I think the start of the races, is going to be very entertaining. No traction control or launch mode. And the rule about gearboxes having to last four races or something like that. Get out the popcorn boys and girls!

 

I'm a cynic. Every time F1 undergoes "major" changes, the results are the same: very little changes. I'm not complaining really, since I like F1. F1 is like soccer, people who watch it occassionally - or not at all - think everything is wrong and everything needs to change. Long-time fans like it the way it is.

The lack of traction control could lead to some fun viewing and some embarrassment for some drivers, but I don't think anyone is looking forward to seeing cars retire with gearbox trouble.

It's so silly to think steps like that are going to save teams money. Yes, it might be less expensive to produce fewer gearboxes, but does anyone think McLaren is looking at their budget and saying, "Well, we're saving $1 million thanks to the new gearbox rule. Let's put that money into some mutual funds for a rainy day."? Nope, they're spending that $1 million to use a mass spectrometer and figuring out the optimum combination of gasses to inflate their tires accurately to 1/1000 psi.

 

I agree. I don't really know what the fuss is about gearbox reliability is all about.

The elimination of driver aids (TC and LC) is probably more of a response to the poll they did awhile back, and fans asking for less car, and more driver.

 

Jerez Testing

"Hamilton upbeat despite setbacks

Hamilton climbs out of his car after beaching it at the Jerez circuit
Lewis Hamilton insists he is still happy with the pace of his McLaren despite coming off twice during the third day of testing in Jerez.
The 23-year-old blamed the lack of engine braking and traction control, now banned under new regulations, as he twice beached the car in gravel.

"Without these controls helping you on the entry to corners there is more locking of the rear wheels," he said.

But Hamilton added: "I think we've got off to a really good start."

Hamilton, who missed out on the world title by just one point in his rookie season last year, was one of several drivers to skid off in wet conditions in Spain.


But despite his problems, Hamilton set the second fastest time of one minute, 20.099 seconds.

"The first time it was just wet," he added. "I touched the kerb and just went on to the edge of the gravel - it would be good if there were some proper run-off areas here - and then it was the same again in the afternoon.

"Without these controls helping you on the entry to corners there is a lot more locking of the rear wheels, and when you are on the limit and pushing that is what happens.

"I'm getting used to being without traction control and developing the car. But it is so slippery, and even harder without traction control.

"Without these controls it does make it a little bit nervous on exiting corners, which makes it a lot easier to make mistakes. But you just have to try and deal with it the best you can.

"All the teams will have to work hard to understand how to use the power better."

Following a private test last week, Hamilton is convinced of the new car's reliability, adding: "Even compared to last year it was a big improvement when we went to the first few tests to see the reliability of the car.

"We're moving in the right direction and we just need to keep on chipping away."

Toyota rookie Timo Glock, who replaced fellow German Ralf Schumacher at the end of last season, ended the day at the top of the times finishing 0.3 seconds ahead of Hamilton with a time of 1:19.779.

Hamilton's former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso was third for Renault while champion Kimi Raikkonen ended eighth fastest in his Ferrari.

David Coulthard had a frustrating day after his new Red Bull RB4 broke down on its debut."

Is anyone else whining or blaming their problems on lack of driver aids?

 

I don't think Hamilton was whining, and I think he was explaining how the changes to the car led to his incidents. Did you see anything about how other drivers were coping?

 

Over the past couple of days, I haven't seen anything about anyone else leaving the track.

 

That's because Hamilton is a hack! McLaren is giving him $27 million a year to drive into gravel traps. Fools.

Maybe he can get a job as a new Stig on Top Gear. He did a good job in the reasonably priced car on a slippery track.

 

He's not a hack, he's just new. By the time the season startshe'll be much better.............

 

I'm afraid that I have to respectfully disagree with you on this bee1000n. I can't say that I'm a fan of Lewis Hamilton, but this kid is the REAL DEAL!

I've watched him in the lesser formula and he is a real talent with a world championship in his future. I dare say that Mr. Hamilton can give any of F1's leading drivers a run for their money!

A Hack he is not.

 

As much as I hate to admit it . . . I too believe squeaky clean Hami is "one of several" real deals.

I don't quite rate him on the same tier as Kimi and Fred, but he's proven himself, no doubt.

I'll offer my apologies now, but I hope he gets a taste of humble pie this season.

 

What has really stood out for me at the Jarez testing, is Renault. Last year Renault was a mid pack team. Now, according to the practice times, they are back in the front runners.

Nice to have Fred back isn't it Flav?

 

I was joking.

Guess I should have put [sarcasm] [/sarcasm] tags on there!

 

Yeah, Fred will be a real help to Renault with their setup this year, any bets on whether he'll be sharing that info with his teammate?

 

I am really looking forward to this F1 year as I intend to take my son to the Canadian GP in June! Any advice about experiencing that will be welcome.

my $.02:
I think Alonzo is headed the down the same path that J. Villeneuve took years ago ~ there are many different circumstances between the two drivers, but there could be similar results.
He is leaving a top tier McLaren - that put both drivers well into the hunt for the championship - for a declining Renault team.
Alonzo is an excellent driver, but I still think the car, along with the team / resources that prepare it, is a much greater factor in the equation for success.

Brian

 

I agree with you. I said the same thing myself after the controversy last year. Maybe we're wrong, and Renault will bounce back this year: I can see the lack of driver aids working in their favor. They would have to leap-frog Ferrari and McLaren to get back to the top, though, and both those teams have a lot more money.

 

I don't see it the same at all. Renault may not have been in the front rows, but they had some good results last year and with Alonso's set up skills, they will be better this year. I think between BMW, Renault, Big Mac and Big Red there's going to be a good dustup this year.

 

The same was true in '05 and '06, right? I wouldn't be so quick to count them out.

 

Lest everyone forget (and this is something I say every year), it's a whole new ballgame. Different rules and specs. More emphasis on driver skill, and less on pure engineering.

I think Fred's gonna rock.

 

Although it is far too early to tell anything, the new McLaren did not look so great this past week, while Alonso and Renault looked like 2007 never happened.

I don't see any comparison between Villeneuve and Alonso. Not at all. If anything, it is the opposite. Alonso has lost none of the fire . . . and I'm sure we are going to see some fireworks this season!

Villeneuve, on the other hand . . . I've never been able to quite figure out where he went and when he left . . . but I once admired him and have been left with nothing but to forget about his last 4 years in F1.

Anyway, Alonso was really left with no choice. He had to get out of McLaren. We had a lot of passionate debate over McLaren and Ron Dennis last season. He's far too young and with too much left to have been relegated to "the other driver" role. I'm glad he left. He'll be in a Ferrari by 2010.

 

again, it's just my $.02
~ but I think Alonzo let his ego get the best of him in the McLaren situation. Of course, at that level of competition ~ everyone has humongous egos!
He could have made a better effort to get along with the team - and very likely won championships with them.
I personally hope he and Renault do well - I'd especially like to see BMW and the other historically second tier teams in the battle this season.

Does anyone have any advice on attending the Canadian F1 race in Montreal?

thanks in advance.

Brian

 

I've been to several Grands Prix but not yet to Montreal.

You might post the question on the Speed message board, if you haven't already.

 

What do you need to know? We have booked our flights, reserved a hotel downtown and bought tickets about 6 weeks ago. This will be our first race in Canada.

A generic piece of advise would be to book your hotel and flight ASAP. When we started researching flights and hotels months ago, they had already raised the prices because of the event. Apparently, this is the biggest even in Montreal all year.

 

I expect major rules changes (like the standard ECU/lack of driver aids) to play into the hands of the teams with the biggest budgets. F1 is a constructor's series, and McLaren and Ferrari are the constructors with the most money to invest in developing cars that make the most out of whatever the new rules allow.

That being said, Alonso was fortunate to have Renault to go to this year. Had he burned that bridge, we would've had nowhere to go at all (and deservedly so considering the way he blackmailed McLaren during the cheating scandal).

 

Generally speaking, I'd have to agree BUT I do remember teams like BAR/HONDA (and its iterations) and also Jaguar, both of whom had huge budgets, going nowhere. I wouldn't be too quick to discount a team like Renault.

 

Makes me wonder . . . budget wise . . . whether Ferrari and McLaren are more heavily financed than BMW and Honda, for example. Maybe so, but how much?
We are told Toyota spends more than anyone, and we've seen the results.

When it comes, however, to comparing constructors vs. privateers . . . there is a huge disparity.

. . . thus the thinking behind limiting the technology as an attempt to control costs and remove a budgetary advantage, so that the focus would be back on the pilot.

IMHO, Fred's off track antics will be replaced this season by spectacular on track action (some good, some bad). Kind of like a really po'd hornet sealed and shaken in a jar!