F1 in 2012, best for a looooong time

[Graz]

This is my first thread in a long time. Truth is, I hardy frequent the forum these days. However, I feel moved to put it out there that 2012 was the best season in F1 for a long, long time. There are a lot of people (me very much included) who say F1 isn't what it used to be in terms of the racing. That totally changed this year. It was like what I remember from the turbo era in the 80's with tyres going off and others coming from way behind to make up places and take wins. It was unpredictable, it was exciting and it was brilliant. Some of the teams were moaning about it being too unpredictable, a symptom of being too used to the processions of recent years I guess but they're not the fans who were in the main lapping it up. I actually looked forward to F1 races this year for the first time in a very long time. I hope it's not a once off. Kudos to Pirelli. If it makes you keep producing marginal tyres, I'm happy to stick your road tyres on my car.

[Knowlesy]

Almost as good as 2005.

[Aysedasi]

For me, yes it has been better, but it still sent me to sleep for far too long - at some races, almost for the duration. But I'd like to see Brazil's action at every GP - and certainly more rain!

[Born Racer]

It's been great. I'm not sold on DRS though. Just get rid of wings.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Almost as good as 2005.

?

Not generally thought of as a 'classic' season. The tyres were generally thought to be pushing the limits in terms of very marginal construction parameters in order to gain better performance. F1 doesn't need tyre failures at 200 mph making the news headlines. And I guess that's what went through the minds of many F1 people at the end of that season.

I liked the idea of no tyre stops, but the technical problems that brings with it are far too obvious if there's also a tyre war going on.

Don't want to turn this into a 'tyre' thread.

But anyway, this was far better than the 2005 season.

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

For me, yes it has been better, but it still sent me to sleep for far too long - at some races, almost for the duration. But I'd like to see Brazil's action at every GP - and certainly more rain!

Pirelli had tyres that were pretty hard to get a handle of in the first part of the season, and then the teams got a handle on them, and Pirelli went very conservative with tyre choice for the last few races.

Pirelli are said to have taken this into consideration for next seasons tyres.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

It's been great. I'm not sold on DRS though. Just get rid of wings.

Aerodynamics cannot be unlearned.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Half of the constructors and nearly one-third of the drivers won races. Hard to beat that. A few modern classics getting to those results, too, and a great finale. I'm pleased. We're lucky. I know people will talk about DRS or Pirelli, but even in races like Hockenheim where neither of those played a role, you saw just how close these teams really are. It makes the accomplishments of Red Bull and Vettel that much more impressive, given that it's so hard to have and sustain a significant advantage. These are just tiny gaps that accumulate. It's fantastic.

[Oldtony]

My memory must be slipping as I can't seem to remember a better season.
But then I've only been following F1 since 1952.
Yes a more exciting season is theoreticaly possible, that's why I will be watching next year, but any complaints about the racing this year would seem to be based on one eyed support for a particular driver or a particular team.
Bring on 2013 for more of the same, then 2014 for a bit of rejuvination of technical interest.

[TrueBlueFlyer]

not that I regularly watched F1 in the past, this year has been a fantastic year to get some hands on involvement in the sport as a volunteer.

I doubt I'll ever be able to replicate 2012, but I'm really proud of my 6 live F1's this season.

Awesome through and through.

Looking forward to next year already.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Aerodynamics cannot be unlearned.

Indeed, but it can be banned.

[Bononi]

It was a great season alright and I agree about the DRS bit, we don't need it.

[Armco Bender]

My memory must be slipping as I can't seem to remember a better season.

1976...incase your eyesight is failing too...

[Razzzor]

Yeah it was a great season. Two future-legends going at it. Better than 07/08 even, and I thought they were great.

I had a few disappointments: Schumacher one of them. These last few races he seems to be tiring and hasn't put in any particularly decent drivers. But losing pole at Monaco in a race he probably would have won, the Merc actually had the pace back then. But the amount of retirements and disappointing pace of Mercedes since Monaco made it a poor final year for him, despite the pole and podium. He only just grabbed 13th in points.

I was disappointed that Perez couldn't have won a couple of those races when he was flying and quickest on track in the later stages.
Same with Nico, I would have liked to see him win at Brazil, he deserved it. And Grosjean would have been nice to see him win. Lotus may not get the chance again next year imo.

If F1 pulled a Nascar and reset the points for another 10 races, I think we'd see a different championship result, Hamilton vs Vettel. Probably Hamilton on top as he's driving his best and the McLaren is probably the best overall package. I don't think we'd see Alonso in the hunt anymore.

Alonso and Stefano can moan that those 2 retirements cost them the title, but Hamilton had 6 retirements. That's the equivalent of 150 points in race wins.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

1976...incase your eyesight is failing too...

A very enthralling season, High drama, personal bravery, technical ingenuity, Very heavy political intrigue and all down to one point at the last race. Great season, but (addmitedly watchin it on TV) the actual on track racing wasn't as close as this season.
Now where did I leave my rose coloured specs?

[formerf1champ]

It was good, but not as thrilling as 1997. That was a tense season, with a new point of conversation at every race. I suspect it would've been even better had Panis not broke his leg. He would've been a massive x factor that season. Taking into account Hill's performance at Hungary/Nurburgring and Trulli in Austria (on Bridgestones), Panis would've been good for a couple of wins.

I think a weakness of this season is that there are too many races, and too many races dilute the value of a race win. Indirectly, I think it then dilutes the value of the championship, as a whole. 12-14 is plenty and enough time to come to a conclusion, but I'll worry about that on another thread. If you look at this season, the satisfacation and then anticipation of there being 7 winners to start off the year, came to nothing. Despite what happened in Brazil, it seemed to come to a anticlimactic, predictable end. Far too much time for a driver/team to come back from a spell of underperforming.

Originally Posted by Born Racer

It's been great. I'm not sold on DRS though. Just get rid of wings.

Firstly, I agree. Secondly, Charlie Whiting should be having a chat with you, if you have any other ideas that are just as good. Thirdly, can you imagine the uproar, if this were to occur?

[aj_308]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Thirdly, can you imagine the uproar, if this were to occur?

Uproar would be an understatement?
Where would the ad's go? Wings are more space for advertising!

[wnut]

Best seasons racing I have ever seen in F1, including 76.

Simply view DRS as anti unfair aero advantage, i.e. wake turbulence!

For heavens sake keep DRS until you get wings banned!
That corner that Hulkenberg took Hamilton off on was really good; wish he hadn't taken Hamo off; but how often do you see 3 cars dicing for the lead like that in an F1 race?

Keep the racing bit of F1, we need DRS!

[Peat]

Nope. Sorry.

Yesterday's race was an epic. Loved it.

But F1 2012 will be remembered by me as the year F1 lost it's grip on me. Disillusioned by the contrition.

[TrueBlueFlyer]

Originally Posted by aj_308

Wings are more space for advertising!

that's what makes Indycars so ugly... big body panels so that instead of having one Banana Boat logo, they can put three side by side

[Aysedasi]

This is actually next season's wing design study......

[Marbot]

It's still possible to have 'wings' that are inert, but I also liked the look of the sixties cars.

F1 in 2014, however, will be very different. There will not be an excess of fuel to allow for the cars to have their current drag coefficients (0.7 to 1.1 Cd, 0.6 Cd for your average truck!).

[Graz]

Originally Posted by wnut

Best seasons racing I have ever seen in F1, including 76.

Simply view DRS as anti unfair aero advantage, i.e. wake turbulence!

For heavens sake keep DRS until you get wings banned!
That corner that Hulkenberg took Hamilton off on was really good; wish he hadn't taken Hamo off; but how often do you see 3 cars dicing for the lead like that in an F1 race?

Keep the racing bit of F1, we need DRS!

If you got rid of wings, you wouldn't need DRS cos the cars could then run closer without turbulence. They'll never get rid of wings, too much sponsorship space. They should do some form of ground effect like that which allowed champ cars to run close to each other on ovals. It'll never happen though.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by Marbot

F1 in 2014, however, will be very different. There will not be an excess of fuel to allow for the cars to have their current drag coefficients (0.7 to 1.1 Cd, 0.6 Cd for your average truck!).

Agreed Marbot.
The fuel efficiency move is the very smart way to move aero from high drag-high downforce configurations tho low drag-high efficiency format.
All of those who seem to have this thing about the form and shape of F1 cars should have something to celebrate.
The stimulation may switch from aural to visual
But I still think 2012 will take a bit of matching.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

I think a weakness of this season is that there are too many races, and too many races dilute the value of a race win. Indirectly, I think it then dilutes the value of the championship, as a whole. 12-14 is plenty and enough time to come to a conclusion, but I'll worry about that on another thread. If you look at this season, the satisfacation and then anticipation of there being 7 winners to start off the year, came to nothing. Despite what happened in Brazil, it seemed to come to a anticlimactic, predictable end. Far too much time for a driver/team to come back from a spell of underperforming.

Good points.

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Firstly, I agree. Secondly, Charlie Whiting should be having a chat with you, if you have any other ideas that are just as good. Thirdly, can you imagine the uproar, if this were to occur?

I had one. See some posts before yours. It rarely gets taken seriously, but I will keep mentioning it. You could get rid of wings and have a lot of prime advertising space.