Alesi's Comments on Contemporary F1

[EERO]

In an article on yesterday'd Daily F1 Site, Jean Alesi made several comments that I think are relevant in light of comments made on this Forum in many threads over the past year, and particularly with reference to the devbate on Traction control.

First, Like many of us, he seems to believe that F1 is not enough of a test of comparitive skills of the drivers. Technology is mitigating the skill of the driver in relation to the over-all package. I myself am entirely opposed to automatic or electronic gear changes, and also traction control, though I recognise how difficult it is to police the latter.

Secondly, he states that the aggregate skill of the grid is not less than at previous times. Many hee complain about the current crew as though the don't rate. Alesi, the acknowledged master in the "old style" respects the current grid, a ringing endorsement to my mind.

Quotes from M. Alesi below from the Daily F1 site.


"We're often asked: how much of the impact is the cars and how much the drivers? I don't want to say the driver is not important any more, but it is close. Sometimes I drive the car and cannot do anything. Because after one lap you understand your level, and that's it for the weekend. It was absolutely not like that in 1989..."

Alesi was involved in the famous scrap with Ayrton Senna at Phoenix in 1990. Driving an underpowered Tyrrell, the flamboyant Frenchman diced with the brilliant Brazilian for many laps, thrilling spectators...

"These days a driver cannot come in and do what I did," he added. "If he's jumping into a Ferrari or McLaren, then maybe, but not in a make it to Formula One and I don't see a worse level now than in the past."

[Jeanburrasca81]

My old master Jeanburrasca is absolutely right, we need a F-1 without all these technical toys. In 1989 the driver made perhaps 80% of the laptime by his talent. Today on most of the tracks he makes 10 to 20%, as I presume.
I suffered with Alesi all the last year and knew, as him, that he himself could not do anything against the terrible situation. 1990's duel with Senna in Phoenix, but also his performance in Monte Carlo in the same year (2nd with a 1 second gap behind Senna), showed us all, what a great driver can do in a slow car, if he has to control the car's limit himself, and not by a computer. In that year Jean felt he could go that far, and did it, whereas other pilots didn't go so far, because they hadn't the talent and perhaps had fear to reach the limit. Alesi had no fear and therefore he was one of the quickest. Today he's still one of the quickest, but who cares.............................
I care, and I suffer by seeing F-1 races beeing dominated by people who don't even know what real GP-racing is like.
Now I'm angry!
Anyway, thank you for the topic, EERO, it's good.

[KC]

I think the days of a driver being able to noticeably take a poor handling car and just boot it around the track are gone. Sure, great drivers will shine no matter what they drive, but I think we will not see another Stephane Bellof or Gilles Villeneuve type of character take to the track. These days it is more tactical, more about shaving hundredths of seconds than passing another guy on the track. F1 has become so homogenized, so boiled down to the most common denominator, that it is beginning to become a battle of technicians instead of a motor race. Just 20 years ago, a 1 second advantage a lap was what every racer dreamt of. Now it means nothing unless you start from the pole or can get your pit crew to work faster.

I think that some recent drivers have proven that they have that type of fire in their bellies, that uncompromising competitive spirit, but I think that ultimately F1 will betray them by grinding it out of them. After the last few years of watching Juan Montoya literally slide, drift, and force his CART machinery around a circuit in the most aggressive and furious manner that he will become just another F1 driver unable to pass a Sauber or Prost unless they give way. Alex Zanardi was very similar to Montoya and he was thouroughly emasculated by the latest F1 machinery and the internal politics that dominate F1 these days.

These days no driver even considers actively moving off line to pass unless it is a desperation manuever except Jacques Villeneuve and he is usually too optimistic about the performance of his BAR. It is a huge shame on F1 for becoming more of a sponsorship parade than a pure sporting event anymore. After all, isn't that what NASCAR is for?

[Neil C]

KC is, sadly, exactly correct. The nature of todays cars, circuits and regs make F1 racing a technical exercise. It is totaly science when it was once partially art. Clinical skills have nearly replaced intuitive instinct. Some (Schumacher) are better adapted to this environment than others (Zinardi).

I can admire the skill of Schumacher, but I identify on a human level more with Zinardi. Too bad there is not room for both in todays F1.

It is interesting to read Alesi's observation that after one lap he knows his level, meaning that every driver knows after the first couple laps where he is going to finish, barring mishap. It takes some of the mystery and romance out of the sport, and must be discouraging for long suffering drivers like Jean.

[djb]

It's quite a conumdrum isn't it, the sport has always been about the latest technology, development etc etc, and there have been very dominant teams in the past as well (the first rear-engined Coopers with Brabahm, up to the 88 Maclarens)
My question is: how do bring back all of your forementioned aspects of being able to overdrive a car (or close,if you get my drift(sic) AND being faster than someone else in faster machinery, without making F1 overly controlled and managed. (which it shouldn't be) I am definately in the camp of reducing downforce (diffusers) and/or bringing back manual shifting etc to bring the human element back (meaning more little mistakes)
It makes sense that some changes just aren't going to happen, but it does make sense for some of the issues like reducing the airflow effect on following cars, total downforce, and increasing mechanical grip. There will always be dominant teams, the right balance of chassis,engine,race engineers,drivers,tire company (?) areodynamics etc etc (and not necessarily in that order) but I am looking forward to when an uncompetive car with an outstanding driver can surprise us, and not just because of catching the others out with tire choice or fuel stategy in the rain. (not to demean Herbert or Frentzen)
In rereading this, I'm thinking, "what a whiner" Hell, the last few seasons have been very entertaining, but I think there are a lot of us who would like to see more competition from lower down the field, and I can always watch a Moto GP race for real dicing-and clean too-they can't get away with the overly rude shinanegans that some F1 drivers get away with....

[EERO]

Welcome to the forum, djb, I think you make the point excellantly. It is a conundrum, but I honestly believe that the Driver's Championship should take precedent over the Manufacturer's cup. Innovation should occur within the constraints of a narrowly defined set of rules that promote competition between the drivers. Personally, I feel the the performance stratification of the grid that pairs each teams' drivers like the animals boarding the Ark counter-productive to the notion of the WDC.

Group 7, the old Can-Am and Interserie was the forum for unlimited technical innovation, and the annual whithering dominance of a single make, Lola, McLaren, Porsche and Shadow in succession, killed it.

F1 must strike a balance between technological innovation and rules stability.

[Liz]

I don't think most of the pilots in the field today could drive the 1980s cars. First they'd be afraid to get into them, and second they could not make those cars bend to their wills. They'd be far too busy whining to the press that the other kids wouldn't get out of their way.

No, the 1970s and 1980s are over, Jean, and you're right that they won't come again. But for that we have sports cars. Come over and drive for us there.

[angst]

I've just read Fifth Column in Autosport, and when Jenson Button found out that traction control was probably coming back into F1 he was appaled. He said that throttle control was the most important skill in F1, n opinion that Senna shared. So things are only going to get worse.
EERO, your point about Can-Am is very relevant. F1 should be taking note, this could kill off F1 (it can happen, it will happen, IMO if things do not change).

[djb]

As a newcomer to both the internet and this forum, I want to say how fascinating this forum idea is to share ideas of a common interest...I have one close friend who is a petrol-head as well, but he lives a good distance away and although we talk cars and racing on the phone alot, I'm glad I stumbled upon this thing to see other peoples' opinions, it's pretty neat.
It was the monster Porsches that ended up dominating Can-Am towards the end wasn't it? , didn't the 917's end up with 7 litre 12's, with something like 1200hp? I didn't know that Shadow was in other formulas other than F1-didn't Scheckter win in their first F1 race? Mind you, it makes sense that if they did well early on in F1, there must have been a fair amount of experience in the team.
As per traction control, eghads, I agree completely. Being Canadian, and spending a fair number of months driving on snow, we tend to get rather proud of throttle contral, car balance and braking feel in snow, hell I'm no rallyer, but just bringing this example up of how car control and feel really shows up the differences between drivers during winter is exactly why I'm totally against bringing back traction control in F1.

[neutral]

I don't think most of the pilots in the field today could drive the 1980s cars.

Well I disagree. While perhaps less exciting to drive, I beleive that the current F1 vehicle is more difficult to drive then its 1980s predecessor.

[angst]

Originally posted by neutral

Well I disagree. While perhaps less exciting to drive, I beleive that the current F1 vehicle is more difficult to drive then its 1980s predecessor.

Which is why Raikkonen could come from FRenault and post fast times, then say it was easier than his Frenault.

[EERO]

djb, actually, Alan Jones had Shadow's first and only win in Austria in 1977.

Shadow had competed in the Can-Am series starting in 1970, with the very bizarre AVS Shadow, they didn't hit F1 until 1973. In 1974, after the withdrawl of McLaren and Porsche from the Can-Am, Jackie Oliver and George Follmer cleaned up in the Can-AM with 7 litre turbo Chevy's.

Try the Shadow Car page for more info:
http://members.tripod.com/~shadowcar/

[djb]

EERO: thanks for the correction, ye old noggin was mixed up-I was reading Shadow but I was remembering details about the Wolf team, Walter Wolf, I believe. Wasn't there a Canadian connection there? And didn't Scheckter win for Wolf very early into their entrance into F1? Would that have been after his 6-wheel Tryell days and before the Ferrari years? Anyway, thanks for the Shadow info page.