Yipee the F1 is back on

I expect I will watch it more out of force of habit than getting an exciting race, still think they should install randomly controlled sprinkler systems on all tracks as the most exciting races are when the weather is changable.

Only a month later in August the road cycling starts up again and the MTB season in September so that is more likely to get me watching the F1 later in the day and the cycling live.

I think you might need a bigger battery to go 200miles at F1 pace

As school successfully killed any small interest I may have had in sport I do not have Sky, I like all forms of motor racing but motorcycle road racing is my favourite. I think the combination of engineering and competition is what appeals to me but struggle a bit with it being a sport, I can’t imagine motor racing being at the olympics although they have embraced some oddball events.

Monaco must be one of the biggest procession races but is strangely compelling to watch, having visited Monaco it makes the race seem even more unlikely but it’s still one of the most watched races.

Mike

Anything is better than Formula E, now that is boring!

As usual I think I'm running counter to prevailing opinion but to me what's wrong with F1 is trying to make it "exciting" to the fans by all kinds of artificial stimuli. That, and playing to the mini-teams by limiting the others in terms of costs.

I'd rather see it as in days of yore, when it was considered a sport rather than an "entertainment". Wide open, do as you like (within reasonable constraints); spend what you like; test/develop as you like, when you like; pit activity at teams' discretion. And may the best car/driver win.

I've followed F1 since the 50's but I only watched maybe a quarter of the races last year. I likely would have watched fewer or none this year, CV notwithstanding.

Now they want to use it as a vehicle (sorry) on the current social-change bandwagon.

F1 ON THE RADIO ???? Crikey it is not exactly football is it (not that I would watch/listen to that either) But on the radio!! What do you do? listen to the Vroom vroom as they wizz past?? Do they sound different to an enthusiast?

I find the pre race chat with Coulthard & co the best bit, provided E Jordan stays out of it that is. Might record the start & the finish. Then flick through rest as it is usually just a procession.

Still that being said , many years ago a relation of mine was absolutely ecstatic when his wife gave him a long playing record of the Isle of Mann TT motorcycle racing. He knew every motorbike by the sound.

Have to say for excitement, watching a you tube vid of Guy Martin lapping the IOM TT circuit has to be a bit squeeky bum stuff. The sidecars put on a show as well. Certainly puts a lap of an F1 circuit to shame.

I keep promising myself that next time I sail round UK, I will time it so I can moor up at the IOM & go & watch some of it.

I did find the Jim Clarke memorial museum at Dunns interesting. Mainly because I used to go & watch him race several times. A really entertaining driver, who did his best to put on a show for the crowds at Brands Hatch in his Lotus Cortina & his F1 car.

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 29/06/2020 17:52:03

F1 ON THE RADIO ???? Crikey it is not exactly football is it (not that I would watch/listen to that either) But on the radio!! What do you do? listen to the Vroom vroom as they wizz past?? Do they sound different to an enthusiast?

You clearly missed the point of my post. It was made specifically to highlight the irrational assumption that everyone without a gogglebox (and square eyes?) would have zero interest in F1. One can be interested and certainly don’t need a gogglebox to qualify for the privilege. Same goes for any- and every-thing else.

Goggleboxes, IMO, are not a requirement for anything other than a wasting time or watching repeats - apart from a few progs for fanatics, some of whom make ungrounded assumptions about all those that don’t waste their time with them. DO gGo and enjoy your eastenders, coronation street or whatever, but don’t paint everyone else as uninterested in everything that happens to be broadcast.

Dang it just my luck. We are going away that weekend for 12 days will be near Ross on Wye with the caravan. We never bother with tv in the caravan.

regards

The Tesla roadster is claimed to have a 600 mile range (at motorway speed, flat, etc. Power drain will certainly shoot up 3+ times on hard accelerations but it might actually make 200 miles F1 with efficient regen. The specs are stunning. What is most likely to let it down as a conventional road car on an F1 race is battery cooling needing an upgrade and that Tesla's in races against IC cars tend to start to lose out once accelerating at faster speeds since they have no gear-box to maximise efficiency. Add the SpaceX concept thrusters and no F1 would be able to hold them. Acceleration claimed to be limited by driver ability to cope with the G-force. Out of the showroom 0-60 quoted at under 1.9secs without additional thrusters.

They can also do a 'Panther stance' with manipulated suspension at launch to improve launch speed further.

pgk

I have not kept up to date with Tesla, some years ago I had an interesting conversation with a Tesla salesman on the practicality of driving to Italy, we were looking at a range of 300 miles which made the journey very practical with the route calculated with the fast charging points included, travelling with my wife is leisurely as we take breaks for coffee lunch and nature and a very useful top up could be achieved in 30-40mins. A 600 mile range would be more than enough for a days drive, 630miles is the most I have driven in a day but less than 400 Is a comfortable distance these days.

Mike

Battery tech always improving. Currently promising a million mile battery on the next tech change to be manufactured. The model 3 has a 75KWh pack with a range claim of 348 miles and if the pack is near empty can top up 170 miles in 30 mins. All theoretical figures depending on weather, temp and driving style.
You can stick all these sorts of variables into "A Better Routeplanner" **LINK**

And manipulate weather conditions, stop times and so forth. The default London to Rome option spits out 7 stops en route under 30 mins each and a total time under 21hrs for the 1100 miles. I'm sure one could fiddle with the planner for better comfort and meal stops and an overnight hotel (with on-site charging) to reduce top-up stops. These days i have to stop and pee every couple of hours anyway. Using Teslas own charger network @ 23p/KWh it's under £100 in 'fuel'. When I bought my Model S it was still possible to get free supercharging for 'life'.

pgk

This weekend

Highlights from qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix , Channel 4 on Saturday 4th July at 6:45pm with the race highlights at 6:30pm on Sunday 5th July.

British GP will be live on Channel 4, all the rest including the second British race will be highlights as per last year. Not sure what races the I hate F1 mob were watching last year but there were some superb races with lots of action, Austria and Italy immediately spring to mind. Sure there will always be some boring races, it happens in all motorsport including Moto GP. Even football can be exceedingly boring.

Dave

Just finished reading a biography on Jack Brabham. Some of the comparisons between his cars and those built by Lotus, Ferrari, Maserati, etc in the early 60's are quite illuminating. Very little custom manufacture except the body. Engines were sourced from other makers, as were gearboxes, hubs, brakes, driveshafts, instruments etc, supplemented by bits and pieces made in their own workshop by Jack himself or Ron Taurenac. Racing budget of $10,000 Australian per year compared with about 10 times that for Ferrari and he still beat them hands down.

Totally different ball game today, with so much driven by expensive technology and corporate sponsorship leaving little room for private developments.

I think the opportunity for the independent tuners was much greater in days past, for bike racing frame builders and suspension mods were common and gearbox specialists like Rod Quaife and Michael Shafleitner were around, engine tuners could usually improve on stock factory engines, some could better works teams efforts. I would think there are still proprietary parts on an F1 car but probably built to customer spec.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 01/07/2020 08:09:52

Anyone interested in F1 development will benefit from searching to see the specs on the 2021 cars. A lot is changing. Also a lot of in year development will not be allowed in certain area's. Ground effect re-introduced. Lots of stuff inc wheels. The artist drawn cars look stunning.

Steve.

I used to be an F1 fan but lost interest when it moved to pay TV. Then reading Tom Watson's book "No Angel - The secret life of Bernie Ecclesstone" left me feeling quite despondent.

Peter

Lost a lot of interest when the poison dwarf sold out to Murdocks mob (Hauwk, spit). Still watch the highlights, same with MGP since that was sold out to pay TV.

Wonder how many will loose interest now OUR national hero (H/S again) has manage to get it politicized? Eight races? There's going to be a LOT of controversy, MANY tears before bed time and forii full of Egg spurt comments and Moratoriums. Do they still use Manx Norton engines in F1???

Regards Ian.

 "The Piranha Club" an excellent read, Only difference now is more sophisticated cheating.

Edited By Circlip on 01/07/2020 11:47:29

Well! That was a cracking first race of the season

David

From someone who, according to some (well at least one) should have zero interest, found it rather interesting.

A monumental _ock-up by Mercedes got them into trouble at the end.

The fastest driver on the track was penalised by fitting hard tyres and then Mercedes declined to put softs on for the last twenty laps. Crass mismanagement, IMO. Only themselves to blame for the fiasco at the end of the race.