venkyhere wrote: ↑03 Nov 2024, 11:54
Andi76 wrote: ↑03 Nov 2024, 10:42
Unfortunately, for me, the "Sao Paolo" Grand Prix once again reveals one of the two great weaknesses of today's F1. 1. Pirelli's seemingly continuing inability to construct decent full wets. 2. the equally persistent over-cautiousness to drive in the rain (which is certainly also due to a large extent to modern society, as today in the event of an accident with injuries there would be a reaction that would immediately call into question the existence of an entire sport) with the lame excuse of today's cars. Where the first is incomprehensible (that Pirelli still can't build a rain tire after more than a decade), the second is simply ridiculous and a shame. It's ridiculous that you have the best drivers in the world who can't even drive in a bit of rain because half the world would be in an uproar in the event of an accident and you need cheap excuses (visibility in the rain was already zero 30 years ago, as Schumacher/Coulthard 1998 proves beyond doubt). I miss the good old days when the world was less crazy, when it was accepted that motorsport was dangerous and when Bernie said - you have contracts, you drive. There may well be other opinions here, but sorry, I think the fact that the Royal Road of motorsport, for whatever reason, no longer races in the rain is just embarrassing and a great pity at the same time.
I agree with your first point - that it's a shame Pirelli can't build a proper wet tyre.
Regarding your second point, while it's true that F1 is more 'chicken' to risks compared to the decades before, I don't think that's the reason why they are calling off driving in the wet. The real reason is - post-2021 ground effect cars' 'wake' is more upwards than outwards. This creates a fine mist-screen (lots of 'hang-time' for the sprayed up droplets) behind the car, such that the following driver can't even see, even if he doesn't follow the same racing line. Driver complaints are not really about 'grip' (they aren't any less brave than yesteryear drivers) but about 'vision'.
Yes, the wake goes more upwards than sideways. But that is NOT the real reason why F1 shies away from rain racing, it is purely an excuse. In the 1990s and 00s, with inwash and comparatively high diffusers, the spray was similar and they raced there too. You only have to look at the rain races back then to realize that the reason has nothing to do with the spray and the wake, but that there are other reasons. And ultimately, the height of the rider's seat determines the visibility that is actually important. And at this height, visibility was still poor in every regulation, which makes it clear that it is just an excuse, nothing else.