Pirelli defend tyres after Schumacher blast

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10th May 2012, 16:14
SGWilko

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

To lose that much places in one lap because you went longer with your tyres is absurd in any form of motorsport.

Personally, I see it as no different to a driver grenading his engine with 'too much - for too long' with turbo boost in the 80's to keep a competitor at bay.
10th May 2012, 20:43
DexDexter

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

I'm still with Schumi on this. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. The drivers should be balls to the wall throughout the race and the fastest person with the fastest car over the course of a race should win. This is what true racing is about. Last year wasn't too bad, I felt they got it pretty spot on, but this year it's glaringly apparent that most of the drivers are nursing their cars throughout a race. While it's good for the show in all, it doesn't echo to me what F1 should be about and that is racing, not gently nursing your tyres. I don't blame Pirelli because this is what they were asked to do but overtakes because the guys tyres in front of you are shot and yours are in better shape don't give me excitement. I'd rather see a guy having to work for that overtake. It's up to F1 to find a solution that provides enjoyment for both the drivers and spectators. At the moment they have one but I'm will to suggest that if you ask any driver on the grid, they would much rather driver a 2004 spec F1 car with Bridgestones than todays ones.

Nursing tires has been a big part of F1 for many years and it's good that those times are back. A good example is the 1990 French GP where Ivan Capelli decided not to stop for tires and go through the race with one set of tires. He nearly won it after a great battle with Alain Prost. What's wrong with that?
11th May 2012, 01:45
wedge

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malbec

Did he not do exactly the same though except with fuel management, turning the boost levels up and down depending on whether he needed outright power or wanted to conserve fuel for the duration of the race? How is that different to how drivers have to nurse the tyres these days?

Problem with today's Pirelli's is its horrible heat cycle and that they suffer greatly from thermal tyre degradation. For most, any attempt at pushing (turning up the boost) you overheat the tyres and its pretty much downhill, the grip just goes and lap times go higher. However it should be noted that the tyres wear very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

Kimi is a prime example of this. His losing so many places in a lap in China was ridiculous. It's not fair on a driver to be punished like this after doing such a fine job up until then.

Bad strategy call. Renault called in Kimi too early and Kimi had to do a long final stint whilst stuck on a 2 stopper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knock-on

Come on Knighty baby. The Kimster and his team took a gamble. They tried to eek it out past where they needed to change tyres. The old adage for tyres is to ALWAYS be on the right tyres at the right time. We have seen some classic races where teams have been changing from dry tyres to wets, to inters etc throughout race to ensure they don't lose time by being on the wrong rubber. You get some drivers (Senna and Hamilton spring to mind) that seem to be able to make dry tyres work a la or two more than other drivers in progressivly wet conditions but ultimatly they need to be on the right boots.

Hamiltons' debut season ws a prime example of a team getting it wrong and staying out on worn rubber too long. It cost him the championship!! The Lotus team took a punt and misjudged it.

Funny you make that point. 2006 Hungarian GP Schumi stayed out on inters and worn them down to slicks and went backwards in the process. Did he moan about Bridgestone's tyres?
11th May 2012, 09:24
SGWilko

Quote:

Originally Posted by wedge

Did he moan about Bridgestone's tyres?

Did he my ar5e!
11th May 2012, 14:45
F1boat

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

I am sure a rocketship, as you put it, like the F2004 enables a drive to push to the limit lap after lap. The enjoyment must be intense and incredibly satisfying. Drivers like Schumacher and Alonso have all come out and said that they preferred those cars to the ones we have now. They were physically more exerting.

Yes, but is it harder? I don't think so. It may be enjoyable for the drivers and fantasy for some fans who think that their favorite driver may benefit in such condition ;) But in my opinion the current F1 is much harder for both drivers and teams, mentally and strategically. F1 is tough again, very tough and very interesting. And I am not a "sunshine fan" - I have loyally followed this sport since 1996. So far only 2003 and 1999 come as entertaining as this one - 1999 was close because Michael didn't race in half the races and McLarens were unreliable, 2003 because of the tire war. This is actually better than either scenarios. And MUCH better than 2004, mind you.
11th May 2012, 15:21
ArrowsFA1

Michael Schumacher:

Quote:

We have four of them [tyres] each time we go out and it's the same for everybody.

:up:
12th May 2012, 01:48
CNR

Pirelli says it will not change approach - Racer.com

Quote:

Hembery said that he was not upset at Schumacher's comments, but was slightly
baffled because it was Mercedes boss Ross Brawn who pushed so hard for the tires
to be so challenging.
12th May 2012, 08:35
F1boat

Thanks God! F1 will remain unpredictable, at least for a few more races...
13th May 2012, 10:09
Garry Walker

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1boat

Nico defends the new tyres now, says that they are great for F1!

Nico needs to grow some balls

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Perhaps. Impossible to say. The one thing Senna hated was electronics & computers taking control away from the driver but the current tyres do not do that. They add an element which the driver (and team) has to manage.

Maybe he, as a driver, would welcome the challenge of looking after the tyres, and doing that better than anyone else. It was something he excelled at in the era of 1-lap qualifying tyres.

Yes, I am sure Senna would have enjoyed not going out in qualifying in order to save his tyres for the race. I am sure he would have enjoyed almost half of 10 guys not doing a proper fast lap in qualifying because they need to save tyres for the race. Yes, that is true racing, not some artificial crap made to humour the less intelligent "racing" fans.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DexDexter

Nursing tires has been a big part of F1 for many years and it's good that those times are back. A good example is the 1990 French GP where Ivan Capelli decided not to stop for tires and go through the race with one set of tires. He nearly won it after a great battle with Alain Prost. What's wrong with that?

Because back then you had the option of pushing or saving tyres. Also, the skill of the driver to nurse tyres was important. Nowadays NO ONE can push, NO ONE. Nor do they have an option of pushing, because then they need to pit after every 3 laps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1boat

Thanks God! F1 will remain unpredictable, at least for a few more races...

And fake and artificial. I cannot imagine anyone besides a complete idiot enjoying this fake stuff we see now. It is like Coronation Street or Home and Away.
15th May 2012, 05:09
aryan

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Juan-Manuel Fangio was famous for winning at the slowest possible speed. That's not to say he wasn't capable of being the fastest when circumstances demanded it, the 1957 German GP being a prime example.

Arrows, sometimes it's so nice to have someone who knows the history and pedigree of F1 as clearly as you do.

Tyre management was a lost art in F1 for decades, and now it's made a comeback. I think both viewers and drivers are having to adjust to this, and some are doing it better than others.

Personally, I think these Pirelli tyres are the best thing that could have happened to F1.

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