How long are they going to keep the step down nose?

For 2013, teams are allowed to add some sort of panels to create a better asthetic look.

 

I also hate the rear wing length being restricted, the cars just don't look as cool as they used to...

 

To me, all wind tunnels should be banned. Then, you'll see aerodynamics playing less and less of a roll. Sure, they will use computers but computer modeling is not the answer to the wind tunnel.

What F1 needs is less reliance on aero and more reliance on mechanical grip.

 

+1 I could not agree more with you.

 

This! But that would put the likes of Newey out of work, wonk wonk.

 

Some of the innovations are strange...that elevated nose tip or even those side wings that were dissallowed between both tires so they elevated them and they kept tearing off air hoses when exiting the pits.

Does anyone remember this?:

http://www.auto123.com/ArtImages/134811/1.jpg

 

The X wings. Banned because it looked too ugly. Just like BMW got their horns thing banned back in 2008 IIRC.

 

I always thought those looked pretty badass.

 

And a throttle cable connected directly from the pedal to an engine throttle. No drive-by-wire.

 

Why?

 

Hot blown exhaust driven by computer, compared to Senna and Schumacher who used to drive with their foot flat to the floor for better aero, instead of a computer like Vettel (and Alonso, and everyone).

Drive by wire for the throttle is like ABS for the brakes *which is outlawed, as far as we know.

Obviously Hamilton does not have ABS.
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Banned at the beginning of this past season.

Charlie tried to ban it last year at Silverstone, but couldn't get it passed. Had to wait for the off season to do it.

Cheers,
Ian

 

If you want F1 cars with manual gearboxes, mechanical throttle linkage etc, it's best to go those amazing historic racing events - you can't roll back technology, especially not in a sector that is supposed to be its pinnacle.

 

Some want to make a giant step backwards IMO. What they want is a vintage racing series where the clock stopped in 1965.

I think technology should be a major part of F1. But, I don't see why 50 tiny little air deflectors on a front wing add anything to the real auto world. Real cars don't go 150 MPH on average. Those aero devices and the millions they spend working on them is wasted as they are only good for what they are: having one car win one particular race on one particular track.

But, new engines and drive trains, gearboxes, brakes, driver inputs, materials, suspension systems, etc could be developed and translated to real road cars into improve them from a high tech F1 series. We should not limit man's ingenuity.

If you look at CF on racing cars and other composite materials, these finding their way into real road cars and we all benefit from it. I'm sure there are thousands of other examples.

Living in 1965 is living in the past. I prefer to live in the future.

 

Technology is great and F1 should be the pinnacle. The problem is that without certain limitations, teams will spend millions in order to gain 1/4 of a second per lap and, 2-3 races later, all the teams will copy it and also put it on their cars and everything goes back to the usual order of things except the whole field is 1/4 second faster.

 

Good points, I think the difficulty is to draw a line when it comes to aerodynamics. What do you allow, what not?

As to the possibility of transfer to real-world vehicles, IMHO a lot of that happens behind the curtains and is intangible... processes, knowledge about materials, algorithms... stuff like that.

Edit: Of course you already gave a perfect example with CF! Note to self, finish reading posts before answering

 

I know, I know, I know. Its a metaphor.

You and I and Charlie only realized that Red Bull was doing hot-blown exhaust after many races. Whatever they have been doing for the last 8 races, You and I and probably Charlie Whiting still do not know yet.

The single throttle cable adds more driver. A converse idea would be: If drive by wire is allowed, then why not brake-by-wire?

Lewis H would win everything if ABS kept his inside front off the cords.

*8 races is just an example, not an exact number.