The 'they come too close together' Mexican GP chat & prediction.

The cars could at least race closely without melting tyres.

 

But then we're back to where we were a few years ago with concrete tyres that did nothing at all.

 

We can have both, but it's going to take a masive aero overhaul.

 

It's a familiar argument that has raged for decades about how to make better racing.

 

And it's not hard to fix thought, that's the bloody infuriating part about it.

 

So Vettel tried to push Max out wide, presumably on the 'racing line' theory of defence, realises he has then lost out, then turns into Max's rear tyre and then either slides or turns into Hamilton.

He then complains about Massa pushing him out wide, which was little different to what he did to Max!

 

They've tried to reduce downforce levels and it didn't work, have tried the tyres and it didn't work, sometimes both at the same time.

It is actually very hard to fix, unless you go for a spec formula. There will always be variables no matter what they do to the regulations.

 

This guy looks at in quite some detail. Worth a watch.

 

I'm hopeful that the brief Ross Brawn has been given to do some proper research into the next regulations leads to a positive step. It's never felt like they've been worked out this rigourously before.

 

The racing this year has been much better. On many occasions overtakes have taken place over several corners before the pass was completed, so it really seems to just need a tweak now rather than anything dramatic.

The main issue will always be disparity in engines. Just as things are getting closer, they want to change them again. They'd be better off being more flexible with penalties and stop the nonsense we have seen this year.

 

Lewis Hamilton's path to a fourth world title this season was "very easy" as the Mercedes man had "no opponents"

 

But he didn’t push him off the track like Massa and Alonso did, if he had of done he wouldn’t have lost the position.

Like I said the definition of crowding and a cars width is interpreted different by different drivers. I’ve given up on who’s right and who’s wrong.

 

That’s just jealousy from Alonso, 11 years since his last title, Hamilton and Vettel have had 4 each since then

 

Very good piece that. The only thing I would add as a point to consider, is that the entry line Max has to T2 is so accute that he is effectively forcing Vettel to physically come to hault. I’m not sure ‘IF’ Vettel could have got out of the corner much more than he did. For me he is more at fault for the Lewis contact.

 

I think it’s an observation more than anything and probably points to the thought that Nico would have taken more points off Lewis than Bottas has.

 

With DRS... Which most of the time just leaves the defending car a sitting duck.

 

What is needed is more ways to **** up, a bit less electronic aid could help there, especially in the traction control area. If they're the 'best' drivers in the world they should be able to handle and anticipate that sudden extra torque.

 

Miss the days of cars being on the ragged edge. Yes I'm old, yes I'm talking about the "good ole days" with my rose tinted glasses firmly on my head, but it was better.

 

I agree.

The frequent arguments (in favour of technology) are that F1 should be the pinnacle of race engineering, and that the technologies that first appear in F1 might eventually benefit road cars.

Surely these can't apply any longer to traction control? It's not a bleeding edge technology any more, and it's already filtered down to road cars.

F1-level drivers shouldn't need it.

However, would the absence of TC lead to closer racing, or more processions?
Without TC, would we just see the fields more strung out, with the not-quite-elite drivers struggling in the wakes of the truly elite?

On the other hand, it might help reduce engine disparities (if ultimate power makes them too undriveable).
And absence of TC might weed out the drivers that don't have the talent and are really just hogging seats?

As always I don't know the answers. But I do know that I'd prefer TC to be banned from F1.

 

Traction control is banned in F1?