Does team France make it look boring?

[Gerben24]

Not taking anything away from Lapierre and Premat (as I believe they are both F1 material) it is quite obvious that Team France have found something in the setup of the car that other teams haven't found yet. The speed Lapierre showed today was quite astonishing, pulling away from the others hardly using any power boosts.

When the missus asked me this morning who'd won and my answer was France, twice, her response was, hmmm it is starting to get boring isn't it?

Well, is it? I thought there were still some entertaining overtaking manoevres, but it would have been nice if there was some fighting for the lead!

[nickyf1]

how ironic, something that was supposed to be good for fights for the lead has turned all f1 shaped...

[Kicking-back]

Not boring at all.

There are fights all the way through the field.

It's up to the others to do a better job.

France are doing the best job and are rightly winning.

[Nado]

Apparently France the the Swiss are sharing data and that is helping them, but hey if it's not against the rule, use everything to your advantage.

[foreversideways]

No not boring at all. They are doing a great job with equal equipment. Facinating i would say.

[pink69]

France have hit a purple patch. They didn't win the opening event. I'm sure someone will turn on the heat again soon.

[strider]

They are doing a great job. Team France, using a French team in DAMS and two very, very, good French drivers in Lapierre and Premat. If anything I'd say Lapierre has the edge, so maybe someone else will get a look in at the next round in Malaysia.

[MRJUCY]

The French were far & away the class of the field at the moment whether thats down to drivers, set up or they've just got there heads around it the quickest I don't know but good luck to them all the same there is no doubt they deserve it. I was at the track so I haven't seen what made it to TV but there was still lots going on though out the rest of the field to make it entertaining.

[Mr Jinxx]

The beauty of this competition is that there is nothing the French did, or have, that any other team couldn't do, through a combination of driver/engineer. It's not like F1 or even F3.

Both the French drivers have spent the whole year in GP2, so are current, and also attuned to this sort of car. As opposed to an LMES car (much quicker) or IRL or whatever. Even proven quick drivers like Herta and Shimoda need time to get to know the car and how to get it to go quickly, as we've seen. THe French guys have a head start on them, as does Piquet, Jani etc.

And the team/engineer(s) have obviously got a handle on how to make it go quickly. Nothing the others can't do. I really don't expect to see France remaining dominant, as the other teams/drivers catch up. The 2nd half of this championship will be superb.

[Mr Jinxx]

(not that the first half hasn't been!)

[Kiwi3]

Not boring at all. There has been so much action down the rest of the field. And surely someone will get their car hooked up and catch them soon.

[bocster]

yeh it wont be long until the french are caught ,alot of the top teams have just been slow in working out their cars. think Australia has caught up by about 1 second a lap from the last race as have the Brits . First it was Piquet who was unstopable and now they have been leapfrogged. I think theyl all get closer to the end of the season as the room for improvement on the bigger teams gets smaller and smaller

[Kebab]

Don't DAMS run more than one team? If so, they have a big advantage in terms of information gathering.

[SALEEN S7R]

Yeah DAMS run 2 or 3 teams if I remember rightly, therefore they defintly have a distinct advantage over all the other squads who are only running 1 nation each. Things haven't become boring yet, 2 or 3 rounds into the future however if DAMS and France have won every round then yes, things will have become boring. IMO.

[Kebab]

Well, if having more than 1 team is an advantage, it should mean the others just need time to catch up (as there's a limit to what you can learn about these cars). Which should mean some more great racing in the future! Hurray!

[ss_collins]

DAMS run France, Swiss, Mexico, the y know what they are doing and recently have specialised in one make single seater series. GP2, World Series by whoever, A1 and previously F3000

[SALEEN S7R]

Yes but the main reason they are doing well IMO is because they are running 3 nations. There are lots of great squads in A1 GP that are not doing as well as France but who have done extremely well in GP2/F3000, GB and Arden being the obvious example, they finished 2nd in this years GP2 championship and were the F3000 teams champions in 2003 and 2004. DAMS are a good squad, but they arent one of the best IMO, at least not this year anyway or in the last couple of seasons. Proof of this is the team finishing 11th out of 15 in this years WSBR and 8th out of 12 teams in this years GP2 championship. The reason they are doing so well therefore is IMO because they are running several nations.

[Jackman]

I'm not sure that the three teams are better than one idea is entirely right - it probably depends on a number of factors. Obviously France are benefiting from the input of Lapierre and Premat, and Switzerland from Jani, but I'd suggest that the people running the teams make a big difference - I remember hearing that Arden weren't going to send their main team (headed by Mick Cook) but would be hiring in mechanics and engineers to run the A1 programme, and that would make a huge difference to their level of success.

[Fiorentina 1]

France needs an F1 driver. The sad part is, thanks to the new government, they don't back drivers like they did in the 80's & earlyo 90's. Therefore, a guy like Bourdais, who could compete anyday with Alonso or Kimi probably won't get a chance in F1. So, if France smokes everone in A1, then maybe that will motivate some people. I'd like to see both Premat & Lapierre in F1 by 2007-2008.

[F3lollipops]

I wouldn't say that France winning six races in a row is boring. After all, it has been done whilst sticking with their original plan to run the two drivers alternately.

Of course, the French team is in the luxurious position of having two *very* fast and consistent drivers which enables them to swap Lapierre and Premat around and still win.

I'd be willing to bet that all the others would love to have that level of talent in their teams.

[Mr Jinxx]

Jackman - Arden have certainly been fielding their full team. Mick is definitelythere.

[maltafan]

Great to see France up there, however, A1 cannot be boring after just 4 week ends.

[SpawnyWhippet]

France deserves to be in the lead, but I think Brazil and UK will catch up a bit. The points system makes this hard though

[Sport Billy]

Running multiple cars will always be an advantage look at dominant teams such as Carlin or Manor in other formulae, sending cars out with different set ups and comparing data will proportionately reduce time finding the ideal (or close to) set up.

Ie 3 cars doing 2 laps each results in more data in a shorter time, than 1 going out for 1/2 then in for changes etc. Obvious really.

The advantage will close and is doing so, but multiple car teams should to make things equal have proportionately less test time (won't happen) to make it the ultimate level playing field it is being promoted as!

Please understand I love the series!

[Kebab]

Mick Cook wasn't there in Australia (was there a GP2 test?)