Formula Zero
With a farce of a race taking place this Sunday, the FIA has lost more ground than they had covered in the period of some years. Seven out of the ten teams refused to race citing safety issues.
The Michelin teams, flexing their muscles on the basis of being the majority, refused to race unless a chicane was erected prior to the turn 13. They were ready to start the race on the grid behind the Bridgestone teams and were reportedly even ready to forgo any points.
The FIA didn't relent and gave the teams various other alternatives which they refused. It would have been really unfair, to erect a chicane, forcing the teams with Bridgestone tyres, who had come prepared for the race, to slow down as much as the teams whose equipment was lacking. The teams could have imposed a self restriction on the speed limit at the critical part of the track or avoided that turn by going into the pit lane every lap. I quote a piece from the Formula 1 official site:
Formula 1 is a sporting contest. It must operate to clear rules. These cannot be negotiated each time a competitor brings the wrong equipment to a race.Which I agree with and believe to be completely true as opposed to Mansell. You bring inferior equipment and then refuse to agree to do anything about it. And also want the teams who have brought proper equipment to compromise. Take a hike guys.
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The Michelin teams' lack of speed through the turn 13 would have been a direct result of inferior equipment as often happens in Formula 1.
The FIA intends to bring about a list of charges against the Michelin teams.
# Kh0Pdi @ 17:55 | Permalink
2 Comments:
Yes, I'm American. Yes, I would prefer a good ol' NASCAR race any day over the fiasco that Formula "zero" (as you put it) has become during the long reign of Bernie Ecclestone.
What kind of stupid rule is it that prevents F1 drivers from coming in and changing tires during a race any time they want? When your tires get worn, as in NASCAR or Indy/CART racing, you come in and change them, thus preventing many accidents (shunts) from happening. And besides, passing in the pits has been about the only time F1 cars pass each other for many years, which is why it is an extremely boring racing series. I don't care if it is the self-proclaimed "pinnacle" of racing, it is nothing more than a parade. The start and first lap or so is the only part of an F1 race worth watching any more.
And speaking of tires... Way back in 1965 I remember Jim Clark (an F1 driver) winning the Indy 500 (a 500 mile race) on ONE set of tires! Is Michelin saying that their tire technology 40 years later can't compare with Clark's then Firestone tires? You can say that the cars today with more downforce and grip wear their tires more than did the 1965 cars, BOTOH in 1965 (the pre-wing/ground effects era) cars would drift through the corners more, and that does wear on the tires.
Also, it's obvious that FIA doesn't care as much about driver safety as do the American racing series. Trying to *force* teams to race on one set of tires during a race is just a time bomb waiting for a serious accident to occur when a worn tire blows out late in a race.
Chico, I agree that the one set of tyres rule is ludicruous. But as a matter of fact, it was only introduced, ironically, for driver safety. The FIA felt that with only one set of tyres, drivers would be more inclined to nurse the tyres through to the end thus reducing the speeds and the chances of fatal accidents. But with so much at stake in every race, I doubt whether the drivers will think twice before stepping on the gas if the situation so demands.
And yes, most races nowadays are being won on pit stop strategy taking the fun out of the races. One yearns to see the races of nineties when drivers did overtake one another on the track.
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