2024 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, April 05 - 07

[dialtone]

Something I've noticed is that no car can hit the apex at the hairpin. It's very different to 20 years ago.

I've found that hitting the apex in slow corners in general went out of vogue with these ground effect cars. I'm guessing a U-shape is the fastest way around now.

Imho it’s possibly just a physics thing.

Less wing means you want to accelerate from faster to keep the tires alive longer and avoid unnecessary wheel spin.

U shaped corners keep a faster speed and enable that.

[scuderiabrandon]

Something I've noticed is that no car can hit the apex at the hairpin. It's very different to 20 years ago.

It's due to the topography of the circuit at turn 11 it's banked and rises after the apex. The heavy and stiffly sprung cars struggle to get on power with so much gradient on the inside of a corner.

The Ferrari boys did take quite the narrow line through there though, much different to anyone else. They apexed quite early and washed wide onto the "modern conventional line", they gained on the McLaren's there almost every lap.

Zandvoort turn 3 is not much different in my opinion. If they were able to run lower on the banking and not have such a hassle with the rear on exit, the shorter line should be the better. However, because of formerly mentioned problem, they keep it high on the bank.

[TeamKoolGreen]

It's time the likes of Stroll, Sargeant, Zhou, Ricciardo, Bottas are gone from F1 - talent level is-permanently/has-become sub-par. There are so many youngsters waiting in the wings. People like Drugovich, Doohan etc have been waiting for 2 years, and then there are people like Lawson, Bearman etc who got a sniff and have to wait it out for long. Sub-par drivers who get a race seat because of past glory or sponsorship money - dilutes the meritocracy aspect of this sport.

If you wrote this post 2 years ago, Sargeant would have been written as one of your "young drivers waiting in the wings".

[basti313]

Something I've noticed is that no car can hit the apex at the hairpin. It's very different to 20 years ago.

I've found that hitting the apex in slow corners in general went out of vogue with these ground effect cars. I'm guessing a U-shape is the fastest way around now.

Hmmm...I do not think it is faster, but it saves the tire as they get a more balanced load. Due to the banking, the inside line stresses the right wheels more.
So in Q we saw only few drivers taking the wider line, while in the race most took the wider line.

[PlatinumZealot]

Four boring races in a row... Ughh..

Has the season really started yet? ? Still feels like a continuation of 2023.

[chrisc90]

Four boring races in a row... Ughh..

Has the season really started yet? ? Still feels like a continuation of 2023.

Which bits were boring?

Personally, I found it quite a interesting race to be honest. Plenty of tyre offsets, people trying a undercut, working, then the newer tyres being much faster 8-10 laps in.

[PlatinumZealot]

Four boring races in a row... Ughh..

Has the season really started yet? ? Still feels like a continuation of 2023.

Which bits were boring?

Personally, I found it quite a interesting race to be honest. Plenty of tyre offsets, people trying a undercut, working, then the newer tyres being much faster 8-10 laps in.

I literally went to bed and watched the replay later in the day.

There was no fight for the win.. And the best overtakes were all on huge tyre deltas. If wasn't an exciting race at all. The chase by George on Piastri wasn't really any white knuckle stuff.. Was a very tame race. 4 /10.

[bluechris]

Four boring races in a row... Ughh..

Has the season really started yet? ? Still feels like a continuation of 2023.

Which bits were boring?

Personally, I found it quite a interesting race to be honest. Plenty of tyre offsets, people trying a undercut, working, then the newer tyres being much faster 8-10 laps in.

I literally went to bed and watched the replay later in the day.

There was no fight for the win.. And the best overtakes were all on huge tyre deltas. If wasn't an exciting race at all. The chase by George on Piastri wasn't really any white knuckle stuff.. Was a very tame race. 4 /10.

You are not allone.. more than 10 years i do the same i just hope sometime F1 will be fixed and noone will have such a huge difference.. but this is what it is so far.. so sleeping and see the race after in normal hours is better.. i mean i am no eager to see Max win always....and Hamilton before also...
The only good thing lately is Ferrari progress.. and thats all.

[CHT]

Four boring races in a row... Ughh..

Has the season really started yet? ? Still feels like a continuation of 2023.

Good to see Max and RBR bouncing back, and Sainz and Yuki finishing ahead of their teammate.
Certainly a boring race for Merc drivers as they are focusing on strategies to make up for their lack of pace.

[PlatinumZealot]

Bouncing back? He never fell anywhere!

[CHT]

Bouncing back? He never fell anywhere!

After Australia GP, where none of the RBR finished on the podium, there was indeed hope that Ferrari may beat RBR in race pace.

[dialtone]

Bouncing back? He never fell anywhere!

After Australia GP, where none of the RBR finished on the podium, there was indeed hope that Ferrari may beat RBR in race pace.

Where was that hope? Nobody here thought that as possible, especially not in suzuka.

[Dunlay]

Bouncing back? He never fell anywhere!

After Australia GP, where none of the RBR finished on the podium, there was indeed hope that Ferrari may beat RBR in race pace.

That sounds more like Toto's words in the Mercedes dominance days.

[Vanja #66]

Where was that hope? Nobody here thought that as possible, especially not in suzuka.

Straws are grasped, in huge numbers and every possible thread...

[Sieper]

Which bits were boring?

Personally, I found it quite a interesting race to be honest. Plenty of tyre offsets, people trying a undercut, working, then the newer tyres being much faster 8-10 laps in.

I literally went to bed and watched the replay later in the day.

There was no fight for the win.. And the best overtakes were all on huge tyre deltas. If wasn't an exciting race at all. The chase by George on Piastri wasn't really any white knuckle stuff.. Was a very tame race. 4 /10.

You are not allone.. more than 10 years i do the same i just hope sometime F1 will be fixed and noone will have such a huge difference.. but this is what it is so far.. so sleeping and see the race after in normal hours is better.. i mean i am no eager to see Max win always....and Hamilton before also...
The only good thing lately is Ferrari progress.. and thats all.

You are replying to the man that thinks Hamilton is an octagod (see his tagline) who enjoyed every race during the Hamilton stint. Don’t for a moment think you are in the same boat.