Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix, Anyone else going?

[annunaki]

Hi all,

I am leaving today (Wed.15th-Sun.19th)for the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis. Are any of my fellow Audioholics attending???

 

[Duffinator]

I can only wish, but I'll be watching it on TV. Maybe we'll get lucky and one of the majors will broadcast it in WS DD. The Canadian GP last week was not.

Have fun and keep your eye open for a new Porsche Cayman.

 

[sploo]

All I can say is that, as a follower of the sport, I'm really sorry for those that went to the 'race'.

It is worth seeing a race live, but I really don't think they've done themselves any favours with that farce.

 

[shokhead]

Mich was doing there best to place blame on everybody and everywhere else but themselfs. Nobody else to blame but Mich and only Mich.

 

[Duffinator]

What a mess. I didn't watch it or hear about what happened until I read my paper this morning as I was gone all day yesterday. I have it TiVo'd so I'll have to check out what happened tonight. Since the split of CART and The IRL open wheeled racing in the U.S. just isn't the same and this didn't help any.

 

[sploo]

The problems largely stem from the power struggle that's going on within the sport - the FIA and Ferrari on one side, and the manfacturer backed teams (who, somewhat justifiably, feel Ferrari get preferential treatment) on the other.

It's certainly fair to say that Michelin screwed up in a big way, but viable options were presented that would have still resulted in maximum points for Ferrari, but would've at least given the crowd a full grid - if admittedly not a full-blooded race.

What happened just made the sport look amateurish, and shortchanged all the fans.

 

[shokhead]

You mean bend or change the rules just because Mich couldnt make a tire to race with at Indy? Its not like on Fri someone says,lets go to Indy and have a race,gee ok. Brig was there testing, where was Mich? Mich gave the teams a bad,unsafe tire and then wanted everyone else to change so there bad tire would work. Nope,it all falls on Mich.

Indy and Cart have zero to do with this.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I've never been a fan of F1. It's like the soccer of the racing world. Totally unAmerican.

 

[sploo]

I've never been a fan of F1. It's like the soccer of the racing world. Totally unAmerican.

*LOL* I'm not even going to get into the fact that Americans have a game where you chuck the ball round a field with your HANDS and call it FOOTball!

shokhead, you're absolutely right that Michelin caused the problem. But, after safety, the primary concern of the sport is to entertain fans and sponsors. A lot of very powerful people rather lost the big picture over the weekend, and seemed to forget this.

My understanding is that 9 of the 10 teams had agreed to race with a chicane in place, but Ferrari disagreed. Considering the current buzzword in the USA is 'democracy', it seems kinda ironic that exactly the opposite should happen for the US race, but this has been a big problem for F1 recently.

As I said, a solution was presented that would've given the fans something to watch, and would still have resulted in the same points spread. It would have also averted the crazy situation where people - who were quite right to be p!ssed off - were chucking cans of beer at cars coming off a 210mph straight.

Not F1's greatest day...

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

*LOL* I'm not even going to get into the fact that Americans have a game where you chuck the ball round a field with your HANDS and call it FOOTball!

True. It's evolved some since the late 1800s when it was more like rugby.

 

[sploo]

True. It's evolved some since the late 1800s when it was more like rugby.

As a mate of mine once said (referring to the tactics in the US game): "Ah, American Football... meathead chess. Different from Rugby... just meathead"

 

[Duffinator]

As a mate of mine once said (referring to the tactics in the US game): "Ah, American Football... meathead chess. Different from Rugby... just meathead"

Well like one of my ex teamMATEs from American Football, a 6'8", 280 pound defensive end, said: "Bring it on sucker".

 

[sploo]

Well like one of my ex teamMATEs from American Football, a 6'8", 280 pound defensive end, said: "Bring it on sucker".

You ran I take it?

There is a theory over here that Amercan Football players are all wussies, because they need body armour and helmets to play (whereas Rugby players wear shirts 'n' shorts).

It's a theory I'd be quite happy to test, but only with a full US Football team, a full Rugby team, and a very safe distance between me and the 'action'.

 

[shokhead]

*LOL* I'm not even going to get into the fact that Americans have a game where you chuck the ball round a field with your HANDS and call it FOOTball!

shokhead, you're absolutely right that Michelin caused the problem. But, after safety, the primary concern of the sport is to entertain fans and sponsors. A lot of very powerful people rather lost the big picture over the weekend, and seemed to forget this.

My understanding is that 9 of the 10 teams had agreed to race with a chicane in place, but Ferrari disagreed. Considering the current buzzword in the USA is 'democracy', it seems kinda ironic that exactly the opposite should happen for the US race, but this has been a big problem for F1 recently.

As I said, a solution was presented that would've given the fans something to watch, and would still have resulted in the same points spread. It would have also averted the crazy situation where people - who were quite right to be p!ssed off - were chucking cans of beer at cars coming off a 210mph straight.

Not F1's greatest day...

We shouldnt get into what the fans did which was stupit because all we need to do is look at soccer. I still say if you going to put in a chicane just so mich faulty tire could be used,its then just as much danger for all teams that hadnt had a chance to pratice and as the rules state,the track you gualify on is the track you race on,no changes. Mich screwed the fans with the wrong tire. There was no reason in the world for mich to have that tire at Indy,none. I am a bicycle racer at a race. We knew the weather report. My team has reg road tires. Well the other 20 teams brought wet/dry and the course is wet. Well,hold on,i only have dry tires so we need to wait for the course to dry. Ah no. I'm just not letting mich off the hook one bit on this. Total blame is on them.

 

[Duffinator]

You ran I take it?

There is a theory over here that Amercan Football players are all wussies, because they need body armour and helmets to play (whereas Rugby players wear shirts 'n' shorts).

It's a theory I'd be quite happy to test, but only with a full US Football team, a full Rugby team, and a very safe distance between me and the 'action'.

I was standing along side him with my Mr. Incredible uniform on.

 

[Tom Andry]

I was standing along side him with my Mr. Incredible uniform on

They make Mr. Incredible underoos already?

 

[Duffinator]

They make Mr. Incredible underoos already?

No, Edna "E" Mode made mine.

 

[sploo]

We shouldnt get into what the fans did which was stupit because all we need to do is look at soccer.

Well, you only need to bring a yoghurt into the crowd to increase the average IQ...

I still say if you going to put in a...

I've not disagreed with any of this. But, as a fan, which would you prefer:

1) Watch 20 cars go round a track with a chicane, and only the Bridgestone runners score points.

2) Watch 6 cars go round a track, and only the Bridgestone runners score points.

Given that the crowd appeared to be unaware of some of the arguments going on (which I can understand, having been to a race) it would surely have been preferable to put on a farcical show, than a farcical no show.

 

[sploo]

I was standing along side him with my Mr. Incredible uniform on.

That sounds far too kinky for my tastes. No, honestly.

 

[annunaki]

The race was... well... a Bridgestone free practice. This is Michelin's fault. they did not bring proper tires. The reason the fans had no idea of what was happening was the COMPLETELY lackluster announcing. I was there. They gave NO details whatsoever. I do not care if "the voice" of the Indy 500 has been there for 60 years or not, he had NO idea what F1 even was. What information I found out, was from the cell phone, from people watching Speed channel on TV.

If someone would have come on the PA and said, Michelin brought the wrong tire, it is not safe for them to race. The Michelin teams, therefore, will not be running, things may have been better??? Many drivers for the Michelin teams claimed adding a chicane would have made NO difference.

Michelin has been to Indy many times before, they have tires for it (the track), they just plain screwed up.

My other gripe about the announcers, is that they act like we, the fans, have no idea what F1 is, what the rules are, or what it (F1) is all about. It was ridiculous. They would speak to the crowd like a bunch of kids seeing the sport for the first time. I felt like I was watching a race on CBS!


However, I still enjoyed myself and had a great time. the race could have been more exciting, but the best team one.