When did F1 become so wussy about rain??

[jonovision_man]

F1 used to race in the rain, and unless there was massive pools of standing water, it was on.

That wasn't the case for most of those safety car laps. What's going on? Martin Brundle was commenting on it during the BBC broadcast, that when he was driving they just got on with it. Too much listening to the drivers - and especially the Red Bull drivers who had a lot to gain by NOT going green. Hamilton is saying "it's fine, let's go!" while Webber and Vettel are "no visibility, awful, red flag this puppy".



jono

[AGRiculture]

The racing gods had their say about Webber and Vettel...

[chaparral 2k]

Wussy?
No

Smart?
Yes

I thought they did a good job handling things, its better to be safe than sorry.

This race reminded me a lot of the 1976 Japanese gp - almost the same deal. and I dont think those drivers were wussy.

[FTHurley]

F1 used to race in the rain, and unless there was massive pools of standing water, it was on.

That wasn't the case for most of those safety car laps. What's going on? Martin Brundle was commenting on it during the BBC broadcast, that when he was driving they just got on with it. Too much listening to the drivers - and especially the Red Bull drivers who had a lot to gain by NOT going green. Hamilton is saying "it's fine, let's go!" while Webber and Vettel are "no visibility, awful, red flag this puppy".



jono

I don't think it's fair to blame the drivers. After all, do you expect them to act against their own self-interest?

I think they should have just made a decision earlier, one way or the other. I think the extra variable here is that the asphalt was weeks old, so there was a greasy slick of expelled oil mixed with the water.

Still, though, it's reasonable to expect that world championship drivers can moderate their own driving enough to handle the conditions.

[beej]

Not only was there a copious amount of rain that did not drain well, not only was this a track that as of several weeks ago did not exist, but they used a curing process that has never been done before.... so there was no way to know how this track was going to react.

What, for our entertainment lives should be put at risk on an unproven surface?

[Kurt Cobain]

Senna and Tom Pryce, two of the better rain drivers must be turning in their graves over this crap.

[porscheman]

More a surface issue than anything else. I think they made the right call in this instance. Turned out a good race after all of that.

porscheman

[stnkypete]

It's awfully easy to sit and call them female genitalia from the comfort of your living room when your not the one who can't see shite because the three cars in front of you are throwing that much water into the air.

[Indy-hp]

The track was slick even before it rained and I'm sure that was on everyone's mind. Having said that, I think they did way too many laps behind the safey car, fer sure.

[jackinbox]

I was starting to think Brian Barnhart had replaced Charlie Whiting.

[ndcrs]

i think it turned out a decent race considering all the obstacles before the green flag. i agree with hobbs and varsha about that pit entry - that looks to be a fast corner and the entry line takes up a bunch of track.

[Frank Capua]

I don't know... when did F1 decide that all their new tracks needed to all be unmemorable and minus any elevation change or soul.

I believe it's been downhill ever since they retired the high banked curves at Monza.

[Doc Austin]

If Koera was difficult and dangerous, what about this...............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ODmLnDSaw

[MoparsRule]

If Koera was difficult and dangerous, what about this...............



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ODmLnDSaw

Wow.

[Frank Capua]

Koera... that's kind of like rickets, right?