ferrari, Alonso could not begin to contemplate overtaking on the track. The pit stops, however, would be a different matter. Massa later admitted as much.

'He [Alonso] got alongside at the first corner and it was quite tight, but I could manage to stay in position,' said Massa. 'He was pushing a little bit, especially in the first five laps. But then I managed to keep a gap between us and it was comfortable to the first stop. We decided to stay on three stops and Fernando went to two stops and he managed to pass me on strategy.'

One definition of strategy refers to the art of planning and conducting a war or a military campaign. That seems appropriate in a sport that has long since lost its core value of racing for position on the track rather than achieving it through pit-stop tactics. It is depressingly common to hear drivers say: 'Well, with overtaking being impossible, I had to wait until the pit stops to see if our strategy would get me ahead.' In other words, races are being won by engineers on the pit wall for whom the severest test of driving skill will have come earlier in the day while parking a hire car as close as possible to the paddock gate.

Given the competitive nature of F1, with cars separated by less than a tenth of a second, it is unreasonable to expect drivers to be passing and repassing with the frequency of MotoGP riders. But it is fair to ask why cars cannot run in close company when the leading driver may be in tyre trouble and therefore slower than his pursuer. The reliance on aerodynamics is such that, as soon as the second car gets close, the so-called dirty air spilling behind the first car upsets the handling of the second. Due to a different design specification on GP2 cars, this F1 support series has brought some of the best racing seen in recent years as drivers can actually attack and overtake. It is surely not beyond the wit of the politicians and their technical allies to deal with the problem sooner rather than later.

The frustration that regularly comes with watching F1 processions was exacerbated last Sunday when the sport's leading lights were engaging in a political game over engine regulations for 2008 rather than addressing the more urgent matter of encouraging spectators, viewers and listeners to maintain the faith.

It became so bad in France on Sunday that Renault actually issued a childish t*t-for-tat press release while the race was taking place - prompting one disenchanted critic to note that they deserved to lose the race if such nonsense was their priority during the only period of the weekend when business ought to be standing aside for sport.

In fact, Renault did well to split the Ferraris and limit the damage as Schumacher ate further into Alonso's points advantage. But Ferrari's pace was not expected - it turned out that the searing track temperatures benefited their Bridgestone tyres rather than the Michelins used by Renault.

Hockenheim next Sunday also promises to be hot, as do the following races in Hungary and Turkey. Schumacher may be able to finish first again, but his chances of winning the championship are as slim as seeing leading cars overtake when both are travelling at speed rather than one sitting stationary in the pit lane.

Briatore not bothered

Flavio Briatore claims Fernando Alonso's defection to McLaren next season will give Renault the spur they need to continue their Formula One domination. The Spaniard will leave Renault at the end of this season and his legacy is likely to be back-to-back world championship wins for him and his team. Both Alonso and Renault hold commanding leads in their respective championships. The Renault team principal said: 'No team revolves around one person and I think that without change, you can get trapped. We want to carry on winning next year, to show we can beat McLaren and Fernando.'

Artcle:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,1826909,00.html
Before You Have A Go Ian I am just reporting the article:
The Stig
« Last Edit: July 23, 2006, 01:18:36 AM by The Stig »



Offline Ian

Re: Formula folly failing fans
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2006, 09:38:36 PM »
What, me have a go stig, noo. I'll just sit here and watch it unfurl over the season and then say 'well' what can I say. Whose your man.
An aircraft landing is just a controlled crash.

davewilson

  • Guest
Re: Formula folly failing fans
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2006, 07:26:54 PM »
Yes Ian You Are A One Man Guy.
The Stig

 


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