I agree 100% with every point there.

Verdict? incredibly boring!

At least with refuelling the pit stop was long enough to jump slower cars.

Ground effect cars had no problem slipstreaming and overtaking. The aero regulations need a big shake up. At this rate, we might as well be watching one of those fuel economy runs.

You don't really like discussions do you?

All they need to do is bring half a dozen different tyre compounds to the race; ranging from destroyed in a lap soft to last the whole race hard. Also allow them to mix and match compounds from left to right and front to back. Then there will be strategy like the old days. At the moment its everyone doing more or less the same thing.

But the 'interest' in second half only came because fuel loads started decreasing and drivers started to set their personal best times. A novelty after years of refueling, but it will become predictable pretty soon.

Yeah..... every year it seems to be the case that it's more like an Enduro league vs. a 1 race spectacle that is should be.

Really starting to think engines should be 1/race vs. this long life crap.

Some rather worrying signs. Drivers who spoke to the BBC post race forum all suggesting the weekend is all about qualifying, and once that's done you just have to keep your position on lap 1 and then switch into tyre save mode. What they're saying is if you drop down a few spots at the start, that's it.. it's all over. Theres no way back unless the guy infront makes an error or fails.

All of the BBC pundits pretty much all agreed that this is a little worrying. Coulthard however seemed to feel it may have been due to the circuit but when the drivers themselves are admitting they were bored during the race.. it's concerning. Schumacher in particular admitted the race was much easier than he thought it would be because all he had to do was conserve tyres. Drivers weren't on the limit at all.

Refueling added an element of unknown and gave drivers windows in which they could really push but with that gone what is there left?

Alonso said that way back in December quaify in top 4 or your race is done.

Martin Whitmarsh wants 2 stops mandated.

He said that Button and Hamilton could have gone 25+ laps on those tyres.

Whitmarsh now having to debate who is or isn't the "fall guy" for the rules. Not a good sign at all. Whitmarsh seems to be suggesting they may move into having a minimum of 2 tyre stops... another rule change on the horizon.

Isn't that double dutch?? if they could have gone another 25 laps then what will have 2 stops chance? Confushed???

Exactly. During qualifying on Speed they said the teams have more downforce now than in the ground effects era.

The FIA went the wrong way with the wing dimensions. I think they should cut the front width in half. Call for a single wing plane also. The front hits all the dirty air so make it simple. Rear wing now won't matter so much for the wake. The front of the car is most important when close to the car in front so make this part of the car the LEAST sensetive to outside forces.

Cut aero reliance and overtaking will be easier with or without refueling.

Whats not a good sign?

Its still early days but mandating 2 stops might be needed. Personally, I'd rather see Bridgestone bring the super soft and hard tyres to every race (2 steps in between compounds - 3 would be even better).

That after race 1 there is a big debate about the rules causing drivers to cruise around a race distance.

Rules?
I was watching Qualy yesterday with a friend, he is averagely interested in motorsports but isn't a F1 nut like myself so this was a part of the discussion we were having:
Him: "Why isn't anyone on track right now?"
Me: "They're waiting for the end of the session to make their flying lap."
Him: "Sound stupid, why are they doing only one flying lap during the last session?"
Me: "They have to preserve the tyres for the race tomorrow."
Him: "But the tires, they can use them only for one lap, or what?"
Me: "Right, they're not very resistant."
Him: "Sounds stupid to me. Can't they use a different set tomorrow?"
Me: "Ummm.. no, it's the rules."
Him: "You mean they can't change the tyres from today for tomorrow?"
Me: "Right."
Him: "Sounds stupid to me".
..
Today I watched alone and fell soundly asleep around lap 30.

I'd rather they tried to sort it then have another procession though.

who were the drivers today that benefitted from the pit stops?

Don't know if it's the right topic but the engine situation is worrying me. Drivers not even able to try an overtake because their engine overheats is just insane. When Alonso had to back of behind Vettel shortly before he got that problem, I got quite annoyed at the current situation F1 finds itself in.

At least he realises they have to do something to improve the spectacle. This race was dire.

Trouble is, a lot of us predicted this would happen if refuelling was banned yet the guys who run F1, the drivers and the teams couldn't see it coming - or didn't do anything about it.

The BBC guys all know this is no good but, with audience figures to maintain, they are pussyfooing on the issue. They should be demanding an interview with Jean Todt and tell him he needs to sit round the table with FOTA and introduce a minimum of two stops immediately.

The tyres are just too good- that is the only problem. Two mandated stops is a little too artificial and will do nothing for the racing- just look at the DTM for an example. Any problems regarding lack of overtaking or qualifying being important (why shouldn't it be?) have always been there.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_me...-race-chart.pdf

What a joke. Barely any place changes inside the Top 10 for the entire race.

That's nothing new....

It's too early to say. Just wait a bit longer. Allowing refueling was always a mistake and it is the root of lack of overtaking.
If anything, make the tires harder and make them capable of lasting the race.
As has been said, there was never a time when all races were exciting.

A minimum of two stops will do nothing. More pitstop passing? We had that and nobody liked it.

i thought it was interesting that alguersuari was able to do less than 2min before anyone else and it makes me wonder what sort of things might actually happen with these rules, but the truth is today's race was very boring, specially when compared to previous year first race. im not optimistic

Doesn't make it any more justified. The "Overtaking Working Group" should be feeling the heat for this.

Just Hamilton i think.

Whitmarsh made alot of sense earlier, he said the show needs to be improved and don't blame the tyres, (the issue of drivers preserving the tyres prompted that). Martin said everyone needs to work together to improve the show.

I think 2 stops makes sense.

Keeping tyres from qualifying is fine I think - its a compromise, otherwise you could qualify on softs, start the race on hards and then swap 5 laps before the end. This way you see the grid shaken up earlier on. Whilst the lower half of the grid are already on the harder tyres and catching.

I also think that the rules will be changed with regards to physios on the grid. Bernie will not be impressed about the drivers staying off the grid (a protest apparently), looks bad on TV. Either the physios will be allowed on or Bernie will mandate that all drivers are on the grid by the time the 15 minute board goes up.

Were you watching the same race? The dirty air problem is worse than it has ever been.

Case in point Alonso. He never had a cat in hell's chance of getting by or even attempting an overtake had it not been for Vettel's problem. Turns out that Alonso had a second or two to spare of pace.

Mandated pit stops would the absolutely worst thing they could do.

F1 is just being F1. In the past races were not that much better. People just remember the few good ones and base their opinion on it. In the past you also had a lot more, sometimes even spectactular, failures. Cars had far less downforce and were much more focused on mechanical grip though, one of the reasons slipstream worked and passing was easier if a car was faster.

I think it will be fun with the new rules. Guys this is Bahrain. When did you saw a spectacular race here? Wait till Australia...

I just wonder what makes people here believe that refuelling would have made this race a thriller...

I'd like to see KERS back, with a higher output making it more useful.

You could strip away the complicated aero and make it less sensitive to turbulence, but I don't want to see F1 cars with so little downforce they're slower than GP2.

Save tyres, engine, fuel. Good solution imitate nature. What about koala bear or sloth?
Maybe Bernie is too expensive?

Drivers werent even pushing half of the time. you herd from Schmacher Button Hamilton. and when te soft can do 20+ laps with no damage its worrying.

Very true, but there seems to be a knee-jerk reaction going on here, and from the pundits on the BBC too. No overtaking is no surprsie- the DDs create more turbulence. And nobody suffered hugely last year with tyre wear so there was never going to be a burst of pitstops.

The only person talking any sense is Villeneuve- the races are as 'boring' as ever.

even if they have extra pitstop it wont change anything, pit crews are way to fast. hamilton got lucky because rosberg wasnt allowed to leave pitbox due to button passing him in the pit.

they need to makes changes so drivers are not conserving tires.

I agree. DTM and A1 used it and it was just stupid and made the whole thing feel even more spec than anything. Pitstop windows were even worse.

Exactly. Like in the early90s/late 80s. You had 4 tyres, A (hardest) to D (softest). You also had Q tyres for qualifying!

Drivers would frequently mix them up, especially the good ones. I remember Senna experimenting with combinations.

No mandatory tyre selections or any BS like that.

And guess what, F1 was much cheaper in those days. It cost barely a handful of millions for the top teams to domiante. So this does not have to be expensive.


I remember some cars running Cs all round and having to stop a couple of times but others running Bs who would stop only once.

Some people can do all that and still go fast. That should be rewarded rather than easy sprints between stops. Shock horror- drivers also made to think during a race!

Mandatory pitstops would be a massive mistake.

There's definitely some flaws. But I think some people are pointing fingers at the wrong things.

I dont believe the ban on refueling is necessarily the problem. Its the tire rules that dont allow a driver to push for an overtake. The two compound rule, combined with the large gap between the compounds means that there's usually going to be one ideal choice for tire, and the strategy for most teams will be revolved around getting that tire to be the one they spend the most time on. The softer tires were too soft and were going off very quickly, meaning the prime tire had to go for quite a long stint. All of this meant it was absolutely crucial to save tires. Bridgestone need to make tires that can last longer, so the teams can vary strategies and not have to all resort to the ONE ideal strategy. This will allow drivers to push for an overtake and not have to worry so much about ruining their tires.

I'm all for adding some elements of drivers needing to conserve their cars, but there's too much conserving going on. Saving fuel, saving tires, saving engines - this all punishes a driver for 'pushing'. You need to give them some room somewhere to allow them to fight.

I also think the aerodynamic regulations are still creating the biggest problem in terms of being able to follow closely.

So reduce the reliance on aero some more, get Bridgestone to build more reliable tires and dont have such a big gap between compounds, and get rid of the 8 engine-per-season rule(go back to the 2-race-per-engine at least).

A protest against what?

Last year, a pilot having 2 sec/lap difference would have been stuck for 20 laps behind a guy; remember the Trulli train?

Vettel and alonso, Vettel and massa, Vettel and Hamilton, there was not that such a big lap/difference.

That dirty air is here is not new, but i don't know how you can conclude it has never been worst from a TV coverage. Aeros by the eyes is not a feat, it's a fantasy.

Drivers didn't go on to the grid and stayed in the garages/motorhomes or whatever with their physios as their physios no longer have a pass to get on to the grid prior to the race.

Don't expect tyre problems in Australia. Back in Feb, Bridgestone announced it would bring harder tyres to avoid the repeat of guys like Vettel struggling in the closing laps. It's doing what's best for it's brand PR wise.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81384

Unless all teams agree to change aero regulations drastically, things will not change. There's also the fact that any drastic changes will give slower laptimes, thus hurting F1's 'pinnacle of technology' image.

I dare say overtaking might have been a little bit more feasible if the front wings had been reduced instead of the front tyres, what on earth they were thinking when they decided on that direction is anyone's guess, it goes completely against what the overtaking working group were trying to achieve. About par for the course for F1 I suppose