Have been won by:
Torro Rosso
Renault
Renault
McLaren
Ferrari
Brawn
Brawn
Red Bull
Who'd have thought??? 4 out of 8 by 3 independent teams. The last indepedent win previously was Jordan in Brazil 2003. What's going on? How have the manufacturers got it so wrong?
Last 8 GPs
Last 8 GPs
Last edited by noisebox on 20 Apr 2009, 13:28, edited 1 time in total.
"will you stop him playing tennis then?", referring to Montoya's famous shoulder injury, to which Whitmarsh replied "well, it's very difficult to play tennis on a motorbike"
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CarlosFerreira
- Posts: 4974
- Joined: 02 Apr 2009, 14:31
- Location: UK
Re: Last 8 GPs
Funny, isn't it? A couple of weeks ago, Autosport mentioned the tide was turning towards independents instead of constructors, and I didn't really understand why. Here are some of my ideas of what might be behind this:
- Engines: limits mean there are no "client" and "official" engines anymore. All rev to 18.000 rpm, must last I-don't-know-how-many-races, and there's enough competition in the market (Renault, Mercedes, Ferrari and Toyota sell engines to other teams) to keep every provider on its toes;
- Testing: limitations and ban made it harder for larger, constructor-backed teams to test all the time. Same for wind-tunnels; CDF is probably something all can pretty much get, even if it's not OTC software
- Tires: single constructor providing control tires means there are no more "specially developed for that team" tires. Tire manufacturers would always benefit constructor's team, trying to get business for road cars - whet this is all about;
- Electronics simplification: ABS, TC are gone, engine management is standard fit. Result: those with less resources are spending less there to catch-up;
- Credit crunch, part I: constructors are in trouble, so have less money to spend on teams, increasing reliance on external sponsors to make up for the difference;
- Credit crunch, part I: sponsors leave F1. Leaner, smaller teams will probably adapt better.
All this discounts regulation change (revolution on the grid) and the Brawn brilliance. Just my 2 cents.
- Engines: limits mean there are no "client" and "official" engines anymore. All rev to 18.000 rpm, must last I-don't-know-how-many-races, and there's enough competition in the market (Renault, Mercedes, Ferrari and Toyota sell engines to other teams) to keep every provider on its toes;
- Testing: limitations and ban made it harder for larger, constructor-backed teams to test all the time. Same for wind-tunnels; CDF is probably something all can pretty much get, even if it's not OTC software
- Tires: single constructor providing control tires means there are no more "specially developed for that team" tires. Tire manufacturers would always benefit constructor's team, trying to get business for road cars - whet this is all about;
- Electronics simplification: ABS, TC are gone, engine management is standard fit. Result: those with less resources are spending less there to catch-up;
- Credit crunch, part I: constructors are in trouble, so have less money to spend on teams, increasing reliance on external sponsors to make up for the difference;
- Credit crunch, part I: sponsors leave F1. Leaner, smaller teams will probably adapt better.
All this discounts regulation change (revolution on the grid) and the Brawn brilliance. Just my 2 cents.
Stay home, Colin Kolles!
Re: Last 8 GPs
All great points - I think the last one (regulation change) has had the biggest impact. I wonder though, if this year is highlighting just how different customer engines have been from factory units. I guess we'll never know. Here's hoping the ultimate independent team - Williams get back on the top step soon.
"will you stop him playing tennis then?", referring to Montoya's famous shoulder injury, to which Whitmarsh replied "well, it's very difficult to play tennis on a motorbike"
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CarlosFerreira
- Posts: 4974
- Joined: 02 Apr 2009, 14:31
- Location: UK
Re: Last 8 GPs
noisebox wrote:All great points - I think the last one (regulation change) has had the biggest impact. I wonder though, if this year is highlighting just how different customer engines have been from factory units. I guess we'll never know. Here's hoping the ultimate independent team - Williams get back on the top step soon.
I agree regulation change has caused the biggest impact, and produced the result we're seeing. My point was that the tide was already turning. I would argue that, the more limited a formula and the higher the proportion of standard parts used, the more Davids all around have a possibility to sticking it to Goliath.
As for Williams - cheers to that! There's a special, glowing place in my heart for them.
Stay home, Colin Kolles!
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StoneColdSpider
- Posts: 156
- Joined: 12 Apr 2009, 06:07
- Location: Adelaide, Australia
Re: Last 8 GPs
i totally agree....
and i think its good for the sport....
every1 loves seeing David slay Goliath...
and i think its good for the sport....
every1 loves seeing David slay Goliath...
Im a sarcastic perverted tourist robbing Australian convict
"I want to grab Nick Fry and beat 3 shades of *BEEP* out of him
and have him rotating slowly over a spit!"
"I want to grab Nick Fry and beat 3 shades of *BEEP* out of him
and have him rotating slowly over a spit!"
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runningboots
- Posts: 62
- Joined: 02 Apr 2009, 11:13
Re: Last 8 GPs
CarlosFerreira wrote:Tires: single constructor providing control tires means there are no more "specially developed for that team" tires.
Mmmm, I do think that, much like Minardi and Scuderia italia in the early 90s, Force India should be allowed special Pirelli qualifying specials.
Re: Last 8 GPs
I think it partly has to do with the fact that the contributions of two of the most successful team principal/car designer in F1 of the modern era are finally bearing fruit. Don't forget the STR/Red Bull is a Newey creation and Brawn GP is run by Ross Brawn. Add to this internal turmoil in McLaren and Ferrari and you have the ingredients of an upset of the grid.