New F1 culture/rules

[Flieger]

When men were men. Saw a McLaren at Amelia. 1400 pounds, 650- 700 hp. Looked like fun. ONLY a FOOL would drive the car beyond the limits of the track. A "DRIVER" will take it all into account and do what is logical to save the machine and himself to race another day. Darwin should take care of the rest, preferably, before they do harm to others.

For the record, I would love to see a free-for-all F1 again. Or Can-Am. The more technical freedom, the more my interest.

[sithot]

Here is some "old" salve for those who (can) remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucau77iVndk

[runsub5]

Here is some "old" salve for those who (can) remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucau77iVndk

Thanks for sharing, brought back many memories. I was at the Nurburgring.

[sithot]

For the record, I would love to see a free-for-all F1 again. Or Can-Am. The more technical freedom, the more my interest.

I'll buy front row seats!

Tom

[CurtEgerer]

Have no fear, Bernie is on the case. He's going to make the cars sound more like, er, F1 cars.

Ecclestone Horrified By New Sound

Here's Bernie's proposal to the FIA:
<iframe width="700" height="394" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/srMeiwpZcqk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[sithot]

FOOL. What did he think he was going to hear? That's just ignorant (of the facts). Turbos MUTE exhaust. Nice whoosh-whistle but that's about it. And I've never heard an electric motor that sounded nice. Maybe they'll come up with a way to mount something like "playing cards" on the wheels like we did on our bicycle as kids.

[Chuck Miller]

Tom,

That bicycle card vid is GREAT... those girls have the giggles of experiencing something they never even heard of ....let alone tried.....
It's a whole new world all over again....
Once again we're marching backward into the future...

In all fairness to Bernie (if you can put those two words together in the same sentence) I read he understood about the sound problem 2 years ago... and bitched about it for the next year.... I assume he only folded when he realized that the boat had already left...

And now 'they'll' probably ask him for the answer to the problem he warned them about...

... and so it goes

[Flieger]

I have to say, driving an electric formula car is pretty neat. We were practicing in a parking lot so I had no helmet or race suit, and the bodywork was off. Could see through the tube frame, watch the suspension work and the steering translate my inputs to the wheels. Being electric I did not need earplugs so it was just wind noise, chain noise, tire noise, and a whirr. And no vibration, just smooth, instant torque. It was a lot like riding a bicycle.

They appeal to me, but in a different way to the song of an internal combustion engine.

[Dmill]

Couple of thoughts:

1. I have been reading the new Folmer book entitled George Folmer American Wheel Man. For everyone that wants to go back to the days of the Can Am and the other series in the late 60's and early 70's, just remind yourself of all of the great drivers that were lost "back in the day" top speed has been governed for quite sometime now...lap times have gotten quicker as a function of suspension, brake and aero advances...We are living in some sort of fantasy land to think those guys self governed themselves...they did not....what they did was die trying to go as fast as they could

2. As for the Can Am...one of the reasons it was so wild was because "New" technology showed up at just about every race...from the Shadow knee high car to the Sucker car to the 917-10 and 30 that shut things down

3. RE: Sound. I loved the sound of the old engines....in Montreal, you could hear that siren scream all the way across the St. Lawrence, and as hard as it may be to believe, when you are standing right beside the fence...which you can do heading into the hairpin at Montreal, the sound the car makes as it cuts through the wind is almost as piercing as the engine note....New isn't always bad...the first time I heard the Audi turbo diesel at Sebring, it sounded like a sewing machine going by....but what was lost by the engine note was suplanted by the sound of each tire grabbing for grip during heavy braking or exceleration....plus, you could actually hear the suspension pieces working as the car tried to dampen everything that old track threw at it

4. Time marches on. alternative fuel racing cars are the future...love it or loath it. I for one am glad that racing has the possibility of getting back near the front of the curve from a technology standpoint..(It may be as Curt points out, they are taking something simple and making it complicated, but at least it is some progress).....I think all of you guys who yearn for the past have nothing to worry about....NASCAR runs just about every form of motorsports in the US now...so get your fill of those lovely DP cars....ain't the past just wonderful

[hgarazo]

Somehow, I don't think Montreal this year will be the same...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4Dh_EAfJI