Is CCWS the future F1?

[sgw2]

Not that I expect it to happen, but an interesting convergence seems to be going on here.

Peter Sauber made some interesting comments that F1 should consider going to a Spec chassis, mentioning Lola.

http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_s...me=auto_racing

CART has something of that in effect now. The AutoExtremist gives a rather interesting review of the new CART product. I find some of the driver comments revealing.

http://www.autoextremist.com/page3.shtml

Now we know that Chris Pook is looking at Europe, and has made a big deal of adding European owners. I for one doubt that Craig Pollock is willing to settle down in Indianapolis. Is CCWS acting as a test bed for F1 here?

[Laagri]

Originally posted by sgw2
Peter Sauber made some interesting comments that F1 should consider going to a Spec chassis, mentioning Lola.

I wonder if what he really meant was going back to the system in place before the 1980s, where the richer teams still made their own cars but then also sold them (usually one-year old cars) to less well-off teams. After all, Williams started off buying Brabham chassis.

I don't think he really wants it to become a single-spec series. But the option should be there of buying a car from Lola or whoever, or one of last year's cars from the other teams.

Sorry for the non-ChampCar post.

[Snrub]

I found this part quiet interesting:
'Gone are the sounds of the motors being revved to 16 and perhaps even 17 thousand rpm. The Ford Cosworth powerplants being run by everyone this year are limited to 12 thousand revs, a noticeable difference from the past but sweet sounding nonetheless. '

'engines are down to 750 horsepower this year they have more torque.
"We ended the year with 780 or so horsepower last year and about 300 pound feet of torque. We've picked up about 25 percent more torque this year," said Bisco.'

That's wild stuff. One could surmise that CART should have made the engine formula change a few years ago. The cars are equally as fast at Laguna as last year, saving 5000 rpm! Moreno said earlier that they've upped the boost through the rev range so the power curve is meatier. The 25% extra torque numbers would confirm it. We've said it before and we'll say it again, forced induction is the most reliable and cheapest way to make power.

The 2003 formula should make the cars faster on the street circuits, an obvious plus given the number in the series. The lowered power on ovals makes no sense to me. If anything, the power should be upped. I'm worried it'll be IRL racing.

[sgw2]

Snrub,

I think this will be a much better formula for racing this year. Driver skills should show much more. And passing may become more frequent at the last third of tire stints, provided CART does away with mandatory pit windows.

Unfortunately I think only NHR and PFR have the full development budget and staff. And they are already starting on top of the heap. But I think you'll se a better package on the track. It would be even better if some of the horrible no-pass street circuits like Miami, Vancouver and Denver were replaced with real race tracks like LVMS and Road Atlanta.

I think upping the torque while lowering the BHP is the right way to go. Cars will have to be driven through corners and straight away side-by-side time increased, hence more passing and more passing attempts. The drivers already like the challenge.

I expect the best OW racing in years on a road circuit this June when I go to Laguna Seca. I am excited by the new package.

(My issues with CART are with the scheduling, marketing and management direction, which I think are unsound.)

[Snrub]

I think you're right about the two power teams. I think it'll end up a bit like F1 where things are polarized by team. That kinda sucks because the trademark of CART in recent years has been that virtually any driver, on any team could win or do well.

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Snrub
I think you're right about the two power teams. I think it'll end up a bit like F1 where things are polarized by team. That kinda sucks because the trademark of CART in recent years has been that virtually any driver, on any team could win or do well.

That's why CART sucks - because every driver, talented or not, can win a race