[Official] British Grand Prix 2016: Grand Prix Weekend Thread

[chillibowl]

Mike, thanks for the first hand account.

follow up question, i know you dont watch a lot of the F1 races any more...did watching a race live help to give you your passion back for the sport?

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

[Generalisations] Considering that the circuit had pretty well sold out, it really surprised me that most of the spectators only came to see the F1 cars; once they disappeared, so did the crowds. As I said above, on Saturday we stayed on to watch the GP2 and GP3 races which were entertaining, but we were in the minority. Likewise, on Sunday, the grandstands around Luffield and Woodcote were practically empty until about a half hour before the F1 race.

It left me with the impression that the majority of Silverstone F1 spectators are there only for the Grand Prix cars; they are not motor racing fans as such. And too many people have more money than sense; I cannot fathom how people pay so much just to watch for 90 odd minutes. [/Generalisation]

agreed prices are too high but also people lack sense too lol!

for me when i first started watching racing there was not any junior categories available to watch on TV here. it wasnt until i went to my first F1 race and saw several of the support races/different categories that my appreciation of motor sports grew.

a shame to think that this might not be the case any more. i guess i would ask if there is room for the local promoter to do more to get people to the track earlier so they can see more of what motorsports has to offer or is this an inherent problem with FOM in so much as they probably dont want anyone spending on anything other than F1?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Mike, thanks for the first hand account.

follow up question, i know you dont watch a lot of the F1 races any more...did watching a race live help to give you your passion back for the sport?



agreed prices are too high but also people lack sense too lol!

for me when i first started watching racing there was not any junior categories available to watch on TV here. it wasnt until i went to my first F1 race and saw several of the support races/different categories that my appreciation of motor sports grew.

a shame to think that this might not be the case any more. i guess i would ask if there is room for the local promoter to do more to get people to the track earlier so they can see more of what motorsports has to offer or is this an inherent problem with FOM in so much as they probably dont want anyone spending on anything other than F1?

You say get people to the track earlier. I wonder, what was it like when we had Sunday morning warm-up?

[chillibowl]

good question!

puts the ball back in FOM court and also i wonder if the warm up would have helped with the clearing of the water/race line (not sure when it actually rained though).

[BSchneiderFan]

The rain came on about half an hour, maybe less, before the race started, so a morning warm-up wouldn't have helped. Still don't think they should have started behind the SC, though.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Mike, thanks for the first hand account.

follow up question, i know you dont watch a lot of the F1 races any more...did watching a race live help to give you your passion back for the sport?



agreed prices are too high but also people lack sense too lol!

for me when i first started watching racing there was not any junior categories available to watch on TV here. it wasnt until i went to my first F1 race and saw several of the support races/different categories that my appreciation of motor sports grew.

a shame to think that this might not be the case any more. i guess i would ask if there is room for the local promoter to do more to get people to the track earlier so they can see more of what motorsports has to offer or is this an inherent problem with FOM in so much as they probably dont want anyone spending on anything other than F1?

chillibowl, the answer to your first question is, unfortunately, no! My passion is motor sport in virtually in all it's forms, but F1 now just leaves me cold. I certainly enjoyed watching the skill of the drivers controlling 800 odd bhp, but I, and both my sons who are 43 and who where dragged up properly to appreciate Grand Prix racing, got far more enjoyment from watching the other races which actually had overtaking and close duels throughout.

Concerning the matter of getting the crowds in earlier, they may well have been at the circuit for hours, but they didn't take their seats until shortly before the off. Even a lot of those in Luffield around us set out their seats very early in the morning, yet they disappeared until not long before the GP process started. They, and those in the stands, obviously had no interest in the lower formulae or motor racing, per se. The GP, to me and my sons, wasn't the highlight of the weekend.

5 weeks ago, we enjoyed my Xmas present from 2015 which was a weekend at Oulton Park to see the British Touring Cars, and that as an experience was far more enjoyable. And most of the spectators came in early to see all the races, and stayed right through to the bitter end. And we had the same feelings about the BTCC at Croft last year.

Having a chat about the weekend between the three of us while we waited for the crowds to dissipate, we decided that we would probably have enjoyed 3 days at the air tattoo at Farirford as much if not more, and for less cost we would have been entitled to reserved space in one of the hospitality areas right by the runway, been provided with breakfast, lunch and tea on all three days plus had our own dedicated toilets. And, if the weather had been inclement, we could have stood under cover in the marquee where our food was provided. Even the cost of staying at a local hostelry would not have made the cost greater than the amount paid for Silverstone, who charge £60 for the privilege of parking your car in a field.

I don't blame Silverstone for the ridiculously high prices; that can be laid fairly at the feet of BCE who demands such high sanctioning fees to bring his circus to town, and those fees have to be passed on to the punters.

I fear that it will be another 50 years before I venture to the British GP again!

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

The rain came on about half an hour, maybe less, before the race started, so a morning warm-up wouldn't have helped. Still don't think they should have started behind the SC, though.

As I wrote earlier, the two course cars were having problems putting the power down; the F1 cars, without the SC would have been in real trouble.

There may well be an argument that the safety car could have been brought in earlier, but after Suzuka, I don't think that Charlie Whiting and his team are going to take any chances.

At least the race started on time, and once the green flags were waved, the whole field was able to take part which may not have been the case without the SC.

I must say that I wasn't impressed by Hamilton bullying Bernd Maylander who was driving the SC; he was going as fast as he could given the conditions, and Maylander can only do what he is told by the race director.

[bauble]

For the first time in decades I did not attend the Grand Prix, and watching the TV coverage did nothing to make me regret my decision, the whole 'show' is now far to removed from true motor 'sport' that it has small appeal for me.
I saw my first GP in 1952, and over the years it seems to have gone steadily downhill from about 1957. One of the problems of getting old I suppose. The antics of the winner after the race were like something out of a Disney film about baseball.
There was a time when the drivers were true friends and like to socialise with each other, and play practical jokes on each other. Imagine Lewis and Nico .....
..... impossible.

As to the crowd many are not motor racing enthusiasts (like us here) but 'sports fans', no doubt flitting from football stadium, golf course, tennis court to 'support' the local hero. The Brit.

Mr Old and Cynical.

[chillibowl]

come one, LH and NR play practical jokes on each other all the time...NR crashes into LH, posts picture on social media of them hanging out as kids, LH crashes into NR, posts picture of his dog...its hilarious!!!

best friends forever type behaviour!

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I must say that I wasn't impressed by Hamilton bullying Bernd Maylander who was driving the SC; he was going as fast as he could given the conditions, and Maylander can only do what he is told by the race director.

Bullying? Or trying to get some heat in his tyres and brakes while crawling around at an F1 snails pace?

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The difference is Mercedes have nothing to lose, if they drop three points in the constructor's. However, Rosberg has much more to lose if he drops three points to Hamilton, as we have seen.

It doesn't need to be a can of worms, ridiculous or otherwise, just a re-evaluation. No one's talking about giving the driver points.

And if the car had failed to finish, both Mercedes and Rosberg would have lost 18 points. That's the way it is.

According to your model, what do you do about penalties for driving infringements? Take points away from the driver but not the constructor?

Either way around, your proposal seems to have a case where (taking the names from this example, but it could be anyone) Rosberg in the Mercedes is second and the Mercedes driven by Rosberg is third. Which also would lead to Verstappen in the Red Bull being third and the Red Bull driven by Verstappen being second. You're right, it's not a can of worms: it's a whole bucketful.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

As I wrote earlier, the two course cars were having problems putting the power down; the F1 cars, without the SC would have been in real trouble.

There may well be an argument that the safety car could have been brought in earlier, but after Suzuka, I don't think that Charlie Whiting and his team are going to take any chances.

At least the race started on time, and once the green flags were waved, the whole field was able to take part which may not have been the case without the SC.

I must say that I wasn't impressed by Hamilton bullying Bernd Maylander who was driving the SC; he was going as fast as he could given the conditions, and Maylander can only do what he is told by the race director.

I'm not so sure. The cars seemed to be straining at the leash behind the safety cars, and they looked like they could have gone faster, and, perversely, more safely, without the safety car. But, in any event, I think the drivers are responsible for driving according to the conditions. I would rather they'd been given an extra two or three warm-up laps, then released to do what they're paid to do.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I'm not so sure. The cars seemed to be straining at the leash behind the safety cars, and they looked like they could have gone faster, and, perversely, more safely, without the safety car. But, in any event, I think the drivers are responsible for driving according to the conditions. I would rather they'd been given an extra two or three warm-up laps, then released to do what they're paid to do.

That's what the FIA thought until the Bianchi episode. And now his parents are taking them to court for not stopping him from taking responsibility, and then driving too fast for the conditions.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist

And if the car had failed to finish, both Mercedes and Rosberg would have lost 18 points. That's the way it is.

According to your model, what do you do about penalties for driving infringements? Take points away from the driver but not the constructor?

Either way around, your proposal seems to have a case where (taking the names from this example, but it could be anyone) Rosberg in the Mercedes is second and the Mercedes driven by Rosberg is third. Which also would lead to Verstappen in the Red Bull being third and the Red Bull driven by Verstappen being second. You're right, it's not a can of worms: it's a whole bucketful.

If the car had failed to finish, fair enough, it happens and that's part of motorsport.

With driver infringements the driver gets penalised and with team infringements the team gets penalised. It doesn't have to be overly complicated, like so so much of F1.

[Mike Harte]

Two further observations from the GP.

The cars no longer sound or look aggressive; the GP2s and 3s, and even the Porsche Super Cup cars seemed more impressive, and they certainly entertained the spectators to more dicing throughout their races.

Secondly, it is becoming more and more difficult to differentiate between the drivers, certainly if sat or standing at the trackside. Unless you know what camera cover colour is on the top of the air-box, you can only just about see the very top of the drivers helmet over the side protection. Car numbers were difficult to pick out, and even spectators, who I thought were fairly passionate, were constantly confusing Button and Alonso cheering/clapping the latter when they thought it was the former.

[S griffin]

Bring back big numbers I say. Make it compulsory to have a space for the numbers. And also have them on the rear wing endplates like the old days. Of course the sponsors might have something to say, but who cares! No sponsors on the Honda Earth Car, meant they could use big numbers...

[Paradise City]

For me, these F1 cars look quite small from the tv pov. I haven't seen them in the flesh.

I've said it a few times in the Indycar forum, I think cars are best when they look terrifying and/or larger-than-life.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by JamesH

You mean 'let the drivers drive the cars, except when they need to take their eyes of the track and cars around them and try and read a pitboard going past at 200mph'.

I had enough trouble reading a pitboard at 80, or much less when karting.

Radios are safer, given the workload of other stuff modern drivers need to do.

Of course it is, but that's not really the point.......

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

For me, these F1 cars look quite small from the tv pov. I haven't seen them in the flesh.

I've said it a few times in the Indycar forum, I think cars are best when they look terrifying and/or larger-than-life.

They look quite big in the flesh. We had a 2015 Ferrari at an event I was on last year and I was surprised how big it was. I also thought visibility for the drivers was hard, I can't imagine they can see much behind them and the front wing is unsighted so I can see how easy it would be to catch it on another car.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Bring back big numbers I say. Make it compulsory to have a space for the numbers. And also have them on the rear wing endplates like the old days. Of course the sponsors might have something to say, but who cares! No sponsors on the Honda Earth Car, meant they could use big numbers...

In other series, organisers have retained space on cars for race numbers and championship sponsors and these are written into the regulations and are mandatory. I think that 75% of the rear wing endplates should be dedicated to race numbers and FOM produce a standard race number panel that is mandatory.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

In other series, organisers have retained space on cars for race numbers and championship sponsors and these are written into the regulations and are mandatory. I think that 75% of the rear wing endplates should be dedicated to race numbers and FOM produce a standard race number panel that is mandatory.

The numbers on the nose, could also be more prominent. Maybe not the best example, as the Will Power, Penske DW-12 is closer but you can see the number clearly, compared to Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.

[BSchneiderFan]

The problem is that the nose numbers are virtually on the top of the chassis, and therefore almost invisible in head-on shots. You'd think that, given the FIA pushed through permanent driver numbers, they'd be open to making them more visible, by regulation if necessary.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

The problem is that the nose numbers are virtually on the top of the chassis, and therefore almost invisible in head-on shots. You'd think that, given the FIA pushed through permanent driver numbers, they'd be open to making them more visible, by regulation if necessary.

McLaren seem to have the right idea but I would put the number further up the nose.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

In other series, organisers have retained space on cars for race numbers and championship sponsors and these are written into the regulations and are mandatory. I think that 75% of the rear wing endplates should be dedicated to race numbers and FOM produce a standard race number panel that is mandatory.

i agree with that because how often does a grandstand spectator have a head on view of an F1 car?

something on the side pods or side of the rear wing endplates would be more beneficial for the live audience imo.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i agree with that because how often does a grandstand spectator have a head on view of an F1 car?

something on the side pods or side of the rear wing endplates would be more beneficial for the live audience imo.

Ideally you want the numbers positioned, so the spectators and TV audience a like can identify the driver.