2013 Spanish Grand Prix Thread

**Wasted Talent** · 14th May 2013, 16:33

Originally Posted by Ranger

Ugly or not, getting every driver in a Grand Prix car from 1967 and letting them race at the Nordschleife is not going to happen. :\ (Although some in 1967 would no doubt have been yearning for the front-engined Grand Prix cars of yesteryear)

Formula 1 at the moment is not perfect. But would everyone prefer that every car finish the race on Sunday in the order they started, with no overtaking?

In the 2006 or 2007 race, someone counted the number of overtakes at Barcelona for the entire race apart from the start. The number was 7. They were mostly back-markers passing each other after rookie mistakes.

These gimmicks are added so that the sport isn't full of boring processions, of which there has been many in the last 15 years.

Sometimes it goes too far. But by and large, the combination of DRS, tyres and KERS has worked.

Agreed 100%.

Interesting to listen to Rob Smedley after Sunday's race. It is challenging for the whole team now, and a few years ago the race was over on Saturday....

WT

**zako85** · 14th May 2013, 18:05

To me this is rather disappointing that tires are being redesigned mid-season. The only thing that's more annoying than tires designed for great show is fresh tire design that behaves in the way teams do not understand. Some of early 2012/2013 races were irritating to watch because many teams had no idea how the tires work. By now at least teams must understand how current tires work. They just need to adjust the car to make the best use of these tires, however lousy they are. Changing the tire design mid-season introduces "tire lottery" again IMHO.

**steveaki13** · 14th May 2013, 18:29

Originally Posted by dj_bytedisaster

Doesn't mean we have to accept or like it...

Henners didnt say you did, but to enjoy what you can of these next races and hope the situation improves.

**steveaki13** · 14th May 2013, 18:55

As for Monaco, I think we could see some crazy action. I no tyre wear is different at Monte Carlo, but If Mercedes qualify at the front and slow down as they have done this season we could have some major bunching up of the field.

**dj_bytedisaster** · 14th May 2013, 19:13

Originally Posted by zako85

To me this is rather disappointing that tires are being redesigned mid-season. The only thing that's more annoying than tires designed for great show is fresh tire design that behaves in the way teams do not understand. Some of early 2012/2013 races were irritating to watch because many teams had no idea how the tires work. By now at least teams must understand how current tires work. They just need to adjust the car to make the best use of these tires, however lousy they are. Changing the tire design mid-season introduces "tire lottery" again IMHO.

It is needed though. Pirelli was asked to deliver tires with certain characteristics. According to the dwarf hard tires were supposed to last half a race. I suppose what they wanted were races like last year, with the front runners doing 2 or three stops with the odd car here or there trying a one-stopper, like Sauber did several times last year. What we got though are tires, who don't last even 15 laps and even though cars were running around at half throttle had to change tires 4 times and the Pirelli's have developed a habit of disintegrating for no reason. It has become obvious that the current tires are not fit for their intended use, so Pirelli has to make some which are.
The problem doesn't lie only with Pirelli though. FIA is just as much to blame. The current tire was developed using a three year old car that is massively slower than the 2013 cars. On top of that it is supplied by a current competitor and quite surprisingly that is the only competitor that consistently manages to run one stop less than the competition. What should have been done is using that 3 week break before Barcelona to schedule two or three test days open for any team that wants to take part. That would give Pirelli enough data to develop tires that don't embarrass them and no team would gain an unfair advantage.
I suppose it sucks to be Lotus right now. They developed their car to match the general characteristics of the 2010 car, meaning that the current comedy tires are almost tailor made for their car. That they don't want the tires to change is only natural. Who would voluntarily give up a competitive advantage? But as it is now, half the teams have their development work completely negated by tires that can't keep up with the downforces generated by the cars. RB, Mercedes and McLaren are hit the hardest. We've had four races this year in which drivers were told to go deliberately slow. For F1 that's a PR disaster and a redesign of the tires is only logical.

**A FONDO** · 14th May 2013, 21:10

Originally Posted by zako85

To me this is rather disappointing that tires are being redesigned mid-season. The only thing that's more annoying than tires designed for great show is fresh tire design that behaves in the way teams do not understand. Some of early 2012/2013 races were irritating to watch because many teams had no idea how the tires work. By now at least teams must understand how current tires work. They just need to adjust the car to make the best use of these tires, however lousy they are. Changing the tire design mid-season introduces "tire lottery" again IMHO.

What annoys me more is that it is made mainly because one particular team moans about it. I thought F1 has stopped serving the leaders

**dj_bytedisaster** · 14th May 2013, 21:21

Originally Posted by SlowSon

What annoys me more is that it is made mainly because one particular team moans about it. I thought F1 has stopped serving the leaders

Red Bull have moaned. Mercedes have moaned and even Alonso has said after his win that the current tires are ridiculous. Add to that that even Ecclestone has come forward and said that the 2013 tires are wrong and don't match the characteristics that were asked for. So this redesign is far from only a service to Red Bull.
I would go as far as suspecting that Bernie doesn't give a rats arse about RB. He's thinking of his own wallet and that is in danger of being hit hard if people get anymore frustrated with the endless eco-runs we've seen this year.

**wedge** · 15th May 2013, 13:27

Originally Posted by henners88

Come on now, we are still witnessing an event and someone will be World Champion at the end. Lets at least try and enjoy some aspect it it rather than trying to earn ourselves unnecessary reputations on a forum.

Jeez, you can make the same excuse with shortcuts and water sprinklers.

Sent by a miserable c**** who wants to bring the forum down to his level.