- 09 Nov 09, 06:24#168885Remember that the article was written following the Hungarian GP, only ten races into a 17 race season.
The year certainly has not been the “tyre to tyre, helmet to helmet” sort of thing that some hoped for, but it really hasn’t been too bad. Certainly the season hasn’t been as bad as the mid-90s and mid noughties.
There has been MUCH closer racing. Cars can follow each other more easily than a few years ago.
But, it still isn’t enough. KERS hasn’t really helped this year, except off the start line mostly. I recall Barichello being held up to the tune of 2 seconds a lap in Germany this year, because he couldn’t get past Massa in a KERS equipped Ferrari. LH, and to a lesser extent Alonso and Kimi, seem to be the only ones to have actually made KERS work.
There is no single solution. Whenever the OWG tries to reduce downforce, those very clever engineers and aerodynamicists claw it back.
For me, three things need to happen:
1. No KERS. When only part of the field has it, it increases the likelyhood of reckless blocking (I call it the “magic button” syndrome). As everyone cannot, or will not, have it, then no-one should, as the teams have decided for next year.
2. Less ‘Tilked’ circuits. Herman the German designs tracks that are made for overtaking when other drivers make a mistake. However, the speeds and technology (breaks, downforce, shifting, trailing distance ,ect) mean that a mistake that would end up as a passing opportunity in a lower formula or closed wheeler race does not necessarily equate as a passing opportunity in F1.
The lack of good medium speed sections in Tilke tracks and the stop-go nature of his street circuits (combined with a certain ‘sameyness’) renders them both a) somewhat boring and b) bloody difficult to pass at.
Unlike the majority, I actually like and enjoy the GPs at some of Tilke’s tracks, Bahrain (despite the boring scenery), Istanbul and Sepang are all interesting and intensely technical tracks. Even the A1 Ring wasn’t too bad (at least he kept some of the caharacter of the circuit intact). Unfortunately, for each of these there is a Valencia and Singapore.
My proposal: Less ‘Mickey Mouse” 2nd/3rd gear corners, particularly to finish a lap a la Fuji and Abu Dhabi and more 3rd/4th/5th gear corners whit rapid acceleration and breaking zones.
3. More mechanical grip. If we go less aero, then lets go more mechanical. Bringing slicks back was a good idea.
Pretty sure i read it did conform to the regs (at the time, obviously they've changed) although it'd be pretty stupid to have that rear 'wing' if they wanted to actually corner on a proper track, hence why you wouldn't see it elsewhere... forgot about the V10 though.
- By darwin dali