[Official] French Grand Prix 2018: Grand Prix Weekend Thread

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

from the point of view of a spectator and a team trying to figure it out as it happens, this is an entirely replicable experience all be it through a computer generated algorithm of some sort.

granted that you are at the Paul Ricard/sprinkler GP so you know that some sort of rain is inevitable and thus teams can of course hedge accordingly.

its not exactly the same but materially the net effect would be close enough for me and certainly the skill of driving in the wet would still be tested.

It's not really replicable though is it? It'd take 1 race before teams sussed that putting spotters around the track and just watching what settings the sprinklers are on would completely solve it. You could deal with that problem with an excel spreadsheet nevermind all the computing power in the world that goes into weather forecasting.

Not that it matters - introducing rain in a completely artificially way is like putting big fans into football stadiums to try and blow the ball about to make things more interesting. So throwing rocks onto the Tour de France course to give them something to dodge.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

but surely being able to plan for things isnt a bad thing?

for sure randomness is a desirable thing...but the inability to plan for a naturally occurring wet race is one of the reasons why they try to avoid wet races.

either by waiting it out or with the use of a SC to dry the racing line.

if being prepared means they are more willing to take the track then ill take that compromise.

Trying to plan for the unpredictable, is part of the challenge. If an artificial environment is created, in order to mimic an unpredictable environment, like a wet race that defeats the purpose of the challenge.

[Adam43]

This is exactly why we end up with crap rules. It’s what the fans want, give it to them.

[Peter Mallett]

I know! Let's have grooved tyres so it's always slippery!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Adam43

This is exactly why we end up with crap rules. It’s what the fans want, give it to them.

I think it's more on the lines of, let's give the fans what we want and pretend it's what they want.

[Adam43]

A bit of both.

Everyone is stupid.

[Purist]

Most of us know what "good racing" looks like. The problem comes in trying to communicate it with regards to how that breaks down in mechanical terms. That is, how much of it is the overtaking, the circuit layout, the circuit's surroundings, the look and sound of the cars, how much we can see the driver struggling to man-handle the machine around the course, and the overall atmosphere of the place.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I think it's more on the lines of, let's give the fans what we want and pretend it's what they want.

Exactly right!

[VIVA GT]

In principle I like the idea of water sprinklers at the circuit, but another reason I don't see it happening is by who & how the decision is made abut when to turn the damned things on. There was enough claims of favouritism and race rigging earlier this year when a virtual safety car was called, it would be just the same when the sprinklers were turned on.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

In principle I like the idea of water sprinklers at the circuit, but another reason I don't see it happening is by who & how the decision is made abut when to turn the damned things on. There was enough claims of favouritism and race rigging earlier this year when a virtual safety car was called, it would be just the same when the sprinklers were turned on.

In principle I don't like the idea of water sprinklers. It's nothing more than a gimmick, which does nothing to solve F1's problems. Just think of the added cost of installing a sprinkler system at every track, just so F1 can have a 'wet' races on the calendar. It's risible.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

In principle I don't like the idea of water sprinklers. It's nothing more than a gimmick, which does nothing to solve F1's problems. Just think of the added cost of installing a sprinkler system at every track, just so F1 can have a 'wet' races on the calendar. It's risible.

I don't see why every track needs a sprinkler system, and you could take the uncertainty away by just announcing that the 2019 French GP was going to be a wet race, and just leave the sprinklers on the whole race.
As a spectator, it would be great to watch a wet race on a nice dry sunny day.

[S griffin]

And it also takes away the uncertainty of rain that livens it up

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by wnut

I don't see why every track needs a sprinkler system, and you could take the uncertainty away by just announcing that the 2019 French GP was going to be a wet race, and just leave the sprinklers on the whole race.
As a spectator, it would be great to watch a wet race on a nice dry sunny day.

I don't see the need for an artificial, gimmicky wet race at all.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I don't see the need for an artificial, gimmicky wet race at all.

Agreed. It's just an answer like DRS that attempts to work around the real issue rather than deal with the problem.

Other series don't have this problem. Don't change the tracks to suit F1. Fix F1.

[Purist]

Alright, I've got it!

Forget Miami, lobby Chase Carey for a Seattle street race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26GNvzPi-Go

(Have to have fun with this somehow.)