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What Formula 1 had no technical regulations?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by modena1_2003, Jan 26, 2011.

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  1. modena1_2003

    modena1_2003 F1 Rookie

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    #1 modena1_2003, Jan 26, 2011
    This is a topic I've often wondered about, and one I'm sure that has been touched upon here and there throughout FChat: how fast could Formula 1 cars be, if there were no restrictions?

    Think about it. Active aero, a KERS system capable of more than an 80hp boost, no engine size restrictions, height or width restrictions etc...

    What would these cars be like?

    How would lap-times be affected?

    What if the boffins poured every single ounce of technical expertise into their cars?

    I'm really interested in hearing some feed-back on this. While it's such an unrealistic topic, I've thought F1 engineers always have something more they COULD do.
     
  2. db4

    db4 Karting

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    #2 db4, Jan 26, 2011
    the cars would produce so much g force they would be operated by remote control
     
  3. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

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    #3 climb, Jan 26, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2011
    The technology would be amazing but those with the biggest wallet would dominate to the point where the sport would bore even die hard fans.

    Or we'd watch as turbo cars fought jet cars in a multi hundreds of million dollar super-race only to watch underfunded Cinderella stories at times trump the biggest and most expensive.

    Regulation breeds homogenization... I'm for unleashing the beast.
     
  4. modena1_2003

    modena1_2003 F1 Rookie

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    #4 modena1_2003, Jan 26, 2011
    My ex had one of those.

    I'm not talking about competitive advantage here. Regardless of reality and the likelihood Toyota would be the out-right victors, what are realistic ideas in terms of performance?

    How much is being held back by the FIA due to regulations? I'm not on board for the jet-car idea (my mind hasn't left the good ol' combustion engine), but if these engineers could really exploit their creativity, what has F1 showed us in the past that could be applied, if not amplified today?
     
  5. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #5 Rifledriver, Jan 26, 2011
    The cars would be too fast to allow to run in a venue where spectators could watch and would be too fast to be operated by human drivers.

    What a great sport that would be.


    And do not limit to F1. Closed body cars like old Group 7 cars were faster and would be again under the same scenario.
     
  6. mousecatcher

    mousecatcher Formula 3

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    #6 mousecatcher, Jan 26, 2011
  7. modena1_2003

    modena1_2003 F1 Rookie

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    #7 modena1_2003, Jan 26, 2011
  8. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
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    #8 bill brooks, Jan 26, 2011
    reminds me of an old lee marvin twilight zone episode where he was
    a robot boxer named "battling maxo".
     
  9. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

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    #9 Papa G, Jan 26, 2011
    It would possibly be similar to a cross between Chapparals "sucker" cars, the Alfa/March "fan' car, and Can-Am from the old days with modern technology.
     
  10. davehelms

    davehelms F1 Rookie

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    #10 davehelms, Jan 26, 2011
    It was the "Unlimited" nature of the first CanAm series in the late 60's, early 70's that led to its demise. Porsche decided to throw it all in with the hair dryer cars and all of the other manufacturers decided it wasnt worth the cost to one up them. Everyone has a breaking point where a bottomless wallet goes dry, even at GM back in the hay day.

    Restrictions lead to innovation. Domination leads to cancelation. Nascar is making more power now than when running unrestricted, so says Bruce, I pay no attention to those folks going in circles.
     
  11. finnerty

    finnerty F1 World Champ

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    #11 finnerty, Jan 26, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2011
    There is a great deal of truth in that statement.

    When constraints are in place, the Engineer's "pencil is forced to get sharper" ---- this very often results in design improvements and technological developments which otherwise would not arise.

    In particular, the combination of design constraints and "vast financial resources" can (and does) lead to some really, really cool stuff :)
     
  12. 166&456

    166&456 Formula 3

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    #12 166&456, Jan 27, 2011
    It can also lead to excess if there is no regulation, resulting in innovation at first but when it leads to people getting killed also in resentment - happened to Group B rallying in the mid-80's. Crazy days though with great footage that does't compare to anything these days.
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FumHF_mG2Cw&feature=related[/ame]
     
  13. davehelms

    davehelms F1 Rookie

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    #13 davehelms, Jan 27, 2011
    That has nothing to do with Innovation, that is nothing less than a Darwin moment. Nature weeding out the stupid if you will.
     
  14. 166&456

    166&456 Formula 3

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    #14 166&456, Jan 27, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
    Very true from the spectator view, it cost the lives of quite a few of drivers too though.
    Spectator safety just wasn't an issue back then - the relatively sudden popularity of this class did surprise the organisers, and in those days spectator safety was still considered to be mostly the spectator's responsibility.
    Despite, or perhaps even because of the risks involved, the experimental Group B did spark a lot of leaps forward. Engineers could just try out ideas without lobbying or approval boards. That does tend to speed things up :)
     
  15. Bounce

    Bounce Formula 3

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    #15 Bounce, Jan 27, 2011
    You'd end up with pod races haha.
     

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