Alonso Missing Monaco to do Indy 500

[skwdenyer]

GCH said:

Vocal Minority said:

I don't think you really can lose the summer break.

Its for the truckies, mechanics and staff as much as anyone. They already make mega sacrifices to work in the industry

But....the prestige......


/sarcasm

In fairness, going to 25 races (or even more), necessitating (or even I would argue mandating) 2 crews, would also mean that some testing could happen. Look at Indy vs a GP. There's no reason why an extra day at each track couldn't be arranged, is there?

Of course, LM would need to come up with a revenue model that allowed that to happen. But happen it could.

[VladD]

Has the 2018 F1 calendar been announced yet? It will be interesting to see if it will help Alonso do the Indy 500 again next year.

[Some Gump]

I'd love to see the rules that set that payout.

Scott Dixon seems to have done very well for his handful of laps!

[MartG]

Some Gump said:

I'd love to see the rules that set that payout.

Scott Dixon seems to have done very well for his handful of laps!

He'll have got a fair bit of that for being on pole

[FourWheelDrift]

Some Gump said:

I'd love to see the rules that set that payout.

Scott Dixon seems to have done very well for his handful of laps!

They pay for qualifying too, he was on pole so that's $100,000 before the race has started.

[InductionRoar]

Vaud said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Alonso also got the rookie of the year award which another 40-50k on top.

And a free car in his case.

Hopefully, not a fking Honda.

[FourWheelDrift]

In one way yes, he does get to keep his Indycar as well. That'll be off to his museum in Spain to join all his other race cars.

[CraigyMc]

ash73 said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Alonso also got the rookie of the yearrace award which another 40-50k on top.

And what a *fantastic* speech he gave! Bravo.

"Please don't pee in my car Jenson..."

Yes, quality.

[anonymous-user]

CraigyMc said:

"Please don't pee in my car Jenson..."

Yes, quality.

I really hope one of the McLaren mechanic's puts a bit of water in Alonso's seat for a laugh.

[Badgerboy]

ash73 said:

Alonso's presentation, if anyone hasn't seen it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s69XiUdzbWg

Thanks for that. He's a classy guy, and my admiration for him has increased massively over the last few years.

It was nice to see another side of him that you might not see in F1, and I was pleased to see how the Indy fanbase got behind him. He was certainly doing it for all the right reasons, and put his legacy in jeaporday​ by taking part.

I think he acquitted himself very well, professionally and personally.

[thegreenhell]

Hosenbugler said:

thegreenhell said:

Wait a couple more days and the full race will be up on the Indycar Youtube channel.

Thanks for that, I'll do just that.

Here you go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21Z_po0Ooo

[parabolica]

skwdenyer said:

GCH said:

Vocal Minority said:

I don't think you really can lose the summer break.

Its for the truckies, mechanics and staff as much as anyone. They already make mega sacrifices to work in the industry

But....the prestige......


/sarcasm

In fairness, going to 25 races (or even more), necessitating (or even I would argue mandating) 2 crews, would also mean that some testing could happen. Look at Indy vs a GP. There's no reason why an extra day at each track couldn't be arranged, is there?

Of course, LM would need to come up with a revenue model that allowed that to happen. But happen it could.

I think the 25 races thing is a bit of a red herring; squeezing 25 separate races (as we know them today) into a 52-week year when there is a 3-month winter break and a 1-month summer break is impossible. I filled out that fan survey on the F1 site a few weeks ago and it asked for opinions on running 2-race weekends; so for example having a Bahrain race on Saturday and then another on Sunday - and doing this for another 2-3 locations.

RE the extra day at each track, don't put your heart on it. Each location pays to host a F1 event for a certain number of days - I can imagine few would be willing to shell out more to have the F1 circus hang around for another day.

[StevieBee]

parabolica said:

I think the 25 races thing is a bit of a red herring

I've long thought that a return to one or two non-championship rounds would be good - like the old Race of Champions of Tasman Series

Stick one at the beginning of the season, relax some of the procedural rules to allow three car teams, try out new drivers. I would have thought this would be useful as test as well as providing cheaper race tickets and possibly even visit different tracks and countries without the burden of establishing promotional contracts and the like.

You can only run championship F1 at circuits the FIA designate but if it's not a championship races you could run them at places like Brands, Donny....even Snetterton these days (thought I doubt that will fly)

[MartG]

Suggestion - require the teams to bring a spare car to each race. This car to be driven during FP1 & FP2 sessions by the team's spare driver - following FP2 they take part in a qualy session for a sprint race on the Saturday, with the top 2 finishers being added to the back of the grid for Sunday's GP.

Doubles the number of F1 races at a stroke

[Evangelion]

thegreenhell said:

Wait a couple more days and the full race will be up on the Indycar Youtube channel ...

... Here you go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21Z_po0Ooo

Thanks, I'll make a note of that in case my insomnia comes back.

[skwdenyer]

MartG said:

Suggestion - require the teams to bring a spare car to each race. This car to be driven during FP1 & FP2 sessions by the team's spare driver - following FP2 they take part in a qualy session for a sprint race on the Saturday, with the top 2 finishers being added to the back of the grid for Sunday's GP.

Doubles the number of F1 races at a stroke

I never saw the point of removing the spare car from the equation. I can't see that it really saves all that much money, does it? The teams bring, in effect, a spare car (or more) of bits to each race, and can build one up if needs be. Why not run the spare car to give young blood a chance? Or use the spare car for testing updates? Anything helping fans to see more of interest seems good to me.

[audi321]

skwdenyer said:

I never saw the point of removing the spare car from the equation. I can't see that it really saves all that much money, does it? The teams bring, in effect, a spare car (or more) of bits to each race, and can build one up if needs be. Why not run the spare car to give young blood a chance? Or use the spare car for testing updates? Anything helping fans to see more of interest seems good to me.

I agree. The number of spares they must carry around and bring to each race must equate to at least one full car anyway. So to put it all together and have a spare car will also save them sleepless nights in the event of a crash in practice or qualifying.

I'm sure I'm missing something really obvious lol

[HughG]

audi321 said:

skwdenyer said:

I never saw the point of removing the spare car from the equation. I can't see that it really saves all that much money, does it? The teams bring, in effect, a spare car (or more) of bits to each race, and can build one up if needs be. Why not run the spare car to give young blood a chance? Or use the spare car for testing updates? Anything helping fans to see more of interest seems good to me.

I agree. The number of spares they must carry around and bring to each race must equate to at least one full car anyway. So to put it all together and have a spare car will also save them sleepless nights in the event of a crash in practice or qualifying.

I'm sure I'm missing something really obvious lol

I would have thought that they take sufficient spares for the 2 cars they run, and there is a certain probability of needing spare parts.
By running 3 cars, they'd need to have 1.5x the spares wouldn't they?

Granted they could possibly only take 1 spare chassis for 3 cars running etc., but that majority of the spares I'd have thought they'd need to increase accordingly.

[KevinCamaroSS]

audi321 said:

I agree. The number of spares they must carry around and bring to each race must equate to at least one full car anyway. So to put it all together and have a spare car will also save them sleepless nights in the event of a crash in practice or qualifying.

I'm sure I'm missing something really obvious lol

The rules on engine components in the year would make a spare car unrealistic, unless you have a spare for each driver?

[rallycross]

Badgerboy said:

ash73 said:

Alonso's presentation, if anyone hasn't seen it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s69XiUdzbWg

Thanks for that. He's a classy guy, and my admiration for him has increased massively over the last few years.

It was nice to see another side of him that you might not see in F1, and I was pleased to see how the Indy fanbase got behind him. He was certainly doing it for all the right reasons, and put his legacy in jeaporday? by taking part.

I think he acquitted himself very well, professionally and personally.

Agreed with all of that really show him in a different light, and its a good video clip especially the montage at the end.