Zack wrote:François wrote:I disagree with you, Zack, but of course it becomes a matter of personal taste at this point. Even though there has been much more overtaking than we had come to expect, there have also been a lot of great battles, with impressive, daring moves, both offensive and defensive. The simple fact that it is now possible to overtake mean that drivers go about their racing differently, they actually try stuff which they would've been reluctant to do in the past: what about Hamilton's passes on Button at T1, on Vettel going into T7? Rosberg and others overtaking into T16? Artificial DRS-induced racing, or just sheer brilliance? What about Webber and others raising clouds of dust by braking on the dirty side before T14, didn't they take any risks, did that look like easy overtaking? What about Schumi holding up a faster Alonso for several laps? What about Petrov and Heidfeld being able to protect their 3rd position from a faster car in the closing stages of the first two races?
My Point of View is overtaking now seems to be easier as it was suppose to be(thanks to fia & co). Btw, overtaking was always possible. Matter of the fact is the difference in the performance of car is that allows the overtaking with some added driver skills. That difference is now enhanced using DRS which makes it possible for driver behind to gain more advantage rapidly. I personally don't like this. It seems to be semi blue flag for driver ahead.
And its not like drivers didn't take risk earlier. To contradict, now driver with fresh rubber naturally have better grip so less risk.
My Simplified reason is Pirelli tire wear profiles. Similar to tire war scene. It seems to be more natural and organic than DRS. It's like
sitting duck v/s
road runner
It is good for f1 if everyone want this.
It's only easier because for the last few years, we've been living in an era where overtaking has been so difficult. And you can defend. Vettel did it against Hamilton - get a good run out of Turn 13, stick to the inside line at the hairpin and be slow to pick up the throttle so that you block the car behind.
Also, this era is such a great one. Champions such as Vettel, Button, Hamilton, Alonso & Schumacher. The other guys like Massa, Webber & Rosberg and the young guns like Kobayashi and Perez. 24 cars and some great races. Everyone harks back to the glory days of the 80s, but I watched some of those races (highlights) and they were piss poor. So boring. In the 90s you never really had more than 4 guys fighting for the win, on a good day. Usually for a few years it was either Schumi or Hill, Schumi or Jv, Schumi or Mika. Now there are so many guys who are fighting for top honours.
Some stats:
- Lewis Hamilton: 15th career win
- Mark Webber: 8th career fastest lap
- Jenson Button: Now gone a whole year without winning, has taken 4 second place since
- Nico Rosberg: Led a race for the first time since China 2010
- Fernando Alonso: 4 races without a podium
- Williams: Worst start to a season since 1979
- 23 finishers in the race: a new record.
- Therefore Vitantonio Liuzzi took the lowest ever classified finish in F1 history, 23rd.