More races, more meeting and more changes to the rules. All the ones that
made some sense, driver aids, launch control etc are history (until 2004 –
unless they change their minds again) and the damn fool ones like pseudo
qualifying, single wet tyre and parc ferme stay. In Austria we saw the results
of this stupidity with Webber getting a stop-go penalty because da Matta’s
launch control failed (OK – I know it was because of the second restart but
it’s bloody dumb anyway). Bernie can at least claim dementia at his age; Max
doesn’t have that excuse. When suggestions of drawing grids from hats start
getting aired we know that they are getting desperate.
We are now almost ½ of the way through the season and there has been one
race genuinely effected by the new rules, and it was boring! The qualifying
was boring and the race was processional. After Spain’s effort lets get back
to Real Racing so the Raikonnen’s of this world can start from the front and
not have to (almost) negotiate their way around pretty green display units
that are sitting down near the back of the grid.
Speaking of those pretty green cars isn’t it amazing that a company with
all the resources of ford can fail so abominably at creating a launch control
system that is driver proof. In ’01 it was McLaren, this year it’s Jaguar.
A car with millions of R&D Dollar’s, Pound’s, Shekel’s or whatever
spent on it should not be left standing on the grid when the family hack that
costs a pittance can be launched reliably by Fred or Peggy Sue every time.
Mark Webber is proving his ability as a driver, damn shame their engineers can’t
match him. da Matta showed in Austria that those other red cars are not immune
to the same gremlins.
There has been a lot of hype about the new Ferrari, with many commentators
claiming it’s not the quantum leap they were expecting. That Ferrari is very
quick. Bibendum salvaged Spain and Monaco for the others. Rarely have we seen
Bridgestone’s tyres so totally outmatched. With equal rubber I believe the
Ferrari’s would have dominated in Spain, not just won first and third steps
on the podium. Monaco may have seen a different grid too had Bridgestone
measured up to Michelin. Michael won in Austria despite a slight warm-up in
the pits and he showed with his 3 in a row that Ferrari can’t be discounted
just yet. McLaren, and I still believe they are the only real competition
Ferrari will meet this year, better heed the wake-up call. Despite Montoya’s
great drive at Monaco, Williams will be fighting with Renault for 3rd step on
the constructor’s ladder.
We won’t see the new McLaren just yet but I hope that history doesn’t
repeat itself and this one hits the track running. Ron can’t afford to have
any reliability issues or he can kiss any chance of keeping in the
championship race goodbye. Michael can smell another Drivers Gong and the
Ferrari can deliver it. At least it will take a lot longer than it did last
year. After Canada we are onto a series of traditionally ‘Bridgestone
Friendlier Circuits’ and I believe we will chalk most of them up to Ferrari.
Even Canada will, Bridgestone willing, be a hard win for anyone not driving a
red car.
Michelin was kind to Williams BMW in Monaco, kind to Ralf on Saturday and
kinder still to Juan Pablo on Sunday. Ralf remembered how to win on Saturday
but the lesson obviously didn’t stick. Sir Frank must be very pleased with
Ralf’s effort on race day. To only lose 4 spots from the unassailable
position at the front of the grid on a track where it’s impossible to be
overtaken takes a rare talent.
There are a number of drivers who won’t be very happy with their mid year
report cards in 2003. While no driver will score an A+ a few will get passing
grades. Raikkonen, Alonso and Schumacher are all pretty comfortable, as is
Webber. They have all delivered enough to justify their respective salaries
and reputations. The rest vary from satisfactory, through consistently
ordinary to very ordinary. We may not have an Alex Yoong this year but the
very mediocre performances of Coulthard and Michael’s baby brother (25
points each notwithstanding) at least give us a reference point to measure the
hero’s against.
The teams too will not get many accolades for their performance to date.
McLaren and Renault have lifted their games. Williams and Sauber have slipped
and the rest have just filled the holes on the grid. Some, like Toyota and
Jaguar, have shown potential and some, like Jordan, have lucked into the
points. Despite 11 points on the board (see – the new scoring system does
work, everybody gets some!) BAR has disappointed again. Button is outdriving
Villeneuve but the bottom line is they aren’t causing the top teams any
grief.
Oh, and a great big raspberry to all those (and I hasten to add I wasn't
one of them) who decided that MS would pull the plug and retire this year
because it wasn't easy any more. Much as I don't call myself a fan, Michael is
one of the greats and Ferrari must be very happy that he has extended his
contract (along with those of Jean Todt, Ross Braun et al) till 2006. The way
things are going he might just want to be the LAST F1 champion, not just the
wealthiest.
As for the season itself – I’m disappointed. The driver’s points say
it has been exciting, the lack of racing and crowd attendances points in
another direction. F1 has lost the plot and if they don’t fix it then it
will wither and die.
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Reader's
comments:
Hmmm. I'm picking up a general theme here of discontent with racing itself
- both in this post and in many others. Maybe some people are a little
saturated with racing or something?
Anyway, I think that F1 is the most exciting it has been for years. We are
seeing the ushering in of a new breed of drivers and some interesting new
rules. I personally am looking forward to seeing who can challenge Mr M.
Schumacher over the next 3 1/2 seasons - Montoya? Raikkonen? Alonso? Button?
Webber?
As an Aussie I am obviously happy about the loooooong awaited return of an
Aussie to F1. But to me this is also an exciting time with this clear new
bread of drivers that will be battling each other for a decade or more to
come. Also, I think that Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Renault, Jaguar and BAR
will be truely fighting for supremacy as well, with no particular team able to
sustain any long term dominance - especially starting next year. With Toyota
as an interesting looming giant!
I think the current qualifying rules are excellent - I actually don't know why
it took this long to work this out in hindsight. Why should a car qualify in
any other way than it will start the race? It introduces a whole new set of
tactical possibilities and the odd interesting situation of a hotshot starting
from the rear of the grid. And it introduces the new artform of the 1 lap do
or die lap!
How does the driver approach this?! How does the team?! On the other hand,
traction control I have always hated but I suppose it has application in the
family sedan.
Monaco is a race that I think you appreciate more as you get older. I hated it
once too but I absolutely love it now. This narrow, undulating, scenic and
unforgiving track is a must for a 1 off yearly departure from the "High
Tech" tracks. Kid's wanna see Nascars swapping paint and doing cartwheels
- Monaco is more the thinking man's race. I loved the tactical battle. Seeing
a driver wringing his car's throat when the car just ahead has pitted and he
knows he has 3 or so laps to get in front after his pit was great (Raikkonen
behind Montoya). Watching Montoya fend off Raikkonen 'til the end was great!
One mistake and.......
Byron,
No discontent with racing, just a lot of discontent with a lack of
racing.
F1 has been in decline for quite a few years now. With the
accelerating importance of aerodynamics over mechanical grip, coupled with
the (justifiable) modifications to tracks to improve safety, overtaking has
become increasingly less possible. Attendances have been falling and the
cycle of team relativity has seen one team dominate, Ferrari. That dominance
has coincided with the emergence of a superb driver in Schumacher leading to
boredom in the fans and a further decline in interest from the fans. Among
the many outcomes of this decline have been the financial failure of some
teams and reduced sponsorship funds threatening others.
These factors have justifiably led the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone to
move to protect their interests, power and money.
All that I'm comfortable with. Where we part ways is the initiatives
they have pursued to achieve their aims. Instead of trying to address the
real problems (and by the way - I don't have the answers to how that should
be achieved either) of re-establishing mechanical grip in cars that are now
possibly too fast to be able to use it, they decided to attack the rising
costs of R&D with some half arsed measures and introduce an element of
randomness in the grids by playing with qualifying. Adding in a revised
points system to penalize the winners has achieved something. It has
rewarded mediocrity and caution (Ralf and David have 25 points each) and
kept the second best car/driver at the top of the tree for a little longer.
I too think it is fantastic that we have drivers of the Alonso, Raikkonen
mould in the sport, even more that they are getting to drive the fast cars
this early in their careers. Think of how much more exciting watching this
new breed would be if they were in an environment that allowed them to move
off the racing line without destroying their tyres for 2 laps afterwards or
to approach within 10 metres of the car in front of them without losing
aerodynamic grip.
I half agree with you on Monaco, it is steeped in tradition and I
would be sad to see it go. It is however an anachronism and safety issues
will kill it eventually. I don't agree with your observations on the
excitement of seeing Montoya 'fending off' Kimi. At Monaco, in the lead, you
don't need rear view mirrors. Montoya had to concentrate on not hitting
anything and getting the car to the flag. Kimi could have caught up to him
at any time after the last pit stops and ....... well, followed him to the
end, he certainly couldn't have passed him.
Finally, I was interested to see your list of teams fighting for
supremacy. Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault I'm happy with. Jaguar and
BAR would be more concerned about fighting for survival based on current
performances and recent history.
The Quali-flyer
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