Formula One (4 Viewers)

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

This weekend sees the return of the greatest motor sport on the planet, Formula One. So this week, we want to know your thoughts and views on the new season and the opening race in Melbourne, Australia. Who is going to win the World Title? Can Sebastien Vettel become just the 2nd man win a 5th straight title? Who will rise and who will fall? Anything Formula One related is welcome, but please remember this is for my radio show so if you don't want your comment mentioned on the show, please say so

 

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[Houchens Head]

I read somewhere that Red Bull were struggling in their testing months. Can Vettel do it? I doubt it, if the team aren't getting the best out of the cars, but if he does, I think the sport will be in danger of becoming too predictable (as with the Schumacher era) and could turn people off.

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

They are REALLY struggling. Im glad its gonna be different cus towards the end of last season I switched off

 

[Houchens Head]

During the early 90's I watched every race avidly - drivers like Jean Alesi, Johnnie Herbert, (early) Schumacher, Senna, Damon Hill and Hakkinen. Drivers such as Eddie Irvine, Prost and Montoya were a joy to watch, but then sport started to become predictable. As much as I admired Michael Schumacher's skills, he became like the Man Utd of Formula One. Win always, or so it seemed. I still can't help watching the races these days but I no longer get up at silly O'clock to watch the "live" races from Australia and the like. I'll just watch the highlights later.

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

I still get up for the races and will be getting up at 5AM for Qualifying and Race Day, but if I think its getting too predictable, like last season, I will watch the replays if at all

 

[mark82]

I read somewhere that Red Bull were struggling in their testing months. Can Vettel do it? I doubt it, if the team aren't getting the best out of the cars, but if he does, I think the sport will be in danger of becoming too predictable (as with the Schumacher era) and could turn people off.

Red Bull will be lucky to finish races let alone get points in the first couple of races.

Vettel is a good driver but not a patch on the great drivers like Schumacher, Senna, etc. He has been extremely fortunate to be in the best car on the grid by far.

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

Cheers guys! The show has kicked off so we'll be reading out your comments within the next 2 hours

 

[Sub]

a friend of mine works for a certain racing team and says they have major overheating problems and can not run the engine at full power as it fails and sets fire to everything because of the lack of cooling its size and the packaging so they are screwed for the start of the season

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

Would that be Red Bull?

 

[ajsccfc]

During the early 90's I watched every race avidly - drivers like Jean Alesi, Johnnie Herbert, (early) Schumacher, Senna, Damon Hill and Hakkinen. Drivers such as Eddie Irvine, Prost and Montoya were a joy to watch, but then sport started to become predictable. As much as I admired Michael Schumacher's skills, he became like the Man Utd of Formula One. Win always, or so it seemed. I still can't help watching the races these days but I no longer get up at silly O'clock to watch the "live" races from Australia and the like. I'll just watch the highlights later.

Olivier Panis was always my underdog favourite, I still remember his horrible crash in Canada. I was similarly obsessed in the mid-90s, largely due to the Playstation game which got me hooked on the real thing.

 

[Si80]

Kimi to win this season hopefully. That's only if Ferrari actually play fair and allow him to "race" Alonso. They are by far and away the best driver set up a team could wish for. Alonso can wring the best out of a poor car, which Vettel cannot imo. And Kimi won't be happy to play 2nd fiddle to Alonso so should make for a very strong, if slightly volatile team.

Mercedes engine is looking really strong though this year and if Rosberg & Hamilton can get the whole car package to work and not burn through their tyres which saw them go back in the pack during a race then they could be very close to winning the drivers and team championship.

Will always look out for Button, but I think McLaren missed the boat in not persuading Brawn to join them in the offseason. If they had, then I think they could have challenged this year.

PS How awesome does the Williams look in the Martini livery?

 

[ajsccfc]

I like the McLaren livery this season in particular, it's almost a harkback to the Mika Hakkinen/West look:

My favourite overally was probably the Stewart, plain white with the tartan running across.


EDIT: that McLaren is just for the Melbourne race apparently. Boo.

 

[Sub]

Would that be Red Bull?

maybe

 

[Houchens Head]

I loved it when Jaguar had a couple or so seasons in recent years. Although they were never going to be a challenging force to Ferrari and the like, it was great to see a "local" company in with the "big boys" of Formula One! I always felt there was a Coventry link, tearing round the track!

 

[Houchens Head]

One of my all-time favourite livery's - The Lotus John Player Special. All black with gold trim and lettering. Beautiful!!

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

You must love the Lotus colours then

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Likewise, looking forward to it big time. I don't especially have anything against Vettel, he's a good driver and all that, has the odd mistake but clearly his excellent set of wheels the last few years have massively skewed how enjoyable the sport has been for fans. I'd like to see a few more breakdowns, a few more 'in-season r&d changes', such as the years when they used to take a punt on a new car and run two different racing chassis and all that jazz. The sport is a technical sport, so it'll be nice to challenge the multi-million research and dev teams as well as the drivers.

 

[Houchens Head]

You must love the Lotus colours then

Nice, but still not a patch on the JPS.

 

[mark82]

Nice, but still not a patch on the JPS.

The shape of the JPS car made it look so much more special.

 

[lewys33]

I loved it when Jaguar had a couple or so seasons in recent years. Although they were never going to be a challenging force to Ferrari and the like, it was great to see a "local" company in with the "big boys" of Formula One! I always felt there was a Coventry link, tearing round the track!

Unfortunately they were never given enough time to fully make it a Jaguar racing car, it was always a ford offspring. Then the plug was pulled when the company was in real trouble. Its a shame :/

Did you know that the car was originally "british racing green" however it was discovered that the paint was too heavy, and looked black on tv cameras so they changed it.

In recent years formula 1 has bored me, but I am hoping this year is more exciting with all the changes! Otherwise it will be back to watching BTCC for me!

 

[Houchens Head]

In recent years formula 1 has bored me, but I am hoping this year is more exciting with all the changes! Otherwise it will be back to watching BTCC for me!

Me and the missus spent many a great week-end over at Mallory Park! Cheap day out, great sport (both cars and bikes), and park your car and even watch from your car! Don't think they hold the BTCC anymore though.

 

[RoboCCFC90]

I like the McLaren livery this season in particular, it's almost a harkback to the Mika Hakkinen/West look:

My favourite overally was probably the Stewart, plain white with the tartan running across.


EDIT: that McLaren is just for the Melbourne race apparently. Boo.

The nicest looking car on the field is the new Williams in the Martini Livery. Pukka.

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

My mum and uncles used to race motorbikes at Mallory Park for years. Great track for cars and bikes

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

WOW! WHAT A RACE! Well worth getting up at 4AM to see it. Thank god we haven't seen another Vettel domination. Shame about Lewis going out so soon but amazing to see Ricciardo and Magnussen do so well and wonderful to see Jenson get such a good result after his difficult winter

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

It's been a while since Hamilton's dominated a race from start to finish like that. He was top all race apart from for about one minute after his first pit stop, whereby he made his only overtake of the race to resume the lead. Dominant.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Incredible drive by Hamilton. The amount of times Rosberg tried to take him with the DRS, and every single time he managed to either fend him off or take him straight back. Great driving from both.

 

[wingy]

Incredible drive by Hamilton. The amount of times Rosberg tried to take him with the DRS, and every single time he managed to either fend him off or take him straight back. Great driving from both.

" Just remember to bring both cars home boys".

 

[Houchens Head]

It was good to see team-mates vying for position. Forget team orders! Just go for it! That's how it should be! Shame that Jensen didn't finish.

 

[skybluejelly]

One of my all-time favourite livery's - The Lotus John Player Special. All black with gold trim and lettering. Beautiful!!

I used to have toy ones of these back in the seventies. Best colour scheme ever...and even with all that sponsorship I still never started smoking

 

[ajsccfc]

If I ever took up smoking, I would have chosen my brand based on F1. JPS, Marlboro or most likely Gauloises thanks to Olivier Panis. B+H sponsored Jordan for a while, but they got a bit too clever with the names for countries they couldn't advertise in. Nobody wants a tobacco smart-arse.

 

[wingy]

I used to have toy ones of these back in the seventies. Best colour scheme ever...and even with all that sponsorship I still never started smoking

You would'nt have wanted to ,they were shit Fags.