Ferrari: Scrap F1's rulebook - only lawyers understand it

F1 stopped being the pinnacle of motorsports a while ago. When you can no longer develop the car throughout the year, quiet engines, and start caving to politically correct views, be it tobacco advertising, saving fuel, saving tires, etc. etc... While I know it's mostly posturing, maybe it is time to move on to a series that's more relevant to actual "racing all out".

 

And now Sergio has basically said if they continue with the JT/Bernie's NASCARification of F1 Ferrari could walk.
Now when Luca utter those words, I'd smile knowing he was bluffing. SM however is something else.

 

While I could be wrong, I don't think they would ever NOT compete in the series - which makes me think this is a good article. I'm just not sure if I appreciate his bravado as much as I did though.

 

I beg to differ. What's replaced it?

They're all developing their cars throughout the year! Sure, they can't go testing, which makes it harder, but they're very definitely 'developing'. As ever, some developments turn out well, others not so much. It's hard.

Agree that these lumps suck from a sound perspective, but what's being forgotten here (IMO anyway ) is that they're running times pretty much as before with 30% less go juice. OK, that sometimes leads to 'fuel saving', but you've still got to stay ahead of the other guys.

Agreed on the tires. Hopefully, the new tire rules next year will improve the tire saving BS. We'll see I guess.

Bernie, love him or hate him, fought the tobacco advertising ban for as long as he could: But, rightly or wrongly, 'society' in general decided it was a bad thing, and F1 had to cave. I'd love to see Marlboro (or whoever) back in the game, but it's not going to happen in today's society.

As for 'racing all out', please name another series that does that? I'm not trying to argue, but I don't see any out there.

'Posturing' it may be, but the power they're generating from these tiny PU's today is nothing less than staggering. OK, I get that some may not give a damn, and that's fine, but personally I think it's one of the hardest engineering challenges there is. I find it fascinating that the mighty Honda for example appear clueless!

It's as hard, maybe harder than it's ever been. And rightly so IMESHO,
As always, my 02c,
Cheers,
Ian

 

Also meant to note, I totally disagree with SM's 'only lawyers understand the rules' comment..... Actually, I think it makes him look like something of a fool.

Both the technical & sporting regulations are pretty clear if you're any kind of engineer. Whether you should need to be an engineer is maybe another debate, but it's what 'they' (the technical and strategic working groups) have developed, and I'd bet there's less rules than for, eg, the taxicabs or Le Mans cars......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Walk from a series that they actually turn a profit from to perhaps a series with less than half the audience where they will have to pick up the bill themselves?

Nope. Never going to happen. They have FCA's debt to pay off first.

 

+1000

I dream of a CanAm revival ...

 

Exactly this. Viva WEC/FIA GT/ GT Masters etc!

 

Yep !!

 

Sorry, all just slow and boring IMO.

Nowhere near any 'pinnacle', to me anyway.

Dunno how many F1 races you've attended, but after watching the big boys, *everything* else looks like a trip to the shops. (Including 'my' F3 cars I hasten to add)

Cheers,
Ian

 

You should try watching Midget or Sprintcar racing then!!


Also, with the money they spend designing these F1 cars, they should go a hell of a lot faster!!

It's not normal that the 2015 F1 cars were slower on some tracks than the F1 cars 10 years ago.

If really speed and lap time is all that interest you, that could be achieved at a fraction of the cost, if only the "bloody" rule book was thrown away and deregulation introduced to F1.

 

Pinnacle of motor racing.

Europe, is LMP1 ATM.

North America, NASCAR.

South America, F1.

Africa, F1

Asia LMP1

Australia, Bathurst

Antarctica, Penguins

 

LOL

 

Absolutely agreed - one of the reasons the F1 rule book is so complex is to close loopholes that the engineers have discovered and exploited previously - the F1 Technical Rules are published on the FIA web site, anyone can read them. Marchione perhaps should have a look - they are very technical, because they have to be, because his engineers and others are experts and can find and exploit loopholes. It was Ferrari who uncovered the vague terms on development token usage for 2015, which led to engine development occuring throughout the year; and which subsequently required additional rules for 2016 to eliminate the loophole.

It is normal that the more recent cars are slower, when the older cars got too fast and were exceeding the safety limits of the tracks they were running on (runoff room, mostly). There is a practical safety limit to what speeds can be allowed on the tracks - let them go unlimited on design, and the required runoff room would mean spectators would be sitting half a mile back from the track! ALL of the "classic" tracks would not be permitted to hold an "unlimited" F1 race because they would be unsafe - so there actually do, in fact, have to be rule changes to limit the maximum cornering speeds and lap times.

 

Fully agree with Ferrari.

And while you're at it: Can we also scrap the US tax code.

Sorry, couldn't resist. No intention of starting a political debate.

 

+1

And it's depressing that it's gone that way.

 

Too many rules and regulations killed the sport.

 

No way dude! They have:

ABS
TCS
DRINK BOTTLE INTEGRATION!!!!
BIG FIN DOWN CENTER OF CAR!
52 HOUR RACES!

It's dope!

Sorry, couldn't help myself ; )

 

+27

 

Nowadays it's more entertaining to make fun of Fl instead of watching the races.

 

+1

Where's Is?....

It's very easy to criticize, much harder to fix.......

 

If the current F1 cars have to be slower than before for safety reason, explain why they need all that complex and useless technology, and why they are so expensive to build and run?

There is something that doesn't add up there! To go slower, you need less technology, and it should cost less.

Also, there is a flaw in your statement: to reduce cornering speed you should not allow larger tyres and more downforce. The rules for 2017 announce both !!!

 

+1

 

It's all about the fin!.