F1 Fanatic

Hey folks. Just thinking; the RB8+Vettel package is very successful this year; and incredibly dominant with a very healthy lead in the title chase. Or the title getaway; you might say. Do you folks think we might see a repeat of the domination of the Schumi-Ferrari years?

Michael Schumacher in 2002 was the last driver to get points in all races in the year; and Vettel is on track to take that record up as well. He also could potentially, after this year, beat the record for number of podiums in a year (I think).

What do you all think, and why?

I hope we don’t end up with driver domination… The Shumacher – Ferrari Era was really boring, for the most part.

The Red Bull will still be strong next year, we have to wait untill the next big change in aero regulations before we can be sure of a reshuffle.

Any fall from grace that Red Bull has in the coming years is going to be because of other teams catching up, not because Red Bull makes a duff car.

No wonder he is winning if he is driving next years car!:

the RB8+Vettel package is very successful this year

ha. Anyway I think we might be seeing the beginning of a Vettel era, but as much as I like him and think he is one of the best if not the best driver at this current moment in time, I really don’t want to see it. The early 2000′s were for many people such a dire time in the sports history, noone wanted to tune in to see Schumacher romp away to race victory after race victory. The only saving grace about this year has been the fact that the battles from 2nd onwards have been awesome and probably the best racing we have seen for a very long time.

I don’t think Redbull will be as dominant next year without the blown diffusers!

I think we saw a taster of next year at Silverstone this year when it was banned. Red Bull were still quick but not as dominant maybe. I think it showed more about McLaren’s car rather than Red Bull. McLaren and Ferrari really need to pull out something special next year and from the off as well otherwise we are in for more and more Vettel wins.

I don’t get how anyone can want a period where a driver dominates, unless you are completely blind to every other driver. I think it makes the racing so dull if you have the same winner, as I said above we have been blessed with great racing further down the field but the excitement of that can only last so long surely.

@smifaye Yeah it is not the best for the sport, but this year they have only had a few dominant wins. I will say that the racing IS very close, also at the front (well okay Monza was outright ridiculous, but at least it came unexpected, and it was a great drive). RB and Vettel just have the consistency that the others don’t manage to have that they end up dominating the championship.
Spain and Monaco for instance was incredibly close finishes and even though Vettel won both they were very exciting! So i don’t think it is nearly as bad as in the Schumi + Ferrari in the early 2000′s.

If Red Bull aren’t strong next year, I’ll be very surprised. There are no big regulation changes for next season, except for the ban on OTBDs- but that didn’t slow them down much at Silverstone. Whereas Ferrari and McLaren have to go away and design a brand new car for 2012, Red Bull only has to improve on their current package. Put shortly, Vettel winning a third Championship in as many years is a very real possibility, and I for one would love to see that.

There are only two drivers on the grid who are capable of producing a Schumacher-esque dominance: Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. However the latter a full 6 years older than Vettel, and Ferrari are going to have to improve very quickly if Fernando is ever going to win his third WDC. Red Bull are so dominant right now that even if they drop down a notch or two next season, they’ll still be right up at the front.

@VettelS, I do hope Vettel can go for his 3rd championship. And like mads said, this isn’t as dominant as schumacher. Ok if Seb gets pole everywhere and wins every race, then it would be dominant and boring. Even for the Vettelfans because they want to see how he overtakes and how quick he is. That move on Alonso was too risky but you gotta admit, it was so goddamn entertaining for the viewers

@raymondu, nah, the U sidepods are too ugly :p but then again that’s my opinion. Anyway, maybe they should think of an upgrade too with MUCH more downforce…

Just you wait, next year Williams will return to their ’92-’93 form and Maldonado will win every race and the championship!

Back in the real world, it’s possible Vettel could win a few more on the trot, but I’d say Vettel’s challengers are a lot stronger than Schumi’s. I think it depends on whether McLaren or Ferrari can pull a stonker out of the bag, of course you then have to think how likely that is, and on recent form the answer is not very.