What's the verdict on refueling?

I have read Bridgestone has done a toooo good of a job with its tyres, they lasted to long..

Sort of strange but they were not quite edgy enough. The tyres did not degrade as much as many thought they might and so the long runs did not tail off as much as we expected them too.

 

Kind of ironic that we are talking about poor racing due to overly reliable components.
At least we don't have that concern with the road cars

 

I know ironic.. thats F1..

Jeez the pot holes on the roads over here you got be like a F1 driver dodging them its all the cold weather we have had, it has wrecked the roads, and guess what no money to put them right. So the tyres have to be good but at £250.00 + a tyre I'm not taking the chance.

 

After our recent rains we don't even have roads in some places.

 

Refueling is dangerous.

SF has trouble taking the hose out before the driver leaves the pits so...

any change would have to be unanimous. And SF has no interest that I can see in changing the rules in mid-stream.

(Remember to touch the gas pump to discharge any static electricity before fueling. A kid was killed refueling a few days ago.)

 

If things don't "improve" in the remaining flyaways, I can see 'em doing that for the Euro season - Hopefully (?)....

IIRC, the fueling rigs needed an additional 747, and with two more teams & 4 rigs, possibly part of a second.

But, once everything's going by truck, I can see it.

I agree - leave it up to the teams - I could argue that you've gotta run both tires, but beyond that, it's up to you.

Cheers,
Ian
PS - Also, let 'em test on Thursday

 

Motor racing is dangerous.

+1 on the second part - *43* WCC points after one round! Why should they?

As to "unanimous" votes, the FIA could/has previously/etc couch it in terms of "safety" (or similar BS) in order to force it thru - Then listen to the *howls* herein

Cheers,
Ian

 

"Refueling is dangerous."

I was being sarcastic there. You had no way of knowing that. Sorry. Motor racing is not for sissies.

Any other racing series that does not allow refueling??

 

Pretty much what I was getting at.
While I understand the desire to reduce costs it seems that the choices that they've made are nickel and dimeing the sport to death.

 

Besides drag racing?



Sorry.

 

Refueling acted as a bandaid fix for bringing the cars back together as a result of different strategies.

Now that it is gone, the real problem is much more obvious as stated prior: aero grip has overtaken mechanical grip so much so you can't pass. There were a number of drivers commenting on having to follow that were being held up due to inability to pass. This is nothing new and has only gotten worse by the FIA trying to slow down the cars for the past number of years by removing mechanical grip with tires originally with grooved, then with size and track. So the teams find the speed back in the wind tunnel.

The double diffuser rule of last year and other aero rules are far more of the cause than removing refueling IMHO. It seems it is being exploited even more so now and the FIA is set to clarify the rule.

 

What's amazing is that they supposedly got back to 07-08 levels of downforce by the end of last season.

I'd think they have much much more downforce now than they did in 93.

 

They would if not for rules restrictions.

 

Dunno about '93, but the late '70's & early '80's were the halcyon days of ground effects. The FW07 eventually produced so much downforce they dispensed with the front wing entirely IIRC. [I wonder how sensitive to dirty air that was?]

Among many other problems though the cars became so stiff they were almost impossible to drive (!) - Colin "solved" it in the 88 with a unique "twin chassis" design - Suspension and aero loads were fed into one chassis while the driver sat in a suspended "pod" (Briefly). It showed so much promise that the FIA promptly banned it of course

[And there are those who think the FIA's shenanigans are a recent thing ]

Cheers,
Ian

 

Agreed, for a start that track wasn't too conducive to F1 cars, especially the new section. And secondly I think more than one driver was in conservative mode and once they learn to find a race long limit they will push harder. (Look at how Webber's lap times miraculously dropped by 1 sec a lap toward the race end when Liuzzi was closing in at 2-3 tenths a lap)

 

I don't.

Where is the Poll asking for a vote?

 

I'm no fan of compulsory refueling, but all for another tyre manufacturer against Bridgestone. Please come back Michelin !

 

One of the most boring F1 races (procession) I have seen in the last 30 years of following F1. Refueling may help a bit but its onl a stop gap to remedy the situation. The cars are the problems as they are approaching spec class.

 

Most of the grid seems covered by a second and a half - this would seem to have something to do with the lack of passing, but IIRC there is passing in GP2 and that is a spec series. There seems to be more to it (in F1) than refueling and the relative similarity of the cars.

 

Just needed to bump this thread. I'm definately not a fan of the fixed fuel loads.

 

I don't see it coming back in the near future.....just is an afterthought now IMHO.

 

I miss refueling. I'd much rather see a race broken down into shorter stints but those stints driven balls out than long, slower fuel/tire saving runs.


Mark

 

Fuel loads aren't fixed. The teams choose how much they put in it.

I think both side had their positives. Schumacher winning in 2004 on a 4 stop, you won't see that anymore save for weather circumstances...But now almost all passing happens on track. Bonus.

 

I'd make refueling optional and no tire mandate, plus offer a tire that goes the entire race. That way teams can play any strategy they want, from zero stops, to multiple stops. That'd make very interesting finishes, as teams with less stops will be behind at the beginning, but catch up at the end. The 'IRS tax code' effect (including loop-holes) on regulations is just crazy IMO. And I'd obviously eliminate all the artificial crap like KERS, DRS, etc. Different fuel level and tire choices means lots of 'natural' overtaking. But everybody knows that's not going to happen .