Poll Is GP2 hurting F1?

[Galahad]

I don't think I said there wasn't reckless driving then, just that things have got worse. It might be my selective memory playing up.

Plus, Senna was Senna.

 

[teabagyokel]

Galahad - I was just picking up on the "selective memory" point, that's the most famous incident of lower series from that era. I'd say the comprehensive TV probably allows us to see more of the crazy driving.

 

[Galahad]

As well as having a selective memory, I'm a bit slow at the moment as well as having a selective memory.

 

[soccerman17]

2008- Pantano Not been seen since so we'll never know, hardly spectacular for Jordan back in the day

Just to clear up on Pantano he made 3 Indycar starts last year filling in for Justin Wilson after he broke his back at Mid-Ohio. 2 were very unimpressive, but in the first at Sonoma he made some incredible overtakes at the hairpin in the last few laps, including one to move him up to third on the last lap. However IndyCar penalized him for making avoidable contact on that move and he officialy finished 17th as the last car on the lead lap. He made another start this season at Mid-Ohio after Charlie Kimball broke his hand there in testing and had a quiet weekend, finishing 14th.

 

[gethinceri]

Pretty shit then.

 

[soccerman17]

Basically but its not easy stepping driving cars you've never driven before on tracks you've never driven before. And Sonoma was very impressive penalty was a bunch of crap. And now that I look at the video it was actually sixth so I may have gotten a little carried away. But it may have been the most impressive sixth I've ever seen.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

No for me... I agree with most of the arguments / reasons put forward... inconsistent stewarding... 24/7 media coverage... but for the guys on the GP2 grid the prize is huge... a potential seat / 3rd driver seat / test run for an F1 team... AND they get to race the same tracks AND most of the same weekends... WITH all the "important people" in attendance and watching...

It is about finding the balance between being super aggressive / aggressive and assertive... and how and when to apply it...

 

[Jen]

And all that ZakspeedYakspeed comes with maturity, so maybe there should be an age limit on achieving a super license?

 

[tooncheese]

Jen, Algersuari was 19 when he started F1 and doesn't have a reputation for crashing, Bourdais however started at 29 and crashed into many drivers.

 

[Jen]

There will always be exceptions tooncheese and it was only a suggestion!

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

Maybe Jen ... but some have it maturity at 18 or 19... some never get it...

An element that might be factor in the number of collisions and crashes we now see is the reliability the machinery enjoys... go back 5 or 6 seasons and you could afford to take it easy (figuratively) and not take too many chances or risks in your reliable bus and could snag some points... as you watch half the field retiring around you... that is no more (at least right now... with the upcoming turbo era... I will reserve my judgement)...

 

[Jen]

I'm sure that the younger of today's drivers don't think about the past or the future - they just want to get in front and stay there whilst knowing that there is minimal chance of death (if they actually think about that either).

 

[soccerman17]

I'm not sure how mature Alguersuari was off the track with his whole DJ career thing, but on the track he definitely was mature. I'm not sure if Bourdais was inmature but he came over from a racing culture (Champ Car) where you could give people some light shoves from behind or the side and get away with it.

 

[Il_leone]

I should add Vettel when he first started in F1 had quite a few accidents including Japan in the wet and people seem to forget that he had a few high profile ones in 2010 in his championship year

Seb had to shake off the tag that he can make a few irrational decisions in the heat of the battle

is Gp2 damaging F1? No because the rules are the same in terms of racing etiquette.

Schumacher had a few accidents early in his career too I seem tor remember

 

[Il_leone]

maybe some of the drivers have seen what Schumacher has done over the years in some of his driving and simply copied it

 

[Il_leone]

I think some people should look at pre Gp2 guys who came up and had quite a reputation for being a menace

Ralf Schumacher - who thought his name meant people should move over for him

Juan Montoya - he was either brilliant or would crash into people in being over aggressive like Maldonado



the other guy not mentioned from Gp2 days

Nakajima -



Piquet Jnr who had a high accident rate as well

 

[soccerman17]

Some of Piquet's were on instruction from the team though...

 

[RasputinLives]

Everyone seems to be praising Alguersauri for his driving maturity. Am the only one who remembers his Maldo like "car is a weapon" shove into the side of Kobi when he came past him in 2011? I also remember some not so clever wheel banging with Schumi

 

[Hamberg]

I watched the GP2 feature race today and saw some exceptional driving at the same time as some really bad racing. Perez came second to Maldonado their year and I believe was involved in several incidents but I see him as fairly mature in F1. The commentary team took great exception to this suggestion and I think it's wrong to tarnish all drivers with the same brush.

Il Leone makes a good point, Schumacher, Senna, Hamilton are all labelled as aggressive or outright racers so they are an aspiration for some. Then I also believe we have drivers coming in younger and younger, at an age where fear seems to be absent, cars are safer and going off track is far less punishing.

A combination of the may be a reason some are more reckless than previously, but it would be wrong to generalise,