A1 vs. F1

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 1:32 pm

Anyone watching the new GP series? Sadly, last night our #$%^@#ing rival TV channels chose to show the start of the 18 lapper A1 opener 20 laps before the end of the Suzuka F1 GP. (Delayed F1 coverage = no live timing from F1.com - GRRR!)

It meant there was only about 3 minutes difference between the races ending. I wonder if they did that shiz on purpose?

Anyway, the Suzuka race was awesome! Probably one of the greatest Formula 1s in modern history. Raikonen was outstanding; starting from 17th on the grid, and winning on the final lap.

The A1 GP. while very different to F1 seems to be almost as exciting: I haven't had a Kiwi car/driver to root for since - well - ever! With all the cars the same, it's looking like being a great series. Of course, it doesn't hurt that NZ is lying 2nd equal after 4 races.

A huge weekend of Motorsport it was: The Bathurst 1000 race of the V8 supercars was also on. A Kiwi won that too...

What's your take on A1 vs. F1?

Vindicator · Post by **Vindicator** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 2:21 pm

The F1 race last night was fantastic. It was a lot of fun watching the faster teams start at the back and work their way up. Lots of ballsy passes. Kinda amazing how quickly the Renault and McLaren cars pulled away from Schumacher once they got around him.

I was rooting for Fisichella but Kimi was simply too fast for him. At least he didnt stall his car this time around...

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 2:40 pm

Kimi was brilliant. I found Alonso a bit stupid at times with his passes. I didn't watch teh A1 race as it was not broadcasted here even though we have Speed and TSN.

What I am waiting for is the Ex driver series. All Ex F1 drivers who are 45 or older.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 2:52 pm

Open wheel racing is for pussies

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:31 pm

Dedman wrote:Open wheel racing is for pussies

Ya and you watch,um let me guess, it's coming to me now, um, circle racing? Oh yeah cause you aren't smart enough to to understand real racing

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:43 pm

And cirlce racing is what exactly? Is that where a bunch of drunk canadians push hoola hoops through the snow?

Your avatar really looks like an open wheel racer to me

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:27 pm

Um, my avatar is from FIA GTR Racing. It's closed wheel racing aka Vettes, Ferraris, Porshces, BMW, Lambos, Vipers, etc.

http://www.10tacle.com/gtr-game/en/index.php?Homepage

I like those types as well as open wheel. What I was talking about was NASCAR. I was joking also so don't get all miffed about it.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:11 am

CDN_Merlin wrote:Um, my avatar is from FIA GTR Racing. It's closed wheel racing aka Vettes, Ferraris, Porshces, BMW, Lambos, Vipers, etc.

http://www.10tacle.com/gtr-game/en/index.php?Homepage

I like those types as well as open wheel. What I was talking about was NASCAR. I was joking also so don't get all miffed about it.

I'm just having some fun too. I know what you meant. I actually do enjoy open wheel racing. Just not F1. Too much of the action is off the track. I enjoy either IRL or Champ when they are on the road courses. I prefer sports car racing though. NASCAR has it's moments.

If I had to pick only type to watch though it would be bicylce racing. To me, the skill, drama, and team tactics are second to none.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:54 am

Wait till 2008, things are chaning for F1.

Bring back manual shifting, less aerodynamical downforce and more mechanical downforce, slick tires. This will be good.

roid · Post by **roid** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:09 am

★■◆● that. i'm skipping the ground all together and waiting for races in the sky

btw, did anyone else see that loose wheel hit that car at Bathurst? that was so cool. the guy keeps driving with a half caved in windscreen.

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:21 am

CDN_Merlin wrote:
Dedman wrote:Open wheel racing is for pussies
Ya and you watch,um let me guess, it's coming to me now, um, circle racing? Oh yeah cause you aren't smart enough to to understand real racing

You're girly-men if it doesn't have handle bars and two wheels.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:47 am

CDN_Merlin wrote:Wait till 2008, things are chaning for F1.

Bring back manual shifting, less aerodynamical downforce and more mechanical downforce, slick tires. This will be good.

Hey, I might start watching again.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:12 am

Woodchip, I like watching SBK also but I don't know when they race andf always seem to miss it. I actually played the SBK game on my PC and loved it.

Right now I'm waiting for GT Legends to come to Canada, 1970s muscle car racing will rock.

Flabby Chick · Post by **Flabby Chick** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:49 am

Cars bore the poo out of me. (unless they're being reviewed by Jeremy Clarkson)

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:01 am

Flabby Chick wrote:Cars bore the poo out of me. (unless they're being reviewed by Jeremy Clarkson)

Thats probably because you never got to drive a 1964 pontiac GTO...when you were in high school.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:19 am

woodchip wrote:
Flabby Chick wrote:Cars bore the poo out of me. (unless they're being reviewed by Jeremy Clarkson)
Thats probably because you never got to drive a 1964 pontiac GTO...when you were in high school.

Oh man would that of rocked. No car today would get me stiff (other than a Porsche GT2) than they old style muscle cars.

Flabby Chick · Post by **Flabby Chick** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:07 am

No i drove me dads three litre ford capri at highschool. The guitar/poetry and black sweaters got me the women.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:48 pm

Dedman wrote:Hey, I might start watching again.

You should start right now Ded'! This year F1 has been simply stunning competition. I'm still not convinced about the no tyre changing rule, but I've seen more passing this year than I've seen in the previous 4 seasons combined.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:47 pm

Mobius wrote:
Dedman wrote:I've seen more passing this year than I've seen in the previous 4 seasons combined.

See, that's my beef with F1. I realize they are the most techologically advanced cars, best drivers, coolest tracks, etc. The problem is, to me, it looks like an 180mph parade. Because so much of the action is off track with the politics and manuvering of the teams, if you don't follow it, it's boring.

Now if there was more action on the track I would propably start watching. I know NASCAR gets a bad rap. Some of it may be deserved. But, there is a lot of action on the track. Even the Champ car series has more on track action than F1.

I don't watch racing to see cars go fast. If that was my motivation I would watch drag racing. I don't watch drag racing presicely because it is boring. I want to see a lot of action between cars.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:36 pm

Yes, you are right of course. I firmly believe Mark Blundell when he says that F1 cars generate too much aerodynamic downforce - so much, that it frequently prevents overtaking maneuvers at top speed because of the dire effects on the downforce of the following vehicle.

I'd be happy to see F1 cars with dramatically reduced rear-wings, and with the "Turbo Boost" button used by the A1 cars and the Champ Cars.

I still think teams should be allowed to change tyres during a race.

One of the issues with F1 right now is the tracks. I despise the crappy Monaco circuit. It's a joke and shouldn't be on the F1 calendar IMO. Narrow circuits are the death of F1 "racing", where the only time it's possible to overtake is in the pits! HEY! THAT'S NOT PROPER RACING AT ALL!

It remains the ultimate in car racing however, and it'll continue to have ups and downs.

It never ceases to amaze me that no matter what the FIA does to slow the cars down, the teams manage, by the end of the season, to break lap records AGAIN. How do they do that?

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:06 pm

CDN_Merlin wrote:Wait till 2008, things are chaning for F1.

Bring back manual shifting, less aerodynamical downforce and more mechanical downforce, slick tires. This will be good.

Yeah, it's called Champ Car

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:46 pm

ACK. Manual? That'd be silly. No new cars will be manual in ten years. Tiptronic and computerised preselecting is the way of the future. As to grooved tyres, I like them, they're closer to road tyres (if a tyre of those dimensions can ever be compared to a road tyre!), and allow the audience to see how the tyres are wearing.

I think more ground effects are called for. The first generation of cars went silly with it, and it was banned, but it's a legitimate method of increasing downforce, and many new cars use it to good effect. It makes cars more efficient too. So I think it'd be a great idea to remove some wing area, and add a small amount of ground effect to offset the loss.

2006 season is a big engine change, to V8s, and this will drop the maximum revs from a positively insane 19,500 to something a bit more reasonable. (Like 14,000?

)

I'm really looking forward to it.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:38 pm

I think I will still waite for the Tour in July.