Formula 1 2009.....yes or no..?
Discussion
I have followed this sport for many years up until about 3 years ago when the predictability became just too much to bear.... I probably watched about 3 races last year and not much had changed. It just doesn't seem to have that spark it used to have. Bring back the days of Senna and Mansell wheel to wheel, battling like gladiators out on the track. I can't help but feeling that this year is going to be muchn as it always is, in that it will probably be a 3 horse race.. Do you think I'm wrong? am I missing something? I would like to think so but it just seems to me that there is so much money goes into this sport but not much entertainment seems to come out. Or is that where the problem lies....MONEY....???? So is it a YES to F1 2009 or a definite NO..??
IMO 2009 is a wait and see year. There are several changes being brought in this year which are designed to deal with the problems of cars being in dirty air. If these changes work we could see some great racing (except when people decide to do their passing in the pits), but if they don't work I don't think I could take another year of watching a procession every couple of weeks.
F1 is on its last chance with me.
F1 is on its last chance with me.
The only thing that would put me off is if F1 dropped from being the ultimate motor sport, losing the best engineers, teams and drivers. That it the raison d'etre of the sport and if it goes, so will I. Whilst it remains the formula drivers aspire to, so will I. If the teams and the money dirft off to, say, sports cars, then the drivers will follow and so will I. F1 is, after all, just a formula, and one that has changed over the years. I saw my first GP in 1966 and it was then a new formula - 3-litre - and since then it's gone through more complete changes than Dr Who but remained the pinnacle.
For me, F1 doesn't have to be single seaters with open wheels, it's just got to be the ultimate.
For me, F1 doesn't have to be single seaters with open wheels, it's just got to be the ultimate.
It's been anything but predictable of late. The only thing that annoys me is when Max interferes with the results and I wonder if I'll just end up watching the first 10 or 12 races like last year...
But the potential of 2009 is tantalising (I know we usually think that every year but bear with me...) - new rules, which could favour one of a number of teams: McLaren and Ferrari have the historic edge but it's a clean sheet and BMW are said to have a march on KERS, assuming it will be the thing to have...then remember how Renault hit the ground running in 2005 and were the most improved team last year. With no in-season testing there could be a very different look to the grid - we'll just have to wait and see.
But the potential of 2009 is tantalising (I know we usually think that every year but bear with me...) - new rules, which could favour one of a number of teams: McLaren and Ferrari have the historic edge but it's a clean sheet and BMW are said to have a march on KERS, assuming it will be the thing to have...then remember how Renault hit the ground running in 2005 and were the most improved team last year. With no in-season testing there could be a very different look to the grid - we'll just have to wait and see.
Derek Smith said:
Whilst it remains the formula drivers aspire to, so will I.
Exactly. My conern, is with KERS as well as the aero changes they might have over compensated for 2009, especially if the Medals system goes ahead.
But they need to mix up the grid a bit more somehow too maybe. A sprint and feature race with reverse grid orders from the sprint finishing positions may be the way to go. It works will in other series'. The traditionalists like me, might hate that though.
/shameless plug
I have vid on YT that talks of and demo's the overtaking problems in F1 with Reece and Haven explaining it. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zoY19mjeqbY
In fact my whole YT profile is about saving F1's image fomr this boring effect. There's many to blame. BE and Brabham inventing the refuelling strategy. Schumi for really making it work and making others resort to the pass-in-the-pits technique to compete with him. The knee-jerk reaction to Senna's death (removing low ride heights and a form of downforce not affected by the car infront). The continual weakness of the governing body, up until 2009.
/shameless plug
Edited by mattikake on Friday 9th January 15:05
I'd forgotten how wonderful that race & and particular, that battle between Hamilton and Glock truly was. I watched your vid with a smile stuck to my face.
As you point out Mattikake, it's a balance between aero and mechanical grip amongst other things. These GP2 cars have it. Why then do the 2009 GP cars look so ugly with their high and narrow rear wings and squat, fat front ones?
Why didn't the powers opt instead for a GP2 type of car setup?
(I love your comments on the film BTW and I couldn't agree more with your sentiments!)
:thumbuP:
Edited by Blib on Friday 9th January 15:55
Blib said:
Why then do the 2009 GP cars look so ugly with their high and narrow rear wings and squat, fat front ones?
I think because the GP2 cars were more of a fluke of a delicate balance, than intended and planned like the '09 F1 cars will be. If you look at where the downforce is generated from the front wings, it is exactly in the space left untouched by the rear wing of a car infront (the non-downforce generating part of the front wing is the same width as the rear wing). The concept is sound in principle and I hope it to have a massive effect.
Edward9000 said:
Watch it or dont watch it, its up to you. Nobody gives a s
t what decision you happen to make.Everytime something "bad" happens, we get a stream of people saying that they're not going to watch F1 anymore, fine, go, won't make a difference to me viewing it (as I always will).
Silent_Assassin said:
I have followed this sport for many years up until about 3 years ago when the predictability became just too much to bear.... I probably watched about 3 races last year and not much had changed. It just doesn't seem to have that spark it used to have. Bring back the days of Senna and Mansell wheel to wheel, battling like gladiators out on the track. I can't help but feeling that this year is going to be muchn as it always is, in that it will probably be a 3 horse race.. Do you think I'm wrong? am I missing something? I would like to think so but it just seems to me that there is so much money goes into this sport but not much entertainment seems to come out. Or is that where the problem lies....MONEY....???? So is it a YES to F1 2009 or a definite NO..??
I think the last 2 years have been absolutely fantastic and utterly unpredictable. No-one predicted lewis. No-one predicted Kimi would flunk 2008. No-one predicted Massa would walk over him. No-one predicted Massa getting better and better by every race. In fact by race 3 last year there was talk of replacing.I would say that if it was all so predictable you should have placed some bets, 'cos you'd have won a fortune. One bloke has picked up £145 grand so far by placing bets on Lewis that nobody else did.
We had 7 winners last year with 3 new ones. That ain't predictable.
Worried about them front wings though, i can see a lot of them coming off.heebeegeetee said:
I think the last 2 years have been absolutely fantastic and utterly unpredictable. No-one predicted lewis. No-one predicted Kimi would flunk 2008. No-one predicted Massa would walk over him. No-one predicted Massa getting better and better by every race. In fact by race 3 last year there was talk of replacing.
We had 7 winners last year with 3 new ones. That ain't predictable.
I've got to say that I was with those who rubbished Massa after his dreadful start. I was then quite impressed with how he pulled himself together. So much so that I put some money on him with my mates for the British GP. Not one of my best calls.We had 7 winners last year with 3 new ones. That ain't predictable.
It was an exciting season last year with some epic races. No one is ever going to watch a re-run of some - Valencia springs to mind - but Brazil wasn't the only race to keep us on the edge of our seats. Minnows doing so well, such as at Monaco, until one of the big two decided enough was enough. Cars driving into one -nother in the pit-lane. And then the last corner of the last lap, and this after anyone with any sense - such as me for instance - knew that when Vettel passed LH the championship was Massa's.
And the last touch that sealed the season for me was Massa's father congratulating LH's.
Shame about Mosley's shame and the bad press he brought to the sport but that was really the only downside.
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff