2014 F1 Season.
Posted by: BigH47 on 06 January 2014
Not too good a start with what had happened to Schumy.
There is also even sadder news with the announcement of engine builder Brian Harts passing.
http://www.formula1.com/news/h...es/2014/1/15363.html
I don't think anyone has actually said how he would handle the situation if he were in charge. This is what I would do:
Mercedes has a huge lead in the constructors' championship. Mercedes' first priority is to win the constructors' championship.
Nico has a good lead over Lewis in the driver's championship. Fighting between team mates is detrimental to the primary aim of the team.
Team orders would be that the Merc driver behind at the start on the grid cannot overtake until after the first pit stop.
After that the team leader in the pits decides whether overtaking is allowed and under what circumstances.
And if your star drivers disobey the orders and take matters into their own hands?
You call the offending driver for a pitstop and leave him there for 5 seconds for the first offence, 7 for the second, 10 for the third.
And if he doesn't come in?
He gets disqualified by race officials for not changing his tyres at least once during the race.
Hard to imagine a team forfeiting places/points to sort out a spat between the drivers. It's not an easy one.
Drivers are not so arrogant or stupid to realise that their long term future will not be enhanced by such continued refusal to do what the team requires.
Drivers are not so arrogant or stupid to realise that their long term future will not be enhanced by such continued refusal to do what the team requires.
Exactly. So it should be simple enough for the team to just explain that they shouldn't run each other off the track. Or perhaps not even that. Surely they are smart enough to figure that out themseleves. So just waht is going on with Lewis and Nico? Are they stupid?
All I am saying is that the only real negative consequence of carrying on like a petulant schoolboy is the effect on a driver's future prospects (and the consequences of being a dick are swamped by the benefits of winning a race or WC). Fruthermore, this negative influence on a drivers future prospects due to not being a team player is independnent of "team policy" or any sort of "punishment" (stop-go penalties included) that the team may dish up.
I really can't cticise the management's policies and actions. Difficult employees are just that, difficult. And I can't imagine how much harder it is to manage these guys, all the while being subject to intense public scrutiny, and in a sport where income is derived wholly from sponsors' dollars.
Good boys don't win — a certain amount of arrogance is needed.
Good boys don't win — a certain amount of arrogance is needed.
Absolutley. That's what I was talking about when I say the benefits of acting self-interestedly will outweigh the negative consequences. It makes the thing virtually unmanageable. And that's why we love it.
Good boys don't win — a certain amount of arrogance is needed.
Absolutley. That's what I was talking about when I say the benefits of acting self-interestedly will outweigh the negative consequences. It makes the thing virtually unmanageable. And that's why we love it.
So, if you were the owner of the Mercedes team you would do nothing and allow team mates to drive each other of the circuit?
F1 teams' primary objective is to win the Constructors' Championship. As such you support the driver who is best placed to do that. The driver who does not comply gets punished in many subtle ways.
Any way. I have said what I would do but no one else seems to have any answer.
When you do....
Drivers are not so arrogant or stupid to realise that their long term future will not be enhanced by such continued refusal to do what the team requires.
Exactly. So it should be simple enough for the team to just explain that they shouldn't run each other off the track. Or perhaps not even that. Surely they are smart enough to figure that out themseleves. So just waht is going on with Lewis and Nico? Are they stupid?
All I am saying is that the only real negative consequence of carrying on like a petulant schoolboy is the effect on a driver's future prospects (and the consequences of being a dick are swamped by the benefits of winning a race or WC). Fruthermore, this negative influence on a drivers future prospects due to not being a team player is independnent of "team policy" or any sort of "punishment" (stop-go penalties included) that the team may dish up.
I really can't cticise the management's policies and actions. Difficult employees are just that, difficult. And I can't imagine how much harder it is to manage these guys, all the while being subject to intense public scrutiny, and in a sport where income is derived wholly from sponsors' dollars.
Hang on! I said that first not you! How very dare you?
Good boys don't win — a certain amount of arrogance is needed.
Absolutley. That's what I was talking about when I say the benefits of acting self-interestedly will outweigh the negative consequences. It makes the thing virtually unmanageable. And that's why we love it.
So, if you were the owner of the Mercedes team you would do nothing and allow team mates to drive each other of the circuit?
F1 teams' primary objective is to win the Constructors' Championship. As such you support the driver who is best placed to do that. The driver who does not comply gets punished in many subtle ways.
Any way. I have said what I would do but no one else seems to have any answer.
When you do....
Well, no. Of course not. I'd do my best to keep things together. It is just very, very, difficult.
Wow that was a great Italian race all the way down the whole top 10.
Some actual racing!
G
Like it has been all season.
Conspiracy theory? There is definitely something in the (h)air! 
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/29213997
This radio restriction is ludicrous. How does it help the sport to restrict what the drivers are told by radio? I think the combination of driver skill and strategic/technical support from the pits is one of the things that makes F1 special. This is such a retro-grade step.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/29213997
This radio restriction is ludicrous. How does it help the sport to restrict what the drivers are told by radio? I think the combination of driver skill and strategic/technical support from the pits is one of the things that makes F1 special. This is such a retro-grade step.
Because the information is tantamount to making F1 driving like scalextrix. Great drivers should be able to drive and feel for the condition of his car throughout the race, being micro managed to get a few more tenths or MPH is ridiculous.
Maybe the drivers could tell the engineers how to use their computers or how to design the car?
Completely agree, Howard. There was good rivalry but respect between Senna and Prost. The days when races were decided by racing drivers not a bunch of computer geeks tweaking remotely every car movement from the pit wall. In the words of Kimi: leave me alone"!.. and don't shout!
A big +1 to comments by Howard and Tony. Winky put yourself in one of those cars at 180mph with other cars jinking around you and then having some engineer come on the radio to discuss brake wear and fuel flow. i'd be willing to bet that considerable feedback from multiple drivers led to this change.
Bernie has mentioned on top of the above that 3 car teams of 8 will be announced in 2-3 races time. Imagine Mercedes taking all three podiums.
Think it is classic Bernie sabre rattling.
A big +1 to comments by Howard and Tony. Winky put yourself in one of those cars at 180mph with other cars jinking around you and then having some engineer come on the radio to discuss brake wear and fuel flow. i'd be willing to bet that considerable feedback from multiple drivers led to this change.
Well, if the distraction of radio information slowed the drivers and cars, a ban on the radio comms wouldn't be necessary. Of course there can be too much, but why the hell regulate it? Can not Bernie's "hero" drivers tell their engineers where to shove it? What does regulation achieve? The communications will just become more cryptic as the codes are inevitably developed.
If you think the cars are easy to drive because the performance is optimised by engineers, think again. The margin between good and great driving is razor thin, but the cream rises to the top. If you don't want engineering to be as important in determining the outcome, watch formula ford. If you don't want any interference by engineers, don't watch motor sport.
F1 is of interest to me precisely because of the fact that engineering, driving, manufacturing, testing and management have to ALL be top notch. In few other endeavors does such a ruthless meritocracy across a broad range of skills result in the near perfect execution displayed by the top F1 TEAMS.
Small story broke this morning.
Vettel to leave Red Bull after 14 years as yet not confirmed at a Ferrari named team.
Several Alonso stories, to McLaren or he will buy into Lotus to become team principle in the future.
Has a Button fallen off next season I wonder...?
G
Fingers crossed for Jules Bianchi after today's grave incident.
G
Let us hope he has a full recovery. He is very respected among his peers and future was looking bright.
Get well soon kid!
Andrea de Cesaris was killed earlier today too.
That's sad to hear.
Yeah a bad day A De C was killed in a motorcycle accident, hit a guard rail, died at the scene.
News about Jules seems better , he is breathing for himself after surgery.
A statement from his father said the impact was upwards of 50 Gs,as well as car damage there was minor yet visible damage to his crash helmet. He suffered subdural hematoma .