Have you ever dreamt of writing the rules for F1 according to your taste. Here are a few of my ideas. Proposal for F1 - World Drivers Championship (WDC) and World Teams Championship (WTC) 12 to 13 2-car teams of 3 drivers each, including the nominated reserve driver. Teams can be constructor or customer, and have complete freedom to source chassis and powertrain. - Events. 20 GP per season maximum. 9 in Europe (Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Monaco, Austria and Russia), 6 in America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina), 4 in Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Australia and Singapore) and 2 in the Middle East (Bahrain and Abu Dhabi). Spectators attendance to be monitored by the FIA. Venues that attract more than 100 000 spectators are assured to keep their spot on the calendar the following years. The less well attended GPs may be replaced by new venues the following year. -Testing and development. Free!! But the team reserve driver must do at least 10% of the total laps. -Events. Each team must bring 2 cars + 1 reserve at each GP. - Practice at GP. 3 x 1 hour session. The reserve driver must do at least one complete practice session at each GP. -Qualifications: 1 hour without restriction of laps. Tyres, fuel, etc... Drivers must qualify the chassis and engines they are to use during the race. -Races. 2 hours minimum. No refuelling allowed, no mandatory tyre change. No radio communication allowed between teams and drivers, only pit boards. Radio communications between race control to drivers to warn of danger, signal penalties, yellow flags, safety car, restarts, etc... No tyre warmers allowed. 2 warming laps. Rolling start. Track discipline: track limits monitored by electronic sensors on the cars and the kerbs. One fault for exceeding track limits: verbal radio warning. Twice exceeding track limits: drive through penalty. 3rd infringement means Black Flag and disqualification. Causing contact: drive through penalty, potentially time penalty depending on stewards ruling. Damage to the car must be investigated by visit to the pit. Damaged body parts must be replaced or the car withdrawn. Any time penalty must be served during the race, and not during the following event.
- Cars. Single seater with survival cells and protected cockpits. Minimum weight around 600kg dry. Maximum width 180cm. Body free but wheels but be covered over 50% minimum of their circumference. Aero, wings, spoilers, vanes free, but set limit to downforce on each axle ( 300kg on the front, 400kg on the rear, for example) determined by wind tunnel checks, and measured by gauges on the chassis. Power steering allowed, free braking system (including ABS). -Powertrain. 3L atmospheric petrol engine, free configuration. No limit of cylinders. No revs limit. No fuel limit. Transmission free. Tyres. Absolutely free. One or several manufacturers can apply to supply tyres in F1. Tyres must be of a construction allowing to last the whole race without stop. NO TYRE WARMERS ALLOWED. Any supplier MUST offer any tyre on its range to any team that demands it. No Tyre factory team. -Championship. Same point scoring for drivers and teams (instead of constructors). - Relegation and Promotion. At the end of each season, the 2 less performing teams can be dropped in favour of new teams applying to join F1. -Payment and redistribution of profit. 50% of the monies is for participation, divided equally among the teams. Teams can receive advance on their yearly participation share every few GP, during the season. The other 50% is distributed at the end of the season according to teams individual performance. There is no bonus for Long Standing or Historical Rights, etc...
I know some find them dangerous, and without good discipline they can be. But all the cars are moving with gear engaged at least. I find the prospect of a car stalling on the starting line being hit at full speed by another competitor from 10 rows back also unappealing. Didn't we lose Paletti like that?
All starts are dangerous. IMO, the worst is the first turn no matter what you do. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz17O8GNX5E[/ame]
In fact, if you think about it, a rolling start can still have the same problem. A car breaks down under acceleration and the car behind it hits it -- only this time they are going faster. Rolling starts are usually about 80-100 MPH in Indy cars. Two drivers hit wheels and the pack behind them is still moving forward. If you really wanted a "safer start" then it would be single file rolling like they do after a yellow. But the start of the race would be very boring. Safe, but boring. Most accidents on the first lap happen in the first turn.
Regardless of safety or danger (whichever way you want to look at it), I think a standing start is more of a show for the public, and that's why organisers favour it in many series. Those who design new tracks should avoid a tight first turn, IMO, but they don't. Something to consider. In my proposal for a new F1, I have tried to address my own personal complaint about the present state of affairs. But I don't think Bernie is going to listen to me !!!
I remember this accident very well. Salt Walther and his brother Skip (killed in an unlimited hydroplane accident) were friends and high school classmates (CHS '66) of mine. Salt was trapped upside down in a burning car full of fuel just past the pit exit. His injuries were awful, and eventually led to crime (illegal narcotics use to fight the never-ending pain from the severe burns) and his death. He remains the only guy to race in the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and race unlimited hydroplanes. Juan Fangio drove their fathers Indy car but never got up to speed and left the Brickyard without qualifying. Salt was a 100% badass.
I like your proposal. I would offer a few clarifying points: Practice and Quali... Each car must complete at least 85% of the session on track, unless of damage or mechanical breakdown - verified by the FIA. that way the cars are on track. I'm a proponent for active Aero and suspensions... I would eliminate the axel load on down force and implement a G load on the driver ... that way you open up aero while protecting the drivers physical limits - this is set by the FIA. standing start... Pits and paddock are opened on Friday and after qualifying to general public. ... Mandatory team autograph sessions - so all key people are required to be there... drivers, team managers / designers etc... Vintage - masters series to accompany the F-1 teams ... so you can have the old cars being driven by some of the older drivers - with the rules focused on hitting a benchmark time vs. outright speed. ( safety ) ... cars from the 60's to 90's.. eligible. points awarded to the masters teams - are worth 50% towards current championship!
I like most of you suggestions. I would make quail 2 timed laps, best lap counts. I love the idea of a vintage race prior to the F1 event. However, I hate aero. I would limit front wings to a single element, non-activatable, with a limit on area. A single element rear wing that may be no higher than the rear wheels. Eliminate the so-called floors that extend beyound the body work.
I was thinking that if F-1 is a Show, and they are going to other parts of the world with little or no F-1 History- they F-1 should bring the history to them. so if you can imagine.. each work's team should "sponsor" a classic F-1 team... meaning that if the team existed back in the day, then they can help the F-1 Classic team with support etc... ( all financed through FOM & FIA ) using either owner drivers and a driver from the teams past. the more the Current F-1 team can get a former driver to drive in the classic car - the more points the team earns towards the championship. can you imagine Stewart in a Tyrrell, Prost in his 1984 McLaren? or Lauda in his 75 Ferrari? or Emmo in his 72 Lotus? Jones, in the 80 Williams, etc... the challenge would be for the drivers to drive consistent laps - not at full chat but fast enough for a good show.. the classic driver who drives the most number of laps at or closest to the ideal time - is the winner. this would be more of a skill test vs. the fastest - in respect to safety and value of the cars. that way the weekend would be filled with F-1 cars on track. At Austin - its almost pointless there is very little support racing going on. FOM should bring tons of support races with them... Classic F-1, F2, F3, etc... and perhaps some kind of pro/am spec racing... they can all race FIAT 500's painted in their helmet colors... the other key thing is to make the Paddock more open... I know its "the holy of holy's ... but how else can you see the drivers and cars CLOSE UP.. you don't. F-1 has to let go of its uber protective stance on digital images coming out of the paddock.. its crazy.
I don't see how you put aero back in the bottle ... its out and you cant stop or unlearn what has been learned. I think the next step is how to use materials that deform, and active aero the way to go. I would imagine at some point well get to materials that can deform into large brakes, and then retract into a tear drop for ultimate aero efficiency... the whole car will alter during a race as it brakes and accelerates, with only the cockpit retaining a static shape.
Please send these ideas to Bernie & JT! I *love* 'em! I guess you'd have to set different target times for different cars/eras, but that's easy enough. I (vaguely) recall such days. Jimmy climbing out of the Cortina & into to his F1 car..... F3 was *always* there. And another huge +1! I've said many times I'd go again if I could get even limited access to the paddock without paying Paddock Club prices. Agreed on the "picture blackout" too. I guess Bernie recently slapped Lewis' wrists for posting a pic.... WTF?.... Cheers, Ian
+1 They could mandate a completely flat underside. Basically, just increase the size of the existing plank; make it wider & longer and you eliminate the all important diffuser. Now you're getting extreme! Love it! I still recall (vaguely again ) the Chapparal and its moving wing at Brands - Awesome to watch it do its thing! Cheers, Ian
My idea about free bodywork and free aero, BUT with a limit on downforce is to stop teams spending ridiculous budget on something they wouldn't need anymore. Instead of policing cars aero, measuring the wings, checking the flex of the front wing, the FIA would have just to check conformity to one measurable data: downforce. Teams would soon stop spending hours in the wind tunnel, employ an army of aerodynamicists and constantly turn out new costly pieces of bodywork if that serves no purpose. Aero is a big part of teams budget. Also a limit on downforce would mean les turbulence for following cars, longer braking distances, lower corner speed and car spinning under acceleration. It would be good to see again drivers struggling with their cars in corners, instead of taking them like on rail. It maybe that a limit on G load would achieve the same result, and be also easily monitored. I don't know.
It's OK, but who's going to pay for the accompanying show Have you thought about the logistic costs of ferrying 1 or 2 dozen of historic cars to every GP, all over the world. What about the insurance cost for these museum pieces, or even their availability. Some of them are in private collections and their owners may not be enamoured of seeing them "raced". I think the local organiser, the track owner should provide a programme to support the GP, like national single seater race, or a national GT championship visiting to feel the gap.
I am for it in principle, but I am not sure that pits and paddock can allow unrestricted access on all tracks, or can cater for a large volume of people. .
With that system, the cars spend most of the session in their garages, and only go out at the last minute. This is what we want to avoid. Spirot's idea that the cars have to spend 85% of the time on the track is appealing to me, I must say.
Qualy is, IMO anyway, one of the few things they've got about right just now. The confident ones may sit around at the start, but that's caught 'em out on occasion. If you're confident, why not take advantage thereof? It's all a roll of the dice. Sometimes it goes your way, others, not so much. Cheers, Ian
No, no, no. One car at a time on a two lap quali run. I don't really care how the order is set; drawing lots, points order, reverse points order, last race order, alphabetical by mothers maiden name, reverse... My preference would be points order, leader first. But, I don't really care. The whole affair should take about 1 1/2 hours.
I recall the "individual" qualy runs - It got boring real fast. - Open it up as it used to be with an hour or so to put in a time. We wouldn't see the quick guys till the end, but the margin for error is small. - Keep it as is (now they've seen sense!) - Forces them all out, and can be pretty exciting towards the end. Cheers, Ian
I understand that spectators complain there is not enough cars on the track, and not enough action. That's why they had 12 laps to do at one point, no? If you want to sell qualifs as a show to the paying spectators or the TV viewers, you must provide action on the track. Allowing cars to sit in their garage, with tyre warmer blankets on for 45 minutes of the qualifs is not providing a show. They must FORCE the cars on the track. Spirot's idea is making it compulsory to spend 85% of the time on the track is attractive to me. Otherwise, impose a minimum number of laps.
