F1 2017 Silly Season

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Motors560, Dec 6, 2016.

  1. Motors560

    Motors560 Professional

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    A Mercedes unit that's out of date by a year, not much will get better for them anytime soon.

    Have to be honest i completely forgot about Sauber and BMW partnership seriously Williams.
    Let's be honest though F1 has died completely in my opinion, Bernie Ecclestone has driven the series into the ground. On the way down to Sydney for our 12 hour meeting my dad and i discussed this very topic and we went onto topics of tracks that were taken off the calendar but should be put back on tracks like Kyalami, Zolder, Magny Cours, Imola, Zandvoort. The list just never ends.
    Yet Ecclestone wants to have a second race in America, A country which has bugger all interest in F1. Went to Azerbaijan a country i had never even heard of until the grand prix was run there. My dad made the point it shouldn't be about money or greed it should be the best drivers in the world in the best cars in the world racing the best tracks in the world full stop.
    I mean can anyone honestly imagine Bathurst hosting the Australian Grand Prix how mental would that be, I remember being up there when Craig Lowndes and Jenson Button did the V8/F1 driver swap and it was one the the coolest sights i've seen. An F1 car flying into the kink of the chase and the noise was just amazing i've never heard an F1 car since that day and that was 2011
  2. Nathancarhead

    Nathancarhead Team Driver

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    My understanding on this whole williams debacle is:
    • Lance Stroll (reigning euro F3 champ) was brought in to replace the outgoing Felipe Massa as Massa was retiring
    • Stroll, whilst some might consider him inexperienced has actually done better in the junior formula than Max Verstappen (Max finished 3rd in the 2014 euro f3 championship. Current GP2 drivers Antonio Giovanazi and Rafaelle Marchielo both comepeted in the same championship and finished well in the Euro F3 championship)
    • Stroll whilst je was rumored to be taking a williams seat for 2017, had to wait until he turned 18 before he could officially be announced due to Martini sponsorship.
    • Bottas was released recently to take the avaliable Mercedes seat (whilst not officially announced), and therefore williams were left a driver down once again
    • Lots of names were thrown around for the Williams seat, bowever due to the Martini sponsorship, only those aged 25 9r older could be considered for the seat.
    • Many young drivers such as Pascal wherelien were expected to fill the spare Williams seat, but instead do not meet the age requirement (25)
    • Williams were left up a sticky brown creek without a padle due to their sponsorship, and because most drivers above th e age requirement were already signed, they were left with little option
    • Massa seems like the best solution to their problem however I'd rather see him retire
  3. Kieran_B33

    Kieran_B33 Professional

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    Massa isnt the way to go, is Jean Eric Vergne still under contract with Ferrari? Would like to see him back, he deserved the 2015 Red Bull seat along side Danny R not Kvyat
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  4. its-benny-racer

    its-benny-racer Professional Gold Member

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    Wonder if Webber got a call lol.
  5. JonoStan96

    JonoStan96 Legend Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    I wouldn't say it's died completely, the sport I knew and loved died with the introduction of cheese tyres. It's still by far the most compelling motorsport imo, I tried getting into WEC through Webber but I find it pretty dire, it's difficult to get excited over an "epic fight for the world championship" when the field is the same as USA 2005 and 2 of them are reduced to also rans because they don't run a hybrid unit. Now with Audi giving up and Rebellion going back to LMP2, a 4 car championship? Wooooooooo so exciting! Someone more educated than me on the world's most overrrated series can tell me if Porsche and Toyota are at least upping the amount of cars they're fielding to save the series from embarrassment.

    At least F1 despite having Merc with their clear advantage, at least has good fights up and down the field with the occasional surprise winner. 2017 regs look insane so hopefully as long as we get good tyres, 2017 could be a vintage season.
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  6. stucar17

    stucar17 Moderator Team Raceonoz Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    pretty much agree with this, however 560 nails it with this "it should be the best drivers in the world in the best cars in the world racing the best tracks in the world full stop."

    I want them (and this is why webber got out) to be able to run at full chat for the whole race. None of this conserving fuel or tires. Bring back refuelling OR make the tanks big enough so they dont have to conserve. I think the tires are still far to durable, they need to fall off the cliff earlier for the harder compounds so cars cant do a conservative stint. Make conversation hurt the teams that do it, and try to reward the teams that are aggressive.
  7. JonoStan96

    JonoStan96 Legend Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    If you made the tyres even less durable than they are now they wouldn't last one hot lap.
  8. stucar17

    stucar17 Moderator Team Raceonoz Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    the US and SS yep, very soft, but the others have too much range....less tire options and make the hardest tire only last a max of 25 laps
  9. leeboy910

    leeboy910 Professional Gold Member

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    I think the tyres need to be more durable than they are now, but with much bigger gaps between compounds. Cars should be at least two seconds a lap quicker with a softer compound, but it should only keep that sort of advantage for about half the time. I don't like tyres that just fall off a cliff, I don't mind a driver trying to extend a stint that way, but only if an aggressive strategy with more pit stops can be competitive.
    A big piece of F1 died when the noise was killed off. I don't agree that more traditional tracks should return, as then the championship will be mostly European which is counter productive in terms of generating world appeal.
    Having said that, Imola would be a nice return ☺️
    Giving the drivers a more physical challenge is a step in the right direction for 2017, hope the regs bring things closer.
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  10. stucar17

    stucar17 Moderator Team Raceonoz Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    should open up the tire manufacturers as well...made things interesting with michelin and pirelli competing with each other
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  11. Beau_Albert

    Beau_Albert World Champion

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    Toyota are running 3 Cars at Le Mans only, whilst Porsche only 2 for the Full Season :thumbsup:
  12. seth123

    seth123 Professional

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    Motorsports a business not a passion, stopped being a passion around 40 years ago, if you want something like that look towards a grass root type Motorsport.

    If it were about talent, Lets be honest Renee Gracie wouldn't step in a Race car ever again, But the way the business works perfect publicity stunt. It is sad what Motorsport has turned to where half the people say well done there's a Female V8 Supercar driver when shes not even there to score a result. Which completely goes against what racing should be at the main tier of V8sc.

    I don't follow F1 like Jono does although, I am sure the track situation works as long as there is going to be some type of profit, Something good must be seen in America.
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2016
  13. JonoStan96

    JonoStan96 Legend Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    Thoughts on Wehrlein moving to Sauber?
    Such a shame a driver of his talent has been forced to resort to joining the pinnacle of disappointment and mediocrity. Ocon should be thanking his lucky stars for the breaks he's gotten in less than half a season.
    If this doesn't confirm Bottas at Mercedes I don't know what will and frankly I don't particularly care anymore, I'm more interested in seeing if Williams will completely implode.
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  14. Zachery

    Zachery Professional

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    Definately hard done-by for a bloke whos a pretty damn good young driver! i reckon he woulda done well as a second driver to Hamilton, and wouldve revelled in the Merc seat. will be a bit of pressure on Bottas in the Merc. he will be expected to get results. (and probably will get them)

    as for williams, if they dont have major issues, i will be very suprised.
  15. Motors560

    Motors560 Professional

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    Have to be honest i don't know what kind of mood i was in that day because i don't agree with much i wrote. The sport definitely hasn't died and those tracks i've mentioned wouldn't be capable of running a f1 event at the moment. And Bathurst whilst it would be sick to see F1 run there the track wouldn't comply with FIA regulations. Mainly because the pit lane isn't even.
    And your business comment is spot on.

    Strange move would have been better to keep him at Manor but most likely Manor has found 2 drivers who have brought more money to the table Gutierrez, Haryanto or Nasr will be the likely runners for the seat. Sauber is likely to be the next team out of F1 at the moment. With old spec Ferrari engines and very little money to develop Sauber will continue to struggle at the back of the field. They were lucky to finish above Manor this season
    As for Pascal apparently his attitude is his downfall and yes while Ocon got lucky with the quick promotion don't forget he won the Euro F3 championship beating Max Verstappen to the title and won the GP3 title in his first season. I think the FI will show more of his potential than the Manor but i still think Pascal should have gotten the seat at Williams, However does Williams really want 2 young kids going into the new era of F1? I can understand their decision. But at the same time look what Verstappen has done for Red Bull
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2017
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  16. seth123

    seth123 Professional

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    yeah it sucks what its become business wise hey
  17. leeboy910

    leeboy910 Professional Gold Member

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    It depends on how much the new investors decide to throw at Sauber. If they are just going to give them enough to subsist, then Wehrlein will drown in the mediocrity of a crappy car and probably not be in F1 longer than a few years.
    If they decide to give them a reasonable amount of funding, and Sauber can produce a decent car, then Wehrlein might be able to put in a few good results and catch the eye of the top teams.
    I hope he does get a decent car, because I do rate him. I think given equal equipment he'd give any of the younger brigade a run for their money.

    It seems Manor's parent company have been put into administration as well. Not sure how that will go, but there was talk last year they had new investment, so hopefully they can stick around and make a half decent car as well.

    Anyone have any early tips? I'm not going to say much yet, but I think Renault will be a real surprise packet. They've done well to get Hulkenberg and I think the new regs, particularly around engines, will really help them. I expect them to be a solid midfield team in 2017.
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  18. JonoStan96

    JonoStan96 Legend Gold Member Super ROOZ

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    I'll be surprised if Renault don't move up, after all last years car was basically the 2015 Lotus with a new coat of paint, we know both Renault and Haas openly stated they focused on 2017 early.

    Sauber wont go anywhere until they make Kalternborn walk the plank, she's been nothing but a burden on the team. However for the first time in 4 years they've got a massively talented driver so who knows.

    My heart says Red Bull but brain says Mercedes will produce another winner.
  19. its-benny-racer

    its-benny-racer Professional Gold Member

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    Well, we know HAAS didn't put much focus on their 2016 brakes.
  20. Zachery

    Zachery Professional

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    maybe They HASS other things to work on