I predict an uptick in carbon fiber prices and broom futures. Safety cars beget safety cars. Standing restarts will almost guarantee carnage. It again errs on the side moving away from racing and more toward entertainment of the masses.
It also defeats the purpose of safety cars - if you are going to stop after the safety car why not just red flag immediately and line up on the grid - that way there'd be more racing miles
+1 -- It's crazy enough that they do it even once! No aero allowed at all would be the best rule change if they want more on track action IMO...
I suggest to do away with the safety car and use a system where the area where the incident occured is neutralised instead. For example in case of incident/accident, a zone 500m before and 500m after would be subject to a strict speed limit (verified by telemetry) let say 60mph, with no overtaking allowed, but racing would remain on all the other parts of the circuits outside that zone. Safety cars ruin racing and penalise the leaders at the expenses of their pursuers.
I think this sounds great. the standing starts are the single best thing about an F1 race. there will be more accidents, but I am all for it. Perhaps, put a limit on it though, lets say 1 standing restart, and if that restart causes another safety car within 1 lap, then they try a roller restart (I do not want to see a NASCAR style 3 or 4 restarts in a row). I would watch the entire race if I knew at any moment there would be another restart, watching all the driver bunch up and that one driver jump 4 or 5 positions adds to the excitement. Besides with Ferrari being also rans lately, this gives them a shot at a better finish.
Rules were introduced to limit danger and risk, reduced danger and risk = less interesting racing, more interesting racing needed so danger and risk reintroduced (standing starts), and now we're back where we started! A merry-go-round of absurdity...
I think you mean that safety cars penalize the leader to the benefit of his pursuers, but yeah, imagine how much more upset you'd be if you built up a significant lead, only to be punted off at the first corner after a standing restart. Nevertheless, standing starts, at least at the beginning of a race, are one of the most exciting aspects of an F1 race. Now if only we could have Le Mans starts . . . (just kidding- it'd obviously be a safety nightmare)!
Yes, that's what I meant ! This effect of a safety car intervention in a race is really a turn-off for me. I really don't see how it is considered fair that the lead acquired by a racer can be completely negated. That must be unique to motor racing. IMHO it's completely wrong. Could you imagine introducing a pace car whilst athletes are running a marathon, to allow the pursuers to catch up the leader, just to spice up the show!! Maybe cars should be released by the pace car, one by one, taking into account their respective position before its intervention.
As in the Le Mans style "slow zones" we saw this year? I'm on the fence about those. On the 8+ mile lap, I think it made sense, but I also saw some butt clenching moments with high speed approaches and late braking into those zones. I admit I don't have a better suggestion at the moment, though.
I understand what you're getting at, but beg to differ. I haven't checked, but we've had, what, one SC period as a result of turn one incidents this year(?) One or two last season? Given the nature of the standing start beast, I think they generally do pretty well - Sure, a few guys often get bits knocked off (and then go just as quick!), but 'carnage'? Not so much. Cheers, Ian
In recent years, they have done reasonably well. Most are mindful that you can't win the race at the first corner, but you can lose it. That mindset would not necessarily be the same with say 8 laps to go. The start is, without a doubt, the most dangerous portion of the race. Grosjean at spa springs to mind, as do Lamy and Lehto at imola or Ricardo Paletti at Montreal, Mauricio Gugelmin at Paul Ricard. Having a standing restart is very tough on clutches, gearboxes and driveshafts. I have never been a big fan of the safety car, preferring local yellows (perhaps with Monaco being the exception), but you can't stop "progress".
All very fair points, and I too would "prefer" the good old local yellow. Trouble is, seems they barely slow down if left to their own devices! Maybe there could be a new command that automagically invokes the pit lane speed limiter ahead of the affected section? They can then turn it off once they've passed the ensuing green. I also concur that the red mist is more likely if there are only a few laps left, but I like to think they (most of them anyway ) would still rather finish than try a banzai move to gain a place or two, regardless of remaining laps. It's one of the big reasons why I much prefer open wheel racing to anything else - All of them must respect the physics, be it lap one or the last lap. Cheers, Ian
Ha! Sounds about right. Watched the press conference yesterday from Austria with six of the team principals, Wolff, Horner, Mattiacci, Boullier, Kaltenborn and Tost. Many of the questions were about cost cutting proposals which have been in discussion and improving the show. It was almost like watching NASCAR guys get interviewed as every one of them at one point or another called F-1 a "show" with not a single mention of "sport". So, it's hardly surprising then that we're starting to see these absurd rules proposals (standing restarts, return of sparks, et.al.) coming to the fore with no mention of sporting regulations and real cost cutting measures. I still like Bernie's notion from a few years ago about putting water sprinklers around the circuits and turning them on at various times to simulate rain conditions. F-1 is walking a very fine line and if they've not already teetered into NASCAR territory with absurd regulations and engine requirements, as Kaltenborn rather animatedly pointed out, these all add to the staggering costs of F-1 at a time when they're looking to reduce costs and still remain relevant and keep the viewing public interested. There were also some pointed questions about last week's race at Le Mans. They all found the race highly entertaining and Mattiacci was pointedly asked about Ferrari's direction towards entering a LMP-1 team. He deflected the questioning by stating the old Ferrari line "Ferrari is Formula One, Formula One is Ferrari" (SIC) and that his only concern is F-1. BHW
I cannot believe the FIA is going to introduce standing restart next year. Weird, very weird ... Obviously, they consider GP to be a show and not a sport anymore. I wonder if we will have the cheerleaders on the grid at every restart .... Another nail in the F1 coffin .
