Niki Lauda died...

[Fencer]

Originally Posted by timedate

Another legend gone,

from a time when the cars were NA, manual clutch and gearbox,

Well, the clutches are gone, but the gearboxes are still under the driver's brain and hands control, not computer.

[Brenngun]

Sad news. A great talent. One of the best clutch and stick guys ever during F1's golden age. Exciting to watch. RIP Champ.

[Soly20]

Legend! RIP!

[GoingPlaces]

Originally Posted by joeychitwood

Many people have forgotten or never knew about how dangerous F1 racing was in the 1960s and 70s. There was always a chance that a driver wouldn't survive the race. Lauda was back in the car six weeks after being burned horribly, and he remained an ambassador for the sport to the end. A true legend.

Those were the dark days of F1 before driver safety became the priority it is today.

Lauda will be missed. Truly made a difference to the sport forever. RIP.

[sokoloka]

Beast of a man, legend forever.

[dan993]

RIP Niki. A true gentleman full of integrity and a tough mofo to boot.

[dan993]

Originally Posted by Fencer

Well, the clutches are gone, but the gearboxes are still under the driver's brain and hands control, not computer.

Flicking a paddle may change a gear but to see a driver with a stick and heel and toeing down changes can be poetry in motion. Today's cars don't have clutch pedals and drivers left foot brake.

[Fencer]

Originally Posted by dan993

Flicking a paddle may change a gear but to see a driver with a stick and heel and toeing down changes can be poetry in motion. Today's cars don't have clutch pedals and drivers left foot brake.

You don't need to convince me, I still drive only manual shift cars. And I will never accept left foot braking - I think it is Devil's trick.

[V25V]

Originally Posted by Fencer

Well, the clutches are gone, but the gearboxes are still under the driver's brain and hands control, not computer.

And that's not even accurate, many will upshift automatically. Aids with the map they are using for fuel consumption.

Modern F1 cars suck and only getting worse.

As for Lauda.... I will keep my comments to myself.

As for left foot braking, dogring gearboxes have been around for a long time. Drivers have been left foot braking way before the modern flappy paddles.

[Fencer]

He meant modern cars with automatic transmission - some people keep their left foot on the brake, not the boxes with no synchromesh.

[timedate]

Originally Posted by Fencer

Well, the clutches are gone, but the gearboxes are still under the driver's brain and hands control, not computer.

they were true racers back then, this is the trouble when people tell you modern is better, its not, drivers are not as skilful and the spectacle is a major turn off, even the cars are turbo'd to death and sound weak compared to the v10s

rip lauda

[Chase16]

Rip

[Laszlo]

Godspeed.

[Rashid.bk]

Rip champ. Still one of my favorite F1 drivers.

Originally Posted by timedate

they were true racers back then, this is the trouble when people tell you modern is better, its not, drivers are not as skilful and the spectacle is a major turn off, even the cars are turbo'd to death and sound weak compared to the v10s

rip lauda

Even in a memorial thread someone has to harp on the past.
Funny how easy people dismiss todays modern F1 cars like it's easy. So back then a car had a clutch with a stick shift and two or three buttons for fueling. Was that really that difficult....
meanwhile to fire up an F1 engine requires no less than about seven steps, and the steering wheel has as much buttons as a a fighter jet. Operation which is required under the most extremes, it requires lightning reflexes and hand eye coordination at much much higher speeds than ever.
It's all relative, cars may have been more "pure"(what ever that means) and analog but even the champs themselves are in awe of the current drivers.
Hamilton explaining the intricacies of an F1 steering wheel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEEH05uFuOQ

And Sir Stirling Moss and Hamilton comparing driving eras...in the end it's all relative. Today the biggest disappointment is the engines and noise. Not three pedals vs automated clutches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk7...&frags=pl%2Cwn

[skytick]

Rip

[SG56]

Very sad indeed. He was truly a legend.

[JasoninDenver]

The Rat will be missed.