Formula 1 2014: General Discussion Thread

Myrddin

Here's a whacky thought, what if every track had a short bypass of the main track itself, which worked out at a saving of about 2 or 3 seconds if taken...but it could only be used once in the race by each driver. Would that add in an extra element of strategy/excitement, or would you just find drivers covering each other off one after the other?

GarIT

Myrddin wrote: »

Here's a whacky thought, what if every track had a short bypass of the main track itself, which worked out at a saving of about 2 or 3 seconds if taken...but it could only be used once in the race by each driver. Would that add in an extra element of strategy/excitement, or would you just find drivers covering each other off one after the other?

There would be no point. In F1 it is much better to be ahead of a car than behind, everyone would use it as early as possible.

Robbo

Myrddin wrote: »

Here's a whacky thought, what if every track had a short bypass of the main track itself, which worked out at a saving of about 2 or 3 seconds if taken...but it could only be used once in the race by each driver. Would that add in an extra element of strategy/excitement, or would you just find drivers covering each other off one after the other?

Like the opposite of a joker lap in Rallycross?

T-Bird

What about a "Pot Luck" GP? At the start of a race weekend (Thursday evening), every driver has to run up to a bucket and pick out a number from it. This would then be the car they are to race in for that weekend. The drivers have their own universal car seats and steering wheels etc. They would have time to get used to the car on Friday and Saturday practice, qualifying and race will be as usual. Its a half jest idea but might be interesting and it might stop a lot of the Pre-Madonna stuff...

Jordan 199

Mercedes F1 chiefs meeting Lewis and Nico today over what happened at Spa.

_rebelkid

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Mercedes F1 chiefs meeting Lewis and Nico today over what happened at Spa.

Here's the statement:

Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton met today in the boardroom of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS headquarters in Brackley to discuss the events of the Belgian Grand Prix. During this meeting, Nico acknowledged his responsibility for the contact that occurred on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix and apologised for this error of judgement.

Mercedes-Benz remains committed to hard, fair racing because this is the right way to win world championships. It is good for the team, for the fans and for Formula One. Lewis and Nico understand and accept the team’s number one rule: there must be no contact between the team’s cars on track. It has been made clear that another such incident will not be tolerated. But Nico and Lewis are our drivers and we believe in them. They remain free to race for the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship.

SnowDrifts

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Mercedes F1 chiefs meeting Lewis and Nico today over what happened at Spa.

"Suitable disciplinary measures have been taken for the incident."

How I miss the old non PC days of F1.

Zcott

Hard to know what disciplinary measures they mean. A telling off? A fine? Forfeiting the right to choose who pits first?

KarlFitz01

It's good that they are going to continue to let them race each other and not apply team orders. I was convinced they were going to apply team orders until Mercedes AMG had won the constructors championship.

Myrddin

Zcott wrote: »

Hard to know what disciplinary measures they mean. A telling off? A fine? Forfeiting the right to choose who pits first?

Swapping cars would be proper order

Gillespy

SnowDrifts wrote: »

How I miss the old non PC days of F1.

They didn't discipline Hamilton for going to the press like he did, they disciplined Rosberg for breaking their no. 1 rule. That's not political correctness gone mad.

SnowDrifts

Gillespy wrote: »

They didn't discipline Hamilton for going to the press like he did, they disciplined Rosberg for breaking their no. 1 rule. That's not political correctness gone mad.

I never said anything about Hamilton. F1 drivers make contact in a lot of close racing situations, just as Alonso did towards the end of the race. It's part of racing and "suitable disciplinary measures" are indeed PC bull IMO and were not required in this case.

SnowDrifts

OSI wrote: »

What's PC about it?

You don't think Ron Dennis ripped Senna and Prost a new one anytime they came together?

Absolutely and that's what should have happened in this case. Not a forced public apology and letting the world know that internal disciplinary measures have been taken.

SamAK

Ricciardo to take WDC in 2014?

I'm confused by the pre-race coverage on Sky last weekend. They categorically stated that it will most definitely be a Mercedes driver who wins the championship this year.

How do they know this? Is it now mathematically impossible for the Honey Badger to close the gap to Rosberg? Riccardio is 64 points adrift at the moment, but there are seven races left to run and 200 points on the table. As we've seen so far, the Mercs are undoubtedly the fastest team by a fair bit, but they are by no means untouchable.

I find it strange that Sky would even dare to guess who's going to win when we're barely past the halfway point of this season.

Charlie-Bravo

7 races left, it would take two wins for Ricciardo with Rosberg and Hamilton scoring none (-20 points) for him to have an impact. And if Hamilton and Rosberg take each other out in one of the races, that'll help him. I would regard Ricciardo as a dark horse if Rosberg and Hamilton touch on two more occasions!

Zcott

I would love to have read this entire thread as it is back in January. Would have been great reading!

Gillespy

Two seconds off the pace in a wet qualification, he shouldn't be winning the title. It's probably still a two horse race, the shenanigans at Mercedes and the fact Vettel isn't taking points off him is keeping him in the frame.

zombieHanalei

Ricciardo has had an excellent season, driver of the year for me.

But him winning the driver's championship would require a collapse of monumental proportions from both Rosberg and Hamilton combined with Ricciardo having to finish on the podium in every race winning at least 4 of them.

smellslikeshoes

Don't forget about double points at the last race, just needs to get within 50 points before the final race to be in with a mathematical chance, he is 64 points behind at the moment.

Mike Litoris

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

Don't forget about double points at the last race, just needs to get within 50 points before the final race to be in with a mathematical chance, he is 64 points behind at the moment.

Jesus, could you imagine he was something like 49 points behind going into the last race and Rosberg pulled a stunt like last Sundays but taking both Mercs out and he goes on to win.

Killinator

Mike Litoris wrote: »

Jesus, could you imagine he was something like 49 points behind going into the last race and Rosberg pulled a stunt like last Sundays but taking both Mercs out and he goes on to win.

Instant p45 I should think:)

mighty magpie

No ticket sales in here Please post them in the adverts if you want to sell them.

Oblomov

Ther terrible thing, it was trial by media. As soon as Hamilton did his little boy lost act, blabbed about what was said in the meeting and then the Brit media got into the acy.. and then the inflammatory remarks from Eddie Jordan.... talking about war being declared,,,...

A total absolute nonsence.

The mosen methods of hyping any and all siruations is peurile and demeaning to the sport. The manipulation of the situation is sen as good publicity, building up the love/hate relationship to attract the piblic, literally beoasen the appeal and attract the non racing fans.

Toto Wolff handled the situation in the worst possible manner in nor ensuring that anything said in the meeting was kept confidential. His "outburst" immediately after the incedent was not good media management.

Even the leading question from Sky sport to Nico were completely biased.

But, credit where credit is due. hamilton has ensuded that Nico dare not block, hinder or in anyway shape or form get in his way.

Oblomov

Bleacher report:


Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes future may be in doubt after the Mercedes implosion at Spa.

Talks about a contract extension had previously been ongoing, but are now on hold. Officially it's to ensure there are no distractions during the title run-in, but has one fallen out of love with the other?

zombieHanalei

Trial by media I think not... Wolff and Lauda were pretty straight up about their unhappiness with Rosberg immediately after the race, there was no knee jerk reaction to media and fan displeasure after the race, they were already pissed with Nico and they were always going to take action regardless of any subsequent media furore.

Myrddin

Oblomov wrote: »

Toto Wolff handled the situation in the worst possible manner in nor ensuring that anything said in the meeting was kept confidential. His "outburst" immediately after the incedent was not good media management.

I thought hearing his true feelings about the incident was by far and away a welcome change from the norm. I enjoyed hearing someone's actual thoughts, as opposed to what a pr script writer thinks I should hear.

Oblomov

by Myrddin

I thought hearing his true feelings about the incident was by far and away a welcome change from the norm. I enjoyed hearing someone's actual thoughts, as opposed to what a pr script writer thinks I should hear.

Hamilton is the PR man's wet dream. Schooled and trained from the age of 12...

But, hey, whatever turns you on. The truth about his deprivation in that one room in Stevenage does not stand examination.

Three appearances on Blue Peter, suited and booted at 12 and attending Autosport functions, .... LOL

Myrddin

Oblomov wrote: »

Hamilton is the PR man's wet dream

We must be watching different sports...

mickdw

Oblomov wrote: »

Hamilton is the PR man's wet dream. Schooled and trained from the age of 12...

But, hey, whatever turns you on. The truth about his deprivation in that one room in Stevenage does not stand examination.

Three appearances on Blue Peter, suited and booted at 12 and attending Autosport functions, .... LOL

Schooled and trained since 12 but at all times shoots his mouth off before thinking. I'd call him a publicity machine but a PR nightmare.

Oblomov

Lewis Hamilton's statement:


Today we came together as a team and discussed our differences. Nico and I accept that we have both made mistakes and I feel it would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse than the other. What’s important is how we rise as a team from these situations. We win and we lose together and, as a team, we will emerge stronger.

There is a deep foundation that still exists for me and Nico to work from, in spite of our difficult times and differences. We have the greatest team, the strongest group of individuals who have worked their hands to the bone to give us the best car you see us racing today. It’s important that we never forget that and give them the results they deserve. Today, Toto and Paddy told us clearly how we must race against each other from now on in a fair and respectful manner.

The fans want to see a clean fight until the end of the season and that’s what we want to give them. It’s going to be a tough road from here but Championships have been won from much further back than I am now. And I promise you that I will be giving everything and more to win this for my team, for my family and for my fans.




Written by Lewis? or prompted?