Potential refuelling ban, shorter races, test restrictions . . . what's next?

(per Autosport)

FOTA to consider refuelling ban

A ban on refuelling, shorter races, wide-scale testing restrictions, and a competitive element to Fridays are some of the ideas that will be discussed by Formula One teams in China this week.

The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) is holding a series of meetings in Shanghai this week to decide on ways to make the sport better.

Sources suggest that FOTA's Sporting Working Group is to focus on revisions to the format of a race weekend - with the 'blue sky' discussions to include such wide sweeping changes as a refuelling ban.

It is understood that teams are keen to make the most of the opportunity provided to them by the FOTA talks. The idea of a refuelling ban surfaced following the host of pit stop problems this year - and plans to talk about it have been given a new urgency in the wake of Felipe Massa's bungled stop in Singapore.

And although a refuelling ban would mean an overhaul of car design because of the size of current fuel tanks, one way to minimize the impact could be to have shorter races.

McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who chairs the SWG discussions, confirmed that discussions in China would be about the race weekend format and a possible widespread testing ban.

"Yes, we're looking at the race format and testing," he said. "I think there are quite a few good ideas on the agenda which would change the format of racing and change the format of the weekend.

"Hopefully, together we'll come up with some agreement on how we can change the weekend in a positive way. But we've got to be careful in making changes that we retain some of the purity that is important in Formula One.

"We've got to look at our agenda on Friday and decide whether that's a worthwhile agenda where we can make more spectacle and have a bit of competition on that day, and we're going to review what we do on Saturday and Sunday to see if we can make it a little bit less predictable.

"But you'd have to say, based on today's showing and in recent races, it's fairly unpredictable at the moment."

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all this is to make the sport better . . . NOT . . . if they propose these measures, then they better cut the outrageous cost of the circus tickets

Carol

 

shorter races? These things are barely over an hour now...

 

These are supposed to be professionals??

The races are are boderline too short as it is, so instead of a bandaid, just get the refueling correct. Send the F1 pit crews to Charlotte, North Carolina, for intense training with Hendrick or some other NASCAR team for a month or so.

And everyone blames the FIA, seems like FOTA will shoot themselves in the foot.

 

Seriously? They are going to ruin the sport. I know some are pissed about the decisions of the FIA recently but this will push it over the edge and lose quite a bit of viewers. Hell I hate waiting 2-3 weeks for a race, I'm not going to want to wait that long for a 30 min race.

 

the only way shorter races are going to work is 2 races per race weekend, IE GP2 format. change of engine could still be once every 2 races, keeps the hippies and bernie's wallet happy.

No refuel works perfect then as well, cars dont have to be redesigned (as most cars for next year are nearly finished now) and it could be done next year.

GP2 is very competitive, exciting to see (cars car overtake each other). F1 should have this too.

 

shorter races? well, nowdays, the races ends after the 1st lap...

 

Send them to Charlotte to develop technique on the 10 sec. pit stop? Floor jacks rule! Right sides only please.

 

They're all bad ideas but not as bad as having a race where the winner gets $1 mill....

This isn't some kind of retarded reality show.

 

The no refueling doesn't bother me. Remember when the pit crews wore shorts. But I don't care for the shortened races. How a car performs over a 2 hr. distance is telling of it's development, tires, and driver. With a constantly shrinking fuel load strategies would still be important, just a lot different.

 

2 races per weekend would be great. Take the finish of the 1st race and reverse the grid for the second race with a rolling start for the second race only. As for refueling....have them use a can just like Nascar. Should be no problems with a stuck hose and its all up to the guy refuelling no excuses.

 

I've seen cars in NASCAR leave the pits with gas cans still attached.

 

That is why these manufacturers can never overcome the FIA, seems pretty dumb to shorten the races. The problem with F1 is sometimes they forget their own history.

 

They can ban refueling and enlarge the tank capacities of the car (which I'm sure can be done and has been done in the past). It might be too late to change the design of the tanks for 2009 cars. But it could be done for 2010.

Shorter races would work, too, with no refueling and current tank capacities. I think this would trim off part of the race where drivers are focused on overtaking cars during their pit stops. The shorter races could be more exciting since there would be less time to strategies to pan out.

Fridays used to be more boring, actually. In the past when everyone was watching their engine lifespan... front runners would barely go out and set laps. Since engines have become more reliable and we started getting more new venues and more unpredictable weather, everyone has been out on Fridays running laps.

The testing restrictions were put in place to save some money and also to get the teams to do their testing on Fridays. But as it has turned out, Friday is mostly spent preparing for the upcoming weekend.

These change could be good. You never know.

All I ever read in these threads are complaints. It's almost as if you guys want constant action on the track. That doesn't happen. That doesn't happen in any sport. Besides, it's good to have the action apart from each other as it makes them more special when they happen.

Many of you say the races are boring. On a race to race basis I'll agree. But you can't deny that this season (and last) has been one of the more entertaining ones to watch and keep up with (on and off track).

 

Too Funny! And yet sometimes very true.

 

Shorter races!! makes no odd's the results get changed after them anyway.

 

Unfortunately they're raising the entertainment with a loss of the actual racing thanks to all the bs penalties and messing with the results after the race finishes.

 

I think they ought to race for 4 hrs. Test the cars, the tires, and the driver. Who's tires will go the longest stint. Who spends the most time refueling. Who makes the most mistakes.

Now I'm sure they are not going to do this. Oh, excuse me! I'm in the wrong race series.

 

+1.

And do like the suggestion to ban refueling.
Pete

 

I know how they can cut costs......
let's have all the teams pull out of F1.
Done. How else can these people screw
up F1? One tire manufacturer, maybe
one supplied engine, ecu. Jeez.
Just join the Indy league, at least the grid will be packed.