USGP Update

[Tash]

Since I know several other TBers are F1 fans I thought I'd post this.

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Its a Q/A with Mosely regarding the events of this past weekend. While I'm sure it is heavily sanitized it does give an insight into why certain things were and were not done (namely why a chicane was not installed).

Also mentions breifly that the the FIA was going to allow the teams to run with flown in replacements, albeit with a penalty because they were not using a single tire set for qualifying and the race. However the teams refused to do this, and Michelin later stated the replacements we not safe either.

 

[Intrepid]

I don't know what to say. If this was WRC, the teams would have said, "**** it, we're still racing." You got to love that sort of attitude. I still remember Loeb getting his navigator to hang out the window to lean weight from the axle that was left exposed from a broken wheel while he drove to the next stage.

Wasn't there 6 cars running? Don't you still get points towards the championship with 7th place? Maybe just one point or something? That would have been worth to run even if you had to drive slow around the supposedly dangerous turns. All the Michellin-totting teams could have competed for 7th place. Hell, all the Bridgestone teams could have crashed still leaving room for 1st place. You never know until you get out there.

 

[Passinwind]

I don't know what to say. If this was WRC, the teams would have said, "**** it, we're still racing." You got to love that sort of attitude.

I do love it, but you have to consider liability isssues with spectators at a race track, among other things. If one Michelin runner did what you suggested, more almost certainly would've too. I can see why it had to all or nothing, eh?

Meanwhile, ol' Bernie certainly did his best to divert attention with his "enlightened" comments about Danica Patrick and women drivers in general. Sheesh! Then he calls Patrick and repeats the same thing...wow.

 

[PunkerTrav]

I do love it, but you have to consider liability isssues with spectators at a race track, among other things. If one Michelin runner did what you suggested, more almost certainly would've too. I can see why it had to all or nothing, eh?

+1. Imagine the rage the public would have if the Michelin teams were to have raced and crashed, sending razor sharp carbon shreds, or worse, into the stands.

 

[Intrepid]

+1. Imagine the rage the public would have if the Michelin teams were to have raced and crashed, sending razor sharp carbon shreds, or worse, into the stands.

If they went at safe speeds, it would not be a problem. Spectators shouldn't be out there anyways if they can't handle that. Crashing and racing go hand in hand.

 

[Passinwind]

If they went at safe speeds, it would not be a problem. Spectators shouldn't be out there anyways if they can't handle that. Crashing and racing go hand in hand.

I agree up to a point, but in the US a known unsafe car (or tire) and lawyers go hand in hand too. Some other countries approach it a lot differently though, no?

 

[PunkerTrav]

If they went at safe speeds, it would not be a problem. Spectators shouldn't be out there anyways if they can't handle that. Crashing and racing go hand in hand.

There's also the fact that 6 other cars would still be running at race pace. There would be a 125-175 km/h difference between the Bridgestone and Michelin runners, which in itself is highly dangerous. Normally, if a car is traveling that slowly it gets black flagged.

 

[Intrepid]

Max suggested a strategy of going through the pit lane every lap avoiding turn 13 all together. How interesting would that be? I'd pay good money to see that. And obviously you would be at a much slower pace, but only for one corner. And many racing events have different classes running at the same time with many different paces. Obviously the F1 drivers would have to have a certain amount of manners and allow faster Bridgestone drivers to pass without a fight. At least in turn 13. There's many ways the teams could have still raced and played it safe.

 

[PunkerTrav]

I liked the pit lane idea. In my eyes, that was the best scenario for the race.

It penalises the Michelin teams for not having proper equiptment for the race and still provides a show for the fans.

Heinsight is 20/20 though.

 

[Passinwind]

Max suggested a strategy of going through the pit lane every lap avoiding turn 13 all together. How interesting would that be? I'd pay good money to see that. And obviously you would be at a much slower pace, but only for one corner. And many racing events have different classes running at the same time with many different paces. Obviously the F1 drivers would have to have a certain amount of manners and allow faster Bridgestone drivers to pass without a fight. At least in turn 13. There's many ways the teams could have still raced and played it safe.

How about watering the track every 10-15 laps and putting 'em all on rain tires?

It does seem like there should've been a viable compromise. Open wheel racing in the US had enough problems already.