F1 changes by 2008....

Posted by: Tony Lockhart on 23 April 2004

Sorry, but if I want to watch a one make championship I'll watch Clios battering each other at Brands. This doesn't look good. I'm all in favour of the engine rules, but not the material and ECU controls.
What do you think?

http://www.planet-f1.com/Home/story_15172.shtml

Tony
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Tony Lockhart:

What do you think?



I think F1 is screwed. MotoGP is where it's at, and has been for the last couple of years.
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by BigH47
I seem to remember the racing used to be good even during the Super formula ford days. I think there needs to be a big think over F1 but not to use proprietry parts etc. The "leaders" Max and Bern are looking so stupid because they keep admitting they cannot police their own series, hence the ideas today.Simplify the wings,smaller engines bigger harder tyres with wider track, steel brakes and NO BLOODY REFUELING. Make the engineers design cars to last more than a 15 minute sprint with the problems that causes.
A quote from Prost in Autosport said the racing died with Ayrton. I have to agree.

Howard
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:
NO BLOODY REFUELING.


Amen to that.
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Clay Bingham
Tony

I think you could end up liking the changes. They would seem likely to greatly reduce costs and as a result increase number of teams, increase importance of driving skill not just reflexes, and make racing better by reducing the technolgy gap between manufactuer teams and private entries. A standard tire would also level the playing field.

In principal these rules are not unlike CART/CHAMP rules used throughout the nineties. Those rules led to some great racing. The new F-1's would just be lighter and more powerful.

Clay
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Tony Lockhart
Lighter and more powerful? 2.4 litre V8s won't rev like a V10, so with a lower capacity will surely be less powerful.
Sorry, but F1 has, I think, always been about technology and innovation.
After watching Rossi the other weekend, another trip to Donnington this summer for the MotoGP might be in order to get me ready for 2008!

Tony
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Tony Lockhart
Oh, AND ANOTHER THING....
Those suggested rule changes will make the cars very much like F3000. In other words boring.

Tony
Posted on: 23 April 2004 by Clay Bingham
Tony

Michael Schumacher was recently quoted as saying the present engine formula should be producing engines with near 1,000hp within 2 years. That same technology, even given the two race rule, should easily give you 750hp+ at 2.4 liters perhaps more! So same horsepower as FI of only two or three years ago in a car set to be lighter! Hardly seems F-3000.

Point taken on technolgy but how much are you willing to pay for that technology in ticket prices, TV access fees, and sponsorship advertising?

And remember, while F-1 has had it's technological moments such as Mercedes in the 50's, Lotus in the 60's, Brabham and Tyrell in the 70's, it also largely used the same Cosworth-Ford engine for more than a decade.

Time will tell, but I still think the changes could be interesting.

Enjoy Imola
Clay