F1’s new engines could reduce its appeal – Vettel

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In the round-up: Sebastian Vettel renews his criticism of F1’s new engine formula.

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Vettel erneuert Kritik an Formel-1-Technikrevolution (Focus, German)

“We are a sport that is famous for being loud and dangerous. We run the risk of losing the essence of motor sport.”

Mercedes enlist help of psychologist (The Telegraph)

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team have turned to the sports psychologist credited with helping the All Blacks [New Zealand rugby team] overcome their reputation as serial World Cup chokers, in a bid to maintain their dominant start to the season.”

Lauda: ’14 F1 domination a tougher job (Autosport)

“If you have shi*** engines like last year, and nine races in a row like Vettel, to finish all of them, this is easy. But to do the same now, with four races in a row, I think is an outstanding performance.”

Hätte Leimer für 25 Millionen bei Sauber fahren können? (Blick, German)

Reigning GP2 champion Fabio Leimer is claimed to have offered Sauber 12 million Swiss francs (£8.1m) for a drive this year but one of their current drivers Esteban Gutierrez is paying £16.9m.

Video – the Formula One steering wheel, 2014 style (F1)

“As a result of 2014’s substantial regulation changes, steering wheels have evolved significantly this season. Here we take a look at the differences between Ferrari’s 2013 and 2014 models.”

Nigel Stepney obituary (The Guardian)

“Recruited by the English chief designer, John Barnard, to help pull a demoralised outfit together, he moved into a house in the hills above Maranello, the team’s base, and quickly discovered that Ferrari’s capomeccanico enjoyed a status similar to that of other teams’ star drivers. An instant celebrity, he found that he was seldom required to pay for a drink or a meal.”

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Comment of the day

Michael reckons Hamilton deserves credit for joining Mercedes in the first place:

Now, in retrospect everything’s obvious but at the time Mercedes had won only a single race since their return and were atrocious around the time that Lewis signed. They just couldn’t look any worse than they had.

It took crazy guts to do that. Just as in his driving, Lewis’s decision was immaculate and he should win the drivers’ championship for that decision alone…

Hamilton’s move to Mercedes is as impressive as his ability to hold off Rosberg at Bahrain. The guy’s just amazing, just when you think you’ve seen his best, he does something crazy.
Michael (@Freelittlebirds)

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On this day in F1

Alain Prost extended his lead over Derek Warwick in the world championship with victory in the San Marino Grand Prix 30 years ago today.

Warwick’s Renault was classified fourth behind Elio de Angelis, who ran out of fuel on the final lap, and the second-placed Ferrari of Rene Arnoux.

This was the only race of his F1 career that Ayrton Senna failed to qualify for. Tyre supplier Pirelli had blocked them from participating in the first day of practice, aware the team was about to switch to rivals Michelin. A technical glitch on Saturday prevented Senna for qualifying for what would have been his fourth F1 start.

So the race got away without him – and very nearly Keke Rosberg as well, who got away slowly for the second race in a row:

Image © Red Bull/Getty

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157 comments on “F1’s new engines could reduce its appeal – Vettel”

  1. Can somebody please give Vettel a trophy just to shut him up?
    Yes, to some F1 loses some of it’s appeal with the new engines (I like it; progress-ly) but using the childish tactic of keep asking until you get your own way is bad.

      1. No grammar police…we’re venting here!

    1. The idea that ridiculously loud engines are the essence of motorsport is stupid and pretty ignorant of many great forms of motorsport. And I don’t see how it’s gotten any less dangerous this year.

      On the other hand, he did deride super-double-mega-bonus round.

      1. BJ (@beejis60)
        6th May 2014, 0:38

        I’m not into drag racing at all, but if you ever get a chance to watch top fuel dragsters or funny cars go around 300mph or higher across four seconds, that’s quite a scene and hard to imagine without insanely loud engines.

        1. Yes, but drag racing is a very specific type of motorsport. When the cars only go in a straight line I would imagine that sound is far more integral to the spectacle and appeal of watching it. Vettel saying ‘motorsport’ as a general term was incorrect, as plenty of motorsports have engines quieter than current F1 and don’t have less ‘essence’.

          1. F1 cars also go in straight line…

            People that say that sound isn’t a “deal breaker” for F1 never next to track hosting a GP, let alone being inside a GP. The loud and different sound makes what’s called the “atmosfere”, and it makes for an esqusite sensation… and that’s one of the main reasons to pay hundreds of cash to watch a GP, to fell what you can’t feel on TV

          2. @matt90 What do you mean, it’s “incorrect”? It’s his opinion. Before he was an f1 pilot, he was a fan who was inspired as a little kid by the thunder of the engines that you feel in your chest while they’re not even in view yet. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like it – get over it.

          3. It’s an opinion which doesn’t make sense. If he was talking about F1 it would, but generalising all motorsport as relying heavily on volume to have any kind of essence is nonsense. He also doesn’t phrase it as an opinion (although maybe that’s been lost in translation). He states that volume is the essence of motorsport- not specifically for him. If he doesn’t like it that’s fine (and good to see a driver actually giving his own opinion), but he should explain it coherently and without putting his own opinions on all fans. Also, the sound is a target which seems misplaced. It’s certainly not going to change within this year, and there is already a group looking at what could be done for next year. So strongly and repeatedly criticising the sound just talks down the sport, which has happened so much already this year, often for the wrong reasons. Pointing out the stupidity of double points at least hopefully works towards them getting rid of it next year.

          4. When the cars only go in a straight line

            F1 cars also go in straight line…

            The key word you missed there is only.

          5. When people listen to their favorite music they tend to increase the volume, because by doing so they also increase the enjoyment. The new engines just don’t cut it for most fans. check out this clip, its a good comparison of 2013 and 2014
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4Dh_EAfJI

          6. @matt90 It’s an opinion that doesn’t make sense to you – that doesn’t make it wrong. That’s the great thing about opinions, they are completely subjective. We’re talking about a philosophical debate here, we’re all free to believe what we want, and none of us is wrong. The interviewer asked for an opinion, and the interviewee gave an opinion – and yes, it was *his* opinion. What in the article leads you to believe that anybody was talking for you? I didn’t see “and matt90 knows I’m right!” written anywhere. Why would Seb be speak for anyone but himself?

          7. Okay, so when I said ‘incorrect’ it might have been a bit strong. Instead I should have said under-developed and unexplained.

            Where he said “We run the risk of losing the essence of motor sport.” As I said, perhaps something was lost in translation. To me, as it is, it reads as ‘the essence of all motorsport is danger and loudness.’ If that isn’t a bold and divisive statement (considering a lot of people surely just take the essence of motor sport as being motor +sport) then I don’t know what is, considering the many fantastic forms of racing which exist and are surely quieter than current F1.

        2. @beejis60 you do realize that there are electric powered dragsters that are in the low 7s high 6s…probably not since drag racing isn’t your thing. And they make far less noise and accelerate faster than many top tier race cars that people tend to complain about and the experience of speed isn’t any different to the driver at the end of the day. The fans think to much of themselves when it comes to racing, and at the end of the day we fans are only a piece the entirety of racing could probably get on with out us just to for the ego of winning.

          I’ve been to drag race events in person and though the electric cars are not yet 300 mph machines, soon some day they will be and people will have to except the silence. Innovation trumps any whimsical nostalgia or scenic aspirations.

          1. @magillagorilla I wouldn’t call electric (racing) cars as innovation. First of all, first electric vehicles were invented one hundred or so years ago. Second, electric cars does not make much sense and I doubt they are the future, more as current fashion. People imagine that they are clean, but they aren’t. Process of making electricity also polutes atmosphere, especially if you make electricity from coal (currently most electricity in the world comes from coal, which is very dirty fuel).

            I don’t really like current engines, but you could call them near future, because efficiency is the real “green” technology.

            Talking about further future, I would say hydrogen powered cars have the most perpective.

          2. @osvaldas31 in the sense of applications yes it is innovative just as VVT and selective cylinder drives (AFM) are for gasoline powered vehicles compared to those of 80 years ago. No one said it was new, and new =/= innovative.

            Also each application of energy harvesting have pollution aspects to them, people are vastly big on hydrogen fuel (me as well), but the process to make it is quite prone to pollution. And thus probably will be in the same path as all “green vehicles” they’ll have a market but no one energy source will be the Prince of the mole hill.

      2. @matt90 I don’t see it as ridiculous. He’s shared his own experience, given arguments about it. He explained plenty of times what he felt the first time he saw a F1 car in person, and I couldn’t agree more.

        I still remember the time I went to see an exhibition of the Williams BMW in 2004 here in Buenos Aires. When the car started and rolled out of the pitlane, everyone went totally silent and the sound of it intoxicated the people. Argies are known to be quite loud at sporting events but during those laps, everyone was just slient.

        I vividly remember standing at Ascari corner seeing the car coming, the roar of that 3.0 V10 engine heading towards me, watching it go past, THEN hearing the noise blast and THEN the sound of the wind.

        It was absolutely mindblowing. It’s something that’s now gone and I doubt it’ll ever return, but it does impact you. Imagine in the next 20 years or so, when cars go silent, you’ll be saying the same thing. I guess that’s his feeling towards it.

        I personally quite like the new sounds, but I don’t see why Vettel cannot share his opinion on the matter. He doesn’t like it, who are we to judge that? specially with such arguments.

        The weird thing is that… he’s saying what Mark Webber was saying last year, that this formula was not that appealing to him.

        1. @Fer-no65 Many of us have experienced that on multiple occasions, and it’s irrelevant and only shows personal bias. The sports are about technology and winning and being fast all of which they are still doing, noises and smells are only secondary to what is primary. Telling a sorry of emotional knee jerking, rather than looking and the great logical engineering feats because noise is gone, is quite childish. (on Vettel’s part)

          1. There still has to be room for criticism… They are still fast and winning and about technology with double points. Yet that idea is stupid.

        2. Again, you’re talking about only F1. Vettel was not. Does Argentinian touring cars racing not have the essence of motorsport because it’s not as loud as F1 was last year?

          1. Vettel: “We are a sport that is famous for being loud and dangerous. We run the risk of losing the essence of motor sport.” Agree entirely!!! But, as I see it, in this neo-liberal society, F1 spirit is about winning with ecological cars, with low costs in fuel and team organization…and huge profits for those who organize races, celebrate GP contracts, and sell cars. Engine noise nor sense of danger are considered any more. And don’t even try to complain, because if you do, you’re considered an idiot, distant from reality. But I’m with you Vettel. Please, don’t stop complaining!

            @matt90 : “It’s an opinion which doesn’t make sense.” For you other’s opinions don’t ever make sense…Probably my impression. But, I think everyone understands that he was mentioning F1 as the core of Motorsport. And is it not? And if it fails, doesn’t it reflect on the other levels of Motorsport? That’s why, for me, what it says does make every sense.

      3. Imagine there are two kinds of racing. One with an full electric motor(Formula E) and one with a turbocharged V10 engine. The speeds/Aero/drivers are the same. Which kind of racing would you prefer.? The one with the screaming V10 or the one where the only sound is the tyre squeal?.
        The answer to a simple question like this would determine if people prefer loud noises or otherwise.

        1. But that’s not the question, its not a single objective problem. For example, many people see F1 at the forefront of technology, and a V10 normally aspirated engine is not.

          It’s more complex than you make out @rojov123

          1. Which is funny, considering the outdated technology produced some of the most powerful engines F1 had ever seen. But apparently “forefront of technology” for many people has nothing to do with speed, nor improving the show.

          2. @john-h It is not so complex. It was a simple question as to how many fans would prefer the screaming V10s over the completely quite and green electric motors if the racing was the same. So, the only variable in question is the engine and the sound. You said “many people see F1 at the forefront of technology, and a V10 normally aspirated engine is not.”. Considering that a fully electric motor which can last a race distance will be much more “forefront of technology” than the presently existing hybrids, The million dollar question is – How many present formula 1 fans would prefer completely silent electric engines over the V10s? The question is as simple as it can get.

          3. @dennis – If the turbo cars were allowed to use the same fuel and revs as the non-Turbo cars, I think we’d all see the turbo cars would be much faster. As it sits they’re limited by the FIA via fuel usage. They’re using what is it, 60% less fuel and less downforce to turn the times they are currently.

            The v6 cars will never sound as good as the NA V10 cars. It’s just the nature of engines, the turbo cars will always be quieter and less exotic sounding. Especially when they’re revving lower. But the “green” benefits are so obvious it’s incredible: these cars are putting out more power with considerably less fuel. They just don’t sound sexy. That sexy sound energy is being recycled into power via turbos.

        2. @rojov123 Honestly, if Formula E was developed enough to produce better racing, it would be a no brainer.

          1. If both races were held at the same time in tracks that are close to each other, It would also be a no-brainer that the track hosting the electric version would be mostly empty of spectators. Almost all of them would be at the track which has the V10s.
            Doesn’t that explain it?

        3. But we aren’t talking about a choice between lots of noise and no noise.

          1. @matt90 So are you saying that no sound is a turn off even though the technology being used is futuristic?

          2. I’m not even talking about no sound. I’m talking about reduced volume as Vettel was.

        4. Rooney, @rojov123 , You’re asking a false question. The two choices are not extreme noise or no noise, but somewhere in between for both. If you like extreme noise, then go to drag races. Even V10 era F1 sounds pathetic compared to a drag racer, so is it lesser for it?
          The other problem is your comparison of Formula E to F1 and pretending the noise is the deciding factor. That is complete KahKah. FE is a new series that doesn’t go nearly as fast yet. Come back in 10 years when it’s had time to develop the tech and has cars turning the same lap times as F1 and then ask that question. THEN you can find out which people prefer.

          1. This is not about what kind of noise level I like. It is simply a question to gauge any fan’s preference. It is a question put forth to both the lovers and haters of the new F1 sound. A lot of people have said-“We don’t care about the sound as long as the racing is good”. Don’t bring other sports into it to challenge and falsely refute the question.
            As for comparing FE and F1, I didn’t. I specifically said “The speeds/Aero/drivers are the same.”
            The fact that you are bluntly evading the question and replying without actually reading anything and trying to bring completely irrelevant points(drag race sound..seriously? Why not just go to an airport and sit under a aircraft engine) has made it clear that you are simply creating an unwarranted debate only to suit your own views.

      4. +1.

        In ten years time al major motorsport categories will be much quieter than they were used to be. Seb, get over it.

        1. Oh, please…

          “There won’t be any supercars after the Bugatti Veyron. – Jeremy Clarkson ~ 2005.”

          1. And yet the latest and greatest super cars have hi-bred engines controlled by computers. Watch Top Gear to see them in action. They blow away conventional ‘super’ cars.

          2. @dennis And I still believe him. There have been plenty of ‘great’ cars, but the Bugatti Veyron still is the ultimate say in supercars for me, and no doubt many others. This has been the case for almost a decade (just typing that is making me seem old at 19 now) and therefore it is not unreasonable to say that Clarkson is right (and will continue to be right until something comes along that can top the Veyron, I’m not holding out on that)

    2. The point Vettel made was from his perspective, nothing to be said about that. But repeating the same thing over and over does make one look like a little girl. Jenson Button said somewhere (I think in Malaysia), that if Vettel doesn’t like the sport, he should do something else.

      I have been to only one race in my life. It was the V8 era (2011 or 12), and after the race start, I had a five minute headache. That’s when I decided never to watch a race on track. I can only imagine what it’s like to be inside the cockpit for nearly 2 hours. So I have no idea what he’s complaining about.

      Actually, I have a hunch — Vettel always whines about everything unless they go his way.

      1. @roxtarisback So, if you can’t stand loud noises, then you can’t understand what he’s complaining about? Wow, as it happens quite a few people(the majority I would say) like the unique super-loud noise of F1 and agree with him and not with you. But yeah since he doesn’t agree with you, its Vettel who always complains. Pathetic

        1. @montreal95 The point is, it’s all subjective for everyone. @roxtarisback was talking about the V8’s. Several people, myself included, have experience of the V10 era, which was a different,more palatable noise – still massively loud but less ear-piercing.

          The new PUs are much more intricate and interesting to listen to. No longer is the entire operation of the car blanketed out aurally by a wall of noise.

          1. @optimaximal I agree completely. I didn’t like the V8 noise, it was dull and paled in comparison to the V10. I also like the complexity of the new engine noise, even if I’d prefer it to be louder

            But the post I was replying to wasn’t written from a purely subjective point of view. It was like: I can’t stand loud noises(on a sidenote I specifically made a point of removing the ear-plugs once in a while in the race and during the start for a few secs, and never had any headaches), therefore no one can, so the complaining is not reasonable, and purely ’cause its SV. Disrespectful and patronizing in the extreme

      2. @montreal95: “So I have no idea what he’s complaining about.” Well, I have to be honest. I have no idea how you’re a F1 fanatic…

        1. @yes-master I didn’t say that. Are you sure you’re answering to the right person?

          1. @montreal95, you’re right, my bad. My comment was not directed to you. Sorry.

            It was to @roxtarisback.

      3. @roxtarisback

        “But repeating the same thing over and over does make one look like a little girl. Jenson Button …”

        Doesn’t Jenson go on like a little girl about the lack of pace in the McLaren, etc…?

        So one: he should leave McLaren
        two: shut up.
        three: stop answering the same questions posed to him over and over again or

        four: perhaps fans should realize drivers don’t run around seeking journalists and media folks to talk to so they can whing about some issue.

        I can see your (and others) criticism if Vettel was out on Twitter posting these musings. But of the top drivers, he actually doesn’t have a Twitter account. Very thoughtful of him really. He’s asked a question and then answers it.

        99% of what gets circulated as news is not news. The only thing new in Spain will be whatever updates that are brought and whether they work. Though the reporting will be all rather repetitive with such insightful questions as:

        “Do you think these upgrades will work?”
        “Will you continue to try and improve your car for this weekend?”
        “Will you try to qualify on Saturday?”
        “Will you try to finish and finish well on Sunday?”

        Burning questions we fans all MUST know! lol.

    3. If you’ve been to an F1 race under the old regs the cars were so loud it was ridiculous. I mean ear plugs on you the kids the wife or you’d suffer. Mind you I’d still like to wear ear plugs around the wife!

    4. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
      6th May 2014, 8:05

      @cstonehouse – Whilst that is potentially a touch overt, Vettel in 2014 is certainly a bit of a puzzle. This should be the season in which Vettel proves his quality beyond doubt and that he is not merely flattered by a dominant car, but instead people like me, who were hoping for an end to absurd allegations of averageness on the part of Vettel, have been profoundly disappointed. He has been average, and compared to Ricciardo, you could even say he has been lacklustre. And off the track the sunny outlook and joke-a-minute Vettel of 2013 is gone, instead replaced by a more downbeat, reflective Sebastian. But why? That, I think, is the most juicy question raised by 2014 so far…

      Those that look at the Chinese GP and say “ahah! I told you it was the car!” are deluded. Sebastian Vettel is quite simply one of finest racing drivers to have graced the cockpit of an F1 car, and there quite obviously a tangible reason for his emphatic downturn in form. I would attribute it to a mixture of driving style and experience. The nature of Vettel’s career so far is rather out of the ordinary, in that ever since he signed for Red Bull in just his second full season, he has had a car capable of a podium at worst, and utterly dominant at best. By comparison, a substantial chunk of Alonso’s career has been spent dragging more average cars further up the grid, so Fernando has been naturally impressive this year. Vettel already rolled the car through the apex with plenty of throttle before F1, but it was a style that perfectly suited the exhaust blown diffuser, and Vettel tailored it further in 2011 to incorporate the Pirelli tyres. Vettel made the shift from Bridgestone to Pirelli rubber so seamlessly that many thought (myself included) such versatility would aid the transition in 2014, but that hasn’t been the case. Was the constant presence of unrivaled levels of Newey grip a dominant factor in Vettel’s seamless tyre transition? Without the rear grip of the past, and with the immense torque preventing Vettel from throttling up early, as he did before, his old style is defunct. Vettel will find a new way, but it may take a while.

      What is arguably more interesting is Vettel’s new demeanour. Is he, like Hamilton in 2013, simply angry with himself for not extracting the maximum from the car? Is he depressed in the knowledge that he won’t be able, in all likelihood, to fight for the championship this year? In which case, is he reasonably expecting to win the title every year in F1? Is he alienated with the new era of F1? Is it the effect of a newly competitive teammate? Yes, Vettel is not driving at his best, but I have no doubt that Ricciardo is doing a substantially better job relative to Vettel than Webber was doing in previous years. I do hope Vettel is not down merely because the chances of a fifth consecutive title look bleak, especially whilst fellow champions Button, Alonso and Raikkonen remain motivated in slower cars with even bleaker prospects. That said, if Vettel is taking the purist’s line and is alienated with the new era, we might see him “do a Webber” within a few years, which would see F1 lose one of its very finest. Vettel, like his Spanish and Finnish equivalents, is something of an enigma…

      1. @william-brierty Agreed, and as I had mentioned in a post yesterday, given that RBR felt ‘conspired against’ when they (all) had EBD effect reduced greatly, and given Mateschitz verbiage about pulling out of F1 not being ruled out, I wonder if there is an atmosphere that is pervasive on the team that they have been greatly conspired against with this wholely new formula and where it has left them. Perhaps they feel robbed, even though the other side of that coin is that they had the same chance as everyone to nail this year’s car, but didn’t. We’ll never know the answer but it would be hard to imagine hearing the same things from SV and Mateschitz if they had remained dominant out of the box. DR has never had it so good as to be at RBR so is just carrying on with it while the team is stuck lamenting no longer having what they had.

        I think, like others, that SV is sounding like he is pouting, but it can’t be easy for any driver to have had what he has had and then no longer have it, and have everything now be a struggle. That said, I would have preferred to see him more grateful for all that he has on his CV, and just bear down and take up this new challenge. If he could do that, and come back and win another WDC next year or the one after, it might be his most special and memorable one for the greater struggle it took to get there. Meanwhile he gets to be rich and famous all the while doing what he loves…although…if he no longer loves it…

        1. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
          6th May 2014, 17:55

          @robbie – Personally, I have been profoundly disappointed by Red Bull’s attitude, and particularly Vettel’s. In a year where he should be proving that he is competitive even outside of a dominant car he is appearing bitter because, as you say, it is difficult to imagine such comments if he was winning. Maybe he is a true F1 purist, and I would respect him if he is, but I simply can’t imagine him attacking a sport if it continued to be the stage of his own supreme dominance.

          1. I have been profoundly disappointed by Red Bull’s attitude

            Specially considering their engine supplier was the one requesting the engine formula change.

          2. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
            7th May 2014, 11:21

            @dre01ss – To be fair Mercedes too lobbied for the change owing to the fact that had kept developing KERS technology even after it was abandoned following 2009. The incredible straight line speed the W02 managed was attributed at the time to a larger DRS slot gap, we know now it had more to do with how advanced Mercedes’ KERS technology was.

      2. @william-brierty, agree with almost everything you said. The problem is Vettel is feeling what every champion feels when they don’t have the package to fight for the win (the car is the issue, not the driver or the team. In the original article, he compares the car with a person or an animal, like a relation between jokey and horse per example. He says the car doesn’t talk to him any more). He knows that and he’s angry. With himself, with the rules, with all the world! And, to me, as a fan, it is a delight to watch him angry like that. Is the proof that he hasn’t felt into depression. He wants to fight! And he has to! He’s a forth winning F1 champion. And, like you said, and I complete, he’s one the finest pilots ever, without any doubt. So, I know, he’ll do better. I’m sure of it.

        1. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
          6th May 2014, 17:43

          @yes-master – That’s not quite what I said. Vettel certainly had the best style to cope with the previous era of F1, but it was only a partially engineered solution: in other words, he’s always rolled the car through corners. But, due to the fact that there is no stylistic carry over for driving in 2014 (unless you have a “classical” style like Hamilton, or, like the styles of Alonso and Button, use a more front-limited style), and therefore Vettel is faced with the ultimate challenge in motorsport: to completely change his driving style. If he achieves this, his greatness is secure, but it will take time, and in that time the inevitable Mercedes champion success (I would be profoundly disappointed in Vettel if the root of his new found misery is simply the fact that he will inevitably not take the title this year – no driver can reasonably expect titles every year) and better results on the opposite side of the garage may start to take their mental toll. Can we place Vettel in the same league as Alonso, among the true greats of our sport? Vettel’s results this year, and moreover his motivation will go some way towards answering that…

          1. @william-brierty, I completed what you said “Sebastian Vettel is quite simply one of finest racing drivers to have graced the cockpit of an F1 car…” with my answer to your doubt about “Vettel’s new demeanour”.
            As to your recent comment, you see, for me is quite simple. You can have whatever driving style you want, but in the end, to win, you have to have a great car. And Vettel doesn’t have one this year. That’s the existential problem he’s living with and not the possibility of loosing one championship. For what I understand, he wants a competitive car and to feel the F1 adrenaline, with engine noise, etc. I want too, as a fan. But, things have changed, so he has to adapt himself. Won’t be easy, specially with so many negative comments around his public thoughts.
            But, don’t have doubts, for me, his greatness is well secured. He won 4 titles, doesn’t need to proof nothing more. And history will always remind him as true great. Hence, my question: are you an Alonso fanatic? “Can we place Vettel in the same league as Alonso, among the true greats of our sport?” Because, for my point of view, Alonso has to look up, not the other way around. IMO, they are amazing drivers. But, for now, Vettel is better as he won more.

          2. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
            7th May 2014, 11:13

            @yes-master

            You can have whatever driving style you want, but in the end, to win, you have to have a great car.

            Not true. Motorsport is littered with examples of careers ruined by an inability to engineer driving solutions to car balances. Mark Webber in the Pirelli era would be one example, Nelson Piquet in the non-turbo cars another, and what any journalist or engineer will therefore tell you is that the best drivers are the ones that can change their driving styles (if you saw DTM at the weekend you would also note that whilst di Resta was struggling readapting to DTM cars, da Costa adapted to them easily). Vettel must adapt, it will take time, he’s starting from zero, but theoretically the Singapore GP will tell us whether Vettel is going to feature in coming championship fights in the new era. If Vettel succeeds, and if the RB11 can match the W06, I would imagine that all the “whinging” will stop.

            Vettel is better as he won more.

            Whilst I don’t want to turn this into “my favourite driver is better than your favourite driver”, I can’t help but criticize your criteria for greatness. Is Schumacher therefore unrivaled in status? I am an admirer of Alonso (as the #14 avatar makes blatantly obvious), but I have no qualms in admitting he is a poor qualifier. And yet, as someone who knows about vehicular dynamics, I have absolutely no doubts over the fact that he is the not only the best on the grid, but one of the all time greats. Vettel by comparison has lead something of a privileged career and simply doesn’t have the experience of a below par car that Alonso has; and it’s showing. That said, Vettel is a great racing driver, and has been handed an opportunity to become an all time great, let’s hope, if only to silence his critics, that he succeeds…

          3. You can have whatever driving style you want, but in the end, to win, you have to have a great car.

            Didn’t said that driving style was not relevant. Simply pointed that, aside the driving style, the car is also a nuclear part of the winning equation (pilot+car+team). But, most of times, the car, as the result of the other efforts combined, tends to be the most important part of the equation. Probably I’m wrong, but that’s not important.

            I can’t help but criticize your criteria for greatness

            That’s not my criteria. That’s History’s criteria, an objective one. Schumacher is the best pilot ever as he won more. However, my (subjective) criteria says different: Senna is/was the best pilot. But, It’s all about memory. Our generation knows Senna to be the best pilot ever, because we saw him racing. But, for future generations probably won’t be like that. And for those, records will count more. The same happens with other sports. People tend to choose those who win more. And what Schumacher won makes him, by far, the most succeeded F1 pilot ever. That said, I would like to watch Alonso and Vettel trying to get there. They have the talent and the will, and the team. But not the car.
            And now, a little secret: they are my actual favourite pilots in F1.

          4. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
            7th May 2014, 20:41

            @yes-master – I think a few words of advice are needed here. Firstly, it tends not to strengthen your argument by admitting you are “probably wrong”. That said, you are right there, you were, because the most dominant racing car imaginable would be little more than a sculpture without a driver able to extract performance from it. Being comfortable and knowing how to extract performance from your machinery is the entirety of a racing driver’s performance; the entirety of the car’s performance, no matter how fast it is capable of being.

            Secondly, history has no judgement. History is merely data to which we cast judgement in hindsight, and the fact that Senna won three titles, two fighting against the great Alain Prost, and had a career cut short is data that will stand forever, and hopefully ensure the validity of Ayrton’s case to legendary greatness for all of history. If we transfer the Senna vs Schumacher framework onto modern day, whilst Vettel’s raw statistics look better, marginally, the fact that Alonso had the opportunity to add a further three titles to his tally had the finales of 2007/10/12 gone in his favour will equally never be forgotten.

    5. coefficient
      6th May 2014, 9:52

      He won’t be happy until he gets his blown diffusor back. Fortunately for the rest of us that will never happen. I think he will be even more upset come weekend when Mercedes bring updates and remain out in front by a decent chunk.

      I would suggest his first order of business should be to concentrate on getting on terms with his teammate rather than waste time waiting for a rule change that will favour him to be introduced.

      1. “I would suggest his first order of business should be to concentrate on getting on terms with his teammate rather than waste time waiting for a rule change that will favour him to be introduced.”

        When has he ever said that he is waiting for the rules to be changed?

    6. It was an interview and they asked him again his opinion about this new Formula and he answered them again with what he believes. It’s not like he calls the press and tells the editor to write that in their magazine over again and again. @cstonehouse

    7. As others have pointed out he was asked his opinion and he gave it. The real test will be the comparison between the GP2 times and the F1 times this weekend in Spain. If the F1 cars are barely faster than GP2, then I think more people will align themselves with Vettel’s opinion that F1 risks losing it’s appeal.

      1. That is a huge IF though @velocityboy, as even during testing the slowest times were better than current GP2 times already If I remember right (or was that by the time they came to Bahrain?).

        1. it is a big IF, and I think it will be down to how much people this F1 cars should be faster than GP2 cars. Personally I think the gap should be several seconds, but if it’s not I’m not going to stop watching, but my belief that F1 is the pinnacle of motor sports may take a hit. It all depends on what each person expects from the sport and for some the sound is a part of it.

    8. Until I see it confirmed that this was not based on an older interview I will restrain myself from making fun of Seb.

      But really this is not an opinion I value much nor put much weight in.

    9. Vettel needs to stop being such a cry baby. There is no way he would be making any of these statements if he was winning, or not getting his rear kicked by his teammate

  2. Hamilton seems a lot more rounded this year, not only in his driving but especially in the way he conducts himself. He really seems much more at ease, more down-to-earth and much more likeable this year. I really think and hope he’ll get the title.

    1. Everything is just so much easier when you have the car he has.
      He has been this good for years, but just didn’t have the equipment.
      And when you are happy in the car you’ll be more happy outside of the car.

      1. BJ (@beejis60)
        6th May 2014, 0:40

        Except in 2007 and 2012.

        1. I 2007 he was under immense pressure from his double world champion teammate and in 2012, Mclaren was hardly a soothing place to be, especially with a big career changing decision over his head.

          1. @theo-hrp I’d say it was less the pressure and more the fact that McLaren was basically exploding that did his chances in. China’s gaff was just the icing on the cake.

      2. @solidg indeed.

        You tend to be more solid when your equipment is solid. You risk more and make more mistakes when your equipment is not that good.

      3. True. I guess it’s easy to be a good winner and easy to be a sore loser. I must say Vettel’s not been the best loser recently!

  3. Seb is a great driver, but he really needs to be careful what he says as he is just coming across as a bad loser now.

  4. Just quit whining and shut up!

  5. PMccarthy_is_a_legend (@pmccarthy_is_a_legend)
    6th May 2014, 0:14

    Of course you don’t like the engines Seb. What a silly, hypocritical and hollow comment… Newsflash Seb, we can see what you are doing!
    I think he has been hanging around too long with Christian Horner…

    1. I believe he is just saying what we are all thinking, and the media is trying to make us think what they want us to think.

      1. what we are all thinking

        Citation needed.

        1. @austus – “Citation needed.”

          Bingo. The technology, power and efficiency is inspiring. It’s fascinating to watch the best of drivers struggle with such massive torque. And I don’t mind the sound at all.

          1. I’ve seen Can Am races and modern F1 has anything BUT ‘massive’ torque…

          2. @dennis Much bigger than the previous V8’s though

          3. @bullmello
            That massive torque? ;)

        2. @austus @jcost Rather a clarification: The voice to all F1 fans who believe the noise to be a very important part of the F1 experience. Of which there are many

          No need to bash him just because it’s Vettel who says that

          1. @montreal95 Seb has his opinion and there’s no need to bash him. I admit to be a lover of the loud engines but new PU will never kill my vibe, there’s more in F1 for me.

        3. @austus

          well, Ferrari did do a survey of F1 fans a while back who weren’t very happy with the current formula.

          1. OK, please tell me you were being sarcastic? Seriously, a team who’s having a horrific season (by there standards), does a survey on their own website (where only their fans are likely to be) and allows them to self select who will take the survey and how many times….and you consider that a valid survey? LMAO!

            I just took a survey: The greatest team that ever played any sport, anywhere, anytime is the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers! Hey, it must be true because everyone I asked on the Steeler’s website said so! LOL

      2. @irejag as a tv viewer I don’t miss the sound at all, because I like the loud cars I expect to miss that roar next time a attend a GP but I’m not quitting GPs because cars are quieter. That’s not the essence of F1 for me.

      3. No, irejag, that is not what we’re all thinking. A small, but VERY loud minority made a huge amount of noise about it…but that does not mean we are “all thinking that”.

  6. Well, that choice of a lead story is sure to foster lots of “discussion” (to use the term generously).

    What so many people conveniently forget is that Vettel has been talking about the importance of engine noise for years now. It isn’t new. Not that reminding people of that makes any difference at all, of course.

    (By the way, @keithcollantine, the link above isn’t to the article; here’s the link: http://www.focus.de/sport/formel1/motorsport-vettel-erneuert-kritik-an-formel-1-technikrevolution_id_3817715.html)

    1. Thanks for the link there aka_Robyn!

  7. I guess Taki’s now off the X-mas card list

    1. Hilarious!

      Actually I expect Honda to be alright. The formula should be mix their in-house expertise with best ideas from Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari’s PU.

      1. @jcost indeed, they surely already have received all the data McLaren has about the clever Mercedes PU design. I cannot imagine such a legendary association to fail big time.

    2. To be fair to Taki, even if he has not made his point in the most eloquent way, it is true that Honda have kind of stuttered in their recent motorsport efforts.

      For a start, Honda have virtually vanished from Formula 3 – out of all eight of the active Formula 3 series there are only three teams using Mugen-Honda engines, with most series either using Mercedes, Volkswagen or Toyota engines.
      In the WTCC, they have been demolished by Citroen so far this season and only won the 2013 manufacturer trophy because Chevrolet did not have an official works team (otherwise Chevrolet would have thrashed them last year as well). Their GT efforts are OK at least, but not as competitive as they were a few years ago, and in the Super Formula (the renamed Formula Nippon series) the signs are that Toyota might have the upper hand over them in that series too.

      What might not bode well for McLaren is that Honda’s F1 engine program is rumoured to be a spin off from their Formula Nippon series engine, which is why they were already bench testing their engine in the middle of last year (Formula Nippon is using a 2.0 litre V6 engine for this season).
      However, that also means that the engine architecture was already relatively fixed before any details of the Mercedes engine might have been revealed, making it questionable how much they could gain from any information McLaren might glean from Mercedes (which, given Mercedes are taking great pains to avoid the transfer of information to Honda, won’t be easy).

  8. Shut up Seb – New Peter Griffin Quote

  9. petebaldwin (@)
    6th May 2014, 0:30

    Lol at Taki! :D

    Seb has a point but it’s been done now. If you listen back to races from last year, I really miss the sound. I actually think the longer it goes, the more people will miss it. Nothing we can do a bout it now though. It’s gone so time to move on.

    1. or the longer it goes, more people will get used to it, as with the platypuss noses en so on…

      1. Cocaine-Mackeine
        6th May 2014, 2:42

        Sorry but I won’t get used to te dicky noses…..

      2. Yeah. I hated the 09 cars, I’m “used” to them now. I still dislike them, but it’s not something I notice.

        I’ll eventually get used to F1 cars flatulating around like IndyCars, rather than the exotic screaming one might expect from the pinnacle of motorsports.

  10. So Mercedes is using a psychologist now eh? To be honest I don’t know why they invited him to the race, he should stay in Brackley pestering the aerodynamicists and wind tunnel engineers :p

  11. Seb is turning into a bit of a whinny b$%ch.

    I for one think the technology in F1 today is brilliant. Whats the point in calling yourself a sport that at the pinnacle of autoracing when you’re running out dated technology? Would you rather have the 918 or a Murcielago?

    People, including Bernie and Seb, need to accept reality. It appears that they are trying pretty hard not to. F1’s current formula is the future. As I said before, every major car manufacturer will be investing in this type of technology now..which could only bode well for the sport.

    1. Possibly the Murcielago actually, at least if it’s the SV.

    2. OmarR-Pepper (@)
      6th May 2014, 2:34

      The Murcielago SV (Sebastian Vettel… sorry Super Veloce)

    3. The cold and clinical German, or the big shouty mental Italian… it’s not exactly a fair comparison :-P

  12. Autosport has an article with Derek Warwick saying F1 needs to be more spectacular…
    http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113790

    How much more spectacular can you make cars that are struggling to put so much power down?! *sigh*

    1. LEDs everywhere.

      Flashing!

      Flashing LEDs everywhere. And lions.

      1. @elbasque and don’t forget the Bernie law sprinkler system, at an instant the race can be turned into a down pour. Oh the joy of what was sure to be a runaway win from lap 1, to a now 5 way battle for the lead.

        Gimmicks, gimmicks everywhere

      2. @elbasque Lions… LEDS… AND SHARKS! Sharks with fricking laser beams on their foreheads!

        And pits full of rabid Alsatians!

    2. @scottie F1 fans are really becoming spoiled. It’s the only sport which changes rules almost every year according to what the fans may like, and of course, are unable to come to a right solution. Other sports don’t change their rules as much as F1 does, and it’s not that we have legions of fans clamouring for change there.

      1. +1 for COTD

      2. @wrsgo I think the number of changes year to year has been a more recent phenomenon, and they certainly don’t act quickly based on what the fans want but on what they think the fans might want. Double points would already be a distant memory if that were the case.

        As to Warwick saying F1 needs to be spectacular…sure…hard to argue that, but I would substitute sparks flying and glowing brakes for the spectacular racing LH and NR gave us in Bahrain any day. I envision fans flocking to races not to be dazzled by shiny lures, but rather because they know there is going to be some spectacular wheel to wheel battles on the track.

        As soon as we have more battles like Bahrain, forgotten will be the quieter engines. Remove unspectacular DRS, reduce aero, and tighten up the field, and that will be spectacular enough for me.

  13. caci99 (@)
    6th May 2014, 0:44

    Come on Vettel, you are a lot younger than me, but making a lot more resistence to changes.

    1. I’m probably younger than you too, but I am no fan of unnecessary change or change just for the sake of it either.

      1. I think you’ll find the engine formula change was pretty ‘necessary’.

      2. caci99 (@)
        6th May 2014, 8:57

        It is not just for the sake of changing, this is a complete new challenging formula. And Vettel with his attitude is not helping or being cooperative. What is happening in F1 right now, is quite exciting from the engineer point of view but drivers as well. We have cars with smaller engines and less fuel at disposal doing almost the same lap times as before, and much more torque at lower revs which is affecting drivers up and down the grid.

  14. If anything is going to reduce the appeal of F1, it’s going to be its leading driver telling everybody that the sport is rubbish.

    1. Chris (@tophercheese21)
      6th May 2014, 2:26

      +1 million.

    2. Cocaine-Mackeine
      6th May 2014, 2:51

      Agree with you man, the number 1 driver it’s going quite down for his mouth.

  15. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    6th May 2014, 2:32

    Vettel sounds so bad now!!! He needs to work silently so nobody can accuse him of trying to get taylormade rules . And I’m a Seb fan.
    On the other hand, to @cornflakes, when you say Ham is more thoughtful this year, he is as forgetful or saying the “extra-word” as always. The way he commented about Schum’s health, about “I learnt my skills from Senna (it sounded to me as “I’m as good as him”, maybe true, but you don’t say that on the 20th anniversary of Ayrton’s passing away) and forgeting all he said last year about “I don’t want to win in a dominant car” and now saying “I enjoy leading for a big advantage (Who doesn’t I know)… well, Seb and Lewis need to take “think before you speak 101”

    1. (it sounded to me as “I’m as good as him”, maybe true, but you don’t say that on the 20th anniversary of Ayrton’s passing away)

      He said no such thing, implied no such thing, and intended no such thing. If you took that message then you didn’t read what he actually said properly.

  16. Did Red Bull want the V10 engines back when they were dominating in the later phases of the V8 era?

    RBR really need to stop whining about engines, they are by far the worst losers F1 has ever came across. Not even Ferrari’s complaints about tyres in 2005 was anywhere near this obnoxious.

    1. @kingshark

      Did Red Bull want the V10 engines back when they were dominating in the later phases of the V8 era?

      Yes, actually — if by “Red Bull” you mean “Vettel.”

      From 2011: http://grandprix247.com/2011/04/01/vettel-wants-big-horsepower-v12-engines/

  17. When Mercedes dominates it is harder than ever before, when Hamilton has the best car and wins 3 in a row is because he is a great driver.
    When it was Red Bull, it was easy, Vettel had the fastest car, they cheated overspent and were politic rats.

    Mercedes and Hamilton = JOKE

    1. Hey, Marko.

      Say hello to Seb from me.

    2. @Bruno Marko I’d really love a signed hat from Daniel he’s putting on a great drive.

  18. “Wir sind eine Sportart, die dafür berühmt ist, laut und gefährlich zu sein. Wir laufen Gefahr, den Kern des Motorsports und unsere Traditionen zu verlieren.”
    “We are a sport which is known for being loud and dangerous. We’re in danger of loosing motorsport’s core and our traditions.”

    Here’s a piece Joe Saward wrote yesterday in response to Vettel’s criticism, and I completely agree with him (for once).

    Vettel’s comments (not explicitly in the Focus article) are very shallow and short-sighted. There’s a reason why F1 switched to V6 Turbo engines and that’s road-relevance. Mercedes has already produced some brilliant ads this year – it’s of course a bit exaggerated, but at least now Mercedes is able to sale their cars through F1.

    In my opinion, motorsport is in danger of loosing its core values, but that has more to do with things like making the rules overcomplicated or having ridiculous amounts of staff, not engine noise or the fact that the engines don’t have 1000 bhp (seriously Vettel, that’s a ridiculous argument – in the 1950s, Fangio was 4-wheel drifting cars with less than 300 bhp).

    1. motorsport is in danger of loosing its core values

      Not all motorsport, just F1.

      If Vettel wants 1000hp and screaming engines, there’s always the TS040 in the WEC :-)

    2. @andae23 Seriously people, you have to stop with the road relevance BS, because it’s just not true: the only thing that occurs to me the F1 contributed to your everyday car is the safety test (the Euro NCAP), the engine oils, active suspension and little to nothing more.

      1. @crandreico True, but the customers don’t need to know that, do they? As long the cars have systems similar to F1 cars (so hybrid power, turbo-charged), the car companies can sell their cars claiming that ‘F1 technology’ is being used.

        1. @andae23 Marketing is a powerful tool, isn’t it? That just doesn’t change the fact that F1 contributed very little to road cars technology. For god sakes, even this year they incorporated direct injection, when my neighbour’s 2000 Renault already had it.

      2. But if the engines weren’t road relevant, the manufacturers would leave F1. Mercedes and Renault seemed to be losing interest before. Not only are they staying, Honda are joining. F1 should indeed be road relevant- when it’s necessary to ensure the series’ survival at least.

      3. Wrong Andrei. Technologies developed in F1 spills outside of road cars as well. I saw a video about a talk that had James Allen, Nick Fry, Joe Saward and a few others and they explained (responding to a question) that F1 technologies helped hospitals manage patient flow, build faster refuelling rigs for aircrafts, improved energy recovery system for trucks and buses etc. It’s not all about road cars.

        1. I was only refering to the road cars. On the real world, I know that F1 contributed to some things (such as logistics for example), but still, the innovations can be counted with both hands (if not with only one).

  19. The people who are bashing the new engine formula, Red Bull and Ferrari, are doing so for reasons that are so thinly disguised that it is now becoming a bit of a joke. They are knocking the rules because Mercedes have got one up on them at this stage and they don’t like it. To quote a prominent F1 figure, “tough luck”. Do a better job.

  20. I am a Vettel fan, honest, he’s my number one driver, but enough already! This is becoming his Nicole :D

  21. The new formula seems to have been a success this year so far so form the point of view of watching on the T.V all seems well and good. However the issue about engine sound is all about race going fans. The race itself is only a small part of the reason to go for the weekend as lets face it from wherever you sit you can only see one small part of the track, the rest of the time your’e looking for a large screen to watch. The reason most people I speak to go (including myself) is for the whole atmosphere and a big part of that atmosphere is the sound these cars made. So the problem you’ve got is if enough people decide that the atmosphere is sufficiently diminished enough to decide not to bother paying out the thousands they do to go (this year I’ve spent £4k on tickets, travel & hotels for my son and I for 2 races) and this has a big enough effect on the tracks income you could find venues deciding it’s not worth hosting a race (lets face it if Silverstone lost 25% or so of it’s gate receipts it would be in serious trouble) and that could be real problems for F1. Lets face it you ask any race goer to describe F1 and probably the first think that are going to say is “you’ve got to hear one they sound awesome”. People need to start thinking about what the sport needs as a whole and like it or not the sound is a big part of what F1 needs.

  22. Hahahahaha!
    Seb trying to pull the tyre’s tactic he used last year.
    This is just making him look silly and desperate.

    RIC is the man in that team.

  23. I don’t entirely agree with Seb, I’m in fact more inclined to think that these new engines were inevitable(even if I want V12’s and V10’s). But I’m completely baffled at all those who are bashing Seb, who gives his honest answers to questions journos are asking him regarding a contentious issue on which a very many F1 fans, who are not SV or RBR fans agree with him

    You disagree with him, fine, but respect his opinion. Those who cannot respect the opinions of others are unworthy of respect themselves

    P.S. Taki Inoue is the best there is, was or ever will be! :)

  24. The new formula seems to have been a success this year so far form the point of view of watching on the T.V therefore all seems well and good. However the issue about engine sound is all about race going fans. The race itself is only a small part of the reason to go for the weekend as lets face it from wherever you sit you can only see one small part of the track, the rest of the time your’e looking for a large screen to watch. The reason most people I speak to go (including myself) is for the whole atmosphere and a big part of that atmosphere is the sound these cars made. So the problem you’ve got is if enough people decide that the atmosphere is sufficiently diminished enough to decide not to bother paying out the thousands they do to go (this year I’ve spent £4k on tickets, travel & hotels for my son and I for 2 races) and this has a big enough effect on the tracks income you could find venues deciding it’s not worth hosting a race (lets face it if Silverstone lost 25% or so of it’s gate receipts it would be in serious trouble) and that could be real problems for F1. Lets face it you ask any race goer to describe F1 probably the first thing that are going to say is “you’ve got to hear one they sound awesome”. People need to start thinking about what the sport needs as a whole and like it or not the sound is a big part of what F1 needs.

  25. I do wish that some people would remember what this sport is. A sport. The “essence” F1 is one of competition. Constructor vs constructor, driver vs driver. The sound? The appearance of the cars? the grumbling and whining about rules? Meaningless and irrelevant. All these trappings to make it more entertaining are just to make the organisers more money.

    A couple of races a season like Bahrain and I’ll consider that F1 is in rude health. The rest of the time, I personally take pleasure in using the timing app to watch the battles that aren’t as obvious in the TV.

    Grumble over (for now)

  26. I heard Inoue was in the running to get a testing seat at McLaren to test the new engine for next year.

    Aaaaand it’s gone.

  27. LOL at Taki’s tweet. although the Honda BTCC isn’t doing too badly is it?

  28. I disagree with COTD.

    Even though Mercedes were nowhere at the end of 2012 (when Hamilton made a decision to join them), but I would’ve done the same intead of him (I thought this the day he signed Mercedes). Mclaren were always fast, but they were lacking mentality of championship winning team, they were not putting everything together and making lots of mistakes, so it was useless to stay there any longer.

    Meanwhile Mercedes were really restructuring and luring some big names. The fact alone that Brawn was leading the team would’ve been enough to join them, especially considering big regulation changes were coming in 2014, and we all know Brawn is a ‘specialist’ in regulation changes. Although Brawn has retired, it is him who put the team in a position, that it’s enjoying now.

  29. You do realise Seb is only answering to the media? If his opinion did not change, why should he say something different? Isn’t that what certain people asked for? Drivers that voice their opinion.

    In the case that the media will ask him another 20 times the same question and he would give 20 times the same answer: Would you then be 20 times annoyed and write here about Seb being a “bad loser”?

    Once he would say: “You asked this now 7 times already, you already know my answer.” Then he would be seen as rude on this forum and people would probably claim Ricciardo beating him is getting under his skin.

    And don’t say, he’s the only one voicing his opinion about the loudness of the engine. If there wouldn’t be an issue: Why would GP organisers say there should be something done with the noise? Why would supporters say F1 isn’t loud enough anymore? Why would Toto Wolff try to make his engines louder (ironically he contradicts his team mate Niki Lauda with that)?

  30. Regarding CotD:
    I’m one of many who thought back in 2012 that Hamilton made a big mistake by leaving McLaren. Obviously Lewis has proved me wrong and he deserves credit for his brilliant move.

    But still, I think we have to put things into perspective. Hamilton has dominated Formula One for four races now. Vettel dominated the sport for four years. Given how much people doubt Vettel, I think it’s bizarre how much Hamilton is praised for winning three races in an utterly dominant car. Sure, you could argue that Vettel had the best car during all his four WDCs, but I don’t think Vettel ever had (even in 2011 or 2013) as dominant car as Hamilton has now.

  31. I think Vettel has overlooked the fact that for most F1 fans a race is seen on TV, not from a seat at the circuit. Whether he likes it or not, a TV has a dynamic sound limitation, the viewers do not and will not get the full dynamic range of a F1 circuit. If they were to get the full dynamic range then they and all their neighbours would need hearing protection. Since most people will watch either all or nearly all the races on TV, then how loud the sound of a V6 engine is compared to a V8 or a V10 engine is irrelevant, what is relevant is the sound is recorded for broadcast at or close to the maximum allowed for TV, which could easily be the same as most TV adverts.
    To me, the biggest hindrence to F1 being watched by lots of people on TV is pay TV, not how loud the V6 engine is. If the owners of F1 want to sell the rights to pay TV companies, then F1 competitors need to accept that a percentage of their potential audience won’t be watching the race live. My guess, based on what I’ve seen here in New Zealand, is at least 80% of the potential audience won’t be watching. As far as I can tell, most people in New Zealand wouldn’t be able to pick out who last year’s F1 champion driver is, in fact they are more likely to pick the Australian V8 SuperCars champion or the NASCAR champion (both of which are Free to Air) than the F1 champion.
    If Vettel wants F1 to be popular viewing then make he should lobby for it to be free to air.

    1. Well no… i tell you that in my home all neigbors really know when im watching F1. Offcourse TV is nowhere near but with specific config of sound and with wife and kid out of home always when F1 is on TV i enjoy the sound in home also :)

    2. You’re forgetting that whilst most people do watch on the TV, if the race going fans stay away the circuits may feel the cost required to host the race is not worth paying and no venues means no racing and that means no F1.

  32. Chris (@tophercheese21)
    6th May 2014, 14:52

    Okay Seb, enough’s enough.

    We know you don’t like the new regulations, mainly because your Renault power pack stinks, but you don’t have to keep campaigning about it.

    Just get on with it, and try to make the best of a bad situation. Something you’ve not had to do for the last 4 years.

  33. Not to interrupt all the Vettel bashing, but no one seems to be bothered by Lauda’s comments in Autosport? I enjoy Lauda and his spiel, but if he truly believes what he says, that it’s harder to dominate the first 4 races in 2014 than to win 9 in a row at the end of 5 years of pretty stable regulations, all I can say is that he’s full “..it”. Especially since Merc gave themselves the longest runway to develop their car and engine for this year (sacrificing development in other years).

    Fair play to Mercedes, and mighty impressive. But Lauda really comes across as self serving and egotistical. He also swears a lot. I wonder if he will be held to a higher standard as a 3x WDC and co-head of Mercedes F1, or does Todt (for one) only reserve that for 4x WDCs?

    Anyway, sorry for being OT, back to criticism of Vettel ….

    1. @uan No worries — I think the fact that nearly every comment defending Vettel in any way has been roundly ignored indicates that you (we) are in no way interrupting the Vettel bashing. I’m sure you’re as relieved as I am! ;-)

  34. American f1
    6th May 2014, 17:32

    Of course the sound is a huge part of racing in any class from F1 to WEC, to WRC, to NASCAR. Does anyone really want to go to a track to watch a bunch of Nissan Leafs whistle around silently? We watch racing for the spectacle of man and machine pushed to the limits. We expect to witness something beyond what we drive to work every day and we as human beings experience the world through our senses, so yes, we want to see the cars rip around the track at impossible speed, we want to hear the roar/scream/rumble of the engines, we want to smell the fuel and burning rubber, and we want to feel the pressure of the cars as they fly by and feel the engines in our chests as they fire up in the pit lane and on the grid. Does anyone here watch any form of motorsport with the sound off on TV? Regardless of how popular it is to hate on Vettel, the man has a point.

  35. Vettel always complaining when he’s not winning! I actually prefer the V6 turbo to the boring V8 used from 2009-2013. Of course, V12 and V10 are the best but we can’t always have what we want. Still, at least F1 is ever-evolving!

  36. I don’t like these engines.

  37. I must say that I’m disappointed in Seb to come off so whiney lately. I have been waiting for an opportunity for him to prove that he’s the great driver some claim he already is. I’ve always said we couldn’t tell because his car was so dominant. Now he has a chance to show how he can drive without the best car on the grid and he’s spent more time whining than trying to show his grit.
    I’m going to hope this is the media…cherry picking things he says to just get clicks on web pages…and see if Seb starts to focus on his driving.
    And I’m not trying to be down on Seb. I think he’s a good driver who very well may turn out to be great, but NOW is the time to step up and prove it then.

  38. Ron (@rcorporon)
    7th May 2014, 13:24

    Lauda sure comes off as a ass in that article… but lets ensure clicks with a title that’s sure to start the anti-Seb circle-jerk!

  39. I do not believe the new power units will drive fans away – if anything does, it will be the endless boring high speed parades around Tilkedromes with no wheel-to-wheel racing.

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