If we were creating our own F1 style series, what rules would we change/add?

[Daz27]

Got to thinking, everyones still whingeing about the state of play in F1. How the rules dont work in this way or that, and how Ferrari have the series licked, assuming their Bridgeys can give them grip. I'm wonderen if we had the cash, what rules would we adopt to make an F1 style series better. Two races, like A1? What sort of qualfying would we have? Would we let the teams sell there chassis's? How come noone can spell chassis properly? Whats everyone think?

First thing I would do is kill the 2 race engine rule.... and add more gridgirls....and free beer....hmmm this could be fun

[Matra et Alpine]

I disagree on the race/engine rule.
IF that's what it takes to get them to get costs down so that teams like ProDrive can enter the fray and get the amateurs out then it's a good idea.
Also, without the two race rule then I suspect we'd be seeing engines with as much power as before and then we're back where it's too dangerous for most of the current tracks.
I agree it sucks when someones engien blows, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.

With you on teh girls BUT I think they should have an "offical supplier" the sam as they do for the refuelling rigs.
That way we dont' get any ugly women or the typical UK slapper

I vote for the Brazilians and maybe the Aussies as reserve

Other than returning to old-style -- you got an hour, get a time - I kind of like the current quali IF they tweak the formula or remove completley the middle stint burning-off-fuel malarkey

Don't favour two races.
It's the pinnacle, the race should be long to test man and machine.
Two short sprints would be a poor copy ( as it is in BTCC and WSB ).

Re chassis. I agree, anyone should be able to buy/sell chassis. I think I understand why they want to do it so that it remains a pinnacle of TEAM versus team with them responsible for everything ... BUT well they kind of dropped the engine bit 40 years ago SO dont' see why chassis is different -- excep it could be argued it stifles potential competition

[fpv_gtho]

What i'd like to see them do is void the engine rule during practise, or maybe allow 1 engine through practise each weekend, then have the teams use the same engine for perhaps 3 lots of qualifying/race. Might not make any sense, but should hopefully see the cars pushing harder on Friday and Saturday morning.

Customer chassis' should allow teams more breathing room, and allow a higher average performance across the series. I think maybe also manufacturers who supply 2-3 teams with engines/chassis could also recieve cash benefits from Bernie so theyre more willing to participate in such a thing

[my porsche]

i would get all of the monetary profits.

[Matra et Alpine]

hmm, intersetign, teh idea of a qualifyign engine ?
I like it, but as said before they'll find ways to take advantage -- remembe rhete days of teh turbo quali engines ? They only lasted 10 minutes of hard push before giving up.
Not sure if that is a good end-results or not.
BUT I do think that a qualifying time should be representative of the cars performance to be expected in the race ( why they run on race fuel levels for the last session ) and not a one-off peak.

[clutch-monkey]

i vote they allow the use of firearms and projectile weapons. But thats only because i have the mentality of a 12 year old and can't stand F1 anyway

[fpv_gtho]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

i vote they allow the use of firearms and projectile weapons. But thats only because i have the mentality of a 12 year old and can't stand F1 anyway

How would they make them aerodynamic

hmm, intersetign, teh idea of a qualifyign engine ?
I like it, but as said before they'll find ways to take advantage -- remembe rhete days of teh turbo quali engines ? They only lasted 10 minutes of hard push before giving up.
Not sure if that is a good end-results or not.
BUT I do think that a qualifying time should be representative of the cars performance to be expected in the race ( why they run on race fuel levels for the last session ) and not a one-off peak.

With the current qualy they'd want to ensure that the engines can last at least half a race distance. Getting caught out in the final sector could potentially end their weekend if they blow the engine on their fast lap, so i suppose the required qualy laps now would be some motivation to produce a reasonably reliable engine, if they ever reverted back to that.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

i vote they allow the use of firearms and projectile weapons. But thats only because i have the mentality of a 12 year old and can't stand F1 anyway

Perhaps we could then see the return of MATRA

[magracer]

My proposals...

Get rid of Bernie, Max and their teams. They run it as if it was their own local convenience store. They are too influential. Go headhunting for a ex-CEO on a top 100 (500) global multinational, pay him well. Don't hire ex auto industry guys, all they know it how to lose big bucks.

Ban all electronic aids. Mandatory use a FIA provided engine management unit. It would be connected directly in the engine bay by a single cable or by a pre-determined wiring system (on such a way no piggy back systems could be installed). They could be swapped at any time for fresh systems and FIA would have full access to the data logging system (on real time).

One engine per weekend.

Qualifying on one 20 minute session...

Limited slicks for race weekend. Admittedly, I'm doubtful on slicks for security reasons though, as drivers are already pulling high G's and lap times keep falling.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by magracer

My proposals...

Get rid of Bernie, Max and their teams. They run it as if it was their own local convenience store. They are too influential. Go headhunting for a ex-CEO on a top 100 (500) global multinational, pay him well. Don't hire ex auto industry guys, all they know it how to lose big bucks.

So you want something like the IRL setup or CHAMP or ?? Point made ?
Besides you cant' really "get rid" of the FIA. They are the one component that has to be their otherwise it's not sanctioned, not legal, not insured, no marshals, no tracks
It's BIG business and high profeil, no matter who is in place they'll have legions of sycophants

Ban all electronic aids. Mandatory use a FIA provided engine management unit. It would be connected directly in the engine bay by a single cable or by a pre-determined wiring system (on such a way no piggy back systems could be installed). They could be swapped at any time for fresh systems and FIA would have full access to the data logging system (on real time).

I can't decide this.
I know why it's necessary to prevent cheating on "driver aids".
BUT, it removes a whoel area of innovation on performance too.
Nobody can come up with a new ground-breaking engine upgrade if it requires a different way of mapping the ignition cycles
I'd much rather see it be a requirment for each race to submit the code for inspection and for the FIA to do random checks with software engineers analysing the code -- in the same way aero devices are checked by aerodynamicists and fuel by oil experts. I would offer to run the comapny that did it and provide the expertise ( maybe I need to write to Bernie now )
It's one step closer to a one-engine-fits-all which would be a disaster.

Qualifying on one 20 minute session...

ALL cars out and only 20 mins ? With 22 cars on track and a lap time of 1'30" then there all going to be trippin up over each other. That's why they cut them to 10 for the current last stint. Even then in todays quali, Weber was dancing around trying not to get in peoples way

Limited slicks for race weekend. Admittedly, I'm doubtful on slicks for security reasons though, as drivers are already pulling high G's and lap times keep falling.

Yeah, my heart wants slicks back too

[derekthetree]

make it compulsory to perform lurid oversteer round every corner and air suspension to bounce your way round the parade lap, hip-hop-style.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by derekthetree

make it compulsory to perform lurid oversteer round every corner and air suspension to bounce your way round the parade lap, hip-hop-style.

Agreed.

[Daz27]

Ok, heres one, pull the aero grip out of the cars, make it so that they have say as much aero as 1990 mclaren or somethen like that, give them slicks, but of a hardish compound, and one softer set for use in the race at their discretion. Put the emphasis more on the mechanical grip. Then we will have passing, cars following each other close to flat out through eau rouge etc. Biggest cost in F1 is aero... by pulling it back ten notches and freezing it, surely that will bring the costs down enormously. With the engine rules and the relativity to cost? Well, if the engine suppliers are saving money by having the 2 race rule, I think if you believe that, then I have a really big bridge Im happy to sell you in Sydney with harbour frontage on both sides for a song.... Ill bet they havent saved one penny out of those rules, with all the r&d to make those engines do more than double the mileage. I would like to bet they use just as many engines in testing as they always have. The only thing where maybe they have saved maybe a little is with the longer life of the internal parts by not being able to freshen the engine, which, I would guess, didnt happen anymore with the old rules anyway. I would say, with the 2 race engine rules, and the change to v8's, that the costs have probably doubled.

[Daz27]

Oh, and if your going to have air bags, then your going to need a killer system as well... and a flame job, one like Jensons a few weeks ago...and 22 inch 100 spoke gold rims...with white walls.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Daz27

Ok, heres one, pull the aero grip out of the cars, make it so that they have say as much aero as 1990 mclaren or somethen like that, give them slicks, but of a hardish compound, and one softer set for use in the race at their discretion. Put the emphasis more on the mechanical grip. Then we will have passing, cars following each other close to flat out through eau rouge etc.

That formula is called Gp2.

Biggest cost in F1 is aero... by pulling it back ten notches and freezing it, surely that will bring the costs down enormously. With the engine rules and the relativity to cost?

Well as has been shown, every attempt to neutralise aero advantages adn the engineers spend the $$$$ to circumvent and get back to where they were.

Well, if the engine suppliers are saving money by having the 2 race rule, I think if you believe that, then I have a really big bridge Im happy to sell you in Sydney with harbour frontage on both sides for a song.... Ill bet they havent saved one penny out of those rules, with all the r&d to make those engines do more than double the mileage. I would like to bet they use just as many engines in testing as they always have. The only thing where maybe they have saved maybe a little is with the longer life of the internal parts by not being able to freshen the engine, which, I would guess, didnt happen anymore with the old rules anyway. I would say, with the 2 race engine rules, and the change to v8's, that the costs have probably doubled.

Well despite your imaginings then the engines ARE cheaper.
Them's a fact.
Now comparing with last year costs is a LITTLE false as the BIG thing they did was to stop the exotic materials !!.
Why do you think so many teams applied to join F1 ? BECAUSE the costs are lower. They weren't knocking on the door for entry for the last 10 years. Q-E-D.

Motorbike racing is facing the same issues in superbikes. The Ducati engine is good for 25 laps of Brands Hatch and then it's a whole new engine needed. Not a teardown -- a REPLACEMENT !! The inline 4s aren't as stressed and arent' as expensive. But Ducati still has power in bike racing and so it is permitted. F1 has always had that issue with the peak being the days of the quali-engine. Good for 10 minutes on full power and that's it. Don't really want to go back there as it was then about who coudl through the most £££ on race weeked, not who could build the better car and have it piloted by the better driver.

I do worry tho' that some in FIA support the idea of a single engine supplier and these rules all are steps along that route.