[Official] Rate the race: Russian Grand Prix

[chillibowl]

yeah that really was great word.

not a good race at all. a bit curious as to why Pirelli didnt conduct any tests or gather any readings prior to having to make the tire selection though. was it just lack of timing, lack of access to the track, some combination?

next year should be better in terms of racing but im afraid the the eyesore that is Sochi will only get worse for me.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

yeah that really was great word.

not a good race at all. a bit curious as to why Pirelli didnt conduct any tests or gather any readings prior to having to make the tire selection though. was it just lack of timing, lack of access to the track, some combination?

next year should be better in terms of racing but im afraid the the eyesore that is Sochi will only get worse for me.

Pirelli said that the tyres weren't the cause.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Pirelli said that the tyres weren't the cause.

Why does F1 need so many tyre compound options?

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Why does F1 need so many tyre compound options?

To paper over the cracks elsewhere. I've always lived by the mantra that if something is overly complicated for complication's sake, it's concealing a problem somewhere.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by davyboy

To paper over the cracks elsewhere. I've always lived by the mantra that if something is overly complicated for complication's sake, it's concealing a problem somewhere.

It certainly is overly complicated. Why not have just one hard and one soft compound like IndyCar, after all that's where the option tyre originally came from; well it was actually Champ Car?

[chillibowl]

i didnt mean for this to turn into a criticism of Pirelli because they really have done a tremendous job this year imo.

given the info they had and given the consequences of making a poor choice they did the only thing they could in the face of not having enough information about the track surface...they went conservative. given better information (or at least some information) i have no doubt they would have brought a more suitable tire selection.

i guess i was more getting at the lack of vetting this track received. if memory serves Abu Dhabi even held some preliminary races prior to the circus showing up in order to sort things out in the proper way.

not sure that this happened here nor do i get the sense that the powers that be really cared.

perhaps overstating for effect but im not even sure where holding a quality race/selling a quality product even is anymore on their (FOM/CVC/FIA) list of priorities.

[JacobP]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Pirelli said that the tyres weren't the cause.

Rosberg manages to run the whole race, minus one lap, on on set of tires and still finishes in the second place after making the first lap mistake. Tires have nothing to do with it. Yeah right.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Tilke's waded in saying the track layout had nothing to do with the dull race.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116421

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Tilke's waded in saying the track layout had nothing to do with the dull race.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116421

He would say that. But he is correct in saying the track layout is not the problem. F1 does have a problem and the suggestion that the tyres were the problem is a nonsense.

F1's problem is that its not a level playing filed between the teams. What we saw in Sochi is a reflection of just how skewed it is and when nothing out of the ordinary happens, or there is nor development battle between teams apparent, we get structured racing. It is structured by the teams themselves (because of their ability to dictate rule and regulation changes) and their approach to regulation of innovation.

Tony Fernandes (of all people) saw this at the beginning of the year hence his decision to make 2014 his 'make it or break it' year, and it broke...

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...terham-f1-quit

Fernandes understands why football is more competitive than F1. Bernie and Todt don't.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

He would say that. But he is correct in saying the track layout is not the problem. F1 does have a problem and the suggestion that the tyres were the problem is a nonsense.

F1's problem is that its not a level playing filed between the teams. What we saw in Sochi is a reflection of just how skewed it is and when nothing out of the ordinary happens, or there is nor development battle between teams apparent, we get structured racing. It is structured by the teams themselves (because of their ability to dictate rule and regulation changes) and their approach to regulation of innovation.

Tony Fernandes (of all people) saw this at the beginning of the year hence his decision to make 2014 his 'make it or break it' year, and it broke...

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...terham-f1-quit

Fernandes understands why football is more competitive than F1. Bernie and Todt don't.

Totally agree, that is indeed the problem...

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by JacobP

Rosberg manages to run the whole race, minus one lap, on on set of tires and still finishes in the second place after making the first lap mistake. Tires have nothing to do with it. Yeah right.

Yeah. Right.
If they had six nut wheels and had only two people allowed to work on the car they would want tyres like that!

The last thing you would want is a tyre stop that could cost you 40 seconds if someone else could make their tyres last the distance and do the same lap times.

This whole nonsense about tyres isn't about technology of making tyres.
It's subterfuge about covering over the fact that there is something seriously wrong with the way the sport is being managed and what F1 is really about.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Agreed on this, I find the new Tilke tracks tedious and featureless more akin to the old (don't know if they still use them) Indy car tracks that used what appeared to be car parks and airfields that were coned off to look like circuits.

If you want a GP circuit, just pave 2 square kilometres and give that Tilke B a rattle can to graffiti it out with!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Agreed on this, I find the new Tilke tracks tedious and featureless more akin to the old (don't know if they still use them) Indy car tracks that used what appeared to be car parks and airfields that were coned off to look like circuits.

Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport, which used to host a race during the CART era, was a darn sight more interesting than any Tilkedrome.

[Mike E]

Dullsville. Gave it a 3. The track is nasty.
The biggest country in the world and they had to thread a purpose built circuit through a bunch of brand new buildings? Mind boggling.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Dullsville. Gave it a 3. The track is nasty.
The biggest country in the world and they had to thread a purpose built circuit through a bunch of brand new buildings? Mind boggling.

They weren't looking for a Road America or a VIR, a Watkins Glen, or a Brands Hatch.

They wanted a statement about a modern Russia and a lakeside resort on the periphery of the country's borders with some new architecture as a result of the winter Olympics was a simpler answer.
Bernie doesn't want circuits to look 'classic'. He wants people to pay him.

[bauble]

Is Mr Putin a member of Ten-Tenths?

I ask this as SOMEONE gave the race a 10!!!!!!!

[Aysedasi]

His secret is out........

[dsg]

The circuit is fine, the cars on the other hand...

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Someone has voted this race as a 10! I didn't know Putin was registered on Tenths

Originally Posted by bauble

Is Mr Putin a member of Ten-Tenths?

I ask this as SOMEONE gave the race a 10!!!!!!!

Bob, keep up. Been there, done that!

[bauble]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Bob, keep up. Been there, done that!

I stand chastised. I suppose I should have realised I am not the only cynic on tenths.

Where's my photo frame?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

They weren't looking for a Road America or a VIR, a Watkins Glen, or a Brands Hatch.

They wanted a statement about a modern Russia and a lakeside resort on the periphery of the country's borders with some new architecture as a result of the winter Olympics was a simpler answer.
Bernie doesn't want circuits to look 'classic'. He wants people to pay him.

But that can't be true. Bernie insists that sport has nothing to do with politics...