Official Formula 1 thread

[reni]

Originally Posted by F1fletch

Vettel to Ferrari......it could be a mighty battle for twelfth!!!

fixed

[Silver Ignition]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

Largely dependent on how well Honda developed their engine.

If it were ANY other manufacturer, I may agree...but it's Honda. They're gonna do it right, or not at all.

[torqdork]

2015 schedule released with a record 21 event calendar.

Scroll down for interesting rules changes effective next year and being proposed for 2016 mostly to improve competition and driver/team safety.

http://www.windingroad.com/articles/...eid=694263b5ed

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

If it were ANY other manufacturer, I may agree...but it's Honda. They're gonna do it right, or not at all.

I would tend to agree.

Originally Posted by torqdork

2015 schedule released with a record 21 event calendar.

Scroll down for interesting rules changes effective next year and being proposed for 2016 mostly to improve competition and driver/team safety.

http://www.windingroad.com/articles/...eid=694263b5ed

Korea is there purely to give the teams an extra power unit for next season. Korea will not happen.


There is a loophole in the rules about 21 races on the calendar, but they still get the extra power unit if the race is later removed.


There were supposed to drop from 5 to 4 this year.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

If it were ANY other manufacturer, I may agree...but it's Honda. They're gonna do it right, or not at all.

Someone doesn't remember Honda's last foray into F1, middle of the pack team at best over the course of ~8 years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_i...2.80.932008.29

Their best showing in the past 20 years has been in 2004 when Button took 3rd in the drivers championship with Honda power landing the team 2nd constructors. Other than that: mid to bottom of the barrel.

[Silver Ignition]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Someone doesn't remember Honda's last foray into F1, middle of the pack team at best over the course of ~8 years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_i...2.80.932008.29

Their best showing in the past 20 years has been in 2004 when Button took 3rd in the drivers championship with Honda power landing the team 2nd constructors. Other than that: mid to bottom of the barrel.

BUT Honda is now one of the world's top Hybrid manufacturers

[reni]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Someone doesn't remember Honda's last foray into F1, middle of the pack team at best over the course of ~8 years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_i...2.80.932008.29

Their best showing in the past 20 years has been in 2004 when Button took 3rd in the drivers championship with Honda power landing the team 2nd constructors. Other than that: mid to bottom of the barrel.

That's a good point, everyone wants to only remember the Senna/Prost era whenever Honda F1 comes up. Honda execs have been boasting that they'll be able to match Mercedes. I'd love for that to be true and have an intense 4-way battle for the championship, but I've got a nagging feeling that they're being way too optimistic...

I see three things that have the potential to become a massive trainwreck in the coming seasons: McLaren-Honda, Ferrari/Vettel, and Haas.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

BUT Honda is now one of the world's top Hybrid manufacturers

What does that have to do with F1?

F1's ERS is a far cry from mass produced consumer power plants.

Originally Posted by reni

I see three things that have the potential to become a massive trainwreck in the coming seasons: McLaren-Honda, Ferrari/Vettel, and Haas.

Haas will debut in 2016.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Someone doesn't remember Honda's last foray into F1, middle of the pack team at best over the course of ~8 years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_i...2.80.932008.29

Their best showing in the past 20 years has been in 2004 when Button took 3rd in the drivers championship with Honda power landing the team 2nd constructors. Other than that: mid to bottom of the barrel.

I remember. BAR, Jensen Button, Earth Dreams... Oh yes, but what I also remember is that their lack of performance was from wind tunnel and chassis design deficiencies when they had arguably the most powerful engine on the grid. Honda could typically make a monster of an engine, but didn't have the same luck when it came to building their own chassis.

Ironically, they hired the right guys for the chassis/car (Brawn and Co.) and then subsequently left F1 and then Brawn bought the team and contacted Merc for the powerplant in 2009 and the rest is history but do you remember how dominant the 2009 Brawn F1 chassis was? That could have been Hondas Constructors title!

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

Ironically, they hired the right guys for the chassis/car (Brawn and Co.) and then subsequently left F1 and then Brawn bought the team and contacted Merc for the powerplant in 2009 and the rest is history but do you remember how dominant the 2009 Brawn F1 chassis was? That could have been Hondas Constructors title!

How is that debacle a point in Honda's favor? Seems like a massive point in Ross Brawn's favor, a man currently running the defending world championship team.

I'm not saying Honda isn't capable, I'm saying temper expectations, we don't have to go back many pages to find discussion about how 'epic' the battle between Raikkonen and Alonso would be...

[Guillaume]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

How is that debacle a point in Honda's favor? Seems like a massive point in Ross Brawn's favor, a man currently running the defending world championship team.

Not quite.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/for...t-leaders.html

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Guillaume

Not quite.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/for...t-leaders.html

Bwahaahaha

shows how much I pay attention once I lose interest.

Point stands, Honda's biggest opportunity at success in decades and they backed down, poor management decision imo when it comes to forging success in motorsport.

[reni]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Haas will debut in 2016.

Yes, this is why I said

Originally Posted by reni

the coming seasons

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

How is that debacle a point in Honda's favor? Seems like a massive point in Ross Brawn's favor, a man currently running the defending world championship team.

I'm not saying Honda isn't capable, I'm saying temper expectations, we don't have to go back many pages to find discussion about how 'epic' the battle between Raikkonen and Alonso would be...

It's a point in their favor because it shows they did figure it out the chassis side of the business, unfortunately they figured it out in 2008 in preparation for 2009 but decided to sell it all and pull out of the sport after the 2008 financial collapse, before the 2009 season. Basically the 'team' (chassis, parts, designs) that Brawn bought from Honda before the 2009 season was essentially what Honda was already going to show up with (with the exception of the Merc engine). The fancy wing, the double diffuser, etc were all part of the Honda development in 2008 for the 2009 chassis.

So yeah, it's a huge point for Honda as many of us consider the Brawn GP championship a "Honda-Merc" championship. But Ces't la vie (sp?).

I don't have huge expectations for Mclaren Honda in 2015 either, but assuming Honda brings a comparable power plant vs the Merc unit and Mac figured out their chassis design then it stands to reason that Alonso (and maybe Button if it rains) will be a thrill to watch.