Giblet wrote:
If everyone is simply going to run out of gas every race unless they drive at 9/10ths, what is the point of hiring high end racing drivers when any testing chump can drive the car that way?
To put that in perspective, this years German fast lap was 1;33.365. In order to finish the race your fastest lap could never be faster than 1:24.029 at 90% tank size. The cars finish the race almost on empty as it is.
Well no that's not true. The point is to drive at 90% capacity over the course of the race. They can still drive at 100% at some points, but to compensate they'll need to back off at others. The trukly great will be the ones who work out when to do which.
Personally that's the kind of tactical racing that I love to watch. I remember during the last but one tyre change bans, you'd see some majestic drives. A couple of drivers would scamper off flat out and shred their tyres while a wiser driver - usually Prost - would find the perfect balance between keeping the leaders in sight and keeping their tyres on and then reel them in during the closing laps.
There are any number of drivers who can drive on or around the limit, but the truly great in my book are the ones that can keep a level head and drive tactically as well as technically.
So bring it on, I say.
Matt.