Formula 1 glamour.... WHAT HAPPENED - Page 2

wnut · 23 Dec 2010, 04:27 (Ref:2807610)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woolley

Curiously, I grew up in the days of the Garagistas and have seen F1 being taken over by manufacturers with their own vested interests as being mostly a bad thing. I relish the return of independent teams if only the rules could be arranged so that they are able to compete on an even footing, not least the provision of competitive engines at a sensible price.

Couldn't agree more. The advent of the thee litre engines, up from 1500cc meant that everyone had more power than they knew what to do with and the racing was good. Then wings came in and noone knew how to make them work properly and the racing was not as good, but still brilliant by todays standards. Then slicks came in and the racing started to deteriorate, as you either had major tyre firm backing or you were not competitive.

The answer is to go back to bigger engines and make sure they cannot put the power down. (This would stop spending wars, as everybody would have more power than they knew what to do with anyway.) Seven hundred bhp formula ford would work just fine.
Why not make the tyres last 3 races? That would mean they could not be as sticky as they are now and would save a bundle over a season, also prevent marbles building up off the racing line during the race and further facilitate overtaking.

Andy77 · 23 Dec 2010, 06:00 (Ref:2807625)

I miss teams like Life, ATS, Tyrrell, Ligier etc a lot.....

Greem · 23 Dec 2010, 08:28 (Ref:2807640)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Good man Greem. I was wondering which one of you would spot my cleverly placed pun first.

Pun away!

I have been reliably (I think) informed by a colleague that Silicone Valley is in fact a term for a few studios in lesser parts of Hollywood who turn out... well, "adult" films. Not as in "scary" or "thought provoking", either. Usually.

Greem · 23 Dec 2010, 08:30 (Ref:2807642)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wnut

Seven hundred bhp formula ford would work just fine.

I was thinking about that very thing yesterday - a 1600cc turbo inline 4 cylinder engine should fit quite nicely in an FF1600 chassis. That would be fun!

Tall Chris · 23 Dec 2010, 08:40 (Ref:2807646)

As with all forms of racing, without the slow ones you wouldn't appreciate how quick the quick ones are.

Marbot · 23 Dec 2010, 09:02 (Ref:2807651)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy77

I miss teams like Life, ATS, Tyrrell, Ligier etc a lot.....

I think that most people 'missed' the LIFE team, probably because it missed most of the available time it could go out on track. W12 engine was different though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tall Chris

As with all forms of racing, without the slow ones you wouldn't appreciate how quick the quick ones are.

T'is true.

wnut · 23 Dec 2010, 13:51 (Ref:2807748)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greem

I was thinking about that very thing yesterday - a 1600cc turbo inline 4 cylinder engine should fit quite nicely in an FF1600 chassis. That would be fun!

Tube chassis, no aero, wide tyres and open entry to GP qualifying - bring it on.

Knowlesy · 23 Dec 2010, 20:54 (Ref:2807908)

F1 glamour went out the window when Beverley Turner opted not to continue her involvement with F1.

Now it is hard to get a real picture of all the fuzz and fluff surrounding the sport, it's all just boring cars.

**Adam43** · 23 Dec 2010, 20:56 (Ref:2807909)

They were so mean to her.

Super Hans · 24 Dec 2010, 00:02 (Ref:2807990)

There you go. Bit of F1 glamour to cheer you up.

E.B · 25 Dec 2010, 02:55 (Ref:2808321)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greem

I was thinking about that very thing yesterday - a 1600cc turbo inline 4 cylinder engine should fit quite nicely in an FF1600 chassis. That would be fun!

Dont know why but that reminded me of an old article I have by Nigel Roebuck. It is regarding Gilles Villeneuve's idea of 'The perfect racing car'.

I tried to add the article in thumbnail form but the thumbnails would not enlarge, so I have posted the article in a form it can be read by those interested. Hopefully this does not cross any forum boundaries.

Edit: I had a re-read of the forum rules, and suspecting I might have been treading a fine line reproducing the article in image form and posting it as I had initially, I have deleted the article in image form. So if you want to read the article you will have to read it by clicking on the links......

PAGE 1
PAGE 2

wnut · 25 Dec 2010, 04:22 (Ref:2808327)

Thanks for the above post EB.
Gilles was something really special, and interesting to see he thought that downforce was ruining F1 racing.

I would agree with him that the less power and more downforce any car has the less enjoyable they are to drive or watch. They can't get up on their toes they are just all squashed down under the aero and slow to react until they suddenly breakaway and you go over the fence.

His idea of a perfect racing car seems exactly right. Thanks great post.

Matt · 25 Dec 2010, 05:01 (Ref:2808332)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greem

Pun away!

I have been reliably (I think) informed by a colleague that Silicone Valley is in fact a term for a few studios in lesser parts of Hollywood who turn out... well, "adult" films. Not as in "scary" or "thought provoking", either. Usually.

Your colleague was dead wrong.

chunder · 25 Dec 2010, 11:54 (Ref:2808373)

It is interesting to note that the people who have been charged with making the cars better to watch are Head and Byrne, one of whom designed the best ground effect car ever made, so good it was able to be quick for three damn years!

As for that picture of James, wasnt that his wife!! ANd whatever happened to Duckhams!!

Knowlesy · 25 Dec 2010, 12:04 (Ref:2808375)

Yeah, last I saw of them they were sponsoring some really shabby BTCC Mondeos.

Sodemo · 25 Dec 2010, 14:54 (Ref:2808391)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Yeah, last I saw of them they were sponsoring some really shabby BTCC Mondeos.

But they were ace in the wet!

chunder · 25 Dec 2010, 17:50 (Ref:2808403)

I remember now, Hot drove one didnt he, maybe that dog of a V6 finally was able to do something in the wet!

I remember them sposnoring the Norton Superbike team too, was great livery

Knowlesy · 25 Dec 2010, 20:18 (Ref:2808426)

Hoy and Radisich. 1997. Oh god the car was a dog.

duke_toaster · 25 Dec 2010, 20:21 (Ref:2808427)

It was a dog in real life, but not that bad in TOCA 2.

Knowlesy · 25 Dec 2010, 20:25 (Ref:2808429)

That was 1998. Where the Ford was better but Craig Baird took up the role of dog.

What a strange tangent we have headed onto!

chunder · 25 Dec 2010, 20:57 (Ref:2808437)

Blimey, Craig Baird, I do remember him, there were quite a few guys who did that series who disappeared! Jerry Mahoney! Lee Brookes?? Paula Cook, spent more money than Bush and disappeared!

Oldtony · 25 Dec 2010, 21:47 (Ref:2808447)

Craig came home t Oz but still runs Porsches round the world and grabs the occaisional seat in Enduros. Is also a very good "Expert commentator" on TV here.

Wims · 25 Dec 2010, 23:29 (Ref:2808468)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wnut

...
The answer is to go back to bigger engines and make sure they cannot put the power down
.....

I think you are vastly underestimating the skill of todays professional drivers, it would be really easy for them to be able to control any sort of horse power they would have available, probably even if they had 1500bhp. These guys are not amateurs, or at the level of 1960 era drivers, their technical skills are far, far greater.

ASCII Man · 26 Dec 2010, 09:56 (Ref:2808534)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wims

I think you are vastly underestimating the skill of todays professional drivers, it would be really easy for them to be able to control any sort of horse power they would have available, probably even if they had 1500bhp. These guys are not amateurs, or at the level of 1960 era drivers, their technical skills are far, far greater.

He probably means having more power than the tires can handle, so they have to squeeze the throttle instead of flooring it and letting the engine mapping software do the squeezing.

Besides, I seriously doubt todays drivers have more technical skill than a Jack Brabham, for example.

E.B · 26 Dec 2010, 11:28 (Ref:2808548)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

Besides, I seriously doubt todays drivers have more technical skill than a Jack Brabham, for example.

That is a very valid point.... and there would not be a driver on the grid (including the bloke with all the statistics who drives for that German Team) that would come close, technically speaking, to a number of the technical greats like as mentioned, Sir Jack, Bruce McLaren, or in particular, Niki Lauda.

On the other hand there would likely be no one on the grid nowadays that lacked those technical skills to the extent of other drivers of yesteryear, Ronnie Peterson and Gilles Villeneuve being the ones that stand out in my mind. He seemed to manage to get speed out of some awful cars, purely by adapting their driving style to suit/counter the car's deficits. And look bloody good in the process.

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