Formula 1 2017

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

.

One thing for sure, who would bet against Max becoming F1 Champion in the future - once he's in a car capable of winning races...

 Such a lottery: he could find himself in a truly competitive car when there's great racing, because three teams - or more - have championship potential car and driver combinations.  After his F1 start, you wouldn't have bet against Fred only getting those two championships, Massa never getting one at all after getting squeezed out early in his career by Hammy...

[The Stationmaster]

Bernie wins again (but only $18 million this time) -

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/05/21/formula-one-owner-liberty-media-tackle-debts-300m-share-issue/

[ianwales]

I see Jenson is in P12 in FP2 in his first time out in the car, one place behind Stoffel Vandoorne who's been in it all season, don't know whether that says more about how good JB is or how rubbish Vandoorne is! 

 

Ian

[mezzoman253]

I see Jenson is in P12 in FP2 in his first time out in the car, one place behind Stoffel Vandoorne who's been in it all season, don't know whether that says more about how good JB is or how rubbish Vandoorne is! 

 

Ian

Qualifying is on Freeview ATM, not noticed thursday qualifying on before?

 

Rob

Edited May 25, 2017 by mezzoman253

[ianwales]

HI Rob

 

Thursday practise is a Monaco thing, they get a day off on Friday which is the usual practise day before Practise 3 and Quali itself as usual on Saturday

 

Ian

[Oldddudders]

Impressively processional, eh? Punctuated by clownish ineptitude. Some spectacle that wasn't. 

[Andrew P]

I agree Ian, probably the most boring Monaco GP ever, Glad Pascal was O.K. that was a bit worrying but other than that, I could have been on here,  on my Lap Top and missed nothing.

 

So what was it?

 

The Tyres?

 

The Cars to wide to pass now?

 

Answers on a Postcard to my Yacht moored in the Harbour, (I wish)

[Mike Storey]

During the even more boring bits, I heard David C say that a 2017 GP car is about the same width as a Range Rover. I have seen several of these, especially the ones that look like someone very heavy sat on the roof before they left the factory, trying to overtake another one on wildly optimistic corners in Monaco over the years, so it can't be the width........  

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Monaco has been a freak show for years, it would be equally sensible to require the drivers to turn out in 4x4s for this race. Did every attempted on track overtake end up either with contact between cars, or the attempt abandoned as it became clear there was not the width to make the attempt?

 

Any serious race series managment would have scrapped it years ago: perhaps in favour of a manufactured course retaining some key features but better laid out for speed and safety? (It is entirely foreseeable that one day there is an horrific accident in the tunnel, reason enough to abandon the present course.)

[Edge]

For those interested in the Alonso/Indy situation, he was thoroughly competitive and was in the lead group when his Honda engine let go about 22 laps from the end. He received a standing ovation from the entire Indy crowd and I rather suspect that he will be driving for Andretti there next year

[Oldddudders]

For those interested in the Alonso/Indy situation, he was thoroughly competitive and was in the lead group when his Honda engine let go about 22 laps from the end. He received a standing ovation from the entire Indy crowd and I rather suspect that he will be driving for Andretti there next year

 

Honda really must not like Alonso.

[newbryford]

For those interested in the Alonso/Indy situation, he was thoroughly competitive and was in the lead group when his Honda engine let go about 22 laps from the end. He received a standing ovation from the entire Indy crowd and I rather suspect that he will be driving for Andretti there next year

 

And a British driver is leading with 17 laps to go.

[newbryford]

Honda really must not like Alonso.

 

I wonder what Alonso thinks about Honda?

[PhilH]

I fell out of love with this sport a long time ago. I feel that if you take away the hype, the perceived glitz and glamour of it there isn't a lot left now.

[njee20]

Any serious race series managment would have scrapped it years ago: perhaps in favour of a manufactured course retaining some key features but better laid out for speed and safety? (It is entirely foreseeable that one day there is an horrific accident in the tunnel, reason enough to abandon the present course.)

There have been plenty of big crashes in the tunnel over the years, but it's not really all that bad.

 

Ian's spot on about the race, not a single overtake that stuck, and only a few laughable attempts.

[Edge]

Not F1 news, but fomer F1 racer Takuma Sato just won the 2017 Indy 500

[njee20]

Shame Max Chilton didnt hold on.

[Edge]

Indeed, but he came a creditable 4th and Ed Jones flew the Union Jack on the podium, so British drivers acquitted themselves very well

[Andrew P]

Will this weekend be the LAST TIME Alonso drives a Honda? He has to make a decision for next season soon and I recon he will be signing for Renault to replace Palmer by the summer break.

[vitalspark]

On the fiasco thats Monaco I didn't see a single overtaking move in the entire race apart from the ones that ended in tears.

 

It takes F1 boring processions to a whole new level and I am a fan.

 

I attended Monaco in the last season when you needed earplugs and apart from the noise and atmosphere the racing was poor and instantly forgettable.

 

In contrast I also attended the Classic GP which is held there every other year on the same circuit a week prior to the F1 race and each of the short races with many ex F1 drivers including Sir Stirling in a Mercedes was more entertaining than the current F1 debacle.

 

Why do the commentators continue to hype up Monaco as one of the highlights of the calendar because if they were honest its had its day and needs to be scratched.

 

Dave.

[JZ]

After watching Monaco and Indy yesterday, I have to say that the F1 race was probably the most boring I have ever seen. There was more overtaking moves for the lead at Indy in the first 15-20 lap than there was throughout the whole race at Monaco. Apart from a few away from the grid, all the rest where at pit stops and I don't regard them as true overtakes. In fact, there was probably more overtaking at Indy than throughout an entire F1 season. So why would anyone want to pay Murdoch, when you can live stream Indycay from Youtube for free.

 

Yours. A former F1 fan.

[The Blue Streak]

I don't think the lack of successful overtaking is to do with the width of the cars. They were pretty wide back in the 70's and early 80's and I'm pretty sure I recall seeing blokes stuff it up the inside without wiping each other out at every attempt, sometimes even at Monaco .

 

Ronnie Peterson's Lotus 72 (I don't think they came much wider !!)

Edited May 29, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[Dunsignalling]

Sorry, but I think the only way to turn F1 back into racing is to have the fast guys start from the back to make them work for it.

 

After Race 1 of the season, bin qualifying, the grid should be reverse of the previous race's finish. First retiree on Pole and so on all the way down. This has an additional effect in helping a driver who has gone out early a few times, recover some points in subsequent races. This might help ensure that the driver's championship remains more than a one-on-one contest beyond mid-season.

 

I'd also be inclined to slightly ease/widen a couple of bends on every circuit to make it harder to defend a determined overtake attempt. Otherwise, the processions we get now could turn into traffic jams.

 

The chess game whereby, far too often, the result is determined by who schedules their pit-stops most cleverly, has to stop. Real races are won or lost on the track. 

 

I'm sorry to say it, but Monaco really has had its day, it's simply no longer up to the standard of the hardware.

 

John

Edited May 29, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Andrew P]

Sorry, but I think the only way to turn F1 back into racing is to have the fast guys start from the back.

 

After Race 1 of the season, grid should be reverse of the previous race's finish. First retiree on Pole and so on all the way down. This has an additional effect in helping a driver who has gone out early a few times, recover some points in subsequent races. This might help ensure that the driver's championship remains a real contest beyond mid-season.

 

I'd also be inclined to slightly ease/widen a couple of bends on every circuit to make it harder to defend a determined overtake attempt. Otherwise, the processions we get now could turn into traffic jams.

 

The chess game whereby, far too often, the result is determined by who schedules their pit-stops most cleverly, has to stop. Real races are won or lost on the track. 

 

I'm sorry to say it, but Monaco really has had its day, it's simply no longer up to the standard of the hardware.

 

John

I like most of your points there John, but McLaren would would start from POLE in every Race as they would probably be the first to retire, (that probably was't fair, as they ran well yesterday).

 

Monaco has always been one of my favourites but not after yesterdays showing, which is such a shame, as it has all the hallmarks of a great race venue.

 

I would like to see a lot of the technology go, especially DRS and different Engine modes. I'd also like to see, as David Coultard said yesterday another Tyre Manufacture join in, BUT ALTER IT so that Drivers / Teams had a choice each weekend once they arrive at the Circuit.

 

I would also like to see the STUPID PENALTY system re thought out, what did JB do to deserve a 15 Place Grid Penalty? It was HONDA that was at fault, so why penalise and demoralise the Driver before the Race has even started.

 

RANT OVER, Have a good Bank Holiday Guys, it's raining here this morning.  WOOO That's an idea,               Sprinklers all around Monaco for EVERY RACE.             

Edited May 29, 2017 by Andrew P

[Mike Storey]

Is it that Monaco is not up to the present machinery, or is the present machinery not up to Monaco?

 

Tyre degredation was slow and Pirelli admitted they were probably too cautious.

 

ERS did not appear to give sufficient boost when needed.

 

Cars were deliberately staying well apart most of the time due to the disruptive air flows.

 

One of the main overtaking spots in past races was the hairpin - not a single challenge this time. Why?

 

Monaco normally achieves several shunts to the barriers in a race, which give it the uncertainty normally absent elsewhere, but not one this time. Apart from Jenson's interesting move, are drivers these days that much better at steering for 78 laps, or were they being far more cautious than normal?

 

Monaco highlighted the factors that are currently severely limiting good racing in the current series, but it is by no means unique in this. Let's see what happens in Canada.