Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Racing Fiasco
It's rare that I agree with Holy Coast on much about motor sport, wheeled tanks just don't make as good racing as speedy little cars with big wings, but Rick has it absolutely right about this past weekend's Formula One race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tony George and IMS are running for cover and pointing fingers, which, as far as I know the story, is the only option open to them.
F1 cars are the most fantastic machines in racing, but they are a bit prissy. Michael Schumacher, who won Sunday's excuse for a race, once said that he would never run in the Indianapolis 500 because it was "too dangerous," read "too fast." Bottom line is this, while F1 cars are the premiere machines in the world, the engineers have just a little too much power -- and engineers are generally overly cautious sorts. Racing is about being on the edge.
The future of F1 in the US really is in jeopardy, which given the fact that the race has not been run enough times at Indy to depreciate the upgrades they made to accomodate the series, is just a crying shame. I suggest you follow Tony George's suggestion and complain to Michelin loud and long.
And ask them this -- why could they not just produce tires that could handle the track and the speeds. These guys are 50 mph slower than indy cars, and they got safe tires.
F1 cars are the most fantastic machines in racing, but they are a bit prissy. Michael Schumacher, who won Sunday's excuse for a race, once said that he would never run in the Indianapolis 500 because it was "too dangerous," read "too fast." Bottom line is this, while F1 cars are the premiere machines in the world, the engineers have just a little too much power -- and engineers are generally overly cautious sorts. Racing is about being on the edge.
The future of F1 in the US really is in jeopardy, which given the fact that the race has not been run enough times at Indy to depreciate the upgrades they made to accomodate the series, is just a crying shame. I suggest you follow Tony George's suggestion and complain to Michelin loud and long.
And ask them this -- why could they not just produce tires that could handle the track and the speeds. These guys are 50 mph slower than indy cars, and they got safe tires.
