I feel 70’s innovation was even more fundamental than now. Yes, Colin Chapman was certainly one heavy in pushing this but other engineer/designers like Ralph Bellamy, Derek Gardner at Tyrrell, Mario Forghieri at Ferrari, Gordon Murray and the team of Ford’s Cosworth engineers meant a 1979 car was unrecognisable from a 1969 one.
Beyond the six wheels, gas turbines, fans and things, proper aero analysis was massive, for front and rear wing development, giving inboard brakes, outboard side mounted radiators, the high air intake, the ‘wedge’ shape, air dams, side skirts, all towards full ground effect, then torsion bar suspension, transverse gearbox mounting, turbos, plus untold methods of weight saving through experiments with different metals/materials throughout.
Ok, I thought your post was a generic “it’s all about the car” nonsense so I apologise.
Yes a few others on the grid could well be winning in the RB but I don’t think you can take anything away from Max being currently the best driver (and I’ve never been particularly a fan).
But you can’t forget the car has been developed with his feedback and to suit his style. Checo was faster at the start of the season and the more upgrades the car has received the more he’s struggled to adapt to it.
He’ll be the next to join the greats, I have very little doubt. I look forward to fights with Verstappen in a few years (assuming both their cars allow).
Max 18 fast laps on a new set of tyres today. Penalties for anyone who over runs. Sounds like it’s going to be a crazy race. There is a table here of how many laps each driver has on their various new/used sets…
Yeah, it’s pretty unfair. Half the teams were forced to sacrifice their sprint race yesterday by running softs so they would have enough med/hard today for 3 stops
Colin Chapman was my main focus as a kid because growing up in Essex, Lotus was the closest we had to a local team and Anglia TV used to cover the cars when they came out. I didn’t understand the ‘twin chassis’ concept until his son showed me how it worked at Goodwood a few years back. Lotus were also trying to make active suspension work.
For all the others and everything they did, wherever they did it, including engine management and fuel efficiency and those who came before and gave us monocoque cars and disc brakes, we should be thankful and that would include Honda, Renault and others. I can’t tell if what happens today still benefits road cars the way it used to.
Piastri did well again. Good to see two McLarens on the podium. Along with someone or other. Shame about Russell being messed up by Lewis at the start.
All British-built cars on the podium anyway, even what’s his name’s.
