Formula 1 thread

[CBear3]

It was ok. Totally snoretastic, and the fact taht Ricky couldn't do anything with Fred at the end spoke to its "raceability."
That said, pretty average for a street circuit and it wasn't as ugly as many people claimed it would be.

[MRandall25]

It reminded me a lot of Valencia

[tifosi77]

I think the problem with Valencia (less so Sochi) was the bits that would have made it a truly exceptional street circuit were neutered by massive runoffs. So instead of the world's most impressive street circuit, you had the world's least impressive flat road course.

[Shyster]

Someone needs to run another airport circuit like IndyCar used to run at Burke Airport in Cleveland. That was always a great race, and having been there in person it's awesome that you can see the entire circuit from the stands.

[tifosi77]

One of the greatest motor races I ever saw, particularly the closing laps..... '95 Indy Cleveland

[youtube][/youtube]

[tifosi77]

Michael Schumacher: Injured ex-F1 driver makes 'progress'
Talking about a 3-year recovery timeline.

[dodint]

I didn't like Sochi because as noted, there wasn't any racing. That's enough for me to dismiss it. Everything else is window dressing.

The shots of Putin and Bernie together were nice for a giggle. Just a couple of villains doing villain things.

[tifosi77]

Both Maurussia and Caterham to miss the USGP at COTA. The sport is poised to have mandatory three-car teams to make up grids.

[dodint]

I wouldn't want to go to Austin either.


That's not really fair. I think the presentation around the race is cliche and a bit ****, and I really hate the painted pavement. But the course itself is pretty nice. But for some reason as a fan I just don't want to go. I'd rather sack up and go to Spa or any other European track not called Valencia. I almost went to Brazil last year but the wife got sick. She's almost bought us Canada tickets a few times as a surprise but the military ruined the ability to go.

[tifosi77]

Before we got together, Mrs Tif had occasion to be in Montreal during pre-race week. She didn't do anything at all in terms of the race related stuff, and she says she regrets it now. Montreal and Melbourne are supposedly the two races that are the most embraced by the locals, and they really go out of their way to make the week's festivities special for the fans.

I would not go to Brazil without an armed escort, and I'm a super Braziliophile. (?) But yea, Spa is top of the list for me, too.

[dodint]

The Brazil thing was literally fly in Saturday night and out Sunday night. Found a hotel right on the line that runs to the track and back, wasn't planning on taking in the sights. Alas, didn't work out and won't consider it again.

[tifosi77]

Long-rumored since Marchionne took the helm of FCA, the rumors that heated up with the ouster of Luca di Montezemolo have proved to be true.

Fiat Chrysler to Spin Off Ferrari Sports Car Brand

One rumor I hope that does not come true: The article mentions that Ferrari and Maserati are kind of odd fits in the FIAT portfolio. I've read some speculation that Marchionne wants to broaden the Ferrari/Maserati customer base, removing a lot of the marque's exclusivity. I think that would be borderline tragic.

[Shyster]

Meh. Porsche's sale of $60,000 Caymans (okay, $90,000 Caymans once you add options) doesn't seem to be affecting their ability to sell $200,000 Turbos or $900,000 918s. I doubt Ferrari/Maserati would lose cachet by selling cheaper models.

I think they could use a modern Dino. The Dino when it was introduced in the late 60s was somewhere around $14,000, which in 2014 dollars is around $90,000. There's certainly no pure sports car from Ferrari/Maserati anywhere near that price today. If Ferrari doesn't want to cheapen its own name, sell that new sports car as a Maserati.

[tifosi77]

Porsche has always been a mass production brand, tho. I mean, they come from the inventor of the "people's car", after all. That's the heart of the distinction between the two marques. Ferrari has never sold more than about 7,300 vehicles worldwide in a given year. That's about how many Boxters Porsche sells in North America alone, never mind all the other models and markets. It's like comparing Knob Creek or Maker's Mark to Pappy Van Winkle.

Also, your reference to the Dino is perhaps more on point than you realize..... Enzo Ferrari disliked the car so much, so disliked the notion of a car meant to compete with/down to Porsche, that he refused to even allow it to be called a Ferrari. It was just the Dino 206/246. (I think the only place it had any visible Ferrari branding was on the cylinder cover on the engine)

Mass market appeal simply is not what Ferrari is about. I'm cool with the fact that I will never own one; they're supposed to be aspirational, not attainable. I like that my heart speeds up when I see a 458 on the street. There is a vintage Italian and French car show going on in my neighborhood this weekend, and I'm stoked about maybe seeing a 275 or 365 GT/S. I react to seeing a Porsche in pretty much the same way I react to seeing a Volkswagen.

[slappybrown]

I agree with Tifosi 100%.

[Sigwolf]

Ya know, I've always dreamed of owning a Ferrari, but seeing it worded this way, I wouldn't want one that way. Honestly, I've never even really considered the Boxster line as real Porsches, so I wouldn't really want to see a pseudo-Ferrari, either. It should always remain an unattainable dream, I guess. Well worded, Tifosi.

[MRandall25]

You can find a Magnum PI Ferrari for "cheap" (I've seen some around the interwebz for ~ $30,000). Not sure what the maintenance on those costs, though.

[tifosi77]

I've always considered the Boxter to be the Porsche for people who couldn't afford Porsches. Which is exactly how a similarly positioned Ferrari would be received.

Our vet is friends with a guy who owns a business buying and restoring classic Italian sports cars, with a specialty in Ferraris. At any given time, he'll have over a dozen cars in his garage in various states of rebuild, plus another half dozen or so in fully restored condition and ready for sale. To give you an idea of the cost of operating a car like that, they suggest minor service every 3,000 miles or 12 months - whichever comes first (don't expect that 308 to be a daily driver) - and it will cost $1,000. Brakes cost $5,000. Tires are $400 a piece. A clutch (something that will get frequent service, seeing as the 308 is from the gated shifter era) will be near $3,000. And if you want to maintain any semblance of reasonable depreciation, all that service has to be done at one of a relative handful of certified Ferrari locations.

[tifosi77]

I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from this surprise:

Ferrari confirms two-time Formula One champion Alonso leaving team

"I stop as a Ferrari driver but from Monday I am a Ferrari supporter."

That does not sound like someone headed for Woking.....

[CBear3]

So he sits for a year?

My Indycar friends are still having wet dreams about him racing here, lol.

[MRandall25]

I thought he was going to McLaren?

[dodint]

So he sits for a year?

My Indycar friends are still having wet dreams about him racing here, lol.

A bit of a fall from grace, there. Following in the footsteps of Twobens.

[tifosi77]

I thought he was going to McLaren?

That's been the rumor since last year, but that "I'm a Ferrari supporter" line does not exactly jibe with that.

Personally, I'd like to see him in prototype/endurance racing. He has a very versatile driving style; he was sorta useless as a development driver during his early years at Minardi and Renault because he was always just driving around problems, so I think that would do him well in WEC.

[CBear3]

I thought he was going to McLaren?

He probably is, but as Tif pointed out his "Ferrari supporter" comment doesn't necessarily sound like he'd sign with Ferrari's greatest rival.
The Indycar thing is pure fantasy.

[tifosi77]

The Indycar thing is pure fantasy.

At this stage of my life, I tend to think this is the case generally.