Formula One 2011 Discussion Thread

[RetiredTom]

Morning All,

I don't know about any of you, but I'm starting to get really excited for the new F1 season which is just around the corner!

Forums I've used in the past have always had an F1 thread the members can use to talk about any news, upcoming races and so on, so now we have this off topic section, I thought I'd create one here too!

So, who do you follow and what are your hopes for the coming season?

I'm a die-hard McLaren fan, so am eagerly awaiting the new car launch on 4th February. From what the team were saying when I visited the MTC back in November, this should be a competitive year, so I'm hoping for Lewis to win his second championship.

[brettred]

Really love the Monaco grand prixJust something about racing around them streets, really have to make the effort to go to the british grand prix grand next year.

Unless I win them on VIP haha

[Nabs]

Is it just me or is Vettel boring now?

Ferrari should be penalised for blocking Hamilton, they have pretty much ruined his weekend

[thesoupdragon]

Red Flag Fiasco :smileymad:

In my opinion allowing repairs and tyre changes ruined the end of the Monaco Grand Prix!

I thought we were in for a real fight for the lead!

Very dissapointed!! :smileysad:

[RetiredTom]

Nabs, I've found Vettel dull for quite a while. I'd find McLaren dull if they won every race by such margins.

Today was really disappointing. I think something drastic is needed in F1 to mix things up- not more cost saving or environmental measures, but something to even the playing field. I find myself more interested in watching NASCAR which is supposed to be the most boring motorsport around!

[Nabs]

I completely agree today was a real dissapointment. There were moments but overall it wasn't such a great race.

I feel Vettel will just turn out to be like Schumacher's Ferrari days and give us several years of boring predictable racing.

@TSD, In terms of the red flag business i think repairs should be allowed, but changing the tyres shouldn't be. It's the tyre changes that ruined the end of the race.

[RetiredTom]

I had no idea the tyre changes happened! I was at the MTC for the race and during the red flag I was busy interviewing VIP winners, so missed that whole business! That explains why Vettel and Alonso were able to run away so easily.

[thesoupdragon]

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@Nabs wrote:

@TSD, In terms of the red flag business i think repairs should be allowed, but changing the tyres shouldn't be. It's the tyre changes that ruined the end of the race.

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Fair point!

But my opinion is, the Red Flag was a temporary halt to the Race! If you need repairs or tyres that should of been done in the pit lane. A typical pit stop is approx 20-25 seconds,  which adjusts track position. The Red Flag Fiasco did not allow for this adjustment. In fact it was a Gift! I feel like the race may as well have been six laps long!

Always moving goal posts!

Anyway, Speedway is a good one to watch! :smileywink:

[thesoupdragon]

Pirelli Angry over Red Flag

"Pirelli wants Formula 1 teams to be prevented from changing tyres if a race is stopped by a red flag. The tyre manufacturer said Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix was robbed of a thrilling climax after a stoppage caused by Vitaly Petrov's accident allowed the front three drivers Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button to change rubber. This effectively turned the result into a foregone conclusion, with the top three cruising to the chequered flag in a procession."

Story HERE

I couldn't agree more! 

[dnairb001]

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@thesoupdragon wrote:

Pirelli Angry over Red Flag

"Pirelli wants Formula 1 teams to be prevented from changing tyres if a race is stopped by a red flag. The tyre manufacturer said Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix was robbed of a thrilling climax after a stoppage caused by Vitaly Petrov's accident allowed the front three drivers Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button to change rubber. This effectively turned the result into a foregone conclusion, with the top three cruising to the chequered flag in a procession."

Story HERE

I couldn't agree more! 

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Same here, turned what could have been a fantastic fight to the finish into a boring procession again.

Only just found this thread whilst looking for something else, so going back to Tom's comment on the first page about the MTC, I went to their old site a few years back and was given a tour. This included sitting in a McLaren F1 LM and I think it was Ray Bellm's racing McLaren F1 GTR, followed by a visit to and a tour of their Formula 1 site, where I actually held some of the trophy's won by the drivers. My son was allowed to remove the £30,000 steering wheel from DC's race winning car and put it back. All in all it was an absolutely amazing visit and I've been an avid McLaren fan ever since. Still waiting to be told I've won a VIP offer to visit the new MTC though.  :smileywink:

[Nabs]

Nice find and i totally agree.

Come on then FIA lets listen to the fans and get this changed.

Thing is there probably won't be a red flag again this year.lol