Mercedes' dominance is ridiculous - and I don't want to take engineering credits away, but there are no fights to watch at the top. Just take a look at the 22 second difference they managed to create in just 11 laps, the laps left after the safety car at Bahrain went in the pit lane. The fun was behind, Force India vs Red Bull vs Williams (vs Ferrari, sigh). Lets hope that other teams can catch up.
Were we watching the same race? The last 11 laps were an epic battle between Rosberg and Hamilton, and the mob contending for points was no less thrilling. I thought it was a great race, at least at the end.
And have you already forgotten 2013? Red Bull won every single race in the second half of the season. Yeah, Mercedes is on top, for now, it's not like a constructor has never been dominant before.
> (It's true that the Hamilton-Rosberg fight in Bahrain was also fun to watch)
My point is: this year looks like the last years' championships with RBR... same dog, different collar.
Anyway my point was - the lack of a real fight doesn't have much to do with the rule change, since it was present last year as well. And anyway, the season's just beginning - let's see what happens.
This doesn't even get into new arrivals like Magnussen and his amazing debut. This season is far from over and getting more interesting by the day.
This year the cars look amazing on track, the torque out of corners is great to watch, the skill of the drivers is now more important than ever. Gone are the days of Vettel sticking his foot down and hitting the apex with ease. Other teams will catch Mercedes up, the the engine unfreeze at the end of the year if not before.
And in any case there are better ways to harness energy if you want create downforce.
That, to me, is equivalent of saying who cares what the cars look like? It's all part and parcel of the appeal of the sport - if somethings amiss, you've lost a little bit of that appeal.
That said, I do think some people overdo it a bit and I actually like that FIA is willing to force innovation, even if it's (initially?) unpopular.
It is the most interesting chapter in the book.
What would F1 be like if they relaxed all the rules?
Edit: Just got through the chapter, the author speculates on what would be possible without bans.
The smell of a hot engine, and the shaking of the car also add a lot of fun.
One of the best movie montages ever is the opening sequence of the movie "Grand Prix" where they start the engines and warm em up.
In "Rush" they ruined the movie by having a rock soundtrack laid over the sounds of the cars.
"Bullitt"s car chase has never been equaled because the director had the guts to let the V8s and various car noises be the whole soundtrack. The music overlay stops when the chase starts, the complete opposite of every other movie.
Besides what I already mentioned, Bullitt is cool because:
1. the setup where the guy puts on his seatbelt
2. the total lack of dialog - the driver and the gunman understand each other just by looks
3. the deadpan expression on the driver
4. when Bullitt slides off the road, the slightest, most barely perceptible smile on the driver's face
5. McQueen's expression of complete focus and concentration
6. the 68 Mustang and Charger just totally rock. I never understand having a chase sequence with boring cars
7. the lack of CGI, models, and special effects
8. the skid marks from earlier takes
9. the amazing teleporting Green Beetle :-)
10. I love the shot of the rearview mirror when the hunter becomes the hunted - it's just classic
I'll have to (try and) watch the movie again.
Personal favourite is the car chase from Ronin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVaNBrYLvFg#t=339
Link to Bullitt chase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lbs_nYW3-o
What stops me is I don't have the garage space for it, or I'd get one. If you don't need one fully restored, or numbers matching, or all original, the prices aren't too bad.
I'm a bit surprised by the "single provider" system used there. Read the Wikipedia article and it sounds like McLaren will supply all teams? Doesn't sound ideal to promote research. Also would love to see a Tesla Formula E team.
Lap times are about 1% away from last year, not a huge difference. I would expect that by the end of the season, lap times will have caught up.
Hardcore fans don't care about this noise. They're there to watch a race not listen to it. Sure it enhances the atmosphere but it's the racing that's important and judging by todays race that's only getting better.
I have nothing against the turbo engines, but the lack of noise takes away a lot of the atmosphere, especially live.
But particlarly odious is the fuel metering. This is racing - not hypermiling. When stupid rules interfere with racing, racing suffers.
CVT's were previously used but they were banned pretty quickly.
I was 19 years old and the only thing I remember about the trip is 1) the noise! 2) crazy Italians 3) crazy Brazilians 4) strip club under a Burger King
The JPS 98Ts are still possibly the best looking cars ever.
Many hardcore fans are more than happy that the cars sound again like they did back in the 80s before turbo was banned, a deep sound full of power.