Bernie Ecclestone wants racetrack shortcuts? | FerrariChat

Bernie Ecclestone wants racetrack shortcuts?

Discussion in 'F1' started by DMC308, Jan 14, 2010.

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  1. DMC308

    DMC308 F1 Rookie

    Aug 19, 2006
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    This was on Eurosport...

    FORMULA 1
    1/14/10 - 6:24 AM
    Bernie Ecclestone wants racetrack shortcuts
    Bernie Ecclestone wants to introduce "shortcuts" on race tracks to boost entertainment in Formula One and allow the top drivers to do more overtaking.
    The idea, which has yet to garner support from teams, would be another radical change to the sport with nothing similar ever having been adopted.

    "I've tried to push the teams with a number of proposals. Imagine a shortcut which a driver can use five times every race. It would stop people getting stuck behind others. It would be good for TV," the 79-year-old F1 supremo said at Ferrari's pre-season ski retreat.

    Ecclestone, who is also battling to change the points system to aid leading drivers, also complained that brakes in F1 cars were too efficient and reduced the amount of overtaking which fans like to watch.

    Despite believing the sport can be improved, the Briton reckoned this season would be among the best with Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and the returning Michael Schumacher all on the grid.

    "We've got four world champions for a start. It's going to be a good year. There'll be good competition inside the teams and between the teams," he said before declining to name his favourite for this year's championship, which starts in Bahrain on March 14.

    Ecclestone, who laughed and joked with Alonso after a day's skiing, repeated his belief that some of the new teams added to F1 this season may struggle to race.

    "I think they'll have trouble getting to the first race. We'll wait and see. It's only a small problem. Finance," he said as new entries USF1, Campos, Virgin and Lotus plan to start the campaign.

    "As long as we have 10 solid teams, it's all we need."

    Ecclestone also confirmed an agreement had been signed to hold a grand prix through the streets of Rome in the coming years, although no date has been set.
    Reuters
     
  2. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
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    MC Cool Breeze
    He's outta his mind. Must been playing Need For Speed lately...
     
  3. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Pete
    Holy fnck this guy is a moron.

    Pete
     
  4. ApexOversteer

    ApexOversteer F1 Veteran

    Feb 15, 2007
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    T.A. Bell
    How about a lottery qualifying, where the drivers pick their grid spot out of a hat?

    How about the drivers no longer sign for a specific team, and the teams choose their drivers out of a hat?

    How about the podium placed drivers each spin a "wheel of fortune" to see how many points they get?

    How about they eliminate the blue flags, back markers don't move over, and every driver gets a point for each car they pass?

    How about a "people's choice" point for the best driving, to be given at the next race after an internet poll on F1.com?

    See Bernie, I can just say every stupid thing that comes into my deranged, delusional, insane brain too!
     
  5. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Joe Mansion
    They should stick a bomb to each F1 that laps slower than x.xx . If it does lap slower, the car explodes. That will be good for tv too ! Plus it will create jobs for all those aspiring F1 drivers..
     
  6. zaevor2000

    zaevor2000 Formula 3

    Jul 18, 2007
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    Frank Waugh
    This is just another publicity stunt that is so outlandish that the media hops all over it.

    Last year it was the "olympic medal" thing.

    This year it's the shortcut thing.

    Next year it will be something else...

    Got to keep the sport front and center in the headlines during the off-season, you know!

    The one thing they've nailed is the knock out qualifying. Used to be up until a few years ago just about the entire qualifying session would be almost over before the big dogs came out to play, the only cars you would find on the track earlier were the backmarkers (which only served to clean up the track for the front-runners...at least now when you see a qualifying session you will see cars on the track for a far greater length of time than you used to.
     
  7. zaevor2000

    zaevor2000 Formula 3

    Jul 18, 2007
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    Frank Waugh
    Let's not give him any ideas, PLEASE!

    The next thing you know we'll take the podium winners, make them do a dance on the podium (like Alonso), and then be ranked by their dancing by crowd cheering (like those Girls Gone Wild videos).

    Either that or the podium guys will have to sing their national anthems (a la American Idol) and then the final race podium results will be decided by crowd cheering...

    It seems the sky is the limit...the more outlandish the proposal, the more media coverage F1 will get and the more money Bernie makes in the end. He's laughing all the way to the bank...

    Frank
     
  8. DMC308

    DMC308 F1 Rookie

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  9. GoFerrari28

    GoFerrari28 Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2004
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    Jeff Spicoli
    Does this make Senna the '89 WDC? He was DQ'ed at Japan after the crash with Prost for taking the shortcut back to the pits for repairs.
     
  10. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
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    Jacques
    This man clearly needs to retire and let someone else run the show, someone with fresh idea, and perhaps someone who appreciates that F1 is not some little game constructed around TV but a real sport.
     
  11. mousecatcher

    mousecatcher Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2007
    2,116
    san mateo, ca
    i heard it was a joke, probably designed to do just this ...
     
  12. jknight

    jknight F1 Veteran

    Oct 30, 2004
    7,821
    Central Texas
    this was on several websites this morning - there's already shortcuts in F1, commonly known as kerbs !! I think with this latest idea, Bernie is realizing what most fans have already said - B O R I N G racing and B O R I N G Tilke tracks. This latest idea would put a halt to the "Trulli Train" that rolls along at many races. The shortcuts would really necessitate turn signals on the cars (or at least the use of hand signals - the kind to signal a turn, not the middle finger signal) for "safety purposes". Save money and have the drivers do their own wheel changes. Add x# pounds of ballast per place for the top ten places that has to be on the car for the following race (similar occurs in the FIA-GT races). The five shortcuts would have to be limited to specific usage - i.e. none in first 5 laps or last 5 laps.

    Got to give the man credit, if it wasn't for him we wouldn't be watching F1 and another thing he's definitely following current advice on ways to fight dementia - actively using one's mind...

    something needs to be done, to make F1 more interesting on the track, that is..

    Carol
     
  13. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Bullsh!t!!!

    Man you guys give this chap WAY too much credit. It was a natural progression to get more TV time, it was NOT a brain wave of brilliance. Many people were watching F1 on TV before Bernie and before F1 (which BTW started and was very, very healthy way before Bernie) there was great racing right back to the first Grand Prix's in France in the 1900s.
    Pete
     
  14. QT3141

    QT3141 Formula Junior

    Jul 24, 2006
    609
    Yes, and think of the Hollywood tie-ins!

    [Keanu Reeves from Speed]: There's a bomb on your car!!! Don't slow down!! Stay above 200!!

    [The Korean guy from Harold and Kumar 2]: No, he said Bomb, not Bong.

    ...and so forth. :D
     
  15. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

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    I'm pretty sure it will be...

    I've read a lot about him and apparently (according to his daughters too) he just makes things up to create a fuss every now and then.

    His other comment was that the current brakes are too good and prevent overtaking, which is true.
     
  16. beast

    beast F1 World Champ

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    Rob Guess
    While this may be a joke if they really want to try and increase overtaking there is something that they can do...

    Since a lot of track use chicanes to slow down the cars and create a bottle neck on the track in terms of passing. Why not have a second chicane that is the mirror image of the original. Going into the chicane the drive now has the option of taking the left chicane or the right chicane. When a driver is battling with an other driver they can each take a different chicane. if the driver behind takes his chicane cleaner and gets a good drive it sets it up for a pass attempt going down the next straight or the next corner.
     
  17. tundraphile

    tundraphile F1 Veteran

    May 16, 2007
    5,083
    Missouri
    Steel brakes would greatly lengthen stopping distances and give drivers a chance to outbrake the guy in front of them.

    Hypothetically I could see the shortcuts being very exciting, but limit when they could be used. Perhaps only 3-5 times per race per driver and the shortcut would be closed for the last 10 laps. Without pit stops, this would be just another strategy item.
     
  18. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
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    Steve
    +1 Keeps F1 talked about! outlandish statements from Mernie.
     
  19. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Once again Bernie demonstrates that to him its all about the show and not the sport.
     
  20. jav

    jav Formula Junior

    Apr 9, 2007
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    John
    Don't flame me and I'm not a Bernie fan BUT- I don't think the idea is that bad.

    I don't find races interesting when a guy checks out and runs away from the pack. I also don't care to watch faster drivers stuck behind a rolling road block because the track design or aero disturbances makes passing near impossible or dangerous.

    Maybe I'm off base here... but I think F1 needs to be more fan freindly AND more intersting for the masses. That's tough to do when the pecking order is established lap 1 and the remainder of the event becomes being lead- follow laps.

    OK- you don't like a limited number of leap frog passing zones- how about another idea instead of just shooting down any idea?

    By all means- educate me.
     
  21. mousecatcher

    mousecatcher Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2007
    2,116
    san mateo, ca
    not at all; we've touched on this before. carbon brakes are not used for the braking performance, they are used for weight savings. steel brakes (esp. in an open wheel car) will perform just as well. braking performance is traction limited, not brake limited.

    i thought about this and i don't think so. every driver would take the shortcut in the opening laps. you couldn't risk not taking it and then getting stuck behind a slower car that did take the shortcut.
     
  22. mousecatcher

    mousecatcher Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2007
    2,116
    san mateo, ca
    I guess you were joking, but no kind of signalling is necessary at all. It'd be like running straight at a chicane, which happens all the time. The re-entry is on the other side of the track from the normal line, so there is no merging problem.
     
  23. jav

    jav Formula Junior

    Apr 9, 2007
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    John
    If you were in clean air, early on in the race, no yellow flags yet and you know everyone gets the same amount... why would you use it straight away when your not being held up?
     
  24. dinogt4guy

    dinogt4guy F1 Rookie

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    Kurtis Fordice
    Just make all the tracks figure 8's, now that would be exciting!

    Cheers!
     

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