Martinsvi

Didnt have a vcr yet as I had just started working full time in my profession.
I used to have all the races on tape, and went to a store to have them transferred to dvd and some of the tapes had gone bad. It was really saddening.

rockjock

I have the McLaren F1 history book-it's amazing reading what the Cosworths were doing with them in the 90's-and how fast the cars have advanced.
Im very very impressed with the true trickle down of the F1 tech that is making it into road cars today-Mpg be damned-go E85 for all I care-as long as it can hit 18k rpm's and make that sound......
Ber nie may have made F1 what it is today-but he'll ruin it in the next 3 years if he continues down the current path. I know North America will never really follow it the same as the rest of the world-but I would pau to have my NA company name on a car-and looking at Brawns cars-they could still use some stickers on there.
Force India needs to just go away-its fine the guy has enough money to throw at F1-but his whole team sucks blue donkey *****.

Gullwing

I only started paying attention to F1 in around 2000, so half my F1 time was hating Ferrari and MS. I latched on to McLaren because of Mercedes and they will continue to be my number one team even with MB GP.

So my most memorable F1 moments are USGP 2005 and Nicole jumping around the McLaren garage at Brazil in 2008

Gullwing

18K big deal, remember they were over 20K a few years ago. Now they should be over 22k.

Why so hard on Farce India, they missed sixth place by one point?

Nola

You mean after the longest and best championship in History? And next year looking even better with 5 WDCs on the grid? So what part of the current path do you think will ruin it?

Nola

Hey, I was at the track for the non race! And I too remember Nicole fondly... she jumped, yet nothing moved!

Kevwood

Nice call Nola, right down to the final race. I'll be calling you before placing any future bets...

Nola

I think the boring track talk is not really valid. Turkey is an awesome track, Turn 8 for real men and real car designers. Singapore is also an awesome venue, a sponsor's dream, and the racing is also good. For spectators, you don't get any closer to the action. Sepang is also an awesome venue, that last sector with the reducing radii is very cool. We didn't see the real Korea, but I think it has great potential for close racing esp. in turn 3 and down the last sector.

For the so-called "boring" tracks, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Valencia... this can be (and likely will be) addressed by tyre compounds that actually degrade and have a large performance differential. This is what they did to spice up the show in Canada.

Glyn M Ruck

I think the present format is excellent. Abu Dhabi was an unfortunate track for the final shoot out because overtaking is so difficult. Another damn designer track!

I'm backing Hamilton once again for 2011.

There are two really great racers at present. Rossi in Moto GP (although his career is coming to an end - maybe one more championship in 2012) and Hamilton. Both sponsors dreams & have the mettle that champions are made of. Alonso has a flawed character for racing & Vettle is a spoilt but very talented brat.

MB-BOB

I'm with you on this, Nola. The newer tracks are much safer, and still very challenging. We depart here. Other than the front straight, the rest of the track is one long, constantly curving no-passing zone. Back in the day, without any scenery as well. Today, the track has lots of mature trees, so is visually more interesting. Still can't pass there, though.

EDIT: My bad. I'm thinking of the Hungaroring as a long, no-passing zone, not Turkey.

Now, don't get me wrong... I don't think F1 is about passing. But a chance to pass is nice for all drivers other than the pole sitter.

Nola

Are you sure?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYqjdYnoVH0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yiIB...6B04BE&index=9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL3BpzdtAOU


And 2010 gave us a heart stopping turkish GP, with Vettel taking out Webber, and Button almost doing the same with Hami.

Now Magny Cours... that was a bore fest every year. Good riddance.

Glyn M Ruck

+1

MB-BOB

My bad Nola. I wasn't thinking of Turkey, but rather the Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary. http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/circuit/1311.html

The track in Instanbul, Turkey is good, and yes all the drivers like the challenge of Turn 8. http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/circuit/1322.html

Thanks for the links to jolt my brain... none of those videos on that counter-clockwise circuit reminded me of the clockwise Hungaroring at all...

Nola

Fine... just want to note that Hungaroring is not a Tilke track.

MB-BOB

Of course not. The Hungaroring hosted it's first F1 race in 1986, on it's narrow, older style F1 design (intended to be styled after Monaco). The current track has longer straights and fewer corners than the 1986 version. Still can't pass well there.

Tilke's first major job was the transformation of the existing Österreichring to the much shorter A1-Ring in Austria, in the 1990s. I believe his first complete F1 circuit design was Sepang, 1998.

So the Tilke era came much later than Hungaroring.

rockjock

Yes,yes, Bernie.
I think he is upsetting the drivers left and right-the new safety rules are getting a little nit picky-and I wish beyond all wishes that the Stewards were if nothing else-consistant.
I don't know that the balance of Manufacturers withdrew due to money problems-I think theynwere themselves frustrated with what it cost in Bernies eyes-notnthe true cost to run a team-isn't it something redonkulous like $225k for an F1 license?
I agree with Turkey-love that venue-Istanbul is gorgeous-And the Hungaroring would be neat to drive on-but agree that itndoesnt race well.
Silverstone,Spa,-I want tonsee Nurburg back....so bad.

Nola

Well that would be the FIA... not Bernie. And anyway I don't see how extra safety has taken away from the show or prevented passing. Which rule, exactly, is nitpicky? Which drivers, exactly, are upset by it? And stewards are a lot better this year, with a former driver as advisor at every race.

For sure F1 is not perfect... especially the safety car rules... can't seem to get those right. But in balance, F1 is getting better every year.

Glyn M Ruck

+1

I suspect that overtaking next year will improve with KERS back & a driver adjustable rear wing (no more "f" duct). On a good car that will equate to approx another 160 bhp in bursts on the straights. Could be interesting!

MB-BOB

KERS was discussed on the SPEED TV coverage of Abu Dhabi. Apparently KERS never left, and remained part of the rules this year as permitted technology. However, all the teams agreed not to use it in 2010. It's not often that all the teams can agree on anything.

Certainly if one of the top tier teams (who can afford it) opts to use KERS in 2011, all the others will follow suit. So, KERS can be seen as a performance equalizer rather than a competitive advantage. A too complicated, too expensive, unreliable performance equalizer.

KERS was initially pitched to the F1 world as a technology demonstrator, supposedly placing F1 at the leading edge of automotive technology and the ecology movement. IMO, the technology demonstrator part of the equation falls flat, however, when you consider that F1 has banned most other driver aids that you can find on almost any run of the mill road going production car (traction control, braking assist, automatic transmissions, etc.).

Accordingly, I think the jury is out whether any team will persue KERS next year. I'm guessing no.

F1Bobby

Hopefully KERS will be scrapped and never to return! This season was a pretty damn good season to watch.......... Now having said that F1 continues to slip away into the politically correct box. We're so caught up in being green and all that it really is becoming a PITA.
F1 is the Top of the heap! Yes, you can say that being the top of the heap and going green are not mutually exclusive but they are... F1 means you make the best racecar and get the best driver that fits into the formula and go racing. May the best car/driver/team win. I remember when there were normally aspirated cars along side turbo cars. V-12s next to V-10's next to V-8s. I remember the big gumball slicks and the qually tires and the exotic brews the teams were running as fuel (McLaren pit crews had to wear Hazmat suits for the most part handling the fuel!).
I know all things change and yes the sport is getting safer and greener but do we really want to surrender to P.C. racing. I say not no but HELL NO!!!! Let's race the baddest cars the engineers and designers can give us. Get rid of these cookie cutter V-8s and lets get back to the real deal. If a team wants to run a V-8 package then so be it but allow them to tweak the V-8 to be the best it can be.

Gullwing

Bernie has wanted F1 to become more Indy car/Nascrap. Same engine, same chassis, same fuel, same aero packages...
All teams to pick their own engine would be great NA 3.0 liter or turbo 1.2 liter and doesn't matter if that is a 3.0 liter I4 or V12.

Glyn M Ruck

You are correct on the KERS agreement.

Mc Laren have already stated that they will run KERS next year. Their system is well developed with some technology from the Diesotto Hybrid.

I don't see KERS as a performance equaliser. It's implementation & weight penalty varies vastly from car to car as does it's rate of energy recovery & storage, usage. I think it can make things somewhat unpredictable. I'm an F1 purist & believe it should always push the limits of technology.

I think with Jean Todt at the helm that things will be a lot more pragmatically handled. The truth of the matter is that cost containment strategies have not really saved money in either F1 or Moto GP. The long life engine developments & componentry costs have been huge as an example.

Martinsvi

THE only other poster here that truly understands what F1 should be.!!!!

rockjock

I'm with F1 Bobbynas well-
Nola-I know there is a former driver up there with the stewards-a former Ferarri driver was at then last race-and while I have no reason to question his personal motives-its a little suspect when it's the final race and Ferarri's driver is on top.
How come no safety car in the white flag lap? A chunk of CF in the middle of the exit line could cause some damage-
Bernie has made F1 better over time (Really-I think then drivers and builders have because Bernie wanted them too)-but I can see him and his ideas going wierd fast.
As for KERS-I hope it's better than when Lewis had it last year-messed the car up the year after he won....

F1Bobby

Thanks Guys! I believe the number 1 in F1 should mean something!