F1 - what would you do?

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
So, hypothetical question and something to think about as we are all sat here in the early hours watch what looks like is going to be another precession?

Something is seriously wrong to what was once the jewel of the motorsport community.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
If you look back Matt it's been this way for many, many years.......You have to back to the 80's or 90's to see some excitement. Problem is tech has taken over and all the downforce and stuff has made it hard to overtake which is why the DRS was brought in but but let's face it that's a false over take as its not the skill of the driver. Bring back refuelling and least it adds to the strategy and was more e citing when this was in. I'm not sure there is much they can do to change to be honest apart from giving all control to the driver...manual etc ..... But as its a tech bed for the future they will not be taken steps back even if it's for the better.......I suggest watching DTM, BTCC, British GT championship to get your motorsports excitement fix......
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,759
F1 should remain the pinnacle of motor racing technology but there needs to be room for new ideas.

The balance between power, aero and good old fashion skill is wrong at the moment and IMO the main cause of issue is downforce there is simply too much of it. Wings should go back to single of 2 surfaces, and there should be no additional small wings attached to the body. The body itself can aid downforce as well as duct air to the necessary places including directed over the wings. Most importantly the air coming off the rear wing needs to be smoothed, it has been done in Nascar for years which is why slipstreaming is so effective in passing.

Engines and drivetrains aren't far off, small capacity turbo hybrids is the way forward but these items must only create drive or harvest braking there should be no blown wings or letting the engine rev when its off throttle to generate additional energy or airflow. The method of storing and charging electrical energy should be open as should the engines other than a fixed size, which also should apply to turbos fixed size single units only.

Tyres is the hardest to solve, they are so expensive that manufacturers will only commit if they are single supply this does introduce a level surface but it doe mean teams have little choice in strategy. The idea of making them wear out faster as they did a few years ago is both stupid and dangerous. It would be good if there were more options and the idea of forcing teams to elect what they need in advance of the race is good practise.

Strategy need to be down to the teams, but with the current computer predictions most teams will come up with the same answer to which is the fastest way through the race. And drivers, well sack the lot of whinging over paid idiots - it would be nice but realistically the best will be the best. Cut down on the technology on the steering wheel, ban two way radios, auto clutch, launch controls, traction control and assisted braking - if these guys are the best let them drive the car. The idea of saving harvested energy and reusing when they want is good, it allows drives to plan there overtakes.

Circuits, they have boundaries, white lines, that determine the track limits - 4 wheels outside these lines, regardless of advantage, should be reviewed by stewards. The only reasons stewards should not awarding a penalty is if a driver was taking accident avoidance or if they were pushed out of bounds by another car (in which case the other car should be penalised). Drivers will soon learn to drive within limits after all they do at Monaco with few issues. This will force all drivers to drive the same track not versions they make up themselves.

Other sports put together a set of rules that work, WEC and Le Mans have grasped all this modern technology and have different interpretations of the rules which make for close racing even after 24 hours. NASCAR and other American championships have made overtaking easier and touring cars have shown how close racing can be had within a decent rule set. Getting the teams to agree to this will be difficult and we might lose some on the way but it does need to be back to a race series of more than just 4 cars.
 

jasst

Member
Messages
2,313
I think pit stops need a major overhaul, how many crew are there on each car? something like 16 I think, so do away with most of them and lets say have a maximum of 6 per car so they have to more than one wheel each, and bring back refuelling, but not till the tyres have been changed, that would mix things up a bit.
 
Messages
6,001
Well my 2p worth
In my memory F1 has always been dominated by the best car eg Mansell and Williams and the joke about a monkey being able to win in the FW cars at the time, then the Mclaren years then the Shoemaker etc etc.
I am with Zag on most of what he says but I feel none of those points will be addressed. Also the current range of circuits is pish poor imho dressed up by having night races or lets include a castle on this track. The modern circuits are a poor design for the capabilities of the cars. The older circuits are tried and tested and changes have been made for safety etc. The bottom line is change will only come when money generated declines.
 

BL330

Member
Messages
1,121
I agree the first part of the race was a yawn, but didn't it get to be exciting in last third?
3 teams at the pointy end, any of which can win on their day.
Loved the result!
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
We'll after saying how boring it was those last 15 laps had me hooked....Great result as well for one if the nicest blokes on the grid.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
Limit the sq meter of the spoilers and other aero.
Four pit crew two on each side with hydraulic lift to add so weight to the cars.
Fit tyres that match the production version in the choice of engine.
Extra points for the best looking pit girls (bring them back) but they then have to do ten laps aa soon as the driver passes the chequered flag in the manufacture halo car and the combined finish points add to the overall points.

Yea bored watching the scaileletrix that is moder F1.

TBH Who will go to Goodwood in fifty years to watch these cars?
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Agree with most of what Zags has put. Clean air is a must, if that makes the cars slower because of the lack of downforce in the corners so be it. How can you race if, other than because of artificial aids, you can't get close to the car in front?

Let's go to a single tyre that everyone uses for every race. Get rid of artificial pit stops as they provide an excuse for the rest of boredom. There are some tracks were no change of tyres would be needed, others where changing to new rubber would give a significant advantage. There are just too many different tyres and its too expensive. With a single tyre, well three with wets and inters, you may have multiple manufacturers wanting to take part.

Engines should go back to the old limit on size and that should be it. Even get rid of the fuel limits. Fuel is heavy. The manufacturers will try to balance economy to power anyway. There becomes a limit to the amount of fuel that you want to carry around the track. A car and engine that can use 20l less fuel will always have an advantage.

The real issue though was shown up at the previous race where Hamilton apparently needed direction from the pits as to what to do. Get rid of it and rely on pit boards.

Finally proper punishments for causing a collision. A 10s penalty is neither here nor there. If you collide when trying to pass and cause another driver to lose places you should have to drop behind them. If you then pass fair enough. If you don't then you finish one position behind the person you hit. It will hopefully prevent the two crazy attempts to get past that we saw today.
 

Corranga

Member
Messages
1,219
Limit aero or introduce a grid reversal thing so teams have to make cars capable of overtaking.
Scrap blue flags, let them overtake back markers themselves, another reason to make a car that can follow and overtake.
Open source / technology share mid season and end of season so the teams even out and technology is pushed forward.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
Maybe some rough surfaces...the cars fall to bits if they touch something other than smooth tarmac... no wonder maserati wishbones are made of china.
 

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
The best thing to come out of today's race?
QUOTE.
"sometimes you just gotta lick the stamp and send it"
C/O Daniel Ricciardo..

Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using Tapatalk
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
I'd make the driver skill more the focus.
I'd get rid of flappy paddles, put in a manual gearbox, no ability to alter the mapping or brake balance, he'd had to choose this as part of practice etc. Likewise, no pit stops unless the tyres punctures or shreds. This cuts out strategists winning the race.
It is a drivers' championship after all