Formula One- Improved??

[charlish2099]

Hi

a few years ago i was mad on F1, then Irvine retired and started to get very bored of race's for second place, but im thinking of starting to watch again, has it improved at all from races won in the pits or shall i just not bother?

[mapleleafs]

not sure if theres any more changes planned for this season, but last year was good especially with the KO qualifying, made it a little more intresting, got a good Jenson button book you could have a look at too Nath lol.

New rules for this year are intresting though:

Engines homologated and used during the last two races of 2006 must now be used during the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Safety
A GPS marshalling system, involving a cockpit light display of flag signals in each driver's car, is being introduced.

TyresWith Bridgestone becoming Formula One racing's sole supplier for 2007, each team will receive only two specifications of tyre per event.

Safety car
In 2007, safety car regulations have been modified to prevent drivers diving for the pits the minute the safety car comes onto the circuit, and to stop backmarkers interfering with the leaders during a race restart. No car is allowed to enter the pits until the field is bunched up behind the safety car and before the safety car returns to the pit any lapped car running between cars on the lead lap must overtake those cars and the safety car before taking up their correct position at the back.

Can see the reasons and trying to make all the teams "Fair" but wjhats the point if you have a Super Aguri running at max competing with a Ferrari or Renault which is hardly trying?? it makes the developments more and more important and worthwhile i belive.

[grumpyminer]

Touring cars is much better, it is cheaper for a start, if you go to Donington it was £25 for the whole weekend.
It is more entertaining, there is actual on track overtaking not just "virtual" pit-lane overtaking.
It is more accessible, you can walk the pit-lane and garages, meet the drivers and the merchandise comes at a price to suit the emptiest of pockets.
It has great support races, with single seat BMW and Renault, the Porsche cup, Seat Leons and the amazing Clio cup - 1.8 engines and they spend as much time in the air as on the track.

Oh , and for mrsminer, there is Jason Plato

If you like motorsport and you can afford it, it is a Brilliant day out!!

[charlish2099]

whens the next donnington day grumpy?

[Doughnut]

charlish2099 said:

Hi

a few years ago i was mad on F1, then Irvine retired and started to get very bored of race's for second place, but im thinking of starting to watch again, has it improved at all from races won in the pits or shall i just not bother?

It's so subjective it's hard to say. I love F1 for many reasons. Just watch a race or two then decide for yourself.

Going back to a single tire manufacturer should improve things IMO but I really hate the new engine rule.

Edit: Or just go to Donington and watch a load of repmobiles crawling round a track for a few laps if that's what you're into

[sunbeam]

My interest will revolve around Lewis Hamilton.

[Alf Garnett]

Or if people are really desperate then NASCAR returns with the Daytona 500 next week I believe.

[sawchuk]

andyblath said:

Or if people are really desperate then NASCAR returns with the Daytona 500 next week I believe.

Worst sport ever.

[grumpyminer]

charlish2099 said:

whens the next donnington day grumpy?

The next touring car weekend is July 15th/16th.

Other dates are available here.
www.btcc.net/html/racedates.php

[Doughnut]

andyblath said:

Or if people are really desperate then NASCAR returns with the Daytona 500 next week I believe.

I'd watch it if it wasn't for the time zone difference.

sawchuk said:

Worst sport ever.

Curling

[sawchuk]

doughnut said:

sawchuk said:

Worst sport ever.

Curling

Rob, you're just being silly.

NASCAR=round and around and round and around and round and around...

And so on

;D

[Doughnut]

sawchuk said:

doughnut said:

Curling

Rob, you're just being silly.

NASCAR=round and around and round and around and round and around...

And so on

;D

yeah, but curling?!

Besides, your description of NASCAR is like someone saying football is just a load of blokes kicking a round bit of leather up and down a field; hockey is just fighting on ice; tennis is just back and forth, back and forth; cricket is a pointless way to waste 5 days; etc. etc.

[sawchuk]

True but NASCAR is just a load of cars driving around in the same direction.

And we all know there is no point to cricket.

[Alf Garnett]

The only variation in Naff-Car is wether it is a standard 250 lap race or a 500 lap race. (Daytona Indianapolis etc.) All circuits are identical to my knowledge.

[Doughnut]

andyblath said:

The only variation in Naff-Car is wether it is a standard 250 lap race or a 500 lap race. (Daytona Indianapolis etc.) All circuits are identical to my knowledge.

Then you have a lack of knowledge

(probably why you think it's Naff )

[sunbeam]

In a US poll of popular sports I think it went:

NFL
NBA
MLB
NASCAR
College Football
Golf.

I think. Baseball may have been second but you get the drift.

[Alf Garnett]

doughnut said:

andyblath said:

The only variation in Naff-Car is wether it is a standard 250 lap race or a 500 lap race. (Daytona Indianapolis etc.) All circuits are identical to my knowledge.

Then you have a lack of knowledge

(probably why you think it's Naff )

They're not as individual as Brands Hatch , Donnington Park and Silverstone are though. They are all still left handed oval circuits. Pretty similar with US horse racing. Same old same old I'm afraid.
If they had different tracks with different turns etc and made it a better test of overall driving it would be far more interesting.

Also Sunbeam as you point out it is a US poll. They are well into it and it has a good share of the US market. I was in Florida 2 years ago almost to the day and the locals were buzzing with anticipation over the start of the season at Daytona. It is also easier to purchase official NASCARmerchandise over there than NHL merchandise. However I don't think it will ever be in the same league as F1 or even Motor Cycle racing, certainly not in the UK.

[Doughnut]

andyblath said:

If they had different tracks with different turns etc and made it a better test of overall driving it would be far more interesting.

Like this one you mean?

[sunbeam]

Calendar year 1985 89 92 93 94 97 98 02 03 04 05
NFL pro football 24 26 28 24 24 28 26 27 29 30 33
MLB pro baseball 23 19 21 18 17 17 18 14 13 15 14
College football 10 6 7 8 7 10 9 9 9 11 13
Auto car racing 5 4 5 6 5 5 7 10 9 7 11
College basketball 6 10 8 8 8 6 4 4 6 6 5
NHL Ice Hockey 2 3 3 3 5 4 3 3 3 4 5
NBA pro basketball 6 7 8 12 11 13 13 11 10 7 4
Men’s golf 3 4 4 6 5 6 4 4 5 4 4
Boxing NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 2 2
Men’s soccer 3 2 2 1 3 3 4 3 3 3 2
Horse racing 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 2
Men’s tennis 5 4 4 4 3 3 4 1 2 1 1
Women’s tennis NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 3 2 2 1
10 pin Bowling 3 5 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1
Women’s pro b'tball NA NA NA NA NA NA * 1 1 * *
Women’s college b'ball NA NA NA NA NA NA 1 1 * 1 *
Women’s soccer NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 1 *
Track & field 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 1 3 1 *
Women’s golf NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 1 * *
Not sure * 1 4 1 2 2 1 3 1 2 2
NFL's lead over MLB 1 7 7 6 7 11 8 13 16 15 19


Note 1: NA = Not asked. Previously did not distinguish between men and women’s sports when asking these questions.

Note 2: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

link


The NBA figs seem very low but interesting all-the-same.

Just seen 2006 figs:


2006
Pro football 29
Baseball 14
College football 13
Auto racing 9
Men’s NBA 7
Men’s college 5
Men’s golf 4
Hockey 4
Men’s soccer 2
Men’s tennis 2
Track & field 2
Horse racing 1
Boxing 1
Women’s tennis 1
Bowling 1
Women’s golf 1
Women’s college basketball 1
Women’s soccer *
Not sure 3
NFL lead over MLB 15

[Alf Garnett]

doughnut said:

andyblath said:

If they had different tracks with different turns etc and made it a better test of overall driving it would be far more interesting.

Like this one you mean?

Still can't tempt me I'm sorry.

Looks a little more like it though.

[LUFC]

I used to be a greta fan of F1, then it got abit boring with all the technology they added to the cars it was like all the drivers did was steer and the car went on its own. But alass they brought in the KO qualifying. I began to watch again. and this season they are reducing some of the technology they can cram into the cars. They are trying to get it so that only traction control is in the vehicles, and that they use semi automatic teptronic gear boxes, flappy paddle changing of gears, clutch pedal, brake pedal and accelerator pedals as standard again. Maybe they will race like cars now

Either way i think alot of the teams have now caught up to the top 3 and there is more competition for podium places so i will be watching it this coming feb with eyes wide open.

[mapleleafs]

i think they should bin all the "technology" and just have them standard cars and all have the same engine, then its down to the driver who wins not who has the best computer lol

[LUFC]

Yeah thats A1 racing, the new motorsport on SkySports.

All have standard cars issued to each nation that wants to take aprt. the mechanics can tincker with it but only use the standard parts issued. Therefore there is only afew BHP difference, brakes and other setups are only slightly out and it's down to the drivers to get the points.

[Doughnut]

mapleleafs said:

i think they should bin all the "technology" and just have them standard cars and all have the same engine, then its down to the driver who wins not who has the best computer lol

If that's what you want, watch GP2 and that's exactly what you'll get. Without the technology it wouldn't be F1.

[mapleleafs]

doughnut said:

mapleleafs said:

i think they should bin all the "technology" and just have them standard cars and all have the same engine, then its down to the driver who wins not who has the best computer lol

If that's what you want, watch GP2 and that's exactly what you'll get. Without the technology it wouldn't be F1.

i do watch it and its a whole world more entertaining, look at F1 in a "whole" you have the likes of Mclaren and Renault with oodles of cash that blow millions on a fiberglass wing which gets them anoth 0.5 sec (it all counts) and then the likes of super aguri who havent got the spending power to make these great wings etc now ownder its the same teams at the top every year. this season you know that Ferrari and renault and mclaren will be up there and the RBR and the aguris etc will bring up the rear its just repetitive.