How Is It Going?

I got the distinct impression that if a car caught another that they would eventually get past them. And I am still not sure if that is a good feeling or a bad one. :dunno:
 
I have to say that with all the overtaking; there's been a not a lot of crashing into each other, which would be expected in 2010 etc.

Also no-one has been tagged at the start. Nice to see skill like that!
They have been remarkably well behaved, haven't they?
It isn't normal I tells ya! :twisted:
 
I think so as well EvilWhippet...(Nice Avatar...Lenny is actually my 3rd favourite character in the Simpsons LOL)

Turn 1 is difficult to judge as is most of the corners in Turkey as they have a blind apex as well as having that in a start situation you have 23 other cars racing you for position.
 
I got the distinct impression that if a car caught another that they would eventually get past them. And I am still not sure if that is a good feeling or a bad one. :dunno:

It very much depends on how fast another car is catching. It's not like the olden days (last year, for example) where a driver could cream up to the back of another car at 2 seconds a lap only to then get stuck there. However, when there is only a couple of tenths' difference they (ok, mostly Jenson) still seem to have to work for the pass. I'm just glad that we seem to have banished the days of Raikkonen sitting in fourth place all race only to bang in an FL in the dying minutes just to show how fast he really could have been.

Slightly off topic but related: with overtaking again a possibility what price Kimi making a long-term serious bid for Kubica's seat of Bob doesn't manage to get back?
 
A question, some seem strung up about the effect of the DRS but watching Keke's overtaking videos it appears the DRS is more about making the pass stick rather than allowing the cars just to breeze past. Anyway, to my question, how much more effective is DRS compared to the F Duct most teams were running by the middle of last season? Is the overtaking more down to drivers on tyres past their best not getting traction onto the straights as well or simply the effect of DRS (two questions, sorry) - this is how it appears in the Massa on Hamilton overtake to me.
 
A combination of factors I would say.

If DRS has been around last season, it wouldn't have been nearly as effective due to the tyres being more durable and more sets being available per GP weekend.

Basically this season has been a triple whammy and that is borne out by the data which shows the highest levels ever since 1982, which is as far back as the data goes.
 
Yeah i agree with Brogan. DRS is clearly making overtaking easier because we are seeing it through all the early laps before tyre wear becomes a factor, but the tyres have put driver in a position where they are running at difference speeds at different times in the race.

From what i can see if you take away one of them the racing would change significantly. The DRS is allowing drivers to overtake giving teams room to be creative with strategy calls which leads to the excitement of Malaysia and China.
 
DRS should go IMHO, it's just makes overtaking look fake IMHO. I'd rather see the drivers work in making positions up without using this device. The new tyre's situtation is ok as it makes racing interesting but i'd like to see gadgets such as KER'S and DRS go as i like seeing drivers work for a position.
 
I'm still in favour of DRS because I am still able to accept it as another tool at the drivers disposal. I would like to see more freedom in its use; after all it serves the same purpose as the f-duct (a driver aid to reduce drag).

I'm old enough, as are many of us, to remember manual gearboxes and the number of overtakes created by missed / messed up gear changes. I think if we can view this as another opportunity for drivers to make a mistake then it is easier to accept it as part of the overall package that is F1 racing. To help this along I would like to see totally free use (leading / chasing / wherever) as I suspect the drivers will push their cars to the limit on reduced downforce prior to a corner leading to inevitable mistakes. That, I believe, will increase overtaking on corners which I find much more satisfying to watch than a drag race down the straight.

In a similar vien, KERS is no different to turbo boost, in my eyes, and therefore is no more artificial. Those of us who remember that era were often thrilled to see how far teams could push their engines before the big bang. If there is anything that is wrong with this then it is the bullet proof nature of todays cars. The regulations are enforcing to high a level of reliability by stringently restricting the amount of power available.

Finally, I'm happy with the way Pirelli have met the brief on tyres. Widening the gap between prime and option appears to be improving the racing by opening up variations in strategy. This is a best compromise while we are being denied tyre wars because of the single supplier deal.

F1 is still my sport and it has always changed and people have always argued about the direction it is following from year to year. we can't go backwards and the only thing I can guarantee is that it won't be the same in 2012 (for better or worse). OK, so we are only at Race 3 and I agree with those who say the real test will be Barcelona; if the changes make that race interesting then I'd be tempted to call them an unqualified success (oh how I hate Barcelona :bored:)...
 
Finally, I'm happy with the way Pirelli have met the brief on tyres. Widening the gap between prime and option appears to be improving the racing by opening up variations in strategy. This is a best compromise while we are being denied tyre wars because of the single supplier deal.
But they haven't widened the gap, they have simply made tyres that do not last, be they hard or soft compound tyres. I would be happier if the hard tyre was more durable. To do this, they could make it slower, then give free reign to the teams on tyre changes. This would have a more dramatic effect and would make the strategies more interesting.

Don't get me started (again) on DRS...
 
This is slowly turning into design your own sport. The teams are given the rules at the start of the season and teams have to try to perform the best in these conditions. The way the sport is, the rules have to constantly evolve to keep challenging the teams. We as viewers have to accept this. Personally, i am quite enjoying the ride, not from just this season, but the last 4 or 5.
 
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