[Rumours] Budget cap revival

[Marbot]

The teams are open to the suggestion of a budget cap. Which would mean freer (but not ridiculously freer) technical regulations. F1 would be more about thinking than spending. There are apparently three options open to the teams. One is tighter technical regulations (Red Bull have championed that particular route), a budget cap (Sauber and probably most other teams of that ilk), a resource restriction (said to be favoured by most top teams).

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102627

Your thoughts.

[Bononi]

Here we go again !

[ECW Dan Selby]

Budget cap, open regs, please.

Simple as that.

Selby

[chillibowl]

i would like to see a combination of an overall budget cap and a RRA for certain key components.

i would also think a mechanism is required to discourage overspending short of changing championship standings after the accountants have figured out who spent what. the NBA has done some interesting things with a soft salary cap and the application of a luxury tax to penalize those who go over. no one losses their title but the owners get penalized financially with the proceeds being distributed to those that dont violate the rules.

[Bononi]

F1 needs a budget cap, period. How to make it happen and how to control it, can be done, it's up to the teams, really.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Bononi

Here we go again !

Don't blame me. This should have been sorted out ages ago.

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Budget cap, open regs, please.

Simple as that.

Selby

I rather think that a budget cap will preclude vast amounts of R&D, so it may be wise to stick to what you know works, rather than go out on a limb with anything too risky that can't be turned around within your budget.

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i would like to see a combination of an overall budget cap and a RRA for certain key components.

i would also think a mechanism is required to discourage overspending short of changing championship standings after the accountants have figured out who spent what. the NBA has done some interesting things with a soft salary cap and the application of a luxury tax to penalize those who go over. no one losses their title but the owners get penalized financially with the proceeds being distributed to those that dont violate the rules.

Yes. That could work.

Originally Posted by Bononi

F1 needs a budget cap, period. How to make it happen and how to control it, can be done, it's up to the teams, really.

Indeed it can be done. Once they sort out what can and can't be included within a fixed budget. Some teams don't even own a wind tunnel, never mind have the backing of a car manufacturers spending and technological input.

[schead]

Originally Posted by Bononi

F1 needs a budget cap, period. How to make it happen and how to control it, can be done, it's up to the teams, really.

I disagree. F1 is the pinacle of motorsport. If you can't afford it, try GP2, F3, or FF.

The sooner we can get rid of Marussia, HRT and Caterham, the better. All they do is get in the way of real competitors. I would much prefer an 18 car lineup than a 24 car lineup consisting of 18 F1 cars and 6 moving chicanes.

[werner]

Originally Posted by schead

I disagree. F1 is the pinacle of motorsport. If you can't afford it, try GP2, F3, or FF.

The sooner we can get rid of Marussia, HRT and Caterham, the better. All they do is get in the way of real competitors. I would much prefer an 18 car lineup than a 24 car lineup consisting of 18 F1 cars and 6 moving chicanes.

I remember times when drivers finisched in pointscoring positions 1 or more laps down. backmarkers used to finisch 3, 4 sometimes 5 laps down. Today the 3 backmarker teams usually finish 1 lap behind when they don't hit to much trouble, but with such a disadvantage you have almost zero chance on point.
Ergo: the differences are very small these days, and I would not call the 3 last teams moving chicanes. Caterham is close to bridging the gap to the Toro Rosso's.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by schead

I disagree. F1 is the pinacle of motorsport. If you can't afford it, try GP2, F3, or FF.

The sooner we can get rid of Marussia, HRT and Caterham, the better. All they do is get in the way of real competitors. I would much prefer an 18 car lineup than a 24 car lineup consisting of 18 F1 cars and 6 moving chicanes.

It all depends on how it will be that budget cap. I do agree to get rid of those "sub" teams and maybe a programmed budget cap will make it work both ways.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Bononi

It all depends on how it will be that budget cap. I do agree to get rid of those "sub" teams and maybe a programmed budget cap will make it work both ways.

It's precisely because F1 wants to keep these "sub" teams, that a budget cap seems necessary. It would certainly be that a budget cap would be set at well under the figure that Sauber are now throwing at the sport, and believe me, that's not a lot!

[JeremySmith]

[QUOTE=Marbot;3137856]Don't blame me. This should have been sorted out ages ago.

Your special, we love to blame you...

[schead]

Originally Posted by Marbot

It's precisely because F1 wants to keep these "sub" teams, that a budget cap seems necessary. It would certainly be that a budget cap would be set at well under the figure that Sauber are now throwing at the sport, and believe me, that's not a lot!

Really, what are these sub teams contributing to the sport, other than getting in the way? Sauber has always been a valued member of the F1 grid, but these teams are just a joke. HRT and Marrussia inparticular are just modern day Andrea Moda teams. Caterham are more like Arrows. Either way, they left the grid because they couldn't afford to participate in F1, and good riddance to them. Rather than introduce budget caps, F1 should reintroduce the huge entrance fee to stop the likes of smiley Branson from bringing in teams on the same sort of budget as the local soapbox karting team, as a means of cheap advertising.

Limit the grid to 20 cars, and only allow teams to participate in any GP if they first post pre season testing lap times for both cars within 107%.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by schead

Limit the grid to 20 cars, and only allow teams to participate in any GP if they first post pre season testing lap times for both cars within 107%.

If you allow the spending to carry on, it will self-limit itself to much less than 20 cars. And all HRT need do to participate in any GP is precisely what they did do in pre-season testing and that was to get easily within 107% of the cars that very rarely did low fuel runs. And what if one of the top teams builds a 'Lemon'?
Are we to be cheated of seeing that team develop its car through the season?

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by schead

Really, what are these sub teams contributing to the sport, other than getting in the way? Sauber has always been a valued member of the F1 grid, but these teams are just a joke. HRT and Marrussia inparticular are just modern day Andrea Moda teams. Caterham are more like Arrows. Either way, they left the grid because they couldn't afford to participate in F1, and good riddance to them. Rather than introduce budget caps, F1 should reintroduce the huge entrance fee to stop the likes of smiley Branson from bringing in teams on the same sort of budget as the local soapbox karting team, as a means of cheap advertising.

Limit the grid to 20 cars, and only allow teams to participate in any GP if they first post pre season testing lap times for both cars within 107%.

Hang on a minute! That's rather a lot of jobs and people you are throwing on the scrapheap there!

"Smiley Branson" teams and others may well have less budget but they perform a very necessary function, bringing on and providing an opportunity for other drivers and engineers to develop their skills without maybe the spotlight and pressure a job at Lotus or Ferrari would bring.

With your reasoning the Premier League would consist of 10 football clubs, if that!

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Your special, we love to blame you...

Blame is better to give than receive.