2017 Formula 1 Season Thread

[maxjohnson2]

I watched the first race of the season for MotoGP and F1 yesterday. What I noticed was I was glued to the screen for the entire MotoGP race, for the F1 race, after 10 laps I was looking for new games to download on my iPhone. At least I enjoyed the engine sound in the background, it certainly improved from the last three years.

Despite the better tires, because of harder overtaking, I predict there will be more forced pit stops for undercuttings, and more usage of the option tires.

 

[zagato27]

^^^Agree. I've got to start wathing MotoGP, they actually have racing and PASSING!

 

[pachyderm]

F1. I love it but I don't care anymore. I will watch just to see the cars and what might happen.


I hate the racing, and I hate the new ownership.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The new ownership can't be much worse than the last.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Isn't it s little early to hate the new owners? I don't believe they have done anything yet.

Appointing Ross Brawn should be a good thing as he understands the sport. Hopefully he can take it in a new direction.

 

[pachyderm]

Isn't it s little early to hate the new owners? I don't believe they have done anything yet.

Appointing Ross Brawn should be a good thing as he understands the sport. Hopefully he can take it in a new direction.

they have one week.

if they refer to any GP as, "Our SuperBowl..." I'm out.

 

[Crazy Badger]

LOL

I think I agree, although do think the addition of some NFL cheerleading squads would improve the grid walks

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I don't think F1 will ever be Americanised. A few football clubs in England have been bought by American consortiums but they have struggled to gain influence, especially with fans. Then again it's bad enough in F1 that we have to put up with the 'Sky Sports treatment where silly graphics might appeal in other sports but F1 it's needs to deliver the info, not be a show.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I don't think F1 will ever be Americanised. A few football clubs in England have been bought by American consortiums but they have struggled to gain influence, especially with fans. Then again it's bad enough in F1 that we have to put up with the 'Sky Sports treatment where silly graphics might appeal in other sports but F1 it's needs to deliver the info, not be a show.

Bring back Murray Walker and James Hunt! That's how I grew up enjoying F1.

 

[AustinIllini]

I don't think F1 will ever be Americanised. A few football clubs in England have been bought by American consortiums but they have struggled to gain influence, especially with fans. Then again it's bad enough in F1 that we have to put up with the 'Sky Sports treatment where silly graphics might appeal in other sports but F1 it's needs to deliver the info, not be a show.

All the F1 drivers want more American tracks and the USGP is going to be huge again this year (Justin Timberlake is partially responsible). It won't be Americanized exactly, but it will likely grow more in North America.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

All the F1 drivers want more American tracks and the USGP is going to be huge again this year (Justin Timberlake is partially responsible). It won't be Americanized exactly, but it will likely grow more in North America.

I have no issues with F1 growing in popularity in the US. I've never understood why Americans have not embraced it. Not sure I'd want to see more than one US GP though in all honesty.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I have no issues with F1 growing in popularity in the US. I've never understood why Americans have not embraced it. Not sure I'd want to see more than one US GP though in all honesty.

Cars that go round corners? Not very popular in the US. For sport to be popular there it seems to me it has to be something that only they do (American football, baseball and basketball).
Agree one race per country is more than enough.

 

[CWallace]

Cars that go round corners? Not very popular in the US.

Well NASCAR is seeing significant drops in viewership and attendance so even cars that don't go around corners are losing popularity.

I think it is the sheer amount of televised sport (including motorsport) available in the US that hurts auto racing in general and F1 in particular. There is just literally too much to watch (I record at least a dozen US and international motorsport shows and that's probably two-thirds to one-half of what is available to me).

I do agree another F1 event in the US would likely have no real benefit and just divide the attendance to make two spectacular financial failures as opposed to just a single decent one (Indianapolis / COTA).

 

[pachyderm]

All the F1 drivers want more American tracks and the USGP is going to be huge again this year (Justin Timberlake is partially responsible). It won't be Americanized exactly, but it will likely grow more in North America.

because it's our ...

 

[AustinIllini]

Audi May Join Formula 1 with Sauber

And please save McLaren

 

[BenTrovato]

Agree with everyone else. MotoGP has been awesome - will definitely watch the next one. While it was exciting watching someone other than Mercedes win a race, it was completely boring. Hamilton couldn't overtake the slower Red Bull, it was disheartening for racing fans. I was waiting to watch the first race to see if it was worth buying tickets to Montreal or Austin but after watching Australia, I'll save it for another year.

 

[zagato27]

Saw an article about IndyCars and how they were combating "dirty air" and passing. Sorry can't give a link but basically they decided that all the convoluted aero aids on the topside had to be toned down and smoothed out so that "dirty air" behind was drastically reduced. They concentrate on the underside of the car for down force. They also removed those hideous body parts around the rear tires. Okay, nevermind. Here's the link
http://thegridgirls.com/2017/03/29/concept-cars-which-series-is-getting-it-right/

Yeah, "Indycar gets it; will F1, ever?"

 

[Apple fanboy]

Audi May Join Formula 1 with Sauber

And please save McLaren

Can only see that being a good thing. Sauber have been struggling for years.
But lets be honest when Honda joined F1 again nobody could have predicted how slow progress would have been.
The article talks about 2022 season. Then another 2-3 years to get competitive? That's 8 years away!
[doublepost=1491026338][/doublepost]

Saw an article about IndyCars and how they were combating "dirty air" and passing. Sorry can't give a link but basically they decided that all the convoluted aero aids on the topside had to be toned down and smoothed out so that "dirty air" behind was drastically reduced. They concentrate on the underside of the car for down force. They also removed those hideous body parts around the rear tires. Okay, nevermind. Here's the link
http://thegridgirls.com/2017/03/29/concept-cars-which-series-is-getting-it-right/

Yeah, "Indycar gets it; will F1, ever?"

Ross Brawn should be able to influence the rules to help cars to pass.
When the best car on the grid driven by one of thd best drivers can't overtake the third best car on the grid even though he's on new rubber, something is wrong.

 

[pachyderm]

DId anyone see the Rosberg back for China GP story? I'm assuming an April Fools jokes...

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

DId anyone see the Rosberg back for China GP story? I'm assuming an April Fools jokes...

No he's definitely coming back along with Jacques.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

 

[AustinIllini]

Can only see that being a good thing. Sauber have been struggling for years.
But lets be honest when Honda joined F1 again nobody could have predicted how slow progress would have been.
The article talks about 2022 season. Then another 2-3 years to get competitive? That's 8 years away!

Problem is, I'm not sure VAG could do a better job than Honda. I'm not convinced that any new engine manufacturer can do a very good job in modern F1.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Problem is, I'm not sure VAG could do a better job than Honda. I'm not convinced that any new engine manufacturer can do a very good job in modern F1.

Well at least they have got rid of the bloody tokens!

 

[AustinIllini]

Well at least they have got rid of the bloody tokens!

Agreed. Honda has been a disaster, but its entrance into F1 has really highlighted how crappy it is/was for new engine manufacturers. If F1 wants to grow, it HAS to address this.

Also, far and away everyone seems to want to make the cars cheaper. The idea of wooing a couple of more manufacturers would be great for the sport.

And on that note (Not April Fools)

F1 agrees to plan for cheaper and noisier engines

 

[pachyderm]

CHINA GP Grid