- 03 Aug 12, 16:06#314919
It's the summer break, time to reflect on F1 overall now we're all missing it.
Should also balance out the moaning threads, and the moaning threads about teams moaning.
I'll start,
The notion of a Grand Prix, you get to see all the drivers and all the teams competing on the same track, weaknesses are ruthlessly exposed, you retire every other finisher comes ahead of you.
The combination of engineer design with human motor skills, the car's are complex and intricate but the drivers are incredibly athletic, brave and skill-full, This also applies to the pit crew.
How it can be close, then not so close, sometimes it's tiny margins out on track, or in the timing for qualifying, but then either lap by lap or in a one-off blunder or exceptional ability your some way behind.
The race strategy element, working with your engineer, trying to work out a pit-window, predicting the tyres and what the opposition are likely to do.
The design, technical strategy, do you set up for DRS qualifying assuming you'll be in pole position for the race, or compromise? Do you prioritise a reliable car over an experimental one? What are your designs strengths and weaknesses? Should you play your drivers off against each other or focus on an optimum car and strategy for one?
The tyres, identical for every team, but designed so they have to be managed for an F1 race, gives the teams a challenge, a specification outside their control to design around.
The safety, it is a dangerous sport, but I hate how in other sports some of the best players spend loads of time not competing due to injury, fortunately this is relatively rare in F1 (I think even taking into account the relatively low amount of time spent competing), of course there are clear exceptions.
Similarly, the increased reliability of modern cars, I hated seeing a talented performance ruined by a mechanical failure, again I'm talking about a general trend, I know there are outliers.
The Worldwide appeal and participation.
The professionalism and team spirit, I think this is also contiguous with female participation, there's clear de-incentives for prejudice in F1.
Should also balance out the moaning threads, and the moaning threads about teams moaning.
I'll start,
The notion of a Grand Prix, you get to see all the drivers and all the teams competing on the same track, weaknesses are ruthlessly exposed, you retire every other finisher comes ahead of you.
The combination of engineer design with human motor skills, the car's are complex and intricate but the drivers are incredibly athletic, brave and skill-full, This also applies to the pit crew.
How it can be close, then not so close, sometimes it's tiny margins out on track, or in the timing for qualifying, but then either lap by lap or in a one-off blunder or exceptional ability your some way behind.
The race strategy element, working with your engineer, trying to work out a pit-window, predicting the tyres and what the opposition are likely to do.
The design, technical strategy, do you set up for DRS qualifying assuming you'll be in pole position for the race, or compromise? Do you prioritise a reliable car over an experimental one? What are your designs strengths and weaknesses? Should you play your drivers off against each other or focus on an optimum car and strategy for one?
The tyres, identical for every team, but designed so they have to be managed for an F1 race, gives the teams a challenge, a specification outside their control to design around.
The safety, it is a dangerous sport, but I hate how in other sports some of the best players spend loads of time not competing due to injury, fortunately this is relatively rare in F1 (I think even taking into account the relatively low amount of time spent competing), of course there are clear exceptions.
Similarly, the increased reliability of modern cars, I hated seeing a talented performance ruined by a mechanical failure, again I'm talking about a general trend, I know there are outliers.
The Worldwide appeal and participation.
The professionalism and team spirit, I think this is also contiguous with female participation, there's clear de-incentives for prejudice in F1.
Last edited by vaptin on 04 Aug 12, 13:50, edited 2 times in total.
