I enjoyed the race yesterday

[Massa 0]

I thought the race was good.  I have only watched two races this year: that one and the Australian Grand Prix.  I thought this one was good.  I thought it was good.  I watched it, and I thought, "That was pretty good!"  I think that was a good race.  What it was, to me, was, that it was a good race, and my opinion of it was, and still is, to be quite honest, that the race was good.  I am glad that I watched it in large part because it was good.  That's what I think about it.  For what it's worth, I thought the race was good.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

 lol. yea, some good overtakes, good battles, good strategies that played out, all in all...enjoyable. As you said, for the large part...

Spoilt by the dominance of the Merc car tho

[Sakae 0]

19 hours ago, BradSpeedMan said:

 lol. yea, some good overtakes, good battles, good strategies that played out, all in all...enjoyable. As you said, for the large part...

Spoilt by the dominance of the Merc car tho

24 October 2017   11:40 (CEST)

It is IMO not really MB's problem we live with alarming performance inequality since Feb 2014. It is problem rooted with all those who permitted to restrict car developments, and inevitably blocked recovery activities which were so badly needed. Hamilton can blah-blah about his inhuman-like greatness, but when all surrounding BS is disregarded, there is not a single car which can match MB in development, and one cannot forget, they started on a different baseline than everyone else.

Ross Brawn is turning into someone I do not know, despite I placed initially so much faith into him. To assist teams like Williams and McLaren with cost cutting, now he is proposing to kill FP1 and 2 on Fridays, and as far as I know, he is not replacing this track time with anything else. If I thought this idio*y cannot go any further, well, Brits found the way. Long live darkness and fog altering mind. 

My remedy:

- Sell F1 to competent people who will let true experts to run it (for a change).

- Forget budget cap, and change technical normative references instead. Build a racing car, not a NASA-like spaceship.

[Ruslan 0]

I get the sense that the management is extremely professional and competent. I have been happy with what I am seeing so far. We had the "experts" running it before (Ecclestone and Moseley, both race car drivers and team owners). I was not happy with their reign.

I would like to see them return to the qualifying on Friday and Saturday, as I think it made for a better three-day weekend for spectators. If they are not qualifying on Friday...then there is not much reason to be there.

[Publius Cornelius Scipio 0]

22 hours ago, Sakae said:

MB ... started on a different baseline than everyone else.

If I may add something to this interesting claim, Mercedes wrote the rules to suit their needs and started working on the PU formula before the rules had been set and made public. And once the rules had been made public they introduced the engine freeze and tokens system to make sure that their challengers would always be left behind. 

We have seen a team getting preferential treatment before but I don't recall ever one team writing the rules and the FIA preventing the others from catching up. 

Until last year we had Rosberg to spice things up, Rosberg who despite being less talented than Hamilton managed to beat him more often than not when he was allowed to do so (after Spa in 2014 he wasn't allowed, same in 2015). Having to endure Hamilton's crap when no one else is allowed (by regulation!) to build a car that challenges his and when his team mate is nothing more than his butler (and having to listen to Hamilton saying Ferrari is using Raikkonen to help Vettel) is really sad

Sadly I mujst admit that IMHO neither Mercedes nor Hamilton are worthy world champions, I'm sure than Mercedes is a great company and Hamilton a great driver but they must prove it by allowing a level playing field

[Publius Cornelius Scipio 0]

11 hours ago, Ruslan said:

I would like to see them return to the qualifying on Friday and Saturday, as I think it made for a better three-day weekend for spectators. If they are not qualifying on Friday...then there is not much reason to be there.

Agreed, I also would like to see the return of T cars and races restarted if an accident happens on the first lap. I would also like to see a change in parc fermé rules to allow the teams to change some settings in case of rain (as things stand it is very very dangerous). I would also like to see an increase in testing days

[Sakae 0]

33 minutes ago, Publius Cornelius Scipio said:

If I may add something to this interesting claim, Mercedes wrote the rules to suit their needs and started working on the PU formula before the rules had been set and made public. And once the rules had been made public they introduced the engine freeze and tokens system to make sure that their challengers would always be left behind. 

We have seen a team getting preferential treatment before but I don't recall ever one team writing the rules and the FIA preventing the others from catching up. 

Until last year we had Rosberg to spice things up, Rosberg who despite being less talented than Hamilton managed to beat him more often than not when he was allowed to do so (after Spa in 2014 he wasn't allowed, same in 2015). Having to endure Hamilton's crap when no one else is allowed (by regulation!) to build a car that challenges his and when his team mate is nothing more than his butler (and having to listen to Hamilton saying Ferrari is using Raikkonen to help Vettel) is really sad

Sadly I mujst admit that IMHO neither Mercedes nor Hamilton are worthy world champions, I'm sure than Mercedes is a great company and Hamilton a great driver but they must prove it by allowing a level playing field

25 October 2017   11:26 (CEST)

Couldn't agree more even if I try, Publius.

@Ruslan - my doubts about professional level of people at the top was triggered by talks about budget cap consideration. I am hoping to be forgiven for saying this, but mere suggestion of such measure indicates gross ignorance how world works. I am not going to hold my breath, but my last hope is, that this is a tactical rhetoric to satisfy certain fringe elements within, but Ross in reality knows this will not happen. It doesn't make any sense to people who knows how product development and manufacturing really works. Beancounters, sales - MBA and politicians are living in their own bubble, and such issues - eng. challenges - just fly over their head. Ross could please me if he admits that budget cap is for weak in thinking minds, and instead, he should walk to the teams and say - I want to see 50% staff decrease in electronics, including material at the track as off x-date, there will not be any data live transmission to home-base during a race, etc., parc ferme is off, and you can test whatever, whenever.

WCC after all must have some meaning, otherwise why have it?

[Sakae 0]

Quote

Mika Salo alleges death threats after Verstappen penalty!

26 October 2017   10:23 (CEST)

With these kind of headlines where are we heading with objective stewarding in forthcoming races? Will those men think twice before they render their next decision if Verstappen is involved? 

[Ruslan 0]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 4:59 AM, Publius Cornelius Scipio said:

Agreed, I also would like to see the return of T cars and races restarted if an accident happens on the first lap. I would also like to see a change in parc fermé rules to allow the teams to change some settings in case of rain (as things stand it is very very dangerous). I would also like to see an increase in testing days

Agreed.

[Ruslan 0]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 5:26 AM, Sakae said:

@Ruslan - my doubts about professional level of people at the top was triggered by talks about budget cap consideration. I am hoping to be forgiven for saying this, but mere suggestion of such measure indicates gross ignorance how world works.

Really.....they are unprofessional because they don't have the same opinion as you? Isn't that just GOD AWFUL ARROGANT?

Jean Todt, head of FIA and former Ferrari principal was implementing a budget cap before Ecclestone got it thrown out. It was not " ...a tactical rhetoric to satisfy certain fringe elements within..."...it was being implemented by Jean Todt and FIA. Are you saying that Jean Todt does not know "...how product development and manufacturing really works." Is Jean Todt one of those: "Beancounters, sales - MBA and politicians are living in their own bubble, and such issues - eng. challenges - just fly over their head." Is Jean Todt one of those: "....weak in thinking minds..." because he supported a budget cap (and I gather still does)?

Anyhow, you should probably not assume that people who disagree with you are less knowledgeable or less intelligent.  

[Sakae 0]

5 hours ago, Ruslan said:

Really.....they are unprofessional because they don't have the same opinion as you? Isn't that just GOD AWFUL ARROGANT?

Jean Todt, head of FIA and former Ferrari principal was implementing a budget cap before Ecclestone got it thrown out. It was not " ...a tactical rhetoric to satisfy certain fringe elements within..."...it was being implemented by Jean Todt and FIA. Are you saying that Jean Todt does not know "...how product development and manufacturing really works." Is Jean Todt one of those: "Beancounters, sales - MBA and politicians are living in their own bubble, and such issues - eng. challenges - just fly over their head." Is Jean Todt one of those: "....weak in thinking minds..." because he supported a budget cap (and I gather still does)?

Anyhow, you should probably not assume that people who disagree with you are less knowledgeable or less intelligent.  

I guess I owe them apology then.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

16 hours ago, Ruslan said:

Really.....they are unprofessional because they don't have the same opinion as you? Isn't that just GOD AWFUL ARROGANT?

Jean Todt, head of FIA and former Ferrari principal was implementing a budget cap before Ecclestone got it thrown out. It was not " ...a tactical rhetoric to satisfy certain fringe elements within..."...it was being implemented by Jean Todt and FIA. Are you saying that Jean Todt does not know "...how product development and manufacturing really works." Is Jean Todt one of those: "Beancounters, sales - MBA and politicians are living in their own bubble, and such issues - eng. challenges - just fly over their head." Is Jean Todt one of those: "....weak in thinking minds..." because he supported a budget cap (and I gather still does)?

Anyhow, you should probably not assume that people who disagree with you are less knowledgeable or less intelligent.  

No,

They appear unprofessional because they can't implement a budget cap. It's a valid reason because it has NOT been implemented, despite consistent talks to teams with the news filtering through to the public. Did Todt have the spine to stand up to Ecclestone? It's valid questions. Are they just plain incompetent, clueless or arrogant? Do they know what they're doing? Are they scared to ruffle feathers? Their inability in decision-making is costing teams millions!!! 2 Teams in the last 4 years has gone bankrupt, assets were seized, the sport has lost competitors. Is that fair?

At present, Merc has been spending and spending to stay ahead of the pack. Ferrari and RBR has almost spent equal amounts to try and get to an equal level playing field. Other teams are lagging 1s behind because they don't have the resources to be competitive. I mean... REALLY!

[BradSpeedMan 6]

18 hours ago, Ruslan said:

Really.....they are unprofessional because they don't have the same opinion as you? Isn't that just GOD AWFUL ARROGANT?

Jean Todt, head of FIA and former Ferrari principal was implementing a budget cap before Ecclestone got it thrown out. It was not " ...a tactical rhetoric to satisfy certain fringe elements within..."...it was being implemented by Jean Todt and FIA. Are you saying that Jean Todt does not know "...how product development and manufacturing really works." Is Jean Todt one of those: "Beancounters, sales - MBA and politicians are living in their own bubble, and such issues - eng. challenges - just fly over their head." Is Jean Todt one of those: "....weak in thinking minds..." because he supported a budget cap (and I gather still does)?

Anyhow, you should probably not assume that people who disagree with you are less knowledgeable or less intelligent.  

Maybe. They just SCARED.... man

[Sakae 0]

22 hours ago, BradSpeedMan said:

No,

They appear unprofessional because they can't implement a budget cap. It's a valid reason because it has NOT been implemented, despite consistent talks to teams with the news filtering through to the public. Did Todt have the spine to stand up to Ecclestone? It's valid questions. Are they just plain incompetent, clueless or arrogant? Do they know what they're doing? Are they scared to ruffle feathers? Their inability in decision-making is costing teams millions!!! 2 Teams in the last 4 years has gone bankrupt, assets were seized, the sport has lost competitors. Is that fair?

At present, Merc has been spending and spending to stay ahead of the pack. Ferrari and RBR has almost spent equal amounts to try and get to an equal level playing field. Other teams are lagging 1s behind because they don't have the resources to be competitive. I mean... REALLY!

28 October 2017   8:35 (CEST)

It stands to a reason that teams who are catching up have to spend money on development just as Mercedes have, however in addition they also incurred expenditures for corrective work. Pretty expensive game this is, especially when they cannot attack engineering issues in linear fashion, and zig-zagging whilst adhering to a rule book. One wonders why they didn't postpone homologation by two more years, and relaxed some testing for validation of remedial measures. Today it's late, damage is done, and it will last until a new PU baseline is agreed upon. There was a theory discussed a few years ago which alleged, perverse as it sounds, that x-men of F1 had developed this strategy how to shake up grid, namely, introduce reliability related randomness. Until today I do suspect that grid penalties are quite deliberate and used as vehicle to prevent static grid formation. (Similar "processions" we have seen during Schumacher dynasty). Problem is, this system increased cost of the prototype quite a lot I imagine, and doubtfully produced any excitement while drivers fighting during comeback from back of the grid.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

1 hour ago, Sakae said:

28 October 2017   8:35 (CEST)

It stands to a reason that teams who are catching up have to spend money on development just as Mercedes have, however in addition they also incurred expenditures for corrective work. Pretty expensive game this is, especially when they cannot attack engineering issues in linear fashion, and zig-zagging whilst adhering to a rule book. One wonders why they didn't postpone homologation by two more years, and relaxed some testing for validation of remedial measures. Today it's late, damage is done, and it will last until a new PU baseline is agreed upon. There was a theory discussed a few years ago which alleged, perverse as it sounds, that x-men of F1 had developed this strategy how to shake up grid, namely, introduce reliability related randomness. Until today I do suspect that grid penalties are quite deliberate and used as vehicle to prevent static grid formation. (Similar "processions" we have seen during Schumacher dynasty). Problem is, this system increased cost of the prototype quite a lot I imagine, and doubtfully produced any excitement while drivers fighting during comeback from back of the grid.

Pretty pretty costly. Im watching team principal conference at the moment... all they talk about is trying to cut cost. Decide and implement Liberty!!!