Alonso Missing Monaco to do Indy 500
Discussion
My thoughts on Alonso as posted on General Motorsport:
Really, really impressed by Alonso's racecraft.
How he dealt with understeer at Indy was exactly the same technique as he uses in F1 - aggressive turn in and still manages a late-ish apex. But once he dialed in his car to be more neutral his steering inputs were smoother.
He picked and chose his fights. He backed out of it when cars were going three wide ahead of him and didn't want to compromise himself. He was quite aggressive at times after the red flag - IIRC he made a cracking move on the outside of turn one and another he manged to race a guy into pitwall? Reminded me a bit of Mansell/New Hampshire 200/1993 (arguably that oval race was GOAT) gaining confidence at mastering oval racing.
Really, really impressed by Alonso's racecraft.
How he dealt with understeer at Indy was exactly the same technique as he uses in F1 - aggressive turn in and still manages a late-ish apex. But once he dialed in his car to be more neutral his steering inputs were smoother.
He picked and chose his fights. He backed out of it when cars were going three wide ahead of him and didn't want to compromise himself. He was quite aggressive at times after the red flag - IIRC he made a cracking move on the outside of turn one and another he manged to race a guy into pitwall? Reminded me a bit of Mansell/New Hampshire 200/1993 (arguably that oval race was GOAT) gaining confidence at mastering oval racing.
SmoothCriminal said:
audi321 said:
What are the digital displays on the cars for? I guess to indicate their position when it's getting through backmarkers tomorrow or did it display their car number?
Think it displays their current position as Sato had 1 on his at the end of the race. PurpleAki said:
They must get through loads of airguns every season chucking them around like that!
They have to get them out of the way for the car to exit the pits - they get a penalty if the car drives over any item of pit equipment. If you watch you'll notice there's a guy on the other side of the pit wall whose job it is to haul in that wheelgun and its hose
MartG said:
PurpleAki said:
They must get through loads of airguns every season chucking them around like that!
They have to get them out of the way for the car to exit the pits - they get a penalty if the car drives over any item of pit equipment. If you watch you'll notice there's a guy on the other side of the pit wall whose job it is to haul in that wheelgun and its hose
No!!
Really??
suffolk009 said:
ClockworkCupcake said:
ukaskew said:
I don't really get the issues with Chilton. In a crappy car he was incredibly reliable in F1
I was never a fan when he was in F1, but he was definitely a safe pair of hands. I really do think his "safe and steady, being it home in one piece" style would suit WEC. I'd like to see him contest Le Mans. Bear in mind who he is up against in Oval racing; hardly the cream of single seat racers.
MartG said:
Why do people have this urge to denigrate Indycar drivers ?
Exactly.See Hamilton stated that before Alonso qualified 5th on the grid as a rookie then it shows the level of the drivers.
He states this yet he would not do the Indy 500.
After watching the whole race I have more respect for Alonso and the rest of the Indy Car field than anyone in F1.
Driving at over 210 mph lap after lap takes huge bouncy balls.
Scott Dixon's crash was scary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-JvA3NZVQ8
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 29th May 15:35
ash73 said:
MartG said:
REALIST123 said:
hardly the cream of single seat racers.
Why do people have this urge to denigrate Indycar drivers ?How often does it happen the other way around?
Anyone remember the Michael Andretti debacle? One of the top racers of his generation in Indycar (Or CART, as it was then) - yet a laughing stock during his brief time in F1.
Trabi601 said:
How often does an average F1 driver go to the USA and win (including winning titles?)
How often does it happen the other way around?
Since you ask, what are your thoughts? Off the top of my head:How often does it happen the other way around?
F1->Indy/CART: Mansell, Zanardi, Sato, Bourdais, Clark & Hill but only for the Indy 500, Eddie Cheever, Rossi, Justin Wilson,
Indy->F1: Mario Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, JP Montoya, Emmo Fittipaldi, Mark Donohue
Trabi601 said:
How often does an average F1 driver go to the USA and win (including winning titles?)
How often does it happen the other way around?
Anyone remember the Michael Andretti debacle? One of the top racers of his generation in Indycar (Or CART, as it was then) - yet a laughing stock during his brief time in F1.
Indycar to F1 - Mario Andretti Indycar & F1 world Champion, Jacques Villeneuve Indy 500 and Championship winner & F1 World Champion, Juan Pablo Montoya Indycar champion, Indy 500 & F1 race winner, Mark Donahue Indy 500 winner, F1 race winner, Dan Gurney F1 race winner, Peter Revson, How often does it happen the other way around?
Anyone remember the Michael Andretti debacle? One of the top racers of his generation in Indycar (Or CART, as it was then) - yet a laughing stock during his brief time in F1.
F1 to Indycar - Emerson Fittipaldi Indycar & F1 Champion champion, Nigel Mansell F1 and indycar Champion, Jim Clark & Graham Hill F1 champions & Indy 500 Champions.Eddie Cheever Indy 500 champion, Danny Suliivan Indy 500 and Indycar Champion more race winners like Mark Blundell, Teo Fabi Justin Wilson etc...Alex Rossi Indy 500 winner.
and I've probably missed someone obvious.
WitnessProtection said:
REALIST123 said:
He was never going to shine in F1, full stop. Just as he never shone in any other formula.
Bear in mind who he is up against in Oval racing; hardly the cream of single seat racers.
I bet he laid awake after finishing fourth at Indy wishing he was back in F1, driving against such titans of single seat racing as Lance Stroll, Marcus Ericsson and Jolyon Palmer. Bear in mind who he is up against in Oval racing; hardly the cream of single seat racers.
I think it's opened a lot of F1 fans eye to a different form of racing, you should see them at a street circuit they can actually follow each other (less so this year with a more aero based package for 2017) & then overtake.
As stated earlier Indycars actually only do 6 ovals a year.
As for Lewis's comments they've come from someone who hasn't raced one (driving one is different to racing one) & who sees it as a lesser series which it is but that doesn't make the drivers any less skillful.
As stated earlier Indycars actually only do 6 ovals a year.
As for Lewis's comments they've come from someone who hasn't raced one (driving one is different to racing one) & who sees it as a lesser series which it is but that doesn't make the drivers any less skillful.
FourWheelDrift said:
It's almost as if some people think the Manor F1 car was a potential race winner in a world champion/F1 race winner's hands.
I do wonder how we'd view Alonso if this was his rookie F1 season. Good results in a duff car, but would we be saying "whoa! Get that guy in a Red Bull/Merc/Ferrari now!" Like they did with Verstappen.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff