With these proposed rule changes, it looks like Formula One wants to become the NASCAR of Europe.
Single tire supplier? Boo.
The return of slicks? Yay.
Standardized ECU with no traction control? Boo.
Onboard starter? Shrug.
10% of current downforce levels? And you thought the Minardis and Jordans were squirrelly already…
A real clutch? But, where are the techno-weenies going to get ideas for bells-and-whistles shift mechanisms on high dollar cars and not so expensive Pontiacs?
Land of the Lemmings v2
common sense and reasoning will not be tolerated
I’m just rambling here because this infuriates me; I’ve ranted a lot about F1 rule changes in the past, but this *is* the last straw…
I aree with the idea of testing mileage, but this should be done with a piggyback ECU of some sort; custom ECU development is about all they can do with image innovation these days. Ok, so they nerfed engines when they banned exotic materials in the last round of rule changes. Now they’re going to nerf transmission innovation, and an Audi TT or BMW M3 has a more sophisticated gearbox. That’s silly.
Killing ground effects, turbocharging, active aero surfaces, ABS, and so forth was the start of this long trend. While I’ll grant that ground effects could be dangerous, racing is dangerous. If you want to win, you don’t screw up, and you don’t kill your driver. Turbocharging plants people into walls? That’s not turbocharging’s faults, and the naturally-aspirated engines of today are doing things not possible under forced induction. F1 is supposed to be dangerous, fast, and a gallery of the best stuff on earth; I hate these changes.
I mean, where did all of the innovation in modern performance cars from from? ABS and traction control CAME FROM RACING TECHNOLOGY.
10% of the current downforce? I mean, that really is like NASCAR. Why do F1 cars turn like they do? They have an amazing ability to rotate at speed on a track, even after last year’s nerfs. You take away that downforce, and all you have left is mechanical grip, which is just about all NASCAR has. Insanity!
No tyre pre-heating? WTF? Single tyre suppliers? That means NO competition at all. Homogenous cars, homogenous fuels, homogenous tyres … I guess the paintjob innovation will get interesting. And I’m sure that we’ll still be under one-tire-one-race regulations, killing what was left of mechanical grip.
I mean, I know the expense is insane … but that’s the sport!
What kills me about F1 is that it’s supposed to be a battle of the best racecars with the hottest technology and engineering on earth. You’re exactly right, the way we’re going, it’s going to be no better than NASCAR. Everybody runs the same car. Pretty soon they’ll make a rule change that says tracks are too dangerous, and they’ll only race on ovals, because braking late and too many turns is a risk to the sport.
I love the idea of slicks coming back. But that’s it. I’m actually hoping for the alternative F1 series, and the elimination of this Ecclestone F1 bastardization. The whole sport is nerfed. I came back this year, but I’ve lost a lot of interest in it; races stick around on my tivo for weeks before I watch them, whereas I’d start them as they started early on a Sunday last season. I’m excited that other teams are on the podium, but not at the expense of the sport.
I’m saying it now, hold me to it; if these regulations are put through, I quit. I’m not watching the sport.
That pretty much hits my sentiments exactly.
Lets just hope cooler heads prevail among the factory teams and privateers and this gets shot down or at least reduced.
I *SO* wish I was in Indy this weekend.