The F1 thread

GoldenEraGuitars

stickyfiddle said:

danishbacon said:

stickyfiddle said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

If Liberty really want to tart things up then I say do a reverse starting grid for the race. At least Mick would get to see what the front of an F1 race looks like (even for just 100 metres)

Trouble with that is it creates a perverse incentive to do badly in the sprint, which is only countered by giving more points for the sprint, which in turn makes the GP look less prestigious. You need every driver to have an incentive to get past the guy ahead of him all the time. 

The idea was to have the reverse sprint grid set by championship ranking rather than a Friday quali. 

That could also work. You just need something that puts fast guys at the back and doesn't make them want to intentionally go slower in any previous session to ensure a good starting position in a later one. 

chillidoggy said:

The sprint race format is a load of bollocks IMO.

Also this, at least in current form 

Couldn’t see them changing to that format annoyingly but I think it would work pretty well. Having said that, I’m not sure why they’re constantly trying to change a sport that has a history of fastest cars/big budget teams dominating the front of the grid (okay, there have been exceptions). 

Somehow I think they’ll do a full circle on all this after exhausting all other ideas and return to the original format. Either way, I doubt I’ll ever watch another full race again. YouTube highlights are plenty for me.

TimmyO

I really want to like the Sprint idea. - I mean, more races right? 

And I’m fine with them experimenting a bit to find a way that works - and yesterday was exciting.

But it’s still an unholy mess. 

A race that’s not a race and can’t be called one.

A podium that’s not a podium and again has commentators tripping over themselves correcting any reference to a podium. 

And a pole that’s not, or maybe is, a pole. 

It’s embarrassing 

thumpingrug

TimmyO said:

I really want to like the Sprint idea. - I mean, more races right? 

And I’m fine with them experimenting a bit to find a way that works - and yesterday was exciting.

But it’s still an unholy mess. 

A race that’s not a race and can’t be called one.

A podium that’s not a podium and again has commentators tripping over themselves correcting any reference to a podium. 

And a pole that’s not, or maybe is, a pole. 

It’s embarrassing 

I will agree with most of that and do think that the sprint format isn't as good as it could be.   British Touring Cars use a reverse grid format and that can lead to action.  Something like that could be used to better advantage.

That said, yesterdays sprint race was an exciting race to watch so for Liberty it will have achieved the intended purpose.

stickyfiddle

That said, yesterdays sprint race was an exciting race to watch so for Liberty it will have achieved the intended purpose.

I think this is the issue. We watch it because it's better than missing some F1 on TV, and people will fill in surveys saying they enjoyed this specific sprint (and to be clear, I absolutely enjoyed it and was shouting at the screen when Lewis got up the inside of Lando)

But if the survey doesn't also ask the follow on questions of "do you think the sprint is actually good for F1 overall?" and "Would you have enjoyed it if Lewis has been at the front instead?" they draw the wrong conclusions because - I suspect - the surveys are mostly there to help justify the strategic commercial decisions they have already notionally agreed upon, and the short-termist approach of "more money right now = good"

fretmeister

TimmyO said:

fretmeister said:

Horner is whinging again!

What about?

As close as he could get to calling Merc cheats without saying the words.

And today they have said they are “not done with Merc’s wing”

dazzajl

The fact that there is a consensus here about the sprint is quite something in itself. Clearly the idea of a short sharp race could be okay but it needs to be better than the way it's been shoehorned in the weekend. 

As mentioned here already, the idea of a Friday qualy, Saturday sprint that's reverse grid with low but worthy points given and the main race on Sunday feels more rounded and complete than what we've got now.

stickyfiddle

Horner's just pissy because RB have typically been extremely good at having a car that meets all the tests while being right on the edge of the "spirit of the rules", but in this case Merc have beaten them on that sort of rear wing trickery. 

I gotta say I don't really mind who wins the title but I'd enjoy watching Lewis coming from this far back to nick it just to see Horner's face.

stickyfiddle

Here's a thing that's useful - I just asked Siri "what time does the F1 race start?" and she not only gave me the start time but the location, # of laps and starting grid. 

Might be useful in future! 

stickyfiddle

If anyone was still wondering why they're dropped Bottas for next year.... Le sigh...

stickyfiddle

Can we have a Marko cam? I wouldn't want to be Yuki this evening...

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

stickyfiddle said:

If anyone was still wondering why they're dropped Bottas for next year.... Le sigh...

"You had ONE JOB...!"

thumpingrug

Wow!  You really have to give it to Lewis, that was a cracking race.

Max's was fortunate to have that move on lewis overlooked, I suspect that will be talked about for a while.

dazzajl

thumpingrug said:

Wow!  You really have to give it to Lewis, that was a cracking race.

Max's was fortunate to have that move on lewis overlooked, I suspect that will be talked about for a while.

I think it probably should have been under more scrutiny, to be consistent with the season but I’m glad it wasn’t. That was an absolute masterclass from Lewis.

fretmeister

#KarenHorner is trending on twitter again!

Fretwired

Max gets booed and Lewis cheered ... the Brazilian fans make their thoughts known.

I think Max's move on Lewis was OK .. we want these guys to race. However, weaving all over the place is dangerous - right that he got a black flag.

Amazing drive by Lewis.

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

And today they have said they are “not done with Merc’s wing”

RB have filed data and a report with the FIA backed by Newey and delivered it.

Majorscale

RB & Verstappen are getting dirtier... I think they're worried. 

goldtop

LH is now in trouble for undoing his safety belt after crossing the line. Likely result: $50,001 fine by FIA?

roundthebend

stickyfiddle said:

If anyone was still wondering why they're dropped Bottas for next year.... Le sigh...

Help me out? I'm fairly new to the sport. And I'm hungover

Emiel

roundthebend said:

stickyfiddle said:

If anyone was still wondering why they're dropped Bottas for next year.... Le sigh...

Help me out? I'm fairly new to the sport. And I'm hungover

Hamilton was close to half a second faster than Verstappen in the end. Bottas should have gotten second place.