US GP

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 19 Jun 2005, 23:30

I'm sitting here with my laptop, waiting whilst they make up their minds whether or not to race - what a performance! With no axe to grind it does seem to me that the circuit has been there a long time and if Michelin can't build a tyre to suit then there is no excuse.

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 20 Jun 2005, 00:56

Makes you wonder how good Michelin tyres are for us every day motorists? Mind saying that didn't Fire stone have a problem a couple of years ago with tyres supplied to Ford?

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 20 Jun 2005, 01:10

Just what on earth has F1 to do with cars?

406 V6 · Post by **406 V6** » 20 Jun 2005, 02:52

Taking on this subject, we should all be happy in one aspect: Tiago Monteiro (a countryman of mine) got the 3rd palce driving a Jordan.
Hurray for England and Portugal![:D]
A pint of lagger for everyone! (put it on my bill[;)])

Paulmi16 · Post by **Paulmi16** » 20 Jun 2005, 02:56

Everytime i've come to grief in a car the common denominator has been Michelin tyres, so i would'nt put them on my wheelbarrow. As for F1 the winner is Bernie Ecclescake everytime.
Paul.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 20 Jun 2005, 03:01

I completely agree about Michelin not having an excuse for not being able to build a tyre to suit the track but surely the F1 gods should have done somthing. for example putting a chicane into that final sweeping bend to slow it down, surely its not OK to have such a fast corner on the track litrally meters away from the crowd anyway, is it?

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Jun 2005, 03:19

The new tyre rules caught Ferrari out earlier in the season, new tyres and no testing is not good. At the time Ferrari asked for rule changes and the Michelin teams said no, so ultimately this is payback from Ferrari, and who suffers apart from the fans?
Indianapolis isn't on the testing circuit for F1 cars and the Indy cars don't do the in field section either and even if they did, they don't run as much downforce so any data from there would not be useful. There was some talk about the track surface having been "diamond cut" to improve grip for the Indy car boys too.
They're on slim margins, stronger tyres would be slower and you couldn't expect the teams to race knowing that the tyres would disintegrate after 10 or 15 laps now could you?
Personally, I don't have any Michelins on my car and wouldn't have bought them before today so nothing has really changed.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 20 Jun 2005, 16:27

I think that this time Ecclestone seriously blundered-He seems to have completely misunderstood the American's attitude to sport- they see it for what it is, showbiz, and they wanted to see a show.This was surprising because if anyone understands that, you would have thought it would be Bernie Ecclesrtone!!! For a while it was almost that- it was like TV wrestling, will they, wont they, the tension building, but then it all went wrong.
Ecclestone assumed the teams would race, didn't put in the chicane, and his bluff was called. The best suggestion I heard was that a chicane be put in, the michelin teams would then race, but for no points or under a handicapping system. The yanks would then have got their show, and F1 may have got a better foothold in the US.
Ecclestone and his F1 circus are now finished in the US. the TV audience would have just switched off and won't now be back.
The height of the entertainment for me was Martin Brundle collaring Mrs Ecclestone on the grid and telling her to go and give Bernie a good slapping!![:D]
I would have paid money to watch that......

rbruce1314 · Post by **rbruce1314** » 20 Jun 2005, 16:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by citroenzx

I completely agree about Michelin not having an excuse for not being able to build a tyre to suit the track but surely the F1 gods should have done somthing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I thought I heard a report that Michelin knew there was a problem on Friday night and wanted to bring in some new tyres from France overnight, but FIA prevented it because the rules state that tyre choices cannot be changed once practitce has started. If this really is the case we should be blaming FIA not Michelin, who would have had a race tyre ready if they had been allowed

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Jun 2005, 17:04

The Michelin tyres could have been run but it would have meant going more slowly through the final turn, which would have meant that they were uncompetitive so they withdrew rather than accept defeat.

bernie · Post by **bernie** » 20 Jun 2005, 17:11

drpau · Post by **drpau** » 20 Jun 2005, 20:03

I havent really watched the prad prix for a few years now - I remember getting up at 3am or whatever to make sure I didnt miss it. These days I dont think theres much excitement in it- its more of a processsion which is why Ive lost interest. Races arer often won/lost on pit stop strategies which is boring. I want to see plenty of overtaking and all that sort of thing. I think that is why they announced this 'one set of tyres' rule; to try and make it more competitive but it seems to have made it much more dangerous instead.

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 20 Jun 2005, 21:07

I haven't watched it for ages either, motorcycle GP racing is far more interesting. BTCC, Rallying, ANYTHING other than F1.
Lawnmower racing is more exciting to watch to be honest.

drpau · Post by **drpau** » 21 Jun 2005, 02:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fastandfurryous

I haven't watched it for ages either, motorcycle GP racing is far more interesting. BTCC, Rallying, ANYTHING other than F1.
Lawnmower racing is more exciting to watch to be honest.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I tell you what, it amazes me, in the mto gp, these guys will fly off the bike at over 100 mph and then just get up and walk off (as long as they dont hit anything)! - Im sure they must have a few 'carpet burns'[:I] though... I cant really get into it as much though (maybe as Ive never riden a motorbike). Rallying, well you dont see any overtaking in that although it is astounding to see what they can do with cars milimetres from the edge of a cliff. I'd say BTCC is the best option- you see plenty of overtaking and a bit of nudging as well. Yeah BTCC it is for me,..

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 21 Jun 2005, 03:02

I'd agree about about motorbikes and BTCC being better racing to watch, but BTCC especially feels slow when you compare it to F1. The BTCC gets too close at times, I don't like the idea of knocking a competitor off the road to win, a fair fight is better to watch.
I had a friend who I was at school with, and his Dad and Uncle had raced sidecars, so he was carrying on the tradition. He fell off at Croft and ended up with a metal pin in his wrist, so they don't always fall off and get away with it unscathed.