Cars, cars, cars...

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Comments

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,145

    No. Because it is slow, heavy, silent cars. And they are all the same, apart from the paint job.

  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    Sounds a bit like Formula E has similar problems to EVs generally.

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,308
    edited May 22

    Erm?!

    The estimated top speed is 322 km/h (200 mph). The battery is also designed to be able to handle "flash-charging" at rates of up to 600 kW, allowing pitstop recharging into the championship for the first time. The wheelbase has been reduced from 3100 mm to 2970 mm and the weight reduced to 760 kg.

    Formula E quotes a 0-60 mph time of 1.82 seconds for the Gen 3 Evo...

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,927

    Does anyone watch Formula 1 any more?

    I would have thought that standard cars makes the racing better, who wants the winning driver to be the guy with the best aerodynamics?

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,314

    You could say the same about cycling. If you believe the hype. 🤣

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,145

    Interesting. Perhaps it's a marketing issue then.

    As a spectacle I suspect it is still hamstrung by short races and car changeovers. They also seem to use noddy street circuits.

  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,308

    As in F1 and the higher tiers of motor racing, there will be a trickle down effect, so it's not to be dismissed.

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462

    That's the key and I thought it was the main point of these races.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 22

    I look forward to cars using ground effect downforce, blown diffusers and highly intricate barge boards.

    Can't we just be honest and say F1 is fun because racing cars really fast is generally quite exciting - and the faster they go, the more exciting it is?

    Yes, the quality of racing hasn't been all of that but its popularity is not because of "trickle down technology" but because they fast and exciting.

    Not everything needs to be worthy.


    I get F1 needed to sell it that way to get big car manufactuers on board but it's not for nothing the best team is a drinks company that aligns itself to 'extreme sports' and not a car company. The most famous team sells road cars to support its racing (at least, that's what it was for a very long time).

    Bin off the electric parts of the motor, allow teams to f*ck about with the fuel to get more out of it and stop restricting the number of cylinders.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462

    There's a lot of car technology that has come in due to the R&D involved in top flight motorsport that would probably have taken much longer otherwise. I don't think anyone believes it is the sole reason or that all the technology will be of use in normal cars.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 22

    Sure but all the really useful stuff makes for bad racing - ABS, traction control, etc.


    If we actually let F1 cars be run like your latest Nissan GTR they'd be going so fast they'd be massively unsafe on the existing tracks and the difference between drivers will be tiny as the computer will sort them out better.


    Racing cars is fun - that's OK!

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462

    I applied for a job recently designing motor racing circuits, thought it would be an interesting way to use my existing skills. Didn't get an interview unfortunately. Once you've done the design it gets put into a simulator so you get to drive it to check for issues, they also get to spend a lot of time at races including F1. It's one of the few times I've been genuinely disappointed for a job application not to progress.

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,145

    Tight corner, long straight, tight corner. Leave enough space at the second one for a massive grandstand.

    Put a pointlessly twisty bit near a second grandstand. (No overtaking, but the folks in hospitality won't really be watching anyway.)

    Don't do anything stupid with the pit lane entrance or exit. No bridges or tunnels needed there.

    If you can, copy a segment from a decent track and make a big deal out of it so you can pretend it's good like Suzuka, not crap and sterile.

    Cut some corners so they can race lawnmowers on a shorter version.

    That's about it.

  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,927

    I'm not convinced that faster cars = more exciting. I don't watch a lot of motor sports (and almost no 4 wheeled motor sport) but to my mind, rally/touring cars are a lot more exciting than F1 despite being slower. I don't feel like you get much impression of speed in F1 on TV anyway.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    Yeah, but the viewing figures suggest otherwise :)

  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,927

    Sheeple 😉

    I do not have a great record of understanding the popularity of sports in general to be fair.

  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,328

    Nor me. I see no fascination in F1, with all that noise n stuff, but a very good friend, who loves cars and their engineering, is absolutely addicted to every aspect of it.

  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,308

    Yeabut, I find F1 dull as sh*t. Ever since they stopped the 1 hour qualifying, it's just dull. The 1 hour qualifying sessions were often as good as the race.

    The old Japanese GT500/300 series (all Japan grand touring car championship) racing highlights used to be on ES every Sunday. Neck and neck racing, nothing between them, minimum weights with maximum power outputs set.

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    British Touring Car Championship is good fun. Clearly not as fast as F1 but more of a contact sport 🙂

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    All these labyrinthine rules about what's allowed on/in and F1 car is spoiling it a bit IMO. It should be the unlimited formula where anything goes (maybe apart from putting Boadicea style spikes on the wheels)

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661

    Yeah I think the reality is that the tracks can only handle cars at a certain speed and that's quite a bit slower than the technology allows.

    It would be absolutely bonkers unsafe and basically unwatchable if they took off all the rules.


    I think we can all agree it's not just nostalgia but superlight cars with barely manageable horsepower and limited grip makes for the best racing, but nowadays they are so good at creating downforce without wings and tyres that grip and grip and grip that you'll never get that again.

  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,227

    Jings, I agree with toryfanboi 😳 Been a looong time since I've watched a F1 race, many years, stopped as was getting too boring. But the BTCC type races were, and I guess still are, much more interesting. Should use my Eurosport sub for more than cycling, CX etc, if indeed the 'proper car' races are on there.

  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376
    edited May 22

    Stranger things have happened 😊

    I'm off to have another go on one of those racing simulators on Friday and will be choosing a British Touring Car as my (virtual) weapon of choice as its quite easy to be a right hooligan without ending up in the gravel trap too many times. I'll see if I can manage a repeat of last time when I barged my mate off the track 😇

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    True, it might be a bit dangerous but it would be bl00dy entertaining. Just need tracks with more run off...

    Tyres are probably the limiting factor these days.

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,145

    Fast cars are spectacular to watch, there is no doubt. But past a certain point it is hard to tell.

    The attraction of F1 is not how exciting the racing is, but rather the knowledge that you are watching the fastest cars and the best drivers, in the most "important" championship.

    If all other formulae were slower and F1 was slower, this probably wouldn't matter.

    Another key attraction is the technical development race. Standardised cars takes that away. Like it or not, this is the essence of F1, even though it means the best drivers don't necessarily win.

    Some of the arguments would find analogy in football. There may be more goals in the lower leagues of English football than the Champions league, but who cares if it's not the best and most glamorous?

  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,308

    Sort of. Set a minimum weight, length, width, an engine size of say 1200cc (the BMW turbocharged 1500cc engine in the 80's - M12, produced 850bhp. I kid you not).

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,314

    I watched documentary on F1 turbo engines back in the day although I think it was Renault. As far as the engineers were concerned the perfect design and built engine would fail on the victory lap.

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,790

    The best racing in modern times is the Goodwood Revival, especially the Minis. Such close, wheel to wheel racing with no driving aids. Just brilliant and brave drivers having the time of their lives. Way better than F1.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    Tbh having a few little basic restrictions like that and anything else is down to the teams would make it really fun. I'd go for a bigger engine size though 🙂

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,376

    Going racing (Matrix style) this afternoon, looking forward to it.


    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]