• frank@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    Massive F1 fan here.

    It’s more of an engineering sport than a driving sport. Don’t get me wrong– the drivers are absolutely top notch and do an incredible job and it’s entertaining to watch. But since it’s sooooo engineering and development based, you cars that perform different on different tracks (cuz of elevation, temperature, track design, surface).

    It’s pretty neat; worth a watch sometime!

    • Rodeo@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      This is like the argument that football is exciting because it’s a highly strategic sport: the most interesting and exciting things about it are happening on the sidelines in the coaches’ heads while 40% of the time nothing is happening on the field.

      So if the most exciting part of the race is the engineering that went into the car, then what’s the point of watching the race? You’d be probably be more interested watching Bill Nye.

    • SARGEx117@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I know I don’t have the skills to drive one (at least not yet lol) but those things are engineering marvels.

      I’ve always wanted to see one invert at speed to see if their downforce really is enough.

      I can’t imagine all the materials sciences that go on behind the scenes.

      • frank@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        So much cool matsci!

        The exhaust is no longer titanium (it’s inconel) because they 3D print the complicated bits of it now instead of traditional forming techniques

      • frank@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        I’m not sure what you’re referring to but not at all! It’s the inverse of a “spec series” (which still benefit greatly from engineering) where you get handed parts to use. Teams can design the vast majority of parts themselves and do

        • uis@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m not sure which one, but I think it is F1 where making car too good is banned.

          • CapeWearingAeroplane@sopuli.xyz
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            1 year ago

            There are a bunch of restrictions in F1, which largely make it harder to make fast cars. But think of it the other way around: Those restrictions make the engineering harder, and all teams have the same restrictions. That means you have to optimise even more within the limitations you have, because you’re not allowed to make some of the “easy” optimisations like cutting weight by removing the roll cage.