I know already...rules again

[Lotusonpole]

Hi all...
I realise there have been many topics posted with a similar theme but having mulled it over for some time I’ve arrived at a bunch of rule changes that may or may not be effective in making F1 the sport it should be...I’m no expert.
(And by the number of similar posts it says there are many fans deeply concerned about the state of F1)
So for what its worth and taking on board a number of ideas already suggested...

1. Ban all electronic driver aids.

2. Ban all areo devices attached to the bodywork in any form between the front and rear wings, including barge boards winglets etc.

3. Allow only one scheduled pit stop for fuel and tyres each G.P.

4. Restrict tyre testing to an amount of time that the smaller teams can manage.
Redefine the rule to allow one two car team at one venue on any one day.

5. Retain 3 litres but restrict hp to say 750 max. But allow any configuration or number of cylinders.

6. Stipulate harder compound tyres...just in case No. 3 doesn't work.


As for Qualifying, its anyones’ guess, however I would be happy with the old rules, but with a maximum and a minimum amount of fuel for qualifying and the race as now.
I did like the gung-ho style I must admit.

These are just a set of collective thoughts and there may well be better solutions.

Thanks and cheers
Peter

[Glen]

This is going to sound a bit negative, but the difficulties in getting any changes are not to be underestimated - basically, if the teams don't like it you're knackered...

1. Driver aids are already banned - they prevail on the cars because the maunfacturers would withdraw if they weren't allowed to use the technology. You could have F1 without the teams, but it might be a bit quiet.

2. Aero devices aren't added to bodywork - they are pieces of bodywork. To achieve what you suggest you would have to mandate the shape of the car.

3. Next year's tyre rule might get through and give something similar. Woudn't hold your breath though!

4. Testing should be restricted, agreed - but simulations will take over, which is even more expensive.

5. How to restrict the engine bhp?

6. Next year's tyre rules.

[Lotusonpole]

Thanks Glen

"You could have F1 without the teams, but it might be a bit quiet."... that was a chuckle.

I take your point, but with the aero bodywork thing I meant ban winglets and bargeboards, but the shape of the sidepods/podywork would be determined by each team just as it is now...within the regs that is.

I must be getting desparate...lol.

Cheers
peter

[Glen]

I know what you meant about the winglets - but they are bodywork. How it works is there are limitations as to the size and shape of the car (imaginary boxes in space basically) and the designer then does what they like within that three dimensional space. Barge boards, flips, winglets, guiding vanes - are all the same as radiator inlets, vents, gills, exhaust covers etc - it all counts as bodywork.

[Snrub]

1. Few would argue on the electronic stuff.
2. Do you think these winglets, etc. are causing a big problem? Aero changes need to be made, but I'm not sure that these things are the major source of the problem.
3. 1 stop might work well. F1 seems to be doing okay with the current pit rules though. (as in they're not tainting the results)
4. Restricting testing, sounds good.
5. If you're going to stipulate 750hp, I don't see the purpose in stipulating anything else. I tend to think this change would end up reducing costs in the long run as they'd only really be able to tweak the power band.
6. How do you restrict tire compounds when they're so complex?

[Kirk]

Originally posted by Glen
This is going to sound a bit negative, but the difficulties in getting any changes are not to be underestimated - basically, if the teams don't like it you're knackered...

1. Driver aids are already banned - they prevail on the cars because the maunfacturers would withdraw if they weren't allowed to use the technology. You could have F1 without the teams, but it might be a bit quiet.

Even more negative:
Perhaps an alternate series is the only hope for good ol' fashioned racing. If the aero and electronic driving aids aren't reduced, restricted or eliminated, F1 is digging it's own grave.

[luke]

make the braking distances bigger...

[Adam43]

how?

[luke]

Convert the brakes back to steel, like Champcars then you would see more overtaking.

[Adam43]

Didn't Williams do some back to back tests between carbon and steel and found little difference (this is a few years ago now). However there were question marks over longevity, perhaps they'd need to toning down because of that.

[luke]

Didn't Alex Zanardi use them when he came back to f1 in '99 with williams because he couldn't get used to the modern carbon brakes which gave him a 12 kilo weight penaulty.

[Knowlesy]

Correct.

[BootsOntheSide]

It's probably the main reason Alex wasn't competitive. Alex was a gutsy racer, and current f1 cars don't suit them.

I agree that steel brakes would help the quality of racing, and would be a good way of reducing speeds.

As mentioned, reducing testing allowance could be counter-productive, because the top teams can afford complex computer simulations that are beyond the smaller ones.

There are no easy answersw about improving the racing, because each change owuld have so many knock-on effects, and a lot of different technical and commercial pressures are beign exerted, adn everyone watns a different set of rules.

[Kicking-back]

Zanardi only ran steel brakes a couple of times, not the whole season.

[luke]

It wasn't just the brakes he couldn't get the hang of, it was the car, he couldn't adapt to the narrower car and groved tyres.

[Kicking-back]

He was better than results suggested though - outqualifying Ralf on several occasions.

If he'd been kept on and had got a decent winter of testing, he'd have been stronger in 2000.

[Knowlesy]

I honestly don't feel he had much more to offer Williams.

Have a bad season there and you will suffer. Just ask Harry-Heinz, who's second season there was hardly rivetting.

[luke]

It's a shame he didn't stay in Champcars, any way his return to Champcars wasn't very good.

[Knowlesy]

I think that is putting it mildly.

He had one of the worst accidents ever seen.

[Kicking-back]

Sadly in his only really competitive race of the year.

[Knowlesy]

He was winning wasn't he, I seem to remember?

Sad indeed. Poor Alex.

[Woolley]

Lots of fussy discussions about how to improve the racing, but I get the impression that the one thing that seems to make for a competive formula with overtaking is weight. Lots of it. ChampCars, Aussie V8s, NASCAR, they're all heavy. Harder to get going, take longer to stop, moves around a lot during the corners and forces harder tyres and less effective brakes. Plus it protects the driver better in a big shunt.

Either that or pile on the electronics and take the driver out. The biggest problem always seems to be the nut holding the steering wheel!

[grumpy1]

The whole point is Uncle Max leaves it up to the teams to decide.When as usual they can't he imposes his own rules.The only issue with this is he leaves loop holes for the bigger budget teams to exploit.
I thought the whole point of a governing body was to impose,create and enforce the rules.It is quite a joke that the governing body allows the teams to come up with the ideas for the future,or lack of it,of F1.

The Grumpy1

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
Didn't Williams do some back to back tests between carbon and steel and found little difference (this is a few years ago now). However there were question marks over longevity, perhaps they'd need to toning down because of that.

Riiiight!! They were considering banning carbon brakes and asked one of the top teams running them if there was a difference. I bet that was an objective test

[grumpy1]

Originally posted by Slippy Diff
Riiiight!! They were considering banning carbon brakes and asked one of the top teams running them if there was a difference. I bet that was an objective test

To true its like asking Bridgestone to develop a tyre for all the teams using them not just what Ferrari wants.
The Grumpy1