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Post by Robin van Bergkamp on Jul 10, 2012 13:31:39 GMT
Now that we have a few F1 followers here I was wondering what your favourite circuits were.
Kicking this one off I'll number among mine, Spa and Suzuka.
Of tracks from the days of yore, Watkins Glen has to be particularly enjoyed for it's autumnal colours and I also liked Zaandvoort, Estoril, Long Beach and Brands Hatch. I really lament their loss and always preferred Brands Hatch by far to Silverstone. It also seems smaller and more intimate and fine undulations while Silverstone is soooo flat. The new overhead cames as Silverstone are great though.
How about you pals?
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Post by Bergkamp a Dutch master on Jul 10, 2012 13:44:09 GMT
Likes : - Montreal, Spa, Monaco (for the sights).
Dislikes:- desert based - painted sand !!
Others don't like Barcelona - but its not bad - maybe a bit too driver familiar? Some HATE Valencia- again driver testing site!!!
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Post by Robin van Bergkamp on Jul 10, 2012 14:01:24 GMT
Valencia can be a bit ' too much surrounded by walls ' but the stretch leading up to and including the bridge is nice. I remember Valencia when the America's Cup was help there in '07. The final result was not indicative of the real battle which was much closer. Emirates Team New Zealand could have walked away with the spoils but for a couple of incidents which included a mast coming apart if memory serves me.
Can't stand Allenghi - their owner has an ego larger than the waistline of Fat Sam.
I do like Monaco too but that it is so bereft of overtaking opportunities is mildly annoying. At least one could overtake at Long Beach.
Speaking about overtaking I am not sure if I like the idea of DRS in the sense that the one being overtaken cannot deploy it so in effect, is more or less a sitting duck. Guess F1 has become so complex that overtaking is virtually impossible without such ' aids '. I can well understand those who wish for cars to be simpler. They should scrub auto transmissions!!! Besides being fun to watch ( you may recall the tussle between Prost and Senna at Suzuka in '89 which was captured by in car cams ), they give way to driver errors which allow overtaking moves.
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Post by Bergkamp a Dutch master on Jul 10, 2012 14:34:19 GMT
I think one of the big problems is tyre size - the grip allows high-power and late breaking...
result too close performance. Reduce tyre width - create less grip - more driver skill required.
Add gravel traps to take out the wild cornering few.
Ban team radios ?? Back to pit-board info!
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Post by Robin van Bergkamp on Jul 10, 2012 15:15:35 GMT
I think one of the big problems is tyre size - the grip allows high-power and late breaking... result too close performance. Reduce tyre width - create less grip - more driver skill required. Add gravel traps to take out the wild cornering few. Ban team radios ?? Back to pit-board info! Yes to all but I always thought team radios were a positive initiative. They had them in CART and it worked well and there was overtaking there but as you say probably due to the narrow tyres. Manual transmission as well - oh how I love to see the right gloved hand and those quick minimalist throws of that gear stick. Now with the paddles hidden behind the wheel you can't see anything!!! And the best drivers will still come through because as Mario Andretti used to say " If you can drive, you can drive ". I don't know if I am in favour of the different tyres and need to use both types. While it may add an element of unknown the tyre situation especially this year can make it a lottery. Simplify the cars, go back to manual gearboxes. One thing I believe was a mistake too and that was the FIA caving in back in 2000 or so with the introduction of the " one defensive move ". That was courtesy of Schumacher of course who used to drive across an opponent at the start of a race when following 4+ seasons without a title at Ferrari, became all the more desperate. While Michael has a heart of gold ( remember he gave more to Tsunami relief than many countries!! ) he also has some very bad habits ....... They should have outlawed that defensive move. In the days of Stewart, Moss, Hill or Andretti, that would have been regarded as ungentlemanly at best, cheating at worst. LOL on another note, I see that you and I are trading post counts while Jayram is maintaining a gap to us ;D Later Gator  |
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Post by Bergkamp a Dutch master on Jul 10, 2012 15:25:00 GMT
Don't get me onto the old boy - who cheated and got backed by the Ferrari /German sales audience !! - with FIA / FOTA support. He is totally uncompromising - and has been teaching Maldo a thing or two.
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Post by Robin van Bergkamp on Jul 10, 2012 15:43:11 GMT
Yes sadly others have learned from him over the years too. I used to give him the benefit of doubt, even on Adelaide 1994 but after Jerez 1997, it became all too much. The thing is he never needed to resort to these tactics anyway and it does cloud a lot of his good charitable works. I hope they rein in Mr Maldonado. It would be a shame if he turned out in the same mould. However I thought the incident at Brooklands on Sunday ( incidentally a carbon copy of the one with Hill n Schumacher when the former came in too quickly and from too far from behind and in a Williams as well ) could be excused. That doesn't mean he should not be strongly advised to cool it. |
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