Have a look at this document: http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/332668895__2011_Power_Train_Regulation_Framework.pdf 10K RPM max?, 2.2lt V6? Low octane fuel? .... Ridiculous measures for what should be the most advanced form of motorsport on Earth.
I could care less about the technical regs. Max killed F1 for me last year with all his heavy-handed manipulations of the championship race. There were plenty of stupid decisions before, but somehow, last year was just more than I could stand. From a fan who never missed a race, I have become a disinterested onlooker. Well done Mr Mosely, you pillock.
With Al Gore III driving one of them..., I suppose. Did you notice it states that the "Technical Awe" and "Sheer Speed" of F1 must and will be retained? And that "Development outside the powertrain will be severly constrained"? And that two bulky "boxes" between the wheels front and rear are mandated to be "completely enclosed" by the body? This in the interest of providing plenty of room for the battery packs...
What the FIA is doing really makes me sick. So does Bernie. As long as Max and Bernie are the powers in F1, it will die a little more every year. I too might eventually stop watching it.
bingo, and i didn't even have to read any article to know that........ F1 is going to become a spec series and probably die off, it's a shame really........ when all this time I thought F1 was about "more, faster, harder!" thinking and pushing technology to it's limits........the FIA wants "less, slower, more eco friendly", it makes Baby Jesus sad
+1 I've said it before and I'll say it again-MotoGP is what F1 should be. There's more passing in one MotoGP race than there is in an entire year of F1.
FIA is going to make changes to respond to changes in the political and actual environment. F1 changes and will continue to change. What they need to do is make the playing field more equal to keep the interests of all the players. Teams, but more imortant Factory teams, sponsors, and soon governments. F1 will continue to be the pinnacle. Dont like change ? Nascar has been and continues to race cars designed in the 60s and 70s. I'm not a big fan of the FIA but they are doing what they feel is in the best long term interest of F1 and has been growing this sport well to the point that I feel it is almost equal to Soccer but with a corporate twist.
I propose a reform to F1 all together. Formula unlimited. I tell you the wheelbase your car has to be, you do the rest, engine, aero, tyres. They're all up to you. Other than the wheel base, the only regulations will be no TC or ABS. If you're a high dollar investor and want to help get this going, PM me
Nascar of today is unrecognizable compared with the 60s IMHO. At least they had different designs in the cars back then, such that "stock car racing" was not a complete fraud & falsehood, as it is today. I have not yet heard that Nascar of today has anything like the sweeping "enviro-tech" mandates we just read in the trial balloon FIA document in their minds. They will probably just tout "bio-ethanol" a little and keep on running what they are running. Come to think of it, Indy cars had "bio-fuels" a long time back...and got criticized in the press of the day for running "race fuel" instead of "ordinary pump gas". I think the problem here is that these committees are frustrated engineers rather than regulatory bodies like they are supposed to be. Frustrated engineers with geo-political ambitions as well, apparantly. Hanging onto the falsehood that F1 is somehow going to solve the world's transportation problems...
That isn't quite fair. Obviously a few race cars running alternate fuels aren't going to solve anything, but these races are HUGE podiums for public attention. As so many purchasers of absurdly fast road going cars prove, people like to drive things associated with race cars. It seems to me that these regulatory bodies feel they have some obligation, as an enormous influencer of public opinion/taste, to do something that uses their worldwide stage to further the cause of improving fuel efficiency / reducing pollution / changing to more sustainable fuels. Whether they are going about it the right way or not I can't say, but I respect the intent. Our particular attachment to F1's current form is fairly insignificant compared to the big picture. They have a huge podium from which to address the public. They appear to be thinking they need to use this podium to generate a message they feel helps the long term sustainability of humans on the planet. Good for them. Toys rate low on the priority scale of life (or should).
Well, you make a pretty good point about the "agenda" probably behind this proposed changes. And my counterpoint is - this is about saving the planet about as much as that live aid concert this weekend. What good is "making people aware" except as a form of CYA for the FIA? For crying out loud, these things do not even have any form of emissions control, noise control, etc...they are not road cars, they are race cars. And the real effect on the environment is so vanishingly small that it could not be realistically measured. Also, you intimate that this FIA direction is the direction "Toy cars" should go in the future - as if they are setting the example for road car development. This is exactly what has me worried. I do not want a hybrid V6 Testarossa in the future. I want my Ferrari to be a Ferrari.
I hear you. I have the same love affair with my car. And if there were infinite clean air and infinite fossil fuel reserves, I would be behind you 100%. But there isn't. Change HAS to occur, and will, whether we like it or not. I would say we are at the zenith of the internal combustion engine, and at the beginning of its end. You don't want a Mr Fusion on the back of your flying DeLorean? How about Pod Racing to take the place of F1? lol
How did you know about my DeLorean? I deliberately did not put it on my profile. I plan to use it to go back into the future, drive a 250GT Lusso, and buy gas at 35c per gallon.
NASCAR's cars bear very little resemblance to what was raced in the 60's and 70's except the carryover of carburetors (and 4 wheels) which is probably the most effective way to keep out traction control. NASCAR is pretty much a spec series anymore with stickers representing various marques slapped on. Decades ago they started life as actual cars. Dave
These guys are STILL racing tube framed chassis, 2 valve pushrod V-8s and yes with carbs. I'm going to go out on a limb, since I dont actually know, but with solid rear axles. C'mon. Nascar says it has evolved. Dont drink the kool-aid.
i think thats going a bit far. there have to be limits, this is what causes competition - eg everyone trying to get the best from the same basic concept. my reform would be along these lines engine bottom end - size limit of 2500cc (or thereabouts) but with no limit on cylinder variations engine top end -number of valves per cylinder limit, number of camshafts limit, no forced induction length/width/wheelbase/weight - all within a set max/min (weight to include driver) tyres - size limit, but any manufacturer welcome, slicks allowed, compound used for qualifying also to be used for race (except if wet) to stop qualifying tyres being made. no driver aids allowed - this is motor racing not playstation one mandatory fuel stop - stop races being won by tactics allow changes to fuelling between qualifying and race - eg fastest car/driver combo gets pole and tactics play no part. teams orders to be banned - harsh penalties to team and both drivers. limited aero - standardised wings (fairly low downforce) for all teams with some small rake adjustment allowed. no limits on races per engine fuel - pump fuel to be used. ideally id like close racing, with the best driver/car combo winning and lots of overtaking etc.
They said the same thing over 100 years ago with the invention of the electric car, and have been saying the same thing year after year, decade after decade ever since. They said it in the 50's, and it was the impetus of the Chrysler turbine car. Here is a question. Would anyone in thier right mind drive a cargo ship around the world with diesel electric charged battery powered propulsion? Would they drive a ship with a coal fired steam engine, powered generator to charge batteries, and use the batteries to drive an electric motor to turn the prop? Why people think a hybrid car is efficient is beyond me. Do you notice they want to drop the available power output of the fuel? What I find rather funny, is how far the EPA has gone to ruin fuel efficiency over the last 25 years, and nobody says nary a word. Over 35 years ago, when I was barely 17, my then MGB/GT always returned fuel economy in the high 30's. Out in the country I always returned 35-38 MPG, and in town, no matter how hard I beat it, I always got "about" 30 mpg on plain old regular fuel. Yet when you go through ads and talk to owners of MGB's today, 25-28 mpg seems to be far more common. What happened? Apparently the smart people have concluded that vehicals burning 25% more fuel are better for our environment. Anyway, I barely watch any racing anymore. Its become so controlled and manipulated, I am amazed anyone could sit and watch something like NASCAR for more than even a few minutes. Kids 40 years ago wouldnt have sat still that long watching that joke. When we were kids, they were stock cars, and they had real bodies and engines any guy could build, and still they ran over 200 mph at Daytona. And kids all knew what made them tick. Except for Formula One, about the only direction weve gone in 40 years of racing is backwards, and even that is getting boring with all the manipulation and control. So, hybrid F1 cars will be the death nell of racing for "intelligent" people, IMO. The uneducated trailer park crowd will shore be mighty im pressed tho.
I would add a few more, though I like where your starting. No radio communication, pit boards only. No radio or pit controlled engine electronics or manipulation under way. Pit changes only. No paddle shifts. Foot clutch and gear shift only. No cockpit adjustability to any vehical dynamics other than brake bias. More limited aero, no wings. Wider race tracks and wider corners to allow passing No laps under yellow, no finishes under yellow. Its a race, not a car show. No tire contracts No fuel contracts, but standard grades and testing of grades 2 race team ban if found cheating in any way. 2 year team ban if caught for espionage. No restriction of any exotic materials No exhaust restrictions No EPA compliance, this is "off road" and is virtually non impacting on anything environmental. I also feel the race length needs to be greatly increased. While 500 KM was quite a distance decades ago, at the speeds today and with such modern technology, its a cake walk for most cars. I would like to see races long enough to break things. And long enough for the faster cars to break things, fix them, and still have a chance to win. Tracks should be much longer too, like, reopen the Ring, Targa, MM, or find something simular that can be made "reasonably" safe. Maybe some cross country around the western US or elsewhere stuff on public roads.
