A tale of trends: which teams have improved over the 2015 season?

[zako85]

Is there any basis to argue that any team has really improved over the 2015 season?

I feel like in the end Ferrari and Red Bull still remained where they used to be relative to Mercedes in the beginning of season. Arguably, Williams took a nosedive in the final third of season, having already pretty much secured their 3rd place in WCC, while Force India kept fighting and improved. McLaren became more reliable, but that's it.

[jens]

I have noticed that ever since the introduction of new regs in 2014 we haven't had significant in-season improvements. Perhaps related to the 'frozen' engine regs. Everyone expected McLaren to move forward during 2015, but it never happened.

The main things I can remember is that during 2014 Williams became slightly better, so that they were pretty consistently second fastest at the end of the season. And during 2015 F.I. improved, but that's because they started the season with an outdated untested old car and introduced a completely new B-car mid-season. Yeah... and Sauber fell back a bit during 2015 also.

[zako85]

I have noticed that ever since the introduction of new regs in 2014 we haven't had significant in-season improvements. Perhaps related to the 'frozen' engine regs. Everyone expected McLaren to move forward during 2015, but it never happened.



Which makes me suspect that all the engine reliability requirements have made racing worse these days. To be interesting, racing must be unpredictable. To interesting, the fans must know there is a chance of an engine failure for any of the leading cars up to the final laps. Remember the races from 80s and 90s where something like a quarter of cars, including the leading cars, retired due to technical failures? That was very good racing, but today we never see this happen because nobody is pushing their drivetrain to the limits because the engine must function for five races.

[Nornbugger]

Which makes me suspect that all the engine reliability requirements have made racing worse these days. To be interesting, racing must be unpredictable. To interesting, the fans must know there is a chance of an engine failure for any of the leading cars up to the final laps. Remember the races from 80s and 90s where something like a quarter of cars, including the leading cars, retired due to technical failures? That was very good racing, but today we never see this happen because nobody is pushing their drivetrain to the limits because the engine must function for five races.

You seem to be confused between racing and entertainment

[Jag_Warrior]

I think that Ferrari made good use of development over the course of the season. But I think that the gold star has to go to Force India, once the B-spec chassis came on the scene.

[zako85]

You seem to be confused between racing and entertainment

YES. Formula 1 is business and an entertainment, like most other sports. You cannot ignore the fact that running the machinery at the very limit of the possible has usually been the part of ALL top level motorsports. After the decade of engine reliability regulations in F1, we have been denied trhe treat of seeing acing that's on the limits of available technology. Neither in 2010 nor right now, we can enjoy seeing teams and factories pushing engine tech to its limits just to win another race. My reference point is seasons like 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, etc. There was very good racing, engine competition and so on (I skipped 1994, because that was the most controversial season after the championship-deciding Prost-Senna crashes).

[Rollo]

Is there any basis to argue that any team has really improved over the 2015 season?

Yes. Statistics.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYU4vdjU0AA47EC.jpg


Method:
1. Add the two places that the two cars got. DNFs count as 20th
2. Take that number away from 40.
3. Tally up the results on a cumulative basis.
4. Graph the results.
5. Look at the gradients of the lines (this works the same was as the worm in a cricket ODI).

The most improving teams were Sauber followed by McLaren.

The most deteriorating teams were Lotus and then Williams.

[Rollo]

I think that Ferrari made good use of development over the course of the season. But I think that the gold star has to go to Force India, once the B-spec chassis came on the scene.

Force India only returned to their Spain-Britain performances from the USA onwards.