GP2 quicker than F1

[Alfie Noakes]

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns22269.html

It makes you wonder what all the fuss is about when a spec. chassis and road car engine is faster than the "pinnicle of motorsport.

[TonyHetherington]

But it's not the pinnacle of motorsport? It's the pinnacle of a very specific set of rules designed to reduce cost and prevent cars going too fast on safety grounds.

[Munter]

TonyHetherington said:

But it's not the pinnacle of motorsport? It's the pinnacle of a very specific set of rules designed to reduce cost and prevent cars going too fast on safety grounds.

What he said. If they released a standard F1 car it would be quicker than the standard GP2 car because there would be no development outside what was provided.

Problem is F1 teams have the ability to develop the cars to something the FIA considers unsafe with no regulations, so the regulations keep them clamped down to the point that GP2 cars go faster than the back of the F1 grid.

[Alfie Noakes]

TonyHetherington said:

But it's not the pinnacle of motorsport? It's the pinnacle of a very specific set of rules designed to reduce cost and prevent cars going too fast on safety grounds.

"Pinnacle of Motorsport" in quotes (well quote actually).

[chevronb37]

Don't Dallara also produce the GP2 chassis? You'd imagine their simulation software would've given them some feedback on how slow the car is. Especially when it's giving away 100bhp...

[Mazda Baiter]

chevronb37 said:

Don't Dallara also produce the GP2 chassis? You'd imagine their simulation software would've given them some feedback on how slow the car is. Especially when it's giving away 100bhp...

Quite. Someone at Dallara needs their backside kicking. From what I have heard the team is only keeping going because of financial gifts from a short man with a wig. There is only the budget to race, not develop the car.

If ever there was a case for customer chassis for the first 3 years of a new team, this is it.

[TheArchitect]

Mazda Baiter said:

If ever there was a case for customer chassis for the first 3 years of a new team, this is it.

I hadn't heard this suggestion before but it sounds like a good idea! has this been discussed by the f1 teams?

[FourWheelDrift]

Sir Frank Williams he say "Veto". It will never happen.

The irony being Williams starting off using customer chassis, Brabham, De Tomaso and then March and ISO before building the first in-house chassis in his 6th F1 season.

[heebeegeetee]

Briatore said: "There are teams in F1 who are only two seconds quicker compared to GP2 teams and they are spending 60-70 million while GP2 costs three million. Something's wrong there..."

I think he's damn right.

[GTP rpm]

They did customer engines, why not customer chassis? They should be available at a reasonable cost?

Anyway, I've missed half the story, but did the GP2's set those times on the F1 rubber? They always dash out right after the F1's have been out to get the grip, once it's scrubbed off the surface, they practise race set-up...!

[Fire99]

It can be dressed up all they like but that is embarrasment of the highest order. The top GP2 time was over a second QUICKER than the HRT boys.

They'll be needing to get a slower safety car at the current rate.

[Mazda Baiter]

GTP rpm said:

They did customer engines, why not customer chassis? They should be available at a reasonable cost?

Anyway, I've missed half the story, but did the GP2's set those times on the F1 rubber? They always dash out right after the F1's have been out to get the grip, once it's scrubbed off the surface, they practise race set-up...!

The times are for the practice session. They were on their normal GP2 tyres. I'm not sure when the session was held. It is embarrassing for HRT whatever.

[Pearcyy]

He means the rubber on the track...

[sheps]

Im pretty sure the practice session for the GP2's, was between practice 1 and 2 for the F1 chaps.

[CanAm]

So what's new?
F2 cars (with mere 1600cc engines compared to F1's 3 litres) were allowed to race in the 1967 German GP. In F2 cars, Jacky Ickx qualified third and Jackie Oliver finished fifth!

[chevronb37]

I wonder whether the higher-displacement engine in the GP2 means more torque and it's therefore easier to drive around Monaco? You could cite plenty of examples from days gone by when F2/FA/F5000 guys beat F1 cars, but it is a cause for severe embarrassment when Bruno and Karun could've lapped quicker in their 2008 steads than they can as F1 drivers.

[egomeister]

The GP2 cars will likely have more downforce than the HRT, hence be quicker (especially true at somewhere like monaco)

As GP2 is a spec series Dallara would have much more freedom to develop the car, relative to the restricted (and underfunded!) development that the F1 car would have undergone.

[Scuffers]

You can dress it up anyway you like, the fact remains that F1 has turned into a joke, between cost cutting stupidity and safety bull, to be no real step up from GP2 is laughable.

[Munter]

Scuffers said:

You can dress it up anyway you like, the fact remains that F1 has turned into a joke, between cost cutting stupidity and safety bull, to be no real step up from GP2 is laughable.

I'd say there is still a big step up. One of the reasons the slowest F1 cars have been caught may well be because the regulations make them harder to drive. And I'll bet the pointy end of F1 are nowhere near being caught.

[Fire99]

Munter said:

Scuffers said:

You can dress it up anyway you like, the fact remains that F1 has turned into a joke, between cost cutting stupidity and safety bull, to be no real step up from GP2 is laughable.

I'd say there is still a big step up. One of the reasons the slowest F1 cars have been caught may well be because the regulations make them harder to drive. And I'll bet the pointy end of F1 are nowhere near being caught.

Hmmm I don't know. It really is feeling like F1-'lite' these days.