Passing in 2011? Alonso says well maybe not.

Not too surprising in that at least half off the passing issue is down to track, not car, configuration.

 

True regarding the impact of the moveable wing. There will still be no passing in Monaco or Hungary. Tires will have a much bigger impact on passing if early testing is anything to go by.

 

It will be a cruel irony if after all the rule changes, the new aerodynamics, KERS and other modifications, overtaking is still a problem.

Overtaking will be helped when cars are made to shed a lot more downforce, and tyre grip.

Imposing a mandatory ground clearance, reducing dramatically the size of wings and spoilers, and restricting tyre width are the only solutions IMHO.

 

True to a point, but even with all of these changes you still need significant variability in performance from the two cars involved in the passing move. Hence why tire age (laps run) is important, as is getting a good tow, and perhaps throw in some differences in engine power (hard with current tight specs). My concern is that the sport is becoming so highly regulated that there is too much commonality in performance as a result... Fewer, and looser regs - that's what we need.

 

Passing may not necessarily be easier, but it will certainly be different. For instance, I can see a situation where a Ferrari of Red Bull tires are dead, yet Renault is on fresh rubber after a pit stop and Renault passes one of them. The passed car then makes a pit stop for fresh rubber that lap or the lap after and then has a difficult time recapturing their position as both are now on reasonably fresh rubber.

 

My point was that by making cars more difficult to drive, the difference in driving skils will become more obvious.

At the moment, it's more of less the technical differences between cars that are highlighted.

IMHO, There is also not enough speed difference between straights and many corners that are taken absolutely flat out now. To remedy to that, the tendency has been to reshape some tracks and introduce chicanes. But in turn, these are becoming too easy to negotiate!

 

Agreed.

 

If passing is still going to be a potential problem, then the FIA must sack the entire team who thought about the new wings and rules, etc. and just go back to basic. Big turbos and limited aeros.

 

Yep, I think so... with the emphasis on LIMITED AEROS !!

 

While something needs to be done I doubt "dumbing down" the cars is the best way to go.

 

I hate this "you can use the wing in the last 600 meters of the main straight IF you're within one second of the car in front on another part of the track" crap.

Just give them the movable front and rear wings, make them manual only, no powered, or automatic moving of them, and let them have at it.

 

Agreed. The fewer rules in F1 the better.

 

Might just as well put a handford flap on the wings and force passing...............

 

How on earth are they going to police that, that's what intrigue me!

With telemetry and GPS ?

How are they going to penalise misuse? Drive through?

 

Thing is, F1 is seriously getting too confusing and technical with all this nonsense. I wonder how new fans are going to understand all this overtaking BS.

 

Vettel nails it...

"Drivers should drive, not play with buttons"

http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport/story/40985.html

 

+1 It's an engineering championship more than a driver's championship.

 

Better designed circuits, with real straights, then this wing thing would work. But most of the new circuits today are mediocre at best. The wing might work at places like Monza, Spa, and Silverstone.

 

+1

 

There are several Tilke tracks with huge straightaways, Korea and China come to mind.