F-1 Debacle at Indy

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Well this is disturbing. It seems all the Michelin clad teams walked off the gris of the USGP at the start saying their tires werent safe for the whole race. This leaves six cars to race. Looks like Schumacher may get his first win of the season. This is bad for everyone involved. They had demanded a chicane be put in or they wouldnt race. No chicane was added and after the pace lap they alled pulled into the pits and loaded up.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Why would a chicane make their tyres safer? I don't really watch F1 so much anymore, but my sister mentioned it was a six car race-funny, I just thought there were lots of accidents, not that people had pulled out.

[UglyandHasty]

This is a joke. Formula One is shooting itself in the foot with that. They should have gone with the chicane and present a decent race. Peoples at the race have all reason to be mad. I understand the safety of the pilot come first, but with a chicane they could have saved the race. 9 teams vote for, only Ferrari abstain, saying they'll go with FIA decision knowing FIA was against the chicane. Ence a six car race. Shame on Scuderia and FIA.

*edit. the wanted a chicane at the entrance of the big turn just before the long lane because that turn was putting too much strain on the Michelin tire. They notice that problem only on one team though...

[Ronin]

that race was good for comedic relief only.....

first ever podium finish for a portuguese driver tough.....the guy was so excited that he was the only one that made the champagne party and everything...he turned around and everyone else was gone...loool

anyway...can´t really blame the guy....there´s little chance he´ll get to do that ever again....


as for the result of this debacle.....

1-F1 is probably finished in the states....don´t really mind that tough....there are far more interesting tracks in europe that can take it´s place...Estoril in Portugal included...*hint...hint*
2-i see michelin leaving f1 because of this....
3- this dumb "no tire changes during race" rule has to go.

[ShadesPanther]

If you can't change the tire there is a bigger chance of the tyre going. Which is really silly


Silverstone is also going because of funding I think it was I don't really follow F1 alot

[dessa14]

from what i know silverstone will still be in the f-1. americans can't design good race tracks, just look at their big race tracks, they are all large ovals or they have lots of long wide curves.
so it will be good to see another country get the grand prix.
they should change the tire change rule...
michelin will probably stay, but they'll have to get a better tyre out there quick or else the teams will throw them out the window.
thanks,
dizzy

[Gawain of Orkeny]

americans can't design good race tracks, just look at their big race tracks, they are all large ovals or they have lots of long wide curves.

Do you even have a clue as to what your speaking on? I used to go to the USGP every year when it was run at Watkins Glen. We have some of the best road courses in the world here. Watkins Glen and Mid Ohio being two of them. Either of these would be a vast improvement over Indy.

Mid Ohio

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/OH/images/midohio.gif

Watkins Glen

http://i.cnn.net/nascar/races/tracks/wgi/images/img_map_wgi.gif

This is the short course that NASCAR runs. There is also a 3.4 mile course that F-1 used.

[JAG]

F1 has gone hugely down hill in the last few years with all the RUBBISH 'improvements' in the rules made by the tinkering twats in charge, and this 'race' was equally as absurd, what a laugh. The whole parade of people involved should be thoroughly ashamed.

[Malcolm Big Head]

A black eye for F1 in this country. I will agree that they should run at Watkins Glen if they want to run here.

I guess my theory that Bristol had the worlds greatest racetrack is shot now that I know there are no good race tracks in America.

[UglyandHasty]

Blame is on the F-1, not on the track...

[Meneldil]

I was thinking someone would start some french bashing because of that (like "french suck, so their tires suck, that's it), but well...
I was wrong, I admit it.

The thing is that it will quite hurt Michelin, though I think they handled the issue in a correct way.

And I agree that F1 is getting kind of silly now, with all the new rules.
And well, Indianapolis is not the best track ever, let's face it. It looks like some kind of old video game track.

[Al Khalifah]

I remember a very sensible idea put forward a while ago for saving formula one.

Basically, the connection between driver and team would be completely broken down - much as in horse racing there is no lasting connection between horse and jockey.

At current there are 10 teams - each team apart from Red Bull are putting forward two drivers so you have a total of 20 / 21 drivers.
There are 19 circuits at current - but there are sufficient candidate tracks to put the total up to 20 circuits.

Therefore, each pair of drivers would take it in turn to drive each teams car, randomly drawn for each grand-prix. So for example, at Australia Michael Schumacher would drive the Ferrari, but at Malaysia he would drive the BAR-Honda and then in Bahrain the Renault. By the end of the season, each pair of drivers would have driven each car twice.

This would mean that the drivers' championship would be a true test of the drivers' skill and the manufacturers' championship would be a true test of the quality of the machine. They could also remove all the ridiculous regulation for cars as well, especially the no-tyre change restriction.