# Formula 1 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 28, 2018, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734 "2018-02-28T05:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/102 "2018-05-30T17:51:17Z")
I think dropping the wings would require Pirelli to design a new trio of tire compounds just for that scenario. The tires now ‘work’ with just the right amount of heat, which comes with speed, downforce, slippage, and the teams tossing a bunch of heat at them with the brakes, etc. Take off the wings and speed, downforce, slippage and heat all change. Damn complicated stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/103 "2018-06-11T20:31:35Z")
Pretty boring race in Canada, although I can’t complain about the outcome. I don’t understand Haas’s strategy for Grosjean, though. He ran ultrasofts for 48 laps before pitting. Obviously, with 19 laps to go, he had to switch to a different compound, but the team put supersofts on. Vandoorne pitted with 18 to go and ran hypersofts to the end. Are the names of the different tire compounds as silly as they sound? It reminds me of a fast-food restaurant that sells sodas as large, extra-large, and super-large, because someone in marketing said you can’t use the word “small”. Any explanation for why the checkered flag waved early, or any fallout from it? I’ve only been to one auto race in my life and the same thing happened three laps from the end. I think they wound up taking the result from the early flag, which meant a different winner of the race. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/104 "2018-06-11T20:58:47Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Any explanation for why the checkered flag waved early, or any fallout from it? I’ve only been to one auto race in my life and the same thing happened three laps from the end. I think they wound up taking the result from the early flag, which meant a different winner of the race. [Pretty mundane.](https://www.racefans.net/2018/06/11/fia-celebrity-guest-winnie-harlow-blame-chequered-flag-f1-canadian-grand-prix/) > [@](#): > > “The chequered flag was shown a lap early because there was a mis-communication between the start platform and the guy they call the starter here, the guy who starts and finishes the race,” said Whiting. I don’t understand the 2018 design changes. However dumb DRS is as a band-aid for these aero-dependent cars, now the cars can’t even get _into_ DRS range for it to even matter. The only possible excitement from different tire strategies is whether or not so-and-so on faster/fresher rubber will be able to catch so-and-so, and the answer this year is always, “he’s close, but just a little too far back.” ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/105 "2018-06-11T21:46:11Z")
I’ll take a “boring” f1 race over an exciting NASCAR race any and every day. These are the fastest cars that have ever been and I don’t understand how people say F1 is boring or “the only possible excitement” is from whatever or if the did whatever. Sure, it could be MORE exciting. But let’s not lose perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/106 "2018-06-11T21:46:15Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I don’t understand the 2018 design changes. However dumb DRS is as a band-aid for these aero-dependent cars, now the cars can’t even get _into_ DRS range for it to even matter. The only possible excitement from different tire strategies is whether or not so-and-so on faster/fresher rubber will be able to catch so-and-so, and the answer this year is always, “he’s close, but just a little too far back.” My impression is that DRS has led to more passing most of the time, but just not this week. I couldn’t say why; something about the Montreal circuit, perhaps. I kind of know what you mean about DRS being a band-aid. The current cars are ridiculously complicated, and trying to make them more competitive with DRS just makes them more complicated. I’d like to see some effort toward simplifying Formula 1. I like the three-engine rule in principle, but I haven’t really seen any stats on how it’s turned out in practice. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/107 "2018-06-11T21:56:29Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I’ll take a “boring” f1 race over an exciting NASCAR race any and every day. These are the fastest cars that have ever been and I don’t understand how people say F1 is boring or “the only possible excitement” is from whatever or if the did whatever. Sure, it could be MORE exciting. But let’s not lose perspective. An F1 race is a marvel of engineering, technology, history, spectacle, and talent. Hundreds of very smart people spend thousands of hours to bring the cars, drivers, and teams to the grid at the peak of preparation. The winners can seriously claim to have triumphed over the best of the best, and to be the pinnacle of what can be achieved with a racing car. But how much of that happens on the track, during the race? This week, not bloody much. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/108 "2018-06-11T22:03:24Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > An F1 race is a marvel of engineering, technology, history, spectacle, and talent. Hundreds of very smart people spend thousands of hours to bring the cars, drivers, and teams to the grid at the peak of preparation. The winners can seriously claim to have triumphed over the best of the best, and to be the pinnacle of what can be achieved with a racing car. > > But how much of that happens on the track, during the race? This week, not bloody much. 20 marvels of engineering, technology, history, spectacle, and talented people drove the fastest cars that have ever existed around a track at speeds unseen ever before just inches away from the wall with only a few minor incidents. How is that “not bloody much”? Sure some passing would have made it more exciting. But just watching said marvels for a few hours is far more entertaining than anything else on TV. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/109 "2018-06-11T22:21:24Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I’ll take a “boring” f1 race over an exciting NASCAR race any and every day. These are the fastest cars that have ever been and I don’t understand how people say F1 is boring or “the only possible excitement” is from whatever or if the did whatever. Sure, it could be MORE exciting. But let’s not lose perspective. I understand your point – F1 is a constructor’s championship first and a driver’s championship not at all, and if I wanted to see good racecraft there are plenty of better options out there. That said, what sort of constructor’s championship results in the drivers not pushing the cars to their limits? Because that’s what we have now, maybe 1 or 2 drivers out there actually pushing the cars to their maximum time every lap and everyone else stuck behind them, unable to show the crowd what the marvels of modern engineering can actually do because the dirty air ruins their effectiveness. I’ve never been a DRS hater, it makes sense in the context of a constructor’s championship. Let the faster cars get past the slower cars and get on with wowing the crowd. But DRS has been neutered this year, or rather, the harmful effects of dirty air have increased dramatically without a commensurate increase in the effectiveness of DRS. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/110 "2018-06-12T02:36:29Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > 20 marvels of engineering, technology, history, spectacle, and talented people drove the fastest cars that have ever existed around a track at speeds unseen ever before just inches away from the wall with only a few minor incidents. How is that “not bloody much”? Sure some passing would have made it more exciting. But just watching said marvels for a few hours is far more entertaining than anything else on TV. Yes, but whatever enabled these unseen before speeds possible probably happened in a wind tunnel 9 months ago. It’s rather like tuning in to an Olympic event just in time to see the athletes walk to the podium and get their medals. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Pretty boring race in Canada, although I can’t complain about the outcome. I don’t understand Haas’s strategy for Grosjean, though. He ran ultrasofts for 48 laps before pitting. Obviously, with 19 laps to go, he had to switch to a different compound, but the team put supersofts on. Vandoorne pitted with 18 to go and ran hypersofts to the end. I just checked and Red Bull got 16 and 17 laps on their hypersofts, and those were at the beginning of the race on full tanks. Still don’t know why Grosjean didn’t take the softest compound at the end and maybe race his way into the points. ---
**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:** [June 23, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/111 "2018-06-23T13:21:04Z")
Boy, that Paul Ricard circuit sure is dull and life-less. They should add a little color and spiff the place up. Oh, this _isn’t_ “opposite day”? Never mind…… ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/112 "2018-06-25T03:35:48Z")
Funny how at first glance it looked like Verstappen gained a huge advantage in the first turn by cutting the course. It took a few moments before I realized that the driver starting P4 would naturally advance to second when P2 and P3 get involved in a collision :smack: I want a red gorilla statue on my desk. ---
**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:** [June 25, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/113 "2018-06-25T16:20:21Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Funny how at first glance it looked like Verstappen gained a huge advantage in the first turn by cutting the course. > > I want a red gorilla statue on my desk. He _almost_ passed Hamilton! You can see he lifts and slots into second. Where do I send the statue? Overall, a pretty dull race. Not a big fan of that circuit. I’m still fighting my DVR over when to record the race. Damn machine defaults to the Sunday night airing, not the first, Live showing. I gotta go in and manually horse around. Damn new-fangled technology! ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/114 "2018-06-26T00:36:45Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Funny how at first glance it looked like Verstappen gained a huge advantage in the first turn by cutting the course. It took a few moments before I realized that the driver starting P4 would naturally advance to second when P2 and P3 get involved in a collision :smack: And any time advantage he might have gained was erased by the safety car anyway. I don’t know why Croft kept harping on this incident as if Verstappen was getting away with something. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/115 "2018-06-26T02:47:07Z")
I like Max’s [sense of humor](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-hits-out-at-media-after-vettel-crash-1047453/). **Gato** , click on the [“Gift this product”](https://musartboutique.com/shop/casts-sculptures/orlinski-resin-sculpture-wild-kong-red/) button. Thanks, pal! Better hurry, only one left. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/116 "2018-06-30T16:55:01Z")
I have got to remember to set my DVR to extend record time… darn thing cut off just before the end of qualifying again! Belated congrats to Alonso for winning LeMans. Come to Indy Car next year! ---
**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:** [July 2, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/117 "2018-07-02T16:44:48Z")
Nothin’ better than seeing Hamilton parked on the side of the track and Ferraris on the podium! Good race. > [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > **Gato** , click on the [“Gift this product”](https://musartboutique.com/shop/casts-sculptures/orlinski-resin-sculpture-wild-kong-red/) button. Thanks, pal! Better hurry, only one left. Ouch! Sorry, Dude! My mouse button is broken. Yeah, that’s it. Mouse broken… ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/118 "2018-07-02T17:07:08Z")
Frustrating as a Hamilton fan, but at least the championship is close, which is what we have all been wanting for the last few seasons. Now we just want it to be fought on the track, not in the pits… ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/119 "2018-07-09T01:06:32Z")
Great race in England today. Some real on-track action those last few laps. Fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/120 "2018-07-22T22:07:41Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Some real on-track action those last few laps. Fun to watch. Exact opposite in Germany. Uh, I guess if I had to say anything, the clean start was remarkable. Probably the smallest pile of scrap carbon fiber on the track in recent memory. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734/121 "2018-07-23T06:26:24Z")
Indeed, especially considering how narrow that track is compared with modern circuits. Hamilton lucky to win but deserved it overall. I have to say that Vettel crashing out of his home GP was even more satisfying than Germany going out of the World Cup. Schadenfreude II. Interesting that he swore in English over his radio rather than German - I guess that’s a team rule, which he still managed to stick to despite being furious ������. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-2018/809734.md?page=7)