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booker · 09-28-2002, 05:12 PM

F1 is in a tough spot right now to make the races competative. As an engineer myself who has been involved in the motorsports industry for several years and who is looking to break into F1, I can say that teams like Ferrari win because they spend the money. F1 is 75-85% aerodynamics (depent on the track), and Ferrari spends more on aerodynamics per year than some teams spend on their entire car.

For those of us who are technically minded F1 is definitly more entertainment bang for buck.. to see Ferrari test the 2003 chassis in September and win is a real testament to their R&D.. if only they didn't hide their secrets so well, and let Speedvision get a closer look at some of the goodies.

F1 drivers in the same cars on a road course? Good question.. it's really tough to say. In the same cars, as in they are dropped into them cold? No time to tune the suspension or engine management to the driver's preference? No time to test and tune? I don't think that would be a very interesting race for the technically minded fan at all; to watch excellent drivers struggle with suspension and weight setups that don't suit their cornering preferences.

And as far as comments like "When Montoya stormed to the CART championship it's because the quality of his driving was so superior... " ..well, read above. The greatest driver of all time with a front suspension that is too stiff and a fuel map that doesn't give him power when _he_ needs it isn't going to turn very impressive lap times.

Likewise, "CART is better in some ways because it's not so much an engineering exercise as F1." ..hate to say it, but if you want fast cars that outperform those of last season, it is nothing BUT an engineering exercise. If you want grassroots racing check out NASCAR or NHRA where the specifications on engines and suspension setups are explicit for everyone.

09-28-2002, 05:12 PM
booker Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Baltimore Posts: 1,370	F1 is in a tough spot right now to make the races competative. As an engineer myself who has been involved in the motorsports industry for several years and who is looking to break into F1, I can say that teams like Ferrari win because they spend the money. F1 is 75-85% aerodynamics (depent on the track), and Ferrari spends more on aerodynamics per year than some teams spend on their entire car. For those of us who are technically minded F1 is definitly more entertainment bang for buck.. to see Ferrari test the 2003 chassis in September and win is a real testament to their R&D.. if only they didn't hide their secrets so well, and let Speedvision get a closer look at some of the goodies. F1 drivers in the same cars on a road course? Good question.. it's really tough to say. In the same cars, as in they are dropped into them cold? No time to tune the suspension or engine management to the driver's preference? No time to test and tune? I don't think that would be a very interesting race for the technically minded fan at all; to watch excellent drivers struggle with suspension and weight setups that don't suit their cornering preferences. And as far as comments like "When Montoya stormed to the CART championship it's because the quality of his driving was so superior... " ..well, read above. The greatest driver of all time with a front suspension that is too stiff and a fuel map that doesn't give him power when _he_ needs it isn't going to turn very impressive lap times. Likewise, "CART is better in some ways because it's not so much an engineering exercise as F1." ..hate to say it, but if you want fast cars that outperform those of last season, it is nothing BUT an engineering exercise. If you want grassroots racing check out NASCAR or NHRA where the specifications on engines and suspension setups are explicit for everyone. __________________ Xanadu024 (aim) or 286785389 (icq) "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."