Modern age of Reliability - Good or Bad for Motorsports?

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GTP_Royalton
Its not just F1 cars that are far more reliable now then they've ever been. Sportscars, NASCAR, Indycar, most motorsports I've followed since growing up now race in near bulletproof cars. Compared to what they were just 10, 15 years ago.

So do you think this is a good or a bad thing?

In all honesty I miss the frequency of cars breaking down. It made the races far more unpredictable. And I knew the engineers were pushing the cars to the limit, which was really cool on a technical side. Now you have rules that call for these near bullet proof engines etc....its saves money but I feel a really cool part of motorsport has been lost. Racecars should not be this reliable...
 
There are reliabiltiy issues in F1, markedly so over the last few years in my opinion, but team telemetry and communication hampers even that.

Cars don't splutter to a halt quite as often anymore it's always "Stop the car, [Driver]" or "We're gonna have to retire the car" and they pull into the garage.
 
2013 Formula 1 Season (19 races): 8 retirements from the top 5 drivers in points

1998 Formula 1 Season (16 races): 15 retirements from the top 5 drivers in points

Yeah, I miss the old days
 
Sorry but 2013 used fixed engines from 2007, what about 2014?

2014 was 11 races.

Retirements basically are aligned with ability to develop.

But these days Reliability is more common also due to advancements in said Technology.
 
The LMP1's in WEC have had their share of problems, the Audi cutting out at the end of the race, the Porsche's mechanical issues as of late...oh and engine issues in LMP2 at some points. Plus new cars are still as reliable as used to be...by which I mean they usually last about oh...5 minutes? :lol: I mean cars have gotten MUCH more reliable, but in many disciplines it is still something to strive for. Just look at Le Mans for crying out loud. Audi usually wins because they have the least problems and have the them toughest car of the LMP1's that's easily fixable.
 
I'd say that the improvement in reliability is good, because it saves the teams money which they can spend on making the cars better. Additionally, more consistent finishes mean that the raw pace of the car is more apparent in the overall results, and drivers have a better chance to show their abilities and make it count rather than losing a race they should have won due to a breakdown.
 
Earth
2013 Formula 1 Season (19 races): 8 retirements from the top 5 drivers in points

1998 Formula 1 Season (16 races): 15 retirements from the top 5 drivers in points

Yeah, I miss the old days
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So what's the same stats from NASCAR and Indycar or is this just you getting at F1 again?
 
Actually, its not solely just regs that made reliability a regular thing. The necessity for Reliability as a result of the competition played heavily into that. Like many other sports, everything evolved as necessary to keep up.
 
Earth
Its not just F1 cars that are far more reliable now then they've ever been. Sportscars, NASCAR, Indycar, most motorsports I've followed since growing up now race in near bulletproof cars. Compared to what they were just 10, 15 years ago.

So do you think this is a good or a bad thing?

In all honesty I miss the frequency of cars breaking down. It made the races far more unpredictable. And I knew the engineers were pushing the cars to the limit, which was really cool on a technical side. Now you have rules that call for these near bullet proof engines etc....its saves money but I feel a really cool part of motorsport has been lost. Racecars should not be this reliable...
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I actually like that more cars finish than 20 years ago. In the 1995 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte, 6 cars retired from the race with engine problems; in this year's race, only 3 cars retired with engine problems.
 
I miss unreliability (I think Jarno Trulli said the same a while ago), it's kind of like the 3 second pitstops in F1 in that they're impressive but quickly become boring.

This is not exclusive to F1 though (it is exaggerated there though because the drivers are never pushing hard enough to retire through non-mechanical issues). Even the Dakar Rally requires a clean run from start to finish to win nowadays, I think we've seen the end of the great comeback victory (it might be a little ironic saying that 5 days after the Indy 500 though).
 
I dont miss the unreliability. Its not fun having a car snap both front uprights when braking for turn 1 from high speeds. Not cool to have an engine blow and spew oil on the circuit for a "pioneer" to have their race ruined. Reliabilty is not the issue. Its too much aero in most instances. Cars are easier to steer today. Theres not the same skill to shifting like back in the day. Live tyre info keeps teams and drivers aware before a blowout. Not much driver error today as driver comfort is high. Driver training/exercising/conditioning is higher than back in the day. Components in cars are made better because races have been lost in the pits. No one wants to the throw away a lead because of a battery fire or a bad batch of lock nuts.

Remember when F1 had whole spare cars at each race? The number 1 driver got that car if their main chassis was wrecked. Audi changed the game when they replaced a whole rear end of an LMP... wait two rear ends, of their LMP cars because they were prepared. I like that drivers dont have to worry about systems failing on their cars. Id rather see more bumping to pass, less aero, less electronic performance aids. The removal of some of these features will help for better "racing" in my opinion.
 
NO! No, no, no, no, no, just NO!

There are still far to many yellow flags in races, I don't enjoy seeing people crash, I don't like seeing engines detonate, and I don't like safety car periods,

People spend months developing a car to complete a race, competitively, I felt terrible for Connor Daly who didn't get to start the Indy 500 this year with a malfunction on the warm up lap,

We the fans have missed out on some would be fantastic finishes in motorsport because of reliability, and the drivers aren't getting the accolades and their fair share of sporting history in the record books because of it,
 
catamount39
The LMP1's in WEC have had their share of problems, the Audi cutting out at the end of the race, the Porsche's mechanical issues as of late...oh and engine issues in LMP2 at some points. Plus new cars are still as reliable as used to be...by which I mean they usually last about oh...5 minutes? :lol: I mean cars have gotten MUCH more reliable, but in many disciplines it is still something to strive for. Just look at Le Mans for crying out loud. Audi usually wins because they have the least problems and have the them toughest car of the LMP1's that's easily fixable.
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Post Le Mans: Every LMP1 was nearly flawless for the first 20 hours or so. :) Except for the missing tire from the 21, but that was probably a crew mistake. Then the Audi's died. :P
 
Racecars should be more reliable. Yellow flags are boring. I also don't think the unpredictability added is a good thing. It's just a random annoyance. Unpredictable driving is interesting, but not wrecks/breakdowns. I don't watch motorsport for that.
 
If you rely on mechanical failures to create the spectacle in your race series, I think the regulations may need a once-over. Mechanical failures don't benefit anyone.
 
Unreliability can create excitement, but for every last-minute miracle or heroic drive enabled by a mechanical failure mid-race, there are a dozen or more retirements that do nothing but detract from the experience. (boring yellow flag periods, great drives wrecked by non-qualification)

I watch racing to see great driving. Not to see cars parked motionless in their garages.
 
Personally, I don't miss mechanical failures at all. They only serve to cause immense disappointment for drivers who did nothing wrong all race long, only to finish ~40th because their engine let them down at the heat of the moment.
 
Reliability makes the racing closer and gives the actual quicker cars an advantage, so I'm all for it.
 
hsv
If you rely on mechanical failures to create the spectacle in your race series, I think the regulations may need a once-over. Mechanical failures don't benefit anyone.
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I'd argue that a high rate of mechanical failure actually makes races less exciting, as that means there's less drivers to fight for position.
 
DK
I'd argue that a high rate of mechanical failure actually makes races less exciting, as that means there's less drivers to fight for position.
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I actually meant that with my second sentence - you don't get anything as a fan from seeing a car conk out at the side of the track.
 

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