F1 Reliabilty

[Wrex]

What seems to amaze me these days, is the number (or %) of cars that finish a race. Gone are the days when the back-runners could hope for some luck and grab some points.

We have the exceptions of course (Brazil springs to mind), but the fact is in 2003 we saw the highest % of classified drivers Ever!

According to F1-facts.com, an amazing 209 drivers were classified out of 312 starts (66.69%), the highest on record.

The previous best of 66.67% was back in 1960.

So with some twitchy manufacturers demanding results, and even higher relaibility expected with the one engine rule, what will this mean to Jaguar and co?

And what about poor Minardi, are the destined for average finishing positions such as 15th and 16th?

[Mark Webber]

Originally posted by Wrex
So with some twitchy manufacturers demanding results, and even higher relaibility expected with the one engine rule, what will this mean to Jaguar and co?

THAT'S it Jag has a good weapon and a top steerer but it all hinges on "relaibility" and with Ford wanting results it boggles me to employ a rookie sure the up front $$$$$ is fine but the long trem dosch comes from points and results and Jag has as I see it 2 possible weak points in relaibility & Klien I just hope the gamble pays off

[Mr V]

The reliability of 2003 seems to make nonsense of the seasons before when the mechanics had to work all night before a race, just for the car to still fail misrably before 10 laps were completed.

[devil racer nz]

And what about poor Minardi, are the destined for average finishing positions such as 15th and 16th?

You can add Jordan to that aswell. Brazil aside, its been a bad year for Eddies mob.

[jetsetter]

I homestly don't expect to see Jordan & Minardi figuring in the points next year unless we see a crazy event like Brazil where something out of the ordinary takes out half of the field.

[Wrex]

I dont think it's just reliablilty of the cars either. With driver aides the pilot is less likely to make a mistake also.

Will be see a race with everyone finishing?

[spearce]

We already have : reliability has still not reached '61 Dutch GP (I think) levels - where there were no retirements !!!

[Glen]

Originally posted by Mark Webber
THAT'S it Jag has a good weapon and a top steerer but it all hinges on "relaibility" and with Ford wanting results it boggles me to employ a rookie sure the up front $$$$$ is fine but the long trem dosch comes from points and results and Jag has as I see it 2 possible weak points in relaibility & Klien I just hope the gamble pays off

If Jaguar weren't prepared to take a risk and employ a rookie (or near rookie) Mark Webber wouldn't have his current drive either! F1 is able to give a chance to new kids on the block, and that is a good thing - some of them work out ok, such as Kimi, Jenson and Mark.

[BootsOntheSide]

On pure pace, Jagaur would struggle to score more than half a dozen points even if Klien turns out to be as good as Webber. I think our Webber has misunderstood Wrex's point, which was more to do with the fact that there are less poitns available for the smaller teams now that the top cars usually finish.

[Mark Webber]

I do apoligise my mistake

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by Mr V
The reliability of 2003 seems to make nonsense of the seasons before when the mechanics had to work all night before a race, just for the car to still fail misrably before 10 laps were completed.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing though? I think that unless you're a hardcore Minardi fan the more cars that finish the race the better.

[Glen]

I'm all for it - and I reckon longer ilfe engines will improve things even further, because the "window" in which the engine may fail is presumably most accurately expressed in percentage terms... ie. the last ten per cent of the design life is the most vulnerable - if the ten per cent phase is twice as long... you know what I mean. i hope.

[jetsetter]

Originally posted by Yoong Montoya
Is that a good thing or a bad thing though? I think that unless you're a hardcore Minardi fan the more cars that finish the race the better.

That's exactly right, when i watch a Grand Prix i want to see the best possible race & hopefully see the best teams fighting it out all race long.

[OVERSTEER]

Originally posted by spearce
We already have : reliability has still not reached '61 Dutch GP (I think) levels - where there were no retirements !!!

And no pit stops either to make it a unique race!!

[GP Racer]

The high-tech equipment used to build every component of an F1 car(and your own car!) is probably the main reson for such unbelievable reliability. Gone are the days of machinists using hand and manual tools to build engines and components. Computers do all the machining now.

High reliability should be expected with all the money it takes to build the car. 19000 RPM and nary a break-down, incredible!

[Spudgun]

I was amazed at the reliablity this season, especially since the introduction of the parce ferme rules between qualifying and the race.

It got me thinking as to to why. I'm wondering whether leaving the car as it is may help since all the components have been 'run-in' and the 'newness' has settled down despite the unbelievable tolerances the components are built to.

Perhaps stripping the cars down between sessions maybe wasn't as advantageous to reliability after all?

I'm no engineer, but it's just a thought as a layman.

[Glen]

Perhaps the most expensive, and convincing, illustration of the adage "If it aint broke, don't fix it".

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Spudgun

Perhaps stripping the cars down between sessions maybe wasn't as advantageous to reliability after all?

That might seem the case with virtually every other car on the grid, But Michaels had 100% reliabilty for both 2002 and 2003, i.e under both conditions (Parc Ferme rules and not). The strength that Ferrari build their cars in particular is incredible.

[MrBluesman1]

Originally posted by Mr V
That might seem the case with virtually every other car on the grid, But Michaels had 100% reliabilty for both 2002 and 2003, i.e under both conditions (Parc Ferme rules and not). The strength that Ferrari build their cars in particular is incredible.

yes Ferrari are definatly the bench mark for the other teams when it comes to reliability. Copying Ferraris componants is not good enough if you don't have the manufacturing levels of Ferrari behind you and the resources to test to their level.

[kristof14]

we can always rely on a Honda blowing up!

[GP Racer]

Kind of hard to believe that Ferrari has the best reliability in F1, when there street cars are known to be somewhat tempermental.

Reliability is usually the exclusive bragging rights of the Germans in the BMW's and Mercedes, at least with cars sold to the public.