F1 - 2010 Season

Discussion in 'Automotive' started by Juan Carlos II, Jan 13, 2010.

  1. I. Tristeza

    I. Tristeza Member

    Oct 7, 2004
    San Antonio, Texas
    People here are too in love with NASCAR. My friends who like NASCAR all indicate that they miss the car to car contact when they try to watch F-1 or IndyCar (i.e., cars can hit each other in NASCAR and continue to race).

    I don't know, though. People here also love the oval track IndyCar events as well. Maybe we just like ovals.....
     
  2. Nanbawan

    Nanbawan Member

    Jun 11, 2004
    Haute Bretagne
    Club:
    Stade Rennais FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Well, drivers can also hit in single seaters, the thing is it's only possible if it's a tyre flank v tyre flank or tyre flank against sidepod, in all other cases it ends in tears...

    But if Americans like contacts, they should watch Touring car races. And these cars are real "stock" cars...Yvan Muller (the other flying Alsatian with Loeb) even gave Chevrolet the 2010 title in WTCC.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRD7PLQeI8o"]YouTube - WTCC 2010 - Macau highlights[/ame]

    That's certainly something cultural. I don't intend to disrespect NASCAR but one thing is sure, I can't get into it...And I've tried. I know it's not easy, in a way, that's the one thing it has in common with F1 despite being diametrically opposed on so many aspects, it's definitely a specialist sport.

    The only enjoyable moments to me are the last laps, and boy, those last laps can indeed last...That said, the road events seem better but let's be honest, I won't pretend to be an expert.

    As far as ovals are concerned, I have to admit I've actually liked a lot of races on such tracks in Indycar/IRL or ChampCar, so that's more NASCAR that turns me off rather than the circuits.
     
  3. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    I really like DTM. It's a touring car series in name only I guess, because the cars are far from being stock cars. They're almost GT cars, though not build for endurance races but shorter ones. So it's like WTCC but with much more potent cars :D

    Check out this video. It's pretty cool overall, but if you're interested in race action only, that begins at about the half way mark:
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEwbicpzhXw"]YouTube - DTM 2009 - Season Highlights[/ame]


    The only thing that kinda sucks is that right now only Mercedes-Benz and Audi participate. But next year BMW will also enter which will turn it into an epic battle between the German luxury marques.

    There were also rumors about Lexus entering and Alfa Romeo re-entering, but I doubt that this will happen any time soon.

    But then, the cars in WTCC really suck. I mean come on, who wants to see a Chevy Cruze or a Seat Leon?
    FIA just can't do touring cars IMHO. They've already destroyed the original DTM/ITC.
    Fith the FIA out of the picture, the new DTM is flourishing again.

    DTM is also a series where older stars meet young talent. Frentzen, Alesi, R. Schumacher, Häkkinen, Coulthard are all former F1 drivers who raced in DTM (or are still racing) or Tom Kristensen who is the record holder for most Le Mans victories also used to race there. At the same time it's a proving ground for young talent. 2010 Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller for example still races in DTM, or the up and coming F1 driver Paul diResta did race there.




    I also like GT races I guess, but since they're endurance races by nature, it takes too much effort to follow a race.

    [ame="http://vimeo.com/14639279"]PIRELLI - 24h Nürburgring 2010 on Vimeo[/ame]
     
  4. Nanbawan

    Nanbawan Member

    Jun 11, 2004
    Haute Bretagne
    Club:
    Stade Rennais FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    I think you're missing the point. WTCC or BTCC do feature "everyday" cars in race trim and that's what touring car is about. That what makes it interesting. And I think it is potentially very popular with daddy's cars fighting it out in sometime silly action packed races.

    If I had something to criticise, it's that the FIA hasn't found the right formula to allow a lot of different manufacturers joining. Obviously, it's always going to be hard because cars would be quite different in design and of course, their frame wasn't supposed to be used in racing.

    If the WTCC had Toyotas, Peugeots, Renaults, Volvos, etc in addition to the current manufacturers it would be great.

    The DTM is cool for all the reasons you mentioned but it's another version of touring cars, a bit like Super GT in Japan, these are purpose built race cars with a body vaguely resembling the original type.

    But rejoice, I heard the DTM (well a US DTM) was said to debark in the US in support of either NASCAR or Rolex series.
     
  5. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    I know. My point was exactly that these are not daddy's cars, rather mommy's cars. A BMW 3 series, ok, but a Seat Leon or Chevrolet Cruze?

    But yeah, at the end of the day, personally I also think that while it's certainly action packed, it still feels somewhat stale, probably because these are just stock cars. For the same reason I don't watch the Mini Challenge or something like that. When I watch a car race, there better be race cars ;)
    I mean I have watched WTCC highlights last year on a regular basis, but I can't see myself following it any closer than that.

    Then again, if the cars would be more appealing (more/better manufacturers, stronger engines), I might reconsider.
    I guess I just can't take a racing series seriously when a Seat Leon is allowed in. That's also what kinda kills WRC for me...bring me the good old days of Group B with butt-ugly, yet insanely powerful cars and I'll be all over it...

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qefKc-SPR-I"]YouTube - Group B - Pure sound 2[/ame]
     
  6. Nanbawan

    Nanbawan Member

    Jun 11, 2004
    Haute Bretagne
    Club:
    Stade Rennais FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Downsizing is everywhere, resistance is futile ! :eek:

    Concerning F1, I - for once - agree with Ferrari, I'd prefer a 1.8L V6 turbo rather than the 1.6L L4 turbo that is announced for 2013. OK, manufacturers want "greener" engines and specs said to be closer to their main market road cars, but still.

    FIA wants the implement the 1.6L L4 as the "world racing engine spec" and in 2011, WRC and WTCC will feature those engines. Soon, all sports will have them with different rev limits and boost (or even NA) depending on the max power output. But I think they should make a little exception for F1, I mean even Renault has V6 powered road cars after all.

    Why not allow both (V6 and L4) and even them with max boost and max rpm ? Nah, already too complex for the FIA to manage...
     
  7. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Agreed, the World Engine is stupid. It's one more step towards NASCAR, where everybody drives virtually the same car only with a different logo painted on it.

    To me, motor racing is as much about engineers as it is about drivers. Give them a chance to be creative for crying out loud...
     

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