2026 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, March 13-15

[FittingMechanics]

It's many times better than the crap we had before 2022 for decades. And overtakes do happen. The problem is that there are too many gaps in performance. Ferrari is too weak compared to Mercedes. And behind Ferrari there's also a big gap.

If we had smaller gaps the racing would be really great. Even right now the racing is pretty good, especially in earlier parts of the races. I'm hoping that the teams close the gap before the aero development makes following close too hard.

[the EDGE]

It's many times better than the crap we had before 2022 for decades. And overtakes do happen. The problem is that there are too many gaps in performance. Ferrari is too weak compared to Mercedes. And behind Ferrari there's also a big gap.

If we had smaller gaps the racing would be really great. Even right now the racing is pretty good, especially in earlier parts of the races. I'm hoping that the teams close the gap before the aero development makes following close too hard.

Totally disagree.

Racing today is far worst than when DRS was at its worst. Formula One should be about skill, no state of charge

[FittingMechanics]

It's many times better than the crap we had before 2022 for decades. And overtakes do happen. The problem is that there are too many gaps in performance. Ferrari is too weak compared to Mercedes. And behind Ferrari there's also a big gap.

If we had smaller gaps the racing would be really great. Even right now the racing is pretty good, especially in earlier parts of the races. I'm hoping that the teams close the gap before the aero development makes following close too hard.

Totally disagree.

Racing today is far worst than when DRS was at its worst. Formula One should be about skill, no state of charge

You are free to have that opinion.

Formula 1 is about finishing a race ahead of everyone else, usually this means in shortest time possible. To do that, you need a car capable of doing it and you (as a driver) need skill to execute. Both of these still apply, even though the way in which your skill is needed is different.

DRS is much worse as it is effectively "rubberbanding" the car behind to the car ahead. It is artificial, has no downside and is hard to tune. These rules would be good for overtaking even without "overtake mode". In fact, I bet that we'd see majority of these battles even if overtake mode didn't exist. My view is that these overtakes happen because the cars can choose to be fast in different areas of the track, so you are able to create overlaps where none existed before.

Overtake mode is similar to DRS in that it gives an advantage to the car behind but unlike DRS, overtake mode is not free. To use it you need to recharge more, which means you need to slow down somewhere. I would love to have proper data from the race to see whether the teams really use the extra recharging allowance from the overtake mode.

[mzso]

It's many times better than the crap we had before 2022 for decades. And overtakes do happen. The problem is that there are too many gaps in performance. Ferrari is too weak compared to Mercedes. And behind Ferrari there's also a big gap.

If we had smaller gaps the racing would be really great. Even right now the racing is pretty good, especially in earlier parts of the races. I'm hoping that the teams close the gap before the aero development makes following close too hard.

Totally disagree.

Racing today is far worst than when DRS was at its worst. Formula One should be about skill, no state of charge

Yes, skillfully playing choo-choo train. That requires great talent.

[Just_a_fan]

It's interesting that the two drivers who had equal cars found the racing to be fun/enjoyable.

CL and LH both enjoyed themselves and did plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing in, crucially, the places where the drivers make a real difference: the twisty sections.

Refreshing to see racing without shenanigans, frankly.

The issue that some cars are better than others is not new. It happened in the previous rule set too, and before that, and before that, and before that. Indeed, a dominant team is typical in modern F1 (the aero eras).

People moaning about pure racing / not F1 / whatever would need to go back to the pre-aero days (or at least the early days of aero when the aero was rubbish). Going back to the V8 or V10 days would just bring noise. Nothing in terms of racing unless the aero was heavily prescribed by the FIA and that would likely annoy some people too.

[Artur Craft]

Totally disagree.

Racing today is far worst than when DRS was at its worst. Formula One should be about skill, no state of charge

There is no point debating with those people. Their mindset is completely different than ours. The best thing you do is just skip F1 and watch Indycar instead which is the real racing we´re looking for. Arlington GP last weekend was amazing, despite being a crappy street track

[langedweil]

Do we really need a 'which driver is better' this early in the season ? This thread could do with some less 'my favourite driver is better than yours' for atleast the first half of the season. What say ?

To me this isn't about any driver tbh ..

will you say the same, after reading the last two pages ?

Dunno what you mean with that really ?

I'm in the Windsor camp .. side by side through corners because both drivers are 40/50 (or more) kph slower than the limit, doesn't feel (to me at least) like racing.
The amount of overtakes (or currently, power passes) doesn't make great racing imho, it should be about the quality of the overtake.
And like I said, been around long enough to enjoy any real battle to not make it about any particular driver. That said, one can still favor one ofcourse aside of all that.

In the end the drivers always use to have gladiator-status; may the toughest guy win.
In this power-starvated formula that appears to be gone now (or at least far away). It's a managers series now ..
But I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that.

[Artur Craft]

But I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that.

Not necessarily, as I said on my previous post. Just watch Indycar instead

[venkyhere]

To me this isn't about any driver tbh ..

will you say the same, after reading the last two pages ?

Dunno what you mean with that really ?

I'm in the Windsor camp .. side by side through corners because both drivers are 40/50 (or more) kph slower than the limit, doesn't feel (to me at least) like racing.
The amount of overtakes (or currently, power passes) doesn't make great racing imho, it should be about the quality of the overtake.
And like I said, been around long enough to enjoy any real battle to not make it about any particular driver. That said, one can still favor one ofcourse aside of all that.

In the end the drivers always use to have gladiator-status; may the toughest guy win.
In this power-starvated formula that appears to be gone now (or at least far away). It's a managers series now ..
But I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that.

I was pointing out how 'LH camp' and 'CL camp' have already dug-in their trenches, with just two races being over, and the team still learning to optimize the car.

[rijtuig]

Well, whatever it is - it is still better than teamorders which withholds us from battles like these!

[fourmula1]

It's many times better than the crap we had before 2022 for decades. And overtakes do happen. The problem is that there are too many gaps in performance. Ferrari is too weak compared to Mercedes. And behind Ferrari there's also a big gap.

If we had smaller gaps the racing would be really great. Even right now the racing is pretty good, especially in earlier parts of the races. I'm hoping that the teams close the gap before the aero development makes following close too hard.

Totally disagree.

Racing today is far worst than when DRS was at its worst. Formula One should be about skill, no state of charge

I just don't understand why state of charge and skill are mutually exclusive in your view. I race in a power to weight class and I run low power, low weight, wide tire, big aero. I am up against cars weighing 600lbs more than me and 80hp more with a flat power curve (big v8 vs. my small straight 6). If I am fighting a driver/car that does the same lap time as me he can fly by me for free on the straights and I have to catch up and pass/gap in the corners. I guess I could say his driving doesn't take skill but I know that's not the case. We are making lap time in different ways and are racing each other.

I think these cars are very lively and quick. The lighter weight, smaller platform, instant punch of electric power makes them look quick and loose. These drivers are pushing as hard as they can (tire limited!!!!) to beat the other driver. They get a free over take via battery but they know they have to try to see if they can hold that spot on the next lap when the other driver will have more power. That actually makes for more racing. It's not perfect but I have surprisingly enjoyed it so far. I hope they improve the tires and performance converges.

That said I do not love the deceleration on straights, it is definitely a little lame, particularly in qualy.

[langedweil]

I was pointing out how 'LH camp' and 'CL camp' have already dug-in their trenches, with just two races being over, and the team still learning to optimize the car.

Ah, clear .. yeah well, that's not my discussion tbh.

[langedweil]

That said I do not love the deceleration on straights, it is definitely a little lame, particularly in qualy.

I'd say that is, together with the slow ass cornering, exactly what ppl that don't like these regs are pointing at.

[stephen]

These new regulations are leading to much closer and more exciting racing than in the ground effect era.