1991 v 2017

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Discussion

Evangelion

Original Poster:

7,641 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
quotequote all
In the run-up to this year's Spanish GP last week, we were treated several times to that incredible footage of Mansell and Senna running inches apart the first time the race was held at Catalunya, in 1991.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSD-VllWlYg

I used to think the cars of that era were plug-ugly and indeed still do, but just look how clean they look up against the current crop. Putting them side by side would be like parking Scarlett Johansson next to Ann Widdecombe.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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Great stuff. Titanic battles.

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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That sound! Them's was the days!

markcoznottz

7,155 posts

223 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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LordGrover said:
That sound! Them's was the days!
And yet the TVs feed rarely did the engine sound justice. Pity we didn't have hd tv back then, although not all the races were that good.

Evangelion

Original Poster:

7,641 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
quotequote all
At least now the numbers are reasonably legible, which they haven't been for at least 30 years, but they couldn't even get that right. Instead of letting the teams all do their own thing, they should have specified black on a white background.

What's wrong with having all the 'sharkfins' white, and reading (for example) "HAMILTON 44" on the left side, and ""44 HAMILTON" on the right, in black?

m444ttb

3,160 posts

228 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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Despite having only been 9 at the time. The cars during the few years either side of '91 (89-93 ish) are, in my mind, how an F1 car looks.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
quotequote all
Funny, the cars that existed when I was 9 are also the way F1 cars should look.



Maybe it's an age thing.

HardtopManual

2,404 posts

165 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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Love the safety and medical cars - Lotus Carlton and Ferrari 348.

Evangelion

Original Poster:

7,641 posts

177 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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Lotus 49. No wings and the only advertising was the team name. Definitely how a real racing car should be.

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

151 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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Eric Mc said:
Funny, the cars that existed when I was 9 are also the way F1 cars should look.



Maybe it's an age thing.
Its definitely an age thing.

I think and F1 car should look like a Ferrari 412/t2 - on an FW16, and that a Group A Impreza is the best thing there is - and super tourers are the dogs wotsits.

That is all open for debate.

But the one thing that isn't a coincidence...is that I was about ten when the idea of what things 'should' be solidified in my head.

I bet you were too.

I bet most of us were.


The Lotus 49 is a beautiful thing and the display at Autosport this year was the best thing in the show by a country mile. It is a wonderful machine, enormously evocative and if I was a gazillionaire I would be handing the owner of one a blank cheque.

But is it what a modern racing car should be? Absolutely not.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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That's one of the problems. No one is really sure what a relevant modern F1 car should be.

BoRED S2upid

19,643 posts

239 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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Eric Mc said:
Funny, the cars that existed when I was 9 are also the way F1 cars should look.



Maybe it's an age thing.
My 3 year old son still plays with cars that look like this! Well a lot more battered than this but I'm trying to educate him.

Skii

1,625 posts

190 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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m444ttb said:
Despite having only been 9 at the time. The cars during the few years either side of '91 (89-93 ish) are, in my mind, how an F1 car looks.
absolutely.

Example, the 1990 Ferrari 641.



paulguitar

23,104 posts

112 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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Skii said:
m444ttb said:
Despite having only been 9 at the time. The cars during the few years either side of '91 (89-93 ish) are, in my mind, how an F1 car looks.
absolutely.

Example, the 1990 Ferrari 641.

This! I think someone should just make 22 of these, with current safety standards as much as possible, and create a new series. I will go to that and avoid the strimmers, although it would be cool if Lewis and a couple of others could be poached to drive the V12 works of art. I bet Lewis would want to do it...


I am kidding, but really only half kidding!

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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I like the 1990/91 cars too. The looks began to fade with the arrival of the high noses and full span front wings.

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

151 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
quotequote all
paulguitar said:
Skii said:
m444ttb said:
Despite having only been 9 at the time. The cars during the few years either side of '91 (89-93 ish) are, in my mind, how an F1 car looks.
absolutely.

Example, the 1990 Ferrari 641.

This! I think someone should just make 22 of these, with current safety standards as much as possible, and create a new series. I will go to that and avoid the strimmers, although it would be cool if Lewis and a couple of others could be poached to drive the V12 works of art. I bet Lewis would want to do it...


I am kidding, but really only half kidding!
I always thought that looked a little ungainly and its proportions a little....off.

I am aware I am in a minority on this one....

rdjohn

6,135 posts

194 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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...and it is those huge aero arrays at the ends which mean that the current cars cannot follow.

A simple wing at the front means the guy in front does not have a huge advantage over the guy following.

If teams cannot agree on a cost cap then the regs need to be biased towards "clean" wings and fuselage, in order to minimise the amount of effort wasted on fiddly bits that tend to make the cars look ugly.

I like the look of the front wing in FE and that Indy cars look more purposeful than F1.

Dr Z

3,396 posts

170 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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Eric Mc said:
I like the 1990/91 cars too. The looks began to fade with the arrival of the high noses and full span front wings.
The Ferrari F10 was a good looking thing...



As was the F60...



Renault/Lotus R31...



Sauber C30



Loved those wheels.

2009-2011 high rear wing/high nose cars looked good to my eye. It went downhill afterwards, IMO with the exception of the 2012 McLaren MP4/27 and the 2013 McLaren MP4/28.







London424

12,826 posts

174 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
quotequote all
rdjohn said:
...and it is those huge aero arrays at the ends which mean that the current cars cannot follow.

A simple wing at the front means the guy in front does not have a huge advantage over the guy following.

If teams cannot agree on a cost cap then the regs need to be biased towards "clean" wings and fuselage, in order to minimise the amount of effort wasted on fiddly bits that tend to make the cars look ugly.

I like the look of the front wing in FE and that Indy cars look more purposeful than F1.
From the looks of things this year it seems that the cars CAN follow behind. Seb has been able to sit and pressure the Mercs at every race this season. Lewis was able to do it to Seb at the last race (yes there was a compound difference in the mix on that one too).

But a lot of the midfield seemed to be in pretty close contact with each other as well.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Thursday 18th May 2017
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None of those do anything for me - sorry.

I've always hated the high nose as introduced on the Benettons in 1991. The only high nosed cars that were attractive to me were the Tyrell and the original Jordan (again, 1990/91 era).





The car that started the rot -