(Derailed train of thought from this morning's provisional qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Thoughts?)
Monaco thrills race enthusiasts by the nature of the course (right
through the city, Loew's hairpin, Rassecasse, Sainte Devote),
but Ralf Schumacher has compared it to "flying a helicopter in your bedroom".
Despite the amazing braking power and downforce of the modern car,
the number of turns and tight hairpins make Monaco a slow circuit with
nearly zero chance of overtaking.
At Imola, Hungary, Magny-Cours, chassis and engines which endure win.
Such circuits highly favor top-funded teams qualifying P1-P4 on the grid.
These elements have combined to make recent F1 seasons less satisfying for viewers.
It's clear that Bernie Ecclestone sees that writing on the wall. Recently,
His Majesty invested substantially in financially-flagging Minardi
in an attempt to keep more teams on the grid.
Rule changes, including single-lap qualifying, for the 2003 season have juggled
qualifying grid positions and allowed teams like Renault to emerge as serious
competitors. (It must be noted that Michelin tyres seriously outclass Bridgestone
this season and Renault seems to have found magical mechanical grip from their chassis - good for them).
Still, for the future of the sport, F1 needs a visionary capable of making
much larger changes. Tracks around the world must be modernized (widened
in the apexs?) to permit and encourage aggressive overtaking. I can only
speak for myself, but I'd rather see fewer cars finish, but more of them
changing places throughout the race. Remember Gerhard Berger in the '93
Monaco race, attempting to pass Damon Hill at the Loew's hairpin? That's
what I'm talking about.
The changes to the first corner at the Hungaroring really improved the passing oppourtunities there but the rest of the track needs a serious rethink. The whole top section is an example of the problems with "modern" circuit design: too many finicky corners that disrupt the flow without providing a passing chance. In F1 most of the on track passing takes place into a corner (with the occasional power move on a straight), but most corners are completely unsuitable for passing. A corner needs a reasonable straight leading up to it and a drop down to 2nd for a driver to really take advantage. Naturally there are caveats to this but only for exceptional drivers.
There are so many factors that used to contribute to passing: aerodynamically dirty cars that created a huge hole for slip streaming; fat slick tyres that provided plenty of mechanical grip; driver errors like a missed shift; and torquey V8 Cosworths covering most of the grid. Now even Minardi have a clean car and idiot proof gearboxes, while big slicks and the old Cosworth V8 have disappeared in a fog of modernization.
it suks like pou i think i can make bettre
Posted by: danial at February 11, 2004 1:35 PM