Auto Racing Discussion Thread

[Monzanator 4,503]

36 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

The only thing i don't like in motor sports is the money drivers. In many cases, it doesn't matter how good of a driver you are, because your chance to make it in the big leagues will be given to the guy with the big sponsors or rich family heritage, who will fund the team. This has become very obvious in the last 10-15 years, since the costs in motor sports have skyrocketed. 

 

The dominant car/teams theory is one, that has always been on the table. Is it unfair to the drivers to have different cars? In most ways yes.

 

But motor sports have always been about not only racing on the track, but competing outside as well. The race of who can build the best car. Any team can have the dominant car, if they work the right way, it's not something that is certain. Mercedes are dominating now F1, but before them it was Red Bull, before them Ferrari, Williams, McLaren. Plus in present day, on most (lower/different) racing series, they have implemented almost the same regulations to the cars, as to have a more driver battle.

 

No sport is or will be completely fair. I would say the NCAA system isn't fair to the rest of the world athletes, because they don't have the same opportunity in the other countries. The US have found an edge on how to produce super athletes, just like some motor sport teams have found an edge to make a better car, than the rest.  

 

 

Pay drivers are motor racing's lore. This is not a sport for the poor. Nobody's gonna give you a car that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and say, go ahead now do some laps and it doesn't matter if you crash it. Auto racing is the most expensive sport out there, if you can't cover your bills, you're out.

 

Actually pay drivers have decreased in F1 lately, other than Lance Stroll there's nobody who can de dismissed as such. Struggling teams like Williams had to take him and now Lafiti. Actually George Russell is a pay driver to a degree since he belongs to Mercedes and his hiring gives Williams a discount on the engine lease. Same happens with Ferrari juniors in Sauber/Alfa Romeo. Charles Leclerc's father is probably the biggest landlord in Monaco. Did his family money help him to get where he is now? Of course but nobody talks about the money anymore because he has shown real talent. Stroll on the other hand...

[heywoodu 15,145]

9 hours ago, Monzanator said:

Pay drivers are motor racing's lore. This is not a sport for the poor. Nobody's gonna give you a car that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and say, go ahead now do some laps and it doesn't matter if you crash it. Auto racing is the most expensive sport out there, if you can't cover your bills, you're out.

 

Actually pay drivers have decreased in F1 lately, other than Lance Stroll there's nobody who can de dismissed as such. Struggling teams like Williams had to take him and now Lafiti. Actually George Russell is a pay driver to a degree since he belongs to Mercedes and his hiring gives Williams a discount on the engine lease. Same happens with Ferrari juniors in Sauber/Alfa Romeo. Charles Leclerc's father is probably the biggest landlord in Monaco. Did his family money help him to get where he is now? Of course but nobody talks about the money anymore because he has shown real talent. Stroll on the other hand...

 

Well you know, before he died three years ago (in Leclerc's utterly dominant F2 season, where he won in Baku a couple of days after the death of his father and overall just punished everyone for the entire year).

[Monzanator 4,503]

3 hours ago, heywoodu said:

 

Well you know, before he died three years ago (in Leclerc's utterly dominant F2 season, where he won in Baku a couple of days after the death of his father and overall just punished everyone for the entire year).

That's why nobody talks about the money in Leclerc's case. Because he's a talented, rich kid. Lance Stroll is not-so-talented rich kid.

 

Pastor Maldonado won a F1 Grand Prix yet still everyone says he only got there due to PDVSA money. In this case pros don't outweigh the cons.

 

Andrea de Cesaris gained a very bad reputation in the 80s but he had a pole position, some podiums and almost won a couple of races. His father was a big shot in Marlboro distribution in Italy hence Andrea always had the financial backing because nobody was turning tobacco sponsors away back then. He's more like what Maldonado used to be 20 years later but actually lasted 14 years in F1.

[Monzanator 4,503]

24 cars entered for the IndyCar opener at Texas:

 

[heywoodu 15,145]

There was some concern about several foreign drivers making it, but apparently it's been solved for all of them. 

 

Also, Indy Lights 2020 has been entirely canceled. Too bad for the 10 drivers registered. 

[heywoodu 15,145]

IndyCar Series is about to get underway in 15 minutes or so at the Texas Motor Speedway  

 

Pole position for Josef Newgarden, ahead of Scott Dixon. The 19-year old rookie Rinus van Kalmthout (going by Rinus VeeKay because 'Murica and so they can't pronounce names) is without any doubt promising, but had a bit of a false start by crashing in today's first and only practice. He missed qualifying because of it, but they did manage to fix his car up enough to start the race  

 

Van Kalmthout's main rival in the Road to Indy is here as well, Indy Lights champion Oliver Askew.

[Monzanator 4,503]

VeeKay had himself a bad day and took out Palou as well.

 

Dixon won, Rosenqvist would have finished 2nd but crashed with 10 to go.

[Olympian1010 7,976]

Virtual IRacing 24 Hours of Le Mans is this weekend. It’s my favorite virtual event. Hopefully there’s some good racing and moments of excitement.

[Federer91 2,797]

Virtual Le Mans 24 is starting now. A lot of big names are playing and it looks like it will be the only good virtual motorsport race. 

[heywoodu 15,145]

12 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

Virtual Le Mans 24 is starting now. A lot of big names are playing and it looks like it will be the only good virtual motorsport race. 

Not agreeing with that, because I have seen quite some very good virtual races in these months (fantastic battles between Leclerc/Albon and Alonso/Button for example), but I am definitely curious about this one...just tuned in, big field of big names  

 

https://storage.googleapis.com/fiawec-prod/assets/ressources/Pdf/2020/24H_Le_Mans_virtual_entry_list_autohorized_to_take_part_in_the_race_130620.pdf