2017 F1 Season

FrankT · March 2017

Everyone seems to be very excited with the new cars. Bigger tyres are cool, but I don't think it will be as good racing.

It's going to be like it was before they made the cars have less downforce. Now it's an aero formula, cars won't be able to stay close to the car in front, because of the air disturbance. Slipstream will have a bigger effect on the straights, but they haven't gotten rid of DRS.

I'm looking forward to the new season, but am holding my breath.

dm_boozefreek · March 2017

Erm?....Er....Ayrton Senna?

zx1 · March 2017

Don't hold it too long or you'll miss the whole season because you'll be in a coma :))

F_Clowder · March 2017

Demented retrograde sillynannies?
Diffuse rambunctious swordsmen?
Deliriously relevant sycophants?

I'm glad they're all still part of this thing you talk of. Whatever it is.

FrankT wrote: »

Everyone seems to be very excited with the new cars. Bigger tyres are cool, but I don't think it will be as good racing.

It's going to be like it was before they made the cars have less downforce. Now it's an aero formula, cars won't be able to stay close to the car in front, because of the air
disturbance. Slipstream will have a bigger effect on the straights, but they haven't gotten rid of DRS.

I'm looking forward to the new season, but am holding my breath.

FrankT · March 2017

F_Clowder wrote: »

Demented retrograde sillynannies?
Diffuse rambunctious swordsmen?
Deliriously relevant sycophants?

DRS = Drag Reduction System.

They have a flap in the rear wing, that is allowed to be opened at a designated DRS detection point on the track, only if you're within one second of the car in front, at the detection point. It removes the drag caused by the rear wing for higher top speed. It's totally artificial. Brought into the sport to give the fans more overtaking.

It's going to be difficult now for cars to stay within a second of each other through the corners, so it's kind of pointless.

dm_boozefreek · March 2017

Christ! It's like the offside rule in Footy :))

Vampyre · March 2017

DRS is a prime example of a good idea, intending to bring in better, closer racing, that failed dismally. Instead of this "within 1 second" cobblers let 'em use it whenever they want and get some chaos into the racing.

There's way too much taking care of the cars/tyres and therefore not enough drivers pushing it to the absolute limits. Stop this limited number of tyres nonsense and let the drivers race - which is what they and the viewing public want to see.

And let's get back to an hour of free-for-all qualifying. Having a slightly shitty lap and not making the cut is boring.

MatGubbins · March 2017

Agree, just let them race.

Let the teams have unlimited tyres, clutches, gear boxes, communication with the pit teams for hints and tips.

thricenightly · March 2017

MatGubbins wrote: »

Let the teams have unlimited tyres, clutches, gear boxes, communication with the pit teams for hints and tips.

But that puts the best funded teams at a huge advantage. They might as well just all throw their bank statements on the table and give the trophies to whoever's got the most money.

Vampyre · March 2017

And the limited funds, tyres, etc of recent seasons has made how many jots of difference to that?

thricenightly · March 2017

Well quite a lot actually. Ferrari are historically the best funded team in the sport and they haven't won the championship for nearly 10 years. McLaren have pots of money too, and they are currently nowhere. Force India, on the other hand, came 4th last year, and Williams came 5th and are looking to make progress with limited funds.

If they just go back to unrestricted funding we'll go back to where we were 15 years ago: Ferrari winning 6 years on the bounce and people losing interest.

I do see the other side, of course. McLaren/Honda can't get competitive again because they can't develop their engine. That's in no one's interests either.

Rebelstar without a cause · March 2017

Before each race, there should be a sprint to the grid. The driver who gets there first gets the pick of the cars.

FrankT · March 2017

They're allowed to develop the engine throughout the season now. So Honda can bring as many upgrades as they like to upgrade the engine. They've built a brand new engine this year. They've had an oil pickup problem in the first test last week. Hopefully that will be fixed for this weeks test. I predict Mclaren/Honda to be in the top four by mid season, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. Also, out of all the drivers on the grid, only Alonso has experience driving the older faster V10's. Lots of drivers are going to have neck problems, leaning their head against the side of the cockpit around corners.

And the bigger wider tyres means they can now push hard lap after lap. Most races are going to be 1 stop this year. They've already broken the Barcelona lap record in the first week of testing.

Vampyre · March 2017

thricenightly wrote: »

If they just go back to unrestricted funding we'll go back to where we were 15 years ago: Ferrari winning 6 years on the bounce and people losing interest.

But since Ferrari's last win in 2007 we've had Red Bull winning four times in a row, Mercedes for the last 3 and one each for Braun and McLaren - hardly diverse and I don't see another Braun happening again anytime soon. I know what you're getting at but apart from McLaren's utter fall from grace I don't see how it's been really any different. The minor teams are more competitive with each other certainly and I suppose that's what they wanted, but in terms of top teams winning, and everyone else catching up - it hasn't happened.

Gwyn · March 2017

From testing so far it's looking promising for close competition this year between Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, with Williams possibly in the mix. Would love for Ferrari to really be on the pace, if only to see Hamilton and Vettel going hammer and tongs at each other!

The cars look better with the new regulations, but the look is ruined by the "shark fins". I don't think the regs are going to allow close racing though.

1024MAK · March 2017

There should be a new regulation that requires ZX Spectrum's to be the only CPU / MPU containing device to be used as engine management control systems :P

VanTammen · March 2017

Last time I saw a F1 Race, Schumacher was doing his comeback.

I used to be a huge fan of it. now it just bores the hell out of me.

FrankT · March 2017

Just watched Ask Crofty, and the Force India technical director says the soft tyre can do an entire race distance no problem.
Pirelli have made these new tyres too durable it seems. They've gone from one extreme to another. Bit rubbish isn't it?

I suppose they'll force teams to make at least one stop, having to use two different tyre compounds.

2017 F1 Season

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