Fans: "We would like less DRS, please" F1: "How about more DRS" Same with their stupid sprint race. Same with their ever fatter cars. Same with with stupid move to more electricity. F1 doesn't listen. F1 doesn't care.
We will see within a couple of years if DRS and Sprint races bring a reduction in TV audience ans track spectators. Liberty and the FIA are no fools, and them must have researched the subject.
I think they need to go back to a basic footprint of the cars in 1990 .... length and width. When you see a modern F1 car in person - they are huge..... the length gives more stability... harder to pass etc... I'm all for Active Aero - and active suspension - active everything... the more tech, the better, just have to enforce the rules, track limits, etc. penalties for the leader artificially I'm 100% against. the sprint races are ok... perhaps they should do a reverse grid, and double the points for the top 5...? in any event its a tv show vs. a sport. I really hope Ferrari does well in LeMans this year so there will be some real racing again.
disagree with more tech but fully agree with go back to a basic footprint...even though for 2022 they limited the length of cars they're still stupid long. This was basically enabled because of the move to wider cars in 2017, this spread the platform out a bit, enough so that the disadvantage of a long wheel base car (weight, direction change), outweighed the aerodynamic gains (longer floors = more downforce and easier to control). Go watch back even races in 2016 and see how much more lively the cars where on the narrower tyres and shorter wheelbase...lap times where slower but the cars looked faster. And this again was more evident when you compare the 2016 cars to say 2009. I still say the best formula that's realistically doable is 2010 chassis (i.e. slightly longer than 2009 because of no refueling, 1.8m width), 2.4 V8, modified for direct injection and fuel with zero carbon fuel), 2022 aero, no DRS. Engines to last 2 qualies and 2 races. Friday engine free so cars do more laps, better for spectators. 650kg. Cost would be WAY down. Eco friendliness way up (since apparently this is the most important thing ever). Racing will be much better. Tyre choice is free (so C1 to C5, teams make their choice before a certain deadline, and can run their allocated tyres whenever they want in the order they want. super soft the whole weekend and 3 stopper or no stopper on hards, or anything in between, do whatever you want). All current manufacturers have the V8's lying about in a shed somewhere still, wouldn't need too much doing to convert to direct injection. All those engines where very close in spec, too. Win win win.
I'm normally on the side of progress and shake my head at people complaining about the way the sport is progressing, but if this is true. Sigh, I give up. Indy car offers better racing anyway.
Yes, too many contradictions for my taste. I keep following F1 from a distance, but without much enthusiasm nowadays.
At this point I don't look forward to 2023. I'll record the race only and play it back at double or triple speed until I see something interesting...like Alfa and Williams starting on P1 and P2.
