F1 Bombs - Races Six in US Grand Prix

[TexasTerror]

Danica Patrick or Jeff Gordon couldn't save the day with this one. This was Formula One racing, the most premier racing league in the world, though not registering much of a mark here in the United States. F1 came to the US this weekend to run the US Grand Prix on the famed brickyard at Indy. Unfortunately, all cars except six pulled from the race.

Prior to the race, Michelin, a tire company that supplies tires for seven of the teams on the F1 circuit notified the teams that the tires were not safe on the final banked corner at the Indy Motor Speedway. The drivers informed the circuit administrators that they were set to boycott and after the warmup lap, 14 cars pulled off the track leaving the six remaining.

That has got to stink for F1 racing. They were hoping to turn their fortunes here in the country where they are not even mentioned in the same breathe with NASCAR, IRL, CART or even NHRA. The fans left early in the race when it was obvious what was occuring and though this was not an event on the magnitude of the Indy 500 which packs in 300,000, there was still a sizeable crowd at this.

Pie in the face for Tony George and the George family that has managed IMS for years. This is going to be an interesting story to follow as fans have been pursuing refunds already. The compensation they recieve shall be interesting as I do not think this is something that will die overnight.

[FightinBluHen51]

Definately can't blame the George family for this though. Well...maybe you can to get them FIA to make them honor their contract, but the drivers won't do something they know to be stupid and insane. Hard to say, I think that Michelin is the one that dropped the ball and is ultimately to blame. They have the responsibility to the teams, the drivers, and the fans for such a lame excuse as to why they couldn't put on a show. The Michelin tire engineers didn't do their homework.

[blukeys]

This is an unmitigated disaster for formula 1. What could the tire companies be thinking? NASCAR tire providers test at Dover a month before every race for an entire weekend. Goodyear comes in with tires for numerous teams and usually 1 or 2 drivers come in for a test. They try to get tires tested at different times of the day to check out the effects of temperature. What was the surprise? Indy is a banked track? I have a cousin and some friends who are formula 1 fans. They are disgusted that formula 1 laid an egg at the #1 U.S. race track.

[grizbeer]

I thought I read recently that one of the money saving reforms F1 is making is to go with 1 tire company - I have to believe that this fiasco might push this forward, with Firestone/Bridgestone being the big winner?

BTW, what is the difference between the Indy F1 this year and years past - why wasn't this an issue before but is now?

[Georgia Griz]

I don't know very much at all about Formula One (so maybe I shouldn't comment), but this league sounds pitiful. It's clear that it is not managed nearly as well as NASCAR or other racing circuits. The debacle that happened yesterday ceratinaly will not help Formula One in this country. It's also a shame because they have the most popular driver in the world in Schumacher (makes almost twice what Jeff Gordon makes in endorsements), and they can't even capitalize on that. I think this hurts all of the open-wheel leagues, not just Formula One. All of this comes at a time when NASCAR is simply exploding onto the scene. I'm beginning to agree with PolsonGriz about "open-wheel" racing. I hope Formula One can get it together and recover from this silliness.

[FightinBluHen51]

I thought I read recently that one of the money saving reforms F1 is making is to go with 1 tire company - I have to believe that this fiasco might push this forward, with Firestone/Bridgestone being the big winner?

BTW, what is the difference between the Indy F1 this year and years past - why wasn't this an issue before but is now?


F1 now has a "one tire" per race rule. Actually, if I am not mistaken, they must go out and qualify on that set of tires, and then the cars are impounded with the same fuel and tires that they finish qualifying on. I personally do not endourse the 1 tire per race rule for this and other reasons. Three weeks ago, I watched Miacka Hickenen (sp?) lose the GP of Germany due to a front left that was blistered and beaten. While the tire did not let go, it's bad vibration cost him the last lap heading into the first turn when the suspension gave way from the extreme fatigue that that vibration was putting on it. It's stupid, it causes the tire manufactures to make tires that just can't put up with these kind of conditions, and it really doesn't save the teams THAT much money. When those cars cost about $1 mil to put together, what's a set of tires that probably run you 1500 bucks? Its a drop in the bucket.

Also, how about this asinine comment about Danica Patrick from the head of F1? What a stupid statement. The dude needs to get out of the milking parlor and into the 21st century.

I much rather go to a NASCAR Busch, Truck, or Cup race and an NHRA National event any day of the week over F1. The reason it doesn't work here in the states is because its too snubish and uppity for the average joe. Average Joe can understand "V-8" and 4 spd, and a 3.90 gear, where understear and oversteer are quizical and v-10s with pnumatic valves are just big question marks.

[NoCoDanny]

All they had to do was put a chicane in front of the banked turn to slow the cars down. Ferrari wouldn’t agree to that and then went out and took 1st and 2nd in the “race.” Ferrari is to blame for this and have ruined F1 other the course of the last decade.

[polsongrizz]

All they had to do was put a chicane in front of the banked turn to slow the cars down. Ferrari wouldn’t agree to that and then went out and took 1st and 2nd in the “race.” Ferrari is to blame for this and have ruined F1 other the course of the last decade.
Disagree, all Ferrai did was to take advantage of the situation. If the tire co was doing its job there would not have been anything to take advatage of.

[grizbeer]

F1 now has a "one tire" per race rule. Actually, if I am not mistaken, they must go out and qualify on that set of tires, and then the cars are impounded with the same fuel and tires that they finish qualifying on. I personally do not endourse the 1 tire per race rule for this and other reasons.
I was more talking about the 2008 rule change to go to 1 manufacturer for the series - see link:

Tires would be supplied by one manufacturer — there are currently two, Michelin and Bridgestone — and treadless tires would be used on dry track surfaces.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/formula1/2005-06-16-rules-proposal_x.htm

[FightinBluHen51]

I was more talking about the 2008 rule change to go to 1 manufacturer for the series - see link:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/formula1/2005-06-16-rules-proposal_x.htm


Not a surprise and never questioned that. Hey, it works in NASCAR and for the NHRA pro divisions (though a bit of parody since the PS Bikes run Mickey Thompson Bike Slicks and the rest of the pro categories run goodyears). I think one tire per race or weekend is plain stupid and unsafe. What's cheaper, 3 or 4 sets of tires in a weekend or rebuilding a whole million dollar race car every week? I know what I'd want as a team owner.