What's the point?

olly83 · 19 May 2009, 15:51 (Ref:2465216)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...2_Formula_One/

"Quentin Letts takes a witty but thought provoking look at the world of Formula One motor racing"

nycuk · 19 May 2009, 16:13 (Ref:2465231)

Quote:

Originally Posted by olly83

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...2_Formula_One/

"Quentin Letts takes a witty but thought provoking look at the world of Formula One motor racing"

The only thought that was provoked by that is unrepeatable on a family discussion forum...

Gingers4Justice · 19 May 2009, 16:28 (Ref:2465238)

It pains me to say it, but they've got a point - why should a race be decided by "six men in a cuboard a week after the race".

jonboy1066 · 20 May 2009, 03:49 (Ref:2465488)

Who's that Natalie Haynes eeeejit?

Quote:

"When has anything come off of a Formula 1 car.....and then appeared on your car?" "Giant adverts on the side haven't even made it!"

Urmmmm.

How about Traction Control, Anti Lock Brake Systems, Seatbelt pretensioners, crumple zones, possibly even seatbelts.

Numpty

Marbot · 20 May 2009, 08:03 (Ref:2465526)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonboy1066

How about Traction Control, Anti Lock Brake Systems, Seatbelt pretensioners, crumple zones, possibly even seatbelts.

Numpty

Actually,none of those,and far less other stuff than you may think as well.

olly83 · 20 May 2009, 09:14 (Ref:2465559)

Why do we have to justify it? It's as ultimately pointless an any other sport, hobby or leisure pursuit but it gives people enjoyment.

To argue F1 should be banned because it is a pointless waste of resources presumably means that we should all be banned from driving to see friends, taking holidays, going on cruises, watching telly and so on as these are also ultimately pointless?

awrb · 20 May 2009, 10:09 (Ref:2465593)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Actually,none of those,and far less other stuff than you may think as well.

But a lot more stuff from F1 has appeared on my car than stuff from football, tennis, boxing, rugby and the olympics put together.

**Adam43** · 20 May 2009, 10:15 (Ref:2465596)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonboy1066

Urmmmm.

How about Traction Control, Anti Lock Brake Systems, Seatbelt pretensioners, crumple zones, possibly even seatbelts.

TC was introduced in F1 before it was normal on road cars, but it was a different system. Road cars tend to use the brakes, race cars tend to cut the power.
Road cars had ABS ages before F1 did.
F1 cars don't have pretensioned seat belts. Never had as far as I know.
F1 cars don't really operate crumply zones. Although there is a a survival cell, albeit made out of different material, and there is energy disipacition in an F1 crash, but not really by a crumple zone.
Seatbelts generally made it into road cars before F1 cars!

Quote:

Numpty

Quote:

Originally Posted by olly83

Why do we have to justify it? It's as ultimately pointless an any other sport, hobby or leisure pursuit but it gives people enjoyment.

I agree with this. Those who chose to debunk the road car relevance point miss the point. Firstly it is a more general apporoach and it encourages thinking. And more generally, it is a sport and is worthy for its own sake.

**Adam43** · 20 May 2009, 10:20 (Ref:2465601)

Quote:

Originally Posted by awrb

But a lot more stuff from F1 has appeared on my car than stuff from football, tennis, boxing, rugby and the olympics put together.

Woah there with the amazing point. While we are at it we should note that cat food has contributed practically nothing to the development of bicycles. Less than that sentence did to facetious remarks.

Lotusonpole · 20 May 2009, 10:49 (Ref:2465620)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Woah there with the amazing point. While we are at it we should note that cat food has contributed practically nothing to the development of bicycles. Less than that sentence did to facetious remarks.

Not counting of course recycling (pun?) the tins for bicycles made in China.

The fact that something was not introduced first on F1 cars is only part of it.
With the global audience F1 has, something on F1 cars, even if it has been 'borrowed' from somewhere else, e.g. aero industry, space programme, cat food cannery etc, may influence its adoption by road cars.
Therefore F1 has both direct and indirect influences/contribution to road car development. But this could be said of all categories of motor sports.

olly83 · 20 May 2009, 11:08 (Ref:2465627)

Whilst F1 may not be responsible for inventing the mentioned road car tech, I was under the impression that the nature of competition accelerated the development of such technologies faster than if the road car manufacturers were left to their own devices.

Having your road car share similar tech to racing cars must increase desirability and therefore sales too. Just look at Audi and Peugeot at Le Mans with their diesel crusades!

Just-Right · 20 May 2009, 20:21 (Ref:2465943)

Maybe we need to think out of the box on this one. F1 is a sport just as Soccer. However do we see better shoes and clothing because of the high funds involved with the latter?

I would like to add that F1 brings a lot, al be it in a indirect way. As far as I know F1 teams started using CFD in 1991 - 1992, probally sooner. All the funding towards accurate and large simulations has surely opened a lot of possibilities towards commercial use, and thus the development of productioncars, boats, electrical products etc.

awrb · 20 May 2009, 22:15 (Ref:2466045)

And would we see a diffuser on the back of renault's latest hot hatches. I think their Clio's got one! See, where would we be without F1?

JeremySmith · 20 May 2009, 23:48 (Ref:2466088)

The point is..Where can you have this kind of fun on a regular basis?

Alex Hodgkinson · 20 May 2009, 23:58 (Ref:2466092)

Quote:

Originally Posted by awrb

And would we see a diffuser on the back of renault's latest hot hatches. I think their Clio's got one! See, where would we be without F1?

That wasn't an F1 invention either..

Marbot · 21 May 2009, 00:25 (Ref:2466107)

Quote:

Originally Posted by olly83

Having your road car share similar tech to racing cars mus Just look at Audi and Peugeot at Le Mans with their diesel crusades!

If you want to get ahead in Sports cars then diesel seems to be the way to go.Possibly why Ferrari aren't that interested.But they could always get the rules changed couldn't they.

There's not a lot new under the sun (four and five valve cyl heads before the end of the first world war!),only the way it gets used.

JamesH · 21 May 2009, 04:35 (Ref:2466150)

But F1 COULD create new things - or at least bring news things to the mainstream through development. I'm thinking of innovative engine designs - away from reciprocating for example - or more electric. The rules should stipulate a max power, and let the teams build what they like. There are technologies out there that could (maybe) revolutionise efficiency etc but that never get funding. F1 could fund them.

jonboy1066 · 21 May 2009, 09:32 (Ref:2466272)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonboy1066

Who's that Natalie Haynes eeeejit?

Quote:

"When has anything come off of a Formula 1 car.....and then appeared on your car?" "Giant adverts on the side haven't even made it!"

Urmmmm.

How about Traction Control, Anti Lock Brake Systems, Seatbelt pretensioners, crumple zones, possibly even seatbelts.

Numpty

When I wrote this post I was at work on the back end of a very busy night shift, I had to drop everything and run before I got the chance to finish writing, then when I got back I'd run out of time to edit my post. But I did mean to say that even if those things weren't invented by F1 they were certainly improved by the rapid pace of F1 development.

**Adam43** · 21 May 2009, 09:38 (Ref:2466275)

Maybe Natalie Haynes was too.

Gingers4Justice · 21 May 2009, 18:59 (Ref:2466634)

Formula One isn't really about developing technoligies for the road. Thats for Sportscars and Touring Cars.

Formula One is there for pure entertainment, but there's nothing wrong with that. However, its not a sport exclusive to athletes, there's also a competition between engineers and mechanics - people of all shapes and sizes.

I call that a very decent sport.

What the Radio 4 programme really should have asked was What is the point in Formula 2, GP2, Formula 3, Formula Master, F3 Euro Series, F3 European Cup, F3 British International Series, Formula Renault Eurocup, Renault World Series and Formula Ford?

**Adam43** · 21 May 2009, 20:37 (Ref:2466716)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Formula One isn't really about developing technoligies for the road. Thats for Sportscars and Touring Cars.

Touring Cars? Road car development?

awrb · 21 May 2009, 21:10 (Ref:2466748)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

What the Radio 4 programme really should have asked was What is the point in Formula 2, GP2, Formula 3, Formula Master, F3 Euro Series, F3 European Cup, F3 British International Series, Formula Renault Eurocup, Renault World Series and Formula Ford?

How many people listened to that show do we think? A damn lot less that watch F1 i'd have thought. So maybe we should be asking 'what is the point of that show on radio 4'.

It hasn't contributed anything to anything so scrap it!

**Born Racer** · 26 May 2009, 00:12 (Ref:2469173)

The point? To generate fodder for irritating radio presenters to talk about. "It's complicated", he says. I personally find a multitude of sports initially appear complicated, but if I were willing to work them out, I would manage it.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What's the point of...............	verglas	Formula One	3	9 Jul 2007 17:56
D.C......what is the point?	J.McClane	Formula One	39	1 Jul 2003 13:47
Which point of the FIA 9 point plan do you consider the worst?	Valve Bounce	Formula One	24	12 Oct 2002 21:11
Which point of the FIA 9 point plan do you think is the best?	Valve Bounce	Formula One	28	12 Oct 2002 11:17