Australian Grand Prix 2016, Melbourne - Race 1/21

Lopéz · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:07

If I was setting up a new F1 team I'd be trying to poach experienced people left right and centre.

Starting up in F1 is incredibly difficult. Starting up and getting any sort of success is even more so. You need every asset or potential advantage you can get.

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:09

JRS said:
You're right.

Moving on, or not as the case may very well be - any change to the qualifying format for Bahrain has to be decided today. Bernard Charles Ecclestone wants to stick with the new format for a while longer, the teams were unanimous in wanting it gone, and the drivers want to see the rulemaking process for the sport reformed so that crapola like this doesn't happen. Bets on the winner?

They weren't unanimous. Bob Fernley has come out confirming that ~~he's a complete idiot~~ Force India didn't want to vote in favor of changing it back, but didn't want to be the only people preventing the sport doing the sensible thing.

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:11

smr said:
Haas OTOH have been aided tremendously and started half way up the ladder.

Your entire argument seems to hinge on this somehow being a bad thing? :confused:

413x · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:19

So if it's so easy.. Where are mclaren? :-P

JRS · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:20

Skeeter said:
They weren't unanimous. Bob Fernley has come out confirming that ~~he's a complete idiot~~ Force India didn't want to vote in favor of changing it back, but didn't want to be the only people preventing the sport doing the sensible thing.

I stand corrected.

I look forward to attempt number 2 at the new system in Bahrain then. And by 'look forward to', I mean 'will not in the slightest bit care about' because I haven't watched a Bahrain race since the cancellation in 2011.

UTmaniac · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:22

JRS said:
Moving on, or not as the case may very well be - any change to the qualifying format for Bahrain has to be decided today. Bernard Charles Ecclestone wants to stick with the new format for a while longer, the teams were unanimous in wanting it gone, and the drivers want to see the rulemaking process for the sport reformed so that crapola like this doesn't happen. Bets on the winner?

Another development I missed.

*Jumps on the "please tweak the obvious flaws in the new format and try it at Bahrain" bandwagon*

smr · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:40

413x said:
So if it's so easy.. Where are mclaren?

A year behind ~~Haas~~ Ferrari

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:50

smr said:
A year behind ~~Haas~~ Ferrari

Don't you mean 50 years ahead.

smr · 24 Mar 2016 at 11:53

Skeeter said:
Don't you mean 50 years ahead.

The V6 Turbo engines were invented 50 years ago?

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 12:19

smr said:
The V6 Turbo engines were invented 50 years ago?

You have sited the engineering staff, chassis and strategy as things Haas had help with. McLaren is 50 years ahead in those areas.

El_Watcher · 24 Mar 2016 at 12:51

Bernie said:
That is why I have to find the best solution and why having riders eliminated every 90 seconds could be exciting

So is Bernie going to propose the teams are entered into a Grand National meets Battle Royale style event

JeditOjanen · 24 Mar 2016 at 13:07

JRS said:
You're right.

Moving on, or not as the case may very well be - any change to the qualifying format for Bahrain has to be decided today. Bernard Charles Ecclestone wants to stick with the new format for a while longer, the teams were unanimous in wanting it gone, and the drivers want to see the rulemaking process for the sport reformed so that crapola like this doesn't happen. Bets on the winner?

For once I wouldn't bet on Bernie. Not only is everyone PO'd with the qualifying, the GPDA are also very angry about the exclusive rights to F1 moving to subscription TV, which was for decades forbidden by the Concorde Agreement because it reduced the value of sponsorship. I would not be surprised if there was a walkout this year.

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 13:37

JeditOjanen said:
For once I wouldn't bet on Bernie. Not only is everyone PO'd with the qualifying, the GPDA are also very angry about the exclusive rights to F1 moving to subscription TV, which was for decades forbidden by the Concorde Agreement because it reduced the value of sponsorship. I would not be surprised if there was a walkout this year.

Global F1 Audience != UK TV Audience

Nobody within F1 gives a flying **** about the Sky deal. People need to stop thinking the UK is the whole world.

Blackvault · 24 Mar 2016 at 14:04

Skeeter said:
Global F1 Audience != UK TV Audience

Nobody within F1 gives a flying **** about the Sky deal. People need to stop thinking the UK is the whole world.

That is a valid point and is probably very true to an extent but this article would suggest to me that the UK audience still plays a big part in the sport.

Linky/

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 18:43

Because I'm sad and a bit weird I do actually read the Sporting and Technical regulations quite often. It means that rather than simply throwing unfounded statements about I will only have stated a team has cheated if I was confident of the rule they had broken.

Thinking back i can't actually remember me ever being 100% sure a team had cheated over something the FIA had turned a blind eye to. The closest is probably the Massa "Alonso is faster than you" order, but even then I understand the evidence Ferrari gave as to how, technically, they didn't break the rules.

On the flip side, I have regularly disagreed with the FIA when they have punished someone who I feel has done nothing wrong.

Marvin · 24 Mar 2016 at 20:34

Milkybk said:
(and McLaren).

ISWYDT

Jono8 · 24 Mar 2016 at 22:49

Skeeter said:
Global F1 Audience != UK TV Audience

Nobody within F1 gives a flying **** about the Sky deal. People need to stop thinking the UK is the whole world.

It isnt just the UK that this has happened in though, hence their objection to it.

I would be willing to bet a lot of people actually do "give a flying ****" about the Sky deal in F1 as well..

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 23:24

Right up until their record FOM prize money arrives.

MissChief · 25 Mar 2016 at 02:25

Jono8 said:
It isnt just the UK that this has happened in though, hence their objection to it.

I would be willing to bet a lot of people actually do "give a flying ****" about the Sky deal in F1 as well..

Sorry where have the drivers come out and SPECIFICALLY mentioned the Sky deal and lack of terrestrial coverage as a bad thing? :confused:

Sure they did the whole open letter GPDA thing but that wasn't specifically targeted at the TV contracts or TV in any way? They were complaining about the governing, rule making and decision making process which seems to lurch from one disastrous 'plan' to another without any thought whatsoever about the Engineers, drivers, teams, designers, paying public or, in fact, anyone. It's like they only have space in their heads for a single idea and when something new comes along it's all they can think about.