2013 Belgian GP - Spa

[SiLo]

Yeah I suppose getting paid lots of money to be a part of the most glamorous sport in the world, flying all over the planet and changing the entire motor industry with innovations is really hard for them to do all year. All those other people working boring desk jobs with the same amount of holiday have got it easy!

/sarcasm

I think engineers would prefer a shorter season for more off season testing to get cars set up properly.

Anyone betting on Grosjean going well here as well? He's been in pretty good form just a bit silly/unlucky

[beelsebob]

Yeah I suppose getting paid lots of money to be a part of the most glamorous sport in the world, flying all over the planet and changing the entire motor industry with innovations is really hard for them to do all year.

Actually, I imagine it is. While you're right, there are upsides, there are also significant downsides, like incredibly long hours, being away from home/family for 70% of the time, very high levels of responsibility (and hence stress). The argument "I'd like to do that job, therefore the conditions for anyone lucky enough to be doing it should be ---" is frankly ridiculous.

[SectorOne]

That´s not really excluded from other jobs though. There are people working on oil platforms welding tubes 100m below the surface that also work long hours. being away from home and with extremely high levels of responsibility.

But at the end of the day the paycheck reflects all of that.

I´m sure none of them would like to package dodo in Thailand in 40 degree heat making 2 dollars a day.

[beelsebob]

That´s not really excluded from other jobs though. There are people working on oil platforms welding tubes 100m below the surface that also work long hours. being away from home and with extremely high levels of responsibility.

But at the end of the day the paycheck reflects all of that.

Actually, people working on oil rigs typically get long enforced holidays (by long, I mean 3 months on, 1 month off, not 1 year on, 1 month off), because of the level of stress, the hours, and the time away from home, that and the pay cheque reflects what they're put through.

I´m sure none of them would like to package dodo in Thailand in 40 degree heat making 2 dollars a day.

The fact that worse jobs exist isn't really an argument either. I find it strange the number of people who seem to think that work must be made into something to endure, not something to enjoy. It almost becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Somehow if your job is fun and enjoyable, we must introduce some extra gotchas designed to stop that, right now.

[turbof1]

I think to be a mechanic/engineer/etc. in your average F1 team, you do need to have the motivation and perhaps most of all the passion to endure the stress and longitude of the job. These kind of jobs aren't taken purely out of professionalistic reasons. They payment is good, but not good enough for what you have you to do and what it costs you on a personal level.

It looks like a dream job, but it will only ever be that if you are aware of the full extent of sacrifices, and if you are willing to take those. Even then, having a break from it, getting to spend time with family and friends, is essential to stay motivated.

[SectorOne]

We should run one race per season instead, that way everyone can experience no stress and be with their families.
And don´t you even dare criticize their 360 day vacation.

[turbof1]

I don't agree often with beelsebob, but in this instance he is right. It isn't all flowers and sunshine.

Don't get me wrong either: they choose for this, it is what they want. And of course it has benefits, just don't think it doesn't come with serious drawbacks.

[SectorOne]

Yea i can imagine it has drawback´s, even life itself has a pretty huge drawback.
But i think the amount of work an engineer do is a tad (just a tad) overstated.

I can imagine there are far more taxing jobs in the F1 circus, for a lot less pay.

Anyway, sorry for Off topic, just had a small complaint over the damn 3 week breaks.

[WhiteBlue]

Bet fair odds for winning the GP
Vettel. 2.8
Hamilton 4.8
Alonso. 8
Kimi. 9
Rosberg 13.5
Webber 16
That looks about right to me. The new tyre situation should favor Merc and Red Bull. In Spa overtaking is not such an issue as in Hungary and there are more fast corners which should suit the Red Bulls. I'm a bit surprised Alonso is higher placed than Kimi. But then Alonso is always expected to score higher in the race than the one lap pace allows him to qualify. Question mark over Rosberg's odds. This could be a good bet. Fundamentally he can win races as well if Lady Luck is on his side. He has shown it already.

[beelsebob]

Bet fair odds for winning the GP
Vettel. 2.8
Hamilton 4.8
Alonso. 8
Kimi. 9
Rosberg 13.5
Webber 16
That looks about right to me. The new tyre situation should favor Merc and Red Bull. In Spa overtaking is not such an issue as in Hungary and there are more fast corners which should suit the Red Bulls. I'm a bit surprised Alonso is higher placed than Kimi. But then Alonso is always expected to score higher in the race than the one lap pace allows him to qualify. Question mark over Rosberg's odds. This could be a good bet. Fundamentally he can win races as well if Lady Luck is on his side. He has shown it already.

Yeh, if I were a betting man, I'd certainly take a punt on Rosberg at those odds.

[sidepot]

The unexpected tends to happen in F1.

Tongue half in-cheek, I'm expecting Mercedes to be far from dominant, and for Ferrari to have a surge in form. Can't wait to find out on the 25th!

[SiLo]

I'd put money on Hamilton AND Rosberg, pretty good odds for those two I reckon.

[Mika1]

It depends on development pace/updates, the teams always bring a lot of new updates to Spa after the summer break.

[turbof1]

That's something you cannot predict, so irrelevant. You can only base yourself on the available information.

[ajdavison2]

Going to be sitting in the second grandstand after la source! Can't wait, my first international GP.