Comments on: Drivers seek clarification

By: Tim Schultz

Tim Schultz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:31:32 +0000

Risk versus reward?
If you spend all your time racing with your mirrors, are you really racing?
Fast is fast. If someone has a run on your position then maybe you should be concentrating on getting quicker by putting in smoother laps and faster times.
Blocking your position by altering your line is always a very risky thing for yourself as well as your rivials.

As a long time racer of open wheels on dirt, no mirrors required or needed, you just put your head down and go like hell.Looking back always slows you down and will usally get you in trouble as you may be missing something that lies ahead. If someone is faster they will find a way around you no matter what. I am not saying that I never blocked anyone but I did learn very quickly that it usally did not have a good outcome in the long run.

I am retired from racing now but I tried to always beat everyone by not looking back and racing forward. IF someone wants to pass and can do it they must find the way and if you are a smart racer you will learn from them and maybe you can repay the pass using their own tactics and lines. My type of racing was greatly differnt from F1 but I still believe that the principals apply to all types sports and life in general, that if you worry about the other person or persons you are not improving your own skills.

You know how it goes: “To finish first, you must finish”

By: Nelson DB

Nelson DB — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:48:54 +0000

Jd i was thinking exactly the same and i was thinking too to Digione 79…
That was the perfect example of a extreme but fair race.. racing isn’t about put out somebody who’s tring to pass, you have to brake after him to resist and take the best line but you have to leave enough room, not 1 inch more but enough! Nico is right in my opinion, and a great driver don’t need to intimidate or put out someone else.. Is too easy doing like Webber or Sutil did in last race, and even more is too dangerous. Maybe because modern f1 are so safe somebody forget the risk of this behaviour.
I understand what Nico and Jarno say, because i remember the ‘70 and ‘80 races..

By: JD

JD — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:32:52 +0000

Hey don’t be implicating Gilles Villenueve in the dirty driving conversation. He certainly raced hard but I don’t recall him pulling anything close to what Senna or Webber have done.

Look at the classic closing laps of the ‘79 French GP to see what combative but fair driving is all about. Sure, Villenueve and Arnoux banged wheels, but there was no intentionally pushing the other to the grass, or trying to cut the other’s tire, and there was no brake checking. Each driver didn’t back down but they also gave each other room and did not resort to anything dirty.

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