Did F1 look cheap?

teammoda · 29 Mar 2009, 10:42 (Ref:2427961)

I know the cost cutting is a plus for the sport but my word F1 did look cheap today and the coverage from the BBC was desperate,on Saturday Coulthard and Jordan were mainly interested in slagging each other off! and the Sunday coverage could only be described as amateur.It has to be said that the front wings kill the cars appearance and frankly did little to bunch the field up(FIA its all in the tyres,always was always will be!!).As usual the drivers gave us the entertainment that will always be there but Hopefully as the season goes cost cutting F1 wont look so cheap

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Dutton · 29 Mar 2009, 10:50 (Ref:2427968)

So, um, you are proposing expensive cost-cutting? That seems to have been the FIA approach most years, but of course it was not actually cost-cutting in the end.

I thought it looked the same as it always does. The cars look a bit weird, but not cheap. There was overtaking. There was racing when the cars were close to each other.

Is it just that you have to find a few things to complain about?

zakeriath · 29 Mar 2009, 10:59 (Ref:2427980)

No not at all, close racing, overtaking, big difference in tyre strategies, weird looking cars, (but the first time they removed the air boxes it looked different). Admittedly Jordan & DC seamed a bit prattish but it was their first meeting together, give it until spain.

If all the races this season are going to be as exicting as this one, we should be in for a good one.

awrb · 29 Mar 2009, 11:38 (Ref:2428018)

Just get rid of Jordan and the coverage will be as good as possible. I think that if the rest of the season is this close and exciting, its going to be great. As for it looking cheap, I don't think it looks that different. I suppose the Renault maybe, but that's just because it looks like some lower formula car and has a terrible paint job. I think F1 looks better than it has the last five years at least.

275 GTB-4 · 29 Mar 2009, 11:38 (Ref:2428020)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zakeriath

No not at all, close racing, overtaking, big difference in tyre strategies, weird looking cars, (but the first time they removed the air boxes it looked different). Admittedly Jordan & DC seamed a bit prattish but it was their first meeting together, give it until spain.

If all the races this season are going to be as exicting as this one, we should be in for a good one.

Yes!! weird looking cars...they looked like miniature F1s...and the race was mostly processional

JamesH · 29 Mar 2009, 11:39 (Ref:2428022)

Not cheap at all.

Racing good, stewards decisions bizarrely correct (!), didn't even notice the difference in car shapes one the race got going, BBC coverage good (DV/EJ just need practice), Legard commentary OK, Red button options great! Enjoyed the forum stuff afterwards, good interview with VJM.

No, not cheap in my view. Not much to dislike at all.

**Adam43** · 29 Mar 2009, 11:42 (Ref:2428030)

I disagree with this thread starter. I suggest that teammoda gives up on F1 now!

The cars looked like they were closer. They did change the tyres!
The beeb coverage wasn't desperate and was astep up.

Super Hans · 29 Mar 2009, 11:44 (Ref:2428032)

The racing was closer, the TV coverage was an improvement and it didn't look cheap at all.

Dutton · 29 Mar 2009, 11:46 (Ref:2428035)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

Yes!! weird looking cars...they looked like miniature F1s...and the race was mostly processional

I thought there was a perfectly respectable amount of passing and general "raciness" when the cars were close to each other. Cars 5 seconds apart are obviously going to follow each other to no effect, but that is just the way it is. It seemed to me, whenever cars were followingly closely to each other, there was a decent chance somebody would be having a go soon (and with a pretty respectable chance of making it stick).

There were lots of different teams challenging each other for the various positions.

Is the idea that there has to be overtaking for the lead every single lap, and a different three drivers on the podium each race?

Super Hans · 29 Mar 2009, 11:48 (Ref:2428038)

F1 has never been a feast of overtaking and never will be. What's important is that the cars can at least get close enough to each other to attempt a move. On today's evidence this had been acheived and I'm delighted.

Marbot · 29 Mar 2009, 11:51 (Ref:2428040)

Sort of Merc 'S' class on the outside with Kia Picanto interior.

Dutton · 29 Mar 2009, 11:52 (Ref:2428041)

I am trying to not let myself get too hopeful, since Melbourne can often produce good action, but it does seem like the OWG may have got it right.

It may have achieved in one go that which the FIA has failed to achieve for goodness knows how many years. The people with the know-how were the best to use to get the desired result: who would've thunkit?

**Born Racer** · 29 Mar 2009, 11:54 (Ref:2428044)

It looked quite expensive when Vettel and Kubica hit the wall.

Marbot · 29 Mar 2009, 11:55 (Ref:2428046)

Yes,the cars were able to follow each other quite closely even on fast corners,and the opportunity to overtake was always there.The difference between the tyres was also very noticeable.

Ogami musashi · 29 Mar 2009, 12:02 (Ref:2428050)

Same.
We'll have to wait a bit to judge but compared to last years the cars seemed to be able to follow each other, as noted by marbot, even in the fast corners.

Also i note that despite the braking distance felt considerably (according to brembo it went from 74m to brake into turn 11 in 2008 to just 33m this year!) there were a lot of braking overtakings (probably due to longer slipstream and more grip in turn from the slicks).

Now hope it won't be ruined by diffuser's developments throughout the year.

Burnsie · 29 Mar 2009, 12:02 (Ref:2428051)

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