# 2016 Formula One **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 18, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467 "2016-03-18T23:45:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/121 "2016-07-29T20:27:25Z")
And now it’s back to unlimite radio communications during the race, only restriction is no coaching prior to the start of the race (clutch release info). Stay tuned, the FAI might have removed the radios altogether by Spa. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/122 "2016-07-29T20:45:38Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > Exactly. When you start allowing “safety-related” messages with no associated penalty, I feel what that would do is end up encouraging teams to run a more aggressive, potentially dangerous setup in the hopes that it lasts the entire day, if not they wait until the last moment when it becomes a “safety concern” and tell the driver to switch settings, getting the maximum value out of the aggressive setup. > > If they have to take a drive-through, then perhaps they’ll decide to take a more conservative, safer setup to start with. > > Essentially, if you setup your car in such a way that it ends up becoming a safety issue before the end of the race, take a penalty. Thank you for the perspective. I hadn’t considered it like that, but now it makes some sense why the FIA would want to limit the radio communication. I don’t have much of a concern about it either way, though, but I like where you’re headed. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/123 "2016-07-31T17:24:00Z")
That’s two rather boring races in a row. IndyCar has been more interesting to me this season, even with all the radio kerfuffles. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/124 "2016-08-01T08:21:56Z")
Come the resumption of the season we will see Hamilton take multiple penalties for engine part infractions he could have two races starting mid-grid or one race starting at the back. That will definitely be worth seeing. But I agree that having had three seasons of Merc dominance we could do with the others catching up. Much as I am a fan of Hamilton I’m a fan of close racing even more (and I believe that under such conditions you really find out who the top dog is) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/125 "2016-08-01T10:27:43Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > That’s two rather boring races in a row. Blame Herman Tilke. > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > But I agree that having had three seasons of Merc dominance we could do with the others catching up. Rosberg was beaten by the two Red Bulls fair and square and they weren’t that far behind Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/126 "2016-08-01T11:10:31Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > That’s two rather boring races in a row. IndyCar has been more interesting to me this season, even with all the radio kerfuffles. Agreed. My and my husband have decided that we’ll just watch the highlights show for the rest of the season. Which is sad, because we’ve been F1 fans for about five years now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/127 "2016-08-01T12:09:22Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Agreed. My and my husband have decided that we’ll just watch the highlights show for the rest of the season. I suggest you reconsider, at least for the next several races as there’s a Tilke-free stretch ahead. The next race is Spa which is not a Tilke track and will therefore be fun. After that come Monza and Singapore, which will also likely be fun because Tilke hasn’t ruined them. Tilke hasn’t ruined Suzuka either. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/128 "2016-08-01T12:44:18Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Rosberg was beaten by the two Red Bulls fair and square and they weren’t that far behind Hamilton. I think Hamilton is doing the bare minimum to keep ahead of the Red Bulls, He has enough engine stresses as it is without putting the hammer down unnecessarily. Under qualifying conditions they seem to be a good half-second back which is an eternity though, of course they are quick enough to make following and passing tricky under race conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/129 "2016-08-01T14:43:20Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I think Hamilton is doing the bare minimum to keep ahead of the Red Bulls, He has enough engine stresses as it is without putting the hammer down unnecessarily. I don’t disagree, but that doesn’t explain Rosberg coming fourth. > [@](#): > > Under qualifying conditions they seem to be a good half-second back which is an eternity though, of course they are quick enough to make following and passing tricky under race conditions. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/130 "2016-08-01T16:17:05Z")
There was some good dicing within the pack, but none of it lasted long enough to keep anyone’s interest. Also, the German director of the livecast was stoned or similar yesterday; he often jumped to a replay as action was happening LIVE on the track. Ugh. I miss the old Hockenheim. Did Nico really think he’d get away with that move? I guess he got away with it in Austria (wasn’t it?) and perhaps he reasoned, “Hey, if I don’t damage the car, I can get-away with it again”. Instead, he finished 4th. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/131 "2016-08-01T18:36:56Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Rosberg was beaten by the two Red Bulls fair and square and they weren’t that far behind Hamilton. Rosberg screwed himself with a 5 second penalty, his crew screwed him out of 3 seconds more. If he had those 8 seconds back, the podium would have looked different. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/132 "2016-08-02T17:50:12Z")
Well, yes, but that was still “fair and square.” If Rosberg hadn’t passed Verstappen by booting him off the track he would have lost five seconds anyway, and he had more than enough time to make up the three seconds and couldn’t. > [@somepumpkin](#): > > I miss the old Hockenheim. Me too. It was a lovely mix of giant straights and tight, twisty stuff. I know Mercedes seem to dominate everywhere but it was nice to have one true power track (since Silverstone had been neutered some time back). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/133 "2016-09-03T17:03:46Z")
Is Leigh Diffey dead? What kind of major dose of The Clap did he come down with in Rio? Maybe he was drinking some of that lagoon water. Or most likely he still has a splitting headache from that gal’s voice he had to put up with. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/134 "2016-09-03T17:56:53Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Is Leigh Diffey dead? What kind of major dose of The Clap did he come down with in Rio? Maybe he was drinking some of that lagoon water. > > Or most likely he still has a splitting headache from that gal’s voice he had to put up with. I was thinking the same thing! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/135 "2016-09-04T17:46:00Z")
**Monza** I hope those tri-color curbs were freshly painted, 'cause watching them dry would have been more exciting than the race. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/136 "2016-09-04T17:53:20Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > **Monza** > > I hope those tri-color curbs were freshly painted, 'cause watching them dry would have been more exciting than the race. Blame Hermann Tilke. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/137 "2016-09-04T18:28:19Z")
Yes, that was boring. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/138 "2016-09-05T02:39:33Z")
I’m just assuming the F1 drivers knew that it was the first day back for Diffey after his illness, and decided they would be nice and spare him any potential problems that could come from raising his voice or really any sort of excitement at all. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/139 "2016-09-05T17:24:34Z")
Hamilton’s early pass on Bottas was sensational. He took a weird line around the Parabolica so that he could be right on the gearbox coming into the straight, and made it stick despite the Williams’ straight line speed advantage. I was surprised that none of the commentators noticed. I thought it was going to be a good finish with Hamilton finally having an undamaged car to chase Rosberg in. Considering how much quicker he was all weekend I thought he had a good shot art tracking him down, but it didn’t happen. Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/140 "2016-09-06T19:33:05Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Is Leigh Diffey dead? What kind of major dose of The Clap did he come down with in Rio? Maybe he was drinking some of that lagoon water. > > Or most likely he still has a splitting headache from that gal’s voice he had to put up with. Diffey had a bout of diverticulitis, which he refused to blame on Rio on Twitter. 🙂 NBC also has him calling premiership rugby now, which I think was also responsible for at least some of his absence in the Italy practice, qualifying and post-race shows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467.md?page=8)