Things ... F1 Survey-post your 250 word suggestions here

[sushifiesta]

Scrap FP3 and replace it with Saturday morning qualifying, have a sprint race in qualifying order on Saturday at the "normal" qualifying time and then reverse order from the sprint race on Sunday. The main downside for me would be how much of the weekend that takes up...

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

It would take up exactly the same amount of time as the present arrangement wouldn't it?

 

[Mephistopheles]

For the love of the fans just do something to sort this fucking mess out will you! Instead of sitting on your fat arses doing fuck all.

You claim that Formula One is the pinnacle of motor sport but trust me at the moment it is not even close to being at the pinnacle, I've seen better racing on slot tracks.

How many words is that?

 

[Galahad]

If we want more mixed up grids, can I suggest bringing back one-lap qualifying? That would mix things up while remaining essentially a merit-based system, rather than reversing grids, lotteries, ballast and so on, albeit that twice or three times a season the weather would act as a random factor.

I know that it was much more boring for TV than the current system, but I'd sooner be entertained on Sunday than Saturday.

 

[teabagyokel]

Galahad - Me too. Furthermore, wouldn't it be better for the stability of the sport? I'd rather sponsor a car with 1 minute of guaranteed mass-viewing TV time on a Saturday than a guaranteed fuck all, ever, as Manor have.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

One thing we want to know is who is the best driver, so perhaps have a set of races with the current drivers driving historical F1 cars too?
I do actually quite like the idea of mandating more women drivers too. I think it would be genuinely interesting to compare, not just from a 'positive discrimination' perspective. I realise most would disagree and I do think it should be a meritocracy but even currently there are some drivers who aren't there on their own merit.

 

[Jen]

I do actually quite like the idea of mandating more women drivers too

Probably as well that James Hunt and Eddie Irvine are no longer driving then!

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yeah James was and Irvine is a sexist arsehole...

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

teabagyokel I'd still prefer 60 minutes of free qualifying with the fastest at the end on pole. Each team/driver free to choose when to be on track. Fairness in TV coverage could be maintained by mandating that each driver must be given at least one full flying lap of air time during the hour.
I know that there have been times in the past where this system has led to periods with an empty track while everyone waited for better conditions, but even allowing for that I found this system far more interesting than the very dull 'one at a time' approach. That format was one of the most unfair in terms of qualifying as well, since the leading driver, going last, nearly always got the best conditions (rain apart), with the track rubbered-in and faster.

 

[Greenlantern101]

In my opinion the current qualifying set up is the best F1 has ever seen. You get cars on track all hour, as well as 2 moments of drama at the knockout stage before the final drama of the pole contest.

• The 1 hour version consistently saw zero action until the last 10-15 minutes. Dull, dull, more dull, drama.
• The Friday and Saturday format was actually worse than the 1 hour Saturday format, the only time the Friday was in any way relevant was if it was dry on the Friday and rained on the Saturday. So you felt compelled to watch the pointless Friday session on the off chance that was the relevant session.
• The 1 lap on race fuel version had no tension or drama and consistently favoured and disadvantaged those that could and couldn't get on a lap straight out the box. And you never got to see the 'ultimate' lap the cars could do because of the full fuel tanks. The fuel loads largely determined the grid rather than who managed a good lap. Worst version ever, at least the 1 hour version had drama at the end.

Forget all of these, they were dropped for a reason. Take off the rose tinted glasses, qualifying doesn't need to change.

 

[Dash Racing]

I agree with Greenlantern101, the current qualifying format is the best F1 has had since I started watching as a young kid in the very early 90s. If they changed it back to the old wait a whole hour for anyone to even hit the track format, I would not continue watching F1. That awful qualifying format belongs dead and buried in the past, because all I can remember is dull qualifying, followed by a dull race, most often won in the pits and not on the track. The last thing I want in F1 is for it to go back to the early 2000s on everything, because the early 2000s sucked. If F1 dies, it will be the early 2000s that I will point to as the beginning of the end.

 

[LifeW12]

Stop running boring tracks with no spectators and no atmosphere.

Bring back traditional races: France, Germany, South Africa

 

[FB]

No risk of someone "locking a brake on the run down to Mirabeau" and getting the session yellow flagged in a one lap format is there?

 

[Greenlantern101]

Have you read these comments? FFS.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/32834519

 

[Andyoak]

And there lies the problem...
F1 has spent so long chasing a mindless audience that it has finally succeeded at something.

 

[FB]

So is the problem simply the tyres? The drivers can't push as it will destroy the rubber too quickly, they can't get too close to other cars as the rubber gets destroyed. But then if you think back to the Russian GP last year where the tyres were ultra durable it was one of the worst races of the year.

 

[Greenlantern101]

The big problem is the 'not able to follow closely' issue.

It can be addressed in just 2 ways in my opinion.
• Reducing aero grip and increasing mechanical grip. or
• Reducing aero down force from wings and allowing open regs on 'ground effect' downforce.

I don't think more durable tyres as a stand-alone measure would have much effect. Not enough to notice anyway.

 

[Jen]

Two problems - silly tyres and too much aero.

So bring in other tyre manufacturers, without constraint, which would lessen the need for excessive aero!

 

[teabagyokel]

One lap qualifying does not imply full fuel tanks. I don't like qualifying formats where you might miss something - all you watch is the clock.

OLQ was man/machine vs track with no margin for error, and visually showing the difference between the Karthikeyans and the Alonsos.

The issues were tiny things - deciding the order in a fair way. Essentially they should have chosen their slot based on a Friday session, and if they get wrong, then tough cheese.

As for rose-tinted glasses, I didn't want it to go, and I believe the current format creates dull qualifying, blocking and dull races.

I want to see all 20, on softs, empty fuel tanks, pushing. No second chances, no escaping, no cutting to the aftermath of an accident.

 

[Galahad]

In my opinion the current qualifying set up is the best F1 has ever seen.

I don't disagree. But it doesn't lead to unexpected outcomes - there's no real jeopardy. They've had a day and a half to practice, plus god knows how long in the simulator, it shouldn't be beyond them to perform against the clock without the safety net of a second (or third, fourth) run. Turn up the pressure and make them pay a proper price for mistakes - and give the fans the pleasure of the recovery drive.